Blue Tyrant Academy (1) (Revised)

A carriage bearing the Heaven Dou Imperial Family crest slowly made its way toward the gates of Heaven Dou City.

The Heaven Dou Empire's Crown Prince would arrive in his loyal Heaven Dou City today.

Within the Heaven Dou Empire, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family crest was a pass that required no explanation. Whether in the empire's directly governed territories or private domains such as the Ancient Thunder Kingdom, Balak Kingdom, and Heaven Frost Duchy, no one had the right to demand that someone bearing the Heaven Dou Imperial Family crest cooperate with anything—except Xue Ye.

And today, the renowned and virtuous Heaven Dou Empire Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe, had returned after seeking out talent. At this critical juncture, with Xue Ye's health steadily worsening, Xue Ye's decision to turn a blind eye to Crown Prince Xue Qinghe building his own faction was, in truth, a highly sensitive signal.

Many wondered whether Xue Ye was paving the way for his proudest son, Xue Qinghe, so that after his death, Xue Qinghe could take over the court as swiftly and seamlessly as possible.

Xue Qinghe's personal abilities were beyond question.

In recent years, Xue Ye had the will but not the strength, and most memorials had been reviewed by Xue Qinghe on his behalf. This had given the court ministers ample opportunity to witness the Crown Prince's capabilities.

Now, Xue Ye had released another obvious signal—half a month ago, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe had submitted a memorial stating that he wished to invite a worthy talent into the Crown Prince's Residence. Xue Ye had not even asked a question before waving his hand and approving it. It was hard for the ministers not to read into that.

There were few foolishly loyal people in the world, truly loyal people were rarer still, opportunists were countless, and upright neutrals were almost impossible to find throughout the ages.

Sure enough, before the Heaven Dou Crown Prince's carriage had even reached the gates of Heaven Dou City, a group of low-ranking officials with all sorts of motives—though officially they had merely "run into" one another—had gathered nearby. They hoped to have a chance encounter with His Highness at the city gates.

They also wanted to see the talented person whom His Highness had called worthy.

Whether that person was truly worthy or truly talented did not matter.

As long as he was considered worthy by His Highness, that was enough for opportunists like them—enough for them to personally step forward and sing his praises.

The strange sight of so many low-ranking officials gathered at the city gates also drew plenty of curious looks. Even the general guarding the gate came over, thinking some major trouble had occurred to bring together more than a dozen officials of roughly his own rank. Only after asking did he learn that these people had received unofficial news: His Highness the Crown Prince would return to the city today. The gate general did not dare be negligent. On one hand, he directed the soldiers at the gate to swiftly clear the main road in preparation for welcoming the Crown Prince into the city. On the other, he exchanged pleasantries with the low-ranking officials.

The Crown Prince's Faction was at the height of its power.

Who would not want to cling to it?

As for why the main road had to be cleared, it was because the Crown Prince's carriage was simply too large—six meters long and four meters wide, nearly the size of a bedroom. This was not extravagance or waste, but the pomp befitting the crown prince of a nation.

If anyone tried to nitpick this not-quite-a-scandal and accuse Crown Prince Xue Qinghe before Xue Ye of failing to be frugal, Xue Ye would give that person two slaps to wake him up. At best, he would strip him of his office; at worst, have him beheaded as a warning to others.

So according to you, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family was not supposed to have any pomp?

Suppose the crown princes of two nations met.

The crown prince of the Star Luo Empire rode in a spacious, luxurious carriage.

Meanwhile, my son could only ride in some stingy little cramped carriage.

If the nation's prestige was lost, what use was frugality?

Our Heaven Dou Empire was rich!

As long as it did not harm the common people, my finest son could spend however he wanted!

Besides, certain occasions had extremely strict requirements when it came to appearances. For example, if a duke was getting married and the Crown Prince attended in the emperor's place to offer congratulations, could you make the Crown Prince attend the wedding in patched-up clothes just for the sake of frugality?

That was not what frugality meant!

One should be frugal where frugality was appropriate—that was right. But where one could not be frugal, one absolutely could not be frugal!

Excessive frugality could ruin major matters!

The gate general had it hard too!

If he did not clear the main road, was he supposed to make His Highness the Crown Prince wait in line?

Had he grown tired of living, or had Xue Ye's blade gone dull?

For that very reason, no matter who it was—even Fourth Prince Xue Beng—they had to step aside. In the entire world, there were only two kinds of people who could stop him from clearing the main road. The first was His Highness the Crown Prince and Xue Ye; the second was Titled Douluo whom even His Highness the Crown Prince and Xue Ye had to respect.

