The sight of his sister Suo Ningbing’s alluring charm in that moment made Lanling recall a certain summer day back on Earth. His sister Lan Kou had been napping, dressed very lightly. She lay on her side, her delicate body slightly curved, her figure rising and falling in full, voluptuous contours. The buttons at her chest had come undone, revealing a deep, snowy-white cleavage that was utterly enticing.
Perhaps because the weather was so hot, in a moment of impulse, Lanling had leaned down and kissed his sister Lan Kou on the lips. Then, uncontrollably, his right hand had roamed over her body.
After committing these naughty deeds, he finally realised the danger and fled from his sister’s room like the wind. Later, when he thought back, although his sister had not opened her eyes, her face had instantly flushed crimson.
Moreover, that same evening when she called him for dinner, she had given him exactly the same light, coy glance, as if the words “bad boy” were just about to slip from her lips.
Right now, the flirtatious look in Suo Ningbing’s eyes was identical to Lan Kou’s back then.
By the time Lanling snapped back to reality, Suo Ningbing’s fragrant figure had already disappeared. Only Ye Jingyu remained, giving him a half-smile that carried a hint of sternness.
“Do not forget, she is your sister,” Ye Jingyu said, half joking and half warning.
Lanling smiled and said nothing. He would definitely marry his sister. No one could change his resolve.
…
About half an hour later, Suo Ningbing returned to the carriage, her expression grave.
“Sister, is the situation very serious?” Lanling asked.
“It is Vice Principal Rogge who is determined to expel you,” Suo Ningbing said. “He is Princess Zhi Ning’s teacher.”
In this world, only direct disciples could address someone as “teacher”. Others were usually called mentors.
“That bitch Zhi Ning again,” Lanling said coldly. Since arriving in this other world, the person he hated most was none other than Princess Zhi Ning.
Hearing Lanling curse, Suo Ningbing felt no displeasure. Instead, she thought to herself that if Suo Lun had possessed even half of Lanling’s wisdom, he would not have died so tragically.
“Has the decision to expel me already been passed by the academy committee?” Lanling asked.
Suo Ningbing replied, “Rogge is the academy’s first vice principal and also the dean of the noble division. He has the authority to expel you without needing the academy committee’s approval.”
In ordinary times, being expelled would have been no great matter. Whether one attended Wangcheng Academy or not made little difference. But now this directly concerned the inheritance of the title. If Lanling were expelled from Wangcheng Academy, his chances of inheriting the title would be completely ruined.
From this, one could draw a conclusion: after receiving the bribe, Duke Zhi Ting had indeed been working diligently on their behalf. Zhi Li and Zhi Ning must have felt the pressure and resorted to this desperate countermeasure.
Wangcheng Academy had a long-standing tradition of never expelling noble students. For Vice Principal Rogge to break precedent this time, he must have paid a certain price.
Thus, this expulsion of Suo Lun was one hundred percent orchestrated by Princess Zhi Ning, with the sole purpose of preventing Lanling from smoothly inheriting the title.
“Is there anyone who can overturn this decision and make the academy retract it?” Lanling asked.
“The principal, Marquis Jian Yong,” Suo Ningbing said.
Lanling asked, “What is his relationship with our Suo clan?”
“Not good,” Suo Ningbing replied. “This man has abandoned his family fief and devoted himself entirely to scholarship. He is extremely aloof and has always despised students like Suo Lun.”
Ye Jingyu remained silent for a moment before saying, “The principal’s route is definitely impossible. He harbours a deep grudge against Suo Lun.”
Lanling was stunned. Suo Lun was a minor figure, while Principal Jian Yong was a major one. Their statuses were worlds apart. How could there be any deep grudge between them?
Ye Jingyu explained, “Rumour has it that the female mentor Niya whom Suo Lun seduced was actually Principal Jian Yong’s daughter-in-law. Moreover, they were caught in the act. Because family disgrace must not be aired in public, and he could not openly take private revenge, Principal Jian Yong would have torn Suo Lun to pieces if he could.”
