My older brother is Gao Huan.

Chapter 67 The Big One is Coming! (Please read on! Please read on!)
Inside the Imperial Academy.

The Northern Wei court also established a university in Luoyang, and the students were all sons of powerful and influential families from various prefectures and counties.

At the very least, they would be respectable and powerful families like the Heba family, who were doing very well in the Six Garrisons.

at the moment.

The students of the Imperial Academy were having a heated discussion about Zhang Yi's memorial to the throne.

Although Zhang Zhongyu's secret memorial caused quite a stir in the city recently, it was a confidential matter and was thus kept secret. Although there were many rumors circulating in the city, it did not cause a large-scale discussion in the Imperial Academy.

However, Zhang Yi himself openly raised the issue at the court meeting, which meant bringing the problem to the forefront.

The students of the Imperial Academy naturally had to discuss and debate the hot topics currently being discussed by the court, since they were the court's pool of potential officials.

In the future, all of these will be prepared as pure goods.

"The General Who Conquers the West is a veteran of three reigns and a pillar of the nation! If this proposal can be implemented, it will be a blessing for the country! Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager can be enshrined alongside Emperors Xiaowen and Wenming."

"The General Who Conquers the West is right. How can a bunch of crude and uncouth warriors, who have neither knowledge nor integrity, be fit for important positions?"

"I see that His Majesty and the Empress Dowager still have some concerns. Shouldn't such a proposal be approved directly at the court meeting?"

"Hey, isn't your cousin serving in the central army? How could you possibly agree to such a proposal?"

"It is precisely because I understand my cousin that I find the General's memorial to the West to be so reasonable! My cousin has never studied the classics since he was a child. It would be a disaster if he were to be given an important position!"

This is a conflict of interest.

Essentially, the students of the Imperial Academy also benefited, since Zhang Yi's proposal required that important positions should first and foremost be based on character and knowledge!

The students fully met both selection criteria, so they naturally stood on the same side as Zhang Yi and others.

It's similar to the "Decree of Grace".

So what if they are cousins?

Everyone should strive for progress, but if someone blocks your path, then you're just a boorish brute!

"No! We can submit a joint petition, earnestly requesting His Majesty and the Empress Dowager's approval! We cannot allow the General Who Conquers the West and the Prince of Guangping to fight alone!!"

"Yes! Submit a joint memorial! Let the court see the attitude of us Imperial College students!!"

As they talked, they got more and more excited, and someone actually sat down at the desk and started writing. A lengthy memorial was quickly completed.

"Come on, everyone! Sign your names!"

Many people actually gathered around, wanting to help the Zhang family father and son by helping them cut the knife!

A young man in the corner remained unmoved, a slight sneer playing on his lips.

"A bunch of stupid fools who don't know their own mortality! How utterly foolish!"

This man was named Cui Xian, courtesy name Jilun, and came from the third branch of the Boling Cui clan, one of the four great surnames of the Han dynasty.

Cui Xian turned his head and saw a person with slightly dark skin who, although young, looked mature. He seemed completely unaffected by the noisy environment and was still engrossed in reading. Cui Xian couldn't help but ask him a question.

"Zhixing, why don't you sign your name?"

Jia Sixie looked up at Cui Xian, then at the other students signing their names, and asked calmly, "Ji Lun, why aren't you going?"

Cui Xian burst into laughter upon hearing this.

"I have heard that the soldiers of the Central Army have many complaints. If we, the students of the Imperial Academy, join forces again, we might really anger the soldiers of the Central Army and they might do something unspeakable. If the court were to investigate, that would be a disaster! Warriors may not be able to govern a country, but... warriors can destroy a country! There are hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the Central Army. Once they rise up, who in the capital and Luoyang can quell their anger?"

"You can see clearly."

Jia Sixie smiled.

Just then, a group of students from the Imperial Academy walked up to the two of them.

"Come on, Ji Lun and Zhi Xing, you two should sign your names too."

After exchanging a glance, the two shook their heads and said, "Since we are not officials of the court, how dare we presume to discuss state affairs?"

The students snorted coldly, didn't insist, and turned to find others.

"A bunch of idiots are still gloating."

Cui Xian did not want to argue with this group of people. Instead, he suggested, "As the sage said, a wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall. If these fools really submit the memorial, it will probably bring disaster upon them. Until the court handles it properly, they should not continue to come to the Imperial Academy."

"Zhixing, how about we go to the gold market together tomorrow and find some beautiful Hu women to drink and have fun?"

The gold market was not a place for buying and selling gold, but a market specifically set up for people from the Western Regions to trade goods.

