One Man Against the Court

"Fifty-fifty"?

Biao Biao blinked her bright eyes and said in surprise, "You dog servant, you're quite confident, aren't you?"

Then, those charming little peach blossom eyes swept over Huaiqing, and she snorted, "If you want to enter the palace, just find me. Why bring along some unimportant people?"

"You've become quite bold lately." Huaiqing nodded and walked towards her.

In the past, Lin'an would have been startled at this point, hopping away like a rabbit before running away.

But this time she didn't leave. Proudly puffing out her chest and hands on her hips, she chose to confront Huaiqing head-on, shouting in a crisp voice, "What? Am I wrong?"

Xu Qi'an calmly stepped between the two, and said with a wry smile, "Your Highnesses, please don't make a scene. There are outsiders around; don't let yourselves become a laughingstock."

"Aren't you an outsider too?" Huaiqing glanced at him lightly.

With her excellent figure and icy demeanor, Huaiqing frowned slightly as she realized that the relationship between Yinluo Xu Ningyan and Lin'an was rapidly escalating in a short period of time.

For example, when Xu Qi'an stepped between them, he had his back to Lin'an and was facing her. This was an instinctive act of protecting the former.

For example, when they came together, Lin'an and Xu Ningyan were very close, which exceeded the bounds of etiquette between a subject and a princess.

It was obvious that Xu Ningyan was gradually moving closer to Lin'an, a discovery that made Huaiqing inexplicably irritable and uncomfortable.

"Didn't Your Highness ask me before how you planned to handle this case? I didn't say then because I wasn't very confident. Now, we've done everything we could; man proposes, God disposes."

Xu Qi'an steered the conversation, not giving the two princesses a chance to argue. Seeing that he had indeed attracted Huaiqing and Lin'an's attention, he smiled and continued:

"At first, I was troubled by how to prove Erlang's innocence and that he hadn't cheated, and I racked my brains for it. But later I realized that whether he cheated or not was completely unimportant."

Xu Xinnian was merely a pretext, a reason, or perhaps a weapon for the civil servants to engage in political maneuvering.

In layman's terms, Xu Erlang was a victim of political struggle.

Therefore, the crux of the problem and the key to breaking the deadlock lies in the four words "political struggle." Only by winning this battle can Erlang receive a fair trial.

Otherwise, for someone without powerful backing in the imperial court, does it really matter whether they are innocent or not?

Huaiqing nodded slightly and said, "What you need to do is find him a helper, a helper who can win the battle in the court. That's the difficulty."

His status as a student of the Cloud Deer Academy destined him to be a rootless duckweed. It was fortunate that the gentlemen did not kick him when he was down; they would never show him any favoritism.

"If Duke Wei makes a move, then those neutral civil officials will also get involved. No one wants to see Duke Wei form an alliance with the Cloud Deer Academy, and Chief Minister Wang probably won't turn a blind eye either."

Huaiqing understood the intricacies of the situation, but what troubled her was the word "helper."

Without Wei Yuan, how could Xu Qi'an find a force in the court that could rival the Left Censor-in-Chief, Minister Sun, Duke Cao, and Vice Minister of War?

His only source of confidence was Wei Yuan.

In this game, Emperor Yuanjing is just the referee. As long as he doesn't take the initiative to mess with Erlang, I can still give it a try, Xu Qi'an said with peace of mind.

The officials entered the Golden Palace, remained silent, and waited quietly for a quarter of an hour before Emperor Yuanjing finally arrived.

The old emperor, with his black hair reborn, wore a simple Daoist robe with flowing sleeves, looking more like a Daoist priest than an emperor.

After the normal audience, Minister Sun of the Ministry of Justice suddenly stepped forward and said loudly, "Your humble servant has something to report."

In an instant, all eyes turned to the figure in the scarlet official robes, and the somewhat deathly atmosphere of the court seemed to be stirred up by a surging undercurrent.

A series of vortexes swirled and surged among the officials in the court.

The foreplay is over, and the curtain is slowly rising.

The Left Censor-in-Chief Yuan Xiong and the Vice Minister of War Qin Yuandao, who were planning this, quietly straightened their backs, revealing a strong fighting spirit and confidence.

