Chapter 8: Debate

What was Shen Miao like?

If one were to ask the students in Guang Wen Tang, whether they were from level one, two or three, everyone would know.

How could someone be so stupid and silly but still try to maintain a virtuous and gentle image? Her appearance was nothing unique, her personality traits were not outstanding, she had no talents at all and was such a love-sick idiot that everyone in the Ding capital knew that she was in love with Prince Ding.

Therefore, if the most outstanding female in Guang Wen Tang was Shen Yue, then the most insignificant female would naturally be Shen Miao.

They were both females from the Shen family, but their images were completely different. Everyone was used to Shen Miao being like a maid and staying by Shen Yue’s side. So if there was a day when Shen Miao no longer acted like Shen Miao, no one would be used to it.

Yi Pei Lan tugged Shen Yue, “Yue Niang, could your younger sister have been so sick that she is confused, else why is she like a different person today?”

Shen Yue looked at Shen Miao and was puzzled in her heart. It was like ever since she woke up after falling into the water, Shen Miao’s temperament had changed drastically. Was it because she had suffered a setback regarding the matter with Prince Ding? Just as she wanted to say something, Jiang Cai Xuan, her good friend who was standing by her side spoke, “Shen Miao, I heard that you fell into the water, but it seems that your cold is better already?”

When such obvious words were said, it would actually make one embarrassed. If it was the usual Shen Miao, she would be at a loss and would look towards Shen Yue to plea for Shen Yue to help her speak. But now she just looked at Jiang Cai Xuan and lightly said, “Alright, thank you for your concern.”

Jiang Cai Xuan was stunned and everyone in the class was surprised for a moment. Perhaps they did not expect that Shen Miao would be this lukewarm to matters about herself, but Jiang Cai Xuan found Shen Miao’s attitude to be extremely sore to her eyes and immediately said, “Since you have recovered from your cold, then the first thing should be giving His Highness Prince Ding an apology, but you came to the academy instead. Don’t you think that you have put the cart before the horse?”

Shen Miao took a deep breath. The students around, no matter if they were females or males, had no intention to speak up for her. She originally did not have any friends and seeing Shen Miao make a fool of herself was presumably the only fun these aristocratic kids had.

After sweeping a look at the different expressions of everyone and seeing the joy at her misfortune in Shen Qing’s eyes, Shen Miao was about to leave when she heard Shen Yue saying, “His Highness Prince Ding is broad-minded and would not blame this little thing on Fifth Younger Sister. Fifth Younger Sister came to the academy due to the thirst for knowledge, which is a good thing.”

“What a good thing.” The youth on the other side could not help but laugh. He was secretly in love with Shen Yue for a long time and usually was dissatisfied with Shen Miao, finding that having a younger sister like Shen Miao was Shen Yue’s tragedy. He said, “The thirst for knowledge. Shen Yue if you really want to help this younger sister, then you need not say such words. The thirst for knowledge… The person who did not know the lesson taught by the level one teachers talking about the thirst for knowledge. This is just too funny! Furthermore…” He purposely sized Shen Miao up and continued, “Who knows if she fell into the water on purpose or not. Don’t the skits always show the hero rescuing the beauty who fell into the water and devote one’s life to… But one would have guessed the ending incorrectly!” Finishing, he found his words were interesting and burst into laughter.

He was the head of this group of youths so when he said such things, the surrounding youths also followed up with laughter. The noble females surrounding Shen Yue also felt that it was funny and for a period of time laughter surrounded Shen Miao and all the eyes on her were filled with malicious intent.

Words were the sharpest weapon to hurt people. In her last life, there were many such scenarios. She had already gotten used to being despised, laughed at and insulted and was reluctant to break these notions. Thus, Shen Yue and Shen Qing had better relationships with the circle of noble females while she grew further away.

She had thought that this was the greatest misfortune but as compared to the tragedies in her previous life, what were these considered as? These young females were not even as old as her Wan Yu and Fu Ming and only instigated some disharmony. Were these people really her enemies?

Naturally not. These females of merit were not considered extremely wealthy and there was no lack of aristocrats. But what kind of ending did these aristocratic families have in her past lifetime? All of them were exterminated one by one by the late Emperor and Fu Xiu Yi. Like this person who was ridiculing her, one of Shen Yue’s admirers and currently the eldest son of the esteem Cai family, Cai Lin. After a few years, the Cai family will be involved in a corruption case and as with others, assets were confiscated and Cai Lin was sent to the army. It was such a pity that he had admired Shen Yue for so many years, but in the end, Shen Yue drew a line on her relationship with him.

She was not in a hostile relationship with these young females and some of them even stood on the same side. It was because these aristocratic families were provoked deliberately by the Emperor to pit one against the other that they did not keep in close contact with each other. Some even regarded the other with hatred.

There was no need to turn an ally into an enemy. When she was Empress, Shen Miao learnt a lot. One must not make an enemy in a moment of emotion, it would not be worthwhile.

“Cai Lin, how could you say that about Fifth Younger Sister.” Waiting until everyone had laughed enough, Shen Yue then suddenly said, “Fifth Younger Sister is not that kind of person.”

“Cai Lin,” Shen Miao interrupted Shen Yue with no trace of any variation in her voice, “Who told you that I fell into the water due to stealing a look at His Highness Prince Ding?”

To say such a thing so loudly would cause one to be looked down upon, but when Shen Miao said those words, she was calm and her tone was filled with indifference, surprising everyone for a moment.

Cai Lin was the little overlord here and, on normal days, Shen Miao would not dare to say much when she met him, so when would she use this tone of voice? And this tone unconsciously had a commanding trace. Cai Lin himself did not know why he did not start scolding but instead said, “Could it be not the case?”

“So it was like this…” Shen Miao said to herself and suddenly smiled slightly as she turned towards Shen Yue and Shen Qing. “Eldest Sister and Second Older Sister, it is alright if they did not know, but how can both of you not know? Why did you not clarify for your Younger Sister?”

Shen Yue and Shen Qing were startled, suddenly remembering their mothers’ insistence that the matter of Shen Miao falling into the water must not be said wrongly. Shen Qing, who was able to take the big picture into consideration better than Shen Yue, immediately said, “Yes, you all better not say such nonsense. At that time I was with Fifth Younger Sister. I witnessed it with my own eyes that Fifth Younger Sister accidentally fell into the water and at the same time His Highness Prince Ding coincidentally passed by and saw her. It had nothing to do with admiration.”

Hearing Shen Qing speaking so confidently, though everyone did not believe it, it was not as serious as before. But Shen Miao said, “Unless one witnesses it themselves, then it would be nonsense. Guang Wen Tan is a place where morals are taught. Besides, the topic of being in love is such a beautiful topic, why was it said so unbearably? When I, Shen Miao love someone, I will love in a dignified manner. His Highness Prince Ding’s status is too noble, how would I have deep feelings? All of you are incorrect.”

In this world, it is very difficult to change the impression of anyone. Moreover, her love of Fu Xiu Yi was something that was well-known throughout the world. To say that she did not love now, she was afraid that no one would believe it at all.

In any case, the line must be drawn somewhere.

Just as the words were spoken, a voice of praise sounded out, “What a good dignity of admiration!”

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