Blue Tyrant Academy (1) (Revised)

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's crest was a pass that required no justification. Whether in the Empire's directly governed territories or private domains such as the Gu Lei Kingdom, Balak Kingdom, and Tian Shuang Duchy, no one had the right to demand anything of someone carrying the Heaven Dou Imperial Family crest, except Xue Ye.

Today, the virtuous and widely praised Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe, was returning after seeking out talent. At this critical juncture, with Xue Ye's health worsening by the day, Xue Ye's refusal to interfere with Crown Prince Xue Qinghe building his own faction was, in truth, a highly sensitive signal.

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

There was no question about Xue Qinghe's personal capabilities.

Over the past few years, Xue Ye had the will but lacked the strength. Most memorials had been reviewed by Xue Qinghe on his behalf, allowing the ministers to fully witness the Crown Prince's talent.

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 Residence. Xue Ye had not even asked a single question before waving his hand and approving it. It was hard for the ministers not to read into that.

There were few blindly loyal people in the world, truly loyal people were rarer still, opportunists were countless, and upright neutralists were nearly impossible to find throughout the ages.

Before the Heaven Dou Crown Prince's carriage had even reached the gates of Heaven Dou City, a group of low-ranking officials, each harboring their own motives yet all nominally claiming to have "run into" him, had gathered near the gates, hoping to arrange an encounter with the Crown Prince there.

They also wanted to see the talented individual the Crown Prince had called worthy.

It did not matter whether this worthy talent was truly worthy or talented.

As long as he was a worthy talent in the Crown Prince's eyes, that was enough for opportunists like them—enough for them to personally step forward and flatter him.

The strange sight of so many low-ranking officials gathered at the city gates drew many curious looks. Even the general guarding the gate came over, thinking some great trouble had arisen to make more than a dozen officials of roughly his own rank gather here. Only after asking did he learn that they had received word through unofficial channels that the Crown Prince would return to the city today. This made the gate general dare not be negligent. On one hand, he directed the guards to clear the main road at once in preparation for the Crown Prince's entry into the city. On the other, he exchanged polite pleasantries with the low-ranking officials.

The Crown Prince Party was at the height of its power.

Who would not want to cling to that thigh?

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 wastefulness, but the proper grandeur expected of a crown prince.

If anyone tried to nitpick this blemish that was not truly a blemish, accusing Crown Prince Xue Qinghe before Xue Ye and criticizing him for failing to be frugal, Xue Ye would slap that person twice to knock some sense into them. At best, they would be stripped of office; at worst, they would be beheaded as a warning to others.

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

Suppose the crown princes of two nations met.

The Crown Prince of the Star Luo Empire rode in a spacious, luxurious carriage.

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

With the nation's prestige in ruins, what use was frugality?

Our Heaven Dou Empire was rich!

As long as it did not harm the common people, my most outstanding son could spend however he pleased!

Besides, some occasions imposed extremely strict demands on appearances. For example, if a duke got married and the Crown Prince attended in place of the Emperor, could you make the Crown Prince wear patched-up clothes to the wedding simply because of frugality?

That was not what frugality meant!

Be frugal where frugality was appropriate—that was right. But where frugality was not appropriate, one could not be frugal at all!

Excessive frugality could ruin great matters!

The gate general had it hard too!

If he did not clear the main road, was he supposed to make 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 had to step aside. In the entire world, only two kinds of people could stop him from clearing the main road. The first was the Crown Prince and Xue Ye; the second was a Titled Douluo whom even the Crown Prince and Xue Ye had to respect.

At first, the gate general's actions merely stirred curiosity. But as time passed and travel became inconvenient, that curiosity turned into dissatisfaction.

Amid the bustling crowd, murmurs gradually rose.

The Shrek group was among them.

"What's going on?"

Ma Hongjun stood beside the main road, looking at the sea of heads around him, his heart full of irritation. When he saw that the broad main road in the center was empty except for the gate general and a dozen or so officials, he grew even more impatient.

He muttered out of habit.

Just to vent his dissatisfaction.

But Qin Ming unexpectedly gave him an answer. "This is the kind of display used to welcome a large carriage. If it were merchants traveling from all corners of the land, 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 house. I heard that half a month ago, the Crown Prince went to invite a worthy talent. Half a month has passed now, and judging by this display, the Crown Prince should be returning. He may be entering through this gate..."

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

"How big is the carriage?"

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

Oscar looked utterly incredulous.

Dai Mubai was somewhat shocked as well.

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 a carriage was looked down upon the most.

A true man should ride a fast horse, whip in hand, and command the world with unrestrained spirit.

Thus, he could not imagine what kind of enormous carriage warranted 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 one.

That was assuming the Crown Prince had not changed carriages over the last seven or eight years.

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

Unexpectedly, seven or eight years had passed in the blink of an eye.

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

Ning Rongrong could not help sighing, but quickly rallied again. Looking at Dai Mubai, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, and the others as though they were country bumpkins, she disdainfully folded her arms like a haughty ragdoll cat and took the chance to strike back at 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 around two meters high. From what I know of him, the Crown Prince you are 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, Sword Grandpa, and I rode in it. He was the one who sent us back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Now that I think about it, should I go find him, properly report that old bastard Xue Xing, and take care of that little brat Xue Beng while I'm at it?"

"No, no, no, little miss..." Zhao Wuji jumped in fright. "We all know that the Crown Prince is Sect Master Ning's disciple, but we should stay out of this kind of internal imperial family dispute!"

"Old Zhao is right." Flender pushed up his stiff black-framed glasses, the glare on the lenses concealing the exhaustion in his eyes. He suddenly looked somewhat like a certain elementary-school detective of death, already having that sort of vibe. "We can kick someone when they are down, but we absolutely cannot be the ones who start the trouble!"

Since both the dean and vice-dean had said so, Ning Rongrong did not insist further.

To be honest, she did not know whether, after seven or eight years, the Crown Prince would still recognize her. With her father's connection, the Crown Prince would not refuse such a small favor from her, but if he failed to recognize her and she had to introduce herself, then even if there was a chance to salvage things afterward, she would still be terribly embarrassed at the time.

However, what Ning Rongrong had not expected was that the Crown Prince arriving at the city gates in that carriage truly recognized her at a glance among the crowd.

Watching the blond young man step down from the carriage.

Watching him walk step by step into the crowd that had been pushed back a second time by the guards.

Watching him stop before her and the Shrek group.

Ning Rongrong was completely dumbfounded.

"Junior Sister?"

There was some uncertainty in the Crown Prince's tone.

Seeing that Ning Rongrong did not answer.

He repeated himself with greater emphasis, "Ning Rongrong?"

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

A setup chapter.