Those involved in the matter, including the Minister of Justice, smirked, both anticipating the start of the show and eagerly awaiting their revenge against Xu Qi'an and Wei Yuan.

Grand Secretary Zhao Tingfang's faction was outnumbered and outmatched, their brows furrowed.

Normally, they wouldn't be afraid of provocations between political parties or the Vice Minister of War. However, now that the Vice Minister of War has come with "great power," he has tied the Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion and the students of the Cloud Deer Academy together. To clear the name of the Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion is equivalent to clearing the Xu Xinnian, which means there are too many enemies.

Inside and outside the hall, the remaining neutral factions tacitly watched the spectacle, observing the situation. If they were to speak of their stance, they would naturally lean towards the Minister of Ministry of Justice, not towards the Cloud Deer Academy.

"Please speak, my dear minister." Emperor Yuanjing sat high on the dragon throne, exuding an imposing aura.

"I was ordered to investigate the case of Grand Secretary Zhao Tingfang of the Dongge Pavilion accepting bribes and leaking exam questions to candidate Xu Xinnian. Now the truth has come to light. There are three people involved: Xu Xinnian, a student of the Cloud Deer Academy; Grand Secretary Zhao Tingfang of the Dongge Pavilion; and his steward, who acted as an intermediary."

"Furthermore, according to Xu Xinnian's confession, he became acquainted with the Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion through his elder brother, Xu Qi'an."

Minister Sun finished his report.

The corresponding confessions had been presented to the emperor for review long in advance, and any matters to be discussed at court meetings were submitted in memorials a day in advance.

Left Censor-in-Chief Yuan Xiong turned slightly and glanced at Wei Yuan expressionlessly.

The other officials also looked at Wei Yuan, waiting for his response and counterattack. Minister Sun's move was to forcibly drag Wei Yuan into the mess, not giving him a chance to stand idly by.

"Your Majesty, please allow me to speak. I have something to say."

At this moment, an elderly imperial censor with gray hair stepped forward; he was none other than Zhang Xingying, who had made great contributions in Yunzhou.

Emperor Yuanjing's answer remained unchanged; he said in a deep voice, "Please speak, my dear minister."

Zhang Xingying glanced at Minister Sun out of the corner of his eye and raised his voice, "Your Majesty, I wish to accuse Minister of Ministry of Justice Sun Min of abusing his power and extracting a confession through torture. I request Your Majesty to order a joint trial by the three judicial departments to further investigate the imperial examination fraud case."

This is a common tactic used in officialdom: the strategy of delaying!

The effectiveness of this tactic ultimately depends on the emperor's decision.

"Is that all?" Minister Sun sneered, retorting, "This case was ordered by His Majesty himself, and the Ministry of Justice and the local government jointly tried it and supervised each other. How can you say that it was obtained through torture?"

"Whether those three prisoners were tortured into confessing or not, Your Majesty can send someone to investigate and find out."

Emperor Yuanjing nodded slowly, no longer looking at Imperial Censor Zhang, and asked, "Gentlemen, what do you think should be done with this case?"

Zhang Xingying stood there, disappointed.

Minister Sun glanced back at Governor Zhang, his eyes filled with slight disdain. Such a weak and feeble counterattack—was he planning to give up?

At the same time, Minister Sun couldn't help but feel disappointed. His Majesty's attitude was clear: delaying tactics were useless, but he did not immediately define the nature of the case.

His Majesty is giving Wei Yuan and Zhao Tingfang's cronies a chance to retaliate.

But Yuan Xiong, the Left Censor-in-Chief, who was thinking of dragging Wei Yuan down with him, suddenly lit up his eyes and immediately stepped forward, bowed, and said:

"Your Majesty, I believe this case is extremely serious. After several days of fermentation, it is known to everyone in the capital. The students are filled with resentment, and the people are filled with righteous indignation. Only by severely punishing this case can we appease public anger."

At this moment, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review stepped forward, shook his head, and said, "Xu Qi'an, representing the Bureau of Astronomy in the magical contest, has just made a great contribution and should not be punished."

