Since the goal is to eradicate cheating in the imperial examinations, Yang Zhengwen, who was involved in it, must naturally be thoroughly investigated.
Since Master Lin had investigated the large number of identical examination papers, Gu Yong did not hesitate to bring up Yang Zhengwen's case. Since the old man didn't care about it, wasn't it obvious that he was leaving the matter to him?
After Gu Yong got the order, he went to the Wang family who had previously provided evidence to frame Yang Zhengwen. At first, the man was arrogant because someone in his family worked in the palace, but he was actually a spineless person. He confessed everything after being beaten with a stick.
This matter was too easy to investigate, because Wang was not even a proper scholar, so it was not something that could withstand a thorough investigation. Starting from the official title, the investigation soon led to the eunuch Xu in the palace. The case was not over yet, after all, it involved eunuchs and it was a matter of the palace.
But Yang Zhengwen had been confirmed to be innocent, so he was naturally released.
Gu Yong was busy investigating the case, so he naturally had no time to pick him up personally. He was also afraid that Liu would worry, so he just asked someone around him to take him home first.
As soon as I got off the carriage, I saw Ah Xiu and others waiting at the door.
"You're finally back." Mother Chen came out in a hurry and placed the fire basin under his feet. "Quick, step over the fire basin first to get rid of the bad luck."
Being in prison was an unforeseen disaster, which was bad luck. Yang Zhengwen broke the brazier according to the rules.
"A Xiu, take your cousin to take a shower first. The cell is damp and cold. Take a hot bath to get rid of the moisture." Liu said.
The hot water had already been prepared, Ah Xiu nodded, and accompanied Yang Zhengwen into the house. Outside the house, Liu told Chen Mama to prepare food quickly, because there was nothing good to eat in prison, and they had to eat some food after more than ten days.
"Well, the food and drink can be made up, but what about the fame? The emperor has stripped Mr. Yang of his fame..." Mother Chen sighed.
Liu frowned, "Since you said that my cousin was wrongly convicted, shouldn't his reputation be restored?"
Although Mother Chen could not read many words, she still understood some principles at her age. "Throughout history, how many emperors have ever sincerely admitted their mistakes and apologized?" Even if there were, they were wise rulers. This emperor of theirs did not look like a wise ruler at all. Of course, Mother Chen did not dare to say this out loud.
"Don't we still have the Marquis?" Although Liu was unwilling to borrow Gu Yong's influence, he was her family after all. How could she not help him if something really happened? "If we ask Gu Yong to come forward, it will only backfire. My uncle has already been wronged in this matter. Even if the emperor wants to save face and refuses to say anything, will the people of Yuelu Academy be willing to do so?" Shen Qingqiu smiled coldly, "What Madam Chen said is actually reasonable. If it were just an ordinary person, the efforts of this life would come to an end, and the fame would be gone."
“But he is my uncle, and he is from Yuelu Academy.” The people in Yuelu Academy are those who are willing to risk their lives for their reputation.
Shen Qingqiu raised her eyes slightly, "If Lord Gu goes, people will think he is just taking advantage of the power of others, but if Yuelu Academy has a reputation like this, all the students in the world will stand behind my uncle." The word "reputation" is particularly important in ancient and modern times. At least a reputation like Yuelu Academy will not leave her uncle without even a chance to argue.
——
"How dare you!" The emperor threw the teacup in his hand away.
Porcelain pieces scattered all over the floor, and everyone around was silent.
"I trust you so much that I asked you to be the chief eunuch beside me. Is this how you repay me?!"
The emperor was so majestic, and the eunuch kneeling below had been beaten to death, with faint traces of blood on his white inner garment. This was the eunuch Xu Gonggong who was in charge of the emperor before and after, and the uncle of the scholar surnamed Wang. Without his almost all-powerful power, how could a local leper enter the imperial examination hall?
"Your Majesty, this matter concerns the imperial examination, and it is of great importance. I have arrested all of Eunuch Xu's relatives..." said Taifu Lin, and paused, "But cheating in the imperial examination will implicate three generations of the family. After hearing about it, his mother was afraid of being imprisoned and committed suicide. Although Eunuch Xu is no longer a man, he is still stubborn and refuses to confess who is the mastermind behind the scenes."
The emperor looked at his trusted eunuch coldly. Now it was no longer a question of whether or not to exonerate Gu Yong. Xu Hanbi was his trusted eunuch. The person behind the scenes had such a powerful hand that he could reach here. If he didn't find him out, he would not be able to sleep or eat! "You have followed me for more than ten years. I will give you this opportunity. If you confess the person, I will spare your life and that of your family." The emperor said coldly.
The man below moved his fingers, slowly raised his bloody face, and said in a hoarse voice after a moment: "Then please, Your Majesty, for the sake of my many years of service, grant me a quick death!"
"You!" the emperor slammed the table angrily.
"He is quite a man," Gu Yong said, curling his lips slightly. "Your nephew was so scared that he confessed after just two blows, but Eunuch Xu was beyond my expectation..."
