Chapter 8. Debate
What is Shen Miao like?
If one where to ask the students in Guang Wen Tang, whether they were from level one, two or three, everyone would know. The person who was the quickest at updating the chapter and how stupid and silly but still try to maintain a virtuous and gentle person.
Her appearance was nothing unique, her personality traits were not outstanding, she had no talents at all and was also a love-stuck idiot, that everyone in the Ding capital knows that she was in love with Prince Ding.
Therefore, if the most outstanding female in Guang Wen Tang was Shen Yue, then the shallowest female would naturally be Shen Miao.
They were both females from the Shen family but their image was completely different. Everyone was used to Shen Miao being like a maid, staying by Shen Yue’s side and when there was one day if Shen Miao changed to not like Shen Miao, then everyone felt not used to it.
Yi Pei Lan tugged Shen Yue, “Yue Niang, could your younger sister been so sick that she is confused, else why is she like a different person today?”
Shen Yue looked at Shen Miao and was puzzled in her heart. It was like since she woke up after falling into the water, Shen Miao’s temperament had changed a lot. Was it because she had suffered a setback on the matter with Prince Ding? Just as she wanted to say something, Jiang Cai Xuan, her good friend who was standing by her side spoke, “Shen Miao, heard that you fell into the water, but it seems that your cold is better already?”
With such an obvious words that were said, it actually would make one embarrass. If it was the usual Shen Miao, she would be at a lost and would look towards Shen Yue to plea for Shen Yue to help her speak. But now she just look at Jiang Cai Xuan and lightly said, “Alright, thank for your concern.”
Jiang Cai Xuan was stunned and everyone in the class was also surprised for a moment. Perhaps they did not expect that Shen Miao wouldn’t be this lukewarm to matters about herself but Jiang Cai Xuan found Shen Miao’s attitude was extremely sore to her eyes and immediately said, “Since you have recovered from your cold then the first thing should be giving His Highness Prince Ding an apology. But you came to the academy instead, don’t you think that you have put the cart before the horse?”
Shen Miao took a deep breath. The students around, no matter if they were young females or males, did not have any intention to speak up for her. She originally did not have any friends and seeing Shen Miao making a fool of herself was presumably the only fun these aristocratic kids had.
After sweeping a look at the different expression of everyone and see the rejoice in Shen Qing’s eyes on her misfortune, Shen Miao was about to leave when she heard Shen Yue saying, “His Highness Prince Ding is broad-minded and would not blame this little thing on Fifth Younger Sister. Fifth Younger Sister come to the academy due to the thirst for knowledge which is a good thing.”
“What a good thing.” The youth at the other side could not help but laugh. He was secretly in love with Shen Yue for a long time and usually was dissatisfied with Shen Miao, finding that having a younger sister like Shen Miao was Shen Yue’s tragedy. He said, “The thirst for knowledge. Shen Yue if you really want to help this younger sister then you need not say such words. The thirst of knowledge… The person who did not know the lesson taught by the level one teachers talk about the thirst for knowledge. This was just too funny! Furthermore…” He purposely sized Shen Miao up and continued, “Who would know if she fell into the water on purpose or not. Doesn’t the skits always show, the hero who rescue the beauty who fell into the water and devote one’s life to… But one have guessed the ending incorrectly!” Finishing, he found his words were interesting and burst into laughter.
He was the head of this group of youths thus when he say such things, the surrounding youths also followed up with laughter. The noble females surrounding Shen Yue also felt that it was funny and for a period of time there was laughter surrounding Shen Miao and all the eyes on her were filled with malicious intentions.
Words are the sharpest weapon to hurt people. In her last life, there was so many of such scenarios. She had already gotten used to be despised, being laughed at and being insulted and was reluctant to break these concepts. Thus Shen Yue and Shen Qing had better relationships with the circle of noble females but she grew further away from this circle.
She had thought that this was the greatest misfortune but as compared to the tragedies in her previous life, what are these considered as? These young females was not even as old as her Wan Yu and Fu Ming and only instigate some disharmony. Were these really her enemies?
Naturally not. These female of merits were not considered extremely wealthy and there was no lack of aristocrats. But what kind of ending did these aristocratic families had in her past lifetime? All of them were exterminated one by one by the late Emperor and Fu Xiu Yi. Like this person who was ridiculing her, one of Shen Yue’s admirers, currently the eldest son of the esteem Cai family, Cai Lin. After a few years, the Cai family was involved in a corruption case and like others, assets were confiscated and Cai Lin was sent to the army. It was such a pity that he had admired Shen Yue for so many year but in the end Shen Yue drew a line on her relationship with him.
She was not in a hostile relationship with these young females and some of them even stood on the same side. It was because these aristocratic family was provoked deliberately by the Emperor’s to pit one over the other so they did not keep close contact with each other. Some even regard the other in hatred.
There was no need to turn an alliance into an enemy. In her last lifetime as an Empress, Shen Miao learnt a lot. One must not make an enemy in a moment of emotions, this would not be worthwhile.
“Cai Lin, how could you say that about Fifth Younger Sister.” Waiting till everyone had laughed enough, Shen Yue then suddenly said, “Fifth Younger Sister is not that kind of person.”
“Cai Lin,” Shen Miao interrupted Shen Yue and there was no trace of any variation in her voice, “Who told you that I fell into the water due to stealing a look of His Highness Prince Ding?”
To say such a thing so loudly would make one be look down upon but when Shen Miao said those words, she was calm and her tone was filled with indifference, surprising everyone for a moment.
Cai Lin was the little overload here and on normal days Shen Miao would not dare to say much when she meets him so when would she use this tone on voice? And this tone unconsciously had a commanding trace of questioning. Cai Lin himself did not know why he did not actually start scolding but instead said, “Could it be not the case?”
“So it was like this…” Shen Miao said to herself and suddenly smiled slightly as she turn towards the two of them, Shen Yue and Shen Qing. “Eldest Sister and Second Older Sister, it is alright if they did not know but how can both of you not know? Why did you not clarify for Younger Sister?”
Shen Yue and Shen Qing was startled at the same time and suddenly remembered of their mother insistence that the matter of Shen Miao falling into the water must not be said wrongly. Shen Qing who was able to take the big picture into consideration better than Shen Yue, immediately said, “Yes, you all better not say any nonsense. At that time I was with Fifth Younger Sister. I witness it with my eyes that Fifth Younger Sister accidentally fell into the water and at the same time His Highness Prince Ding coincidentally passed by and saw her. It had nothing to do with admiration.”
Hearing Shen Qing saying so confidently, even though everyone did not believe it, it was not as serious as before. But Shen Miao said, “Unless one witnesses it themselves then it would be nonsense. Guang Wen Tan is a place that things are taught and moral was also taught in it. Besides about the topic of being in love, is such a beautiful topic, why was it said so unbearably? When I, Shen Miao love someone, I will love in a dignified manner. His Highness Prince Ding status was too noble that how would I have deep feeling? All of you are incorrect.”
In this world, it is very difficult to change the impression of anyone. Moreover her love of Fu Xiu Yi was something that was well-known throughout the world. To say that she did not love now, she was afraid that no one would believe at all.
But in any case, the line must be drawn somewhere.
When the words were just spoke, a voice of praise sounded out, “What a good dignity of admiration!”
