Chapter Sixteen: Unilateral Expulsion from the Imperial Academy

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Upon hearing that no payment had been made, Gu Dao couldn’t help but scold Li Yang, thinking him utterly inept—was he really going to owe King Chu a meal now?

“That man is untrustworthy; when it counts, he only looks out for himself,” Dong Kuo said angrily, referring to Li Yang.

“I don’t think it’s a big deal. He’s different from you; you come from an official family. His family has fallen into commerce, so he has to be cautious about everything,” Gu Dao replied with understanding. He sympathized with Li Yang’s choice but still felt a rebuke was warranted.

As they were criticizing Li Yang, Dong Kuo’s father, Dong Pingye, returned home from his post. Gu Dao hurried forward to pay his respects.

Dong Pingye welcomed Gu Dao’s arrival with a cordiality that carried a subtle distance.

He personally hosted the family dinner, outwardly warm but actually perfunctory; even after several reminders from Dong Kuo, the atmosphere remained unchanged.

After the meal, Dong Pingye spoke: “Xiuzhi, have you heard the rumors going around about you lately?”

“What rumors? What are you talking about?” Dong Kuo asked quickly.

“Nothing but slander accusing me of plagiarism. Uncle, do you think someone is behind this?” Gu Dao inquired.

A flicker of surprise crossed Dong Pingye’s features—he hadn’t expected Gu Dao to be so perceptive.

“The wind starts from the tiniest ripple, Xiuzhi. You must be careful.”

“Father, just say what you mean. All these hints—who can understand them?” Dong Kuo spoke bluntly, eager to get a clear answer from his father.

Gu Dao, however, understood perfectly.

As the deputy magistrate of Ping’an County, Dong Pingye had contact with people from all walks of life and clearly knew more than he let on.

His reluctance to speak plainly was not to mystify but to signal a stance: not to drag the Dong family into this mess.

Especially not to involve Dong Kuo. A parent’s heart is always cautious; Gu Dao deeply comprehended this.

After fleeing from Chujiang Tower, Gu Dao hid in Dong Kuo’s home, ears closed to the outside world.

Unbeknownst to him, the National Academy was in turmoil.

After a drunken outburst at Chujiang Tower, Gu Dao had unilaterally announced his dismissal from the Academy, causing a huge stir.

Two spoiled scions, who were eager to skip classes, saw this as an opportunity.

Emboldened by drink, they ran to the Academy’s gate and shouted:

“This place reeks of corruption! I, for one, disgrace to be among you! I hereby expel myself from the Academy and will no longer attend!”

With that, they had a legitimate excuse to skip school.

The Academy’s poor atmosphere was long-standing, and many students were itching to rebel. When these two spoiled heirs took the lead, chaos erupted.

A large group of students passing by, filled with resentment, stood at the gate and shouted in unison: “We unilaterally expel ourselves from the Academy!”

This incident morally coerced the other students; if they didn’t join in the outcry, it would seem as if they were complicit with the corruption.

Gradually, a large number of students declared their unilateral dismissal. Some even rushed back from elsewhere just to join in.

The next morning, in the Academy’s classrooms, the teachers outnumbered the students.

Kong Lian, the Academy’s dean, was enjoying breakfast served by his newly acquired concubine.

Having been reprimanded by King Chu, he was laying low for a few days despite his thick skin.

Before he could finish breakfast, a hurried report arrived about the student strike.

It was like a bucket of cold water poured over him. After trembling, Dean Kong sighed heavily toward the sky: “Gu Dao has truly ruined me!”

At the crack of dawn, Gu Dao bid farewell to Dong Kuo and left the city, returning to Mount Zhonghan.

As Dong Kuo saw him off, he caught his father, who was about to head to his post at the government office.

“Father, you know Gu Xiuzhi is my friend. What was the meaning behind your behavior yesterday?”

“Do you speak to your father like that?” Dong Pingye shot his son a glance, then said, “It’s all for your own good, for the sake of the Dong family.”

