3. What harm is there in me becoming her disciple?

Jin Lanyue swallowed hard and stammered, "Grand Tutor, how is your health?"

"What?" The Grand Tutor and the Princess were both stunned.

"Ninthly, if you get sick, Yue'er will come to save you," she said, rambling on and on, "So, you have to take good care of yourself and don't let anyone bully you..."

The princess was completely confused and reached out to touch her forehead: "You weren't scared out of your wits, were you?"

"Yes..." Jin Lanyue wasn't quite sure, "Anyway... Grand Tutor, you must take good care of yourself, stay healthy and happy..."

Just like her parents hoped she would be healthy and happy.

On the other side, Qu Zijin's heart trembled after hearing what she said.

He was a top scholar in the imperial examination and enjoyed great success, but due to his serious and rigid personality, despite his extensive knowledge and talent, he was repeatedly suppressed because he didn't know how to get along with people.

Finally, he was even assigned to be the princess's tutor.

He suddenly looked up at Jin Lanyue, who was startled but still looked at him intently.

...He couldn't even remember the last time someone had shown him any concern.

He was surrounded by suppression and ridicule, so the sudden outpouring of care and blessings seemed abrupt yet precious.

Although... it was a little dumpling who kept muttering that she was coming to "save" him, and was a bit overconfident.

"Hmph," he snorted, turning around, "Don't be late next time."

The princess looked at Jin Lanyue in astonishment: "Amazing! How did you do that?"

“Yes…” Jin Lanyue tried to speak, but found that she couldn’t say anything about the strange sound.

So she said in her childish voice, "Someone taught me... although I don't think I understood..."

[Task Completed]

You stormed the execution ground, paying a heavy price and risking your life to finally save Qu Zijin. Now, he stands before you, unharmed.

[Reward: Amulet (can block one fatal attack)]

"Hurry up and follow us!" Qu Zijin urged them to enter the school.

"Oh, here I come!" Jin Lanyue took a few steps with her short legs, then "thump thump thump" back, took the little princess who was still standing there pouting like a stubborn donkey, and pulled her into the school to sit down.

Jin Lanyue's first lesson in life has officially begun!

Qu Zijin taught the Three Character Classic.

However, it is clear that he is very good at studying, but he has no talent for teaching.

It's like chanting a sutra, making people want to doze off.

Within fifteen minutes, Jin Lanyue felt dizzy and wanted to sleep.

She tried to open her eyes wide and pinched her mouth with her little hands to stop herself from yawning.

"Plop"

The little princess next to her suddenly collapsed onto the table and fell fast asleep.

"What kind of behavior is this? What kind of behavior is this!" Qu Zijin roared, slamming his fist on the table.

"Huh?" The princess was woken up and asked sleepily, "Is school over?"

"Your Highness is so careless, I'm afraid I have no choice but to report this matter to His Majesty!"

"What?!" Upon hearing that Qu Zijin wanted to call her parents, the princess immediately sobered up. "No way!"

"No discussion!" Qu Zijin said coldly. "Given your current situation, you two will probably need to study the Three Character Classic for a whole year!"

"We will study hard!" Jin Lanyue quickly grabbed the princess's hand, afraid that the princess would quarrel with the tutor again.

Qu Zijin looked at her, his attitude softening slightly, but his tone remained harsh: "Judging from the current situation, you simply can't learn anything."

"I've really got it!" Jin Lanyue raised her hand. "I've learned it..."

"Liar!" Qu Zijin interrupted, his eyebrows furrowing. "You've only been learning for less than fifteen minutes, how could you possibly have learned it?"

His gaze towards Jin Lanyue even carried a hint of disappointment: "You originally thought you were different from the princess, but now it seems that although you are not spoiled, you are full of lies!"

"But..." Jin Lanyue was startled and felt extremely wronged, tears welling up in her eyes, "But Yue'er really can recite it..."

"Stop trying to argue!" Qu Zijin rebuked her. "Before you enrolled, I asked the Marquis of Beiding and learned that you had never studied or learned to read. How could you memorize the Three Character Classic in just a quarter of an hour?"

The Grand Tutor didn't believe her...

