This son-in-law is wicked in a good way!

Finally, Zhang Ping'an felt his soul return to his body.

He let out a satisfied burp.

Then, realizing he had lost his composure, he hurriedly bowed and apologized.

"I apologize, Brother Chu, for making you laugh."

Chu Tian smiled slightly and said generously, "It's alright."

"Young Master Li, could you please tell me what exactly happened?"

Zhang Ping'an shook his head: "Forget it, let's not talk about it."

He didn't want to talk about these family scandals, because it would be easy for someone to trace his true identity.

Unfortunately, he was unaware that his true nature had already been thoroughly exposed by his brother Chu.

"By the way, Brother Chu, are you here to buy poems?"

Seeing that Zhang Ping'an was unwilling to talk, the Empress did not ask any further questions.

"I did come for the poetry, but it's not me who wants to buy it; it's my two friends who want to buy it."

"Xiaoyu, please invite the two gentlemen in!"

"Yes," Mo Yu replied with her head down, then opened the door and went out.

Then, Yang Tai and Zhang Xiaoru, who had been waiting in the next room for a long time, walked in together.

Unable to find Li Du on their own, the two kept pestering the Empress, asking her to take them to see Li Du.

"Haha, is this the famous Li Bai, the master of 'who in the world doesn't know you'?"

Yang Tai looked Zhang Ping'an up and down.

So young!

He couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration, but he dared not underestimate Zhang Ping'an because of his youth.

After all, he also gained fame through Zhang Ping'an's poem.

Yang Tai felt a surge of secret pleasure when he recalled the envious, jealous, and hateful looks he received from his two old rivals at the Imperial Academy a couple of days ago.

Zhang Ping'an could tell at a glance that these two were extraordinary; they possessed a scholarly air that came from being constantly immersed in the classics of sages.

Only those truly learned and upright individuals can cultivate a noble and righteous spirit.

He quickly stood up to greet them: "Greetings, gentlemen!"

"If I'm not mistaken, you two are undoubtedly renowned scholars of our time?"

Zhang Xiaoru and Yang Tai exchanged a smile, slightly surprised.

"Hehe, I dare not claim to be a great Confucian scholar; I've only read a few more classic texts by sages," Zhang Xiaoru said modestly.

"However, how did Young Master Li figure that out?"

He was confident that he had never met Zhang Ping'an.

Zhang Ping'an replied, "A person with a wealth of knowledge naturally exudes elegance!"

The two of them immediately brightened up.

This is truly eloquent!

It seems this trip was worthwhile.

The Empress smiled and introduced, "Young Master Li, these two are the great scholars of the academy, Mr. Yang Tai and Mr. Zhang Xiaoru."

Zhang Ping'an was startled.

According to the original owner's memories, the academy was known as the orthodox Confucian school, with a history of thousands of years and spanning four kingdoms.

However, due to academic disputes, it lost to the scholars of the Imperial Academy, and its influence waned thereafter.

However, every great scholar in the academy was a true intellectual of high moral character and a learned man.

"To think you are a great scholar from the academy! My apologies for my lack of respect!" Zhang Ping'an bowed again, this time with heartfelt admiration.

Yang Tai and his companion nodded slightly, as they were perfectly entitled to Zhang Ping'an's respectful greeting, given their status.

"Haha, Young Master Chu, I was a little skeptical when you told me that the person who wrote that farewell poem was a young gentleman, but now I believe you!"

Zhang Xiaoru said to the Empress with a smile.

"Me too!"

Yang Tai said something and bowed to the Empress.

Then she walked over and sat down next to Zhang Ping'an, looking at him with a smile.

"However, why does Young Master Li appear like this? Did you suffer a defeat in your fight?"

The implication is: Were you beaten up?

Zhang Ping'an shook his head and smiled bitterly: "These are all disgraceful things, let's not talk about them."

Yang Tai nodded, not asking any further questions, but he was willing to help Zhang Ping'an.

