Please Grant Us Your Instruction
Withdrawing from school was a major event, and to withdraw from the Heavenly Dao Academy was even more so.
Vice Principal Zhuang's reaction had been so intense because he was keenly aware that if a student were to leave the Heavenly Dao Academy, no other school would dare accept him. Yes, the Temple Seminary, the Li Palace Academy, Star Seizer Academy, and the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green all had their own backers, but in the capital, the Heavenly Dao Academy was still special…
How could he have expected that the situation would ultimately turn in this direction? Unexpectedly, the Orthodox Academy had stood up.
Upon seeing Vice Principal Zhuang's look of concern, Zhuang Huanyu only felt bitterness in his mouth. Looking at Chen Changsheng, he said, "In the end, he's still a student of my Heavenly Dao Academy. Even if the Orthodox Academy currently has no principal or teachers and the rules are unclear, you can't just accept them because you want to accept him."
Just as Zhuang Huanyu had said, Chen Changsheng was not clear on those unspoken rules of the academy, but he simply never imagined that the Orthodox Academy would be unable to accept Tang Thirty-Six. He ordered Luoluo, "After we return, put his name in the register, and don't forget to get his fingerprint."
Tang Thirty-Six's expression was rather strange, taken with the feeling he had just sold himself.
Luoluo gave a crisp grunt of assent, agreeing without the slightest hesitation.
Everyone in the hall was rather shocked, especially those teachers and students closest to Chen Changsheng. They could clearly see that from the beginning until now, her attitude towards Chen Changsheng had truly been one of a student towards a teacher. What shocked and confused these people even more was what sort of virtue or ability this youth surnamed Chen could have that Princess Luoluo would treat him with such respect.
"It's a pity that it's somewhat late."
Since he had already decided to enter the Orthodox Academy, Tang Thirty-Six would naturally not back out, he just felt somewhat regretful upon seeing Luoluo's attitude towards Chen Changsheng. He thought to himself, if I had entered the Orthodox Academy earlier, this matter would be even more interesting. Going to a broken-down academy to show support all for the sake of friendship, how confident and unrestrained I would seem. But now with the entire continent knowing that Princess Luoluo is studying at the Orthodox Academy, my entering the Orthodox Academy doesn't look like a show of support at all. On the contrary, it's easy to misunderstand it as me clinging to someone famous.
Chen Changsheng knew what he was thinking and felt that he was overthinking it. "You don't need to care about these details, and you don't need to pay attention to anyone else's opinion. At the moment, there's just the few of us in the academy, so what we're best at is simplicity. There's no meaning in making matters complicated."
Tang Thirty-Six felt that this argument truly was rather reasonable, but he felt rather angry to be lectured this way, so he teased, "You're already beginning classes?"
Everyone in the hall watched as Chen Changsheng, Luoluo, and Tang Thirty-Six talked of the Orthodox Academy's matters as if no one else was around, every one of them in a different mood, their feelings complex. They all clearly understood that after tonight, that graveyard that had been run-down for ten-odd years would finally gain a new life; the Orthodox Academy forgotten for so many years would formally return to the world. Yes, the current Orthodox Academy only had four students, had no principal or teachers or even a handyman, and was still extremely deserted, but after tonight, who would dare disregard the Orthodox Academy as they had in the past?
The sound of applause suddenly arose from the hall. It was crisp and smooth, not one bit hurried or half-hearted, nor deliberately slow. It was sincere applause.
With this applause, Gou Hanshi's voice also rose up.
He gazed at Chen Changsheng's group and earnestly said, "Congratulations to the Orthodox Academy."
The crowd became somewhat more solemn.
This was the second set of words Gou Hanshi had spoken at tonight's Ivy Festival.
Earlier when Chen Changsheng had taken out the marriage contract and made all of the great hall speechless, Gou Hanshi had spoken his first set of words, hoping that Chen Changsheng would be able to consider Xu Yourong's opinion. Those words had been so calm and serene that they seemed to strike at the softest and weakest parts of the mind. If the White Crane had not come north, it was impossible to say how tonight's situation would have developed.
Now, he spoke once more.
Everyone in the crowd was somewhat tense, knowing that something was about to occur.
Lady Mo Yu had once thought of breaking up the Ivy Festival in the middle, wanting to quickly end this marriage proposal that had already become a farce, but it had been interrupted by Xiao Songgong's strike and the shock of Jin Yulu's appearance. Just what was going to happen next?
Tang Thirty-Six's withdrawal from the Heavenly Dao Academy was an internal matter of the Zhou people. His following entry into the Orthodox Academy also had nothing to do with the southerners, but the silence of the southern diplomatic mission did not mean that they had accepted this fact. The Ivy Festival had not ended. On the contrary, it had just begun.
Gou Hanshi had a very tranquil look on his face. There was no sign of the verbal abuse that Chen Changsheng's group had earlier delivered.
"On the journey to the capital, I learned of the news that the Orthodox Academy had reopened. I've always thought that it truly was time for the Orthodox Academy, this place possessing such extraordinary history, to be revived. I was very pleased to know of this, but I was very curious as to just what sort of person would be able to bear such a mission."
He gazed at Chen Changsheng and said, "Tonight I learned that Princess Luoluo turned out to be in the Orthodox Academy. I also learned that the Princess's teacher turned out to also be a student of the Orthodox Academy. Looking at things in this way, how could the Orthodox Academy not once more attain its past glory?