Lanling nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood. This Suo Lun really knew how to court death. Seducing a female teacher was bad enough, but it turned out to be the principal’s daughter-in-law.
In such a situation, it was already a mark of the principal’s noble character and broad-mindedness that he had not killed Suo Lun outright. Yet now they wanted to ask him for help? It was a complete pipe dream. Jumping into the sea to end it all would be simpler.
Lanling asked, “Could we get Duke Zhi Ting to intervene?”
Suo Ningbing shook her head. “Wangcheng Academy is highly independent. The royal family cannot interfere lightly. If Duke Zhi Ting were to step in, it would only backfire. What Wangcheng Academy despises and looks down upon most is precisely parasites like Duke Zhi Ting.”
So they were completely out of options?
Were they simply to watch helplessly as he was expelled, unable to inherit the title, and the Suo clan permanently lost its noble rank and the Tianshui City fief?
Once the fief and title were lost, what terrifying fate would await his sister Suo Ningbing could easily be imagined.
This could not be allowed to happen. They had to force the academy to retract the decision.
Lanling took a deep breath and said, “Sister, in this situation, the only way is to place ourselves on the path of certain death in order to find life afterwards. We must make Principal Jian Yong retract the decision.”
Suo Ningbing asked, “Do you have a plan?”
Lanling said, “Did Suo Lun not have an affair with Principal Jian Yong’s daughter-in-law? Then right now, I will go to see her in Suo Lun’s identity and ask for her help. As the principal’s daughter-in-law, perhaps she can persuade him to retract the decision.”
As soon as these words were spoken, both Suo Ningbing and Ye Jingyu were stunned.
Was this not simply seeking death?
After their illicit affair had been caught, it had taken great effort to suppress the matter. They were never to see each other again. Now he wanted to go and find that woman? Principal Jian Yong would probably tear Lanling apart alive and feed him to the griffins.
“You want to go and see Mentor Niya, Suo Lun’s former lover?” Ye Jingyu asked. “You must know that after they were caught in the act, Mentor Niya and Suo Lun were forbidden from ever meeting again. At that time, Suo Lun barely escaped with his life. Now you are Suo Lun. Are you trying to rekindle the affair with her? This is suicide!”
Lanling replied, “That is exactly why I said we must place ourselves on the path of certain death in order to find life. This should be the only way.”
Ye Jingyu and Suo Ningbing fell silent, unsure what to choose.
Lanling said, “I am the only man in the family. This matter is decided. Is this female mentor still in the academy right now?”
Ye Jingyu shook her head. “No. After she and Suo Lun were caught, she was transferred away from Wangcheng Academy to Lingfeng Commandery in the Northern Province.”
Lingfeng Commandery in the Northern Province was one thousand two hundred li from Zhidu, the royal capital.
Suo Ningbing suddenly asked, “Why did I never know about these matters?”
Ye Jingyu replied, “Miss, you already carry too many burdens. For some of Young Master Suo Lun’s troubles, we handled them privately and did not inform you.”
Suo Ningbing glared fiercely at Ye Jingyu, yet she was completely powerless to do anything. Moreover, with her stunning beauty and gentle, water-like temperament, even her fierce glare carried no intimidation. It only made her seem even more tender and adorable.
Lanling said, “We will return home at once. I will focus on imitating every one of Suo Lun’s mannerisms and thoroughly understand everything about Niya. Tomorrow morning, I will set off for Lingfeng Commandery in the Northern Province to find her.”
Lanling’s words were resolute and firm. Although he was originally an impostor, a mere puppet in this role, the way he made decisions with such self-will and a sense of ownership gave Suo Ningbing an inexplicable sense of security.
Ever since Earl Suo Long had fallen gravely ill, the entire Suo clan had been under Suo Ningbing’s management. She had truly worried herself to exhaustion and desperately longed for a shoulder to lean on. Now it seemed that shoulder had appeared, even if it was still very young and tender.
“Very well. Sister will listen to you. Everything will be as you say,” Suo Ningbing replied. “Tomorrow, let Ye Jingyu take you to find Mentor Niya.”