The Great Ming Demon Pill: Your Majesty, please address me as the Crown Prince!

Imperial College (Guozijian)

The atmosphere today is quite lively.

Many people have already learned from the teaching assistants that the students from the main church will soon be here to listen to lectures and observe ceremonies.

The students of the Imperial College were no strangers to the Great Hall.

Before the age of ten, members of the royal family and children of nobles would study at the Imperial Hall.

After the age of ten, they would come to the Imperial Academy.

Those from noble families like those in the Imperial Academy, plus students studying abroad, only accounted for 30%.

The rest were selected from outstanding scholars at the prefecture, state, and county levels of the Ming Dynasty and sent to prison.

In terms of academic achievement, the students of the Imperial Academy were among the best.

Furthermore, students of the Imperial Academy had a very high probability of becoming officials in the imperial court in the future.

Therefore, the idea of ​​ignoring everything else and focusing solely on studying the classics simply doesn't exist here.

Most of the students studied while discussing world affairs and the government's policies; they were the true elites of the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, they were no strangers to Zhu Zhanjun, the Prince of Jiyang.

His philosophy of mind caused a sensation in Nanjing, and was even more renowned among the students of the Imperial College.

Of course, this isn't the most important reason...

Most importantly, their Director of Studies at the Imperial Academy, Wu Changjiang, was severely ridiculed by Zhu Zhanjun, and from then on, he had nicknames such as "Master Wu" and "Master Jiang," which became a laughing stock after the succession.

Now, everyone in the Imperial Academy wants to see the Prince of Jiyang, their faces flushed with embarrassment.

Beside Jingxin Lake inside the Imperial College.

Yu Qian was talking quietly with several classmates when one of them curiously leaned closer and asked, "Brother Tingyi, you once met His Highness the Prince of Jiyang in Nanjing. What kind of person is he? There are all sorts of rumors about him, saying that he could expound on the philosophy of mind at the age of six and that his calligraphy is extraordinary, but some people also say that he acts unconventionally and does not follow etiquette..."

Upon hearing this, Yu Qian smiled slightly.

"If His Highness could be summed up in one word, he would be outwardly clever and shrewd, and inwardly kind and benevolent."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

It should be noted that the reputation of this Prince of Jiyang among many scholars is quite polarized.

Yu Qian's praise was truly the height of exaggeration.

One of them said.

"But I've heard that His Highness Prince Jiyang likes to play pranks on people. Is that true?"

The others all turned their gazes toward Yu Qian.

Yu Qian was somewhat embarrassed.

Since the disaster relief efforts, he has been loyal to Zhu Zhanjun.

Zhu Zhanjun often teased him at the Bowen Museum, asking if he wanted to drink alcohol or get a perm.

They even asked him if he wanted to perform crosstalk.

To this day, he still doesn't understand where the Prince of Jiyang got his perverse sense of humor from.

He coughed lightly.

"That shows that His Highness Prince Jiyang has a childlike side."

Everyone looked at each other.

......................

About an hour later, the carriage arrived at the Imperial College.

Yang Rong led Zhu Zhanjun, Zhu Yi, and a group of other young people into this most prestigious academy in the world.

The prison is filled with ancient trees reaching for the sky, and the sound of students reciting their lessons creates a solemn atmosphere.

Huang Guangyun, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, had already received the news and led a group of academic officials, including doctors, to greet them in front of the Yilun Hall.

Originally, Wu Changjiang was supposed to be the supervisor, but he took leave today.

After exchanging greetings and pleasantries, Huang Guangyun, who was about fifty years old, with a lean face and bright eyes, stroked his beard and smiled, saying, "Scholar Yang's presence is an honor to our humble abode. Are these the talents of the Grand Hall? Indeed, each of them possesses extraordinary bearing."

Yang Rong cupped his hands and said, "You flatter me, Grand Master Huang. Today, I have brought these young men to your esteemed residence to listen to lectures and observe ceremonies on His Majesty's orders, hoping to broaden their horizons. I hope that you and the other scholars will not hesitate to offer your guidance."

