Exposing Dai Mubai's Private Life, Tang San Takes His Side and Gets Humiliated

"Young Miss guessed right. That road leads to Suotuo and also passes near Shrek."

After the convoy set off again, Ning Chuan rode up beside the carriage window and handed in a thin intelligence report.

Inside the carriage, Xiao Wu was holding down the edge of the curtain. Ning Rongrong sat opposite her, with a bundle taking up half the cushioned seat.

Su Hang took the report, skimmed it, and set it on the little table.

Ning Rongrong reached for it. After reading just a few lines, she slapped the paper onto the table.

"Dai Mubai frequents places like those in Suotuo City?"

Xiao Wu immediately leaned over.

"What places?"

Ning Rongrong pushed the paper toward her and tapped those lines with a fingertip.

"Brothels, back courtyards of restaurants, the street beside the Soul Fighting Arena, and twin sisters going in and out with him."

After hearing that, Xiao Wu put the snack in her hand back on the plate.

"What a guy. His fiancée is being ground down by the Zhu Family, while he's out in Suotuo City having his fun?"

Ning Rongrong put the Seven Treasures Token on the table, making the pages thump.

"So this is how a prince of the Star Luo Imperial Family behaves? Zhu Zhuqing has to bear the betrothal and suffer the pressure, while he hides away and lives it up."

For once, Xiao Wu didn't argue with her. She simply nodded.

"Someone like that deserves a beating the moment we meet."

The guards outside heard her, and even the driver slowed the carriage a little.

Another guard beside him muttered under his breath,

"Sounds like things are a bit of a mess over at Shrek."

Ning Chuan shot the guard a glance, and he immediately sat up straight.

But the remark had already carried into the carriage.

Ning Rongrong snorted.

"My first impression is terrible. Absolutely terrible."

Xiao Wu lifted a corner of the curtain, then quickly let it fall.

"Brother Su Hang, could Zhu Zhuqing already have been caught?"

Su Hang spread out the map, his fingertip stopping beside the mark for the mountain road.

"She's fast, but her pursuers know the roads too. She won't be able to shake them off in a short time."

Ning Rongrong immediately picked up the thread.

"Then let's hurry. The Seven Treasures convoy shouldn't crawl along."

Ning Chuan replied from outside the window.

"Miss, we'll change horses at the relay station ahead. Go any faster and the carriage could overturn."

Xiao Wu reached over and shoved Ning Rongrong's bundle farther inside.

"You heard him. Don't rush, Young Miss. If we overturn, Brother Su Hang will have to fish you out."

Ning Rongrong snatched her bundle back.

"I never asked you to fish me out."

Xiao Wu immediately shot back,

"Then don't call for help when it happens."

Su Hang tapped the table.

"Save some energy for arguing. There'll be plenty to argue about once we reach Shrek."

Ning Rongrong picked up the report again. The more she read, the angrier she got.

"Dai Mubai owes Zhu Zhuqing more than just an apology."

Xiao Wu folded her arms and leaned against Su Hang.

"If he dares to throw his princely status around, I'll make sure he can't save face."

Su Hang rolled up the map.

"Let's hear what Zhu Zhuqing wants for herself first."

Ning Rongrong paused.

Xiao Wu didn't rush to answer either.

A moment later, they spoke almost in unison.

"Fine."

The convoy reached a small relay station in the afternoon.

When the innkeeper saw the Seven Treasures Mark, he hurriedly cleared the back courtyard and replaced all the tea and snacks with fresh ones.

Su Hang had just entered the courtyard when footsteps sounded outside.

Tang San arrived at the entrance with a bundle on his back, his sleeves neatly fastened. Yu Xiaogang followed behind him.

Xiao Wu wrinkled her nose at once.

"Why did you catch up with us again?"

Tang San stopped outside the courtyard gate, nodded to Ning Chuan first, then directed his words toward Su Hang.

"We're both headed to Shrek. It's only natural we'd take the same road."

Ning Rongrong tucked the report into her sleeve.

"You go your way, and we'll go ours. Don't get too close."

Yu Xiaogang walked into the courtyard with his hands behind his back.

"Rongrong, Shrek doesn't care about your background. It only cares about talent. Once you're there, you'll all be students."

Ning Rongrong lifted her chin.

"I haven't even enrolled yet, and your old friend's academy has already lost points in my book."

Yu Xiaogang paused.

"Why?"

Xiao Wu tossed the answer straight at him.

