Chapter 2559: Past Events at the Academy
"Jiayu! It's been ages..." A friend from Shen Ao Academy greeted Zhang Jiayu as he burst through the doors.
"Have you seen Chief Du recently?" Zhang Jiayu cut in, breathless.
"He was here just yesterday. Even asked about you, actually."
"Where is he now?"
"His main post is Magistrate of Enping County, so he can't stay long in Guangzhou. He's leaving today—if you hurry, you might catch him at Tianzi Wharf."
"Thanks!" Without waiting for his friend to finish, Zhang Jiayu was already sprinting out the door, leaving everyone staring after him in bewilderment.
Moments later, drenched in sweat, he intercepted Du Yibin at the wharf just as the Chief was about to board his vessel.
Du Yibin found Zhang Jiayu's frantic behavior puzzling—this wasn't like him at all. But once he heard the situation, understanding dawned. A truly filial son.
"That's all? This is a small matter." Du Yibin laughed and called for an instruction slip, on which he began to write.
The whistle of the Senator-exclusive vessel pierced the air, reminding Du Yibin that time was short. The Senate measured its schedule in minutes, and even Senators had to abide by established rules.
Lin Motian should recognize the signatures of Guangzhou Senators, Du Yibin thought. He hadn't brought his personal seal for this return trip, so he simply signed his name and handed the slip to Zhang Jiayu.
Though barely palm-sized and scrawled in crooked characters, Zhang Jiayu clutched the note like a sacred treasure, examining it again and again. This single piece of paper could save his mother's life. He tucked it away carefully and raced toward the Great World.
"Chief Lin..." The office clerk at the Provincial-Hong Kong General Hospital knocked on Lin Motian's door. Receiving no answer, she pushed it open a crack and peered inside. "Not here either?"
She glanced at the instruction slip in her hand, wondering whose request this was. One special case after another—enough to keep all the Chiefs running in circles. With a small sigh, she left the slip on Lin Motian's desk and withdrew.
Back in the hospital lobby, she called out to Zhang Jiayu: "Young man, none of the Chiefs are in their offices. It's getting late anyway—come back tomorrow. Medicine can only be dispensed after a Chief signs off."
"But my mother is gravely ill. She's dying. Please, isn't there some way?"
"Young man, we all have compassion here—saving lives is our mission. If this were an ordinary cold, I could give you a few pills without a fuss. But controlled materials require a Chief's signature. Without rules, there's no order. If everyone were a special case, how would the Chiefs decide who to save first?" Her tone had grown clipped.
"But—" Zhang Jiayu thought bitterly: These Bald Bandits certainly know how to put on official airs.
"But what? Penicillin isn't malt candy you can pop whenever you like. The allergy rate is dangerously high—we have to prepare epinephrine before we dare administer it to patients. Today's supply was exhausted during emergency treatments. Only the Joint Logistics warehouse has any left. If a patient goes into allergic shock and dies, no amount of tears will bring them back." She'd dealt with enough people carrying approval slips to last a lifetime and had little patience left.
What galled her most was the unfairness of it all. Many special-effect medicines came and went unpredictably—besides money, you needed luck. Yet certain people could simply wave an approval slip and jump the queue, pushing aside those who paid and waited. She remained polite to these visitors—couldn't afford to offend them—but inwardly, she held them in contempt.
"Allergy? Epinephrine? Joint Logistics? Shock?" The strange terms tumbled from her mouth in a torrent Zhang Jiayu couldn't follow. He understood only one word: die. His heart sank.
"Medicine is three parts poison—it can save lives, but it can also kill. This isn't some immortal elixir that cures all ailments. Without complete preparation, who would dare use it? Don't worry yourself sick over this. Come back tomorrow." The clerk was an experienced conversationalist, well-practiced at handling people in his situation.
Zhang Jiayu wanted to argue further but knew he had no standing here. Even under Great Ming's rule, he was merely a xiu cai—not qualified to "make a scene in public," much less on Australian territory.
Under someone else's eaves, one must bow one's head. With no other choice, he turned and left.
The clerk watched his retreating figure until it blurred into the distance, then shook her head. The hospital was the warmest place in the world, yet also the coldest.
