“Can a strategist not ascend to the throne?”
Chapter 477, Special Edition Ten (The End)
The graduation ceremony in the year Yuan Zhao twenty was bound to be anything but ordinary.
Just as Qiao Yan had mentioned years ago when discussing this ceremony, it also marked the thirtieth anniversary of Leping Academy’s establishment in name.
As the founder of Leping Academy and the Son of Heaven of Da Yong, Qiao Yan was obliged to attend this graduation ceremony.
Of course, even as a parent, she really had to be there.
I heard that Jiang Wei’s father specifically requested leave from Qiao Yan to attend this graduation ceremony, while Sun Luban would be represented by her mother, Bu Lianshi, since her father, Sun Quan, was far away in Jiaozhou. Qiao Huan couldn’t help but drift into thought.
Earlier, she had been thinking that if she played nice for the two years leading up to graduation, then surely the impressions at the ceremony would have shifted, and her mother’s presence wouldn’t matter.
But what exactly had she done in those two years?
Qiao Huan scratched her head, realizing things were getting a bit out of hand.
She had concocted a tomb closure plan in her engineering class and even managed to charm her teacher into giving her a passing grade with her smooth talk.
After making a small fortune thanks to a protective helmet similar to the ones used in Leping Academy, she established an unofficial scholarship last year.
Considering that the Emperor and the two deans were keeping an eye on the girls’ education, it might not have been her place to interfere; hence, her scholarship was set up to reward talented individuals in the academy who exhibited creativity and a maverick spirit. Thanks to her collaboration with Mi Si, she found the right people to manage the scholarship long-term.
From its intended purpose, there was nothing wrong with it, but it was hard not to suspect she was encouraging others to act like rebels just like her.
But if you asked Qiao Huan, she’d say she was merely investing in talent early on—what could possibly be wrong with that?
After consulting with Lu Lingju and Sun Ren, she even improved a self-defense technique suitable for girls under twelve, which came in handy during the academy’s end-of-year combat competition, leading her to establish a hundred-day martial arts training program with the girls in the academy.
And honestly, that wasn’t wrong at all.
Her mother was busy assembling an even larger army of female soldiers; how could she be blamed for wanting to fortify training in the academy too?
This was just an effort to ensure that once firearms were born, women would be better prepared to step up as warriors, spreading that thought from Leping Academy outward.
Earlier this year, probably because the time to leave was approaching and Deng Ai had graduated and left the academy two years ago, she lacked a helper for polishing her brushwork, so she set up a challenge task in the academy’s reading corner.
The challenge aimed at those two masterpieces she was trying to complete.
As for whether this would cause any strange impacts in the academy, Qiao Huan chose to brush it off for now.
After all, when Dean Cai spoke on their enrollment day, the first thing he said was that as long as it did not contradict the principle of unity within Da Yong, any creation was free.
Just like the tomb-building project, she always managed to find the right talent, right?
On top of that, she had been named the top student among the sixth graders, recognized for her literary and martial prowess.
So it was no surprise that she inspired several juniors who sought to follow in her footsteps.
When the teachers in the academy were pulling their hair out, they often attributed some of the chaos back to her leadership.
Qiao Huan sighed at this thought.
Ah, to be an exemplary student while avoiding all the drama—what a tall order!
But what had she done wrong?
She was merely promoting some objectives her mother wanted to achieve in a gradual manner, using her own style within Leping Academy.
Oh right, I wonder if Cai Yong has ever reported her.
Their dealings were usually give-and-take, but Sun Luban still thought that their escapade with Cai Yong’s mountain chicken went unnoticed simply because their performances in the academy were dazzling enough.
The result was that every time they tricked someone into cleaning up their “camping” aftermath, it felt like they were wiping out evidence.
And who knew which poor soul decided to follow their lead and got their hands on Cai Yong’s rations, successfully escaping capture and sending Cai Yong into a fit.
This whole thing couldn’t be blamed on her, right?
Anyway, none of these wild stories impacted Qiao Huan as the graduation ceremony approached in June. She was unsurprisingly chosen as the outstanding representative among the graduates and was to give a speech, wrapping up her six years at the academy with a grand flourish.
This representative role was practically destined for her; it wasn’t just because Cai Qiong and Cao Ang knew her identity that she got selected.
Gracefully, Qiao Huan pinned one golden badge after another onto her academy uniform and mentally rehearsed her carefully considered speech once more before heading toward the hall.
In the twenty years since Da Yong was founded, her mother had spent most of that time using harsh methods for external conquests and putting down rebellious noble families, while sustaining internal development with a deliberate, steady pace. Looking back at the drastic changes over these twenty years, even Qiao Huan could feel the upheaval.
Gone were the days when students’ faces reflected the famished suffering recorded in historical texts from the late Han era; even those from ordinary families no longer regarded cotton fabric as an exclusive trend for aristocracy.
In their hands, they easily carried lightweight books, allowing them to move forward with a spring in their step, free from the burdens of wheeled book carts, and there was no longer that scene of books being monopolized by noble families.
The hall they were rushing towards was a grand building constructed only in recent years.
