The Eldest Princess Is So Annoying! - Chapter 9

Mu Xu had yawned several times in succession today.

She had slept poorly all night because Xiao Hua had given her three gold ingots, saying that a young lady from an official’s household had left them behind when she came looking for them.

Who exactly was that woman?

And why had she come looking for Mu Xu and Jiang Huaisheng?

Mu Xu was troubled. She did not even know what the woman looked like, so how was she supposed to return the three gold ingots?

After stepping down from the carriage, Qie Ge instructed the guards beside her, “Stand watch around the area.”

“Yes!”

Qie Ge entered the private school and immediately spotted Mu Xu sitting beside the window, her head lowered in thought.

“Miss Mu.”

Mu Xu raised her head, looked toward Qie Ge, and smiled.

“Miss Nangong.”

“There were quite a few trivial matters to handle at the residence today. Miss Mu will not blame me for arriving late, will you?”

Mu Xu shook her head. She was about to speak when she remembered Jiang Huaisheng’s warning from the previous day.

“Miss Nangong worries too much. Of course I would not.”

“Since that is the case, let us discuss how to donate to the private school,” Qie Ge said.

Qingqian entered. Behind her followed a man carrying an abacus.

She introduced him. “Miss Mu, this is the accountant from our residence. His surname is Liu. He has worked in the residence for six years and has never made a mistake in his calculations. You may rest assured.”

Seeing how enthusiastic Qie Ge was, Mu Xu felt rather awkward.

After all, she was about to reject her.

When Mu Xu remained silent for a long time, Qie Ge asked in confusion, “Miss Mu, what is wrong?”

Mu Xu gritted her teeth and finally said it.

“On behalf of the students of the private school, Mu Xu thanks you for your kindness. However, everything the school requires has already been prepared. There is no need for further donations.”

Qie Ge fell into thought.

Mu Xu had agreed only yesterday, yet today she had changed her mind. Something must have happened.

Accountant Liu secretly wiped away cold sweat.

Her Highness was showing such generosity. Had it been anyone else, they would probably have dropped to their knees and repeatedly kowtowed in gratitude.

Yet this woman had actually dared reject Her Highness.

Had she eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard?

Was she truly not afraid of losing her head?

Qie Ge nodded.

“In that case, I will say no more.”

At that moment, Xiao Hua came running out with a book in her hands.

“Teacher! Teacher!”

Mu Xu turned toward her.

“What is it?”

“Teacher, how do you pronounce this character?”

Xiao Hua pointed at a character in the book.

Mu Xu crouched down and examined it.

“This character is pronounced liu—willow.”

“Liu, liu, liu,” Xiao Hua repeated.

She scratched her head, then asked, “Teacher, is it the same liu as in Yang Liu?”

Qingqian was about to reprimand Xiao Hua for directly speaking Her Highness’s personal name when Qie Ge stopped her before she could utter a word.

Mu Xu was horrified.

She hurriedly covered Xiao Hua’s mouth. If anyone else overheard her, the consequences would be unimaginable.

“You must not speak such nonsense!”

Although her voice remained gentle, it carried a stern edge.

Xiao Hua stared blankly at Mu Xu, unable to understand why Teacher was acting this way.

Perhaps realizing that she had frightened the child, Mu Xu released her and smiled as she cautioned, “You must never say those two words again. Do you understand?”

Xiao Hua nodded, but her curiosity still compelled her to ask, “I understand, but Teacher, why?”

“Those two characters are the personal name of the current Eldest Princess. No one else is permitted to speak them,” Mu Xu explained.

After speaking, Mu Xu looked back at Qie Ge.

Qie Ge answered with a smile, as though saying that she had heard nothing.

The Eldest Princess?

Xiao Hua seemed to remember hearing the auntie who sold flatbread next door mention her.

“Teacher, is the Eldest Princess a fox spirit in disguise?”

Mu Xu’s expression changed drastically.

She rebuked her harshly, “Who taught you to say such outrageous nonsense?!”

Insulting the Eldest Princess was a crime of disrespect, punishable by beheading.

Xiao Hua looked lost.

She raised her eyes toward her teacher.

Was Teacher merely playing with her?

But Mu Xu did not smile. Instead, her expression became even sterner.

“What do I normally teach you?”

Tears gathered in Xiao Hua’s eyes.

She now understood that Teacher was genuinely angry.

“Teacher…”

“Do not call me Teacher! I teach you to read and write every day, not because I expect you to be exceptionally clever, nor because I expect you to achieve fame and success in the future. I ask only that you not behave recklessly and bring disaster upon yourself.

“And yet today, you dared utter such wild words and insult Her Highness the Eldest Princess!”

Xiao Hua shook her head.

She clutched Mu Xu’s sleeve and sobbed, “Teacher, Xiao Hua was wrong. Xiao Hua knows she was wrong. Xiao Hua will never dare do it again.”

Mu Xu pulled her sleeve from Xiao Hua’s grasp and said mercilessly, “This private school can no longer keep you. Leave. From today onward, I am no longer your teacher, and you are no longer my student!”

“No, Teacher! Do not drive Xiao Hua away! Xiao Hua will not leave! Please do not make Xiao Hua leave…”

Xiao Hua cried so bitterly that her voice tore at the heart.

She repeatedly tugged at Mu Xu’s sleeve and begged, but Mu Xu seemed to have hardened her heart, pushing her away again and again.

Hearing the commotion, Jiang Huaisheng hurried outside.

