Rich Second-Gen, Day 29

By the time everyone boarded the carriage bound for Heaven Dou Imperial City, another month had passed. Though that month had been miserable and grueling, once they learned they would soon be heading to Heaven Dou Imperial City to watch the matches, everyone felt the relief of It's finally over.

Unlike their previous trip to the Star Dou Great Forest, Shrek Academy's only accompanying teachers this time were Flender and Master. Zhao Wuji had made a minor breakthrough in his cultivation and gone off on his own to find people to fight and consolidate it, while the other teachers preferred staying home.

There were still eight people to a carriage, but none of the earlier liveliness remained. Everyone sat quietly inside, either resting, doing homework, or whispering among themselves.

That last part referred to Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing. They had sat together as soon as they got on, and they were still murmuring to each other. Ming Sui, Xiao Wu, and Ning Rongrong watched them with knowing smiles.

Though there were not actually any pink bubbles between Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing, they were discussing how to tell their companions—other than Ning Rongrong and Ming Sui—that they might encounter some "enemies" during this trip to watch the matches.

"Um, Zhuqing and I have something to tell everyone." Dai Mubai was rarely this nervous. He glanced at Zhu Zhuqing beside him. Zhu Zhuqing nodded at him, and he continued, "Zhuqing and I are from the Star Luo Empire. I'm Star Luo's third prince, and Zhuqing is my fiancée."

Before he could continue, everyone else burst into cheers. "Awesome, they're engaged! Hahahaha, the couple I ship is real!" Even Tang San, who usually did not enjoy joining the commotion, watched them with a broad smile. He even lifted Nian Nian up so Miss Nian Nian could offer her opinion.

Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing sighed with red faces. Were everyone's nerves really that strong?

Once everyone had quieted down, he continued, "The situation in Star Luo is rather unusual. Succession to the throne depends entirely on strength. I have an older brother, and his fiancée is Zhuqing's older sister. Because of the competition for the throne, our relationship is extremely tense. In our struggle, there is only victory or death. Rongrong and Sui Sui should know more about this. This time, when we go to Heaven Dou Imperial City to watch the matches, we may run into them or people who support them. We might cause trouble for everyone then."

Dai Mubai spoke with great difficulty. As the leader of this team, not only could he not take care of everyone, but he was bringing trouble upon the team. It left him deeply frustrated. Zhu Zhuqing also looked troubled, constantly picking at her hands until Xiao Wu grabbed hold of them and would not let go.

Ning Rongrong laughed. "Hahaha, Dai Laoda, are you joking? You probably have no idea what kind of reputation Sui Sui and I have in Heaven Dou Imperial City, hahaha. Heaven Dou and Star Luo aren't the same. Your imperial family is powerful enough, but ours isn't like that. No matter how overbearing the people from Star Luo are, this is still Heaven Dou Imperial City. Holy Light Douluo is here this time too. Isn't that enough for us to swagger around?"

Ming Sui was rather speechless. She never even went out, so how could she possibly have a bad reputation? Miss Ning's reputation had absolutely nothing to do with her.

Ming Sui rolled her eyes. "Not me. No one in the imperial city even knows who I am. It has to be Sister Rongrong. Among those in the imperial city with the means to cause trouble, there isn't anyone who doesn't know Miss Ning, the little demoness of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Even if people from Star Luo want to trouble us, they won't be stupid enough to charge straight at us. And taking ten thousand steps back, even if some fool really insists on causing us trouble, Miss Ning will teach them how to behave."

"So this is what a tyrant is like? Oh my, Miss Ning and Miss Ming—we really wouldn't dare offend you." Ma Hongjun and Oscar whispered loudly in their most obnoxious voices. They had known Ning Rongrong and Ming Sui's identities from the beginning, but had never felt any distance because of them. Likewise, a prince and future princess consort of the Star Luo Empire were no different to them. They immediately started livening up the mood, only to be smacked once each by Ming Sui and Ning Rongrong.

Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing knew everyone was playing along to put them at ease. They recalled what Flender had said when they had revealed their identities to the teachers upon entering the academy: "Shrek is never afraid of trouble." They nodded. "All right, then we'll have to rely on the two young ladies to look after us."

Ning Rongrong crossed her arms and lifted her little chin. "Easy enough."

Ming Sui also said seriously, "Don't worry. I'm a local of the imperial city, after all. I can at least make sure everyone gets to watch the matches in peace."

As Tang San listened to them talk, he groomed Nian Nian's fur. He could not help wondering what Sui Sui had been like as a child. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to know, and eventually he asked.

Hearing the question, Ning Rongrong immediately launched into it. "Sui Sui was especially well-behaved and adorable as a child. The first time I met her was at a Heaven Dou Royal Family banquet. Sui Sui was only this tall." She gestured at Ming Sui's height back then, not even reaching her thigh. "At the time, that Xue Beng from Heaven Dou wanted to bully Sui Sui, but Sui Sui shoved him away and sent him falling onto his butt. Still, including the time she met Dai Laoda, Sui Sui only attended two palace banquets."

Everyone could not help laughing. As expected of Sui Sui—her fierce nature had shown itself from childhood.

Only Tang San, who was stroking Nian Nian, furrowed his brow. "Did they bully you?" Had the Heaven Dou Royal Family no shame at all?

Ming Sui tilted her head and thought about it. "I don't think so. Later, whenever Father asked me to attend banquets, I just wasn't very willing to go. There was too much perfume, and it made my nose hurt. Sister Rongrong was the only one around my age, but we had plenty of chances to meet anyway. There was no need to see each other at banquets."

