Chapter 147: Entering the Imperial College
The palace walls stood tall and majestic.
Xie Shi'an entered through a small gate on the eastern side of the palace entrance. Following a young eunuch for over a quarter of an hour, he finally arrived at the Imperial College.
The Imperial College was an academy established exclusively for imperial princes and princesses. Children of noble families could enroll, while high-ranking officials were granted only one quota per generation. For instance, the Yun family, despite being an influential clan, could only send one child. Families of lower ranks could only rely on their children's exceptional talent and outstanding performance to qualify for studying alongside these nobles. As for commoners, they need not even entertain the thought...
As Xie Shi'an reached the classroom entrance, his gaze fell upon a sea of imperial princes, sons of princes, heirs of marquises and earls... His status was the lowest here.
He stepped inside and was about to find a seat when a mocking voice reached his ears.
"Well, if it isn't Young Master Xie?"
He turned toward the voice and saw a lavishly dressed figure approaching him. Though he had rarely encountered nobility in the palace, the attire, the entourage, and the tone unmistakably identified the speaker as an imperial prince.
Clasping his hands in respect, he said courteously, "Greetings, Your Highness."
The newcomer was the Sixth Prince.
With the five elder princes now grown and holding important court positions, the Sixth Prince currently held the highest status in the Imperial College.
"Young Master Xie is quite impressive! Achieving first place in the academy examinations at such a tender age!" the Sixth Prince sneered. "It makes the rest of us look like utter fools!"
The gazes of the surrounding nobles toward Xie Shi'an shifted.
So this was the youngest top scholar of the academy examinations, the eldest son of the Xie family. Every time they were scolded, their elders would compare them to this Young Master Xie.
Comparisons like these were truly exasperating.
Because of such an outstanding individual in the capital, they had suffered countless lashes from their grandfathers and fathers.
In the classroom, a small figure sat in the front row—Chu Hongyu, the Young Son of the Prince of Pacifying the West Manor. He glanced at Xie Shi'an, a flicker of envy stirring in his heart.
He wasn't jealous of Xie Shi'an's academic success but rather of his ability to openly call their shared mother "Mother."
From the moment he heard the speaker's words, Xie Shi'an guessed this must be the Sixth Prince. Keeping his head lowered, he replied, "A minor first place in the academy examinations means little. I have long heard of Your Highness's exceptional talent and remarkable ingenuity, making you a standout among men."
The Sixth Prince scratched his ear. "What 'ingenuity'? What does that mean?"
A nearby dandy chimed in, "He's praising Your Highness for being clever."
"If you want to flatter someone, just say it plainly. Why use such flowery language? Just showing off your learning, aren't you?" The Sixth Prince lifted his leg and planted his foot on a stool. "Since Young Master Xie is so learned, you must be good at polishing shoes too. Come on, clean my shoes for me!"
A group of dandies egged him on from the sidelines.
"The Xie family are humble folks, right? Young Master Xie must be used to such tasks."
"His Highness honoring you with shoe polishing is a privilege. Hurry up and get to it!"
"Young Master Xie wouldn't dare refuse, would you?"
Xie Shi'an pressed his lips tightly together.
He had known that entering the Imperial College would invite trouble, but he hadn't expected to face such humiliation on the very first day.
The Sixth Prince was the highest-ranking person here. If he offended him, it would be difficult to continue his studies at the Imperial College in the future.He clenched his fingers, his lips pressed into a straight line as he slowly bent down.
Just then, a clear voice rang out: "Sixth Imperial Brother."
It was the Eighth Prince who had walked over. Though only ten years old, he already stood tall like a young pine tree. Approaching the Sixth Prince, he said: "Young Master Xie's hands are meant for holding brushes, grinding ink, and writing essays. Trivial matters like cleaning shoes should be left to the servants."
As soon as he finished speaking, a palace maid behind him stepped forward and began wiping the nonexistent stains from the Sixth Prince's shoes with her handkerchief.
The Sixth Prince snorted coldly.
This Xie fellow's maternal family were the Yuns, and Old Eighth's mother was also from the Yun family—no wonder he was defending Xie Shi'an.
General Yun happened to be back in the capital, constantly hovering before the Emperor these days.
He'd let it pass this time, but next time when Old Eighth wasn't around, he'd see how he could make Xie Shi'an lose face!
Just then, the Director of the Imperial College entered the classroom, and immediately the room fell silent as everyone found their seats.
"All returning students already know me, but this should be our first meeting for the newcomers," the Director stroked his beard as he spoke. "My surname is Wang, you may address me as Teacher Wang. From now on, I will be primarily responsible for your academic life here. I don't care if you're a prince or heir, a young marquis or earl—once you pass through these doors, you have only one identity: my student. Should anyone try to throw their weight around or bully others here, I'll have no choice but to submit a memorial to His Majesty's desk."
The Sixth Prince wore a look of disdain. This Teacher Wang only knew how to tattle to the Emperor, writing memorials over the smallest matters. He really didn't know how his father could tolerate it.
"Let's skip the preliminaries," Teacher Wang continued. "Now, I'd like to assess the level of our new students. I'll pose some questions for you to answer."
Among the dozen or so new students, aside from Xie Shi'an, the rest were all sons of noble families.
The teacher's initial questions were quite simple, and nearly everyone could answer them. But as the questions progressed, fewer and fewer students could respond, until finally only Xie Shi'an remained who could handle the teacher's challenging questions.
Chu Hongyu sat at his desk feeling rather frustrated.
He had only thoroughly studied the Three Character Classic, Hundred Family Surnames, and Thousand Character Classic—beyond these, he knew nothing.
While others had studied in private schools for three to five years before coming to the Imperial College, he had been sent here by his father at just four years old.
Xie Shi'an was so outstanding that it made him feel truly stupid.
Gritting his teeth, he opened his book. While others were still watching the scene unfold, he had already begun studying seriously.
Teacher Wang was quite satisfied with Xie Shi'an's performance: "Truly worthy of being the top candidate in the college entrance examination. You certainly have real talent. Xie Shi'an, from now on you'll sit in this seat next to the Sixth Prince. Your Highness, you should learn more from Xie Shi'an."
The Sixth Prince's expression darkened considerably. He, a dignified prince, learning from a commoner scholar? Wouldn't that become a laughingstock if word got out?
He snorted coldly, ignoring the teacher's words.
Having taught the Sixth Prince for three or four years already, Teacher Wang was well aware of this prince's temperament—unwilling to learn but always making trouble. By placing Xie Shi'an next to the Sixth Prince, he hoped the prince might be positively influenced to some degree.
After the roll call at the Imperial College concluded, everyone was dismissed to return home. Formal classes wouldn't begin until September.As soon as the teacher left, a group of students gathered around Xie Shi'an's desk. Among these scions of nobility were both frivolous dandies and serious scholars. Several young men holding scrolls earnestly discussed academic questions with Xie Shi'an, who didn't hold back his knowledge either. The conversation between Xie Shi'an and these youths of much higher social status flowed remarkably well, with both sides thoroughly enjoying the exchange.
Through these interactions, Xie Shi'an became acquainted with several heirs of prominent noble families.
He came to understand more profoundly that one must first reach higher ground to meet those who dwell there, and ultimately ascend to those heights oneself...
Since he had come to the Imperial Academy, he was determined to establish himself firmly here, to distinguish himself among his peers, and to ensure the Xie family would never again be labeled as humble commoners...
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