Huang Guangyun repeatedly said "I dare not," but his gaze involuntarily swept towards Zhu Zhanjun, who was standing next to Zhu Yi.

The child was only six or seven years old, dressed in ordinary silk clothes, but his eyes were exceptionally bright as he looked with great interest at the couplets on the pillars around him.

Huang Guangyun thought to himself: Is this the Prince of Jiyang who advocated "the philosophy of mind" and shocked Nanjing? Judging from his appearance, he is indeed different from ordinary children.

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Zhu Zhanjun.

"Your subject greets His Highness the Prince of Jiyang."

Zhu Zhanjun also bowed in greeting.

"You're too kind, Your Excellency. Today, only my student Zhu Zhanjun is present; the Prince of Jiyang is not here."

Huang Guangyun felt relieved.

I'd heard long ago that this Prince Jiyang was a little devil.

Looking back today, this rumor doesn't seem to be true either.

Zhu Zhanxi, who was standing nearby, quickly said.

"Master Huang, you once came to the main hall to preach, and I even gave you a calligraphy brush. Do you remember me?"

Huang Guangyun smiled slightly.

"It's the Second Prince of the Han Prince's Mansion. How could I forget such a clever and quick-witted prince?"

Zhu Zhanxi immediately straightened his back, his face glowing.

Zhang Mao quickly added.

"Chancellor Huang, do you still remember me?"

Huang Guangyun stroked his beard with some confusion.

"Who is this...?"

Zhang Mao hurriedly offered an explanation.

"At that time, I gave you a wall calendar."

Huang Guangyun shook his head.

"Then I can't remember."

Li Heng, Liu Zhong, and Zheng Yu chuckled to themselves.

Yang Rong: "..."

These little brats must not be allowed to cause him any trouble.

After exchanging pleasantries, Huang Guangyun said, "Today, Dr. Li Shimian is lecturing on the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art at Shuaixing Hall. Why don't you all come with me to the outside of the hall to take a look? It would be good for the children of the prison to witness the demeanor of the imperial family."

Yang Rong readily agreed.

The group walked through the courtyard and arrived outside the Shuaixing Hall.

The hall was filled with students in blue robes, and a serious-looking middle-aged doctor was giving a lecture on the podium.

Inside the hall, Dr. Li Shimian sat upright, holding a book, and explained in a loud voice an example problem from the "Excess and Deficiency" chapter of the "Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art".

On the blackboard in front of him, the questions were written in neat regular script.

"Now there are chickens and rabbits in the same cage. There are a certain number of heads and a certain number of feet. If all of them are counted as chickens, then there are 6 extra feet."

"If we consider all the feet as rabbits, then 10 feet are missing. Given that the total number of heads is between 10 and 20, how many chickens and rabbits are there?..." Li Shimian's gaze swept over the students below the stage who were listening intently. "This problem..."

As he explained, he demonstrated with charcoal on a small piece of blackened wooden board, his steps were meticulous and his reasoning clear.

Under the eaves outside the hall, Zhu Zhanjun craned his neck to look for a while, but after a few glances, he began to feel sleepy.

Zhu Yi, Zhu Zhanxi, Zhang Mao, Li Heng, Liu Zhong, Zheng Yu, and others watched with great interest.

Zhu Yi pondered for a moment.

"I never expected the teachers at the Imperial Academy to be so talented and knowledgeable."

Zhang Mao and the others nodded slightly, agreeing wholeheartedly.

Zhu Zhanjun glanced at Zhu Yi, Zhang Mao, and the others with some surprise.

"Holy crap, are you guys serious?"

"Can you understand this arithmetic?"

Zhu Yi, Zhang Mao, and the others looked completely bewildered.

Zhu Yi scratched his head.

"Class monitor, what kind of math problem is this?"

"Isn't this a moral education class?"

Zhu Zhanjun: "?"

He couldn't help but say.

"What moral education courses? What kind of moral education does the Imperial Academy even have?"

Zhu Yi looked shocked.

"Isn't that scholar inside drawing talismans?"

Zhu Zhanjun: "..."

You f***ing...

He said irritably.

"A bunch of idiots who deserve to be in a museum."