Chapter 70: The Imperial Academy and the Jinyiwei

The Nanjing Imperial Academy was located near Chengxian Street, on Jinguhou Back Street.
“During the reign of Emperor Taizu, the Imperial Academy was a place that scholars both loved and feared. They loved it because once they graduated, they could immediately take up a position as a county magistrate, and with good luck, even rise to become a provincial governor. What they feared was the strict rules within the academy—any slight mistake could result in light punishment like flogging, or worse, being sent to Yunnan as a soldier or even executed. Outside, crimes still required trial and judgment, but inside the academy, a single word from the head instructor could end a life.”
One day, Zhang Yue and Fangling Sun Han came to the outside of the academy. Hearing them talk about the various rules of the academy, Zhang Yue couldn’t help but shiver—was this really an academy, or was it no different from a prison? Scholars had to live and sleep there, unable to leave during holidays, forbidden from interacting with each other or discussing state affairs… Such strict rules could only be imposed by an emperor as tyrannical as Zhu Yuanzhang.
Seeing Zhang Yue’s pale face, Fangling joked, “But that was all in the past. After the emperor ascended the throne, many of those rules were abolished. Besides, many descendants of meritorious officials also loved literature. We can’t keep everyone confined in this hellish place. There are many bookworms in the academy, but there are also quite a few interesting people. Come, let’s go in and take a look together.”
In truth, Zhang Yue had little interest in studying—let alone the Imperial Academy; even the local school gave him enough trouble. If it weren’t for Du Zhen, who taught him in an unconventional and imaginative way, he might have followed in the footsteps of Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi and chosen a military career. Although he had some talent for studying and had passed the exams early, achieving first-class results, it was all thanks to Du Zhen’s tips for passing the exams. If he had to study at the Imperial Academy for years, he would surely become a fool.
Normally, outsiders were not allowed to enter the academy freely, but it was the Spring Festival holiday, and Fangling Sun Han was not an ordinary student—he was a descendant of a meritorious official. So the guards turned a blind eye and allowed them to take Zhang Yue in for a tour. After accepting some money, they kindly gave him a warning.
“Someone is inspecting the academy with Lord Xiao, the head instructor, today. Be careful as you enter and exit, gentlemen.”

The Grand Preceptor of the Imperial Academy was a high-ranking official of the fourth rank, holding one of the most important positions. Within the walls of the academy, he was like an emperor, and the students there dared not defy him. At that time, the practice of buying one’s place as a student had not yet begun; Zhang Zhuo himself had to study there for five full years before graduating. The idea of being inconsistent in his efforts was simply out of the question. Thus, even descendants of meritorious officials like Fang Ling’s Sun Han were extremely cautious once they heard that Xiao Wei, the Grand Preceptor, was still in charge.

After visiting the academy’s buildings and classrooms and essentially exploring the entire place, Zhang Yue said to Fang and Sun with a smile, “Brother Fang, Brother Sun, aren’t you trying to lure me onto a bad path? I guarantee that if I entered this place, I’d go mad within two months. It’s really admirable that you two can endure it.”

Fang Ling and Sun Han exchanged a glance and both smiled bitterly. The older Fang Ling helplessly shrugged and said, “To be honest, I’m the second son at home and born out of wedlock. There’s no way I’ll inherit my father’s position as commander. Our family doesn’t have the same long history of officialdom as your Zhang family. If I can’t find a way out, I’ll end up starving to death. Ask Little Sun—he’s also the second son in his family, and his situation is similar to mine.”

“You may be an only child, but your father is the third son and never entered officialdom, so your situation isn’t much different from ours. Aside from your two uncles, few meritorious officials show favoritism toward their eldest sons, let alone someone like me or Brother Fang, who are already in the third generation,” Sun Han said earnestly, his tone sincere. “Although the students in the Imperial Academy aren’t what they used to be, there’s still a chance to enter officialdom directly if one gets the opportunity, and it’s also easier to take the imperial examinations.”

