Chapter 53 Renowned Scholars of the World

Pan Yueqing had a confident smile on her lips from beginning to end. She looked at the smile that Lai Changya could barely maintain on her face. In her heart, she secretly sighed. She had originally thought that Lai Changya was just too proud, but she didn't dislike her. However, at this trap of a banquet today, in her opinion, Lai Changya, who had set up the banquet, was even more detestable than these people below who were sneering at her.

Whether it was Yu Wan'er or Zhou Ling, they were just overly proud and didn't know the truth. But Lai Changya was different. She had originally wanted to test her. Now, she was pretending to be magnanimous at this banquet, just like another Pan Miaoqian!

"Can't a girl from a commoner background be this proud?" Pan Yueqing tilted her head slightly and looked at Lai Changya. But in the next moment, she burst out laughing. "Just kidding. Only when one has confidence can they be willful. It's just that my teacher is rather low-key and doesn't like me using his name to bully others outside."

Pan Yueqing didn't want to reveal her trump card to others so quickly.

After hearing this, Shen Ping'an couldn't help but also have a smile on his lips. Pan Yueqing's attitude, the words she said, and the expressions she made had all far exceeded what she should have been like. She remained calm even when being ridiculed by these noble ladies, which was clearly announcing that there was indeed an extraordinary power behind her.

People are always afraid of the unknown. I'm afraid that from today on, these haughty people will be deterred. Lai Changya gritted her teeth, and the smile on her face had long since become stiff. If she had regretted inviting Pan Yueqing before because of her不识好歹 (not knowing what was good for her), now she regretted why she had made the test so obvious! Although she didn't believe that Pan Yueqing really had such power. But without conclusive evidence, she didn't dare to act rashly.

"Changya, don't be deceived by her! What low-key teacher? Do you know when your elders at home accepted a student?" Yu Wan'er could tell from Lai Changya's expression that the other party was backing down, but she didn't intend to let this woman who had looked down on her family go so easily!

What's more, that sentence about using one's name to bully others was clearly a sarcasm towards her!

Zeng Shiba raised his wine cup and let out a sigh. "Miss Pan, if your teacher really exists, he must be a renowned scholar. All the renowned scholars in the world come from Hongyun Academy. Why don't you tell us a surname, and I'll guess who he is?"

Wasn't it said that at this kind of banquet, men never interfere in women's affairs? Pan Yueqing was a bit puzzled by Zeng Shiba's words. She glanced sideways at Zeng Shiba's self-assumed romantic gesture of drinking wine. Before she could ask a question, Yu Wan'er sneered first. "What, is it that your teacher didn't even tell you his name?"

"If it's not convenient to say the name, it's okay to say a title." Zeng Shiba winked. He had always disliked those who seek fame and fortune fraudulently, and also those who deceive others. Moreover, the sentence that Pan Yueqing said, "No one is worthy to sit at the same table with me," had indeed offended him greatly. If the Lai family and the Yu family were all noble families, then his school, Hongyun Academy, was the cradle of renowned scholars in the world.

Only Hongyun Academy in the whole world had the confidence to say with certainty that all the renowned scholars in the world came from Hongyun.

The disciples of Hongyun Academy were treated as honored guests wherever they went. There was a hidden sharpness in his lazy gaze.

Pan Yueqing raised her eyes and looked at Zeng Shiba. Her light blue long gown jingled with the jade pendant around her waist. She walked around the table and went straight to the place where Zeng Shiba was. She stopped right in front of Zeng Shiba and narrowed her eyes. "Whose disciple are you from Hongying Academy?"

"I'm a disciple of Qin Zhen from Hongyun Academy." Zeng Shiba said proudly. When he mentioned Hongyun Academy and his teacher's name, there was also arrogance in his eyes. "Which master are you from, miss? Do you know my teacher?"

Pan Yueqing had a calm expression. According to what Qi Sian had told her, the inner disciples of Hongyun Academy were generally given the surname Hong and an order character. Those who were not addressed by the surname Hong when they were out and about were mostly outer disciples.

