Sometimes, habits are horrible things because it’s hard to change them.
Everyone was accustomed to Li Muyang being the last one of the school. However, all of a sudden, someone came out and said that he was not the last one but instead the real No. 1. He was more than the No. 1 of his school, but the No. 1 of the Xifeng University and the Xifeng Empire. Such a result really upended their understanding of Li Muyang, so it was difficult for them to accept the fact for the time being.
It took Li Sinian a lot of effort to make her parents believe that their precious son had done a very great thing this time and surprised everyone.
“Muyang…” Luo Qi called, tears welling up in her eyes. She held Li Muyang’s arms tight and said in a choked voice, “You got the first place of the empire, and you can go to Xifeng University now! Finally, you can go to Xifeng University! We don’t have to beg for others’ help. My son did it himself!”
“Mom, I can’t go to Xifeng University,” Li Muyang said with a wry smile.
“Why? Why can’t you go there? Why can’t even the No.1 of the Liberal-arts Exam go there? Then what kind of students had been recruited by Xifeng University every year? It is a plot! They must have made a shady deal to change the result. I’ve witnessed many of such sinister deals. No way. I’ll go to Capital Heaven. I’ll go and reason things out with them!” Luo Qi became exceedingly excited. It was okay that his son didn’t pass the exam, but after he got such an excellent result, he still couldn’t go to Xifeng University. Such an outcome has insulted all of them to excess. Although she didn’t like and even hated the Lu Family, she was willing to yield to and even kneel before them, only to vent her son’s grievance.
“I don’t know what happened either.” With a dignified look, Li Muyang thought hard and said, “In principle, since I won the first place of the Liberal-arts Exam, I should be able to enter Xifeng University. However, Xifeng University didn’t accept me this time, and my name was not even on the Hero List posted by our school. I feel that there are a lot of mysterious things in this matter, but I can only gradually look for the answer in the future.”
“What should we do? Xifeng University didn’t even accept the No. 1 of the empire. It is entirely unreasonable!” Li Yan was straightforward and honest, but even so, he couldn’t help feeling angry when he heard such a thing.
“Dad, Mom, wait for me to finish speaking!” Li Sinian stomped her feet and said, “Who said that there was no school to accept my brother? My brother has been accepted by Starry-Sky Academy, which is a very amazing school.”
“Starry-Sky Academy? What kind of school is that?” Luo Qi was confused. She looked at Li Yan and asked, “Have you heard of it?”
“No.” Li Yan shook his head. “It can’t be a scam school, can it?”
“Of course not.” Li Sinian looked confident. “Do you know how this school sent the offer to my brother? It sent out a crane-riding young man, who showed up like an immortal. And he took no notice of Xifeng University. It was also him who told us that my brother got the first place in the Liberal-arts Exam of the empire. The principal checked the result list of the entire empire and said that what this young man said was the truth. He also invited my brother to his office to write a couplet for our school, saying that he would engrave it on the school motto stone at the school gate.”
“Is this Starry-Sky Academy so awesome?” Li Yan was shocked and said, “I remember now. Today, we heard the cries of the crane at home. At that time, your mother was in a bad mood. ‘Whose goddamned bird called so loud?!’ She even cursed.”
“Li Yan, can’t you say less?” Luo Qi glared at his husband and growled, “Starry-Sky Academy has admitted our son, which is a great, joyous event. Hurry up to book a large part of fresh pork from Butcher Lu at the corner of the street and then pack all the cooked food from the shop that sells the pot-stewed meat in the east of the city. Buy as many eggs and fishes as possible. Also, get as many vegetables and fruits as you can. I’m going to entertain as many as guests I can today!”
“Are you going to treat guests? But who?” Li Yan was at a loss.
“Neighbors,” Luo Qi said with a smile, “In the past, they always ‘looked after’ and ‘inspired’ Muyang in their way. Now that my son has got the first place in Liberal-arts Exam of the empire. Shouldn’t we invite them over to have a lively celebration party?”
