Zhang Wenyuan's Great Setback

Capital City, Zhang Manor.

Elder Official Zhang Wenyuan sat in the hall, his face beaming with pride.

His wife sat beside him.

Servants of all kinds were dressed in new clothes.

He was a high-ranking official, possessing an Official Seal that could access information on Golden Rankings from all regions. He had known for a long time that his ninth son, Zhang Haoyue, had achieved the eighth-best result in the Provincial Examination.

As a Minister, he had almost reached the pinnacle of his official career. Perhaps there were one or two more steps, but those were rare opportunities, so he didn't dwell on them for now. Compared to his own career path, he paid more attention to his sons' performances.

What is a noble family?

A noble family is one that has real power in court, elders in their ancestral home, and a continuous stream of talented descendants.

He possessed all of these.

His greatest pride was his children.

The world says that the sons of high officials are often dissolute, but this saying does not apply to the Zhang family! The Zhang family's descendants were unique, and none of them were ordinary.

His eldest son was already the Vice Minister of Rites.

His second son cultivated the Dao in an Immortal Sect.

His fifth son was quite popular in the Capital City... to put it bluntly – the Little Tyrant of the Capital.

His fourth and sixth sons were both Juren, and they were sure to pass the Palace Examination next year.

His seventh son...

He wouldn't think about his seventh son for now. With the Literary Way shattered, he was the only failure among the talented members of their family...

His eighth son also participated in this Provincial Examination. He was registered in the Capital City, and although his results were just satisfactory, he had passed after all.

And his ninth son was eighth in the Provincial Examination!

In one day, two new talents in the Literary Way were added to the family. Heaven blessed the Zhang family with a century of great fortune!

These were the exact words of the old butler, a sycophant. Zhang Wenyuan had even reprimanded him for saying "century of great fortune." How could the Zhang family's fortune be limited to a century? Think of another term.

The old butler immediately replied, "Millennium of great fortune, ten thousand years..."

"Ten thousand years is enough. Do you want to die, daring to offend the Emperor?"

Hahahaha, master and servant rejoiced.

Suddenly, the Official Seal at his waist vibrated. Zhang Wenyuan took out the seal, inputting his Literary Way power, and a phantom image appeared before him. It was Lei Zhongzhou, the Prefect of Haining.

"Zhongzhou, the Provincial Examination has concluded. For the upcoming Deer Cry Banquet, put some thought into it, understand?"

His meaning was clear. Although his son had achieved eighth place, which qualified him for the Deer Cry Banquet, his ranking was towards the end. According to custom, the order could not be easily changed, but there were ways to make someone stand out. For example, the Prefect could set a topic at the Deer Cry Banquet and ask all the students to compose a poem. The topic was random, and the Prefect could secretly inform Zhang Haoyue beforehand, allowing him to surpass everyone with his poetry.

Scholars, their Literary Fame is very important.

You might say it's intangible, and indeed it is, but you might also say it's tangible.

Why? Because when Literary Fame flourishes, one feels invigorated, and it also makes the Literary World shine brightly, releasing greater potential.

"Minister, something... something... something big has happened." Lei Zhongzhou's face was pale, his lips trembling.

"What is it?"

"The Ninth Young Master's Literary Way has been shattered..."

"What?" Zhang Wenyuan roared, and the door to the main hall shattered. Several servants outside, who were about to enter, were blown far away, landing and spitting blood. At the entrance of the hall, the butler, accompanied by an official, had just entered when they suddenly stopped...

Lei Zhongzhou immediately knelt down and tremblingly explained the situation.

Zhang Wenyuan was already standing in the hall, and a crack had appeared in the bluestone slabs beneath his feet.

The airflow around him swirled madly, almost impossibly...

The Jieyuan of Haining was actually the third son of Lin Dingnan (he knew of the Jieyuan's name, of course, but he had never considered it, because in his dictionary, Third Young Master Lin was not a scholar at all)...

Lin Su had made a bet with 23 people, including Zhang Haoyue...

Lin Su had won the bet.

According to the bet, he could ask the 23 people a question, and they had to answer truthfully.

The first question this brat asked concerned the Minister's reputation and status. The moment the Ninth Young Master answered, the Literary Way at the scene was shattered...

The ninth son of the Zhang family, another one lost!

Zhang Wenyuan exploded on the spot...

Lin Su! A remnant of Lin Dingnan, daring to cripple two of my sons!

Lei Zhongzhou added another piece of information: a sentence in Lin Su's Policy Essay was quite unfavorable to the Minister. It had already spread from Haining and was likely known throughout the Great Cang. The Minister must be extremely cautious...

"What sentence?" Zhang Wenyuan uttered these three words with unusual calmness. This was perhaps the result of years of experience in a high position. Even when facing immense setbacks, he could quickly regain his composure.

"Ten million common people, crying blood as they await the royal army, while the court officials still flaunt themselves in Luocheng, wagging their tails..."

As soon as he heard this, Zhang Wenyuan's eyes blazed with a bloody light: "Audacious rogue! Audacious rogue! The Luocheng Covenant was personally decreed by His Majesty. Those who dare to question it shall die!"

