Chapter 24: Xiaocheng
"I know him, of course I know him." Qi Shan was not surprised by the Imperial Censor's reaction and still smiled slightly. "But it's a pity that we only met once. I'm afraid even Master Tian doesn't remember. Eight years ago, during the special examination in Xin State, Master Tian happened to be the chief examiner for that examination."
Eight years ago?
Zhongzheng official?
Two prompts were enough for the Imperial Censor to realize what was going on.
I vaguely remember it.
The so-called "special examination" was a special test and assessment added in addition to the normal talent selection activities. The chief examiner was the Zhongzheng official, and scholars could enter the officialdom through this opportunity.
The assessment consists of three parts: family background, character and talent, and most importantly, literary talent.
The first two factors determine the minimum threshold, or the entry barrier to officialdom, while the last factor determines the ceiling one can reach in their career.
The Imperial Censor has a very good memory.
He remembered all the scholars who were selected that time, but he didn't remember Qi Shan being among them. So Qi Shan must have been one of the unsuccessful candidates.
The moment this guess popped into his mind, a hint of unease flashed across the face of the Imperial Censor—it was truly his fault that he, as the Chief Censor, had missed such a big fish.
But then I thought about it again. The State of Xin no longer exists, and a large number of former officials of the State of Xin have been purged and poisoned by Zheng Qiao.
In just a few months, countless innocent lives were lost.
It was actually a good thing that Qi Shan didn't enter officialdom.
He gently patted his son's arm, and the son, understanding, helped him to his feet. The father and son then solemnly bowed to Qishan.
"May I ask your name, my benefactor?"
Qi Shan returned the greetings one by one.
His surname was Qi, his given name was Shan, and his courtesy name was Yuanliang.
The Imperial Censor muttered, "Qi Yuanliang... Qi?"
Qi Shan's surname is too rare. He vaguely remembered that there was indeed a young scholar named "Qi Shan" on the list. He was only sixteen years old at the time and was the youngest among that group of scholars.
only--
The Imperial Censor lowered his eyelids, his gaze subtly sweeping over the literary monogram on Qi Shan's waist—if he remembered correctly, the scholar's literary rank seemed to be—
Before he could even retrieve that memory, Qi Shan had already seen through the Imperial Censor's little scheme and took the initiative to speak.
"It is a lower-middle rank of the sixth grade."
The Imperial Censor remained silent, his lips pursed. As more clues emerged, he slowly recalled some long-forgotten details.
At this moment, his son looked at Qishan and then at his father, and interjected, "A sixth-rank literary scholar? Why wasn't he recruited?"
Although a sixth-rank official with literary talent is considered to be of a lower-middle rank, and barring unforeseen circumstances, there is no chance of ever rising to the highest ranks of officialdom, if one has genuine talent, securing a minor official position is not a problem.
In the years before the fall of the Xin Kingdom, there was a shortage of talent everywhere, and the standards were not high, so it was impossible not to hire Qi Shan.
The Imperial Censor didn't speak, but glanced at his son sideways, silently warning him to be quiet. His son trembled at his glare and immediately shut up.
Only after his son quieted down did he ask Qishan for confirmation.
"Whom did our benefactor offend back then?"
Qi Shan was rejected and couldn't even get a minor official position in a remote area, which was naturally not just because his literary talent rank was not high enough.
"Yes, I have indeed offended you."
Qi Shan's eyes curved into crescent moons as she readily admitted it.
"Father, who has framed our benefactor?"
The son of the Censor-in-Chief was just like his father, even more straightforward and naive. Upon hearing that Qi Shan had been framed and his career ruined because he had offended someone, he immediately flew into a rage. To his surprise, the Censor-in-Chief not only didn't answer, but also secretly pinched the flesh on his upper arm.
"Father—"
"Silence!" The Imperial Censor glared at him.
son:"……"
"That person didn't really frame me, but he just got hold of my weakness. It was better to fail the imperial examination than to be blackmailed after taking office." Qi Shan seemed quite open-minded, with no obvious emotional fluctuations in his eyes, as if he were talking about a trivial matter unrelated to himself.
"A handle?" The simple-minded son remained straightforward.
Qi Shan suddenly smiled: "Yes, a fabricated background."
