Understand whose spirit? The Pope's. What sort of spirit? For that, one would have to think deeply about the Pope's seal and signature, have to touch upon the deepest depths of their soul, and only then would one probably be able to edge somewhat closer to the Pope's spiritual world, vast as the sea of stars.
As Priest Xin left the cardinal's room and thought about those final words, his face was still pale and his mind still uneasy. He had come to many conclusions, but he still found it impossible to decide which was more accurate. Could it be that the Pope really intended to reopen the Orthodox Academy? Why were there no rumors in the capital? Why was this young student chosen for the task? Crucially, as the problem in the Orthodox Academy's history had not been resolved, who dared to touch upon it?
As he walked up to Chen Changsheng, all these thoughts were forced to a conclusion. Thus, he used the time afforded by the dozen or so steps to resolve himself to a plan and push out a fake smile. He then said, "This is the register and key, but you might not be clear on this: although there are still people on the Orthodox Academy's register, it would be very difficult for even us to find them."
Chen Changsheng took the register and flipped through a few pages. He realized that these pages were very old and the vast majority of the names on it were followed by the word 'withdrawn'. He asked, "So what should I do?"
Priest Xin thought, isn't this matter for you to handle? He thought this way, but he would absolutely not say it aloud. He had already made his decision. As long as he did not have to personally cheer on the Orthodox Academy, as long as he was not drawn into the incomprehensible plans of those important figures, he would do everything he could in the scope of his authority: if money was needed, he would give it; if people were needed, he would provide them.
"What do you think…when studying in the Orthodox Academy, what do you need right now?" He looked into Chen Changsheng's eyes as he sounded him out.
Chen Changsheng thought it over, then asked, "Anything is okay?"
"If you want to transfer the teachers of the Heavenly Dao Academy to the Orthodox Academy…I'm afraid that's not okay."
Priest Xin chuckled, but he also knew that there was nothing witty about these words. On the contrary, they seemed rather helpless.
Chen Changsheng replied, "I want people."
Priest Xin's smile faded as he seriously inquired, "How many people?"
Chen Changsheng seriously replied, "Lots of people."
Priest Xin's expression did not change, but his two hands gradually chilled as he thought, could it be that it really was as His Eminence the cardinal speculated, that behind His Holiness the Pope's reopening of the Orthodox Academy…are many secret objectives? Or else why would this young student ask for people, and even a lot of people? If he really does intend on violating some sort of taboo, what should I do?
"Might I ask…what do you need all these people for?"
He stared into Chen Changsheng's eyes as he spoke each word, his expression exceptionally grave. At any moment, he was prepared to refuse and leave.
Chen Changsheng could not sense his tension, and even if he could, he wouldn't have understood it. "The Orthodox Academy is rather large and most of its buildings have been worn down by time and lack of repair. Even if the repairs can go slowly, if I want to study in them, they have to be cleaned. If the manpower is insufficient, it might cause a large delay."
Upon hearing this, Priest Xin exhaled a cold breath. He wasn't scared, it was just that he had not expected this response. Worried that Chen Changsheng would renege, he immediately said, "The intended subsidy will be distributed as soon as possible, and the allocated laborers will also not be lacking. For the time being, I'll send some part-time laborers over– no, I'll personally lead the part-time laborers and send Sir back."
After saying this, he gave Chen Changsheng a hearty pat on the shoulder, humbly took Chen Changsheng by the arm, and walked out with him towards the main hall of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. The normally incomparably solemn Priest Xin actually treated this young student with such affection. This sight attracted countless gazes and also naturally attracted quite some discussion.
...
...
"Chen Changsheng really entered the Orthodox Academy?"
"Yes, after Nanny Ning left, he left for the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education a short time after."
In the study of the Divine General of the East's estate, this simple conversation quickly descended into silence.
With an indifferent expression, Xu Shiji gazed at the somewhat uneasy Nanny Hua and said, "Since it's that party's intention, we don't need to concern ourselves with it for the moment."
On the side, Madam Xu said concernedly, "Why did such a sudden change occur?"
Xu Shiji replied, "I requested her to resolve the problem of Star Seizer Academy, not because I wished to sacrifice such a large favor for that boy, but because I wanted to tell the matter of the engagement to her. This way, the matter could be reported to the Divine Empress. This being the case, whatever she does is only right and proper."
Worry on her face, Madam Xu replied, "The problem is those two lines of Nanny Ning's. She wants the boy to live? Why does the palace care about such a trifling matter?"
Xu Shiji glanced at Nanny Hua.
Nanny Hua lowered her head and softly reported, "Last night, Miss Shuang'er went to the palace. Apparently, the young lady sent a letter."
Madam Xu was rather unhappy at this news. "This child, she doesn't write letters to her parents, but what does she intend by sending letters to outsiders?"
Xu Shiji slightly creased his brow, not wanting to hear such words. "Marriage is a grand event that parents should decide, even the Divine Empress won't dispute that. What are you worried about those things for? Give Lady Mo Yu some face and let that boy live for a moment. If he still refuses to cooperate, it won't be too late to talk about it then."
Madam Xu said, "I'm just afraid that this child really might attain meteoric success in the future and hold some grudge against the estate."
Xu Shiji suddenly chuckled, then, with some deeper meaning, he commented, "Meteoric success?"
