I was a prince in the Middle East

Chapter 35 A Divine Move! Varian Wong Fans the Flames and Makes Himself Look Bad!
Days passed by, and Walid's life was uneventful, filled with intense studying every day.

No matter what, what needs to be memorized, still needs to be memorized.

"Your Highness."

The silence of the study was broken by Angari's voice. He appeared silently in the doorway, his face full of seriousness.

"explain."

Walid didn't even look up, his gaze still fixed on the passages in his geography textbook that he needed to memorize, his pen mechanically writing on the paper.

A bad pen is worse than a good memory. This isn't the time to show off. Copying it once is better than memorizing it ten times.

"There are some unpleasant rumors circulating in the community."

Little Angari took a few steps closer, lowering her voice even further, "About your studies."

Walid finally put down his pen, looked up at him, and his amber eyes remained calm.
"Oh? What, are you questioning my genius persona?"

Angari nodded, speaking faster.
"Yes, Your Highness. It's been circulating for some time now, and the rumors are quite unpleasant."

The core issue is this: they believe it's all a lie we fabricated with money.

He paused, his tone tinged with suppressed anger.
"They said that before the car accident you were just an ordinary junior high school student. You were in a coma for seven years. After you woke up, you spent the first three months doing rehabilitation treatment. The time you actually started learning from your teacher was only about a month at most!"

How could someone possibly complete all the science courses in a Saudi high school in just one month and get perfect scores every time?
They thought this was completely illogical!
They insist that the Talal Palace bribed the teachers with astonishing salaries to create the myth of the 'academic prince'.

The purpose is simply to gild your resume, given you as an heir with no academic background, and to squeeze you into the power struggles of the royal family!

He found it utterly absurd!
Why would Your Highness need to cheat to get at the card table?

Education is important, but the royal family has a million ways to help princes obtain higher education!

What's the point?
The important point is that His Highness was already at the card table.

The princes were all secretly amazed by the way the game was played last time.

These idiots have no idea what real strength is!
When Walid heard this, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly upwards, not out of anger, but as if he had heard something amusing.

He put down his pen, leaned back in the wide leather chair, and casually picked up the tablet computer next to him.

What's the point of gossiping among the older folks?

He swiped his finger to unlock the screen. "Angari, look at this. The Twitter battlefield is truly spectacular."

He handed the tablet to Angari.

Little Angari, unaware of what was going on, respectfully accepted it with both hands.

The light from the screen illuminated his face.

He looked down, initially puzzled, then his brows furrowed deeper and deeper, and his face visibly darkened.

"Slander! This is blatant slander and jealousy!"

He abruptly raised his head, his voice filled with anger, his eyes burning with fury.

"Your Highness! How dare they do this?!"

Walid watched with great interest as the butler lost his composure, gesturing for him to continue watching.

On Twitter, the hashtag #PrinceWalidGenius is quietly gaining popularity.

Several highly-rated posts stood out starkly.

One of the accounts, claiming to be Walid's "junior high school classmate" and with the ID "Desert Eagle Memoirs," wrote in an extremely "objective" and even somewhat "warm" tone:

"Seeing the overwhelming reports about His Highness Walid's 'miracle' now, as a former classmate, I have very mixed feelings."

Before the car accident, His Highness was indeed a very sunny and cheerful boy.

He loves watching the latest Hollywood blockbusters, especially action movies. He always has pop music playing in his headphones, his PSP is always in his hand, and he watches Naruto more often than anyone else.

You could always see him showing off on the basketball court. My sister said that many of the girls at her girls' school were asking about the prince...

He has a good personality and never bullies others.

But speaking of studies... forgive me for speaking frankly, Your Highness's grades at that time were only slightly above average in the class.

He struggled with difficult math problems, fumbled around during physics labs, and even missed memorizing chemical equations.

In the three years we spent together, he never demonstrated any 'extraordinary' mathematical logic or 'god-like comprehension'.

The car accident was a tragedy, and it was a miracle that he woke up. We are all happy for him.

But to say that he spent seven years lying down and then mastered high school math, physics, and chemistry in just one month...

Well... I can only say that perhaps the second life given by God also came with a super brain?

But as someone who was once an observer, my memory of him is that he was an excellent prince, but also just an ordinary, playful, and mischievous boy.

They're no different from us.

While seemingly reminiscing about the "wonderful" friendships among classmates, every sentence subtly dismantles the foundation of "genius."

The core issue is this: he wasn't like this before! Completed in a month? Impossible!

What really sent Angari's blood pressure soaring was another trending post, from the user "The Righteous Bystander":
"His Highness Prince Walid is the greatest genius I have ever seen!"
none of them!

His mathematical talent was so great that historical mathematicians such as Gauss, Euler, and Newton had to kneel down and polish his shoes!

