Chapter 30 – Enrolment

Three days later, the Imperial Academy announced the selection of students who would be admitted to the Imperial College. Xu Chun’s name was prominently listed among them.

The entire Jingguo Duke Manor was filled with joy. Lady Sheng was overjoyed, and she doubled the monthly allowances for all the servants in the manor. She also started making new clothes for Xu Chun.

Even Jingguo Duke himself took advantage of his friends congratulating him and asked Lady Sheng for money to host a banquet.

Xu Chun felt somewhat helpless, but seeing how happy his mother was, he couldn’t help but cooperate and have new clothes made. He also hosted a feast at home for his brothers and sisters.

Xu Gu, who had been focused on studying these days, came to congratulate him as well. Normally, they didn’t talk much, but today, he specifically toasted Xu Chun three times, drinking each cup to the dregs himself.

Xu Wei, Xu Rong, and others also toasted Xu Chun. Afterward, Xu Gu found an opportunity to speak to Xu Chun privately. “I reported Second Brother to Grandmother the other day. Is Second Brother still harboring resentment towards me?”

Xu Chun was surprised. This elder brother of his had always kept his distance. The other day, he suddenly went against his usual stance of trying to distance himself from the situation when he reported Xu Chun. Xu Chun found it odd, but now, he was sincerely apologizing as if he genuinely cared. It was even more peculiar.

He told Xu Gu, “Elder Brother, there’s no need to apologize. It was this younger brother who acted carelessly, offending the Censor and the ministers, thereby tarnishing your reputation and causing you to be ridiculed. I understand that you’re about to take the Spring Examination and have always been excellent in your studies. You’re destined to advance through the imperial examinations and have a bright future ahead of you. My actions were reckless, fraternizing with royalty and living extravagantly, which led to the Censor’s criticism. Elder Brother has always valued his reputation and education, placing great importance on his future. It’s understandable that you would disapprove of me. I don’t hold any grudges. It’s all my fault for acting carelessly and causing trouble for Elder Brother, failing to bring glory to the Jingguo Duke Manor.”

Xu Gu gave a bitter smile. “If you think of me like that, then there must still be a barrier between us in your heart.”

Xu Chun was taken aback and felt quite apologetic. “Elder Brother’s Spring Examination is imminent. You’ve always been exceptionally talented in your studies, and you’re bound to succeed in the imperial examinations and have a promising future. My actions were careless, associating with royalty and indulging in extravagance, leading to the Censor’s rebuke. Elder Brother has always been studious and ambitious, placing great value on his future. It’s natural for you to look down on your younger brother. I don’t blame you. It’s all my fault for acting recklessly, causing trouble for Elder Brother and failing to bring honor to the Jingguo Duke Manor. However, I’m unable to pursue my studies anyway. In the future, it will be up to Elder Brother to bring prosperity to the Jingguo Duke Manor.”

Xu Gu looked into Xu Chun’s eyes, which shone like bright pearls, gazing at him earnestly. Was what he said truly from the bottom of his heart? Xu Gu felt a surge of warmth in his throat, choking back his emotions before speaking softly. “Second Brother, I feel guilty towards you and Mother.”

“In the future… If I succeed in the Spring Examination, Elder Brother will certainly repay you.”

Xu Chun was perplexed, and Xu Gu explained, “I merely hope that you’ll correct those bad habits and study diligently. I remember that you weren’t always this poor at your studies. Your arithmetic skills were so good that you could solve problems without using an abacus just by looking at them. But Mr. Jia said you were learning the ways of merchants and wanted to beat you with a ruler.”

Xu Chun smiled. “Mr. Jia was old-fashioned, but he did it for my own good. Back then, I was immature and couldn’t memorize poetry or finish my homework. I would secretly block his water pipe, causing him to become furious.”

Xu Gu said, “Now that Second Brother has been accepted into the Imperial College, this is a golden opportunity. If you can find a suitable teacher and settle down to study, you’ll surely achieve something. Mr. Jia treated you too harshly back then, resorting to the ruler at every turn. You were still young back then… you shouldn’t have been treated like that… From now on, study hard. Cut ties with those rascals. They don’t wish you well, constantly luring you to places of pleasure.”

