Chapter 56
On the seventh day, at the end of the competition, Liu Ju arrived at the villa as instructed.
Bai Shan had gathered all the contestants in the courtyard. Liu Ju sat at the head of the table. Looking around, he saw bloodshot eyes, dark circles under their eyes, pale complexions, and a slightly unsteady gait, all of them looking sleep-deprived.
I don’t know how they managed to get through these seven days. Perhaps some people slept for less than two hours a day, while others may not have slept for several days.
While the situations were largely the same, the individual mental outlooks varied. Some were dejected and listless, others had complex expressions hinting at anxiety, and still others were nervous and excited, radiating hope.
Liu Ju took it all in and smiled, saying, "The seven-day deadline has expired. I'm here to review your work. First, those who haven't created a physical object, produced a design sketch, or even written down their ideas within this timeframe, please step back and wait."
Everyone naturally understood that this was the first one to be eliminated.
Half the crowd fell back, looking dejected.
"Secondly, if you haven't been able to draw a design, but have some ideas and concepts, please submit your records."
Five people presented bamboo slips, including Gongshu Ye and Gongshu Ming. Liu Ju flipped through the five scrolls one by one, nodded slightly, set them aside, and pointed to the left: "Wait here."
Apart from this, there was no further comment, no approval or rejection of the ideas or concepts.
Everyone was worried and confused, looking at each other in confusion.
"Next, those who have not yet produced a physical object but have a complete concept and have drawn a design, please step forward."
This time, there was only one person who came out, Gongshu Qing.
He presented it with both hands holding a piece of silk. It was not just one piece of silk, but several pieces. The painting was of a water wheel turning over. Not only the overall structure was drawn, but also the design framework of each part.
The four pieces of silk are delicately painted and described in detail. There are also text annotations in important places on them. The design and integration appear very meticulous.
Liu Ju unconsciously sat up straight and called Gongshu Qing to his side: "Tell me about your design in detail."
"Yes," Gongshu Qing agreed, pointing to the design drawings and explaining them one by one. "The drawing Your Highness provided shows the general outline. I have carefully examined it. The waterwheel depicted in the drawing stands in a deep and narrow ditch on the bank of the flowing water. It can be roughly divided into two parts: the wheel and the turning wheel.
"After a little observation, I believe that the wheel is used to take advantage of the power of water flow, and the overturned cart is connected to the wheel to transport the water flow to the farmland on the shore.
"The shape of the tipping cart looks similar to the keel tipping cart in another exam question. The word 'scraper-type' is mentioned in its function, so I'm guessing it's a wooden blade that can scrape water along the groove and rise.
"As for the wheel, the diagram shows a vertical wheel and a horizontal wheel, but the vertical shaft of the horizontal wheel is immersed in the water, making the underwater structure invisible. I made a model, but found that if I reconstructed it according to the diagram, it seemed that the water-powered effect would not be achieved. The wheel was difficult to drive.
"So I guess there must be a horizontal wheel under the vertical axis."
Gongshu Qing's eyes lit up as he talked about how he had thought about making the upper horizontal wheel and the vertical wheel mesh alternately, how to make the water flow hit the lower horizontal wheel for better attraction, how to set up the sprocket and water trough on the overturning car, etc.
The speech is fluent and the explanation is detailed.
It was clear from the moment I heard that he had put in a lot of hard work, had a clear understanding of the overall structure of the waterwheel, and had a clear and definite design concept.
Liu Ju smiled and asked, "You spent seven days drawing this?"
"yes."
Liu Ju's expression flickered: "You should know that being able to design something doesn't mean it can be manufactured, and it certainly doesn't mean that it can achieve the desired effect."
Gongshu Qing bowed and said, "I understand. The waterwheel is too large and needs to be adapted to the terrain and water flow, so it cannot be demonstrated in seven days. If Your Highness allows, I can build a real thing after the competition to verify it."
Liu Ju smiled faintly: "What if the verification fails?"
Gongshu Qing paused, then said frankly, "Then I have lost."