This hall featured a rare coffered dome design, positioned directly above the meeting area.
The umbrella-shaped dome, supported by intricate brackets, surrounded by the central spiral dragon cloud design, was named the Spiral Dragon Caissons by His Majesty.
“Leping Academy represents the cultural hub of the world.”
It straightforwardly tells everyone who has come to this graduation ceremony—
“Look, another era-defining change has arrived!”
Thinking of this, a hint of a smile appeared on Qiao Huan’s face.
She didn’t directly walk into the main hall; instead, she entered her preparation room first.
But to her surprise, when she pushed the door open, she saw a familiar figure standing by the window, looking out at the students walking toward the hall.
Qiao Huan’s eyelids jumped, and without thinking, she blurted out, “Mother Empress!”
“Do you really have to act like a mouse seeing a cat?” Qiao Yan turned to look at her and said, “You don’t want to see me?”
“Of course I do!” After her initial shock, Qiao Huan quickly collected herself and approached her mother. “You’ve said you would come, so I wouldn’t panic over that! I’m just curious why you’re suddenly here?”
As she spoke, her gaze subtly drifted toward the nearby tea table, where she noticed a set of used tea utensils.
This made it hard not to speculate that someone from Leping Academy must have visited before she arrived.
Could it be that someone reported something?…
“Alright, stop overthinking,” Qiao Yan said, clearly able to guess what worries were plaguing Qiao Huan’s mind just by looking at her expression.
She reached out to block Qiao Huan’s glance towards elsewhere, bringing her attention back, “I came to ask you something important.”
Seeing the seriousness on Qiao Yan’s face, Qiao Huan realized this wouldn’t be an ordinary conversation.
Sure enough, the next moment she heard Qiao Yan say, “You know that today’s graduation ceremony, as a semi-teacher of Leping students, I will be the one giving the final speech.”
This was a tradition every five years.
At the end of Qiao Huan’s first year, during Leping Academy’s 25th anniversary celebration, Qiao Yan did the same.
But clearly, this time was different.
Qiao Yan asked, “If—at the end of my speech, I announce my intention to designate you as the rightful heir to Da Yong, can you handle the whirlwind that follows?”
Qiao Huan was taken aback.
This came out of nowhere!
If her mother was going to announce her as the rightful heir to Da Yong—
This was a declaration of succession?!
This shouldn’t have been brought up so soon; it should be announced in Luoyang!
Perhaps it could be said that at her age, she wouldn’t truly step into the heart of the court so quickly, so announcing the decision among the young crowd of Leping Academy did sound like a suitable choice.
And with the fact that Qiao Yan hadn’t had any other offspring since giving birth to her, Qiao Huan had firmly kept the goal of continuing her mother’s legacy in mind.
But she never thought it would happen at this moment!
Yet after that moment of shock, looking into her mother’s eyes, Qiao Huan gave her a resolute answer, “I can.”
She can.
How could she not?
She wouldn’t forget how Wei Yan pointed out her wish to “preserve her life,” and right after that turning point, she clearly understood that the challenges coming her way could not become shackles holding her back, nor could they be a glory that allowed her to bask in her mother’s protection.
That’s just an entry ticket.
A ticket that, at least for now, hasn’t taken effect yet, requiring both her to show a performance befitting it and to treat the task with composure.
Qiao Yan appeared satisfied with her answer.
She patted Qiao Huan’s shoulder and said, “Then let me see the style of this graduating leader. Before I say that line, I want you to make a stunning entrance.”
Qiao Huan lifted her gaze, with an even more firm tone than her previous “I can,” and declared, “Naturally!”
——————
At the moment Qiao Huan walked toward the stage, everyone could clearly see that the playful demeanor she once had was replaced by the exuberance unique to youth, standing tall in this unusually solemn occasion.
On her youthful face, one couldn’t tell whether it was due to representing her peers today, displaying not just leadership aura but also something that one might call the demeanor of nobility.
But her commanding presence wasn’t the only shocking element.
As she stood firmly at the podium, her voice resonated through the hall, clear and unexpected. “Many people might know me better as Mu Huan, but today with such a crowd gathered here for the 30th celebration of Leping Academy, I, representing the graduating class of Leping Academy’s 20th anniversary, hope all of you will remember my real name.”
Qiao Huan paused, noticing whispers buzzing from the audience below. But as she spoke again, all chatter fell silent.
Sunlight from outside streamed in through the gaps, spreading gently throughout the hall.
This soft, indirect light allowed Qiao Huan to see the faces of those in the front row clearly, with the most distinct being Qiao Yan, who had just asked her if she could bear this responsibility.
She also spotted many familiar faces among the gazes fixed on her.
Those eyes were filled with expectations strong enough to make anyone present feel the adrenaline surging within them.
This was surely not just because summer had arrived, right?
She took a deep breath, speaking loudly, “I am Qiao Huan.”
The Qiao of the Qiao clan from Leping, the Qiao of the Da Yong royal family.
——————
History will record this as the true debut of the future heir to Da Yong.
Under the watchful eyes of the founding monarch of Da Yong, this heir stepped up to the stage.
(The End)