The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review's words were a veiled attack on the emperor's conscience, creating an image of Xu Qi'an as arrogant and self-important, a person who had "abused his merits" for Emperor Yuanjing and the officials in the palace.

Once these words were spoken, Emperor Yuanjing would have no choice but to punish him, otherwise it would have validated the saying "arrogance based on merit" and set a very bad example.

Zhao Tingfang's cronies stepped forward to refute him.

The officials in the court waited for a moment, only to be surprised to find that Wei Yuan had not spoken, and even the censors under his command had fallen silent.

Is he really going to abandon his trusted confidant Xu Qi'an?

Various thoughts flashed through the minds of the officials in the hall. The winds of change were quietly shifting, and the censors of the Ministry of Personnel stepped forward to make tentative remarks:

"The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review is absolutely right. This case must be handled strictly and without leniency; otherwise, the authority of the court and His Majesty's prestige will be completely lost."

Immediately, the six supervising secretaries stepped forward to support the views of the Minister of Justice.

The Vice Minister of War, who was one of the driving forces but remained silent, turned to look at the Duke of Cao.

Now that the civil officials have expressed their opinions, and with the Duke of Cao, a first-class duke, adding fuel to the fire, a powerful force will be formed within the palace. His Majesty has no reason, nor will he, to confront this force head-on for the sake of a mere Grand Secretary.

The Duke of Cao stepped forward expressionlessly, drawing the attention of the surrounding ministers and nobles.

Duke Cao also fueled the "Imperial Examination Fraud Case." If he were to represent the nobles, Wei Yuan, who had lost the initiative, would find it difficult to reverse the situation. For him, Xu Xinnian might not be important. However, it would create an irreparable rift between him and his confidant Xu Qi'an. The officials thought to themselves.

After the Duke of Cao stepped forward, he stood shoulder to shoulder with Minister Sun, bowed, and said:

"Your Majesty, I believe that the Ministry of Justice and the local government handled this case too hastily. Grand Secretary Zhao Tingfang of the Eastern Pavilion has always been known for his integrity and excellent reputation; how could he possibly accept bribes?"

"Furthermore, although Xu Xinnian is just a student, Cloud Deer Academy has not produced a 'top scholar' in the provincial examinations for many years. How could the academy's great scholars let this matter rest so easily?"

Cao Guogong's words can be summarized in a simple way: Xu Xinnian is a key student being cultivated by the Cloud Deer Academy, and when dealing with him, the academy's attitude must be taken into account, and the punishment should not be too severe.

Minister Sun stiffened his neck and slowly turned his head, staring at Duke Cao in disbelief.

The Left Censor-in-Chief and the Vice Minister of War exchanged glances. Before submitting their impeachment memorials, the two had conspired together. Subsequently, the Duke of Cao actively fueled the flames, uniting with powerful nobles to support the two.

A tacit alliance was formed among the various parties, and they worked together to achieve their goals.

At this moment, Yuan Xiong and Qin Yuandao felt a kind of anger, as if their "revolution" had been betrayed.

What's going on?!

The officials in the hall could not hide their astonishment. Had the Duke of Cao switched sides? What was the point of his previous instigation?

Suddenly, the officials were startled and looked at Wei Yuan.

When did Wei Yuan persuade the Duke of Cao, and what benefits did he promise?

Just as the officials were speculating, Wei Yuan snapped out of his reverie and glanced at the Duke of Cao with considerable surprise.

Wei Yuan seemed extremely surprised; was he unaware of this as well? This detail, observed by everyone, only deepened the ministers' confusion.

Suddenly, the situation in the imperial court became unpredictable.

The ministers fell silent, choosing not to immediately jump out to refute, but instead opting to observe how the situation would develop.

The Vice Minister of War could not remain silent. He stepped forward three paces and said in a deep voice:

"Your Majesty, Duke Cao's words are malicious. Imagine if Xu Xinnian were treated leniently simply because he was a student of the Cloud Deer Academy, how would the Imperial Academy feel? How would scholars throughout the land feel?"

"When Emperor Wenzu established the Imperial Academy, why did he sweep the scholars of the Cloud Deer Academy out of the court? It was because the scholars of the Cloud Deer Academy disrespected the emperor and used their knowledge to Disrupting Law with Literature."

