The First National Preceptor of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 264

"Of course I know that the title of Marquis is prestigious, but it has no real power. It's like a demotion in name only. Let it be like this. Marquis Rui will be in charge of the promotion examinations for all scholars in the land. This way, we can select more outstanding talents for our Great Tang. With your abilities, Minister Xu should be able to take on this responsibility."

Meanwhile, Xu Tian was extremely busy at the private school, giving daily training to the Grand Tutor on teaching theories for educating children.

The steward had become so thin he was barely recognizable as human, and was busy renovating the house allocated by the Emperor near Beishan.

Currently, only Dongfang Tingyun teaches at Hongwen Academy.

These children, those in Class A and Class B, have already graduated.

Sun Sanhua said, "Master Dongfang, why haven't we seen Master Xu lately?"

Dongfang Tingyun sighed helplessly. From spring to autumn, even the green bamboo in the academy had turned yellow, and Master Xu had not shown up even once.

Sun Sanhua's eyes were bright.

"Master Dongfang, I heard that the Hongwen Academy in Beishan is about to open. The steward has been telling Master Xu that the Beishan Academy is almost finished with renovations. Is that true?"

Jinzhou: "Does that mean we'll be going to study in the library of Beishan Academy then?"

"How do you clever little devils know so much?"

“Master Dongfang, we are all commoners. Children from ordinary families can’t get along with the children of aristocratic families and high-ranking officials. Could you please talk to Master Xu and let them go to Beishan to study, while we stay in Grand Tutor Xu’s mansion?”

Dongfang Tingyun smiled and said, "You little devils, go back to your studies. This isn't up to me to decide, but you'll be studying at the Hongwen Academy in Grand Tutor Xu's mansion from now on. Don't think too much, understand?"

Sun Sanhua, Jinzhou, and Wang Jiatai nodded and then each began to read aloud from "Elementary School".

For a moment, the sound of reading aloud filled Hongwen Academy. Dongfang Tingyun shook her head and then returned to her office to correct the children's homework.

Three months had passed in the blink of an eye. The steward had become so thin that he was almost unrecognizable from before. He then came to Tinglanxuan, knocked on the door, and said, "Master Xu."

Xu Tian sat on a bamboo chair in the middle, with several tutors sitting on either side of him. At this point, the tutors could only describe themselves as worshipping Xu Tian. Seeing someone disturbing Xu Tian's lesson, one tutor immediately stood up and said, "Who is making a scene outside? You've disturbed Grand Tutor Xu's lesson with us. Can you afford to offend him?"

These people didn't want to miss a single word Xu Tian said. Xu Tian was simply a genius, knowledgeable in everything from astronomy to geography.

Eager to find talented individuals, they naturally didn't want to let Xu Tian slip by. Just as Xu Tian was about to speak, a Grand Secretary from the Hanlin Academy asked him another question, forcing him to give a hasty reply.

The butler was somewhat helpless and had no choice but to leave.

Soon after the Hongwen Academy in Beishan was completed, the steward arranged a car to pick up Xu Tian that very day. As soon as Xu Tian got out of the car, he saw that Eunuch Kou was already waiting at the academy gate.

"Grand Tutor Xu, receive the imperial decree."

"Your humble servant receives the imperial decree. By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Xu Tian, ​​the Grand Tutor of the First Rank, is of outstanding character, noble yet frugal, and deeply favored by me. He is hereby conferred the title of Marquis Rui, bestowed the courtesy name Xianneng Daxueshi (Virtuous and Capable Grand Scholar), and granted residence at the branch of the Hongwen Academy in Beishan. From now on, he shall be addressed as Grand Tutor Rui with the additional title of Grand Preceptor.

After announcing the imperial decree, Eunuch Kou looked at Xu Tian with a face full of satisfaction and said, "I'm afraid that from now on, the threshold of Marquis Rui's Hongwen Academy will be worn down by the crowds. When I came here, I saw many people going up the mountain to study. It's quite a popular place."