Chapter 120

Chapter 120 – Beneath The Emperor’s Gaze (1)

Princess Liu Hua didn’t instigate the bet to make money, but rather, she only wanted to humiliate Ye Zhen in front of the entire capital. She wanted to instill in everybody’s mind that even if the Lu Family rose to nobility by helping the emperor claim the Dragon Throne, they were still merchants and of commoner’s blood.

That is to say, they still couldn’t compare with the real noble families and that, Ye Zhen was no exception. With vulgar determination, she desired to remind everyone that even if Lu Wushuang became the wang fei, an imperial concubine, she couldn’t change the fact that she was of low birth.

Most of all, she wanted to humiliate Lu Wushuang who won the favor of the emperor over her! If Lu Yaoyao became a joke in the Academy for Women, owing to her failure in the examination- wouldn’t it also embarrass Lu Wushuang?

Princess Liu Hua played this abacus quite well, but she did not expect that Lu Yaoyao would become so beautiful that people around couldn’t help but feel jealous.

But what crushed her in a fatality was the involvement of the little prince, Mo Rongyi, who had just bet 1,200 taels of silver in support of Ye Zhen.

Mo Rongyi and her were cousins His father and her mother were siblings. But she has never liked him. Nor did she care about her relationship with the empress dowager. Her mother looked down upon, and why wouldn’t the daughter?

Being brought up in a noble family behind cold doors, it was natural that she felt warmth nor joy. She was raised to be haughty and spoilt. She had no real friends, nor was her family close to anybody in the capital.

But this was Mo Rongyi who had suddenly decided to intervene, and she dared not offend him at all. He was the emperor’s only brother after all.

“Yi, are you jesting?” she asked, enduring her displeasure with a tight smile.

Does he really think Lu Yaoyao can get three A’s?

Mo Rongyi gave Liu Hua an annoyed look, grinned, and said, “This prince is not joking. He is betting that Lu Yaoyao will enter the academy. I heard that it is you who opened the gamble. If that’s right, can you take my bet?”

Tang Zhen agreed and called his eunuch to prepare 500 taels of silver. “This marquis also thinks that Third Miss Lu will definitely bag three A’s.”

Princess Liu Hua’s face turned blue. Since the time she opened the gamble, only a few people had bet on Lu Yaoyao’s admission to the academy. Although most people were just trying to give her face, it was true that most of them thought it was impossible for Lu Yaoyao to be enrolled into the academy.

Why do Rongyi and Marquis Tang think differently?

“Well, this princess will accept your bets and you must not regret it.”

Losing money was a small matter, but the face was important.

Mo Rongyi asked the eunuchs around him to give Liu Hua 1,200 taels of silver. The young boy’s face was beaming.

“Even if Yaoyao fails to pass the examination, this prince will not regret it!”

Sulking in her heart, Princess Liu Hua’s face became sullen after she asked her maid to accept the 1,200 taels from Mo Rongyi and the 500 taels from Tang Zhen.

This side had just made their bet, and Ye Zhen’s test results for the writing examination had come out.

However, her test card showed only a C.

“C?” Prince Liu Hua laughed exaggeratedly and turned to Mo Rongyi. “It’s been a while since one got a score as low as C. Oh my… Lu Yaoyao is really opening everyone’s eyes.”

Mo Rongyi glared at her angrily then turned his fuming face towards everyone.

“What will Miss Lu Yaoyao take next?”

The imperial secretary who came to answer said in a low voice, “To answer His Highness, it is the music examination which will be held at the bamboo forest ahead.”

Immediately, the little prince tugged Tang Zhen’s sleeve and jumped from his seat.

“Let’s go and have a look!” Mo Rongyi urged, he did not believe Lu Yaoyao could not obtain three A’s.

Mo Rongyi’s cheerful words bothered Tang Zhen for a moment, he wasn’t sure if men would be permitted to enter the  School of Medicine’s bamboo forest. But when the teachers didn’t stop the prince from stepping into the premises, he heaved a sigh of relief.

This was the Academy for Women; when classes commenced, men were not allowed to enter and exit at will.  Today, it so happened that the academy had yet to start classes, and with Mo Rongyi taking the lead, the teachers were bound to turn a blind eye.

“I don’t believe Lu Yaoyao’s happiness will not be any better if she gets the third C in her test card. Let’s go and have a look, everyone!”

Princess Liu Hua was in a good mood and invited all the girls behind her. She was getting more and more confident that Ye Zhen would embarrassingly fail.