Yu Ning asked why the child wouldn’t say, only repeating that she didn’t want to go to school.

Chang Huan Pavilion was next to the main courtyard, and the mother and daughter’s noisy commotion naturally couldn’t be hidden from the main courtyard.

After a while, Yongning Hou Xie Zhi’an and Huo Shi came.

“Oh, don’t cry, don’t cry. What’s wrong, Xiaobao? Tell your maternal grandmother.” As soon as Huo Shi entered the courtyard, she heard her granddaughter’s cries. She immediately hugged Yu Xiaobao with affection and coaxed her gently.

While coaxing the child, she persuaded Yu Ning, “Children are still children. It’s normal for them to be naughty. Ning’er, you shouldn’t argue with such a young child. Don’t be angry. Sit down and talk properly.”

Xie Zhi’an was gentle and refined by nature. He never scolded his own children, let alone his grandchildren.

He smiled and picked up the cloth bag that his granddaughter had thrown on the ground, patted off the dust, placed it on the stone table in the courtyard, and beckoned to Yu Ning. “Come, Ning’er, sit down and talk.”

Yu Ning sighed helplessly and sat down beside Xie Zhi’an.

In the months since they returned to the Hou Mansion, the elderly couple had indulged and doted on their granddaughter, and Yu Xiaobao had become increasingly willful and spoiled.

“Father, Mother, you spoil Xiaobao too much. She’s now full of confidence and unreasonable. She’s only four years old, and she’s like this. What will she be like in the future?”

“Don’t be angry, don’t be angry. Xiaobao is a good child. There must be a reason why she suddenly doesn’t want to go to school. Let’s find out the reason and solve it.” Xie Zhi’an first appeased his youngest daughter, then took Yu Xiaobao from Huo Shi’s arms and patiently questioned her.

Children’s issues are usually simple. Perhaps she was bullied by other children at Jixian Academy, or perhaps she was scolded by a teacher at the academy.

Yu Ning had a more outgoing personality, but Xie Zhi’an was much more patient. He chatted with Yu Xiaobao calmly and slowly, finally finding out why she didn’t want to go to the academy.

“You dislike Master Ruan?” Yu Ning was afraid that her daughter was mistreated at the academy, so she repeatedly questioned her. “Xiaobao, did Master Ruan scold you? Or did she say something to you?”

Kyoto’s prominent families all knew that when Yu Ning was found, she was already married to an insignificant country bumpkin. Now that her husband was dead and she returned with a daughter, if someone looked down on Xiaobao’s background and she was ostracized at the academy, it was possible.

Yu Xiaobao couldn’t explain the reason, only saying that she disliked Master Ruan and didn’t want to see her.

No matter how much the adults asked, they couldn’t get a reason. Finally, Xie Zhi’an and Huo Shi took a day off for their granddaughter. The next day, after Yu Xiaobao went to school, Huo Shi and Yu Ning also went there, intending to see for themselves how this Master Ruan taught.

The Master Ruan that Xiaobao mentioned was a lady in her early twenties. She was pretty, elegant, and had a scholarly air about her, but there was arrogance in her brows and eyes, even when facing these young children.

Huo Shi and Yu Ning watched outside the school for a while, then exchanged glances and walked slowly to a quiet place.

“Xiaobao is still young and can’t say what’s wrong with Master Ruan, but children’s intuition is accurate. They can distinguish between kindness and malice. I was wrong to blame Xiaobao. Master Ruan speaks like this. Xiaobao has listened to it for a long time, no wonder she doesn’t want to go to school.”

Seeing her daughter being bullied, Yu Ning’s face showed no anger, her expression calm, but her eyes were filled with a bit of gloom.

Master Ruan didn’t actually bully Xiaobao. Her methods were very subtle. She simply compared Xiaobao to other children, said some implicitly suppressing words, and then guided other children to isolate Xiaobao.

Xiaobao wasn’t born into a prominent family. She didn’t know many things, and she hadn’t seen many rare objects. She couldn’t answer Master Ruan’s questions and could only say she didn’t know. Then, Master Ruan would say some depressing words.

“That’s right. You were born in the countryside, so you haven’t seen this. The children who study here are all from prominent families. You’re different from others. In that case, Master will ask you some simple questions in the future. Let others answer the more difficult questions.”

On the one hand, she suppressed and reminded Yu Xiaobao that she was different from other children, that she came from the countryside. On the other hand, she favored Yu Xiaobao, making other children feel unfair and thus alienating and isolating her.

Over time, the child’s personality would become increasingly timid and she wouldn’t dare to talk to people.

Huo Shi’s face was gloomy. “It’s my fault. She’s not targeting you; she’s targeting me. Ning’er, don’t worry, I’ll take care of this.”

This Master Ruan was the niece of the old Madam Ruan of Yongning Hou Mansion, named Ruan Qinghe. Back then, the old Madam Ruan wanted to marry Ruan Qinghe to her eldest grandson, Xie Yujin. Huo Shi disagreed with this marriage, and the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had a big fight, completely ruining their relationship.

Huo Shi didn’t believe that the old madam didn’t tacitly approve of this.

At that time, she didn’t let Ruan Qinghe enter the door for no special reason. She simply disliked the Ruan family and didn’t want a Ruan family daughter to be her daughter-in-law. That’s all. The more the old Madam Ruan wanted to suppress Huo Shi, the more rebellious Huo Shi became, refusing to let her have her way.

Huo Shi told Yu Ning the reason, and then the mother and daughter left Jixian Academy to discuss countermeasures.

Yongning Hou’s carriage left Jixian Academy, and an inconspicuous carriage slowly drove over from a corner.

Wu Ying, the commander of the imperial guards who held a long sword, lifted the carriage curtain, his expression respectful as he invited the person inside to get off.

Shen Tuo, dressed in dark-colored casual clothes and wearing a jade crown, was only guarded by a few imperial guards, making a private visit to the palace.

He glanced at the signboard of Jixian Academy, his eyes calm, gently adjusting his sleeves, and slowly walked in.

The Emperor’s arrival shocked the headmaster of Jixian Academy.

Headmaster Li followed cautiously beside the Emperor, softly asking, “Young Master Jin hasn’t finished school yet, but he should be finished soon. Should your servant go and summon him?”

The young master he was referring to was the only son of the former Prince Jin. The former Prince Jin was the current Emperor’s elder brother, who had passed away many years ago, leaving behind only one son, named Shen Ying, who was fourteen years old and studying at Jixian Academy.

“No need.”

Headmaster Li followed closely behind the Emperor, not daring to relax.