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Caught between difficulties, the Emperor finally decided to let Zhang Qing take it back to Star Palace and keep it until Little Concubine truly asked for it.

So the first storybook that appeared in Canglan Court vanished without a trace.

When Lian Hua remembered, she saw that His Majesty’s desk bore the "Essentials of the Various Books" Volume One, and her own storybook was gone.

She was somewhat puzzled, as she clearly saw His Majesty holding her book, so why was it this one?

But at that time in the palace, it was only her and His Majesty present, and no one had touched the desk; how could it have disappeared?

Curious about what book His Majesty loved to read, she flipped through the "Essentials of the Various Books" a few times, feeling dizzy as she looked—the words were mostly recognizable, but put together, they were incomprehensible.

It was indeed too profound; she couldn’t understand it at all. She thought His Majesty was truly remarkable, to embrace such a book for study and even discuss its contents with ease.

As some terms flashed before her eyes, Lian Hua suddenly realized; no wonder, His Majesty had associated this book with some matters of state affairs when he reprimanded.

So that was it!

This distraction made her forget about looking for the book, and thus, that book was lost without a trace from then on.

Inside the Imperial Academy.

The students of the Imperial Academy had a day off every first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, and also during festivals.

On these holidays, students who lived in the Capital were the most restless. The others either calmly stayed and read books or went out to relax, or they found a quiet place in small groups to discuss a topic softly, only raising their voices in heated debate occasionally.

Like now, although students rarely raised their voices loudly, they were still somewhat noisy.

This noise did not include Liang Qi, who was quietly studying in a classroom, preparing for the imperial examinations next spring.

He was named "Qi," representing recovery and revival, carrying his grandfather’s expectations to pursue an official career through scholarship.

His grandfather had served as an official during the time of Emperor Taizhong but was unlucky to be demoted just as his great-grandmother fell seriously ill and died, necessitating his return home to mourn for three years.

When the mourning period ended and he returned to the Ministry of Personnel to report, he was told there were no positions available and was advised to wait. Waiting led to being forgotten, and he waited his entire life without a chance for restoration.

His grandfather often mentioned that his greatest regret was not being able to return to official service. Now old and in poor health, he could only hope for his dutiful descendants.

"Qi, study with all your might; your grandfather has connections in the Capital!" This was often repeated by his grandfather as a mantra to encourage him to study without distractions.

His grandfather always said that those capable should be employed; even if it meant sacrificing his old bones and losing face by begging others, he would pave the way for his descendants to ensure a smooth path in their careers.

Whether his grandfather had connections in the Capital or not, he did not know; he had earned his place at the Imperial Academy through his own skills, and he was thankful for the Emperor’s grace that gave him this opportunity.

The students of the Imperial Academy used to be solely selected from the offspring of officials and nobles, but in His Majesty’s fourth year on the throne, it was opened to commoners as well, admitting only those who were outstanding.

It has been over six years since then, and he had entered the academy by seizing that opportunity.

He had heard that former students of the Imperial Academy were quite lazy and complacent, content with barely getting by.

After leaving the academy, they could step into the officialdom on the coattails of their ancestors’ merits and were unwilling to exert any effort.

Engaging in cockfighting and being rivals over prostitutes were common occurrences.

However, since His Majesty implemented changes, that was no longer the case.

The discipline was completely renewed. Not only was the selection of students stringent, but regular assessments were also conducted after entering the Imperial Academy.

Those who failed twice were sent back to their native places and were not allowed to reenter.

Therefore, every student in the Imperial Academy studied with great diligence and effort.

He was among them, but he had already passed the provincial exams. He no longer needed to participate in regular assessments and could be considered to have completed his studies at the Imperial Academy.

Upon learning he had passed the exams, his grandfather was delighted in his letter and advised him not to return home for the New Year, but to concentrate on his studies in the capital to prepare for the next year’s metropolitan exams. Thus, after the results were announced, he had remained at the Imperial Academy until now.

Only today, he sensed something unusual. The whispers mysteriously turned louder and louder, eventually becoming the loud clamor that it was now.

Two students walked past the window, one of them said, "How audacious to come cause trouble at the Imperial Academy. We’ll show him what’s coming to him!"

"Exactly, look at where this place is, they just come in and ask for Mr. Qin straight away. Let’s hurry and fetch Mr. Jia, that’ll show him."

Minister Qin, as Libationer of the Imperial Academy, was erudite and kind-hearted, always keen to guide the students.

He also taught classes on ordinary days and preferred being called Mr. Qin by the students instead of by his official title.

He was deeply cherished by the students and was personally appointed by His Majesty.

Whereas Mr. Jia, also the vice-chancellor of the Imperial Academy, managed the academy’s discipline.

He had a fearsome appearance and was exceedingly strict, known for his adherence to justice without bowing to power or showing personal favor.

Even if the emperor came, he would not bend the rules.

Any student who erred would face his discipline.

Though Mr. Jia’s surname suggested otherwise, he was genuinely stern, and his fearsome visage together with his rigorous methods made the students both respect and fear him. They privately dubbed him the fierce guardian spirit of the Imperial Academy.

It was said that when His Majesty appointed Mr. Qin as Libationer of the academy, Mr. Qin recommended Mr. Jia, mentioning that if they wanted to reform the Imperial Academy, Mr. Jia was indispensable. His Majesty took his advice and appointed him as vice-chancellor.

Mr. Qin indeed had a discerning eye. At the beginning of the reforms at the Imperial Academy, Mr. Jia played a significant role.

The two cooperated seamlessly. At that time, resistance from the children of the official families was fierce.

Mr. Qin dealt with external pressures and maneuvered diplomatically, while Mr. Jia enforced strict internal regulations.

Regardless of who it was, the lazy privileged students were thoroughly reformed.

One student, born into an official family, couldn’t withstand the pressure.

One night, he scaled the wall and escaped back home to complain.

The next day, a high-ranking official visited the academy to exert pressure, but Mr. Jia did not yield; instead, he expelled the student from the academy and declared him permanently ineligible, gravely offending the official, escalating the matter to His Majesty.

Afterward, seeing this development, other students began to behave properly.

It could be said that without Mr. Qin and Mr. Jia, the Imperial Academy would not be what it was today, hence the students greatly admired them.

The two students moved further away, their voices gradually fading:

"Brother Liu, did you see what that person looked like?"

"Not really, I was about to go out to Orchid Ink Workshop to buy some paper and ink. Just as I reached the gate, I heard someone was causing trouble and immediately turned back, running into you. I heard two people came, one seemed to be a cripple."

"Really, a cripple?..."

The voices faded away, becoming completely inaudible.

Liang Qi put down his pen, stood up, and looked out the window, thoughtfully pondering to himself. To think someone dared to cause trouble at the Imperial Academy. This was the first time he had heard of such an incident in his four years at the academy.