Miao Chu

Chapter 260 Replacement
The emperor himself came to inspect the area; what a momentous occasion!

The news caused chaos throughout the Imperial College.

Deng Jijiu hurriedly discussed with the Grand Master of Ceremonies, instructing his subordinates to supervise the cleaning and tidying of the school, and for everyone to straighten their hats and clothes. He then quickly led a group of officials, teachers, and a number of carefully selected students to go out and greet them.

Zhao Yu has always been known for his benevolence among the people. This time, when he descended, the streets were crowded with people watching, and some even shouted "Long live the Emperor!" It was quite a lively scene.

When he arrived at the Imperial Academy, he had to extend his greetings to the teachers and students, and then toured various places.

Old houses and dwellings are rarely repaired. Although they are not in ruins, they look really old and dilapidated.

Taking this opportunity, Chief Minister Deng began to plead poverty.

"...Not only are the dormitories dilapidated, but the teaching and learning buildings also leak wind and water when it rains heavily, causing great suffering to the students..."

Although many palaces within the imperial palace weren't much better, Zhao Yu, who valued scholars, listened attentively. Since officials from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices were present, he summoned them over.

The official hurriedly replied, "The allocation of funds for the two academies has always been the largest..."

The Grand Master of the Imperial Academy hurriedly replied, "The allocated funds are all used to subsidize the students, and there are also subsidies for the dining hall. Apart from these two, there is almost nothing left. Most of the students in the Imperial Academy come from poor families. If there were no subsidies, they would not be able to concentrate on their studies!"

There's a reason for that.

The late emperor and empress dowager had no children, so Emperor Zhao Yu was adopted and grew up outside the palace until he was ten years old before entering the palace.

Before he was adopted, both his parents died young, and he experienced it firsthand. Naturally, he knew the hardships of ordinary people and the difficulties faced by the poor.

Because of the many affairs of the dynasty, the national treasury was not full. Even the Fu Ning Palace, where the emperor lived, had not been repaired for many years and was quite old. However, as the emperor, he could not make the people suffer. So Zhao Yu ordered the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to apply to the Ministry of Revenue for special funds to repair the palace.

Upon receiving the Emperor's decree, everyone at the Imperial Academy was overjoyed.

Deng, the Imperial Academy Chief, led a group of scholars to flatter the Emperor, praising him as "wise" and "holy."

Then, some officials and others led several students from the Imperial Academy to pay their respects to the Emperor.

Zhao Yu asked a few more questions, including the students' hometowns and origins, their articles, and what else they needed during their studies.

After the meeting, he turned to Master Chen and asked, "Master Chen, has that...Han Li, not returned to the capital yet? I read his 'Biography of Xin Feng' before."

Master Chen stepped forward and said, “Han Li is still in Huazhou. We haven’t heard from him for many days. In his last letter, he only said that the flood season was approaching. After all, he had received orders from his superiors and was assisting the Capital Water Conservancy Bureau in dealing with the situation. He probably had no time to pay attention to anything else and no time to write anything more.”

Zhao Yu nodded and said nothing more, but sighed inwardly.

The Yellow River changed its course at Huazhou, destroying farmland and houses, leaving people displaced in the wilderness. Although the court tried its best to provide relief, it was ultimately only a temporary solution.

To be honest, he really had no idea whether the current measures taken by Huazhou to repair and protect dikes and dredge rivers would be useful once the summer floods arrived. He was just waiting to see when the stone would fall on his head.

Whenever water-related matters are mentioned, or the summer floods are thought of, Zhao Yu's mood becomes anything but pleasant.

But since he was inspecting the Imperial Academy, he still mustered his spirits and asked, "Although Han Li is not here, have there been any other outstanding articles recently?"

The official from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices beside him said with a smile, "Your Majesty, I once heard a saying called 'The Four Scholars of the Imperial Academy'."

Then he explained to the emperor where the four students of the Imperial Academy came from and who they were.

Deng Jijiu hurriedly said, “None of the four are currently studying. Dou Yingchang is still traveling and studying in another prefecture, Han Li took Kong Fuyang to Huazhou, and Cai Xiu also went to Liutahe. Although the four are just students, they are grateful for the Emperor’s grace and are doing their best to serve the country.”

