Chapter 138: I am determined to take advantage, it doesn’t matter who comes!
Then, the officials in the court quickly thought of themselves!
If this policy is implemented, they will also suffer!
Because in this era, it is believed that more children bring more blessings, a house full of descendants. If you have the ability, you should have more children. If you don’t have the ability, you create opportunities to have more children. The more children, the better!
For officials like them, it is impossible to have only one son!
They have at least two or three, some even have a dozen or more!
If this policy continues, they will continue to be exploited by Lin Beifan!
Until the end, not a single child will be left!
This bastard is ruthless and cunning!
“I object!” Gao Tianyao, the Minister of Personnel, stood up and objected loudly.
The Empress asked, “Minister Gao, why do you object?”
“Your Majesty!” Gao Tianyao said loudly, “If we enroll all eligible children of fifth-ranked officials and above in the imperial academy, the number of students would be too large! The space and teaching resources of the national academy are limited, and it cannot accommodate so many students! We should allocate our precious educational resources to the more outstanding students!”
“Therefore, I believe this method is inappropriate. Your Majesty, please reconsider!”
Lin Beifan smiled faintly, “Minister Gao is overthinking it. In fact, there aren’t that many people! I have already calculated it. There are a total of over 400 officials ranked fifth or above nationwide, and on average, each person has 3 to 4 children. That comes to around 1,200 to 1,600 children! However, there aren’t that many eligible children who meet the requirements. There are just over 200 in total!”
“And our national academy can currently accommodate over 8,000 students. It is just an additional 200 students, which can be easily accommodated! Therefore, this method can be fully implemented!”
The officials were shocked to hear this!
There are actually over 200 people!
The Imperial Academy has over 20 yahuan (sons of high-ranking officials), who you abuse your power over them!
Won’t these additional 200 students make you excessively full?
“I object!” Qian Yuanshen, the Minister of Finance, stood up and spoke loudly.
The Empress asked, “Minister Qian, why do you object?”
“Your Majesty!” Qian Yuanshen said loudly, “All expenses of the Imperial Academy rely on allocations from the national treasury! If this policy is implemented, the required funds will undoubtedly increase significantly! Currently, the treasury is tight. Please reconsider, Your Majesty!”
Lin Beifan smiled, “Minister Qian is joking! It’s just an increase of 200 students. How much money could be needed? Even 30 to 40 thousand taels per year would be more than enough! If the treasury is truly tight and unable to allocate these funds, I am willing to personally bear the responsibility! Consider it as providing benefits and warmth to officials ranked fifth or above nationwide!”
Civil and military officials: “What the hell!”
How can such shameless words be uttered?
Are you really providing benefits to officials?
It’s clearly a scheme for personal gain!
Is this your idea of warmth?
It’s more like handing out knives!
Even beasts have more humanity than you!
“I object!” Wang Rushui, the Minister of Industry, stood up.
“Your Majesty, this method is absolutely inappropriate! Education must be fair, especially the Imperial Academy, which is sponsored by our dynasty. It must be fair and just, allowing every scholar to have a fair opportunity to compete, rather than relying on the influence of their fathers!”
“If this method is implemented, it will lead to educational inequality and severely dampen the enthusiasm of scholars, causing disappointment among the people towards the court! In the long run, the consequences will be significant. Your Majesty, please reconsider!”
Lin Beifan smiled and said, “Minister Wang is right, education should be fair! Every scholar should have a fair competition to have the opportunity to enter the Imperial Academy. However, those officials who have devoted so much for Her Majesty, the court, the people, and the country, their children cannot enter the Imperial Academy. Is that fair?”
“Those who dedicate themselves to the nation and its people deserve even greater rewards. That is true fairness! For anyone, the education of their offspring is an indispensable matter!” Lin Beifan bowed, “Therefore, I have provided them an opportunity to resolve their worries for the future. Only then will they be sincerely grateful and wholeheartedly work for the country and its people! This is a great benefit for the nation and the common people. Your Majesty, please take this into careful consideration!”
“I oppose!”
…
Several officials stood up to oppose.
However, Lin Beifan refuted all their reasons one by one, with sound arguments and evidence.
He was determined to take advantage of the situation, and it didn’t matter who came.
The officials were both angry and resentful, wishing they could pick up bricks and hurl them at Lin Beifan’s face!
The Empress sat on the dragon throne, enjoying the scene, with a mischievous smile in her heart.
If this guy ever got greedy for money, his combat power would skyrocket!
Engaging in verbal battles with the officials, not a single one was his match!
This time, the officials of the court were truly being taken advantage of by him!
“Alright, enough of the noise! All of you are here for the court and the prosperity of the nation. It’s not good to hurt each other’s feelings!”
The Empress looked at the memorial, pondered for a moment, and said, “After careful consideration and taking into account both sides’ opinions, I find this method feasible. I will follow the advice of Principal Lin and implement this method without any mistakes!”
“No!” The officials closed their eyes in despair, as if they could see their own future, a dark abyss.
Only Lin Beifan had a smile on his face, saying, “Thank you, Your Majesty!”
After attending the morning court session, Lin Beifan hummed a tune and went back to work at the Imperial Academy.
Yao Zheng had been waiting at the door, anxiously looking out.
When he saw Lin Beifan approaching, he practically ran over, nervously asking, “Mr. Principal, how did it go? Did Her Majesty approve?”