“Regarding what happened with Chancellor Li, after I investigated, I found out that although you only invited a few people that day, the news spread so widely. It must have been your group of rascals who spread it behind your back as a joke. Furthermore, while Prince Shun is known for respecting scholars and helping the weak, Prince Shun himself is not a good person. Don’t become close friends with the Prince’s son. They’re only interested in your money. Fraternizing with royalty is never a good thing.”

Xu Gu felt that he might have had too much to drink. He had suppressed his feelings for too long. The image of that young child’s tender, snow-white palm swollen red and bright from the ruler, crying out for his big brother as tears welled up in his cat-like eyes, flashed before his mind’s eye. At that time, he hadn’t stood up to protect him. Back then, he thought he was the one who had been robbed of his title, while the other party was just a foolish and lucky fellow.

However, as he read more books and as the years passed, he eventually felt guilty. On one hand, there were the kindness and expectations of his birth mother and grandmother. On the other hand, there were his own base desires. Then there was the generosity of his legitimate mother and the innocence of his young brother. Over the years, these conflicting emotions had left countless wounds on his heart. What was filial piety? What was loyalty? What was grace and honor? What was propriety and shame? The heavy burden of guilt became unbearable, and he finally made up his mind a few days ago. He went to his grandmother and expressed his stance, no longer coveting the illusory title.

Once he made the decision, the heavy burden he had carried for years was lifted. His mind suddenly felt enlightened. Going to a remote post, what did it matter? There would still be opportunities for him. Moreover, going elsewhere, where no one knew him, would allow him to make amends to his birth mother.

He couldn’t hold back the words that had been bottled up for years. “You’re only eighteen years old, and it’s not too late. In the Imperial College, let Mother find you a good teacher, someone young and not so old-fashioned, to teach you properly… If you encounter anything you don’t understand in your studies, feel free to ask me…”

Unable to resist, he held Xu Chun’s hand, with tears falling. “Second Brother, change! Grandmother and Mother have spoiled you too much. You must stand on your own!”

Xu Chun was surprised and could only smile. “Thank you, Elder Brother, for teaching me.” The brothers had been estranged for far too long. Although Xu Chun felt that his elder brother seemed to suddenly pour out his heart, he had no desire for an intimate relationship.

The little prince was after his money… But wasn’t that true for everyone? After all, it was thanks to his money that he had friends.

Xu Chun was originally a carefree person and didn’t take it to heart at all. He wasn’t close to his brothers and sisters, so he simply perfunctorily answered a few sentences and dismissed the small gathering. Xu Chun couldn’t sit still in the manor and returned to Bamboo Branch Workshop. He picked up a book and looked at it, then happily found the invitation that Ninth Brother had sent back today.

Ninth Brother wrote, “Congratulations on entering the Imperial College. I gift you a calligraphy scroll. Shen Mengzhen is extremely talented. You should study diligently. You possess fine qualities and talents, but as long as you put your heart into it, there’s nothing you won’t be able to learn.”

Xu Chun glanced at the horizontal scroll that Ninth Brother personally wrote for him, titled “The Clear Voice of the Young Phoenix,” hanging in his study. That fleeting thought of fearing hardship and disliking study was suppressed.

Xu Chun was initially very worried. The rules in the Imperial College were much stricter, and it wouldn’t be easy to send someone to sign in for him anymore. There were a bunch of young masters from royal families inside. A single misstep could offend someone. He was just an insignificant nobody.

At one moment, he was delighted that Ninth Brother praised him as a young phoenix. Then, he became anxious about keeping up with his studies. He was genuinely terrified of teachers. Then, he remembered that after Ninth Brother left last time, his sketchbook of drawings of Ninth Brother had disappeared. Presumably, Ninth Brother had taken it away, but he didn’t mention a word. Xu Chun didn’t know if Ninth Brother was angry at his unrepentant lust or disgusted with him for not studying properly and confiscated it.

