Chapter 133: Turmoil at the Academy, Clouds of Suspicion Obscure the Sky

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Chapter 133: Turmoil at the Academy, Clouds of Suspicion Veiling the Clear Sky

The news brought by Young Master Fang exploded beside Lin Shiya’s ear like a clap of thunder.

The Academy—the sacred place where scholars were taught and nurtured—had actually fallen into turmoil?

Her heart filled with worry, and an ominous premonition arose within her.

Without time to think, Lin Shiya snatched up her official hat and hurried outside, the hem of her robe billowing behind her like surging waves.

“Prepare the sedan! We’re going to the Academy at once!” Her voice was urgent, with a faint tremor that was difficult to detect.

The sedan sped along, but the jolting road only deepened Lin Shiya’s unease.

She lifted the curtain and watched the scenery flash past outside, her thoughts churning.

What had happened at the Academy?

Who could be so bold as to cause chaos beneath the Son of Heaven’s very feet?

The moment she arrived at the Academy gates, Lin Shiya was stunned by the sight before her.

The academy gates, usually solemn and imposing, were now surrounded so tightly by a crowd of agitated students that not even a drop of water could pass through.

They held aloft banners covered in words of protest and shouted slogans at the tops of their voices, their cries deafening.

“Reform will ruin the nation! Reform will ruin the nation!”

“Oppose reform! Oppose reform!”

Among the crowd, one tall student with an impassioned face was especially conspicuous.

It was Student Sun. At that moment, he was waving his arms and loudly denouncing the various “crimes” of the reformists.

“The reformists have disrupted the moral order and corrupted the academic atmosphere! They intend to destroy our academy and ruin the future of every scholar!” Student Sun shouted himself hoarse, spittle flying from his mouth.

The surrounding students, stirred up by his words, grew even more agitated and began echoing him. The scene descended into chaos.

Lin Shiya’s heart sank at the sight.

She knew that this disturbance was no accident. Someone must be manipulating events from the shadows.

She drew a deep breath and forced herself to remain calm before striding toward the crowd.

“Silence!” she shouted sternly.

Her voice was clear and powerful, like a thunderclap, instantly overpowering the uproar.

Startled by the sudden command, the students all turned toward Lin Shiya.

Seeing her standing there in official robes, imposing and dignified, many began to feel uneasy and gradually fell silent.

Lin Shiya’s gaze was sharp as a torch. She swept her eyes over the crowd before finally fixing them on Student Sun.

“Student Sun, you claim that the reformists have disrupted the moral order and corrupted the academic atmosphere. What evidence do you have?”

Her voice was cold and resolute, like a sharp sword piercing straight into Student Sun’s heart.

Under her keen gaze, panic seized him, and the speech he had prepared suddenly became halting.

“I…I… They, they just… just… broke the rules!” Student Sun stammered. His face flushed, yet he could not explain himself clearly.

His eyes darted about, unwilling to meet Lin Shiya’s gaze.

Whispers began spreading through the crowd, and some of the students who had initially been swept up in the agitation began to calm down.

They started wondering whether Student Sun truly possessed any solid evidence.

After all, they had merely heard people say that reform was harmful. As for precisely how it was harmful, they could not explain that either.

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Seeing this, Lin Shiya’s lips curved faintly upward.

Just then, a somewhat aged yet vigorous voice came from the rear of the crowd.

“Student Sun is absolutely right! The reformists are nothing but charlatans spreading heresy. They have no concern whatsoever for the survival of us scholars!”

The crowd automatically parted, and an old man in Confucian robes, his beard and hair completely white, stepped forward.

He was Master Qian, one of the most stubborn conservatives in the Academy.

His eyes were cloudy, yet he possessed an unquestionable dignity.

“Lady Lin, you are young and have little experience. What could you possibly know of the art of governing a nation?” Master Qian sneered. “Reform is a matter that shakes the foundations of the state. How can it be undertaken so rashly? You reformists intend nothing less than to destroy the future of every scholar!”

His words rang out with force, filled with the power to sway the hearts of men.

The students who had begun to waver were stirred up once more. They raised their fists and shouted their opposition to reform again.

“Master Qian is right! The reformists are traitors and rebels!”

“We will never allow the reformists to destroy our academy!”

Seeing the students’ emotions flare up once more, Lin Shiya sensed that the situation was taking a dangerous turn.

She drew a deep breath and struggled to maintain her composure.

She knew she had to find a way to turn the situation around.

Looking around at the angry faces of the students, she felt her resolve grow stronger.

“Master Qian, you keep insisting that reform will ruin the nation, but have you ever considered why the Academy has become what it is today?” Her eyes blazed as she stared directly into his. Her voice was cold as ice. “Are you truly acting for the sake of the students?”

“Hmph. Naturally, I am acting for the good of the students!” Master Qian snorted, sweeping his sleeve aside. “Everything I have done is to preserve peace within the Academy!”

Lin Shiya looked at him, a cold smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“Is that so?” she said. Then she suddenly raised her voice and spoke each word with clarity and force. “Master Qian, do you dare reveal your true purpose before all the students?”

Her gaze was sharp as a blade, shooting straight at him.

