Pan Yun took this group of youths on study tours far and wide. In South of the Yangtze, they fought corrupt officials; in the Central Plains, they fought landlords and local tyrants. Even the Crown Prince had picked up the habits of a wandering hero.
But she also took them to the grasslands, where they called brothers with tribes that wanted to rebel.
Those tribes truly wanted to rebel, and they truly regarded these youths in altered disguises as brothers.
So would you choose righteousness or affection?
The youths matured rapidly. There were disagreements along the way, and there were times when they stood united as one; fortunately, they made it through together.
The Crown Prince had also turned thirteen, and the Ming Dynasty's strides had grown larger. By the time they returned to the Capital City, its streets had changed beyond recognition.
A newly laid rail line ran along Vermilion Bird Street. An electric tram passed every half-hour, running the length of Vermilion Bird Street. A street that had once taken an hour to traverse on foot now took only forty-five minutes by tram. There were stops along the way, and ordinary folk could ride it as well.
Once the tram appeared, not only did the court officials' commuting costs plummet, but ordinary people found life far more convenient too.
The moment the Crown Prince and his little companions returned to the Capital City, they entered the Imperial College to study. His other seven teachers had been eagerly awaiting him.
Although over the past three years, he had returned to the Capital City every two months and stayed for half a month—first to see his parents and family, and second to collect the assignments they had set and receive their guidance—the time had been too short. The seven teachers