Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

The first official school in Taiyuan Prefecture and Bingzhou.

As Li Chengqian's base of operations in Bingzhou, it was the place where he first implemented his new policies and reforms.

The top official school in Bingzhou, Taiyuan Prefecture, is undoubtedly the official school with the highest teaching standards in the entire Bingzhou Circuit, and even the entire Tang Empire.

Official schools comprised three levels: “children’s school classes”, “village school classes”, and “examination-level school classes”.

The former children's class is responsible for introductory literacy, basic arithmetic, the use of pinyin, and some basic knowledge of grains and the application of solar terms.

The higher-level village schools taught more in-depth subjects, such as word choice and sentence construction, writing and composition, as well as more complex mathematics, Tang law analysis, and Pythagorean theorem construction.

As for the higher-level imperial examination classes, according to some rumors circulating in the Taiyuan Prefecture officialdom...

According to the Crown Prince, as long as one can learn to this level and pass the imperial examination, one will basically have the ability to become a successful candidate in the Tang Dynasty's imperial examinations, even if one does not go on to study at a higher-level imperial university.

They could also participate in the spring imperial examinations and year-end recruitment of officials in Bingzhou, and have priority in entering the officialdom.

And today.

This was accompanied by the publication of notices by the "Datang Xinbao" and local government offices.

Every household in Taiyuan Prefecture with a woman of marriageable age flocked to this premier official school in Bingzhou.

"Make way, make way! Don't stop the carriage here, keep going!"

"This isn't a school registration point, it's an exam registration point. At my First Official School, apart from the preparatory class which has a fixed quota for direct admission, both the village school class and the provincial examination class require entrance exams..."

"Whose child is this! Whose child is lost?! Damn it!"

"Don't crowd here, there are other registration points, spread out! Make sure you have all the documents and certificates mentioned in the newspaper, don't rush, take your time..."

The Taiyuan Prefecture Martial Guards maintaining order, the yamen runners dispatched by the West City Yamen, and the instructors of the First Official School were all busy and sweating profusely.

My voice is almost hoarse from shouting.

However, the number of people who came to register at the scene was so long that it seemed endless.

Even the Taiyuan Prefecture's Road Administration and Transportation Department dispatched its officials to maintain order.

"Make way, make way, let me pass!"

With the help of several guards, Murong Shun squeezed his way to the front of the crowd. In his arms, a girl of about five or six years old was nervously looking around.

I've never seen so many people crammed together before.

Murong Shun was covered in sweat. The reason he was able to bring these guards in was because the officials of Taiyuan Prefecture had given him face. Otherwise... they would be like the high-ranking officials and nobles dressed in fine silks and satins around him.

You have to squeeze it yourself.

"Can we go any further?" Murong Shun asked his subordinates.

Beside him, a young man dressed in the official robes of the Taiyuan Prefecture Canal Transport Office, who was being jostled around, noticed the little girl in Murong Shun's arms.

"Prince Ning, is this your daughter?"

Murong Shun turned his head and stared intently: "Lord Pei, you're here too? Wait, Lord Pei is already married?"

Upon hearing this, Pei Ruocai, the chief official of the Grand Canal Transport Office, smiled slightly.

"No, these three are all my nieces, born to my brothers... The Prince of Da Ning is also sending his daughters to the official school, but judging from the looks of it, the little princess should be enrolled in the preschool class, right?"

"The preparatory school for children doesn't require exams, but I'm vying for exam slots to get my nieces enrolled as soon as possible. Your Highness, could you please grant me passage..."

Without giving Murong Shun a chance to react, Pei Ruo pushed several women from the Pei clan of Hedong forward.

"Huh? Huh? No, wait a minute, there are also limited spots in the children's school, Lord Pei, you!"

"Your Highness, I apologize for the offense. I will host a banquet to apologize to you another day. Hurry up, move forward!"

Not only at the First Official School in Bingzhou, but also at the Second Official School, officials and merchants came to send their daughters or eligible girls from their clans to enroll, and the crowds were shoulder to shoulder.

"Hahaha, these people looked so unwilling during the court assembly that day, but now they're all as anxious as ants on a hot pan. It's really funny!"

A window seat in a restaurant.

King Li You of Chu looked down at the bustling scene at the official school registration area.

He laughed heartily, looking smug and self-satisfied. Anyone who didn't know better would think that these officials and wealthy businessmen were acting this way because of him.

Li Yin silently took a step back, trying his best to put himself in his elder brother's blind spot.

Li Chengqian curled his lips: "Don't smile so smugly. I have already arranged places for you at the First Official School. Starting tomorrow, you will all go to the First Official School to study and start taking the exams from the junior class. If I find out that any of you are not studying hard... hehe."

"Sixth Brother, don't even think about hiding. Unless you're determined not to acknowledge me as your elder brother, you'd better obediently go to the official school with Fifth Brother and the others!"

"what???"

Li You and his companions instantly felt their happiness vanish on the spot.

The seventh brother, Li Yun, had a face that turned red.

"Brother, may I start with the village school?"

Li Chengqian glanced at him sideways: "Go take the exam yourself!"

