Among the six ministers, only Wei Jingze had the surname Wei.

The students knew what was going on. The Minister of Personnel was one of the six ministers, and his status was second only to the Prime Minister. Naturally, he had various channels to get the examination questions.

In other words, it must be Wei Jingze who was behind the scenes instructing his son to sell the test questions.

The students could no longer suppress their anger and said in unison: "Minister Wei took advantage of his power and broke the law knowingly. He must be severely punished!"

"I heard that Minister Wei's eldest son also participated in this year's imperial examination. Like father, like son. I think this eldest son Wei is not innocent either."

"Sue the Emperor! You must file a complaint with the Emperor, even if you have to beat the drum to file a complaint!"

“…”

These students were all filled with righteous indignation, their faces turned red with anger, and their chests heaving.

Their eyes were filled with anger as they stared at Wei Jingze, wishing that he would be brought to justice right there and then.

Faced with these indignant students, Wei Jingze was speechless for a long time.

He originally wanted to take advantage of these students, but he didn't expect Gu Jue to start with the students as well. It was equivalent to saying that he shot himself in the foot this time.

What should I do next? ! Wei Jingze clenched his hands into fists in his sleeves, trying to think of a countermeasure, secretly cursing Gu Jue for not playing by the rules.

Normally, even if the emperor wanted to investigate a fraud case, he would order the Jinyiwei to investigate in the imperial study. Before announcing the case to the world, he would first bring the suspect to the imperial study for interrogation. After a rough result was obtained, the case would be handed over to the three courts for joint trial.

If this is the case, then he will have more room to maneuver and will not fall into the dilemma he is in now.

Why can’t this Gu Jue be like other emperors!!!

The court became increasingly noisy because of these indignant students.

Logically speaking, the Jingzhao Yin should have struck the gavel to silence the students, but Gu Jue was here. If Gu Jue did not express his opinion, the Jingzhao Yin would not dare to reprimand the students.

Then, Jingzhao Yin looked at Gu Jue and cleared his throat, and then he heard Gu Jue say, "Let the three courts hold a joint trial and thoroughly investigate the fraud case!"

As soon as he opened his mouth, even the five students looked at him, curious about who had the qualifications to speak so domineeringly to Wei Jingze, Jingzhao Yin and others on this occasion.

Jingzhao Yin felt relieved upon hearing this.

He knew that what Gu Jue meant was that Wei Yuanzhi's sale of examination papers would end here, and he would not be responsible for which sellers and buyers were involved in the subsequent cheating case.

This is great joy! Jingzhao Yin quickly stood up, bowed his head respectfully to Gu Jue and said, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will transfer this case to the three departments right away."

It was not until this moment that the five students realized that this handsome young man was actually the emperor. They were stunned.

Then, they suddenly realized, and the expressions on their faces changed from shock to surprise, and they all looked radiant.

No wonder the fraud case was discovered so quickly! No wonder the government acted so quickly! No wonder Jingzhao Yin dared to investigate the Minister of Personnel!

One of the middle-aged candidates stepped forward and bowed solemnly to Gu Jue: "Students thank the emperor for making decisions for all the students in the world!"

The other four students then reacted and followed suit by bowing.

Everyone's eyes were sparkling, with reverence, gratitude and excitement in them.

The way they looked at Gu Jue seemed as if they were looking up to their beliefs.

Learning literary and martial arts and serving the emperor is the goal of every scholar. However, who would want to meet a foolish and incompetent monarch, such as the previous emperor who was obsessed with elixirs and had no interest in state affairs?

They studied hard in the hope of realizing their ambitions, leaving their names in history, and doing something practical for the people and the court. An emperor like Gu Jue is a wise ruler worthy of their loyalty! They believed that under the leadership of Gu Jue, the Great Qi would achieve a prosperous era that would be talked about by future generations.

Gu Jue stood up and said calmly, "When the date of the three-court trial is set, this case will be tried in public and an explanation will be given to all the students in the world!"

Gu Jue ignored Wei Jingze and didn't care about Wei Jingze's reaction. He left hand in hand with Shen Qianchen.

Yang Xuanshan and Jingzhao Yin in the back hurriedly saluted again: "Farewell, Your Majesty, and Your Majesty the Empress."

These candidates also hurriedly bowed and respectfully saw the emperor and empress off.

The follow-up was handed over to Jingzhao Yin. Wei Yuanzhi was detained by Jingzhao Prefecture. After the case was handed over to the Three Departments, he would be transferred to the Ministry of Justice. As for whether Wei Jingze was involved in the case, it would also be thoroughly investigated by the Three Departments. Regardless of whether Wei Jingze was detained now, he could not escape, and the new emperor would not let him leave Beijing at will.

Everyone knows that the Wei family is completely finished! The next focus is just how many people in Wei Jingze's party are involved in this fraud case.

The case in Jingzhao Prefecture was temporarily closed, but the fraud case had just begun. Like a stone that caused a thousand ripples, the entire capital was in an uproar that day.

There is no need to publicize it specifically. This case itself has attracted enough attention. Even an ordinary citizen can identify with it. Just imagine if one day there is a talented person in your family, but those powerful people use cheating to snatch away his place in the imperial examination. This is simply intolerable!

Immediately afterwards, the new emperor issued an edict to cancel the second and third sessions of the imperial examination. One month later, the examination would be re-examined with new papers. All candidates stranded in the capital could temporarily stay in the Imperial College with a travel permit.

