Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Fighting Over Ningning
Shen Ningning picked up her brush, and neat lines of characters flowed onto the paper with swift, smooth strokes.
Mr. Han had told them to write down their favorite ancient text. ’As for my favorite,’ she thought, ’it’s obviously *Free and Easy Wandering*!’
*There is a fish in the North Sea, its name is Kun. The size of Kun...*
As Cai Ying ground the ink, she watched the little girl grow more and more focused, transcribing the ancient text from memory.
She took a closer look and was immediately astonished.
’At such a young age, how can Princess Funing know *Carefree Wanderings* so well?’
Her calligraphy was especially remarkable—neat and distinctive. Every stroke and flourish seemed to possess its own spirit.
Cai Ying discreetly glanced around the room.
Xu Jingxi, who sat beside Shen Ningning, was writing *Ritual Records: Pride Cannot Grow*.
A look at the other students revealed they were writing either the *Three Character Classic* or the *Thousand Character Classic*.
Cai Ying’s eyes darted around before she leaned in and whispered to Shen Ningning, "Commandery Princess, perhaps you shouldn’t be writing this."
The little girl looked up, confused. "Why?"
Cai Ying said, "I just took a look, Your Highness. Everyone else is writing the *Thousand Character Classic* or the *Three Character Classic*. Some are even just copying the *Hundred Family Names*."
"But look at what you’re writing. This piece, *Carefree Wanderings*... doesn’t it make you stand out? Everyone else is writing simple texts, while yours is so difficult. Your classmates might think you’re deliberately showing off."
Shen Ningning pouted and glanced down at her paper, which was already half-full.
"But the teacher said to write our favorite ancient text. I’m writing what I like best. He didn’t say we had to think about what others were doing..."
Cai Ying gestured for her to keep her voice down.
Then she leaned close to Shen Ningning’s ear again. "Of course he wouldn’t. Mr. Han only teaches scholarly knowledge. How could he possibly teach you about social graces?"
"If you ask me, you should just write the *Thousand Character Classic*. Don’t write *Carefree Wanderings*. Standing out like this will only make others jealous!"
"Besides, you’re so talented. Mr. Han is bound to praise you and, in doing so, criticize the other students who aren’t as good. That means you’ll be the reason everyone else gets a scolding. Am I wrong?"
Confusion clouded Shen Ningning’s fair little face.
She lowered her head and thought for a moment before saying quietly, "Alright then. I’ll write the *Thousand Character Classic*."
A triumphant glint flashed in Cai Ying’s eyes.
"I’ll prepare more ink for you right away." ’So what if she’s smart?’ Cai Ying thought. ’When Mr. Han sees this, he’ll just think Princess Funing is average!’
Shen Ningning finished the *Thousand Character Classic* while many of her classmates were still writing.
Afraid that Shen Ningning might go back to her unfinished draft of *Carefree Wanderings*, Cai Ying said eagerly, "Commandery Princess, let me hand this in for you. Then we can go outside and play in the sun."
The little girl nodded. Cai Ying quickly snatched the paper, strode up to the teacher’s platform, and handed it to Mr. Han.
Shen Ningning hung her brush back on its rack and left the classroom.
Cai Ying deliberately slowed her pace for a moment and saw Mr. Han pick up Shen Ningning’s paper and examine it closely, just as she’d expected.
Gradually, a flicker of disappointment appeared in Mr. Han’s eyes.
’He’s probably wondering why Shen Ningning wrote the same thing as everyone else,’ Cai Ying mused.
Cai Ying smirked to herself and went outside to join the little girl in the sun.
After Xu Jingxi finished his assignment, he was about to hand it in when he noticed a piece of paper on the floor.
He picked it up. It was signed with Shen Ningning’s name, and the half-finished text of *Carefree Wanderings* on it was written in a remarkably neat and clear hand.
Xu Jingxi frowned. ’If she started it, why didn’t she finish? Did she forget the rest?’
Without giving it much more thought, he handed in her unfinished paper along with his own.
When Mr. Han saw Shen Ningning’s name, he was surprised. "Student Xu, where did this come from?"
Xu Jingxi replied nonchalantly, "It was on the floor. I just picked it up for her."
With that, he left the classroom.
Shen Ningning was sitting outside in the sun when a few of her female classmates came over to chat.
Everyone was quite friendly, except for Xu Jingxi, who sat alone in a distant pavilion, keeping to himself.
