"Really?" Jiang Ling lowered her voice and asked Jiang Suihe's ear.

Jiang Suihe nodded, looking at Jiang Ling with a somewhat bewildered expression.

"Mother, what... what should I do?" Jiang Suihe asked, frowning.

Jiang Ling forced herself to remain calm and comforted Jiang Suihe, saying, "It's alright, don't worry, your mother is here, nothing will go wrong! I'll go out for a bit first, if you're hungry, go downstairs and get something to eat!" With that, Jiang Ling took out some copper coins and placed them in front of Jiang Suihe.

...

The Prefectural Office of Qingzhou.

The servant at the door had greeted Jiang Ling before, and he did not neglect her this time either. Upon hearing Jiang Ling's words, he quickly led her inside.

Just then, the prefect of Qingzhou was having dinner. When he heard his servant say that Jiang Ling had arrived, he quickly put down his chopsticks and hurriedly went out.

"Your Excellency the Prefect!" Jiang Ling nodded and bowed.

"Please sit down, please sit down. What brings you to me in such a hurry?" Chen Qiyu, the prefect of Qingzhou, asked Jiang Ling, whose face was solemn.

Jiang Ling glanced at the open window and the little bird that Chen Qiyu kept in the front hall, and thought of a line from the TV series "Empresses in the Palace": "The parrot dares not speak in front of her."

Chen Qiyu immediately understood the meaning behind Jiang Ling's words. He calmly closed the doors and windows, then said to the servant waiting at the door, "The weather has been too stuffy these past few days, and this parrot hasn't been taken out for a walk. Take it out and let it get some exercise!"

The servant nodded in understanding, and then Chen Qiyu, as if remembering something, immediately called the servant back.

"Go tell the kitchen that Lady An hasn't had dinner yet, and make her a bowl of meat noodles!" The servant nodded again upon hearing this.

Although meat noodles and shredded meat noodles differ by only one character, the processes involved in their preparation are completely different.

Shredded pork noodles are simply made by slicing shredded pork, stir-frying it until fragrant, adding water, and then adding the noodles once the water boils.

However, the method of making meat noodles is extremely complicated. High-quality pork leg meat is pounded into a paste with a wooden stick, sweet potato flour is added to increase the viscosity, it is rolled into a paper-thickness, cut into strips about five millimeters wide, and finally put into boiling water, cooked and taken out.

This whole process takes at least half an hour to prepare a bowl of hot meat noodles. The servants in Chen Qiyu's mansion all know that once the master speaks, it means that the person who came this time is not simple.

Thinking of this, the servant quickly quickened his pace and headed towards the kitchen.

The doors and windows were closed, and the parrot had been taken away by the servant. After checking everything again, Chen Qiyu lowered his voice and said to Jiang Ling, "Madam, what brings you here to see me?"

Jiang Ling didn't speak, but took out the paper that Jiang Suihe had written for her, placed it on the table, and gently tapped it with her finger.

Chen Qiyu took the paper with a serious expression, and after reading the words on it, he showed an expression almost identical to Jiang Ling's before.

He stared at Jiang Ling in utter shock, the knuckles of his hand holding the paper turning white.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became thick and heavy, making both of them breathe very carefully.

After a long while, Chen Qiyu glanced at the flickering candlestick on the table and asked, "May I burn it now?"

Jiang Ling forced a smile and said to Chen Qiyu, "Prefect, do you really think I only brought this one thing with me when I came to see you?"

Chen Qiyu was slightly taken aback, then quickly looked at Jiang Ling with a profound expression and said, "Well, I was thinking too simply! What do you think about this?"

Jiang Ling did not answer Chen Qiyu's question directly, but instead asked, "Does Your Excellency know absolutely nothing about this?"

Chen Qiyu sighed slightly, "I've only served as the prefect of Qingzhou for five years. The previous prefect was executed by the Emperor for corruption and bribery. How could I dare to do that?"

Jiang Ling glanced at Chen Qiyu. Although his eyes gleamed with shrewdness, there was no guilty conscience. However, Jiang Ling didn't trust him. People can pretend, especially someone like Chen Qiyu who had been navigating the treacherous waters of officialdom for so many years. Pretending would be second nature to him.

Thinking of this, Jiang Ling glanced at Chen Qiyu and said calmly, "Prefect, what do you think should be done about this?"

Chen Qiyu returned the paper to Jiang Ling, and said to her with a serious expression, "That's true, but there's no evidence right now. I didn't even notice this for five years; the network of connections behind it must be incredibly complex! I never imagined that my own household would have such a treacherous scoundrel!"

Chen Qiyu's face was flushed with anger as he said this. Jiang Ling glanced at Chen Qiyu, and then, as if she had thought of something, suddenly said, "Your Excellency, I have a plan. I wonder if you think it's feasible?"

"Oh? Tell me quickly! Kang An said before that you were different from ordinary people, and now it seems that he was not lying!" After hearing Jiang Ling's words, Chen Qiyu's emotions gradually changed.

Jiang Ling thought carefully and said, "Since the preliminary examination for the young scholars takes three days, and the third day is for policy essays, and no one knows the specific content right now, perhaps..."

At this point, Jiang Ling stopped talking and glanced at the teacup on the table.

Jiang Ling opened the teacup, dipped her finger in the tea, and wrote a line of words on the table.

Chen Qiyu was very surprised after reading it, but he nodded repeatedly and praised, "Anren, you really are an extraordinary person. Kang An was right to have chosen you!"

Jiang Ling smiled slightly and said meaningfully, "Examinations and elections are for selecting pillars of the nation and for assisting His Majesty. We are all His Majesty's subjects, so we will naturally spare no effort in such matters!"

Chen Qiyu burst into laughter upon hearing this, just then a servant's voice came from outside the door: "Master, the meat noodles are ready!"

"Okay, bring it in!" A short while later, the servant came in with a steaming bowl of meat noodles. He carefully placed the bowl on the table and turned to leave.

"It's so late, Anren hasn't eaten yet! Try our kitchen's specialty meat noodles!" Chen Qiyu said, smiling as she placed chopsticks in front of Jiang Ling.

Looking at the steaming noodles, Jiang Ling seemed to feel a little hungry. She looked up at Chen Qiyu and said, "Then thank you, Prefect!"

Chen Qiyu waved his hand dismissively, "What's the big deal? On the contrary, I should be thanking you, Jiang Shi!"

The two exchanged a smile and then fell silent.

Jiang Ling quickly finished the bowl of meat noodles and returned to the inn alone after saying goodbye to Chen Qiyu.

The exam continued the next day. When Jiang Suihe came out, she said the same thing to Jiang Ling again. Jiang Ling just smiled faintly and didn't explain anything.

The exam on the third day was different from the previous two. The exam on the third day required two sessions to be completed. By the time Jiang Suihe handed in her exam paper, the sun was almost setting below the horizon.

During these three days, Jiang Ling did not inquire too much about Jiang Suihe's exam results, knowing that with Jiang Suihe's abilities, she was definitely capable of passing the preliminary exam.

The mother and daughter had just returned to the inn when the familiar yet grating voice reached Jiang Ling's ears again: "Congratulations, Boss Wang!"