Chapter 52 Asking About My Teacher?

"If this banquet is about showing off family backgrounds, then no one present here is worthy to sit at the same table with me!"

Upon hearing Pan Yueqing's words, Yu Wan'er's delicate eyebrows immediately shot up in anger. She slapped the table and stood up, pointing at Pan Yueqing and shouting angrily, "You impudent wretch! How dare you look down on us like this! I'd like to see which renowned and noble family you come from, that has taught you to be so ill-mannered and lacking in family education!"

Almost everyone present changed their expressions upon hearing Pan Yueqing's words. The woman sitting behind Yu Wan'er was named Zhou Ling. Her face turned cold, and she was the first to raise her hand towards Lai Changya and said, "Miss Lai, if this person isn't driven out, our Zhou family will never attend your banquets again in the future!"

Lai Changya had never expected that Pan Yueqing would be so bold as to say such words. You know, even the Emperor of the entire Qi Kingdom wouldn't dare to say such things to so many noble families.

Originally, she had admired Pan Yueqing. But now, after hearing her words, she just felt that this young woman was probably someone who couldn't tell her own place. She knew that there must be someone backing Pan Yueqing. However, in this world, apart from Hongyun Academy, there was nothing that could confront so many noble families. And currently, the only person from Hongyun Academy who was out and about was Zeng Shiba.

"Changya, I didn't know when you became friends with such an arrogant person." Yu Wan'er sneered. Seeing Lai Changya's expression change, she thought to herself: Finally, I've got the chance to laugh at Lai Changya. You know, the Yu family has always been suppressed by the Lai family. And Lai Changya is slightly more beautiful than me and always acts so haughty.

Lai Changya felt a bit embarrassed. She coughed softly and met Pan Yueqing's gaze. Unlike the others who were furious, she just smiled and said, "Miss Pan, your words are too arrogant. You shouldn't look down on so many people like this."

Pan Yueqing took a deep look at Lai Changya. She knew all too well how these noble families excluded others. If she wasn't a woman from a noble family today, or if there wasn't any power protecting her behind the scenes, at this trap of a banquet, she would only be laughed at by countless people and would have to leave in humiliation. And the next day, the news that she had come to the banquet without knowing her place would spread throughout the capital.

There was never a free lunch in this world. Pan Yueqing lowered her eyes and hid the sneer at the corner of her mouth.

Lai Changya had originally invited people to Changxian Pavilion with the intention of testing Pan Yueqing. She didn't come to the capital to celebrate the Princess of Anbei's birthday, nor was it for pleasure. What she wanted was very simple – just to become the Crown Princess and the future Empress.

There were many noble families in the Northern Qi. But the country had been at peace for a long time, and the imperial family had long passed the era when it needed the support of noble families during the chaotic times of war. Sooner or later, these noble families would be completely eliminated. This had already shown signs. The first prime minister from a commoner background in the past few decades, Pan Haiyun, had broken the ancestral system of noble families holding high positions for generations. This year, the Emperor's decision to reduce the power of the vassal states had broken the rule of enfeoffing people as kings. The butcher's knife had already been raised high, and the next ones to be targeted would be these haughty noble families.

However, the men in her family were not promising. In order to protect her family, Lai Changya was determined to marry the future master of the Northern Qi. Only in this way could she preserve her family line. On the way here, she had heard that the Third Young Master of the Shen Censor's residence had a close relationship with the young lady of the Pan residence.

Everyone knew that the Third Young Master Shen was clearly the spokesperson of Prince Xiangyang. The fact that the Third Young Master Shen was getting close to the young lady of the Pan residence – could it be that it represented Prince Xiangyang's attitude towards the Pan family?

Or perhaps it was the attitude of the current Emperor?

"Who was the one being arrogant at the beginning?" Pan Yueqing narrowed her eyes, looked at Yu Wan'er and Zhou Ling, and smiled. "They are your guests, and I'm also a guest you properly invited with an invitation. I never expected that this is how you treat your guests?"

"We are all from humble families who have played together since childhood. If there's someone we don't know, we would just ask a little. You could just openly tell us your family background, and it wouldn't be a big deal. Why be so arrogant?" The gentle woman beside Yu Wan'er, named Yu Xiang'er, looked up at Pan Yueqing and said softly. Although her words were gentle, they were actually sharp. "Now everyone is in a bad mood." Qi Liulang was about to speak in Pan Yueqing's direction, but Shen Ping'an tugged at his sleeve. Shen Ping'an shook his head slightly at him and said, "Normally, men don't interfere in women's affairs at such banquets. If you speak up, it will be even harder for her to deal with the situation. And you're not really a close relative of hers. If you speak up for her rashly, I'm afraid there will be all sorts of gossip."

"But my mother asked me to protect her!" Qi Liulang said in a low voice, sounding a bit anxious. He had originally come to see these beautiful girls, but he didn't expect that these beautiful girls would be so aggressive.

Shen Ping'an just smiled and didn't say anything. He just stood with his hands in his sleeves and looked in Pan Yueqing's direction. He saw Pan Yueqing smile and say, "You're right, but what I said isn't wrong either. My teacher often says that when making friends, one should be sincere. Why bother considering the other person's family background? If people are like-minded, they can't wait to spend every moment together and talk about everything from astronomy to geography. If they dislike each other, even saying one more word is annoying. Judging from the current situation, you ladies are just treating people differently based on their family backgrounds."

"Don't think I don't know that you're from a small official's family. Although your father is a prime minister, he's just from a commoner background. What right do people like you have to sit at the same table with us!?" Zhou Ling sneered and said, her words full of sarcasm.

"You're right. My father is from a commoner background. Through his own hard work in studying for ten years, he gradually worked his way up to the Emperor's side. He's indeed different from you who come from noble families that have held high positions for generations. But now, you noble families that have held high positions for generations are just lingering in a corner. How many people in your families are currently in a position as high as my father's in the court?" Pan Yueqing smiled softly and looked around at these descendants of noble families that have held high positions for generations. "Don't say you don't care. Doesn't it sound sour? You're just relying on your seniority!"

"Miss Pan," Lai Changya said firmly. Her tone was no longer as polite as before. Although the noble families were in decline, they still had the pride accumulated over the years, and she wouldn't allow others to trample on that. "Aren't you afraid that these words will bring trouble to your father?"

"If you dare to cause trouble for my father, I won't be polite to you either!" Pan Yueqing smiled faintly. The arrogance in her eyes and eyebrows made Lai Changya and the others tremble involuntarily, making them even more wary of the source of Pan Yueqing's pride and confidence.

Shen Ping'an's gaze followed the others and landed on Pan Yueqing's face. The smile on his lips was faint and mysterious. He was like a spectator sitting under the stage, cracking melon seeds, sipping wine, and enjoying the performance on the stage.

"I know that Miss Pan has a teacher with extraordinary discernment," A proper smile once again appeared on Lai Changya's face. "Presumably, this teacher is also very capable, which is why you are so proud?"

"Are you asking about my teacher?" Pan Yueqing sneered directly. "Why don't you think of me as just a daughter from a small official's family like Miss Zhou does?"