My Emperor Father Can Read Minds

Chapter 311: Hanlin Academy – The Old Scholars

To become a qualified newspaper agency writer, knowing how to craft a good headline is extremely important.

Hanlin Academy is a place everyone aspires to enter, a prestigious and honorable institution. Not only is promotion within it easier compared to other officials, but because it often hosts the imperial examinations, it is able to recruit scholars from across the empire as disciples. The intertwining of literary tradition and personal connections extends its influence into various fields. Therefore, gaining admission is, first and foremost, a great honor.

Since the Hanlin Academy is composed of people brimming with knowledge, Wei Yu never worried about their intellectual capacity. What he needed to do was simply open up their somewhat closed minds, unleash the untamed beasts of arrogance and recklessness lurking within their hearts, and let them experience the joy of wielding a pen wildly!

Ha, got it.

That might sound a bit excessive, but actually, Wei Yu only wanted them to write less seriously—more like storytelling, straightforward and easy to understand, so that common people could read and comprehend. Ideally, the articles would also include a bit of extra, eye-catching gossip or sensational elements!

Regarding the arrival of the Ninth Wise King, the people of Hanlin Academy were actually a bit bewildered.

Especially when the Ninth Wise King said he wanted to teach them how to write newspaper content, each of them became even more at a loss.

Previously, the Fifth Highness did mention that their writings were dull and uninspiring, failing to capture readers’ interest, but since none of them had ever seen a newspaper before, their only reference was the official palace bulletins!

If they didn’t follow the example of the palace bulletins, would they just whimsically do whatever they pleased?

Such thinking wasn’t exactly wrong—more like going with the flow—after all, following precedent rarely leads to mistakes, and only a few dare to be the first to try something new.

Officials in the court were particularly cautious in their work. If they messed things up, the penalty on themselves was minor; what worried them most was implicating their entire family.

At this time, the Hanlin Academy members were still on duty. When Wei Yu and the Fifth Prince arrived, a group of people were busy inside.

Seeing the two His Highnesses arrive, everyone hurriedly bowed.

The Fifth Prince, tired of the formalities, directly pointed out the few scholars who had previously helped draft the newspaper content.

“Find a quiet side hall with few people. I and Ninth Brother want to discuss about the newspaper matters. The rest, continue with your work.”

The work at Hanlin Academy was usually leisurely and mostly clerical. While Wei Yu followed the men to find a place, he spotted someone familiar down a corridor.

It was Lu Xiuhan, the brilliant scholar who had just recently achieved the sixth ranking in the imperial examination.

Seeing the man carrying a pile of books walking by, Wei Yu asked the Fifth Prince, “Fifth Brother, do you remember the recent top scholar who achieved the sixth ranking?”

The Fifth Prince thought for a moment. “Lu Xiuhan? Why? What do you want with him?”

Wei Yu pointed towards the direction Lu Xiuhan disappeared into. “Just saw him walking that way. Has he entered Hanlin Academy as well?”

Wei Yu began paying attention to Lu Xiuhan. After Lu Xiuhan entered the court, he did not follow up on his later appointments.

“Oh, let me think… yes, Father Emperor previously appointed him as a Hanlin Reader-in-Attendance.”

“Oh, I see.”

Wei Yu stroked his chin. “How about, Fifth Brother, you call him over to write for the newspaper too?”

Such a great literary talent stuck in Hanlin Academy doing nothing but waiting was truly a waste; better to pull him over to contribute drafts.

The Fifth Prince didn’t care much and directly ordered someone to go and fetch Lu Xiuhan.

After arriving at an empty side hall, Wei Yu asked a few nervous scholars to sit first.

“Gentlemen, please don’t worry. You’re not called here for anything else, just to teach you how to compose newspaper content.”

The scholars summoned by the Fifth Prince to write newspaper content were not young; among the seven, four had white beards, and the remaining three were also quite experienced.

Upon hearing Wei Yu’s words, the old scholar showed no dissatisfaction. Instead, they glanced at each other, and the eldest among them stood respectfully, bowing his hands.

“Thank you, Ninth Highness. We shall obey your orders.”

Wei Yu smiled and waved his hand. “You’re too polite. All of you have been at Hanlin for many years, well-versed in the Five Classics and Eight Commentaries. Writing articles is second nature to you. With your own pens in hand, how could I and the Fifth Brother not feel reassured? I have read every newspaper article drafted by you previously. I found them good, which is why I want to continue appointing you all. Please, don’t worry too much…”

Listening to him jibber-jabber, the Fifth Prince couldn’t help but admire Wei Yu.

He had just glanced at one or two newspapers and dismissed them, yet now he had the face to claim he had read them thoroughly?

Though inwardly grumbling, the Fifth Prince saw the old scholars’ softened expressions, even one faint smile, and had to admit that flattery was indeed an easy tool.

Making the old scholars happy and broad-minded was much more convenient than having them sulk and be difficult.

After all, who would enjoy having their hard work unappreciated, then being lectured on how to do better?

These old scholars were nearly at the end of their lives.

Receiving praise from the Ninth Highness uplifted their spirits, and they modestly declined.

“Ninth Highness, you flatter us. We don’t deserve such praise.”

Wei Yu said, “Not at all. You are truly modest. Admission into Hanlin proves the high level of your literary accomplishments, something ordinary people cannot reach.”

“Far from it… far from it…”

While flattering the old scholar, Wei Yu calmed them down with compliments so they smiled.

Then he changed the subject, sighing.

“You gentlemen are loyal officials devoted to the country and the people. I know that your desire to run the newspaper well is the same as the Fifth Highness’s. You do not want the people to be misled by false information, so when writing, you carefully consider and deliberate. Only in this way can you produce articles that even scholars pause to admire and read!”

Those words…

The Fifth Prince silently exhaled, kept a serious expression, and drank his tea without looking at the old scholars’ faces.

How did those praised old scholars react?

They felt awkward, guilty, embarrassed… facing the intense admiration from the Ninth Highness, they had no face to admit they hadn’t really put as much thought into the newspaper articles as His Highness imagined.

Loyal officials devoted to country and people was acceptable—they could at least admit that begrudgingly—but the bit about being unwilling to let the people be misled and writing with deep thought? Heh, it was just casually wielding a pen!

Thinking that after finishing the newspaper, scholars would actually stop to read it made those old scholars feel conflicted.

The people of Hanlin Academy take great care of their reputations. Had they known that the drafts they submitted to the Fifth Prince would actually be read, they would have considered them more carefully!

Damn it.

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