"I observe that Young Master Li is physically weak, and he would inevitably be outmatched in a fight. Why not come to my academy to cultivate your character and strengthen your physique, so that you will be able to protect yourself if you encounter danger in the future?"

Zhang Ping'an immediately became very interested. In his memory, although there were no demons or monsters in this world, there were some martial arts masters.

He had always wanted to find a master to learn martial arts, so that he could have more power to protect himself in this chaotic world.

However, he still had doubts: "Mr. Yang, isn't an academy a place for studying? Do you mean they also teach martial arts?"

"Haha, my academy has a history of thousands of years and has been involved in all walks of life, with the Six Arts of a Gentleman as its main focus."

"Among the Six Arts, archery and charioteering both require a strong physique. Therefore, the first step upon entering the academy is to cultivate one's character."

"As the saying goes, one must cultivate oneself, regulate one's family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world. Cultivating oneself is not only about cultivating moral character, but also about cultivating one's physical health."

"Without a strong body, how can one govern a country and bring peace to the world?"

"In today's world, if we talk about methods of self-cultivation, our academy is second to none."

Yang Tai patted his chest, looking very proud.

The Confucian scholars of the academy would not lie.

Zhang Ping'an was overjoyed; this was like a pillow delivered to someone who was sleepy!

"If you would be willing to teach me, I would be eternally grateful!" Zhang Ping'an quickly stood up and bowed.

Damn it, once I become a martial arts master, I'll beat Zhang Qi into a pig's head!

Yang Tai stroked his goatee and said with a smile, "Of course, of course."

"By the way, Brother Chu, I heard that you two gentlemen have come to request poems. What kind of poems would you like?"

Zhang Ping'an understood the importance of reciprocity. If he wanted to go to the academy to cultivate himself, how could he not give some benefits first?

Yang Tai and his companion exchanged a glance, a smile playing on their lips: This kid's got it!

Zhang Xiaoru pondered for a moment and said, "It is so. In recent years, our academy has suffered from a decline in talent and has had a difficult time in officialdom. The students see no way to get ahead, so they inevitably become lax in their studies."

"I discussed with Yang Tai that we wanted to find a poem that encouraged learning, preferably one that was simple and easy to understand, so that even a young child could comprehend its meaning."

Zhang Ping'an frowned in thought. There are many poems that encourage learning, and Xunzi's is probably the most widely circulated, but it is not so simple and easy to understand.

Seeing Zhang Ping'an's troubled expression, Zhang Xiaoru said, "Young Master Li can go back and think about it carefully. There's no need to rush. It can be completed within a month."

Zhang Ping'an smiled and said, "No need to wait that long, I've already made up my mind."

"Oh?" Zhang Xiaoru's eyes lit up.

Yang Tai also looked pleasantly surprised: "So fast!"

The Empress hurriedly said, "Xiaoyu, bring me brush and ink."

"Yes."

The group moved to the desk, and Zhang Ping'an picked up his brush to write.

"Exhortation to Learning"

"The lamp burns at midnight and the rooster crows at dawn; this is the time for a man to study."

"One who doesn't study diligently in youth will regret it when their hair turns white."

Instantly, their eyes lit up.

"Simple and easy to understand, yet deeply moving—this is exactly the kind of poem I've been looking for to encourage learning!" Zhang Xiaoru exclaimed with delight.

"Young Master Li, you are truly talented! A truly talented man!"

Yang Tai smiled with satisfaction: "If this poem were posted in front of the academy, I believe the students would be inspired to work harder."

The Empress glanced at Zhang Ping'an's profile and suddenly felt her heart beating a little faster than usual.

Zhang Ping'an was tall and slender with a wasp waist and long arms, and his appearance was handsome and refined, making him a true beauty.

If this were in a modern university, he would definitely be considered a campus heartthrob.

However, in ancient times when good looks were the least important factor, Zhang Ping'an's appearance could at most serve as an added bonus.

Ultimately, talent is what matters.

But Zhang Ping'an's poetic talent displayed on these two occasions definitely earns him the title of a master of poetry.

The Empress even regretted breaking off the engagement with him.