Echoes of My Heart Throughout the Court

Zhu Bailu was not a descendant of Zhu Zi, but perhaps because they shared the same surname, he had a keen interest in Zhu Zi’s philosophy.

Xu Yanmiao, on the other hand, had no particular interest in the teachings of any of the ancient philosophers.

Or rather, if one had to categorize him, he was the type who knew a little about this school of thought and a bit about that one—familiar with each philosopher’s ideas but mastering none.

After Zhu Bailu left, Lian Hang turned to him and asked in a low voice, “Xu Lang, can you debate?”

Xu Yanmiao replied with confidence, “No.”

Lian Hang: “Then you—!”

Xu Yanmiao coughed lightly. “I have a few tricks up my sleeve. It’s not the right time to explain now, but after dinner—do you want to come along?”

Lian Hang: “Of course!”

Xu Yanmiao: “Then help me with something…”

Xu Yanmiao was just as shocked. “What kind of misunderstanding do you have about me?! I don’t provoke others unless they provoke me first. I’m not a steamed bun!”

Lian Hang: “A… steamed bun?”

Xu Yanmiao: “Yeah, it’s a way of saying someone is easy to bully—soft on the outside, full of stuffing, and anyone can take a bite without consequence.”

Lian Hang gave his friend a strange look and suddenly fell silent.

Xu Yanmiao: “?”

Tell me, what does that look mean?!

Lian Hang! Say something!

Zhu Bailu returned to his temporary residence and instructed his servants to fetch the most elegant robe that would make him appear learned and refined. He washed his hands, feet, and body lightly before putting on the robe, securing his hair with a coronet, and stepping out of the house. He then boarded a carriage and headed toward Scholar Tong’s academy.

Upon arrival, his smile froze in confusion. “Why are there…?”

So many people?!

Why were most of the capital’s officials here?!

Why was His Majesty here?!

Even the retired Prime Minister Dou had come?!

Why was the great scholar Tong Xin here too?!

He had indeed arranged for people to spread the word about his upcoming debate with Xu Yanmiao, but not like this!

Xu Yanmiao approached him and tactfully asked, “Did word get out by accident? If so… perhaps I should say that I have social anxiety, cancel the debate, and we can find a private place instead?”

For a brief moment, Zhu Bailu hesitated.

He wanted to humiliate Xu Yanmiao, but he hadn’t intended for him to be disgraced in front of such a massive audience.

—Having his failure spread as gossip afterward was one thing. Losing face in real-time, in front of this many people, was an entirely different level of pressure.

Xu Yanmiao watched him quietly.

Zhu Bailu wavered for a short second before suddenly putting on a kindly smile and bowing to Xu Yanmiao. “Since the news has already spread, perhaps it is fate. Why not proceed with the debate as planned? What do you think, Xu Lang?”

[Sure, I was the one who told Lian Hang to leak the news… but I did give him a chance, didn’t I?]

Xu Yanmiao: “Alright, let’s begin.”

His expression remained calm, as if he had no fear of being exposed for lacking knowledge.

After all, if an imperial examination examiner was found lacking in scholarship, the scholars would undoubtedly protest. In the previous dynasty, even a Prime Minister lost his position—not because he lacked knowledge, but because his exam questions were too simple, preventing candidates from distinguishing themselves. The scholars had protested, staged sit-ins, and written essays condemning him, ultimately forcing him out of office.

Zhu Bailu couldn’t make sense of it.

Could this man truly have real academic prowess?

But he had bribed Lord Quan’s coachman, who claimed that Xu Yanmiao couldn’t even recite the Analects properly!

There was no way that someone who hadn’t memorized the Analects could be an expert in Zhu Zi’s works instead, right?

There’s no way it was just a coincidence… right?

Quan Yizhang had no idea his coachman had accepted a bribe.

Even if he did know, he wouldn’t care. He might even pay for a top physician to examine Zhu Bailu’s head.

Like—dude, White Deer, did you even ask properly? Xu Yanmiao being unable to recite the Analects was three years ago!

He sat beneath an ancient, weathered tree with Tong Xin.

“Old Demon Tong.”