Liu Ju nodded, also without comment, but pointed to the seat behind him: "You wait here."
Gongshu Qing was overjoyed, and everyone present was envious. Although the Crown Prince didn't say it, his attitude showed great approval.
But thinking back to Gongshu Qing's explanation of his ideas and concepts, everyone lowered their heads again. After all, it was his own ability, and he deserved it.
Liu Ju looked at the remaining six people and said, "It seems that you all have made something real. In that case, please bring your works up. Who goes first?"
Who goes first? Is it up to them to decide?
Everyone was still hesitating when a man stepped forward and said, "I would like to go first."
Liu Ju nodded and asked for his name first.
The other party replied: "I am Zhuang Qingzhou."
Liu Ju remembered this name, the person who played the "wooden ball" in the preliminary round.
After paying his respects, Zhuang Qingzhou said, "My work is quite large, and it's difficult for one person to carry it. Could Your Highness please send two servants to help?"
Liu Ju agreed. Not long after, the servants brought the things up. Everyone was stunned, and Gongshu Qing behind him was even more surprised: "The dragon bone overturned?"
Zhuang Qingzhou bowed and said, "It's the keel that flipped over."
Liu Ju laughed out loud: "That's right, you are also standing behind me waiting."
Then he looked at the others and asked, "Who's next?"
Someone had already set an example, and everyone was eager to try, but they were also hesitant. Zhao Guo took a step forward, about to step out of the line, but someone else beat him to the punch: "Commander, come."
His work was not as big as Zhuang Qingzhou's, so one person could carry it immediately. He then lifted it up by himself. Judging from the shape, design and structure, it was undoubtedly a curved plow.
As soon as this thing appeared, the expressions of the remaining people changed, and Zhao Guo was stunned on the spot.
Liu Ju still had that smile on his face, and without commenting, he simply asked the others, "What about yours?"
Several people who were about to step forward instantly retracted their feet. A curved plow, it was actually a curved plow. If the other party was the original creator, then their own...
Several people's faces suddenly changed, turning pale. Only Zhao Guo was stunned for a moment. He hesitated and stepped forward to present his work. "I also made a curved plow, which coincides with yours."
Liu Ju only set four test questions, but there were dozens of contestants. It was normal for some people to choose the same test question. What's more, Liu Ju pointed out the characteristics and functions, and the existing information was the same. Everyone designed based on this, so it is understandable that they had similar ideas.
Therefore, it is not wrong to say that it is a "coincidence".
Several people had different thoughts. If he could do it by coincidence, then could they do it too?
With this thought in mind, several people rushed forward, vying for the first place. Surprisingly, they all made curved plows.
As the work was brought up, the whole audience fell silent.
Liu Ju stretched out his hand and counted them one by one: "One, two, three, four, five. Five of you are making curved plows, and the plows you made are almost identical? Could it be that you all made the same thing by coincidence?"
How could such a coincidence happen? The physical works are over 90% similar. Even if the direction of the exam question is fixed, the design details cannot be completely different.
Especially since this wasn't just two people, but five. Five people! This number directly eliminated the possibility of "coincidence."
Zhao Guo was confused. If he had naively thought that he had the same ideas as others before, why would he still think so now? He was simple, not stupid!
The other four were also extremely surprised, looking at each other with horror in their eyes. They had thought it was just them and the original author, an occasional collision, and even if the similarity was high, they might be able to get away with it. Who knew there were several others besides themselves? Could it be... Could it be...
"Aren't you going to give me an explanation?"
Liu Ju's tone was calm, neither sad nor happy, but he was, after all, a person at the top of the imperial power, a prince, and was raised by Liu Che. He was influenced by Liu Che and had a certain aura of majesty without even getting angry.
That single sentence sent shivers down the spines of the four. The rest of the group's eyes swirled in surprise and curiosity, unable to suppress the gossip fire raging within them. Damn, big drama, big drama!
Zhao Guo was the first to step out of the group and kneel down, saying, "Your Highness, I don't know what the others are thinking, but I swear that my curved plow was designed and conceived by me, and there is absolutely no fabrication involved. I have the design manuscript as proof."
