Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 381 I've been following you since I was in the capital.

Xu Xuan didn't receive news of Yan Chixia, but instead received news of the Grand Scholar's return.

Officials at all levels still lined up outside the city to welcome them.

Standing at the very front was Song Qingtian, a famous upright official from Jiangnan.

Today, Song Youde is no longer the timid fat man he used to be; he stands there calmly.

Over the past year or two, there has been a leap forward in both achievements and personal moral standards.

He is maneuvering for a promotion, leveraging his achievements and the power of money.

Amidst the turmoil in China, the tragic deaths of local officials began to occur one after another.

When a high-ranking official dies, it doesn't just leave one position vacant; it means many official positions in an entire prefecture will change hands.

There are still many people to be held accountable, there are state-level assessments to be conducted, and there is a great deal of bloody political infighting.

The Commandant of Xin'an County was arrested on the spot, and dozens of officials, including himself, were imprisoned.

This was due to reasons such as the failure to protect the prefect and the mishandling of the assassination attempt at Baekdu-dau.

In reality, everyone knew that this was Grand Commandant Jia venting his anger.

Jianye fared much better; those who successfully suppressed the dragon energy of the Five Dragons even received promotions to other places.

Song Youde was envious, but it was a pity that the governors of Jianye and Xin'an had died in the past few months. If only the governors of Wu had died.
If they had been any bolder, it might have been the governor of Yangzhou who died.
Oh, then it has nothing to do with him.

Such a position must be held by the Emperor of Jin's true confidants; even members of prestigious families would only have the right to offer suggestions.

Lost in thought, I was suddenly startled by a commotion in the crowd.

"coming."

Yu Gong's convoy was escorted by elite soldiers, each riding a tall horse, carrying a sword and a knife, their eyes filled with murderous intent and exuding a strong aura of menace.

The Grand Secretary's entourage, on the other hand, appeared ordinary and simple, with several carriages carrying books and bamboo slips. The guards, though elite, possessed an even stronger, more resolute demeanor.

"I have met the Grand Secretary."

The crowd bowed, some with flattery and others with fear.

Song Youde behaved neither servilely nor arrogantly, a stark contrast to his previous behavior when he wished he could roll on the ground in despair upon seeing Yu Gong.

It wasn't that he didn't want to improve himself; Chongqi Academy was just outside the city, and who would dare to be disrespectful?

The main reason was that someone specifically wrote to him telling him not to get too close.

It was his good younger brother, Hanwen.

The Grand Secretary was ousted from the court by his political enemies, and it is highly unlikely that he will be reinstated.

Therefore, if we want to rise to the top, we can keep a slight distance.

Another point is that the Grand Secretary was a man of good character.

After speaking with several professors at the academy, it was confirmed that he is a person of good character, consistent in word and deed, and very restrained in controlling his emotions.

So as long as you have no problems, don't be afraid of offending others.

They might even gain special respect from others, because traditional scholars with integrity are often considered pretentious.

As for whether the academy will be dissatisfied with him because of this, of course not, with me, Instructor Xu, here.

Song Youde was somewhat bewildered by his brother Hanwen's heartfelt words. Was this the high-level political struggle?

I don't understand, but listening to others is definitely the right thing to do.

To be fair, Xu Xuan treated this older brother quite well.

It was precisely because of Brother Xian's presence that we received tremendous help in worldly matters.

The placement of orphans, the establishment of schools, the distribution of medicine at Baoan Hall, and all other aspects were handled very well.

Therefore, Xu Xuan was also working silently to help the other party improve.

Once the river dredging is completed in the fall, the promotion will be secured, but the specific position will depend on where there are vacancies.

Or, to put it another way, it's not impossible to kill someone on the spot when the time comes.

It seems like manipulating the court is part of the White Lotus Demon's job.

The Grand Secretary standing at the front of the crowd indeed had a complex mood, and couldn't help but look at Song Youde, who was not far away, with a higher regard. It wasn't a matter of hostility and distance from political rivals, but rather a state of indifference.

It's no wonder that Qiantang prospers with such a virtuous official in charge.

After nodding in acknowledgment, they entered the city.

The officials began to praise Magistrate Song's integrity and moral character.

In the eyes of the Confucian faction in Jiangnan, this was the kind of character that even Grand Secretaries recognized. In the eyes of the court faction led by Jia Chong, this was someone who could be won over.

Win-win!

The caravan remained in Qiantang, while the Grand Secretary first went to the Imperial Academy by West Lake.

Seeing the peaceful and prosperous towns along the way, my complexion improved a lot.

Along the way, we witnessed too many places where people were living in misery. The Great Jin Dynasty had actually reached a terrifying point.

The officials in the imperial court are still talking big about how great the situation is, which is infuriating.

Not long after arriving at the academy, the sound of clashing weapons rang out.

The students suddenly felt disoriented and unable to control themselves as a violent aura of swords and weapons swept through this sacred place of study.

The visit ended when it got dark.

The Grand Secretary walked out with a solemn expression, and only went up Nanshan the next day.

The students on Nanshan Mountain had already received the news, and they were quite restless.

Grand Secretaries held considerable prestige among the common people and were prominent figures in their youth, reaching a level that was admired by almost all scions of prominent families.

Not only was he exceptionally talented in academics, but he also broke with his own family, yet he still became a pillar of the court despite being suppressed.

This kind of drama is not only loved by ordinary people, but also by scions of noble families; it can be considered a role model for young people.

More importantly, his outward appearance is mainly refined and scholarly, which aligns with the current direction of Confucian propaganda.

Carrying spears, the era of long halberds is over.

Everyone naturally wanted to see this person's demeanor, but unfortunately, Madam Yin stopped them.

The professors continued to give lectures, and the students continued to study.

Only Xu Xuan and Professor Gu were arranged to greet them.

A middle-aged scholar with an ancient face stood outside the mountain gate, looking at the four characters of Chongqi Academy with a somewhat incomprehensible feeling.

You're back again.
Half a lifetime spent wandering, now just passing through exile. A touch of irony.

How is this character?

Professor Gu did not answer; the question was for Instructor Xu.

Xu Xuan's answer was concise: "Vigorous and powerful, like bamboo and rocks in the mountains."

The Grand Secretary smiled; he was indeed an honest man.

The three then began to tour the academy, and seeing how much it had changed, he felt a great deal of emotion.

Returning to familiar places brought back many memories of his youth, which revitalized the scholar who was somewhat weary from the storms of court politics.

After a while, Professor Gu went back to class, and before leaving, he gave Instructor Xu a meaningful look.

Only the Grand Secretary and Xu Xuan remained in the Stele Forest.

"Teacher Xu, actually I've been following you since I was in the capital."

Xu Xuan was a little confused. What kind of plot NPC beginning is this? Are you going to give me more responsibilities?
It's not surprising that the other party heard about it. After all, he had been stirring up trouble in Jiangnan for two years, and even the things that were on the surface were enough to spread.

At this moment, the Grand Scholar looked at this young junior with some curiosity.

"The professors at the academy have given you such high praise that even the most outstanding students over the years have not received such evaluations."

Professor Gu said that if you were to enter government service, you would surely become a capable minister who brings peace to the world.

"Professor Sheng praised you for upholding justice, purifying the world, and for your insightful and penetrating understanding of the principles of law."

(End of this chapter)