“For my good? Then speak plainly!” Dong Kuo asked impatiently.

He despised such evasive ways.

“The Gu family is deep and tangled, involving a princess’s marriage contract. The waters are rough and the waves high. If you get involved, the Dong family could be at risk of collapse,” Dong Pingye explained patiently.

“Then… Xiuzhi is in great danger, isn’t he?” Dong Kuo blurted.

Dong Pingye sighed, unsure whether to praise his son’s loyalty as a friend or to give him a slap to teach him some sense.

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“Fortunately, Gu Xiuzhi understood,” Dong Pingye said before leaving.

On the way back to Yan Cui Residence, Gu Dao happened upon Chu Mao coming to meet him.

“Brother, how’s everything at home?” Gu Dao asked casually.

Looking around to ensure no one was nearby, Chu Mao spoke: “Master, the thing you made is incredible. The type molds are almost finished, and we even tried printing a page—the effect is excellent.”

Joy sparkled in Chu Mao’s eyes.

Gu Dao was indifferent; movable type printing already outpaced woodblock printing by centuries. Lead movable type was even more advanced.

On that basis, he had developed an even more advanced relief printing method.

Next, he planned to add simple machinery to the relief printing to save labor and boost efficiency.

“Brother, this must be kept strictly confidential,” Gu Dao warned.

“Don’t worry. All the workers I hired are the lady’s family slaves, and even the key steps are handled by mute workers,” Chu Mao replied, then remembered something else.

“Oh, right, Mr. Jingjie sent an invitation for you to attend a banquet tomorrow—to eat chicken.”

“Eat chicken? By the way, brother, have those things been prepared?” Gu Dao recalled the utensils needed for the feast.

“Yes, they were all ready a few days ago,” Chu Mao answered.

The two returned to Yan Cui Residence together.

In the imperial capital, the morning court convened in the Forbidden City.

Emperor Qian had just taken his seat when a censor stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, I impeach Gu Dao, a student of the National Academy…”

“Who? You are impeaching whom?” The emperor was momentarily confused, thinking he had misheard.

The censor continued loudly: “Your Majesty, I impeach Gu Dao for insulting his teachers, disrespecting the Academy, and inciting students to strike.”

“Such seditious and disruptive words undermine moral order and threaten the state. I beseech Your Majesty to punish him severely, as a warning to others.”

The censor’s words were forceful, but the emperor found them baffling.

Gu Dao was indeed a royal son-in-law-to-be with a bit of notoriety recently, but for a censor to impeach him seemed an overreaction.

He even wondered if his daughter was causing trouble again.

“Chief Censor Gao, Gu Dao only spoke rashly in drunkenness. Punishing him within the Academy should suffice. Such a formal impeachment seems alarmist,” the emperor frowned.

The censor argued firmly: “Your Majesty, this is no exaggeration. After Gu Dao’s outburst at Chujiang Tower yesterday, many students followed suit, declaring they would expel themselves from the Academy.

“Today, no one is attending classes. If we do not punish the instigator, the momentum will only grow.”

Was it really that serious?

The emperor frowned, about to speak when another censor stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, Gu Dao is not at fault. I impeach Dean Kong Lian of the National Academy for neglecting his duties, flattering the powerful, and nepotism, which has caused widespread student resentment. Only because of these grievances did the students rally behind Gu Dao’s call.”

The emperor nodded. This was more like normal court politics.

Gu Dao had been restless lately, and now the student strike was somehow linked to him.

“Gu Dao’s crimes are grave…” Chief Censor Gao protested immediately.

“When the upper beam is crooked, the lower ones follow. The fault lies with the dean,” another censor retorted angrily.

“Arrogant and disrespectful, Gu Dao must be punished,” yet another censor joined the fray.

“I impeach Dean Kong Lian for indulging his desires, keeping over twenty concubines, and fostering corruption within the Academy,” someone finally revealed the truth openly.

The court erupted into a chaotic dispute.

