Chapter 32
Chapter 32: Song Shan Academy in Upheaval
“Brother, hurry up and tell me!” Su Yun Yan’s eyes shone like stars. She knew it—Mother never moved without a reason.
Su Yun Ting snapped open his paper fan. The breeze lifted a loose strand of hair at his temples, and he wore the solemn look of a wise scholar about to deliver a masterpiece.
“Mother stirred up the whole city. After one night of fermenting, it’ll only grow worse. Even though Mother has reason on her side, people with bad intentions will still gossip about her. So Mother moved first and punished herself, just to shut everyone else up.”
He snapped the fan shut with a crisp crack, as if sealing the argument. “This is walking someone else’s road and leaving them nowhere to walk!”
“So that’s it!” Su Yun Yan practically sparkled.
Then she frowned. “But… Brother, the fan’s broken.”
She pointed at the paper fan in his hand.
“We martial world kids don’t sweat the small stuff,” Su Yun Ting said grandly. “It’s nothing. Don’t take it to heart.”
“But this is Mother’s fan. She carries it all the time.”
Su Yun Ting’s steps faltered. He turned back, smile suddenly too bright. “Good sister, you manage the household accounts. Do you know if there’s another similar fan in the storeroom?”
“Nope,” Su Yun Yan said cheerfully, then stabbed him again. “This fan has an inscription written personally by Academician Su. Where would you find a second one?”
Su Yun Ting stuck close behind her and lowered his voice. “Your painting is lifelike. Why don’t you help Brother—”
“You dare tell me to forge things and deceive Mother?!” Su Yun Yan yelped. “I’m going to tell Mother!”
She lifted her skirt and sprinted toward the main courtyard.
Su Yun Ting flailed a hand at her back, frantic. “Little Sister, that’s not what I meant! Let me explain!”
Their shouting startled a small bird from the branches. It flapped hard, rose over the walls, and flew out beyond the manor gates.
Outside, yesterday’s events had already swept through the entire capital like a fire through dry grass.
In streets and alleys, the capital’s commoners argued and gossiped without pause. Even an old farmer selling vegetables at the market had to offer a few opinions.
“Madam of Marquis Yong Chang is really fierce,” someone said. “She actually fought her way to each house?”
“How can you call it fierce?” another snapped back. “That’s taking responsibility! If someone from your village bullied your son, would you swallow it?”
“Of course not! Hey—didn’t you follow the whole thing last night? Is the Song Shan Academy matter real?”
The question landed on a salted-fish peddler nearby.
The moment Song Shan Academy was mentioned, women passing with bamboo baskets gathered around as if pulled by a string.
The peddler grinned, stacked his best-looking fish on top, and shouted, “Salted fish for sale! Top-quality salted fish, cured with sea salt from the Bo Hai Sea! Only fifteen wen each!”
“Hurry up and tell us,” a woman urged. “When you’re done, I’ll buy one!”
“Deal!” the peddler said, rubbing his hands. “The Song Shan Academy matter is real! Madam of Marquis Yong Chang said it in public—someone bought an admission slot with silver. And Madam of Marquis Yong Chang was truly decisive. She made Su Da Lang withdraw on the spot!”
The women erupted into gasps and chatter.
“I never thought Song Shan Academy would be this kind of Song Shan Academy!”
“No wonder my eldest son tried four or five times and still couldn’t get in!”
“Ordinary families like ours shouldn’t go there. The Imperial Academy is great too—sons of officials below the eighth rank and commoners can attend.”
“It’s all Headmaster Wu’s fault! Song Shan Academy never used to be like this!”
The peddler threaded straw through the fish gills and tied quick knots so customers could carry them easily.
“Careful,” a woman warned as she took her purchase. “Don’t shake it so much. The salt crystals will fall off.”
A late-arriving vendor tried to wedge himself into the crowd. “One salted fish isn’t enough for a family. Why not buy some kombu? It’s cheaper too!”
No one paid him any attention.
So he raised his voice and shouted, “I’ve got a freshly baked big piece of news. Do you want to hear it?”
A woman carrying fish turned around. “How fresh?”
The vendor flashed a grin. “I guarantee nobody else in this whole market knows it.”
“Say it.”
“This morning at court,” the vendor announced, “Censor Jiang impeached Song Shan Academy, saying it harmed the capital’s learning climate and couldn’t serve as an example for the realm. His Majesty ordered Song Shan Academy to investigate itself. It’s a private school, so it has no fixed regulations, but anyone who got in through back doors can’t appear on the admissions list!”
“His Majesty is wise!” the crowd cried.
Two officials who had just left court pushed through the market, sweating lightly from the crush.
“Something that happened this morning reached the streets before noon,” one sighed. “Sigh.”
Young Lord Li Zhong took out a handkerchief and wiped his brow.
Censor Jiang’s court robe had been wrinkled by the crowd, and a few strands of hair had slipped loose across his forehead, softening his hard aura. “Even His Majesty’s private words with Noble Consort Tong get leaked. How could court business not?”
Once they finally squeezed out of the market, Young Lord Li Zhong let out a long breath. “You really dared to submit that memorial. You knew Grand Tutor Tong was backing Song Shan Academy, and you still went straight at him.”
“That’s my duty as a censor,” Censor Jiang said calmly.
He stopped at a drink stall and bought two cups of Qin milk, handing one to Young Lord Li Zhong. “Madam of Marquis Yong Chang traded her own reputation and her eldest son’s future to place a blade in my hand. How could I not use it?”
Young Lord Li Zhong accepted the cup and rolled his eyes. “Grand Tutor Tong’s position is as steady as bedrock. You’re trying to make an ant swallow an elephant. Take care of yourself.”
“I know.”
Censor Jiang took a sip and smiled faintly. “Illustrated Materia Medica says buffalo milk is cooling while Qin milk is warming—yet their meat is cold either way. Look, I didn’t dare treat you to beef. I only dared treat you to a cup of Qin milk, so you can drink it freely in this late-autumn weather.”
Young Lord Li Zhong drained his cup in one go. “Even if you wanted to treat me to beef, I wouldn’t dare eat it. If we eat it today, tomorrow we’ll both get impeached.”
Censor Jiang laughed. “Hahaha.”
Young Lord Li Zhong snorted, but he laughed too. Then they parted at the crossroads.
Headmaster Wu of Song Shan Academy, however, had no such mood.
Ever since the imperial edict arrived, Grand Tutor Tong had shut him out and refused to see him.
“Uncle, I don’t care!” Wu Fa Tian fumed, puffed up like a frog as he sat on a stool. “If I don’t appear on the admissions list, how can I enroll? How can I face anyone? Li Ming De and the others will laugh me to death!”
Headmaster Wu’s head felt like it had split in two. He couldn’t bear to lose his temper at the Wu family’s only heir, so he forced his voice gentler. “His Majesty is watching Song Shan Academy right now. Hall Instructor Li Qing He has already been removed, and Grand Tutor Tong won’t see me. At a time like this, how can you still rush to the front?”
Wu Fa Tian slammed the table. “It’s all Su Xuan Ming’s family’s fault! They ruined Shao Yan Brother—and dragged us down too!”
“Mm.” Headmaster Wu’s eyes darkened. “When things calm down, we’ll deal with him. I already spoke with the Imperial Academy. You’ll withdraw first, then go study there. When the storm passes, I’ll transfer you back.”
He had talked at length with the Imperial Academy rector, and it hadn’t been only for Wu Fa Tian’s sake.