441: Chapter 441 New Plan

"It seems you two are truly exhausted today; you have too much to say, and perhaps you cannot explain it all at once."

Lin Xiao offered them an out, and Master Li Jingyi and his companion immediately nodded repeatedly, expressing their shame.

"However, I do have a matter I would like to consult you two on while you, the esteemed masters of the academy, are still here."

Master Li Jingyi was overjoyed; if the Prince of Zhenbei was asking for their advice, it meant they could bridge the gap between them!

"Your Highness, please speak freely!" Master Xu Huaian was also very enthusiastic.

"It is difficult to explain in just a few words. Why don't we go somewhere else and have a cup of tea?"

"That would be excellent!"

Lin Xiao immediately led the two to a teacher's office building.

The entire building was divided into two floors, with individual departments separated and each teacher having their own dedicated workstation.

On the second floor, there were conference rooms of various sizes, reception rooms, staff lounges, and the like.

The people from the academy found it quite novel; they had never seen an academy of such scale and with such innovative facilities.

"Masters, does my New Northern Academy look acceptable to you?" Lin Xiao asked with a smile, seeing them looking around in amazement.

"It is more than just acceptable. The number of students and teachers, as well as the quality of education here, have left us both in awe."

"Indeed, even our academy's main branch does not have such a large building," Master Xu Huaian remarked with a sigh.

They had originally thought that the Prince of Zhenbei establishing an academy was just a layman pretending to be an expert and wouldn't last long.

But after seeing the whole picture this time, they realized that they truly could not underestimate this young Prince of Zhenbei; he was genuinely serious about education!

After finding a small conference room to enter, Lin Xiao sat down with the two old men.

Xiao Qingxuan followed them in, picked up the prepared hot water, and steeped four cups of hot tea. Instantly, the fragrance of tea filled the air.

Master Li Jingyi and Master Xu Huaian both felt invigorated by the scent.

"What fragrant tea! Your Highness, does this tea not need to be boiled?"

Master Li Jingyi considered himself a tea lover, but he had never seen this type of tea leaf before.

"Oh, this is the stir-fried tea that our Northern Trade Alliance is about to launch. It is my first time tasting it as well, and it seems to be quite good."

"Stir-fried tea? Can tea leaves still be consumed after being stir-fried?"

"Why don't you two try it and see?"

The two of them were full of anticipation; they waited for the temperature to drop and took a sip.

Immediately, expressions of amazement appeared in their eyes.

"This... these stir-fried tea leaves are actually this fragrant and rich?"

"It leaves a lingering fragrance on the lips and teeth; I have truly never had such good tea!"

Lin Xiao said playfully, "Masters, if I were to sell you this tea for one tael of silver per tael, would you consider it expensive?"

"One tael?!" Master Li Jingyi frowned. "Your Highness, high-quality fine leaves on the market only cost fifteen wen per tael."

"Oh? Then, after drinking this today, would you still be willing to drink that fifteen-wen tea?" Lin Xiao countered.

"This..."

The two old men fell into deep thought. Upon closer consideration, given their financial means, they could indeed afford it.

"It is not expensive," Master Xu Huaian said after careful deliberation, nodding. "Although it sounds expensive at first, in reality, it is not."

Master Li Jingyi also sighed in admiration, "Your Highness is able to sell tea leaves that only cost a dozen wen for several times the price; no wonder the Northern Trade Alliance is so prosperous."

Lin Xiao smiled and said, "Masters, you are overthinking it. I do not intend to keep the technique of making stir-fried tea a secret. Before long, all the tea farmers in the world will know how to produce it."

"In a year or two, you two should be able to drink affordable stir-fried tea."

The two masters were shocked and found it unbelievable.

"Your Highness, you are going to spread this technique?"

They were just going to give up such immense wealth?!

Lin Xiao smiled and asked in return, "Why are you two so surprised? Should I really keep it a secret and compete for profit with those poor tea farmers?"

The two were stumped. Yes, why were they so surprised?

When poor, one should improve oneself; when rich, one should benefit the world. Should those in power not refrain from competing with the people for profit?

They had both studied the books of the sages; how could they have forgotten this most basic principle of "benefiting the world and the people"?

Master Li Jingyi and Master Xu Huaian felt ashamed once again, and involuntarily, they bowed to Lin Xiao.

"Your Highness's magnanimity is something this old man admires."

"For the Northern Territory to have Your Highness is the blessing of the people of the Northern Territory... oh no, it is the blessing of the people of the entire world!"

Lin Xiao laughed. "You two are so supportive that I am becoming embarrassed."

He turned to look at Xiao Qingxuan. "My Princess, when the two elders leave later, gift them each two jin of stir-fried tea."

"Yes, Your Highness." Xiao Qingxuan smiled and nodded.

Her husband was too wise; just two jin of tea leaves could make two great scholars help with promotion.

The two old men were immediately overjoyed, already thinking about taking this fresh product back to show off to those around them.

"Alright, let us stop talking about the tea for now."

Lin Xiao immediately got to the point and handed two scrolls that had been prepared in advance to the two men.

"This is my plan for the future of the New Northern Academy. There are some matters in it that require the cooperation of your academy."

"You two have seen the teaching methods of our academy today, and as old masters whose students are everywhere, why don't you take a look and give some advice... to see if we can finalize it."

So it was to ask for advice on cooperative education?

Master Li Jingyi and Master Xu Huaian immediately became energized; this was something they were familiar with!

Were academies not for teaching? This fell right into their comfort zone.

But as they unfolded the scrolls and saw the various planning guidelines inside...

The two old men looked at each other, and in each other's eyes, they saw "shock"!

For a long time, the two put down the scrolls and remained silent, seemingly caught in a chaotic struggle of thought.

If it were before today, they would have thought that the educational approach described here was just a pile of nonsensical, absurd farce!

But having seen the teaching scene and the results at the New Northern Academy, they... were bewildered!

"There is no need to rush to answer me."

Lin Xiao had long been prepared for this result.

"Tomorrow is the Worlds Number One Wine Festival. Elder Zhu has already agreed to attend as a judge, and I will also be there."

"If you two are interested, you might as well stay for a couple more days, go for a walk in Xinghua Village, and when you have thought it through, we can discuss it in detail."

Upon hearing this, both nodded tacitly.

The sun set in the west.

The two old men took a group of academy students, got into their carriages, and began their return to Lincang.

On the way, the two elders remained silent, their thoughts racing.

The scrolls that Lin Xiao had just given them were still in their hands, feeling burning hot.

They vaguely felt that if they rejected Lin Xiao's proposal, the academy... might face impending disaster!

To put it bluntly, this was an "obedience test" for the academy.

However, if they were to truly agree to Lin Xiao's proposal, the pressure they would face would also be immense...

Master Li Jingyi looked up, seeing two of his more satisfactory students in the carriage, who were still whispering about what they had seen and heard today, full of excitement.

Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, and he asked impulsively, "Zhang Heng, Qu Yi, do you like the New Northern Academy?"

Upon hearing this, the two quickly suppressed their smiles and shook their heads with serious expressions.

"Tell the truth!" Master Li Jingyi admonished.

Zhang Heng held back for a moment, then smiled awkwardly, "Teacher, student feels... although it is somewhat unorthodox, it is still quite interesting."

"Yes, it is quite novel," Qu Yi also said.

Master Li Jingyi then asked again, "Then, if you were allowed to go to the New Northern Academy and stay there for two years to study, would you be willing?"