EMHTC -Chapter 115 Ten Years of Repeated Senior Year—Is That Even Polite?

Xu Yanmiao burst into the Ministry of Personnel’s offices.

“Do me a favor and say I’m not here!”

He threw out the words before rushing into the inner hall. Passing his desk, he grabbed a stack of documents and hugged them to his chest as he bolted away.

The officials at the ministry were baffled.

One of them even stood up, looking puzzled. “What’s going on with Xu Lang?”

But Xu Yanmiao was already gone, too far to hear the question.

A few dozen breaths later, Quan Yizhang’s figure appeared at the gates of the Ministry of Personnel. “Is that brat Xu Yanmiao here?”

The officials were initially startled but quickly realized that Xu must be hiding from Master Quan.

One official coughed lightly and said, “Xu Lang is not here at the moment…”

【Perfect! Looks like this spot is safe. Plus, Master Quan wouldn’t just storm in and search the place, right?】

The office fell into near silence, the only sound being the soft chime of wind-bells hanging under the eaves.

The same official coughed again and, with some hesitation, asked, “Master Quan, are you looking for Xu Lang? If you could share the matter, I’d be happy to pass the message along.”

Quan Yizhang’s gaze swept through the office, and not a single person dared meet his eyes.

“Hmm… That would be helpful.” He paused, handed a booklet to the official, and said, “Make sure this gets to Xu Yanmiao.”

After receiving the official’s promise, he turned and left.

Moments later, Xu Yanmiao cautiously peeked his head out. “Master Qu—”

Before he could finish, another knock came at the door. Xu Yanmiao instantly shrank back with a whoosh, like a sea anemone retreating into a ball at the first sign of danger.

The visitor this time was Ji Sui. Upon learning Xu Yanmiao wasn’t there, Ji also left behind a booklet for the officials to pass along.

Shortly after leaving, Ji Sui didn’t get far before crossing paths with Quan Yizhang.

The two locked eyes, and for a moment, it felt as if lightning was flashing and thunder rumbling in the heavens above.

Quan Yizhang’s expression shifted slightly. “Ji Sui, can’t you see that Xu Yanmiao is avoiding you? If he despises the modern script school so much, why must you persist so shamelessly?”

“Master Quan, you jest,” Ji Sui replied with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Xu Lang is a talented young man who has earned the emperor’s favor. Even if he disappears for a few days, it’s perfectly normal. Why assume he’s avoiding anyone? Or could it be that, in your youth, you would give up on scholarly pursuits or visits after failing to meet your host two or three times? If you were so frivolous, how could you have become a leader in your field?”

Ji’s words were barbed despite their polite veneer.

What a joke. If he acted like a gentleman and abided by proper decorum, the modern script school would’ve been crushed by the ancient script school and sent back to farming long ago.

Quan Yizhang, unfazed, retorted with a smirk, “Normal, you say? Last night, Xu Yanmiao ran from you faster than a rabbit, yet walked with me all the way home. His attitude was clear as day. Tell me, Ji Sui, do you still harbor some delusion about his loyalties?”

Ji Sui narrowed his eyes, silently cursing Quan Yizhang for his shamelessness.

“Close all the way?!” Seasoned Ji Sui grumbled to himself. “An eighty-something, nearly ninety-year-old man, faking a fall with an ‘Oh no!’ in front of Xu Yanmiao—what else could he do but help you back to the Quan residence?”

The esteemed leader of the literary world scheming against a junior? Truly shameless! You’re just taking advantage of the fact that Xu Yanmiao is only in his forties. If he were eighty or ninety as well… Ahem.

However, Ji Sui also thought of Xu Yanmiao’s lazy personality. Getting him to study was harder than climbing to the heavens. He could imagine Quan Yizhang probing and hinting endlessly during that walk, only to achieve absolutely nothing. The man likely got home full of frustration.

Quan Yizhang suddenly interrupted, “What are you laughing at?”

Ji Sui smiled faintly. “I was just thinking about how virtuous and kind Xu Lang is. Helping you home last night—it fills my heart with joy.”

Quan Yizhang, sharp as ever, instantly deduced that Ji Sui had guessed the real situation. He decided to strike back with some underhanded tricks to unsettle Ji. “I heard that adopted son of yours was up bright and early today, standing at your door, waiting to serve you?”

