The Crown Princess Is Jealous Again - Chapter 33
Xiao Beitang sat down, eyes glowing with anticipation. “Teacher, it’s my turn.”
“Alright. Do your best. If you win, there’s a reward,” Song Qingqian said with a smile playing on her lips.
“You’re biased, Teacher. How come we didn’t get rewards earlier?” Lu Wuyou grumbled.
“You lost anyway. What good would a reward have done?” Xiao Lin teased.
“Well, I still want one,” Lu Wuyou said crossly, arms folded.
Song Qingqian chuckled. “Next time.”
She immediately brightened. “You better not trick me, Teacher!”
Song Qingqian nodded.
“What’s the reward?” Xiao Beitang asked eagerly, eyes sparkling like a big black dog staring at a bone.
Song Qingqian found her expression amusing and replied, “I’ll tell you if you win.”
Xiao Beitang’s fighting spirit only flared up for a moment before realization struck—she had to lose!
Three types of Kongming locks were laid out before them.
“Shall we solve them in order?” Song Qingqian asked. “Whoever finishes first wins?”
“Yes,” Xiao Beitang replied.
“Xiao Lin, you announce the start,” Song Qingqian instructed, glancing at her.
“Alright.” Xiao Lin stepped into the center. “Ready… start!”
The two picked up the first lock. Xiao Beitang looked at her opponent—why wasn’t she moving?
“I told you, if you don’t show your true skills, I’ll concede,” Song Qingqian said calmly.
“I am serious!” Xiao Beitang snapped back, turning her full focus on the lock.
Song Qingqian smiled faintly and began to solve hers. But Xiao Beitang had overestimated herself—Song’s hands moved so quickly they were a blur. By the time Xiao Beitang picked up the third lock, all three of
Song’s were already dismantled neatly on the table.
Xiao Beitang exhaled deeply. She had lost—a genuine, clean loss. It was the result she wanted, though the process was entirely unexpected.
Liu Qing complained, “You’re all going easy on her!”
“Are you blind?” Lu Wuyou sneered. “Ah, I get it—you just don’t understand. You’re shallow and ignorant, can’t grasp the intricacies of the game, and probably have poor eyesight to boot!”
“Tsk, how pitiful,” Xiao Lin chimed in.
Snickers rippled through the crowd.
Humiliated, Liu Qing blustered, “Don’t get cocky just yet.”
He sat down. “Teacher Song, it’s my turn.”
He chose the game of Huarong Road, a popular puzzle game. Two boards were placed in front of them, each scrambled differently.
Song Qingqian gave his board a quick glance, picked up her own, and began moving.
“We haven’t started yet!” Liu Qing sat up straight and reached out to stop her.
“I’m just adjusting mine to match yours. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fair,” she said as her fingers swiftly rearranged the pieces.
When everyone looked again—the boards were identical.
Liu Qing stared at her, stunned.
“Still want to compete?” Lu Wuyou had already seen the implications.
She had only taken one look—just one!—and had instantly matched the layout of his puzzle. That alone proved her capability.
“You call it,” Song Qingqian offered.
“No need. I concede,” Liu Qing muttered, slumping to his feet and giving a deep bow that lasted several seconds.
“Next?” Song Qingqian’s gaze swept the room, unmoved.
“Student Zhong Yong. I ask for your guidance, Teacher.”
He… wrote down “arm wrestling”?
Xiao Beitang’s expression darkened, staring daggers at him.
Lu Wuyou almost lit her fan on fire from fanning too hard. “What a move! Why didn’t I think of that? It’s the perfect excuse to hold Teacher’s hand!”
Zhong Yong gave a slight smirk—enough to enrage Xiao Beitang. She grabbed Song Qingqian’s sleeve and pulled her up, fuming as she sat down. “Arm wrestling, right? I’ll take you on!”
She rolled up her sleeve, revealing a fair, slender arm and braced it on the table. Zhong Yong hesitated before extending his arm—only for her to seize his hand and slam it to the table.
BANG!
“OWW!” he yelped pitifully.
The impact was so fierce the crowd winced. His hand was red from the blow.
After a few moments, Zhong Yong yanked his hand back, shaking it and blowing on it.
“You!” he glared at her.
Xiao Beitang stared coldly. Something about her gaze made him tremble inside. He stood silently and slunk away.
