The rebellious grandson of Emperor Zhenguan of the Tang Dynasty: Please, Your Majesty, be called Cro

Chapter 97 A scholar should die for one who understands him!

"This—" Sun Fujia held the book, only flipping through it briefly, but his heart was suddenly filled with shock.

He lowered his head and quickly flipped through several more pages. The more he read, the more shocked he became. When he reached the end of the scroll, the ink on the paper was still slightly damp and not completely dry. It was clear that he had been working on it day and night in recent days, copying it hastily.

This is not your average, trivial directory for reference!

The direct branches of the five surnames and seven clans, their official positions in the court, the power they wield, their private marriage connections, the extent of their disciples and former officials, and even the quirks and weaknesses of each family's members, their factional affiliations, and the people they can or cannot eliminate are all listed in a clear and orderly manner, revealing every detail.

Such a deep and hidden network of connections between the court and the people is something that even seasoned officials who have been immersed in the political arena for decades may not be able to fully comprehend.

The Crown Prince had secretly compiled such a detailed and thorough plan!

"Your Highness, what are your intentions?"

Sun Fujia's expression suddenly turned serious, and an extreme solemnity appeared between his brows and eyes.

If it was merely the Crown Prince's concern for his eldest son, sending someone to inquire about the situation and entrust him with care, then it would be reasonable for him to mediate and secretly take care of the grandson out of consideration for their relationship. This would not be considered overstepping his bounds.

The significance of handing over this top-secret register, which was enough to shake up the entire Tang Dynasty's aristocratic structure and involve the civil and military officials and their cronies, to him, the Minister of Justice in charge of criminal justice and investigation, was entirely different!

What shocked him even more was the deposed crown prince, who was described as insane and rebellious by the tutors of the Crown Prince and as incompetent and useless by the Wei King's faction.

They actually have such abilities!

What exactly does the Crown Prince want to do? He simply wants to use him, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, to sow discord among the powerful families and rescue the imperial grandson.

Or perhaps—seeing his close relationship with the imperial grandson, they were demonstrating their abilities to win him over—

Will he compete for the throne again in the future?

Upon thinking of this, Sun Fujia felt his hair stand on end, and cold sweat poured down his back.

"This humble servant is also unaware of the Crown Prince's deeper meaning. However, since the Crown Prince has clearly stated that this document was presented to His Majesty by Minister Sun, it is not a problem," the man said.

"Your Highness, you are only focused on saving your son."

19

The Imperial College (Guozijian) was a dormitory for students from poor families.

Of the six schools within the Imperial Academy, the Imperial Academy and the National Academy were mostly controlled by sons of high-ranking noble families. Only the four schools of the Imperial Academy, the School of Calligraphy, the School of Mathematics, and the School of Law were able to accommodate students from poor families.

The dozen or so people who had followed Li Xiang in his angry escape from prison were the most courageous and passionate among the poor students. But apart from them, the remaining hundred or so students from poor families were still confined to their cells, anxious and restless every day.

For days, no one could concentrate on their studies. Everyone's hearts were firmly set on the Dali Temple prison.

Squeak—

The wooden door of a simple prison cell was pushed open, and a breeze carrying locust leaves from the courtyard rushed in, but it could not dispel the gloom that filled the room.

All the students from impoverished families in the room looked up, and more than a hundred pairs of eyes converged on them, their eyes filled with anticipation, fear, and unease as they stared intently at the person who had entered.

The returning disciple, facing the eager gazes of the crowd, had tense shoulders. In the end, he could only lower his head heavily, shake his head dejectedly, and say in a dry, hoarse voice: "No news—the imperial grandson is still detained in the Dali Temple prison, and there has been no word of his release."

As soon as he finished speaking, a low sigh filled the cell, and the anxiety that filled the room turned into a deep sense of loss.

The man took a deep breath, suppressing his frustration, and continued in a low voice: "The atmosphere in the court is extremely bad right now. Many officials from aristocratic families have taken turns submitting memorials, all impeaching the grandson of the emperor for being disobedient and disorderly, and for publicly humiliating court officials. The charges are getting more and more serious."

"Those aristocratic factions spread rumors everywhere, deliberately smearing the character of the imperial grandson. Now, not only are officials in the court and the public criticizing him, but even the common people in Chang'an are misled by the rumors and criticize the imperial grandson for his arrogant behavior and disrespect for the emperor."

Someone gripped the book tightly, their fingertips turning white, and asked urgently, "What about Brother Shenzhi and his classmates? Didn't they say the other day that they would go out of their way to make connections and speak out for the imperial grandson?"

