Chapter 149 "The Grand Tutor's Stupid Act"
The entire Golden Throne Hall instantly fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone suspected their ears were playing tricks on them.
The Eighth Prince actually went to study?
The Eighth Prince using books as card table mats was more believable.
He would actually go to the Imperial Library Pavilion?
This was simply too outrageous—outrageous to the extreme!
Wang Shushi and Li Deguang were completely dumbfounded, exchanging bewildered glances!
How could the Eighth Prince possibly take the initiative to study?
Emperor Ren's lips curved slightly upwards, then quickly suppressed, and he slapped the dragon throne.
"Summon him! Have Old Eight change into presentable clothes and come to see me immediately!"
...Above the great hall, the officials whispered amongst themselves.
"The Eighth Prince really went to study? What nonsense!"
"Who knows, maybe he's in cahoots with Shen Yulou, putting on a show for us?"
Wang Shushi and the others' faces grew increasingly grim, and the ominous premonition intensified.
They just felt that something wasn't quite right.
A moment later.
A young man, dressed in casual clothes, with a tall and straight posture and a touch of scholarly air, slowly walked into the hall.
It was none other than Eighth Prince Zhao Lü.
With a slight tidying up, he still looked presentable.
"Your son pays his respects to Imperial Father!"
Emperor Ren looked at his son, who seemed reborn, his heart blooming with joy, but his face maintained a stern expression.
"Old Eight, what have you been doing these past few days?"
Zhao Lü bowed and replied, "Reporting to Imperial Father, your son spent the past few days reading 'The Art of War,' 'Record of Formations and Military Strategy,' and 'Heart Sutra of Military Strategy,' and gained considerable insight. These past two days, I have been reading'Spring and Autumn Annals' and 'Classic of Poetry.'"
Whoosh!
The hall erupted in an uproar once again.
Wang Shushi was the first to disbelieve, thinking this must be an intentional arrangement by Shen Yulou!
After playing with the prince for a few days, he thought he could just pretend to read a few pages and get away with it?
He let out a cold snort, but didn't dare to openly criticize, as Zhao Lü was a prince after all.
Emperor Ren smiled, "Oh? Since you have gained insight, let me test you. 'All warfare is based on deception,' what does this mean?"
Zhao Lü answered without hesitation.
"Reporting to Imperial Father, this line comes from 'The Art of War: Planning Offensives.'
It means that the way of using troops lies in constant change and unexpected moves.
Therefore, when able, feign inability; when active, feign inactivity; when near, make it seem far; when far, make it seem near..."
He not only answered fluently but also cited classics, which showed not mere memorization, but a genuine understanding of military strategy.
In the imperial court, the military generals who understood military strategy nodded repeatedly, while the civil officials who didn't understand were dumbfounded.
This... was this still the unlearned Eighth Prince?
Emperor Ren was greatly pleased and burst into laughter.
"Good! My son has indeed turned over a new leaf, I am deeply gratified!"
Wang Shushi's face turned green, but he still bit the bullet and said through gritted teeth.
"Your Majesty, since the Eighth Prince is so diligent, why did he still go to Drunken Immortal Tower to compete for the courtesan queen?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Lü calmly replied.
"Reporting to Grand Tutor, Miss Suyin is an extraordinary woman who only favors talented individuals.
Your son went to compete in literary talent with the scholars in the imperial city, to meet friends through literature, and to gain more knowledge.
Ultimately, relying on a poem, I was fortunate enough to become the courtesan queen's guest.
Even in her chamber, we only engaged in pure conversation all night, discussing poetry, lyrics, and prose, with no impropriety whatsoever."
Shen Yulou, standing in front of the hall, almost burst out laughing.
Good heavens, this kid's ability to brag now has three-tenths of my skill!
Pure conversation all night? I don't believe a word of it!
Perhaps Miss Suyin saw through your worthless nature at a glance and was too disgusted to even let you touch her hand, right?
The entire court of civil and military officials clearly didn't believe it either, all winking and making expressive faces.
Emperor Ren coughed lightly.
"Silence!
