Chapter 292: Repeated Humiliation
When Tang Ning stood up, she really saw Emperor An's face, but she was shocked as soon as her eyes swept across his face.
She had never entered the palace since her rebirth, so naturally she had never seen Emperor An. However, she had seen Emperor An many times before her rebirth. In her memory, Empress Lu often summoned her to the palace, and she could see Emperor An whenever there was a palace banquet. Although Emperor An was not young, he was in his prime at the age of forty.
Although he had been oppressed by the aristocratic families since ascending the throne, he still held the majesty of an emperor. Emperor An was strong and handsome, and his speech was even more dignified. However, the man before him had sunken eye sockets and prominent cheekbones. Although his face looked normal, the tight waist belt made his dragon robe look empty, and even his words seemed to lack strength...
The person in front of him seemed to be completely different from the emperor in Tang Ning's memory, as if they were not the same person at all.
Tang Ning couldn't help but feel a little surprised, but she didn't dare show it on her face.
Emperor An didn't notice anything unusual about her. He just glanced at the people outside and asked, "When does the academy open?"
Tang Ning said respectfully: "I was waiting for His Majesty to come. Now that His Majesty has arrived, we can come anytime."
"Then let's go."
The Wen De Monument of the Academy was erected outside the gate, and anyone outside could see it. After Emperor An personally bestowed the Wen De Monument, the palace had already found the best stone to make it and sent it over. The entire wide monument was integrated from top to bottom, and was seven or eight feet high. When five or six guards carried it to the outside of the academy gate, the red cloth covering it was tied to the stone base at the bottom.
When it was placed on the ground with a "bang", everyone looked at the monument with fiery eyes.
The Guanglu Doctor, Elder Ding, who had previously rebuked Cui Lin, stepped forward and said, "In the eleventh year of the Yonghe era, the Azure Dragon sighed in the Frost Moon, on the first day of the first lunar month, the eldest daughter of the Rong family, Tang Ning, revered the heart of Confucius. Hearing that learning was difficult throughout the land, she could not bear to see Qiyu neglected, so she established the Rongsheng Academy. With the Emperor's praise, she erected a stone tablet, which will be passed down through the ages."
Tang Ning stood in front of the academy, and everyone looked at her.
She walked forward with neither arrogance nor servility, and stood beside Elder Ding. "Your Majesty has favored our academy, bestowing upon it a monument of literary virtue to commemorate its merits in education and enlightenment, benefiting the world and contributing to the scholarly community. Although Tang Ning is not talented, I wish to use our academy to welcome aspiring scholars from all over the world. I only hope that one day the monument will be filled, recording your achievements and preserving them for posterity."
As soon as these words were spoken, not only the upright civil officials, but even the officials from aristocratic families such as Cui Lin looked at the stone tablet covered with red cloth with fiery eyes.
Who doesn’t want to be famous through the ages and have their name recorded in history books?
Even people from aristocratic families who valued interests also cared about these false reputations. Seeing Tang Ning inviting Cao Dejiang and Lu Chongyuan to come forward to erect a monument and hang a plaque, Cui Lin couldn't help but feel jealous for a moment. Cao Dejiang was fine, the Qingliu faction was always hypocritical, and he pleased Song Tangning's favor, but Lu Chongyuan had a grudge against that girl.
Even though he knew that the girl invited Lu Chongyuan to hang the plaque so that the world could see the aristocratic family's "statement" and prevent the aristocratic family from suppressing him, he was still a little dissatisfied at this time. Why did Song Tangning go to Lu Chongyuan instead of him? Is there something wrong between the Cui family and the Lu family?
Seeing that Lu Chongyuan had already arrived in front of the plaque carried in front of the people, uncovered the red silk covering it and was about to hang it up, Xiao Yan, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke.
"Wait."
Lu Chongyuan paused.
Xiao Yan turned to Emperor An and said, "Rongsheng Academy was built by Your Majesty's personal order, and Your Majesty has personally visited. With thousands of students here today and the grand opening of the academy taking place, why not grant the academy a little more grace?"
Emperor An became interested: "What grace?"
Xiao Yan looked at the plaque. "Lu Zhongshu is from an aristocratic family, after all, while Rongsheng Academy accepts students from humble backgrounds. Although he's willing to protect them, it's somewhat imperfect for him to mention the name of this academy. Besides, most people who study value their reputation. The Lu family incident earlier..."
He stopped there and said nothing more, turning to Emperor An, "Since Your Majesty has come in person, why not leave a copy of your calligraphy and hang it in front of this academy? This will allow future students to appreciate your grace and admire your Majesty's calligraphy."
"This..." Emperor An was somewhat moved when he heard this.
Everyone likes to hear good words, not to mention that Emperor An has "high hopes" for this academy. Emperor An also hopes that Rongsheng Academy can train a group of children from poor families to enter the court and share the power of the aristocratic families. Naturally, he would not refuse to win people's hearts and add to his reputation.
However, he glanced at Lu Chongyuan standing over there: "Lu Qing has already written the inscription..."
"How can Lu Zhongshu's calligraphy compare to your majesty's?" Xiao Yan said lightly, then raised his eyes to look at Lu Chongyuan: "Lu Zhongshu has always been magnanimous and doesn't care about such false reputation. This is for the good of the academy and for the benefit of students all over the world. I think Lu Zhongshu wouldn't mind letting your majesty propose this plaque?"
The court officials in front of the academy all realized that something was wrong and quieted down. Even Cui Lin, who had been angry just now, couldn't help but look at Lu Chongyuan.
Lu Chongyuan's grip on the plaque tightened little by little. Even though he had experienced many big and small situations and dealt with many difficult people, he was still extremely embarrassed at this moment.
If he had never mentioned the plaque and had never been to Rongsheng Academy, anyone could have written the inscription on it, but he chose to write it first.
Xiao Yan didn't say it earlier, didn't say it later, but chose to say it when the plaque was hung. He was clearly deliberately throwing his and the Lu family's reputation on the ground! !
But everyone was watching and Emperor An was beside him.
Lu Chongyuan gritted his teeth and endured the blood in his throat. He lowered his eyes and whispered, "All the students in the world are your majesty's disciples. They will serve the court in the future. I, your old minister, am naturally willing."
Xiao Yan smiled brightly: "Your Majesty, what do you think?"
Emperor An glanced at Lu Chongyuan, who was standing there with his head bowed and his hands folded. "Since Lord Lu has said so, then I agree."
Tang Ning smiled and said, "Hang Li, go get some pen and ink!"
Someone in the academy quickly brought out pen and ink. Emperor An was in a very good mood and wrote a name for the academy in front of everyone. He saw Xiao Yan ordering people to remove the plaque that Lu Chongyuan had previously written, frame the paper written by Emperor An, and hang it in front of the academy. The original paper was casually rolled up and returned to Lu Chongyuan.
Everyone else couldn't help but look at the Lu family father and son. Even the previously popular Wende Monument could not compare to the excitement of the Lu family.
Lu Chongyuan was fine, he tried his best to maintain his composure even though he was embarrassed, but Lu Qin's face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and his eyes looking at Xiao Yan and Tang Ning were full of viciousness.
When firecrackers started to be set off in front of the courtyard, the smoke and dust made everyone move away. Tang Ning stepped back a little and saw that everyone outside was accompanying the emperor. She quietly ordered someone to prepare tea.
When she turned around and wanted to go back out of the yard, she saw Lu Qin standing in front of her.
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