The four of them were horrified. The only option now was to remain stubborn. Otherwise, if they admitted it... the consequences of admitting it would be disastrous.
Fortunately, fortunately they were prepared.
The four of them gritted their teeth and took out the blueprints together: "We have the manuscript as proof!"
The five manuscripts were essentially identical, differing only slightly in minor details, but the differences were negligible. In contrast, Zhao Guo's manuscript was the crudest and most crude.
Zhao Guo's face paled. This was his only proof, but judging by the manuscript alone, it looked more like a fake. What was he to do?
Just when he was extremely anxious and at a loss as to what to do, he heard Liu Ju look at the other four and say, "He's quite clever. He even knew to keep a backup plan. He personally re-drew the design and made some minor revisions."
The four of them were stunned, then came to their senses and tried to explain. Liu Ju interrupted directly, "I can give you a chance to be honest. Think carefully about it. Do you really want to go down this path to the end?"
The meaning of these words was unusual. Liu Ju's face was extremely serious, and his eyes were a little cold. The four of them felt their throats tighten, and it was unknown who would give in first. With a thud, one of them kowtowed, "I acknowledge my guilt, Your Highness, and I ask for your forgiveness."
This immediately broke the defense of the other three people. They all knelt down, kowtowed and admitted their mistakes, crying.
"Your Highness, I did not intend to steal someone else's idea. This was a matter of chance. I did not steal the blueprints; I found them by accident."
"Yes, I did too. I found it under the window of the shed."
"I'm in the bushes in front of the door."
"I am the same. I don't know who lost it, but I stumbled upon it. I wanted to return it to its original owner, but I found the design to be incredibly ingenious. So ingenious that the more I look at it, the more I can't help but be moved."
"I was originally just amazed at his ability, hoping to gain inspiration from him. But who knew... who knew the more I looked at it, the more I felt that this design was perfect. It meets all the characteristics and functions of the curved plow described by Your Highness. There is nothing that needs to be changed."
"Finally...Finally...Your Highness, please forgive me!"
The four of them were in similar situations. They all relied on luck and failed to stick to their bottom line despite the generous rewards and bright future of the competition.
The truth came out after a surprising turn of events. Zhao Guo was delighted, but the more he listened, the more confused he became: "I...I have never lost the manuscript."
Liu Ju curled his lips: "Just because you haven't lost it doesn't mean no one has seen it and copied it."
As soon as these words came out, Gongshu Qing suddenly felt a bad premonition in his chest. He subconsciously turned to look at his two brothers, but saw Gongshu Ming looking at Gongshu Ye with horror in his eyes. Gongshu Ye's face was even uglier, his lips trembling, and his fingers unconsciously clenched the corner of his clothes.
How could he not know that this was the other person's little move when he was nervous and uneasy, and it was the same every time he made mistakes since he was a child.
Gongshu Qing's heart sank little by little.
Zhao Guo hesitated. "Whether I was drawing or making the curved plow, I was in the side room. Even if I opened the doors and windows, others could only watch from a distance. Even if they caught a glimpse, how could they possibly replicate it with such clarity and accuracy?"
Liu Ju sneered, "Ordinary people can't do that, but what if the other person comes from a famous family with a long history of learning?"
He comes from a famous family with a long history of learning.
Even though he knew that the famous family did not belong to Gongshu's family, and that the family tradition was not unique to Gongshu, these eight words were still like a heavy hammer, smashing Gongshu Qing's last delusion.
Liu Ju continued, "Since I've given them a chance, I'll also give this person behind the scenes a chance. Whoever is responsible for this, who deliberately threw the blueprints near their quarters, please come forward."
The whole place was silent, no one stepped out.
Gongshu Qing was so anxious that cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He kept winking at Gongshu Ye, but the two were at a distance from each other and Gongshu Ye pursed his lips and refused to look at him.
