APSIL -Chapter 167 Changing Commanders Right Before Battle

Good news never travels far, but bad news spreads like wildfire.

However, within the small world of the Imperial Academy, the appointment of Zhang Shou—the National Academy Scholar who had previously been personally appointed by the emperor to oversee both Jiuzhang Hall and Banshan Hall—as a sixth-rank Hanlin Academy Lecturer and Left Assistant of the Hanlin-affiliated Eastern Palace Office while retaining his position as National Academy Scholar, caused a massive uproar.

It was like a stone thrown into calm waters, creating countless ripples.

Especially for Xie Wanquan, the former head of Lvxing Hall who had only recently returned quietly after his “illness.” He was both embarrassed and furious, yet he could no longer use the excuse of being sick to avoid matters.

After all, because he had previously used “illness” to hide away, the position of class leader had already fallen into someone else’s hands.

It was not that National Academy Scholar Yang Yiming, who managed Lvxing Hall, refused to help him. Rather, it was the instruction of the National Academy Chancellor, Zhou Xun.

Xie Wanquan had already suffered a crushing defeat in front of Zhang Shou at Rongshui Village after being provoked into action. Now Zhang Shou was not only Elder Ge Yong’s direct disciple but had also clearly risen to the level of someone regarded as a teacher. Xie Wanquan had no idea what kind of higher-level struggle was taking place behind the scenes, so how could he dare to act recklessly?

But the people who were truly overjoyed were naturally the students of Jiuzhang Hall.

Most of them came from poor families. Although they carried the title of imperial academy students, deep down they still lacked confidence in their own futures.

Now, their teacher Zhang Shou had suddenly risen to a sixth-rank official position.

Every single one of them gained a little more confidence in their prospects and future.

At this moment, it was noon—the break period for all the halls of the Imperial Academy.

Although the repetitive work from the morning had already made most people dizzy and exhausted, everyone was still working seriously.

Even Lu Sanlang himself had not expected that merely hearing the news of Zhang Shou’s promotion would make more than twenty people rush back after eating the simplest lunch possible and immediately continue working on the task.

At this moment, with his arms folded, he stood on the lecture platform.

For the first time, he felt that perhaps becoming classmates with these people whom he had initially thought were inferior to him was not such a terrible thing.

Because just like himself—someone who had grown up enduring his father’s cold indifference—every single one of them had a clear goal.

None of them wanted to waste even the slightest opportunity.

Therefore, when Zhang Shou appeared at the entrance of Jiuzhang Hall, he glanced at Qi Liang, who was also concentrating on calculations, then quickly walked forward to greet him.

Lowering his voice, Lu Sanlang said: “Looking at their progress, they might already have some results by this afternoon’s lesson. I brought over more than twenty copies of the Thousand Character Classic. They first marked each character with its corresponding number, then compared them one by one. The speed has become much faster.”

Zhang Shou nodded in satisfaction.

Then he instructed Lu Sanlang to collect the corresponding numbers of the poems they had already organized and write down the first three numbers represented by each poem on separate sheets of paper.

After that, he took out another sheet.

On it were the sixty-four possible combinations formed from the numbers corresponding to the twelve characters in the first three rings of the fourteen-ring text cipher.

Just as Lu Sanlang had said, by the time Jiuzhang Hall’s afternoon lesson began, the poems assigned to the twenty-plus students had already been completely organized.

Zhang Shou now had a thick stack of papers in his hands.

He casually flipped through them, then raised his head and looked at everyone.

“Everyone should already know about my promotion.”

Although saying this himself sounded somewhat like boasting, Zhang Shou continued calmly: “But these past few days, I have indeed made some small contributions. Among them was deciphering a secret letter exchanged between rebels.”

“That is why I have received the task before me now—to decipher a fourteen-ring text lock.”

When Jiuzhang Hall was renovated, Zhang Shou had specifically ordered that a blank plaster wall be left behind the lecture platform.

