The Imperial Study.
After court adjourned, the other officials left first, while the Grand Academicians of the Grand Secretariat stayed to discuss affairs with Emperor Deyuan.
Once they had more or less finished the official business, Emperor Deyuan stood. "Minister Wu, stay. The rest of you may leave."
Emperor Deyuan planned to rest after dinner, then stake out the place with his little darling to catch the exam-paper thief.
As chief examiner of the metropolitan examination, Minister Wu of the Ministry of Justice would help guard the papers tonight.
While the Minister of Justice was in high spirits, buoyed by his good fortune, the other Five Ministers wore faces as long as a donkey's.
The Minister of War clenched his fists, sweeping his gaze over the other Five Ministers. Who? Who exactly suggested putting the Spring Examination papers in the Imperial Study?
In previous years, the Spring Examination papers had always been kept at the Ministry of Rites offices. Who had gotten their wires crossed this year and put them in the Imperial Study, leaving the rest of them unable to take part in catching the thief?!
The Minister of Rites: Don't look at me. It wasn't me. Old Su suggested it.
United against their common enemy, everyone turned to the blue-balled Chief Minister, Su Xuelin.
Su Xuelin: What are you looking at me for? Will staring at me let you stay?
Hurry up and think of something!
The Minister of Works reacted quickly. "Your Majesty, we still need your instructions on repairs to the Clearwater River works."
The moment he finished, the Minister of Revenue followed. "Your Majesty, we still need to draw up detailed measures for relocating settlers to reclaim wasteland and bringing displaced people under government protection and resettling them."
As soon as the Minister of Revenue