Gu Yuzhi returned to Xinliang only a few days ago, and good news finally came from the academy.
"Your Highness!" Chief Secretary Xie's face was filled with undisguised joy. "News has come from the city guards that Elder Cheng has arrived."
Gu Yuzhi had just opened his eyes and was staring blankly at the bed curtains.
With both internal and external troubles resolved, Gu Yuzhi's anxious heart eased. He was planning to take his mother to see Xueye today when he suddenly heard these words.
He lifted the curtain and, without even putting on his coat, got out of bed barefoot: "Has Mr. Cheng arrived?"
Before Xie Changshi could answer, he slapped his forehead again: "Oh dear, I need to wash up quickly so I can go pick up Mr. Cheng."
He turned around and went back into the inner room.
Chief Secretary Xie followed closely behind: "Oh dear, Your Highness, how can you come down to the ground without boots? Although it's the height of summer, the ground is still cool. As Judge Qin said, cold air enters through the soles of the feet..."
Gu Yuzhi puffed out his cheeks and nodded: "I know, I know."
He gestured with his hands: "Don't worry, I've only been down here for a little while."
Gu Yuzhi chuckled and quickly got dressed and washed up. In less than fifteen minutes, he pulled Xie Changshi out, saying as they walked, "Mingli, tell my mother that I'm going to pick up Master Cheng. I won't be playing with her today!"
Mingli smiled and agreed. After Gu Yuzhi left, he smiled again.
It's said that His Highness is accompanying the Empress, but in reality, it's His Highness playing by himself!
His Highness has changed a lot since returning from his audience with the Emperor in the capital.
Perhaps it was because the Emperor had lowered his guard, or perhaps it was because the Sang Dynasty was peaceful and prosperous, and the Northern Di had become a vassal state, that His Highness was more lively than before.
Gu Yuzhi, of course, had no idea what Mingli was thinking, and was ordering Guard Zhang to ride at full speed toward the city gate.
Although he was a prince, he could put on airs in his mansion and have Mr. Cheng come to visit him.
Gu Yuzhi knew that only a fool would do that.
Mr. Cheng is a retired Confucian scholar. It is already a rare thing for him to come to such a remote place as the northern desert to serve as the dean. He would never put on airs.
He not only wouldn't put on airs, but he also had to perform well to persuade Mr. Cheng to decide to spend his retirement in the northern desert.
Gu Yuzhi covered his mouth and chuckled secretly. After hearing what Guard Zhang said, he straightened his expression, opened the car door, and got out.
At this moment, Mr. Cheng had also gotten off the carriage. When he saw Gu Yuzhi get off the carriage, he was slightly stunned.
Gu Yuzhi quickly stepped forward and bowed to Mr. Cheng: "Mr. Cheng, you've arrived. You must be tired from your journey. Let me take you back to the Prince's Mansion to rest first, and we can go to the academy tomorrow, shall we?"
Faced with a prince like Gu Yuzhi, who had made such great contributions and won the hearts of the people and the emperor, how could Mr. Cheng dare to be presumptuous? He hurriedly knelt down and bowed, saying, "This humble subject, Cheng Bo'an, pays his respects to Your Highness, Prince Qin."
Before he could kowtow, Gu Yuzhi helped him to his feet: "Mr. Cheng, there's no need to be so formal. Once you're in Mobei, you're home."
He leaned closer and whispered with a smile, "I've reserved a two-courtyard house for you next to the academy."
Seeing that Mr. Cheng remained silent, Gu Yuzhi assumed that he thought the two-courtyard house was too small, and quickly explained, "Mr. Cheng, please don't think that the two-courtyard house is too small. The northern desert is vast and sparsely populated, and the two-courtyard house is even larger than the three-courtyard house in the capital."
With a smug look on his face, he said, "I heard from Chief Secretary Xie and the others that you have a lot of books, Mr. Cheng, so I had a large study built for you, which can hold many, many books."
Old Master Cheng then came to his senses and quickly took a step back: "Your Highness, there is no need to prepare any courtyard for me. I will live in the academy."
Hearing this, Gu Yuzhi chuckled and helped Mr. Cheng into the carriage. He was about to instruct Guard Zhang to return to the Prince's Mansion, but unexpectedly, Mr. Cheng wanted to go directly to the academy.
The academy was built long ago, but it has not been opened yet, because it is waiting for Mr. Cheng.
Now that the old gentleman has arrived, the academy can naturally choose an auspicious day to open its doors.
Perhaps inspired by Gu Yuzhi's enthusiasm, Mr. Cheng unconsciously began to test his knowledge while in the carriage.
From simple to complex, Gu Yuzhi performed very well. Old Mr. Cheng stroked his beard and nodded, a satisfied smile finally appearing on his usually stern face.
Only then did Mr. Cheng truly examine Gu Yuzhi, thinking to himself, "His Highness has found sweet potatoes, potatoes, and cotton, and has had mulberry paper made. He has also defeated the King of Chu and the Northern Di people."
He had thought that His Highness was not interested in scholarship and only liked to practice martial arts, but he did not expect that His Highness was not lagging behind in scholarship at all.
He lowered his eyes and pondered to himself, and soon arrived at the academy.
The academy is built halfway up the mountain. The steps leading up the mountain have already been built. The mountains have been cleared by the snow and there are no large wild animals. Streetlights have also been built on both sides of the steps, just like at Tianquan Mountain Villa.
The bushes on both sides are planted neatly, which is pleasing to the eye.
A row of houses has been built opposite the academy, and it looks like they are going to be used as shops.
Not long after walking uphill, you can see that in addition to stone lions guarding the entrance of the academy, there are also several towering ancient trees with prayer plaques from the people of Xinliang hanging on them.
Old Master Cheng stroked his beard with satisfaction, but when he looked up, he didn't see the academy's plaque: "Your Highness, has the academy been named?"
Gu Yuzhi smiled and shook his head: "We're just waiting for Mr. Cheng to pick it up!"
Ideally, it should be nominated by Mr. Cheng himself, so that students from all over the country would flock to it.
His scheming was written all over his face, which made Mr. Cheng chuckle and his fondness for him grew even stronger: "Reading makes one unaware that spring is already deep; every inch of time is worth an inch of gold."
He smiled slightly: "Let's call it Chun Shen Academy!"
Gu Yuzhi clapped his hands vigorously: "Great! Great! Let's call it Chun Shen Academy!"
He looked up at the empty plaque, thinking that Mr. Cheng had not concealed his whereabouts along the way, and that students all over the world probably already knew about it.
Before long, Xinliang will welcome a large number of students.
Xinliang will surely cultivate many outstanding talents for Sangchao in the future!
Thinking of this, Gu Yuzhi was filled with boundless pride!
He had someone push open the academy gate and led Mr. Cheng inside, explaining to him as they walked where the classrooms, the dining hall, and the dormitories for the students and teachers were.
The entire academy covers a vast area, and in addition to these basic facilities, it also has a debate stage for students to discuss their knowledge, a music room, an art studio, and other places.
What surprised Mr. Cheng even more was that there was a large archery range in the backyard.
Seeing his confusion, Gu Yuzhi smiled and said, "Students have to take exams for several days, so they can't do it without good health."
As soon as he finished speaking, Mr. Cheng finally burst into laughter.
He believed that with him in charge and the young prince's support, Chun Shen Academy would soon become the largest academy in the Sang Dynasty!
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