Chapter 39 Counterattack of the Academy

On the eve of the evaluation, Maid Liu rushed into Qu Wanqing's study in a panic, her face turning pale. "Miss, this is terrible! Young Master Chen and his associates..." She recounted, in broken sentences, the conspiracy hatched by Young Master Chen. A surge of anger ignited in Qu Wanqing's heart as she realized how unscrupulously these people would stoop. Yet, she quickly calmed down, a flash of disdain crossing her eyes. She would not let such petty villains succeed. With a light chuckle, as if hearing some trivial gossip, she remarked, "I thought it was some earth-shattering secret. They actually think this is enough to ruin my reputation? He flatters himself far too much."

"But, Miss..." Maid Liu remained deeply worried.

"What is there to panic about?" At that moment, Jiang Yu stepped out from behind the screen, holding a book with a calm expression. "When soldiers come, we block them with earth; when water comes, we dam it with soil. Wanqing, let us analyze what tricks this Young Master Chen could possibly pull off."

In the serene study, the two sat facing each other, the candlelight casting a warm glow on their focused expressions. Jiang Yu's slender fingers gently traced across a map, analyzing Young Master Chen's potential moves, while Qu Wanqing rested her chin in her hand, listening intently and occasionally offering her own insights. Between the two of them, there was such a seamless understanding that it seemed as though nothing in the world could disturb them.

On the day of the evaluation, the air was thick with tension. Young Master Chen sat among the judges, a cold, sinister smile lingering at the corner of his mouth. He initiated the attack first, demanding aggressively, "Student Qu, I have grave doubts regarding your previous thesis on the concept of 'overcoming the rigid with the soft.' Could you elaborate on it in detail?" His tone was sharp and pressing, deliberately trying to back Qu Wanqing into a corner where she would lose face.

Composed and unhurried, Qu Wanqing rose to her feet and spoke with effortless eloquence, "Young Master Chen, 'overcoming the rigid with the soft' does not mean blind yielding, rather, it is..." Drawing upon a wealth of historical events and real-life cases, her discourse was well-structured and logically rigorous, vividly bringing out the true essence of the philosophy. Her brilliant response earned silent nods of approval from several teachers and students present, and even Master Zhang, who was notorious for his stubbornness, had to admit that Qu Wanqing's scholarship was truly extraordinary.

Seeing his first scheme fail, Young Master Chen devised another, hurling one tricky question after another in an attempt to breach Qu Wanqing's defenses. However, Qu Wanqing had long anticipated his tactics; she handled every single question with effortless ease and even turned the tables on him. At this point, Young Master Chen's face flushed a deep crimson, and the veins on his forehead throbbed. He never imagined that Qu Wanqing would be so articulate, her every reply piercing like a sharp arrow right into the trap he had so meticulously laid. His hands clenched involuntarily, the coldness in his eyes gradually replaced by burning anger.

Meanwhile, Student Lin, sitting quietly in a corner, stealthily slipped his hand into his sleeve pocket... A barely perceptible sneer curved his lips as he muttered to himself, "The good show has only just begun..." Seeing Qu Wanqing advancing like a bamboo split wide open, Student Lin was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. No, he had to think of something! Sneakily, he pulled a small slip of paper from his sleeve and, while no one was paying attention, slid it among Qu Wanqing's reference materials. *Let's see how you manage to bounce back from this, little miss!* A sinister smile spread across his face, as if he could already envision Qu Wanqing's utter ruin.

However, how could such a petty trick escape Jiang Yu's watchful eyes? Without making a sound, Jiang Yu walked up to Qu Wanqing and whispered a reminder, "Wanqing, watch your materials."

Quick to catch on, Qu Wanqing subtly flipped through the papers and promptly discovered a small slip of paper tucked between them. Written upon it were blatantly distorted and slanderous remarks against her. *Oh, so you want to play dirty, Student Lin!* Qu Wanqing curled her lips into a cold smile and quietly pocketed the note.

Just as Young Master Chen was preparing to launch another attack, Jiang Yu suddenly spoke up, "Everyone, please wait!" His voice was not loud, yet it carried an undeniable authority that instantly captured everyone's attention.

"Student Lin," Jiang Yu's gaze was piercing as it locked onto Student Lin, "what on earth were you sneaking into Wanqing's materials?" His tone was icy, laden with accusation.

Student Lin's face drained of color, and he stammered incoherently, "I... I didn't do anything..." His eyes darted nervously, not daring to meet Jiang Yu's gaze.

"Oh? Is that so?" Jiang Yu let out a cold laugh, lunged toward Student Lin in a single stride, and hoisted him up by his collar as if he were a helpless chick. The chill in his eyes seemed capable of freezing Student Lin solid. Raising the slip of paper high, Jiang Yu's voice resonated like a booming bell across the entire hall, "Student Lin, did you really think your petty actions could deceive the world? Today, I am going to let everyone see your repulsive true colors!"

