A tavern in Shengjing.
"Oh dear, did that scholar really say that?"
"Yes, he was keeping it a secret at first, but he got drunk and told me himself."
"But wait, how could he possibly have access to her? Is he just daydreaming?"
"Sigh, I heard that someone went to his house to ask, and it's true. The neighbors have also seen it a few times, with truckloads of good things being moved into that house. Some people have even seen that person go to the Qian family's house."
"Tch, could it be some other girl? Would she even be interested in him? Be careful what you say. It's impossible. Would she have such low standards?"
"Oh, brother, you're too harsh. Young Master Qian is also a promising young man."
"Listen to me, everyone. At first, no one believed it, but the woman surnamed Qian did indeed obtain the imperial examination questions. Who else could get them besides her? She's the deputy examiner!"
Everyone shut up.
Someone angrily asked, "Is this really true?"
"It's absolutely true. Qian Fen confessed everything when he was drunk. Many of his classmates were there to testify, and many scholars in the next room also heard it clearly!"
The scene was deathly silent.
Suddenly someone seemed to remember something, "Last year there were rumors that she was looking for a husband, and she might be looking for a scholar from a humble family. Wouldn't Qian Fen be a perfect match?"
Almost instantly, news of cheating in the imperial examinations swept through Shengjing.
The sword is aimed at Xiao Zhixing.
The examination hall has been initially divided, and the first few hundred papers have been selected.
Now it's the three of them's turn to work hard. They're not just looking at these few hundred papers; they need to review the first thousand papers again to avoid any mistakes or omissions.
Xiao Zhixing took his job as a test-taker seriously.
She observed Duke Li again, and couldn't help but laugh when she saw him squinting as he struggled to read the documents.
She understood that feeling; people with severe myopia felt like they had to press their faces against the words to see clearly—it was so uncomfortable.
He had to pretend to be normal and cover it up. It must have been really tough for him, haha.
After three rounds of cross-scoring by three people, the final number of people and rankings were determined based on the total quota for each state.
Next, the original papers were opened according to the numbers, and the two papers were checked again. The list was copied and sent to the palace overnight for the emperor to review and stamp for confirmation.
Xiao Zhixing spotted Ji Bai, Li Jun, Jiang Tan, Xiong Chumo, Mu Zixi, Lin Muzhen, Zhang Zhong, Qi Wuyi, Liu Zizai, Li Zheng, Qi Mengli, Lin Ruyi, Feng Min, and others at a glance.
All of these people are ranked, but the last one is Qian Fen.
"Your Highness, please proofread it again. If there are no errors, it can be presented to His Majesty."
"That's right, thank you both for your hard work."
The list and their examination papers were then personally escorted into the palace by Zhang Shanhai, who would then determine the top three rankings of the imperial examination. He generally would not make any major changes to the rankings after that.
The elder flattered Duke Li, saying, "The young master Li is truly deserving of his title. With such a son, Duke Li has a worthy successor."
Duke Li was modest, but the corners of his mouth were turned up high. "It's a good reward for her mother's hard work over the years. The road ahead is long and she still needs to experience more."
Logically, Duke Li should have avoided suspicion, but since he was appointed by the emperor and his son was so outstanding and famous, this need to avoid suspicion could be disregarded.
Li Jun's literary talent is evident to all, and there is no need for Duke Li to cheat.
Seeing his barely suppressed joy, Xiao Zhixing smiled and said, "The Duke of Li must be overjoyed at this moment. With such a son, we should have a big toast."
Alright, for the sake of his happiness, I'll refrain from pointing out his nearsightedness for now. I'll have to find a more formal occasion.
That's just how she has this wicked sense of humor.
Duke Li stopped laughing and bowed repeatedly, "Your Highness, please don't tease me. In terms of literary talent, you are the leader of the younger generation in Shengjing."
The emperor would show the students the exam papers from each of the Gentlemen's Academy's tests. From initial shock to eventual acceptance, the entire court had come to a consensus that Xiao Zhixing's literary talent was no less than her martial prowess.
Sometimes, their perspective and insight into things even surpass those of those old folks.
That's why she was able to become the deputy examiner, and the one-third of people who chose to support her had good reason to do so.
Xiao Zhixing smiled, revealing his teeth, "Duke Li, please don't be modest. There are some things I need to learn from Brother Wenxiu."
After exchanging compliments, they also had to instruct everyone to file and preserve the exam papers.
Not long after, the emperor's edict arrived, ranking Ji Bai first, Li Jun second, and Lin Muzhen third.
The palace examination will be held seven days later, and these people will become the Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations). The top three scholars, Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhua, will also be selected.
"The list will be posted tomorrow, so let's work even harder to make it perfect!"
The older man said directly, "We are both too old to do this work, Your Highness, please do us the trouble."
This task can be written by other officials who are grading the papers, but the chief and deputy examiners can also do it, if you are willing.
After all, this kind of thing can't be erased and needs to be written in one go; you can't do this job without some skill.
Xiao Zhixing didn't want to make things difficult for himself, but then a thought struck him, "Alright, I'll reluctantly take on this task."
The blank list was laid out, and Xiao Zhixing picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and began to write.
"Ah, Your Highness, these characters, these characters?" Nian Changling was a calligraphy enthusiast, and he couldn't help but be mesmerized by the completely unfamiliar script.
Xiao Zhixing picked up his brush, dipped it in ink again, and laughed, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Lord Nian. This is just a handwriting I used to play around with in private. I can't possibly use the same handwriting as before for the imperial examination results."
That's a combination of regular script and cursive script; using it to write a list is a bit too presumptuous.
The elderly man's face was almost pressed against the list, his eyes fixed on it with fascination, and he exclaimed repeatedly, "Your Highness is too modest. This calligraphy is worthy of being called by a master. I wonder if it has been named?"
Duke Li was also knowledgeable. Just like the elder, he bent down to study the new characters. "The circle is square and the arc is straight. The characters are flat and square, spreading to the left and right. They are grand like a monarch. The silkworm head and swallow tail are wonderful."
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