Chapter 169
Tan Lingyue's tears had been welling up for a long time, but when she saw Xue Jin'an, she couldn't hold them back at all and started sobbing. Xue Jin'an had no choice but to let her finish crying first.
Xue Jin'an was completely bewildered. He had no idea when he had come under the emperor's control. His first thought was whether Tan Lingyue was joking. However, the data analysis in his mind showed that all of Tan Lingyue's emotions were real.
Xue Jin'an tried to understand Tan Lingyue's logic and finally concluded that the problem must lie with the emperor.
—Tan Lingyue was not famous at first, but he was also handsome and had a pleasant voice. Within a year of entering the Hanlin Academy, he made an impression on the emperor, who liked him very much and summoned him to study.
Next May, the newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) will take up their posts, and the new officials from the previous cohort will have to vacate their positions. So, in September of this year, the Ministry of Personnel conducted an evaluation and assessment of all officials serving in the Hanlin Academy. Among the assessments, an examination for the Hanlin Academy's probationary officials was also arranged. Anyone who wanted to enter the Hanlin Academy, whether currently serving or not, could participate. As for those who were sent to serve as officials outside the academy, they would follow the same path as other officials, undergoing a three-year evaluation process.
It's normal that the Hanlin Academy's assessment process was somewhat unique. Firstly, the Hanlin Academy was the starting point for top-ranking candidates to become officials, and also a shortcut for others who wanted to remain in the capital as officials. Secondly, only those from the Hanlin Academy could enter the Grand Secretariat; the Hanlin Academy was the breeding ground for Grand Secretaries, so its status was naturally extraordinary. Thirdly, as mentioned above, the provincial examination was in March, and from May onwards, the newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) would gradually take up their posts, so the positions had to be vacant beforehand, which differed from the Ministry of Personnel's three-year assessment period.
In short, Tan Lingyue, Cui Zhuo, Liu Zheng and others passed the examinations smoothly and were promoted in rank. Tan Lingyue and Cui Zhuo stayed in the Hanlin Academy, while Liu Zheng officially became an official under the Ministry of Personnel, which made the Ministry of Revenue, which had just learned how "spendthrift" Liu Gongzi was, so angry that they bit their handkerchiefs.
Speaking of this, we must mention Qin Lian, the third-place scholar in the previous examination. He studied according to the book list compiled by Cui Pengfei and was a senior member of the Hanlin Academy with a good relationship with Liu Gu. In this examination, he did not choose to stay in the Hanlin Academy or move to one of the Six Ministries. Instead, he unexpectedly chose to teach at the Imperial Academy.
Although the officials of the Imperial Academy were appointed by the imperial court, it was an educational institution and not the same as the imperial court. Moreover, the promotion channels in the Imperial Academy were limited, and the highest position was only the fifth-rank Chancellor. Generally speaking, once you entered the Imperial Academy, it was difficult to return to the imperial court. It was a retirement department, and usually, people who had been in the officialdom for decades and whose performance was not outstanding were assigned here.
Qin Lian, at the prime age for entering officialdom, is the first person in Daqi to go to the Imperial Academy. Especially since Qin Lian's work ability is not bad and he is considered worthy of the emperor's attention, if nothing unexpected happens, he will be sent to serve as an official outside the capital to gain experience after another round of service in the capital. When he returns, he will rise rapidly in rank. He dares not dream of the limited number of cabinet positions, but he will definitely have no problem getting a vice minister position in one of the six ministries.
It's hard to believe that someone with such a promising future would choose to go to the Imperial Academy.
Many people in the Hanlin Academy sighed, and some even suspected that Qin Lian's choice was targeted and that he was "squeezed out" by Tan Lingyue.
Although Tan Lingyue didn't believe it, she still went to verify it. Qin Lian was both amused and exasperated. "I've just thought it through like Brother Liu. Compared to being an official, I still prefer teaching and educating people."
As Qin Lian spoke, he showed Tan Lingyue the letter that Liu Gu had sent.
Liu Gu resolutely resigned from his official post and embarked on his journey back to his hometown with Xue Jin'an's "Infrastructure Handbook" in his arms. He was determined to follow the book's instructions and establish an academy where everyone, regardless of social status, could learn anything. He wanted to spread this idea throughout the world and change the current educational landscape.
However, after he returned to his hometown, many people came to visit him because of his fame. But when he mentioned his dream, even more people scoffed and dismissed it. The students all thought that his theory was a fallacy that would harm the country and the people. They insisted on the theory that "all other professions are inferior, only studying is superior" and fought on the front line to safeguard the interests of their class.
