For hundreds of years, the imperial examinations have been under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites.
The dates for the provincial, metropolitan, and imperial examinations were all decided by the Ministry of Rites, and the ceremonial affairs were handled by the Ministry of Rites. Even the Imperial Academy was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites.
As the Minister of Rites, he should have ensured the fairness of the imperial examinations and protected the students' learning environment and livelihood. Instead, he made them become "ghostwriters" for money, which was a failure of the Ministry of Rites.
In particular, the rich young master's arrogant demeanor made Qi Huai frown, while also giving rise to a sense of responsibility.
"I heard about the existence of gambling on the imperial examination questions a couple of years ago, but I always felt that the imperial examinations still depended on one's true abilities. I never imagined it had deteriorated to this extent." He gripped his folding fan tightly. "Brother Xu, you must have already made up your mind to come to me. Rest assured, I am willing to accompany you to the end."
The sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy had a vibrant face and his eyes shone with a fiery light.
They have the world in their hearts, they love all corners of the world, they are brave enough to venture out, and they have not yet been worn down by time, their pride has not been worn away, and their ambition has not been worn away.
They possess a vibrant energy and vitality that will bring tears to their eyes every time they look back on the rest of their lives.
Xu Mo tremblingly reached out his hand, sincerely welcoming his friends from the Imperial College, friends who truly shared the same aspirations, the same resolute spirit, and the same bright outlook.
The moment their hands clasped, they saw unwavering resolve in each other's eyes.
"Brother Xu..."
"Brother Qi..."
This matter is particularly troublesome for Xu Mo, because he is unwilling to produce an article showcasing his talent. Even if he did, he would only receive a sum of money, which would not actually help the progress of the matter.
But it's different in Qi Huai's hands.
He was the son of a high-ranking official and had plenty of money, so no one would suspect him even if he gambled. His true identity could also withstand scrutiny.
The only regret is that Qi Huai had already failed the provincial examination and become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examination), so if he were to gamble on the exam questions again, he could only gamble on the metropolitan examination, and there was no way to unravel the mystery to Zhu Zhi.
"You want to bet on the questions for the imperial examination?" Qi Huai asked, somewhat surprised.
Xu Mo was cautious by nature. He trusted Qi Huai, but not completely, so he only exposed the shady dealings behind the gambling topic and did not mention the real target—Zhu Zhi.
“Yes, the provincial examination is too difficult, and the difficulty of the gambling questions will also increase.” Xu Mo used this excuse, “The provincial examination involves a wider range of people and affects more people.”
Qi Huai is the son of the Minister of Rites. The Minister of Rites is responsible for the imperial examinations, and exposing the dark side behind the gambling on the exam questions is a meritorious deed.
Since we're already making a name for ourselves, the more people we arrest, the better.
Qi Huai understood immediately, "Leave this to me."
The next day, he brought over a young man who was even fairer-skinned and more handsome.
Xu Mo sat in a secluded pavilion outside the Imperial College, waiting. It was a perfect place for a secret conversation, surrounded by roads on three sides and water on one side, and no one could track him down.
The less shelter there is, the easier it is for the cold December winds to invade.
Even though Xu Mo was wearing layers upon layers of clothing, he still couldn't help but shiver when a biting wind blew by.
There was no hot tea, and a hot towel was even less likely.
Fortunately, his younger sister had stuffed a roasted sweet potato into his arms before leaving, and now it was burning hot against his chest, becoming the only source of heat on his body.
Then another biting cold wind blew in.
Xu Mo couldn't help but reach into his pocket and pull out a roasted sweet potato wrapped in a handkerchief. Just as he lifted a corner, Qi Huai suddenly appeared out of nowhere, followed by an impatient young man in black.
"Brother Xu, I'm here." He said breathlessly, "and I've brought you some help too."
Xu Mo raised his hand without changing his expression, threw the roasted sweet potato back into his arms, and then adjusted his clothes.
"Let me introduce you." Qi Huai pointed to the young man in black. "This is my... younger brother. He's willing to help us gamble on the questions for the imperial examination."
The young man in black looked to be about fourteen or fifteen years old. He was fair-skinned and handsome, and his features bore a slight resemblance to Qi Huai's. They were undoubtedly brothers.
Xu Mo nodded slightly to express his gratitude.
The young man in black opposite him frowned, his expression shifting from confusion to shock, before finally uttering two words, "It's you?"
Qi Huai raised an eyebrow.
Xu Mo was also puzzled, "Have I met Young Master Qi before?"
The young man in black paused, then suddenly realized something and quickly shook his head like a rattle-drum, "No, no, no, we've never met, let alone know each other."
There wasn't even a kick; he just fell face-first into the mud.
Xu Mo became increasingly puzzled.
The bet weighing on his mind left him no time to think about it, and he said seriously, "I'm afraid your brother will have to step in for me in two days, turning the tables and putting me in a passive position."
The passive meaning refers to the wealthy young man asking Xu Mo for the article, thus making a deal.
"Taking the initiative" refers to the young man in black seeking out the wealthy young man to buy his writings and make a deal.
When dealing with influential people, wealthy young men will always treat them with utmost courtesy and consideration, no matter how picky they may be, simply because such people can bring them wealth.
At that time, the young man in black will use the excuse of "not liking it" to read more articles and find more ghostwriters.
Unfortunately, the imperial examination papers could not be circulated, so Xu Mo had no way to obtain Zhu Zhi's papers and therefore could not find the scholar behind them from the writing style.
But it doesn't matter. Nobles are always superior and have the right to nitpick. After a few rounds of criticism, as long as he reveals that he "wants to be like that scholar from the Zhu family," the rich young master will definitely be willing to find the person behind the scenes.
And this ghostwriter is the key Xu Mo is looking for.
"This matter concerns not only Xu Mo himself, but also the future of countless impoverished students. Although they are poor, they can gain recognition through their talent if they persevere. But these so-called gambling questions and ghostwriting imprison their lives, keeping them forever floundering in the mud, making it difficult for them to stand up and reach the top." Xu Mo looked sincerely at the Qi brothers. "We may be small in strength, and we may not be able to punish everyone behind the scenes, but as long as we can expose this matter and let the imperial family see the darkness behind the imperial examination, we will have fulfilled our mission."
They are small, yet crucial.
When things get out of control, there will always be someone who stands up for justice, someone who can save countless impoverished students and prevent them from going down a twisted path.
The Great Yu Dynasty should not be just a dynasty for the sons of aristocratic families, nor should the court be filled only with the descendants of aristocratic families, and impoverished scholars should not become stepping stones for the powerful and wealthy.
This world belongs to everyone.
Xu Mo looked up, gazing intently at the azure sky above, as if he wanted to express his lifelong ideals, but he held back.
The Qi brothers stared at him blankly, unable to understand why this young man, who was clearly slender, appeared so tall at this moment, so tall that people had to look up to him.
But they all made up their minds to see this through to the end and do it exceptionally well!
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