gnovel Chapter 99 Reporting to the Imperial Academy
Chapter 99 Reporting to the Imperial Academy
Looking at his brothers, whose expressions were solemn, Zhu Biao couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation.
Seeing them, even the usually composed Zhu Di became cautious and sent away all the eunuchs and maids serving in the Wenhua Hall. Only then did Zhu Biao become a little more serious and ask, "What's wrong? Look at your formation, what big thing happened?"
"Xiao Si, what's going on?"
Zhu Biao really had no interest in playing around with his younger brothers.
He had been dealing with official business all day and was exhausted.
"Brother Crown Prince, don't be afraid."
Zhu Shuang spoke first.
Zhu Biao's expression showed even more helplessness.
What does he have to be afraid of?
He was the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace; inside and outside the palace, throughout the entire Ming Dynasty, there were very few people who could harm him.
"Alright, alright, big brother, don't be afraid."
Zhu Biao patiently coaxed, "Tell me, what exactly happened?"
After everyone was seated, Zhu Shuang leaned forward, got closer to Zhu Biao, lowered his voice, and said, word by word, "Brother Crown Prince, let me tell you, the mother in this palace is a fake."
Followed by.
He then repeated exactly what he had said to Zhu Di.
"Um?"
Upon hearing this, Zhu Biao yawned, his face full of drowsiness.
He was really tired today.
But Zhu Shuang was immediately displeased by his appearance. She grabbed his arm and said urgently, "Brother Crown Prince, what kind of attitude is this? Mother usually dotes on you the most. Now that Mother is in danger, why don't you react at all?"
"Don't you care about your mother at all?"
Zhu Shuang's series of questions stumped the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Biao sighed helplessly, finally shaking off his weariness. His expression turned serious, and he said in a deep voice, "Alright, then we'll listen to you. Tell me, what should we do?"
Zhu Biao originally wanted to reveal Ma Wenxiang's identity and all the hidden details, but looking at his younger brothers who were working together so unitedly for the first time, he hesitated.
The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he inexplicably swallowed them back.
Zhu Shuang said earnestly, "Brother Crown Prince, in my opinion, we should do it this way..."
……
Meanwhile, inside the Ma family mansion, after a night's rest, Ma Wenxiang's life finally returned to normal.
"Bang bang bang".
Early in the morning, a loud knocking sounded first.
Immediately afterward, Sun An's urgent shouts rang out: "Brother Wenxiang! Brother Wenxiang! It's time! Today is the day to report to the Imperial Academy, Brother Wenxiang, don't forget!"
Imperial College?
Ma Wenxiang blinked, looking sleepily at Sun An outside the door with a blank expression.
The people I've been dealing with lately are just too high-ranking: the Emperor, the Empress, the Crown Prince...
After one round.
He had almost completely forgotten about reporting to the Imperial Academy.
How could the mere Imperial Academy compare to the Ming Dynasty imperial family?
The difference is not just a little bit.
Ma Wenxiang yawned, just about to decline.
After all, he now has the Empress backing him up, and a group of royal family members from the Zhu family as "cheat codes," so why would he want to cause trouble for himself?
For the imperial examination system, the Empress alone is enough.
He had already planned it out; he would become a mascot from now on.
It was one thing to hide the truth before, but now that the truth is almost out, it's better to put everyone at ease.
Aside from occasionally being a minor inventor to help alleviate the financial pressure on the Ming Dynasty, the rest of his days would be spent waiting to pass the imperial examinations, become an official, marry a few wives, and have a bunch of healthy sons—then his life would be complete.
Why make yourself so uncomfortable?
Ma Wenxiang wasn't the type to cause trouble, so he said he was going to close the window and go back to sleep.
Just then, Old Master Ma, leaning on an iron rod, slowly appeared in his courtyard.
The old man knew his grandson's habits all too well.
If they can lie down, they will never sit; if they can sit, they will never stand; if they can avoid studying hard, they will definitely enjoy a life of leisure at home.
In the past, there was no other way. If you didn't try your best to change things, you would be poor for life and live a life worse than pigs and dogs.
But things are different now. The family is doing well, and they have powerful connections. Even without working hard, they can still live a comfortable life.
So Mr. Ma came here today specifically to plan ahead.
He swung the iron rod with great force, making a whooshing sound as it pierced the air, and then slammed it into the ground, instantly creating a hole in the hard ground, which looked particularly intimidating.
"The Ma family does not support lazy people."
Old Master Ma's face was stern, and his voice rang out slowly, "If you don't obediently go to the Imperial Academy today, this old man might have to kill your grandson for the greater good."
Upon hearing this, Ma Wenxiang rushed forward and immediately pulled Sun An, who was standing in front of him, over.
Sun An was very considerate and had prepared everything for him long ago, even bringing his book bag.
The two quickly left the villa, boarded the carriage outside the mansion gate, and headed straight for the Imperial College, enjoying a smooth journey.
Looking at the Ma family's mansion, which was comparable to the residence of a marquis or nobleman, Sun An blinked and wisely refrained from asking any further questions.
The Ma family must be hiding a big secret. Perhaps they have gained the emperor's favor, otherwise how could they live such a luxurious life as soon as they entered the capital?
It's truly unbelievable.
Even the Sun family, despite having an ancestral home in the capital, lived a meager existence. Yet the Ma family's extravagance was simply incomprehensible.
Upon arriving at the Imperial College, the two handed over their name tags, and an old teacher led them into a classroom where they sat down in their prepared seats.
Today, the Imperial Academy is a place where the sons of noble families, scholars from humble backgrounds, and scions of prominent families gather, but the school is divided into different classes.
There is one room for the sons of noble families, one room for the sons of prominent families, and another room for the students from poor families.
Such a clear distinction saves them from fighting amongst themselves and causing chaos throughout the Imperial Academy.
Ma Wenxiang yawned, then straightened up and began to listen to the lecture.
He understood the principle of "since we're here, we might as well make the best of it."
Moreover, if one were to become an official in the future, one would inevitably need to understand human relationships and social customs, so listening to these lessons would not be of any harm.
Although it's probably true in eight or nine out of ten cases.
He will be assigned to the Ministry of Works, but he has not learned the basics of official conduct and management.
From a "nutrition expert" from later generations to an official who aspires to enter the imperial court, there is ultimately a process of transformation.
People strive for higher positions, just as water flows downhill; Ma Wenxiang was happy to adapt to this change.
In the blink of an eye, the two morning classes were over. Each class lasted an hour, equivalent to two hours in later times, so the workload was quite heavy.
"It's actually quite useful."
Ma Wenxiang looked thoughtful and couldn't help but nod slightly.
Sun An, who was standing to the side, also seemed to be thinking about this, and nodded in agreement: "Nowadays, the Imperial Academy is mostly filled with scholars from the south, and there are very few scholars from the north."
However, at present, we might take advantage of the court's momentum in revitalizing education in the Central Plains and suggest that the Imperial Academy introduce scholars from the North and the Central Plains to us.
"With open spaces between north and south, even within the Imperial Academy, there should be a place for northern scholars; only then will it align with the court's wishes."