Right in front of Yun Shu, Emperor Xuanwu gave Li Dehai his instructions, then let out a cold snort.
"Are you satisfied now?"
Yun Shu beamed. "Father Emperor is kind and merciful. To encounter Your Majesty is a blessing this little kitten must have earned over ten lifetimes."
She playfully leaned closer, massaging his shoulders with exaggerated care. Taking the opportunity, Yun Shu brought up another matter.
"Actually, your daughter came today to speak about something else. I wish to discuss a way to narrow the gap between students from humble families and those from prestigious clans."
"Narrow the gap?"
Emperor Xuanwu raised an eyebrow. He swatted her hands away from his shoulders and signaled for her to explain.
"And how do you propose to do that?"
"It's actually quite simple. Just…"
She recounted everything Grand Preceptor Ye had shown her that morning in the southern district, including her inspiration to compile a book titled Three Years of Imperial Examinations, Five Years of Simulations. She detailed the entire plan with clarity and enthusiasm. When she finally finished, her round eyes blinked expectantly as she looked up at Emperor Xuanwu.
"Father Emperor, do you think this is feasible?"
"It sounds promising."
Emperor Xuanwu gave a reserved hum. "We shall have the Hanlin Academy assist you."
"Thank you, Father Emperor!"
Yun Shu continued to look at him eagerly.
"There is, however, one matter that requires your personal attention."
Emperor Xuanwu narrowed his eyes. "..."
By the time Yun Shu left the imperial study, the kitten's injured hind leg had already been rebandaged.
She carefully received the little creature from Li Dehai's hands. Seeing that it seemed a little better, her heart eased. Still, she didn't forget to ask a few more questions.
"Did the Imperial Physician say anything important?"
"Replying to Your Highness, the Imperial Physician said this kitten is quite fortunate. The wound appears severe, and the bone is indeed fractured, but with proper care and rest—and no running about in the coming days—it should recover without lasting issues.
Also, this little one seems to be less than a month old. Its teeth haven't fully come in yet, so it would be best to feed it cow's milk for now."
After relaying the physician's instructions in full, Li Dehai suddenly remembered something important.
"Oh, right. The physician also said the injury appears to have been caused by someone striking it with a stone."
"Struck? By someone?"
Yun Shu's eyes shot up.
"Did the physician truly say that? Could it not have fallen from a tree and landed on a stone by accident?"
"That…"
Li Dehai hesitated briefly, then shook his head.
"The physician didn't say it was impossible, but he did mention that such an injury was unlikely to have occurred from a simple fall. Most likely, it was deliberately struck with a stone."
"This Princess understands."
Her instincts had not failed her. That Dou Jifei truly was a foul creature.
Yun Shu's face darkened slightly. Lowering her eyes, she gently stroked the kitten's fluffy little head.
"Thank you, Eunuch Li."
"Your Highness flatters this servant too much."
Li Dehai quickly waved his hands.
"This is merely my duty."
Returning to Fengyang Palace with the kitten, Yun Shu spent the entire afternoon busy caring for it.
The very next day, a new issue of the Capital Weekly hit the streets ahead of schedule.
And this particular issue was nothing short of a thunderclap for the thousands of examinees preparing for the upcoming Spring Imperial Examination.
"Big news! Huge news!"
A young scholar who had just passed by a teahouse came running back to his inn, not even bothering to sip his tea. He gathered all his fellow examinees who had journeyed with him to the capital, breathless with excitement.
"I just overheard someone saying that Princess Sheng An plans to publish a book called Three Years of Imperial Examinations, Five Years of Simulations.
It will include not only the examination questions from the past three years of local exams but also sample answers and even commentary from the examiners themselves!
If we study this book carefully, we should be able to grasp the key events of the past three years in the Tian Sheng court, along with the general direction of official discourse!"
"Brother Liu, is this true?"
Hearing this, the other scholars were visibly stirred.
"If so, that book will be of immense value to all of us!"
"I swear it's true!"
The scholar known as Brother Liu took a large gulp of tea, his face radiant with joy.
"Princess Sheng An wrote about it herself in the Capital Weekly. His Majesty has already given his approval. The scholars of the Hanlin Academy are currently compiling the materials. The book will be ready in no more than ten days!"
"If it comes out in ten days, that'll leave just under twenty days before the Spring Examination begins… still enough time!"
Someone did the math and clenched his fists in anticipation.
"I must get a copy when it's released!"
"No matter how expensive it is, I'll grit my teeth and buy one!"
Another scholar, clearly not flush with silver, began pacing anxiously.
"But Brother Liu, what you mentioned just now only covered the three years of exams. Isn't the book titled Three Years of Imperial Examinations, Five Years of Simulations?
What about the simulations? What's that part about?"
"The simulations, ah…"
Liu Renchang had been so excited earlier he'd completely forgotten to explain that part. Now prompted, he slapped his forehead and said:
"Yes, yes, there's more!
Princess Sheng An has also issued a public call for submissions!
She's invited scholars to draft new exam questions based on the events of the past five years in Tian Sheng, and submit them to the Capital Weekly's collection offices.
If the questions are good, not only will they be published, but the contributors will even receive payment from Her Highness!
She also explained that since this is the first year and the Spring Examination is less than a month away, it would be too late to include the full 'Five Years of Simulations' in the printed book.
So this year, only the 'Three Years of Imperial Examinations' will appear in the initial volume.
As for the simulations, those will be released daily by Tian Waitian Restaurant.
Each morning, a new question will be posted, followed by an analysis and a new prompt the next day."
"Will the announcements be made inside Tian Waitian or outside?"
Everyone in the capital knew the name Tian Waitian. The cheapest table there cost five hundred coins. For an ordinary student, entering that place every day was simply out of reach.
A worried scholar quickly asked this critical question.
Fortunately, Liu Renchang just grinned.
"Princess Sheng An said it herself. Since the book only includes the 'Three Years of Examinations' and not the full 'Five Years of Simulations', she considers the simulations a gift. They'll be released publicly and completely free of charge!"