He was deeply confused by the scene before him.

What in the world had happened?

Mu Xu said to him, “Huaisheng, pull her away.”

“Teacher, please do not drive Xiao Hua away! Teacher, Xiao Hua is begging you…”

Seeing Jiang Huaisheng standing there in a daze, Mu Xu raised her voice.

“Pull her away!”

When had Mu Xu ever been this angry?

Jiang Huaisheng understood even less, but he hurriedly pulled Xiao Hua away.

Qie Ge watched them with great interest.

So, Mu Xu was intelligent, but also terribly foolish.

Expelling Xiao Hua from the private school certainly counted as punishment, but it also meant Mu Xu herself could no longer escape responsibility.

Mu Xu turned toward Qie Ge.

“Mu Xu is Xiao Hua’s teacher. What Xiao Hua said today was the result of Mu Xu’s failure to discipline her properly. When instruction is lax, the teacher bears the blame. Mu Xu is willing to go with you.”

Qingqian swept a glance over Mu Xu.

Had Her Highness not stopped her earlier, she would already have cut off the heads of everyone present.

Qie Ge laughed softly.

“Go where?”

Mu Xu was in no mood to joke with her.

She answered honestly, “To the magistrate’s office.”

Qie Ge laughed even more brightly after hearing this.

Standing beside her, Accountant Liu felt a chill run down his spine.

He repeatedly wiped away cold sweat.

This assignment was truly damnably difficult.

Who knew whether Her Highness might suddenly lose her temper and have all of them executed?

Even Xiao Hua, foolish as she was, understood now.

Teacher wanted this young lady from an official’s household to take her to the magistrate’s office.

Was that not the same as accepting punishment in Xiao Hua’s place?

Teacher had once taught her that everyone must take responsibility for their own actions.

Xiao Hua hurriedly dropped to her knees.

“Official Lady, please! Please do not blame Teacher! Do not take her away! It was all Xiao Hua’s fault. Take Xiao Hua instead!”

Jiang Huaisheng frowned deeply.

Mu Xu had expelled Xiao Hua and then confessed her guilt to Qie Ge.

Xiao Hua must have carelessly uttered something gravely disrespectful.

And Xiao Hua had called Qie Ge a young lady from an official’s household.

Could Jiang Huaisheng’s suspicions from yesterday truly have been correct?

He stepped forward.

“This humble one is also Xiao Hua’s teacher. If Mu Xu is at fault, then I must bear responsibility as well—”

Before Jiang Huaisheng could finish, Mu Xu called sharply, “Huaisheng!”

Jiang Huaisheng ignored her and continued, “Please take this humble one to the magistrate’s office as well.”

Although he did not understand the full story, this was the best option for the moment.

Once they reached the magistrate’s office, they could discuss the matter further.

Mu Xu should have borne the responsibility alone, but now Jiang Huaisheng had involved himself.

She neither wished for nor permitted it.

“Miss Nangong, this matter has absolutely nothing to do with Jiang Huaisheng.”

Qie Ge looked at Jiang Huaisheng.

Yesterday, during the hour of the Goat, while traveling to the imperial training grounds, her hidden guards had informed her that the essay had been written by Jiang Huaisheng.

She had been somewhat surprised.

Jiang Huaisheng appeared to be nothing more than a frail scholar, yet he had written such a bold and imposing essay.

Now she understood somewhat.

Jiang Huaisheng was not as weak as he appeared.

These two were certainly deeply devoted to one another.

Unfortunately, Qie Ge had never believed in so-called love.

Power could change anything, including that insignificant thing people called love.

Qie Ge pressed her lips together in a light smile.

“Why are the two of you so frightened?”

Mu Xu and Jiang Huaisheng both looked at her, unable to understand what she meant.

Qie Ge asked in confusion, “What are Miss Mu and Young Master Jiang doing? Neither of you has committed any offense. Why would I take either of you to the magistrate’s office?”

After saying this, Qie Ge turned to Qingqian and Accountant Liu.

“Do either of you know what crime these two have committed?”

Accountant Liu wiped away sweat once again and put on a blank expression.

“Huh? What crime? This humble one has no idea.”

Qingqian did not understand why Her Highness was indulging these unruly commoners so greatly, but she still replied, “Qingqian knows nothing!”

Qie Ge looked at the pair, her eyes seemingly insisting that she genuinely knew nothing.

Mu Xu and Jiang Huaisheng exchanged a glance, each lost in their own thoughts.

Jiang Huaisheng was even more worried than before.

By concealing the matter for them now, Qie Ge had effectively gained leverage over them.

Should she later wish to control him and Mu Xu, it would be effortless.

Yet Jiang Huaisheng still did not understand.

They were merely ordinary commoners.

Why was Qie Ge doing this?

Liu Puyu approached while carrying osmanthus cakes and humming a cheerful tune.

He had promised his students that he would bring them pastries today.

From a distance, Liu Puyu spotted a carriage parked outside the private school, with several people standing nearby.

Why did those people look so much like guards?

When he drew closer and saw clearly, he was stunned.

Was that not a carriage from the Eldest Princess’s residence?

He hurriedly rubbed his eyes and looked again.

It truly was a carriage from the Eldest Princess’s residence!

Liu Puyu was beside himself with joy.

He hastily straightened his clothes and took several deep breaths before stepping into the private school.

He had only walked a few steps when he spotted the familiar figure.

He called out, “Your Highness!”