Now, he casually dipped a brush into water and wrote sixty-four groups of three numbers onto the wall.

When he turned around, he saw that everyone below was already writing furiously.

Clearly, without him needing to give instructions, they already understood that they should copy down the numbers.

Watching the water marks slowly disappear from the wall, Zhang Shou smiled.

“Back when I was teaching Qi Liang and another student in the countryside, I used this method as well.”

“The reason is simple: it saves effort, saves money, and can be reused.”

“I just never expected that after arriving at the Imperial Academy, I would still be using the same method.”

“Alright. Has everyone finished copying?”

Seeing that no one indicated they were unfinished, Zhang Shou nodded.

Then he calmly said: “To complete this task, I need to teach everyone another subject first.”

“That is—functions.”

Teaching functions clearly within a single afternoon was impossible.

However, the concept involved here was only related to first-degree equations, specifically the simplest type of linear function.

For most students, it was still within an acceptable range.

Even so, when Zhang Shou drew a coordinate system containing only the first quadrant, most of them immediately looked completely stunned.

Using diagrams and examples, Zhang Shou compressed lessons that would normally require several days or even weeks into one afternoon, forcefully pushing the concepts into their minds.

Only then did he shift the topic back to the sixty-four groups of numbers they had just copied.

“The fourteen-ring lock contains fifty-six characters. If we tried to verify every possibility one by one, the number of combinations would be far too large.”

“So now, we only need to take the twelve characters from the first three rings and test them.”

“In this way, we only need to verify sixty-four groups.”

“The poems assigned to everyone earlier—take the numbers represented by their first three characters and calculate whether, after applying a regular shift, they have a corresponding linear relationship with these sixty-four groups of numbers.”

Zhang Shou briefly explained the principles of shift ciphers.

Then he asked questions one by one, confirming that aside from Lu Sanlang and Qi Liang, several others had understood.

After that, he simply told those who understood to teach those who did not.

By sunset, more than twenty people had finally grasped the basic idea.

Only then did Zhang Shou quietly let out a breath.

“Since everyone understands now, tonight you can begin calculations.”

“Tomorrow morning will also be dedicated entirely to calculations.”

After class ended, Lu Sanlang saw Zhang Shou preparing to leave and immediately rushed after him with a rare burst of agility despite his fat body.

Then he lowered his voice: “Little Teacher, what if the password mapping has nothing to do with linear functions?”

Zhang Shou answered: “Then we try quadratic functions.”

“Anyway, the shift intervals may not necessarily be fixed increments like 3, 5, 7, 9. They might instead follow variable increments like 2, 5, 10, 17.”

“Back when we were at the Shuntian Prefecture office, we had neither enough time nor enough manpower. Since first-degree functions were simpler, we were lucky.”

“Now we have enough people. Even if it takes several days or more than ten days, there is at least a chance we can calculate it.”

Seeing Lu Sanlang nodding repeatedly like a chick pecking rice, Zhang Shou shrugged.

“Of course, if the cipher created by the founding emperor did not use poetry, or if the shifting pattern was completely random, then we would have wasted all this effort.”

Lu Sanlang immediately froze.

Zhang Shou laughed.

“Cryptography itself is already one of the most difficult fields at this time. And this is Chinese-character cryptography.”

“I already said—this is just trying a desperate method.”

“For them, it is also excellent training.”

“But if we make such a huge commotion and ultimately fail…” Lu Sanlang hesitated.

“Wouldn’t that be embarrassing?”

He quickly added: “I’m not trying to be pessimistic. It’s just that you yourself said there is such a possibility…”

“Failure would be my responsibility.”

Zhang Shou smiled and patted Lu Sanlang’s shoulder.

In his heart, however, he thought:

If they succeeded, the students of Jiuzhang Hall would naturally gain confidence in their future.

If they failed, then it would simply mean mathematics was too vast, and his own experience was insufficient.