Sage Cheng erected a stele at the Cloud Deer Academy with the inscription. "To die for righteousness and repay the emperor's kindness, one's name will be remembered for generations to come." This was to tell future generations how to be loyal to the emperor and love one's country.

"Do you all want to see the same helplessness that Emperor Wenzu experienced?"

Emperor Yuanjing narrowed his eyes instantly, his indifferent demeanor vanishing as he transformed into a monarch wielding immense power.

Sharp!

Minister Sun and the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review smirked slightly. This tactic of subtly shifting the focus was brilliant, as if drawing a line in the court: on one side were the scholars from the Imperial Academy, and on the other side were the Cloud Deer Academy.

The debate over the orthodox lineage: how to choose?

If any civil official wants to speak up for Xu Xinnian, they must consider their own position and whether their words will alienate them from the court and their ministers.

Left Censor-in-Chief Yuan Xiong almost stroked his beard and burst into laughter. In this way, Wei Yuan had no choice but to step in, because there were some things that scholars couldn't say. But he, as the leader of the eunuch faction, could, because he wasn't a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations.

If Wei Yuan were to fall from grace, what would Chief Minister Wang's stance be? And how would the other neutral civil officials react?

Dragging Wei Yuan into the mess, then using overwhelming force to defeat him, forcing him to compromise and relinquish control of the Censorate—this is the Left Censor-in-Chief's key recent plan.

"Snort!"

At that moment, a cold snort filled with boundless rage rang out in the hall.

Everyone turned their heads at the sound and saw that it was Prince Yu, who had been relatively unknown all along. This prince, dressed in a dark yellow dragon robe, stepped forward with a livid face, white hair at his temples, and deep crow's feet at the corners of his eyes, making him look extremely old.

Upon seeing him step forward, Qin Yuandao, the Vice Minister of War who had just been filled with emotion, suddenly felt a sinking feeling in his heart.

"Going back two hundred years, I have never heard of any scholar from the Cloud Deer Academy committing any act of assassinating a princess. Is this what you scholars from the Imperial Academy call loyalty to the emperor and patriotism?"

Prince Yu shouted, "Hypocrite!"

Then, he turned to Emperor Yuanjing, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I do not care about the truth of the imperial examination fraud case. I only feel that the officials of the Ministry of Justice are incompetent and corrupt."

"If they were capable of handling cases, how could my poor Pingyang have died crying out for justice? If it weren't for the night Nightwatchers, Xu Qi'an, thoroughly investigating this case, I'm afraid my injustice would still not have been redressed today."

"The case of cheating in the imperial examinations is of great importance. We hope Your Majesty will reopen the case and have it tried jointly by the three judicial departments and the night Nightwatchers."

Emperor Yuanjing frowned, hesitating to remain silent.

Prince Yu immediately burst into tears. "Your Majesty, my poor Pingyang!"

Shameless!

Minister Sun, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, the Left Censor-in-Chief, the Vice Minister of War, and others changed their expressions drastically. The case of Princess Pingyang was a thorn in the side between the civil officials and Emperor Yuanjing.

The Vice Minister of War told Emperor Yuanjing that the scholars at the Cloud Deer Academy were uncontrollable. Now, Prince Yu is telling Emperor Yuanjing that the scholars at the Imperial Academy also harbor plots to harm the imperial family and will take action.

Wei Yuan chuckled inwardly. He had expected that the boy would seek help from Prince Yu, but he had a general idea as to why Duke Cao had switched sides at the last minute, though he couldn't verify it now.

Although Xu Ningyan is not good at factional struggles, he has extremely high comprehension and can see the situation incisively.

At this point, the Duke of Cao and the other nobles echoed his sentiments, subtly creating a confrontational stance against the civil officials.

Grand Secretary Wang observed the situation with detached indifference, but inwardly he was quite surprised; he had not anticipated the current confrontation between the nobles and the civil officials.

The Duke of Cao and Prince Yu were not on the same side, and neither were they on the same side as Wei Yuan, but the fact that they joined forces was undeniable.

