Chapter 962

Too crowded—the eastern gate of the National Academy was packed with people lining up to enter, and many ordinary folk in plain clothes stood nearby, their eyes darting left and right; when they spotted Pan Yue’s National Academy robe, they quickly looked away, ignoring Pan Yun, whom Pan Yue held by the hand, and instead fixed their gaze tightly on Miao Zhen, who followed behind them.

Because of the crowd, Miao Zhen was jostled away, with one person separating her from Pan Yun.

A young man with a patched elbow immediately squeezed beside her and whispered, “Miss, do you need a ticket?”

Miao Zhen paused slightly, turned her head to look at him, and asked, “How much?”

The young man held up two fingers and whispered, “Two taels!”

Miao Zhen shook her head: “No.”

The young man whispered, “Miss, don’t think it’s expensive—the people at the gate are selling them for five taels each; mine’s a bargain.”

Pan Yun called out to Miao Zhen over her shoulder: “Hurry up, let’s get in line.”

The young man instantly realized they had tickets and turned away, yet couldn’t help muttering, “If you’ve got tickets, why ask me...”

His eyes lit up as he spotted a haughty, wealthy young master; he rushed forward, paid no mind when the guards blocked him, and lowered his voice: “Young master, do you need a ticket?”

After waiting only a short while, Pan Yu arrived with Miao and Tao Yan, and the six of them entered together through the eastern gate.

Unknown to them, many had recognized Pan Yun; as soon as they entered, Pan Yue released his sister’s hand and stood quietly at her side.

He tilted his head slightly to look at her and said, “This Mid-Autumn...”

Pan Yun knew immediately their father missed her.

Without hesitation, she said, “I’ll go back.”

Pan Yue exhaled in relief.

Pan Yun turned to smile at him and said, “Big brother, we must be cautious, but we need not fear.”

“That’s what I’ve been saying—if anyone dares threaten little sister, just do it! Are we afraid of them?” Pan Yu came alive: “I say, don’t wait until Mid-Autumn—come home for dinner tonight.”

Pan Yun scanned the crowd ahead and said, “Big brother, I’m not staying away because I’m afraid—I’m just too busy.”

Pan Yu rolled his eyes, leaned in, and whispered, “Little sister, has your department in the Ministry of Works developed a new arquebus?”

Pan Yun: “Our Ministry of Works?”

“Yes, aren’t you in the Ministry of Works?” Pan Yu said. “The officers in the army all want Grand Secretary Yu to pull you into the Ministry of War—we have the Military Equipment Bureau too, and it could fully satisfy your interest in crafting.”

Pan Yu also wanted Pan Yun in the Ministry of War: “If you come, we’ll be working in the same department.”

Pan Yun: “You’re in the Imperial Guard, not an official of the Ministry of War.”

“Still, I’m under their command—it’s the same thing.”

Pan Yun found the Ministry of War’s Military Equipment Bureau too small, and it only studied weapons, unlike the Ministry of Works, which studied all manner of devices.

Pan Yun said, “Crafting isn’t just for military use—it’s mostly for civilian needs.”

“All devices in the world follow the same pattern: military first, then civilian. You develop weapons, the Ministry of Works takes the tech from the Ministry of War, then applies it to civilians.”

Pan Yue held a different view, frowning: “There are countless civilian devices—how could military equipment possibly cover them all? I think little sister is fine in the Ministry of Works. Aren’t most of your weapons in the Ministry of War originally from the Ministry of Works?”

Pan Yun: “Exactly, exactly.” Pan Yu muttered a few times but pressed on: “Is there a new weapon?”

Pan Yun evaded: “You’ll find out when His Majesty’s birthday comes.”

The National Academy’s training ground was vast; the field had been cleared, and all candidates for the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s preliminary selection were warming up inside, while crowds filled the wooden railings on all sides, and tiered seating on one side held numerous envoys from vassal states and relatives of the princes.

Yet everyone remained restrained, merely nodding greetings before sitting still.

No one knew who had come up with this idea—to place both sides together.

Would a prince dare associate with envoys from vassal states?

Pan Yun squeezed to the front and looked up to see two clearly divided groups on the opposite platform.

The Koreans were even bored enough to speak with the Jian Nu officials beside them, yet dared not approach any Ming princes.

Pan Yun’s lips twitched. She asked Pan Yue, “Who thought of this? Isn’t Father in the Bureau of Foreign Affairs?”

Pan Yue rubbed his nose and said, “It was Father’s idea.”

Pan Yun widened her eyes.

Pan Yue quickly explained: “Father proposed this not to test the regional princes, but to let the vassal states experience the diverse splendor of our Great Ming.”

He said, “The princes are scattered across the land—who better understands their own territories than they? Our Ming princes are talented and virtuous; if they can win the submission of the foreign tribes, the tribes will naturally be loyal to His Majesty and to Great Ming.”

Pan Yun pondered: “This logic... isn’t wrong. All surnamed Zhu—in foreign lands, they’re seen as one family with the Emperor.”

Pan Yu sneered: “The late Emperor perished on the grasslands; these foreign tribes claimed they came to wish him a long life, but really wanted to take advantage of our weakness. Father says their birthday gifts were pitifully meager—right after presenting them, they went crying to the Bureau of Foreign Affairs officials about poverty. The Jian Nu even dared ask the court for arquebuses, claiming they’d help us defend against the Oirats—but who doesn’t know what they’re really planning?”

Pan Yun: “Big brother, the Jian Nu are different from other foreign tribes—they’re not a vassal state, but territory under our Great Ming, their people Ming subjects, their land Ming soil. The Nurgan Regional Military Commission is mostly inhabited by Jurchens, so we govern them as tributary prefectures with tribal autonomy. Their request for arquebuses from the court is perfectly legitimate.”

Pan Yu widened his eyes: “Little sister, you’re not seriously thinking of giving them arquebuses?”

Pan Yun shot him a look and said, “Unfortunately, the imperial treasury is strained, and the war with the Oirats has ended. Our Ming people cherish peace, and now we should prioritize harmony with the Oirats. So arquebuses? Forget it. Better to reduce conscription among the tribes, encourage farming and herding, and raise the living standards of the Jian Nu people.”

Pan Yue deeply agreed: “Father said the same.”

Pan Yu winced: “So hypocritical.”

The two siblings turned and glared at him.

Pan Yu stepped back, deciding not to walk with them anymore; he moved to Miao Zhen’s group and asked, “Where do you want to go? I know the National Academy well—I’ll take you.”

Miao Zhen thanked him and said, “We know the National Academy well too.”

Tao Yanbai, seeing his disbelief, explained: “Since returning to the capital, we come here every other day to teach. We’ve been everywhere—places we should visit, places we shouldn’t—we’ve seen them all.”

Pan Yu blinked dumbly: “What do you teach? Daoist cultivation?”

Tao Yanbai said, “No—arithmetic and ciphers, for telegraphy. More and more people are learning it now; the National Academy’s teachers aren’t enough.”

Pan Yu’s eyes lit up; he grabbed Tao’s arm and shouted, “I want to learn too!”