[ Xixi...]
Tong Aning's thoughts were interrupted. She looked to her side and saw that Lou Yingyu had firmly grabbed her arm.
Lou Yingyu looked unwell, Tong Aning reached out to support her and asked worriedly, " Yingyu, what's wrong?"
Lou Yingyu said hesitantly, her voice trembling, " Aning, give me some time. I'm not prepared to sacrifice family for the greater good."
Tong Aning: "?"
She asked doubtfully, "What are you preparing for?"
Lou Yingyu looked at Tong Aning, then suddenly laughed twice. "It's nothing."
Lou Yingyu had long since gotten used to it and knew she absolutely could not reveal that she could hear Tong Aning's thoughts. Moreover, even if she wanted to say it, an invisible force would cut her off.
Tong Aning stared intently at Lou Yingyu. " Yingyu, there's something strange about you."
Lou Yingyu scratched her face guiltily, then pointed at the student downstairs and said, "What could be strange about me? I was just annoyed by this guy who claims to be my father's student."
That makes sense.
Tong Aning gently coaxed, " Yingyu, don't be angry."
Lou Yingyu nodded, and before returning to the private room with Tong Aning, she didn't forget to glare fiercely at that person.
Lou Yingyu noticed that the students around that person also wanted to tear him apart. Oh no, she forgot Tong Aning's thoughts; anyone who didn't have malicious intent could hear them.
Lou Yingyu quickly pulled Tong Aning away, fearing that if Tong Aning stayed any longer, she would cause trouble.
*
"Didn't you go to have dinner with Aning? Why are you still looking so down?"
Lou Ming saw his daughter leaning against the railing with a melancholy expression, and when he asked her this question, she didn't even retort.
Lou Ming suspiciously stepped forward and pinched his daughter's cheek. Was this still his fearless daughter?
Lou Yingyu looked at Lou Ming speechlessly, "Father, what are you doing?"
Lou Ming released his grip and snorted, "I thought you'd been possessed."
Lou Yingyu was even more speechless, but that didn't matter. She had something more important to ask Lou Ming.
Sneaky, Lou Yingyu pulled Lou Ming to the corner. After looking around and seeing that there was no one else besides the two of them, she lowered her voice and asked, "Father, tell me the truth, have you helped your disciple by secretly manipulating things?"
Lou Ming: "Which kind?"
Oh no, oh no.
Lou Yingyu was so anxious she almost hit her father, but she held back because of the last vestiges of filial piety in her mind. Lou Yingyu said with exasperation, "Father, are you confused?!"
"What do you mean I'm confused about? I was just letting them freely browse through the scriptures and books in my house."
etc...
Lou Yingyu, who was about to turn her back on him, looked at her father carefully upon hearing this. She asked, somewhat incredulously, "Are you sure you did all that?"
Lou Ming also has a temper. "Have I been too lenient with you these days? Did you really think I wouldn't yell at you?"
Lou Yingyu: "..."
She awkwardly pressed down on her father's raised hand, pulled him closer, and told him what had happened that day. Lou Ming's eyes widened, and his expression gradually became serious.
*
As soon as Su Zhouyue entered the room, she saw Tong Aning sitting cross-legged on the bed, her hand unconsciously turning over the pillow, her face somewhat depressed.
Su Zhouyue sat down on the edge of the bed, touched Tong Aning's hair that was loose down her back, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Tong Aning wrapped her arms around Su Zhouyue's waist and leaned into her embrace, saying in a muffled voice, " Yingyu is acting strange today."
Su Zhouyue asked cautiously, "Did you two have a fight?"
Tong Aning shook her head in astonishment, "How could that be? Yingyu said she and I are the best of friends in the world, and besides..."
Su Zhouyue: "What are you saying, huh?"
Tong Aning stammered, "Every time Yingyu wanted to argue with me, she would see my face and all her anger would disappear. She couldn't bear to be harsh with me at all."
[Oh dear, it's kind of embarrassing to say this.]
Su Zhouyue: "..."
She cupped Tong Aning's face in her hands. "Come, let your mother see just how beautiful this face is... It's like a celestial maiden descended to earth."
Tong Aning became even more embarrassed, and she said shyly, "Mother!"
Su Zhouyue chuckled and stopped teasing her. She took Tong Aning's hand and asked, "What have you all been doing?"
"We witnessed students arguing, and some of them were even Chancellor Lou's students."
Su Zhouyue speculated that perhaps Chancellor Lou's disciple had done something wrong.
Tong Aning looked at Su Zhouyue and asked, "Mother, does Father also have disciples?"
"Have."
Tong Aning's heart skipped a beat. She straightened up. "How come I never knew this before?"
"Your father didn't like these things, but he couldn't stop those students who had received his favors from insisting that they were his disciples. After a while, your father got tired of correcting them."
Tong Aning slowly uttered an "oh".
Thinking that Tong Aning might also enter the imperial court as an official in the future, Su Zhouyue tapped Tong Aning's nose and said, "The officialdom is a very complex place."
Su Zhouyue became worried, but Tong Aning was right in front of her, so she lowered her eyes to hide the worry in them.
"It's so late, go to sleep early," Su Zhouyue said, then asked curiously, "Why hasn't Yi'an been bothering you these days?"
