Even Princess Ruian, with her proud gaze, was moved.

She thought for a moment and said, "If you stay here with me, unless you want to leave the manor yourself, I promise I will never send you away."

Liu Xiangning's eyes widened in surprise, but then she turned around and respectfully kowtowed three times to Princess Ruian. "Your Highness is so magnanimous and compassionate, I am deeply grateful. I beg Your Highness to calm your anger. I still want to learn from Consort Shen and acquire her skills!"

Chen Mianmian was both amused and exasperated. "Wait! Let's be honest, what skills do I have?"

Liu Xiangning asked doubtfully, "You've managed to make the Crown Prince devoted to you, and even had the Princess stand up for you. The Lady of Anning Marquis cares about you. Doesn't that show you real ability?"

"This..." Chen Mianmian choked on her words, and said helplessly, "Would you believe me if I said it was all a coincidence?"

"I don't believe it."

"..." Chen Mianmian—this girl is really stubborn!

With red eyes and a choked voice, Liu Xiangning said, "I know that teaching a disciple can starve the master. Even in the neighborhood, no one is willing to teach others their most treasured skills. If you have a kind heart, you can let me serve you. You don't need to teach me anything. I will learn on my own. How much I can learn is my own good fortune."

A sweet, metallic taste filled Chen Mianmian's throat, and she felt an urge to vomit blood.

"No, I really don't have any special skills, I swear!" Even her voice began to sound weak and feeble.

Having transmigrated into the book for so long, she admits that she hasn't encountered any major difficulties, but she has met many problems and some difficult people. However, she believes that the most difficult person to deal with is Liu Xiangning.

Princess Ryan chuckled, "Alright, I'll agree to this on behalf of Mianmian. I'm curious how much you can learn. I'll give you three years. If you learn even half of what she has, I promise to reward you with a thousand taels of gold."

Chen Mianmian—what? A thousand taels of gold? Should she cooperate with Liu Xiangning to split the spoils? Forget it, three years, she'd probably have escaped long ago.

Liu Xiangning was overjoyed and kowtowed to the princess repeatedly, showering her with flattery.

The matter of Chen Mianmian taking in Liu Xiangning was thus settled.

Princess Ryan said, "In the next few days, I will focus on investigating those matters and will not be in the mood for playing. You may all return first. Do not leave the capital during this period and await my summons at any time."

Everyone hurriedly and respectfully replied, "Yes, Your Highness."

Princess Ryan frowned and thought for a moment, "Oh right, about the investigation, don't reveal it to anyone for now, and don't let Jiang Yinjin know. I hate having a bunch of flies buzzing around me when I'm doing my work."

"Yes. Your humble servant/This common woman obeys." The crowd replied in unison.

Princess Rui'an then waved her hand, "Mianmian, you and your disciple go out first. I need to say a few words to A-Xuan. You two had better discuss how to explain today's events, so as not to give me away."

"Yes, Your Highness. This humble woman/woman takes her leave."

After bowing, Chen Mianmian and Liu Xiangning respectfully withdrew from the main hall.

As soon as the two stepped out of the hall, Ying Gu closed the bedroom door from the inside.

Little did they know what the princess and Lady Ding were talking about in private.

Hanrong, who had been waiting anxiously for a long time, rushed to greet her aunt when she saw her aunt come out. "Aunt, are you alright?"

Then, he looked at Liu Xiangning with a puzzled expression.

Chen Mianmian said kindly, "It's alright. Let me introduce you. This is Miss Liu. She will be working at our Mingyue Courtyard from now on."

"Ah!?" Hanrong was shocked.

"Wait a moment, I'd like to have a chat with Miss Liu."

"...Yes, Aunt."

Hanrong returned to the courtyard gate, while Chenmianmian led Liu Xiangning to a stone bench and table in the corner of the courtyard.

As soon as the two sat down, a maid from the princess's residence served them fragrant tea and snacks.

Chen Mianmian thanked them and then politely indicated that she did not need to be served and asked the maid to stay away.

The two maids left immediately, leaving only Shen Mianmian and Liu Xiangning near the stone table.

With no one around, Chen Mianmian finally said helplessly, "Miss Liu, you've really misunderstood. I don't have any special skills! I'm just an ordinary person; I can't play any of the traditional arts!"

Liu Xiangning blinked her clear yet stubborn eyes and said earnestly, "But just now, Her Highness the Princess made the decision to let me follow my master for three years."

"Master?" Chen Mianmian was taken aback. "Who is your master?"

"You! The princess just said that I am your disciple. The princess's words are law. Does Master intend to disobey the princess's orders?"

“I…” Shen Mianmian felt like vomiting blood again. “Fine, I dare not disobey the princess, but the princess asked you to study with me for three years, but she did not say that I should take you as my disciple.”

Liu Xiangning explained earnestly, "One teaches, the other learns, what else could we be but master and disciple? And it's not just casual learning, I'm learning for three years on the princess's orders! Master, rest assured, I won't take a single copper coin of the princess's reward, I'll give it all to you as long as you're willing to teach me."

"Cough...cough cough..." Shen Mianmian couldn't help but cough, her desire to vomit blood was stronger than ever before.

She looked up at the blue sky, her eyes filled with confusion—how did things turn out like this? How come she remembered fighting with Liu Xiangning just a moment ago, and now she was her apprentice?

No... what does she teach?

Her major is English, so does that mean she has to teach English? Should she start with the 26 letters, or with phonetics, or with everyday conversations?

What are you talking about?

Liu Xiangning noticed that her master's maid seemed to be looking in their direction at the courtyard gate, so she asked curiously, "Master, why did you send your maid away when you were talking to me?"

Shen Mianmian withdrew her gaze, inwardly marveling at the woman's keenness, "Because she is Jiang Yinjin's informant."

"Ah!?" Liu Xiangning exclaimed in shock, "Do the princess and the lady know?"

"I don't know, only I know."

Instantly, Liu Xiangning's eyes lit up with excitement. "Master, you are incredibly insightful! You are Zhuge Liang reborn! You are a master strategist! They don't know anything, but you do! Isn't that the same as having everyone under your control? It seems I still have so much to learn!"

"..." Sleepless.

Chen Mianmian was too exhausted to complain. She picked up her teacup, took a sip to calm herself, and then asked, "How are you feeling? Do you still have a fever?"

Liu Xiangning hurriedly picked up the teapot and refilled the teapot for her master, saying, "Master, I have recovered. I have always been in good health."

"..." Shen Mianmian's hand slipped, and she almost dropped the teacup. "Let's not talk about that for now. Let's set some rules. Don't call me Master. Just call me Aunt Shen, like everyone else."

"No! Wouldn't that make my disciple the same as everyone else?"

"Then let's change how we address you. You can call me anything except 'Master'."

Liu Xiangning thought it over carefully, "Since you are unwilling to make our master-disciple relationship public, then let's get along as master and servant from now on. But I will definitely be different from other maids. I will call you Miss, and you can treat me as a maid brought from my maternal family."

Chen Mianmian breathed a sigh of relief, "Alright, alright, you can call me whatever you want, Ancestor!"