"Hey, Chen Qing, how come you only just got here?"
Bright Moon Tower was unusually bustling today, solely because the imperial scholars who had earned their degrees this year were all gathering here in groups of three or five. This was also the tradition after every triennial imperial examination; scholars of the same cohort, no matter where they came from across the land, shared a bond of fellowship once they made the roll, and naturally they had to grow close so that they might have more paths available to them in official circles later on.
The young scholar standing in a daze at the doorway right then was pulled into a private room by a group of fellow students.
"What's wrong? You look all out of sorts?"
Looking at a few peers with whom his relationship before the exams had been quite good, Chen Qing managed a very reluctant smile, but his extremely poor complexion could not be concealed.
"Oh dear, what happened? Could it be you fell into the third tier?"
Several people asked with curiosity. When the names were loudly proclaimed at the announcement, everyone had been nervous about their own ranking at that moment-who would care about others then? Unless one was in the top tier and had their name called three times, few people would remember someone else's rank.
"No..." Chen Qing shook his head with a bitter smile. "One hundred and thirty-first in the second tier. Little brother is lucky, just stuck at the very last spot."
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately laughed. To say the last spot of the second tier sounded unappealing was true, but future promotions in officialdom did not reference specific ranks; as long as one was in the second tier, they were of jinshi origin and hadn't fallen to the third tier. Whether you were the last spot or one of the top few, there was little difference...
"This is a good thing, why pull such a bitter face?"
"Isn't little brother just having lingering fears?" Chen Qing replied with a forced smile.
A man at the table who was around thirty years old spoke up. "If Chen Qing had studied at the Imperial Academy, the master certainly would have held him back for another term, letting his essays steady before taking the field. This time was truly perilous."
"Brother Liu is right..." Chen Qing sat down and hastily poured a drink to toast him in reply.
The others curled their lips slightly upon hearing this. The one surnamed Liu at the table was the only one from the Imperial Academy; of course he could afford to wait until he was certain before taking the exam. They themselves were from farming families who plowed the fields, and their parents selling off nearly all their land to support their studies meant they could not afford to be so leisurely. Naturally, they had to take the exam at the earliest opportunity.
Yet this was also the reason why it was hard for humble families to produce successful scholars-the more anxious one was, the easier it was to fall short of success at the very last hurdle!
Seeing that the atmosphere was growing a bit cold, a rather plump and smooth-looking middle-aged man at the table chuckled and raised his cup. "As long as the result is good, that's what matters. By the way, have you all heard? Cui the Top Scholar... dropped dead yesterday!"
These words instantly stirred up the gossip of everyone present, and they all began to discuss it one after another.
"What a pity. Cui the Top Scholar was only nineteen this year, right? Truly overflowing with talent, and I heard he even caught the eye of a princess. He originally had a boundless future, but alas, alas..."
"Indeed, truly a pity..." Everyone else chimed in along with him, though secretly harboring a greater or lesser degree of schadenfreude.
Princes-in-law of the present dynasty were not prohibited from participating in politics like those of previous dynasties; wedding a princess was a matter of great advantage for one's future. Cui Yan was both handsome, a youth who placed high on the imperial examinations, and now favored by a princess-how could he not draw jealousy?
Everyone was discussing it with great enthusiasm, but Chen Qing alone turned even paler upon hearing this topic. It was very obvious that he was not fond of it, so he spoke up to change the subject. "I heard that the imperial scholars of our cohort had their six-ministry observation cancelled this time?"
"Mm, there is such a matter." The middle-aged man previously from the Imperial Academy spoke up. "The reason for this special examination is that the northern front won a great victory and retook Youzhou. The newly appointed scholars of this cohort will likely be dispatched there in bulk to serve as local county magistrates. That place lacks men and is pressing hard, so there simply wasn't time for our six-ministry observation."
As soon as these words were spoken, the enthusiasm of the group instantly dwindled quite a bit. Those seated were all of second-tier origin, and the Great Jin had only been founded for twenty years; there were plenty of good positions for them, these newly minted scholars. Even with a poor background and unable to stay in the capital, they still had a chance to be assigned to those wealthy regions of Jiangnan. Who would have expected that a special examination giving them the chance to earn their degrees early would instead result in being exiled to that bitter, cold northern land of Youyun?
