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

Yang Tai stepped forward and took Zhang Ping'an's hands in his, saying very enthusiastically, "Young Master Li, you don't know, ever since we read your poem 'Exhortation to Learning,' the learning atmosphere at the academy has suddenly soared."

Even our Dean Zhao wants to thank you in person!

As they were talking, the two had already entered the house.

Zhang Ping'an glanced around. The room was small but clean and tidy, with yellowed scrolls and calligraphy brushes scattered everywhere, filled with the scent of ink.

"Please have a seat!"

Yang Tai pointed to a futon and said.

"Thank you for sitting!" Zhang Ping'an didn't stand on ceremony and sat down directly on the futon.

As Yang Tai brewed tea, he smiled and asked, "Did you come here this time to cultivate yourself, or to study at the academy?"

Zhang Ping'an knew very well that he wasn't cut out for academics: "Self-cultivation."

"It's a pity that with Young Master Li's talent, if he had been willing to calm down and study the classics of the sages, he might have had the chance to be made a saint in the future."

Yang Tai brought Zhang Ping'an a cup of tea, then sat down opposite him.

"Mr. Yang, you flatter me. I can only write a poem or two when I occasionally get inspired. But as for me to do academic research, that's definitely not the way."

Zhang Ping'an's words were not self-deprecation, but rather a display of great self-awareness.

Poems and essays can be copied, but true knowledge cannot be copied.

After chatting for a while, Yang Tai led Zhang Ping'an on a tour of the academy.

"That's the dormitory area. Although it's simple, it's enough to keep us safe from the wind and rain."

Yang Tai pointed to a row of low houses and said.

Zhang Ping'an glanced at it and followed Yang Tai onward.

The two arrived at the largest building, an ancient and simple hall, surrounded by a square paved with stone slabs.

Above the main hall hangs a black plaque with the two powerful characters "学问" (learning/knowledge).

On each side is a pillar that takes two people to encircle, with newly engraved poems of encouragement to study written by Zhang Ping'an.

"After we returned, we discussed it with the dean and decided to have your poem encouraging study engraved in front of the Hall of Learning so that every student can see it."

"Although it's the place for a door couplet, and it's not quite appropriate to have a poem engraved on it, the effect is very good."

Yang Tai explained with a smile, looking quite pleased with himself.

Zhang Ping'an frowned slightly, but said nothing. He followed Yang Tai up the stone steps to the corridor of the main hall.

To the left of the vermilion gate stand several two-meter-high dark blue stone tablets with inscriptions on them.

Zhang Ping'an noticed that when his gaze fell upon these stone tablets, Yang Tai's expression stiffened slightly, appearing somewhat unnatural.

Zhang Ping'an became even more curious and walked closer to examine the contents of the stone tablet.

The first stone tablet is inscribed with: "Loyal to the emperor, serving the country and securing the nation, your heroic name will live on forever."

The second piece: To repay your kindness on the golden platform, I will wield the jade dragon and die for you.

The third principle: If the ruler commands the subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die. If the father commands the son to die, the son has no choice but to die.

"What is this?" Zhang Ping'an asked curiously.

Yang Tai sighed: "This is the academy's merit stele, used to record some representative works of scholars who have made significant contributions to the country."

"These are all famous sayings by Cheng Zheng, the second sage, known to every household."

"They are also the culprits who have kept the academy down for decades."

"This is a monument of merit for the scholars of the Imperial Academy, but a monument of shame for the academy."

Yang Tai explained everything in one breath, but it was clear that he could only rage in vain.

"The dean and a few of us old fogies have spent decades studying the classics, trying to write a sentence that could refute the inscription on the Stele of the Second Sage, but unfortunately, we simply couldn't do it."

Based on the original owner's memories, Zhang Ping'an knew that this quasi-sage Cheng Zheng was the most outstanding scholar in the last hundred years, and that he had founded the Imperial Academy, thus bringing all the scholars in the world under the court's control.

To commend his achievements, the imperial court erected a monument and built a temple for all scholars to worship, and placed him on par with the Sage of Literature.