Since the ministers do not believe it, Old Eight, you shall compose a poem on the spot.
With 'Turning Over a New Leaf' as the theme, let your Grand Tutor Wang see just how good your literary talent is!
Perform well, don't disappoint me."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Lü stood tall and proud, pacing and contemplating in the hall.
A moment later, a glint flashed in his eyes, and he recited in a clear voice:
"'Returning Sail'"
"Vast clouds disperse, the moon above the tower,"
"Powdered youth, like water, flows away."
"Frost and wind consumed, returning to the ink sea,"
"Spring's colors at brush-tip, exchanging for a Wu hook!"
As the poem was spoken, everyone fell silent.
Emperor Ren stroked his beard and praised loudly.
"Good poem! Splendid literary talent!
Especially this line,'Spring's colors at brush-tip, exchanging for a Wu hook,' abandoning cosmetics for military and literary strategy, perfectly fitting the meaning of turning over a new leaf!
Good! Excellent!
I am deeply gratified!"
And Shen Yulou, after listening, his mouth was almost split to his ears.
Damn it, he truly inherited my true teaching!
This acrostic poem is cleverly hidden!
Grand Tutor is an idiot!
This kid has a future!
Although Wang Shushi felt there was something off about the poem, he couldn't pinpoint it, so he could only endure with an old, red face, watching the Eighth Prince being praised by everyone.
Some officials had already begun to look at him with strange eyes.
Look, you taught for over a decade and turned the prince into a good-for-nothing.
Lord Shen, in seven days, turned the good-for-nothing into a talented scholar.
The difference is like heaven and earth!
Li Deguang's old face couldn't take it, and he forcefully argued.
"Your Majesty, this is the Eighth Prince's own sudden enlightenment, what does it have to do with Shen Yulou?
He's just a medical official, he might not even be able to compose poetry himself, how can the credit for the prince's enlightenment be attributed to him?"
Shen Yulou rolled his eyes inwardly.
These old fogeys are truly like stones in a latrine, both stinky and hard.
Emperor Ren seemed to have expected this, and smiled as he looked at Shen Yulou.
"Minister Shen, since the Junior Tutor questions you, you too shall compose a poem, to open everyone's eyes."
"As you command."
Shen Yulou had paper and brush brought to him, and with a flourish, he wrote it in one go.
Everyone gathered around curiously.
Shen Yulou is a medical official, yet he can also compose poetry?
On the paper, it read:
"'Lying in Spring'"
"Dark plum faintly smells of flowers,"
"Lying on branches, hurting at the bottom."
"From afar, I hear it lies like water,"
"Easily penetrates, reaching spring green."
"Shore like green,"
"Shore like penetrating green,"
"Shore like penetrating dark green."
Everyone finished reading and exchanged glances. This poem... it doesn't seem very well-structured?
Compared to the Eighth Prince's 'Grand Tutor is an Idiot,' it seemed slightly inferior, but the writing style was not bad.
As the saying goes, there's no first in literature, no second in martial arts; how it truly stands would require assessment by the Hanlin Academy.
Shen Yulou smiled slightly.
"This poem needs to be recited aloud by a scholar to truly appreciate its essence. Grand Tutor Wang, please?"
Wang Shushi snorted coldly, thinking, what mystery could this broken poem possibly hold?
After he read it once, he would surely find its flaws and harshly criticize it.
He had already prepared many arguments; no matter how flowery Shen Yulou's poem was, Wang Shushi could criticize it to shreds.
If he didn't have this ability, then he shouldn't be a Grand Tutor.
He picked up the poem manuscript, cleared his throat, and with what he believed to be a resonant voice, he recited it with exaggerated intonation.
"'I Am Stupid'"
"I have no culture,"
"My IQ is very low."
"If you ask who I am,"
"A big dumb donkey."
"I am a donkey,"
"I am a donkey,"
"I am a stupid donkey!"
As soon as he finished reciting, a military general in the court, with a thick regional accent, scratched his head with a simple, honest expression and loudly asked.
"Grand Tutor Wang, why are you calling yourself a donkey in front of His Majesty?