CHAPTER 169: CHAPTER 169: KNEEL BEFORE ME

At the entrance of Huntian Academy, a blank scroll lay open.

A young man held a brush to the ground, his ink flowing like clouds, the characters slowly appearing on the paper.

After just a few characters, a look of surprise emerged among the crowd.

"Tang Xiao can write in two different styles?" asked Song Xi, who taught calligraphy at the academy, in amazement to Zhang Yin.

Zhang Yin shook his head, "This is my first time seeing it too."

In fact, he had seen it before.

This Crown Prince was quite shrewd; usually, the handwriting he used for academy assignments resembled that of the Second Miss Tang, but the articles he handed him were in the style he was writing now.

Watching for a while, he couldn’t help but comment to Song Xi, "Tang Xiao’s progress in calligraphy is remarkably rapid!"

Not only was the progress rapid, but more importantly, it had shed its initial austere aura.

To write a long scroll crouched like this yet layout so precisely, with strokes gradually developing a personal style — robust and graceful, steep and extraordinary — made him deeply gratified.

After two years of guidance, it hadn’t been in vain. This Crown Prince, despite a rocky childhood, fortunately hadn’t gone astray, and though still a bit extreme, could be counseled gradually in the future.

...

Shida was also carefully observing the young man’s handwriting.

Though he was a Military General, he had a basic understanding of literature, and from the first character, he knew this young man wrote well.

But, what was the point of good handwriting? Could it prove he wasn’t foreign? Many foreigners wrote good poetry.

However, after watching a while, Shida showed a look of surprise and couldn’t help but take another look at this young man.

Writing this...

What could it prove?

...

Tang Xiaobai stood at the front of the carriage, looking down from above, taking in everyone’s reactions, and felt smug.

She had a hand in this!

As the little ancestor wrote the second line, some people around recognized it, showing surprise, and then whispered gradually.

By the end of the fourth line, someone finally spoke, "It’s the ’Ten Strategies for Flood Control in Hedong’."

Tang Xiaobai followed the voice.

The speaker was Pei Xuan.

With a slightly surprised expression, scrutinizing more than anything, as if meeting the young man for the first time.

Oh dear... her little ancestor was so excellent...

Tang Xiaobai felt delighted.

Shida frowned as he looked, saying, "What does writing this prove? Do you want to claim that those ten strategies came from you?"

Having said this, his heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Everyone knew the ’Ten Strategies for Flood Control in Hedong’ was presented by the Head of Huntian Academy, Lin Xujiji, who claimed it was anonymously submitted by an academy student, and to this day, no one knew which student it was.

Though unknown, speculation often focused on those in Class A.

Tang Xiao caught many people’s attention too, but they all focused on his outstanding appearance.

As for being admitted to Huntian Academy, it was only to accompany the pampered Second Miss of Duke Yan Mansion; no one thought a boy of servant origin could achieve anything.

Yet, this calligraphy was surprising enough; certainly not that the ’Ten Strategies for Flood Control in Hedong’ also...

Impossible!

Those ten strategies not only referenced ancient disaster relief tactics but also combined the local customs of Hedong and its surroundings, even earning praise from the Prime Minister.

How could a servant have such insight?

Impossible!

While Shida was inwardly denying it, he heard Pei Xuan speak again, "It indeed came from Tang Xiao’s hand."

At these words, everyone was shocked.

"How can Master Pei be so certain?" Shida’s face turned unsightly.

Pei Xuan said, "I have seen the original memorandum, and the handwriting matches."

Next to him, Tao Fen immediately interjected, "So it was Tang Xiao who wrote the ’Ten Strategies for Flood Control in Hedong’!"

His voice was loud, and even those in the outer circle heard it, causing an uproar.

"Though lowly in status, with a heart for the nation, how could he be a foreign spy?" Gu Hui, usually gentle and refined, now had a cold expression.

Zhu Qi also sneered, "The ten strategies filled with loyalty; I wonder who could shamelessly accuse Tang Xiao of such a crime?"

"Perhaps casting blame to cover up?"

With every word Shida heard, his face grew more unpleasant.

Until finally, anger stirred in him, and he shouted, "Even if the handwriting matches, it doesn’t prove those ten strategies were written by him!"

"The ten strategies were indeed not written by me——" With a calm tone, the young man finally stopped writing, stood up, and amidst the crowd’s astonished gazes, turned to look at Tang Xiaobai, still standing on the carriage head.

"Hmm?" Tang Xiaobai suddenly felt a blush coming on.

"I wrote them with the Second Miss." He said.

As expected...

...

"You didn’t actually have to mention me..." On the way home, Tang Xiaobai recalled that moment of being the center of attention, still blushing a bit, feeling unaccustomed.

"I thought Second Miss would be willing to vouch for me." Outside the carriage, the young man said wistfully.

"Of course I am willing!" Tang Xiaobai quickly replied.

Only after speaking did she realize she had fallen into his trap again, feeling exasperated and amused: "What does this have to do with testifying? Even without mentioning me, I could still vouch for you!"

"Couldn’t we... together, is that not good?" he said softly.

Tang Xiaobai suddenly felt a bit charmed, coughed lightly, and said, "Fine... good..." She didn’t mind either way, "Did you make changes to the last four points?" Tang Xiaobai shifted the topic.

The first six strategies were about governance, the seventh and eighth about aftermath, and the ninth and tenth about prevention.

Li Mu hummed in agreement and said, "After visiting Hedong, I found some areas were just paper plans."

Tang Xiaobai got a bit excited, "Right! Right! Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles! If we have the chance, we should see the world!"

This attitude of seeking truth from facts and adapting to circumstances was invaluable; her little ancestor would surely become an eminent minister in the future!

"Alright." Li Mu said.

She imagined traveling the world with him, and just thinking about it felt wonderful.

Tang Xiaobai, however, didn’t dwell on these beautiful scenes; her mind had moved on to what was next: "After today, everyone will know it’s you, and as Pei Jiu will present the new ten strategies, quickly, someone will come to find you, perhaps as soon as tomorrow—" This "someone" might be the Prime Minister, or even the Emperor, "Are you ready?"

Though she couldn’t see it, Li Mu nodded, "Rest assured, Second Miss."

"Then..." The young lady cleared her throat, seeming both to smile and sigh, "Are you ready to be scolded by the eldest miss when you get back?"

It was already afternoon, and surely the events from the academy’s entrance had reached the eldest miss’s ears.

The eldest miss never liked following paths others set, not because she had a particularly independent heart, but because she found it embarrassing.

This time, being "forced" to clear their names under watch, the eldest miss was, as Tang Xiaobai had expected, very angry!

"Kneel!" Tang Jiaojiao slammed the table.

"S-sis... this... isn’t necessary..." Tang Xiaobai stammered, supporting herself on the table, she slowly bent her knees.

Tang Jiaojiao glared at her fiercely but pulled her up, "Who asked you to kneel?" She pointed at Li Mu, "You, kneel!"