As they were talking, a scholar from the Imperial Academy laughed and said, "Although Xiao Cai is in Liutahe, just like Han Li, it seems that he has also sent back some articles—I read them the other day."

Zhao Yu immediately became interested and said, "Since there is such a saying as the Four Scholars of the Imperial Academy, they must all be young talents with extraordinary literary abilities. Let me see them."

With someone offering a way out, the biography of Lü Zhongchang was quickly presented to them.

He had only intended to circulate his work among scholars and make a name for himself after the flood, but by a twist of fate, his writings were presented to the emperor ahead of schedule. Such a development was probably something that even Cai Xiu, far away at Liuta River, had not expected.

It must be said that Cai Xiu was quite talented in literature.

This "Biography of Lü Zhongchang" is both prose and rhapsody, and it is easy to read aloud. It employs many techniques and allusions, which are like a display of skill, dazzling the reader. It vividly portrays an official who is dedicated to his duties, works hard day and night to fulfill the court's orders, and does not disappoint the emperor's expectations.

When he finished writing, he was very confident, believing that anyone who read it once would be moved by it—and that the literary style alone was better than that of Na Xin Feng Zhuan.

But sometimes, no matter how much you plan, you can't avoid unexpected events.

Zhao Yu frowned as soon as he saw the words "Lü Zhongchang" in the title, feeling quite uncomfortable.

I still vividly remember how Lü Zhongchang made his promises and how he solemnly wrote down all the expenses and plans on paper and presented them to me.

However, the construction period has now exceeded the deadline by more than four months. The expenses incurred in Liutahe can be described as extravagant, with countless manpower and money spent, far exceeding the budget, but so far there has been no explanation or much progress.

Unlike Huazhou, Liutahe is the place where the imperial court has high hopes, and no mistakes can be tolerated.

But the summer floods were approaching, and Lü Zhongchang was like a dead man. His memorials were either slow to arrive or, when they did arrive, they were meaningless. They were either asking for money, people, or goods, and he would ask for more time.

He's willing to give, but is the Yellow River willing to give? Is Heaven willing to give?

Even though one's own family is the Son of Heaven—the Son of Heaven, the son of Heaven—if Heaven wants to punish its son, can one escape it?

Zhao Yu glanced at it quickly, without even looking closely, and flipped to the last page.

The signature was naturally "Cai Xiu".

The characters are neat and precise, showing a craftsman's touch, clearly copied from a manuscript.

Zhao Yu grew angrier the more he thought about it, so he went back and read it carefully once more.

The problem was immediately apparent upon reading it.

Too thin!
This is written in such detail!!
Even Lü Zhongchang's daily routine was written down in great detail, including his daily activities. Unless he was hiding under the bed, how could he know so much?
Cai Xiu was a student of the Imperial Academy, not someone who eavesdropped on others' affairs; naturally, it was Lü Zhongchang who revealed it himself! Only with personal instruction could such a thing be done!

A student who has never even entered officialdom, how could he possibly have so many complicated and roundabout ways of dealing with things!
It must be that Lü Zhongchang himself, in order to gain power, forced some students to do chores, and he even had the nerve to spread the news throughout the capital!

Instead of wasting time and energy, why not focus on the Liutahe project and finish it as soon as possible?

Since it was a student's writing, Zhao Yu was unwilling to criticize it, but he really couldn't bring himself to praise it.

He handed the article to the eunuch beside him and said, "Give it to Minister Li to read."

Soon, the manuscript was delivered to Li Zhai, the Vice Minister of State Affairs.

The latter, hearing the emperor's indifferent tone, already knew something was amiss. He took the article, read it carefully, and found it difficult to reply casually.

Fortunately, Zhao Yu didn't make things difficult for him, and asked, "Has there been no news from the Six Towers River yet? When exactly will the river be opened?"

"The State Council has already sent a letter urging them to do so. When Lü Zhongchang submitted his last memorial, he also mentioned that in order to avoid the flood season, it should be soon that the river will be opened ahead of schedule..."

—Here, the affairs of the court were discussed.

After Li Zhai and several other officials had finished answering the emperor's questions, a "clang" was heard outside; it was the Imperial Academy ringing its bell.

