Chapter 215: Mr. Scholarly

Great King shared the new manuscript with Xie Yuan, then didn't mention the content, and also brought up the position of Dean to others.

"Master Xie has been at our Northern Border Academy for a year; I don't know if you plan to renew the contract. Master Xie, teaching and nurturing people is a lifelong endeavor—you can't see results in just a year! Our academy's students haven't even learned a thing from you yet—you can't leave!" Great King looked at him with sincere, starry eyes.

Xie Yuan glanced at him and said, "Just a year? The old man has seen Your Highness in the academy only a handful of times—there's nothing to learn."

Great King blinked innocently: "There's no way around it—I'm really busy! But I'm not important; the other students at the academy who are eager to learn are what matter. Just yesterday I sent over that famous prodigy from Prosperous Prefecture; hearing you're here, he crossed the Great Jin from the south, traveling a great distance. If he arrives and you leave right away, it makes my promotion sound like a scam. Master Xie, do you know how chaotic the outside world is? These people risked their lives to come for you! Here's an idea: Master Xie, if you have anyone you're worried about in Chen Commandery, I can bring them all here—I can guarantee their safety. As long as you uphold the literary education of our Secluded Prefecture, I'll do it. Come, come, I've prepared a new appointment letter for you, Master Xie—please stay at the academy a bit longer."

Great King finished speaking to himself, blinking his big eyes and trying hard to look cute, then quickly pulled out a few pages from his book bag.

Xie Yuan was almost laughed to death by this crafty person: "It's just that the world is chaotic, so I'm thinking of my hometown. Besides, aren't there still several months left? Your Highness, why are you in such a hurry?"

Great King blinked innocently: "What else could it be? I most admire how you worry ahead of time! No matter how chaotic the world, the famous Xie Family can protect itself." Don't pretend.

"It's not that I'm worried about wasting such a fine academy—if there's no one to pass on this excellent learning, the loss would be huge, Master Xie knows better than I. Just studying the investigation of things could push the whole Great Jin forward a great leap. Have you understood those timeless masterworks in the academy? Our academy is truly the place where one can set aside everything and focus on scholarship. If you're not here to uphold it, the literati of the great clans won't choose the Northern Border Academy—everyone knows this. Please, Master Xie, think carefully for the sake of the world."

He runs a basic class—students can't become literate overnight; it takes time. After going out, Great King felt a renewed urgency: before the prophesied chaotic age arrives, he wants to fortify the armed forces of Secluded Prefecture. Therefore, he must secure the mission to boost the fame of 500,000 person‑times.

Xie Yuan: …… He's never seen anyone who can raise their status higher than this crafty person—it's as if the whole world is on his back, right?

This young man truly possesses wisdom beyond his years—he confirmed it once again.

Xie Yuan hadn't originally planned to leave soon; in Secluded Prefecture he was quite happy. The vibrant vitality now flourishing in Secluded Prefecture made him very curious—curious to see what this child would turn the border commandery into.

Great King wasn't wrong—the academy is a fine place; he hasn't finished studying even one section of the library's collection. As for Chen Commandery, he actually doesn't have anyone he's particularly worried about: his wife is gone, his children are all married and living there with the Xie Clan, so there's nothing for him to fret over.

He opened the new contract Great King had prepared for him, which stated that after the previous Dean's appointment letter expired, he would renew for two more years, and then, after those two years, regain his freedom to come and go—Xie Yuan would automatically become the Lifetime Dean of the Northern Border Academy.

Great King was determined to bind Xie Yuan to the Northern Border Academy, that's all.

Xie Yuan smiled, picked up his pen to sign his full name, then took out his personal seal and stamped it.

Great King took it, blew on it to dry with a satisfied grin, and said, "Master Xie's sense of responsibility toward the students is a model for the world!"—the flattery arrived right away.

Xie Yuan: "…… Don't say it's useless—what book is this? You've copied the beginning for me, but what about the rest? Can you give it to me now?" The opening ancient weather forecast seems even more advanced than today's; could it have been lost? He thought, he really underestimated the wisdom of the ancients.

Great King: "Hehe, sure, sure—I'll send someone back to copy a copy for Master Xie."

The next day Great King skipped class again, and at the same time a squad of armor‑masked cavalry rode straight for the Northern Border Academy.

That cavalry unit charged up from the carriageway, burst in and summoned everyone out; after they gathered at the academy's small drill field, the leader of the Owl Cavalry proclaimed Great King's new decree.

That meant anyone without official enrollment or a hiring relationship with the academy had to leave immediately—in other words, outsiders were barred from the Northern Border Academy.

Once that decree was issued, the meaning was clear: it told those temporary big shots to get lost at once.

Besides the two Wang and Lu who came looking for Xie Yuan, there were also his students from Celebrating Yang, and Lu Xin, whom Great King had seen a few times, living here. These people had no connection to the academy and were happily staying in the luxurious lodgings prepared for the instructors.

At that time some were absent, but everyone present was utterly defeated.

Wang Tu bluntly said he'd never seen a ruined household like Prince You's!

In today's society, prominent aristocratic clans enjoy high status and can monopolize all resources; the Baili Family is also of aristocratic stock—otherwise, like the imperial house of the previous dynasty, they'd be kept down by the aristocracy unable to lift their heads, especially those great surnames that have lasted a thousand years, which only extend face to the imperial house when they feel like it.

The status of aristocratic clans is high, especially those who pursue scholarship abroad; the prevailing view is that having them reside in your territory is simply a favor to you.

And yet Prince You, this youngster, actually dared to expel several high‑status aristocrats whose fame echoed throughout the Great Jin!

Xie Yuan rubbed his forehead, worried sick, waiting for him! He immediately asked his attendant, "Prince You… no, did Wei Taiping come to school today?"

"No, and he didn't request leave either."

Good, he skipped class again.

The Owl Cavalry wearing a layered metal mask that looked especially impartial quickly pulled out a few temporary residents of the academy from the crowd and ordered them to leave at once.

This act was nothing short of deliberately rubbing salt in the wound.

Their faces were redder than the next, mostly from anger.

Wang Tu flew into a rage, flicked his sleeve, turned and strode out, shouting, "Insolent junior, disgracing scholarship!" His angry voice echoed across the plaza; though he didn't name names, everyone present knew who he meant.

The Owl Cavalry's deputy commander Zhou Ke practically wanted to applaud Great King—"Brilliant, Great King!"—as if one could guess what he'd say anyway!

He made a gesture of invitation and then loudly said, "Please, Mr. Scholarly, come this way—your luggage and belongings will be sent down the mountain for you later."

Wang Tu: ……

Xie Yuan: ……

Disgracing scholarship… Mr. Scholarly?

Because he was small and stood in front, Zhou Huang had to exert all his strength to keep from laughing out loud.

Heavens, I need to quickly think of something sad! If he laughs now, will Lord Xie directly vent his anger and also fire him? He only got in yesterday by relying on the Great King's connections! But... it's too extreme, I can't bear it!