Who is pulling the strings behind all this?

This mastermind clearly knows who their enemy is and uses this knowledge to devise strategies to find forces that can rival their "enemy."

The case of Prince Yu and Princess Pingyang. It was him?! A guess flashed through the mind of the chief minister, his expression paused slightly, and then returned to normal.

The situation took a sharp turn for the worse, and Minister Sun and his entourage felt a chill. If this case were to be reopened, Nightwatchers's office also got involved, then all their plans would fall apart.

This will ultimately lead to a stalemate and a lot of wrangling among the parties involved.

Although Xu Xinnian was unable to participate in the palace examination because of this, who would care whether a top scholar in the provincial examination could participate in the palace examination?

Minister Sun, a key figure in Wang's faction, frequently gave Wang, the chief minister, meaningful glances.

Brother, what's wrong with you? We're fighting a bloody battle at the front, and you're not saying a word from the rear?

Chief Minister Wang noticed Minister Sun's gaze and frowned slightly. From his perspective, he didn't care who won or lost the case. Firstly, Wei Yuan hadn't been involved, and secondly, Xu Xinnian couldn't represent the entire Cloud Deer Academy.

If you really don't like something, just find an excuse to send it to some remote corner.

However, with Minister Sun, a key member of the Wang faction, leading the charge, it would be disheartening for Wang to stand idly by. This is the inherent flaw of factionalism.

Often, we are not in control of our own lives.

"Your Majesty, I do have a way to quickly resolve this case," said Chief Minister Wang, stepping forward, bowing, and speaking slowly.

"Whether Grand Secretary Zhao Tingfang of the Eastern Pavilion leaked the exam questions or not, we only need to test Xu Xinnian. Your Majesty can summon him to the palace and personally set the questions for him to compose a poem in front of all the officials."

Whether the poem "The Road to Shu is Hard" was written by someone else will be known in a single test. As for the essays on classics and policy, the palace examination is imminent. Whether Xu Xinnian has genuine talent and learning will be decided by His Majesty after he has read the essays.

"If he really is an incompetent fool, then the leak of exam questions is real, and the cheating is real; he should be severely punished."

Emperor Yuanjing stared at Chief Minister Wang for a moment, then smiled and said, "That makes sense. I will do as you say, my dear minister."

Minister Sun and others looked pleased. At first glance, Chief Minister Wang's words seemed like he was trying to smooth things over, but in fact, his bias was quite obvious.

His Majesty personally set the questions to test Xu Xinnian's poetry, requiring him to compose a poem within the palace. In the entire Great Feng, only the top poet, Xu Qi'an, could accomplish this.

If you can't pass this hurdle, how can you even talk about the palace examination?

Prince Yu immediately said, "Your Majesty, this method is too hasty. Can an ordinary person really compose a masterpiece of poetry so easily?"

Zhang Xingying immediately echoed.

Left Censor-in-Chief Yuan Xiong laughed and said, "Time is limited in the examination hall as well. Since this Scholar Xu can compose one poem, why can't he compose a second one?"

"Prince Yu is mistaken. Xu Xinnian's ability to create a masterpiece demonstrates his exceptional skill in poetry. Once he composes another poem, the difference will become clear."

"Your Majesty, this method is excellent."

The six supervising secretaries were the first to strongly support it, and the other civil officials followed suit.

Duke Cao stood idly by, only agreeing to help Xu Xinnian receive a lenient sentence, with no intention of exonerating him.

Prince Yu's face darkened, and he was about to continue his persuasion when Emperor Yuanjing waved his hand and said calmly, "My mind is made up. Prince Yu need not say any more."

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a heavily armored imperial guard entered the Golden Palace and respectfully announced, "Your Majesty, Xu Xinnian has arrived."

The previously stagnant atmosphere suddenly became lively, and the officials in the court instantly became more energetic.

Emperor Yuanjing nodded, his voice authoritative. "Bring him in."

The imperial guards took their leave, and a few minutes later, Xu Xinnian, the handsome top scholar in the Xu Xinnian examination, arrived, dressed in prison garb.

