Chapter 38 It's over! He can't escape now!

Finally, he bowed in the direction of Xue Youli and said, "Greetings, Miss Xue!"

Xue Youli looked at Xue Wuyang, who was covered in wounds and wearing prison clothes, and felt mixed emotions.

This was the first time she met her second brother.

[Name: Xue Wuyang, 20 years old, the second son of Xue Huaiyuan, the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, studying at Wanze Academy. ]

Although the ID card only has a short line of words introducing Xue Wuyang, in the original owner's memory, Xue Wuyang also doted on his sister very much.

Xue Youli moved her lips and was about to greet him when a burst of hurried footsteps were heard outside the palace door.

"Student Song Jingqian meets the Emperor!"

Xue Youli frowned slightly and looked up at the ID card above the visitor's head.

[Name: Song Jingqian, 24 years old, the eldest grandson of Song Taifu, studying at Wanze Academy.]

Song Jingqian was the culprit who caused her second brother to be sent to prison.

He was wearing a royal blue robe made of fine material, and a jade pendant of warm color hung on the brocade belt around his waist.

The black boots on her feet were of exquisite workmanship and had shiny uppers, showing at first glance that she had been carefully dressed up to meet the emperor.

This man's facial features were okay, but his eyes were lifeless, and the dark circles and bags under his eyes made him look less energetic than a young man in his early twenties. Instead, he looked listless, as if his body had been hollowed out by excessive indulgence.

Even though Murong Che did not hear Xue Youli's thoughts, the moment he saw Xue Wuyang and Song Jingqian, he had already made up his mind about the cheating in the palace examination.

Song Jingqian glanced at Xue Wuyang who was kneeling on the ground and sneered disdainfully in his heart.

As a first-rank official, Taifu is considered the highest-ranking official.

His grandfather was not only a respected elder of two dynasties, but also Murong Che's mentor.

In Song Jingqian's eyes, the Song family had a noble family background and his grandfather was highly regarded by the emperor. Why should a stinky scholar like Xue Wuyang, who could only write pedantic articles, compete with him for the position of number one scholar?

He stole Xue Wuyang's article because he respected Xue Wuyang. If he had any sense, he should have been grateful to him. Xue Wuyang refused to plead guilty in prison and even dared to appeal for justice in front of the emperor. He was really courting his own death!

Murong Che looked back and forth between the two of them, "Song Jingqian, you sued Xue Wuyang for cheating in the palace examination. In addition to these three answer sheets as evidence, do you have any witnesses?"

Song Jingqian immediately pulled out a guarantee letter with the names of the students from the academy written all over it. "Your Majesty, all the people who signed this guarantee letter are students' witnesses. They can prove that the three articles were written by students."

"You're talking nonsense!"

Xue Wuyang stared at Song Jingqian, his handsome eyes wide open, as if there was a raging fire burning in his eyes. However, he did not argue with Song Jingqian, but turned to Murong Che, "Your Majesty, the three articles in Song Jingqian's hand were all written by me. He stole the student's manuscript. Please investigate!"

"You said that I replaced your manuscript. Do you have any evidence?" As soon as the palace examination ended, Song Jingqian hired people to say that the manuscript in which he had predicted the answers to the examination questions was lost.

Immediately afterwards, someone from Wanze Academy found Song Jingqian's manuscript from Xue Wuze's room in full view of everyone.

He arranged this matter perfectly, and Xue Wuyang had no way to deny it.

Looking at the miserable appearance of Xue Wuyang, a prisoner, Song Jingqian couldn't help but admire his own intelligence in his heart.

Actually it's all Xue Wuyang's fault. He is so arrogant that he thinks he is something great just because he can write a few articles.

Previously in the academy, Song Jingqian wanted to recruit Xue Wuyang into his own group, but Xue Wuyang dared to reject him.

Humph! This is what he deserves!

"I……"

Xue Wuyang entered the academy at the age of five. In the past fifteen years, his interpersonal relationships were simple and he had never seen the viciousness of human nature. For a moment, he was stumped by the question.

