Inside and outside the classroom, there was a spell of silence, but not quiet—countless heartbeats and breaths mixed together, as if a monster was gestating here.
Ming Shuangli and others also gathered around the classroom to watch, and upon hearing Ming Shuiyun's speech, Ming Taolang exclaimed, "Shuiyun is so impressive today!"
"I thought she would run into trouble, but unexpectedly..." Ming Dailan looked at the spotlight-capturing Ming Shuiyun, her eyes full of envy: "...she did run into trouble, but in a good way."
Ming Shuangli snorted: "It must all be taught by Qin Leyin."
"Oh dear, who was it a few days ago who said 'Niruo is the world's number one sword sheath'..." Ming Yueyan laughed slyly.
"Niruo is still the world's number one sword sheath now!" Ming Shuangli retorted without conceding.
"Indeed, what Shuiyun said about Qin Leyin distancing from her was false." Ming Qingyun laughed: "No one can resist the contract of the Holy Sword's radiance."
Inside the classroom, amidst the silence, someone suddenly raised a hand.
A very ordinary gesture, yet it made Ming Shuiyun's heart bloom—this was the first person to request permission before speaking.
This was the first person who respected her status.
Ming Shuiyun's mouth subtly curved, and she raised her hand, saying, "Please speak."
"Shuiyun Palace, you just said that lending you money would show loyalty. What about us students who are short of money but still want to join your cause, wouldn't we be left out?"
"Of course not!" Ming Shuiyun immediately said: "After the research club is established, we will recruit new members to participate in the development of the new Battle Card game. Naturally, compared to officers who are willing to invest from the start, new members will need to work harder to gain recognition from the club and for me to see your abilities."
"A Prime Minister must rise from local officials, a fierce general must rise from the ranks. The 'Peerless Kill Research Club' is exactly the stage that can showcase your abilities!"
"By the way, I'll briefly outline the structure of the research club. I am the honorary president of the club, and I will not interfere with the club's operations regularly. The club will establish an officer group, and the daily operations and financial flows of the club will be managed entirely by the officers."
Ming Shuiyun paused: "Meanwhile, I will also interact more with the officers, allowing them to guide me in my studies at the Imperial Academy."
A monarch above and holding the ultimate power below?
How is this different from a small cabinet?
Someone immediately asked, "Then how to become an officer?"
However, Ming Shuiyun did not answer, instead, she nodded at a student who had raised their hand, and only after they asked the same question did she slowly say, "Initially, of course, the more loyal you are, the more qualified you are to become an officer."
Loyalty?
Everyone instinctively looked at the blackboard, and Ming Shuiyun nodded: "Yes, in this fundraising event, the more money you lend, the more qualified you are to become a close officer of my research club."
"This is unfair!" Someone stood up and shouted: "The Qin Family just has some filthy money, why can they be deemed more loyal and capable? If this were the Imperial Court, wouldn't this be selling official titles for profit?"
"It's because we dare to buy!"
Qin Yueshi fiercely retorted: "If you can't afford it, it doesn't matter, the Qin Family is willing to lend—The Qin Family hereby declares, anyone willing to lend money to Shuiyun Palace to buy a 'Captain' position but is short of funds can borrow money from the Qin Family. Not much interest, you just need to repay 300 gold coins after borrowing 198 gold coins from the Qin Family a year later!"
"If you have the guts and trust Shuiyun Palace enough, feel free to borrow money from the Qin Family! But remember, 198 gold coins is still a big sum, so those who wish to borrow money need to sign an indenture. For our Qin Family, if 198 gold coins can buy out a student from the Imperial Academy, it's very worthwhile."
Many students who wanted to protest immediately subsided upon hearing Qin Yueshi's words. Students of the Imperial Academy cherish their reputations deeply, knowing their future prospects are limitless after graduation, how could they be willing to risk signing away their freedom to borrow from the Qin Family?
However, the rhetoric from Qin Yueshi and Ming Shuiyun completely silenced them. Ming Shuiyun indicated that Principal Cha Huan would intervene, ensuring utmost honesty, leaving no room for doubt about the fund's flow; for those who lacked money but wanted to show loyalty, Qin Yueshi even provided aid, although it required signing away their freedom.
"Hm." Suddenly, someone in the crowd sneered: "A clueless emperor and a cunning merchant colluding to scam money under the guise of 'loyalty'. Before even ascending the throne, Shuiyun Palace developed a new form of tax—loyalty tax, showing the demeanor of a wise monarch. The untested merchant's child waves money to buy out the lives of Imperial Academy students, yet they have the qualifications to be the Chief Minister of the Cabinet."