Shen Ao Academy had rented a courtyard among the "temple property" outside the Five Immortals Temple for its members—though Old Cui only collected a token rent. The purpose was to provide short-term lodging for active members visiting from other regions. Zhang Jiayu had little savings, so he'd settled his mother in a side room of the academy's rental courtyard.
Seeing her condition, and moved by their shared fellowship, the members staying there gathered together to brainstorm solutions.
Everyone agreed that if Chief Du had personally gone to the hospital, the outcome would have been different. It was simply Zhang Jiayu's misfortune that he'd missed the Chief's schedule by a single day. If only he'd returned sooner...
Suddenly, someone shouted: "I've got it!"
"Got what? You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
"Tomorrow, Mayor Liu is lecturing on new policies at Nanhai Academy while introducing the newly appointed Nanhai County Magistrate to the citizens. They say new officials light three fires upon taking office—we can go plead with him. It's bound to work."
"Is that reliable? The Chiefs are busy with ten thousand things a day. Will they care about the life or death of an ordinary commoner?"
"What do you understand? For an official, reputation is everything. Don't the Chiefs always say, 'An official who doesn't make decisions for the people might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes'?"
"Right, right—I remember now. This new County Magistrate's background is rather special."
"Oh? How so?"
"A few days ago, the Yangcheng Express ran a headline about him. The new County Magistrate came from the industrial field and holds an elegant title: 'Pharmacist.' They say all of Great Song's miraculous medicines came from his hands..."
Before he could finish, someone cut him off: "Why didn't you mention this earlier!"
"Who told you not to read the newspaper..."
"The new County Magistrate is also surnamed Zhang. Perhaps five hundred years ago, he and our Jiayu were one family. If we could acknowledge common ancestry..."
"Keep dreaming!"
Listening to their banter, Zhang Jiayu felt a faint hope kindle in his chest, and his spirits lifted slightly. He hadn't realized how much had changed in Guangzhou during his absence.
Nanhai Academy—that is, Nanhai County School—was the highest official school of ancient Nanhai County. Founded during the Southern Song dynasty, it had relocated three times due to wars. In the thirtieth year of Zhiyuan under Emperor Shizu of Yuan, it moved to the old site of Jupe Shrine in Gaogui Ward in the western part of the city. During early Yuan, the two county schools were squeezed together, leaving them cramped. In the third year of Hongwu at the start of the Ming dynasty, the Court decreed that all counties establish schools, and each successive dynasty expanded it further.
Wei Bifu had recommended former Nanhai County Magistrate Huang Xiyin to Zhang Xiao. Now Huang Xiyin was guiding Zhang Xiao on a tour of Nanhai Academy, recounting its historical evolution with the pride of someone showing off family heirlooms.
"Chief, look here." Huang Xiyin gestured eastward. "Originally, Qingyun Road ran alongside the county school, but over the years, nearby residents built dwellings along its path until the road was buried entirely. Three years ago, I led an effort to restore the old site and renovate the two memorial archways." He spoke of the accomplishment with evident satisfaction.
"Your execution capability is commendable, Council Member Huang." Zhang Xiao nodded approvingly. He knew that Liu Xiang's campaign to clear illegal structures on Chengxuan Street had required the Fubo Army's bayonets—which meant Huang Xiyin possessed genuine administrative skill.
The academy faced from north to south. Along the central axis, the buildings ran from south to north: the main gate, Lingxing Gate, followed by Ji Gate, with Jukui Tower to the left and Dacheng Hall at the center, flanked by continuous large buildings on either side. Behind Dacheng Hall stood Minglun Hall, and beyond that, the library.
At this time, Nanhai Academy occupied over sixty mu of land—far exceeding its later dimensions. The surrounding area was the densest concentration of private academies in all of Guangzhou.
After the Senate entered the city, the academy had been requisitioned as the Nanhai County Education Bureau office and Nanhai National Demonstration School. Later it became Guangzhou Municipal National Demonstration School, with the Simple Normal School also affiliated here—serving as the educational "headquarters" for all of Liangguang.
Today, Liu Xiang would lecture on new policies while introducing the new Nanhai County Magistrate to Guangzhou society. The venue: Nanhai Academy.
(End of Chapter)