After school, Jingzhe walked out of the Imperial College.
Thinking about the pregnant Zhao Zhao, his steps quickened.
"Hey, scholar, my Commandery Princess requests your presence." The maid, Cai Ming, stopped Jingzhe.
Jingzhe lifted his eyelids to glance at the maid and said, "I don’t recall having any acquaintance with the Commandery Princess."
He lifted his foot as if to leave.
Cai Ming stopped Jingzhe again and said, "Princess Ming Yue requests your presence."
A poor scholar with such arrogance, not considering his own standing.
Did he mistake her for another Commandery Princess, so Cai Ming mentioned Princess Ming Yue.
Jingzhe continued to say calmly, "I have no acquaintance with Princess Ming Yue. Please go back, miss."
Cai Ming stomped her foot in anger.
She thought, this country-bred scholar was ignorant, not knowing what it meant to be noticed by Princess Ming Yue.
Did he really think anyone could catch the princess’s eye?
Once the princess’s patience ran out, he shouldn’t expect to find a place for himself at the Imperial College.
Jingzhe ignored Cai Ming’s obstruction and strode toward his own carriage.
"Hold on."
Seeing Cai Ming fail to invite Jingzhe twice, Princess Ming Yue jumped out of the carriage in anger to personally request him.
Jingzhe glanced at the proud and domineering girl before him.
He knew that this was Princess Ming Yue.
It wasn’t his first time seeing Princess Ming Yue; earlier this summer, upon entering the capital, he had witnessed her ride off without a backward glance after injuring someone with her horse.
Jingzhe stopped and calmly asked, "What does the Commandery Princess want?"
For a moment, Princess Ming Yue didn’t know how to respond.
She certainly couldn’t say, "I’ve taken a liking to you." Although arrogant, she dared not be so reckless in public.
Princess Ming Yue said, "Yesterday on East Street, the dust from your riding splashed onto my carriage, and I came today specifically to discuss compensation with you."
Jingzhe thought that the people from Prince Yu Mansion were indeed vengeful; they quarreled with his mother and sister at Jinluan Palace just yesterday, and today they came for revenge.
But in this way, targeting him was better than troubling his mother and sister.
Jingzhe asked, "May I ask how the Commandery Princess wishes me to compensate?"
Princess Ming Yue was taken aback.
How could this scholar be so oblivious to social conventions? Was she here to collect a debt?
All of Man Shengjing knew that if she intended to trouble someone, she would have long kidnapped them, rather than speak courteously.
If it weren’t for this scholar’s extraordinary looks, she would have turned hostile immediately.
Princess Ming Yue said, "My carriage is very expensive. How could a poor scholar like you afford to compensate?"
Jingzhe raised his eyes and said, "Even if it’s a high price, there must be a number."
Princess Ming Yue met Jingzhe’s gaze and was once again stunned by his appearance.
How could someone have such beautiful eyes?
Princess Ming Yue’s face flushed under Jingzhe’s gaze, her mind in a trance, unable to respond for quite a while.
Jingzhe couldn’t help but say, "Princess, I have matters to attend to. Farewell."
Princess Ming Yue stomped her foot and grabbed Jingzhe’s sleeve.
Jingzhe stumbled in fright.
What business was it to have a public dispute at the entrance of the Imperial College?
Jingzhe angrily said, "Isn’t it that the princess, having failed to trouble my mother and sister yesterday, holds a grudge and seeks to give me problems?"
Princess Ming Yue was dumbfounded.
This beautiful country-bred scholar was actually the Young Master of Taohua Dessert.
His mother and sister were her enemies, and she hadn’t expected such a twist of fate.
"You’re Gu Taohua’s brother?" Princess Ming Yue asked.
Jingzhe retorted, "Didn’t you already know?"
The students of the Imperial College, hearing the commotion, came out.
Seeing Princess Ming Yue stopping Jingzhe, they couldn’t help but whisper, not knowing what had happened.
Princess Ming Yue murmured, "You’re Gu Taohua’s brother?"
Jingzhe found Princess Ming Yue very strange.
Wasn’t she here at the Imperial College to give him trouble? Why did she act as if she just learned he was Gu Taohua’s brother?
The maid, Cai Ming, was equally stunned.
This country-bred scholar turned out to be an enemy of Prince Yu Mansion, what should be done?
The Commandery Princess favored the family’s enemy; if Prince Yu found out, he would probably send the princess to the Longhua Temple, and even she would suffer.
Jingzhe, always a clever person, saw the expressions of Princess Ming Yue and the maid, and a thought flashed in his mind.
Recalling how his mother asked him yesterday if he had ever seen Princess Ming Yue before, he suddenly understood why she sought him out.
Looking again at Princess Ming Yue’s gaze, there was a clear spark within.
As a married man, Jingzhe understood the meaning of that gaze.
Jingzhe felt insulted and walked away.
"Come back." Princess Ming Yue stopped Jingzhe.
"I am already married, Princess, please respect yourself and avoid public squabbles." Jingzhe finished and dashed into his carriage, ordering the driver to gallop away.
Princess Ming Yue took a long time to recover.
In her mind echoed Jingzhe’s words about being married.
He was so young; how could he be married so early?
"Princess, he’s just a poor country boy. His mother and sister are enemies of our family. Such a person should have been taught a lesson, yet with the princess’s magnanimity, you did not hold a grudge against him," Cai Ming couldn’t help but persuade, seeing the princess’s face clouded like a storm about to burst.
Princess Ming Yue coldly cast a glance at Cai Ming, who, frightened, fell silent.
Jingzhe being the enemy’s son and brother wasn’t a problem for Princess Ming Yue; instead, it excited her.
What could be a better revenge than having the enemy’s son enamored with her?
But what angered her was that Jingzhe was already married.
Princess Ming Yue closed her eyes, thinking carefully.
Jingzhe, being a Ning City scholar, married so early, it must be a country girl he grew up with, much like Su Shihang back then.
A country wife wasn’t even fit to hold her shoes.
Could a country wife help his career rise, or could she, the Commandery Princess, help him soar? As long as Jingzhe wasn’t foolish, he’d make the right choice.
By then, she would request the Emperor to bestow a marriage.
With the Emperor’s bestowed marriage, Jingzhe’s wife would have to step aside for her.
But first, she needed to make Jingzhe fall for her.
She thought it wouldn’t be difficult.
Even if Jingzhe didn’t like her personally, he certainly liked the backing of Prince Yu Mansion.
Although Jingzhe had the Crown Grandson as support, the young Crown Grandson and several other princes were still there, having the support of Prince Yu Mansion was more advantageous than gambling solely on the Crown Grandson.
Those studying at the Imperial College were smart; she believed Jingzhe would make the right choice.
Princess Ming Yue was very confident in winning Jingzhe over.
She decided to make her presence felt in Jingzhe’s life, ready to do a pros and cons analysis if necessary.
"Find out where Jingzhe lives," Princess Ming Yue instructed Cai Ming.
Princess Ming Yue wanted to see Jingzhe’s wife for herself.
What right did a country woman have to compete with her?
Princess Ming Yue was determined to win Jingzhe over.