Looking at the anxious expressions on everyone's faces, Wang Ji recalled the words that the Imperial Guard had told him and couldn't help but smile slightly.

Wang Ji looked at everyone and raised his voice: "Gentlemen, we cannot oppose the establishment of the academy, but we can still discuss who can study there and what they will study!"

"What do you mean by that, Brother Wang?"

Li Jing couldn't help but ask in a doubtful voice, and the others also looked at Wang Ji with curiosity.

Wang Ji smiled and said, "As the saying goes, scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants each have their own responsibilities and division of labor. Only by doing their own jobs well can the country achieve stable development."

If everyone starts reading books and stops farming, working, and doing business, how can we talk about development?

"Yes, yes, Brother Wang is right!"

Upon hearing Wang Ji's words, everyone's eyes lit up.

Li Jing nodded: "Tomorrow at court, we should suggest to His Majesty that those schools should only enroll the sons of scholars, and that everyone else should just stay in their current positions!"

"good!!"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

With all matters discussed, a relaxed smile appeared on everyone's faces.

Seeing this, Li Jing also looked at everyone with a smile.

"I have prepared a banquet for you all. Please relax and enjoy yourselves!"

"In that case, thank you very much for your hospitality, Patriarch Li!"

Upon hearing that there would be a banquet, everyone happily bowed and thanked Li Jing.

Soon, servants from the Li household brought in a series of exquisite dishes and placed them on the table in front of everyone.

Looking around, all the dishes were various stir-fries that originated from the palace and royal restaurants.

After all the dishes were served, Li Jing raised his wine cup, filled with imperial wine, and addressed the crowd in a loud voice:

"Gentlemen, to celebrate the success of our undertaking, please drink this cup to the brim!"

"Dry!!"

Then everyone raised their glasses with cheerful expressions and drank them down in one gulp.

After downing a glass of wine, Li Jing turned to look at the steward serving him.

"Let them in!!"

"Yes, Master!"

Upon hearing this, the butler quickly left.

Before long, just as everyone was enjoying the delicious food, the hall doors suddenly opened wide, and a group of famous dancers and several musicians entered the hall first.

"Wow, Patriarch Li, what a grand gesture!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, Patriarch Li certainly knows how to enjoy himself!"

"Yes, these dozen or so Western Region dancers must cost at least forty million coins, right?"

As the dozen or so Western Region dancers entered the hall, everyone admired them and couldn't help but put down their chopsticks and wine glasses, their eyes shining as they looked at the women.

The women were all fair-skinned and beautiful, and their revealing clothing, which barely covered their private parts, made them appear even taller and more curvaceous, causing everyone present to swallow hard.

As the unique music of the Western Regions began to play, more than a dozen women from the Western Regions started to sway their waists.

To the onlookers, this Western Region dance was incredibly alluring, especially the way the women's snow-white skin was partially obscured by a thin veil, creating a breathtaking and ethereal beauty that captivated everyone.

"good!!"

"Don't stop, one more!"

"Yes, keep playing the music, keep dancing!!"

After the dance ended, the crowd came to their senses and cheered, urging the women to continue dancing.

Then the music started, the dance continued, and a group of scholars leered at the woman swaying her hips while constantly toasting and eating and drinking heartily.

The entire banquet was extravagant and decadent; judging from everyone's behavior, there was not a trace of the scholar's modesty.

The banquet lasted until late at night, until the women could no longer dance and everyone was too drunk to continue. Only then did the crowd gathered at the Li residence disperse.

......

Upon returning to his residence, Wang Ji immediately went to the study, where he met the Imperial Guards who had been waiting there. He then recounted in detail all the matters that the Li family had discussed.

The Imperial Guard looked at Wang Ji with admiration: "Yes, Mr. Wang, you've worked hard..."

Wang Ji humbly replied, "Ah, I'm only serving His Majesty, I dare not complain of hardship!"

The guard chuckled: "Heh~, don't worry, His Majesty said that once this is accomplished, your royal family will definitely have a place in the court!"

"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Ji was overjoyed and quickly bowed to express his gratitude.

The guard turned to look outside: "Alright, it's getting late. I should go back and report to His Majesty!"

"I respectfully see you off, sir!"

Soon, the guard returned to Deyang Palace and truthfully informed Liu Hong of the situation.

"Ha, these guys have finally realized what's happening!"

Upon learning that Li Jing and others had begun to have doubts about the sale of refined iron, Liu Hong couldn't help but sneer.

"Your Majesty, now that they have turned their suspicions toward the Yuan, Xun, and Yang families, could this allow the real masterminds to take advantage of the situation and confuse the public, thus extricating themselves from the fray?"

Liu Hong narrowed his eyes slightly: "Even if they didn't do that, I would still help them, which is why I've kept them around all this time!"

"this......?"

Upon hearing Liu Hong's words, the guard was stunned and looked at Liu Hong with some confusion.

Liu Hong smiled and waved his hand: "Alright, immediately send someone to send another message to Jia Xu and Cheng Yu, telling them to hurry up with the deployment. At the same time, notify Gongsun Zan, who is in Donglai, and tell him to secretly move closer to Bohai."

Also, notify all factory workers and military personnel to prepare!

"promise!!"

The guard respectfully agreed and then quickly left.

This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!