Chapter 584: Jiang Really Is Still Sharp!

Yuwen Hu's arrangement was not simply nepotism, but involved deep political considerations.....

In the vast Chang'an, only A Yan possessed enough prestige and the talent that wins over scholars nationwide to get things started and open the situation!

After all, going from zero to one is a great difficulty.....

The candlelight flickered, casting Chen Yan's eyes with solemnity; he bowed his waist again, clasped his fists to his chest, and spoke with resonant, powerful tone, each word striking the ground: "I shall certainly not disappoint the Grand Preceptor's trust!"

"I will manage the Imperial Academy in orderly fashion, select talents from across the realm, inherit the way of teaching, and build a solid talent foundation for Great Zhou, never betraying the Grand Preceptor's trust and expectations!"

Yuwen Hu saw this, slowly nodded, a slight smile at the corner of his mouth, eyes full of satisfaction, his fingertips lightly tapping the desk, his tone bearing resolve and hope, he slowly spoke: "A Ze will serve as Officer of the Imperial Academy!"

"Assist you in handling the daily affairs of the Imperial Academy, help formulate teaching regulations and assess the students' studies."

Having said that, he looked up at Chen Yan, his gaze full of trust, and loudly added: "I believe that with you and your brother working together, united in purpose, complementing each other, success will come swiftly!"

Chen Yan understood; Grand Preceptor father's move was meant to cultivate A Ze.

Though the Imperial Academy Officer is a deputy post, it is the core position driving academic reform, allowing one to accumulate reputation and achievements—a rare stepping‑stone for promotion.

He immediately replied aloud, his tone full of clarity and respect: "I understand!"

Yuwen Hu, hearing this, nodded approvingly, his fingertips turning the Jade Ring, his expression now a bit more relaxed.

The hall was warm, the candles crackling.

Pei Xun sat quietly beside him, his fingertips lightly stroking the rim of his teacup, as if a thought suddenly occurred; a deep glint flashed in his eyes, his gaze slowly turned to Chen Yan, his tone carrying a hint of profundity as he asked: "By the way, A Yan, at the start of the discussion you mentioned that Gao Changjing had secretly plotted a hunt against the Fan Yang Lu Shi of Fan Yang, which the Mirror Bureau completely eradicated, leaving no trace of hidden danger....."

"In this operation, could any members of the Fan Yang Lu Shi have suffered casualties?"

Chen Yan, without hesitation, blurted out: "None!"

As soon as the words fell, he subconsciously added details: "Because we had beforehand arranged for assassins within the Imperial Academy and Guozijian to act smoothly, deliberately letting them attack the great scholars of the Fan Yang Lu Shi, after which the Mirror Bureau arrived in time, captured the perpetrators and obtained…."

"The other assassins lurking throughout Chang'an, intending to strike the Fan Yang Lu Shi, were all pre‑emptively cleared by the Mirror Bureau, causing no harm to any member of the Fan Yang Lu Shi; the entire clan remained safe....."

Before he could finish, Chen Yan abruptly stopped, his pupils slightly contracting, suddenly realizing the subtext in Pei Xun's words—it was not merely asking about casualties, but held deeper meaning.

His eyes instantly filled with surprise, his expression showing shock, his tone laced with incredulous doubt: "That's not right! Father‑in‑law, do you mean…?!"

At that moment, Chen's mind jolted, and he instantly grasped it.

Yuwen Hu, seeing this, slowly took over the conversation, a half‑smile curling at his mouth, his tone playful as he said: "The Fan Yang Lu Shi who moved to Chang'an suffered ten deaths and thirty‑seven severe injuries among the illegitimate offspring, all encountered 'sudden raids' in the shadows, the scene was horrific!"

"As for the core members of the Fan Yang Lu Shi—the legitimate children and senior clan elders—they escaped unscathed, only frightened a little....."

With those words spoken, how could Chen Yan not see the scheme?

Deliberately creating a false picture of heavy casualties among the illegitimate Fan Yang Lu Shi while preserving the core, it would not shake the clan's foundation yet provide ample material for propaganda.