He didn’t dare to ask. Every night, when he woke up thinking about it, he felt ashamed and regretful, tossing and turning.

Upon receiving the notification, he went to the Imperial College the next day. He saw that twenty-five students had been selected from the Imperial Academy this time. Apart from those who were favored, there were actually quite a few recommended students from various regions. Many of these students came from humble backgrounds and were usually overlooked within the Imperial Academy. Although their scholarship was decent, most of the students in the Imperial Academy were children of high-ranking officials and aristocrats, so they never had a chance to speak up. This time, they managed to enter the Imperial College through the academic selection process, which was clearly a great honor for them. Everyone wore joyful expressions on their faces.

The newly selected students from the Imperial Academy were seated on the right side, while the left side was still occupied by the original royal family students from the Imperial College. After Xu Chun sat down, he quietly looked around. However, he didn’t realize that his appearance was striking. Despite wearing the same silver-capped official headwear as the other students from the Imperial Academy and dressed in a blue robe trimmed with green silk, his pair of cat-like eyes shone brightly and attractively as he glanced around.

Whispers started spreading among the students of the Imperial College. “Who’s that boy with the almond-shaped eyes and smiling lips?”

“Don’t you recognize him? He’s the one who spent ten thousand taels to buy a title for his mother, the heir of the Jingguo Duke Manor, who is also the crown prince’s…. I heard that he was publicly humiliated by Li Meiyao recently.”

“So it’s him. He appears refined. Seems like the rumors were false.”

“They say he’s a wastrel, nothing but a pretty face.”

“Hehe, can a pretty face answer those two questions? During the exam the other day, how many people could answer them? All twenty-five students from the Imperial Academy managed to answer them.”

“I heard his mother is the daughter of a merchant. Perhaps there’s a family legacy in business, so he naturally excels in commercial arithmetic.”

“That was a question set by the Emperor himself. Be quiet! You’re courting death! Don’t drag me into this!”

“Speaking of which… Why did the Emperor set such a question? It ruined my preparation. I spent so much time memorizing poems, but ended up handing in a blank paper. When I got home, my father punished me by making me kneel for a long time and halved my monthly allowance.”

“They say the Emperor is dissatisfied with the excessive spending of the royal family and wants to assign tasks to the sons of the nobles. He doesn’t want them to just eat idle meals.”

“…Really?”

“How else? I heard that the Empress Dowager went to the Imperial Temple and abolished all the additional provisions, leaving only her original share. Compared to her former glory, she’s lost all dignity. No one knows how things deteriorated to this point.”

“The current emperor is cold-hearted… Initially, it was because of Prince Duan…”

“Hush, don’t say any more.”

Xu Chun didn’t hear those whispers. The students from the Imperial Academy here were all very serious and silent, not even whispering to each other. After all, they had seized this rare opportunity given by the Emperor to enter the Imperial College. The lecturers in the Imperial College were all renowned scholars with extensive knowledge. Not to mention the future prospects and official appointments, which were bound to be extraordinary.

At a glance, he spotted Xie Fei, indeed the outstanding student among the royal family members. The students of the Imperial College wore black robes with gold caps, and the edges of the robes of the royal family members were embroidered with golden dragon patterns. Xie Fei sat upright, meticulous in his appearance. Although his features were clear and handsome, for some reason, he sensed Xu Chun’s gaze and turned to look at him. Then, he smiled slightly and bowed his hands.

Xu Chun returned the gesture, wondering why Ninth Brother and Elder Brother were both so wary of Xie Fei. Indeed, he appeared to be a gentleman, gentle and refined, like jade or bamboo. However, compared to Ninth Brother, he fell short by a large margin.

Suddenly, a crisp sound of a chime was heard, and an assistant lecturer entered, saying, “Quiet, welcome the teacher.”

Everyone stood up as Shen Mengzhen walked in. His expression was rather amiable, dressed in a dark green official robe, and wearing a winged cap. Upon entering, he returned half a bow, obviously due to the presence of the royal family members sitting on the left side. Then, he sat down in front of the podium, his movements graceful and composed.