Only then was Tang San relieved, while Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong exchanged a glance and wrinkled their noses.

Ming Sui knew Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing were not the kind of people to make baseless claims. Since they had brought up such private matters, it proved this trip was not as simple as it seemed. Just in case, she told Ming Zhen about the situation.

"Did Little Tiger tell you?" Ming Zhen was a little surprised. "I thought he'd keep hiding it." This little tiger had a much better temperament than his older brother. Unfortunately, he was a prince of Xingluo; otherwise, Ming Zhen would definitely have kept him around to work for him. "Don't worry. They won't have time to come out and cause trouble for you."

Ming Sui pouted. Her father was being mysterious again. Still, since he sounded so certain, there probably would not be any trouble.

The imperial city was a different sight altogether: flourishing, lavish decorations; towering, imposing buildings; crowds of elegantly dressed people; and everywhere, discussions of the coming matches. Some people had already begun betting on which team would win. The entire imperial city had been whipped into a frenzy by the competition.

Ming Sui did not return to her own home with Ming Zhen. Instead, she went with the Shrek group to their lodgings, a residence belonging to Calais City. It looked ordinary from the outside, but inside, it was another world entirely.

No one rested immediately. Instead, they gathered together to listen to Flender's schedule.

This qualifying match was very simple. Put plainly, it was an internal event for Heaven Dou Royal Academy. However, for certain reasons, it had become the massive spectacle it was now, with the streets emptied by the crowds. On top of that, the Star Luo Empire was taking advantage of the chaos to arrange an exhibition match against Heaven Dou Empire's seeded team. They were making their presence known in the most blatant way possible.

"Tomorrow, you rest for a day. The matches begin the day after tomorrow. We'll watch directly from Saint Light Your Excellency's room. It'll be Heaven Dou's first team against Heaven Dou's second team. The winner will rest for a day, then face the Star Luo Royal Academy Team in an exhibition match on the third day. After that, it's over." Flender kept it concise.

After taking a sip of water, he continued, "Tomorrow is semi-free time. Saint Light Your Excellency will send someone to take you out for a look around. Rongrong, Sect Master Ning will also send someone to pick you up. Just come back early in the evening. You've all seen the situation in the imperial city now. Keep your heads down and make a fortune, kids."

The children obediently agreed and went off to rest. They still preferred living together, so they found two large rooms. The four boys stayed on the west side, and the four girls on the east side, immediately filling the place with chatter.

Flender and Master looked worried. The entire imperial city was like a dry tinderbox that could ignite with the tiniest spark. They were both beginning to regret agreeing to bring the children here.

"You can't keep the children sheltered beneath your wings forever. They have to see blood eventually. They're all Shrek Seven Devils. There'll be plenty more of this in the future, so it's good for them to encounter it early. Besides, Saint Light Your Excellency is here. What are you afraid of?" Master said slowly.

Flender shot him an annoyed look. "You think I don't know that? But I still worry about them. You always look so compassionate, yet when your heart hardens, you're harsher than anyone." The moment he said it, Flender regretted it. Seeing Master's face turn cold, he felt bad too. "All right, all right, I was speaking in anger. Don't overthink it."

Master's expression remained stiff for a long time. "I'm fine. It's just that this city still disgusts me."

They sat facing each other, with nothing but silence between them.

Perhaps they had grown used to the intensity of special training, but on a rest day, they had nowhere to expend their abundant energy. Ma Hongjun opened his big mouth.

"Dai Laoda, why did you go to Calais City?"

Dai Mubai sank into his memories. "At the time, I felt like I was completely worthless, and then my family was sending me here as a hostage. I hadn't planned to bring Zhuqing with me, but she secretly climbed into the carriage herself and said that even if I was becoming a hostage, she would stay with me." As he spoke, Dai Mubai's entire expression softened.

"Later, I encountered some things in Heaven Dou, and only then did I realize that nothing stayed the same forever. It's true that Dai Weisi is six years older than me, but I also have confidence that I can surpass him. I couldn't drag Zhuqing down with me and rot away forever."

"I never ended up becoming a hostage. When I returned to Star Luo, I started looking for a way out. Someone from my mother's clan told me about a very strange Soul Master Academy that only accepted monsters. Dai Weisi was targeting me like crazy around then, so Zhuqing and I discussed it and ran away."

"And then the gatekeeper got rich," Tang San abruptly added.

"Hahahahahaha..." The laughter scattered Dai Mubai's melancholy.

"Dai Laoda, don't worry. Your brothers will all help you. So what if he's six years older? We're Shrek." Oscar had always been confident. As a Food System Soul Master with talent off the charts, he had every reason to be.

"Calais City is still waiting to poach talent from your Star Luo Empire," Tang San added lazily.

Ma Hongjun and Oscar simply burst into laughter, not daring to say a word. They had no idea what had gotten into Tang San lately—his words had been dripping with sarcasm. And after so many team battles, they knew all too well that a petty Control System Soul Master was not someone to provoke. They did not dare take the bait at all.

Dai Mubai was practically laughing from anger. Just moments ago, his good brothers had been saying, "Dai Laoda, don't worry," but now they had both shrunk away. He rolled his eyes at the two cowards in exasperation, though they might not have been able to see it with the lights out. Then he said irritably to Tang San, "Exactly. A subordinate and someone serving fruit tea can't be held to the same standard. You should learn from your older brother."

Serving fruit tea was a custom practiced across the entire continent. Only after the father-in-law and mother-in-law drank the fruit tea offered by their son-in-law was he formally acknowledged as part of the family. In most places, a marriage contract was not nearly as effective as drinking fruit tea.