Xiao Yan single-handedly fought against the Lu family members, silencing them. Lu Chongyuan's face grew pale, and he was on the verge of fainting, barely staying upright with someone supporting him. Meanwhile, inside, Cao Dejiang and the others continued selecting books without concern. The number of boxes piling up in the courtyard steadily increased, while Canglang and Jinyun led a team to seal the boxes and directed the Black Armored Guards to carry them out.
A crowd of students gathered outside the Lu family's gate, watching the spectacle. As they saw more and more boxes being carried out, filling the entire street, they grew excited.
"Are these all the books from the Lu family's collection?"
"Of course. Just a moment ago, the County Princess of Yiyang led Cao Gong and some officials inside. I heard they were helping her pick out books. These must be the books Lu's family used to settle their debts."
"Why are there so many? Even if each box holds dozens of books, how many must there be for there to be this many boxes?"
The boxes stretched down the long street, easily numbering in the hundreds.
"I heard that the Lu family had to give up half of their collection. They accumulated books for over a century and were said to have a collection of 100,000 volumes. Even half would be fifty or sixty thousand!"
The students gasped, staring at the carts loaded with books, their eyes gleaming with envy. These were the treasures of a noble family, rare books they could never hope to touch. If not for the heavily armored guards and the patrols from the Capital Guard watching over the carts, some would have tried to grab a few for themselves.
These were the books of a noble family. Ordinary students like them might have seen only a few hundred volumes in their lives. If they were fortunate enough to catch the favor of some influential figure, they might see more. But even then, it would be no more than a thousand. The sheer number of books here would take a lifetime just to glance through.
"I heard the County Princess of Yiyang is planning to establish an academy in the city, and all these books will be placed there for students to borrow."
"Is that true?"
"Of course. If it were false, why would all these officials be helping her?"
"Indeed, even the emperor has granted the Wen De Stele, and the palace contributed a hundred volumes. I've heard that Lord Xiao has already marked off a large plot of land in the southern part of the city, and construction for the academy will begin soon."
Hearing this, the surrounding crowd grew even more animated. They couldn't steal the books, but if the County Princess of Yiyang was building an academy, it would mean she was accepting students. If they could join the academy, they would have access to all these books from noble families.
Many of the students were deeply moved, though some hesitated. "But the County Princess of Yiyang is a woman. Even if she is well-meaning, will there be teachers willing to instruct at her academy?"
"True, she’s offended many noble families. If we enroll, would they not bear a grudge against us?"
The crowd grew quiet until one person scoffed, "You speak as if not enrolling would somehow make it easier to succeed."
"Noble families have monopolized education for years. The imperial court is almost entirely populated by those of wealthier backgrounds. Unless you bow and scrape, forsaking your dignity to become a retainer of these families, how can they let you succeed?"
Even the so-called "purest scholars" of the imperial court were mostly of prosperous backgrounds or had connections that paved the way. True talents of humble origins, who climbed to prominence based purely on their own merit, were as rare as five fingers on one hand. Apart from those who rose through the ranks as generals by bloodshed on the battlefield, there were few such officials in the capital.
The person who initially voiced their doubts turned pale, while the one who refuted them spoke with earnest conviction.
"It’s never been easy for students from humble backgrounds to succeed. The County Princess of Yiyang is risking her standing by creating an academy to give us this opportunity. With Lord Xiao's protection and the emperor's endorsement, what can the noble families do? They may control the court, but they can't stifle the hearts of scholars everywhere."
The speaker stood tall, his face radiant with a light that drew attention.
"Besides, the academy will house so many rare books, and with the Wen De Stele, a person who earns recognition there could even catch the emperor's eye. Moreover, the County Princess of Yiyang is of the Rong family's bloodline, and Master Rong's disciples are spread across the land. Finding a reputable scholar to teach would be no trouble. I dare say that when the academy opens, many would-be instructors will be clamoring for the chance."
"I don’t know what the rest of you will do, but I, for one, am grateful to the County Princess for standing up for students like us. When the academy is established, I’ll be the first to enroll. Even if there are no teachers, just having access to these rare books is worth it."
"Who says self-study can't lead to success?" The hesitating students were moved, and even some covertly observing from other academies looked conflicted.
Indeed, the academy of the County Princess of Yiyang would not lack students. With such treasures and the lure of the Wen De Stele, it would certainly attract renowned scholars to teach. Those who had initially planned to watch and see if the noble families would retaliate now worried that if they delayed, others would seize the opportunity first.
Many left in a hurry, planning to submit their applications to Ji Yun Alley later. They couldn’t afford to let others beat them to the academy.
Standing at the Lu family's gate, Jinyun observed the crowd’s excitement and glanced at the speaker who had roused them. The man subtly nodded before blending into the crowd.
...
The fall of the Lu family caught the attention of all in the capital, and even in the imperial prison, it was a topic of discussion.
"Did you hear? The Chief Secretary from the Lu family has been ill for days, and their reputation is in shambles. Meanwhile, the young lady from Ji Yun Alley has been granted the title of County Princess."
"County Princess?"
"Yes, the County Princess of Yiyang, with lands and income. There are few in the capital with such a title..."
"My, that’s quite the rise! Just recently, people were saying she’d regret losing the protection of the Duke of Song's estate. But look now, the County Princess of Yiyang is more esteemed than the duke's legitimate daughter ever was."
"Indeed, it’s a real, imperial title. Besides, the Duke of Song's estate... well!" The speaker sneered disdainfully. "That estate was seized, and the family members are all imprisoned. Who knows if they’ll even keep their heads."
He glanced down the dark corridor, shaking his head. The capital was ever-changing, and power shifted in the blink of an eye. Who could have predicted that the once-grand Duke of Song's estate would fall so quickly? Thinking of their plight, he sighed.
"Truly, evil deeds do not go unpunished. Heaven still has eyes."
As the guards gossiped and walked away, a figure stirred at the far end of the dark corridor. Song Jinxiu lifted his head, dazed, and murmured,
"Yiyang... princess?"
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