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

"Do you all think he's bragging?" Zhao Zhen suddenly asked.

The hall fell silent for a moment.

"It's definitely bragging!" the Imperial Censor exclaimed. "Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, no academy has ever dared to boast of sweeping the top three spots! If they can't do it, will His Majesty punish them for deceiving the emperor? If word gets out, won't they become a laughingstock?"

"What if...he actually does it?"

A gentle yet firm voice rang out.

Everyone turned around and saw Hanlin Academician Ouyang Xiu slowly stepping out of the ranks.

Ouyang Xiu bowed deeply to Zhao Zhen, his expression solemn:

"Your Majesty, when I was in Runzhou, I personally witnessed Jiang Lin teaching. His teaching methods were completely different from those of the common people. He did not emphasize rote memorization, but only practical application in the world."

"I have also examined my students Su Shi, Su Zhe, and Zeng Gong. Their talents are indeed rare in the world. If given time and careful guidance, they may very well become great talents."

Ouyang Xiu raised his head, his gaze sweeping over his excited colleagues, and said calmly:

"My lords, Jiang Lin made it very clear in his letter. He intends to cultivate three prime ministers for the Song Dynasty within a year."

"If he goes to the capital, he will only become another idle official; if he stays in that dilapidated academy, he may extend the literary fortune of the Song Dynasty for another fifty years."

"Can't you all figure this out?"

The court fell silent.

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. Although they still thought the claim of "three top scholars" was absurd, they couldn't ignore Ouyang Xiu's face, after all, he was the leader of the literary world and was known for his sharp insight.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

A hearty laugh came from the dragon throne.

Zhao Zhen stood up, and with a wave of his sleeve, the gloom on his face vanished.

"What a brilliant 'futures trading'! What a brilliant 'one-year agreement'!"

Zhao Zhen's eyes gleamed with the excitement of a gambler who has found an unbeatable hand:

"In ancient times, Jiang Taigong fished, and those who were willing took the bait; now, Jiang Lin makes wild pronouncements, exchanging talent for time."

"I'll gamble with him this time!"

He turned abruptly around and shouted at the Hanlin Academician who was drafting the imperial edict:

"Draft an imperial edict!"

"As Jiang Lin requested, a one-year period is granted! During this year, except for the serious crime of treason, the local government of Runzhou shall not interfere with the teaching at Jingshi Academy for any reason!"

"Furthermore, although Jiang Lin has not entered the court, he has rendered meritorious service in education. He is hereby granted the title 'Master of Governance,' and the Runzhou Prefecture is ordered to allocate one thousand strings of silver for the repair of the academy. This order must not be broken!"

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

Not only are they not punished, but they are also given money, titles, and special privileges?

This isn't punishment; it's practically elevating Jiang Lin to the heavens!

"Your Majesty..." The Imperial Censor wanted to persuade him again.

"Court adjourned!"

Zhao Zhen gave him no chance at all and simply turned and left.

He walked away quickly, secretly pleased: Jiang Lin, I've set the stage for you, and given you the money. If you can't produce those three top scholars next year, I'll show you what it means to deceive the emperor!

……

A few days later, in Runzhou.

When the even more solemn imperial edict reached the academy, Prefect Shen of Runzhou was so weak in the knees that he could not stand.

"Master Jingshi...a title bestowed by the Emperor..."

Lord Shen looked at the bright yellow imperial edict in his hand, feeling as if he were dreaming.

He had seen many madmen in his life, but Jiang Lin was the only one who was so arrogant as to refuse the emperor twice and then get the emperor to obediently pay money to grant him a title.

Inside the academy, an incense table was set up.

Jiang Lin, along with Su Shi and the other two, respectfully accepted the imperial decree.

"This humble subject, Jiang Lin, thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness."

Jiang Lin took the imperial edict and casually handed it to Qian Duoduo behind him, "Take this, frame it, and hang it in the center of the lecture hall. If anyone dares to come and collect protection money again, just show this to them."

Qian Duoduo held the imperial edict, his hands trembling. "Sir, this is a gift from the Emperor! Shouldn't we treat it as a sacred object?"

"What are we supplying? We're making the most of everything."

Jiang Lin turned to look at Prefect Shen, who was still wiping away cold sweat, and asked with a smile:

"Lord Shen, when will the allocation of one thousand strings of cash mentioned in the imperial edict arrive?"

Prefect Shen was startled and quickly smiled obsequiously, "Right away! Right away! This humble official will go back to the yamen to collect the silver! In the future, if Mr. Jiang has any needs, please feel free to give the order. The entire Runzhou Prefecture will follow your lead!"

Just kidding, this is a ruthless person that even the emperor indulges, how could a mere prefect dare to neglect him?

After the prefect and the crowd of onlookers left, the academy returned to its tranquility.

But the atmosphere in the academy had changed.

Su Shi, Zeng Gong, and Su Zhe surrounded Jiang Lin, looking at the imperial edict with excitement in their eyes, but even more so with immense pressure.

"gentlemen……"

Su Shi swallowed hard. "You made a bet with the emperor? If we don't get the top score next year, are you going to be beheaded?"

"Beheading is unlikely; exile to a place three thousand miles away is probably the best punishment."

Jiang Lin shrugged and said casually, "Then you'll only be able to watch me eat lychees on Hainan Island."

"..."

The three of them instantly felt immense pressure.

"Scared?" Jiang Lin raised an eyebrow.

"Don't be afraid!"

Su Shi clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with fury. "Our teacher dared to deceive even the emperor... no, dared to gamble with him for our sake! If we fail the exam, we'll jump into the Bian River and never implicate our teacher!"

"Yes! Let's give it our all!" Zeng Gong and Su Zhe gritted their teeth.

Looking at the three students who were full of energy, Jiang Lin nodded in satisfaction.

This is the effect he wanted.

Only when there is no way out can one fight their way out.

"Since you're not afraid, let's begin."

Jiang Lin pulled out a thick book he had written himself, "Three Years of Imperial Examinations and Five Years of Simulation," and slammed it heavily on the table.

"From today onwards, the hellish training will be upgraded."

"We want to show Bianjing City what a dimensional reduction attack is three years from now."

With the issuance of the imperial edict, the name of "Master of Statecraft" Jiang Lin spread like wildfire throughout the entire Song Dynasty overnight.

The literary world was shaken, and scholars were in uproar.

Some people criticize him for deceiving the world and stealing fame, while others praise his Wei-Jin style.

At this critical juncture, countless carriages from all over the country began to converge on Runzhou.

They brought not only scholars seeking knowledge, but also countless prying eyes.

Jiang Lin looked at the imperial plaque at the entrance of the academy and thought to himself:

"The traffic has arrived. Now it's time to monetize it."