Volume One: The Overseer and the Candidate Chapter Twenty-Five: A Difficult Choice

When Huang Ming finally entered the Hall of Profound Learning, surrounded by Zhang Han and other classmates, the first class of the day had long since begun.

Yet the lecturer seemed unconcerned, offering no admonishments. Once most of the students had arrived, he simply opened his book and began reciting those soporific doctrines and principles that lulled everyone to drowsiness.

Even on ordinary days, such lessons rarely held anyone’s true attention, let alone after such a momentous event as today. Now, all the dozens of students in the Hall clustered around Huang Ming, constantly chatting with him—some asking why he acted as he did, others anxious about how he would deal with the inevitable revenge of the Zhang family, the Marquis of Jianchang.

Huang Ming merely responded casually, laughing that he had already planned ahead and there was no need to worry. Thus, an hour slipped by in the blink of an eye. As noon approached and the morning’s final class neared its end, a commotion could be heard faintly from outside.

Soon after, the registrar, Wen Zhen, arrived in haste, his face dark, and called from outside the hall, “Huang Ming, come out!”

Under the concerned eyes of his classmates, Huang Ming rose and strolled out, facing Wen Zhen whose expression flickered between gloom and uncertainty. “Sir Registrar, has the Zhang family arrived?”

“You know, then. Do you realize what trouble you’ve caused? The Zhang family’s steward is here with men looking for you. If I hadn’t stopped them, they would’ve stormed into the Imperial Academy already and dragged you from your class!”

“Ha, it seems this so-called scourge of the capital, the Zhang family, isn’t as formidable as rumored—they don’t even dare break into the Imperial Academy!” Huang Ming sneered.

“You—” Wen Zhen glared at him, unsure how to respond.

After a moment, he softened his tone somewhat. “I know you have some connections at the palace, but the Marquis of Jianchang wields greater power. Take care. If there’s no way out, just yield, pay some compensation…”

Huang Ming glanced at him. This registrar, for all his sternness, was not a bad man and did care for his students. He decided not to mock him further and replied with a smile, “Rest assured, sir, I have my own way to handle this.” With that, he strode forward.

Wen Zhen watched him uncertainly for a moment, then took a deep breath, hurried his steps, and went with him—after all, Huang Ming was a student of the Academy and could not be allowed to come to harm from outsiders.

Still some distance from the gate, Huang Ming could already hear shouts and curses: “You lot at the Imperial Academy, you’d better think this through! If you shelter that student and let him escape, we’ll tear this place down!”

“Outrageous! The Imperial Academy would never commit such a thing!”

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“That’s not so certain. You scholars are full of schemes and mischief!”

“Where is he? Why hasn’t he come out yet? If he doesn’t, we’ll go in and find him ourselves!”

“No need for you to act—Huang Ming is here!”

With this shout, Huang Ming strode across the high threshold, standing atop the stone steps and looking down at the three or four dozen intimidating servants from the Marquis of Jianchang’s household.

Their reaction was swift and their numbers impressive—so many dispatched for one person.

The steward, Zhang Jinbao, who had been bellowing, quickly turned his gaze to Huang Ming, then flashed a vicious smile. “You’re the Imperial Academy student Huang Ming who injured our young master?”

“That’s right. He abused his privilege and bullied others, I merely defended myself and taught him a lesson.”

“Nonsense! Who do you think you are, daring to harm the young master of the Zhang family? You must have a death wish! Drag him down and take him back—teach him a lesson for the young master!”

Zhang Jinbao erupted, pointing at Huang Ming and issuing his order.

The servants were about to rush forward when someone stepped onto the stairs to block their way. “Hold it! The Imperial Academy will not tolerate such impudence, and its students cannot be seized by you at will!”

Huang Ming immediately recognized the middle-aged official who stepped forward—it was Mr. Zhang Bi, who had greeted him yesterday and helped him formally enroll.

Though Zhang Bi’s frame was somewhat slight, he stood firm on the steps like a rock, his expression stern and dignified. “The Imperial Academy was established by the founding emperor himself, a government institution under the Ministry of Rites. How dare you act so recklessly here?”

His righteous words were met only with a scornful laugh. “Everyone knows what the Imperial Academy is in the capital. Today we’re showing you mercy by not barging in. Now you’re just asking for trouble!”

“Go on—if anyone tries to stop you, knock them down too!”

These thuggish servants were accustomed to bullying their way through things, especially now with the steward backing them. What was there left to fear?

With a shout, dozens surged up the steps.

At this point, it wasn’t just Zhang Bi alone—if all the lecturers came out, their frail bodies would still be no match for these stick-wielding ruffians.

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At that moment, Huang Ming, the target and standing at the top, suddenly burst into laughter and shouted, “Captain Huang, why don’t you act?”

He had already spotted the group of Embroidered Guardians hidden in a nearby alley as soon as he stepped out.

This was the source of his confidence in facing the Zhang family so boldly.

But he could see that Huang Bingkun—or the subordinates he brought—were hesitating. Otherwise, they would have confronted the Zhang family already.

Indeed, Huang Bingkun was currently torn and even regretted coming. Previously, when he went to the South City Command to rescue Huang Ming, it was risky, but at least there was an excuse—the Embroidered Guardians had a stake in that prison break.

He was rewarded for it, and thanks to helping solve the White Lotus cultist case, he was on the verge of being promoted from an ordinary captain to one with real authority.

Precisely because of this, when Yu Mo came to the Command for help today, saying she was Huang Ming’s person, Huang Bingkun didn’t hesitate and brought dozens of trusted men, arriving even before the Zhang family.

He thought Huang Ming merely wanted a show of support, but when the Marquis of Jianchang’s people arrived, he realized the situation was far more serious than he’d imagined.

The Zhang family had been untouchable in the capital for over a decade. Not even the Embroidered Guardians, back when they enjoyed Emperor Wu Zong’s favor, dared provoke such a powerhouse.

So when he learned they were targeting Huang Ming, he and his men stayed hidden in the alley, unsure whether to intervene.

He hadn’t expected Huang Ming to spot them and call them out so directly.

Now, a difficult choice faced Huang Bingkun and all the Embroidered Guardians: Should they risk offending the Marquis of Jianchang and rush out to protect Huang Ming, or stand aside and let him be taken, thereby angering Eunuch Huang Jin?

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