"It is indeed strange. After the exam, I went to find him and recited my essay to him. The teacher was overjoyed and praised me repeatedly."

"Having studied under the Master for so long, this is the first time I have been praised so much by the father and son. I thought the matter was a sure thing, but I never expected to be unlisted."

"Could it be that the examiner's thinking is different from ordinary people, so we didn't resonate with him?"

Shen Cong couldn't help but voice his doubts.

This is really strange!

He initially didn't want to talk about it, as it would make him seem overly arrogant.

But now that I see people who were previously unremarkable on the list, I can't help but think about it more.

Shen Yunting kept these words in mind.

He then said, "There are indeed some problems. I'll have someone find out who the examiner is, so I can know where you are lacking and make corrections in the future."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Father," Shen Cong quickly thanked him.

"We're family, why be so formal?" Shen Yunting patted his shoulder lightly and then said, "One failure is nothing, don't take it too seriously."

Shen Cong gave a soft "hmm" and said nothing more.

However, it was obvious to anyone with eyes that he was in low spirits.

No one offered any further advice.

This is something he can only get through on his own.

The capital city was destined to be bustling with activity on this day.

He Xuan and his three companions were carried by guards and circled half of the capital before finally being delivered to their doorstep.

As Shen Cong had instructed, the guards walked around telling the onlookers about what the four families were doing behind the scenes.

By the time the four families heard the news and tried to stop them, the guards had already escorted them to the door.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the capital.

"We've brought the person back to you. As for what happened, you should already know. Madam asked us to pass on a message to you."

"If any of you have any objections to your young master's treatment, you are welcome to go to the Qu family and seek justice from her. She is always ready to assist you."

After saying this, the guard ignored the hateful expression on the face of the person behind him and turned to go back to the mansion to report.

When He Xuan was carried to the bed in the room, looking at his close family members, he felt wronged.

"Father and Mother, you must seek justice for your child! Look at how badly I've been beaten! I'm so wronged!"

Mother He was heartbroken and tears streamed down her face. She kept complaining, "Qu Jingyun went too far. How could she be so cruel? Even if she has the title of county princess, she can't bully people at will."

Mr. He's face was very unpleasant, filled with irritation.

Especially when they heard Madam He grit her teeth and say, "We absolutely cannot let them get away with this. Master, you should go to the palace and complain to the Emperor. We'll teach them a lesson they won't forget."

"What do you want me to complain about?" Father He sneered.

"This whole thing was started by your son. I heard that the Emperor intends for Miss Shen to marry a prince, but your son is shameless, constantly suggesting that she be his concubine. How dare he?"

"How could this be? The Emperor is wary of General Shen, so how could he..." Mother He looked incredulous.

“What’s impossible? The Emperor was wary of General Shen, but he’s no longer General Shen.” Father He’s face was grim.

It was obvious to everyone that Shen Yunting's embezzlement was a setup, but the emperor still forced him to relinquish his military power.

Shen Yunting obediently complied, and the Emperor inevitably felt indebted to him.

As for Qu Jingyun, she even saved the Emperor's life.

In this situation, if these two people have a conflict with others, the emperor's heart may not necessarily be biased towards either of them.

"We have no choice but to accept this today. I will tell the world that my son has given up his academic achievements to focus on spiritual cultivation, admitting that he has failed in his moral conduct." Father He sighed, looking helpless.

"How can this be allowed?" He Xuan immediately became agitated.

"I really went through a lot of trouble..."

Father He waved his hand: "That's all we can do now. I know it's not easy for you to get this ranking, but there's nothing we can do about it. Who told you to be so ridiculous before?"

"Although talented men are often romantic, if word gets out that you often stay in brothels, the emperor will definitely have a prejudice against you. Even if you are able to enter the court as an official, you will be ostracized."

"It would be better to wait a few years until things calm down before holding the imperial examinations again."

He Xuan was persuaded and responded indignantly.

He knew that made sense, but his ranking this year was...

In a few years, he might not have this opportunity again.

It's all Shen Cong's fault.

He's so angry!

"Take good care of yourself, I have other things to take care of." Seeing He Xuan's appearance, Father He felt a surge of anger for no reason and turned to leave.

After only He Xuan and his mother were left in the room, He Xuan immediately spoke up, looking aggrieved.

"Mom, it hurts so much."

"My son has really suffered this injustice. It breaks my heart." Mother He kept groaning with heartache.

She couldn't help but complain, "Because of them, my son suffered a minor injury and had to give up his chance at the imperial examination. Honestly, I think they're deliberately retaliating because Shen Cong wasn't on the list."

“That’s right, that’s right,” He Xuan agreed.

A glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes, and he smiled ingratiatingly.

Then she said, "Mother, I've suffered so much this time, can you make it up to me?"

"What do you want?" Mother He asked helplessly.

"I think Chunhong in my mother's room is quite pretty and has a captivating figure. Could I have her serve me for a while?" He Xuan chuckled.

Mother He immediately understood and her face showed affection.

He readily agreed: "Okay, but be careful not to cause any more deaths. If your father finds out, you'll be in big trouble."

"I understand," He Xuan quickly assured him.

"I knew you'd be the best to me."

Mr. He was quite clever; even though his son was beaten so badly, he didn't do anything.

Instead, she apologized for her son's failure and even gave up his ranking in the imperial examination.

The other three families weren't as clever as him. The next day, they took the matter directly to the Emperor, asking him to uphold justice for them.

As the emperor listened to their tearful accusations, a cold smile appeared on his lips.

Finally, he slammed the memorial down in front of them, interrupting their lamentations.

"Then do you want to see these accusations against you? They all impeach you for favoring concubines over wives, accepting bribes, keeping mistresses, and so on. You are truly my good ministers."

The Emperor snorted coldly, glancing at their pale faces, and gave them no chance to speak.

"Not to mention that this matter was deliberately provoked by your son to make things difficult for the Shen family. Now how dare you come to me for justice?"

"This is a misunderstanding." The three men quickly knelt down, their bodies trembling.