At the same time, the Hanlin Academy, as dusk fell, was utterly silent.
Zhu Mo, after completing the integration of information, meticulously reviewed the system again. The more he looked, the more his heart surged with excitement.
The Dynasty Civilization System was indeed worthy of its name, arguably the most complex and rational system he had ever encountered. However, to use it effectively required the host to enhance their own capabilities. It was much like a high-level AI, capable of interaction and integration with the host, fostering mutual progress.
Take the current Jiajing late-period panel, for instance. The deeper the host’s understanding, the richer and more precise the system's briefing would be. The system’s core purpose was to deepen the host’s understanding of the world they inhabited, then to change it, improve it, and ultimately achieve the Dynasty…
Zhu Mo read until very late, increasingly feeling that this was a very scientific system, not something from the Skydragon Gang. It was more like an "AI Think Tank," which did not make decisions but served as the highest-level strategist, ensuring that the myriad details of governing the realm were methodical and lawful, while also providing suggestions tailored to the actual situation.
Unfortunately, he was merely a young Daoist priest and a handyman. Such a powerful configuration felt like overkill… From all perspectives, the minimum prerequisite for utilizing this configuration should be the seniority of a Grand Scholar from the Hall of Literary Glory. Possessing it himself, he found it truly had little practical use.
Unconsciously, the bright moon had reached its zenith. Only then did he remember that the vermillion-script prayers were yet to be written. Zhu Mo’s mind suddenly cleared, and he picked up his brush, writing with one fluid motion. Stepping back three paces, he beheld it – it was as graceful as clouds, and the choice of words carried a profound sense of sorrow for the world!
He put down his brush and sat back comfortably in the foremost Grand Tutor’s chair, contemplating what business ventures he should pursue after his upcoming trip south. Suddenly, he heard the sound of hurried, disordered footsteps in the distance. Grabbing his water bucket, he left the Hall of Classics, leaving behind a scroll of written vermillion-script prayers on his desk.
…
The next day, at the Mao hour (5-7 AM).
The Grand Academicians, who were normally still asleep, stood outside the Hall of Classics, trembling.
Xu Jie, Gao Gong, and Zhang Juzheng separately reviewed the vermillion-script prayers they had rushed to write overnight. With each one they read, their brows furrowed tighter, and the scholars’ heads drooped lower. The atmosphere had become incredibly oppressive.
Xu Jie, usually possessing good self-control, managed to suppress his anger. Zhang Juzheng had harbored no expectations and now could only offer a wry smile and a sigh. Gao Gong, however, had a fiery temper and grew increasingly irate. Upon seeing a phrase, "Dragon and tiger ** yearn to ascend," he immediately flew into a rage, shouting:
"Absurd!"
"Incoherent!"
"Who wrote this? What do you mean by this?"
"Submitting this? What is this?"
"Who? Who wrote it?"
The Grand Academicians outside immediately lowered their heads. Some of their lips twitched, suppressing laughter.
Xu Jie, always a pedantic scholar, was also greatly angered by this. He wanted to say something but instead shook his head and sighed.
Zhang Juzheng also read it aloud and then chuckled, saying, "Brother Suqing, why be angry? These scholars normally read the books of sages. How many of them have ever perused Taoist scriptures? I believe the time is almost up. We’ve seen what we needed to see. Let us present them first…"
Before his words had even finished, two young eunuchs appeared in the corridor.
"Your Excellency! Grand Academician Xu, are the vermillion-script prayers from the Hanlin Academy ready? Eunuch Lu is waiting."
Xu Jie also put down his reading glasses and rubbed his temples, saying, "Taiyue, gather them all. Present them, present them…"
The two eunuchs helped to collect them, quickly forming a large stack. As they carried them away, the scholars breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that since it was all like this, they might as well eat their fill before facing whatever consequences came.
Just as everyone was rising to disperse, Zhang Juzheng suddenly noticed another sheet of Xuan paper on a desk in the corner to his right, filled with writing. The calligraphy was undeniably fine.
