Chapter 67 Knock Her Out
When Yan Wuxin saw her name tag appear on Yan Yu's exam paper, she immediately turned red with anger and gritted her teeth, "Which bastard framed me?"
She quickly scraped it off with a knife, muttering, "There must be a mistake. I didn't ask anyone to do these things for me."
Looking at her guilty expression, Lu Jinlan pursed her lips and said, "I didn't ask anyone to do anything for me, but we all know that those people must have carefully considered all the forces involved in making this ranking."
Lu Jinlan glanced at the fourth place again as she spoke, "Even Ling Zhaoren can only rank fourth. She's Ling Zhijing's daughter, yet she's behind you. After we're done with our work, shouldn't you tell us something you don't usually say?"
Yan Wuxin rubbed his nose. "Let's get down to business first, we'll talk about it later."
Xiang Ruzhen checked the scores on the side, while Lu Jinlan and Yan Wuxin removed the forged name slips one by one.
Although none of the three said it, they all guessed that Xiang Ruzhen's ranking would be moved down considerably. But even up to twentieth place, Xiang Ruzhen's name was still nowhere to be seen, and Lu Jinlan frowned secretly.
Yan Wuxin muttered, "There are especially many people with connections in our cohort. Many of the lowest-ranking imperial relatives have moved up to the front. These people don't even want to be officials; they just want a good reputation and face. They steal other people's achievements and ruin their futures. They're really shameless."
Lu Jinlan said, "Human nature is greedy. They have everything and still feel it's not enough. They want things that don't belong to them."
She sighed helplessly, "I found Ruzhen's name tag."
In all the exams, big and small, at the academy, Xiang Ruzhen had never fallen out of the top three. But this time, she was placed thirty-sixth.
Yan Wuxin said angrily, "These bastards really know how to bully people."
Xiang Ruzhen glanced at it indifferently, "Time is of the essence, let's get to work."
The three worked together according to their pre-arranged plan, spending two hours completing the actual report card. Xiang Ruzhen used a fan to dry the ink stains and then coughed again.
Lu Jinlan noticed her unusual complexion and was startled when she touched her forehead. "Why is it so hot? Your cold is getting worse."
Xiang Ruzhen rubbed her itchy throat. "It's okay. Let's check again. If there are no mistakes, we can go back."
"Okay, sit down and rest for a while."
Lu Jinlan folded the transcript that was tucked inside the memorial back to its original shape and placed it inside. Yan Wuxin also put the archives that were to be sent to the Hanlin Academy back to their original state, threw the fake transcript into his bundle, and took it away. Xiang Ruzhen packed the various writing tools she had brought, such as brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, and said, "Let's go."
The three blew out the candles, tore off the black cloth, and jumped out of the window together.
The wind was strong tonight, and they faced it, their steps becoming lighter and lighter on their way back to the dormitory. They looked at each other, their faces full of smiles.
Lu Jinlan exclaimed happily, "Once the notice is posted at dawn, we'll be all done! Sisters, we're truly doing good deeds anonymously, so selfless!"
Xiang Ruzhen laughed and said, "I think we should commemorate this. We did a tremendous good deed today. Let's give ourselves a name. How about 'The Three Heroes of Huaguo'?"
Lu Jinlan: "I have no objection. What do you think, Wu Xin?"
“I said, I think…” Yan Wuxin looked behind them and suddenly froze, “Dad, what’s that?”
The two turned around and saw a plume of black smoke rising from the examination hall.
Lu Jinlan exclaimed in surprise, "It looks like there's a fire!"
Xiang Ruzhen suddenly remembered something. She quickly rummaged through her bundle. "Oh no! A nearly burnt-out candle stub is missing. I saw it was empty when I was writing and put it on the windowsill. That spot is a blind spot, and I didn't notice it when I left. Could that candle stub have ignited something?"
Xiang Ruzhen frowned. "I'll go put out the fire first."
Lu Jinlan quickly stopped her, "It's too late. The wind is strong tonight. When the southeast wind blows, the firelight will spread everywhere. The patrol team will see it immediately."
Before the words were finished, a gong sounded, and the night patrolman banged the gong and shouted, "The examination hall is on fire! Come quickly to put out the fire!"
The patrol team quickly arrived with buckets of water. There was a pond downstairs from the examination building, and the fire, which was small, was quickly extinguished.
The problem is that everything they did might be discovered beforehand, and that candle that shouldn't have been there would become evidence.
If it were just a regular candle, that would be fine, but these were green candles that the academic supervisor had just handed out yesterday. These candles are specially made by the college; they produce little smoke and burn for a long time, and were only given to the top ten students in the previous semester's overall academic performance as encouragement.
