Chapter 107 - A Scholar First, a Subject Second

Su Yi has really kicked the hornet's nest this time.

Su Yi is in trouble.

How dare he pull on a tiger's whiskers? Su Yi was too reckless.

The usually quiet and elegant Hanlin Academy has been anything but tranquil these past few days. Wherever he went, Su Yi could hear the teachers whispering about the incident.

Dare to hit the prince? There's no hope left for Su Yi.

After running from Hanlin Academy that day, Chen Xun was so frightened that he hid in the palace. The guards were baffled and didn't know what had happened, so they could only follow him back.

However, Chen Xun was well aware, he clearly understood that the teacher named Su Yi had really wanted to discipline him.

How could someone dare to hit me?

Every time Chen Xun thought about it, he felt a wave of fear. This was something he had never experienced in his life. Even his father, the Emperor, had always doted on him, so how could that person dare to hit him!

Chen Xun had initially planned to report the incident to his father.

Days had passed since the incident, and Chen Xun had not returned to the Hanlin Academy. He had not returned because he feared Su Yi would punish him, but also because of other matters that occupied his time.

After a few days, the source of the Crown Prince's fears, Su Yi, calmed down too. At first, he was so afraid that he couldn’t sleep at night, terrified that a squad of imperial guards would come to pull him from his bed and execute him.

If that really happened, what would he do? Who would take care of his mother at home? Thinking about this made him realize he was not yet married. Of the three greatest acts of unfilial conduct, having no descendants was the worst. If he died just like that, he would have been unfilial...

Then he remembered the woman he had met at the pharmacy. If he were to marry, she would surely be the most suitable choice... Even unsure of when he might face execution, he was still thinking about such romantic matters...

Tormented by his thoughts, Su Yi tossed and turned in bed, and the night passed slowly. The rooster crowed three times and the sun rose.

With dark circles under his eyes, Su Yi walked out of his room looking listless. He caught a glimpse of Miss Chi from next door carrying a basin of water to water the vegetable patch.

Chi Nanwei smiled and greeted Su Yi, who responded listlessly and staggered toward the Hanlin Academy.

A day passed, there was nothing strange besides the strange atmosphere in the Hanlin Academy.

Two days passed, and the teachers at the Hanlin Academy deliberately distanced themselves from Su Yi, but still, nothing happened.

By the third day, no one dared to speak to Su Yi, nor did anyone ask him to do anything, fearing their mere association with him would implicate them. His workload was light to begin with, and now he had even less to do. However, nothing happened.

Just when Su Yi and everyone at the Hanlin Academy thought that their leader's had forgotten about the incident, Chen Xun returned.

Su Yi came to the Hanlin Academy as usual that day. After fretting nonstop for a while, he had eased up quite a bit. What is meant to happen will happen, so there was no need to be on edge all day anymore.

When he entered the room, many teachers were already present.

As he passed by Senior Zhang's desk, Senior Zhang suddenly snorted coldly, "Su Yi, you still dare to come?"

Su Yi didn’t want to respond to him, pretending he hadn’t heard, as he continued to walk toward his seat.

But Senior Zhang was not willing to let him off easily. The older man told him, "The prince has returned to the Academy today. Just you see!"

Su Yi replied nonchalantly, "No need to worry, Senior Zhang."

Senior Zhang widened his eyes and was about to scold him. Meanwhile, Senior Xie hurried over to defuse the situation, saying, "Su Yi, come with me. I want to talk to you for a moment."

Su Yi nodded and followed Senior Xie outside.

Senior Zhang was so angry yet he couldn’t find a way to vent his anger, so he huffed heavily and sat back down.

Outside the door, Su Yi followed closely behind Senior Xie.

Senior Xie cleared his throat, as if considering how to start, and after a long pause, said, "Su Yi..."

Su Yi cupped his hands and replied, "Senior Xie, please speak plainly."

Senior Xie nodded slightly. "I’ve read your essay ‘On Governing the Country with Virtue First and Serving the People.’ You are someone with great talent and ambition."

Su Yi was taken aback, this essay was what he had written when he topped the imperial examination, and he hadn’t expected Senior Xie to have read it.

"You flatter me, I am still lacking compared to you, sir," Su Yi hurriedly replied.

Senior Xie waved his hand. "There’s no need to belittle yourself. I know your writing is outstanding. In fact, some of the arguments in your essay even make me feel ashamed."

"Sir..." Su Yi smiled wryly, about to be more modest, but Senior Xie spoke again.

"Su Yi." Senior Xie stopped and looked squarely at Su Yi. "After that incident, did you realize your mistake?"

Su Yi was taken aback, and his smile gradually faded. He straightened his back, adjusted the wrinkles in his clothing, and looked directly into Senior Xie’s eyes.

"I... do not know of any mistake I made."

Senior Xie smiled faintly and asked, "Trying to punish the Crown Prince, how is that not a mistake?"

Su Yi faced him calmly. "I did not punish the Crown Prince. I disciplined my student."

Senior Xie squinted. "But he is the Crown Prince, someone who could ruin you with a single word."

Su Yi furrowed his eyebrows slightly. "There are no lords and subjects in the Hanlin Academy. There are only scholars here, and scholars are divided into teachers and students."

"But once he leaves the Hanlin Academy, he is the exalted Crown Prince. Do you still dare to punish him? Do you know what the Crown Prince represents?"

Senior Xie placed his hands behind his back, smiling even more.

"I naturally know, even if you ask me today..." Su Yi looked into Senior Xie’s eyes and said each word clearly, "Even if he is the crown prince, I would still discipline him."

"Even if it means your career cannot advance further? Su Yi, you are still just a lowly Hanlin Scholar. With your talent, your future is limitless—"

"It doesn’t matter." Su Yi shook his head gently.

"Your future doesn’t matter either?" Senior Xie asked curiously, "Then why did you want to top the imperial examination? Why did you bother to study?"

Hearing this, Su Yi furrowed his brow, "Because I am a scholar first, a subject second. I did not study to become a minister, but to serve the people once I become a minister. That is why I studied."

Senior Xie fell silent and, after a long while, said, "You must not say those words outside..."

"Su Yi..." Senior Xie looked at the young man in a different light, bowed deeply, and said, "You’ve taught me a valuable lesson."

Su Yi was greatly shocked and hurriedly reached out to support him. "Sir, please get up, I dare not—"

Suddenly, a person rushed over from outside. It was a teacher from the Hanlin Academy, with whom Su Yi was not very familiar. Clearly, he was in a hurry and had lost all composure.

The teacher saw Su Yi and, without catching his breath, stuttered, "Su... Su Yi... hurry, hurry, and receive an imperial edict!"

Receive an imperial edict?

Su Yi was stunned, he turned and saw that Senior Xie was smiling widely at him.

Just as Su Yi was about to ask, Senior Xie gave him a push. "Go quickly! What are you waiting for?"