Yes, he had no evidence, but Song Jingqian had prepared a manuscript in advance to frame him, leaving him speechless.

Seeing that he was at a loss for words, Song Jingqian was eager to convict him, "Your Majesty, Xue Wuyang cheated in the palace examination. Please punish him impartially!"

When he said the last few words, he looked meaningfully at Xue Youli beside Murong Che.

Recently, even the previous dynasty has heard that Murong Che is particularly fond of the new concubine Xue, and even has the tendency to overshadow Concubine Li.

And Xue Wuyang is the second brother of this Concubine Xue, and Song Jingqian is worried that the emperor will be partial to him.

However, Song Jingqian had already made up his mind. As long as Xue Youli dared to plead with the emperor, he would go back and ask his grandfather to report her for meddling in government affairs and interfering with the selection of talents at the court for personal gain. Maybe he could even help his sister defeat a powerful enemy in the harem.

Xue Youli knew what Song Jingqian was planning just by looking at his eyes.

Her purpose of coming to Zicheng Palace has been achieved.

Murong Che not only summoned her second brother and Song Jingqian today, but also summoned the Grand Scholar of the Inner Cabinet to meet him, obviously intending to interrogate the two of them in detail.

It would be foolish of her to stay here any longer.

"Your Majesty, remember to drink the pigeon soup while it's hot. I won't disturb you from your work any more."

After Xue Youli finished speaking, he glanced at his second brother and then left the hall carrying the empty lunch box.

After she left, Murong Che did not interrogate Xue Wuyang immediately. Instead, he seemed to be waiting for someone.

Song Jingqian was anxious and hurriedly asked, "Your Majesty, is it time for you to convict Xue Wuyang?"

Murong Che ignored him and turned his gaze to the person kneeling beside him, "Xue Wuyang, do you plead guilty?"

Xue Wuyang straightened his back and answered each word in a sonorous and powerful voice, "The students did not cheat! The contents on the palace examination papers were written by the students. Song Jingqian stole the three papers that the students had predicted before the palace examination."

As soon as he finished speaking, the door of the hall was pushed open again, and several great scholars walked to the table with steady steps and bowed respectfully, "Your Majesty, we are here to see you."

Song Jingqian was stunned when he saw the great scholars standing in a row.

I can't understand why the emperor called these people over.

When Murong Che saw that everyone had arrived, he said calmly, "Song Jingqian sued Xue Wuyang for cheating, but Xue Wuyang insisted that he did not cheat. You both hold different opinions, and it is difficult to tell who is telling the truth and who is lying."

Song Jingqian: "..." How could it be so hard to tell? Didn't he hand over all the evidence to the emperor?

He was still confused when he heard Murong Che continue, "So I decided to ask a few great scholars to ask questions on the spot. The time limit is one hour. After you answer the questions, the great scholars will judge based on your two answers. Is it because you two have the same palace examination papers that you have a tacit understanding, or someone stole each other's answers?"

As soon as these words were spoken, a hint of panic flashed across Song Jingqian's eyes.

Although there was evidence from both human and physical sources, Murong Che did not convict Xue Wuyang. Instead, he gave them new questions and asked them to retake the test.

All those poems and essays that Song Jingqian usually showed off were written for him at great expense to hired people. If he took another exam in front of the Grand Bachelor, wouldn't his true colors be exposed?

Or, he pretends to have a stomachache and runs away to pee and poop?

"Xue Wuyang, you are injured. There is a doctor outside the palace. Do you need treatment first?"

Although Xue Wuyang was covered in blood, his outstanding demeanor could not be concealed. "Your Majesty, the student's injury is not serious and will not affect the answer sheet."

He just wanted to clear himself of the suspicion of cheating as soon as possible. Not to mention that he only suffered superficial injuries, even if his hands were disabled, he would still answer the questions by holding the pen in his mouth!

At this moment, Song Jingqian, who was trying to pretend to have a stomachache, learned that there was an imperial physician guarding outside the door, and his heart sank instantly.

Finished!

He can't escape now!