"Qin Zhen by name?" Pan Yueqing repeated with a hint of doubt. That should just be an outer disciple.

Yu Wan'er couldn't hold back her mocking smile any longer. She smiled extremely triumphantly at Lai Changya. "Look, she doesn't even know Mr. Qin Zhen from Hongyun Academy! I'm afraid this so-called teacher doesn't even exist!"

Lai Changya just smiled and didn't say anything. If someone could really confront the noble families, they would surely be famous all over the world. How could a famous person not know the name of Mr. Qin Zhen from Hongyun Academy? All the renowned scholars in the world come from Hongyun, and Mr. Qin Zhen represented Hongyun Academy in cultivating disciples at the Imperial College.

Pan Yueqing's expression remained normal, and her tone was also calm. "My teacher's surname is Hong."

The mocking expression on Zeng Shiba's face froze instantly, and then it cracked like an avalanche. He suddenly stood up, his lips trembling slightly, and he was a bit disbelieving. "What did you say?"

Pan Yueqing raised her hand and only showed the jade pendant around her waist in front of Zeng Shiba. Then she took it back under Zeng Shiba's shocked gaze. "I don't dare to disobey my teacher's order, but you should recognize it."

Zeng Shiba's expression became very complicated. Of course, he recognized it. It was a jade pendant that only the direct inner disciples would have! Immediately, he raised his hand and bowed to Pan Yueqing. "I was rude."

A direct inner disciple. I'm afraid her seniority is even higher than Qin Zhen's.

"Forget it." Pan Yueqing calmly accepted Zeng Shiba's salute.

Yu Wan'er's eyes trembled. Someone as arrogant as Zeng Shiba wouldn't show respect to others for no reason.

"Zeng Shiba... What are you doing..." Lai Changya stood up and accidentally knocked over the wine cup beside her. The fruit wine spilled all over the floor and dripped onto her long dress, but she didn't seem to care. Her shocked gaze was fixed on Pan Yueqing and Zeng Shiba. A proper smile appeared on her lips again. Although she tried to keep her tone steady, she still couldn't hide the surprise in it. "Miss Pan... Is Miss Pan's teacher from Hongyun Academy?"

Zeng Shiba stood respectfully beside Pan Yueqing and said with some hesitation, "Senior, would you please do me the honor of going to the Imperial College to have a chat with my teacher?" He still didn't know Pan Yueqing's seniority, so he could only address her as "senior".

"Next time." Pan Yueqing had a calm expression and glanced back at Yu Wan'er.

"Unexpectedly," Shen Ping'an, who was sitting at the last seat, stood up and met Lai Changya's gaze. "Miss Pan really knows how to keep a low profile!"

Shen Ping'an's eyes curved into a smile, and there was an indescribable emotion reflected in his alluring peach blossom eyes. Pan Yueqing ignored him and just passed by Shen Ping'an and raised her hand to Qi Liulang. "Liulang, we've been out for a long time. Let's go back!"

Lai Changya suddenly walked around the long table, ignored the steps, and went up to grab Pan Yueqing. Just as the words "This is all a misunderstanding" came out of her mouth, Yu Wan'er stood up in disbelief. "There are a lot of people pretending to be disciples of Hongyun Academy these days. Maybe this is a fake! I don't believe she's so lucky to be accepted by Hongyun Academy...!" Everyone knew that Yu Wan'er had wanted to be admitted to Hongyun Academy back then, but was politely refused by the headmaster of the academy. Pan Yueqing didn't respond to her. She just gently shook off Lai Changya's hand. Zeng Shiba quickly said, "When will that teacher be in the capital? Can my teacher and I ask senior to introduce us?"

Pan Yueqing smiled slightly. "It depends on my teacher's will." Zeng Shiba was about to speak again, but Pan Yueqing raised her hand and put up her slender index finger to stop Zeng Shiba's words. She raised her head and looked at Lai Changya, who was filled with regret, and nodded slightly. "I'll take my leave now."