Chapter Thirteen

What? She said she was causing trouble, and he was just a humble accompanying study-boy—how could he be so arrogant toward a newly admitted student!

"I'm going to take a bath and change first, I'll cook something good for you tonight," Zhu Xiaojiu said as he took off his outer robe, unfastened his plain undergarment, and was about to pull back the curtain to enter the room for a bath when a glaring flash of bright light struck Zhu Bafu right in the eyes--

She saw a tiny amber Seal hanging around Zhu Xiaojiu's slender, fair, and tender neck...

"Wait, wait a minute! Xiaojiu! Stop right there!"

"What is it?" Zhu Xiaojiu turned around in confusion.

"That Seal on your neck..." A tiny coiled-dragon Seal knob, top-grade amber material, and most importantly, carved in deep red on the Seal face was the character "Revenue"... This, this, this, isn't this exactly what Young Master Piao talked about—those few puppet-masters behind the scenes at court—the Emperor's Think Tank, the heads of the six departments of Dongxu Mansion, the tokens of affection that future high-ranking court officials were going to give to their wives, concubines, and mistresses—the Seals of the Six Ministries?

Were they pure men? Shouldn't they like mature women? Then why was the Ministry of Revenue Seal on Xiaojiu's body, why, why, why! Entangled, collapsing, and freaking out...

"Xiaojiu! Where did you pick this thing up?"

Zhu Xiaojiu frowned, snatched the small Seal back from his sister's hand, and pressed it back against his chest, "Who picked it up, someone gave this to me."

Na! Nani!? Cut-sleeve? Pedophile?

Xiaojiu was the sole lifeline, the root of life, the ancestral incense, and the stud horse of the Zhu Household—how could he go be someone's wife, concubine, or mistress, ahhhhhh!!

As a sister, she would not allow it, absolutely would not allow it!

Yamateh!!

Author has something to say:

=.= I came back late today, an hour later than our scheduled update, this is on me~~

Many little demons seem to think I've already vanished, hahaha, are you really that surprised to see me alive and kicking~~ I've been hopping and skipping along alive and well~

Chapter Thirteen

Firecrackers crackled and gongs and drums resounded.

The opening ceremony of Dongxu Mansion, an academy directly under the Ministry of Personnel in Year 6 of Tianjuan, officially began.

Two rows of antithetical couplets descended from above—the first line read: Iron inkstones worn through, five hundred commoners vie in shame. The second line countered: Chilling guts pierced through, three thousand ride the waves to seize the crown.

The newly admitted students faced the scorching sun, holding newly issued academy uniforms in their hands, bowing their heads modestly to listen to the report.

The dean was a refined man, his topknot barely stuck onto a pointy head where "having hair doesn't count as bald," looking precarious in the slightest breeze. He held his teacup, rubbed his black-and-white mixed beard with his palm, and with a shake of his head, spittle flew instantly, a few flakes of snowy foam still clinging to his beard, which made Zhu Bafu feel utterly depressed.

"This... ahem, Dongxu Mansion of ours, ah, Dongxu Mansion, this Dongxu Mansion of ours, you see, it is subordinate to the Ministry of Personnel of the imperial court..."

There! One sentence spoken, and two-thirds of it was sheer nonsense.

"This Dongxu Mansion of ours, you see, it, ah, it exists under the guidance and care of the great, supremely noble, boundless in longevity, and uniquely brilliant and shining star of the dynasty that we were able to reach today! Therefore! All the students of our Dongxu Mansion, ah, in other words, that is you, all of you, you future pillars of the state—yes, I'm talking to you, do you know who you are? Huh?"

What was the meaning of this? She didn't know who she was, and she stood down here listening to him spout nonsense for two incense-sticks' time, just for these pillar-of-the-state brains? With barely any hair left on his head, how did he dare expose his precious locks to the hazardous air for so long? Hurry up and finish, ahhhhh!

Unable to hear the muttering inside Zhu Bafu's mouth, the dean continued his impassioned presentation, "You all! Are all future talents and pillars of the imperial court! Disciples of the Son of Heaven! To be disciples of the Son of Heaven is your glory! Your splendor! It is supreme, unmerited favor bestowed by His Majesty, hence, the discipline within Dongxu Mansion is strict—this is the ancestral behest of the Founding Emperor. Next, I—the senior student official of Dongxu Mansion, will introduce to everyone Dongxu Mansion's century-long, rigorous code of discipline!"

Nani? Weren't they just getting to the main point now?

"Ahem! Then... article one, loyalty to the sovereign and love for the country, the moral bounds between sovereign and subject. The sovereign is the most revered of all saints, the subject assists with the way of benevolence... His Majesty is the one to whom you owe absolute loyalty. Since ancient times, loyalty, filial duty, integrity, and righteousness have been the constant rites of a gentleman..."

"His Majesty hasn't arrived? Where has he gone to die this time?" A cold, thin voice with a hint of chill interrupted the dean's glib recounting of the "Founding Emperor's Code" from the side below the podium.

"...Rites between sovereign and subject... a century-long code..." The dean's voice gradually grew weaker...

"Go back and tell His Majesty, I'm noting down his absence from the student welcoming ceremony! See you before the Founding Emperor's ancestral tablet tomorrow, and make sure he is kneeling properly!"

"Sovereign... subject..." The dean's voice trembled continuously...

"Hold his Imperial Noble Consort accountable along with him! Kneel and be punished for the length of an incense stick!"

The earnest teachings like seductive music continued, and a clear figure flashed swiftly before the crowd of students.

Draped in satin brocade and gauze, with soft jade hanging at his waist, Li Chenjing's narrow brows and concentrated eyes moved together as his cold gaze swept toward the dean, who stood trembling on stage with blinking, bewildered little eyes.

Whether he should continue lecturing on his "rites of sovereign and subject" was a question, after all, his "sovereign" was going to be brought along with Imperial Noble Consort to kneel in punishment tomorrow. If he were truly loyal to the sovereign, shouldn't he immediately and unhesitatingly raise the Imperial Sword suppressed within the academy and execute this stern and extraordinary First Counselor's son before his eyes?

As a subject, how could he dare bully the Sovereign Majesty—for whom he was willing to sacrifice his life without a second thought—in such a manner? How could he dare let the most brilliant and shining star of the Founding Emperor be punished with kneeling at the Imperial Ancestral Temple? How could he dare not even spare the sovereign's Imperial Noble Consort! It was too cruel, despicable, and devoid of public morals! Was there still rule of law, heavenly principle, and ethical norms? Was there still court discipline and ritual law? Most importantly, his clauses on loyalty to the sovereign and love for the country hadn't even been fully explained yet, and First Counselor Li had already pinned his beloved master to the ground to kneel in punishment—what on earth was he supposed to do now, ahhhhh?

The Imperial Sword, the Imperial Sword! Hack him down, better to die together!

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Historical Romance

Woman Dressed as a Man