In the evening, Sister Suo Ningbing returned to the residence, her face carrying a slightly relaxed expression. Upon seeing Ye Jingyu, she immediately asked, “How has little brother’s martial dao initiation been going?”
“Er…” Ye Jingyu was momentarily at a loss for words.
Suo Ningbing quickly said, “It is alright. There may yet be a turning point in the matter of little brother inheriting the title. You need not push yourself too hard.”
Ye Jingyu replied, “Miss, let me put it this way. Do you think Lanling’s speed at studying texts and classics is fast?”
Suo Ningbing answered, “He has made rapid progress.”
Ye Jingyu said, “Then his speed in martial dao initiation is even faster, so fast that it has overturned my understanding.”
Suo Ningbing asked, “Could it be that he has almost completed the first step of initiation, Dragon Force Sensing?”
Ye Jingyu replied, “No. He has already completed the second step, Dragon Force Ignition.”
Instantly, Suo Ningbing was completely stunned. She murmured, “This, how is this possible?”
Only Lanling himself knew in his heart that this truly had nothing to do with talent. It was simply because of the demon star within his body.
Whether it was Dragon Force Sensing or Dragon Force Ignition, he could directly use his consciousness to control the demon star and complete them instantly. There was no need for any cultivation process at all.
Therefore, this was really nothing to be proud of.
…
The next morning, Lanling had originally planned to follow Ye Jingyu to learn the third step of initiation, Dragon Force Control. This was already the final step of the initiation phase.
Once the three steps of initiation were complete, one could formally begin the cultivation of the martial dao.
However, an unexpected event disrupted his rhythm.
A messenger from Wangcheng Academy delivered a letter. It was an expulsion notice stating that Suo Lun had been absent from classes for more than three months and had been officially expelled.
This matter was extremely serious. Once Lanling was expelled from Wangcheng Academy, the prospect of inheriting the title would become distant and uncertain.
Thus, although the matter appeared small on the surface, it was a fatal crisis.
Suo Ningbing said uneasily, “How could this happen? Little Ling, as soon as you returned, I went to Wangcheng Academy to request leave. I told them you needed to observe mourning at home for two months. At that time, Suo Lun’s mentor also agreed.”
Lanling asked, “Sister, whom did you go to bribe yesterday?”
Suo Ningbing replied, “The king’s most beloved younger brother, Duke Zhi Ting.”
Lanling said, “Then it must be that Duke Zhi Ting has already begun his manoeuvres. The other side sensed the crisis and immediately counterattacked. Having Wangcheng Academy expel me is their move.”
Suo Ningbing stood up and said, “I will go to Wangcheng Academy at once.”
Lanling said, “I will go too.”
Suo Ningbing replied, “You can wait at home. Let your sister handle this kind of matter.”
Lanling insisted, “No. I am the only man in the family. I cannot allow my sister to run about alone outside.”
Suo Ningbing gazed at Lanling for a moment. Her beautiful eyes softened as she said, “Very well.”
Thus, Lanling boarded the carriage together with Suo Ningbing and set off for Wangcheng Academy.
…
Wangcheng Academy was located in the southeast of Zhidu. It covered an area of more than two thousand mu, with beautiful scenery and a majestic atmosphere.
The academy was divided into two parts: one for commoners and one for nobles. A river ran between them, clearly separating the two.
Upon entering the academy, Lanling noticed that all the buildings were in Western style. The noble academy predominantly used white as its colour scheme, while the commoner academy used grey.
The commoner academy had many buildings, but they were not large, and there were relatively few lawns and gardens.
In contrast, the noble academy had fewer buildings, but they were extremely grand and imposing, surrounded everywhere by neatly trimmed lawns and flowerbeds.
The noble academy occupied sixty percent of the area, while the commoner academy took forty percent. Yet the noble academy had only a little over a thousand students, whereas the commoner academy had twenty to thirty thousand.
Overall, in terms of both size and scenery, Wangcheng Academy far surpassed the royal palace. This showed just how much importance the king attached to Wangcheng Academy.
And Wangcheng Academy truly deserved the king’s重视. It was the foundation upon which the Nu Lang Kingdom implemented the commandery-prefecture system. Almost all civil officials and generals came from Wangcheng Academy.
On the surface, the commoner academy was inferior to the noble academy in every way. In reality, however, the students of the commoner academy were the true darlings of the king’s heart, the genuine disciples of the king.
In recent decades, the conflict between commoner students and noble students had grown increasingly intense. Neither side could stand the other. Noble students regarded commoner children as lowly, while commoner students viewed noble children as spoiled and incompetent.
