Dragon Tamer

“Ladies and gentlemen, I know you all have long admired Yunzi from my family and have heard many untrue rumors. If you truly respect and revere her, please do not believe those filthy words and slanders anymore,” Zhu Minglang continued to say.

His tone was so determined, his attitude so sincere that for a moment, the group of students who had come to accuse him did not know how to respond.

“I don’t believe it, how could the Female Monarch ever fancy someone like you!” Finally unable to hold back, a handsome young master pointed at Zhu Minglang, saying with anger, “You have tarnished her great name, and we cannot forgive you!”

Zhu Minglang, seeing the handsome young master’s shame-tinged rage, couldn’t help but find it amusing.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? Over the past few months, throughout Ancestral Dragon City-State, both inside and outside, there has been nothing but maligning of Li Yunzi. How come I didn’t see you indignant gentlemen forming such a group back then, to support her and condemn those who insulted her with their words?” Zhu Minglang asked the crowd.

Some people are truly hypocritical and repugnant.

Having lived in the Ancestral Dragon City-State for several months, Zhu Minglang had heard more than once in the streets and within the academy about those who truly smeared her name, not seeing a single person speak up to stop them, nor did he ever see this so-called group of admirers of the Female Monarch?

How is it that the moment Li Yunzi reclaimed her title as the Female Monarch and reasserted her might amidst western conflicts and eastern chaos, all these people sprang into action?

Upon discovering that the beggar was him, Zhu Minglang, all the blame was directed at him.

Was it genuine allegiance, or were there ulterior motives?

“How could we not have intervened, but as long as you, this malignant tumor, exist, she will never be free of this filthy shadow. If I were you, knowing my low status, I would have long since hanged myself!” The handsome young master was now red in the face with anger.

“Exactly, someone like you does not deserve to live in this world!”

“You have insulted decency!”

“How utterly vile! ! ”

Soon, everyone found a common outlet for their aggression, which was to hurl all the insults they could think of at him.

“Jealousy makes people ugly, ah. When you were all speaking to me just now, I could understand your feelings. After all, Yunzi from my family does indeed perfectly combine intelligence and beauty. It’s normal for you to struggle to accept that her heart belongs to someone else. Yet even after I’ve told you the truth, you still come at me like rabid dogs. As a man of honor, I cannot tolerate this,” Zhu Minglang said, maintaining his composure.

Not everyone in the academy was a lackey of the handsome young master. There were some who had objectively looked at the situation, and even they felt that the purported admirers of the Female Monarch were being too much.

It’s been said:

When two hearts are mutually caught,

Why should the Female Monarch not have a proper lover?

“Yin Yaowu, Zhu Minglang has made himself very clear. Why must you persist in this confusion? I think this is a good thing; at least our city-state’s Female Monarch will not have to suffer those previous malicious words,” a senior sister then stood out and said to the handsome young master.

Zhu Minglang recognized this senior sister; she had been one of those who initially went to Rong Valley City. She must have heard about Ke Bei and Duan Lan’s incident. Seeing Zhu Minglang being attacked by this group of false suitors, she stood up to speak a fair word.

The handsome young master, Yin Yaowu, gave the woman a glance, clearly not happy about her interfering.

“It’s rare for everyone to gather today, so I, Zhu, also have a few words to say to all present. I hope that both those present and those not present will pass them on to each other,” Zhu Minglang first bowed to the senior sister in gratitude, then raised his voice a few notches as he spoke.

“Are you going to slit your throat as an apology?” pressed Yin Yaowu, aggressively.

“You people, I don’t mind that you admire her, for she truly is dazzlingly brilliant, but please have some self-respect from now on.”

“My family’s Yunzi has repeatedly instructed me to keep the matter quiet, fearing that I would be harassed by you so-called admirers. Indeed, I, Zhu, have been granted divine favor to have such a celestial being favor me.”

“How could I not know that there are insurmountable barriers between her and me, yet how can the most sincere affection in the world be hindered by these worldly beings and things?”

“From this day forward, her glory shall be guarded by none other than myself.”

“Yin Yaowu, and all you so-called admirers of the Female Monarch, please cease harboring any vain fantasies about my beloved wife! ”

Zhu Minglang’s statement, a stark departure from his previously meek demeanor, stood firm among the crowd, his expression unchanging, his tone steady, and carrying an air of belligerent exclusivity!

This was a declaration, a proclamation of the Female Monarch’s belonging!

Everyone watching was dumbstruck!

They had thought there was no one in the world as shameless as Zhu Minglang, but who could have expected him to outdo himself!

“Junior instructor, elder sister supports you, you spoke really well. If the Female Monarch hears this, she will surely be moved,” the senior sister was the first to respond.

Zhu Minglang nodded, maintaining his impassioned zeal, but silently prayed in his heart: Please, let these words never reach Li Yunzi!

“For love, one must not fear gossip or daunting challenges; Junior Zhu, we support you too,” several deeply moved senior sisters also expressed their admiration and blessings.

Those who took it to heart were mostly women, while those who disbelieved and scorned were mostly men.

Zhu Minglang understood that in the end, it was jealousy that made people ugly.

Li Yunzi was like the bright moon in the heavens, with her pale light illuminating the hearts of many naive boys and impassioned youths, who ultimately could not accept that such a bedraggled man could win her; deep down they all hoped to be the one among a million favored by her.

Such a multitude of rivals was indeed alarming.

Zhu Minglang certainly did not wish to become a rat crossing the street, shunned by all. Rather than being ceaselessly targeted by this crowd, why not crush them with dignity!

“You’re just a lazy sericulture farmer, shamelessly defiling the name of the Female Monarch and even daring to spread such dirty rhetoric about being in harmony with her. Low and despicable, the Female Monarch deems you unworthy of any association, yet you cling tenaciously. Don’t blame us for what happens next!” Yin Yaowu declared with haughty contempt.

“This is the academy, Yin Yaowu, how can you be as barbaric as a bandit!” the senior sister protested.

“He’s the one who issued a challenge to us all just now. If he doesn’t dare to accept, then not a single word he says is to be believed, and what’s wrong with expelling such Wutu bad people from the Ancestral Dragon City-State?” Yin Yaowu retorted.

“And what authority do you have to do such a thing, Yin Yaowu?” Some in the academy also stood up for Zhu Minglang.

“Sorry, but I, Yin Yaowu, indeed have such capacity. It’s my father who controls the movements of the city-state’s populace, and people like him, spouting lies and seeking to tarnish the Female Monarch’s integrity, have the right to be expelled!” Yin Yaowu said with a smirk.

With power comes the propensity for arbitrary action.

Did they really think he, Yin Yaowu, had no way of dealing with such a despicable lowlife?

The Ancestral Dragon City-State had its Expulsion Orders, and the Dragon Taming Academy could not keep him either!

“If you all issue challenges one by one…” Zhu Minglang began to say.

“Hmph, to deal with you, one of me is more than enough. Do you think we are as despicable as you?” The handsome young Yin Yaowu was a representative of this group of Li Yunzi’s supporters.

Should there be a fight, naturally he would be the one to step forward.

And Yin Yaowu was sure to be merciless, crippling if not killing, crippling before expelling, leaving him to perish in a land of chaos and war!

Only by doing so could he ease the thorn in his heart a little. Otherwise, the thought of this dog, who shared a cell with the Valkyrie, still being alive was pure torture!

“That’s not what I mean. I’m saying, since there are many of you, taking turns would be too time-consuming.. Please, write a joint challenge letter, have everyone present today sign it, and then attack altogether!” Zhu Minglang said calmly, but each word he uttered was saturated with arrogance!