Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Order her to die!

At this time, Dr. Jiang and the teaching assistant came in together. Dr. Jiang had just noticed the commotion here and laughed and teased:

"Zhang Jingxuan is here at the academy? As the saying goes, enemies always come together. Scholar Xue and Scholar Zhang have a really good relationship."

Xue Yuanyin had always been a smart and elegant person in the doctor's eyes. She had never been so angry that her face turned red and her neck became thick. She immediately felt ashamed, admitted her mistake honestly, and sat back at the table.

However, Zhang Jingxuan did not bring up such topics again. Instead, he bowed and apologized for being busy with the Eastern Palace and neglecting his studies.

Dr. Jiang gestured for him to find a table and sit down. He placed the Zhouyi on the desk and tapped it with his ruler. "Everyone, pack up quickly. The lecture will begin soon."

Everyone began to flip through the books.

Xue Yuanyin was the worst at learning the Book of Changes. In the past, she would have been fully focused in the lecture hall. But now, she was so upset that she couldn't get rid of it, and she was distracted for a while.

Dr. Jiang's joking description of them as "enemies" just now was quite subtle.

In fact, four years have passed since her brother's death, and she and Zhang Jingxuan have become recognized mortal enemies in the capital.

Firstly, she was born into the Marquis of Qing'an's mansion, her father was a military commander, and her foothold was established through her meritorious service and the support of Prince Yu. Zhang Jingxuan was born into a long-standing aristocratic family with a noble family tradition and generations of civil officials.

Even though General Xue was a legendary figure in the Zhou Dynasty, the court mostly valued literature, and she lost half a head in terms of family background.

Secondly, the children of nobles in the Zhou Dynasty all pursued to study in the "two academies". Xue Yuanyin was the first in the Hongwen Academy, and Zhang Jingxuan was the first in the Chongwen Academy. The two were often compared.

Xue Yuanyin's win-loss ratio with Zhang Jingxuan in small tests was about 30-70, and she almost never won in big tests.

Xue Yuanyin read the Four Books and Five Classics thoroughly, and was proficient in the Six Arts of a Gentleman. He was considered one of the best young people in the capital.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Jingxuan is not only capable of this, but is also proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting!

In the end, Zhang Jingxuan is actually more handsome than her!

Zhang Jingxuan's mother was once the most beautiful woman in the capital, and he took after her, possessing the most handsome appearance in the capital. However, Xue Yuanyin's ancestors had not been particularly beautiful, and she considered herself to be only fair and pretty.

That would be fine, Xue Yuanyin is not someone who can't afford to lose.

But she and Zhang Jingxuan might have incompatible horoscopes. If she sees him once, nothing good will happen to her.

For example, she went to the wrong place for the ten-day exam, or got a blank paper for the monthly exam, or the chicken legs in the cafeteria were gone by her turn, or she was inexplicably hit by bird poop falling from the sky while she was with him...

After repeated attempts, Xue Yuanyin came to the conclusion that Zhang Jingxuan must be destined to kill her!

She swore that one day, she would surpass him!

-

Finally, the class was over at noon. Xue Yuanyin waited until the classroom was empty before getting up and walking out.

She just wanted to avoid Zhang Jingxuan. Their positions were sensitive now, and staying together would only add to gossip. Moreover, he didn't care about their past friendship, so she didn't bother to play along.

There are many children from poor families in the Imperial College, and most of them eat in the dining hall. If the children of noble families ask their servants to bring them food, it would seem that they are showing off their wealth and looking down on the poor, as if they are superior. Naturally, the students of Suixing Hall would not do such a thing.

Since Fuzhu didn't bring any food today, Xue Yuanyin naturally had to go to the cafeteria.

As soon as she arrived at the cafeteria, she realized that she was late - the tables were packed with people and she couldn't find an empty seat for a while.

"Xue Ling, here!"

Hearing the voice, Xue Yuanyin turned around and saw Gao Songlin sitting at a table next to the wall, waving at her: "I saw you didn't move just now, so I saved a seat for you and got the rice bowl for you."

Xue Yuanyin immediately walked over, squeezed him in for a seat, and sat him in the spacious outer area, saying, "You are still loyal, so I won't be polite."

Gao Songlin was squeezed in and sat down, wanting to say something but stopping himself: "There's someone sitting next to me. I originally wanted to sit outside to separate you two, but now..."

Before he could finish his words, Gao Songlin shut up immediately when he saw the person coming.

Xue Yuanyin took a mouthful of rice and turned to look to the side. She saw Zhang Zimo, a classmate from the same school, sitting down with two bowls of lunch. He put his wooden chopsticks aside and didn't move, as if he was waiting for someone.

She knew Zhang Zimo, a member of the Zhang family, but she wasn't sure how he related to Zhang Jingxuan. Normally, he had little interaction with her and Gao Songlin, members of the Prince of Yu's faction.

Wait, who did Zhang Zimo take the seat for?

By the time Xue Yuanyin realized who Zhang Zimo was waiting for, it was too late.

Zhang Jingxuan walked straight over, lifted his robe and sat down. Feeling the gaze from the side, he raised his head and looked at Xue Yuanyin closely for a second.

Xue Yuanyin: “…”

She turned her head back suddenly.

Why do I keep running into him everywhere? It's really a narrow road for enemies!

Zhang Zimo was stunned when he saw this scene, and quickly said to Zhang Jingxuan: "Cousin, I..."