The little girl glanced at him curiously. A female classmate beside her lowered her voice and said, "It’s already a huge honor for our Huangzi Class to have a Commandery Princess. I can’t believe the student who placed second in the Grade B exam is in our class too."
"That’s Xu Jingxi. Everyone knows him. The great scholar of Yu’an County whose family is so poor they can barely afford to eat."
"I heard he passed the entrance exam for the National Academy three years ago, when he was only six. But then his father suddenly fell ill and died, so he had to observe the three-year mourning period. He only just retook the exam this year."
Another girl sighed dramatically. "He’s so lucky to have passed both times. It’s not like me... my family had to donate a lot of silver. My dad says if I don’t do well, he’s going to marry me off to someone far, far away."
Shen Ningning listened and couldn’t help but add, "Wow, he sounds really amazing!"
Just then, a stout, round teacher hurried over from a distance, his face flushed red with urgency.
"Look, that’s Mr. Liao from the Yellow Class. He’s Director Guo’s brother-in-law."
Everyone watched as Mr. Liao hurried over and stopped right in front of Shen Ningning, panting as if he had something urgent to say.
"Commandery Princess... Com... *huff*... Commandery Princess, you..."
The little girl blinked her big eyes. "Teacher, please don’t rush. Take your time and tell me what’s wrong."
Mr. Liao fanned his face with his hand, finally catching his breath. "Commandery Princess, you’re one of my students! What are you doing here in the Huangzi Class?"
His words sent a shock through the entire group.
Shen Ningning froze. "But... I drew the lot for the Huangzi Class!"
’Mr. Guo announced it himself.’
Suddenly, a thought struck her.
She quickly pulled out the token engraved with her name. And sure enough, the back read: Yellow Class.
"Oh, dear. I went to the wrong class." The little girl lightly tapped her head.
Mr. Liao looked exasperated. "’Yellow,’ not ’Huangzi.’ How could you have misheard? Oh, well. It’s alright. I’ll go speak with Mr. Han. Please wait here, Commandery Princess."
With that, everyone watched Mr. Liao enter the classroom.
Cai Ying gloated inwardly.
’A moment ago, Mr. Han would never have let Shen Ningning leave. He wouldn’t just give up a student he’d taken a liking to.’
’But now that he knows Shen Ningning is just average, he certainly won’t try to keep her.’
"Commandery Princess, I’ll help you gather your things in a moment," Cai Ying said.
Before Shen Ningning could even nod, a furious roar erupted from the classroom. "Get out!"
Everyone whipped their heads around in surprise to see the chubby Mr. Liao being physically dragged out by the collar by Mr. Han.
The tall and imposing Mr. Han held him like he was grabbing a plump dumpling.
Mr. Liao struggled, sputtering, "Mr. Han, you can’t be so unreasonable! The Commandery Princess is my student!"
Mr. Han slammed his right fist into the wall next to him. With a loud CRACK, the doorframe splintered.
His eyes blazed with fury. "Once she’s in my Huangzi Class, she is a student of me, Han Shuo! I’d sooner build a shrine to her than let you take her back! Not a chance!"
"Get out of here before I get physical!"
Mr. Liao was shoved away and stumbled, nearly falling before the Attendant Student he’d brought along managed to steady him.
This infuriated Mr. Liao. "You’re completely irrational! Unreasonable! How can a brute like you be fit to be a teacher?"
Mr. Han raised a fist, and Mr. Liao scrambled away in terror.
"Hmph. I was the top scholar in the imperial examinations, and you were merely the runner-up. You dare say I’m unfit to teach? Pathetic!" Mr. Han sneered, then turned his head.
The little children in the courtyard were all staring at him, utterly dumbfounded.
’Did we really just see that?’
Mr. Han and Mr. Liao had nearly come to blows over who got to have Princess Funing as their student?
Shen Ningning stood up, embarrassed. "Mr. Han, I’m so sorry. I mixed up the classes. I..."
"It’s nothing, child. Nothing at all." Mr. Han waved a large hand, instantly placating her. "You just stay here and study with me. If anyone tries to take you, I’ll break three of their ribs."
After speaking, he turned to go back into the classroom and noticed the rickety doorframe.
Mr. Han called over an Attendant Student. "Go tell Director Guo to send someone to fix this. We can’t have it falling on the Commandery Princess."
The Attendant Student trembled. "Yes, sir..."
Cai Ying was the most shocked of all. ’This isn’t right at all.’
’Why would he still want to keep Shen Ningning, knowing she’s so mediocre?’
Shen Ningning overheard her muttering and asked, "Cai Ying, what isn’t right?"
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