Physics? Einstein was just a toddler learning to walk compared to him!

Chemistry? Mendeleev would have to kneel before the prince!
After he woke up, he learned all of human knowledge in just three days!

He is the ever-shining sun of Saudi Arabia!
It is a treasure bestowed upon the kingdom by God!

[Five hundred words omitted here]

I swear on the honor of my family that the above statements are absolutely true and reliable, without the slightest falsehood, and were not written under any external threat (especially not from a prince who oversees the Inquisition or a highly educated princess who graduated from Yale)!

This kind of exaggerated "high-level satire," coupled with a bunch of sarcastic comments like "hahaha," "Is this a cross-dressing satire?" and "Did His Highness send someone to cover his mouth?", is even more damaging than that "memoir."

This is using the most vicious method to paint Walid's "academic genius" image as a joke that is forcibly whitewashed with power and money and cannot withstand any scrutiny!
"These shameless bastards!"

Angari's voice trembled with anger, and the tablet trembled slightly in his hand, as if he were about to crush it at any moment.
"Your Highness! I'll investigate immediately! I'll check the IP addresses of these IDs!"

Whoever is stirring up trouble behind the scenes, I will drag them out and make them know the price of slandering the heirs of the Talal lineage—a price that cannot be washed away even with the blood of their entire clan!

He turned to leave, radiating a chilling aura.

"No hurries?"

Walid's voice rang out calmly, with a hint of amusement.

Little Angari suddenly stopped in his tracks, looking at his prince with a puzzled expression.

With the situation so dire, why is Your Highness still so calm?
Walid reached out his hand to him.

Angari suppressed his anger and handed the tablet back.

Walid quickly tapped his fingers a few times on the screen and logged out of his currently logged-in official account.

Next, he entered an extremely ordinary, unremarkable username and a complex password, logging into a brand new, unverified account.

The screen refreshed, redirecting to the editing interface of the sophisticated smear post titled "The Righteous Bystander".

Angari's eyes widened instantly, his mouth slightly agape, his face filled with disbelief.
"Your Highness?! This...this is your...your alternate account?!"

Seeing the butler's expression, which was as if he had seen a ghost, Walid finally couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter.

Laughter echoed in the empty study, and even Simba, who was lying down, raised its big head and looked at its owner curiously.

"Hahaha... Little Angari, that expression... it was worth it!"

Walid wiped away non-existent tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes, his fingers expertly refreshing the Twitter page on his tablet, reading the comments that ranged from questioning and mocking to inciting, all while simultaneously offering his own critiques.
"Tsk, look at these online trolls, they're ridiculously fake, their lines are all almost identical, they have absolutely no skill involved..."

Oh? That's a rather unique angle for stirring up trouble. Saying I used a vegetative state to 'deeply meditate' and unlock my Ren and Du meridians? Have you been reading too many Chinese martial arts novels?

He casually replied to that post with a secondary account, "Pfft~ Brilliant comment!"

Little Angari was completely dumbfounded as he watched His Highness's fluid and effortless movements.

Your Highness... you're actually making fun of yourself?

Why are you still so enthusiastic about criticizing it?
What exactly is going on here?
Walid finished laughing, looked up at the bewildered butler, and the mockery in his eyes faded.

Instead, there is a calm understanding of everything and a sharp edge that controls the game.

"Little Angarry, don't you understand yet?"

He tapped his finger on the torrent of negative comments on the screen.
"This level of questioning, if no one is instigating or fueling it behind the scenes..."

Is this the size of a group formed spontaneously by just a few haters who don't like me?

Do you believe it? Do you dare to believe it?

Angari isn't stupid; he was just blinded by anger.

At that moment, after being pointed at by Walid, he immediately realized what was happening.
"You mean... this is the work of the conservatives? They're getting restless?"

"Yes."

Walid tossed the tablet back onto the table with a soft "thud," then sat up straight again.

“We, the Talal faction, are representatives of the liberals. We want to move up the ranks, to take back what belongs to us, and to support Muhammad’s rise to power. Whose interests will we be threatened?”
Inevitably, we have infringed upon the fundamental interests of those conservative gentlemen who rely on petrodollars and cling to outdated dogmas as infallible principles!

Especially religious forces!
When I became a vegetable, my father was able to take charge of the law.

Firstly, it's about making amends, since no one can say for sure what caused my car accident;

Secondly, it was also King Abdullah's way of counterbalancing the conservatives.

For the sake of stability and unity, and since my father had no heir anyway, sitting in that position was the most impartial thing for all parties.

Therefore, a liberal leader emerged within the core of the conservative Inquisition.

But now, I, this seed that was originally dead, have suddenly come back to life and have begun to take root and sprout. They couldn't resist this situation.