The hall fell silent instantly, as everyone seemed unfamiliar with the temperament of this newly appointed chancellor. They all knew he came from a scholarly family, was erudite, and particularly excelled at astrology. He was destined to enter the cabinet in the future. Everyone knew that the Emperor assigned him to the Ministry of Rites to temper his character and dull his sharpness. After serving for a few years, he was promoted to the important position of chancellor of the Imperial Academy. It was rumored that there were some complaints among officials, but no one could do anything about it. Everyone knew that this Emperor was stubborn and never changed his mind once he made it up.

The previous chancellor was Lin Wenduan, Xie Fei’s maternal grandfather, who was upright and always followed the rules. Now, he claimed to be sick and resigned. But everyone knew that traditionally, the chancellor would select his successor from among the lecturers. Lin Wenduan was stubborn and principled. If he had recommended someone, he would never have chosen Shen Mengzhen, who was known for his frivolous and flirtatious reputation.

This was the Emperor’s appointment. Ever since the Emperor revoked the fiefs and ordered all the princes to return to the capital and enroll their sons in the Imperial College, this was the first time the Imperial College received a clear directive.

This couldn’t help but subtly remind people of the fact that the current emperor, who was nearly thirty, still had no heir and showed no interest in taking concubines. However, no one dared to voice this out loud.

Shen Mengzhen still had that haughty and domineering demeanor, treating the world with disdain. He opened his mouth and said, “The Emperor has ordered me to lecture to all of you. We will discuss the wise ways of the emperors Yao, Shun, Tang, and Wu, as well as the achievements and virtues of Yi Yin, Lu Wang, Zhou Gong, and Shao Shu. We will cover rituals, music, law, and government administration, with the expectation that all of you will demonstrate remarkable abilities and become known throughout the land, rising to become kings. From now on, I will mainly lecture on the Great Learning Extended Meaning.”

A wave of excitement swept through the hall. Wasn’t this a blatant statement that the Emperor had ordered him to teach them the art of kingship? The Great Learning Extended Meaning was the sequence of governance for rulers and the foundation of learning for rulers. This was a famous study of kingship.

To say that they hadn’t studied this book on their own would be a lie. However, having the Emperor personally appoint the chancellor and lecturer of the Imperial College to teach them was significant.

Everyone was invigorated and eager to see how Shen Mengzhen, who was said to be incredibly knowledgeable, would conduct his class. Shen Mengzhen simply instructed someone to distribute the course materials to the students.

Xu Chun was always a mess when it came to classics, but seeing the excitement of the people around him, he knew that this scripture must be crucial. Since it was called the Great Learning Extended Meaning, it must be an interpretation of the Great Learning.

He recalled that apart from making him recite the Biography of Favored Concubines during their first meeting, Ninth Brother had started teaching him to read properly from the Great Learning. Not only did he explain it thoroughly, but he also required Xu Chun to memorize and recite each sentence. If not for that, Xu Chun would probably have been lost on the first day of learning the Great Learning Extended Meaning.

Ninth Brother… Xu Chun couldn’t resist touching the sachet at his waist, retrieving a pill from inside and putting it in his mouth. He would always fall asleep during scripture classes. Ninth Brother hoped he would study well, and it was his first day at the Imperial College. He couldn’t repeat the same mistake and fail to read properly, or else he would be despised by others.

Muttering to himself, the pill dissolved in his mouth, and a stimulating fragrance permeated his brain, clearing his senses. His eyes instantly welled up with tears.

“What did he eat?” Behind the curtain behind Shen Mengzhen, Xie Yi furrowed his brows slightly.

Liu Shun was beside him, carefully attending to him. He whispered, “It should be a pill made with borneol to refresh the mind. That stuff is quite potent. I heard from Donghai that the crown prince had it prepared. He said he wanted to focus on his studies and was afraid he would doze off if his energy wasn’t good, so he had it made.”