"Hmm? There's another scroll?"
He walked over and was immediately captivated. After scanning just three or four lines, he exclaimed:
"Excellent!"
"Marvelous!"
"Superb!"
"Grand Academician Xu, Suqing, come quickly and see! This vermillion-script prayer can be considered the best of this dynasty!"
A rush!
The more than twenty Grand Academicians who had walked a few steps away immediately crowded around, craning their necks to watch. After reading a few lines, they were utterly dumbfounded. How could this be written by a mortal? It was truly the words of immortals.
Xu Jie read it repeatedly three times and suddenly felt as if half his soul had been lost. After a long pause, he murmured, "Who… who wrote this?"
"An immortal, an immortal wrote it?"
"Yes, besides an immortal, who else could write it?"
A scholar suddenly cried out, "Grand Academician Xu! Could it be a spirit pen?!"
A rush!
A hiss!
"Makes sense!"
"It's the Old Spirit Pen! It showed its divine power during the reign of Emperor Chengzu!"
"It must be the Old Spirit Pen that came to save us!"
"The Spirit Pen saved us from disaster! The Spirit Pen saved us from disaster!"
"…"
The Grand Academicians refused to believe that this scroll of vermillion-script prayers had come from a mortal hand.
Zhang Juzheng, the most composed among them, suddenly recalled something and quickly asked, "Have the two eunuchs who delivered the imperial edicts gone far? Hurry and catch them!"
"Wait!"
Xu Jie, however, remained as steady as an old dog and continued,
"This matter is peculiar, do not act rashly! Inquire carefully first… Li Qingyuan, from last night until now, besides the scholars, who else has been in the Hall of Classics? Go and find out quickly! Taiyue, Suqing, the time has come, we must proceed to the palace… I shall take this vermillion-script prayer for now. We will see how things unfold."
Saying this, he strode briskly towards the exit. Just before reaching the door, he suddenly turned back and said, "You! None of you are to speak of this! Do you understand?"
"Your students understand!"
The many pure-stream scholars bowed deeply.
…
The Hall of Jade Purity was located in the Western Garden.
It was already afternoon, and the silence was so profound that one could hear falling leaves.
Compared to the tense atmosphere outside, the mood within the palace was one of serenity. Even the Yan father and son, who usually acted with arrogant arrogance, now wore somber expressions.
Lü Fang, after assisting Jiajing in taking his elixirs, washed his hands and came to the outer chamber. Seeing the ministers lined up on both sides, he quickly said with a smile, "Oh! This old servant is late. Grand Academician Yan, Grand Academician Xu, you have waited long."
"Eunuch Lü, you have worked hard!"
"You are too kind, too kind!"
Lü Fang gave a signal, and the eunuchs brought over the vermillion-script prayers from the Hanlin Academy scholars, spreading them out on a large desk. Lü Fang motioned for Huang Jin and Chen Hong to come and look. After a cursory glance, feeling that there was nothing amiss, Lü Fang said, "Jin'er, the Emperor likes to hear you read, so you read it…"
Huang Jin bowed to Lü Fang, picked up the scrolls, and began to read them one by one.
"Hanlin Scholar Li Qingyuan presents his ode, saying: Auspicious day and auspicious time, the sacrificial rites are solemnly arranged. The pure essence of Yang, it is the Great Ming…"
After a long period of "balah blah blah" reading, the recitation was complete. Yan Song and his son listened and felt it was mediocre. Yan Shifan couldn't help but reveal a hint of a mocking smile.
Meanwhile, Jiajing, within the inner chamber behind the curtain, remained motionless, sitting like a clay Buddha, as if he wasn't listening at all or showing any reaction, neither the sound of a jade amphora nor a jade chime.
The ministers of the pure stream immediately lost face. Seeing Yan Shifan’s schadenfreude, they felt a hundredfold unease, already sensing that things were likely not going well…