"Dai Mubai is living it up in Suotuo City while Zhu Zhuqing is being hounded and pressured by the Zhu Family. Someone like that is doing just fine at Shrek, and you're asking whether your academy should lose points?"

At the mention of Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing, Tang San fell silent for a moment before speaking.

"The circumstances behind their betrothal are complicated. Outsiders shouldn't judge it so casually."

Ning Rongrong sprang to her feet.

"Tang San, you really know how to pick your moments to speak up."

Tang San calmly straightened his sleeve.

"There are reasons behind the family arrangements. The betrothal between the Dai and Zhu families concerns the succession of the Star Luo Imperial Family. Outsiders who have only heard one side of the story can easily misjudge the situation."

Xiao Wu stepped forward, directly blocking the space in front of Su Hang's side.

"So a girl is supposed to endure being crushed by a betrothal? She gets bullied by her sister and pressured by the prince's family, and she still has to be understanding toward a fiancé who ran off first?"

Tang San looked at her.

"Xiao Wu, that isn't what I mean."

Xiao Wu cut him off at once.

"Don't say my name so casually. We're not that close."

Ning Rongrong pressed the Seven Treasures Token against the table.

"You just said outsiders shouldn't judge. Then answer me this: if Zhu Zhuqing's suffering is a family arrangement, what do you call Dai Mubai fooling around?"

Tang San pressed his fingertips against his cuff.

"Dai Mubai may have had his reasons for fleeing Star Luo."

Xiao Wu let out a cold laugh.

"His reasons led him to a brothel? That's a convenient excuse."

Ning Rongrong added,

"Zhu Zhuqing has no choice but to train as if her life depends on it, but he has no choice except to go looking for pleasure. You're very skilled at handing out fairness."

The convoy's guards stood at the edge of the courtyard. A few exchanged teapots, but none dared to speak.

Ning Chuan cleared his throat softly.

"Miss, Dai Mubai's identity is still tied to the Star Luo Imperial Family."

Ning Rongrong turned around.

"Uncle Ning Chuan, the Seven Treasures business keeps its books. Today, I'm counting this as a debt he owes."

Ning Chuan lowered his head.

"Understood, Miss."

Seeing the situation turn against him, Yu Xiaogang steered the conversation back to Shrek.

"Shrek's resources focus on practical combat. Flender has an unusual temperament, but he has a keen eye. Zhao Wuji can also put students under enough pressure."

Su Hang finally spoke.

"Grandmaster, are you going to make excuses for Dai Mubai too?"

Yu Xiaogang's sleeve stilled.

"I'm talking about the academy, not his private affairs."

Su Hang lifted his teacup.

"Who the academy accepts, who it teaches, and how far it takes responsibility for them—all of that is part of the academy."

Ning Rongrong immediately chimed in.

"Exactly. If Dai Mubai uses his status as a Shrek student to fool around, Shrek shouldn't pretend to be blameless either."

Xiao Wu sat down on Su Hang's left and pushed the plate of snacks toward him.

"Once we reach Shrek, the first thing we'll see is whether Dai Mubai deserves to be our classmate."

Ning Rongrong sat down on Su Hang's right and folded the report.

"I think so too. If he dares to use the betrothal to pressure Zhu Zhuqing, I'll smash him in the face with the Seven Treasures Token."

Xiao Wu turned her head.

"I agree with you this time."

Ning Rongrong didn't snap back at her either.

"Well, this is rare. You finally picked the right side."

Xiao Wu pushed a piece of snack toward her.

"Here. A treat to celebrate your brain being online today."

Ning Rongrong picked up the snack without arguing with her.

"If Zhu Zhuqing really shows up, we'll hear what she wants first."

Xiao Wu nodded.

"If she wants to break off the betrothal, we'll back her up."

Su Hang set down his teacup.

"Helping someone change their fate doesn't mean making their decisions for them."

Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu both fell silent for a moment.

Then they sat on either side of Su Hang and spoke at the same time.

"Scumbag prince."

The guards in the courtyard nearly dropped their tea.

Tang San stood by the gate, at a loss for words for a moment.

Yu Xiaogang didn't try to smooth things over again either.

Just then, Ning Chuan hurried in from outside the courtyard, holding a new slip of paper.

He stopped in front of Su Hang and Ning Rongrong.

"Miss, Young Friend Su, Star Luo scouts from the agility-type division left a tracking trail outside Suotuo City last night."