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The empress dowager was astonished by Lady Xuanji’s beauty at first when her eyes landed on the lady.

The woman was stunning!

She had met Lady Xuanji before.

There had been an anomaly in the weather when Feng Wu was born, and the empress dowager had summoned Lady Xuanji to court then. Although the lady was pale and flustered, she had still been beautiful enough to take one’s breath away.

And thirteen years had passed since then…

The empress dowager looked down at her own hands, which showed signs of aging. However, Lady Xuanji still looked as fresh as a teenage girl with her impeccable complexion and great beauty.

Time treated everyone equally, but apparently, Lady Xuanji was an exception.

“Your Majesty, may I ask, why is my mother here?”

Seeing that Emperor Wu was dazed by her mother’s beauty, Feng Wu frowned.

She regretted letting this happen.

She should have refused the edict. Once the beautiful lady showed her face, a lot more trouble might be waiting for them in the future.

“Cough —”

Emperor Wu cleared his throat to cover up his embarrassment.

Emperor Wu hadn’t been able to tear his eyes away from Lady Xuanji since she walked into the hall.

He gestured at the chief steward.

The chief steward unrolled an imperial edict that had been prepared in advance.

“Lady Xuanji is known for her outstanding appearance and her female virtue. She brought up her daughter properly, which led to Feng Wu’s great achievement in the written exam… She is hereby granted the title of a second rank Dame…”

Something then stirred inside Feng Wu!

A second rank Dame? She liked the sound of that.

With that title, no one would dare try anything on the beautiful lady when she showed up in public.

Moreover, even Lady Wang, who was so full of self-importance, was a mere third rank Lady.

But her beautiful mother looked as bewildered as she always did.

Third rank, second rank — they made no difference to her.

However, if they were going to award her mother for Feng Wu’s great performance in the written exam, why wait until now?

Feng Wu frowned.

Something felt off and she was uneasy.

Feng Wu pondered the question after they left the imperial palace. In the end, she made a mental note to ask Lady Northern Feng about it another day.

In the Feng manor.

The imperial messengers had visited the manor twice today, and of course Lady Wang knew about it.

“What’s with all these visits?” Lady Wang was a little on edge.

Feng Liu had fallen ill at Feng Wu’s triumph and had only just recovered. She said grumpily as she ate her meal, “Feng Wu must be in trouble again and the court is dealing with her.”

“Are you sure?” Lady Wang wasn’t convinced.

“I think so!” The more she thought about it, the more Feng Liu believed herself. Putting down the bowl, she rinsed her mouth with the cup of water her maid offered her, then said, “That granny didn’t seem too friendly when she came to pick up Feng Wu.”

Lady Wang turned to look at Granny Gui.

Granny Gui nodded. “Miss Liu is right.”

Feng Liu added, “Plus, Mother, Feng Wu wasn’t the only one who was summoned. Another messenger was here to take her mother away, too. It has to be something big. And you know what she’s like. She’s in trouble, trust me!”

Lady Wang frowned. “What do we do now?”

Sitting in the head seat, Feng Yanfeng heard every word.

He frowned.

Feng Wu had done it again? And she had messed with the royal family this time? Would his own job be affected?

Just then, footsteps came from outside —

“Lady Xuanji and Miss Wu are back —”

Lady Wang put down her chopsticks.

“Come, let’s go to Fallen Star Yard!”

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When Feng Yanfeng arrived at Fallen Star Yard with a livid face, he was in time to see Feng Wu and Lady Xuanji walk in.

“Stop right there!” Feng Liu glared at Feng Wu.

Turning around in bewilderment, Feng Wu saw the family of three.

She frowned. “What now?”

“What now? Feng Wu, that’s what I should be asking you.” Feng Liu snorted. “Are you going to pretend nothing happened? You’re bringing trouble to our clan again!”

“Trouble?” Feng Wu gave Feng Liu a quizzical look. “What trouble?”

“Heh, playing dumb, are we?” Feng Liu moved closer and sneered at Feng Wu.

Feng Wu’s patience was wearing thin. She turned to frown at Feng Yanfeng. “Uncle, do you have anything to say about this?”

Feng Yanfeng’s face was as dark as a stormy sky!

Lady Wang scoffed at Feng Wu’s words and she couldn’t wait to see Feng Yanfeng scold the girl.

However —

Feng Yanfeng was smarter than his wife thought. He asked coldly, “Were you in court?”

“Yes.”

“And your mother, too?”

“Yes.”

“You…” Feng Yanfeng ground his teeth. “Did you make a scene in the imperial palace this time?!”

Feng Wu looked at Feng Yanfeng in bewilderment. “If that was the case, shouldn’t you, my uncle, be summoned to court?”