Yet in truth, whether in civil or martial fields, the number of talents produced by the commoner academy far exceeded that of the noble academy.
For reasons unknown to anyone, the royal family had arranged it so that to enter the noble academy division, one had to pass through the commoner academy.
Noble children always travelled in splendid attire on spirited horses or in luxurious carriages. Without exception, when they passed through the commoner academy division, they received countless gazes of jealousy and hostility. Under such jealousy, the commoner children became even more united around the king, striving to rise and distinguish themselves one day.
When the carriage of the Tianshui Earl’s residence passed along the central axis of the commoner academy, it immediately drew countless contemptuous and envious looks.
Of course, even more gazes fell upon Ye Jingyu’s stunningly beautiful face and her explosively curvaceous figure, burning with intense heat.
“That wastrel Suo Lun has returned.”
“The heavens must be blind. A worthless playboy like him actually occupies a high position, while we, who are both cultured and martial, are still struggling bitterly.”
“Hmph, people like Suo Lun are the parasites of the kingdom, stumbling blocks hindering the kingdom’s strength. One day, I will trample him underfoot.”
“A outstanding and powerful female warrior like Ye Jingyu actually has to drive a carriage for a useless waste like Suo Lun. What a tragic waste, a great tragedy!”
“Do not worry. Suo Lun is finished. The royal family has taken a strong dislike to him. He will soon be expelled from the academy and will be unable to inherit the title. Once he loses the title, he will have nothing left, worse off than a beggar by the roadside.”
Even through the carriage, these discussions reached their ears without cease. Lanling leaned towards Suo Ningbing and said in a low voice, “Sister, His Majesty the King is truly meticulous and far-sighted.”
Suo Ningbing nodded with a complicated expression. Previously, the foundation of the Nu Lang Kingdom’s rule had been the nobility. Now, however, the civil and martial elites born from the commoner academy were gradually replacing the noble class. King Zhi Bian was indeed deeply calculating, hiding needles within silk.
After crossing the white jade arch bridge over the river, they entered the noble division of the academy.
The scenery changed at once. Lush green lawns, blooming flowers everywhere, picturesque and enchanting. Even the air carried a faint, intoxicating fragrance.
The people coming and going were all dressed in splendid silks and brocades.
Upon seeing the carriage of the Tianshui Earl’s residence, someone immediately called out, “Oh, the toad has returned.”
In the past, Suo Lun had disregarded the difference in status and pursued Princess Zhi Ning, earning himself the mocking nickname of “toad”.
“No need to pay attention to this toad anymore. He has already been expelled and will not be able to inherit the title. Someone in the royal family wants to finish him off,” one noble youth said.
“Who told him to be so ignorant of his place and pursue Princess Zhi Ning? He deserves it. Even His Majesty the King was furious.”
Lanling frowned slightly and said in a low voice, “These fools do not realise that if the Suo clan’s disciples are expelled today, it will be their turn tomorrow. The royal family’s move against the Suo family has little to do with Suo Lun pursuing Zhi Ning. The real reason is that the royal family wants to strip away the power of the noble feudal lords. These noble youths share the same interests as us, yet they still tear each other down.”
When Suo Ningbing heard these words from Lanling, a bright light flashed in her beautiful eyes. Although this new younger brother was still somewhat inexperienced and shy, in terms of wisdom and vision, he far surpassed that glib-tongued biological younger brother Suo Lun.
“Suo Lun had many girlfriends in the academy. He spent every day surrounded by women, so he was very unpopular among the male students,” Suo Ningbing said. “Of course, because he was so promiscuous and always abandoned the old for the new, the girls also hated him.”
This scoundrel was truly like a rat crossing the street, reviled by everyone.
They arrived in front of a massive building. Suo Ningbing said softly, “Little brother, wait in the carriage for a while. I will go and inquire clearly to find out exactly who wants to expel you and how serious the situation truly is.”
Lanling nodded. Then he reached out to help his sister down from the carriage. At the same time, Ye Jingyu also extended her hand to assist her.
Suo Ningbing paused slightly in surprise, then gently took hold of Lanling’s wrist and stepped down from the carriage.
Her figure was far too alluring. When she bent slightly as she alighted, the curve of her back and hips was as graceful as a willow branch. Lanling could not help but stare blankly for a moment.
Ye Jingyu noticed this. She shot Lanling a fierce glare, causing him to flush red instantly and hurriedly avert his gaze.
Yet Suo Ningbing, on the contrary, gave him a sweet smile. She cast him a very light, very coy glance that almost made Lanling’s entire mind sway.