I only wished to take up my fiefdom, but my elder brother forced me to rebel.

The knife was already in front of Zheng Jingnian.

He Shen stood behind Lu Yuan, wanting to speak several times, but in the end he held back.

He knew Lu Yuan's temperament all too well.

He's usually unserious, but when he gets really angry, he'll even beat up a prince in court.

If these Confucian scholars continue to block the way, it will only attract more people.

Zheng Jingnian looked up.

His forehead was covered in sweat.

It's not that he's not afraid.

Lu Yuan could even see his Adam's apple moving.

"Get out of the way now."

Lu Yuan placed the knife against his shoulder.

"I will pretend that what just happened never happened."

Zheng Jingnian closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, he said the same thing.

"No."

"You studied hard for twenty-seven years, and you're only worth one life?"

"Students study hard for twenty-seven years, not for this life."

Zheng Jingnian looked at him and said, "So that one day I can stand upright in the court and say that I have read the classics and know what I should and should not do."

"Your Highness may open another avenue for selecting officials today."

"We can throw the imperial examination system into the ditch tomorrow too."

"If a student quits because they're afraid of dying, how will they have the face to teach their own son in the future?"

Lu Yuan's anger flared up again.

"When did I ever say I wanted to abolish the imperial examination system?"

"You say today that the interpretation of scriptures is not the only one, but who knows what the future holds?"

"Blocking the door based on guesswork?"

"Because students can't afford to lose."

Zheng Jingnian's voice began to tremble, "Your Highness is the Crown Prince. A single word today can become the rule of the world tomorrow."

This sentence made Lu Yuan pause for a moment.

But the Confucian scholars behind them had already begun to shout in unison.

"Your Highness, please rescind your order!"

"We demand that the Royal Academy cease granting official titles!"

The shouting grew louder and louder.

Lu Yuan could no longer suppress the anger in his heart.

He has already spoken and given them a chance, but these people still won't back down an inch.

"it is good."

Lu Yuan looked at Zheng Jingnian and said, "You ask for benevolence, and I will grant your wish."

The blade flashed.

The person at the very front fell down.

The previously unified shouts suddenly broke down.

The faces of several young scholars in the back row turned pale. Some of them subconsciously moved back, while others burst into tears on the spot.

Young Master Liu stood inside the academy gate, and although he had been about to curse, he couldn't utter a single word.

He had witnessed fights and seen how Xun Gui's household dealt with servants who had made mistakes.

But this time is different.

The person who was arguing with Lu Yuan just moments ago is now lying on the ground.

Lu Yuan looked at the remaining people.

"Who else?"

No one answered.

He Shen felt a little relieved.

Killing one should be enough.

The next moment, a young scholar in his twenties walked out from behind.

His legs were a little weak, and when he walked to the place where Zheng Jingnian had been sitting, he almost lost his balance, but he still sat down.

"Student: Chen Xiu, Imperial Academy Student."

"If Your Highness intends to kill more, the next one will be a student."

Lu Yuan's brows furrowed immediately.

"What's your relationship with him?"

"It's alright."

"So you're looking for death?"

Chen Xiu's face was deathly pale.

"Students are afraid of dying."

"Are you afraid to sit here?"

"Because Mr. Zheng is dead."

Chen Xiu glanced at Zheng Jingnian on the ground, tears streaming down his face. "If he hadn't died, the students might have quit."

"But he's already dead here."

"If the student withdraws now, wouldn't that be telling the world that his death was meaningless?"

"As disciples of the sage, we have the determination and courage to defend the Way."

Lu Yuan looked at him and for the first time felt that things were not as he had expected.

"Get out of the way."

"No."

The second strike landed.

Another person has fallen.

The third person came out on his own; his hair was already gray.

"I'm here."

A boy behind him suddenly lunged forward and grabbed him.

"teacher!"

The old man pushed the student back.

"You're only seventeen; you still have a long education ahead of you."

"I am fifty-eight years old."

"This head is cheaper than yours."

The boy clung to his waist, refusing to let go, and cried so hard he could barely speak.

Lu Yuan stood still, the knife in his hand suddenly felt heavier.

Are these people crazy?

He had seen soldiers who were not afraid to die.

That was a battlefield.

With comrades behind them and enemies before them, retreating even a step could mean the death of the entire army.

But this is not a battlefield.

If they just stood up and made way, nothing would have happened.

He Shen also felt that something was wrong.

"Your Highness, should we arrest him?"

"How many should we arrest?"

Lu Yuan countered with a question.

He Shen glanced at the street and then stopped talking.

There are even more people now.

There were at least several hundred more scholars rushing towards this place from behind the long street; some were dressed in the attire of the Imperial Academy, and some were carrying book boxes.

The deaths of Zheng Jingnian and Chen Xiu did not scare people away; instead, they turned what was originally a matter concerning only the Royal Academy into a matter concerning all scholars.

"Clear the road!"

Lu Yuan gritted his teeth and gave the order.

The sergeant began to push forward.

Someone used a shield to ram the target.

Someone hit him with the back of a knife.

The Confucian scholars were knocked down but climbed back up.

Those in front refused to back down, while those behind kept pushing forward.

Finally, a soldier's sword drew blood.

One.

two.

A dozen or so.

Soon, the bluestone slabs in front of the academy were covered in blood.

Some people cried as they moved forward, while others recited verses from sages and dragged their injured companions back, then took their place.

Some people were so scared that their bodies went weak and they could only stand up with the help of their companions, but when it was his turn, he still didn't run.

Young Master Liu turned pale and panicked.

"That's insane."

"They've all gone mad..."

When Su Mingli arrived, he saw a young student lying on the ground, being trampled by soldiers.

"stop!"

However, no one heard him at all.

Su Mingli charged straight into the crowd, nearly being pushed to the ground several times.

He finally managed to squeeze next to Lu Yuan and grabbed his arm.

"Your Highness, you mustn't kill anymore!"

Lu Yuan abruptly shoved the person aside, saying, "They're blocking my academy!"

"I understand."

Su Mingli hurriedly advised, "But even if you kill until rivers of blood flow today, what will you do tomorrow?"

"There are still several thousand people at the Imperial College."

"Each prefecture also had scholars who passed the county-level imperial examinations, those who passed the provincial-level imperial examinations, and school teachers."

"Do we have to kill them all?"

"So what if we kill them all?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the scholars in front of them suddenly raised their heads.

A middle-aged man's face was covered in blood; it was unclear whether it was his own or someone else's.

He actually smiled. "Your Highness has such courage, I admire you."

He pulled open his collar and took a step forward.

"Then let's start by killing me."

The people behind also stood up.

"And me!"

"The students are here too!"

"If true learning requires a sword to establish itself, then let the world see just how sharp the Crown Prince's sword truly is!"

The soldiers under He Shen who had actually been on the battlefield hesitated instead.

The enemy charged, and they knew they should chop them down, but these men didn't even have a stick in their hands.

A boy of sixteen or seventeen walked to the front, tears still on his face.

His legs were trembling, but he still put his neck under Lu Yuan's blade.

"Your Highness."

"Ready."

Lu Yuan raised his knife, the boy closed his eyes, and no one escaped behind him.

For the first time, Lu Yuan realized that the knife in his hand seemed to have suddenly become less effective.

The knife hung there for a long time.

It hasn't come down yet.