Metamorphosis of an Ugly Girl – Part One

He referred to Mr. Liu as “Liu someone,” indicating his lack of respect. After all, the title of “first scholar” was highly coveted, and Mr. Liu, being just a commoner without official titles, could hardly be acknowledged by this lofty Grand Preceptor. Qingqing stood up and replied, “Thanks to Mr. Liu’s meticulous guidance, we dare not claim to be his ‘prized students’.” Yafu interjected, “Mr. Liu is merely a common scholar from the people; if not for the responsibility of educating the princes, he would not dare to call himself the ‘first scholar’.” The tutors smiled at this, and Qingqing’s admiration for Yafu’s wit grew. Perhaps Yafu was indeed a bit too clever and dismissive of her older sister, but her quick thinking was often useful. Qingqing initially thought the Grand Preceptor was just praising their academic prowess, but realized he was actually concerned with the title “first scholar.” It seemed that surviving in the palace required understanding people’s inner thoughts. However, they were only there to study, which relieved Qingqing somewhat. The Grand Preceptor continued, “Your lessons are not aligned with those of my students here, so we will ask you a few questions to determine how you can join the classes.” It was clear they were about to be tested, and the two could only nod in agreement.