If he had been as arrogant and conceited as Liu Gu, he probably would have written poems and essays to scathingly criticize them. His imprisonment had tempered his temper somewhat, and the various experiences he had in the capital made him realize how vast the world was. He did not lose heart, but instead opened a private school to teach the knowledge required for the imperial examinations and openly recruited students, accepting everyone from elementary school students to those who had passed the examinations. The tuition fees were not high.
Although many people felt that Liu Gu's thinking was somewhat problematic due to the "non-discriminatory education" policy, it is undeniable that Liu Gu's talent was not lacking. He still stood out from the top three in this most difficult imperial examination, and countless people wanted to learn from him. Soon, Liu Gu had recruited a large number of students.
Then, Liu Gu took his students on a study tour. In the past two years, he had visited all the hometowns of his friends. His students had basically been brainwashed by him and became supporters of "non-discriminatory education". They regarded the Ten Perfect Gentleman as a sage like Confucius and Mencius, and would worship him before each meal.
Liu Gu was very pleased. Not only did he not stop them, he also led them to start compiling "Ten Sayings", also known as "The Sayings of the Perfect Gentleman".
It's fortunate that these guys aren't in the capital, otherwise they would definitely be among the many messages in bottles Xue Jin'an has received these days.
However, they were about to enter the capital. Liu Gu, as a renowned and talented scholar, was well aware of the principle that "even the best wine needs advertising." Even if poetry gatherings and banquets were just platforms to promote his work, without these and without the appreciation of others, no matter how well he wrote his poems and songs, he could only enjoy them alone.
Liu Gu wanted to establish an academy, and the first step was to secure a student body, from which he could then select like-minded individuals. Liu Gu knew that this dream would require a great deal of time to cultivate, and perhaps by the time he died, such a beautiful academy would still be unfinished. However, he was willing to dedicate his life to it, even if the outcome was not as he wished.
And what could enhance his and his academy's reputation more than the rankings in the imperial examinations? As long as his students could pass the exams, people would flock to the academy. The more students who passed and the higher their rankings, the more people would want to enter his academy, allowing him to make his next move.
Liu Gu and his disciples are currently traveling and studying in the Jiangnan region. The climate in the south is relatively warm. They set off in early October and traveled along the way to the capital. Their journey is not fast, and they should arrive in the capital before the end of the year.
The letter Qin Lian received was written by Liu Gu the day before he left for the capital.
Qin Lian and Liu Gu were actually the same kind of people. When Liu Gu resigned from his official post, Qin Lian's resolve to serve as an official wavered. But after seeing this letter, seeing the pride and satisfaction Liu Gu revealed in his words when talking about the changes in his students, and seeing the uncontrollable joy he showed when mentioning his dreams... Qin Lian finally listened to his heart and entered the Imperial Academy.
However, unlike Liu Gu, Qin Lian agrees with the idea that "all other pursuits are inferior, only studying is superior." He believes that Daqi needs academies that can teach everything, but they must be run separately. As the saying goes, "When it comes to business, talk about business; when it comes to literature, talk about literature." Putting students from the same circle together is the right way.
Moreover, he also felt that Confucianism was the foundation of governing the country and should not be confused with these ordinary disciplines, nor should they be confused with them at all.
Qin Lian's entry into the Imperial Academy was, in some ways, a competition with Liu Gu.
That's a bit of a tangent. Let's get back to the main point. The reason why we say that Tan Lingyue probably learned some wrong information from the emperor is because after he was promoted, he was appointed as the emperor's personal attendant and took turns serving the emperor with two other attendants. They were on duty every two days, and each shift lasted one day.
Tan Lingyue had ample time to gather information from the emperor.
"What did the emperor say to you?" Xue Jin'an asked.
Tan Lingyue shook his head. He was applying a towel soaked in ice water to his eyes, which also concealed the complex emotions in his eyes. He shook his head and said, "His Majesty didn't say anything. I just guessed."
As Xue Jin'an had guessed, Tan Lingyue had received incorrect information from the emperor. However, the real culprit was another code life form besides Xue Jin'an, namely Teacher Xiao X.
The story begins when the eldest prince used the account book to drag all of the second prince's supporters into the mess.
Having served the emperor for a long time, Tan Lingyue had come to understand the emperor's personality and habits. According to his prediction, the emperor would not deal with this matter so soon, but would at least delay it for three days. Then, with conclusive evidence, he would pick and choose among these damned officials, sacrificing some to appease the enemy and giving others a lighter punishment.