Song Qingqian said quietly, “This round counts as my loss.”
The remaining challenges were poetry composition. Song Qingqian, using the alias Song Qing, swept through every opponent. Had they known her true identity, they wouldn’t have dared to challenge her so rashly.
Without exception, she won every round.
Finally, Song Qingqian stood up, gazed around with authority, and asked, “Now, am I qualified to be your teacher?”
“Teacher Song!” the students bowed deeply in unison.
The dean, having heard the commotion all afternoon, stormed in. Seeing dice and Huarong puzzles strewn across the tables, his beard trembled with fury.
“What is the meaning of this?!” he shouted.
The students froze, suddenly aware of the mess, and scrambled to clean it up.
Too late—the dean had already entered. Staring in disbelief at the chaotic classroom, he roared, “Outrageous! Utter nonsense!”
Xiao Beitang tried to calm him. “Dean, please, let us explain—”
Song Qingqian glanced at her—this was the first time she’d seen her so… obedient.
“Explain? Explain why you’re playing games during class?” The dean’s eyebrows bristled, and his spittle flew.
Lu Wuyou racked his brain for the right words. “We weren’t playing, Dean! We were… we were—”
Honestly, there was no easy way to explain this.
“Teacher Song! Come with me,” the dean ordered darkly. Then he snapped at the students, “Clean this place up. I’ll deal with you later.”
He turned and left, hands behind his back.
Song Qingqian looked around and said calmly, “Clean up first. I’ll go.”
She followed him at an unhurried pace.
Xiao Beitang watched her retreating figure, unwilling to look away.
Xiao Wanqi patted her on the shoulder. “Let it go, A-Tang. She’s already out of sight.”
“I feel like something’s changed, A-Tang,” Xiao Lin mused. Then, realization dawning, she lowered her voice. “Don’t tell me… you’ve fallen for her?”
“Who wouldn’t fall for someone like Teacher Song?” Lu Wuyou said casually behind them, having heard every word.
“What did you say?” Xiao Beitang frowned at him.
Lu Wuyou just smiled and waved his folding fan lazily. “I said—I admire Teacher Song deeply. Sincerely.”
Xiao Beitang’s frown deepened as she glanced up and down at Lu Wuyou. Judging from his clothes, he was from a wealthy family. He was attractive and had a lively personality… would Song Qingqian like someone like him?
No, she thought fiercely. She’s my wife. No one else can have her.
Xiao Beitang said coldly, “I advise you to give up.”
Lu Wuyou laughed, spreading his hands. “Well, that’s unfortunate. I’m the kind of person who never listens to advice. Besides, my feelings for Teacher Song are completely genuine. Absolutely sincere.”
Before Xiao Beitang could respond, a scolding voice rang out from the corner.
“Shameless! She’s your teacher!” Zhao Ziming slammed the table.
Dressed in simple blue linen, his face was thin but his gaze sharp. He came from humble origins and had only been able to attend the academy thanks to the Chancellor’s support. He was known for his integrity and diligence.
He had stayed in the corner all afternoon, quietly observing. He, too, had wanted to see just how capable this female teacher—this kunzhe—truly was.
“If you hadn’t spoken,” Lu Wuyou said playfully, “I almost thought you were mute.”
“Humph,” Zhao Ziming huffed and stormed out.
…
In the dean’s office, he paced back and forth, still fuming. He turned to Song Qingqian. “Teacher Song, what should I even say to you? The Chancellor personally recommended you, insisted you had great talent.
That’s the only reason I broke protocol and let a kunzhe join our academy. But this… this is utter madness!”
“I only wanted to earn their genuine respect,” Song Qingqian said calmly.
“I said it before—kunzhe can’t be teachers. And you’ve proven it. I don’t understand why the Chancellor vouched so hard for you,” he sighed heavily.
“Dean, with all due respect, you’re wrong. You can’t use one incident to judge all kunzhe. Even if I fail, it doesn’t mean others can’t succeed,” Song Qingqian said, brows slightly furrowed.
The dean was momentarily speechless, but still insisted, “Regardless, today’s incident won’t be overlooked.”
“What do you propose, then?”
“They must be punished severely.”
“How severely?”
“Ten days of cleaning duties around the academy.”
Song Qingqian didn’t want to argue. “Very well.”