Either way, he could bear the responsibility.

Moreover, the attention gathered around him after solving the rebel letter would naturally decrease.

When he assigned the task, Zhang Shou had already thought it through.

Success or failure did not matter.

It was not something that concerned life or death.

As if his words had become a prophecy, the next day the calculations continued for an entire day.

Stacks of draft paper were used up.

More than a hundred lines of poetry were tested.

Yet in the end, everything turned out to be completely useless.

Not a single one matched.

However, what surprised Lu Sanlang and Qi Liang was that Zhang Shou did not become discouraged at all.

Without hesitation, he ordered everyone to begin testing with quadratic functions.

Naturally, Zhang Shou once again spent an entire afternoon explaining until his mouth went dry.

This time, coordinate systems were no longer useful.

Instead, three-variable equations became necessary.

On the second night, while everyone else in Jiuzhang Hall tossed and turned anxiously, Zhang Shou slept peacefully.

However, after finishing his first lesson the next morning, before he even had time to visit Jiuzhang Hall and check their progress, he saw Qi Liang standing at the entrance of Banshan Hall.

His face was filled with anxiety.

Feeling something was wrong, Zhang Shou immediately walked out.

Before he could ask, Qi Liang hurriedly said: “Lu Sanlang’s family sent someone. His mother suddenly fell seriously ill. They urgently called him back home.”

Zhang Shou had a deep impression of Lu Sanlang’s mother.

Unlike Lu Sanlang’s father Lu Wan, she was a mother who sincerely loved her youngest son.

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Shou immediately said: “Go to the Lu residence in my name.”

“First, visit Madam Lu.”

“Second, tell Lu Sanlang for me—he does not need to worry about anything else right now. Taking care of his mother is the priority.”

Seeing Zhang Shou remain calm, Qi Liang’s anxious heart finally settled.

He quickly nodded.

“After leaving the Imperial Academy, try calling for A-Liu. If he is nearby, have him accompany you.”

“Buy some suitable gifts for someone recovering from illness. Don’t go empty-handed.”

After carefully instructing Qi Liang, Zhang Shou watched him hurry away.

Then he turned back toward Banshan Hall.

Suddenly, he raised his voice: “Zhang Chen, come here for a moment.”

The project currently underway in Jiuzhang Hall had not been deliberately kept secret by the students. Since Zhang Shou had never instructed them to hide it, the other students naturally heard some rumors.

At this moment, Zhang Chen was standing together with Zhang Wu and Zhang Lu, quietly gossiping about whether the fourteen-ring text lock in Jiuzhang Hall could actually be deciphered.

Zhang Wu spoke with absolute confidence: “It will definitely work.”

Zhang Lu, however, felt somewhat uncertain.

“That sounds a little unrealistic…”

As for Zhang Chen, he simply laughed.

“If you ask me, our little teacher has become overly confident this time.”

“He might have a chance if he personally handled it. But relying on those Jiuzhang Hall students who have only studied for a few days…”

“Heh, I think it would already be good enough if they don’t make things worse.”

The moment he finished speaking, Zhang Chen suddenly heard Zhang Shou calling his name.

Thinking he had been caught speaking behind his teacher’s back, Zhang Chen immediately became awkward.

Only after Zhang Shou called him a second time did he hurriedly stand up and walk over.

When he arrived in front of Zhang Shou, he immediately said somewhat nervously: “We were just casually talking…”

I don’t care what you were talking about!

Zhang Shou looked at Zhang Chen with some confusion, then said impatiently: “Lu Sanlang had an urgent matter at home and has gone back. He probably won’t return today.”

“But over at Jiuzhang Hall, whether they succeed or fail, there should be an initial result this morning.”

“You go there and supervise one lesson for me.”

“As for the lessons you miss here, I’ll make them up for you later.”

Zhang Chen pointed at himself in disbelief.

“Me?”