For a moment their moods turned gloomy, and they all shifted the topic back to the Top Scholar who had dropped dead. After all, no matter how unlucky one was, none were as unlucky as this fellow who had just placed first only to drop dead right after, weren't they?
The crowd chattered away in discussion, leaving Chen Qing to force a bitter smile. It seemed today's topic was not going to pass...
"Right, Chen Qing, that Cui Top Scholar was from your hometown, wasn't he?"
"Ah, yes..." Seeing that he could not avoid it, Chen Qing nodded honestly. "Cui Yan was a great talent in Liuzhou who passed three successive examinations at the provincial level. Many local gentry wanted to marry their daughters to him back then."
"Cui Yan's choice wasn't a problem, though." It was still the middle-aged man from the Imperial Academy who nodded. "With his talent and such youthful good looks, he truly should have arranged a match here in the capital, highly likely to find a reliable wife's family. But man proposes and heaven disposes; judging from the current outcome, he would have been better off starting a family back in Liuzhou. At least that way he might have left a bloodline for his family."
Chen Qing raised his head to look at the other man. This fellow was named Liu Yiqi. When he and Cui Yan had first arrived in the capital, the man had taken the initiative to make their acquaintance. During the exam preparation period their relationship had been fairly good, and their usual interactions were not few. He clearly knew... that Cui Yan had a wife!
Yet the bizarre thing was, why did he act as though he had forgotten that Cui Yan had a wife?
Not only had he forgotten, but it seemed everyone had forgotten!
Chen Qing inwardly frowned. The day before yesterday he had already felt something was amiss. The moment Cui Yan placed as the Top Scholar, news had spread that the Emperor intended to have him marry a princess, entirely as if ignoring the fact that Cui Yan was already married.
It was the same now: Cui Yan had dropped dead, and his wife Lady Huang had also gone missing, yet the Court of Judicial Review officials who came to inquire had asked Cui Yan about many details without ever once asking about his wife. When he himself proactively brought it up, those officials had simply worn stunned expressions...
Chen Qing was a cautious man, and upon seeing this situation he never mentioned Cui Yan's wife again. Until now, with this man surnamed Liu openly putting on an attitude of regret that Cui Yan had never married, and those around him acting as though it were only natural, he felt something was deeply wrong with this matter.
It didn't seem like everyone tacitly agreed not to bring it up; it seemed as if everyone had genuinely forgotten that Cui Yan had a wife.
What on earth was going on here?
Chen Qing silently drank his wine, growing all the more chilled the more he listened to their discussions!
Just as the crowd was in the midst of lively discussion, they were suddenly interrupted by a series of knocks at the door. Everyone silenced themselves; after all, continuously gossiping behind the back of a deceased person did not look good if word got out.
"Who is it?" Liu Yiqi asked with a frown.
The room door slowly pushed open, and a young man clad in green official robes walked in. Everyone hurriedly rose to pay their respects, while Liu Yiqi looked surprised upon seeing the newcomer, standing up to say, "Why has Lord Wang come?"
Chen Qing cautiously sized the other man up. The robed official who had arrived did not look old-he was likely even younger than Liu Yiqi-yet judging from his official uniform, he was already of the lower fourth rank!
People said promotion was fast in the new dynasty, but this was far too fast...
"Congratulations, Brother Qi, on making the golden roll!" The newcomer smiled and cupped his hands, clearly on quite familiar terms with Liu Yiqi.
"Not at all, not at all. Compared to you, this elder brother truly feels ashamed..." Liu Yiqi smiled and returned the greeting, though his eyes were complex. The newcomer was named Wang Ye, a former fellow student of his. The two of them had entered the Imperial Academy at almost the same time, but the other man had made the roll two terms prior, earning the Emperor's regard. Now, a mere six years later, he was already a Junior Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. Looking at himself in contrast... reaching the age of thirty before relying on the special examination to make the roll, and heading off to be a county magistrate in that remote, bitter northern land this time-he had no idea how many years it would take him to grind his way back to the capital.
As for Chen Qing, he sighed inwardly, figuring this man had likely not come specifically to congratulate Liu Yiqi. Coming dressed in official robes, he was in all probability here on official business.
Sure enough, the very next moment he heard the other man politely decline the invitation to join the table, turning instead to address the crowd: "Which one of you is Chen Qing?"
