Ever since Yang Fei and Yin Fei personally sent their sons to study at the academy, legends about Yushan Academy spread throughout Chang’an, this giant city of eight hundred thousand people. Even imperial princes had begun studying at Yushan Academy—where could there be anywhere better than Yushan Academy?
The academy only recruited children of imperial relatives and meritorious aristocratic families, excluding the landlords and wealthy merchants of Chang’an City. The Guanzhong nobles were already enjoying everything this country had to offer. Now even their children’s starting points were higher than one’s own children—how could this be acceptable? Were their ancestors destined for generations to only be lower-class people?
The Imperial Academy had already opened to children of officials below the fifth rank. The Hongwen Academy had also set aside its lofty airs and begun seeking talented individuals among children of lower-ranking officials, preparing to focus on cultivating them to compete with Yushan Academy.
Competing for students? When Yun Ye was looking for schools for his son in later generations, he was extremely proficient in this. Yu Shinan and Liu Zhenghui, no matter how scholarly or brilliant their stratagems, couldn’t possibly understand what the siphon principle meant. Combined with Kong Yingda, Song Lian, and Xiao Yu, these teachers’ well-intentioned blunders meant the Imperial Academy and Hongwen Academy could only suffer bitter defeat in this student recruitment war.
For no other reason—Yushan Academy merely issued a simple announcement: talented students need only recommend themselves to take the academy’s examination. After passing, they could study at the academy, no different from other academy students. Students from difficult family circumstances could even study for free. The academy even had scholarships to compete for and offered work-study programs—as long as you were excellent enough.
The spirit of scholars! No one thought themselves inferior to others. Everyone carried one head on their shoulders—could you be smarter than me? Ridiculous! They’d know after taking the test. In May, Yushan was crowded with people. The farmhouses at the mountain’s foot were all filled with scholars who came to take the examination. Some even rushed from distant places to participate.
Yushan’s grand examination made the court’s annual talent evaluation ceremony, held simultaneously, pale into insignificance. Poor scholars with no connections could only place their hopes in Yushan Academy. Princes needed subordinate officials, military camps needed clerks, the Ministry of Works needed specialized talents. At worst, the great noble houses also needed their own retainers. The prospects were far broader than the court’s mere eighth-rank assistant magistrate position.
The Emperor paid no attention to this matter. Even when Wei Zheng passionately described the serious consequences of the academy competing with the court for talent in the imperial court, Li Er merely squinted his eyes and listened with a smile. Court officials were increasing daily, yet few were capable. He’d personally examined several so-called talents who were about to serve as local officials in various places. The results made him furious—truly writing thousands of words yet having no actual strategies. Encountering drought, they didn’t know how to respond. Encountering civil unrest, they didn’t know how to pacify. They only knew to blindly call for help. They were completely ignorant of the people’s livelihood and food, possessing only a heart full of patriotic loyalty.
“When bandits come, I’ll die”—as long as officials were clean and poor, guarding the Way, that would be enough to bring peace to the realm. Such officials made Li Er both fond and worried. Such officials wouldn’t bring benefits to their localities, nor would they bring harm. The places they governed wouldn’t change in eight hundred years.
Looking at academy students by contrast, the slightly older senior students had to participate in various internships—whether managing a stone kiln, managing a group of craftsmen, participating in building a bridge, joining military camp provisions distribution, participating in disaster relief in drought-stricken areas, or helping with drainage in flooded places. Some managed the small market at Yun Family’s estates. As for palace construction sites, there were even more young faces bustling about.
Academy students participating in Xinghua Ward’s reconstruction were openly questioning whether Chang’an officials were doing nothing but drawing salaries. A rebellion and arson by just a few dozen people had thrown this giant city of eight hundred thousand into chaos. With such serious consequences, what had officials been doing normally?
In the imperial court, Wei Zheng tired of speaking and was replaced by Kong Yingda who continued the bombardment. But in Li Er’s mind, he was savoring the matter of Yun Ye asking him to serve as Yushan Academy’s dean. At the time, he’d thought it was nonsense. The Emperor’s duty was to govern the realm, not to assume some practical official position—otherwise, what were officials for?
Thinking about it now, he truly needed to assume this position as dean. As long as he became dean, all students in the academy would be his students. Among Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Parents, and Teachers, he could occupy two positions—the best method for winning hearts and minds.
Li Er suddenly laughed. No wonder when he’d initially wanted the Crown Prince to serve as dean, Yun Ye had disagreed, preferring to leave the position vacant for two years rather than let Chengqian touch the academy. Who could have imagined that his momentary impulse two years ago could spawn such a behemoth? Li Chengqian, ah, Li Chengqian—your luck is truly unprecedented. Your friend can worry for you to this extent. If you can’t be a good emperor in the future, you’ll truly be letting everyone down.
Thinking of Yun Ye, Li Er’s expression became somewhat strange. His fist clenched with crackling sounds: “Boy, do you think my imperial family’s advantages are so easily taken? Debauching the palace—that’s a capital offense! When there’s time, I’ll have a good discussion with you about this.”
A dispute arose in the court, temporarily pulling Li Er’s thoughts back. He saw Yuchi Gong clenching his fist with a fierce and menacing appearance, grabbing the small Kong Yingda as if about to use force.
“Jingde, stop! Using force in the imperial court—what is the meaning of this?”
“Your Majesty, this old Kong is truly detestable. Talking about other matters would be fine—this humble official wouldn’t dispute with him. But he actually said my son built the Shangjin Bridge using no beams or pillars, just casually using a few stones—calling it an act that treats human lives as worthless! This humble official must get this clear with him.”