That rendered Feng Yanfeng speechless.

Lady Wang and Feng Liu were bewildered as well.

Feng Wu led her mother back to her room.

The wind was damp and chilly at this hour, and her mother was so fragile. She could catch a cold.

“Stop!” Lady Wang stared at Feng Wu.

Feng Wu halted, then looked at Lady Wang in resignation.

“Why did His Majesty summon you to court? Feng Wu, you’re not keeping this from your family!”

Feng Wu sighed. “You really want to know?”

“Of course?”

Feng Wu turned to Feng Yanfeng. “And you, too?”

“Just spit it out!”

Shaking her head, Feng Wu took out the imperial edict from her sleeve and unrolled it. “It’s an imperial edict from His Majesty. On your knees, please.”

Feng Yanfeng was speechless.

Lady Wang fell silent.

Feng Wu glanced at them unhurriedly. “Are you going to listen to His Majesty’s words standing up?”

Chills ran down Feng Yanfeng’s spine and he knelt down at once!

Lady Wang and Feng Liu had no choice but to follow suit.

“By the grace of God, His Majesty the emperor hereby issues an imperial edict. Feng Wu…”

It was the same imperial edict that Feng Wu had been given earlier, and she read the whole thing to the others now.

Those who were hearing it for the first time were astonished, especially Lady Wang and Feng Liu.

A second rank Dame?!

Blue veins popped on Lady Wang’s forehead!

Her husband was a second rank official now!

And the minister of the Ministry of Official Personnel!

However, she was still a third rank Lady, and His Majesty showed no intention of raising her status. On the other hand, Feng Wu’s mother was…

Lady Wang refused to accept it!

Rolling the imperial edict back up, Feng Wu darted a glance at Lady Wang. “Aren’t you supposed to pay respects to the second rank Dame now?”

Lady Wang: !!!

She thought herself such an idiot all of a sudden!

Why did she have to mess with Feng Wu when she could have stayed away? Why did she have to force Feng Wu to read the imperial edict? She could pretend nothing had happened if she didn’t know about it!

Lady Wang regretted every decision she had made tonight.

How was she supposed to act all superior in front of Feng Wu’s mother now? What could she use to agitate the lady? She herself might get agitated first.

Feng Wu gave Lady Wang a half-smile. “So, Aunt, are you going to defy an imperial edict?”

Lady Wang’s face was livid.

“Why?!” Feng Liu shouted out the question everyone else wanted to ask. “Why does your mother get to become a second rank Dame? What contribution has she made?!”

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“Because of me, her daughter!” Feng Wu grinned at them. “I was first in the written exam, and my mother’s status rose with me. That’s why she’s a second rank Dame now. Lady Wang, don’t give up. You still have Feng Liu to count on, don’t you?”

Feng Liu? The girl hadn’t even made it into the first 1000! Count on her to get the highest marks?

Lady Wang shook her head. That wouldn’t happen even in the next life!

Poor Lady Wang. She had come here full of expectations and had to leave with regrets.

Imperial College’s physical tryout was finally going to start.

No one knew in advance which terrain had been chosen this year. Hence, no one knew what to expect.

But Feng Wu knew.

So did Yu Mingye.

Because Feng Wu had picked the place together with Grand Secretary Fang.

With Mr Zuo dead and Mr Lu in seclusion, Imperial College needed a new head. The emperor then named Grand Secretary Fang vice-principal, and he would be the acting principal until Mr Lu came out of seclusion.

The announcement was made right before the start of the physical tryout.

A thousand students stood in silence on the vast square as they waited for the portal to open and send them directly to the chosen terrain.

At first, everyone was talking about what terrain to expect and how difficult it might be…

At that moment, an announcement of the appointment was handed down from Emperor Wu.

Everyone, teachers and candidates included, erupted into loud discussion as soon as they heard the news.

“Wow! Grand Secretary Fang?”

“He’s Mu Yaoyao’s grandfather, right?”

“Oh god! Princess Mu will have so much prestige in Imperial College from now on!”

The candidates’ eyes lit up when they heard the news.

Mu Yaoyao was in their year. If they could make friends with Mu Yaoyao, their lives would become so much easier!

Many thought that way.

Amidst the crowd, Mu Yaoyao couldn’t help but get excited.

Her granduncle?!

No, he was her grandpa!

Mu Yaoyao made up her mind. She would address Grand Secretary Fang as grandpa in front of the others. As for when she was alone with the old man… well, she could call him granduncle then. No one else needed to know about it.

Mu Yaoyao was surrounded by quite a few people to start with, and the crowd only got bigger.

