"Your Majesty, the people are calling for a thorough investigation into the Spring Examination cheating case. I don't know who's leading the charge, but they all say it was cheated this time, and that's why the court doesn't dare to publish the candidates' essays. If this continues, I'm afraid there will be a big mess!"
At the morning court session, the matter of the Spring Examination came up again. All the officials in the court, civil and military, took turns speaking, talking about the incident.
The emperor was extremely annoyed, but he couldn't make everyone shut up!
If he had a choice, he would rather cultivate his own power in a different way. Who would have thought that just planting some of his own people would cause things to get so big!
Didn’t we do this before when my mother was still alive?
Otherwise, with so many people in the court supporting her, are they really sincere?
The emperor reflected on himself and felt that there was nothing wrong with his original intention. Which emperor didn't want to have his own power?
All under heaven belongs to the king, and he is the emperor!
But this time I was too anxious and stuffed too much into it at once, which was a bit greedy.
These people are really something. They have nothing to do all day and just join in the chaos, causing him so much trouble.
"In your opinion, my dear ministers, how should this matter be resolved?" The emperor was tired and spoke weakly.
Recently, because of the Spring Examination, he couldn't eat or sleep well, and even stopped going to the harem. He locked himself in the imperial study every day to think about life.
If the winner was not selected by him and was not well-educated, why would he delay publishing the essays of the Spring Examination?
What is the most important thing for an official? Is it literary talent? Those are all flashy and useless things, and they are not allowed at all.
In his opinion, the most important thing for an official is to be loyal to the emperor!
Feng Zhen's loyalty to the emperor was unmatched by anyone in the court, whether civil or military! He was a member of the emperor's uncle's family, and all his honor, disgrace, and future depended on him, the emperor. They were not fools and knew what was best to do.
So, he can use it with confidence.
The emperor actually looked down upon those real literati.
He spends every day lamenting the passing of time, and always talking about the future of the country, as if he would be infamous for eternity if he did anything wrong!
That mouth, relying on the ink he drank, spoke words that were blacker than coal! When he was angry, he even dared not give face to him, the emperor!
But Dasheng was a country that revered literature. Since the founding of the dynasty, scholars had always been treated with great courtesy. Not to mention this emperor, even the previous emperors would never resort to violence against scholars.
He couldn't even find a place to vent his anger!
Watching the ministers below chattering and discussing, the emperor felt extremely suffocated.
Looking at this situation, he must give an explanation to those troublemakers. He is the emperor, even if he did it, he cannot let everyone know the so-called truth.
Once the article is published, Feng Zhen will lose his footing.
Cheating in the Spring Examination is an established fact!
It's time to find the right person...
"Sir Wen, you are the chief examiner of this spring examination. What do you think we should do?" The emperor called the name of Wen Zhi, the newcomer of the Hanlin Academy, who was also the chief examiner selected by him personally.
When the Queen Mother was alive, she often said that she had heard that he had the spirit of a scholar and that in time, he could be compared with the Qin Dynasty.
Upon hearing this, he stepped out quietly. He was a young man in the Hanlin Academy, with a handsome appearance. Just standing there, he was quite elegant.
No wonder he won the empress dowager's favor, the emperor thought.
"Your Majesty, I believe..." He paused as soon as he opened his mouth. His hands were shaking uncontrollably. Although he tried his best to control it, the physiological reaction was beyond his control.
He is nervous.
The moment he stood up, he didn't even dare to meet the emperor's eyes, even though he knew that the emperor wanted to see him at this moment.
Wen Zhi lowered his head deeply and used all his strength to speak out his words.
"I believe that the Spring Examination papers should be made public so that everyone in the world can see them clearly."
"I second the motion!"
"I second the motion!"
Everyone agreed with this approach. It was the usual practice in the Spring Examination. Moreover, only in this way could everyone know the actual level of all the candidates.
Is there any trick in the Spring Examination? Is there anyone cheating? You can tell at a glance!
Wen Zhi didn't dare to speak again. Even if everyone agreed with his approach, there was no ripple in his heart.
He knew he was abandoned.
Outsiders said he was a rising star in the Imperial Academy, and it was only a matter of time before he became a marquis or a prime minister. Furthermore, he was a talent personally supported by the Empress Dowager, so his future was promising.
But only he knew that after the emperor ascended the throne and the empress dowager passed away, all this became a mirage, just a bubble in his midnight dreams.
In fact, he had already prepared himself to be on the bench in the Hanlin Academy.
Actually, it's just that I'm a little free on weekdays, and I can't get a say in important matters. Once I figure it out, it's nothing.
It's better than those who were already in important positions but were still persecuted and are still in exile.
He had a gentle and timid wife at home, who was newly pregnant and could not withstand the slightest storm. So even if others said he had lost his fighting spirit and was a failure, he accepted it.
The Queen Mother once said, "As long as the green mountains remain, there will be no shortage of firewood."
Don't rush forward when you shouldn't be trying your best.
If your life cannot change the outcome, having one more life is just a waste.
He always remembered it, always lived in fear, and sometimes he missed the days when he was a rookie with high spirits. But he also understood what was most important.
When he was chosen by the emperor as the chief examiner, he felt more nervous than happy.
His colleagues all congratulated him for being valued by the emperor and for entrusting him with such an important task.
However, among the three examiners, he had the least experience, but served as the most important examiner, which was already a problem.
During that period, he didn't even dare to sleep all night. The candidates were taking the exam inside, and he was outside with them, because he was worried that something might go wrong.
Who knew, the exam went smoothly without any problems.
But something went wrong when grading the papers!
Wen Zhi will never forget the powerless feeling he felt when the eunuch beside the emperor took the examinee's essay from his hands - he knew everything, but he could not say anything!
Just like now, he stood among the officials, listening to everyone's indignation.
He seemed to be an insider, but in fact, he had already withdrawn from it.
Others thought he was upright, but in fact, he was the one who was stepping in the mud!
"Sir Wen, I order you to investigate this matter thoroughly. The Spring Examination case is of vital importance. People all over the world are watching it. Do you understand?" The emperor's tone gradually became heavier, staring closely at Wen Zhi's thin figure.
His shoulders paused, then slowly slumped.
"I understand, humble servant!"
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