Xue Qinghe Appears

Half a day later!

Heaven Dou Royal Academy's conference room!

Xue Beng lay on a stretcher, half his hair burned away, his face bruised and swollen, his body wrapped in bandages. He wailed at the three Education Committee members, Prince Xue Xing, and Xue Qinghe:

"Three Education Committee members, Second Uncle, Big Brother, you have to uphold justice for us! That newly arrived little bastard, Su Chen, has no respect for rank and defies imperial authority."

"Look what he did to us! We only wanted to get close to the new student. Seeing how good-looking he was, we wanted him to play with us."

"He's an orphan whose parents are dead. Getting into Heaven Dou Royal Academy should already have been a blessing beyond his wildest dreams. What right did he have to hit us?"

"Kill him! We have to kill him!"

The moment he heard Xue Beng wanted Su Chen dead, Xue Qinghe's refined and easygoing expression cracked.

A cold killing intent surfaced in his eyes, making even the wailing Xue Beng shudder.

He still wants to kill Xiao Chen. This little brother cannot be allowed to stay.

I had not dealt with Xue Beng earlier because he was merely a wastrel. Since he is so eager to court death, there is no need to keep him around.

Bang!

Xue Xing slammed the table repeatedly, his face livid as he glared viciously at Su Chen.

"Outrageous! This is utterly outrageous!"

"Someone actually dared to beat a prince of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family at Heaven Dou Royal Academy! Do you not know that Heaven Dou Royal Academy was founded by the Heaven Dou Imperial Family?"

"He did not just hit Xue Beng—he slapped Xue Ye in the face! And there are also the descendants of so many dukes and marquises! If this little bastard does not die, this matter will not be over!"

Su Chen lowered his head and blinked.

Then he clenched his fists tightly, as though he had suffered a tremendous grievance.

He raised his head, gritting his teeth. His elegant, handsome face was taut, and his eyes were slightly red.

"I have no father or mother. I have no family background. Does that mean I deserve to be bullied?"

"When Prince Xue Beng led a group of noble students to mock, insult, and curse at me, the only thing I could use to fight back was my fists."

"True, I do not have parents to stand up for me. But I have an older sister. If my sister learns about what happened today, she will definitely stand up for me."

Lying on the stretcher, Xue Beng struggled to open his bruised, swollen eyes, his face full of disbelief.

No, brother!

You did not look like this when you were beating us. You were even more arrogant and overbearing than I was. I fucking begged for mercy, and you still would not stop.

Who are you putting on this act for? Up there are my eldest brother, my second uncle, and the three Education Committee members of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.

The referees are all on my side. Did you think they would uphold justice for you? No, wait... I am clearly the one who got bullied!

You are finished. This time, I have the advantage. I will make you die horribly.

Meng Shenji rubbed his brow. This conflict was truly difficult for him to handle.

After all, Heaven Dou Royal Academy belonged to the Heaven Dou Imperial Family. Though he was the chief Education Committee member in name, he was really just a steward and could not make decisions for the imperial family.

He thought highly of Su Chen. The boy was a genius who had defeated more than a dozen noble students by himself.

So he still wanted to fight for him.

"Prince Xue Xing, it is merely a conflict between students. There is no need to shout about killing. Have him apologize and seek Prince Xue Beng's forgiveness. Let us turn a major matter into a minor one and settle it peacefully."

"This Su Chen was recommended by Spirit Sacred Hall. He must have been registered with Spirit Sacred Hall already. Perhaps his older sister is some important figure there. We can give them some face."

Xue Qinghe's lips trembled as he stared unblinkingly at Su Chen. His pale little face and slightly reddened eyes moved her deeply.

More importantly, Su Chen regarded her as someone he could rely on.

He has me in his heart!

I succeeded in touching Xiao Chen's heart. He now sees me as someone he can rely on.

At that moment, Xue Qinghe truly wanted to tear off this damned disguise, return to her true form, and give Su Chen a proper hug.

When Xue Beng had led those noble youths in bullying him, he must have felt lonely and helpless. The thought made Xue Qinghe's heart ache unbearably.

It was all her fault. She had taken him away from the familiar Nuoding Academy and brought him to this Heaven Dou Royal Academy, where people treated others according to their status.

Those noble students were all spoiled young wastrels. Not one of them was decent. They only knew how to bully good, well-behaved children like Su Chen.

Xue Xing had a close relationship with Xue Beng, and he had made up his mind to vent Xue Beng's anger this time.

"Chief Meng Shenji, you are an Education Committee member of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, not an Education Committee member of Spirit Sacred Hall."

"If his sister truly were some important figure in Spirit Sacred Hall, why did she not personally send him to Heaven Dou Royal Academy? He is clearly making it up."

"Even Spirit Sacred Hall cannot act recklessly in Heaven Dou City. He beat Xue Beng, so this matter must receive an explanation."

Just as Xue Beng revealed a smug expression—

Xue Qinghe's icy voice rang out.

"Apologize!"

"You must apologize!"

"Xue Beng, get up this instant and apologize to this student, Su Chen."

"He is still only a child. He does not understand better, but neither do you. How old are you already? You led a group of eighteen- and nineteen-year-old noble youths to bully a child. You have utterly disgraced the Heaven Dou Imperial Family!"

Meng Shenji: "Huh?"

Bai Baoshan: "Huh?"

Zhi Lin: "Huh?"

Prince Xue Xing: "Huh??"

Xue Beng: "Huh???"

Xue Beng's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.

(☉_☉)

Are you my eldest brother or his eldest brother?

You are determined to win the throne. I have already pretended to be a wastrel. Could you not at least put on an appearance of brotherly affection in public?

I got beaten up. My leg is even crippled, yet you want me to stand up and apologize to the person who hit me.

Is there no justice left? No law left?

Prince Xue Xing could not help saying:

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, Xue Beng is the one who was beaten. He is your own younger brother. I know you are benevolent and gentle. Even if you do not punish Su Chen severely, you should at least have him apologize to Xue Beng."

"Why are you making Xue Beng apologize to him? And making Xue Beng stand up to apologize? Are you not deliberately making things difficult for Xue Beng?"

Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhi Lin exchanged glances. They had not expected Xue Qinghe to value Su Chen so highly.

Ignoring everyone else's looks, Xue Qinghe showed Su Chen the utmost concern.

"Prince Xue Xing, all I see is Xue Beng abusing his power to bully a future pillar of the Heaven Dou Empire."

"Student Su Chen, are you hurt?"

"I failed as an older brother. I did not discipline my younger brother properly and allowed him to cause you trouble."

"Xue Beng, did you not hear me? Get up and apologize!"

Xue Beng opened his mouth wide. This was too unreasonable.

He wanted this cripple to stand up and apologize to the perfectly unharmed Su Chen over there.

With reddened eyes, Su Chen waved his hand.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, Prince Xue Beng does not need to apologize. I have already forgiven him."

"If he is forced to apologize, he will definitely resent me in the future."

"I am alone at Heaven Dou Royal Academy. I do not want to cause trouble. My sister is very busy, and that would only bring her trouble."

Xue Qinghe suppressed her emotions and kept praising Su Chen.

"Good child, what a good child..."