Chapter 85: Tianfu Academy

Chapter 85: Tianfu Academy

At that moment, Li Niyue's voice came from the corridor, "Why did you take so long?"

Li Niyue approached with two maidservants, and upon seeing Lu Lingyun, she broke into a wide smile.

Old Lady Wang walked up to Li Niyue and whispered in her ear about what had just happened with Little Lady Cui.

Li Niyue immediately frowned, "How dare that Little Lady Cui be so unreasonable! Sister Lingyun is beloved by Grandmother; I must go speak to Grandmother about this!"

"Enough, Sister Li," Lu Lingyun stepped forward and held her hand. "It's nothing."

"No, it won't do. That Little Lady Cui has always been domineering. Bullying us is one thing, but bullying you is unacceptable. Even if Grandmother dotes on her, she must apologize this time!" Li Niyue insisted on defending Lu Lingyun.

"There's nothing to apologize for; she didn't say anything wrong." Lu Lingyun smiled calmly.

She was indeed in a high marriage, and it was understandable for the upper nobility to view her this way.

"Lingyun..."

"One must always know their place. My status dictates my treatment. To seek respect without strength is shameful."

Lu Lingyun always knew her place. To desire respect without strength was indeed shameful. If one was weak, they should strive to become stronger.

After all, life was long.

Fortunes would change, and she would rise. Time would tell.

After hearing her words, Li Niyue's eyes sparkled. "That's really well said!"

She led Lu Lingyun to her courtyard to chat. Already grateful for Lu Lingyun's help with the charcoal incident, she now admired her unique perspective on life, considering her a close friend.

They talked about everything from the charcoal incident to the recent events involving Little Lady Cui.

"My sister-in-law could have entered the palace as a concubine. She made it to the final round of selection, where eight candidates were narrowed down to six. She and another merchant's daughter were the ones left out. Can you guess why she was rejected?"

Lu Lingyun shook her head. "I can't guess."

How could she know? A woman of Lu Lingyun's background wouldn't even qualify for the selection.

Hearing that Little Lady Cui initially came to the capital for the selection was intriguing. With her family and appearance, how could she have been rejected?

Li Niyue chuckled. "The Empress Dowager said her eyes were too fierce, reminding her of the fierce deities in temples, so she dismissed her with a flower."

Lu Lingyun: "..."

With such a high birth, Little Lady Cui must have aimed for a position as a concubine or imperial consort. Being rejected for having fierce eyes must have been humiliating!

Moreover, after the Empress Dowager's words, her future marriage prospects would be difficult.

"Was she able to return home?" Lu Lingyun asked anxiously.

"Of course not." Li Niyue glanced towards the northern courtyard. "My mother-in-law brought her back to the Duke's Mansion and arranged her marriage to my younger brother."

Lu Lingyun nodded in understanding. No wonder Little Lady Cui married into the family.

"My sister-in-law had her heart set on marrying into the royal family. Ending up in the Duke's Mansion, she finds fault with everyone and looks down on everyone else, relying solely on my mother-in-law's affection for them." Li Niyue shared her thoughts.

Lu Lingyun smiled. "Indeed, it's quite a headache."

"But you're right. One's reputation depends on their own strength. I must work hard and not let Little Lady Cui look down on me."

"Sister, your family background is already excellent." Lu Lingyun said.

Li Niyue's father was a second-rank official, serving as the Imperial Tutor to the Crown Prince and concurrently as the Left Censor-in-Chief.

The Left Censor-in-Chief was among the top three positions in the Censorate, and the role of Imperial Tutor to the Crown Prince was a trusted position close to the Emperor.

Li Niyue's marriage to the Duke's Mansion was perfectly matched, even slightly below her station. It was only because her mother-in-law, Lady Cui, held a higher status that she could manage the household.

"After marriage, one must rely on oneself, not always turning to my father for help." Li Niyue smiled.

"Exactly."

Li Niyue continued, "My father hasn't been in good health this year, so he's temporarily set aside his duties as the Imperial Tutor to the Crown Prince. However, he can't sit idle. This year, several great scholars plan to establish a school and invited him to teach occasionally. He accepted immediately and told me that if my son Qian were older, he'd send him there at three years old."

Lu Lingyun asked, "Is it the Tianfu Academy?"

"Yes, have you heard of it?"

How could Lu Lingyun not know about the Tianfu Academy?

In the future, it would become renowned, producing top scholars and first-class graduates. In her previous life, countless noble families and literati fought to send their children there, as admission meant half a foot in the imperial court.

Not only was the education top-notch, but the connections were unparalleled.

"I've heard of the academy the great scholars are establishing."

In this life, the Tianfu Academy had just been founded, and few people knew about it. Only those connected to the great scholars sent their children there.

In her previous life, Lu Lingyun used the Tianfu Academy to gain insights into the imperial examinations, employing an exhaustive method to prepare for every possible question, which helped Li Wenxun achieve success. She knew how difficult it was to get admitted.

"If your family has suitable children, you can send them there," Li Niyue offered.

Lu Lingyun heard this and her heart skipped a beat. "Our marquisate currently has no eligible young masters, but my younger brother is fourteen this year. Could he be admitted to Tianfu Academy for his studies?"

Li Niyue replied without hesitation, "No problem. I'll just mention it to my father."

Lingyun had helped her before, so this favor was merely a word for Li Niyue, something she didn't think twice about.

For Li Niyue, it was just a casual favor, but for Lu Lingyun, it was a rare opportunity. If Lu Kuan entered Tianfu Academy, it would be like catching the wind and soaring high.

"Big Sister Li, thank you so much!"

"Between sisters, why be so formal? In the future, when I manage the household, I'll still need your help."

"Just come to me whenever you need anything." Lu Lingyun smiled with her eyes squinting.

Leaving Duke Xu's Mansion, Lu Lingyun was filled with joy. Returning to the marquisate, everyone she saw brought her happiness. Even when she encountered Xing Dairong, she greeted her with a smile, "How have you been lately? Do you need anything?"

Xing Dairong found Lu Lingyun's good mood quite peculiar. "Young Lady, I'm fine."

"Take good care of yourself and the baby. Let me know if you need anything." Lu Lingyun then left.

Watching her leave with a pleased expression, Xing Dairong huffed, "Hmph, what's there to be so smug about!"