Huo Yin, Wen Ling, Liu Hao, and Mu Qing used to be Ye Yafei’s minions, and since Ye Yafei had become quite close with Mu Yaoyao, she left those four in Mu Yaoyao’s care.

Yao Hao and Yao Ying, the siblings from the Yao family, were with Mu Yaoyao as well.

Those two were from Mu Yaoyao’s own network and were much closer to her.

Now that Grand Secretary Fang had been appointed vice-principal and acting principal, Mu Yaoyao was practically drowning in the crowd around her.

Feng Wu and Chaoge stood a short distance away.

They could hear everything Mu Yaoyao said.

Huo Yin asked, “Princess Mu, is Grand Secretary Fang your grandfather?”

Mu Yaoyao glanced at her. “Mhhm.”

“Huh?” Feng Wu and Chaoge exchanged looks. Chaoge couldn’t stand the lie and wanted to expose Mu Yaoyao right away.

Grand Secretary Fang had ordered Mu Yaoyao to stop addressing him as grandfather in public.

But Feng Wu stopped Chaoge and smiled. “Just stay put.”

But Chaoge couldn’t stand it. “But Grand Secretary Fang said…”

“Do you think they’ll believe you if you tell them the truth now?” Feng Wu chuckled. “Let’s hear what she has to say next.”

Over there, Huo Yin asked another question. “Princess Mu, did Grand Secretary Fang give you any hint about the terrain which the tryout will be taking place in?”

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The tryout could take place in one of the many potential terrains.

They were Dark Forest, Yellow Desert, Volcanic Swamp, Misty Jungle, Snowy Plateau…

Every candidate here had their own special attribute.

Only a handful of them had two attributes and even fewer had multiple attributes. Most of them only specialized in a single attribute.

Such as fire, water, ice, wood, earth, and so on.

Hence, if the tryout happened in a place like Dark Forest, those with the wood attribute would have an advantage.

Whereas if Volcanic Swamp was chosen, those who specialized in fire or earth would have the upper hand.

And so on and so forth.

Many candidates had tried to find out beforehand what the chosen terrain was. That way, they could adequately equip themselves in advance according to the terrain’s characteristics.

However, Imperial College’s security measures were so impeccable that no one was able to get any information.

Since they still had a little time before the tryout started, they all turned to Mu Yaoyao for help.

But Mu Yaoyao had no idea at all.

She was as lost as the rest of them… Her granduncle had been keeping a distance from her. How was she supposed to know the answer to the question?

At that thought, Mu Yaoyao couldn’t help but turn to look at Feng Wu.

Because most people were pushing toward Mu Yaoyao, the area around Feng Wu looked even emptier in comparison. Chaoge was the only one by Feng Wu’s side.

Following Mu Yaoyao’s gaze, the others all smirked.

“Hey, isn’t that Feng Wu?”

“As in the person who was first in the written exam? Why does she only have one friend?”

Huo Yin said, “Because we’re not idiots. Anyone can see that she has no spiritual essence and that she’s just a cripple. She could count on her intelligence in the written exam, but the physical tryout is a different story. She’s probably not going to make it out alive, let alone get a grade.”

Most of the candidates agreed with her.

Because they thought they could predict Feng Wu’s failure, they didn’t want to get anywhere near her.

Chaoge was furious!

You shallow people! Feng Wu is the best! She’s a Level 5 Spiritual Grandmaster already and she’s far better than any of you! How dare you call her a cripple? You’re all idiots!

Chaoge wanted to say those words aloud, but Feng Wu wouldn’t let her. As a result, Chaoge could only keep them to herself.

“Xiao Wu —” Chaoge tugged at Feng Wu’s sleeve and whispered, “Xiao Wu, when can we go public with your cultivation ability? I’d love to see their faces then!”

She was having a hard time keeping the secret.

Feng Wu chuckled. “Are you that eager?”

“They’re looking down on you and I can’t stand it!” Chaoge said indignantly.

Tilting her head, Feng Wu told Chaoge after a moment’s consideration, “Let’s wait until we can’t keep the secret to ourselves anymore. I have a feeling that we won’t have to wait very long.”

If the Zuo family confirmed that she had regained her ability and that she was even more brilliant than before… she was sure that the Zuo family would do anything to get rid of her!

By then, not only herself, but all those close to her would be in grave danger.

That was why Feng Wu wouldn’t reveal the truth just for temporary gratification. Her family’s safety was at stake!

Chaoge understood how serious this was as well, and she could only clench her fists and wait for the day when Feng Wu would dazzle the world again.

Just then —

“Attention, it’s Mr Fang —”

At that announcement, everyone stopped talking and stood in line.