He slowly walked through the scarlet carpeted passage, past the courtiers on both sides, and came before Emperor Yuanjing.

This... this is the legendary Golden Palace?!

This is where the officials of the imperial court hold their court sessions?!

Why bring me to the Golden Palace? A series of questions flashed through Xu Xinnian's mind. He was so excited that his hands and feet trembled uncontrollably.

He whispered, giving himself a kind of "buff": "Even if a mountain collapses before me, I won't flinch!"

In an instant, Xu Erlang's heart was as calm as still water, undisturbed, his eyes clear and bright, seemingly not taking the gentlemen on both sides seriously.

He bowed and said, "This student, Xu Xinnian, greets Your Majesty."

The imperial guards immediately replied, "Your Majesty, your identity has been verified."

Emperor Yuanjing scrutinized the young man, whose good looks were outrageous, nodded slightly, and said in a deep voice:

"I ask you, did the Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion accept bribes and leak exam questions to you?"

Xu Xinnian cried out, "Your Majesty, I have been wronged!"

No one paid any attention to his explanation. Emperor Yuanjing interrupted him calmly, "I will give you a chance. If you wish to prove Xu Xinnian innocence, compose a poem right here in the Golden Palace. I will personally set the topic for you. Do you dare?"

"I dare not, I dare not." Xu Xinnian's face turned slightly pale.

He never expected to be brought into the imperial palace and face such a predicament.

"The Road to Shu is Hard" was written by my elder brother, not by him. Although he changed two words, I can say with my hand on my chest: This poem is my work.

However, he simply couldn't write another poem, especially one composed on the spot.

To accomplish this would require the possession of a saint. Xu Xinnian felt utterly hopeless; he even considered confessing everything and begging the court for leniency.

But reason told him that if he admitted that he did not write "The Road to Shu is Hard," then he would face a fate of sliding into the abyss.

Nobody cares that the eldest brother guessed the question correctly.

What should I do? What should I do? I never imagined that my first visit to the Golden Palace this Xu Xinnian would be my last. He deeply felt the difficulties and dangers of officialdom.

Brother, what should I do?

Xu Xinnian's expression and demeanor were observed by all the officials and Emperor Yuanjing.

A gleam of pleasure flashed in Minister Sun's eyes. Xu Qi'an had once written a poem that nailed him to the pillar of shame, but now the tables had turned, and it was time for him to be the one to suffer the consequences.

Qin Yuandao, the Vice Minister of War, breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that the overall situation was settled. After bringing down Zhao Tingfang, his next step was to plan the location of Dongge University.

The cabinet was Wang's territory, and Minister Sun was a key member of Wang's faction, so it was almost a foregone conclusion.

Left Censor-in-Chief Yuan Xiong looked at Wei Yuan, his mood extremely bad, because Wei Yuan had not made a move, and thus his plan had failed.

However, it's not a loss for Wei Yuan to lose a capable lieutenant.

As expected, it came to this. Wei Yuan sighed silently. When he first learned that Xu Xinnian was involved in the imperial examination cheating case, Wei Yuan thought it wouldn't be difficult. Later, when Xu Qi'an confessed to writing poems on behalf of others, Wei Yuan's advice to him was:

Try to get a lenient sentence.

This is a fatal flaw.

Xu Ningyan seemed to have something else to rely on; he didn't say it, but I could sense it. Wei Yuan had a general idea of why the Wei Yuan of Cao had switched sides, but he was completely clueless about how to resolve the matter of composing the poem.

Emperor Yuanjing looked down at Xu Xinnian, his voice deep and authoritative. "You dare not?"

Gulu Xu Xinnian swallowed hard. Knowing he was in a bind, he gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty, please give me the question."

Emperor Yuanjing smiled and said leisurely, "To die for righteousness and repay the emperor's kindness, hmm, then compose a poem on the theme of 'Loyalty to the Emperor and Serving the Country.' I'll give you the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

Upon hearing the question posed by Emperor Yuanjing, Minister Sun and the others couldn't help but chuckle to themselves.

His Majesty knew that Xu Xinnian was a student of the Cloud Deer Academy, yet he still set such a test question; this was deliberate.

