Chapter 210 The Chief Examiner of the Imperial Examination is in Danger...

"That's wonderful." Qi Chengming murmured, clutching the letter, his face full of nostalgia.

In the blink of an eye, he had said goodbye to his old friends for more than half a year. Now they were all heading to the capital to take the imperial examinations…

Qi Chengming couldn't help but think of his friends in Liuzhou. Those young men and women were all getting older. Were they engaged? Were any of them able to come to the capital to take the imperial examinations? How many familiar faces would he still see?

Especially Hu Hong.

After Qi Chengming settled in the capital, he sent him the address of "Qi Residence" by mail, but so much time has passed and the other party has not sent him a letter. It seems that he has no news at all... Is it because he failed the exam and is too ashamed to see him?

"Ahem." Xiao Dezi coughed at the door of the study, subtly reminding, "Your Highness... the chefs from Yinquan Courtyard are urging us; it's been about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea."

"Okay, I'll be right there." Qi Chengming reluctantly put away the letter and left with a furrowed brow.

Xiao Dezi followed closely beside him, craning his neck to whisper, "Your Highness, the teachers' lectures are quite interesting, not boring at all. What's troubling Your Highness?"

Three renowned scholars appointed by the Emperor took turns giving lessons. Despite the fact that their prince's grades were far ahead, Qi Jiyun was the one who was most often punished in the Drinking Spring Academy. However, he had a robust physique like a rough man and a big heart, so he didn't care at all after being beaten.

But Xiao Dezi, having served His Highness closely for so many years, naturally noticed that something was wrong with the prince's demeanor. His Highness usually seized every opportunity to learn, studying with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. This time, the teachers were speaking with great interest, and even Xiao Dezi, listening from the sidelines, was engrossed. He couldn't understand what was wrong with His Highness.

"You know, I've had you all learn from me, and you've all been doing quite well." Qi Chengming strode along the gravel path in the Prince's mansion, paused, turned around, and said irritably, "But Xiao Dezi, you have to use your brain when you study. You have to learn to distinguish for yourself what you should learn and what you shouldn't."

Xiao Dezi's expression gradually froze, his smile stiffening into annoyance: "Your Highness, are you saying those teachers didn't teach well?!"

Qi Chengming remained silent, but opened the talent list on the system and asked in return, "You've listened to so many lectures, what's your thought? If you can't figure it out, listen to a few more lectures, and tell me when you have the answer."

Xiao Dezi's brow furrowed as if he had caught a lot of mosquitoes, deep in thought.

"You can talk to Xiao Chengzi." Qi Chengming couldn't help but laugh when he saw his miserable look, and his mood immediately improved.

He strode towards Yinquan Courtyard. Today's instructor was Master Mo, a rather rare surname. The man had a beard, was in his forties or fifties, and had a slightly dark complexion, clearly indicating that his dissatisfaction had been building up for a long time.

Upon seeing Qi Chengming arrive, the Confucian scholar Mo spoke up with righteous indignation and without fear, rebuking him: "How can Prince Rui learn well when he is so lazy every day? One should not be distracted when reading the classics! If Prince Rui continues like this, I will have to dare to report to His Majesty!"

My cousin Wang Shuo was writing quietly when he suddenly looked up and cast a worried glance at me.

Qi Chengming humbly agreed, replying sincerely and modestly, "Teacher, you misunderstand. It is wrong to be disrespectful to Confucius. Human energy is limited. I simply do not wish to disrespect the sage."

He always allowed a short break, like the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, during the morning lectures by the great Confucian scholars. To these rigid scholars, this was seen as the intelligent Prince Rui deliberately neglecting his studies and indulging in laziness. It seemed that his pent-up frustration was about to explode.

As expected, the great scholar Mo was so angry that he puffed out his beard and glared: "This is sophistry! I will definitely go to His Majesty to file a complaint!"

After he finished speaking, he angrily turned and left, heading to the palace to file a complaint.

Qi Chengming watched his retreating figure, shook his head slightly, and decided not to try to stop him.

Several companions gathered around, extremely worried. Without thinking, Chu Hong clutched his sleeve in a panic: "Your Highness, what should we do? Master Mo is originally from the Ministry of Rites, and he values ​​etiquette and rules above all else. What if he goes to complain..."

Qin Chongzhi couldn't help but hang his head in dejection upon hearing this, feeling somewhat fearful.

The prince may be fine, but his companions are doomed!

