APSIL -Chapter 182 I’ll Bestow It Upon You

The vast Fengtian Hall fell into an eerie silence.

The only sounds that seemed to exist were the breathing and heartbeats of the people within.

When word had spread that Zhang Shou and his student Lu Sanlang had been summoned to attend court, many officials had secretly planned to use the occasion to attack them. Vice Minister Zhao and Section Chief Chen had been the first to step forward, delivering impassioned accusations before the throne. Those who had reacted too slowly had privately lamented missing such a perfect opportunity to make a name for themselves.

But now…

Every one of those latecomers felt immensely fortunate that they had held back.

Just look at Section Chief Chen.

His face was as white as a corpse’s.

Words spoken before the Emperor were like water spilled on the ground—once out, they could never be taken back.

Even Marquis Weinan Zhang Kang looked astonished.

When the Emperor didn’t immediately take anything from the box but instead ordered Chu Kuan to fetch a pair of gloves, Zhang Kang couldn’t help staring.

He had believed Zhang Shou stood a good chance of opening the puzzle box.

He simply hadn’t expected him to do it so quickly…

Or succeed on the very first attempt.

In the midst of the heavy silence, an unpleasant voice suddenly rang out.

“Your Majesty, how can we know that Marquis Weinan and the Zhang master and disciple didn’t secretly replace the box…”

Recognizing the speaker as Vice Minister Zhao of the Ministry of War, the Emperor interrupted him lazily.

“Perhaps none of you know this, but when I was a child, the Late Emperor gave this box to me as a toy.”

“He probably hoped that by randomly turning its rings, a mischievous child might someday open it.”

“Unfortunately…”

“From the time I was five until the Late Emperor passed away when I was eight, I played with this box for three whole years without ever managing to open it.”

A mocking smile curled across his lips.

“So I know every pattern, every contour, and every scratch on this box.”

“The person who treasured it most was undoubtedly Marquis Weinan.”

“But the one who handled it most carelessly…”

“…was this mischievous prince who lived in the imperial palace.”

“So I don’t wish to hear the words ‘switched boxes’ ever again.”

“Because saying that is equivalent to claiming that I am both blind in eye and blind in judgment.”

Vice Minister Zhao instantly flushed crimson and dared not utter another word.

Section Chief Chen, meanwhile, looked even more lost.

Standing there alone, he seemed as though he might faint at any moment.

Lu Sanlang, however, proudly swept his gaze across all those officials who had just condemned his teacher and himself.

Before Chu Kuan returned with the gloves, he stepped forward sincerely.

“Your Majesty, we were only able to solve the box because my teacher first proposed the method and explained the underlying principles. I merely led the others in Jiuzhang Hall through repeated calculations and completed the first portion…”

As he spoke, he proudly lifted his chin and glanced around the hall.

“My teacher believed that the fourteen-ring textual lock used a simple substitution.”

“The original poem’s characters had each been shifted forward or backward through the Thousand Character Classic according to a certain rule, producing an encrypted text.”

“Our task was simply to discover the corresponding mapping…”

To Lu Sanlang, the explanation was simple enough.

To everyone else…

It sounded like heavenly scripture.

They understood the idea of shifting.

But what in the world was a “mapping”?

And when Lu Sanlang continued introducing one unfamiliar technical term after another, some officials maintained perfectly calm expressions, pretending to understand.

Many more, however, honestly wore bewildered looks.

Those honest expressions soon proved to be the wiser choice.

For the Emperor immediately singled out those officials who had nodded thoughtfully as if they understood.

No one knew why His Majesty used those strange technical terms so fluently.

But under his questioning…

Their pretense collapsed instantly.

The officials who had feigned understanding found themselves thoroughly humiliated.

Only Zhang Shou knew the reason.

The Emperor had almost certainly bought every volume of the New Compilation of Ge Mathematics.

Otherwise, the Third and Fourth Princes would never have secretly told him that the Emperor himself had been teaching them from it.

So His Majesty’s ability to expose pretenders didn’t surprise Zhang Shou in the least.