Gongshu Ming beside him desperately tugged at the hem of his clothes, but Gongshu Ye remained motionless, standing like a pine tree. If it weren't for his trembling hands and the sweat oozing from his palms, one would have thought he truly had a clear conscience and was not afraid at all.
Liu Ju waited for several breaths, but there was no movement. He sneered, "I'll only give you one chance. If you don't take it, it will be gone."
Then his face became solemn and his tone suddenly became sharp: "Chao Nan, do it!"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone hadn't come to their senses yet, but saw a figure rushing out, heading straight for Gongshu Ye, grabbing him, and kicking him in the knee.
Gongshu Ye was still immersed in anxiety when he was forced to kneel in front of Liu Ju.
Everyone: confused!
In the past few days, they all saw that Liu Ju was often accompanied by several guards, led by Yan Sui and Zang Hai, but they didn't know who this Chao Nan was and where he came from just now.
Subconsciously looking at Liu Ju's side, one, two, three, four... not one missing.
Everyone: Even more confused.
Gongshu Ye came to his senses, his face changed drastically, and he cried out in rage, "Your Highness, it wasn't me. I didn't do it. Your Highness, there's no evidence, how can you say it was me who did it?"
"Not to mention, I live the farthest from Zhao Guo's room, and I rarely leave my room. Even when I do, I never get close to Zhao Guo."
Liu Ju chuckled: "Just because you haven't approached him doesn't mean he hasn't approached him."
He pointed at Gongshu Ming.
Zhao Guo was stunned, and suddenly remembered something: "Once, I was making a curved plow in my house, and the wind blew the manuscript out the window, and it happened to fall not far from the feet of the young master of the Gongshu family who was walking in the yard. Could it be..."
Zhao Guo hesitated to speak, after all, he was not sure.
But the truth is, it's already self-evident. Those who understand will understand.
Gongshu Ming immediately knelt down, head bowed, and prostrated himself on the ground, his palms and back covered in sweat. "I did pass by Zhao Guo's window once and accidentally saw his manuscript. The more I thought about it, the more I felt his design was ingenious, so I wrote it down. But I... I did not steal his design."
Regardless of whether he was moved or not, he didn't do it in the end. This is the truth.
Liu Ju remained silent and looked at Gongshu Ye.
Gongshu Ming took a deep breath. It was clear that the Crown Prince already knew everything about his second brother's actions. He could only lower his head a little, forehead pressed to the ground, and quietly tugged at the corner of Gongshu Ye's clothes, suggesting that he confess and receive leniency.
However, Gongshu Ye was obviously not as clear-sighted as he was, and he still tried to be stubborn and said, "Your Highness, why do you say that? Even if my brother has seen Zhao Guo's manuscript and drawn it, so what?"
"At most, we wanted to observe and learn, and improve our own shortcomings. The ideas and concepts we submitted were our own, and we did not steal anything.
"Who can prove that this was done by a villain? Besides, my brother wasn't the only one who approached Zhao Guo's room. If my brother accidentally saw it, how can we be sure that others didn't?
"Your Highness believes it was me, do you have any evidence?"
Talk to him about evidence? Who is he, the prince?
Liu Ju rolled his eyes, thinking that Gongshu Ye was mentally ill, but who could blame him for being a good prince? He would not do anything without any evidence and rely solely on power to convict people. Of course he had evidence, and a lot of it.
"Do you think that if you avoid the night patrol guards, no one will see your actions? Those guards only patrol once every half an hour. Half an hour is such a long time. Do you really think I would leave such a big gap?"
Gongshu Ye was stunned.
Liu Ju pointed at Chao Nan and said, "Do you know where he just came out from? From a tree!"
On the tree?
Gongshu Ye subconsciously looked at the surrounding trees, his face pale. If there were people in the trees here, then why weren't there any in the wing houses?
"The guards at the villa are divided into two groups, the visible and the covert. The ones responsible for patrol are just the ones I put in the open. This is my first time hosting a craftsmanship competition, and I have high hopes for it. How could I tolerate these scoundrels causing trouble?