At that exact moment, sunlight streamed through the window, bathing the slip of paper in light as if the heavens themselves were exposing this vile conspiracy. Gasps of astonishment rippled through the crowd, instantly followed by a wave of harsh condemnation directed at Student Lin. Overwhelmed by regret, Student Lin realized that he had only resorted to this despicable act to curry favor with Young Master Chen. Now, not only had he alienated Qu Wanqing, but he had also completely disgraced his own name within the academy. If his family were to discover that he had engaged in such base behavior, they would surely show him no mercy.

Scholar Wu also spoke up, his tone tinged with disappointment, "Student Lin, isn't such behavior far too dishonorable?"

Completely losing his composure, Student Lin had never anticipated that the situation would escalate to such proportions.

Looking at the thoroughly wretched Student Lin, Qu Wanqing smiled coldly in her heart. *You want to frame me? You're still too naive!* She cast a grateful look at Jiang Yu, her eyes brimming with deep affection. Jiang Yu offered an encouraging look in return, as though silently saying: *Do not be afraid, I am here.*

The evaluation resumed, and relying on her own genuine capability and Jiang Yu's steadfast support, Qu Wanqing successfully dismantled the conspiracies of both Young Master Chen and Student Lin. She spoke fluently, drawing upon extensive knowledge to showcase her extraordinary scholarship and talent.

Just when everyone assumed the evaluation was drawing to a close, Master Zhang suddenly broke the silence, "Student Qu, while you are undoubtedly exceptionally talented, yet..." He paused, casting a deeply meaningful look at Qu Wanqing, "you are, after all, a woman, and ultimately..."

"Ultimately what?" Jiang Yu's voice rang out once more, carrying a sharp edge of frost. His gaze was as piercing as a blade. "Master Zhang, what is the meaning of your 'ultimately'? Can it be that women are not permitted to possess talent, nor allowed to achieve greatness?"

Stunned by Jiang Yu's formidable aura, Master Zhang was momentarily struck speechless. "This old man... this old man merely..."

"Merely hidebound, conservative, and clinging to outmoded traditions!" Jiang Yu interrupted him mercilessly. "This is a new era, where women can hold up half the sky! Wanqing's brilliance is plain for all to see, yet you harbor prejudice against her simply because of her gender—is this not the willful stifling of talent?"

Master Zhang's face turned beet red, leaving him entirely powerless to retort. The other teachers began to murmur among themselves, with several younger faculty members expressing open dissatisfaction with Master Zhang's views, deeming him far too conservative.

During the scoring phase, Master Zhang predictably deducted points from Qu Wanqing. The other conservative teachers followed suit, causing Qu Wanqing's total score to plummet drastically.

"Hh, I knew it," Qu Wanqing gave a cold laugh, having anticipated this outcome all along. She abruptly stood up, her eyes burning like fire as she stared straight at the conservative faction. "Do you truly believe your prejudices can suppress me? Today, I will shatter your decayed and backward notions once and for all!" With every word she uttered, she took a step forward, forcing the conservative teachers to instinctively retreat. Pulling out her meticulously prepared academic achievements alongside her unique insights, she began to argue her case with unyielding logic. "Master Zhang, you claimed my thesis lacked substance—then please point out the exact areas that are hollow. You asserted my perspectives were biased—then please enlighten me as to what the correct perspective should be." Pressing forward step by step with unstoppable momentum, Qu Wanqing left the conservative faction scrambling to defend themselves.

Scholar Wu, who had remained silent until now, finally stood up. "Everyone, in my view, Student Qu's scholarship is undeniably exceptional. Both her thesis and her insights possess profound depth and should not be lightly dismissed." As a figure of immense respect and moral authority within the academy, Scholar Wu's words carried enormous weight. Several teachers who had been wavering began to shift their stance.

Ultimately, bolstered by the support of Scholar Wu and several other faculty members, Qu Wanqing's score was reassessed, and she achieved a stellar result. Over half the students erupted in cheers for her, and even Master Zhang was forced to concede that his judgment had been deeply flawed.

Having achieved her goals at the academy, Qu Wanqing cemented her status as a legendary figure within its walls. She looked forward to the future, eager to continue shining brightly within the academy and using her talents to transform how society perceived women. The bond between her and Jiang Yu grew even deeper; as Jiang Yu had exposed Student Lin's plot, his heart had echoed with a singular resolve: *No one is permitted to harm Wanqing. She is the most precious person in my heart, and I will protect everything about her.*

At this moment, the two stood side by side, ready to face the challenges of the future hand in hand.

"Wanqing, we did it!" Jiang Yu grasped Qu Wanqing's hand tightly, his eyes brimming with joy and pride.

With a radiant smile, Qu Wanqing replied, "This is only the beginning..." Gazing out the window, her eyes held a profound and distant depth.

"Oh, by the way, Wanqing," Jiang Yu said as a thought suddenly occurred to him, "I heard that..."