Song Yixiao surely didn’t know about the trap that Madam Jin set for her. After arriving back at the Hanxia Villa, she told Ms. Zhao about what happened to her while she was out and then had a rest.
Four or five days later, her foot was recovered and her new dresses as well as silk-flowers headwear were all delivered.
Wei Mengying got to the Hanxia Villa on her own and dressed her daughter up before she brought Song Yixiao to the girl’s school. The girl’s school in the residence of Prince of Hengshan was set at the corner of the garden, which was a three-entrance courtyard. Upon entering the courtyard, you could see an artificial hill that was about 1.67 meters high and looked like a screen. Behind the artificial hill, you would see the courtyard, in the northwest of which you could walk through a door and find the classroom inside.
“I will leave Yixiao at your hands from now on!” Wei Mengying left her daughter to the female teachers sincerely, “She has learned something before. However, she is still young so she didn’t study carefully. Besides, her academic work has been postponed for one year by her stepmother. I’m afraid that she must forget what she has learnt. Please help teach her well!”
These female teachers had been teaching in the prince’s residence for some years, who were hired by the dowager consort or the previous princess consort. Though they didn’t work under Wei Mengying, they didn’t dare to neglect the current female mistress of the prince’s residence. Hence, they all promised to look after Song Yixiao.
Wei Mengying also hinted that if they tried their best to treat her daughter well, she would attend to their families in future. After she finished paving the way for her daughter, she left then.
When she left, the female teachers greeted Song Yixiao and then asked the teacher who was about to give a class, Ms. An to take her to the classroom.
“Miss Cui is hot-tempered. Your ladyship, please don’t take it too personally.” Ms. An led Song Yixiao out of door and then exhorted her. Apparently, even the teacher didn’t think that Cui Jianlian could get along well with Song Yixiao.
Song Yixiao nodded her head obediently and wondered what Miss Cui would do to bug her.
However, out of her expectation, after she was brought into the classroom and introduced to the others, Cui Jianlian didn’t make trouble for her at once. Instead, when Ms. An glanced over her, she even said nicely with her face beaming with smiles, “Judging from Yixiao’s appearance, she must be the birth daughter of Princess Consort Wei for sure. Their eyes are so alike!”
Cui Jianlian, who was ten years old only, looked quite childish but her appearance could suggest her beauty in the future. When she sat there in fine clothes, smiling sweetly with her chin slightly raised, she appeared like a dewy bud showing great vitality with beauty. “What a pretty girl! I don’t have any blood sister. Since Yixiao is so adorable, I really feel like a sister then.”
Such a circumstance made Ms. An feel quite strange, who had known about her temperament. Yet, Ms. An was relieved with a sigh, thinking, “It is great that Miss Cui doesn’t lose her temper. Otherwise, considering their own patrons, it will be a dilemma for me if they fall out!”
Just Song Yixiao felt that Cui Jianlian stared at her faintly with disdain though she was seemingly smiling.
“I wonder whether she will keep smiling after Ms. An leaves.” She pondered and hoped to stay away from Cui Jianlian. Unfortunately, Miss Cui demanded to sit beside her. The minute she gave the demand, the girl student who sat there packed up her things and stepped aside immediately. Ms. An saw what happened and then pushed the boat with the current, saying, “Then why don’t you sit there, Lady Song?”
Song Yixiao couldn’t reject but to take the seat vigilantly.
After sitting down, she didn’t find anything wrong. Ms. An observed for a while and found that nothing more happened so she started to give the class. After she finished the lesson, she arranged some homework and left.
When she just left, the atmosphere in the classroom was changed at once!
Song Yixiao braced her up and prepared herself for the coming trouble. However, Cui Jianlian just took out a piece of sheet and started to write her homework, not even taking a glimpse at her.
“Does she only intend to ignore me?” Song Yixiao didn’t dare to believe that at all.
She observed for a while in secret and found no loopholes, so she was about to check the homework when someone suddenly ran into her. Instantly she felt the coldness on her arm!
Song Yixiao lowered her head to take a look only to find that her sleeve was now greatly stained with ink, which was white with the pattern of lotus and chrysanthemum!
“I am so sorry!” A maid that was about her age knelt down with fear.
Song Yixiao looked around and found that most of the people at present seemed to be enjoying a good show with a spurious smile on their faces. Supposedly, this must be arranged by someone. Song Yixiao snorted and didn’t feel like finding the ringleader. She said to the maid, “It’s okay.” Then she just got up and asked Zhiqin to help her get changed in the wing-room.
In the wing-room, Zhiqin put away the dirty clothes that Song Yixiao took off and then placed them into a bag so that she could pick it away after school. She put away the bag and turned around to do the dress for Song Yixiao, talking to her worriedly, “We have only one suit of alternative clothes here for you if you have your clothes stained during lunch. Now if anything similar happens, you can’t get changed anymore!”
Song Yixiao also felt annoyed, “Let’s see what will happen later. If anything happens again, you just go back and fetch another suit of clothes for me. I don’t want to cause a sensation the first day I come to school. If they keep doing this…” She puckered her lips and said nothing, with coldness crossing her eyes.
However, the trouble Song Yixiao assumed didn’t show up. She changed her clothes and then returned to the classroom. Her classmates were still indifferent, but no accident happened afterwards.
She had a very peaceful time today.
However, the peace wasn’t broken until she was on the way back to the Hanxia Villa with Zhiqin after school.