Provost Sima Heng’s hands shook violently as he ripped open the crimson imperial dispatch.
The blood-cinnabar wax cracked under his thumb, revealing the sharp, trembling brushstrokes of Grand Preceptor Sima Quan:
“Sima Heng! The Emperor is furious! The imperial court’s face has been dragged through the mud! Under no circumstances may a single student from the Imperial Academy cross the street to Lin Mo’s school! Lock the gates! If any noble family tries to withdraw their son, threaten them with treason! Furthermore, find any legal loophole in their curriculum to get their charter revoked before the Triennial Exam!”
Sima Heng crumpled the letter in his fist, his breath coming in ragged wheezes.
“Curriculum...” Sima Heng spat, glaring across the avenue at the colossal white granite posterior blocking his sunrise. “Yes! A university isn’t just buildings! Without ancient Nascent Soul scriptures, an academy is an empty shell! They have no heritage, no library, and no money left!”
However, right at that moment, a clear, resonant chime rang across Central Scholar Avenue.
The sound carried the majestic weight of an ancient bronze bell. It silenced every carriage and pedestrian on the broad street.
Across the avenue, at the grand marble threshold of Taichu Immortal University, Dean Yan Shouzhen stood beneath the glowing Pure-Heart Archway.
