Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

The next day, from the East Palace to the Golden Palace

At three quarters past three in the morning, the lights inside and outside the East Palace were already brightly lit.

Chu Ning, wearing a black python robe, a golden crown on his head, and a jade belt around his waist, walked out of the palace surrounded by the Jinyiwei.

"Your Highness, the time has come." Zhao Yu bowed and reported. Behind him, a hundred Jinyiwei stood solemnly on both sides, their swords and armors sharp.

Chu Ning nodded slightly, his eyes sweeping over the fine snow falling under the eaves.

"Start driving——"

Following the eunuch's shrill voice, sixteen strong men lifted the golden-painted sedan chair, with thirty-six Jinyiwei leading the way in front and behind, and eight palace maids on the left and right holding golden gourds and jade axes.

The team marched through the palace road in a mighty manner. The imperial guards knelt wherever they passed, leaving only neat footprints on the snow.

In front of the Golden Palace, civil and military officials had already lined up waiting.

Seeing the prince's procession arrive, everyone knelt down in unison:

"Your Highness the Crown Prince is welcome—"

Chu Ning climbed the jade steps steadily and sat down on the special seat next to the dragon throne.

"Everyone is safe."

"If something happens, you will report it early; if nothing happens, you will withdraw from the court."

After a brief silence in the hall, Zhou Yanru, the Minister of Rites, suddenly stepped out.

"Your Highness, I have something to report."

Chu Ning tapped the armrest with his fingertips and glanced at him calmly: "Speak."

Zhou Yanru took a deep breath and said, "The Scorpion Clan's envoy, Gongsun Yi, has requested an audience. He said he has something important to discuss with Your Highness in private."

Suddenly, there was a faint sound of discussion in the hall.

Chu Ning showed just the right amount of surprise: "Oh?"

Then he turned to the Minister of Revenue, Liu Shouren, and said, "Lord Liu, today's morning court session will be presided over by you and Minister Lu."

Without waiting for anyone's reaction, he stood up and left his seat.

"Congratulations to Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Amid the sound of officials kneeling in worship, Chu Ning's dragon robe swept across the golden brick floor and disappeared at the side door in an instant.

The silver charcoal was burning brightly in the side hall, and Chu Ning was leisurely savoring the clouds and mist of Mount Lu.

"Xuanxie Clan's envoy Gongsun Yi—"

Following the announcement, a nine-foot-tall bearded man strode in.

He was wearing a wolfskin cloak and a scimitar at his waist, and every step he took made the floor tiles tremble slightly.

"Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Chu!" Gongsun Yi saluted with his fists clasped, his voice as loud as a bell.

Chu Ning raised his hand and gestured, "General Gongsun, please take a seat. I wonder what brings you to the palace so early in the morning?"

Gongsun Yi grinned, revealing his gold-studded canines. "I've made a good deal. The Three Kingdoms have agreed to sell my tribe 30,000 dan of grain in exchange for a message from them."

"Oh?" Chu Ning put down the teacup and looked curious.

"Those three great scholars admitted defeat."

Gongsun Yi leaned closer and said, "They admitted that they couldn't answer Wu Xiuning and Chu Tian's questions and wanted to admit defeat. They only asked Your Highness not to let those two children go to the inn again."

"Is there such a thing?"

Chu Ning suddenly raised his voice: "You three great scholars are well-versed in ancient and modern knowledge. How could you not be able to answer a child's question? Don't you want to teach?"

Gongsun Yi was about to speak when Chu Ning slammed the table and stood up: "Zhao Yu!"

Zhao Yu, who was waiting outside the door, came in.

"Today, you will personally take Xiuning and Chutian to the treasury and select some of the finest four treasures of the study and rare books to send to the three gentlemen."

Chu Ning smiled meaningfully and said, "Just say that I sympathize with their hard work in teaching them."

Gongsun Yi's eyes widened: "Your Highness, this..."

"I still have to go to court, please go ahead, General." Chu Ning strode out of the hall, his dragon robe fluttering like a dark cloud passing by.

Gongsun Yi had no choice but to turn around and leave.

At the beginning of the Chen period, the sound of porcelain breaking was heard in the inn.

"Too deceiving!"

Pei Yanzhi smashed the teacup to pieces: "He's trying to exhaust us to death!"

