Chapter 51. Su Xiaolang, you have to keep this a secret, okay? ...
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The success of a scholar depends solely on virtue and talent. The cultivation of virtue and talent relies solely on learning and education. Your Imperial Academy is in charge of the education of the Great Song Dynasty. I have heard that your students are exemplary in conduct, which greatly pleases me. Therefore, I have chosen an auspicious day to personally visit the Academy and observe the lectures, so as to demonstrate the nation's respect for the Way and the importance of education."
Unlike later dynasties, the Song Dynasty did not have public lectures. Emperor Renzong issued an imperial edict saying he would come to the Imperial Academy to supervise the emperor. However, as the ruler of the country, he was extremely busy and did not specify a particular day or time. Therefore, the Chancellor Yang Anguo could only give orders to the academy to be ready to welcome the emperor at any time.
The atmosphere at the Imperial College was thus cleansed.
Specifically, from the moment the rooster, which served as an alarm clock, crowed until night fell, Fusu saw unusual sights wherever he went: some people imitating the madman of Chu reciting poetry passionately, some holding books of sages and reciting them aloud, and some in groups of two or three discussing state affairs with great enthusiasm...
If you didn't know better, you'd think we were living in the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties period.
I've never seen you guys this serious before.
There was one oddball by his side who showed absolutely no nervousness about meeting the official. All she did every day was to grab him and coax, beg, and plead: "Young Master Zhao, good young master, just tell me what that dish is called!"
They have no illusion that they are the elders!
Several days passed before Su Shi finally realized what was going on: Since Zhao Xiaolang had the ability to stuff that delicious food into his mouth, how could he not know its name? He must have been deliberately trying to tempt him.
As for why, Su Shi pondered for a while but couldn't figure it out. However, when Zhao Xiaolang stood by the vegetable patch and gave him a sinister smile, Su Shi suddenly remembered everything.
He dared not offend anyone again, and with a forced smile, he took the water ladle and obediently watered Zhao Xiaolang's vegetable seedlings: "Don't be angry, Xiaolang, let me do these chores, I'll do them."
"Oh? What did you do to offend him?"
"Wasn't it all because you came up with the idea to trick him into farming, wanting to see him make a fool of himself..."
As Su Shi watered the plants, he casually answered, only to realize something was amiss immediately. Who was this person? Why was it a voice he'd never heard before? He quickly turned around and saw a man in an indigo scholar's robe, exuding a refined and dignified air, looking at him with a smile and asking.
"Who are you?" He was wary, but also a little surprised. Would human traffickers be so brazen as to infiltrate the Imperial Academy these days?
"I am a person who came to the Imperial Academy to visit relatives. I happened to pass by and overheard your words, young master, and was just a little curious. Judging from your age, are you Su Shi, the young master who bravely defeated the envoy from Western Xia at Xiangguo Temple?"
Being recognized on the spot, Su Shi was quite pleased: "Yes, that's right, it's me!"
It's definitely not a kidnapper; why would a kidnapper care about an imperial edict?
He then asked warmly, "Whose relatives are you visiting? I'll help you find them; I know everyone at the Imperial Academy!"
"Thank you for your kindness, young man, but I have already found the person."
The person waved behind him and said, "Su'er, come here."
He laughed and said, "Why are you hiding from people?"
"Why did you come alone? Didn't you give us a chance to prepare?" Fusu came running over with a "clattering" sound: "Aren't you busy today?"
The scholar knelt down with a smile, stroking Fusu's soft hair with one hand: "It's alright, not too busy. After all, it's something I promised you, and I... I have to do it no matter what. By the way, why didn't you call for help?"
Fusu opened his mouth as if to shout something, but then swallowed it back down.
He glanced at Su Shi. It doesn't matter if he loses his horse.
So she said in a childish voice, "Father."
Emperor Renzong responded with a satisfied "Yes."
Su Shi's eyes were dead. From the very beginning, he could sense the extraordinary relationship between the stranger and Zhao Xiaolang. That final "Father" shattered all his remaining hope. What had he just done? He had confessed to bullying Zhao's son in front of the man's father.
How embarrassing, how embarrassing.
For the first time in his life, Su Shi, a social terrorist, wanted to dig a hole in a vegetable seedling field and bury himself completely. His water ladle trembled as he stiffly bowed: "...Greetings, Your Highness Prince Pu."
After saying that, he felt something was off: Hmm? Didn't we find out before that Zhao Xiaolang was the Eighth Prince's illegitimate son? Where did this father come from? Could he be one of the Eighth Prince's sons, and Zhao Xiaolang is actually the Eighth Prince's eldest grandson?
Fusu couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Emperor Renzong's face twitched slightly, but he did not refute him directly. He simply said vaguely, "I am not here today in this capacity, so you do not need to perform this ceremony for me."
He was simply stating the truth, but Su Shi interpreted it differently. He had barely breathed a sigh of relief when someone pressed him, "So, you wanted Su'er to embarrass himself, and he did?"
Su Shi: ...Save me, someone save me!
Only after Xiao Fusu had enjoyed Su Shi's predicament enough did he cough lightly to help him out: "That's right, he came up with the idea to have Senior Brother Fan confuse me, and I plowed the land with a toothed rake for a long time. Father, you don't know, a toothed rake is this long, it was difficult for me to even turn around while holding it."
Su Shi stared wide-eyed in horror: Zhao Xiaolang, you actually took this opportunity to complain!
In an instant, countless examples of royal family members disregarding the law and oppressing ordinary people flashed through his mind. Was it going to be his turn today?