Xie Yi’s brows furrowed tighter. “Have someone fetch Donghai and have the imperial physicians examine it.”

Liu Shun quietly agreed and hurriedly withdrew.

Su Huaian immediately said, “Your Majesty, wasn’t it said that the crown prince has a highly skilled doctor by his side? Also, Zi Xing mentioned that there’s someone with a very sensitive tongue near the crown prince. It seems they’re afraid of being poisoned, so the Sheng family placed these people by the crown prince’s side.”

Xie Yi nodded slightly. “That’s true. The Sheng family has considered everything. Chun Xi has superhuman strength, carries a saber wherever he goes and must have martial arts skills. Xia Chao is quick-witted and good at discerning flavors. This prevents food poisoning. He also has nimble legs and is likely responsible for running errands and relaying messages.”

“Qiu Hu is adaptable and skilled at socializing. I noticed that although his words are humble and tactful, his gaze is sharp when he looks at people. He must have the ability to recognize faces. As for Donghai, needless to say, he’s skilled in medicine and excels in emergency treatment. The Sheng family places great importance on this grandson-in-law.”

Su Huaian laughed. “So, Your Majesty, why are you still worried?”

Xie Yi replied, “It’s precisely because of the unorthodox doctor that I’m worried. Folk remedies to boost alertness are fine if they contain only ice flakes, mint, pepper, and aromatic spices. But I’m afraid they might have added betel nut, opium, or even powdered minerals. We can’t afford to be careless.”

Su Huaian chuckled. “Your Majesty is overthinking it. If the Sheng family can arrange such a pageboy by the crown prince’s side, how could they be careless about what he puts in his mouth?”

Xie Yi thought for a moment and chuckled self-deprecatingly. “This child is as shallow as a clear pool of water. Both he and his mother are so kind and honest, it often makes people feel they lack the ability to protect themselves.”

Su Huaian said, “But, Your Majesty, these past few days, you seem more human than before.” Previously, there wasn’t a trace of humanity in the sage-like emperor. Everything was done according to routine, making people suspect that he could leave at any moment.

Xie Yi glanced at him but didn’t say anything.

Smiling, Su Huaian remained silent and listened to the lecture outside.

After Shen Mengzhen had the course materials distributed, he said, “All of you must have studied the Great Learning Extended Meaning at home, so I won’t go through it word by word. Let’s have one of the students from the Imperial College give a trial lecture on one volume. Who would like to start? The order of governance for kings.”

Everyone was silent.

Xu Chun tried to lower his head as much as possible, hoping Shen Mengzhen wouldn’t notice him. Across from him, Xie Yi couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of the silver flower on top of Xu Chun’s jet-black hair.

Fortunately, Xie Fei stood up. “Student would like to give a trial lecture.”

Shen Mengzhen smiled. “Excellent, please proceed.” Earlier, someone had already set up a separate seat in front, which the students hadn’t understood at the time. Now, everything became clear.

Xie Fei walked to the seat and began eloquently expounding on the scriptures, hardly referring to the original text as he spoke confidently.

Xu Chun heaved a long sigh of relief, straightened up, and listened attentively. Then, he realized that he could actually understand it, which made him even happier. He picked up a brush and began taking notes.

Xie Yi sat quietly for a while before getting up and quietly leaving.

Life at the Imperial College was different from before. Ever since Xu Chun started attending classes diligently, even Liu Sheng and the others didn’t bother him much.

However, because he was so busy with classes and had to worry about being called upon by the teacher, he wrote fewer letters to Xie Yi. For one, he was afraid that Ninth Brother would think he lacked knowledge. Secondly, it seemed that Ninth Brother was really busy. After listening to the lectures seriously, Xu Chun realized that he could actually understand most of the topics he had previously asked about.

Especially Shen Mengzhen’s class, shockingly, half of the class time was dedicated to debates among the students. One person would present their viewpoint, and others could ask questions, refute, or supplement the discussion.