Ji Sui’s smile froze slightly, his tone turning cold. “I’ve already sent someone to investigate him. If anything improper is uncovered, the adoption contract will be annulled.”

Quan Yizhang smirked. “No problem. For now, the contract still holds, and he’s still your son.”

Ji Sui: “…”

【Oh no…】

【It seems like Ji Sui and Quan Yizhang had a falling out.】

Xu Yanmiao stayed hidden in the Ministry of Personnel, not daring to show his face. Meanwhile, his system kept feeding him gossip about Ji Sui and Quan Yizhang, so he had a perfect grasp of their current situation.

While he was absorbed in the updates, he felt many eyes on him. Turning his head, he noticed his colleagues quickly looking away. The synchronicity of their movements was almost military-grade.

“You all…”

“Ahem.” One of the officials leaned in and whispered, “Xu Lang, both Master Quan and Master Ji came looking for you one after the other. Why are you avoiding them?”

The question was barely asked when his internal monologue burst out:

【It’s terrifying!!!】

【They’re trying to make me study again! I’ve already passed the imperial exams!!!】

【Who tries to force a college graduate to relive senior year? What kind of cruelty is this?!】

Xu Yanmiao sighed and pulled out his chair, sitting down at his desk. He explained, “They heard I haven’t aligned myself with any school of thought yet, so they’re hoping I’ll choose one of their sides.”

Based on his internal monologue…

The official asking the question felt not just heartache but also a stinging sensation in his eyes. “Are you saying that Master Ji and Master Quan both want to personally teach you?”

Xu Yanmiao gave a simple “yes.”

At that, another official couldn’t contain his excitement and exclaimed, “Then what are you waiting for, Xu Lang? Choose one! Those are the leading figures of ancient and modern script studies! If you inherit their teachings, countless scholars will follow your interpretations of the classics. They might even call you ‘Master’ one day!”

Baize’s position was indeed lofty, but none of them could ever become Baize.

For them, becoming a literary master, holding the reins of the academic world, earning the title of “Zi”—that was the ultimate goal of their time in this world.

Unexpectedly, Xu Yanmiao’s reaction to this was even stronger.

【No, no, no! Following my interpretation of the classics? That’s just leading others astray!】

The official hesitated for a moment before carefully adding, “Xu Lang, as long as you’re willing to learn, I’m sure the two masters would give their all to teach you.”

In that case, there’d be no risk of leading anyone astray.

But Xu Yanmiao, familiar with the hardships of relentless study, immediately thought: 【To avoid leading others astray, wouldn’t that require at least ten years of study?】

【Ten years, with every year like senior year of high school. Is that reasonable?!】

The officials present were practically on edge. Hearing Xu Lang’s outrageous inner monologue, they were desperate to know what this “senior year of high school” was. How could it make Xu Lang so terrified of learning?!

If that “senior year” could take human form, they’d want nothing more than to slap it a few times!

While Xu Yanmiao mentally ranted, it didn’t stop him from giving a proper response.

Recalling the torment of his senior year—burning the midnight oil, drinking thick tea from a thermos, the bitter taste still lingering in his memory—he politely smiled and said, “What you say is true. I’ll need to carefully think this through. Choosing a school of thought is no trivial matter.”

The officials: “…”

Xu Lang, you’ve changed. You’re deflecting like a pro now!

Who ruined the innocent Xu Lang from two years ago?!

Xu Yanmiao glanced at his desk and noticed two books. “These?”

“They were left by Master Quan and Master Ji for us to pass on to you.”

Xu Yanmiao picked up the books and began flipping through them seriously.

An official blurted out, “But you’re not—”

Only to be immediately silenced by another, who tugged his sleeve and whispered, “Xu Lang has always been respectful. Even if he doesn’t want to join either school, he won’t just toss their books aside to gather dust.”

Each of the two masters had given him a book containing their interpretations of classic texts.

If the original text of the classics had about 2,000 characters, the commentary turned that into at least 20,000.

One of the books was an annotation of the Book of Rites.

Xu Yanmiao flipped it open.