The Yuchi family had finally produced someone who could read and write. Now he could actually lead dozens of people to build a bridge ten zhang long. The bridge was built, yet someone was nitpicking—naturally he was angry.
“Who built the bridge?” Li Er thought he’d heard wrong. Could a bridge built by Yuchi Baolin bear people? No wonder Kong Yingda said the Yuchi family treated human lives as worthless. When did half-wits start building large bridges?
“My son Yuchi Baolin led seventy-three craftsmen and completed it in twenty-six days and four double-hours.” Yuchi Gong grinned widely, extremely proud.
“Your Majesty, that Shangjin Bridge is a vital point for entering and exiting the Jinguang Gate. Yuchi Baolin used no beams or pillars, no timber—only hundreds of giant stones piled up. Though the stone carvings on top are exquisite, it’s not fit for use. Once it collapses, there will be casualties. What’s wrong with this official accusing him of treating human lives as worthless?”
Li Er looked worriedly at Yuchi Gong, then at Minister of Works Li Daliang, watching how they would explain.
Li Daliang rose and said to the Emperor, “Reporting to Your Majesty, the Ministry of Works inspected Shangjin Bridge. The bridge is beautiful, grand, sturdy, and durable—no problems.”
Yuchi Gong followed up saying, “This humble official also worried my son’s bridge wouldn’t be fit for use, so on the day my son completed it, this humble official was the first to cross. Very stable. I then had fifty household guards in full heavy armor gallop across the bridge on horseback. That bridge didn’t drop even a speck of dust. I also had several thousand-pound carts lined up from one end of the bridge to the other. That bridge remained intact. This humble official stakes his head on it—that bridge has no problems.”
Yuchi Gong never lied to him—Li Er knew this clearly, so he believed eighty percent of his words. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Zhangsun Wuji step forward and say, “Has Your Majesty forgotten Zhaozhou Bridge? That bridge also has no beams or pillars, also made of piled stones, and remains intact to this day.”
“That bridge was built by the famous craftsman Li Chun of the former Sui. How can Yuchi Baolin compare with him?” Kong Yingda remained relentless.
“My son says the blueprints came from a construction family, the Gongshu family. Anyone from that family is sufficient to compare with Li Chun.”
Yu Shinan below stamped his feet anxiously. They’d clearly agreed today was to attack Yushan Academy. Who knew the stubborn and obstinate Kong Yingda would lead them astray again? The Emperor clearly knew but wouldn’t raise the matter anymore, only pursuing the interesting bridge-building story. Today’s plan had fallen through again.
Yun Ye stood at the mountain’s foot welcoming scholars coming for the examination. His smile never disappeared. Watching the endless stream of old students, university students, and younger students, he almost laughed to the heavens. The Great Tang had few scholars to begin with. Now everyone in Chang’an City who thought they had some ability had come. The academy couldn’t help but grow strong. Xu Jingzong, sitting behind the table personally recording, also kept smiling sinisterly. Just seeing Hongwen Academy, which had cast him aside like worn shoes, suffer misfortune was enough to make him too excited to sleep all night.
“Student Ma Zhou pays respects to Marquis Yun.” A thin, dark-complexioned man spoke in a resonant voice. Upon seeing Yun Ye, he showed no trace of embarrassment. Though wearing hemp clothing and straw sandals, he insisted on paying respects to Yun Ye with student propriety.
“Seeing your clothes are worn yet your heart for learning remains unchanged—your aspiration is praiseworthy. Though academy students all come from great noble houses, once through the academy gates, there’s only one identity—student. You need have no psychological burden. Yushan Academy only examines talent, not background. Bring out all your learning and show those wealthy sons what you’ve got.”
Before Ma Zhou could speak, Yun Ye beside him spoke first. Xu Jingzong found it strange. For other students, he just nodded approvingly, never saying an extra word. How come when this farmer’s son arrived, Yun Ye said so much? There must be something unusual.
“Student Ma Zhou, seeing your dignified bearing, you’ll surely achieve great things in the future. Very well, the academy will help you all the way. Seeing your travel gear is simple and you possess nothing, it looks like you’re preparing to sleep outdoors. Yushan nights are cold. I’ll write you a letter—take it to the academy steward and have him arrange for you to stay in the academy’s library tonight. Get your meals from the dining hall. Come, come, take my meal token. When you pass the examination, return it to me.”
Having said this, he quickly wrote a line on paper and handed it to Ma Zhou. He also stuffed his own meal voucher to him. Without waiting for the red-eyed Ma Zhou to speak, he urged him to quickly go up the mountain and not miss mealtime.
Without a word, Ma Zhou bowed deeply to Yun Ye and Xu Jingzong, then strode up the mountain with much lighter steps.
“Old Xu, from now on don’t compete with me for opportunities to show kindness.” Watching Ma Zhou turn around the mountain’s foot, Yun Ye said to Xu Jingzong.
Xu Jingzong scratched his chin and asked Yun Ye, “My Lord, how did you determine this Ma Zhou, Ma Binwang, would definitely be talented?”
“Those who will accomplish great things must have great fortune. Those with great fortune must have auspicious clouds above their heads. Though this scholar just now was shabby, his noble aura directly assaulted my eyes. This will be my future colleague. Being respectful now makes meeting later easier.”
“My Lord has also shown great favor to this subordinate. Does that mean I’ll also have great fortune in the future?”
“You certainly have great fortune, except the auspicious clouds above your head are black. I need to watch you closely. If I’m not careful, you’ll run out and harm people. Neither of us are clean people—let’s just muddle through together.”
Hearing this, Xu Jingzong’s eyes bulged like copper bells.