APSIL -Chapter 85 The Founding Emperor Left Behind an Awful Lot of Ancestral Instructions

After being escorted all the way to the Imperial College by a crowd of students who seemed determined to make life difficult for their teacher, and after engaging in a spirited debate beneath the enormous “University” archway, Zhang Shou came to a simple conclusion.

Since they were already here…they might as well take a nighttime tour of the Imperial College, reminisce about the past, and look toward the future.

Considering that everyone—including himself—had hurried into the city without stopping to eat and was now starving, Zhang Shou first led the entire group into an alley beside the Imperial College before entering.

He had A-Liu buy over a hundred steamed buns, which were distributed among everyone as a makeshift meal.

Seeing such an enormous crowd, the little shopkeeper had initially turned pale with fear.

But after Zhang Shou stepped forward and said only a few words, the noble youths—who looked every bit like spoiled young masters—immediately instructed their attendants to smilingly hand over piles of copper coins.

The shopkeeper’s expression transformed from anxiety to delight.

He repeatedly thanked Zhang Shou with heartfelt gratitude.

Beside him, Lu Sanlang couldn’t help muttering under his breath.

Little Teacher didn’t spend a single copper coin! We paid for all of it ourselves!

Then he immediately corrected himself.

…Well, asking the teacher to pay when the students are only buying him a steamed bun would be shameless indeed…

As for whether a bunch of young nobles accustomed to delicacies could stomach a plain steamed bun and a bowl of hot water…

That wasn’t Zhang Shou’s concern.

Although he usually appreciated fine food himself, he had never been picky when hungry.

Besides, his purpose wasn’t to demonstrate frugality.

He was simply worried that either he or someone else would end up suffering from low blood sugar.

In any case, even if they skipped a proper dinner tonight…they could always make up for it later.

However, when they returned to the Imperial College gate and Zhang Shou tried to persuade Zhu Ying to escort Madam Wu home first, he had barely begun speaking before Zhu Ying rebutted him with perfect confidence.

“Aunt Wu has rarely had the chance to come here. I’ll accompany her inside. No one can criticize that! The Founding Emperor’s ancestral instructions clearly state that while women are strictly forbidden from entering this place of higher learning with hidden motives, family members may freely enter to visit and look around at any time. Otherwise, students would come here seeking scholarly achievement while abandoning their wives and families back home to starve. That would violate basic human ethics! In fact, the Founding Emperor even built family quarters for students’ relatives. It’s just that after Emperor Taizong’s reign, they were abolished because they were considered too expensive.”

Standing nearby, Lu Sanlang couldn’t help grumbling inwardly.

Students’ families can indeed enter the Imperial College. Little Teacher is now a Doctor here, so Aunt Wu certainly counts as family.

But Young Miss…

A fiancée isn’t quite the same thing as a wife, is it?

Before he could think any further, Zhu Ying casually added another sentence that rendered him speechless.

“My second brother is also an Imperial College student. Just like Fatty Lu and Zhang Chen, he’s spent years enrolled in name only and rarely shows up! When I drag him here later, A-Shou, you have to help my grandmother and father discipline him properly. If you can turn him over a new leaf, my entire family will thank you!”

Zhang Wu and the others exchanged bewildered glances.

Entrusting one’s grandson to be disciplined by one’s future grandson-in-law…the Dowager Madam probably would do exactly that.

And so, wielding the Founding Emperor’s ancestral instructions like an imperial edict, Zhu Ying openly led the still-dazed Madam Wu into the Imperial College.

Meanwhile, the crowd of young playboys who had enthusiastically escorted Zhang Shou here could only grit their teeth and follow their Little Teacher into the place they disliked most.

As for the hundred-plus servants and attendants…

They were left outside.

They were neither students…nor family members.

One or two might have slipped inside unnoticed, but an entire crowd certainly couldn’t.

Yet no one noticed…

A-Liu, who usually possessed almost no presence at all, was nowhere to be seen.

Having quietly pulled Qi Liang away with him…the two had circled off in another direction.

Jixian Gate.

The Glazed Archway.

Yilun Hall.

Jingyi Pavilion…

They visited one important building after another.

Then they strolled through the Four Administrative Offices and the Six Academic Halls.

Gradually, Zhang Shou found the entire layout matching the floor plan of the Imperial College that existed in his memories.

He couldn’t help thinking to himself:

Whether the Founding Emperor was more of an arts student or a science student remains to be seen…

But he definitely shared my obsession with maps.

As they walked through the Imperial College…

Every single noble-born student, from Lu Sanlang onward, suddenly became mute.

Not one of them could answer even the simplest question.

Instead…

Zhu Ying took over as tour guide.

As they walked, she explained the history and anecdotes behind every building with remarkable familiarity.

Zhang Shou secretly counted.

By the time they had finished half the tour…

She had already mentioned the Founding Emperor’s ancestral instructions at least twenty times.

According to her—

Providing students with stipends.

Granting annual vacations.

Supporting students’ families.

Providing practical internships.

Every good policy had originated from the Founding Emperor’s ancestral instructions.

As for everything bad…

That was naturally because later emperors were incompetent…or because treacherous ministers had ruined everything.

When they reached a building that was obviously dilapidated, Zhang Shou finally couldn’t help asking, “Yingying…

“How is it that you seem more like someone who actually studied here than Lu Sanlang or Zhang Chen?”