Cui Gaoxuan's face turned pale. "You knew we were going to admit defeat, but you refused to let us. If those two little devils come around for a few more days, my beard will be ripped out!"

Only Sima Hui stared at the falling snow outside the window and suddenly sneered, "What a tactic of retreating to advance. Giving gifts? It's clearly telling the world that we can't even teach our own children."

Gongsun Yi paced anxiously, "We've already signed the agreement regarding the food. You can't go back on your word."

He was worried that the three old guys would not admit it.

"rest assured."

Sima Hui gave him a cold look and said, "After all, the three of us are great scholars. We still have some trust."

"As for those two demon stars, it seems we have to find another way."

The three of them looked at each other and saw the fierceness in each other's eyes.

Outside the window, the snow was falling even harder.

Suddenly, a soldier's voice came from outside the hall: "Sir, people from Chu are coming!"

At this time, Zhao Yu led Wu Xiuning and Chu Tian into the inn.

Four imperial guards behind him were holding a gift box. The lacquered wooden box was carved with auspicious cloud patterns, and it was obvious that it was a gift from the royal family.

"Gentlemen, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, mindful of your hard work in teaching us, has specially ordered us to bring you a small gift."

Zhao Yu bowed, his tone respectful, but there was a sharpness in his eyes.

Pei Yanzhi glanced at the gift box coldly and forced a smile: "Your Highness the Crown Prince is thoughtful."

The imperial guards opened the gift boxes one by one.

The first box contained high-quality Huizhou ink and Chengxintang paper. The ink sticks were painted with gold and depicted pine and cranes symbolizing longevity. The paper was as thin as a cicada's wing, and its texture could be seen under the light.

The second box contains a set of purple-hair brushes. The pen holders are carved from ivory and the brush tips are made of snow mountain sable hair. They are extremely flexible and are tribute from the Chu State.

The third box contains a unique copy of "Spring and Autumn Annals Gongyang Zhuan". The bamboo slips are yellowed, but the edges and corners are well preserved, obviously a palace collection.

Cui Gaoxuan's eyes twitched slightly - how can this be a gift?

It's obviously humiliating!

The Crown Prince of Chu was clearly saying: Since you can't teach your children, you might as well read more books!

Sima Hui suppressed his anger and was about to politely refuse, but Wu Xiuning came forward with a smile:

"Gentlemen, since you can't answer the previous questions, how about we try another three?"

Without waiting for a response, she asked crisply, "The Wen Tian Lun states, 'The Way of Heaven is impartial, while the Way of Man is selfish.' What does the word 'selfish' mean here?"

"Is it the selfishness of 'partiality' or the selfishness of 'self-interest'?"

The three great scholars froze in an instant.

This question seems simple, but it actually contains a hidden meaning - if the answer is "partiality", it will contradict Wen Tian's statement that "human nature is good".

If the answer is "self-interest", it goes against the Confucian teachings of "self-discipline and restoration of propriety".

Pei Yanzhi's forehead was covered with sweat, Cui Gaoxuan's beard trembled slightly, and Sima Hui stared at the gift box on the table, as if the answer was written on the bamboo slips.

Seeing this, Chu Tian blinked and said innocently, "My question is simpler. If you start from Yingdu, the capital of Chu, travel west along the Yuan River for 300 miles, then turn north and pass Cangwu Mountain, where will you end up?"

The three great scholars fell silent again.

They were well-versed in classics and history, but knew nothing about the geography of the Chu State, and had no idea whether the area behind Cangwu Mountain was the territory of the Scorpion Clan or the Baiyue Tribe.

Wu Xiuning covered her mouth and chuckled: "It doesn't matter, there is one last question."

She tilted her head, pretending to think. "The Zhou Li says, 'Six jade vessels were made to honor heaven, earth, and the four directions.' What are these six vessels? And what direction does each correspond to?"

The teacup in Sima Hui's hand cracked with a "click".

This question seems to be a test of classics, but in fact it digs a big pit - the six instruments recorded in "The Book of Zhou" have always been controversial, and Zheng Xuan's annotations and Jia Gongyan's commentaries each hold their own opinions. If you answer it wrongly, you will immediately be labeled as "unlearned".

You could hear a pin drop in the inn, except for the heavy breathing of the three great scholars.

The wind and snow howled outside the window, just like their messy moods.

They were stumped again.

If this gets out, their reputation will be ruined!