The Cruel Tyrant

94

In the heavily guarded palace, Su Mu sat in front of the desk and said to Yun Feiyu: "There is a shortage of talents in the country. There are only less than half of the officials left in the six departments. What do you think of the imperial examination being held at the end of spring?"

"Answering Your Highness, I'm afraid that it will not be appropriate." Yun Feiyu paused slightly: "The imperial examination was once only held every three years in the past, but with the autumn examination just having passed this year, Your Highness holding the examination in the late spring of next year again I'm afraid candidates will not have enough time to prepare."

Examinations in ancient times were not the same as modern college entrance examinations. Putting aside the fact that many scholars could only walk all the way, over mountains and rivers in ancient times if they must, many examinees were unable to afford the cost of lodgings and other necessities once they arrived in the imperial capital.

Su Mu leaned on the chair and frowned slightly, then sighed and asked: "How is the Imperial Classical Academy? How many people are currently enrolled?"

Yun Feiyu looked at the frowning Crown Prince's face and his own heart was slightly affected. The cruel and cold-blooded Crown Prince of the past invoked deep hatred in him, but now this person with the same face as the Crown Prince worrying about the country and the people had him reluctant to see the other so troubled. He heard that almost every day it was always very late into the night before he rested.....

"Answering Your Highness, there are less than a hundred people enrolled in the men's college, less than fifty in the boys' elementary school, only one in the women's college, and no one in the girls' elementary school." Yun Feiyu secretly observed Su Mu's expression, and as expected saw the other's scowl darken.

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Su Mu sat on the chair with dark eyes and kept clenching his fists repeatedly.

Suddenly the eunuch's shrill voice came from outside the door: "Your Highness, Liu gongzi asks for an audience."

Su Mu raised his eyelids: "Let him in."

"Yes."

The door opened and a gust of cold air came in. Liu Xi hurriedly had a servant close the door, then put the food box on the table and took out a bowl of steaming soup for Su Mu, and said gently: "Your Highness, it's snowing outside, this official cooked a warming soup for you, please drink it while it's hot."

With white porcelain fingers, he lifted the soup spoon to Su Mu's mouth, and then glanced subtly at Yun Feiyu, who remained rooted in the same place and without any signs of retreating. Yun Feiyu looked back at him, his gaze still gentle, but it still gave people the feeling of swords facing each other.

Su Mu looked at the spoon that had been lifted to his mouth and had to drink the soup, but who knew that Liu Xi took a mile while having been given an inch and kneeled directly on his chair with one knee, holding the spoon and saying with a voice of clear seduction: "Your Highness....."

Su Mu swiftly glanced at the place where Yun Feiyu was standing with an air of indifference and composure, then said to Liu Xi, who was watching him with a gentle face: "Enough of you, let me drink it by myself."

"Your Highness....." Liu Xi looked at him aggrievedly.

Towards that pair of expressive eyes, Su Mu really wanted to applaud, knowing that he was pretending yet unable to help being charmed by his expression. Su Mu couldn't help but gentle his voice and say, "Recently, a batch of furs arrived with the tribute offerings. As it's cold, you can pick a few."