The Great Song Dynasty: You were put in charge of teaching, and you produced a whole bunch of prime

The news of the downfall of Prince Zhao Xi of Jing was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up a huge wave in Bianjing City.

The day before, he was a highly praised wise king, a guest of honor for scholars and literati.

The next day, he became a prisoner, a criminal accused of colluding with barbarians and using witchcraft to murder students.

The reversal came so quickly and so violently that the entire court fell into an eerie silence. During court sessions, all the civil and military officials lowered their heads and remained silent, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Those officials and censors who had once followed Zhao Xi in waving the flag and shouting, impeaching Jiang Lin and Ouyang Xiu, especially wished they could hide their heads in their official robes, for fear of being noticed by the emperor on the dragon throne, whose emotions were unreadable.

They're scared.

I'm afraid of that young man named Jiang Lin.

This person's methods have exceeded the comprehension of these traditional scholar-officials.

You try to reason with him, but he just tries to settle scores with you.

If you try to play mind games with him, he'll just flip the table.

You thought you had caught him red-handed and could ruin his reputation, but instead he brought the dead back to life and, in front of the entire city, plunged you into an abyss of no return.

How can we play like this?

To oppose someone who can make the dead speak and appeal to the emperor is like an old man hanging himself, tired of living.

For a time, the small courtyard of Jingshi Academy became the most awe-inspiring place in the entire Bianjing City. No one dared to point fingers there anymore, and they would even avoid it when passing by, as if the person living there was not an academy headmaster, but a living Yama who could decide life and death.

The atmosphere inside the Chuigong Hall was oppressive.

Zhao Zhen rubbed his aching temples, looking at the various "evidence" found in the Prince of Jing's mansion kneeling at his feet. What shocked him most was not the letters exchanged with the priests of the southwestern barbarians, nor the booklets recording how to cultivate Gu worms, but a list.

A list of officials whom Zhao Xi privately entertained and befriended.

The densely packed names on it almost encompassed half of the imperial court.

Zhao Zhen felt a wave of fear, and even more so, a profound sense of powerlessness. He knew that not all the people on this list had joined Zhao Xi in the rebellion; most were probably just engaging in normal official social interactions.

But at this critical juncture, this list is a bomb that could detonate the entire court at any moment.

He cannot investigate, nor does he dare to investigate.

A thorough investigation would inevitably trigger a new round of factional strife and turmoil, something he absolutely did not want to see.

"Minister Ouyang, what do you think?" Zhao Zhen tossed the list aside, his voice full of exhaustion.

Standing below the throne, Ouyang Xiu bowed and said, "Your Majesty, although the Prince of Jing has fallen, his followers are widespread throughout the court and the country, deeply entrenched. If a large-scale purge is carried out now, it may shake the foundation of the nation. The best course of action now is to appease him and proceed gradually."

Zhao Zhen nodded; what Ouyang Xiu said was exactly what he had in mind.

"What do you think should be done with Jiang Lin and his disciple Su Shi?" Zhao Zhen asked the question that was giving him the biggest headache.

Jiang Lin and Su Shi deserve immense credit for bringing down Prince Jing. Logically, they should be richly rewarded. However, when Zhao Zhen thought of Jiang Lin's unpredictable methods and his completely unconventional style of doing things, he felt a sense of unease about his throne.

This guy is a double-edged sword. If used well, he can slay demons and monsters; if used poorly, he might be the first one to get hurt.

Letting him remain in Bianjing, the center of this vortex, is risky; who knows what even bigger trouble he might cause next?

Ouyang Xiu was a man who immediately understood the Emperor's intentions.

He pondered for a moment before speaking: "Your Majesty, although Su Shi has made great contributions, he is still young. His sudden promotion may arouse jealousy, which would not be good for him either."

"I believe it would be better to send him to a remote area for a few years to gain experience and temper his character. As for the destination... Hangzhou is a wealthy city, but it is also a place with many complex affairs, which would be a good opportunity to test his talent for governing the country and benefiting the people."

Zhao Zhen's eyes lit up.

good idea!

Sending Su Shi, the top scholar in the imperial examination, to Hangzhou was both an important appointment and a form of exile. It allowed him to escape the political storms of the capital while also enabling him to do some real work in the local area.

Most importantly, now that Su Shi is gone, Jiang Lin, as his teacher, can't just stay in the capital, can he?

"Granted!" Zhao Zhen decided immediately, "Appoint Su Shi as Vice Prefect of Hangzhou, and have him take up his post immediately."

