Chapter 521 Master Teacher 101 (1)
A warm breeze swept through the vermilion gates of the Jixia Academy, carrying the scent of bamboo slips and ink.
As Dong Zhongshu straightened his clothes, the hem of his linen robe was damp with morning dew. Just then, he saw Gongsun Hong's carriage roll over the bluestone slabs. When the curtain was lifted, it revealed a face full of deep lines that concealed a sharp edge.
"Brother Zhongshu, you've arrived early today." Gongsun Hong, strode forward, his hand resting on the jade pendant at his waist.
"Greetings, Brother Gongsun."
Dong Zhongshu cupped his hands in greeting, and the two exchanged a smile.
Before long, Zhu Fuyan, Ji An, Zhang Tang and others arrived one after another.
From court officials to students from various families, the crowd at the entrance of the academy grew larger and larger. Dong Zhongshu pondered, "I wonder what His Majesty has summoned us for?"
Gongsun Hong, slightly excited, wondered, "Could it be that the new academy has opened?"
Upon hearing this, the people around him couldn't help but look at him, unable to hide their excitement, and couldn't help but imagine whether it was the academy to which their school of thought belonged, and whether they would have the opportunity to join it.
Just as the group was starting to discuss the matter, Wei Qing appeared before them.
Zhu Fuyan was the first to step forward. "General Wei, you've come at the right time. Do you know why His Majesty has summoned us?"
Wei Qing politely clasped his hands in a fist and bow, "I came immediately upon receiving the news, but I am unaware of the details. Please be patient, His Majesty will soon reveal the truth."
As soon as he finished speaking, the vermilion gate in front of him creaked open, revealing Huo Qubing's face standing inside.
"Please come in, everyone."
Upon hearing him speak, everyone's first reaction was to look at Wei Qing. "Your nephew, and you say you don't know?"
Wei Qing remained silent; he truly did not know.
Looking at Qu Bing, who was raising his eyebrows at him smugly, Wei Qing felt helpless. How did this kid even get in? Was His Majesty being too indulgent towards him?
The Jixia Academy was closed for about half a month. When everyone came back in with Huo Qubing, they found that everything behind the door had changed drastically.
The debate square, which used to accommodate thousands of people debating scriptures, is now supported by silver-gray metal frames, and countless spotlights, like an inverted constellation, illuminate the magnificent and spacious stage in front of it in every detail.
"Is this the academy?"
In a daze, Zhang Tang, leaning against the gilded pillar, accidentally touched the cool LED light strip with his fingertip. The surrounding lights suddenly flashed brightly, startling him so much that he quickly withdrew his finger.
The square black screen above the stage was instantly lit up, with the words "Master Teacher 101" flashing on it, attracting a lot of attention.
"Famous teacher... what comes after that?"
In the Han Dynasty, before the advent of Roman numerals, counting rods were still used for recording numbers. So, looking at the symbols above, such as "vertical rod," "circle," and "vertical rod," everyone was somewhat bewildered.
Dong Zhongshu noticed that there were similar symbols on the back of the rows of neat seats in front of him. Perhaps this was a symbol of identification or distinction?
The scene before them was so absurd and jarring that it left everyone bewildered.
Before they could ask any questions, Huo Qubing, who was leading the way, took a few steps forward, easily leaped onto the stage, and stood in the center.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he raised a short stick with a rounded top, and his voice rang clearly through the stick in their ears.
"Please take your seats in an orderly manner according to the number plates we gave you! The seats are arranged according to the fan groups we counted beforehand. Please get along peacefully and do not disrupt the order of the scene."
"What is 'pink status'?"
Like newborn children, their world was a blank slate, full of questions. Everyone opened their mouths, looked at each other, unsure where to begin.
At this moment, a group of small yellow-clad staff members appeared on both sides, each holding a small stack of wooden plaques.
"Confucian scholars, please come here!"
"Please, Taoist students, come here!"
"Students of Legalism, please come here!"
...With each call, the crowd instinctively split up and headed towards their respective schools of thought.
Taking the wooden plaque from the eunuch and seeing the characters "儒01" on it, Dong Zhongshu followed the guide to the chair in front marked with the same characters.
"This is your seat. Please take your seat quietly and wait for the game to begin."
The eunuch smiled gently and gestured. Dong Zhongshu nodded, sat down naturally, and then met the eyes of Gongsun Hong beside him.
After glancing around and at the people sitting nearby, Dong Zhongshu seemed to understand what "powder registration" meant. Was it the affiliation of different schools of thought?
"What is Brother Zhongshu looking at?" Gongsun Hong asked curiously.
Dong Zhongshu shook his head. "It's nothing, it just feels like a dream, and I feel uneasy."
Gongsun Hong sighed in agreement, toying with the exquisite wooden plaque in his hand, and couldn't help but say, "I wonder what kind of competition it is today? Why did His Majesty go to such lengths to set up such a wondrous place?"
Dong Zhongshu subconsciously looked up at the screen on the stage: "Although I don't know what the last three characters mean, the words 'renowned teacher'... could it be that they are selecting teachers for the Jixia Academy?"
Gongsun Hong looked around. "All the outstanding figures from various families are here. Who is the candidate? I hadn't received any news about it beforehand."
As he spoke, he subconsciously looked at Dong Zhongshu, who shook his head. "I don't know either. Those who can become teachers at the Jixia Academy must be extraordinary people."
Following his words and thinking of the teachers at the Military Academy, Gongsun Hong understood, "Indeed, the Jixia Academy is beyond the reach of ordinary people like us."
"That is..."
As the crowd took their seats in an orderly fashion, Dong Zhongshu noticed out of the corner of his eye that several exceptionally ornate chairs had been raised at the very front.
The stage lights suddenly flashed, sweeping from the stage to the seats, and everyone immediately fell silent.
The young Huo Qubing, dressed in a smart and stylish outfit, reappeared in the center of the stage and announced in a loud voice: "Welcome everyone to Famous Teachers 101! I am your host today, Huo Qubing!"
At this moment, in the seats where the military strategists gathered, Wei Qing, sitting at the very front, felt extremely uncomfortable and dared not move an inch, as the resentful gazes of those around him were almost piercing through him.
But he really didn't know!
Looking at Huo Qubing, who was full of energy on the stage, Wei Qing felt helpless. He was completely kept in the dark. Qubing had grown up and could really keep things from him.
"Today is the competition to select a tutor for the Crown Prince. More than a hundred outstanding teachers from various schools of thought are participating. Who will ultimately stand out? Let's wait and see!"
As soon as Huo Qubing finished speaking, the crowd below the stage couldn't help but gasp. No one had expected that such a grand occasion would be just for selecting a tutor for the Crown Prince!
But when you think back to the strange scene when the crown prince was chosen for his first birthday celebration, it doesn't seem so incomprehensible.
Before they could think further, Liu Che and Wei Zifu, the most honored couple in the world, came up carrying the young Crown Prince Liu Ju, welcomed by Huo Qubing.
Everyone quickly stood up and bowed.
Liu Che promptly reminded him, "Today we are selecting a tutor for the Crown Prince. We will only consider his abilities, not his status as ruler or subject. Please sit down."
As he spoke, he held Liu Ju in his arms and calmly led Wei Zifu to sit in the front row of the audience seats.
Watching the Emperor's retreating figure, everyone exchanged glances, remained silent, and quietly took their seats, watching Huo Qubing on the stage.
"Okay, now I'll explain the competition rules to everyone..."
At this moment, Liu Che, though outwardly calm, was still somewhat dazed. To be honest, looking at everything before him, he began to doubt whether he was the host or Ju'er was the host. Was the system being too obviously biased?
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