The foolish son of the Grand Secretary: "..."
The Imperial Censor, who knew part of the truth: "..."
"Falsifying one's origins" pales in comparison to a real incriminating claim. Besides, the State of Xin had already fallen, so even a "great sorcerer" of that time was insignificant. It's just that their lives, along with those of their father, son, and several relatives and friends, had been saved by someone else; why expose their weaknesses?
Qi Shan asked, "Does Master Tian know where that person is now?"
The Imperial Censor's face darkened, as if he had just remembered something.
"In Xiaocheng..."
"Xiaocheng?"
"He is now the governor of Sibao County, whose capital is in Xiaocheng. With the Geng Kingdom's army pressing in, he secretly colluded with Zheng Qiao, working from within and without to capture several Xin Kingdom fortresses... If not for this, he could have held out for at least five more months, and perhaps waited for a turning point..."
Qi Shan said, "It is not surprising that such a fickle and petty person is so fickle."
"Did his benefactor ask about his whereabouts because he was... preparing for revenge?"
At this moment, Shen Xiaolangjun's voice, tinged with hostility, rolled into my ears: "I'm fighting bravely against the enemy, and you're just chatting and reminiscing here?"
Shen Tang, covered in blood, came over with the Mother's Sword to call for help to dispose of the body—to destroy the evidence and avoid any further complications—but then she saw Qi Shan chatting with someone from afar, and her fists hardened.
She felt that the person who needed the "Mother's Sword" education the most right now was not the "filial sons" lining up to be reincarnated, but Qi Yuanliang, who was always on the sidelines.
When Shen Tang returned, a hint of surprise flashed in Qi Shan's eyes—he knew that Shen Tang could deal with those dozen or so soldiers, but he did not expect that even without the blessing of the Word of Power, she would move so quickly.
"Of course I trust Young Master Shen's abilities. How could those rabble be a match for you?" He brushed off the accusation with a shrug, showing no sincerity whatsoever. His gaze swept past Shen Tang and fell behind her. "Are they all dead?"
She scoffed, "They're all dead."
Cut the weeds and eliminate the roots, leaving no future troubles.
With a flick of her wrist, Shen Tang sent the blood from the sword flying onto the grass, leaving red marks.
"What about those who were poisoned?"
“A kind person like me will naturally not let them continue to suffer the torment of being pulled in the throat—a sword to the throat and a sword to the heart.”
I guarantee I'll die a horrible death.
Qi Shan and Shen Tang exchanged questions and answers, while Qi Shan also kept an eye on the rescued prisoners out of the corner of his eye—the Imperial Censor, as the head of the Censorate, had quite a bit of contact with the Gong family, a prominent family in Xin State. If young Master Shen was "Gong Cheng," he shouldn't have failed to recognize him.
However, the Imperial Censor did not react as one would expect to see a familiar face when he saw Shen Tang's face; instead, he showed some curiosity and surprise.
A young man wearing a literary monogram, who fights more fiercely than a brute with a martial arts tiger tally, is indeed worth watching out of curiosity.
Pray that you may reflect upon your actions with a kind heart.
Is Shen Tang really not "Gong Cheng"?
The moment he frowned, Shen Tang knew what was going on in his mind, and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes—she knew that Qi Shan's earlier "I understand" was all for naught.
Instead of wasting time pondering this, you should help her bury the body.
Who knew—
Qi Shan resolutely refused.
The reason given is also absurd.
"I am cowardly and cannot bear to see a blood-soaked corpse."
Shen Tang: "..."
She had no choice but to roll up her sleeves and do the work herself; she couldn't count on Qi Shan, and she couldn't count on those prisoners who were half-dead and still surviving on her cakes, plums, and maltose. While she was working, Qi Shan leaned against the tree trunk and asked her questions from under the shade of the tree.
"Young Master Shen, would you be interested in making a trip to Xiaocheng?"
I moved to a new house today and drank quite a bit of red wine. I got up at 3 AM and was busy until 3 or 4 PM. I took a nap and then got up to update. My head still hurts, and my thoughts aren't quite clear. I'll revise any problems tomorrow after a good night's sleep.
Goodnight everyone.
(End of this chapter)
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