The atmosphere in the Imperial College classroom was indeed more relaxed than before. The teacher rarely provided detailed explanations, instead frequently bringing up current political issues, court cases, or practical matters for them to discuss.

Shen Mengzhen also questioned him, but most of the questions were about practical matters, taxation, and transportation calculations, rarely touching on scriptures. It was apparent that he knew Xu Chun wasn’t strong in that area.

This made Xu Chun feel relieved. Moreover, surprisingly, many people in the Imperial College actively sought to befriend him. Unlike the wastrels in the past who openly waited for him to foot the bill for meals, these people genuinely exchanged knowledge about scriptures, painting techniques, purchasing pigments, and analyzing the gains and losses of tax laws. At least on the surface, they didn’t show any contempt and appeared sincere in their desire to befriend him.

What he didn’t know was that in the past, the students had viewed him as crude and debauched. Now, attending classes together, they realized that he was handsome, diligent, and obedient, not just a frivolous and ignorant wastrel. Thus, they discovered that the rumors were greatly exaggerated. Further conversations revealed that Xu Chun was generous and righteous, with pleasant conversation, making him a rare gem among the elite. As a result, more people started to get closer to him.

Suddenly, he received numerous invitations to literary gatherings and banquets. Hearing that he enjoyed painting, some even extended invitations to art exhibitions and painting parties.

Many of these invitations were difficult to refuse, inevitably increasing his social engagements. Consequently, he wrote fewer letters to Ninth Brother than before.

After all, the more books he read, the more he realized how shallow and lacking in knowledge he was. Whenever he thought about the simple questions he had asked before, he felt embarrassed, believing that he had wasted a considerable amount of Ninth Brother’s time.

As time passed without seeing each other, his initial reverence for Ninth Brother resurfaced. He felt inferior and disgusted with himself, speculating that Ninth Brother, with his pure and noble nature, had probably burned the missing sketchbook out of disgust. He was merely tolerating him to repay the favor of his healing efforts and preserving his dignity. The gradual distancing over these days was perhaps justified. It would be presumptuous and inappropriate for him to disturb Ninth Brother shamelessly.

Xie Yi was preoccupied with the Spring Examination and state affairs, so he didn’t pay much attention at first. However, after the examination ended and the ministers started grading the papers, he finally had a bit of leisure time. It was then that he suddenly realized that he hadn’t seen any homework questions sent by Xu Chun for several days.

He asked Su Huaian about it. Su Huaian replied, “In the past few days, no homework has been delivered. I inquired from Liu Shun’s side, and he said he hasn’t seen any either. Under the guise of fetching medicine, I discreetly found out that since entering the Imperial College, the workload has been intense, and there are many assignments. Moreover, he has met many new students from the Imperial College, and he receives numerous invitations almost every day. It’s difficult to decline all of them, but declining some would cause more trouble. If he attends one event and skips another, he risks offending people. Therefore, he’s been quite busy.”

Xie Yi’s expression grew a little paler as he asked, “Has the medicine been examined?”

Su Huaian replied, “The Imperial Pharmacy has been examining it for several days, but they’re still not confident. So, I asked Liu Shun to fetch more for further examination. In the end, Xu Chun assumed it was for Ninth Master, so he wrapped up the formula and sent over a large box of finished medicine. The Imperial Pharmacy compared the formula and made a batch of their own to carefully examine it. They confirmed that it’s harmless and won’t lead to addiction. Do you want to see the formula? I took a look, and it contains mostly herbs like calamus, schisandra, and mint, which are used to boost alertness and intelligence.”

Xie Yi glanced at the sky and said, “It’s fine as long as it’s been examined. Since I have some spare time, I’ll go for a walk.”

Su Huaian quickly said, “I’ll call for Lord Fang Zixing to accompany you.”

Xie Yi replied indifferently, “He’s handling matters outside. There’s no need for a grand escort. I’ll just ride around the lake at the back mountain and return.”

Hearing “back mountain lake,” Su Huaian understood that Xie Yi meant Bamboo Branch Workshop. Without further ado, he arranged for eunuchs to change the emperor’s attire.