"Oh?"
Xiao Jinxuan's expression grew noticeably colder at those words.
His gaze first swept over An Zhiyuan, who was kneeling on the floor, then the pale-faced scholar, before slowly settling on Jiang Xiaobai. "Jiang Xiaobai, do you have anything else to say?"
"Your Majesty, this student has been wronged."
Jiang Xiaobai bowed. "This student... did all this solely for Your Majesty's sake!"
"How dare you even say such a thing!"
Hearing that, Chen Zhanqiu's face instantly darkened. "Are you saying you did nothing wrong by cheating in the Imperial Civil Service Examination?"
"Precisely!"
Jiang Xiaobai nodded slightly.
"Heh. Then I would like to hear how this was for my sake," Xiao Jinxuan said with a faint smile.
Once Xiao Jinxuan spoke, Chen Zhanqiu fell silent, though he still regarded Jiang Xiaobai with a sneer in his eyes.
Indeed, with the witnesses all present, he wanted to see what else Jiang Xiaobai could possibly say.
Jiang Xiaobai straightened and looked at Xiao Jinxuan. "Your Majesty, this student would first like to ask this scholar who wrote the exam in my place a few questions. May I?"
"Granted."
Xiao Jinxuan did not stop him.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
As Jiang Xiaobai spoke, his gaze landed on the scholar, and the corners of his mouth lifted. "Let me ask you: have you ever met me?"
The scholar visibly froze at the question. After a brief hesitation, he answered, "Never!"
"Good!"
A smile appeared on Jiang Xiaobai's face. "Then let me ask you again. Since you've never met me, why did you take the examination in my place?"
"It was Lord An!"
This time, the scholar answered somewhat faster. "Lord An approached this commoner and asked me to sit the examination and write the answers in Heir Jiang's place!"
At those words, the eyes