Chapter 617

The Great King worked hard all night at the Phoenix Collection, but the day's takings were zero; in anger he didn't go for several days. Fortunately, his happiness now isn't just about making money—the bustle at court is enough to please him.

Xie Yuan had a brainwave; the officials chatted for days going home and pondered for several more nights. When registration began that day, the officials vied to attend the emperor's carriage to Youzhou, fearing this voluntary sign‑up was a test, worried that if they didn't go they'd somehow end up as some odd reserve force.

He had been in Long Peace a while, and everyone had come to realize just how unreasonable the Great King could be.

As for the Great King, he watched those old foxes rack their brains praising their dangerous, barren northern lands, and he nearly burst out laughing.

Good, good, good—only those who know the times will live long.

The Great King laughed till it hurt, "It seems my decision really was a good one—seeing everyone so eager to take part, I'm truly pleased!"

Xie Yuan also found those lackeys hopeless; the Great King even got them to wag their tails for him.

Old Xie didn't even think—if any of these people had the temperament Dong Fu had in a past life, they wouldn't be alive now; they'd probably have been killed off by Lie Shou already.

"Everyone wholeheartedly follows my will, and I accept that. But Long Peace truly needs a garrison—at the very least the Governor of Jingzhao can't leave; you must stay and watch over Long Peace for me."

Shen Yu stepped forward, pleading with the Great King to rest easy, then declared his loyalty over and over—he would surely guard Long Peace well.

The Great King couldn't leave all of Long Peace to these people either, so he also retained Minister of Justice Lu Tong; anyone else who wanted to go could just follow along, treating Long Peace as an ordinary town and leaving only enough officials to keep it running.

Among the military officers, the Duke of Dongdu, Liang Jin, was to stay behind; the Xuanjia cavalry remained stationed at the West Camp, and Long Peace still needed a strong commander to hold it. The 20,000 Feathered Forest Guard couldn't be taken with him, but Wei Ke staying put put his mind at ease. After simply fixing the retinue, the Great King had the Grand Astrologer pick an auspicious day for the trip.

Everything was ready; all they had to do was wait for the auspicious day to come and then head home with their luggage in tow.

The Great King's lips were turned up every day until Xie Yuan found him again.

"Your Majesty, yesterday Master Xiao, the Libationer of Fuyuan Academy, paid a visit to your servant."

The Great King thought for a moment, didn't recognize him, and instantly put on a puzzled look: "Do you need something, sir?"

Xie Yuan nodded, "He and I are somewhat acquainted; this visit is mainly to express his admiration for me."

The Great King mused, "Huh? The academy's Libationer, envying Xie Yuan, the former Libationer of the Northern Border Academy? His mental leaps leave everyone in the dust." He clapped once, feeling he'd figured it out.

"I get it! Is he trying to sneak in through the back door to become Libationer at the Northern Border Academy? Oh dear—since I anonymously submitted an article by Xie Tu comparing students of the Northern Border Academy and the Minglun Academy, our Northern Border Academy has been all the rage in Chang'an lately. Xie Tu says wherever the students show up, they're talking about our academy. When I return to the Northern Border, I'll grant the Northern Border Academy a plaque reading 'Number One Academy under Heaven'." The Great King beamed—JPG.

Xie Yuan: ……

Great King innocent—JPG

Just asking—shameless for the sake of the mission.

Xie Yuan wasn't led astray by him, "I also saw the newspaper—it didn't give the specific topic, just said the Northern Border Academy won big. I only learned the emperor's contest topic yesterday, and it's indeed good. I even saw the emperor's own handwriting."

The Great King reflected on his drifting chicken‑scratch characters… Had he known it would end up in the hands of another academy's Libationer and Xie Yuan, he would have taken care to write it properly.

The Great King said nothing, blinked, and gave Xie Yuan a cute, innocent look.

He muttered to himself, "Old Xie, let's not get annoyed and angry!"

Xie Yuan didn't bring up his handwriting again, "The main thing is Xiao Zi, who praised Your Majesty to me for a full half‑hour without repeating a single compliment—saying Your Majesty's words come in pearls, your learning embraces heaven and humanity, your talent is extraordinary, your wit unmatched!"

The Great King's eyes widened: "Really that good?!"—delighted—JPG

Could it be friendly forces?

Xie Yuan was speechless, shaking the Great King's chicken‑scratch at him, "Does Your Majesty really intend to claim all of it? The surnamed Xiao said he envied me for having such a clever disciple, heaping praise in a basket, but I always sensed a hint of sarcasm. Only after seeing your own handwriting in his hands did I confirm my feeling was right. I feel guilty!"

The Great King almost blurted out, "Let Old Xie be more confident," but he suddenly recalled why Xiao Zi had said his words came in pearls. That day he'd been low‑key; his usual pie‑talking talent was only a twelfth of what it could be, yet he'd loudly declared Fuyuan Academy third‑rate… Could the surnamed Xiao have found out?

Your Majesty also began to feel guilty, "Sir, I also have my own little philosophy of life—do you want to hear it?"

"Can you hold back from saying it?"

"No."

Your Majesty had already started talking to himself, "Sir, your Dao heart is unstable. If your heart were like a boulder, the wind could only brush the surface; if your heart were like grass and trees, then it would sway with the wind! The fault is not mine, Sir—you should relax; as long as you don't compare yourself to other disciples, you will be unshakeable~"

Xie Yuan took a deep breath.

"You promise one thing—lately you will study earnestly and practice calligraphy seriously—how would that be?!"

"It would be unhappy, eh!"

Your Majesty picked at his claws, not answering.

Xie Yuan calmed his breath, shook the paper in his hand, "Your Majesty possesses the best calligraphy models in the world, for so many years, for so many years..." Writing ten characters a day, this crane character shouldn't have ended up like this!"

Your Majesty sighed sorrowfully: "Not just the calligraphy models, I also possess many of the best things in the world. The finest swords, the finest warhorses, the finest delicacies..." What could be more interesting than practicing calligraphy and studying? ~

Xie Yuan reined in his excitement, regained composure: "Tactful failure. It seems waiting for Your Majesty to realize is impossible; therefore, as your imperial tutor, your Sir, I now formally notify Your Majesty that starting today you must submit one piece of large-character writing each day, no less than two hundred characters. Your Majesty, don't think of slacking off—if I'm not satisfied, you'll have to rewrite it, and that's settled! Your Majesty is still young; there's still time. When I imagine you in your old age, still marking such characters on memorials, I would die without peace."

Your Majesty: ……

"Then... aren't we about to set off for home soon?"

"Do I not know how steady Your Highness's carriage is? Besides, you can write during your daily rest—only two hundred characters. Your Highness, if you don't slack off, you'll finish in three quarters of an hour."

Your Majesty: ……

In the afternoon, while Your Majesty was bitterly practicing large characters in the imperial study, Xie Tu arrived.

This guy was listless like a wilted cabbage that had lost its moisture: "Xie Tu, your uncle is fine in every way, just too competitive!"

Xie Tu: ……