Volume 1, Chapter 19: Hurry and Save Your Dear Younger Brother

Inside the classroom, a bizarre and awkward atmosphere spread thick. The only sound was the rhythmic recitation of Grand Libationer Guo. As a master scholar, his reading of *The Great Learning* possessed an indescribable cadence, a powerful pulse that seemed to imbue the very words with a force that struck straight to the heart.

Soon, under the gaze of all present, Grand Libationer Guo finished turning the first few pages of the copy of *The Great Learning*—a book still damp with Su Chen’s drool. Then, the Libationer fixed his eyes upon Su Chen with an expression of sheer, earth-shattering shock.

"What is this?"

The moment Grand Libationer Guo spoke, the crowd was stunned. Guo Qingshu was the Grand Libationer of the Imperial Academy, one of the foremost master scholars of the age; how could he be asking a student who had just arrived at the academy? While the ancients said one should not be ashamed to ask those of lower status, this was surely taking it too far!

"Su Chen, why don't you hurry up and explain to everyone what this is?" Wu Zetian’s urging voice cut through the silence.

The crowd watched in horror as both the Empress and the Grand Libationer fixed their eyes on Su Chen with the insatiable, wide-eyed curiosity of children. This seemingly unremarkable second son of the Su family, known only for sleeping through class, had suddenly become the most sought-after treasure in the room.

Su Chen, for his part, was dumbfounded.

*[Oh, give me a break. This woman is trying to set me up!]*

*[As expected of an Empress and a master scholar; I knew I shouldn't have drawn those damn punctuation marks. Who would have thought these two would actually see the merit in them?]*

...

Wu Zetian was rendered speechless in her heart. This bastard’s inner monologue was truly rich and elaborate. However, the corner of the Empress’s mouth curled upward once more.

"Su Chen, if you can explain this clearly, I shall not punish you. Otherwise, for your disrespect toward your elders, your defiance of a master scholar, and your disruption of the Imperial Academy, I could have you exiled to the frontier. Choose one."

Wu Zetian spoke with a leisurely smile. The Empress was no longer hiding; she had played her hand. If you want to spend your life as a salted fish, you must still earn that opportunity from me!

...

*[Damn it, exiled to the frontier? What a vicious heart this woman has!]*

*[My God, my brother, please save your dear younger brother!]*

*[Wait, I still have my brother! I have my dear brother, Su Zhongwen, the Minister of Justice! Ha!]*

Su Chen’s inner drama was spectacular, yet his face remained perfectly honest and naive, maintaining an innocent, dim-witted expression from start to finish. However, under the pressure of Wu Zetian’s questioning, that innocent facade slowly melted away like ice in water, and his handsome features gradually brightened with clarity.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Grand Libationer, and all the esteemed officials: these are punctuation marks!"

Su Chen pointed to the textbook soaked in his own saliva. The crowd noticed that on the opened page, aside from the moisture, there were small tadpoles and circles tucked between the characters. It was precisely because of these marks that Song Fangshan had accused Su Chen of insulting the classics of the sages.

"Punctuation marks? Su Chen, explain in detail!"

Grand Libationer Guo was ravenous for knowledge. These marks appeared to be mere scribbles, but they contained within them a profound potential for education.

With no other choice, Su Chen continued.

"These tadpoles with little tails are commas, used to separate clauses. These little circles are periods, signifying the end of a sentence. By using commas and periods to divide the text, one can clarify the phrasing, making the meaning obvious and easier to understand."

In two sentences, Su Chen had perfectly explained the function of commas and periods. Though simple, these words hit the room like a thunderclap. The other two Libationers, the professors, and the teachers stood frozen, staring at the marked textbook.

Commas, periods. Phrasing! Such simple concepts, yet they had gone unnoticed for decades. Not only had they missed it, but their predecessors and the sages themselves had failed to conceive of it for centuries. Every person present was a man of letters, and they understood the profound significance of these marks immediately. Even Wu Zetian grasped the weight of this innovation.

The literacy rate of the ancients was low for many reasons, but it was easy to imagine that if these marks were popularized, the success rate for young students learning to read would skyrocket. Beyond that, this would influence the very foundation of Confucianism. For ages, master scholars had disagreed on the phrasing of the Four Books and Five Classics, often leading to wildly different interpretations.

If the punctuation of the classics were standardized, such disagreements would vanish, and the probability of misinterpreting the sages would be greatly reduced. These two small marks were, therefore, irreplaceable in their impact.

...

"How is this possible? How can this be!"

Punctuation was not difficult to understand. After Su Chen’s explanation, the scholars and students alike grasped it instantly. Song Fangshan, who had been full of righteous indignation just moments ago, saw his expression collapse into visible terror.

With Su Chen’s explanation, these "stains" were no longer an insult to the classics; they were destined to become an inseparable part of them. They would make the sages' words more accessible to the common people—the very goal these scholars had pursued their entire lives.

It was inevitable: every new edition of the Four Books and Five Classics in the Great Qian Empire would feature these marks. Su Chen’s name would be forever intertwined with the sages, passed down through the ages. Meanwhile, Song Fangshan would be remembered not as a master scholar, but as the obstructionist who hindered the spread of wisdom. He might even go down in infamy. How could a man of his reputation possibly bear that?

Yet, no one cared about Song Fangshan anymore. From this day forward, his reputation was ruined, and there was no path to redemption—unless he could stand against the entire Confucian system itself.