In the end, the conclusion was that Gu Dao was arrogant and must be punished, but the dean was incompetent and morally deficient.

The morning court ended.

Dean Kong Lian was dismissed and ordered never to be employed again in the capital. As for Gu Dao, he would be punished once the new dean took office.

The imperial edict was sent back by a young eunuch in Li Qianyun’s palace.

“This guy got off lightly,” Li Qianyun said with some regret.

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Seeing the princess displeased, the young eunuch quickly shifted his eyes and said:

“Master, there are rumors recently circulating in the market that Gu Dao’s poems and essays are plagiarized, and some have even found evidence.”

Li Qianyun raised a delicate eyebrow, intrigued.

“Xiao Zhuzi, lying to amuse me has serious consequences,” Li Qianyun warned coldly.

“Master, how dare I deceive you? It is said that a down-and-out scholar claimed Gu Dao took advantage of his mother’s grave illness to buy several ancestral manuscripts at a low price.”

“Among them are that essay ‘The Humble Room’ and the line ‘As evening falls, snow seems imminent,’” the eunuch said obsequiously.

Li Qianyun stood up abruptly, her eyes flashing with excitement. After a moment’s thought, she instructed:

“Xiao Zhuzi, take my letter to my third brother and have him find this man at all costs.”

The young eunuch hurried off with the letter as Li Qianyun schemed on how to expose Gu Dao’s ugly truth.

At Yan Cui Residence, Gu Dao sneezed several times, thinking he had caught a cold.

He had no idea that the emperor and King Chu already valued his calligraphy as priceless and that he had become the scapegoat for the National Academy’s strike, now under scrutiny by powerful court ministers.

The workshops in the backyard of Yan Cui Residence had been converted into printing studios.

He inspected the printed pages: clean, neat, with precise characters.

Though unable to replicate the spirit of handwritten calligraphy, the basic framework of Liu-style calligraphy was preserved.

This printing quality was probably the best in the world at that time.

After finishing the printing, Gu Dao prepared for the banquet the next day.

Mr. Jingjie was a true recluse, with a bustling household but little wealth.

Being invited to dine on chicken was already a great honor.

The following morning, Gu Dao and Chu Mao sparred and practiced for a full hour.

Only when the wet nurse called did they reluctantly stop to wash and eat.

While eating, Chu Mao remarked:

“Xiuzhi, where did you learn that strange fighting style? It’s like a deadly hand-to-hand technique. Don’t use it recklessly.”

“Don’t talk while eating or sleeping. If you’re not disciplined, don’t corrupt Xiuzhi,” the wet nurse scolded sharply.

Chu Mao lowered his head and ate quietly.

Gu Dao smiled silently; those “deadly moves” Chu Mao mentioned were the essence of martial arts distilled from another world.

For example, the cross-arm lock—a technique unknown in this land.

After the meal, they packed their belongings and arrived punctually at Mr. Jingjie’s humble cottage.

A boy named Dongli opened the door to greet them.

Seeing all the chickens and cooking utensils Chu Mao carried, Dongli was surprised: “Master Xiuzhi, why bring so many chickens and kitchenware to a banquet?”

Gu Dao smiled and said, “Eating chicken is not just your family’s specialty; I know a thing or two myself.”

Seeing so many items, Dongli cheerfully helped Chu Mao carry them inside.

After passing through the second gate, Gu Dao noticed that apart from Mr. Jingjie, there was one other person in the courtyard.

The two were playing chess.

Hearing footsteps, Mr. Jingjie looked up from the board and beckoned Gu Dao over:

“Xiuzhi, come quickly. Let me introduce you to this gentleman here—a disciple of the Chess Sage from the south.”

Under Mr. Jingjie’s introduction, the two men exchanged polite greetings.

Meizi Su, around forty years old, wore simple but neat clothes.

Most striking were his three long, elegant whiskers and a faint aloofness in his eyebrows.

His salute to Gu Dao was casual, and he immediately returned to focusing on the chessboard.