As the various schools took their seats, the atmosphere in the hall instantly grew tense.
Every school and faction had its own political goals. They had not come merely to join the excitement.
Spring and Autumn Confucianism wanted to defend its position as leader of All Under Heaven, to show the other schools through facts that it owed its current standing not to licking the emperor's boots, but to genuine substance.
Not only did it ride high in politics, its scholarly depth yielded to none.
The other factions of the Confucian Order wanted to topple Spring and Autumn Confucianism and take its place. Great Han revered Confucian learning, so they needed to beat that lunatic, Dong Clan Spring and Autumn, into the ground before it ruined their order's reputation for refined courtesy. They could also put on a display for All Under Heaven, and especially hint to the emperor: look how feeble and useless Spring and Autumn Confucianism is. Hurry up and abandon them for us.
The Qin-Jin Legalist School had no such lofty ambitions. Liu Xiang's main goal was to shed its old baggage and return to civilized society.
The remaining schools mainly wanted to make their presence felt. Without even needing to coordinate, they had tacitly agreed to join forces and tear off a few chunks of the Confucian Order's flesh for a taste.
The Huang-Lao School, in particular, had once governed Great Han and had always dreamed of a revival, of returning to its peak.
Tap, tap, tap.
Exceedingly light footsteps sounded behind them. Everyone looked back and saw many figures seated behind the curtains. Through the gaps between the curtains, they could make out both men and women, all with meticulously arranged hair buns, not a strand out of place.
Everyone's heart tightened. Seeing that all