I, the villainous eldest prince, will suppress everything!

Qin Li wouldn't listen to a single word of Qin Feng's flattery.

After all, if it were him, he would have said the same thing.

Finally, Qin Li simply said, "Seventh Brother, I'm very happy that you came to tell me all this."

"Well then, I see you're just idling around in the manor anyway, why don't you come out and help me with some tasks?"

"The imperial examinations are short-handed, so why don't you go and keep an eye on things for me?"

Qin Feng had no reason to refuse.

Although lying flat is very comfortable, staying at home all the time will cause it to grow mold.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Qin Li invited Qin Feng to stay at his residence for lunch before sending him away.

……

In the afternoon, Qin Li grabbed Zhou Biao by the ear and pulled him out from between the two Jade Maiden Sect disciples.

Surprisingly, Zhou Biao, despite being a burly man who wasn't particularly handsome, was far more skilled at charming women than he was.

In just one morning, he managed to coax two disciples of the Jade Maiden Sect.

"Your Highness, it hurts! Let go!"

Zhou Biao grimaced in pain.

Qin Li then released his ear, put his hands behind his back, and said, "Come out with me."

Zhou Biao rubbed his ears and asked, puzzled, "Your Highness, where are we going? It's terribly cold."

"Enough with the nonsense, come with me."

"Okay, okay."

Seeing that Qin Li was in a bad mood, Zhou Biao quickly went to fetch the horse.

At the gate of the mansion, Qin Li climbed onto Wangcai's back.

Zhou Biao, riding close behind, asked, "Your Highness, where are we going? We need a destination."

Qin Li said, "Go to the Imperial Academy."

Zhou Biao frowned: "The Imperial College? What are we going there for? It's full of old pedantic scholars who just shake their heads and spout grand theories."

Qin Li said, "Are you allowed to take concubines but I'm not allowed to?"

Emperor Xuan wants to make Lu Shushu his empress. Why doesn't Qin Li strike first and snatch Lu Shushu back to his mansion?

As long as Emperor Xuan has the nerve to reinstate Lu Shushu as empress, Qin Li has nothing to say.

Soon, the two rode their horses to the Imperial College.

Unlike usual, the sound of students reading aloud could be heard coming from inside the courtyard wall even before they got close.

These past few days have been the end of the year, and the Imperial College is closed for the holidays, making it unusually quiet and deserted.

At the main gate of the Imperial College, the gate was tightly closed, and there wasn't even a gatekeeper.

Zhou Biao dismounted and knocked on the door, but there was no response after a long time.

With no other option, the master and servant could only circle around the courtyard of the Imperial Academy to the back gate.

The back door is located in a bluestone alley. The snow in the alley has been swept to both sides and piled up in the corners of the walls, revealing the bluestone slabs that are full of traces of time.

The two dismounted at the entrance of the alley, tied their horses up, and walked into the alley.

After walking for a short while, they saw a small door that was half-open.

The two stopped in their tracks, and Zhou Biao asked, "Your Highness, is this the back gate of the Imperial Academy?"

Qin Li said irritably, "I haven't been here before, how would I know? Why don't you go in and ask?"

Zhou Biao nodded vigorously and quickly went inside to inquire.

He could tell that Qin Li was in a bad mood today, so he decided it was best not to provoke him.

He finally managed to trick two disciples of the Jade Maiden Sect. What if Qin Li gets angry and refuses to give it to him?

A short while later, Zhou Biao came out and said happily:

"Your Highness, this really is the back gate of the Imperial Academy."

Qin Li nodded and followed Zhou Biao into the Imperial Academy.

Upon entering, Qin Li felt as if he were in a farmhouse courtyard.

In the courtyard, various medicinal herbs were drying in the sun, along with clothes that were not yet dry.

Two or three tabby cats were dozing on the steps under the eaves, and several strips of black cured meat hung under the eaves of the kitchen.

A seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl in a green dress sat on a small stool, holding an old, yellowed book in her hands, reading it with great interest.

The sunlight shone on her, and her whole body glowed.

