Chapter 962: I Want to Learn Too

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, instead fixing their gaze tightly on Miao Zhen 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—those people by the gate are selling tickets for five taels each; mine's a bargain."

Pan Yun turned back and called out to Miao Zhen: "Hurry up, let's get in line."

The young man instantly realized they had tickets and turned away, yet couldn't help muttering, "They have tickets and still ask me..."

He spotted a haughty, wealthy young master, his eyes lit up, and rushed forward; undeterred when the guards blocked him, he lowered his voice: "Young Master, do you need a ticket?"

Pan Yun waited only a short while before Pan Yu arrived with Miao and Tao Yan Bai; the six of them entered together through the eastern gate.

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

He turned his head slightly to look at her and said, "This Mid-Autumn..."

Pan Yun knew immediately it was their father who missed her.

Without hesitation, she said, "I'll go back."

Pan Yue exhaled in relief.

Pan Yun turned to him with a smile and said, "Big brother, we must be cautious, but we need not fear."

"I knew it! If anyone dares threaten little sister, we just fight—why should we fear them?" Pan Yu came alive: "I say, don't wait for Mid-Autumn—come home for dinner tonight."

Pan Yun scanned the crowd ahead and said, "Second brother, I'm not staying away because I'm afraid of them—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 military all want Senior Minister Yu to snatch you over to the Ministry of War—we have the Armaments Bureau too, and it can fully satisfy your interest in forging."

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 the Ministry of War's command—it's the same thing."

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

Pan Yun said, "Forging isn't just for armaments—it's mostly for civilian use."

"All devices in the world follow the pattern: military first, then civilian. You develop armaments, the Ministry of Works takes the tech from the Ministry of War, then applies it to the people."

Pan Yue held a different view, frowning: "How many civilian devices are there? Can armaments possibly cover them all? I think little sister is fine in the Ministry of Works—don't most of your weapons in the Armaments Bureau come from the Ministry of Works anyway?"

Pan Yun: "Exactly, exactly." Pan Yu grumbled but pressed on: "Is there a new weapon?"

Pan Yun evaded: "You'll know by the Emperor's birthday."

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, 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 princely houses.

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 princely lord dare associate with envoys from vassal states?

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

The Koreans were even bored enough to speak with the Jurchen officials beside them, yet dared not approach any Great Ming princely lords.

Pan Yun's lips twitched as she asked Pan Yue, "Who thought of this? Isn't Father in the Court of Colonial 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 each vassal state experience the diverse splendors of our Great Ming."

He said, "The princes are scattered across the land—who better understands their own fiefs than they? Our Ming princes possess both talent and virtue; if they can win the submission of the foreign tribes, the tribes will naturally be loyal to Your Majesty and to Great Ming."

Pan Yun pondered: "This line of thinking... isn't wrong. They all share the Zhu surname—in foreign lands, they're seen as the Emperor's family."

Pan Yu sneered: "The late Emperor perished on the steppe; these foreign tribes claimed they came to wish him a happy birthday, but really wanted to take advantage of the chaos. Father said their birthday gifts were pitifully meager—right after presenting them, they went crying to the Court of Colonial Affairs officials about poverty. The Jurchens even dared ask the imperial court for arquebuses, claiming they'd help us defend against the Oirats—but who doesn't know what they're really after?"

Pan Yun: "Second brother, the Jurchens are different from other foreign tribes—they're not a vassal state, but territory under Great Ming's rule, their people Great Ming subjects, their land Great Ming land. The Nurgan Regional Military Commissioner is mostly Jurchen, so we govern them as tributary prefectures with tribal autonomy. Their request for arquebuses from the court is legitimate."

Pan Yu widened his eyes: "Little sister, you're not seriously thinking of giving them arquebuses?"

Pan Yun shot him a glare and said, "Unfortunately, the imperial treasury is strained, and the war with the Oirats has ended. Our people love peace, and now we should prioritize harmony with the Oirats—so arquebuses are out. Better to reduce conscription in the tribes, increase farming and herding, and raise the Jurchen people's standard of living."

Pan Yue deeply agreed: "Father said the same."

Pan Yu winced: "So hypocritical."

The two siblings turned and glared at him together.

Pan Yu stepped back, deciding not to walk with them anymore; he retreated into 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 Yan Bai saw his skeptical expression and explained: "Since returning to the capital, we come to the National Academy every other day to teach. We've been everywhere—places we should visit and places we shouldn't."

Pan Yu blinked dumbly: "What do you teach? Dao cultivation?"

Tao Yan Bai said, "No—arithmetic and ciphers, for telegraphy. More and more people are learning this now; the National Academy's teachers aren't enough."

Pan Yu's eyes lit up; he grabbed his arm and shouted, "I want to learn too!"