Tong Aning chuckled, "She's been sleeping with her second sister these days, pestering her to tell her more about what's happening on the ship."
Su Zhouyue said, "I think she really wants to be a captain and then go fight pirates."
"Mother, what do you think if Yi'an really goes to fight pirates?"
What else can I think? I'll just do what she likes.
Tong Aning nodded thoughtfully.
Su Zhouyue looked at Tong Aning gently, "You should do whatever you like."
Tong Aning declared emphatically, "Yes!"
I want to expose the fact that students have had their identities stolen.
Su Zhouyue: "?"
It's such a big deal?
No wonder Lou Yingyu was acting strangely.
*
After the morning court session, the emperor specially kept the crown prince and Xue Lin behind.
When the Crown Prince and Xue Lin entered the Imperial Study, they found Tong Aobai, Lou Ming, and Deng Jiantong were all there.
The group exchanged greetings.
The emperor had Eunuch Wang deliver a memorial to the crown prince and Xue Lin.
The two of them looked through the pages, their expressions solemn.
The Crown Prince said, "Such a thing has happened?"
The emperor asked, "What does the crown prince think should be done?"
The Crown Prince cupped his hands and said, "Your subject is extremely angry, but..."
The crown prince raised his head, glanced at the emperor, and seeing that the emperor's expression was calm, he continued, "Such things happen a few times every year. If we were to eradicate them completely, it might endanger the state."
Those currently in the Imperial Study are all people valued by the Emperor.
After hearing the Crown Prince's words, Tong Aobai and the other two were left with only disappointment in him.
Tong Aobai said earnestly, "Your Highness, if we don't uproot these problems and allow them to corrode the inside, in the end, I'm afraid it will be beyond saving."
Although Tong Aobai's words were blunt, they weren't harsh; rather, they were intended to subtly guide the Crown Prince.
Unfortunately, the Crown Prince couldn't understand. He thought Tong Aobai was deliberately targeting him, and his face darkened.
Tong Aobai sighed.
Lou Ming and Deng Jiantong exchanged a glance and secretly shook their heads.
The emperor was equally disappointed. He looked at Xue Lin and asked, " Alin, what do you think?"
Xue Lin said in a deep voice, "I believe a thorough investigation is warranted."
Appreciation appeared in the emperor's eyes. Although Prince Yong had left him long ago, as long as Xue Lin was there, there was still hope.
He said, "Alright, let's do as Alin says."
The crown prince looked at the emperor with resentment, but ultimately did not reveal too much of his thoughts.
The emperor entrusted Xue Lin with full authority over this matter, with Tong Aobai and the other two assisting him. They were determined to investigate the matter thoroughly, no matter who was involved, not even imperial relatives or high-ranking officials.
Xue Lin replied, "Yes."
He left with the Crown Prince, and Deng Jiantong and Lou Ming also left.
The emperor looked at Tong Aobai, who had deliberately stayed behind, and frowned, asking, " Marquis Tong, do you think there's anything wrong with what I'm doing?"
Tong Aobai shook his head, "His Majesty's decisiveness is a blessing for countless students."
The Emperor said, "The arrival of Aning from Heaven is a sign to me; I must become a wise ruler."
Tong Aobai advised, "Your Majesty is a wise ruler, but Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is your child, and Xue Lin is your nephew. I know that Your Majesty feels guilty towards Prince Yong and his wife, but there are some things that must not be crossed, otherwise they will bring endless trouble to Your Majesty."
Even ordinary families can suffer tragedies because of unfair treatment, let alone the royal family.
These words were truly unpleasant, and the emperor coldly dismissed Tong Aobai.
How he compensates Xue Lin is his business; it's none of Tong Aobai's concern.
*
Lou Ming first targeted his own students.
As the prime minister, he always set an example and would never impersonate someone else. Lou Ming looked coldly at the student and asked sternly, "Who exactly have you hooked up with?"
This year's results aren't out yet, but looking at last year's, the year before's, and this one, it's not hard to find clues.
In order to ensure fairness, this case was heard publicly in front of the general public and students.
The area outside the courtroom was packed with people, including Lou Yingyu and Tong Aning.
"My dad is furious. He's such a righteous person, and I actually doubted him before."
Lou Yingyu felt somewhat guilty.
Tong Aning patted Lou Yingyu's shoulder and gently comforted her, "You are just as righteous as him."
Lou Yingyu looked at Tong Aning, and after a while, she silently turned her face away.
Tong Aning asked, "What's wrong?"
"I can't stand you comforting me with that face on your face."
Tong Aning: "..."
Since his students refused to say anything, Xue Lin turned his anger towards the people from last year.
That man was last year's third-place scholar in the imperial examinations. Now he was in the Ministry of Revenue, and while confronting the students, he loudly proclaimed that he was innocent.
"If you don't believe me, I can recite my essay from last year right here and now."
The clerk asked, "Your Highness, would you like me to prepare pen and ink?"
Deng Jianxin said, "He speaks with such certainty, he must be able to write it down."
Tong Aobai thought so too.
The student's face turned deathly pale, and he murmured, "I won't sue him... I... I was jealous of him..."
[This sounds like utter nonsense.]
Did he save your life? Why are you so protective of him?
[... He's the mistress? Wait, why would a mistress ghostwrite for the wife? Is this world even normal anymore?]