Zhao Xi frowned. "I... want her to get a divorce."
Call her selfish or resentful, but once the Feng family is dealt with, all she wants is for her mother to stay by her side, so that they can depend on each other for the rest of their lives.
"They are your relatives after all. Are you really so heartless as to abandon them?"
Zhao Xi smiled bitterly, "You don't need to test me. I left the Feng family when I was nine years old and moved into the princess's mansion alone with the palace maids and nannies, severing all ties with them."
Her mother would come to the princess's residence to keep her company, but her father, Feng Liyan, had not shown her any concern for eight years.
Especially after he learned that there was no possibility between her and Zhao Lin, he ignored her completely, only calling her back like a puppy when he needed something.
There are only orders for entry and exit points.
She was even more unfamiliar with the other people in the Feng family, but Feng Min would occasionally greet her when they met outside.
It turned out he wasn't his biological brother.
Besides, that was Feng's own fault. Scheming against his comrades was despicable and shameless. How could the blood feud of 70,000 Xiao family soldiers be so easily forgotten?
Xiao Zhixing nodded, "Alright, take care of your family affairs as soon as possible, and begin your inspection tour of the thirteen prefectures after the imperial examinations!"
“That girl, Ah Cao, who's with your mother is one of my people. She knows some martial arts and will follow your orders from now on.”
As for Xiaoyue, number fifty-six, as Sun Rui's direct disciple, she has made great contributions this time and will be of great use in the future, so she cannot be given away casually.
After saying this, she planned to leave, as she still needed to go to the palace to explain to the emperor.
Zhao Xi turned to see her off, then bowed and clasped his hands in thanks. "Your Highness, thank you. Also, I don't actually dislike you."
I'm just envious and jealous of your carefree, unrestrained, and powerful nature, because I don't have it.
Xiao Zhixing waved and smiled, "I know, you little coward."
Zhao Xi opened her mouth and raised her eyebrows, "Aaaaaah—I take back what I just said, Xiao Zhixing is still so annoying!!"
Xiao Zhixing went directly to the palace after leaving the princess's residence without needing to report.
Upon arriving outside the Shengde Hall, she dismounted, and Fulu greeted her, "Your Highness, it just so happens that His Majesty sent this old servant to inquire when you will arrive."
"Have all the adults arrived?" She took three steps at a time, and Fulu jogged to catch up.
"Yes, all the officials are here, except for Feng Liyan."
The news had already reached the palace, and the man's household summoned the imperial physician. It was said that he had collapsed in bed from anger.
Xiao Zhixing laughed and casually pulled out a thousand-tael silver note from his sleeve and slapped it in front of him. "Whoever sees it gets a share. Today I got a million taels. The God of Wealth is feeding me. This is for you to buy tea. Let's have some fun together."
Fu Lu was at a loss for words, unsure whether to accept the offer or not. What if Lord Feng held a grudge against him?
In the end, he closed his eyes and accepted it. It was a rare opportunity for Prince Yuansheng to see and reward him, and he didn't want to miss it.
Xiao Zhixing entered the hall, and everyone turned around in unison, their expressions quite interesting.
Zhao Yunqi shook his head and chuckled, "Yuansheng, take it easy. Minister Feng is getting old and can't take any more stress."
He's not yet fifty, but compared to the average lifespan, he is indeed considered old.
Xiao Zhixing cupped his hands innocently and said, "He forced Madam Feng into a corner. I was just doing my job for money. Don't blame me."
Li Xiao asked curiously, "Did they really give you a million?"
Xiao Zhixing beamed, "Yes, a real million. I was shocked. Madam Feng is a shrewd businesswoman. She has accumulated a million in wealth just from her dowry shops and land. Keeping her in the backyard would be a waste of her business talent."
She naturally had to help Madam Feng cover up the matter.
The actual harvest from the shops and fields is unknown to others, so it's best to use it to deceive people.