Zhao Yu glanced at the time and asked, "Is this the bell signaling the end of get out of class?"

Deng Jijiu hurriedly bowed and replied, "That's right."

Zhao Yu stood up and walked out the door.

On the road, although they had been instructed that the Emperor himself was coming and that the entire Imperial Academy should be treated with the utmost respect and ceremony, the mealtime was always of greater importance than that of the Emperor. All the students still hurried to the dining hall – today the academy had specially sealed off the front and back gates, and no one was allowed to go out.

Given that they could only eat at the Imperial Kitchen, the food at the Imperial Academy's public kitchen was already unpalatable; if they arrived late, it was even more inedible. Seeing the young students running like the wind, full of youthful vigor, Zhao Yu's mood immediately improved, and he smiled, "Are you going to eat?"

While inwardly cursing the students for being reincarnated starving ghosts, Deng Jijiu hurriedly said, "Most of them are young students, just at the age when they can eat a lot."

He added, "This humble official has already instructed the kitchen to prepare a banquet for His Majesty..."

Having left the palace early in the morning, spent half the day walking along the riverbank, and then inspected the Imperial Academy, Zhao Yu was genuinely a bit hungry. Upon hearing this, he laughed and said, "Then I shall go and take a look."

Led by officials from the Imperial Academy and escorted by imperial guards, with the emperor at the head, the entourage proceeded in a winding path and soon arrived at the kitchen.

Just as Deng, the Imperial Chancellor, was about to lead the Emperor to the back buildings, Zhao Yu turned around and saw that Master Cao had conspicuously stepped out of the queue and stopped at the entrance of the students' dining room, talking to a student who had been stopped outside by the guards.

He glanced at the student's bowl across from him, and the student very proactively took a steamed bun from the bowl.

Master Cao waved his hand and said something. The student looked disappointed, then turned around and peeked out, looking for someone. It was obvious who he was looking for.

And it wasn't just that one student who stood on tiptoe to peek out.

At the entrance of the imperial kitchen, many students of the Imperial Academy stood, their faces partially blocked by the guards. They all looked in the direction the emperor was traveling, their eyes filled with anticipation.

Zhao Yu immediately stopped in his tracks as well.

A banquet can be held anytime, but did he come here today just to eat?

He said, "The banquet is unnecessary. Since you have come all this way, I should dine with the students of the Imperial Academy."

Then, he turned to the official of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and said, "I would also like to see what kind of food subsidies you have provided to the Imperial Academy."

The official hurriedly replied, "His Majesty's generous support for scholars is known throughout the land, and we dare not neglect it—all the money and expenses are provided by the Imperial Academy, and recently he even specially approved the kitchen to procure food from outside..."

"Sure?"

Zhao Yu smiled and strode into the main kitchen.

Upon seeing this, the students nearby were all excited, shouting "Your Majesty!" and some even called him "Your Majesty," while others immediately performed a grand salute.

Zhao Yu was completely unpretentious, greeting the students as they walked.

Although the kitchen was large, its structure was very simple. Without anyone leading the way, he walked to the wooden window where the rice was served.

Long queues were formed at each window.

At this moment, all the students in the queue—even those at the very front—forgot about ordering food and instead turned to look at the emperor.

Zhao Yu didn't step forward, but stayed at the very back, and asked the student in front of him in a gentle voice, "What's this for? How's the food at the Imperial Academy?"

The student was so excited he could barely speak. He quickly stepped aside and said, "This, this is for...for porridge and drinks! Your Majesty, please stand in front..."

Zhao Yu shook his head and smiled, "Today I will also be a student of the Imperial Academy and line up with you all."

With the emperor being so approachable, which student wouldn't be moved?
In the crowd, Master Cao turned to the master beside him and said, "What a pity, if I were a student, I would surely serve the emperor a meal..."

The speaker is intentional, and the listener is more intentional.

Upon hearing this, the students who were closest exchanged glances, and without saying a word, they all set off to the front of the line.

Soon, the group of students turned around with trays in their hands and came toward Zhao Yu.

As they approached, they all presented trays and offered their greetings.

"This student dares to offer His Majesty a meal!"

"His Majesty cherishes scholars and provides them with monthly stipends. We students have long been grateful for the Emperor's favor, and today we finally have the opportunity to express our gratitude to him!"

