Chapter 8

Xie Yun was taken aback. He hadn’t expected the rumored spoiled imperial princess to be the only one who treated him with the utmost respect.

In every class, she was also one of the few students who genuinely loved to learn, actively answering questions and asking insightful ones.

Xie Yun couldn’t help but see me in a new light, and his explanations became exceptionally detailed.

As for the Chancellor’s son and the young general, I didn’t have to lift a finger.

Every time I appeared, they would flock to me, trying to curry favor.

[“System, I don’t even know what I’m supposed to be competing for. Do you really not understand the value of being the most favored imperial daughter?”]

Chu Yue understood it too. The look in her eyes grew more resentful.

Once again, I had effortlessly stolen the attention and affection that was hers.

But in truth, it wasn’t I who had stolen it; it was the imperial power, it was Chu Ye behind me.

I borrowed Xie Yun’s written insights on the latest policies.

Then, I presented them to Chu Ye.

After scanning the document, Chu Ye glanced at me.

I rested my chin on my hands and smiled at him. He helplessly ruffled my hair.

“Alright, alright, anything for you.”

The next day, Xie Yun was led by a palace attendant to Chonghua Palace (Palace of High Glory), where he stood face to face with me, his only student.

I grinned at him. “Instructor, congratulations on your promotion!”

Xie Yun became my personal tutor.

Of course, I still attended the Imperial Academy. Building friendships with the future heads of powerful clans was also very important.

But to learn something substantial, I had to rely on Xie Yun. He wasn’t stupid.

I extended an olive branch to him. He now had the opportunity to be close to the emperor’s side and understood what this appointment signified.

To rule a country, you need more than just civil officials. So, I turned my attention to the Grand General.

I successfully befriended the Grand General’s daughter, Li Yao, and learned that she had been learning martial arts from her father.

I said I wanted to learn too and lavished praise on her father.

She said, “Great, come home with me today.”

That afternoon, a grand procession of the imperial daughter arrived at the General’s residence.

The Grand General was startled, but he couldn’t resist the combined flattery of me and Li Yao.

Excited, he performed a set of boxing moves and then demonstrated a spear routine.

Just as he finished with the spear, he saw Chu Ye standing behind him with a blank expression.

The moment I left the palace, the hidden guards had notified Chu Ye, and he had rushed over almost immediately.

Seeing he was about to lose his temper, I immediately hugged his leg and started wailing.

“Father Emperor, I want to learn too!”

The Grand General couldn’t resist his daughter’s praise, and Chu Ye couldn’t resist my tantrum (pestering and rolling on the ground).

He could only nod.

So, Li Yao became my study companion, but in reality, I was her companion, learning martial arts and military command under her father.

When Xie Yun was teaching, Li Yao would pretend to be sick and skip class.

This girl was a martial arts prodigy but would get sleepy at the sight of a book.

Strangely, however, she was intensely interested in military strategy and formations.

In contrast, her brother, Li Qiong, was a hopeless case in martial arts, much to the General’s despair.

Yes, he was also one of the romanceable male leads mentioned by the system. The General’s son apparently became a civil official later on.

But he was exceptionally handsome, said to take after his mother, with a delicate and gentle personality.

He could recite countless poems by the age of three, had a photographic memory, and loved literature.

He had even composed several famous poems, earning the title of child prodigy at a young age.

The son of the Chancellor next door, Cheng Hao, was the complete opposite. He was full of brute strength with nowhere to channel it, always running off since childhood to learn martial arts from wandering masters. And he was actually talented at it.

Recently, hearing that the Grand General was teaching me and Li Yao, he had shamelessly joined in.

Everyone actually suspected that the Chancellor and the Grand General had taken home the wrong babies.

I asked Chu Ye if it was true.

He contentedly flipped through my report card, where I was far ahead in every subject, and kissed my cheek happily.

“True or not, they can’t compare to my precious treasure!”

-However, this didn’t stop him from scolding me when I got into trouble.

The damn plot point arrived again. Chu Yue was poisoned.

It was from the pastries I had sent over.

I had sent a portion to every teacher and student at the Imperial Academy, but only she was poisoned.