Ming Shuiyun's face turned slightly pale, but suddenly a student outside the classroom raised their hand and said:
"Li Shijun is willing to lend 10 gold coins to Shuiyun Palace."
As if a switch was flipped, students inside and outside the classroom one after another began to shout:
"Dongfang Weiming is willing to lend..."
"Li Wanji is willing..."
In an instant, voices offering to lend money echoed in dozens or even hundreds, the enthusiasm among the students seemed not like lending money, but like seizing money.
Ming Shuiyun smiled and gently pressed her hand down, immediately quieting the students inside and outside to listen to her speak.
"Those willing to lend me money, please see Qin Yueshi for registration afterwards, and make sure to deliver the loan to Qin Yueshi within three days. Now, if anyone present has any questions about 'Peerless Kill', please raise them, and I'll do my best to dispel your doubts."
A student raised their hand and asked, "Shuiyun Palace, 'Peerless Kill' uses the likenesses of historical celebrities, especially Grand Ancestor, Taizong, Lie Sect... is that really okay?"
"It's not a problem." Ming Shuiyun shook her head: "The Imperial Court won't mind as long as we don't choose national heroes from the last three centuries, otherwise, it won't be an issue."
Though Yao's orthodoxy has run unbroken for two millennia, it contains multiple historical periods; however, emperors have all been from the Ming imperial lineage, hence it is regarded as a single dynasty.
According to the current Imperial Court's conclusions, Yao can be divided into eight historical periods, Grand Ancestor, Taizong, Lie Sect, up until the God Emperor three hundred years ago. Three hundred years ago, during the God Emperor's era, the main lineage ended, thus succeeded by the collateral branch God Emperor. After ascending the throne, the God Emperor purged the court and recited endless wrongdoings of previous Emperor Yingzong, which generally marks the period after God Emperor as the new era. Discussing historical figures before God Emperor carries no taboos.
As for figures like Grand Ancestor, Taizong, Lie Sect from over a thousand years ago, as long as they aren't maliciously defamed, there's generally no big problem.
Even if there were big problems, it wouldn't matter since Peerless Kill is Ming Shuiyun's industry.
If Ming Shuiyun were to become emperor, at that time, let alone Grand Ancestor, even if she wanted to include God Emperor in Peerless Kill, no one would dare utter a word against it.
Another student asked, "Shuiyun Palace, why design a battle card game for more than five players?"
As Ming Shuiyun began to address everyone's questions, the atmosphere in and outside the classroom gradually became lively. Students either discussed how much to lend or the future prospects of "Peerless Kill", while a few students with unpleasant expressions squeezed out of the crowd and hurriedly left the Guard's Faculty teaching building.
A student had just stepped out of the staircase of the Guard's Faculty building when they heard a voice like a wind chime from beside them:
"Shi Wen, it's him."
Clap.
A hand like a vice clamped onto the student's shoulder, causing them to take a sharp breath in pain and, just as they were about to resist, they were dragged into the bushes beside the teaching building, with a foot pressing their face down on the ground!
"You, how dare you—"
The student desperately turned their head, discovering that it was none other than the 'Mad Dog' Shi Wen, one of the three scourges of the Imperial Academy, stepping on them, inciting their fury to the utmost: "Shi Wen, how dare you assault an Imperial Academy student!?"
"Not only am I assaulting you, but I'm also stepping on your face?" Shi Wen turned his head to look at the blindfolded girl behind him: "Was he the one secretly instigating trouble?"
"It was him." The blindfolded girl, Laiya, said.
"I wasn't!" The student felt a void within, yet still stubbornly denied: "On what grounds do you say I was inciting trouble?"
"I can hear it." Laiya pointed to her ear: "Your Qi Combat Technique is indeed good, but I can hear the movements of your mouth, the chattering of your teeth, the twisting of your tongue—Qi Combat Technique can't drown out the sounds of your body."
"I wasn't, I didn't—"
"Enough."
Shi Wen raised his left hand clad in a black arm guard: "Don't worry, I won't do much to you, I'll treat you the way my teacher treats me."
The student was slightly taken aback: "Then how does your teacher... treat you..."
"Nothing much, just a beating half to death."
Shi Wen threw a punch, a heavy fist of flames that directly dented the student's chest.
"Couldn't you have insulted anyone else, but you had to insult his sister..." He sighed: "I merely mocked her a few words that day, and the next day I was nearly beaten to death by him... though only nearly..."
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