“You insist that reform will ruin the nation, yet you have never explained precisely how. You claim that the reformists have disrupted the moral order, but what exactly is this moral order? And how has it been disrupted? You shout empty slogans and incite the students, yet you cannot produce the slightest piece of solid evidence. What, exactly, are your intentions?”

Her succession of questions struck Master Qian like a rapid barrage, leaving him completely unprepared.

A flicker of panic crossed his face. He had believed that, relying on his prestige and impassioned rhetoric, he could easily suppress Lin Shiya. He had never expected her to be so sharp-tongued, every word striking directly at his weak points.

The students watching also began whispering among themselves.

Some of those whom Master Qian had incited now began to think more calmly.

They realized that his words were indeed riddled with flaws.

He had done nothing but condemn the reformists, without offering a single concrete piece of evidence.

“That’s true. Master Qian, why don’t you explain where reform is actually wrong?” one student asked boldly.

“Exactly. We would like to hear your explanation,” another student echoed.

More and more students began questioning Master Qian, and his expression grew increasingly ugly.

He opened and closed his mouth, wanting to defend himself, but found that he had no idea where to begin.

The arguments he had prepared seemed pale and powerless before Lin Shiya’s piercing questions.

“I…I…” Master Qian stammered, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

At that moment, Young Master Fang walked over to Lin Shiya and said in a low voice, “Lady Lin, be careful. There is someone behind Master Qian.”

Lin Shiya gave a slight nod. She had long since sensed that this disturbance was no accident.

Feeling the warmth of Young Master Fang’s hand, her heart softened.

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In that chaotic moment, his support gave her an immeasurable sense of reassurance.

Seeing that the situation was turning against him, Master Qian rolled his eyes and suddenly pointed at Lin Shiya, shouting, “Lady Lin, as an imperial official, you are actually shielding the reformists! You have no regard for the law!”

Lin Shiya let out a cold laugh. “Master Qian, are you trying to change the subject? When have I ever shielded the reformists? I am merely seeking the truth.”

When one scheme failed, Master Qian immediately resorted to another. He suddenly dropped to his knees and began wailing dramatically.

“I have been wronged! Lady Lin, you have wronged this old man! My loyalty is pure—heaven and earth themselves can testify to it!”

Watching his clumsy performance, Lin Shiya sneered inwardly.

She knew that Master Qian was putting on an act, trying to win sympathy and muddy the waters.

“Master Qian,” Lin Shiya said, her voice cold and resolute, “do you think this will allow you to escape responsibility?”

Master Qian raised his head. A venomous glint flashed in his eyes.

“Lin Shiya, you…”

Lin Shiya looked down at Master Qian, kneeling on the ground and crying out that he had been wronged.

She cast him a contemptuous glance, then turned her attention to the students gathered around them.

“Students,” she said, her clear voice carrying an unquestionable authority, “I, Lin Shiya, will investigate today’s events to the very bottom. I will clear the reformists’ names and give every one of you an explanation!”

Her words rang out like the peal of a resounding bell, shaking everyone present.

Her gaze passed over one young face after another. The students who had been burning with anger only moments before now showed hesitation in their eyes.

They looked at the young official before them. Her upright bearing and resolute gaze inspired an inexplicable sense of trust.

“Since entering public service, everything I, Lin Shiya, have done has been for the people of this realm. I will never allow anyone to twist right and wrong, or confuse truth and falsehood, for the sake of personal gain!”

She raised her voice once more, a trace of anger entering her tone.

She surveyed the surroundings, her eyes filled with determination and sharpness, like a drawn sword aimed straight at the hearts of men.

Some students were moved by her presence. Their raised fists slowly lowered.

They exchanged glances, uncertainty beginning to fill their eyes.

The noisy protests gradually faded, replaced by hushed discussion.

“Lady Lin is right. We must not let ourselves be used as someone else’s weapon,” a voice called from within the crowd.

Though soft, it was like a small stone dropped into a still lake, sending ripples spreading in every direction.

“Yes. Let’s hear what Lady Lin has to say first,” another voice agreed.

The students began whispering among themselves, and some of the emotions that had been stirred up gradually settled.

They began to wonder whether they had truly been used—and what the truth behind everything really was.

Watching the chaos slowly subside before her, Lin Shiya felt slightly relieved.

She knew that she had only stabilized the situation for the moment. The true mastermind still remained hidden in the shadows.

She turned her gaze toward Master Qian once more. His face was covered in sweat, and his eyes had become frantic and sinister.

Lin Shiya knew that today’s events were far from over. The real struggle had only just begun.

Just then, she felt someone give her sleeve a gentle tug. It was Young Master Fang.

He gave her a slight shake of the head, concern visible in his eyes.

Lin Shiya nodded softly, understanding what he meant.

She looked around, then finally fixed her gaze on the towering gatehouse of the Academy, as though staring into the darkness concealed within.

“I will investigate this matter to the very end…” Lin Shiya said slowly, looking toward the depths of the Academy.

Her voice was cold and resolute, yet it scattered into the wind, its lingering echoes not yet faded.

Young Master Fang walked to her side and said in a low voice, “Lady Lin, I fear there is more beneath the surface within the Academy. Perhaps we should…”

He paused and ultimately left the sentence unfinished.

Lin Shiya merely nodded.