“Confucius said: ‘To have a heart at peace with virtue is to be unparalleled in the world.’”

“The Doctrine of the Mean says: ‘Before emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure arise, that is called balance.’”

“Balance is when emotions remain unexpressed, still within the heart. Hence, joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure are still in their unmanifested state.”

“Do not write it as ‘in the heart,’ for once in the heart, balance has already manifested and moved into emotion, which contradicts the meaning of virtue.”

“What does it mean to have a heart at peace with virtue? The Analects states: ‘The unvirtuous cannot endure hardship or prolonged pleasure. The virtuous find peace in virtue, while the wise benefit from virtue.’”

“Thus, to have a heart at peace with virtue means—”

“Snap!”

Xu Yanmiao closed the book abruptly, his head spinning.

【No wonder they say people spend their whole lives studying just one book. This is dissecting every single word!】

【And there are other versions of these interpretations too…】

He broke into a cold sweat.

Closing his eyes for a moment to gather himself, Xu Yanmiao reopened the book. Even then, his hands were trembling.

【Academia is just too terrifying…】

“Xu Lang!” Someone called from outside. “Minister Li is looking for you!”

Everyone could see how quickly Xu Lang sprang up from his chair.

He rushed out the door, grabbing the official’s arm. “Is it about the imperial examination? Let’s go, let’s go! Such an important matter can’t be delayed!”

As for the two books, they were left behind on his desk.

When the Minister of War heard commotion at the door and looked up, he was surprised. “Xu Lang arrived this quickly?”

Xu Yanmiao asked if he could open the window. Receiving permission, he pushed it open, letting the biting winter wind cut through the room. It was harsh but refreshing. He then explained, “I didn’t want to waste any time.” He followed with, “What is it that the Minister sought me for?”

The Minister of War pulled him into a side room, realizing afterward it was unnecessary but too lazy to send him back out.

“Xu Lang, you must be aware that His Majesty’s ancestor was the eldest prince of the Yu Kingdom…”

The Xia Dynasty followed the Zhou, which followed the Chu, which followed the Liang. Before that, during the era of the Seven Warring States, Yu was the most powerful among them.

This was common knowledge for at least 80% of Xia’s scholars.

【Eh? Wasn’t it the seventh prince?】

Xu Yanmiao mentally flipped through his memory. 【Oh! I remembered wrong. They intended to recognize the eldest prince from the start… Strange, then why do I have an impression of the seventh prince?】

“Greetings, Your Majesty!”

The officials of the Ministry of War bowed in unison.

The elderly emperor nodded slightly, his tone casual. “I came to see how the policy essays for the metropolitan examination are progressing. Where is Li Qian?”

An official was just about to lead the way when suddenly a voice echoed—

【Hahaha! So that’s how it is!】

【The old emperor adopted the Yu Kingdom’s Gao family as his ancestors and planned to change his name. After all, an emperor named Gao Tiezhu (Iron Pillar) doesn’t sound quite right. Originally, he wanted to change it to Gao Xiuqi, but that was already taken by the seventh prince of the Yu Kingdom. Can’t have the same name as an ‘ancestor,’ right? So, he had to pick something else.】

【Then he tried Gao Bang, only to be reminded that one of the rebel kings back then already had that name.】

【He tried Gao Lie, but it clashed with the name of the eighth monarch of the Yu Kingdom, Gao Lie. Again, offending his ‘ancestor.’ Hahaha!】

【He changed his name seven or eight times before finally settling on Gao Jianyi.】

【How tragic!】

【Still, who would’ve thought this ancestor recognition was real?】

【So funny. Picking ancestors like shopping—he originally planned to adopt someone else, a prime minister from the Li Kingdom among the Seven States! But that guy was later executed by a foolish king. Apparently, he didn’t die ‘auspiciously’ enough, so he was discarded. Decided to switch ancestors.】

The old emperor, his expression unchanged, instructed the official beside him, “Knock on the door.”

What are you looking at? Haven’t you seen someone recognize an ancestor before? Back in the day, all eighteen rebel kings picked ancestors to honor. Several of them, even those with the same surname, fought bitterly over the same forefather!

He just picked more carefully—what’s wrong with that?