DCPRT Chapter 51

The tutor that the Emperor had chosen for You Yusui during his childhood was rigid, upright, and steadfast in practicing the conduct of a gentleman. Under such influence, You Yusui had grown into a man of integrity and uprightness, just as the Emperor had intended — completely ignorant of all those imperial machinations and political stratagems.

But the You Yusui of the present could already begin deceiving the very teacher who had once taught him, without so much as blinking an eye, and had started painting grand promises for people.

What had transpired in between, only You Yusui himself knew.

“Tutor Xu, this prince intends to fund the construction of an academy on the mountain outside the suburbs of Chang’an, providing free room and board to scholars from across the realm,” You Yusui said sincerely.

“Your Highness!” Tutor Xu was moved to tears. He had never imagined that You Yusui would possess such breadth of heart — to provide scholars throughout the realm with a means to freely pursue knowledge.

In that instant, Tutor Xu felt deeply ashamed, for he believed himself inferior to the Crown Prince. Though this had always been something he himself had wished to do, it was the Crown Prince who was the one truly taking action.

For a moment, Tutor Xu and You Yusui clasped hands and gazed at each other, tears falling before a single word was spoken.

“It is a pity that this prince’s health is poor, and this prince cannot personally oversee the management of this academy,” You Yusui said, his expression taking on a look of quiet sorrow.

Tutor Xu could not help but feel his heart ache. After all, this was a child he had watched grow up, one whom he had personally taught the ways of learning and propriety. Were it not for the constraints of rank and station, he would likely have long since treated You Yusui as his own nephew.

“This prince has no one of trust nearby. After much deliberation, the only person worthy of serving as the academy’s headmaster is none other than Tutor Xu himself,” You Yusui said, looking at Tutor Xu with earnest eyes. “This prince implores Tutor Xu to help.”

You Yusui spoke with such genuine sincerity, and the matter he was asking for was so great an undertaking — one that would benefit scholars across the entire realm — that Tutor Xu had no reason whatsoever to refuse.

“Yes, yes, of course — Zhen’s subject will answer to Your Highness,” Tutor Xu said, deeply moved. “This subject will ensure that all under heaven know it was His Highness the Crown Prince who established this academy to shelter scholars throughout the realm — that it was Your Highness who gave the scholars of the world a home.”

You Yusui: …That really won’t be necessary.

Seeing Tutor Xu in such a moved state, You Yusui knew that the matter was settled.

And so, You Yusui took Tutor Xu’s hand and said, “There is one more matter this prince wishes to ask of Tutor Xu.”

“Your Highness, what matter is it? If this subject can be of use, this subject will do everything in his power,” Tutor Xu said, his eyes glistening with tears as he looked at You Yusui before him.

“This prince has decided that starting tomorrow, workers shall be sent to begin constructing the academy. However, since the academy is being built for scholars across the realm, this prince wishes to ask Tutor Xu to oversee the quality — to ensure that the buildings are solid and reliable, that they are not stifling in summer, and that they do not let in drafts in winter,” You Yusui said.

Upon hearing this, Tutor Xu considered it and replied, “Your Highness is right.”

Since the academy was to be built, naturally it had to be done to the utmost perfection. It could not merely provide scholars with a shelter from wind and rain — it had to give them an environment in which they could study with peace of mind.

“Then this matter shall be entrusted to Tutor Xu,” You Yusui said, wearing the expression of one handing over a great burden.

“This subject, Xu Da, will most certainly not fail Your Highness’s trust,” Tutor Xu said, his expression resolute.

As his words fell, Tutor Xu took his leave of You Yusui and went to Xuande Hall to submit his resignation to You Fengyun.

He had a great undertaking to accomplish. He and His Highness the Crown Prince were going to give every scholar in the realm a home!

After watching Tutor Xu depart, You Yusui finally let out a long breath of relief, then stretched out his foot and kicked beneath the bed, saying, “Come out now.”

Huo Xiling reached out and grabbed You Yusui’s ankle, then poked his head out from beneath the bed and said, “Does Your Highness not feel that the two of us are rather like a pair of secret lovers?”

There was a smile in the young man’s brows, and the fondness in his eyes was nearly impossible to conceal.

