APSIL -Chapter 166 Sitting in the Hall, an Official Position Falls from the Heavens

When they first entered the Nine Chapters Hall examinations, many of the students—even those from poor backgrounds—had perhaps already become accustomed to lowering their heads and acting humble on the surface. Yet deep down, they still carried a somewhat untimely arrogance: the feeling that “the entire world is corrupted, but I alone remain pure.”

However, after spending only three days in the Nine Chapters Hall, that arrogance had completely disappeared.

The things Zhang Shou introduced were truly unheard of. Simply accepting and understanding them required time.

Yet the speed of his lessons was terrifyingly fast!

At first, they had confidently believed that one book a day was exactly the right pace for them. But now, they wished desperately that the lessons would slow down, giving them more time to properly absorb this completely new system.

Therefore, when Little Fatty Lu Sanlang once again stood proudly on the lecture platform that morning, no one intentionally or unintentionally tried to provoke this young master of the Minister of War anymore.

Facts had proven that Lu Sanlang truly deserved to be the class supervisor.

Whenever someone asked him a question, he could answer fluently.

And Qi Liang, who came from the countryside, was indeed worthy of being Zhang Shou’s earliest student. His knowledge far surpassed theirs.

“Regarding the task Teacher assigned yesterday, did anyone complete it?”

Hearing the uneven responses from below, Lu Sanlang nodded toward Qi Liang, who collected several assignments.

After casually scanning through them, Lu Sanlang spoke seriously: “Those who managed to spare time to complete it deserve praise.”

“But those who did not finish it do not need to continue, because Teacher has changed his mind.”

“Teacher obtained a major project from the Bureau of Military Equipment for everyone.”

Seeing the twenty-plus students below first look confused, then gradually reveal expressions of surprise and excitement, Lu Sanlang proudly continued: “The Bureau of Military Equipment possesses an extremely complicated fourteen-ring character cipher box.”

“Each ring contains four characters, making fifty-six characters in total.”

“These fifty-six characters all come from the Thousand Character Classic.”

“Our current task is to cooperate with Teacher and attempt to unlock this cipher box.”

After Zhang Shou finished the morning history lesson at Half-Mountain Hall and prepared to visit Nine Chapters Hall to see how Lu Sanlang was organizing the students’ “research project,” he suddenly sensed someone behind him.

Turning around, he immediately saw the Third and Fourth Princes sneaking along behind him.

He smiled.

“What? Still planning to sneak into Nine Chapters Hall for lessons?”

“The pace there is too fast. It is not suitable for either of you.”

The Third Prince obediently nodded.

But the Fourth Prince immediately interrupted: “Teacher, we are not going to Nine Chapters Hall to attend lessons.”

“Grand Tutor Ge’s books—Father Emperor bought many copies. He said he would study them while personally teaching us.”

“I came here to tell Teacher that you are going to be promoted!”

Uh…

Hearing such a straightforward declaration from a child, Zhang Shou was slightly surprised.

He instinctively glanced around.

Inside the room, the noble students who had not yet left—including Zhang Chen—were almost all staring tightly at him.

Outside Half-Mountain Hall, those who had not walked far also stopped and turned around, their expressions clearly strange.

Students from the Upright Hall, who were focused on the imperial examinations, might have maintained their composure in such a situation.

But the noble disciples of Half-Mountain Hall came from powerful families. They were extremely sensitive to anything involving official positions.

Everyone knew Zhang Shou had only recently become an Imperial Academy Doctor.

How was it that he was already being promoted again?

More importantly…

If Zhang Shou stopped being their Imperial Academy Doctor, what would happen to their studies?

Would they no longer need to attend?

Zhang Shou smiled and gently patted the Fourth Prince’s head.

“Regardless of where you heard this news, before it has officially been announced, you should not casually reveal it.”

“Because if the matter is true, some people may accuse you of leaking government secrets.”

“And if the matter is inaccurate, others may say you spread rumors.”

“Understand?”

The Fourth Prince froze.

Then he heard the Third Prince quietly say behind him: “Fourth Brother, Teacher is right.”

“But Father Emperor personally told me.”

The Fourth Prince had not expected Zhang Shou not only to fail to become excited but even to lecture him. He felt slightly wronged.

“Father Emperor even told me that I must tell Teacher first.”

Zhang Shou never expected the Emperor would actually behave so recklessly.

He could only smile helplessly and crouch down, looking directly into the Fourth Prince’s eyes.

“That was not a scolding. It was a reminder.”

“You can remember this.”

“When you return to the palace, ask His Majesty whether what I said was correct.”

“As for promotion…”

“I am only a few years older than you.”

“There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. There is no need to rush.”

“But regardless, thank you.”

The Fourth Prince was finally satisfied by this thanks.

He happily nodded.

Just as he was about to say something else, loud shouting suddenly came from behind them.

A student who had just left came running back like the wind.

“Teacher! The Chief Administrator asks you to hurry to the Doctor’s Hall!”

Because the Fourth Prince had already given him a warning, Zhang Shou was mentally prepared.

Sure enough, when he arrived at the Doctor’s Hall, he was greeted by a crowd of colleagues looking at him with envy, jealousy, and resentment.

Meanwhile, Zhou Xun and Luo Siye wore meaningful expressions.

But even with preparation, Zhang Shou was still surprised when he heard his new appointments.

A seventh-rank Imperial Academy Doctor, concurrently serving as:

• Sixth-rank Hanlin Lecturer.
• Left Assistant of the Crown Prince’s Office.

