Feng Zhao said, “If you keep making trouble, I’ll grab your paws!”
Xie Chen, still haunted by the trauma of being used by Xiao Hongyi to count on his paws, immediately froze.
—He swore that once he returned to his own body, he would crush the Cangyun Kingdom to pieces and reclaim his honor!
The debate dragged on from morning until noon, then from noon until evening, finally settling only after the sun set.
And in the end, the result was—Nie Huai won.
Undoubtedly.
When Feng Zhao officially announced Nie Huai as the winner and conferred upon him the official robes and seal, Xie Chen sneezed.
He felt as though something of his had been stolen, but after thinking carefully, he couldn’t figure out what he might have lost in Cangyun Kingdom.
After receiving Feng Zhao’s imperial decree, Nie Huai finally breathed a sigh of relief.
After all, he was not yet as extraordinary as the version Feng Zhao had read about in the book—calm, composed, and fully in control. At present, he was only a slightly accomplished young disciple who had completed his training.
“This official respectfully receives the decree. May Her Majesty the Empress Dowager live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years!”
Just as Nie Huai was about to formally accept the decree, someone interrupted him, leaving him halfway kneeling.
“Wait.”
It was one of the nine other candidates who had participated in the examination.
“We heard this man had already entered the palace and was a predetermined imperial tutor. If so, why did you make us go through all this for nothing?!”
Having lost, they were sore losers and began nitpicking.
Nie Huai was about to think of a graceful response when Feng Zhao, seated above, spoke first.
“I know why you all came here today. The examination has already been arranged, and it was conducted in front of Minister Wen. You should know when to stop while you’re ahead. Don’t be unreasonable!”
The hall fell into chaos and complaints.
Feng Zhao had already endured their noise for an entire day. Enough was enough.
The nine candidates, full of confidence when they arrived, left in embarrassment.
They had not only lost face, but would also have to face the consequences of their earlier boastful claims.
Feng Zhao enjoyed watching their defeated expressions—especially Wen Chenglin’s.
She had deliberately arranged all this today just to target him and warn him not to interfere with Nie Huai. His appointment as imperial tutor was already final.
Wen Chenglin had personally ruined his own arrangements, but he showed no emotion on his face. For him, one failure meant nothing. There would always be time—Xiao Hongyi was still young, and he had plenty of opportunity to bring him down and elevate his own grandson instead.
“Your Majesty,” Nie Huai said as he approached Feng Zhao at the end.
Today’s events had thoroughly crushed the Wen family’s arrogance. It felt extremely satisfying.
“Mm,” Feng Zhao replied. The others had left, so she stepped down from her seat, holding Xie Chen in her arms.
Xie Chen seized the opportunity to look for the source of that strange familiarity, but Feng Zhao’s wide sleeves completely blocked his view.
“Meow!!”
He couldn’t help but cry out, fur bristling.
“This is the Empress Dowager’s cat?” Nie Huai asked, only seeing the cat’s back.
“Yes. A bit mischievous and unruly,” Feng Zhao said.
The “mischievous and unruly” Xie Chen: “……”
—Very well!
..
After this examination, everyone who had mocked Feng Zhao for randomly picking up a “useless nobody” from nowhere was thoroughly slapped in the face.
The hardest hit of all was Wen Meier.
She remembered how she had once used a poem to mock Feng Zhao, and now felt so embarrassed she couldn’t even leave her palace for days.
She was sure Feng Zhao must be laughing at her now.
And she was right.
Feng Zhao was indeed laughing—and she intended to do it right in front of her.
Unable to draw Wen Meier out of her palace, Feng Zhao issued an imperial decree summoning her personally.
Wen Meier had no choice but to obey.
According to the decree, she went to the imperial garden to meet Feng Zhao. The reason it was the imperial garden instead of Fengming Palace was simple—Feng Zhao did not want to “dirty” her own residence.
“Consort Wen,” Feng Zhao said lightly, “you once said you could introduce teachers to me. I suppose that might still be worth considering?”
Wen Meier almost choked on her breath.
“Your Majesty jests. Imperial Tutor Nie has already demonstrated his brilliance in the Purple Hall debate, convincing all officials. How could I dare interfere? What happened before was merely a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding?” Feng Zhao smiled coldly. “I, however, am very petty. I remember everything clearly.”
Wen Meier nearly exploded in anger, but the maid beside her, Emerald, quickly stopped her.
Since the death of Yun Xiang, Wen Meier’s chief maid had been replaced by Emerald, a woman arranged by Wen Chenglin. She was capable and served not only Wen Meier but also acted as Wen Chenglin’s eyes within the palace.
“Please endure for now, Your Ladyship. Do not leave any evidence behind. The master said Feng Zhao is not easy to deal with now—any mistake will cost us,” Emerald whispered.
Wen Meier suppressed her anger with great difficulty.
“Little patience leads to great plans,” Emerald reminded her.
Only then did Wen Meier force herself to calm down.
“It was my ignorance before, failing to recognize Imperial Tutor Nie’s talent. Thanks to Your Majesty’s discerning eye,” she said reluctantly.
Feng Zhao disliked her restrained expression—it meant she had no excuse to punish her.
“Since you admit fault, remember to be more careful next time when speaking to me.”
Wen Meier stayed silent, thinking she could escape.
But Feng Zhao had no shortage of ways to make her speak.
“Consort, the grapes offered to the palace today are quite good. Peel them for me.”
“Feng Zhao! Don’t go too far!!” Wen Meier snapped.
She had never suffered such humiliation before. She stepped forward, raising a cup of tea as if to splash it at Feng Zhao.
But Feng Zhao, trained in martial arts, would never be hit by something so slow. She was about to dodge and counterattack—
When someone moved faster than her.
“Mother!!”
Xiao Hongyi had come looking for Feng Zhao. Hearing voices in the imperial garden, he rushed over—and just in time heard the exchange.
He didn’t know Wen Meier had once mocked Feng Zhao using his affairs. He only felt anger and urgency.
Before he could react, he saw Wen Meier raise the cup toward Feng Zhao.
He immediately stepped forward and blocked her.
The scalding tea splashed onto Xiao Hongyi’s chest.
His first reaction was not pain—but relief.
He was glad he had made it in time. Otherwise, that hot liquid would have hit his mother’s face.
If she were hurt… what would he do then?