Seeking Truth with a Sword

It took a full half an hour for everyone to take their seats. Afterward, the Emperor and Empress delivered speeches to encourage the candidates, singling out He Fanshuang, Pei Jing, Yong Hongzhong, and over ten others for friendly inquiries.

The Emperor and Empress were clearly already familiar with some of the candidates' backgrounds. When it came to He Fanshuang, they first praised her elder brother's accomplishments (it was only then that some of the candidates learned that her brother was the Academic Palace Top Scholar from eight years ago, who is now the Left Spring Palace Middle Officer, He Siping) and asked about the situation in her hometown in Youzhou.

When asking about the candidate recommended by the Ministry of War, they not only called out his name but also mentioned the names of his father and brothers, the rank of the border army unit they served in, their military achievements on the battlefield, and how Yu Country was grateful for his family's contributions. This made the candidate recommended by the Ministry of War so touched that he nearly prostrated himself dozens or hundreds of times right there in the hall.

Then there were the Hu Ren disciples who, after expressing their gratitude, performed a ritual dance between two "bows with head to the ground" as a customary expression of submission and adoration towards the Heavenly Khan.

Not bad, it actually looks quite the part.

Li Ang silently gave high praise to the dance performance by his Hu Ren classmates. The Emperor and Empress on the main seat also burst into hearty laughter after a momentary stun, officially declaring the start of the banquet.

Court Dancers entered the scene, the sound of strings and bamboo instruments rose, and Palace Attendants brought forth dishes and fine wines.

Finally able to relax, Li Ang silently heaved a sigh and sipped the wine from his jade cup, smacking his lips slightly.

The palace wine isn't that great, huh? It's all sweetness, no real taste of alcohol—they probably deliberately chose low-alcohol wine, afraid of getting these underage scholars, who aren't used to drinking, drunk and causing some sort of embarrassing scene.

Li Ang pondered the various arrangements in the Imperial Palace, while the Emperor and Empress on the main seat called the previously unaddressed candidates forward to chat casually, displaying a congenial attitude. This made the scholars, inexperienced in worldly matters, feel as if they were basking in a spring breeze, all swearing to devote themselves to Yu Country—including those from Alien Clans.

And the Mountain Master... Mountain Master Lian Xuanxiao sat with his eyes closed, nodding his head little by little in time with the music, seemingly asleep yet not.

Uh... is this the most powerful Cultivator in Yu Country, the headmaster of the Academic Palace...?

Li Ang didn't know what to think, sipping his wine sip by sip and eating the pickled celery and mutton.

"Is Mr. Li from Jiangnan Road?"

The young man sitting to his left suddenly asked, causing Li Ang to nearly choke. He put down his cup and looked toward Crown Prince Li Si. "Your Highness, I am from Yizhou."

"Yizhou is great!" Crown Prince Li Si said, using the Yizhou dialect, much to Li Ang's surprise. "When the Yishui Bridge waters swell in autumn, it's the perfect time for a fresh fish feast.

"The fish are first soaked in water for a month to ensure the flesh is clean. The bloodletting process must be meticulous so the slices remain as white as snow. Furthermore, the condiments must be in the correct proportions and added in the right order to highlight the freshness and sweetness of the raw fish. Haha, I once stayed in Yizhou for a while with my teachers during my time at the Academic Palace."

Li Ang remarked, "Your Highness speaks the Yizhou dialect very well."

"Just call me Eldest Son."

Crown Prince Li Si gave a small smile, then slapped his head suddenly. "Ah, I nearly forgot! Li Ang, you're also the Eldest Son in your family, aren't you? Then you can't call me Eldest Son—we're both Li Eldest Son!"

Are you telling a dad joke, Crown Prince?

Good thing neither of us is surnamed Wu.

Li Ang wasn't sure if the Crown Prince was naturally congenial and talkative or if he was trying to win him over. The Crown Prince casually chatted with Li Ang from his seat, not about palace matters, but rather sharing anecdotes from the Academic Palace.

"For example," the Crown Prince said, "the horses in the Academic Palace's stables are specially bred and have a trace of Demon blood. They generally have bad and arrogant temperaments, and a few particularly like to bite the clothes of passing disciples.

"The Academic Palace's sports field is unlike Chang'an's Cuju fields; it's much larger. Disciples can use talismanic magic and Flying Swords to assist, playing with a ball that can never be damaged. They can even use talismanic magic to attack opponents—though spells and other magic can hardly harm classmates due to the field's Prohibition.

"Additionally, the Academic Palace has an Observatory, a casting factory, and greenhouse farms. Several large greenhouses with red-painted tops are particularly dangerous. They're filled with various demon-type plants collected from all over by Herbal Medicine Doctors like Sun Pu. It's strictly forbidden to touch anything carelessly.