At this point, Pei Xun and Yuwen Hu exchanged an unspoken glance, then feigned indignation on their faces, solemnly echoing: "That treacherous Gao Changjing, how vile, seeking to eliminate the Fan Yang Lu Shi quickly, even sparing no innocent illegitimate offspring, his methods were extremely cruel!"

"This matter must not end here; we must expose the ugly face of the Gao clan imperial house!"

"Let the world know the Gao's brutality and inhumanity!"

Chen Yan looked at the two who sang in unison, his eyes full of understanding, a smile tugging at his mouth, his heart full of admiration, and he laughed, praising: "Jiang really is still sharp!"

"Grand Preceptor and father‑in‑law, this move is truly indescribably brilliant!"

Having said that, he raised his thumb toward the two, his tone full of sincere admiration: "You two, high indeed!"

As his words fell, the hall instantly rang with three hearty laughs.

"Hahaha—"

The laughter made the candles flicker slightly, ink fragrance and warmth intertwined, full of exhilaration and ease.

The three all shared an unspoken understanding.

After a moment, the laughter faded; the Grand Preceptor still wore a smiling face, his gaze turning to Chen Yan, his tone becoming a few degrees more solemn, and he slowly instructed: "A Yan, let the Mirror Bureau handle this matter!"

Chen Yan heard this, immediately bowed his head and nodded, his expression steady, his tone respectful and resolute: "As you command!"

Early May.

Chang'an.

Dawn light was faint, a thin mist had not yet dispersed, like a soft veil of gauze covering the city.

The air carried the fresh coolness of early summer, mixed with a faint scent of grass and trees, refreshing the heart.

In the courtyard of the Guozijian, the former tranquility had long vanished.

Densely packed scholars in blue robes stood, their figures shifting, yet not chaotic, only hinting at a slight restlessness.

In the center of the courtyard, an invisible line divided the crowd: on the left were Guozijian students, on the right were Imperial Academy students.

The two sides were clearly separated, never mingling; occasional eye contact carried a touch of distance and rivalry.

These students were mostly fifteen to seventeen years old, the age of youthful vigor, their brows and eyes still green with inexperience.

Though the blue robes were similar in style, subtle differences in details, dictated by each school's regulations, added a hint of distinction.

Among the Guozijian ranks, Song Tingwu stood tall, his gaze sweeping over the opposite Imperial Academy students, a hint of puzzlement in his eyes.

He then turned quickly to Lin Jingshu, placed a hand on his shoulder, his tone full of curiosity, and pointed at the clearly separated Imperial Academy students: "Brother Lin Jingshu, look at this scene—gathering both our Guozijian and Imperial Academy people in this courtyard, what is the purpose?"

"In the past we occasionally met, but never on such a large scale; could there be something urgent?"

"Yes, yes!"

As soon as the words fell, Shen Zaizhou beside him hurried over, nodding repeatedly in agreement.

His tone was no less puzzled than Song Tingwu's; he lightly nudged Lin Jingshu's arm with his elbow, eyes eager: "Brother Lin Jingshu, being summoned so early this morning, even the morning reading was halted, it must be a big matter....."

"You're always the most well‑informed, with wide connections in Chang'an—any insider news?"

"Quickly tell us, so everyone can have a sense of what's going on!"

Several familiar Guozijian students hearing this also gathered around, eyes fixed on Lin Jingshu, full of expectation.

Lin Jingshu, seeing this, puffed his chest slightly, raised his eyebrows, and spoke decisively, a hint of pride: "Of course there is!"

"For such a big issue, if we can't even get a hint, wouldn't that make calling me 'Brother Lin Jingshu' pointless?"

Having said that, he slapped his own chest, his face full of swagger, his eyes showing a flash of show‑off.

That demeanor made it seem as if he already fully grasped the whole story.

Lou Guanshu, standing nearby, seeing Lin Jingshu teasing, immediately urged, "Speak quickly!"

"What on earth is going on?"