Xiang Ruzhen rubbed her head. "I'm so stupid, how could I have left such an important thing behind?"
Yan Wuxin quickly grabbed her hand, "Don't blame yourself, you're just delirious from the fever."
Lu Jinlan said, "You are human, not a god. Humans inevitably make mistakes. Since things have come to this, don't blame yourself. We both bear some responsibility. You are usually the one who carefully reminds us. We were in a hurry just now and didn't notice the unburnt candle in the corner. We just hope that it will be burned out by the time the patrol arrives."
The three of them circled around to the vicinity of the examination building, only to find that the patrol team had already surrounded the building, and two of them had gone to inform the faculty accommodation area.
If it's just a fire that's been discovered, and the fire is already out, why cordon off the area?
The three exchanged a glance, both knowing that their scheme had likely been exposed.
Xiang Ruzhen: "If I'm not mistaken, those two people went to report to the supervisor. As soon as the supervisor sees that candle, he will immediately search the dormitory. You two, go back immediately."
The two hurriedly asked, "And what about you?"
Xiang Ruzhen said, "One should take responsibility for one's own actions. It was my mistake that caused the consequences, and I will bear the consequences. I will tell the dean that I discovered the falsification of grades while I was studying at the Hanlin Academy. I felt indignant, so I resorted to this desperate measure. Everything is reasonable and she has no choice but to believe me."
"No way!" they both objected in unison.
Yan Wuxin said, "This is a huge matter. We've changed everything we submitted to the Emperor. Being dismissed would be the least of our worries. This is a major annual examination, involving many parties and is no ordinary matter. If the higher-ups investigate, you could lose your life. You absolutely cannot admit to it."
Xiang Ruzhen said helplessly, "I have to admit it, whether I want to or not. That candle is too suggestive, I have no choice but to admit it."
Lu Jinlan thought for a moment, "There's another way."
Xiang Ruzhen: "What?"
Lu Jinlan: "I'll take the blame."
Xiang Ruzhen resolutely refused, "No."
Lu Jinlan hurriedly said, "Ruzhen, listen to me. The imperial court is currently waging war, and His Majesty relies heavily on the Song family army. If I take the blame, at least I won't lose my head. Perhaps we can even downplay the seriousness of the matter and just get dismissed."
"That won't work either. What about your career then?"
Lu Jinlan said anxiously, "Then don't worry about it. What's the point of being a high-ranking official in the court? You know I hate getting up early every day. Even if I don't have any official rank, I can serve in the army. Maybe that would be more carefree than being an official like you. It's decided then. I'll go and take the exam."
"No! You're lying!" Xiang Ruzhen grabbed her tightly, her eyes reddening with emotion. "You, Lu Jinlan, are a notorious womanizer. Have you ever thought about how the world will gossip if you get fired?"
Lu Jinlan said firmly, "I don't care what people say, but I will never let my best friend ruin his future."
Lu Jinlan held her hand. "I was the one who came up with the idea this time, so I should take responsibility if things go wrong. Don't argue with me. I'm thick-skinned. Whether I get fired or punished, I can handle it. Just listen to me."
For a moment, Lu Jinlan felt that Xiang Ruzhen was almost convinced by her.
But Xiang Ruzhen's expression suddenly changed, and she insisted, "No, I made the mistake, so there's no reason for you to bear the consequences. That's not fair."
Lu Jinlan said angrily, "What do you mean by fairness? It's fair that a group of our best students from other places have to fight tooth and nail for those few pitiful places to be admitted. It's fair that those royal relatives can come to study at the best academy without having to take any exams. You are the most hardworking and outstanding student in the academy, but those people ranked you thirty-sixth. Has this world ever been fair to you, Xiang Ruzhen?"
Seeing Lu Jinlan's indignation, Xiang Ruzhen gave a bitter smile and choked out, "Just because the world is unfair to me, does that mean I can justify letting my friends sacrifice themselves for me?"
Yan Wuxin wiped away her tears. "Alright, you two stop arguing. Let me take the blame. I don't have your lofty ambitions. I really never thought about becoming a high-ranking official or doing anything great. Anyway, I won't die. So what if I get fired? At most, my mother will scold me. I've always been the most disappointing daughter in our family. I don't care."
Lu Jinlan said helplessly, "You can't take this opportunity; you don't have any green wax."
“I’ll just say I took it from you two, isn’t that enough?” Yan Wuxin looked at Xiang Ruzhen: “You really can’t be stubborn this time. Think about your lofty ambitions, think about your home in Beizhou, and your little moon. Have you forgotten? You need to graduate and become an official before you can propose marriage and bring him home.”