To be honest, I think the conservatives are quite patient to wait until now to take action!

"Yes, they really can't sit still anymore; I have too many accolades to my name."

He sneered, his contempt undisguised.
"Their stunt is nothing more than an attempt to disgust me and tarnish my reputation as a 'miracle by God' and a 'genius prince'."

Ideally, I should guide public opinion so that conservative officials in the Ministry of Education will sabotage my efforts in the upcoming 'achievement test' and 'ability test'.

Or they could simply question the authenticity of the exam results, preventing me from getting that damn diploma!
In this way, I'll forever be a prince who 'dropped out of high school,' naturally inferior within the inner circle of the royal family, lacking legitimacy and authority!

Angari gritted his teeth, "So they resort to such underhanded tactics!"

"The methods were a bit underhanded, but you have to admit they were very effective."

A calculating glint flashed in Walid's eyes.
"So, I helped them out."

Rather than letting them test the waters half-heartedly, let's make this fire burn brighter and let the voices of doubt come even more fiercely!
Stir the water up completely!

He pointed to his own shady-looking alternate account on the tablet.
"See this? This is the firewood I added."

The higher I elevate myself, the more tragic my fall will appear to those unaware of the truth, more like the collapse of 'capital-created idols'.

Those conservative bigwigs hiding behind the scenes, seeing that they've successfully steered public opinion, seeing how high and easy a target they've set up for me, will become overconfident and their actions will become even more aggressive!

Walid's lips curled into a cold smile.

"The reasoning is simple. I know whether I have real skills or not, and the European PhDs and German scholars who taught me know even better."

No matter how much they praise or how harshly they question, once the exam results are in, everyone will have their own opinion.

I can withstand any test.

But conversely…

His voice was low, carrying a chillingly dangerous undertone.

"When their questioning reaches its peak, when they think they have victory in their grasp, they can't help but personally intervene, using more direct administrative means, or instructing certain 'authorities' to publicly question them, or even attempting to manipulate the examination process..."

Walid paused, his gaze sweeping over Angari like a razor's edge.

"That's when they'll extend their claws. And what we need to do is wait for that moment, and then..."

He made a clean and decisive chopping gesture.

"Crack!"

The study was so quiet that only the faint sound of the central air conditioning blowing could be heard.

The anger in Angari's eyes had long been replaced by a sudden realization, excitement, and a chilling fighting spirit.

Your Highness's move... was too ruthless!

This is to lure the snake out of its hole, and then... cut off its claws and teeth!
"I understand, Your Highness!"

Little Angari bowed deeply, his face no longer showing any impatience, only absolute obedience and a mischievous, eager smile.

"Let the criticism come even more fiercely? No problem!"

"I'll make the arrangements right away, to thoroughly muddy this waters and fan the fire tenfold!"

When people do bad things, they are not only patient, but also extremely excited.

He straightened up, a mischievous grin impossible to suppress on his face.

“Your Highness, you said... what if we 'inadvertently' leak some more information?”

For example, finding one or two of your classmates from the Riyadh International School back then... um...

Do you not particularly like me or any of my strict and rigid elementary or middle school teachers?

Let them also recall their actual learning situation during their student days?
Let a few journalists who have been paid anonymous tips dig deeper into the matter.
Will those conservative gentlemen become even more convinced of their judgment and more eager to jump out?

Walid looked at his quick-witted and perceptive steward and nodded approvingly.

“Good, little Angarry, you’ve made great progress. Let’s do it that way.”

Remember, make it look natural, keep the traces clean, and let them believe they've discovered the truth themselves.

He slung himself comfortably against the back of his chair, picked up his textbook from the table,
"It just so happens that the popularity of my 'miracles of God' has been declining recently."

These idiots practically delivered themselves to my doorstep, giving me free publicity and helping me maintain my popularity.

Little Angarry understood immediately, and his mischievous smile deepened.

He silently left the study, and the study door closed gently behind him.

Walid put down his book, picked up his tablet, and logged back into his alternate account, "The Bystander of Justice."

His fingers flew across the keyboard, and he quickly posted another comment under another post that was questioning the post:
"The person upstairs is right! What genius? Finished high school in a month?"

What a liar!
Waiting for the Ministry of Education to intervene and investigate!
Waiting for the live broadcast of His Highness the Prince's academic genius persona collapsing!

[Dog head emoji] [Dog head emoji]

……

　The new book is doing well; it's the best performing book I've done so far. I'm extremely grateful for the support of everyone! Please grant me a few more days so I can stay on the bestseller list and get more recommendations. After it goes on sale in early December, I promise to repay everyone's support by posting 12 views per day for two months.

　　I'm so grateful for your help!

(End of this chapter)