It was only then that Zhang Yue understood why he had felt such a connection with Fang and Sun back at the Marquis of Baoding’s residence—turns out they shared similar experiences. Realizing that Fang Ling and Sun Han were speaking sincerely out of concern for him, he felt moved and thanked them repeatedly. Yet he didn’t immediately agree to try to secure a place in the academy.

In his past life, he had deeply despised that kind of exam-oriented education. Although he had to face the even more brutal eight-legged essay tests this time, it didn’t mean he was willing to endure years of such studious hardship.

After this conversation, the distance between the three of them narrowed again. They chatted and laughed along the way, and before long, they arrived in front of an unassuming building. At that moment, Sun Han from Fangling looked extremely grim. Seeing Zhang Yue curiously peering inside, Sun Han hurriedly pulled him back and whispered, “You can go anywhere else, but this place is no joke. This is the Rope Punishment Hall—where students who make mistakes are brought to be beaten. It’s the most despicable place in the academy.”

Just as Zhang Yue felt a chill run down his spine, a series of pained groans suddenly came from inside the Rope Punishment Hall, as if someone was being beaten with their mouth covered. Remembering that the Imperial Academy was still on holiday during the Spring Festival, he turned to look at Fangling and Sun Han. Fangling frowned and hesitantly said, “Some students might not even go home during holidays. Could it be they’ve done something wrong?”

The pained groans soon stopped. After a while, two servants in sooty uniforms came out, cursing under their breath. The one in front of them walked while laughing, “Who told that kid to act like a scholar all the time? Now that he’s made a mistake, he’s ended up in our hands. Look at that haughty look on his face. Just throw him on the red bench and give him five strokes with the bamboo rod—let’s see how he can face people after that!”

“First time it’s five strokes, second time still five, third time ten! It’s not hard to find faults—Brother Xu was just too lazy to look for them… Hey, who are you guys?”

The servant who spoke saw people outside the Rope Punishment Hall and immediately changed his expression. When he got closer and saw Fangling, Sun Han, and an outsider, he smiled and said, “It’s such a holiday—how come Young Masters Fang and Sun have time to come to the Imperial Academy? This young man looks quite unfamiliar. Is he a new student or a friend of the two young masters?”

“He’s the nephew of the Duke of Yingguo. He might join the Imperial Academy in the future, so we brought him here to take a look.”

At that moment, another older servant also arrived and sized Zhang Yue up carefully. Seeing his sky-blue velvet cloak and embroidered jade forehead band, he concluded that he must be from a prominent family and showed some respect. After hearing Fangling explain Zhang Yue’s identity, his face immediately filled with flattering smiles.

At that moment, he rubbed his hands together and said with flattery, “I had no idea such a noble guest was coming; I truly failed to show proper respect. If I had known, we would never have made such a racket inside. It’s really the fault of this ignorant poor scholar—just because it’s a holiday, he still comes to the Imperial Academy to freeload, and not only that, he even complains about the food. If the head clerk had heard this, he would have sent him to this Hall of Punishments for a lesson.”
For such a trivial matter, did it really have to be sent to this Hall of Punishments for beating?
Zhang Yue felt a chill rush to his forehead. He immediately dismissed the idea of studying at the Imperial Academy, thinking he would rather study in his study every day than suffer in this hellish place. Just then, he suddenly saw the two clerks in front of him looking terrified, and they quickly stepped past him and Sun Han from Fangling.
“Your servant pays respects to Lord Xiao!”
At the mention of the name “Xiao,” Sun Han from Fangling froze in place, and Zhang Yue also reacted instantly, slowly turning around. However, after glancing at the gray-haired old man in front of him, his gaze shifted to a middle-aged, capable man beside him.
Putting aside the aura emanating from that middle-aged man for now, his official robe adorned with gold embroidery and a white patterned silk collar gave Zhang Yue a sense of familiarity—it seemed like… the Imperial Guards?