The students kept shouting, while Prince Nolan's guards remained silent, carefully wrapping their blades to avoid injuring anyone or drawing blood when the time came to strike.
The two sides faced off outside the city gate. The students yelled for ages but got no response, their voices gradually weakening. Seeing that Prince Nolan still hadn’t appeared, a few bold ones tried to push forward, wanting to rush up to him. But the guards noticed their movement, and with a swift motion, leveled their spears to block them. "Take one more step, and you’ll be killed without mercy."
"We are students of the National Academy. We request an audience with Prince Nolan." No one is truly unafraid of death. These students are indeed passionate, but that doesn’t mean they dare to march toward death without hesitation.
All they really wanted was to make a name for themselves in history, to use this as a way to gain political capital.
"And who do you think you are? You think you have the right to see Prince Nolan?" The guard made no attempt to hide his disdain. Not even the instructors from the National Academy would dare say such a thing, let alone mere students.
"We..." The scholar who spoke turned bright red, but forced himself to say through gritted teeth, "All beings are equal. Prince Nolan is also human. We sincerely request an audience—unless he’s afraid?"
"Nonsense. If all beings are equal, why don’t you say that to beggars? Why don’t you demand equality with them? You preach equality in front of Prince Nolan only to elevate yourself. That’s the height of hypocrisy." Serena Feng’s voice came through the curtain. The scholar, exposed and humiliated, flew into a rage and shouted, "Since when does an ignorant woman like you have the right to speak here?"
"Didn’t you just say all beings are equal? How come I’m suddenly just an ignorant woman?" Serena pressed her advantage, refusing to let it go. The scholar, having picked the wrong fight, looked even more embarrassed, his whole body shaking with anger—unfortunately, Serena couldn’t see it.
"My lord, everything is ready," the aide reported to Prince Nolan through the carriage curtain.
Prince Nolan gave a reply and nodded at Serena. As soon as he lifted the carriage curtain, a guard immediately stepped forward to respectfully invite him down from the carriage.
The moment Prince Nolan appeared, the entire crowd fell silent. The students who had been shouting all gaped, as if unable to believe the man before them was truly Prince Nolan.
Rumor had it in the Capital that Prince Nolan was unmatched in beauty and bearing, but few commoners had ever actually seen him—certainly not these students.
When Prince Nolan descended from the carriage, exuding nobility and an overwhelming aura, the students were stunned and instinctively lowered their heads.
Prince Nolan swept the crowd with a cold gaze, fixing his eyes on the few students who had pushed to the front. In a chilly voice, he asked, "You wished to see me?"
"S-students..." Under Prince Nolan’s oppressive presence, they could barely speak. Faced with his dark, piercing eyes, each one averted their gaze, unable to meet his look.
"You see me and yet do not kneel—where did you learn your manners? Did your National Academy instructors never teach you the proper etiquette for meeting imperial kin?" Prince Nolan didn’t shout, but his cold, slow tone was even more intimidating. The students’ legs buckled involuntarily; by the time they realized it, they were already kneeling.
"Students pay respects to Prince Nolan. Long live, long live, long long live."
The power of example is immense. Once these few troublemakers knelt, the rest of the students lost their nerve and followed suit, kneeling and shouting their blessings. The commander atop the city gate was so shocked his eyes nearly popped out.
No way—did Prince Nolan really quell the entire disturbance just by showing up?
Vincent Su's hand froze mid-teacup, the cup crashing to the floor with a sharp sound. He didn’t react, just stared blankly outside the city: Was this the legendary kingly domineering aura?
Prince Nolan resolved everything with just a single appearance. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have worried at all. Vincent Su reproached himself inwardly—but if only things were really that easy.
In every crowd causing trouble, there are always one or two agitators—these few mixed in just to stir up conflict and incite others.
Seeing the students cowed by Prince Nolan, the agitators cursed them as cowards and had no choice but to step up themselves. "Prince Nolan, we’ve come to see you outside the city to demand an explanation. You personally escorted Master Wenyuan—so why did he die such a miserable death on the road?"
This question snapped the students out of their daze, reminding them of their real purpose today. All at once they began clamoring, demanding Prince Nolan give them an explanation.
People always bully the weak and fear the strong. Before they saw Prince Nolan, they dared to demand he kneel and apologize. Now, not one of them dares mention kneeling—they only ask him to give them an explanation.
The crowd grew noisy, chattering non-stop. Prince Nolan didn’t interrupt, letting them talk themselves out. Only when they’d finished did he say, "What are you to Master Wenyuan? Why should I owe you any explanation?"
Prince Nolan didn’t need to act arrogant or dismissive—he was inherently noble. With just one sentence, he made it clear how vast the gap between them was.
His words laid bare the difference in status, making the students feel deeply inferior. Yet the more they felt it, the less willing they were to back down. Stubbornly, they said, "Prince Nolan, Master Wenyuan is a model for all scholars, and Jixia Academy is the holy land in every scholar’s heart. Master Wenyuan died because you failed to protect him—don’t you owe all scholars an explanation?"
"All scholars? Can you represent all scholars? If someone from Jixia Academy said that to me, fine. But you don’t have that qualification." Prince Nolan’s words were openly dismissive. Seeing the students’ indignation, he sneered, "I was born noble. You may be National Academy students, but you have no rank or title. Do you even know the crime for a commoner colliding with me?"
With a single sentence, Prince Nolan was threatening to charge the students with a crime. Their faces went pale; maybe they weren’t afraid of death, but they were terrified of losing their futures.
"Prince Nolan, you can’t—you can’t charge us with a crime! We’re just seeking justice for Master Wenyuan!"
"Seeking justice? You’re neither Master Wenyuan’s disciples, nor his family, nor officers of the law—what right do you have to say that? If everyone acted as you do, gathering crowds to cause trouble over every matter, what use would laws or officials have? Where would that leave the law and the authorities?" Prince Nolan pressed them with every question, leaving the students speechless, mouths agape but unable to answer.
The agitators tried to speak, but Prince Nolan didn’t give them the chance. With a cold wave of his hand, he ordered, "Throw all these rabble-rousers into prison. I don’t want to see them again."
"Yes, sir." The guards saluted Prince Nolan, then surged into the crowd, raising their blades to strike at the students.
The blades and backs were wrapped thickly in cloth; each strike wounded but drew no blood.
"Prince Nolan, you can’t do this!"
"This is a disgrace to scholars! I’ll report you. I’ll report you!"
"Abusing power—where is justice?"
Completely powerless, the students were as weak as chicks before the ruthless guards. One blow, and they were silent; some even fainted on the spot...