As a top family in the Great Li Dynasty, the Pei family has many members.
However, the Pei family members all tacitly missed this imperial examination.
However, Mu Zian did not take this matter to heart.
The imperial examination in Dali lasted for three days.
Students participating in the imperial examinations were not allowed to leave the examination hall for three days; they had to eat, drink, and relieve themselves all within the examination hall.
Therefore, the imperial examinations in ancient times were not only a test of knowledge, but also a test of physical fitness.
Often, many students fall seriously ill after an exam.
As an invigilator, Mu Zian will also be spending these three days in the examination hall, but his accommodations are much more comfortable than those of the examinees.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and Mu Zian also perfectly finished his invigilation work.
Next, the chief and deputy examiners, including Sun Ning, Minister of Justice, Li Ping, Vice Minister of Revenue, and Zhao Anguo, Vice Minister of Rites, reviewed the case files.
No sooner had Mu Zian returned to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion than Xiao Xiuning arrived.
And it also brought Mu Zian some shocking news.
Pei Shaoji is dead!
On the night before the imperial examination, Pei Shaoji, who had gone mad, fell into the lake and drowned while beating a maid.
The prodigy, on whom the entire Pei family had pinned their hopes, made a hasty exit from the stage.
That is why all the disciples of the Pei family were absent from this imperial examination.
Upon hearing the news, Mu Zian remained calm and unmoved, showing no surprise whatsoever.
After Mu Zian learned that the Pei family was the ones who murdered his father, the Pei family was put on the kill list.
The last time Mu Zi'an sent Jia Xu was to put Pei Shaoji under pressure again.
As a representative of cunning strategists, Jia Xu perfectly demonstrated what it means to "kill without shedding blood with a tongue as sharp as a dragon's spring."
Previously, when his father passed away, the Pei family came to offer condolences insincerely.
Mu Zian naturally couldn't miss this opportunity.
Mu Zian summoned Jia Xu and Zhao Yun, and they rode in a carriage straight to the Pei family in Qinghe.
Qinghe County is only about 20 miles away from the capital.
Upon arriving in Qinghe, the entire county was draped in white mourning clothes.
Every household had white silk hanging at their doorways, and from a distance, the white silk fluttered in the wind, making it look like a chaotic graveyard.
Seeing this, Jia Xu couldn't help but say something.
"For the death of one person, the Pei family made every household in the county hang white silk. They are truly domineering."
Mu Zian remained silent and simply opened the curtain to look around.
As the undisputed local tyrants of Qinghe County, the domineering and arrogant behavior of this family is evident.
Ordinary people are nothing more than their private property to them.
The bluestone slabs were covered with a thick layer of paper money, and the cold wind made the white paper lanterns hanging on the eaves creak.
Upon seeing the carriage of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, the surrounding people, dressed in mourning clothes, silently retreated to both sides of the road.
The entire county town was eerily quiet, like a ghost town.
As the carriage passed the county government office in Qinghe County, a trembling, sorrowful sound suddenly came from there.
"My daughter! My daughter! I beg you, Your Honor, to let the Pei family spare my daughter!"
The carriage slowly came to a stop. Through the curtains, Mu Zian could see an old woman with disheveled hair kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly in front of the county government office.
The blood seeping from his forehead stood out starkly against the scattered paper money on the ground.
Several burly yamen runners in front of the county government office looked at the old woman with sneers and said.
"You think you can challenge Master Pei in Qinghe County? You don't even know if you're worthy!"
A burly constable kicked the old woman away.
"Get the hell out of here! My magistrate said that if you dare to cause trouble again, he'll arrest you and throw you in jail for severe torture!"
Despite the pain, the old woman, who had been kicked to the ground, used her hands to claw her way up the steps of the government office.
His cloudy eyes seemed unable to see the road ahead, and the two shocking bloodstains he left behind were so eye-catching.
"Please! This is my only daughter!"
Inside the carriage, Mu Zi'an's face was cold and stern, a surge of anger rising in his heart.
Seeing that the old woman still wouldn't leave, the burly constable was furious.
He took the leather whip from his waist and stepped forward, cursing angrily.
"You damned old beast! If I can't beat you to death today, then I'll consider you incredibly lucky!"
"Who doesn't know that Qinghe County is the domain of Master Pei!"
"Your wretched daughter killed the Pei family's young master! And you still want to live?"
"Today I'll send you and your daughter to the underworld to reunite!"
With a snap, the whip in the bailiff's hand cracked in mid-air.
The other constables burst into laughter upon seeing this.
"Good brother! Let's kill this old beast so we can go to the Pei family and collect our reward!"
The burly constable grinned menacingly.
The surrounding people stared blankly at the scene before them, but not a single person dared to step forward and say a word.
It was as if they were already used to everything that was happening before their eyes.
The next moment, the burly constable lashed out with his leather whip at the old woman lying on the ground.
The old woman was curled up on the ground, her face now showing despair.
Just then, Mu Zian said coldly.
"Zilong!"
Before he finished speaking, Zhao Yun, who was in charge of driving, had already transformed into a streak of light and darted out!
The tacit understanding between Mu Zi'an and Zhao Yun needs no further explanation!
Zhao Yun witnessed all of this, and the anger in his heart could no longer be contained!
The bailiff's whip fell, but it did not strike the old woman.
Upon closer inspection, everyone saw a tall, handsome man blocking the old woman's path.
Who else could it be but Zhao Yun?
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