Chapter 142 Winning Hearts and Minds is Paramount
Without further hesitation, Chen Liangjin knocked on the door, entered, and bowed, saying, "This student greets Your Highness."
"So you are Chen Liangjin?"
"My name is Chen Liangjin, courtesy name Fengning. I greet Your Highness."
Why do you not kneel before me, the king?
“Your Highness, I have passed the preliminary examination and am now a scholar. Scholars are exempt from kneeling before officials and from punishment during interrogations. Although Your Highness is of royal lineage, how can we scholars bow down to power?”
The Sixteenth Prince was also surprised that Zhao Yunjing directly threatened the future of all the students in the county by cutting off their supply lines and making them retake the exam, while Chen Liangjin directly challenged the imperial power. Were these two really rivals in love?
"I have heard that Scholar Chen has a sweetheart. If your sweetheart knew that you were so selfish, completely disregarding your own future and the future of the two of you, and insisted on messing around with Zhao Yunjing, I'm afraid she would be extremely heartless towards you."
Young Master Chen smiled and said, "Is Your Highness referring to Miss Zhou? If so, Your Highness need not worry about me. If Miss Zhou knew that I had such integrity, she would only think more highly of me, and would not be disheartened."
"Is Miss Zhou really that good?"
“If Miss Zhou were not good, why would the Prince still be so attached to her? However, Miss Zhou yearns for freedom. Even if she has feelings for the Prince and enters the Prince’s mansion to become a member of his harem, it is not what she wants. What she wants is something that only Brother Zhao and I can give her.”
Lord Tang was also puzzled as to why the Sixteenth Prince had suddenly started talking about matters of love and romance when he was clearly discussing cheating on the imperial examinations!
However, there are advantages to not mentioning it. In any case, after meeting with the twenty candidates from Taohua County, he had someone send a letter to the capital overnight.
It would take at least five days to travel from Yuzhou to the capital, but the man used Zhou Yun's logistics channels and arrived in the capital in one night and half a day.
Upon hearing that someone in Yuzhou Prefecture had cheated, the Emperor was naturally furious. After reading the memorial, Zhao Yunjing's tactic of "holding the emperor hostage to command the world" further fueled the Emperor's murderous intent. However, after reading the letter that the Sixteenth Prince had attached to the memorial, the Emperor fell silent.
Zhao Yunjing has already achieved the highest rank in the three imperial examinations. If he also gets first place in the provincial examination, he will achieve the highest rank in the four imperial examinations. Since the emperor ascended the throne, there have been ten top scholars. Not to mention achieving the highest rank in the four imperial examinations, none of those top scholars ever took the top spot in any one of the examinations. They all took the examinations again and again before they were able to pass.
The Great Liang Kingdom has not seen a true young genius for a long time. If Zhao Yunjing can keep his first place and go all the way to the end, then the Great Liang Kingdom will have a true genius of the century! Moreover, this genius can also increase grain production, build bridges, roads and reservoirs. These are things that even people who have been officials for ten years may not be able to do well. He accomplished them all by himself as a commoner.
If such talented people are not recruited into the court and truly used by the court, wouldn't that be a great regret for the Great Liang?
The Emperor immediately ordered: "Find out the real cheaters. Those who did not cheat need not retake the exam and can go home to await the results in the autumn!"
Watching the Sixteenth Prince's men leave, the Emperor thought for a moment, then turned to the old eunuch beside him and said, "Little Zhuozi, how long has it been since I visited Yuzhou?"
"Since the Emperor escorted Chief Minister Liang back to his hometown when he was fifteen, it has been thirty-two years since he last visited the territory of Yuzhou."
"Now that the Great Liang is enjoying favorable weather and abundant harvests, I should learn from my great-grandfather and go to the local areas more often to understand the true conditions of the people!"
"With such a wise and virtuous emperor, it is truly a blessing for the Great Liang and a boon for its people!"
When the Emperor's decree reached Yuzhou Prefecture, the candidates had already been in the examination rooms for five days. These five days were even more unbearable than the three and a half days of the previous examination. Every night, someone would wail loudly, and every hour of every day, someone would curse Zhao Yunjing, saying that he was meddling in other people's business and wishing him an early death.
It wasn't just the candidates who were devastated, but also the officials in charge of the imperial examinations in this area. It was a done deal that someone had cheated in the Yuzhou examination hall. Regardless of whether Zhao Yunjing and his group had pulled this stunt, they were bound to be punished. If Zhao Yunjing's actions had angered the emperor, they would certainly be doomed.
As a result, these officials were among those who cursed and insulted Zhao Yunjing. When the imperial edict was delivered, everyone felt as if they had just escaped death. The candidates burst into tears on the spot, kneeling and bowing in the direction of the capital. Many candidates even shouted "Long live the Sixteenth Prince!" to him.
Candidates who did not cheat do not need to retake the exam. This does not include the twenty candidates from Taohua County, because two of them were accused of cheating, and the other eighteen were also suspected of cheating, but only suspected, and there was no evidence to prove that they cheated.
This makes things very difficult.
The Sixteenth Prince asked, "Is there anything else Father Emperor wanted you to bring back?"
"Your Highness, there's nothing left." The messenger caught his breath and said cautiously, "Your Highness, I suspect that the Emperor wants you to handle this yourself. He's testing you. If you handle this matter in Yuzhou Prefecture well, he might value you even more in the future."
Let him handle it?
The sixteenth prince first ordered a thorough investigation, while he himself dealt with the twenty students every day.
The Sixteenth Prince's attitude changed every day, leaving the students completely bewildered.
The examination rooms for the twenty candidates were reassigned, with only two or three people in each row, one in the front, one in the middle, and one in the back, spread out widely. There were also soldiers guarding the outside, making communication impossible. They have persisted until now without giving in, firstly because they have indeed done nothing wrong and have a clear conscience, and secondly because they have a blind trust in Zhao Yunjing, believing that all twenty candidates from Taohua County will definitely pass.
This was the third night they had been left alone, and the Sixteenth Prince and Lord Luo came again.
"Zhao Yunjing, you've lost." The Sixteenth Prince smiled. "The Emperor's decree has been issued, revoking your scholar's degree and barring your family from taking the imperial examinations for three generations. Furthermore, you will be expelled from Yuzhou Prefecture and sent to Liangzhou as a soldier. Was this outcome within your plans?"
"exist."
"Are you preparing for the worst?"
"The worst-case scenario is being beheaded. Your Majesty's decision not to pursue my crime of disobedience and to spare my life is truly merciful." Zhao Yunjing's lips curled slightly. "Having such a wise ruler is a blessing for the Great Liang and a boon for its people. As for me, since I have made my choice, I must bear the consequences. Your Highness, I have no regrets."
Similar words were spoken simultaneously in front of the other nineteen students. Some panicked, some cried, some cursed, and some were angry, but everyone shared Zhao Yunjing's attitude: no regrets.
The Sixteenth Prince smiled grimly and said, "Since that's the case, then come with me!"
Zhao Yunjing didn't ask where he was being taken, but he wasn't flustered at all. Although his clothes weren't exactly clean, he was very calm and composed. At times, his demeanor even surpassed that of the Sixteenth Prince.
Soon, Zhao Yunjing was led to a large hall.
Soon, all twenty students had arrived.
The Sixteenth Prince said in a deep voice:
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