Although “Hanlin Lecturer” was different from “Hanlin Academician”—the difference was enormous in status—everyone knew that both the Hanlin Academy and the Crown Prince’s Office were far more prestigious than the Imperial Academy.

The person delivering the appointment was not a eunuch.

It was merely a minor official from the Office of Transmission.

After all, even historically speaking, eunuchs were only dispatched to deliver imperial decrees when the recipient’s rank was sufficiently high.

Otherwise, the palace would need a huge army of eunuchs constantly running around outside.

This minor official had already been questioned thoroughly by Zhou Xun, Luo Siye, and many other officials.

Now, seeing Zhang Shou surprised yet calm after accepting the appointment document, he secretly praised him.

Look at Zhang Doctor.

Not only does he have an excellent appearance, but he also possesses remarkable composure.

Unlike these scholars who read the classics yet possess narrow minds, indirectly asking whether Zhang Doctor’s promotion has some hidden problem.

Therefore, before leaving, the official deliberately added: “According to what I heard, this promotion was personally drafted by Grand Secretary Wu of the Inner Cabinet.”

“The Six Offices debated it as well, but the appointment was ultimately successfully delivered.”

“After all, Doctor Zhang captured rebels before, captured rebels again this time, judged the mystery behind the Imperial Ancestor’s inscription, and deciphered the rebels’ secret message.”

“With such achievements, Doctor Zhang’s promotion is completely justified.”

After saying this, the normally cautious official bowed, turned around, and left without a trace.

Zhang Shou originally had no intention of staying in the Doctor’s Hall to provoke his colleagues.

However, since he knew little about the Hanlin Academy and the Crown Prince’s Office, he asked Zhou Xun for some explanations.

After learning that the Crown Prince’s Office was currently an empty institution and that the Hanlin Academy did not require daily attendance, he felt relieved and left.

Once he departed, Yang Yiming, the Imperial Academy Doctor responsible for Upright Hall, finally could not suppress his complaint.

“The Hanlin Academy and Crown Prince’s Office are such prestigious places…”

“He is still so young and cannot exactly be said to possess great virtue or achievements, yet he entered them so easily…”

Before he could finish, Zhou Xun calmly interrupted: “Then you should go capture some rebels yourself.”

“Then decipher their secret correspondence.”

“And while you are at it, determine the hidden mystery of the Nine Chapters Hall plaque.”

“After that, come back and say these words again.”

Yang Yiming had not dared say such things before Zhang Shou.

After Zhou Xun’s sarcasm, he felt utterly embarrassed and quickly left with an excuse.

After he departed, Zhou Xun returned to the inner room.

Luo Siye looked around at the people with complicated expressions and sighed.

“In the future, remember that Zhang Doctor is not only your colleague.”

“His rank is also higher than yours.”

The moment he finished speaking, all the officials’ faces turned extremely ugly.

Originally, these successful candidates from the imperial examinations already felt humiliated that a young man without any scholarly title had suddenly become their equal.

Who would have expected the Emperor to think that was still not enough?

He had promoted Zhang Shou even further.

During his lunch break back at his dormitory, Zhang Shou learned the latest explanation from Zhu Hong regarding why the Six Offices had not rejected his appointment.

Because when Grand Secretary Wu was being surrounded and questioned by several censors from the Six Offices, the Emperor personally sent over a rubbing of the founding Emperor’s inscription from the Hanlin Academy.

The inscription contained exactly four characters: “Appoint by Ability Alone.”

Perhaps because many noble youths had recently entered the Imperial Academy, security had become much looser than before.

Therefore, Zhu Hong entered smoothly.

He explained: “It is said that beneath the founding Emperor’s inscription in the Hanlin Academy, there are also imperial instructions carved there.”

“‘Those who are not imperial examination graduates may enter the Hanlin Academy; those who are not from the Hanlin Academy may enter the Inner Cabinet.’”

“‘Do not follow rigid rules. Appoint solely based on ability.’”

Zhang Shou secretly muttered to himself:

Was the founding Emperor deliberately opposing the rule that only examination graduates could enter the Hanlin Academy and only Hanlin officials could enter the Inner Cabinet?

However, he did not show it.

He simply smiled.

“Thank you for making this trip.”

“Was it Yingying who sent you?”

“Miss went to another banquet at Duke Chu’s residence.”

“It was Grand Madam and Madam who asked me to come.”

“Grand Madam said that as long as Young Master Shou understands things in his heart, that is enough.”

“Madam said that Young Master Shou should pay attention to his health, and if he has time, practice swordsmanship with A-Liu.”

When Zhu Hong reached the last sentence, his expression became extremely awkward.

Does Madam hope Zhang Shou becomes a master swordsman so that he can actually fight Miss Zhu Ying evenly in the future?

He himself was also amazed by Zhang Shou’s speed of promotion.

This was not a chaotic era.

This was a peaceful and prosperous age.

Even the top scholar of the imperial examination had to rise steadily step by step.

How could Zhang Shou, who entered officialdom from having no status at all, rise so quickly in less than two months?

After learning that Zhu Ying was still patiently attending all kinds of banquets and gatherings, Zhang Shou could not help but think:

When this young lady becomes serious, there really is no one who can compete with her.

He asked Zhu Hong to send his greetings to Grand Madam and Ninth Lady.

After seeing him off, he looked at the usual lavish food box.

Originally, he wanted to go outside and call Lu Sanlang and Qi Liang over.

But in the end, he changed his mind.

Things were different now.

The twenty-plus students of Nine Chapters Hall all lived in the dormitories.

If he showed obvious favoritism, it would not be appropriate.

So…

He might as well eat alone this time.