"Could it be that some academic contest is being held, or the Court has a new regulation to announce?"

The words drew the gazes of more Imperial Academy students nearby.

The previously scattered attention now fully focused on Lin Jingshu.

The unrest on the left side of the courtyard gradually subsided, leaving only the crowd's eyes waiting silently for an answer.

Lin Jingshu cleared his throat, deliberately slowed his speech, his tone bearing a hint of solemnity, his gaze sweeping the attentive students around, and slowly began, "The information I've gathered says our Imperial Academy is to merge with the Guozijian!"

"Henceforth there will be no distinction between the Imperial Academy and the Guozijian; the two will combine into a single new institution."

After speaking, he raised his hand and pointed to the high platform at the front of the courtyard—normally seldom used, but today scrubbed spotless and set with several tables, clearly arranged specially—"Today we have gathered everyone; this is the inaugural meeting of the new institution after its founding...."

"The new Sacrificial Wine will speak in person, explaining the subsequent regulations and arrangements to us!"

"New Sacrificial Wine?" Song Tingwu repeated the words subconsciously, then furrowed his brows slightly, his expression growing solemn, and said in a deep voice, "The one who can serve as the Sacrificial Wine of the merged institution must be a highly respected great scholar, right?"

"After all, the Sacrificial Wine is the head of the institution; one must be erudite and of upright conduct to lead the students and spread education—ordinary people cannot bear this heavy responsibility....."

Shen Zaizhou rubbed his chin, his eyes full of contemplation; after a moment's pause, he followed Song Tingwu's line of thought and guessed, "In my view, it might be a great scholar from the Six Surnames of Guanzhong!"

"The Six Surnames of Guanzhong are all illustrious families with deep scholarly traditions, many members possessing outstanding knowledge and enjoying great prestige both inside and outside the Court....."

"Having a great scholar from their clan serve as Sacrificial Wine fits the status and would earn the students' confidence; it's likely just so!"

The Imperial Academy students around nodded in agreement.

"Who isn't familiar with the Six Surnames of Guanzhong?"

Scholars abound in those families; many have heard the great scholars of the Six Surnames lecture.

Their knowledge and conduct are highly respected; if a great scholar of the Six Surnames were to become Sacrificial Wine, everyone would be convinced.

But Lin Jingshu slowly shook his fingers, a mysterious smile on his face, feigning profundity as he said, "No, no, the new Sacrificial Wine is not a great scholar!"

"Not a great scholar?" Lou Guanshu blinked, confusion in her eyes, and asked immediately, "This Sacrificial Wine position has always been held by erudite, highly respected great scholars; if not, how could one fulfill the role?"

"Perhaps they'd find it hard to win the crowd?"

His question was exactly what many Imperial Academy students were thinking.

As soon as the words fell, the crowd nodded in agreement, their faces showing a mix of puzzlement and worry....

After all, the Sacrificial Wine concerns the new institution's teaching direction and administration; lacking experience or knowledge would indeed make it hard to convince these proud young scholars.

Seeing this, Lin Jingshu's mouth curved into a confident smile, admiration flickering in his eyes; his tone grew profound, his voice deliberately lowered yet audible to the surrounding students: "Though not a great scholar, he is the unrivaled talent of Chang'an, indeed of all Great Zhou!"

He paused, scanning the surprised faces, and continued, "Moreover, this merger of the Imperial Academy and the Guozijian, the founding of the new institution, was first proposed by him, and he also leads the drafting of the subsequent regulations and arrangements."

"The Grand Preceptor trusts him immensely, specially appointing him as the inaugural Sacrificial Wine of the new institution, valuing his talent and ability, believing he can lead the school and cultivate more talent for Great Zhou!"

When these words were spoken, the Imperial Academy students around were shocked, murmuring among themselves, eyes full of disbelief: "Someone like that? With such ability, yet still trusted by the Grand Preceptor to become Sacrificial Wine?"

"Indeed, not a great scholar yet shouldering this heavy duty—his talent must be extraordinary; we just don't know who he is, how could he possess such skill?"