"Many people wish to know just how far the Orthodox Academy will walk, and I am no exception…I must thank the Divine Empress for permitting us disciples of the southern sects to participate in the Grand Examination, and for the Imperial Court to even invite us to attend this year's Ivy Festival."
As he spoke, Gou Hanshi left his seat and walked a few steps towards the door. He was clearly only a little closer to Chen Changsheng and the others by the door, but he gave the feeling that he was standing right in front of them, calmly and gently speaking to them.
"Tonight is the third night of the Ivy Festival, and it is also the final chance for the Ivy Academies and all the invited students to exchange pointers.
"We have traveled from afar to reach here. Since we have attended the Ivy Festival, we naturally cannot miss out on this opportunity.
"The Mount Li Sword Sect asks the Orthodox Academy to please grant us its instruction."
...
...
The hall was very quiet, but not the deathly silence of before. Wondrously, no one was surprised at Gou Hanshi's words and proposal. It seemed that deep down in their hearts, everyone had long since guessed that such a situation would occur, and even secretly anticipated it.
But before Gou Hanshi spoke, the crowd truthfully had forgotten one thing: tonight was the Ivy Festival.
To the southern diplomatic mission, Gou Hanshi's proposal was the best choice.
If he directly challenged Chen Changsheng, everyone would believe that Mount Li was indignant that Qiushan Jun's marriage had been hindered and was taking revenge in its rage. He also did not concern himself with Elder Xiao Songgong and Jin Yulu's meeting of palm and sword as well as their story from long ago, nor did he mention Princess Luoluo's identity or Tang Thirty-Six's humiliation of his teachers. He only mentioned the Ivy Festival.
The Ivy Festival had a rule: the academies could challenge each other.
This was not a rule decided by Emperor Taizu of the Great Zhou, nor did it have anything to do with Emperor Taizong. The Ivy Festival was not the Grand Examination, but in terms of history, they were about the same age, so the rules of the Ivy Festival were still worthy of respect. Could the people of Zhou possibly be prepared to break it themselves?
The great hall was silent, with not a single person speaking.
Just then, against everyone's expectations, Gou Hanshi spoke again.
He looked at Chen Changsheng and indifferently said, "Yes, everything I just said were excuses, or perhaps reasons."
Chen Changsheng was a little startled, Luoluo a little apprehensive, Tang Thirty-Six a little shocked. None of them understood why he had said these words.
The people within the hall were somewhat stunned.
"Far too many things have happened tonight, and whether right or wrong, to us southerners, to my Mount Li, none of these are very happy things. Crucially, my eldest brother is not here and no one can hear his thoughts on the matter. I believe that this is not fair."
Gou Hanshi calmly gazed at Chen Changsheng and said, "As a disciple of Mount Li, I have the responsibility of protecting my sect's reputation. As a junior brother, I must represent a stance for my senior brother. Thus, even though I clearly know that this excuse, or reason of the Ivy Festival is somewhat hollow, I still want to do these things, because I wish to leave this palace calmly."
Finally, he clasped his hands and said to Chen Changsheng, "Please grant us your instruction."
The crowd was quiet, everyone looking at Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng looked back at Gou Hanshi, saying nothing for a very long time.
He understood Gou Hanshi's thinking. The Mount Li Sword Sect wanted to regain a little face by challenging the Orthodox Academy, and through this course of events, they would also prove that he was far inferior to Qiushan Jun. In truth, Gou Hanshi was making no attempts to hide his intentions, exposing all under the light.
Was this being fair and square?
He said to Gou Hanshi, "It just looks fair and square, that's all."
Gou Hanshi calmly replied, "It's not fair and square, only frank and upright."
Yes, the intentions of the Mount Li Sword Sect were not necessarily fair, but Gou Hanshi had made his method clear. The proposal to directly challenge the Orthodox Academy was truly rather frank and there was nothing to criticize about it. As a result, it was very difficult to respond to.
With Chen Changsheng's personality, if he had not been schemed against by the Divine General of the East's estate and a powerful figure in the Imperial Palace, he would not have displayed such a fierce stance towards this marriage. If he were confronting Gou Hanshi's challenge alone, he would have certainly turned and left.
But he was no longer on his own. He represented the Orthodox Academy.
He already felt affection for that school with its great banyan tree, its lake, its library packed with books, and its broken walls and wells.
And what the Mount Li Sword Sect challenged was not him, but the Orthodox Academy.
Thus, he could not act completely in accord with his thoughts.
He turned to Luoluo and Tang Thirty-Six, wanting to know their thoughts, but he somewhat helplessly discovered that Luoluo's and Tang Thirty-Six's eyes were filled with an intense desire. They were abnormally bright, even somewhat scorching and almost impossible to look at directly.
These two fellows' desire for battle and fearless mindset was truly difficult to look at directly.
"Um…fight or don't fight?" Chen Changsheng asked.
The Orthodox Academy had no principal or teacher, only these few students. For a major decision like this, it was naturally best to discuss and then decide.
Luoluo still acted cutely, speaking with a childish voice and air, "If Teacher says to fight, I'll fight."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him like he was an idiot, saying, "The other person has already spoken this much—do you still have the nerve to not fight?"
It seemed that there was no clear answer. Luoluo had indicated that she would obey his words while Tang Thirty-Six had asked a question back. In reality, however, everyone clearly understood their view.
Fight.