"beat!"

Jiang Yuzhu said firmly with a wave of her hand without any hesitation.

Hong Jin flexed his arms and was already prepared. After receiving the order from his wife, he raised his leg and kicked Xuan Qi in the face.

Xuan Qi lost his balance and fell to the ground, only to see Hong Jin's shoe soles in front of him.

Xuan Qi felt pain and said with a ferocious look on his face: "You lowly servant, Jiang Yuzhu, how dare you..."

Jiang Yuzhu had already helped Xie Xuan up and replied with a faint smile, "What's wrong with you Xuan family members? You always ask me if I dare. Aren't actions more convincing than words?"

Jiang Yuzhu winked at Hong Jin, and without waiting for Xuan Qi to catch his breath, Hong Jin kicked him again.

Just as Xuan Qi was about to get up, he fell to the ground again, his fat body hitting the corner of the wall and he groaned.

Almost in the blink of an eye, a group of scholars gathered at the mountain gate to watch the fun.

Faced with this scene, Xuan Qi's lackeys were all stunned. After a long while, they stammered, "Thank you, Madam. Young Master Xuan is the Queen Mother's nephew. If you are so presumptuous, the Queen Mother will not let you go!"

Jiang Yuzhu sneered, "Yes, Xuan Zhutou has the Queen Mother as his backer, so I should have treated him leniently, but you don't. Whoever bullies my fifth brother, stand up!"

The lackeys didn't dare to stand up for Xuan Qi, and those who were acting arrogantly just now became cowards.

"You, and you, that round-faced scholar, the thin guy on the left..."

Jiang Yuzhu has a very good memory. Those who beat Xie Xuan will be punished three times over.

"This is Qingzhu Academy, a place of nobility in the Great Qi. It's all because of you snobs that you've stirred up this mess."

Jiang Yuzhu stood in the middle, her face cold and righteous, "Scholars have their own integrity and must not bow to evil forces. Do you understand the way of being an official? You bully your classmates in the academy, and then you are granted official positions and form a small group to protect each other?"

"Mrs. Xie is absolutely right. We are ashamed!"

Several scholars came from the crowd. The leader wore a heart-shaped jade pendant and saluted Jiang Yuzhu.

Most of the bystanders had been bullied by Xuan Qi and turned to care about Xie Xuan.

Jiang Yuzhu instructed Hongli to take out the gifts they had brought and distribute them. "My master always mentions that the friendship between classmates is incomparable to others. My fifth brother is a sentimental person. He is thinking of you all and specially asked me, his sister-in-law, to buy some cakes and good tea for you."

"Thank you, Madam. We are so unworthy of this!"

The scholar wearing the heart-shaped jade pendant spoke again. He was in the academy and didn't know that Xuan Qi bullied Xie Xuan, otherwise he would not have sat idly by.

Jiang Yuzhu was slightly puzzled. She thought that all the scholars in Qingzhu Academy were Xuan Qi's lackeys, but it seemed that was not entirely true. There were still some who understood the situation.

Hongli looked around with a sly look in his eyes, then quietly approached and said, "Madam, the one wearing the heart-shaped jade pendant is one of ours, the son of the Yu Jijiu family. The Lu family is also helping the Fifth Young Master."

In fact, it is very easy to distinguish. Each of our people has a heart-shaped jade pendant, which represents the power of the Jiang family's small group.

Hongli's face flushed as she murmured, "Didn't you say it's bad to form small groups and protect each other?"

Jiang Yuzhu's pupils shrank slightly, and she curled her lips playfully: "Hongli, who are you from? Some words are just for listening. They can only deceive simple scholars. How many of them won't stick together after they become officials?"

Speaking of which, it was my father Jiang Fulu who was far-sighted. While uniting Censor Lu and Yu Jijiu, he also took all the younger generations into account. The interests of the alliance are solid and will not collapse easily.

Even if they don't know each other, they can use the same heart-shaped jade pendant to recognize each other and tell whether they are their own people.

This is a really great trick!

The maid was responsible for distributing gifts to the scholars. Although everyone did not dare to openly oppose Xuan Qi, their attitude towards Xie Xuan became much better.