The gate general's actions initially stirred curiosity, but as time passed and travel became inconvenient, that curiosity turned into dissatisfaction.

Amid the bustling crowd, murmurs gradually arose.

The Shrek group was among them.

"What's going on?"

Ma Hongjun stood at the side of the main road, looking at the sea of heads around him with growing irritation. Especially when he saw that the broad central road was completely empty save for the gate general and a dozen or so officials, he became even more impatient.

He habitually muttered a complaint.

Just to vent his dissatisfaction.

But Qin Ming unexpectedly gave him an answer. "This is the ceremony for welcoming a large carriage. If it were merchants traveling from all over, they would not use this gate. It is the gate farthest from the market, so it probably is not a large carriage from some trading company. I heard that half a month ago, His Highness the Crown Prince went to invite a worthy talent. Half a month has passed now. Judging from this display, His Highness must be returning. He may be entering through this gate..."

"Even so, isn't this too exaggerated?"

"How big is this carriage?"

"Is it worth clearing a main road ten meters wide?"

Oscar looked utterly incredulous.

Dai Mubai was also somewhat shocked.

The Star Luo Empire was far less prosperous than the Heaven Dou Empire.

Moreover, the Star Luo Empire emphasized earning noble titles through martial strength.

Riding in carriages was looked down upon the most.

A true man should ride a swift horse, whip raised high, and gallop freely across the land.

Thus, he could not imagine what kind of enormous carriage would warrant clearing a road ten meters wide merely to let it pass smoothly.

Flender, Yu Xiaogang, Zhao Wuji, and the others could not imagine it either.

But Ning Rongrong could.

Not only could she imagine it—she had even ridden in it before.

That was assuming the Crown Prince had not changed carriages in the past seven or eight years.

When she had been young, around five years old, the Crown Prince had taken her father as his teacher. To demonstrate his sincerity as a disciple, he had personally escorted her and her father back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Grandpa Sword had been there as well, so she had formed an impression of that spacious carriage at a very young age.

She had not expected seven or eight years to pass in the blink of an eye.

And she had not seen that nominal senior brother of hers in seven or eight years, either.

Ning Rongrong could not help sighing, but she quickly pulled herself together. Looking at Dai Mubai, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, and the others as though they were country bumpkins, she folded her arms like a haughty ragdoll cat and took the chance to mock those who usually looked down on her—especially Dai Mubai, with whom she had clashed before. "If he has not changed carriages, it should be a four-wheeled carriage six meters long, four meters wide, and roughly two meters tall. From what I know of him, the Crown Prince you keep talking about is quite a simple person. The carriage only has a few Heaven Dou Imperial Family crests on it. When I was little, my father, Grandpa Sword, and I rode in it. He was the one who took us back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Come to think of it, how about I go find him, give that old bastard Xue Xing a good telling-off, and deal with that little brat Xue Beng while I'm at it?"

"No, no, no, little ancestor..." Zhao Wuji jumped in fright. "We all know that His Highness the Crown Prince is Sovereign Ning's disciple, but we should stay out of disputes within the imperial family!"

"Old Zhao is right." Flender adjusted his stiff black-rimmed glasses, using the glare on the lenses to conceal his weary gaze. Suddenly, he looked a little like a certain little Grim Reaper, and the resemblance was there. "We can kick someone when they're down, but we absolutely cannot be the ones to start trouble!"

Hearing both the dean and vice dean say so, Ning Rongrong did not insist any further.

To be honest, she did not know whether, after seven or eight years, His Highness the Crown Prince would still recognize her. With her father's connection, His Highness would certainly help with such a small favor. But if he failed to recognize her and she had to introduce herself first, then even if there was a chance to remedy things afterward, she would be terribly embarrassed in that moment.

However, Ning Rongrong had not expected that the Crown Prince arriving at the gates in that carriage would truly recognize her at a glance amid the crowd.

She watched the golden-haired young man step down from the carriage.

Step by step, he walked into the crowd that had been pushed back a second time by the soldiers.

He came before her and the Shrek group.

Ning Rongrong was completely stunned.

"Junior Sister?"

There was a trace of uncertainty in the Crown Prince's voice.

Seeing that Ning Rongrong did not answer,

he repeated himself with greater emphasis. "Ning Rongrong?"

"Ah?" Ning Rongrong responded instinctively. Only then did she realize her lapse in composure. Embarrassed, she nodded to the senior brother she had not seen for seven or eight years. Considering that they were at the city gates and countless eyes were watching, staying here any longer would only lead to public humiliation, so she hurriedly replied, "It's me, Senior Brother Crown Prince..."