“…” Seeing his wife’s bright smile, Li Yan felt a chill down his spine.
When did their neighbors ‘look after’ or ‘inspire’ Muyang? Instead, they had said a lot of unpleasant words.
For example, “You can know a person’s fate of the future when he is as young as three years old. And this boy will become an idiot when he grows up,” “You raise such an idiotic child. I am just wondering how many evil things you have done in your past life,” “If I had such a son, I would have pushed him into the pond and drown him. When the main trouble ends, all troubles end. Then all of you can have peaceful lives.” So, if Luo Qi treated these people at this time, she wanted to invite them here to humiliate them in public.
“Why don’t we just forget about the party?” Li Yan said comfortingly.
“Forget about the party?” Luo Qi gritted her teeth and said with a cold voice, “I can forget about anything else but this party! Can’t you remember how they treated Muyang back then? This time, I will take revenge on every one of them. Li Yan, I’m warning you; you don’t have to help me, but you mustn’t stop me. Otherwise, you can never get rid of it.”
“…”
Li Yan looked at Li Sinian with pleading eyes. However, Li Sinian quickly ran to the inner room and said, “I almost forgot. I still have to review my lessons and do my homework.”
Then Li Yan turned to look at Li Muyang, who also ran away fast and said, “I also want to review my lessons, for I feel I haven’t performed well in this exam…”
…
In the City Lord Mansion.
Yan Bolai was receiving his subordinates. A young reporter stood before him with his back straight, carefully reporting to him about the latest events that happened in Jiangnan City. Just then, the pot of Holy Maiden Fruit on the table suddenly swayed gently, as if the autumn wind had touched it.
The plant caught a little part of the reporter’s attention, but he still kept reporting without the slightest pausing.
Yan Bolai pretended not to see it. After listening to the clerk’s report, he praised the young reporter, saying that he was competent and was qualified for a more critical position. Upon hearing the compliment, this young reporter was so excited that he just couldn’t wait to swear that he would pledge his life to Yan Bolai, the City Lord. However, just at this time, Yan Bolai, who was calm as always, told him to distribute several urgent and essential tasks to the relevant departments, respectively.
The reporter recorded this order on time. When the City Lord had no other orders, he exited the room with the folder under his arm.
Yan Bolai took a glance at the pot of Holy Maiden Fruit and then walked over, slightly digging his finger into the eyes of the animal head on the pen holder.
“Whoosh…”
The painting on the wall was parted in the middle. Then a small pitch-dark door appeared there, looking like a path to the hell.
A man in a black robe stood in the doorway. He bowed and walked into Yan Bolai’s office, saying, “The Hero List has been posted. I’ve asked someone to copy it and bring the copy back.”
While speaking, the man in the black robe took out a piece of silk cloth from his arms and put it on the wide mahogany table.
However, Yan Bolai had no intention to check the list. He turned to look at the jacaranda blossoms outside, resting. He asked with a calm voice, “Xiaoxin will go to Xifeng University, won’t she?”
“Yes,” The man in the black robe immediately replied. “Xifeng University has admitted Miss Xiaoxin.”
But Yan Bolai was not surprised at all. He said, in his flat, toneless voice, “Sure thing. If there is nothing else, you can leave. Then, I’ll have a meeting.”
However, the black-robed man didn’t leave. He raised his head and looked at Yan Bolai’s back, which wasn’t tall but stocky, and he said, “When the list was being posted, something happened…”
“I don’t like guessing. If you have anything to say, say it all out at once.”
“Starry-Sky Academy has recruited Li Muyang.” The black-robed man said in a low voice. “The crane-riding man personally sent the good news.”
“Starry-Sky Academy?” Yan Bolai suddenly turned around, and there was red light sparkling in his eyes, which now looked as bright as two burning suns. “Has Li Muyang been accepted by Starry-Sky Academy? But in the past, this academy rejected Xiangma. How could Li Muyang…? Why?”