A dozen yamen runners swarmed in and stood on either side, hands on their sabers, awaiting orders. In an instant, the Provincial Graduates gradually fell silent, the tension in the air ready to explode at a touch.
Standing to one side, Zhang Modong now realized who the two newcomers were. His heart lurched, and a sense of foreboding spread through him.
Leaving now was all but impossible. The runners watched like hungry tigers, their hands on their long sabers as their gazes swept the room, and they had blocked the doorway. He could only draw himself back as much as possible, slowly retreating into a corner.
Both officials looked livid. They certainly had not come bearing good news. Could this have something to do with the sale of examination questions?
But was that possible?
Liang Yuyin was usually refined in manner and approachable, much admired by scholars. Tonight, however, his expression was utterly unlike his usual one. His face livid, he swept a grim gaze over the Provincial Graduates before finally speaking. "My friends, you are all scholars, all Provincial Graduates."
"Passing the provincial examinations proves not only that you possess talent, but that you have worked hard. You may rightly be called men whose excellence in learning has earned them distinction."
"Ordinarily, the Spring Examinations are a leap over the Dragon Gate. If you clear it, you bring glory to your ancestors. I came up that same way myself. If you fail, fortune has not favored you, and you can try again next time."
"Even if you return home to your fields, you retain your standing as gentry and enjoy the respect of your community."
"Yet some people have forgotten the grace bestowed upon them by the state and turned their backs on integrity and shame, forcing me, Lord