"Then there's the Dongjun Tower—it's filled with countless forbidden Mutated Objects. If any one of them were to get out, it would cause great harm. Even outstanding Academic Palace Disciples about to graduate aren't allowed above the third floor.

"...Only under special circumstances, or with the permission of the Doctors or Masters, can Academic Palace disciples enter the Dongjun Tower and apply to use the Mutated Objects."

Crown Prince Li Si smiled as he said, "In comparison, the Book Collection Pavilion has fewer restrictions. Apart from some Forbidden Books, you can browse as you like. If you want to borrow books to take out, you'll have to get on good terms with Instructor Yao from the Book Collection Pavilion—she's fond of the osmanthus cake and the sweet bean paste Spirit Sand Soup from the Ten Fragrance House in the East Market of Chang'an.

"When you go to the Book Collection Pavilion, you could buy some for her; it might make borrowing books a lot easier."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Li Ang sincerely thanked him. He wasn't entirely sure of the Crown Prince's intentions, but his attitude seemed quite friendly.

"By the way, Risheng," Crown Prince Li Si said, addressing him using the familiar term his friends used, "you aren't married yet, are you?"

Li Ang's wariness instantly peaked. Hm? He feigned a cough. "Well, COUGH COUGH, not yet."

Crown Prince Li Si smiled and asked, "What type of person are you interested in?"

"Uh..."

Li Ang had never seriously considered this question. Ever since awakening his Otherworld memories, his mind had been filled with medical knowledge and his ambition to enter the Academic Palace.

As for a sweetheart...

The image of Chai Cuiqiao wriggling under the blankets in winter, debating whether to get up and go to the toilet, surfaced in Li Ang's mind. He scratched his head.

In his memories, he'd known Chai Cuiqiao for so long, so very long, that he'd never even considered what would happen if they were to part or if their relationship were to change.

"Still haven't thought it through?" Crown Prince Li Si grinned, glanced towards the side hall of Liangyi Hall, and whispered, "Actually, according to tradition, behind the light gauze curtains in the side hall, there are ladies from our Imperial Family observing this year's Academic Palace Disciples.

"How about considering one? After all, we both have the surname Li. It would be like adding kinship to kinship."

Li Ang instinctively looked towards the side hall of Liangyi Hall. "Ah?" Indeed, he saw the light gauze curtains and the faint silhouettes of young women behind them.

Whether they were nobles, ministers, or the Royal Family, all wished to establish marital ties with Academic Palace Disciples, especially since Li Ang was the Academic Palace Top Scholar.

But, Princesses and Commandery Princesses...

Images of Gan Xiao'er's family from Sha Tao Village in Yizhou involuntarily surfaced in Li Ang's mind. His thoughts, which had been swayed by the seductive allure of the palace, suddenly became clear and sober.

He hadn't entered the Academic Palace for glory and wealth, nor to marry into the Royal Family and become some high-ranking Prince Consort, bound by Royal etiquette.

His purpose was to protect more common people, to ensure that more ordinary folk who simply wished to live honestly could have better lives.

"I appreciate the offer, Your Highness, but I currently have no plans for marriage."

Li Ang sincerely cupped his hands in a salute to the Crown Prince, who nodded and said resignedly, "Well, alright then."

It was quite common for outstanding young men to be reluctant to marry into the Royal Family. One reason was that after becoming a Prince Consort, one could no longer engage in politics. Another was that, indeed, the Princesses and Commandery Princesses of the Li Family were commonly known to be difficult, and many such anecdotes circulated among the common people.

For example, during the reign of the previous Emperor, there was a Prince Consort Deng who had married a Princess (the current Emperor Li Shun's sister). Prince Consort Deng's brother fell critically ill, and the previous Emperor sent someone to inquire. When the Envoy returned, the previous Emperor asked if the Princess had gone to see her husband's critically ill brother. The Envoy replied that she had not. The previous Emperor then asked where the Princess was at that moment. The Envoy said the Princess was at Cien Temple watching a play.

The previous Emperor became furious. After smashing up his study, he sighed in his seat, lamenting that it was no wonder the scholars were unwilling to marry into the Li Family.

And for Academic Palace Disciples, becoming a Prince Consort or a noble concubine brought more disadvantages than benefits. If the other party was outstanding enough to be admitted to the Academic Palace on their own merit or gain the Mountain Master's approval, and if both were Academic Palace Disciples, then they would at least have some common ground. However, if the other party was not an Academic Palace Disciple, while the Disciple themselves had to travel all over the world... their marriage could almost certainly be deemed a tragedy.

One couldn't even divorce.

Crown Prince Li Si shook his head in regret and waved towards the ladies who were watching from behind the curtains.