Everyone immediately cast their gazes toward Chen Qing. Chen Qing's skin twitched, knowing this damn trouble could not be avoided. He stepped forward and said, "Reporting to Your Lordship, this humble student is Chen Qing. What is Your Lordship looking for me about?"
The other man nodded, looking over the young Chen Qing. "Regarding the matter of Cui Yan, this official has some details he wishes to consult you about. Is the imperial scholar free?"
"Free, free..." Chen Qing replied with a bitter smile. If he said he wasn't free, the other man didn't look like the type to let the matter rest.
"Lord Wang..." Liu Yiqi frowned. "Is Chen Qing entangled in something?"
"Nothing, nothing..." The other man hurriedly waved his hands. "It's just that we're fellow provincials, and I have a few details to ask about. I'm sorry to interrupt everyone's enjoyment. I'll come back later to drink a toast to Brother Liu and apologize."
Seeing that the other man had shown him every courtesy, Liu Yiqi flushed red and hurriedly said, "Zijing, you're being too polite. Then I'll wait for you here, and we won't leave until we're both drunk."
"Good, good..." The other man smiled and nodded, then beckoned for Chen Qing to follow him upstairs.
Chen Qing followed behind, but his heart grew more and more uneasy.
He had transmigrated into this feudal dynasty, which had nothing to do with the history he knew. With no foreknowledge at all, and an engineering background, he could only obediently grind through the classics that even liberal arts students dreaded. After ten years of hard study, he was on the verge of entering the ranks of the scholar-officials, only to run into this mess...
Did Heaven just not want him to have it too good?
The two of them arrived at a private room upstairs. After closing the door, the young official invited Chen Qing to sit, then got straight to the point. "I am Wang Ye. His Majesty is very concerned about the sudden death of the top third-place candidate, Cui Yan, and I have been appointed to take charge of the case."
Chen Qing hurriedly bowed. "Greetings, Lord Wang."
"No need for formalities." The other man waved a hand. "I read your testimony today. According to the clerk's records, you once said that Cui Yan had a wife, is that right?"
"I was mistaken!" Chen Qing hurriedly said. "I drank a bit too much at the Qionglin Banquet the day before yesterday, so when my superior questioned me, my head was a little muddled. Please forgive me, my lord."
The other man studied Chen Qing for several moments. At last, a meaningful look entered his eyes. "The rumor that His Majesty had taken a fancy to the top third-place candidate as a son-in-law is true. His Majesty sent people to Liuzhou earlier to investigate Cui Yan's family background. Cui Yan's family background is respectable, and he was never married!"
Chen Qing's body swayed, and a trace of realization appeared in his eyes.
He had studied with Cui Yan at the prefectural school, and everyone there knew that Cui Yan had caught the eye of Master Huang's daughter. The first beauty of Liuzhou had married a young talent who had achieved three firsts in succession-a perfect match of talent and beauty, a romantic tale!
How had the investigation come to the conclusion that the other man had never married?
"Your testimony says that Cui Yan married Master Huang's daughter from Liuzhou Prefectural School. Master Huang was a great Confucian of the previous dynasty, renowned far and wide. His Majesty had tried to recruit him many times, but he always declined on account of his age. His two sons also serve in the court. His eldest, Huang Wenxuan, is prefect of Yongchuan, while his second son, Huang Wenjing, is in the Hanlin Academy. I've never heard that his family has another daughter..."
Chen Qing's heart grew colder and colder. The other man was so earnest and serious-could his memories of those years at Liuzhou Prefectural School really have been nothing but a dream?
"I was drunk and misspoke. I'm truly sorry, my lord, for delaying your investigation. I'm ashamed."
The other man frowned at his reply. He asked a few more questions, but the fellow insisted that he had said it while drunk and muddled. There was little more he could ask. After all, the other man held an official degree, and without evidence, he couldn't be detained and interrogated. So he nodded and let it go.
As the two of them rose to leave, Wang Ye suddenly said, "Candidate Chen, have you encountered anything strange lately?"
"Anything strange?"
Chen Qing's face twitched. What could be stranger than you having one person turn into two?
"Nothing of the sort. Why do you ask, my lord?"
Wang Ye stared steadily at Chen Qing. "Candidate Chen, if you encounter anything strange, don't hide it. People could die!"
Chen Qing: "..."