If anything…

He simply thought the Emperor was being willfully mischievous.

After enough people had embarrassed themselves, the Emperor finally said lazily, “To know what you know, and to know what you do not know—that is true knowledge.”

“Since someone earlier claimed to speak on behalf of all scholars under Heaven and declared that promoting Zhang Shou had chilled the hearts of every scholar…”

“…surely that person has at least read the Analects, ‘Book Two: Governance.'”

Although Vice Minister Zhao hadn’t joined those pretending to understand, the Emperor was clearly using Zhao’s earlier words against him.

His face burned with shame.

At that moment, Chu Kuan returned carrying the gloves.

The Emperor carefully slipped the silk gloves onto both hands before saying without looking up, “I also remember that someone, provoked by Jiuzhang Hall’s Hall Leader Lu Zhu, declared that he would surrender his official post to him.”

If Vice Minister Zhao merely wished the ground would swallow him…

Section Chief Chen was practically on the verge of collapse.

Gritting his teeth, he steeled himself and reached up to remove his official hat.

Just then—

A chuckle interrupted him.

“Section Chief Chen is already an elderly man.”

“Why take a wager with a mere yellow-mouthed child so seriously?”

Zhang Shou shot Lu Sanlang a warning glance, telling him not to get carried away.

Lu Sanlang obediently lowered his head at once.

Having deliberately used Chen’s own words—”yellow-mouthed child”—against him, Zhang Shou continued calmly, “Every profession has its own specialty.”

“Vice Minister Zhao and Section Chief Chen have read countless Confucian classics.”

“But when it comes to mathematical texts, they are outsiders.”

“Since outsiders speak about matters beyond their expertise, saying something uninformed is hardly surprising.”

Those words finally ignited Section Chief Chen’s temper.

In one furious motion, he yanked out the hairpin securing his official hat and threw the treasured black gauze cap onto the floor.

But at that exact moment—

The Emperor suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

“What is this?”

Having stepped forward earlier to confront Zhao and Chen, Zhang Shou now stood much closer to the throne.

Looking up…

He froze.

In the Emperor’s hand…

Was that…

A watch?

If his eyes weren’t deceiving him…

It really looked like a wristwatch.

His very first thought was:

The Founding Emperor must have personally transmigrated here.

Otherwise… how could such an object exist?

The Emperor curiously turned the watch over and over, examining it from every angle.

He even shook it a few times.

Eventually, disappointed that nothing happened, he carefully set it aside before gingerly removing a sheet of paper from inside the box.

The writing upon it…

Was exactly the same strange script he had seen countless times in the Imperial Archive.

Writing that resembled heavenly scripture.

The second sheet…

The third…

The entire stack contained the same mysterious characters.

At that moment, he no longer harbored the slightest doubt.

This box truly had belonged to the Founding Emperor.

Unfortunately…

After going to such trouble to obtain its contents, he couldn’t understand a single word.

His excitement faded considerably.

Still, before the gathered ministers, he smiled with perfect composure.

“Minister Zhang.”

“When your teacher hears that the student has surpassed the master, he will surely be greatly gratified.”

“You’ve taught at Jiuzhang Hall only a short time, yet you’ve already led your students in overcoming such a difficult challenge.”

“You have not disappointed my expectations.”

Turning to Lu Sanlang, who stood proudly with chest puffed out, the Emperor continued lightly,

“As for Lu Zhu…”

“You publicly rebuked the Second Prince for his outrageous conduct.”

“That took courage.”

“And now you’ve helped your teacher unlock this box while serving Jiuzhang Hall admirably.”

“When you marry, not only will I bestow a piece of calligraphy upon you…”

“I might even personally attend your wedding as an honored guest.”

The ministers immediately erupted in shock.

Before they could react further, however, the Emperor smoothly continued, “But if I attended, I’d steal all the attention from your father, your teacher, and even your patriarch.”

“So I’d better refrain.”

“Otherwise, the remonstrance officials would never stop lecturing me.”

“I recently acquired an excellent white jade paperweight.”

“I’ll award it to you.”