Tan Lingyue was very indignant. Although he was a gentleman from a prominent family, he was also a spirited young man who couldn't stand such things. Otherwise, he wouldn't have formed a group of five with Liu Gu and the others, and stood up to retort when so many people were mocking the Perfect Young Master.
However, Tan Lingyue knew his limits. He knew he was just a minor official, and no matter how capable he was, he couldn't influence the emperor's decisions. Moreover, he had already decided that he wanted to climb higher, become a pillar of support for his friends, and prevent them from being manipulated by power again.
No matter how much Tan Lingyue cursed in her heart, she pretended to be nonchalant on the surface.
To his surprise, the emperor quickly ordered the matter to be dealt with, showing no intention of leniency. Tan Lingyue was astonished.
However, at this point, he still thought he had misjudged His Majesty.
However, such incidents became more and more frequent. The eldest prince and the second prince were locked in a fierce struggle, and memorials from accusers flew into the palace like snowflakes, landing on the emperor's desk. These memorials, which Tan Lingyue believed would not be noticed, were all dealt with very quickly.
But clearly, His Majesty was talking to me the whole time and didn't touch the paper and pen on the table. How could he have finished all these things just by turning around and going inside? Even if His Majesty is that fast at handling official business, he shouldn't be able to write this fast!
Could it be that the cabinet was the first to offer its opinion? Tan Lingyue thought to herself and went to verify this.
His father, Tan Qinghui, and the Grand Secretary Jiang Wen were former colleagues and had a good relationship. Tan Lingyue was only asking about the time when the memorial arrived at the cabinet, which was not something he could not answer. Jiang Wen told him the truth, but Tan Lingyue felt even more uneasy.
If it's not the cabinet, then who could it be? Tan Lingyue couldn't help but observe.
Through this observation, Tan Lingyue discovered that although the emperor's attitude towards government affairs had become much lazier, the speed at which he handled government affairs was faster and better than before. Sometimes, when a certain government matter was brought up, the emperor could not recall it immediately, but had to write the question down on paper and wait a while before he could speak. Moreover, his tone of voice always had a somewhat rigid and formal quality.
It's like a student asking the teacher for the answer and then simply reading the answer verbatim.
Even though it was incredibly unbelievable, Tan Lingyue had to admit that the emperor had an unseen helper assisting him in reviewing memorials.
Tan Lingyue was alarmed by this discovery. At this time, he was mainly concerned about the emperor's health. The Master said, "Do not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits." After being baptized by Xue Jin'an's scientific knowledge, Tan Lingyue's first reaction to this miraculous thing was not that there were ghosts in this world, but that it might be a science whose principles he did not know.
Tan Lingyue spent the night reading through the "Infrastructure Handbook" and actually found something that allowed people to talk to each other without seeing each other. That thing was called a mobile phone, and its most basic function was to transmit voice messages secretly.
Tan Lingyue didn't know what a cell phone was, but he thought that the Perfect Prince was the most knowledgeable person in the world, and what he wrote on it must exist. The fact that no one had seen it must be because it was too precious. Tan Lingyue did not doubt whether the person behind the emperor was real or not.
Tan Lingyue felt that things were not going well, but he couldn't directly advise the emperor. After thinking it over, he approached Jiang Wen and asked, "Uncle Jiang, are you aware of any problems with His Majesty's entourage?"
Jiang Wen immediately understood what he wanted to say and lowered her voice to say, "The memorial... you found out?"
Tan Lingyue's pupils contracted, "You—"
"Shh." Jiang Wen made a shushing gesture.
The two looked around to make sure no one was there, then walked to a more secluded spot. Tan Lingyue lowered her voice and asked, "Do you know who it is?"
“I know him, but I don’t know him either,” Jiang Wen said. “I’ve heard of his reputation, but I’ve never met him.”
Seeing that Tan Lingyue seemed quite troubled by this matter, he opened the memorial in his hand and pointed to the circled punctuation mark at the end of the sentence. Although there were no standardized punctuation marks in ancient times, punctuation marks were still used to break sentences. However, because each family and individual had different habits, the punctuation marks were not uniform and were generally very simple. They did not express emotions and were only marked at the end of the sentence to indicate the end.
Jiang Wen was referring to a punctuation mark that the emperor often used, a circle slightly larger than a period.
“I’ve seen such a perfectly round and flawless symbol on the answer sheet of the Ten Perfect Prince before,” Jiang Wen said with a sigh.
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