These sentences all express the idea of ​​loyalty to the emperor and patriotism, which can be said to be the most mainstream academic thought in the feudal dynasty at that time.

To refute it would be virtually impossible.

"Young Master Li, with your literary talent, can you refute these statements?" Yang Tai looked at Zhang Ping'an expectantly.

Zhang Ping'an quickly shook his head and smiled wryly: "Mr. Yang, you flatter me too much. This is the inscription on the Stele of the Second Sage; how could I possibly have that ability?"

I suppose the main reason why the great scholar Yang welcomed me so warmly was that he wanted me to refute the stele of the Second Sage!

Upon hearing this, Yang Tai was not disappointed, but smiled slightly: "It's alright."

"When Cheng Yasheng wrote these inscriptions, he was already over thirty years old. Young Master Li is only eighteen this year. When you reach Cheng Yasheng's age, I believe you will be able to refute these inscriptions."

Zhang Ping'an almost rolled his eyes. This academy was clearly making a long-term investment!

The fact that they were willing to wait for more than ten years shows that the pressure this inscription on the Second Sage Stele put on the academy is extraordinary!

"Come on, I'll show you around inside."

Yang Tai gestured for Zhang Ping'an to enter first, then followed him into the main hall.

Upon entering the main hall, Zhang Ping'an was dumbfounded.

Previously, Yang Tai had told him that the academy covered all walks of life, and he thought that scholars liked to boast.

Now that he has seen the books on industry, commerce, agriculture, water resources, and medicine with his own eyes, he realizes that Yang Taizhen was not exaggerating.

The academy's breadth of knowledge is simply astonishing!

Yang Tai's lips curled up; he was very satisfied with Zhang Ping'an's performance.

"The self-cultivation method you are to learn is here. Follow me."

Yang Tai led Zhang Ping'an to a bookshelf closest to the main entrance, where a wooden plaque hung that read: "Cultivate Self".

"Young Master Li, you can take a look first and choose one that suits you."

Zhang Ping'an was filled with excitement. Was he about to become a martial arts master?

Suppressing his excitement, he took down a bamboo scroll from the top.

Arhat Boy's Kung Fu.

This advanced self-cultivation method was created eight hundred years ago by the Buddhist master Vajra Du'e. When mastered, one becomes impervious to swords and blades.

However, one must maintain one's primordial yang energy throughout one's life, otherwise all efforts will be in vain.

Blanch!

Zhang Ping'an tossed it back with disdain.

Maintaining a virginity, no matter how hard you train, is useless.

I picked up another book, titled "The True Explanation of the Master of Horizontal Training".

This is even more outrageous.

They believe in using the principle of "like cures like," using meat to strengthen the body, and eventually training their internal organs into muscular shapes, thus shrinking their genitals into their abdomen.

Isn't this a Gundam?

Be yourself!

Zhang Ping'an scoffed.

Yang Tai stroked his beard and laughed loudly, "Actually, the most basic health-preserving breathing method in the academy is very suitable for Young Master Li."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ping'an immediately thought it sounded very sophisticated.

"Where?"

Yang Tai took out a scroll from the bottom shelf: "This is it."

Zhang Ping'an was no longer excited; he even looked through the pages with some skepticism.

"The Method of Nourishing Life and Breathing" was created by the Sage of Literature and is an essential skill for scholars to cultivate themselves.

By adjusting one's breathing, one can cultivate a vital energy, thereby achieving the effect of strengthening the body.

When mastered to its peak, it can form a protective aura, or it can kill with a single breath.

After reading it, Zhang Ping'an exclaimed, "Holy crap, awesome!"

I'll choose the breathing method.

He doesn't expect to kill anyone with his breath in this lifetime; he'll be content with just improving his health.

"Mr. Yang is right, this is indeed suitable for me."

"That's it."

Next, Yang Tai took Zhang Ping'an to visit other places, found him a dormitory, and then went back.

According to Yang Tai, there are no taboos in the academy. As long as you don't rebel or demolish the Hall of Learning, no one will bother you.

Zhang Ping'an didn't want to trouble others any longer, so after exchanging pleasantries for a while, he went back to his dormitory alone.