"Of course." Tao Heng smiled.
He was more than happy to have Zhao An come to his place to read. It was a chance to grow closer, and he found himself admiring Zhao An more and more.
Many talented martial artists were indeed fierce when it came to training, and they improved at astonishing speed. But their minds were often the one thing that couldn't keep up.
No matter how skilled they became, people like that would only get so far.
Zhao An, on the other hand, clearly wasn't some muscle-headed brute who knew nothing but fighting. His future was limitless.
The two were chatting animatedly when the sound of a drum suddenly rang out beyond the prefectural residence, interrupting them.
"Who's beating the drum?" Tao Heng asked.
Before long, a Prefecture Soldier came hurrying to the study and reported, "My lord, it's a scholar beating the drum. He claims someone changed the name on his county exam paper."
"Such a thing actually happened?" Tao Heng frowned.
"Bring the scholar to the courtyard."
In the council hall, several officers from Prefecture City stood with their arms crossed, scrutinizing the impoverished scholar kneeling in the courtyard.
They had heard the drum just now, and after asking around, they'd learned it concerned cheating in the county examination.
Their expressions remained unchanged. They weren't particularly surprised.
They were sons of local powerful families. Back when the previous County Magistrate was still in office, this sort of thing had happened all the time. Everyone had kept it quiet, turning a blind eye.
"Which family messed up this time and let the kid bring his complaint here?" Zhou Botao, a square-faced man, turned to the other officers seated around him.
Hu Dingtian's expression darkened slightly. He tapped his fingers against the table but said nothing.