"If you wish to pursue your studies, please come back next month. The Imperial Academy is closed for the next few days."

The girl didn't even raise her head before she spoke.

Zhou Biao was about to say that they were not there to study when Qin Li raised his hand to interrupt him.

Qin Li stepped forward and said, "We're here to find someone."

"Who are you looking for?" The girl still didn't look up, as if there was a treasure hidden in the book.

"Lu Shushu".

Qin Li said a name.

Before the girl could even speak, Zhou Biao, standing beside Qin Li, burst into laughter, clutching his stomach and chuckling, "Your Highness, Uncle Lu? How can anyone have such a strange name? Isn't this just deliberately taking advantage of someone?"

The girl finally raised her head, her face full of anger: "Who's trying to take advantage of me? Lu Shushu isn't the 'uncle' in 'uncle,' but the 'book' in 'music, chess, calligraphy, and painting,' Lu Shushu!"

The girl spoke clearly, enunciating each word distinctly.

Upon hearing this, Qin Li raised an eyebrow. Without a doubt, the girl in front of him was Lu Shushu. Only she herself would care so much about her own name.

"You must be Lu Shushu?"

Qin Li cut to the chase and asked.

Lu Shushu then looked at Qin Li, sizing him up: "Who are you?"

Zhou Biao coughed, and was about to introduce Crown Prince Qin Li when Qin Li raised his hand to interrupt him again.

Qin Li said, "I am but a scholar from Jiangnan who has come to the capital to take the imperial examination. My name is Qin Li."

"The Imperial Academy is the highest institution of learning in our Great Zhou Dynasty. I would like to study here for a period of time, which may be helpful for the imperial examinations."

Lu Shushu couldn't help but laugh, and looked at Qin Li, saying, "Don't you know that the Imperial Academy only admits sons of noble families?"

Qin Li said, "Therefore, I have no intention of studying under any other teacher at the Imperial Academy. I would like to study under you, young lady, and ask for your guidance."

Lu Shushu pointed to herself, thinking the other person was really interesting.

Why would an ordinary person become her disciple?

The imperial examination determines a person's fate, and no one would entrust their fate to a stranger.

"Are you really going to become my apprentice?" Lu Shushu closed the book in her hand and asked curiously.

"Absolutely true."

Qin Li spoke very sincerely.

"To become an apprentice, you need to choose an auspicious day, and then you need to give six gifts as a form of tuition. What do you have?" Lu Shushu asked.

He noticed that Qin Li and Zhou Biao were empty-handed, which didn't seem like they had come to become apprentices.

Qin Li took off the jade thumb ring from his thumb and said, "Today is an auspicious day. As for the six gifts of gifts, I didn't have time to prepare them, so I'll use this as payment."

After saying that, Zhou Biao handed the jade thumb ring to Lu Shushu.

Lu Shushu took it, examined it in the sunlight, and, finding it to be a good item, put it in her bosom.

Zhou Biao witnessed the whole thing and found it incredible.

"That's it?"

"What do you mean?"

Lu Shushu asked.

"I want to become your apprentice," Zhou Biao said.

"What kind of master do you want to worship?"

"I want to become your disciple."

"I have no intention of becoming anyone's mentor."

"But you accepted the jade thumb ring."

"What jade thumb ring?"

Lu Shushu pretended to be stupid.

Zhou Biao was stunned, his mouth agape, and then he looked at Qin Li.

Qin Li was also stunned; he had never seen a woman like Lu Shushu who could lie so blatantly.

After realizing what had happened, Zhou Biao angrily pointed at Lu Shushu's chest: "You just put the jade thumb ring in your bosom."

Lu Shushu puffed out her chest: "Where did this jade thumb ring come from? I don't have it, come and search me if you don't believe me."

Zhou Biao was furious and was about to reach out to search when Lu Shushu stepped back, pointing at Zhou Biao and warning him:

"Don't come any closer! If you dare come any closer, I'm going to yell that you've committed indecent assault! The government office is right next door. If I yell, they'll come right away, arrest you, and throw you in jail, where you'll be flogged!"