“As for every student of Jiuzhang Hall…”

“Each shall receive one fine ink stick, one ream of white paper, and while enrolled, an annual allowance of six shi of rice.”

“This subject thanks Your Majesty!”

“And on behalf of all the students of Jiuzhang Hall, I offer our deepest gratitude!”

Lu Sanlang was overjoyed and immediately bowed.

After rising, he turned to Zhang Shou, clasped his hands respectfully, and spoke with complete sincerity.

“Thank you, Teacher!”

Zhang Shou had never regarded Lu Sanlang as the obedient type.

Seeing him put on such an exemplary display of respecting his teacher before the entire court, Zhang Shou smiled.

“Lu Zhu.”

“The one you truly ought to thank is your father.”

“He gave you life, raised you, and arranged such an excellent marriage for you.”

“Such a loving father should not be forgotten.”

Watching his fat youngest son rush to thank his teacher immediately after thanking the Emperor, Lu Wan had felt irritated and disappointed.

His emotions were complicated.

But hearing Zhang Shou heap praise upon him…

Then seeing Lu Sanlang immediately turn around and solemnly bow to him before the entire court…

Lu Wan finally felt his anger subside.

He even began wondering whether he had been too harsh toward his youngest son all these years.

Then—

His face nearly twisted again.

Because Lu Sanlang suddenly turned toward Vice Minister Liu of the Ministry of Works and respectfully apologized.

“Vice Minister Liu.”

“What happened last night was entirely my fault.”

“I acted impulsively and spoke carelessly, giving others an opportunity to cast suspicion upon both you and your daughter.”

“I sincerely apologize.”

Although the marriage alliance between the Liu and Lu families had already been more or less settled, Vice Minister Liu had still harbored lingering doubts.

To keep his foolish wife from becoming entangled in the royal family’s affairs, he had rushed the engagement.

Yet after hearing his daughter recount everything she had endured the previous night…

His anger had gradually transformed into appreciation for his future son-in-law.

Then today’s performance by Lu Sanlang in court—

His eloquence…

His confidence…

Completely erased Liu’s last reservation.

So what if the boy was fat?

As long as he was healthy.

A person’s character was far more important—and far harder to change.

Seeing the respectful attitude of his future son-in-law now, Vice Minister Liu felt deeply gratified.

He was only one sentence away from saying, “My worthy son-in-law, there’s no need for such formality.”

Watching Lu Sanlang flatter his teacher before hurrying to flatter his future father-in-law, the Emperor couldn’t help laughing.

Looking down at the box in his hands, inspiration suddenly struck him.

“As for Minister Zhang…”

“I’ve only just promoted you, so another promotion would hardly be appropriate.”

“This box was left behind by the Founding Emperor.”

“And since you were the one who opened it…”

“It clearly has a destined connection with you.”

“I shall bestow it upon you.”

Zhang Shou was momentarily stunned.

He quickly composed himself and bowed in thanks.

As Chu Kuan carried the box toward him under the astonished and envious gazes of countless officials, the Emperor suddenly asked, “Earlier, Lu Sanlang explained your general method.”

“But can you tell me…”

“What exactly were the two lines of poetry that the Founding Emperor encoded?”

Zhang Shou answered without haste.

“The first line was:

‘Even Confucius respected the younger generation.’

He paused briefly before continuing.

“As for the second line…”

“Despite everyone’s best efforts in Jiuzhang Hall, we still couldn’t determine it.”

“So I had a sudden idea.”

“I asked Lu Zhu to consult Marquis Weinan.”

“The Marquis had previously discovered many candidate verses that differed from the Thousand Character Classic by only a single character.”

“Using those clues…”

“Lu Zhu and I finally managed to deduce the answer.”

“The second line is:

‘Heaven gave me talent—it will surely find its use.'”

“It is not the original line by Li Taibai, where the character means timber (材).”

“Instead…”

“It uses the character for talent (才).”

No one knew whether the Founding Emperor had accidentally written the wrong character while setting the password…

Or had intentionally chosen the homophone from the very beginning.