Chapter 16
Chapter 16: I Told You Long Ago—Sweetie Is a Heaven-Gifted Genius
Chu Jiao Jiao’s face darkened as she snapped, “Chu Tian Tian, why are you out here? The exam isn’t even halfway over! Even if you can’t answer a single question, you still have to sit in your seat. Do you even understand the rules? Running out this early is shaming the entire royal family! If word gets out, people will laugh until their teeth fall out!”
Eldest Prince Chu Cheng Yan frowned even harder, but he soothed Sweetie first, rubbing her head gently. “It’s fine. Sweetie is still small. Letting her experience it is enough. Next time, we’ll come better prepared.”
Crown Prince Chu Cheng Xuan crouched instead, meeting Sweetie’s sparkling eyes. A confident smile tugged at his lips. “My Sweetie is naturally a peerless genius. Handing it in so quickly means she had it all under control.”
“Pfft!” Chu Jiao Jiao laughed openly, contempt written all over her face. “Brother Crown Prince, isn’t that praise a little ridiculous? She’s a wild girl raised in the cold palace. It’s already impressive if she can recognize all her characters. Genius? If you keep saying that, she’ll grow up without knowing her place—too ashamed to show her face!”
Sweetie lifted her little face and grinned at Crown Prince Brother. “Crown Prince Brother is so amazing! How did you know Sweetie finished everything?”
Then she turned to Eldest Prince Chu Cheng Yan, puffed out her tiny chest, and declared proudly, “Big Imperial Brother, the exam wasn’t hard! Sweetie finished it all! I filled it up completely!”
Finally, she looked at the iron-faced Chu Jiao Jiao. Her big eyes were clear and innocent, but her voice came out crisp with a smug little bounce. “Bad Sister, disappointed? Sweetie didn’t give up. Sweetie filled the whole paper! Just wait and kowtow to Sweetie and apologize!”
Princess Qing Yue squeezed in too, disbelief written all over her face. “Chu Tian Tian! You can really brag! How long has it been? We barely went in and you already came out. How could you possibly finish? Teacher Dong hates students who mess around—you’re definitely going to get scolded to death! When the scores are posted, let’s see how you cover your lie! Don’t start crying when you embarrass yourself!”
Sweetie curled her little lip, too lazy to argue. She only repeated with perfect confidence, “Anyway, Tian Tian is first. Bad Sister, get ready to kowtow!”
The wait stretched on forever.
At last, the exam doors opened again and the examinees filed out, most of them downcast or tightly frowning.
About half an hour later, Proctor Teacher Dong Kang Wei finally came out holding a stack of papers. His expression was complicated in a way that made people uneasy.
He stood on the steps and swept his gaze over the crowd. It landed on Chu Tian Tian. He took a deep breath, and his voice—almost imperceptibly—shook as he announced loudly:
“For this entrance exam, first place—Ninth Princess Chu Tian Tian!”
“Score—full marks!”
The crowd exploded.
Shock. Doubt. People sucking in breath like they’d forgotten how breathing normally worked.
“Impossible!” Chu Jiao Jiao shrieked, face turning white. “How could she get full marks?! Teacher Dong, did you grade wrong? Or… or were the questions too easy this time?!”
Princess Qing Yue hurried to echo her. “Yeah, Teacher Dong! She went in and came out in no time. This score… it doesn’t make sense!”
Teacher Dong’s face sank. His strict gaze swept over them, displeasure plain.
He didn’t waste another word. He signaled the assistant instructor. “Post the Ninth Princess’s paper.”
Then, in a cold voice, he read out the other high scores. “Second place, Li Zi Yu—eighty-five. Third place, Chen Wen Xuan—eighty-two…”
When the paper was lifted high—childish handwriting, yet filled with neat, complete answers, key points circled in red ink by Teacher Dong in clear approval—
The entire place fell into dead silence.
All the doubt and mockery were crushed into powder by the facts.
Chu Jiao Jiao looked like she’d been struck by lightning. She stood frozen, all color draining from her face, swaying as if she might topple.
Crown Prince Chu Cheng Xuan lifted his chin slightly. His gaze swept over Chu Jiao Jiao’s pale face, and his voice—quiet but clear—cut through the murmurs.
“I told you long ago. Sweetie is a heaven-gifted genius.”
The pride in his tone practically overflowed.
Stung by his look, Chu Jiao Jiao shrank back—then snapped in furious embarrassment. “Hmph! It’s just brute memorization. What’s so great about it? There’s another test this afternoon!”
She raised her voice so everyone could hear. “Music, chess, calligraphy, painting, riding, archery—that’s real skill!”
Chu Tian Tian was a wild girl who used to roll in the mud outside the palace and do rough work with village women. Had she ever touched a qin string?
She probably didn’t even know how many strings a qin had.
“This afternoon is when we’ll see the truth! Don’t cry too ugly then!”
The crown prince couldn’t be bothered to argue. He took Sweetie’s little hand and spoke gently. “Sweetie, you’re hungry, right? Imperial Brother will take you to eat something good.”
Eldest Prince Chu Cheng Yan stepped forward at once, smile soft and warm. “Sweetie, the palace just brought in a Jiang Nan chef. His pastries are exquisite. Come try them with Imperial Brother.”
Two gazes collided midair, neither willing to yield.
Caught between them, Sweetie blinked, looked left at the jade-gentle Big Imperial Brother, then right at the noble, cool Crown Prince Brother. Her little brain turned once.
“Mm…” She stretched out both hands—one grabbing the crown prince’s long fingers, the other tugging Eldest Prince’s broad palm. Her baby voice was sweet, but the “authority” in it was impossible to ignore. “Tian Tian is hungry! Big Imperial Brother and Crown Prince Brother—both of you come eat with Tian Tian and go find Imperial Grandfather. Okay?”
Watching the two princes—who normally wouldn’t spare each other more than a glance—get tugged along obediently by a little girl, Chu Jiao Jiao felt a vicious fire shoot straight to her skull.
Why?
Eldest Prince Chu Cheng Yan and the crown prince were born with clashing auras, wary of each other at every turn. So why could Chu Tian Tian say one sentence and make them drop their guard and walk side by side?
Chu Jiao Jiao trembled with rage, nails digging into her palm.
Princess Qing Yue peeked at Chu Jiao Jiao’s twisted expression and didn’t dare breathe. It was the first time she’d seen such a terrifying look on Ying Yue’s face—like a snake soaked in poison.
“I… I feel dizzy. I’ll go rest first. See you this afternoon!” Qing Yue blurted, then fled like a startled rabbit, skirts in her fists, not looking back.
Only Chu Jiao Jiao and her personal palace maid remained.
“P-princess… what would you like for lunch? This servant can go to the imperial kitchen—”
“Shut up!” Chu Jiao Jiao whirled around, violence barely restrained in her eyes.
Even that idiot Qing Yue dared to abandon her and run?
A sharp slap cracked through the air.
Chu Jiao Jiao struck the palace maid so hard she stumbled, her cheek swelling red almost instantly.
“Noisy, filthy bitch. Get out!” Chu Jiao Jiao hissed, chest heaving.
She glared viciously toward where Chu Tian Tian and the two princes had disappeared, then stormed off with a furious sweep of her sleeve.
Inside Yang Qing Hall, the atmosphere was the complete opposite of Chu Jiao Jiao’s rage.
The Retired Emperor looked at his two grandsons, sitting stiffly on either side of Sweetie, and a rare warmth softened his normally stern face.