CHAPTER 021
The Hall of Discipline.
Du Hongying, a corpulent woman with a round face, sat leisurely at the central seat of honor. She picked up a teacup, took a delicate sip of the hot tea, and then, as if out of obligation, glanced at Lu Yun'er. Her gaze, full of condescension and envy, was self-assured and haughty.
Lu Yun'er was naturally beautiful, with strikingly elegant features and captivating almond-shaped eyes—indeed, a rare beauty of the highest order. But what of it? Was she not about to become just a pretty face now?
Once, she had held the esteemed position of a Scholar, an official of the second rank. Despite often opposing them and deliberately making things difficult, she had always spoken with a degree of courtesy. But now, the tables had turned, and fortunes had shifted. Lu Yun'er was likely filled with regret now!
In this academy, men and women were taught separately. They had deliberately reassigned her from the women's academy to the men's academy, hoping to humiliate her and make her life difficult. Yet within just a few days, she had shamelessly set her sights on the young master of the Su family.
Who was this young master? His mother, Su Bai, was the only non-royal prince in the kingdom, a person second only to the Emperor, yet above thousands.
Years ago, when the court was in turmoil and various factions in the palace were openly and covertly vying for the throne, no one had expected that the Ninth Princess Mu Yue, born in a cold palace, would ascend to the throne.
But the biggest force behind her rise was Prince Yun, Su Bai. After the Emperor's ascension, Su Bai was granted unparalleled privileges: she could attend court without the usual formalities, receive praise without bowing, and even wear her sword in the Emperor's presence—honors of the highest order, rarely granted throughout history.
Though Prince Yun now lived a reclusive life, not engaging in court politics or factional disputes, her influence remained formidable.
Prince Yun had only one son, who had yet to find a suitable match. All the court officials were eager to align themselves with Prince Yun through marriage. Winning the favor of the young master of the Su family would be a gateway to immense power, wealth, and glory.
And to think, Lu Yun'er, who once seemed so virtuous, was now revealed to be just as unscrupulous.
After about a quarter of an hour, Du Hongying glanced at her disdainfully before finally speaking in a slow, deliberate tone: "Scholar Lu, do you know why I have brought you to the Hall of Discipline?"
"Please enlighten me, Director," Lu Yun'er replied, pausing momentarily to carefully choose her words, already knowing what Du Hongying was up to.
Du Hongying observed her, standing as straight as a bamboo stick, with a facade of humility that only made her more despicable. She snorted inwardly before speaking: "The Imperial Academy is the highest educational institution of the Yuan Dynasty, a place where we cultivate talent for the court. Since Her Majesty ascended the throne, she has placed great importance on the management of the Imperial Academy."
As she spoke, she put down the teacup and walked directly toward Lu Yun'er, her gaze full of contempt and carrying a deeper meaning: "As the Director of the Imperial Academy, I am responsible for correcting and punishing those who neglect their duties or violate the rules. Today, you ran through the academy grounds with the young master of the Su family, disregarding the boundaries between men and women. Moreover, as a teacher in the Imperial Academy, you should be well aware of the appropriate distance to maintain between yourself and your students. However, given that you are new to the academy and that there were extenuating circumstances, I will limit myself to a verbal reprimand. But if this happens again, I will not be lenient!"
The punishment for Lu Yun'er this time was merely a warning. With General Liu still at the academy, once he returned to Huabei, everything would become easier to manage...
She then changed her tone, her voice dripping with mockery: "Let me remind you, Scholar Lu, as a teacher, your duty is to impart knowledge and resolve doubts. Do not develop improper thoughts!"
At this, Lu Yun'er's eyes flashed briefly before she responded calmly: "I will heed your guidance, Director."
One must lower their head when under someone else's roof—Lu Yun'er understood this well. However, she truly had no ulterior motives toward the young master of the Su family.
After leaving the Hall of Discipline, Lu Yun'er nonchalantly went to the Scholar's Hall to retrieve a lunchbox but noticed a familiar figure approaching her.
"Yun'er, you're finally out of the Hall of Discipline. Come, let's have lunch together!" Liu Lan said as she approached. Seeing that Yun'er seemed unaffected, Liu Lan held back from defending her, knowing that Yun'er would handle things in her own way.
It seemed she had figured it out, but this time, patience was key. Lu Yun'er smiled and nodded: "Alright."
However, as they talked, Lu Yun'er deliberately tried to cover the bite mark on her lip. Although she had attempted to conceal it, Liu Lan was no ordinary person; as a general, she could notice even the slightest detail.
After they finished lunch and were about to part ways, Liu Lan couldn't hold back any longer.
"By the way, we both got drunk last night. I heard from Nanxi that the young master of the Su family escorted you back to your residence," Liu Lan said, suddenly leaning in close to Lu Yun'er, scrutinizing her with a probing gaze, slow and deliberate: "You two... nothing happened?"
Although her tone was questioning, it was laced with a hint of suspicion. Lu Yun'er met her gaze with a smile, her expression unchanged as she replied: "Nothing happened."
"Really? Yesterday, the young master was full of life. Why is he suddenly ill today?" Liu Lan continued, her eyes flashing with a sharp insight, "Could it be that you, Yun'er, did something after drinking?"
Do something after drinking? Impossible! Lu Yun'er chuckled helplessly: "Sister Lan, you haven't forgotten how I behave when I'm drunk, have you? How could I do something like that?"
At this, Liu Lan immediately seized the opportunity, saying, "Then it must have been the young master who acted!" As she spoke, her gaze swept over Lu Yun'er from head to toe, finally resting on her lips. Her eyes narrowed slightly as realization dawned—so the young master had indeed taken a liking to Yun'er.
Upon hearing this, Lu Yun'er's pupils involuntarily contracted slightly but quickly returned to normal. This subtle reaction did not escape Liu Lan's sharp eyes. Liu Lan's eyebrows raised in triumph; she already knew the truth. Inside, she was overjoyed—her wish might soon come true.
Just as Lu Yun'er was about to explain, Liu Lan interrupted her, a satisfied smile on her lips: "No need to explain, I already know the answer. I'll be going now."
Lu Yun'er stood holding the lunchbox, watching her leave, and sighed inwardly: Sister Lan really has become quite adept at interrogation during her time in the military.
However... her situation with the young master of the Su family would soon come to an end. Once Sister Ran returns, they could discuss the next steps.
In the afternoon, after finishing her lessons, Lu Yun'er went to the sports field with Zhu Miaomiao.
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