"What do you want me to confess? Are you saying that Marquis Gu is the mastermind behind this?" Eunuch Xu is a popular figure in the palace, and he can still laugh at this moment. "Even the emperor won't believe it now?"
"You eunuch, you are still talking nonsense at this time. Believe it or not, I will cut off your head immediately!" The emperor was furious, but he was not a fool.
If you really believe that Gu Yong is the mastermind behind this, then all the water in West Lake has been poured into his brain!
"I only wish to die quickly." said Eunuch Xu.
The emperor was so angry that he couldn't breathe smoothly. After a long while, he said, "Suppress it and interrogate it thoroughly. If you die before you confess the mastermind, I will make you pay with your lives!"
"Yes!" Gu Yong lowered his head and replied.
The emperor looked at him coldly, and it was hard not to vent his anger on him. If it weren't for Yuelu Academy, if it weren't for Gu Yong causing such a big fuss, he wouldn't be in such a dilemma. "My dear Minister Gu, I want this matter to be settled within five days."
"Your Majesty..." Even Master Lin felt that his behavior was somewhat embarrassing.
But Gu Yong didn't even frown, "Yes."
After the court session, Gu Yong and Lin Taifu came out of the upper study room one after another. It was the first time that the old Taifu took the initiative to call him.
"Gu Hou, please stay."
Gu Yong paused, turned back, and bowed to Master Lin in a serious manner, "Master, what's the important matter?"
Master Lin frowned and said in dissatisfaction: "The emperor wants you to find out the mastermind behind this case within five days. Do you have a plan?"
Gu Yong said: "Although there is no evidence, there are still some rules."
The old master frowned and asked, "What?"
Although Gu Yong had no ill feelings towards the stubborn old scholar in front of him, he was not so sure that he would reveal all his secrets to him. He just smiled and said jokingly, "If I don't solve the case in these five days and the emperor wants to question me, I have already arranged the rules for future generations. When the time comes, please burn a few more incense sticks for me, Master."
"How ridiculous!" Master Lin shook his sleeves, feeling that he had nothing better to do.
After he left, the smile on Gu Yong's face faded a little.
Just after leaving the palace, he met Tu Jiu on the road. This fool drove away the people in the carriage without saying a word, and just said: "My Lord, my master wants to see you."
Without waiting for Gu Yong's consent, he whipped the horse and started galloping away.
Gu Yong could only laugh and cry, and sighed that his daughter was a good teacher. In just a few months, she had trained a capable man under his command to become her own man. He had no resentment in his heart, after all, such a capable girl was his own daughter.
Tu Jiu drove to the textile factory, but because he took a detour, it was already late at night.
"Master, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. There was someone following me in the palace, so I took the Marquis around for a few rounds." After entering the inner room, Tu Jiu explained why he was late. Shen Qingqiu turned around. She looked thinner after not seeing her for a few days. With her manly hair, she looked like a fair-skinned beautiful boy at first glance.
"I won't say any more nonsense," Chong Tujiu winked, "You watch outside, if there are any idle people hanging around outside, write them down."
Tu Jiu nodded seriously and went out again soon.
Gu Yong glanced at him before asking, "Tu Jiu said you have something important to do?"
Shen Qingqiu nodded, and said to the back, "Come out."
A woman wearing a bamboo hat slowly walked out of the inner room, came to Gu Yong, bowed gently, and then took off her bamboo hat. Her face was not unfamiliar, she was the weaving girl who taught the textile factory.
"Xu Hui Niang, you can speak now."
The weaving teacher Xu Hui Niang took a breath and said slowly, "My Lord, my name is Xu Hui Niang. I am 28 years old this year and a native of the capital. When I was young, I was from a family of scholars. Because my father committed some crimes, I entered the Changping Princess's mansion as a slave and have been serving the Princess ever since."
"The princess is only sixteen this year. I have taken care of her for five years. You can say that I have watched her grow up. She has been very intelligent since she was young. When many girls in other families could only read and play the piano in their boudoirs, she already understood what is the exchange of interests. I have watched her grow up and treated her with all my heart, but she still cannot avoid being sent as a gift."
Xu Hui Niang smiled bitterly, "If that's the case, I'll accept it. After all, my life is like an ant, and it's nothing to marry a rich businessman as a concubine to spend the rest of my life. But who would have known before I left that my family had suffered such a disaster, but it was all set up by someone! Because I was good-looking, I was favored by the son of a high-ranking official at the time."
"I don't know whether I am lucky or unlucky. That year, the Princess's Mansion caused my family to be destroyed, but the high-ranking official who was supposed to send me there had his house confiscated. That's why I stayed in the Princess's Mansion safely for five or six years."
Xu Hui Niang sighed, and fearing that Marquis Gu would not be able to bear to hear about her past, she quickly got to the point, "I heard Master Tu Jiu talking about this a few days ago, and it reminded me of my own story, and also of some other things I overheard at the time. The princess has been smart since she was young, and has held handles on many people in the court, and we all know the handles of that eunuch Xu."
"Tell me about it." Gu Yong said.
"The Princess of Changping has a maid named Biyu, whose real name is Xu Biyu, and she is the sister of Eunuch Xu from the same hometown."
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