"Zimo." Zhang Jingxuan turned his gaze back and said, "Don't talk while eating or sleeping, just concentrate on your meal."

"...Yes." Zhang Zimo straightened his wooden chopsticks and concentrated on eating, his eyes never looking around, as if he regarded his brother's words as an imperial decree.

Xue Yuanyin quickly picked at the vegetable leaves in the bowl and thought, it turns out to be my cousin.

The next second, he couldn't help but mutter in his heart - another innocent person deceived by Zhang Jingxuan's appearance!

After realizing who was sitting next to her, Xue Yuanyin could no longer concentrate on her meal. Even if she didn't pay special attention, the noise from next door would always come to her vaguely.

For example, Zhang Zimo secretly asked, "Cousin, is the food in the Imperial College unpalatable?"

Zhang Jingxuan put down his wooden chopsticks and replied, "Not bad," with a calm expression as if there wasn't a pile of various meats and vegetables left in the bowl.

Zhang Zimo: "..."

Xue Yuanyin forcefully stuffed the last bite of the chicken leg into her mouth, thinking, See, he's just such a pretentious person! How hypocritical!

Who knew that the next second Zhang Zimo would admire him like a blind man and say: "My cousin is right, I am too picky about food."

Xue Yuanyin: “…”

The two people next to him finally stood up and left with their rice bowls. Gao Songlin breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Let's go too."

Xue Yuanyin nodded calmly, packed up the dishes and prepared to leave.

The person in charge of the dining hall in the Imperial College was the female official Ji. She didn't come here often, but probably because she heard that Zhang Jingxuan had come to the Imperial College, she came here specially, stopped him and talked to him for a while before letting him go.

After she finished speaking, she took a look around and said with satisfaction: "Everyone performed well today. You all got along harmoniously and there was no trouble." In the past, there were always some arguments.

As soon as he finished speaking, two people at the table next to him stood up. The pockmarked man on the left said angrily, "You people from Chengxin Hall just look down on us from Chongzhi Hall" and threw a punch. The tall man on the right, with a red face and a thick neck, fought back, saying, "A gentleman uses words, not fists."

The two men immediately started fighting.

Lady Ji's eyelids jumped. "What's going on? You dare to cause trouble right under my nose! What are you arguing about?"

The pockmarked man struggled and refused to let go: "Mr. Ji, it was those from Chengxin Hall who mocked us behind our backs first!"

Gao Ma Gantou turned aside and put his other hand on the other person's face: "You are talking nonsense, it was obviously you who started it!"

Both of them were young men who were in a state of rage. They ignored the people around them and fought without any regard for the people around them.

Xue Yuanyin had just passed by here and had not walked far when the pockmarked man poked her with his elbow.

Xue Yuanyin was knocked off balance and barely managed to turn around to avoid a blow to his abdomen, but the dishes in his hands flew straight onto the person behind him.

The people who were just stopped by Ji Dianzhuan were Zhang Jingxuan and Zhang Zimo, and they didn't go far.

With a bang, the dishes were overturned on the shirt of the young man behind him. Xue Yuanyin kept her balance and looked up, her eyes meeting Zhang Jingxuan's light-colored pupils that seemed to be smiling.

She knew that Zhang Jingxuan was a germaphobe.

The descendants of the Zhang family were all raised with great care. They never touched their plates with their spoons, never swept the table with their sleeves, and never got their hands wet. They always held the younger generation to the standards of a gentleman. Not to mention Zhang Jingxuan himself, even the servants in his courtyard were expected to maintain proper order and immaculate cleanliness.

The moment the thought flashed through her mind, she paused, her arm shaking unsteadily, and the bowls and plates knocked over the ones in his hands. The leftovers and soup from the two of them immediately splashed all over Zhang Jingxuan, leaving deep and shallow dirty stains on his clean and tidy clothes.

When the pockmarked man and the tall stem saw who was in trouble, they stopped at the same time as if the King of Hell had pinched their necks.

The huge dining hall was silent, and many people were like chickens with their necks caught, looking here with their heads raised.

Zhang Jingxuan frowned and looked at his clothes. A strange smell of food mixed with foot odor and sweat in the air rushed into his nose. Zhang Zimo next to him couldn't help but take a step away and couldn't help but cover his mouth and let out a "vomit".

Zhang Jingxuan's lips slowly straightened, and his usually gentle and humble smile disappeared without a trace.

Gao Magan's face turned pale, and he trembled and said, "I'm sorry."

The pockmarked face bowed and apologized: "Zhang Xueyou is very magnanimous, we didn't mean it..."

Xue Yuanyin calmly brushed off her robe, which was not stained with a single drop of soup, to conceal her delight. She then bowed and said, "I'm sorry, Master Zhang. I was bumped into and didn't hold the dishes steady, so I soiled your robe."

Although the words were sincere, there was no hint of apology in them.

Zhang Jingxuan raised his eyes to look at her, paused, and said: "Xue Yuanyin, is this the revenge you want from me?"

Xue Yuanyin feigned confusion and uttered, "What are you talking about, Master Zhang? Why would I seek revenge on you? Don't judge a gentleman by your own standards."

Zhang Jingxuan didn't say anything else. Despite his grimy appearance, he still looked tall and straight, elegant and unrestrained. His pale eyes fixed on her, and she couldn't tell if it was a provocation, but they seemed to see through her, making her feel uneasy.

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*“Hongwenguan” and “Chongwenguan” refer to the information of the Tang Dynasty’s academic system.