It was mentioned in a poem by the poet Li Bai.

Young men from the Five Mausoleums, east of the Golden Market, ride silver-saddled white horses through the spring breeze. Where do they wander after treading through fallen blossoms? Laughing, they enter a Hu woman's tavern.

Jia Sixie pondered for a moment. He had been reading so much these past few days that he was completely absorbed in his studies and did need a rest. He then smiled and nodded, saying, "How could I refuse Ji Lun's invitation?"

………………

Within the Ministry of Personnel.

Unlike other officials who were handling official business.

Yang Kan had a nonchalant attitude. He didn't even glance at the piles of official documents on the table, but instead looked disdainful when he saw others dealing with them!
He was hoping that the backlog of government affairs would lead to the downfall of the Northern Wei Dynasty, allowing the Southern Liang Dynasty to seize the opportunity to march north and restore the Han Dynasty!
At this moment, a person walked in from outside and said, "Ziheng, I heard that the students in the Imperial Academy are preparing to submit a joint memorial to support the General's proposal to conquer the West."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shijun paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "The memorials submitted by my father and me are entirely for the public good, without the slightest selfishness. Those who follow the right path receive much help, while those who stray from it receive little. What is so strange about that?"

Yang Kan curled his lip, still showing great disdain, especially when he heard "selfless dedication to the public good".

A hint of disdain flashed in his eyes.

Why would a perfectly good Han Chinese man choose to serve the Xianbei people and be so proud of it?

Zhang Shijun probably noticed his gaze and, seeing Yang Kan's nonchalant demeanor, couldn't help but speak up.

"Zu Xin, I've seen you sitting here for quite a while, yet you haven't handled a single official matter?"

"You are so young yet you have already become a high-ranking official. You will surely bring glory to your family and hold a high position in the future. How can you act in such a way to repay the kindness of His Majesty and the Empress Dowager?"

Yang Kan didn't take it to heart and didn't even bother to explain.

After getting up, he stretched and said, "Doesn't this make my colleagues seem more capable? Besides, I don't really like handling official business."

"By the way, I won't be coming to roll call tomorrow. Could you please pass on my message, Ziheng?"

"What are you going to do?"

“My younger sister came to Luoyang with her family a few days ago and was nagging me to take her sightseeing in Luoyang. I couldn’t refuse her, so I had to agree.”

After giving a brief explanation, Yang Kan looked around as if no one was there and swaggered away.

Ignoring Zhang Shijun's attempts to persuade him to stay behind him.

“This Zu Xin is far too presumptuous! How is his behavior any different from that of those brutes in the central army? How can he live up to the reputation of the Taishan Yang clan?”

No one responded to him. After all, Yang Kan had always been this carefree and irresponsible since he became a high-ranking official, and everyone was already used to it. Moreover, Yang Kan had obtained his position as a high-ranking official through military merit.

Well, the so-called prestigious and noble position of Shangshu Lang happens to be included in it.

………………

Luoyang may appear calm on the surface, but undercurrents are surging beneath.

Many soldiers in the central army were intensified by Kou Wen's instigation on the drill ground. Under immense pressure, they began to visit relatives and friends in the streets and alleys, secretly making arrangements to meet at the drill ground the next morning.

Kou Wenze then had someone write a notice.

Late at night.

Kou Wen and his gang then began posting notices throughout the area where the soldiers of the Central Army lived, the content of which was nothing more than complaints about the unfair treatment of the Central Army by the imperial court.

He also wrote that those who felt the court was unjust should gather at the drill ground tomorrow to demand an explanation.

Inside the Imperial Guard camp.

As dusk fell, the Prince of Jiangyang, fully armored, moved into the Imperial Guard camp. Afterward, the camp gates were tightly closed, and no one was allowed to leave.

Yuan Yi's confidants kept sending him the latest news.

"Your Majesty! The soldiers in the central army are secretly plotting to take to the streets in protest tomorrow. What do you think we should do..."

"Pass down the order! Slaughter one hundred cattle to feast the entire army... All soldiers must sleep in their armor tonight. No one may act without my order. Also... do not leak any information, or you will be punished according to military law!"

"Here!"

The actions of the central army could not be hidden from those who were interested, and some well-informed wealthy families reacted differently upon hearing the news.

Some dismissed it with disdain, while others left the city overnight and moved into villas outside the city.

Zhang Yi and his son naturally received the news as well.

"Don't worry! They're just a bunch of rabble; I don't believe they'd dare rebel!"

That night, father and son were at peace.

P.S.: The climax is coming soon, so please leave lots of comments and interact with the story. Also, remember to read the latest chapter!

(End of this chapter)