Chief Steward Li was completely bewildered, unable to understand why the emperor would suddenly bring this up.

He was inwardly full of complaints.

You can tolerate someone cheating on you to your face?

Your Majesty, when did you become a kind and benevolent male bodhisattva?

Of the officials Lu Xingjian mentioned, some were attending a banquet here, while others were organizing the examination papers in the Ministry of Rites' hall.

All the officials gathered in the imperial chambers, and it wasn't until evening that the emperor finally arrived with a belated oral edict summoning them.

Liu Ji, the Minister of Rites, straightened his clothes, cleared his throat, and gently combed his prized beard before following the eunuch to meet the Emperor.

Lu Xingjian sat on the dragon throne in the imperial study, casually glancing at a memorial in his hand.

"Minister Liu, have all 350 candidates selected from the imperial examinations been confirmed?"

Liu Ji replied, "Your Majesty, the list of 350 candidates has been drafted and submitted directly to the Imperial Study. Once Your Majesty confirms it, it can be posted publicly."

The list of successful candidates he mentioned is currently in Lu Xingjian's possession.

Lu Xingjian's voice was unusually calm: "What are the hometowns of these tribute students?"

Liu Ji's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly said:

"The candidates who passed the imperial examinations were mainly from Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Southern Zhili, and Fujian, accounting for more than 40% of the total, with the largest number coming from Yuyao, Zhejiang."

This was not due to the examiners engaging in favoritism or cheating.

Rather, these four provinces were relatively wealthy and could support more scholars.

Over hundreds of years, these places have also accumulated a profound literary tradition, with generations of officials helping and supporting each other.

Yuyao County is particularly renowned for its literary culture, having produced a top scholar in the imperial examinations, Xie Ge Lao, and in recent years has seen a particularly large number of scholars pass the provincial examinations and become officials.

A cold glint flashed in Lu Xingjian's eyes.

Liu Ji then changed the subject: "The top scorer in this imperial examination is Yang Zhen, a candidate from Sichuan."

Lu Xingjian replied calmly, "I understand."

A fine layer of cold sweat broke out on Liu Ji's forehead.

He took his leave only after the emperor had nothing more to say.

He didn't quite understand the Emperor's purpose in summoning him for a special audience.

The content of the report just now is already written in the memorial; it's nothing new.

This was probably the first time the emperor had held a civil service examination since ascending the throne, so he attached great importance to it.

This is great news.

As Liu Ji, a smile playing on his lips and a light step, stepped out of the palace, someone rushed over to report:

"My lord, something terrible has happened! More than fifty cabinets of examination papers in the Ministry of Rites have all been burned!"

Liu Ji staggered and almost fell backward.

The officials who had been summoned to the palace to await an audience with the emperor also eagerly surrounded him.

Everyone looked anxious and worried.

They heard this terrible news as soon as they left the palace, and were immediately terrified and at a loss. They could only wait for the Minister to come out and take charge of the situation.

The examination papers in the courtroom were the originals and copies of the examination papers of the candidates selected in this imperial examination.

With the exam papers burned, the list of successful candidates lost its basis, so how could it convince the public?

The list of successful candidates to be awarded the imperial examinations tomorrow must absolutely not be sent out!

If they are held accountable, will these people be implicated?

Liu Ji felt a wave of dizziness.

He hurriedly ordered someone to explain the whole story in detail, and only then did he calm down, straighten his clothes, and walk back to the palace gate to request an audience with the emperor.

The Ministry of Rites has always strictly supervised the examination papers, never daring to be negligent in the slightest.

How could a fire suddenly break out?

Someone must have used underhanded tactics to frame him!

The emperor did not meet with Liu Ji, but only replied with an oral decree:

“The guards and officers will be investigated by the judicial authorities, but since the exam papers have already been burned, we will not pursue the matter further.”

Liu Ji and the group of officials looked at each other in bewilderment.

In other words, all 350 candidates selected in this imperial examination failed?!

Wouldn't this cause a major upheaval in the intellectual community?!

Liu Ji dared not treat this as a child's play.

He hurriedly went back and wrote a memorial to the emperor, insisting on a written reply to shift the blame.

Su Wanwan has been attending to the ailing patient at Renshou Palace.

It was already dark when I received Miyako's message.

“Yun Qing confessed that the calligraphy and painting ‘Osmanthus Lake Song’ was indeed given to her by a young gentleman.”

The new Director is very capable; he even drew a portrait of the young master who commissioned the calligraphy and painting.

Su Wanwan glanced at the portrait, her eyes narrowing slightly.

This person looked familiar, and he was dressed like a scholar, but he was not Yang Zhen.

This matter involves people outside the palace, and is beyond the control of Empress Su Wanwan.

She took Si Zheng to the Qianqing Palace to ask the emperor to handle the matter.

Sun Qingyu saw Su Wanwan about to leave and hesitated to speak.

She was worried that something might happen to the Empress Dowager's health, and that she would ultimately be blamed.

Marquis Rui'an married her not because he was attracted to her as a person.

Instead, they valued her medical skills and appointed her to protect the Empress Dowager.

If something were to happen to the Empress Dowager, she would be unable to explain herself to either the palace or her husband's family.

She cannot bear this responsibility.

Su Wanwan's expression was serious, leaving no room for negotiation:

"Madam Sun, I entrust the safety of the Empress Dowager to you."

Sun Qingyu froze, her face stiffened, and her heart leaped into her throat.

I immediately felt immense pressure and dared not slack off in the slightest.

When Su Wanwan arrived at the Qianqing Palace with the Chief Justice of the Palace, it was already dark.

Meng Yue, with a humble and unassuming demeanor, led Su Wanwan to the living room:

"His Majesty has not yet rested. Please, Your Highness, move aside."

The living room was brightly lit.

Lu Xingjian, his hair slightly damp and loose behind his head, his dark silk undergarment half-open, was sitting cross-legged beside the kang table, intently looking at the memorial in his hands.

At first glance, she saw his pale chest and slender waist.

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