Building an Academy

The carriage slowly departed. Only then did Shen Tingjue turn his gaze to the maid from the Duke's residence, smiling with harmless innocence. "Which family's young lady are you? What are you staring at outside my residence? Your eyes are about to fall out."

Meeting Shen Tingjue's gaze, the maid felt that what he truly meant was, "Keep looking and I'll gouge your eyes out," merely phrased more subtly. She shuddered, hastily bowed, shook her head, and hurried away.

Shen Tingjue flicked his sleeves and turned to enter the residence.

The moment Steward Feng saw his young master, he beamed and immediately came forward to fuss over him. He looked him over from head to toe to ensure he was unharmed, then fastened the fox-fur cloak Shen Tingjue had been about to remove, serving him ginger soup and pastries, forever afraid that he might be cold or hungry.

The Grand Princess beckoned to Shen Tingjue. "Xiao Jue, did you have fun today?"

Shen Tingjue scooted over and hooked his arm around hers, his voice muffled. "No."

The Grand Princess stroked his head. "What happened? Did someone bully you?"

Shen Tingjue embellished the events on the mountain, skipping over the minor detail of his own involvement as he spoke, while wrapping his fox-fur cloak more tightly around himself.

He was so frail and delicate.

The Grand Princess looked at him with tender affection, draping an arm around his shoulders and patting him. "Be good, don't be angry. Other people have mouths; they can say whatever they please. There's no need to care."

Damn it!

If this princess caught those little bastards, she'd kill every last one of them!

No, killing them would be letting them off too easily.

She should drag them to the castration room and turn them into eunuchs!

The Grand Princess's thoughts were dark and sinister, but her expression remained gentle and loving as she touched Shen Tingjue's temple. "Your father now holds a high position. It has always been others who submit their credentials and visiting cards to him. Those who say the opposite merely wish to borrow your father's reputation to gain a little vanity."

Shen Tingjue accepted the ginger soup Steward Feng handed him and took a sip, murmuring agreement before adding, "I heard that the great clans monopolize books and suppress scholars from humble families. Father intends to support them, but the results have been minimal."

"Yes. Once scholars from humble families rise to prominence, they greatly infringe upon the interests of the great clans." The Grand Princess sighed. "Although the Imperial College has continuously funded the construction of county schools in various places in recent years, there are still very few scholars from humble families who truly manage to rise."

Seizing the opportunity, Shen Tingjue revealed his little scheme. "The main reason scholars from humble families struggle to rise is that they have no money to buy books and cannot learn much. But if an academy were built to provide them with books to read free of charge, wouldn't that give them another chance to pursue their studies?"

The Grand Princess froze for a moment. "You mean... build an academy?"

Shen Tingjue nodded, rubbing his head against her shoulder as he acted spoiled. "I've seen some scholars living in poverty. They must earn money to survive while striving to obtain scholarly honors, and some even give up studying because their families are too poor. I truly can't bear it, so I want to fund an academy for them, giving all scholars from humble families a chance to rise, earn scholarly honors, and let their parents live better lives."

The Grand Princess was so moved that she nearly cried.

Her Xiao Jue was simply far too kind, far too kind.

For such a kind child, whatever he wanted to do naturally deserved her full support.

The Grand Princess immediately declared that she would use money from her private treasury to build the academy. She even picked out the location for Shen Tingjue. "Mother has an unused residence on East City Street. We can renovate it and turn it into an academy."

Shen Tingjue smiled with narrowed eyes.

Hehe.

Having a wealthy mother really was different.

He was happy!

After chatting with the Grand Princess for a while, Shen Tingjue entered the palace to see the Chenghuan Emperor. He did not rush to mention the academy. Only during dinner, when the Chenghuan Emperor saw that he had barely touched his food, did he ask, "Does the food not suit your taste? Shall I have the imperial kitchen make something else?"

Shen Tingjue gently shook his head. "No need. I'm full."