"Besides, why do you think these servants in the other courtyard always appear promptly when you need them? Because I have them on duty in shifts every twelve hours, always paying attention to your needs."
Liu Ju approached Gongshu Ye and looked at him intently, "You want evidence. The guards and servants in this villa are all witnesses.
"When and how did you throw the silk map near the four people's quarters, making the noise to guide them? They all saw it. Besides that, I have physical evidence.
"I have had a certain number of bamboo slips and silks placed in each wing in advance so that you can use them yourselves. You don't have to ask the servants for them every time you need them, wasting time and energy.
"And do you think the silk and bamboo slips in each wing are exactly the same? They only appear to be the same. I have had people distinguish them in subtle ways. So, all we need to do is verify the number and compare the manuscripts and silk slips they found with those in your wing one by one to determine whether they are from your hand.
"With all the evidence, what else do you have to say?"
Gongshu Ye's body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground. He had never imagined that the Crown Prince had made so many arrangements in the villa, so meticulous, as if it were "tailor-made" for him, completely destroying all his hopes.
He struggled, his voice trembling. "Your Highness, I... I did... I did throw away a few manuscripts, but... but I didn't let them copy Zhao Guo's design. They did it all by themselves, I didn't instigate them. And... and I didn't copy it myself, I..."
"So?" Liu Ju's eyes were sharp. "Don't you think that as long as you don't copy and throw a few manuscripts, if others can't help but be moved, it's their business and has nothing to do with you?"
Gongshu Ye did have such thoughts, but Liu Ju soon broke his "naivety".
"Didn't I tell you on the first day of the competition that no quarreling or fighting, no provoking trouble, is allowed in the other courtyards?"
The words "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" were emphasized, and Gongshu Ye suddenly reacted and his whole body stiffened.
He forgot, how could he forget this! Even if his behavior didn't count as stealing other people's ideas, it was still a provocation!
Liu Ju glanced at him. "That day, you told Gongshu Qing that not allowing you to register was disobeying the Crown Prince's order. What about you? Doesn't your action count as disobeying the Crown Prince's order? Do you know what the punishment is for disobeying the Crown Prince's order, disrespecting the Crown Prince, and causing trouble in the Crown Prince's courtyard?"
What a boomerang! The words he used to block Gongshu Qing back then now sting him.
What crime should he have committed? He deserves death!
Gongshu Ye's face turned ashen, his body swayed, and he collapsed to the ground like a puddle of mud. After a moment, he became frightened and trembled as he knelt and kowtowed, "Your Highness, please spare my life. Your Highness, I was just confused for a moment. I admit my guilt and I was wrong.
"I am simply indignant that Baishan and Zhao Guo, mere lowly people, have managed to rise above me. I am simply trying to deal with them. If there were several similar works, Zhao Guo's curved plow might not count.
"Besides, as the chief examiner, Baishan can't escape responsibility for the huge incident that happened during the competition. The villain was jealous of them and wanted to cause trouble for them, so he did this in a moment of confusion.
"But I have absolutely no intention of disrespecting Your Highness. I would never dare to disobey the Crown Prince's order."
Gongshu Ye was horrified and frightened. He never expected that the "minor offense" he had committed against Baishan and Zhao Guo would become a "major crime" against the prince.
The target of the attack is different, and the level of the crime is directly raised to an unknown level.
He was horrified and begged for mercy.
Liu Ju sneered, "Jealousy? Pariah? But it was Zhao Guo, the pariah you thought of, who invented the curved plow. Do you have it? If not, what gives you the right to be so proud of being a noble, and why do you look down on them?"
"And there's Baishan. Baishan is now the Junior Officer of the Imperial Household. Who are you? Do you think that if you target him, the charges will be less severe? He's an official appointed by the imperial court, a key member of the Imperial Household!"
These words made Gongshu Ye waver again. He seemed to finally face reality.
Baishan is no longer the poor little guy who could only rely on his Gongshu family. But why?
Why on earth would the person who had always been looked down upon, bullied and oppressed by him be able to look down on him from a high position one day, while he actually had to bow down to him?
