Chapter 244: Wang Chong Loses His Nerve

"You are being very rude. I kindly advised you, yet you insult me in return."

The scholar who had been rebuked flushed red.

"Hmph, you lot who covet wealth and status, what face do you have to mock us?" the scholar who was scolding them said, head held high. "Most of those entering the Government Academy are just greedy for official positions, are they not?"

With a look of disdain, he continued: "Although the requirements for the Technology Academy and Military Academy are harsh, they are inevitably tied to the life and death of Yanzhou. We are entering the Technology Academy for no other reason than a single-minded desire to serve Yan Wang. Why would we care about whether we can come and go freely?"

"Exactly. May I ask, if not for His Highness Yan Wang, how would there be an Official Examination? And how would these Three Great Academies exist? It has only been a few days since the Rich Clans of Yanzhou were overthrown, and you have already forgotten the days when you had nowhere to turn," another scholar shouted.

The words of the two scholars left many others feeling so ashamed they wished they could disappear.

Today, they were able to enter officialdom just like the descendants of the Rich Clans; this was something Yan Wang and the soldiers had exchanged their blood and lives for.

How could they only want to pick the peaches without wanting to be the ones who dug the well?

Immediately, some scholars crumpled the paper in their hands and went to get new paper to fill out applications for the academies.

This scene was seen by Zhao Xu, who had just arrived.

Hearing the conversation between the few scholars, he felt somewhat gratified.

Everything he had done in Yanzhou had indeed gained the recognition of many people.

But just as every era has its loyalists, it also has its sycophants.

Naturally, there were those with ulterior motives among the scholars.

These people were not worth associating with, even if they were lucky enough to enter the Government Academy.

He and Liu Fu would carefully screen them and weed them out.

Upon entering the Government Office, Liu Fu came over to greet him.

Zhao Xu said: "How is the selection of students for the Three Great Academies going?"

"Replying to Your Highness, it is almost finished. Only about a hundred people outside remain to be screened," Liu Fu said.

Zhao Xu sat down in a chair; since only about a hundred people were left, it was simple.

He would just wait a while.

Once he had the list of students,

he could decide how to arrange the lecture schedule.

Sipping tea and waiting for about half an hour, Liu Fu walked over with a look of relief.

"Your Highness, there were just a few spots left for the Technology Academy and Military Academy, but they are full now." Liu Fu handed the list to Zhao Xu.

The list consisted of three sheets, one for the students of each academy.

This selection process, besides being based on the scores from the Official Examination,

also required an on-the-spot inquiry by officials. The questions asked were those he had provided, similar to a modern interview.

The questions for the Government Academy focused on character, containing moral traps.

Those with poor character were easily exposed for their true nature.

The Military Academy focused on eloquence and loyalty.

As for the Technology Academy, those who were glib and insincere were weeded out, leaving only those who were dull and uninteresting, like Wang Ying.

"Give them three days. After three days, have them go to their respective academies." Zhao Xu returned the list to Liu Fu.

With the students secured, the Three Great Academies should be ready to operate.

Leaving the Government Office, Zhao Xu returned to the Prince's Mansion.

Arriving at the study, he pulled out a piece of paper and began to draft a schedule similar to a modern one.

There was no other way.

He was the only one who understood the teaching materials he had compiled; no one could replace him in lecturing.

From now on, he would have to moonlight as a teacher.

The Armament Bureau.

Wang Chong angrily threw the failed spring steel onto the ground.

Rubbing his head in pain, he muttered to himself, "Why won't it work? Why won't it work?"

Ever since Yan Wang had handed him the firing mechanism for the flintlock, he had been struggling with the spring steel.

The reason was simple: he had discovered that the most important part of this firing mechanism was the spring steel.

Without being able to make the spring steel, one could not pull the trigger to drive the flint to strike the gunpowder pan and ignite the gunpowder.

At first, he hadn't paid any attention to what kind of spring steel it was, just using ordinary steel bars.

But such steel bars would bend and fail to return to their original shape.

This had forced him to seriously consider the meaning of the term "spring steel."

Following that, he had continuously attempted to forge steel bars that could be bent and return to shape, but every time, it ended in failure.

"You should just go and ask His Highness for advice. Trying to shoulder a heavy burden with such amateur skills—I really don't know how many bowls of rice you've eaten." His father's voice sounded from behind, making Wang Chong feel even more ashamed.

"I'm not going. His Highness will laugh at me." Wang Chong's self-esteem had taken a severe blow.

Although Wang Ying was strict with Wang Chong, in his heart, he still hoped that Wang Chong would achieve something.

He revealed a smile rarely seen in front of Wang Chong: "Back in the day, in order to craft a piece of porcelain with my own hands, I failed over a hundred times. In the end, I asked an old ceramic master for advice. With just a little guidance from him, I grasped the essentials. Don't fear failure; what is to be feared is being afraid after failing."

Wang Chong was silent for a moment, then finally gritted his teeth.

He was young and impulsive; just now, he had merely been stubborn with himself.

Having thought it through, he said: "I'll go find His Highness right now."

Having said that, he dropped the failed spring steel in his hand and prepared to leave.

"Wait a moment, I'll go with you," Wang Ying said.

Wang Chong teased: "Has Dad's iron cannon not been built yet either?"

"Do you think your father is as half-baked as you?" Wang Ying regained his serious expression.

He had produced eighteen each of the Grey Cast Iron Cannon and White Cast Iron Cannon that Yan Wang wanted, and it was time to report back to Yan Wang.

The father and son arrived at the Prince's residence and, after announcing themselves, entered the study.

"The Artillery has been built?" Zhao Xu, who was still arranging the class schedule, was delighted to hear this.

Wang Ying nodded, "As long as Your Highness needs them, the Armory Bureau can mass-produce these two types of Artillery at any time."

"Very good!" Zhao Xu said these two words.

Through the monopoly rights, he had indeed earned a large sum of Silver.

However, once monopoly rights are sold, they are gone.

In the future, he could only rely on the goods of the Prince's residence to make money.

But any product will go through a process from high initial sales growth to gradual stabilization.

At this time, although Silver was still coming in a steady stream, the income was basically stable.

If Yanzhou suddenly needed large-scale expenditures, he feared he would be stretched thin.

After all, if he wanted Yanzhou to catch up with the development achievements of others over decades or even centuries, he would have to pour in a massive amount of resources within a short period.

This is the same as "pay-to-win" in games.

And the way to solve this problem is to continuously launch new goods.

With several items combined like this, the amount would be considerable.

To him, this low-spec version of Artillery was also one of the goods.

"Your Highness, this subordinate has lost," Wang Ying had spoken, and at this moment Wang Chong said with a laugh.

Zhao Xu was in a good mood today.

The Official Examination had ended, the officials had gone to their posts, the recruitment for the Prince's Personal Army was going smoothly, the students had been enrolled, and Wang Ying had produced the two types of low-spec Artillery.

Thus, he said to Wang Chong with a smile, "This Prince had long anticipated it; are you talking about the issue with spring steel?"

"How did Your Highness know?" Wang Chong asked in surprise.

Zhao Xu said to Wang Chong earnestly, "You still have much to learn; the Technology Academy begins lectures in three days, and you must listen carefully in the future."

"Yes, Your Highness." Wang Chong's eyes lit up; this was something he had been waiting for day and night.

Now it was finally about to begin.

Then Zhao Xu told Wang Chong the method for manufacturing spring steel.

Upon hearing this, Wang Chong was dumbfounded.