You Yusui’s heart skipped an involuntary beat, and then he smiled and said, “You are this prince’s future Crown Princess — taken through proper and formal betrothal rites.”

The kind of existence who, even in death, would share the same mausoleum and lie in the same coffin.

In the next moment, Huo Xiling crawled out from beneath the bed, reached over and tucked You Yusui’s bare feet back under the covers, then sat on the edge of the bed, smiling as he said, “Crown Prince Big Brother spent all the funds for taking a Crown Princess and donated them to the Mobei Army as military expenses. What will you use to take me?”

You Yusui: …

Previously, in order to resolve the military funding crisis, You Yusui had used the budget set aside for his future wedding to the Crown Princess as leverage — getting something from nothing and fleecing a great many aristocratic clans.

He had not anticipated that he himself might now be unable to hold a proper wedding ceremony because of this.

“It doesn’t matter. This prince can marry into your family instead. Since it would be the Crown Prince marrying out rather than the Crown Prince taking a consort, the Ministry of Rites would certainly prepare a proper dowry for this prince,” You Yusui said with a smile. “Besides, when the Crown Prince marries out, the entire rear palace must contribute to this prince’s dowry.”

If he could marry out, he thought he would marry Huo Xiling right this very moment, and then leave this nauseating imperial palace once and for all.

“Then I shall strive to take the Crown Prince as my spouse,” Huo Xiling said.

He wondered whether he could defeat the Tujue all at once and offer it as betrothal gifts for taking the Crown Prince. The ghost-masked general in his dreams seemed to have accomplished exactly that.

If that was so, then he could accomplish it too!

Meanwhile, on the other side, You Fengyun in Xuande Hall received quite a shock.

The Emperor, who had just returned from court, looked at Tutor Xu who had been brought before him and asked again, “What did you just say?”

“This subject has come to a realization — this subject is going to give scholars across the realm a home!” Tutor Xu said, his expression impassioned.

Upon hearing this, You Fengyun fell into contemplation, sensing that something was not quite right. How had a man gone to the Eastern Palace for a visit and come back an entirely different person?

“What did the Crown Prince say?” You Fengyun asked directly.

Tutor Xu wiped at his tears and replied, “Your Highness said he wished to establish an academy, so that scholars from across the realm could all come to study there free of charge.”

“An academy?” You Fengyun raised an eyebrow.

Knowledge had always been monopolized by the great aristocratic clans. Even though You Fengyun had spent twenty years suppressing them and continuously building county schools, the number of scholars from humble origins who managed to rise was still vanishingly small.

Now the Crown Prince spoke of constructing an academy where scholars from across the realm could study free of charge — opening yet another path to learning for those of modest birth. It would encroach upon the interests of the aristocratic clans, yet it was also undeniably the kind of thing that would earn the acclaim of all under heaven.

“Did the Crown Prince truly say this?” You Fengyun asked.

“In reply to Your Majesty — the Crown Prince did indeed say so. It is only a pity that his health is poor, and his aspirations exceed his capabilities. Therefore, he has specifically asked this old subject to serve as headmaster of the academy, and to oversee the construction to ensure it is done properly. This subject will certainly not fail His Highness’s trust!” Tutor Xu said, and at the point of his greatest passion, another stream of tears flowed down his face.

You Fengyun: …He found this level of emotional display rather incomprehensible.

At times, You Fengyun suspected that the Crown Prince was simply putting on a performance for his benefit. He had personally given the Crown Prince the Juxian Pavilion — the authority to freely recruit talent as he wished — and what had he done with it? He had gathered a group of musicians, entertainers, and cooks, and was apparently preparing to corner the entire market for weddings and funerals throughout Chang’an.

Just as You Fengyun was beginning to consider whether he ought to personally step in and plant a few capable men at the Crown Prince’s side, the Crown Prince had turned around and established an academy to provide free education for scholars across the realm. This move had secured the hearts of every scholar from a humble background.

Once word of this spread, the faction of the First Prince would likely be unable to keep their seats.

“Does Tutor Xu no longer intend to assist Zhen in educating the Crown Prince?” You Fengyun asked, affecting a stern expression.