Huo Jindao smacked his lips. "Is Lord Feng sacrificing gold bricks for sesame seeds?"
To favor a concubine over one's wife to this extent is truly unprecedented.
He forced his virtuous wife to break up with him, even at the cost of a million-dollar fortune. He must be heartbroken right now.
After a few jokes, we got down to business.
Zhao Yun asked curiously, "Yuan Sheng, the officials have all recommended you to be the chief examiner for this year's imperial examination. Are you willing to accept?"
Xiao Zhixing exchanged surprised glances with the others. "Gentlemen, you wouldn't be trying to shirk your responsibilities by letting me go up here, would you?"
This doesn't make sense. I didn't try to win them over, yet not a single one of them objected?
Is there a trap?
Li Xiao coughed, "We old folks are indeed getting old and can't keep up anymore. Your Highness did a great job in the previous term, and we and His Majesty are very reassured to entrust this important task to you."
Xiao Zhixing gave the group a suspicious look. These old foxes were all unfathomable, and he couldn't tell anything from their expressions.
Bai Fengmei quickly explained to her, "For the first time, the number of students from the North has exceeded that of the South in this spring examination, which is of great significance. We must ensure the success of this examination. With the Prince as the chief examiner and Lord Zhao and Duke Li as the deputy examiners, we can try to balance the differences between the North and the South as much as possible."
Xiao Zhixing thought to himself, "This is something she had already anticipated."
After elementary schools were widely opened in the north, the literary atmosphere flourished, and countless outstanding farmers seized the opportunity to rise to prominence, which was the time for them to begin to show their prowess.
Sure, there's nothing she wouldn't dare to accept.
She genuinely wanted to ensure that students from the North could have a fair chance to succeed; at least with her in charge as the chief examiner, students from the North wouldn't be deliberately suppressed.
Once the matter was settled, Xiao Zhixing, Zhao Kun, and Duke Li quickly went to the palace for a closed-door examination to set questions.
Zhao Yunqi ordered, "Yuan Sheng, you must participate in setting the questions this time."
Xiao Zhixing was sullen; she had wanted to slack off.
She was even more afraid that she might lose her temper and make the questions too difficult, and that she would be cursed by the students.
Upon closer inspection, it seems... probably not that difficult? It's just a bit off-topic.
Sample questions were released quickly.
Duke Li laughed and said, "With Your Highness in front of us, Lord Zhao and I can avoid being poked in the back."
They say the questions she sets are difficult.
Xiao Zhixing was fearless; let her scold her, she had a thick skin anyway.
Everyone knows she is pragmatic, so the questions she sets are closely related to people's livelihoods and the requirements for answering them must also be realistic.
Finally, she asked Zhao Yunqi, "Your Majesty, I would like to add a few supplementary questions, which will not be included in the official exam. The candidates can choose whether or not to do them, and we will not force them."
It's impossible to drastically reform the imperial examination system now, but she genuinely wants to find more practical talents.
Zhao Yunqi asked curiously, "What kind of bonus question?"
Xiao Zhixing took out the questions he had prepared earlier.
It contains three math calculation problems, two agricultural Q&A problems, and several questions on astronomy, geography, case solving, water management, and architecture.
“In that case, the exam will be postponed by one day,” Zhao Yunqi said.
"It won't take a whole day. Those who are willing to answer the questions can stay for one or two hours and finish. It's impossible for them to answer all of them."
Just choose the questions you know how to answer.
Zhao Kun raised a question: "If these people answer reasonably well, how does Your Highness plan to select them and grant them official positions?"
He was the Minister of Personnel, and therefore most sensitive to this matter.
Xiao Zhixing had already prepared a plan: "Actually, I already have official positions for them in the Six Ministries. For example, those who are good at arithmetic will go to the Ministry of Revenue, those who can judge cases and understand the law will go to the Ministry of Justice, those who know about agriculture will go to the Ministry of Agriculture, and those who can manage water and observe stars will go to the Imperial Observatory, etc."
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