If I traveled back to the Tang Dynasty, all I really wanted to be was a carefree prince.

In the afternoon in Chang'an, the snow had stopped, but the sky remained overcast, like a worn-out cotton cloth covering the sky.

Li Ke changed his clothes and stood at the entrance of the side hall, taking a deep breath of the cold air. Xue Rengui followed behind him, a long sword at his waist, his gaze calm. Tie Tou, carrying a stick, stood under the eaves. When he saw Li Ke come out, he grinned sheepishly, then stopped.

"Let's go." Li Ke pulled his cloak tighter and walked towards the Imperial Study.

The snow under the eaves had been swept away by the palace servants, leaving the blue brick floor damp and reflecting the hazy sunlight. He was uneasy—the morning's political discussion in the Chongwen Hall had ended, yet his father still wanted to summon him alone. Zhang De had only said "discussion in the Imperial Study this afternoon," without specifying who else would be present. He vaguely sensed that what his father truly cared about in the morning's proceedings wasn't whether the military officers understood, but rather how it would be implemented.

Walking along the path beside Taiye Pond and past two palace gates, the Imperial Study came into view. The door was ajar, and Zhang De, who was guarding the entrance, hurriedly stepped forward upon seeing Li Ke arrive, bowing and whispering, "Your Highness, His Majesty has not yet arrived. Chancellor Fang and Doctor Wei are already inside. General Qin has also arrived."

Li Ke nodded slightly and stepped through the door.

Inside the imperial study, the charcoal fire burned brightly, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere that contrasted sharply with the bitter cold outside.

Upon seeing Li Ke enter, the three were about to rise when Li Ke quickly waved his hand, saying, "Prime Minister Fang, Physician Wei, Master, there's no need for such formalities. Father has not yet arrived; let's sit down first."

Fang Xuanling nodded and picked up his teacup again. Wei Zheng withdrew his gaze, glanced at Li Ke, and slightly twitched his lips as a greeting. Qin Qiong's gaze lingered on him for a moment, then he nodded slightly.

Li Ke sat down next to Qin Qiong and lowered his voice: "Master, you've come too."

Qin Qiong nodded slightly, glanced at him, his eyes conveying a message, but he said nothing. Li Ke understood that his master was reminding him—today's meeting was not simple.

After waiting for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, footsteps sounded outside the door. Zhang De's voice rang out: "His Majesty has arrived—His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived—"

The door was pushed open, and Li Shimin strode in, followed by Li Chengqian, their expressions calm and their steps unhurried. The four men in the imperial study rose and bowed in unison. Li Shimin walked behind the dragon desk and sat down, his gaze sweeping over Fang Xuanling, Wei Zheng, and Qin Qiong, finally settling on Li Ke, where he paused for a moment.

"Please sit down. There are no outsiders here today." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a weight that commanded respect. "I summoned you all here to thoroughly re-examine what Ke'er said this morning in the Chongwen Hall." He paused, then turned his gaze to Li Chengqian. "Chengqian, you listen too. You are the Crown Prince; the future of the Tang Dynasty rests on your shoulders. This plan may take many years to implement, so it must be carried out meticulously and thoroughly."

Li Chengqian rose and bowed, his voice steady: "Your subject will remember."

Li Shimin waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down, and then turned his gaze back to Li Ke: "Ke'er, start from the beginning. Although I understood what you said in court this morning, those words were just the general outline. Now I want to hear the details—how each step is implemented, who is in charge, where the money comes from, and where the people come from. Explain each point clearly."

Li Ke stood up, straightened his clothes, and walked to the center of the imperial study.

He didn't rush to speak, but first mentally reviewed the points he had made that morning in the Chongwen Hall. His father was right; the morning address was for the court officials, emphasizing momentum and direction; this address was for these few individuals, requiring actionable details. He raised his head, his gaze sweeping from the dragon desk in front of him over Fang Xuanling's white hair, Wei Zheng's square face, and Qin Qiong's composure, finally settling on Li Shimin's face.

"Father, I believe that the key to governing a country lies first and foremost in acquiring talented people. And the rise of talented people begins with education. Why have powerful families endured for centuries? It is because they possess family learning, collections of books, and a wealth of classics passed down through generations. Children from poor families lack these, and they are already at a disadvantage from the very beginning. Therefore, the court must establish official schools throughout the country so that children from poor families can also receive an education."

He picked up the pen on the table and drew a pyramid-shaped structure on the paper, saying as he drew, "My idea is to start from the bottom and select people layer by layer."

"The first level is the village school. Every village should have a village school. It doesn't need to be luxurious, just a few rooms and one teacher. They should teach children to read, do arithmetic, and basic manners. The imperial court will provide subsidies to families that are poor to ensure they can afford to go to school."

Fang Xuanling stroked his beard and nodded.

"The second level is the county school. Children who excel in the village school are selected, after examination, to continue their studies at the county school. The curriculum at the county school is more in-depth than that at the village school, covering classics, history, philosophy, literature, poetry, books, rites, and music."

"The third level is the state school. Outstanding students from the county schools are selected to go to the state school."

"The fourth level is the Prefectural Academy. The best students from the Prefectural Academy are selected to attend the Prefectural Academy."

Li Ke drew several lines on the paper from bottom to top to connect the four levels.

"Selection is carried out layer by layer, choosing the best of the best. Each layer supplies talent to the next, and each layer cultivates pillars of the nation. After systematic training at the prefectural academy, the most outstanding students can enter the highest institution of learning in the capital for further studies."

Fang Xuanling spoke, his voice unhurried: "Your Highness, what do you intend to name this prestigious institution of learning?"

Li Ke looked at Li Shimin and said calmly, "The name can be discussed further. But one thing is certain: the academy must be headed by Father Emperor himself."

"A disciple of the emperor," Wei Zheng uttered those four words, his gaze profound.

"Yes, students of the Emperor." Li Ke nodded. "The most outstanding students are selected from the imperial examinations and local schools to study in the academy, where they are taught by the court's top Confucian scholars. After completing their studies, the Emperor himself will host a banquet and bestow official titles upon them. From the day they enter the academy, these people know that their future is given by the Emperor, not by their aristocratic families. Ten years later, there will naturally be a group of talented people in the court who only know the Emperor and not the aristocratic families."

After Li Ke finished speaking, the hall fell silent for a moment.

Wei Zheng leaned forward slightly, his voice not loud, yet carrying a weight that compelled everyone to take him seriously: "Your Highness's idea is feasible in my opinion. However, there are two problems. First, manpower. With so many schools, how many teachers are needed? Tens of thousands! Where will they come from? Who will teach? The court's personnel alone are far from sufficient. Second, financial resources. Building schools, hiring teachers, and subsidizing students—all of these require money. The court's treasury does not have the budget for this."

Fang Xuanling nodded and continued, "I have roughly calculated that if we were to establish official schools in every county across the country, we would need thousands upon thousands of teachers just for that. The court is still in the experimental stage of the imperial examination system, so where would we find so many teachers all at once? Even if we did, would those people be willing to teach in the countryside? Would they be willing to take a meager salary to teach a group of poor children? These are not issues that can be resolved simply by issuing an imperial decree."