Quan Yizhang glanced sideways at his friend. “Why are you here? Don’t you despise Zhu Zi, calling him a hypocrite?”

—This was the same man who had written an entire book refuting Zhu Zi’s philosophy line by line.

At the mention of this, Tong Xin immediately fumed. “You scoundrel! I considered you a friend, yet you kept such a big secret from me!”

Quan Yizhang blinked. “What secret? What are you talking about?”

Tong Xin: “You followed that Xu Lang around and watched a fantastic spectacle, but you never invited me!”

Quan Yizhang silently let out a breath of relief.

For a moment, he thought this old demon had figured out Xu Yanmiao’s true nature.

He chuckled. “It was a rush at the time—I barely had time to keep up myself. Next time, if I have the chance, I’ll be sure to invite you.”

Tong Xin reluctantly “forgave” his friend.

Quan Yizhang: “So, you wouldn’t happen to be here today because…” He glanced at Xu Yanmiao, forming a suspicion but hesitating to confirm it.

Tong Xin: “I have a feeling that with that young man present, this debate will be very interesting.”

Quan Yizhang: “Then you’ve guessed right!”

He decided to drop a hint. “That kid always has fascinating things happening around him—Old Demon Tong, why don’t you join the court? You don’t have to do anything, just take the same position as me, a Grand Tutor.”

—The Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince was an honorary position with no fixed number of appointees.

Tong Xin shook his head. “Politics isn’t for me.”

He trusted his friend’s words, but he had long grown weary of the bureaucracy. Now that he had finally escaped that cage and gained his freedom, no matter how intriguing the court became, he would never go back against his own will.

Quan Yizhang: “Are you sure?”

Tong Xin: “Absolutely.”

Quan Yizhang: “Heh heh.”

Tong Xin: “?”

Quan Yizhang’s gaze flickered. Old Demon Tong, you said it yourself! If you ever return to office, you can’t blame me for not warning you!

Looking up, he suddenly exclaimed, “Whoa! That kid Xu looks sharp today!”

Tong Xin instinctively followed his gaze.

In the center of the gathering stood a young man—fair-skinned, bright-eyed, and undeniably handsome.

But what truly caught Tong Xin’s attention was the vibrant energy exuding from him, like a resilient vine flourishing under the pure, clear sunlight.

With just one glance, Tong Xin made an assessment. “He’s never encountered real scheming and backstabbing in his life, has he?”

Quan Yizhang laughed heartily. “That’s certainly true. But he’s already been in the bureaucracy for three years!”

Tong Xin mulled over these words, savoring their implications. “You’re trying to drive me mad with curiosity, aren’t you?”

How could anyone possibly stay in government for three years without being tainted by its darkness?

What was so special about this person?

For him to retain such clear and unclouded eyes in a world as murky as ink—wasn’t that another kind of terrifying?

Tong Xin felt as if a cat’s claws were scratching at his heart. But no matter how much he pressed for answers, Quan Yizhang merely smiled without saying a word. When he pushed too hard, Quan Yizhang simply said, “Just watch the debate first.”

Tong Xin gritted his teeth in frustration but could do nothing except suppress his curiosity and turn his gaze to the center of the arena.

—As for the man standing across from that young scholar, Tong Xin barely spared him a glance.

“Today’s debate is for scholarly discourse, not to condemn others for their words. A gentleman seeks harmony without uniformity. The path of learning is long; though we may hold different views, we can still exchange knowledge and learn from each other.”

“No matter who wins or loses, one should not dwell too much on victory or defeat. The victor must remain humble, not arrogant and complacent. The loser must not be discouraged—winning and losing are trivial, but expanding one’s knowledge is what truly matters.”

The former Prime Minister Dou Qing had been invited as an impromptu judge. After finishing his formal speech, Xu Yanmiao looked toward Zhu Bailu—just in time to meet his gaze.

“Please, after you.”

“Please, Xu Lang.”

Both maintained an air of civility.

Among the spectators who were unaware of the backstory, some stroked their beards with satisfaction, thinking: Now this is a proper scholarly debate, echoing the virtues of the ancient gentlemen.

Then they glanced sideways with disdain.