Tutor Xu nearly buried his face in his hands in shame, and replied, “This subject has truly failed Your Majesty’s expectations. However, His Highness the Crown Prince told this subject that giving scholars across the realm a home was more important than attending to a single man of prolonged illness.”

You Fengyun had more or less gathered why You Yusui had come up with the idea of building an academy to provide free education for scholars throughout the realm — he felt that the rigid, upright, and severe Tutor Xu was stifling him, so he had devised a way to give Tutor Xu something else to occupy himself with.

You Fengyun let out a quiet laugh. How was it that the Crown Prince always came up with something so remarkably impressive precisely when he was being lazy? And yet, after falling ill, he had become so indolent in temperament that it was impossible to press him into handling various matters of state.

“Very well. Zhen does not fault you,” You Fengyun said. “Since the Crown Prince wishes for you to become the academy’s headmaster, you must not disappoint his expectations.”

Though what the Crown Prince truly expected was for Tutor Xu to devote all his heart and mind to the academy, and under no circumstances come to bother him.

But so as not to dampen the enthusiasm of a subject in his sixties, You Fengyun forcibly suppressed the urge to tell Tutor Xu the truth.

“This subject will exert every effort and will not fail His Highness’s expectations. This subject shall proclaim His Highness’s virtuous deeds before all under heaven,” Tutor Xu said, bowing to You Fengyun.

“Has the Crown Prince given the academy a name?” You Fengyun asked, in an apparently casual tone.

Tutor Xu hesitated for a moment, then replied, “His Highness the Crown Prince has not yet given it a name.”

You Fengyun’s face immediately broke into a satisfied smile, and he said, “Then let Zhen be the one to name it.”

“That would be most wonderful,” Tutor Xu said happily.

“Let it be called the Lingchuan Grand Academy,” You Fengyun said with a smile, elevating the institution by an entire rank with a single word.

(TL: Historically in China, 學宮 (grand/ state academy) referred to official state-run educational institutions, often connected with Confucian temples or government-sponsored schools. They had higher prestige and authority than a normal 書院 (academy).

“And let Zhen inscribe the characters as well.”

Tutor Xu froze on the spot. That cannot be done, it truly cannot, Your Majesty! Please do not bring such embarrassment before the eyes of all under heaven.

Yet You Fengyun, brimming with complete self-confidence, went ahead and wrote out the four characters Lingchuan Grand Academy, then sent them to the Eastern Palace.

Within the Eastern Palace, You Yusui looked at the inscription that had been sent over from Xuande Hall.

“This prince funded and labored to build this academy,” You Yusui said slowly, staring at the inscription in his hands. “And he simply seized this prince’s right to name it. How utterly shameless of him.”

Huo Xiling could not hold back and burst out laughing.

“You’re laughing too!” The pallor of You Yusui’s face was tinged with several shades of indignant color, which made him appear all the more vivid and animated. He pointed at the wretched characters before him and said, “Who gave him the audacity to actually inscribe the academy’s name?!”

Huo Xiling looked down and stifled his laughter. As the Emperor, You Fengyun’s sole flaw was perhaps that his calligraphy was simply not presentable.

“Throw it away for this prince,” You Yusui said, stuffing the inscription into Huo Xiling’s hands.

He would go find his maternal grandfather — even his grandfather writing something at random would be better than this.

“No — wait,” You Yusui called Huo Xiling back. “Since he wants to make a fool of himself, let him make a fool of himself before all under heaven. Make the plaque for this prince with the utmost speed.”

“And not only carve it into wood — carve it into stone as well!”

Let You Fengyun make a fool of himself all the way down through a thousand years hence.

“His Majesty would be quite pleased, I imagine,” Huo Xiling said, looking at the inscription in his hands — what with the carving into plaques and the carving into stone.

“He’d be beside himself with delight,” You Yusui said through gritted teeth. “This prince is furious.”

Building an academy was not the same level as building a Grand Academy — the costs had increased even further, and yet it had brought him no tangible benefit whatsoever. Only his father had been made happy.

You Yusui lay flat on his back in bed, and said, “Xiling, this prince feels as though this prince has been thoroughly fleeced.”

“Right now, this prince requires a kiss from you before this prince can find the will to carry on.”