Mentioning this matter, the returning student's face grew even more somber, and he shook his head with a bitter smile: "Shenzhi and the others have never stopped, traveling to various places every day, pleading their case everywhere, and doing their utmost to clear the name of the imperial grandson. But—"

"It's a drop in the ocean, and it won't help at all."

"We are all poor scholars with no connections or background. Our connections, power, and foundation are none of the same as those of the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families. These powerful families control public opinion in the court, and officials protect each other and cover up the truth layer by layer. The words of us mere scholars will not reach His Majesty or the ears of the people of the world."

He gritted his teeth and uttered the most despairing news: "There is also the worst news—the new quotas and regulations for the civil service examinations for those from humble backgrounds, which the imperial grandson had previously pushed hard for us, have now been temporarily shelved by the court and have come to a complete standstill."

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly silencing the entire prison cell.

Everyone's face turned deathly pale instantly.

Most of them were from rural areas and poor families, with no family background or social standing to rely on.

If Li Xiang had not defied authority and insisted on breaking the monopoly of aristocratic families over the imperial examinations, thus creating a path for those from humble backgrounds, they would most likely have been confined to the crowded and dark dormitories of the Imperial Academy for the rest of their lives, never having the opportunity to enter the court and serve the people.

The imperial grandson was the hope of all of them, the only glimmer of light illuminating the path ahead for those from humble backgrounds.

Now the glimmer of light is about to fade, and the road ahead is once again completely blocked.

"So—in the end, it's all for nothing?" A young student's voice trembled, his eyes filled with bitterness and resentment.

"The imperial grandson, from a humble background like ours, dared to defy His Majesty and confront the powerful families, even at the cost of his own imprisonment. But we—we are utterly helpless in the slightest."

"With just a few words and a few memorials, powerful families can distort the truth, decide life and death, and easily destroy the hard-won path we have taken for granted."

Some people slumped down at their desks, looking at the pile of writing brushes, ink, and books, feeling utterly ironic.

Ten years of hard study, enduring day and night, wasting precious years.

They had always thought that the imperial examinations were the only path to success for those from humble backgrounds. But now they finally understood that the path was never found in books, but rather in the whims of the powerful and wealthy.

As long as powerful families are unwilling, those from humble backgrounds will never have a chance to rise in society.

Inside the cell, suppressed sighs rose and fell. The previous anxiety and anticipation had all turned into a bone-chilling cold and endless resentment.

"We can't—we can't just sit here and wait to die."

A student dressed in a blue cloth shirt, with a slightly hunched back, slowly stood up; it was none other than Chen Zijian, who was always timid.

He stood up shakily, about to push the door open and leave.

"Zijian, where are you going?"

"I—I'm going to help Brother Shenzhi and the others."

"Are you crazy?" someone tried to dissuade him. "If you leave prison now and try to run away, you'll surely end up like Brother Shenzhi and the others, being expelled from prison."

"With this prison registration, when I leave prison and return to my hometown, I can at least work as a doorman or a tutor in a primary school."

"But without your official registration, merchants will only see you as a peasant!"

Another person also advised, "Yes, Zijian, the powerful aristocratic families are no match for even someone as high-ranking as a prince."

"What can you do alone? We are born as ants."

"Perhaps, this is fate—"

"So what if we're just ants?" Chen Zijian lowered his head, his clenched fist trembling slightly.

"Ants—no one cares about them; ants are born to be crushed by anyone."

"Yet there is one person who, for the sake of us ants, dared to climb the Vermilion Bird Gate and question the Heavenly Palace! Dared to beat up the gentry under the imperial city!"

"He dared to enter the palace to speak out for us, and as a grandson of the emperor, he was imprisoned by His Majesty!"

He raised his head, and for the first time, his back, which had been bent since birth, straightened up. His voice was like that of a wounded beast, but his gaze was like a burning ember, staring intently at everyone.

"We were sitting here earlier, waiting for His Highness the Crown Prince, waiting for Brother Shenzhi and Brother Jiming to come to the capital and knock on the palace gates, waiting for them to fight for a spot for us."

"And now, we're going to sit here and let these powerful families twist the truth and slander us so wantonly! We'll just watch as the imperial grandson suffers for the sake of the poor, and endures that unjust judgment!"

"The imperial grandson is only ten years old! He dared to die for us! Now that he is in trouble, am I still worried about some worthless student position and not daring to stand up for him?"

He roared and cursed, never realizing he could raise his voice so loudly: "The aristocratic families think we are ants, livestock! But the imperial grandson thinks we are not! We are righteous scholars, not ants! Nor beasts! We are gentlemen!"

"I no longer wish to be treated like pigs, dogs, cattle, or horses! I wish to add a touch of righteousness to the world!"

"I will also tell those powerful families in a fierce way! Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny?"