Zhao Yu was truly pleased to hear the students' sincere sincerity.

He laughed and said, "Then I will taste the food you have offered!"

***
The main kitchen was bustling with activity, while in the back quarters, Jiang Xia was frantically running between the public kitchen and the banquet hall, practically running around in circles.

The news of the emperor's descent arrived too late; there was no time to prepare. By the time the notice to prepare a banquet arrived, it was already too late.

He kept urging the dishes to be prepared. Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he heard a group of people hurrying in from outside.

Jiang Xia looked up, startled, and asked, "Why are you here, sir?"

It turned out that the person leading the way was Jia Chang.

"Are there any steamed buns left? Quickly find some and send them to the main kitchen!"

"What do you want steamed buns for? What kind of steamed buns do you want? Aren't there some outside?" Jiang Xia was completely baffled.

Jia Chang was so anxious he was practically fuming. He shouted, "What steamed buns! Real steamed buns! Hurry up, His Majesty is in line at the Imperial Kitchen, saying he wants to dine with the students. Get those good steamed buns to the front before he gets to the front!"

Jiang Xia was so frightened that cold sweat broke out on his back. He hurriedly said, "The real steamed buns are in the small kitchen..."

As he spoke, he hurriedly ordered someone to fetch it.

It turned out that after Jiang Xia from the Imperial Academy returned to report that day, Shangguan Jiachang was very dissatisfied and had already sent people to find many restaurants to send samples.

They heard that the business was to provide meals for the Imperial Academy, a long-term venture, and at first, everyone was very enthusiastic.

In the Central Plains, steamed buns and flatbreads are common staple foods, and naturally there are many shops that make them well.

But in this world, you get what you pay for.

Those restaurants that can rival Song Ji in taste are all much more expensive, and their portions and ingredients are not as substantial as Song Ji's. Not to mention the cheaper ones.

After much deliberation, Jiang Xia finally narrowed it down to a few companies and went to ask about their prices.

At first it was fine, but as soon as the topic of draining the Imperial Academy was mentioned, everyone shook their heads - who doesn't want a good reputation if they can make a good impression?
It's rare to get a response, and then they raise the price.

In the end, when they still couldn't choose, Jia Chang scolded his subordinates and decided on one himself, then told Jiang Xia to take the name and report it to the emperor.

Jiang Xia quietly inquired and found out that it was a newly opened steamed bun shop that had appeared out of nowhere.

When this steamed bun shop first entered the Imperial Academy, the taste was ordinary, but the ingredients were passable. However, it didn't take long before it started to split into two types.

One type was the proper steamed buns given to officials such as Jia Chang and Deng Jijiu. They tasted good, the ingredients were excellent, and the portions were generous, with thin skin and thick filling.

The other type was for the students of the Imperial Academy, and naturally, it was made with shoddy materials.

The flour used was old and aged, and the filling became less and less each day. In the end, it was even worse than the original ingredients and taste of the steamed buns used by the Imperial Academy. It is said that the students of the Imperial Academy gave the steamed buns different nicknames. The vegetarian filling was called "Night One Filling Heaven", where "filling" is the same as "thread".

—The narrow strip of sky is already quite narrow. During the day, it's still somewhat visible, but at night, it's pitch black everywhere, and you can't find the "sky" at all, just like you can't find the filling in a steamed bun.

The meat filling is called "fetal vegetarian".

Jiang Xia dared not imagine what would have happened if he hadn't managed to replace it in time, and the Emperor had ended up with "Nighttime Heavenly Soup" or "Prenatal Vegetarian Soup"...

　Thank you so much, Scorpio Yellow, for sending me this ice jelly-flavored sachet! You never expected me to send you a sachet like this! =3=
　　Thank you to taoyijunli and book friend 20200524072044730 for sending me two amulets each, and to Yuan Chengzhi and book friend 20251015092612476 for sending me one amulet each :)

　　Thank you to the following six friends from the bookstore: Kyoku Kin, My Cat is Called Egg, Zuo Zuo You You, Occasionally Relax, Miss Ultraman, and Book Friend 20240608301_Bb, for each of the small gifts you sent me! ^_^
　　(End of this chapter)