Moreover, throughout history, most of the timeless poems and lyrics about loyalty to the emperor and serving the country were written during times of national crisis and family ruin. There are very few masterpieces on this theme during times of peace and prosperity.

This question is very difficult!

Xu Xinnian, whose body stiffened and who stood frozen in place, was engrossed in writing about loyalty to the emperor and serving the country.

On that day, the eldest brother drew lots and drew two exam questions: one was to express his aspirations, and the other was to express his patriotism. The poem expressing his aspirations had already played a role in the imperial examinations, helping him become the top scholar of the time.

Therefore, the remaining patriotic poems naturally become useless.

To his utter surprise, the topic Emperor Yuanjing set for him was a poem on loyalty to the emperor and patriotism.

Could it be that His Majesty has long been in cahoots with his elder brother? Otherwise, how can such a coincidence be explained?

Emperor Yuanjing stared expressionlessly at the imperial examination candidates in the hall. Observing people's expressions and moods was a skill that emperors had mastered since their time as princes.

Xu Huiyuan's various expressions and eyes revealed his inner panic and despair, to the point that he was completely stunned.

Prince Yu, who had also served as a prince, coughed and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty."

"Prince Yu!"

The Vice Minister of War raised his voice to interrupt, saying, "The time allotted for one incense stick is limited. Don't disturb Xu Huiyuan's poetry composition; the officials in the court are waiting."

Prince Yu's face darkened.

The ministers reacted in various ways: some were worried, some were pleased, some sneered, and some watched coldly.

In the silence, Xu Xinnian spoke loudly, "It won't take the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. I thank Your Majesty for your mercy in giving me this opportunity. My elder brother, Xu Qi'an, is the top poet of the Great Feng Dynasty, and he can compose poems with ease."

"Of course I can't let him down."

Um?!

Why so confident all of a sudden?

The officials in the court, Prince Yu, and Emperor Yuanjing were all taken aback.

Immediately afterwards, a melodious voice rang out from the inner hall:

"Dark clouds press down on the city, threatening to crush it; armor gleams in the sun, like golden scales."

A simple sentence paints a vivid picture of a siege in the minds of all. The enemy rolls in like dark clouds overhead. On the city walls, the armor of the defenders gleams in the sunlight, ready for battle.

Xu Xinnian looked back, his gaze slowly sweeping over the assembled officials, and recited. "The sound of horns fills the autumn sky, the crimson of the frontier congeals into a deep purple at night."

The court nobles stared in astonishment. This scholar had never been to a battlefield, yet how could he describe the scene so vividly and so profoundly?

"A half-furled red flag hangs over the Yi River; heavy frost silences the drums."

"What a beautiful verse! The frost is heavy, the drums are cold, and the sound is silent. I feel as if I have returned to those years when I was wrapped in a horse's hide and guarded the border." The Earl of Weihai was completely captivated and praised loudly.

The other nobles were equally captivated by the charm of poetry.

The civil official frowned, glancing displeasedly at the uncouth military men, annoyed by their sudden interruption.

Minister Sun glanced at Yuan Xiong, the Left Censor-in-Chief, who looked blankly at Qin Yuandao, the Vice Minister of War, while Qin Yuandao looked at the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review with a livid face.

The four exchanged silent glances, their hearts sinking.

The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review said in a deep voice, "This poem is indeed good, but what does it have to do with loyalty to the emperor? What you wrote was nothing more than military campaigns. You, a dignified top scholar, cannot even match the title of your poem."

"What else could it be but cheating?"

"Exactly!" Qin Yuandao exclaimed.

Xu Xinnian ignored them, abruptly turned around, bowed to Emperor Yuanjing, and made a deep bow, his voice growing louder and louder, echoing throughout the hall:

"To repay your kindness on the golden platform, I will wield the jade dragon and die for you."

The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review gasped for breath, staring blankly at Xu Xinnian, feeling as if he had been slapped hard across the face by an invisible hand, and a surge of anger welled up in his heart.

Minister Sun and the others also had ashen faces, with veins bulging on their foreheads.