"From now on, all of you will attend the official school during the day, and after class, return to Yangcheng Palace to complete your studies, and then train in martial arts. I was on inspection tours recently, and you boys had quite a bit of fun!"

"Humph!"

Li You, Li Yin, Li Yun, Li Zhen: "..."

Why do I feel that my father is more like a loving father than my elder brother?

“Hehehe, hehehe…”

In the Imperial Garden of Chang'an, in a pavilion.

Li Shimin held several stacks of letters in his hand, and as he read them, he let out a strange, eerie laugh that was completely out of character for an emperor.

aside.

Li Daozong, who had recently returned to Chang'an from Lingzhou to report on his duties, had his old face turn increasingly red amidst Li Shimin's smirking.

"Hehehe, Chengfan, why do you have that expression? It's perfectly normal for a young girl just beginning to experience love to have someone she likes. I remember clearly how clumsy you and your wife were back then. So what if Xueyan has someone she likes?"

"Hahahaha, so what if her beloved is my Crown Prince? My Chengqian is admired by countless women throughout the land. No need to be nervous, no need to be nervous, hahaha..."

Li Shimin spoke while laughing.

Li Daozong's face, however, was flushed red, gradually turning somewhat dark.

"Your Majesty, how could you allow someone to steal my private letters? This..."

"Hey, hey, hey? Chengfan, you're really wronging me. I didn't steal it. It was that girl Yuzhang who took the wrong book box and mistakenly brought back Xueyan's book box. How could I do such a despicable thing?"

Li Daozong was both angry and furious: "Even so, Your Majesty shouldn't have opened it and read it without permission! Even if you are the emperor, what kind of impression would it make if word got out that you were reading a young girl's private diary?"

Li Shimin's eyes widened.

"Why can't I look? The lover depicted here is my son Gao Ming, my crown prince! Why can't I look?"

"Hmph! I will not only see it today, but I will also have it sent to Bingzhou so that my son can see it as well."

"Look at this title page, tsk tsk tsk, what is the Crown Prince thinking? Does he miss the person under the moon in Chang'an? Hmm..."

Upon hearing this, Li Daozong's expression changed drastically. Even he couldn't bear to look at such sweet words. If the emperor really sent them to the crown prince, what would happen?

Thinking of her daughter's always gentle and weak nature.

Li Daozong felt a chill run down his spine.

"No, no, no, Your Majesty, why must it be like this? Xueyan is shy, and the Crown Prince is not easily swayed by beauty. If he remains unmoved, what foolish thing will Xueyan do? My brother, my brother... Waaah!"

Family members, who knows?

This emperor is inhuman! Not only did he peep at young girls' private conversations, but he also shamelessly threatened their fathers!

Li Shimin chuckled twice and folded the letter back into its original shape.

Put it back in the book box.

Just as Li Daozong reached out to take it, he was stopped by him with a sly smile.

"Chengfan, actually, thinking about it carefully, Xueyan doesn't seem like a bad girl either, and it's not impossible for her and Chengqian to be together..."

Li Daozong: "!!!"

I beg you, please have some humanity!

Do I need to explain your son's situation?

Countless women have their eyes on your son—from prestigious families and high-ranking officials to wealthy merchants who would love to send their daughters to the palace to try their luck.

This is a fucking giant fire pit!

“Your Majesty, Xueyan is too soft-hearted and not suitable for the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince and Xueyan are clearly two different people. Forcing them together will only ruin them.”

"I believe it's best to leave the two of them as they are for now..."

Li Daozong was genuinely panicked.

Li Shimin smiled faintly, said nothing more, and let the other party take the book box away.

Watching Li Daozong's retreating figure as if fleeing, Li Shimin was in an extremely good mood.

Despite knowing that their precious crown prince would surely be admired by countless women.

It was inevitable that such individuals would exist among the imperial relatives.

However, when he actually saw it, Li Shimin couldn't help but feel proud.

Good lad, such charm! No wonder you are the son of the former Prince Li of Taiyuan!

Humming a little tune.

They strolled leisurely to the Empress's Hall of State Affairs.

Watching the other party tally up the profits of some of the caravan's businesses in Bingzhou, he saw them rapidly moving their abacus across the ledgers.

Li Shimin sat to the side and watched for a long time.

Seeing that Empress Zhangsun showed no sign of stopping, he hesitated for a moment.

"cough cough"

Empress Zhangsun raised her eyes: "Second brother, is something the matter?"

Li Shimin coughed twice and recounted the events of the day.

Empress Zhangsun merely nodded, completely failing to grasp his meaning.

After hesitating for a moment, I came up behind the other person.

Gently begin massaging the other person's shoulders.

"Um... Guanyinbi, do you think this palace also needs some repairs?"

Empress Zhangsun was taken aback: "Wasn't it just repaired last year? There's nothing missing in the palace now."

"Cough cough..." Li Shimin dared not look Empress Zhangsun in the eye.

"Well, Guanyinbi, you know, Chengqian is so capable, and so many women admire him. His harem will surely be overflowing with beauties, right? Why not take advantage of the current abundance of the imperial treasury and start preparing the harem in advance... um..."

Empress Zhangsun looked at Li Shimin with a half-smile.

"Second Brother, please continue. I'm listening..."