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“Go ahead, I will pick you up when it’s over.” Xiao Chen stood by the carriage, raised his hand to touch Jing Yue’s head but stopped when he saw her hair ornaments.

“Xiao Chen… I feel scared now, what should I do?” Jing Yue looked at Xiao Chen with tears brewing in her eyes.

“What?” Xiao Chen was suddenly stunned and confused.

“I’ve heard about what happened between Princess Leyang and Princess Ziling. Do you think it will happen again this year?” Jing Yue looked at Xiao Chen with grievance on her face, “What if I was framed to fail the assessment and disgraced you?”

“…” Xiao Chen frowned as he looked at Jing Yue’s nervous face, his lips compressed.

“Hey… Where are you taking me to?” While Jing Yue was still brewing emotions, Xiao Chen suddenly held Jing Yue’s hand and turned to leave.

“Forget it, let’s go home.” Xiao Chen looked at Jing Yue seriously.

“Huh??” Jing Yue goggled at Xiao Chen to make sure he was not joking, and suddenly felt confused, “Isn’t it more humiliating to give up?”

“Don’t be afraid. I’ll silence whoever dares to speak ill of you.” Xiao Chen looked at Jing Yue and said with his brows knitted.

“Hey…” Jing Yue was deeply touched and smilingly looked at Xiao Chen. This man was always beyond her expectations.

“Well, it’s just an assessment! I won’t be daunted by it. Don’t worry!” Jing Yue loosened Xiao Chen’s hand and said, “Wait for my good news! I won’t let you down!” With that said, Jing Yue ran away before Xiao Yan could react.

While Xiao Chen stood still and frowned at Jing Yue’s figure.

“Your Majesty, Her Highness can make it.” Xing Yi, who was standing aside, knew exactly what had happened, so he gently comforted when he saw Xiao Chen’s anxious face.

Apparently, Jing Yue was merely putting on a show to gain Xiao Chen’s sympathy. Alas! The sort of romance between lovers.

“Of course I know.” Xiao Chen stood with hands on his back and glared at Xing Yi as if blaming him to be meddlesome.

Xing Yi felt aggrieved while seeing Xiao Chen leave with a proud walk.

Did I say anything wrong?

Jing Yue arrived at the waiting area. Shanguan Ninglan and Ning Xiangyuan were also there. After an enjoyable chat, the three girls heard the announcement. The Empress Dowager, the Empress and other judges were already in place, which really seemed to be creepy and daunting!

“Is that the Empress Dowager?” Jing Yue poked her head out and looked up to stage.

“Yes, I’ve met her once when I followed my mother to the palace.” Shangguan Linglan added, “The Empress Dowager looks amiable. But you know, she was the Empress of the last Emperor and now the Empress Dowager, who turns to be the most frightening person in the imperial harem.”

“Oh… it’s so scary.” Jing Yue shook her body with goose bumps and stopped watching.

After the opening speech, they went on the stage. The assessment included six kinds of etiquette, which were kowtowing, serving the tea, table manners, walking manners, birthday celebration and so on.

No one made a mistake after rounds of assessment. The centrally seated Empress Dowager smiled happily as other judges nodded repeatedly in approval and praised them as hopeful candidates. By the afternoon, they began to go through the last round of the assessment, walking and kotowing manners.