"Brother Jingshu, stop teasing and tell us who this unrivaled talent actually is?"

The crowd's curiosity was fully aroused, their gazes burning as they stared at Lin Jingshu, eager for the answer.

Shen Zaizhou looked at Lin Jingshu's deliberately tantalizing demeanor, couldn't help but curl his lip, his tone teasing as he guessed, "It can't possibly be Lord Chen Yan, can it?"

The moment he said it, he himself thought it rather absurd.

Lord Chen Yan, though famed for his talent, spends years navigating Court affairs and battlefield campaigns; no matter how one looks, he doesn't seem the type to come to the academy as Sacrificial Wine....

It was just an off‑hand remark to tease Lin Jingshu.

But as soon as Shen Zaizhou finished speaking, Lin Jingshu's eyes lit up, his pupils wide, and he thrust his hand up pointing at him, voice brimming with surprise and pride, shouting, "You guessed right!"

"You really had me fooled!"

He said, chest straight, spirit soaring as he lifted his chin, voice full of pride, "The inaugural Sacrificial Wine of the Guozijian formed after the Imperial Academy and Guozijian merge is none other than Lord Chen Yan!"

"The city‑wide acknowledged top talent of Chang'an, the renowned Great Zhou Poet Immortal, the backbone minister of the Court, the youngest Senior Pillar of State, the champion of the people…"

At the end, Lin Jingshu raised his thumb.

The admiration in his eyes nearly overflowed.

His tone was full of excitement and reverence, as if becoming a student under Lord Chen Yan were a great honor.

He usually admired Lord Chen Yan's talent and strategy the most, and in leisure often copied the lord's poems.....

Now that he learned the new Sacrificial Wine was his idol, his heart was already racing with excitement.

The surrounding Imperial Academy students were startled, inhaling a gasp of cool air, faces full of incredulous surprise, exclamations rising in the ranks: "Good heavens! It really is Lord Chen Yan?!"

"My god, this is so unexpected!??"

Those who had worried about the new Sacrificial Wine's lack of experience now had no concerns at all.

Who doesn't know Lord Chen Yan's fame and achievements?

He became famous in his youth, repeatedly earned extraordinary merits, rooting out treachery and evil; with him as Sacrificial Wine, though not a traditional great scholar, he is far more convincing than ordinary great scholars.

Everyone in the crowd felt convinced, and most felt anticipation and excitement.

Lin Jingshu lifted his head and chest, looking at the shocked crowd, growing more smug, and added, "Not only is the Sacrificial Wine Lord Chen Yan, the Director of Affairs of the Guozijian is also the Grand Preceptor's heir, Prince of Ancheng Yuwen Ze!"

"With Lord Chen Yan steering the overall situation and Prince Yuwen Ze assisting, the regulations of our Guozijian will surely become ever more refined!"

Lou Guanshu narrowed her eyes slightly, lightly tapping her palm with her fingertips, a hint of contemplation in her expression; after a moment's pause she spoke in a deep voice, "Lord Chen Yan as Sacrificial Wine, Prince Yuwen Ze as Director of Affairs—what is the Grand Preceptor's intention?"

No matter how Lou Guanshu pondered, she felt this arrangement was far from a simple merger of institutions; there must be deeper meaning.

The surrounding students, hearing this, also fell into contemplation, agreeing that Lou Guanshu's words made sense; the Grand Preceptor's schemes have always been far‑reaching, not merely superficial.

Lin Jingshu shrugged, spreading his hands, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness and a hint of inevitability: "Who can truly know the Grand Preceptor's thoughts?"

"Regardless of the Grand Preceptor's purpose, having Lord Chen Yan as Sacrificial Wine and Prince Yuwen Ze as Director of Affairs is a boon for us!"

After all, becoming disciples of these two guarantees an unquestionably broad future!

The courtyard's murmurs had not yet settled when two clear, resonant broadcast voices suddenly sliced through the air, their penetrating force landing steadily in every student's ear:

Chen Zhuguo has arrived—!

Prince of Ancheng has arrived—!