Gongshu Ye could not accept it.
Liu Ju knew what he was thinking at a glance: "Why, do you think that Baishan is where he is today because of you, Gongshujia? Without you, he would never have come before me and become the Junior Officer of the Imperial Academy?"
Gongshu Ye gritted his teeth, his expression indignant, and almost blurted out: "Zhao Guo at least has a curved plow. Your Highness said that I am not as good as him, and I admit it. But what does Baishan have!"
"Everything Baishan did was His Highness's idea. Any of us participating in the competition today could have done what he did.
"We still need to work hard to compete in order to have a chance, but he doesn't need any ingenuity or innovation. He just has a slight advantage and yet he can be our chief examiner!"
Liu Ju glanced at Baishan, who turned his head away and didn't look at Gongshu Ye. He didn't explain or refute, nor did he add insult to injury.
Turning to look at Gongshu Ye again, Liu Ju's lips curled up. "Who says the initiative isn't important? You think you could do it if you were Baishan. But that's just your opinion. If it were you, it wouldn't necessarily be the case. Besides, how do you know Baishan doesn't have ingenuity, innovation, or something as important as a curved plow and waterwheel?"
Gongshu Ye was surprised: "He made it? What did he make?"
How could it be possible? Zhao Guo was not a craftsman and didn't even know much about it, but he could make a curved plow.
Baishan relied on Gongshujia and was not valued by his uncle. He failed to learn the essence of Gongshujia, but also created something equally important?
What about him... who was he? Was he really inferior to them?
"No, it's impossible. I've never heard Baishan mention it, and my uncle hasn't mentioned it either. Your Highness, you said that on purpose, didn't you?"
Gongshu Ye shook his head desperately, looking at Liu Ju with his eyes full of expectation, hoping that he would nod and say yes, but all he got was a scornful look from Liu Ju: "Intentionally? Deliberately lying to provoke you? Who do you think you are to waste such thoughts and use such means? Who do you think you are!"
"Then what on earth did he do?!"
Liu Ju was too lazy to waste time talking to him: "You don't need to know this. Take him away."
At the command, even though Gongshu Ye was extremely reluctant and still wanted to seek an answer, he was still ruthlessly dragged away by Chao Nan.
The farce ended, and Liu Ju brought the topic back: "Now let's announce the results of the competition. The top three places are: the curved plow, the keel overturned cart, and the third..."
Liu Ju picked up the blueprints for the water-powered overturning cart and looked at Gongshu Qing. "Don't worry, I won't implicate you because of your brother's affairs. What he did has nothing to do with you. You were not aware of it, and you were not involved in it."
"According to everything everyone has submitted so far, aside from the two actual objects, your manuscript is the most meticulously drawn and the most logically designed. Therefore, you should be ranked third."
He was selected and among the top three.
This should have been a happy occasion, but Gongshu Qing did not show any joy at this moment. Instead, he felt very heavy. Looking at Gongshu Ye's figure walking away, he was angry and angry. He wanted to beat him to death, but he couldn't help but worry.
Liu Ju ignored him and looked at the four plagiarists: "Give them twenty strokes of the cane in court, expel them from the capital, and never employ them again."
He then walked over to the three people standing on the left, waiting for orders. These people hadn't built anything yet, nor had they drawn complete designs, but they had recorded some of their ideas. "Seven days is indeed too short. Although your gains may be small, if you are given enough time, you may be able to perfect your ideas. So if you wish, you may stay at the Gewu Division."
The four plagiarists were stunned. They had witnessed Gongshu Ye's fate, and had heard they were only given twenty strokes of the cane, expelled from the capital, and never employed again. They were grateful to have survived. But who knew that someone who had only written a few simple ideas could also be admitted to the Gewusi? Why did they take such a risk?
Stunned, Liu Ju walked to the back again. Standing there was the person who had presented nothing and gained nothing in seven days.
"Ingenuity is important, innovation is important, but both require someone to produce them. So design and production are not actually in conflict. The fact that you have passed the preliminary round proves that your skills are at least not bad.