Some people—who knew where they had come from—had actually brought sunflower seeds and peanuts!

You’re here to watch a scholarly debate, not a street brawl! This is too much!

The Crown Prince leaned against the doorframe, grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds from his waist pouch, and began cracking them open.

The Emperor beside him: “Crack, crack, crack—”

Casually, he passed some to the Prime Ministers and Ministers of the Six Ministries.

Left and Right Prime Ministers: “Crack, crack, crack—”

Six Ministers: “Crack, crack, crack—”

Sunflower seed shells littered the ground.

—Taking this debate seriously? Not a chance. They were certain it wouldn’t stay serious for long.

At the center of the arena—

Xu Yanmiao spoke first. “Master Zhu emphasized that ‘literature and the Way are one and the same,’ advocating for ‘fully realizing heavenly principles and eradicating human desires,’ for ‘education as the fulfillment of human ethics,’ for ‘rectifying the ruler’s heart,’ for ‘inquiring about the Way,’ for ‘austere scholars maintaining strict discipline,’ for ‘knowing before acting’ and simultaneously ‘balancing knowledge and action’… Which one would you like to debate? What is your argument?”

The Emperor let out a sound of surprise. “Didn’t expect it—Xu Yanmiao actually has studied Zhu Xi? The boy isn’t entirely ignorant after all.”

[Good thing I asked someone about Zhu Xi’s main theories in advance, or this would have been embarrassing.]

[Last-minute cramming does work.]

The Emperor: “……”

I take back what I just said.

Zhu Bailu, unaware of Xu Yanmiao’s inner thoughts, maintained his smile, but his heart skipped several beats.

Not good—did I accidentally pick a topic this brat excels at?

But, no matter. Was he really here to debate?

Zhu Bailu glanced at the Emperor next to the Crown Prince and chose the most flattering topic:

“I have heard of the ‘Yulong Temple’ affair—many noblewomen, despite having husbands, failed to uphold proper virtue and engaged in illicit relations with monks. I have also heard that recently there was debate on whether women associating with men outside their families constitutes a breach of decorum. Thus, today’s debate shall be on ‘Starving to death is a small matter; losing chastity is a great one.’ What do you think?”

To avoid accusations of misogyny, he quickly added, “This phrase originally applied to scholars upholding their moral integrity. Just as ‘fully realizing heavenly principles and eradicating human desires’ was Zhu Xi’s response to a time of internal and external crisis—he feared the ruler’s concessions to foreign enemies and, under the notion of ‘rectifying the ruler’s heart,’ sought to guide the monarch in eliminating excessive desires and living in accordance with heavenly principles.”

Pausing briefly, Zhu Bailu continued, “However, everything changes with time. Over the centuries, ‘fully realizing heavenly principles and eradicating human desires’ shifted from applying to rulers to scholars, and then to commoners. We may debate its original meaning or its extended implications.”

Zhu Bailu concluded, full of confidence, and turned to gauge the Emperor’s reaction.

“?”

Why was there no response?

Hadn’t someone told him the Emperor was quite fond of Lessons for Women?

Still clinging to outdated information from three years ago, Zhu Bailu was utterly confused.

Meanwhile, Xu Yanmiao was also bewildered.

He scrutinized the system interface’s gossip on Zhu Xi’s philosophy, checked again, and raised a question.

“Master Zhu, may I ask something?”

Zhu Bailu, distracted, replied absentmindedly, “Go ahead.”

Xu Yanmiao: “You propose debating ‘Starving to death is a small matter; losing chastity is a great one’… That’s fine, but didn’t you say this debate was on Zhu Xi’s philosophy?”

Zhu Bailu: “What?”

A creeping sense of unease gripped him.

His expertise in Zhu Xi’s teachings was limited to the content tested in the imperial exams.

If something wasn’t on the exam, he had skimmed it at best.

Xu Yanmiao checked the gossip panel once more and confirmed his suspicion—

Then, with the clarity of a student answering in class, he loudly and confidently proclaimed:

“But ‘Starving to death is a small matter; losing chastity is a great one’—that’s Cheng Yi’s philosophy!”

What’s happening? Did they Start Yet? Am I late?

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