"And what about Jiang Lin?" Zhao Zhen asked again.

Ouyang Xiu smiled and said confidently, "Your Majesty, rest assured, Jiang Shanchang may seem lazy, but he has the world at heart. He founded the Jingshi Academy to promote practical learning and educate the people."

"Now that the Bianjing branch is on track, he will surely want to expand the academy. There's no reason for him not to go with Su Shi to Hangzhou. When that happens, we can just say that he's in charge of establishing the Hangzhou branch of Jingshi Academy. Wouldn't that be perfectly legitimate?"

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!" Emperor Zhao Zhen was overjoyed, and a great weight was finally lifted from his heart.

……

In Jiang Lin's small courtyard.

Jiang Lin was lying on that familiar rattan chair, holding a cup of freshly brewed West Lake Longjing tea in his hand, his eyes half-closed, looking drowsy.

In the courtyard, Qian Duoduo was holding an abacus, calculating accounts with a constant clatter, her smile never fading.

"Headmaster, you didn't see it! The crowd outside is practically wearing down the threshold of our academy! People are bringing money, gifts, and trying to get their sons in; the line stretches all the way to the street corner!" Qian Duoduo said excitedly.

"With the fall of the Prince of Jing, those officials who used to be close to him are now terrified and are clinging to our academy as their lifeline! They're all hoping to send their children here, establish a connection with us, and secure their safety!"

Jiang Lin didn't even lift his eyelids, and said lazily, "Tell them they can come in, but the usual rules apply: pay up. Increase the entrance fee by 30%."

"Okay!" Qian Duoduo smiled even more happily.

At this moment, Su Shi strode in from outside, his face showing a mixture of excitement and doubt that he could not hide.

"Teacher, someone from the palace just came. The Emperor has issued an edict appointing me as the Vice Prefect of Hangzhou."

"Oh." Jiang Lin's reaction was indifferent.

Su Shi was taken aback. He had thought his teacher would be very happy, or at least somewhat surprised.

"Teacher, you...you knew all along?"

Jiang Lin opened his eyes, glanced at him, and said irritably, "Otherwise what? Do you think you can stay in this dangerous place like the capital? The Emperor looks at me like I'm a monster now, and can't wait for me to get out of here. Transferring you to Hangzhou is just a way to get rid of me too. Even a three-year-old can see through this little trick."

Su Shi suddenly realized, then felt somewhat disappointed: "So that's how it is... I thought the Emperor really valued me."

"Highly valued, my foot!" Jiang Lin retorted bluntly. "If you were truly valued by him, you'd be in the Hanlin Academy by now, a close advisor, not kicked to Hangzhou, a thousand miles away. But it's for the best, though. The waters in the capital are too murky; we won't get involved. Hangzhou is beautiful, with its clear waters and lush mountains. We can eat, drink, and enjoy the scenery—isn't that better than all this scheming here?"

Upon hearing his teacher's words, Su Shi's initial disappointment vanished instantly, replaced by a longing for the future.

Yes, Hangzhou, a paradise on earth. It has West Lake, delicious food, and countless poetic and picturesque scenes.

"Then, teacher..."

"Nonsense, you're going, how could I not go?" Jiang Lin sat up straight. "I have to keep an eye on you, lest you, this naive young man, get scammed again. Perfect timing, it's time for our Jingshi Academy to open a branch."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a clear voice came from the doorway.

"Going to Hangzhou? Count me in!"

Zhao Lingjun, dressed in neat men's clothing, walked in leisurely, fanning himself with a folding fan.

Jiang Lin glanced at her sideways: "What are you going to do? Isn't it good to stay in the palace?"

Zhao Lingjun walked up to Jiang Lin and said matter-of-factly, "I am the largest shareholder of Jingshi Academy. The academy is going to open a branch campus. As a shareholder, how can I not personally supervise the financial situation? What if you embezzle all my money?"

Jiang Lin was taken aback by her words and rolled his eyes: "Do I look like that kind of person?"

"Yes." Zhao Lingjun nodded without hesitation, then leaned close to his ear with a grin and lowered his voice, "Besides, Bianjing is so boring, it's much more fun following you."

Her breath tickled Jiang Lin's earlobe.

Jiang Lin shifted his body subtly, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and concealed the strange feeling in his heart.

"Alright, alright, let's go if we want." He waved his hand as if shooing away flies. "Qian Duoduo, go pack your things. Shen Kuo, Niu Aihua, call them all. We're going to Hangzhou, a publicly funded trip!"