"Don't panic," Qi Chengming reassured them. He glanced at Xiao Dezi, who was craning his neck thoughtfully at the door, and comforted him, "Even if they go to complain, I'm not made of iron. Just do what you have to do, and nothing will happen."

Seeing his cousin's calm and composed demeanor, Wang Shuo had a vague suspicion: "Is my cousin doing this on purpose?"

Qi Chengming smiled without saying a word, and instead asked him, "How do you feel about your studies these past few months?"

Wang Shuo, a young general of his time, was already burdened with learning these obscure and difficult concepts. He only occasionally accompanied Qi Jiyun in punishments, never truly delving into the deeper aspects of the subject. He looked pleadingly at the two promising civil officials beside him and hesitantly replied, "...Not good?"

Chu Hong's evaluation was tactful yet bold: "...Actually, there are no faults to be found, and what he said was interesting. They were all insightful words of the sages."

Seeing that someone had spoken up, Qin Chongzhi dared to chime in: "Yes, it's rare to hear such profound insights from great Confucian scholars even in the Imperial Academy."

"What a load of nonsense!" Qi Chengming dropped the pretense in front of his companions and started to complain directly, "What do you think my status is?"

"What are you learning from the sages, Your Highness? Are you going to take the imperial examinations? What did Father Emperor instruct you to do? Is this all they're teaching me?"

The students looked at each other, their expressions a mixture of surprise and sudden realization.

Little Dezi at the door was suddenly enlightened: "...!"

Qi Chengming saw it clearly.

From the day the great scholars were assigned, he noticed that one scholar surnamed Xue was on the list of talented individuals, while the other two were not. Therefore, from the very beginning of his studies, Qi Chengming paid close attention to their teaching content. This proved to be no unnecessary effort.

Master Xue taught Qi Chengming dry and solid knowledge, such as the responsibilities of the Six Ministries, their specific assignments, and the hidden meanings behind officials' memorials. He would occasionally use real events from previous years as examples to gradually familiarize Qi Chengming with the affairs of the government.

But what about the remaining two?

Mo Daru was the eldest of the three, and being from the Ministry of Rites, he knew a great deal about the rituals and procedures organized by the Ministry, knowledge that Qi Chengming lacked. However, he was a typical old-fashioned feudal dynasty man, advocating etiquette and following the words and deeds of Confucius as the standard. During his lectures, he kept a close eye on Qi Chengming, using a ruler to measure whether he was following the sage's words.

The last scholar, Zheng Daru, was also a typical Confucian student. He taught historical anecdotes, subtly imparting moral lessons through a series of engaging and true stories. If it were just about the enjoyable stories, that would be one thing. But Qi Chengming, a modern person whose life had been heavily influenced by the internet before his transmigration, immediately realized—

This seemingly unassuming scholar, Zheng Daru, is truly remarkable.

He was subtly teaching Qi Chengming Confucianism through classical allusions, hoping to instill in him ideas of benevolence, loyalty, and forgiveness.

This was not something Qi Chengming could tolerate.

Therefore, he often launched his attacks during Zheng Daru's classes, where the studious Qi would frequently raise questions, leaving Zheng Daru speechless. Everyone could see that he had his own set of ideas, which were unshakeable. Even so, Zheng Daru remained patient and silent, always leaving calmly after class, sometimes even offering a gentle apology to Qi Chengming.

Qi Chengming knew then that this man was not to be underestimated. Of the three great Confucian scholars, only the upright and old-fashioned one was bound to erupt sooner or later. It was hard to say whether Confucian Scholar Zheng was using Confucian Scholar Mo as a pawn.

Now it has indeed erupted.

Then let it erupt.

It's also a good opportunity to clean up his inner circle. Back then, Emperor Hongren directly appointed several great Confucian scholars as his teachers, which was impossible to do secretly. But now that he's accepted the offers from Grand Secretary Mu, the Minister of Justice, and others... it's good to bring these people of his own back into the open.

...

The Confucian scholar, with tears streaming down his face, arrived at the palace, pleading with His Majesty for justice. He insisted, "Prince Rui is unruly, this old minister... this old minister has truly failed His Majesty's trust!"

"Oh?" Emperor Hongren has been overwhelmed with reviewing memorials lately. The peasant uprising in Zhengzhou had just been suppressed, and now large tracts of farmland in the Central Plains are suffering from drought. This year, the weather has been cold, and spring has come late, making it difficult for even the planted crops to sprout.