Lin Beifan smiled and replied, “With me taking action, why worry? Her Majesty has already agreed. The edict will be issued shortly. You can relax and focus on your duties as the Director!”
Yao Zheng was overjoyed, exclaiming, “Her Majesty agreed? That’s fantastic! I can serve as an official in the court again! Haha…”
He was so excited, like a child, that tears of joy streamed down his face!
“Congratulations, Director Yao!”
“Now you have to address me as Director Yao, haha!”
“Director Yao, haha!”
…
The other officials from the Imperial Academy approached, offering their congratulations and feeling full of envy. While the position of Director was just a minor sixth-rank official and not significant in the imperial court, within the Imperial Academy, it was already the second most important position after the Principal.
Many officials spend their entire lives in service but never reach this position. How could one not feel envious?
“Gentlemen, tonight I will host a banquet. I invite all of you to come and celebrate!” Yao Zheng said with enthusiasm.
“We humbly accept your invitation!” they all laughed.
“We’ll discuss eating and drinking later. Sir Yao, now that you have become the Director, there is one task I need you to take care of,” Lin Beifan said with a smile.
“What is it, Mr. Principal? Just give your orders!” Yao Zheng clasped his hands together, excited and ready to accomplish something significant.
“We are preparing to expand the enrollment at the Imperial Academy, by approximately 200 additional students. I need you to make the necessary arrangements,” Lin Beifan said.
Everyone was taken aback. “Expanding the enrollment at the Imperial Academy?”
On that same day, the edict appointing Yao Zheng as the Director of the Imperial Academy was issued. Simultaneously, imperial decrees requesting the eligible children of local officials ranked fifth-grade and above to enroll at the Imperial Academy were distributed throughout the country.
All the officials were confused. Why suddenly request their children to study at the Imperial Academy? Although they couldn’t understand it, they realized it was a favorable opportunity. After all, the Imperial Academy was the highest academic institution in the country, with top-notch educational resources—a sacred place for scholars across the realm.
Which scholar wouldn’t want to study and further their education there? Moreover, studying at the Imperial Academy provided an opportunity to network with the influential and would be beneficial for their future careers.
There were just too many advantages!
As a result, many people eagerly packed their belongings and rushed to the capital.
However, some cunning officials contacted their connections in the capital to gather information.
“There’s no use speculating. You’ll know when you arrive. Just remember to have your children bring some money!”
The officials inquiring were bewildered. “Huh?”
Within two days, students arrived with great enthusiasm to register. Yet, they were met with sympathetic and pitiful looks, as if they were lambs waiting to be slaughtered.
Confused, one of the students asked, “Why are you all looking at me like this? Is there something on my face?”
A passing student asked, “I have a question for you!”
The other student bowed and said, “Please, go ahead, classmate!”
“How are your academic grades usually?”
The other student humbly replied, “I can only say they’re average, barely enough to recognize the characters! If it weren’t for the grace of the Empress, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to study at the Imperial Academy! I am grateful to Her Majesty and the Principal!”
Everyone’s gaze became even more sympathetic.
Oh, how pitiful!
Being deceived and still helping others count their money!
The other student began to feel a bit anxious. “Why are you all looking at me like that? Can someone explain?”
The student who asked the question sighed, then patted the other student’s shoulder. “It’s nothing. Take care of yourself and good luck! I hope when I see you next time, you’ll still be alive.”
The other student remained silent.
The second student stepped forward and gave the other student a warm embrace. “Take care, my brother!”
The other student remained silent.
The third student approached. “Brother, don’t resist, or things will only get worse!”
The other student remained silent.
…
One after another, they came forward as if it were a farewell ceremony for the deceased.
The other student was completely bewildered!
And so, half a month quickly passed!
Over 200 new students were all in place, beginning their new campus life.
As the Principal of the Imperial Academy, Lin Beifan attached great importance to this group of students.
To welcome their arrival, he prepared a rigorous entrance exam.
Out of a total of 250 students, over 200 failed, which made Lin Beifan grin from ear to ear. Then came the punishment.
To avoid being beaten, they had no choice but to pay up, and Lin Beifan took a hefty cut.
Just from this one entrance exam, Lin Beifan pocketed over 4 million, making the new students cry their hearts out!
“This is too cruel and inhumane! How could you treat me like this? I’m just a child!”
“Do you have no humanity? Is there no justice?”
“What right do you have to be the Principal?”
“I will protest to the court! I will accuse you of your brutality!”
…
Lin Beifan held the stick and sneered, “Go ahead and report, go ahead and protest! If the court investigates, I’m finished, and your fathers won’t be able to escape responsibility. We’ll all go down together!”
The new students trembled in fear. “You’re a demon!!!”
Next, except for a few students with good academic and moral performance who were transferred out by Lin Beifan, all the others were grouped together and subjected to strict daily management.
If they didn’t obey, they were beaten. If they didn’t want to be beaten, they had to pay. If they couldn’t pay, the beatings continued!
Every day, cries of agony echoed throughout the place!
The newly appointed Direct, Yao Zheng, heard about it and shook his head, not interfering much.
After all, the troublesome and pampered students were all handed over to Lin Beifan to handle. Only he could keep this unruly group of students in line.
As for Yao Zheng, he only needed to focus on the academic and moral education of the good students.