"You've barely used your chopsticks, yet you're full? That won't do. I've only just managed to fatten you up a little lately. You need to eat more, or you'll grow thin again." The Chenghuan Emperor placed a piece of braised pork, fat gleaming with oil, into Shen Tingjue's bowl.

Shen Tingjue frowned in distaste.

The Chenghuan Emperor asked, "You really don't want to eat anymore?"

Shen Tingjue said, "..."

Tch.

You put a piece of fatty, oily braised pork in your own bowl and see whether you'd eat it.

Unaware of his inward grumbling, the Chenghuan Emperor was deeply concerned. "No appetite? Is something wrong with your health?"

As he spoke, the Chenghuan Emperor suddenly recalled the matter the eunuch had reported earlier and asked, "Or were you angered by what happened at Danyang Mountain?"

Shen Tingjue revealed just the right amount of surprise. "Your Majesty knows too?"

"Yes." Though the Chenghuan Emperor was busy and appeared not to know much about matters beyond the palace, his sources of information were exceptionally well-connected. Besides, the Crown Prince had made a great show of dragging those scholars to Jingzhao Prefecture for a beating, causing the entire capital to talk about it. It would have been difficult for him not to know.

Shen Tingjue lifted his eyes. "Imperial Uncle."

Those three brief words carried endless twists and turns, and his gaze made it clear at a glance that he had suffered no small amount of grievance.

The Chenghuan Emperor's powerful imagination immediately conjured up a grand drama. He hurriedly leaned closer in concern. "Did those scholars say something else? Did they wrong you?"

Shen Tingjue opened his mouth, then closed it again and shook his head. "It's nothing."

To the Chenghuan Emperor, that expression clearly meant Shen Tingjue wanted to swallow his grievances and let the matter pass.

The Chenghuan Emperor was instantly furious over the affair at Danyang Mountain, yet his eyes were full of affection as he rubbed Shen Tingjue's head. "It's all right. Tell me. I'll stand up for you."

Shen Tingjue still shook his head. "Forget it. They were only idle rumors. Why should I care? Besides, those scholars have connections to the great clans, and His Highness has already punished them once. Let it go. It wouldn't be good to make too big a fuss."

"You child, you're simply too kind and sensible." The Chenghuan Emperor's fondness for him rose higher and higher. He picked up Shen Tingjue's chopsticks and pressed them into his hand. "Be good, eat a little more. The great clans' influence is deeply entrenched. We cannot uproot them all at once, but that does not mean they may act recklessly. I will use this chance to rectify the unhealthy practices in the capital!"

Shen Tingjue licked his lips and, at just the right moment, ladled the Chenghuan Emperor a bowl of fish soup, coaxing him into a delighted smile before smoothly saying, "I have an idea. Would Imperial Uncle like to hear it?"

The Chenghuan Emperor was overjoyed by his repeated cries of "Imperial Uncle." "Go ahead."

Shen Tingjue then spoke of building an academy, his words brimming with earnest concern for scholars from humble families. The Chenghuan Emperor fell silent for a while after listening, then became very pleased. He felt it was an excellent idea: it could promote virtue, win over the hearts of humble scholars across the realm, and also frustrate the great clans.

For example, the faction of great clans led by Xie the Grand Secretary would certainly be unable to sit still upon hearing this news.

The Chenghuan Emperor clapped his hands and repeatedly praised the idea. Smiling, he said, "Once the academy is built, I will personally bestow its plaque and name."

Shen Tingjue looked at him. "And?"

The Chenghuan Emperor patted his shoulder. "Building an academy is not difficult. The difficult part is how to fill it with books. But don't worry, I will help you with that."

Shen Tingjue said, "And?"

The Chenghuan Emperor met his gaze. "Hm?"

Shen Tingjue hinted tactfully, "Building an academy is quite difficult for me too."

The Chenghuan Emperor asked, "Why?"

Shen Tingjue thought, Do you really have no sense at all, or are you pretending to be dense? He simply got straight to the point. "I have no money."

The Chenghuan Emperor said, "..."

Could you perhaps not say that you had no money with such righteous confidence?