This person's name was Li Peiyan, the second most powerful person in the Tang Dynasty and the only younger brother of His Majesty, also known as the Immortal King (good nature). It was he who took advantage of His Majesty's travels around the country 13 years ago to imprison Xuanwei General Lin Guangyuan on charges of treason, and conspired with several important ministers and Major General Xiahou. They exterminated the entire family of General Xuanwei at that time.

Since Tianqi fled from Chang'an to Weicheng in the first year, Ning Que has been trying to live in this world for the past thirteen years. His growing hatred, which has become more evident with the torment of body and soul over the years, is filled with guilt and regret deep inside.

They were the people of Chang'an on his blacklist, and he was determined to kill them, and Li Peiyan was undoubtedly the first name. Today in the academy was the first time Ning Que saw the first object on his list. He took the time to observe the prince carefully and tried to etch in his mind the look of the charming prince – his eyebrows, eyes, lips, and even the lines at the corners of his eyes – so that one day he could tear it all up.

Prince Li Peiyan smiled and said inspiringly: "Everyone here is the best people in the world. Don't be afraid to take today's exam and show what you are capable of. Once admitted, you should study as much as you can and be prepared for what the Tang Dynasty has in store for you. Ultimately, you should make yourself, Tang Dynasty, and Your Majesty proud!

Ning Que stared at him thoughtfully, blinking slightly, as if his eyelashes could blow the wind.

Li Peiyan looked to his left-hand side, where there were some students dressed in exotic clothes that were very different from those of the Tang Dynasty. He opened his arms and smiled as warm as the sun, "Although you are not from the Tang Dynasty, the academy has a history of welcoming people of all ethnic groups. So, rest assured that your score will be assessed fairly and impartially. If one day you get good grades in the academy, Tang Dynasty and His Majesty will wait for you to work hard in the future.

Ning Que kept staring at him coldly, and his eyes began to darken.

Concentration can be seen as fanaticism, and hatred can likewise be seen as reverence when a little other emotion is added. A student waiting for an exam, listening in awe to the prince's conversation, is completely normal in the eyes of everyone. Except for Sangsang, no one could see his abnormal expression. Sangsang looked up at him with deep concern, then secretly reached into his sleeve and gently took his trembling hand.

A candidate from the Yan Kingdom was about to talk to the prince at the moment, and the prince's cheerful words drew laughter from the nervous candidates. In this atmosphere, Li Peiyan told some casual anecdotes to relax. The candidates quickly understood his intentions and relaxed their previous serious expressions, and they began to gossip around, stretching their arms and, of course, trying to brown the prince.

"What a good-natured Prince Tang!"

"Like the words that you carry with you, the virtue of the prince is indeed as warm as the sun and as pleasant as the breeze."

"Xi'an (good nature)."

Of course, not all students are playing Prince. However, hearing all the compliments around him, Ning Que couldn't help frowning slightly, thinking of the known title of the fourth princess Li Yu, who is also an immortal (kindness), and muttered to himself: "Is there anyone who is not an immortal?"

"Yes, porridge is not a homophone for salt."

A nearby student replied seriously, and no one noticed, because the young man was standing next to Ning Que. He wore a silk robe with a precious jade pendant hanging from his gold belt, indicating that he was either from a wealthy family or a high-ranking official family. Most importantly, he was an acquaintance.

"Chu Youxian? I'm surprised you came to take the exam. Ning Que turned around, wondering who had answered, and asked in surprise, "When we went to the brothel, why did I never hear you mention this?"

This young man was the only son of the Chu family, one of the seven wealthy families in Dongcheng, and he happened to be the one who Ning Que was scolded by Miss Jian when he first visited the Red Sleeve Mansion. Chu Youxian is his name, and he is known to have a generous and friendly personality. When they met for the first time, Chu Youxian planned to entertain Ning Que well and let him enjoy it, but something happened. Later, Ning Que often frequented the Red Sleeves House and chatted with Luzhu and other girls. After that, he met him a few times, and they drank together, and so they became acquaintances.

Chu Youxian glanced sideways at Ning Que, and said with a painful look on his face: "My old man forced me to take the exam, tell me that whoever doesn't take the exam will be belittled by the quasi-family in marriage." They even had to give away a few more engagement gifts than those who accepted it. I didn't have a choice, so here I am.

Ning Que turned around, looked at the prince who was talking one by one with students beside him, and said in a low voice: "The deadline for the preliminary evaluation has long passed, how did you pass?"

Chu Youxian raised two fingers and gestured towards Ning Que, and replied while looking ahead, "I was recommended by the military department."

Ning Que realized that this year, the military department recommended a lot more candidates than usual. At first, he thought that it might be because the imperial court was worried about the shortage of military generals, and he never expected that there would be a pull behind the scenes. Thinking that he had fought bravely on the battlefield, cut down trees in the forest, worked hard, and accumulated so many years of military merits before he could pass the preliminary examination, Ning Que felt indignant. He cursed in a low voice, "Two thousand taels of silver...... That's only half of the blanket open – I can't believe that money like this can buy you your way into the academy!

Hearing this, Sang Sang, who was standing quietly on the other side, raised his head and looked up at Ning Que. She thought to herself, "I know you're angry with this young master, but why on earth are you bringing it up?"

"Two thousand taels of silver? Are you kidding? It's not enough to bribe the academy's cottage porters! My old man begged all the people he could reach, and spent twenty thousand taels of silver...... That's just to test the qualifications, not to guarantee admission!

Chu Youxian glanced at him contemptuously and said, "There is no ministry in the Tang Dynasty that can guarantee admission, that is beyond the scope of those officials, even Your Majesty can't do it." So save me your contempt. My old man told me that I just need to take exams and gain experience so that I can have a good marriage in the future.

The two of them went on talking. Then the crown prince Li Peiyan, accompanied by several officials and instructors, walked along their path and noticed a thin and weak little girl Sang Sang, while completely ignoring Ning Que and Chu Youxian next to him. He turned to the instructors and smiled and said, "It's amazing to see such a little girl come to take the exam." I guess she's even two years younger than the Wang Ying we saw in Lincheng.

Wang Ying was a child prodigy who was brought to Chang'an from a remote rural institution by an instructor from the academy. He was almost 14 years old, and the officials gave the prince a new feeling. No one expected to see such a dark little girl here - judging by the way she dressed, she was so plain......

"She's my maid," Ning Que explained, bowing with her hands in front of her.

Li Peiyan felt a little embarrassed to be misunderstood. The officials in the back reacted quickly, glared at an instructor, and asked, "On the day of the graduation ceremony, how can the maid come in?"

The middle-aged instructor didn't seem to notice the anger of the officials, and calmly replied, "There is no restriction on maids and servants entering the academy. This is a graduation ceremony, not an exam, but she is only forbidden to enter the examination room in the future.

The instructor replied so defiantly that this officer, no matter how high his rank and how much power he wield, could not lose his temper. In the academy, it is pointless and useless. The prince smiled awkwardly, reached out and patted Ning Que's shoulder, without saying a word. Then he continued to advance with all the officers.

Looking at the instructor beside Li Peiyan, he gently pushed Chu Youxian's shoulder, and Ning Que praised in a low voice: "Hehe, this is called not salty (not 'immortal'." I think I'm getting more and more fond of this place.

The bell rings a second time, indicating that this is the last call.

A teacher loudly announces the rules of the exam without emotion, but the students are too nervous to remember because the rules are too loose to follow – there are no restrictions on talking and asking questions, just no answers are allowed to be passed on.