"But look, Father, this is the land I plowed, and the seedlings have grown so tall! And the ones in the distance were all planted by the students of our Imperial Academy themselves."
Emperor Renzong was astonished: "So many? Did you cultivate them all yourself?"
"Yes, yes. It was my suggestion, and Senior Brother Fan took the lead. All the senior brothers in the prison worked together after class to grow it. How about that, isn't it amazing?"
As for the truth—that he was lured by the promise of a grand prize that the emperor would see—there's no need to reveal it. He resolved the crisis for the Imperial Dining Committee, the emperor was able to see his long-missed son, the Chancellor Yang Anguo gained political achievements, the students of the Imperial Academy had the opportunity to meet the emperor, and the Imperial Dining Hall even received two new dishes.
Emperor Renzong was naturally full of praise: "Reading the classics in the morning and farming in the evening. Knowledge and practice of economics, both are well-matched."
A series of hurried footsteps could be faintly heard in the distance.
But Emperor Renzong didn't notice; rather, he had already entered the emperor's mindset and exclaimed: "A bowl of porridge and a bowl of rice are hard-won. Every spring, I personally participate in agricultural work and only then did I understand the principles explained in this book. From then on, I cherish the people's strength and dare not waste it in the slightest. If the students in the academy can also understand this principle, they will surely be able to cherish the people when they enter officialdom in the future..."
"Your Majesty!"
The distant footsteps transformed into a large, bustling crowd. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Yang Anguo, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, leading several doctors from the Imperial Academy and over a hundred students, who were all there, bowing to the official in his white dragon-patterned robes.
"Your humble servant Yang Anguo was unaware of Your Majesty's arrival and has arrived late to greet you. I am filled with fear and trepidation, and beg Your Majesty to punish me!"
Emperor Renzong's chanting was interrupted, and he waved his hand, saying, "Get up, all of you."
With a smile, he asked, "I just asked Zhao Xiaolang, and he said that this land was cultivated by the children of the prison guards themselves. Is this true or false?"
"Your Majesty, everything Zhao Xiaolang said is true."
Immediately, Yang Anguo began to recount the origins and details of farming. He started by responding to the government's call for "food subsidies" and establishing the Food Committee, then moved on to the abolition of pickled vegetables, and finally to the students of the Imperial Academy growing vegetables to supplement the food service. Of course, like Fusu, he didn't mention the near-riot within the Imperial Academy, nor the empty promises made.
Hearing this, the students of the Imperial Academy secretly puffed out their chests.
That's right! That's right! The title of "Chief of the Imperial Academy" refers to us! We are just like Yan Hui of the Song Dynasty, who loved reading, understood principles, and personally cultivated the land!
They completely forgot how dissatisfied and resentful they were when they first heard the leaked information.
Emperor Renzong was even more pleased to hear this.
Of course, besides being satisfied with the Imperial Academy, he was even more concerned about his son. Who fought for the food allowance? Who established the food committee? Who proposed the vegetable-growing subsidy? Who planted the seedlings (even though it was only a small patch)?
It's not Su'er yet, Zhao Zhen's son!
His smile became even more genuine: "You are the future pillars of the nation. If you are all so sensible, then there is no reason for the entire court to lag behind. Here's what I'll do: tomorrow I will issue an edict ordering the relevant officials to follow your example and establish a special 'Yuxiu Garden' so that they can personally experience agricultural work and better understand the people's livelihood."
"Well……"
Officials? The entire government office of the Song Dynasty is going to be farming?
The chief priest wanted to say, "Isn't that unnecessary?"
It is foreseeable that once this imperial edict is issued, for a long time to come, the Imperial Academy will be criticized behind their backs: "You can want to advance, but don't drag us into it!"
But Yang Anguo thought again, so what if they were criticized behind his back? The Imperial Academy still reaped all the fame and benefits. Besides, even the Emperor himself tilled the land every spring, and the Empress raised silkworms and reeled silk. Are you so precious that you can't even cultivate a single piece of land?
He immediately turned his sorrow into joy and led the doctors and students to happily bow to the emperor.
The officials, the students, and the chief minister were all enjoying themselves. Only one person was hurt in this world. From the moment he heard the word "Your Excellency," he fell into a daze, his once bright eyes now lifeless, as if his computer had crashed due to information overload.
Fusu pursed his lips, barely managing to suppress a laugh. Seeing that everyone's attention was elsewhere, he gestured to Su Shi: "Shh—"
"Please keep this a secret."
He hasn't had enough fun yet (crossed out) and hasn't finished his work!
Su Shi was jolted back to his senses by these words. His gaze towards Fusu was a mixture of astonishment, realization, and above all, righteous indignation at being kept in the dark. He gritted his teeth and lowered his voice: "You...aren't you afraid I'll tell everyone?!"
Fusu is not afraid.
Fusu was of course not afraid.
"If you tell anyone... you'll never be able to eat that delicious food again."
Su Shi clenched his fists, his face filled with disbelief: Zhao Xiaolang, I misjudged you before! How vicious you are!
Doesn't this hit him where it hurts?
Stared at like that by his friends, Fusu felt a little guilty. Weren't his lines just now a bit too villainous?
He blinked his innocent-looking big eyes, then said seriously, "However, if you keep it a secret for me, you can find out today."
Su Shi's eyes suddenly lit up.
For the sake of that unknown delicacy, he... might as well keep someone's secret!
It wasn't until he sat down at a table in the dining hall and saw everyone being served a serving of the new dish "Fragrant Jade Broken Floating" that Su Shi realized he had been tricked again.
No matter what he does, he can still eat it today!
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Author's note: Partially exposed. [Sunglasses]
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