No one in the hall dared utter a word. Lily Evans was very satisfied. She sat down leisurely and said, "Today is the banquet to thank your teacher. Since I am your mentor, I will accept it openly."
No one below dared to question or say another word. They all quickly echoed her, feeling nothing but shock and admiration in their hearts.
Who would dare provoke Professor Evans?
Absolutely not!
Who would dare provoke Princess Lily Hayes?
Even less so! Absolutely not!
With both skill and power, Lily Evans made it clear she could handle any challenge!
After that little episode, the teacher appreciation banquet continued smoothly. No one dared utter a word questioning Professor Evans or Professor Lola’s gender again. The fact that Professor Evans revealed her true identity at the banquet was explosive news—before the event even ended, word had spread like wildfire. In just the time it took to drink a cup of wine, everyone in the capital knew: the famous scholar Professor Jade Evans was actually Princess Lily Hayes, beloved by all!
This gossip was just too explosive!
At the banquet, Henry Thompson drank wine with a complicated expression, watching Lily Evans.
Henry Thompson had always thought of himself as a talented scholar who had leapt over the dragon gate, but after learning Lily Evans’s true identity, he felt a twinge of defeat.
Henry Thompson was the one who knew the most about Lily Evans’s background here.
They were from the same village. Henry, being a man, had studied hard and become a top scholar, which was already inspiring.
But Lily Evans, a woman, had achieved so much more. Henry felt he’d have to work until he was sixty to barely catch up.
For a village woman to reach such heights was truly astonishing.
“Lily, Bell... each of them was advancing faster than me,” Henry thought to himself, feeling utterly defeated.
The Teacher Appreciation Banquet ended perfectly. Originally, everyone wanted to chat more with Professor Evans and ask her advice, but now that they knew she was a woman, they felt embarrassed to bother her. So they all respectfully saw her off and then left on their own.
Lily Evans was in a great mood today. She had finally restored her true identity and could teach and serve as dean openly. She was very happy.
Lola was also overjoyed. She could finally be herself, openly and proudly!
In their happiness, the two wandered around the palace, taking the opportunity to explore. Lily hadn’t had a chance to properly tour the royal palace before!
They walked to a section of the palace wall and saw that it was more dilapidated than those nearby.
“What is this place?” Lily Evans stopped and looked at the tall gate ahead.
The gate had once been bright red, but years of neglect had faded it. The red paint was peeling, revealing mottled colors beneath.
“Is this... the Cold Palace?” Lola asked hesitantly. “I’m not sure. I don’t know the palace very well.”
Just as Lola finished speaking, they suddenly heard the sound of women shouting behind the mottled red gate.
“Let me out! Professor Jade Evans is here! I want to see Professor Jade Evans! She’ll definitely take me away from this dreadful place!”
A disheveled woman suddenly burst out from the half-open gate. When she saw Lily Evans and Lola, her eyes filled with wild joy and she rushed over. “Professor Jade Evans, you’re finally here! Did you come especially to see me? Are you here to take me away?”
“Zhao Mingyu...” Lily Evans recognized the half-crazed woman’s face. She was the former Princess Consort of Prince Ling, who had been locked in the Cold Palace after being caught cheating on her wedding day with another man. She was also the Chu Kingdom’s diplomatic princess, Zhao Mingyu.