Free Web NovelChapter 690: Chapter 690: Misunderstanding
Sikong Jian assumed Qin Yao was nearby and was on guard at all times.
Inside Kuanzheng Square, the mother and daughter put on their sun veils and walked out the door.
Caiwei mentioned yesterday that the result would be out by noon, so Qin Yao brought Si Niang along at noon.
It was midday when students were taking their lunch break. The academy was noisy and chaotic, filled with the voices of children, much livelier than it had been the previous day.
When Qin Yao and her daughter arrived, Caiwei was already outside the gate, looking around.
Seeing the mother and daughter walking towards her, Caiwei glanced up at the sun, which was blazing directly overhead; they weren’t early, nor were they late.
"Mrs. Qin!" Caiwei stepped forward quickly, smiling as she greeted them.
Qin Yao exchanged a surprised glance with Si Niang, signaling good news.
Si Niang called out to Sister Caiwei, eagerly asking, "Did the dean agree to admit me?"
Caiwei nodded, "Yes, you can follow me into the academy to handle the admission procedures."
Wonderful! The little person within Si Niang’s heart jumped up and cheered.
Caiwei led the way, and the mother and daughter followed with smiles, arriving at the room they hadn’t been able to enter the day before.
Dean Tong Jia of the Women’s Academy stood up to greet them, and after brief introductions, they began processing Si Niang’s enrollment.
The tuition for one year is two taels of silver, plus four sets of academy uniforms costing one tael and eight maces, annual miscellaneous fees of one tael, and students must prepare their own pens, inks, papers, and inkstones, totaling four taels and eight maces of silver.
This tuition, within the Capital City, is not the lowest, but its value is quite high.
It was May, and the Women’s Academy charged tuition from February to November as a year. With half a year already gone, the final tuition only cost one tael and two maces of silver.
"Mrs. Qin, you can pay me four taels directly," Caiwei said with a smile.
Qin Yao had brought the silver purposely, and she readily paid, then inquired about the holiday schedule of the Women’s Garden.
Dean Tong replied, "The holidays are the same as other academies in the city, with a day off on the fifteenth and thirtieth of each month. In the Spring and Autumn, the academy occasionally organizes outings for inspiration, and students will be dismissed half a day early to prepare at home the day before."
Apart from this, there’s a day off for regular holidays. Should there be a royal festive event with a general amnesty to celebrate with the people, the academy will also grant students a three-day holiday.
As for illness or when teachers are not conducting classes, we handle these flexibly.
"Every month has different courses, and on the first day of each month, the academy will post the course schedule for that month on the notice board at the entrance, so students and their parents should pay attention in order to prepare the necessary books."
After speaking, Dean Tong looked seriously at Qin Yao and kindly asked, "Is there anything else you don’t understand?"
Qin Yao turned to her daughter, "Is there anything you don’t understand?"
Si Niang shook her head, indicating nothing more.
Qin Yao replied, "Nothing else."
Dean Tong: "..."
She signaled Caiwei, who understood and crouched to speak to Si Niang:
"Please follow me to the library to note down the list of required books, so you can prepare them early at home; then you can start classes the day after tomorrow."
Qin Yao prepared to follow along, but Dean Tong called after her.
"Madam, please wait; someone wants to see you." Dean Tong glanced toward the direction of the training field and smiled, motioning for Qin Yao to follow her.
Qin Yao raised an eyebrow and bluntly asked, "Who?"
Dean Tong didn’t miss the flash of coldness in her eyes, realizing that she may indeed know that reckless woman.
Both appeared to have a normal, harmless facade when things were fine, but were actually fiercely formidable.
"Follow me and you’ll find out." Dean Tong maintained her gentle smile, raising her hand in a gesture of invitation.
Qin Yao looked towards the door where Caiwei had already led Si Niang into the library. With Si Niang’s intelligence, she could handle the task of copying the book list well on her own.
Dean Tong reassured her, "With Caiwei there, don’t worry."
She raised her hand again, "Please."
Reluctantly, Qin Yao nodded, filled with doubt, as she followed Dean Tong to the stable next to the horse training grounds behind.
It seemed they had deliberately cleared the area. Near the stables, there were only a few horses and the person feeding them straw at the trough.
Seeing that familiar red uniform, Qin Yao’s tense face immediately collapsed, rolling her eyes speechlessly skyward.
"Why are you here?" Qin Yao asked in exasperation.
Feigning mystery and having Dean Tong bring her here, she thought she might have inadvertently attracted the attention of someone noteworthy.
Mu Ling patted the hay off his hands, turned around, arching his lips in disdain, and scoffed, "If you can be here, why can’t I?"
Qin Yao laughed, "I’m here to send my child to school. You too? What’s your child’s name? How old? Let her look after my Si Niang."
Mu Ling: "..."
Dean Tong awkwardly coughed and softly reminded Qin Yao, "General Mu is not married yet."
Qin Yao responded with an "Oh~," realizing Mu Ling was single.
Dean Tong was a bit confused, observing these two women who were on the verge of clashing.
Yesterday, when Mu Ling pointed her out, she had assumed they were quite familiar. It turns out they were just acquaintances.
"Dean, you can go about your business," Mu Ling said politely, smiling.
Guessing that they might discuss matters not meant for outsiders to hear, Dean Tong nodded knowingly and retreated.
Once the person was far enough away, Mu Ling immediately flashed an excited expression, slapping Qin Yao on the shoulder, laughing heartily:
"You’re really something!"
Qin Yao looked puzzled, what did she mean by something? What did she do to deserve praise?
"Still pretending?" Mu Ling rolled her eyes, wearing a teasing expression of having seen through her long ago, and leaned in to whisper in Qin Yao’s ear:
"You handled the martial artist situation very well and discreetly. Besides you and me, no one knows you were doing it for His Highness. This matter was handled beautifully. Just imagining Sikong Jian kneeling to explain, the cowardly look makes me ravenous enough to eat ten bowls of rice!"
Mu Ling heavily patted Qin Yao’s chest and generously said, "Tell me, what reward do you want? I’ll go back and inform His Highness. His Highness is generous, as long as you don’t go overboard, he’ll grant it....."
Qin Yao urgently raised her hand, "Hold on!"
Mu Ling’s joyous smile remained on his face, "What’s the matter?"
"I think you might have misunderstood something." Qin Yao said seriously, "The martial artist incident was a coincidence; I wasn’t doing it for anyone, just wanted to uphold justice."
Mu Ling: ???
Qin Yao continued, "Therefore, I don’t need any rewards, and you don’t have to be overly grateful to me. It was all just a coincidence, truly."
Upon hearing this, Mu Ling was stunned for a full three seconds before shaking her head and uttering three words, "Not possible!"
Where in this world are there so many coincidences?
"Why? Is there someone nearby listening?"
Seeing Qin Yao’s blank expression, Mu Ling suddenly bent down, cautiously looking around left and right, even going around to the back of the stables to make a complete check. Returning, she told her, "There’s just you, me, and the horses here; it’s safe to talk."
"..."
Qin Yao’s silence was deafening.
Mu Ling had no choice but to accept the reality that she had overimagined things, and her cheerful smile vanished.
