Chapter 86: The Broken Academy (Part 2)
As they reached the academy gate, the sounds outside finally became clear. Someone was shouting something, someone else was yelling, and there were even people pounding on the gate. Fortunately, the shouting and calling weren't too excessive—at least the words sounded polite—and the hands striking the gate were still somewhat restrained, not giving the impression of a mob trying to break in... But still, with so many people outside the gate, the clamor of voices converging together was still somewhat frightening.
Tang Thirty-Six shook his head to stop Xuan Yuan Po from opening the door. He somehow found a wooden ladder from somewhere, propped it against the wall by the gate, and gestured for him to climb up and take a look. Xuan Yuan Po obediently climbed up as instructed and looked over the wall. What he saw was a dense, dark crowd—countless people—and he couldn't help but be startled.
When the crowd outside saw a head poking out from the wall of the National Academy, they paused for a moment, then quickly fell silent. Seeing this scene, Xuan Yuan Po felt even more convinced that his earlier judgment was correct. He shouted at the few people at the very front of the crowd: "Are you here to apply for the National Academy?"
The people in front exchanged glances, thinking, Where did that come from?
Just then, another head appeared beside Xuan Yuan Po's. It was Tang Thirty-Six, whose curiosity had gotten the better of him, and he had also climbed up the ladder. He saw that those few people were dressed in understated but not cheap clothing, and they were quite advanced in age, clearly stewards or managers of some sort. Hearing Xuan Yuan Po's words, he couldn't help but feel extremely awkward.
"Can we not be so narcissistic? Do these people look like they could be students to you?"
He irritably shoved Xuan Yuan Po aside, propped his hand on the wall, and said to those people with an indifferent expression: "What do you want?"
Those few people began to introduce themselves in a flurry, stating their intentions. Then, the rest of the crowd also started shouting, their voices a chaotic mess that gave Tang Thirty-Six a headache. He only managed to catch a few names of mansions and merchant guilds.
It turned out that all these people had come to pay their respects to... Her Highness Luo Luo.
After last night's Green Vine Banquet, the people of the capital had only then learned that the White Emperor's only daughter was actually living in the capital. Naturally, they had to come to welcome her. After all, the human race and the demon race were allied, with frequent trade between the two races. Even setting that aside, what an honor it would be just to meet Her Highness!
Tang Thirty-Six could understand why these people were so eager, coming over at the crack of dawn. He had said earlier that Xuan Yuan Po's thoughts were too naive and narcissistic. But when he realized that these people had truly come to seek out Her Highness Luo Luo and had no interest whatsoever in him or the National Academy, he still felt a bit displeased.
"If you want to pay your respects to Her Highness, go to the Hundred Herbs Garden. What are you making a racket at the National Academy for?" His expression grew even colder.
"No one answered the door at the Hundred Herbs Garden. Word is that Her Highness left last night," said the steward of a prince's mansion, who was at the front, with a bitter face. The others chimed in agreement, adding that since Her Highness was a student of the National Academy, if she wasn't at the Hundred Herbs Garden, she must surely be here.
"Her Highness is not at the National Academy."
Hearing these people's words, Tang Thirty-Six felt a bit surprised. He thought, if Her Highness wasn't at the Hundred Herbs Garden, where had she gone? Standing on the ladder, he turned his head to look back into the National Academy and saw Chen Changsheng standing under a large banyan tree, gazing silently at the Hundred Herbs Garden on the other side of the wall, lost in thought.
Just then, a carriage slowly entered Hundred Flowers Lane. The people gathered at the gate of the National Academy bowed in greeting and then moved aside to make way. Tang Thirty-Six looked at the middle-aged man on the carriage and realized it was the Vice Dean of the Attached Academy of the Divine Palace.
The Vice Dean of the Attached Academy of the Divine Palace—the title was a bit of a mouthful. But his status and position were very clear. Naturally, the gate of the National Academy had to be opened.
Chen Changsheng and the other two bowed to the Vice Dean.
The Vice Dean took a letter from his bosom and handed it to Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng took the letter, and his heart gave a lurch. He knew that the bad feeling he'd had earlier was probably about to come true. He gently rubbed his fingers against the seal and found that the wax was still a bit soft, not completely hardened, indicating that the letter had been written not long ago.
The handwriting on the envelope was very delicate—it was Luo Luo's handwriting.
Only then did Chen Changsheng realize that last night, Luo Luo and her people had moved out of the Hundred Herbs Garden, leaving quietly and going to the Attached Academy of the Divine Palace. He didn't open the letter to read it. After a moment of silence, he looked up at the Vice Dean and asked, "Why?"
"Last night at the Green Vine Banquet, Her Highness's identity was exposed. It would be very inconvenient for her to continue living in the Hundred Herbs Garden... The same goes for the National Academy."