"Your Excellency, but this Policy Essay has been designated Grade A by the Sacred Hall!"

Zhang Wenyuan stumbled, nearly falling!

The Sacred Hall's designation as Grade A meant it carried the Sacred Hall's decree.

Who dared disobey the Sacred Hall's decree?

Even the Emperor himself wouldn't dare!

The Sacred Hall directly negating imperial authority—that was too terrifying...

He, Zhang Wenyuan, with his lifelong reputation, would be cast into the deepest hell because of these two catchy, widely spread lines!

"Wait a moment, students' policy essays aren't directly circulated to the world or made public. Why was his policy essay released on the first day?"

The Sacred Hall selecting officials needed no explanation to anyone. Therefore, students' poems and policy essays were all sealed within the Sacred Hall and not publicly announced. Precisely because of this, people had to find excellent policy essay examples through every possible means. Some good policy essays could sell for a thousand gold pieces!

Why did Lin Su's policy essay spread so quickly?

Was it intentional on his part?

Lei Zhongzhou's expression was unreadable, a mix of tears and laughter. He replied, "Sir, this policy essay wasn't Lin Su's doing. It was the Ninth Young Master and the others. They questioned the fairness of Lin Su's position as Jieyuan and jointly petitioned for the Sacred Hall to make it public."

Twenty-three people jointly requested its release, and in the end, it led to Zhang Wenyuan's infamy!

A knot of anger twisted in Zhang Wenyuan's chest, making him feel like he was about to vomit blood.

"Minister, there's another matter, even more... serious..."

Another matter? More serious? Zhang Wenyuan's heart nearly stopped.

"The Zhang Family has encountered a great calamity. The Old Master is dead, and over six hundred people have perished. Only seventy-odd women have survived..."

After Lei Zhongzhou finished speaking, Zhang Wenyuan remained motionless. The hall was terrifyingly silent.

Suddenly, Zhang Wenyuan roared, and the roof of the main hall flew off. The entire hall turned to dust!

Amidst the flying dust, Zhang Wenyuan looked up at the sky and bellowed, "Who? Who severed my Zhang Clan's ancestral line? I will tear you to pieces! I will have your entire nine generations exterminated..."

The butler and the Vice Minister at the door turned pale.

The Zhang Family in Haining.

The women's wails were earth-shattering, but no one showed them any sympathy. Passersby even secretly threw cow dung over the courtyard walls. The major prominent families in Haining, usually friendly with the Zhang family, simultaneously shut their doors.

As a result, over six hundred corpses lay in the Zhang family courtyard, uncollected.

The weather was still hot. After a few days, the bodies would start to rot.

Could anyone still live in this mansion then?

The women inside were all in a panic, but some younger women watched with cold eyes, showing no sign of grief. Even...

"Hahaha, you old scoundrel Zhang! So this is your end. Heaven has eyes!" a young woman strode out of the house, tears streaming down her face, yet she was laughing hysterically.

"How dare you, you lowly bitch of the Liu clan, seize her! Beat her to death with sticks!" the Second Concubine shouted sternly.

The two maids beside her exchanged glances...

"Didn't you hear me? I told you to beat her to death!" the Second Concubine grew angrier.

The maid on the left suddenly stood up and slapped the Second Concubine across the face. The Second Concubine was stunned on the spot.

"The old Zhang scoundrel harmed countless people, and you were an accomplice! Heaven has opened its eyes and taken away a courtyard full of villains, why did it spare you, you wicked woman?"

"Exactly! Beat her to death!"

"Beat her to death!"

A group of maids rushed over. The Second Concubine turned ashen with fear and tried to run, but a maid kicked her down. Seven or eight maids simultaneously grabbed clubs, and amidst screams, the Second Concubine was beaten into a pulp.

"And that old hag! If you're going to do it, do it thoroughly! Kill her!"

Over thirty maids stormed into the inner chambers, and a bloody storm ensued. The old matriarch, the First Concubine, the Fourth Concubine...

In less than an hour, a group of maids and a group of young women emerged from the inner chambers, covered in blood.

The women who had escaped Mr. Bao Shan's "Words Become Law" were ultimately unable to escape the hands of these long-oppressed women of the inner chambers.

The maids left the Zhang mansion and went to the prefect's yamen to surrender.

Liu Xing'er looked at the grand mansion before her. Recalling three years of suffering and torment, she let out a great cry, followed by a long laugh, and threw herself against the horse-tying stone in front of the gate...

The entire Zhang mansion was now completely empty!

Lei Zhongzhou had just wiped the sweat from his brow, ending his call with the official from the Capital Zhang. Outside, the court drum began to beat.

A large group of maids, covered in blood, stood in the hall. They stated that they were the ones who had killed everyone remaining in the Zhang mansion...

Lei Zhongzhou sat down abruptly. The great Zhang Clan of Haining was now completely severed, leaving no one behind.

How was he supposed to report this to Official Zhang?