The imperial examinations were fast approaching, but the person in charge had yet to be appointed. The court officials and princes, all cunning and shrewd, were jumping around in front of him, as if they had no idea what they were up to.

Emperor Hongren had no interest in solving the case, but since it concerned his second son whom he cared about most, he still looked exhausted. He gestured for a palace maid to come up and massage his head, then forced himself to ask, "Weren't you all praising his academic performance not long ago?"

The scholar Mo choked, even more indignant. In his view, good grades were a sign of intelligence, but a problem with attitude was even more unforgivable. He trembled with anger: "The prince's studies have never been a problem... it's just that he is inherently lazy! Even Confucius himself... he dares to speak eloquently, Your Majesty! Please forgive me for saying something so disrespectful."

The old man said with deep sorrow, "Your Majesty, the Prince has become arrogant and spoiled!"

Emperor Hongren: "..."

"I understand. Don't worry, I will definitely stand up for you. He has gone too far!" Emperor Hongren slammed his fist on the table and scolded the old minister, putting on a show of anger to appease him. He finally managed to get the man away.

The old emperor, lost in thought, suddenly chuckled: "...That rascal!"

Emperor Hongren's first reaction wasn't that he wasn't angry; he felt that his second son was relying on his intelligence and status to defy his master's discipline. Such a student needed a powerful master to tame him, not to be subdued by brute force.

Emperor Hongren came to choose the next emperor, not to select a well-behaved prince.

He then thought again that his second son had told him when he first returned to the capital that the child in Liuzhou was fond of luxury and cleanliness, and also had a gluttonous appetite. This child, who had been raised in the palace and then lived in the countryside, was the most unrestrained in nature, but he could do his job well in general, so that was enough for him, and there was no need to be too picky about the details.

Then what's there to worry about?

Emperor Hongren concluded, "It's time to replace Chengming with a new Grand Tutor."

He decided to go all the way and summoned the old eunuch: "Go and find out the details of Prince Rui's studies, and how well the other two tutors are teaching him."

If that doesn't work, replace them all.

Emperor Hongren was pleased to see that Chengming had made rapid progress in his studies over the past few months and that he did not form cliques. He also treated his younger brothers well. Emperor Hongren was considering inviting his own tutor, the retired Grand Scholar Mu, to return to public life and take over Chengming, this hot potato.

Back then, he was so unruly, but Grand Scholar Mu still managed to subdue him completely.

However... we'll have to wait a little longer; his test isn't over yet.

"..."

Qi Chengming, watching from the monitoring station, had mixed feelings.

He was fully prepared. Once Emperor Hongren heard the complaint and summoned him to the palace to defend himself, he would then seemingly unintentionally or bluntly expose Zheng Daru, this "landmine" that could explode at any moment. At that time, Emperor Hongren would certainly not be able to tolerate it.

No emperor could accept his princes being so easily misled by Confucianism—they could learn from it, but they couldn't be foolish enough to believe it entirely. Once the matter was settled, and after placing one of his own people in the palace as a new teacher, Qi Chengming would then properly appease the great Confucian scholar Mo, apologize, and try to get both of them to compromise and live in peace.

That's fine.

Although Mo Daru was too rigid, he was well-versed in the affairs of the Ministry of Rites. Qi Chengming did not like him very much, but he did not want to miss this opportunity to learn.

Who could have predicted this...

Emperor Hongren didn't even summon him this time to ask questions; was he already planning to side with him?

Emperor Hongren's secret intelligence network sprang into action, and the matter was resolved quickly. After investigating the matter thoroughly, Emperor Hongren dismissed both Zheng Daru and Mo Daru without a word, and after a few days of deliberation, appointed two new teachers.

—Both of them are on the talent list this time, and one of them is an acquaintance of Qi Chengming: Wang Chuandao.

At the same time, Emperor Hongren also unleashed a huge thunderbolt, making everyone see stars:

The chief examiner for this year's imperial examination has been decided.

It wasn't the legitimate sixth prince, nor the recently outstanding seventh prince, but Prince Rui, who had disappeared for some time without making a sound!

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The author says: I went to the hospital for a check-up yesterday and decided to spend the winter in Hainan.

I simply can't endure this cold winter any longer. I need to go somewhere warmer, see the sea and the beach, and get some exercise. I'll recuperate for a while, and hopefully my health will improve. (So, until then, I'll try my best to write!)