Even if I go there, I won’t understand anything!

“That’s right. You.”

“You only need to see whether they have finished or not, and whether they succeeded or failed.”

“I don’t need you to do the calculations.”

“Use your leadership ability and properly act as temporary class leader.”

“Understand?”

Seeing Zhang Chen foolishly nod, then walk toward Jiuzhang Hall with confusion and unease written all over his face, Zhang Shou finally smiled.

A person like Zhang Chen, who had been born holding a golden spoon in his mouth and had enjoyed advantages from birth, needed to go see those who had worked desperately for their futures.

Meanwhile, inside Jiuzhang Hall.

The atmosphere was tense.

The students had spent the entire morning continuing their calculations.

Everyone was waiting for the result.

Some people were confident.

Others were nervous.

Some feared that all their hard work would amount to nothing.

But nobody wanted to give up.

Because this was no longer merely about solving a lock.

This was about proving themselves.

They were people who had once been looked down upon.

People who had entered the Imperial Academy despite lacking powerful family backgrounds.

And now, they had been personally entrusted by Zhang Shou with solving a problem from the military bureau.

This opportunity was something they treasured more than anyone.

Zhang Chen arrived at Jiuzhang Hall.

The moment he entered, he immediately felt an unfamiliar atmosphere.

Unlike the other halls where students either chatted casually or studied independently, Jiuzhang Hall was filled with a strange sense of unity.

Everyone was focused.

Everyone was working toward the same goal.

Even though Zhang Chen did not understand the calculations on the papers, he could clearly see the seriousness on their faces.

For a moment, he was somewhat stunned.

These people…

Were actually working this hard?

He had always assumed that students from poor backgrounds lacked talent and confidence.

But now, seeing them like this, he suddenly felt that perhaps his previous judgment had been unfair.

Not long after, Qi Liang, who had originally gone to the Lu residence, had not yet returned.

Without Lu Sanlang present, the students naturally became somewhat scattered.

However, they quickly organized themselves.

The people who understood the calculations explained things to those who did not.

Those who had finished checking one set of numbers immediately helped others.

It was completely different from the competitive atmosphere Zhang Chen was used to among aristocratic youths.

There was no mocking.

No one looked down on another person for being slower.

Everyone was simply trying to solve the problem.

Around midday, the first signs of progress finally appeared.

A student suddenly stood up.

“Wait!”

“Look at this!”

Several people immediately gathered around.

“What happened?”

“I think this sequence might work.”

He pointed at the numbers on the paper.

“If the first three characters correspond to these values, then after shifting according to this pattern…”

The surrounding students immediately began checking.

Soon, another person shouted: “No, wait! This one matches too!”

The entire hall instantly became lively.

Even Zhang Chen, who understood nothing, could sense the excitement.

At that moment, Zhang Shou appeared at the entrance.

Seeing everyone gathered together, he did not immediately interrupt.

Instead, he quietly observed.

The scene before him made him feel somewhat emotional.

These students had only been with him for a few days.

Yet they had already begun learning how to think independently.

That was far more important than whether they could actually open the lock.

After a while, he finally spoke: “How is it?”

Everyone immediately turned around.

Seeing Zhang Shou, they hurriedly stood.

“Teacher!”

“There seems to be a result!”

One of the students stepped forward excitedly.

“We found that some of the previous assumptions might have been wrong.”

“The numbers don’t correspond directly.”

“But after applying the shift pattern you mentioned…”

“We think there may be a possibility!”

Zhang Shou smiled.

“Good.”

“Continue.”

“Don’t rush.”

“Check everything carefully.”

At this moment, Zhang Chen stood at the side, silently watching.

For the first time, he understood something.

The reason Zhang Shou was able to accomplish so many impossible things was not merely because he was exceptionally intelligent.

It was because he could make others believe that they were capable of accomplishing impossible things too.

And perhaps…

That was an even rarer ability.