To repay Your Majesty's kindness, I would gladly die for you, like a dragon soaring high in the sky. Emperor Yuanjing savored this thought, then smiled, his imperial face beaming with delight.

"What a fine poem! What a fine poem! No wonder he was the top scholar in the imperial examinations, no wonder he was a talented scholar who could write 'The Road to Shu is Hard'."

From his tone and expression, anyone could tell that His Majesty was in an excellent mood.

After a pause, Emperor Yuanjing asked, "However, what is the meaning of this Golden Platform?"

The Golden Terrace should be a high platform cast in gold. Xu Xinnian bowed deeply and offered his interpretation. "To serve Your Majesty and to die for Your Majesty, let alone a high platform cast in gold, even a jade platform would be within my grasp."

Emperor Yuanjing nodded slowly, his smile deepening, "Indeed, the court has always been fair in its rewards and punishments, never mistreating meritorious officials. I am no exception."

He continued, "Xu Huiyuan's poetic talent is no less than his elder brother's; 'The Road to Shu is Hard' is indeed your work. As for the classics and policy essays, I will personally read them during the palace examination; do not disappoint me."

"If you can get into the second rank, I can promise you entry into the Hanlin Academy as a junior compiler."

The Hanlin Academy was also known as the place for future prime ministers. Although the junior scholars were not as good as the first-class scholars, they were still qualified to enter the Grand Secretariat and were the most distinguished and prestigious members of the court.

Wei Yuan and Chief Minister Wang, one turning their heads to the left and the other to the right, both glanced at Xu Xinnian.

Xu Xinnian breathed a sigh of relief, suppressing his inner joy. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Emperor Yuanjing said, "I am tired. Court is adjourned."

It's over. The imperial examination cheating scandal has been almost definitively concluded.

Unless Xu Xinnian performs poorly in the palace examination and writes a terrible essay—a highly improbable event—as a student of the Cloud Deer Academy and the top scholar in the imperial examination, his talent is undoubtedly among the best of all the candidates.

Most importantly, His Majesty seems to greatly admire this young man, and that is of utmost importance.

The officials in the court looked strange; they hadn't expected the case to end this way.

His attempt to steal a chicken backfired, leaving Minister Sun looking grim. He knew that once the palace examination was over and the cheating scandal was resolved, someone would seize the opportunity to attack him, accusing him of abusing his power and framing others.

The six supervising secretaries and the other third-rank officials were all filled with disappointment and dissatisfaction.

This discontent reached its peak after Emperor Yuanjing promised to let Xu Xinnian enter the Hanlin Academy.

What qualifications does a student from the Cloud Deer Academy have to enter the Hanlin Academy? In the two hundred years since the founding of the Imperial Academy, such a thing has never happened before.

The officials inside the hall and the courtiers outside dispersed with mixed feelings. As they crossed the large square, they saw a silver gong-wielding figure standing with a sword in his hand.

Facing the Meridian Gate, facing the assembled officials.

Princess Huaiqing and Princess Lin'an stood at a distance, not alongside Xu Qi'an.

On one side were hundreds of hypocrites, powerful officials in the capital.

On one side was a lone, uncouth martial artist, Nightwatchers, Yin Gong.

One person blocked the most powerful group of people in the Great Feng Dynasty.

The officials noticed the little silver gong who was blocking the way and recognized him; no official in the capital was unfamiliar with him.

What is he trying to do?

Is this uncouth brute trying to be smug and show off?

The ministers and vice ministers of the six ministries, the supervising secretaries of the six departments, members of the imperial family, and nobles all had their eyes on Xu Qi'an, scrutinizing him.

How dare this mere brute block our path?

One man, one sword, stands at the Meridian Gate, single-handedly blocking the assembled officials.

Xu Qi'an greeted the assembled officials, slowly scanning them all. Suddenly, he let out a cold laugh, gathered his energy in his Dantian, and slowly said:

"Your bodies and names will perish, but the rivers and lakes will forever curse you!"

He spat fiercely, picked up the knife, and slowly walked away.

Mocking!

A deathly silence fell over the Meridian Gate and its surroundings for a moment.

P. S.: This chapter was written like I was constipated, slowly squeezing it out, meticulously crafting each word.