Just then, the morning sun suddenly shone brightly, and brilliant golden light shone through the windows and doors of the Gansheng Hall.

The light swept across the plaque above the dragon throne that read "Heaven and Earth, the Ruler's Heart," and then across the four lines of Hengqu beside it, dazzling the eyes and radiating brilliance.

Everyone's breathing was almost audible; there was complete silence.

After what seemed like an eternity, the emperor smiled and personally issued an imperial edict to finalize the decision: "The chief examiner will be the Duke of Li, and the deputy examiners will be Nian Changling and Yuan Sheng!"

"Your Majesty, we obey!"

Xiao Zhixing raised his tablet in a salute, leaving everyone, including herself, bewildered.

To be honest, she never even considered being an examiner in charge of the imperial examinations, no matter how arrogant she was.

This task is not suitable for anyone who is not of high rank and great literary talent; you also need to be favored by the emperor.

And being favored by the emperor is the first condition.

In ancient times, the title of "mentor" was important. Candidates could call the chief and deputy examiners "teachers," and if they entered officialdom in the future, they could even be considered as members of the chief and deputy examiners' faction.

Xiao Zhixing wondered, "Has Zhao Yunqi lost his mind? Is he going to such lengths to deceive me?"

She didn't believe it.

He then thought of the gray-clad man and the man surnamed Luo that he had discovered earlier.

Are they waiting for me there?

That doesn't make sense either. If the Emperor System and Zhao Yunqi knew about the Luo family's plan, why didn't they stop it or make any move?

Or was this simply Zhao Yunqi testing the officials?

And then there's Bai Fengmei, who was secretly working for the "Wen" department of the Yin Dynasty?

Otherwise, why would this person, who has no connection with her and has never had any contact with her, suddenly come out to support her?

She even conspired that Bai Fengmei was deliberately stepping forward to support her in order to put her in the spotlight? Was she an enemy, not a friend?

After the court session ended and he returned to the Prince's residence, Xiao Zhixing leaned against a low table, closed his eyes, and fell into deep thought.

"Daughter, this matter seems very strange no matter how you look at it." Xiao Yuanshan's brows furrowed. To have a fifteen-year-old girl serve as the deputy examiner for the imperial examination was something he couldn't even imagine, even with his most rosy expectations of his daughter.

"I understand, but I haven't figured out exactly what's strange about this."

The bigger the problem, the deeper the pit becomes, bottomless.

Seeing his worried face, Xiao Zhixing comforted him, "Father, don't worry, nothing will happen."

At this moment, she finally got to communicate with the Emperor System and Zhao Yunqi.