Xiang Ruzhen smiled and shook her head, looking at the two of them with tears in her eyes, "For me, none of those things are the most important."
“I can live a mediocre life, be poor and miserable my whole life, and never marry, but I cannot let down Lu Jinlan and Yan Wuxin.”
"You are the two most important people to me in this world. I will never allow you to trade your future for mine, and I will never accept that your lives will be stained because of me."
Yan Wuxin exclaimed anxiously, "Oh dear, Ruzhen..."
Lu Jinlan patted her back, "Forget it, don't try to persuade her. Once Xiang Ruzhen has made up her mind, who can change it? Let her go."
Xiang Ruzhen nodded. "Okay, I'm leaving now. You guys go back to your dorms quickly."
Xiang Ruzhen turned around without warning, and Lu Jinlan delivered a swift chop to her neck, knocking her unconscious.
The situation took an unexpected turn, and Yan Wuxin was a little lost, "What...what do we do now?"
Lu Jinlan tossed the unconscious Xiang Ruzhen to her, saying, "Take her back to the dormitory and keep a close eye on her. I'll go to the dean's house and try to get her to confess and receive leniency. You must keep an eye on her and absolutely not let her out until everything is settled."
Yan Wuxin: "What if she wakes up?"
"Then knock her out again."
"ah?"
"Go quickly!"
Yan Wuxin sighed and quickly left, carrying the unconscious Xiang Ruzhen on his back.
*
Lu Jinlan sat on the bluestone steps in front of the dean's house, waiting and brainstorming, preparing to come up with a flawless, reasonable, and righteous explanation.
As dawn approached, she was having a headache from thinking and was rubbing her temples with both hands when suddenly a pair of feet appeared in front of her.
Lu Jinlan looked up and saw Xiang Ruzhen staring intently at her.
Lu Jinlan laughed helplessly, feeling both amused and exasperated.
"What about Wu Xin?"
"I knocked him unconscious."
Lu Jinlan nodded. "Okay, I should have known that this idiot couldn't keep an eye on you."
"But since you're here, I suppose you won't leave even if I try to chase you away. I was just thinking that it's really unreasonable for one person to do all these things; there are many things that don't make sense. It's good that you're here; let's both take responsibility. As long as the Emperor doesn't cut off my head, there's no reason to cut off yours."
Xiang Ruzhen smiled and said, "Alright, let's all be expelled together. Yan Yu will then be the rightful number one. The Emperor should really thank us for accommodating her daughter."
The two sat down side by side, no longer filled with the fear they had felt before their conviction, and were as relaxed as if they were having a candlelit conversation.
Lu Jinlan suddenly said, "I just reviewed everything carefully, and I still think we were amazing. If anyone is to blame, it's the strong wind last night; the heavens didn't help us, it's not our fault. If we had to do it again, we would still do it."
Xiang Ruzhen laughed and said, "Of course, actually I think even if I get expelled, I'll sneak back into the academy next year and do it again. If I don't succeed the first time, I'll do it again. I'll definitely do better next time. It's no big deal."
Lu Jinlan smiled and said, "Then you still have to call me. We're going to take on these counterfeiters and make sure this is done in this lifetime."
Although the two hadn't slept all night and had suffered a terrible misfortune, they became increasingly cheerful as they talked. Their eyes were bloodshot, yet they looked triumphant. Anyone who didn't know better would think they weren't there to accept punishment, but rather to receive a reward.
As dawn broke, Lu Jinlan looked around. "Why hasn't Wuxin arrived yet? Did you go too far?"
Xiang Ruzhen estimated the time, "It can't be that bad, she should have woken up long ago."
As the two were talking, the door behind them suddenly opened, and they quickly stood up and said, "We want to see the dean."
*
Two quarters of an hour ago, Yan Wuxin slowly woke up in her dormitory. She rubbed her sore neck and angrily pounded the bed.
She strode into the campus, glanced at the eaves of the dean's house, looked outside, gritted her teeth, her gaze suddenly hardened, and with a swift leap, she jumped over the wall.
Outside the courtyard wall, there were some breakfast stalls, and passersby would lead their horses there to buy breakfast.
Yan Wuxin hurriedly stuffed a silver ingot into the man's hand, "Big sister, I'll buy your horse."
After she finished speaking, she snatched the reins, leaped onto her horse, and sped away, leaving the man chasing after her shouting, "Hey, I'm not selling horses! This horse isn't worth that much money!"
Yan Wuxin didn't turn his head. The man muttered helplessly to himself, "He's acting like a madman. What's the rush?"
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Author's note: Sorry, I have a headache today, probably because I didn't sleep well. I'll stop here for now.
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