Felix Fuller was already irritated. Hearing his subordinate's question, he snapped, "I said, take all these students away. Write down their identities and backgrounds in detail, and send them to the National Academy. Have the Academy strike their names from the rolls.
Also, record today’s offense in full and report it to their home counties and villages. From now on, these people are banned for life from sitting the Imperial Examinations or holding office. If they repeat this, their descendants for three generations will also be barred from office."
You want to defy the law and incite a riot? Forget about ever becoming officials or making a name for yourselves in this lifetime!
For scholars, the greatest hope in life is to rely on their own talent to rise above the masses—return home in glory with high rank and rich rewards. Felix’s words didn’t just cut off their futures, but destroyed their families’ hopes as well.
Most of those who came to make trouble today are poor-born scholars. Only these disillusioned, naive youths—ignorant of the rules of officialdom and without elders to guide them—would be so easily incited, thinking that raw passion alone could topple the powerful.
Many families sold sons or daughters, everyone working themselves to the bone just to produce a single scholar. For Felix to cut off their future with a single sentence was more painful than killing them.
The group of scholars, ignoring their pain, knelt in terror and kept kowtowing: "Sir, please show mercy, spare the students. We lost our heads and offended Ninth Royal Uncle—a crime worthy of death. Please, seeing that we admit our mistake, grant us a way out."
"Sir, at home I have elderly parents and young children. My parents have worked their whole lives, hoping I could bring honor to the family. Please, I beg you, have mercy and let us go." These students cried miserably, faces full of despair.
But Felix remained unmoved by their misery: "Only now do you remember your families? Why didn’t you consider the consequences when you stirred up trouble? If you knew you carried your family’s hopes, why didn’t you think of them before acting? Now you worry your family will be disappointed—isn’t it too late for that?"
Felix’s face was dark as he saw Ninth Royal Uncle’s carriage begin to move. He barked again, "What now? Are you still going to block Ninth Royal Uncle’s way and keep him from entering the city?"
Felix, too, had once wanted to help these people for their families’ sake. But he understood all too well: with their self-righteous pride, even if they entered officialdom, they’d meet a bad end—and as officials, they’d never truly serve the people. Such men were not worth saving.
"No, no, we wouldn’t dare! We’ll never dare again!" With that, the students quickly scattered to either side, making way for Ninth Royal Uncle, still begging for mercy as they went.
Blood was left on the ground. Ninth Royal Uncle’s carriage rolled slowly over the stains, heading into the city.
As for these troublemaking students—even if they knelt outside the city until their heads bled, no one paid them any mind. Felix, expressionless, ordered all of them locked up.
Serena sat inside the carriage, her eyes calm as water, lost deep in thought.
When she heard Ninth Royal Uncle say, "I was born noble," a deep male voice echoed in Serena’s mind: "My daughter was born noble—even the dragon-phoenix of the mortal world cannot compare."
For some reason, Serena felt those words were about her. But was her birth truly so extraordinary?
Her mother was a descendant of the Lu pirate clan—not exactly noble. And her father? Was he really just an orphan? If so, how did he possess such knowledge and talent?
Serena drifted into confusion. She felt she might have guessed something, but then dismissed it as childish fantasy—like when she was little and didn’t know her parents, imagining they’d come for her one day.
Serena’s brows knit slightly; sometimes she nodded, sometimes shook her head. Ninth Royal Uncle watched silently from beside her. He didn’t know what Serena was thinking, but he knew that when she wanted answers, she’d ask him.
Once the carriage entered the city, the guards—having received no order to send Serena back to Feng Manor—simply escorted her all the way to Ninth Prince Manor. It wasn’t until the carriage stopped that Serena realized where she was.
"I want to go home." Serena didn’t get out, but spoke to Ninth Royal Uncle.
"Stay at the manor tonight and go home tomorrow." Ninth Royal Uncle saw Serena’s displeasure and added, "Is that all right?"
"No. I’d rather go back to Feng Manor." After days away, she was eager to return—there was work waiting, and it was only right to deal with it as soon as possible.
Before Ninth Royal Uncle could reply, the manor’s steward arrived with servants: "Welcome home, Your Highness. Welcome back, Miss Feng."
"Let’s get inside first. I’ll send you home later." This steward was getting cleverer by the day, and Ninth Royal Uncle was quite pleased.
"Schemer." Serena didn’t want to embarrass Ninth Royal Uncle in front of the staff, so she cooperated and got out of the carriage.
All the servants of Ninth Prince Manor knelt at the gate. Ninth Royal Uncle glanced at them and said, "You may rise."
"Thank you, Your Highness. Thank you, Miss Feng." The servants were getting smarter; though Serena had nothing to do with the household, they always mentioned her alongside Ninth Royal Uncle.
Ninth Royal Uncle and Serena entered the manor side by side. The steward followed, sneaking a look at Serena’s expression. Seeing she wasn’t pleased, he quickly said, "Miss, I took it upon myself to send word to Feng Manor that you’re staying at the prince’s residence, so they needn’t worry. Please punish me if I’ve overstepped."
"You did very well," Ninth Royal Uncle praised first, leaving Serena with nothing to say but, "Thank you."
The steward was delighted at Ninth Royal Uncle’s praise, but when Serena thanked him politely, he dropped to his knees: "Miss, I don’t deserve your thanks. I acted on my own—please punish me."
"Get up. Your lord says you did well—what crime is there?" Now that she was at Ninth Prince Manor, there was nothing else to do but stay for now. Besides, if she wanted to leave, Ninth Royal Uncle couldn’t stop her.
"Thank you, Miss." The steward quickly got up and dared not speak again, afraid of angering Serena.
Ninth Royal Uncle and Serena returned to the rear courtyard and each went to freshen up. At his insistence, Serena took a nap, while he retreated to his study to catch up on the capital’s latest developments.
The capital was just as before—factions everywhere. Prince Rowan and Prince Chase were busy courting officials, while the Emperor tried to suppress them, occasionally supporting them instead, keeping all sides balanced and his own power secure.
It had to be said—the Emperor’s tactics were growing more sophisticated, his mastery of imperial strategy ever more refined. Under his manipulation, Prince Rowan and Prince Jason had actually formed an alliance, and their target, of course, was Ninth Royal Uncle.
"It was Lord Harold Chase who proposed the alliance. Prince Rowan and Prince Jason both agreed. The student unrest was their idea, and the Emperor tacitly approved." The secret guards’ efficiency was impressive; within half a day, they had uncovered everything.
"Mm." Ninth Royal Uncle acknowledged, signaling he understood. The secret guard continued his report: "Princess Vivian of Southlyn took up residence in the Empress’s palace after arriving in the capital. She now controls the Lu pirate clan’s assets and wants Prince Rowan to marry her as a consort. Both Prince Rowan and the Empress are still considering."
"The Lu pirate clan’s assets?" Even Ninth Royal Uncle was startled, though he quickly collected himself...
Without enough bargaining chips, Princess Vivian would never be so bold, and neither the Empress nor Prince Rowan would risk open conflict with Ninth Royal Uncle.