The Vice Dean looked toward the gate of the National Academy and said, "You saw what happened just now."
"Then we just won't open the gate," Chen Changsheng said.
"The biggest problem is safety. I only learned last night that Her Highness was once assassinated by a powerful demon at the National Academy... Now that the entire continent knows she's in the capital, whether it's the demons or those hidden dangers lurking in the shadows, they will all surge toward Her Highness."
"But she is, after all, a student of the National Academy."
"I understand what you mean. Do you think the Attached Academy of the Divine Palace is trying to steal students from the National Academy?"
The Vice Dean looked at him with a cold expression and said, "Everything must be considered with the greater good in mind. We must ensure Her Highness's safety. She is still considered a student of the National Academy; she is merely residing temporarily at the Attached Academy of the Divine Palace. You need not be suspicious."
Xuan Yuan Po was indignant and asked, "Is the Attached Academy of the Divine Palace really safer than the National Academy?"
Chen Changsheng and Tang Thirty-Six patted his shoulders to comfort him and also to stop him from continuing.
The Attached Academy of the Divine Palace and the Divine Palace itself were adjacent, essentially one complex. Moreover, the claim that Luo Luo was going to study at the Attached Academy was just for the public; she would definitely be living in the Divine Palace.
His Holiness the Pope lived in the Divine Palace. Naturally, it was safer than the National Academy, safer than the Hundred Herbs Garden.
Apart from the Great Zhou Imperial Palace, there was no safer place in the capital.
From this perspective, Luo Luo leaving the Hundred Herbs Garden and the National Academy to live in the Divine Palace had a very solid reason.
There was simply no room for argument.
The Vice Dean of the Attached Academy of the Divine Palace finally spoke the most important sentence.
"This is the will of His Holiness the Pope."
The Vice Dean left. Luo Luo and her people had moved out last night.
Chen Changsheng climbed up the large banyan tree and looked toward the Hundred Herbs Garden. He saw that it was completely quiet, a stark contrast to the lively scene of the past few months.
He opened the letter Luo Luo had left behind, read it quietly once, and then fell silent for a long time.
"Study hard," he silently said to that little girl in his heart.
The bottom of the letter was a bit damp. It must have been when Luo Luo was writing the final part and could no longer hold back her tears, because she couldn't bear to leave.
Chen Changsheng was also very reluctant to let her go. His eyes were a little moist.
How could she leave so suddenly? There were still some questions I wanted to ask you.
He felt a hollowness in his heart. He wondered, is this what the books call a feeling of loss?
He stood on the large banyan tree, looking at the streets and alleys around the National Academy. He saw that the people in Hundred Flowers Lane who had come to pay their respects to Luo Luo had also left. Everything was quiet.
No matter what happened, as long as she wasn't there, the National Academy was still a forgotten place.
Luo Luo was the only female student of the National Academy, and also its greatest backing and support.
The National Academy had been able to hold on until now, and Chen Changsheng had been able to live peacefully until now, all because of her.
Earlier, the Vice Dean of the Attached Academy of the Divine Palace had told him not to be suspicious. How could he not be?
Luo Luo's safety was, of course, the most important thing in the human world. This reason was very strong. But months ago, that expert from the Yashi clan of the demons had already launched an assassination attempt. If it was really just for safety, why hadn't His Holiness the Pope had her move to the Divine Palace back then?
Why, of all times, did they make Luo Luo leave the National Academy on the very night after the Green Vine Banquet ended?
Why was it so urgent? What did this matter really mean? Chen Changsheng understood, and Tang Thirty-Six understood too. Only Xuan Yuan Po was probably still in a daze, immersed in the pain of no longer being able to serve Her Highness the Princess up close.
Luo Luo was the National Academy's signboard and talisman. Those big shots who wanted to break the National Academy had to find a way to get her to leave first.
Her departure was the first step in breaking the academy.
In the autumn woods, a faint dampness began to seep in, and a light wind stirred.
A storm was coming.
"Are you mentally prepared?"
Tang Thirty-Six shouted at him from the tree.
Chen Changsheng looked at the streets and alleys of the capital and shouted back, "No!"
Tang Thirty-Six was stunned for a moment, then shouted loudly, "If you're not, then why are you shouting so loud? How stupid!"
Chen Changsheng continued shouting toward the entire capital: "If I shout loud enough, maybe someone will hear and come to help us!"
Tang Thirty-Six shouted back, "You're dreaming so hard, ahhhhh!"
In the afternoon, it really did rain in the capital. The autumn rain drizzled down, not bringing much chill. The buildings of the National Academy were soaked, the wild grass by the walls dripped with water, looking dejected, and the broken statues seemed to be crying. The vitality that had just begun to recover had vanished somewhere.
After the rain stopped, the National Academy faced its first trouble.
(I'll try to get the next chapter out before 12:30.)