Jin Lanyue sniffed pitifully, her eyes brimming with tears, but she dared not cry.

"Why are you being so fierce!" The princess slammed her hand on the table and stood up defiantly. "She said she'll learn it, so she will!"

Qu Zijin found it incomprehensible: "Since that's the case, Jin Lanyue, you will recite the first two chapters of the Three Character Classic."

He thought for a moment and then said, "It's not too late for you to admit your mistake now. If you remain stubborn, don't blame me for telling His Majesty everything that happened today."

"All you do is complain," the princess said disapprovingly. "What if she tells the truth?"

Qu Zijin thought it was impossible: "If she could really memorize the entire text in just a quarter of an hour after I had only explained it once, with such talent, why shouldn't I become her student?"

The two of them looked at Jin Lanyue at the same time.

Jin Lanyue wiped her eyes and said softly, "Then I'll memorize it..."

"Memorize it." Qu Zijin held the ruler, his eyes lowered.

"Hmm..." Jin Lanyue began, "At birth, people are inherently good; their natures are similar, but their habits differ..."

Qu Zijin suddenly looked up at her.

"Once, Mencius' mother chose her neighbors carefully..."

Qu Zijin sat up straight with a serious expression.

"...If the teaching is not strict, it is the teacher's laziness."

Jin Lanyue's voice was crisp and sweet.

A three-year-old child usually speaks with a babyish voice, mumbling and not quite pronouncing some words clearly.

But she recited it perfectly.

The classroom was quiet for a while.

Jin Lanyue was still a little nervous, her heart pounding.

She didn't know why, but even though she had never studied it, the Three Character Classic suddenly came to mind as the tutor explained it simply, as if she had already learned it long ago.

Qu Zijin looked incredulous, staring blankly at the chubby baby in front of him.

"Huh?" The princess looked at her, then at Qu Zijin, and asked in confusion, "Have you finished memorizing it?"

"Whatever! Just pretend you've finished memorizing it," she clapped decisively, then raised her head and glared at Qu Zijin, "Hey, do you have anything else to say?"

-

Marquis Beiding had been waiting outside the Wenhua Hall for half an hour, eagerly awaiting his beloved daughter's dismissal from school.

Jin Lanyue waved goodbye to the princess, and as soon as she stepped out of the palace, she saw her father.

Her eyes lit up, and she immediately lost the "ladylike steps" that her nanny had taught her. She skipped and jumped into the arms of the Marquis of Beiding.

"Oh, my Yue'er," the Marquis of Beiding said with a smile, picking her up in his arms. "Is studying hard?"

"It wasn't hard work at all, the Grand Tutor praised me for being smart!" Jin Lanyue proudly raised her little head, her face full of praise. "I'm friends with the princess now!"

"Really? That's amazing!" Marquis Beiding was somewhat surprised.

He was somewhat worried. Although his precious daughter was smart, she was young and might not be able to adapt to suddenly leaving her parents and family to study.

In addition, he had heard that this princess was not easy to get along with, and had driven away several of her companions in the past two years.

He had already planned that if his daughter couldn't accept it or was wronged, he would bring her back even at the risk of being demoted, and he would never let her be bullied outside.

Unexpectedly, Jin Lanyue did so well that she not only won praise from the strict tutor, but also gained the acceptance of the arrogant princess, who became her friend.

"Father knew Yue'er was the best!" Marquis Beiding laughed. "Mother and brother are still waiting for Yue'er at home. They will be very happy to hear this news."

Marquis Beiding was about to leave with her in his arms when a sound suddenly came from inside the Wenhua Hall—

"Teacher! Teacher, please wait!"

A voice came from inside the Wenhua Hall. When Marquis Beiding turned his head, he saw a young man calling out "Teacher" and walking quickly toward him—it was Qu Zijin.

Jin Lanyue was startled and buried her head in her father's arms.

You can't see me, you can't see me...

"Grand Tutor Qu?" The Marquis of Beiding looked around, puzzled, and asked, "Where is your teacher?"

Then, he watched in horror as Qu Zijin walked up to his daughter, bowed respectfully, and said, "Teacher, I have a few words to say."