"Don’t," Ye Qianning said, stopping him.

Qian Zhuye tightened his grip on the boy’s clothes for a second, then shoved him away as a warning.

The student stumbled back and fell onto his rear, wailing in fright.

"Why’d you hit him? He was telling the truth!"

"Qian Zhuye, you’re only protecting Ye Qianning because she’s the Headmaster’s personal disciple. You just want to be his lackey!"

"I remember you failed, too. Are you trying to ride Ye Qianning’s coattails so the Headmaster will fix your scores for you as well?"

Qian Zhuye’s eyes blazed with fury. He rolled up his sleeves, ready for a fight.

"The Crown Prince."

A single voice suddenly cut through the clamor.

Qian Zhuye saw who had arrived and took a few steps back. He shot the other students a glare. ’I’ll settle the score with you all later.’

The students all looked over. Upon seeing the newcomer, they bowed and retreated a few steps.

Although the academy’s rules stipulated that princes and even the Crown Prince were to be treated the same as everyone else, he was, after all, the Crown Prince. Who would dare to actually treat him as an equal?

Ye Qianning looked over as well. It was her first time seeing Sang Qi since she had arrived at Lou Mountain Academy. The primary classes were quite far from the intermediate and advanced ones, and their school and meal times were staggered from those of the older students.

Furthermore, boys and girls at Lou Mountain were not in the same class. She was only in the same class as Sang Zhi because, as the Headmaster’s personal disciple, she had insisted on it, and the instructor had been powerless to stop her.

The eight-year-old Sang Qi was taller than most children his age and exceptionally handsome. He had a fine, chiseled face with sharply defined brows, red lips, and pearly teeth. Although his looks were a step below Sang Zhi’s, he carried himself with more valiance and arrogance.

’He’ll definitely grow up to be a man that makes countless women swoon. Man, those royal genes are really something else.’

Sang Qi looked at the notice board. When he saw his own name in ninth place, his expression immediately darkened.

"Your Highness, you must seek justice for me!" the student who had fallen cried, running over and kneeling before Sang Qi.

Sang Qi had heard of Ye Qianning at the academy. His gaze moved up the list. ’A fatty who does nothing but eat and sleep can get seventh place?’

"Your Highness, the academy is faking the results! She can’t even write properly, so how could her score possibly be higher than yours?"

"That’s right, Your Highness! Lou Mountain Academy has always been just and impartial, its rules as firm as a mountain. But look now, an instructor has gone and faked her scores!"

The students crowded around Sang Qi, chattering incessantly.

Sang Qi hadn’t intended to get involved, but hearing that this girl’s score was higher than his left him extremely displeased.

"Wasn’t it Instructor Zhang who graded the monthly exam?" Sang Qi asked.

A guard appeared at his side in a flash. "It was."

Upon seeing the royal guard, the children who had crowded around took another few steps back.

"Instructor Zhang falsified the results. Such a vile person should be stripped of his qualifications and expelled from the academy." As Sang Qi spoke, his gaze flickered to Ye Qianning, and the sight of her plump frame instantly filled his face with disgust.

"Yes."

"Hold on."

Ye Qianning’s soft voice wasn’t loud, but it carried just enough for everyone to hear.

Sang Qi’s eyes narrowed as he watched Ye Qianning walk over, his loathing deepening.

"You’re all so positive I cheated, just because my score is high?" Ye Qianning stopped a single step away from Sang Qi, but her gaze was on the crowd.

"You sleep in class all day! How could you get such a high score?"

"Besides, you barely touched your paper during the monthly exam."

"You’re six years old and you haven’t even attended the primary classes. There’s no way you could answer the intermediate exam questions. The instructor must have faked your score!"

With the Crown Prince backing them, the students grew bolder.

Ye Qianning glanced at the notice board, then folded her small arms across her chest and said unhurriedly, "If you’re going to say my score is fake, then the Crown Prince’s must be, too."