Madam Xu was rather frightened by the smile on her husband's face and didn't dare continue to ask. She waved her hand to indicate that Nanny Hua should leave, then whispered, "Prince Chen Liu sent someone over earlier inviting you to a banquet. Are you going or not? Although they say he's quite favored by the Divine Empress, his status is still rather special, so it feels quite inappropriate."
Many years ago, after the final attempt by the Imperial clan to have the Divine Empress step down from the Dragon Throne ended in bloody suppression, all three generations of the Imperial clan were utterly expelled from the capital and placed under house arrest in the various counties and provinces. Only the heir to the Prince of Xiang, Chen Liu, was allowed to remain in the capital due to his youth.
It was also precisely because of his very young age that the Divine Empress permitted him to enter the palace and learn together with the Princess of Ping and Lady Mo Yu, who were both of similar age. The two had lived, drunk, and eaten together, and they had developed deep emotional bonds. He had basically grown up under the Divine Empress's gaze, so the Divine Empress regarded him with extreme favor. Even after he matured, he was not relocated out of the capital, and was even made the prince of a county.
Of course, many people believed the reason the Divine Empress treated Prince Chen Liu so well, besides their many years of closeness and Prince Chen Liu's extremely good reputation in the Imperial Court and amongst the common people, was that whenever the Divine Empress looked at his face, she probably very easily remembered the son that she had killed with her own hands.
Regardless, Prince Chen Liu was still a member of the Imperial clan with royal blood flowing through his body. No one believed that the Divine Empress was completely at ease around him. For Xu Shiji, as the Divine General of the East highly regarded by the Divine Empress, attending such a feast was truly rather improper.
Xu Shiji fell silent at Madam Xu's words, then after a while, he said, "I might as well. The prince has relayed his good will over and over, and if I were to use my identity as an excuse again, the prince will be displeased. The palace might also not judge me too much over this, and a minister that's too modest and unfeeling is not necessarily a good minister. Moreover, the Divine Empress's mind is like a bright mirror. She knows that Prince Chen Liu only wants to use me to develop a connection with the Qiushan clan so as to better take care of the Prince of Xiang, who has lived out many years of suffering in the south. This matter is one of filial piety, and the Divine Empress's bosom is like the ocean, so how can she mind? In addition, the Prince of Xiang has been well-behaved for a very long time, so even the Divine Empress recalling him to the capital would be very normal."
Madam Xu said nothing, but she couldn't help but get a little nervous. She knew more than anyone else Xu Shiji's personality. He was normally a man of few words, but now he was giving so many words of explanation. It was naturally not for her to hear, so then who was it for? It could only be said that even he found it impossible to know whether this explanation of his had any meaning or not.
But even though this was the case, he was still attending Prince Chen Liu's banquet. What did this mean?
After he finished his explanation, Xu Shiji creased his brow. He also felt that there was something off with his performance. He calmed his mind somewhat and then smiled at Madam Xu, saying, "You also shouldn't worry yourself too much…it's impossible for that boy to have any sort of future prospects. When Lady Mo Yu allowed him to enter the Orthodox Academy, this had always been her intention."
The name of the Orthodox Academy seemed very extraordinary. To be able to use the Orthodoxy as a prefix, there was no way it could be lacking when compared to the Heavenly Dao Academy or Star Seizer Academy. In truth, over the past several centuries and even further back in history, the Orthodox Academy had truly always been the capital's best and most difficult-to-get-into school.
But now, the Orthodox Academy had long since withered away like the autumn grass. It was forgotten by all and had no status within the Orthodoxy whatsoever. It was fine if it just continued to noiselessly persist as it had in years past, but if the slightest peep came out of it, it would attract boundless humiliation, or else why would those teachers and students scatter in such a short span of time?
To learn how the Orthodox Academy had transformed into its present condition, one would have to speak of that matter from ten-odd years ago. At the time, the Principal of the Orthodox Academy was concurrently an archbishop of the Orthodox Academy and the Pope's own senior brother. Within the Orthodoxy, his status was only second to the Pope and he was revered by all. Even the Holy Maiden of the south was beneath him. It could be said that this was one of the greatest exceptions in all the history of the Orthodoxy.
According to reason, with the status that the Principal of the Orthodox Academy had, he should have been very content. However, the minds of men are like the many stars in the night sky, difficult to count clearly and thus impossible to understand. The Principal of the Orthodox Academy wished to obtain the seat of the Pope, but he did not receive the Divine Empress's support. He went so far as to collaborate with the remaining members of the Imperial clan to overthrow the Divine Empress. In the end, they suffered a crushing defeat in a single night, with the Principal of the Orthodox Academy personally crushed into ashes by the Pope. And the Orthodox Academy which had served as his firmest support was naturally washed in blood.
After that night, there were people that attempted to return the Orthodox Academy to its former glory, but under the attentive gazes of the Divine Empress and the present Pope, these two pinnacles of the human world, no student of the Orthodox Academy could have any sort of future prospects. Thus, in the span of two years, the Orthodox Academy found it impossible to enroll any more students and the teachers naturally departed.
Just like that, the Orthodox Academy of boundless glory became a gloomy graveyard.
Until finally, ten-odd years later, the Orthodox Academy once more welcomed a new student.
This new student was called Chen Changsheng.
"Entering a school?"
"No, this is an exile."
"A new student?"
(TN: The word for 'new student', 新生, also means 'rebirth' or 'new life'.)
"No, this is an abyss that he will never be able to climb out of."
Xu Shiji emotionlessly made his conclusion.