"The Department of Gewu needs people with quick minds and ingenuity, and they also need people like you who have outstanding craftsmanship. So you too, as long as you are willing, you can join the Department of Gewu."
Liu Ju laughed.
It's just a few more salaries. He has the mirror maze, Qi Yuanniang, and the glass business that makes a fortune every day. He doesn't need this little money!
For those who thought they had been eliminated and had no hope of "advancement": great news from heaven!!!
Thank you, Your Highness. Thank you, Your Highness. You are so kind!
No wonder they didn't just let them go, but made them wait. So that's how it is!
The plagiarist quartet:!!!
So what does it mean if they plagiarize? They just copied a joke!
Let them watch helplessly as all those who were originally inferior to them were sent to the Gewusi, while they themselves... This is the most heartbreaking punishment that Your Highness can give!
Looking at the group of people who were left in the Gewusi, and then recalling the eight words "Twenty strokes of the cane in court, expulsion from the capital, and never to be employed again", the four of them felt a mouthful of blood stuck in their throats.
Damn Gongshu Ye, Gongshu Ye harmed me!
Some people looked ashen, some regretted deeply, and some were unwilling to give up. They crawled on their knees to Liu Ju and said, "Your Highness, I... I didn't mean to do that. The manuscript is ownerless. I... I was harmed by Gongshu Ye. I hope Your Highness..."
Before he could finish his words, Liu Ju kicked him out. "Harmed by Gongshu Ye? Gongshu Ye is the culprit, and you are not innocent either. Gongshu Ye was wrong in many ways, but he was right in one thing. He only gave you the manuscript, but he didn't ask you to steal and copy it.
"Don't mention that complete design, you can't help it. Do you think Gongshu Ye only threw the manuscript to the four of you?"
The four of them were stunned.
Liu Ju sneered, pointing at Zhuang Qingzhou and then at someone standing behind him. "He, he, they both found it. But neither of them copied it. They even went to Bai Shan privately, handed over the manuscript, and explained the whole story. That's the right thing to do. What about you?"
The four of them were stunned, looking at Zhuang Qingzhou and then at the other person.
If Zhuang Qingzhou had his own ideas in mind but couldn't use them, what about the other one? Standing in the back meant he had no ideas and had achieved nothing. Even if... even if he didn't copy everything, picking out a few points from the manuscript would be fine.
And yet…and yet…
The four of them lowered their heads instantly, feeling so ashamed that their faces turned red all the way to their necks.
Liu Ju glanced at him lightly and said calmly: "Pull him away!"
The four of them didn't dare and didn't have the face to beg for mercy, so they were taken away in an orderly manner.
Liu Ju stood in the corridor, on the steps, and glanced at everyone. "I hope you will all remember today's events. If you want to join the Ministry of Investigation, you'd better behave properly in the future and put aside those petty thoughts as soon as possible."
"I can tolerate your limited talents, but I will never allow anyone to play tricks on my territory, no matter what kind of tricks.
“So I hope you will go back and carefully consider it. If you think you can do it, you can report to Baishan tomorrow and immediately take up your post in the Department of Gewu.
"If you feel you can't do it, I advise you not to enter the Institute of Gewu, lest you not seek wealth and prosperity, but instead end up in jail."
The contestants lowered their heads, some in fear, some calm, and some surprised. Thinking back to what the prince had said about the layout of the other courtyard, that was all he had said, but who knew if there was more?
Thinking about this, I felt a little scared.
Fortunately, fortunately, I didn't do anything.
Liu Ju took in everyone's expressions and said, "Of course, if you behave yourself, you won't have to worry about these things. Although the Gewusi is currently only under the jurisdiction of the Crown Prince's Mansion and not an official department of the court, this may not be the case in the future.
"Besides, as long as my people are loyal and follow my rules, I will not treat them unfairly. Everyone has been tired these past seven days. The other courtyard is still available for you to stay. Rest up. Have a good rest."
He turned around and waved his hand: "Return to the palace."
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