Chapter 260.1: Hello Chang'an
Chapter 260.1: As Long as He Can Have His Student Back
How exactly to reward her, the Holy Emperor still needed to deliberate and weigh options; thus, the matter was temporarily set aside for later discussion.
Next came the complicated affairs of politics and military administration. The atmosphere in the court did not remain joyful for long, despite Li Yi’s suppression and Xu Zhenye’s retreat to Jiangning.
Judging from the reports arriving piece by piece from all over, the current situation was worsening.
Though no calamity as great as Xu Zhenye’s had yet arisen, a thousand-mile dam could collapse from an ant hole, and this “dam” had long ceased to be solid, especially after the sovereign had turned her blade toward the prominent families such as the Pei and Zhangsun clans.
The backlash caused by these actions was already beginning to surface openly.
Hearts wavered, orders were obstructed… calls for punitive action proliferated.
The Holy Emperor enacted numerous countermeasures, cautious and diligent, yet within that caution she began to grow increasingly suspicious.
Suspicion was inevitable.
When Wei Shuyi returned to the capital yesterday, he informed her of the inner details regarding Li Yi’s rebellion: he had been forewarned by someone through letters, stating that the sovereign intended to appoint He Wei as the new commander to replace Li Yi, which had allowed Li Yi to set his schemes in advance.
And also of Chang Suining’s suspicions toward the Prince of Rong Residence.
Regardless of whether the Prince of Rong Residence was truly behind it, it was clear that there was a traitor within her inner circle.
At the time when the supplies sent to Shouzhou were intercepted by Xu’s rogue forces, the Holy Emperor had already grown suspicious, suspecting someone had leaked the transport route.
She attempted an investigation and replaced several officials, but now it seemed… the truly suspicious individual had not yet been identified.
Thus, she must continue to investigate and search.
At this moment, looking at the assembled ministers and listening to the vastly differing voices, she found very few she could truly trust.
The dragon throne she sat upon seemed high and unassailable, yet it was like standing on ice at the edge of a cliff. She held imperial power, yet was driven by it, unable to relax even slightly, unable to entrust true confidence to anyone.
This supreme authority had once been willingly exchanged for everything she held; later, she gradually realized that maintaining it long-term was far more difficult than attaining it.
Because the matters were too many, and the disputes too mixed, this morning court session lasted until near noon—already the norm over recent months.
Yet still, the Holy Emperor summoned the ministers to continue deliberations at the Ganlu Hall.
Yao Yi was not retained; the Ministry of Justice still had many duties requiring his attention.
He followed the other officials out of the hall and saw that most bore expressions of fatigue.
Grand Tutor Zhu, though very old, was naturally exhausted. Two civil officials supported him on either side, while several others accompanied him, attending to his health.
These were mostly Grand Tutor Zhu’s disciples, all calling him “teacher.”
“…Teacher, why must you personally quarrel and get angry over the reward of a mere girl?”
“Indeed, teacher, we are here…”
“The spring civil examinations are approaching; teacher already labors excessively. Why expend anger over trivial matters? Damaging your health would be unworthy.”
“A girl of an outside surname… granting her a County Princess title isn’t so wrong. County Princesses have rank and stipend; it counts as a generous reward…”
Hearing this, Grand Tutor Zhu’s face darkened. He shoved off the supporting official and said irritably, “If being a County Princess is so wonderful, then strip off your official robe, put on a skirt, and go receive this generous reward. When Da Sheng next needs a marriage alliance, remember to be the first in line, and bow to offer your gratitude to the Dragon Grace!”
“…,” the official gaped in shock, smiling awkwardly: “I am a scholar of the imperial examination. I should serve the state with my talents…”
Grand Tutor Zhu’s anger did not abate: “You know that being a County Princess is demeaning? A waste of talent? You can serve the state? Can you kill enemies in battle? A mere girl can, can protect the people of a whole prefecture, yet you—try killing just once!”
The official’s face reddened immediately. He hurriedly cupped his hands and apologized: “Teacher, please calm your anger… I misspoke.”
Those officials who had been scolded in court by Grand Tutor Zhu, upon witnessing this, suddenly felt a sense of balance.
Though the old tutor’s tongue was harsh, he equally scolded all.
Grand Tutor Zhu then shook off another disciple supporting him.
The official was bewildered—he hadn’t dared speak a word.
“…Not a single pleasant word! Annoying to listen to! Don’t follow me!”
Grand Tutor Zhu swept his sleeves and departed, leaving his disciples staring at each other, eventually sighing in resignation.
Walking together, the official previously scolded muttered: “Today teacher’s temper seems unusually irritable… why do the words ‘County Princess’ bother him so?”
He recalled the tutor’s sudden outburst in court. It had been triggered by the proposal to grant the Chang family girl the title of County Princess.
Though he did not fully understand why, it seemed the term “County Princess” was a key trigger for the tutor’s anger—never to be mentioned again.
Another official said: “Teacher always cherishes talent. Perhaps he truly recognizes the ability of the Chang family girl… Do you not know? Every ten days, teacher goes to Dengtai Tower to view that Tiger in the Forest painting?”
“It seems this Chang family girl is truly extraordinary—talent in both brush and battlefield, famous in the capital with her art, and able to slay enemy leaders in battle…” someone sighed: “Truly exceptional.”
The previously silent official suddenly seemed to understand. He sighed: “Such extraordinary talent… there was one before…”
All turned to look at him, curious.
The official sighed again: “The late Crown Prince.”
That had been the tutor’s most favored student.
Perhaps the tutor was thinking of his student.
The tutor was old, temperamental, prone to anger. Even if he missed someone, he would not say it plainly, only manifest it through temper.
“Late Crown Prince…” several officials sighed in unison: “Heaven has envied great talent…”
Had the Crown Prince not died early, rightfully ascending to the throne, the present situation would never have arisen.
Grand Tutor Zhu loved talent but was extremely selective. Many talented individuals appeared mediocre to him; that uncontainable love of talent was all reserved for that student.
The greater his fondness, the more reluctant he was to accept loss.
Henceforth, the tutor’s temperament became increasingly capricious.
“…Willing to become a puppet for others, to die in vain, all those books read into a dog’s belly! A waste of education!”
Sitting in his official sedan, the temperamental Grand Tutor suddenly cursed.
No one responded.
Had she been present, she would certainly have retorted brazenly—“Yes sir, I am a dog student, and you are a dog teacher.”
He still remembered the annoying expression of that student when she had talked back.
He would have to use books to hit her; she would dodge, and if unable to, next time she would pull his beard while he dozed, claiming to comb out lice—what lice grow in a beard?
The sedan was quiet. Grand Tutor Zhu’s frail, aged figure sat stiffly; his head tilted slightly, vision blurring, still muttering curses, voice hoarse: “A waste of education…”
None could care for him in his old age—what kind of student is that!
The sedan returned Grand Tutor Zhu to the Ministry of Rites, but he did not stay long, emerging again.
It was not early dismissal but a request for leave.
The reason was well-known—after exhausting himself in court that morning, feeling dizzy and sore-throated, he needed to return home to rest.
However, halfway along the route, the tutor suddenly changed his mind, bypassing home to go to Dengtai Tower.
The tower was unusually lively; Grand Tutor Zhu learned that it was a gathering of students from the National Academy. Sixth Young Master Cui hosted the event, loudly recounting the Chang family girl’s battlefield feats.
It was also said that many other graduates were present, including Song and Tan…
Grand Tutor Zhu, annoyed, waved his hand and had the sedan curtain lowered: “Back to the residence!”