Looking at the silent group of young nobles behind her, Zhu Ying answered matter-of-factly, “I grew up beside Grandmother. Whenever Father and Grandmother were together, they always loved telling stories about the Founding Emperor. So naturally I remembered everything about the Imperial College. Later, when my second brother enrolled here, he hardly attended at all. Then he came up with an outrageous idea.”

She laughed.

“Because I was always asking him what the Imperial College was like, he told me it was great fun. He made me all kinds of ridiculous promises and persuaded me to disguise myself as a boy and attend classes here in his place. I only managed to study for half a month before everything was exposed. Father took me home. My second brother was beaten soundly. But during those two weeks, I pretty much explored the entire Imperial College.”

Having said that, Zhu Ying cast a sidelong glance at the flock of young men standing there like frightened quails.

She snorted.

“At least I attended every single day during those two weeks. As for them…”

“One day they claimed stomachaches. The next day they caught colds. The day after that their elders supposedly fell ill…”

“If the teachers hadn’t deliberately looked the other way, I think the Discipline Office would’ve broken all their paddles beating them.”

She smiled mischievously.

“A-Shou, do you know?

“The Imperial College has six academic halls. But these people…”

She pointed at them one by one.

“They belong to a separate hall. My second brother and I belonged there too.”

Her finger continued moving from person to person.

“Anyone who finishes last in the quarterly examinations three consecutive times cannot enter any of the Six Halls—Rate Conduct, Cultivate the Way, Sincerity, Righteousness, Noble Aspiration, or Broad Learning. They can only attend the extra hall specially established by the Founding Emperor.”

Drawing out her words dramatically, she finally said with little enthusiasm, “It’s called Half-Mountain Hall. The Founding Emperor chose the name himself. It means that students differ in talent and achievement, but while they’re of school age, they must study. ‘Half-Mountain’ means they’re halfway up the mountain—not at the top, not at the bottom. They still have room to improve. But later, students from the other halls started mocking it as the Half-Bucket Hall—calling its students half-educated fools.”

She shrugged.

“My own aptitude wasn’t very good either. Grandpa Ge always joked that my talent for mathematics was exactly zero. So compared with them…”

She grinned.

“I’m about half a catty versus eight taels.”

Whether it was Lu Sanlang or Zhang Chen, both had pursued Zhu Ying to varying degrees—not only because of her noble family, but also because of her completely unpretentious personality.

Hearing her merciless assessment, the two exchanged glances.

Lu Sanlang forced a laugh.

“Little Teacher… the Doctors and Assistant Instructors here really make classes unbearably boring. As for Half-Mountain Hall…”

By now Zhang Shou had long since reached the point where nothing Zhu Ying said or did could surprise him.

He waved a hand to stop Lu Sanlang from explaining.

“There is a road through the mountain of books made by diligence, and an endless sea of learning crossed by hard work. In truth…”

“Everyone stands halfway up the mountain. So don’t belittle yourselves for being only half a bucket. Other than the sages…”

“Everyone is only half a bucket.”

He didn’t continue that topic.

Instead, he gestured toward the worn-down building before them.

“Yingying, do you know what this building is? It hasn’t been repaired in years. It doesn’t even have a plaque anymore. And it’s locked tight.”

This time Zhu Ying smiled.

“A-Shou… This is Jiuzhang Hall. It used to be where mathematics was taught. When Grandpa Ge served as Chancellor of the Imperial College, he personally taught several gifted mathematics students here. But after he left, those students all entered official service. Since then, no students have been willing to major in mathematics. Jiuzhang Hall has stood empty for years.”

She looked toward the empty place where the plaque should have hung.

“The plaque was still here when I studied. I don’t know why it’s gone now. But those people will surely claim that the Founding Emperor’s own calligraphy has to be carefully preserved. My guess?”

She snorted.

“They were afraid some hot-blooded student would see the words ‘Jiuzhang Hall,’ start asking questions, and ruin their precious monopoly over the Confucian classics. They’ve completely betrayed the Founding Emperor’s ancestral instructions!”

“Oh.”

Zhang Shou stared silently at the blank space where the plaque had once hung.

After a long while…

He looked away.

“I remember that Assistant Supervisor Xu said all the students had already gone to bed. That means the Imperial College still has dormitories for teachers and students, doesn’t it?”

“In that case…”

He smiled.

“I’ll stay here tonight.”

Zhu Ying’s eyes immediately widened.

Madam Wu looked utterly bewildered.

Most of the others were equally surprised.

Only Lu Sanlang’s eyes suddenly lit up.

Smiling, Zhang Shou continued, “You all made such a grand effort to escort me here tonight. If all we accomplished was exchanging a few sharp words with the Discipline Office’s Assistant Supervisor…”

“That would be rather disappointing. If there are no empty dormitories…”

He looked toward Jiuzhang Hall.

“I don’t mind spending the night right here.”

The words had barely left his mouth when Lu Sanlang shouted excitedly,

“I’ll stay too! When the teacher has work, the student should bear the burden!”

As long as he didn’t have to go home and face that hypocritical old man’s face…

He’d gladly sleep on the floor of the Imperial College and drink cold water.

Hmph.

Lu Zhu had his pride too!