In the corner, Xie Xuan's eyes turned red. After a long while, he finally relaxed his strength and said with his head down, "Third sister-in-law, it's all my fault!"

The Xuan family is the empress dowager's maternal family, so they must be extraordinary.

If you offend Xuan Qi, you will inevitably be in trouble in the future.

Xie Xuan easily hid it in the academy, and the Queen Mother's anger would be transferred to Jiang Yuzhu. He was sorry for his third sister-in-law!

Jiang Yuzhu softened her tone and asked, "Fifth brother, do you regret it?"

“No regrets!”

Xuan Qi should never have been disrespectful to his third sister-in-law. Xie Xuan clenched his fists, hating himself for being a weak scholar, otherwise he would have torn Xuan Qi's flesh to vent his anger!

The Xuan family has always been very concerned about their reputation, so they will not let it go.

Xie Xuan panicked for no reason. He wasn't afraid of being criticized, but worried about getting Jiang Yuzhu into trouble. "Third sister-in-law, the lackey is right. What if the Queen Mother makes things difficult for you..."

After all, he was the root of the trouble, and Xie Xuan felt bitter.

In the past, he always wanted to become an official as soon as possible and become the right-hand man of his third brother Xie Zhao. Now, Xie Xuan has different ideas.

Studying and building connections at Qingzhu Academy will help you to have a smoother career in the future.

Xie Xuan finally understood Xie Zhao's intention. He was too slow-witted before.

Jiang Yuzhu patted Xie Xuan's shoulder, her face relieved. "Fifth brother, what we are planning is not just the petty gains in front of us. It's good that you can figure it out. As for how the Xuan family works, you don't have to worry about it. Your third brother and I will take the lead."

After comforting Xie Xuan, Xuan Qi had disappeared.

Hong Jin replied, "Madam, Xuan Zhutou has come down the mountain. I'm afraid he will come to the palace to file a complaint."

Beating Xuan Qi today is equivalent to trampling the Xuan family's reputation into the mud.

Hongli was worried and asked, "Will the Queen Mother have a fit soon?"

Jiang Yuzhu said firmly: "Don't worry, I won't."

The Queen Mother's position in power was not due to her impulsiveness. Jiang Yuzhu speculated that the Queen Mother never showed her emotions and would probably settle the score later.

Although she didn't want to confront the Xuan family too early, the Xuan family was too bullying. If she didn't fight back strongly, they would really treat her, Jiang Yuzhu, as a soft persimmon.

Anyway, I’ve been beaten and it feels good, so it’s up to me!

Xie Xuan pursed his lips until they turned pale, and after a long while he managed to utter, "Third sister-in-law, I will definitely become a talented person soon."

Xie Xuan secretly swore in his heart that he would respect Jiang Yuzhu as his own mother. One day, no one in the capital would dare to humiliate her again. He would definitely make it happen!

"Fifth brother, you haven't entered the officialdom yet, just focus on your studies."

It was getting late, so after all the gifts were distributed, Jiang Yuzhu took Xie Xuan down the mountain.

After a long delay, Jiang Yuzhu vaguely realized that the sun had set in the west. There were lush forests and bamboos all around, and through the bamboo leaves, she could see a circle of dark gray with a golden edge on the horizon.

A carriage stopped in front of them, and a master and servant got out.

"Cousin, I didn't expect to meet you here."

It had been a while since we last met. Lu Yunxi had changed into a long gown, looking a little thinner. He had a gentle demeanor, and a touch of sickly elegance.

Jiang Yuzhu paused and looked at the red carp beside her.

Hongli understood and quickly took out the almanac from the carriage and looked through it: "Madam, as you expected, it is not advisable to travel today."

Jiang Yuzhu nodded slightly, thinking that she would still have to check the almanac before going out in the future.

Lu Yunxi was definitely the person she didn't want to see first.

Every time her cousin looked at her with loving eyes, Jiang Yuzhu would get goose bumps reflexively.

Since they had met, Jiang Yuzhu could only fake a smile and greet: "Cousin, what a coincidence."