Prefect Qin looked at Li Jiaojiao and Li Ziming: "Li Jiaojiao, Li Ziming, is what Li Zhiyuan said true?"

Li Ziming was still in a daze; he was so scared that his mind was completely blank.

Li Jiaojiao said dejectedly, "Yes. I gave him the exam questions... He angrily swept them all over the floor. He didn't even memorize the answers... The reason I said he would be the top scholar was because I thought he would want my answers..."

"To my surprise, he didn't want it. But I couldn't take back what I'd said... He'll have to rely on himself now..."

Prefect Qin: "Li Ziming?"

Li Ziming blankly echoed Li Jiaojiao's reply, "Um...yes..."

Li Zhiyuan breathed a sigh of relief.

Prefect Qin frowned and asked again, "How did you obtain the answer?"

Li Jiaojiao's expression changed. She couldn't reveal her X-ray vision! Otherwise, she would be burned at the stake as a monster.

Li Jiaojiao gritted her teeth and said, "Whether you believe it or not... I found this test question on the street! It was a crumpled piece of paper..."

"At the time, I didn't know what it said. My brother saw it and said it was a test question. He suggested we try it, so he asked for help and memorized the answers. To my surprise, he actually passed."

Prefect Qin frowned: "Where's the paper ball?"

"It's long gone."

"And what about this provincial examination?"

"We found it in the same place! I felt like someone was helping us. But I didn't know who would do that."

"We're just ordinary villagers, how would we know anyone who could get the exam questions? But... we really did find them... otherwise, how could we have gotten the exam questions..."

"Waaah... If you don't believe me, sir, you can check. See if we stole any exam questions..."

Prefect Qin and his advisor Sun looked at each other in bewilderment.

No one knows better than them how strict the supervision of the exam questions is.

Moreover, the Li siblings don't have that ability.

This matter needs to be investigated further.

Li Jiaojiao said anxiously, "My lord... I was forced to cheat. It was my brother. He said he wanted to be the top scholar and asked me to accompany him to consult with those candidates and scholars..."

The reason she helped exonerate Li Zhiyuan was because she wanted to exonerate herself too! She wanted to push everything onto Li Ziming.

Li Ziming was startled: "Jiaojiao..."

"Brother, I've been so good to you. Back in the Sun family, I was the one who rescued you and Mother. I always put you first when there was money or food, and yet you're forcing me to do this!"

This was a warning to him that if he didn't take all the responsibility upon himself, he could forget about ever getting anything from her again.

Li Ziming felt dizzy and disoriented; he was unwilling to accept this.

It was Li Jiaojiao who made him do this, but he's the one who's bearing all the responsibility!

But he also knew that Li Jiaojiao was his livelihood.

Even if he goes to jail or whatever, he'll get out eventually. Only by protecting Li Jiaojiao will he have a good life in the future.

Li Ziming gritted his teeth and said, "I dragged Jiaojiao into it... She's just a kid, what does she know... It's all my fault!"

Outside, Granny Li shouted excitedly, "No! It was Li Jiaojiao who did it all by herself! It has nothing to do with my son and grandson! I'll take Li Jiaojiao to jail or even kill her, just let my son and grandson go..."

Li Jiaojiao turned around and stared intently at Granny Li.

"Silence!" Prefect Qin slammed his gavel. "Court is adjourned for now. Clerk Sun, come inside with me to discuss this."

After saying that, he flicked his sleeve and turned to leave with Master Sun.

Li Zhiyuan and the other two remained kneeling on the spot.

Behind the screen, Ye Caiping was still eating melon seeds.

Grandma Ye and the others looked somewhat bewildered. Ye Daquan whispered, "Why do I have a feeling that Li Zhiyuan is going to escape?"

Old Lady Ye said, "Don't speak yet, the judge hasn't made his judgment."

Just then, a yamen runner came in: "Mr. Shen, Prefect Qin requests your presence."

Shen Zhiyan nodded and looked at Ye Caiping: "Let's go together."

Ye Caiping then got up and left with him.

Grandma Ye and Ye Daquan looked at each other, wondering what this had to do with Mr. Shen and Ye Caiping.

...

The back hall of the yamen (government office).

Prefect Qin was sitting in the main seat when he saw Shen Zhiyan enter, and he quickly stood up.

When Ye Caiping arrived, he was slightly taken aback but didn't say anything.

Prefect Qin said, "Mr. Shen just saw it too; the case can only go this far. Li Zhiyuan and Li Jiaojiao can't be convicted of serious crimes. What do you think...?"

The question was whether to adjust the weight of the two individuals according to Shen Zhiyan's opinion.

Shen Zhiyan looked at Ye Caiping.

Ye Caiping shook her head, and Shen Zhiyan understood: "Just punish them according to the law."

Prefect Qin smiled and said, "Good."

Ye Caiping knew that if Shen Zhiyan spoke up, Prefect Qin would have Li Zhiyuan and Li Jiaojiao punished even more severely.

But Ye Caiping did not want to seize power.

She could be dealt with however she wanted normally, but she still believed in the fairness and justice of the law.

Prefect Qin then asked with difficulty, "Who is behind the crumpled paper that Li Jiaojiao picked up?"

Prefect Qin had no idea how Shen Zhiyan knew about the leaked exam questions.

That day, Shen Zhiyan suddenly approached him about this matter without explaining its origin.

He was of low rank and held a minor official position, and given Shen Zhiyan's authority, he naturally trusted Shen Zhiyan. And as it turned out, he was right to trust him.

Since Shen Zhiyan knew about the leak, he might also know who was behind it.

Shen Zhiyan said, "There's no need to investigate the person behind this anymore. Let's end it here."

He had asked Ye Caiping about the leaked exam questions before, but she was unwilling to talk about it, so he didn't ask again.

Prefect Qin breathed a sigh of relief: "Good."

He felt this was a struggle between the Shen family and their political enemies, and he had no intention of getting involved; he was content to just do his own job.

"Then I will go out and deliver my verdict now."

...

Ye Caiping and Shen Zhiyan returned behind the screen.

Although Grandma Ye and the others were curious, they dared not ask any more questions.

In front of the hall.

Prefect Qin sat down behind his desk and slammed the gavel down hard:

"By this official's judgment, in accordance with the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty: Li Zimo cheated in both the provincial and ministerial examinations, he shall be punished with twenty strokes of the cane and imprisoned for three years. He shall be stripped of his scholar title and shall never be allowed to participate in the imperial examinations again."

"Li Jiaojiao assisted Li Ziming in cheating and was punished with ten strokes of the cane and imprisoned for one month. Her descendants are not allowed to participate in the imperial examinations."

"Although Li Zhiyuan did not cheat, he protected his daughter who assisted in cheating. He was punished with ten strokes of the cane, stripped of his Xiucai degree, and barred from ever taking the imperial examinations again. His descendants were also barred from taking the imperial examinations."

"And the Marquis of Weiyong's family, you condone your descendants' cheating. How should this be decided? I will decide after I report it to the higher authorities."

Regardless, Li Ziming is now a member of the Marquis of Weiyong's household.

The old man was so angry he almost died. What kind of nonsense is this?!

Li Zhiyuan's body went limp and he collapsed to the ground.

Li Jiaojiao was also pale.

Outside, Granny Li let out a scream and fainted.