Chapter 476: The Enrollment Storm (Part Three)
There was no doubt that if everything Tang Thirty-Six said came true, the National Teaching Academy would undoubtedly become the best-equipped academy in history. But since it was an academy, the most important thing could not possibly be the cafeteria or the stipends—it was what one could learn there. Some people might not care, but most students certainly would.
"I heard that the National Teaching Academy doesn't even have any instructors right now. What could we learn if we went in?" a young student, confident in his own abilities, asked earnestly.
"This is Priest Xin from the Ecclesiastical Office. Over at that teahouse—yes, that one—Archbishop Mao Qiuyu of the Hall of Glory is having tea there," Tang Thirty-Six said, looking at the man. "You should also have seen that our National Teaching Academy is guarded by national religious cavalry, with priests from the Detached Palace maintaining order. If we need instructors, do you think that's a difficult matter?"
"But... the reverend priests of the Ecclesiastical Office haven't taught for a very long time, and I'm really worried about what cultivation methods I could learn at the National Teaching Academy, since it hasn't held classes for many years." That young student asked persistently and seriously.
"Foolish," Tang Thirty-Six said, shaking his head at him. "Chen Changsheng has thoroughly read the Daoist Canon and devoured countless books. The National Teaching Academy has a long history and deep foundations. What cultivation methods could you possibly lack?"
With that, he offered no further explanation and addressed the crowd, "The National Teaching Academy's enrollment is only open for one day. Don't miss your chance."
Seeing that Tang Thirty-Six wouldn't respond to him, the student instead became more determined and was the first to step up to the table, saying, "I want to sign up."
As with many things in the world, once someone took the lead, followers appeared without pause. In just a moment, many of the young students who had been standing in the crowd came to the table. Worried that the enrollment quota might be limited, they even started jostling, with voices constantly shouting: "I want to sign up! I'm third in line!"
"I want to sign up too! I ranked second in Jiangnan Commandery, and I've already achieved Sitting Meditation Success."
"Dean Chen, I'm willing to pay tuition, and I don't need the stipend. Just accept me, please."
To participate in the preliminary exams for the Grand Examination and, more importantly, to catch the attention of the Green Vine Academies at the Green Vine Banquet, countless young students from the various commanderies of the Great Zhou and the southern regions had now gathered in the capital. At this moment, they packed the area around the National Teaching Academy's gate, making the scene incredibly noisy.
Chen Changsheng took the forms filled out by the students, glanced over them, and handed them to Priest Xin and the others for registration rather than directly recording them in the roster. This was because entering the National Teaching Academy would naturally require an exam; otherwise, if some troublemakers slipped in, peace would be hard to come by in the future.
With the help of Priest Xin and the priests from the Ecclesiastical Office, the new student enrollment at the National Teaching Academy proceeded very smoothly. The pile of application forms on the table grew thicker and thicker. Xuan Yuan Po kept rubbing his hands, while Tang Thirty-Six smiled and greeted every enrolling student, also taking responsibility for answering their questions, handling doubts and explanations with great skill.
Chen Changsheng watched this scene and couldn't help shaking his head, wondering what exactly was so appealing about this matter that it made that usually lazy guy so enthusiastic.
Just then, a mocking voice suddenly rang out from the street: "You talk a better game than you sing. Deep background, plenty of methods—say what you will... in the end, isn't it just that you few can't handle the challenge from the Green Vine Academies, so you're hastily recruiting some students to be your scapegoats?"
Hearing this, the area in front of the National Teaching Academy instantly fell into an eerie silence. The young students' expressions shifted slightly, and they exchanged wordless glances, because they realized what this person said made a lot of sense. Why else would the academy start recruiting new students now, of all times, and not earlier or later?
The crowd gradually parted, revealing the speaker.
Tang Thirty-Six's eyes slowly narrowed, his gaze turning sharp.
That person seemed quite young, but his demeanor and attire were very old-fashioned. He wore a faded blue robe and cloth shoes on his feet, yet his eyes were deep, as if they could see through everyone's hearts, with a faint, almost imperceptible sneer at the corner of his lips.
He looked at Tang Thirty-Six and said, "Did I expose your little scheme? Feeling embarrassed now?"
Tang Thirty-Six didn't answer the question but stared at the man and asked, "Bie Tianxin?"
Hearing this name, Chen Changsheng stood up, and Xuan Yuan Po clenched his fists.
"That's right, I am Bie Tianxin."
The man observed their reactions, slightly raising an eyebrow with extreme disdain, and said, "Who I am isn't important. What matters is whether what I said is correct."
Chen Changsheng asked, "Why are you so sure what you said is right?"
"You must be Chen Changsheng?"
The man gave him a serious look, then shook his head as if somewhat disappointed, saying, "I thought you were as remarkable as Qiu Shan Jun, but now it seems you're nothing special."
Chen Changsheng paused briefly, then said, "Please enlighten me."
"Since you know I'm Bie Tianxin, you should be aware of my reputation for 'Baring Heaven's Heart, Calculating All Hearts,'" the man said with a hint of mockery. "These little tricks might fool these country bumpkins, but do you think they can fool me?"
Chen Changsheng was silent for another moment, then shook his head and said, "That's not right."
Bie Tianxin raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at him with a half-smile, and said, "Your definition of right and wrong?"
"Yesterday, I said something to Tang Thirty-Six: without evidence, one cannot condemn intent," Chen Changsheng said, looking at him. "I also said to Su Li in Xunyang City: don't imagine the world is too dark, because that only shows how dark you yourself are."
After hearing these two sentences, Bie Tianxin's raised eyebrows gradually lowered. He certainly didn't agree with Chen Changsheng's words, nor did he need to pay attention to the mention of Tang Thirty-Six in the first half. But the mention of Su Li in the second half forced him to be cautious.
"But that's exactly what you're doing."
The sneer at the corner of his lips reappeared, looking rather detestable, as he looked at Tang Thirty-Six and said, "Are you saying the National Teaching Academy won't have these students fight in the future?"
The surrounding young students had become very tense. If what this man said was true, then entering the National Teaching Academy would mean immense risk. How could they possibly be a match? If they died so senselessly, how could they face the earnest hopes of their parents back home? Wouldn't the Grand Examination become nothing but a pipe dream?
Many pairs of eyes fell on Tang Thirty-Six, waiting to hear what he would say.
Tang Thirty-Six was silent for a long time before he gave his answer.
"If they enroll in the National Teaching Academy and pass the assessment, they become students of the National Teaching Academy. Since they are students of the National Teaching Academy, of course they must fight for the National Teaching Academy."
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire crowd erupted in uproar.