"It's impossible not to let him meet His Majesty. Didn't you say that just now? The examiners of the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy unanimously nominated him as this year's champion. So his title of champion is a foregone conclusion. He will definitely take part in the palace examination and will naturally be able to meet His Majesty." Zhong Mingzheng said slowly.
"Then let's..." Ling Shian made a throat-cutting gesture to Zhong Mingzheng and said, "Clean and neat, and make sure there are no more hidden dangers."
"But what if Chen Qingxuan has no connection with the deposed crown prince?" Zhong Mingzheng looked at the article on the table and felt a little sorry. "Such a talent is rare. If I can use him, he will be as good as Ding Yunwen in the future. Then I won't have to worry about scholars not being able to use him. If I kill him rashly, wouldn't it be a pity?"
"So your Highness means..." Ling Shian hesitated, "just let him go?"
"No," Zhong Mingzheng shook his head, took a sip of tea, and asked, "Is Jiang Jinwan still alive?"
Ling Shian was startled, then his face lit up with joy and he nodded, "Yes, according to your Highness's instructions, I have been keeping Jiang Jinwan alive. It just so happens that Jiang Jinwan is also from Ningguta."
"Go and bring him here." Zhong Mingzheng said calmly.
"Yes, I'll go right away." Ling Shi'an turned around and left in a hurry.
…
After a while, Jiang Jinwan was brought in, or to be exact, he was dragged up. There was hardly a good spot on his body, either it was bloody or scabby. Zhong Mingzheng had ordered not to take his life, so the torturers and his men knew the severity of the punishment. Therefore, there was no fatal injury, not even a broken bone. But even so, it was enough to make Jiang Jinwan suffer from excruciating pain.
"Your Highness, spare me! Your Highness, spare me!" Jiang Jinwan collapsed on the ground like a pile of mud, his whole body trembling. As soon as he opened his mouth, the wound at the corner of his mouth was pulled open, and a thread of blood flowed out. Jiang Jinwan wiped his mouth carelessly while kowtowing and begging for mercy, "Your Highness! Please spare me! I... I really can't stand the torture any longer!"
"It seems that you are afraid," Zhong Mingzheng looked down at Jiang Jinwan, took a sip of tea and said slowly, "Being afraid is a good thing, because when you are afraid, you will know how to cherish your life, and you will know how to be obedient and do your job well."
"Yes, yes, yes! I will obey your orders! I am willing to serve you at my utmost! Please give the order, Your Highness!" Jiang Jinwan kowtowed hurriedly, like a drowning man who was about to die but suddenly grabbed a life-saving straw.
"I want to ask you, do you know a person named Chen Qingxuan?" Zhong Mingzheng said.
"Chen Qingxuan?" Jiang Jinwan was startled, thought for a moment, and then said uncertainly, "Your Highness, there is a scholar named Chen Qingxuan in my hometown Ningguta. I wonder if your Highness is asking about that Chen Qingxuan?"
Zhong Mingzheng's eyes darkened, and he looked at Ling Shian, then put down the teacup in his hand and asked in a deep voice, "Where did that Chen Qingxuan come from? Tell me in detail."
"To answer your question, Your Highness, Chen Qingxuan is from Chenjiatun, and we are from the same hometown. I left home when I was very young, so I know very little about him. However, he is the first scholar in Chenjiatun, and is also very famous in Ningguta. Even the prefect thinks highly of him. By the way, he also opened a private school in Ningguta. I heard that many wealthy families in Ningguta want their children to worship him as a teacher, but his private school is small and cannot accept too many students." At this point, Jiang Jinwan thought about it again, and really couldn't remember anything else, so he shook his head, "This is all I know."
"Fang Zuotang thinks highly of him?" Zhong Mingzheng frowned suddenly.
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