Xie Jiayan was not angered by his words, but instead smiled, though his smile held no warmth.
"I am not talented, and though my position is humble, I dare not forget my lifelong pursuit. I have striven tirelessly in this life to remain true to my heart, to be fair to others, and to conserve resources."
"I do not know the truth of what happened back then, but does it truly matter to all of you? The Sage recruits talented individuals from all over the land and treats them with courtesy. You are all able to study at the Imperial Academy, with your food and clothing provided. To whom should you be grateful for this benevolence?"
The crowd was somewhat moved, no longer as agitated as before.
Xie Jiayan's tone also softened slightly. "I have just returned from outside the city. Last night, the rebel army led by Prince Han attempted to attack the capital. The Qianniu Guard, the Northern Army, and the forces led by the Seventh Prince are all fighting to defend the capital and protect peace. What are you, future officials upon whom the Sage places great hope, doing?"
As Xie Jiayan finished speaking, the crowd erupted, their faces filled with disbelief. "There were really rebels? How could there be rebels?"
"Such a major event, how could I dare to speak carelessly? Think about it, why are these rumors circulating today? Is there such a coincidence in this world? Who is being deceived, who is being used, do you not yet understand?"
The crowd turned their gazes to the leader. "Brother Yang, are the words of Scholar Xie true?"
Yang Xuan was also bewildered. "This, I do not know either."
"We were deceived," one person said.
"Yes, if we rashly stormed the palace gates like this and were punished by the Sage, would it not play right into their hands, allowing the Sage to be branded as one who slaughters scholars."
"Not only that, but I fear the imperial examinations will not be able to proceed."
"The Sage has always treated us students with great respect. Even when we rushed out of the Imperial Academy just now, those guards did not lay a hand on us. If they treated us with such consideration, how could they commit such brutal acts as patricide and fratricide?"
...
The crowd began to whisper amongst themselves. While they sought the truth, they were also learned individuals who quickly understood the implications. The mastermind behind this was truly detestable, using them to walk into a trap.
"Let us return. I implore you all to cherish yourselves. The future of our Great Wei requires your strong support, and the people of Great Wei need your assistance," Xie Jiayan said smoothly.
The scholars looked at each other, then bowed in unison to Xie Jiayan. "We thank Scholar Xie today. Your great kindness is beyond words."
Xie Jiayan, on horseback, nodded in return. "I am merely doing what I ought to do."
The Qianniu Guards behind him finally breathed a sigh of relief and escorted the students back to the Imperial Academy.
...
The Qianniu Guard sent to report to the Sage in the palace hurried out of the Taiji Hall with the imperial decree. Just as they exited the palace gates, they encountered Qianniu Guard sentinels returning with the latest news.
"You say those students were persuaded to return by Scholar Xie?" the Sage's tone was unreadable.
"Precisely. Scholar Xie had just returned from outside the city and encountered those students, so he spoke a few words to them." The guard reported the situation to the Sage verbatim.
"Scholar Xie was also outside the city last night?"
"Yes, your subordinate heard that Scholar Xie went to the Prime Minister's residence last night to deliver a repaired painting. He happened to meet Lord Gu there and heard that Lord Gu's son and daughter had not yet returned. Scholar Xie and Lord Gu's son have always been close, so they went out of the city together..."
The Sage nodded. "I understand. You may withdraw."
The guard bowed and withdrew.
The Sage stood up from his dragon throne, his mood seemingly improved. "This young Lord Xie is indeed a promising talent, skilled in both civil and military arts."
Zhang Quan saw that the Sage finally had a smile on his face for the first time since yesterday and also breathed a sigh of relief, supporting the Sage with a smile. "This is the Sage's fortune, and the fortune of Great Wei."
"This can somewhat compensate for the regret of Xie Yuanlang's resignation."