Once this edict was issued, all the students in the capital became even more excited.

Before it was anger, now it is praise.

"We should retake the exam to show the fairness of the exam!"

"That's right! Otherwise, no one can guarantee whether the buyer of the test papers has leaked the test papers to relatives and friends, and no one can guarantee whether the suspect has revealed all the buyers of the test papers. Rather than letting those who slip through the net take advantage of the loopholes, it is better to retake the test!"

"I heard that the cheating was caught by the government personally this time. If it weren't for the government, all the cheaters in this exam would have benefited!"

“…”

Many students spontaneously gathered in a tavern, all praising the new emperor.

No one thought that retaking the exam was a waste of time. Even the candidates who had performed very well in the previous exam had no objection to retaking the exam, and they felt that the new emperor was wise and decisive.

Li's Tavern was packed with people. Customers were willing to share tables to sit down. The owner and the waiter were smiling with their eyes narrowed into slits as they warmly entertained the customers.

The waiter vividly described the scenes of the new emperor having people teach the question-mongering old Yu and Wei Yuanzhi a lesson, and mentioned that the new emperor had people compensate their tavern with a silver ingot. He pointed to one of the tables excitedly and said, "This is the seat the emperor sat on!"

The waiter was beaming with joy, feeling that he had finally achieved something worth bragging about for the rest of his life! "The present emperor is very different from the last emperor!" A middle-aged candidate in his early fifties with many silver strands in his hair stroked his beard with a sigh, "Three years ago, there was also a cheating case in the provincial examination in Jizhou. At that time, the last emperor directly revoked the qualification of my candidate from Jizhou to participate in the spring examination the following year, which delayed me for three years in vain."

"It's great that the Emperor is willing to consider us examinees!"

There was a cheating case in the imperial examination. Even if the emperor cancelled the examination in anger, the candidates would have nothing to say.

The other scholars present also felt the same way, nodded with emotion, and continued to praise the emperor's achievements.

A thirty-year-old blue-robed candidate asked a gray-robed candidate sitting at the same table, "Brother Liu, I heard that the imperial edict today also said that after the date of the three-court trial is set, ten candidates can be selected to attend the trial in court. Is that true?"

Before the gray-robed candidate answered, another black-robed candidate spoke first, "You really asked the right person this question, Brother Liu. He was in the court of Jingzhao Prefecture today. He and the other four people listened to the trial of Jingzhao Yin Lord Hong on the spot. Lord Hong said that the five of them could also go to the Dali Temple to listen to the trial, so that they can have a beginning and an end."

"Brother Liu, your luck is too good!"

"Brother Liu, didn't you meet the official today?"

"You must tell us what happened in the court of Jingzhao Prefecture!"

“…”

Everyone was talking around Mr. Liu, and even the waiter was curious enough to listen. If the lobby hadn't been smashed at that time, he would have wanted to go to Jingzhao Prefecture to watch the excitement.

Li's Tavern was becoming more and more lively, with some people even gathering outside the door to listen in on the fun.

These discussions in the capital were also relayed to Shen Qianchen. The eunuch who reported the matter was a clever talker, and he spoke endlessly about all kinds of words praising Gu Jue, such as wise and brave, handsome, unparalleled in the world, intimidating without anger, and decisive in killing, etc.

Shen Qianchen was overjoyed to hear this. She loved it the most when someone praised Gu Jue!

Seeing his master's delight, the eunuch spoke even more excitedly, "Your Majesty, you didn't see it. The owner of the tavern put up a sign next to the table where you and the emperor sat, saying 'The emperor was here', and renamed the drink the emperor ordered as 'Emperor's Wine'."

Shen Qianchen couldn't help but burst out laughing again, thinking that this shopkeeper was quite smart.

Shen Qianchen asked Amber to reward the eunuch, and then he lazily leaned on the beauty couch alone, thinking about what happened in the afternoon, and couldn't help laughing.

When Gu Jue came in, he saw Shen Qianchen rolling happily on the beauty bed with the black cat in her arms. However, the cat, which was held tightly in her arms, was not so happy. It twisted its body in her arms and meowed, but Shen Qianchen refused to let go.

Looking at this scene, Gu Jue's mood suddenly improved, and a cheerful smile floated between his brows.

For this fraud case, Gu Jue had just hurriedly summoned several cabinet ministers, Hanlin Academy academicians, Dali Temple ministers, Zuodu Yushi and other ministers to the imperial study and discussed the matter for nearly an hour.

Although the current Great Qi Dynasty seems stable, it actually has many hidden dangers. It is impossible to solve these hidden dangers all at once, but must be done step by step.

Gu Jue was only a mortal man, and whenever he faced these old problems, he felt tired and upset. But as soon as he saw his little girl, all this tiredness would disappear.

"Jiuxia." Shen Qianchen smiled brightly at Gu Jue.

As soon as her arms loosened a little, the black cat struggled to squeeze out of her arms, kicked its hind legs, and ran away, leaving only a few tufts of black hair floating in the air.

Gu Jue couldn't help but chuckle.

The cat ran away, and Gu Jue took its place and sat next to Shen Qianchen.

The black cat that jumped onto the windowsill seemed to feel safe and squatted on the windowsill. It licked its paws and gave Gu Jue a sympathetic look, thinking that Gu Jue was suffering for it.

Shen Qianchen leaned slightly closer to Gu Jue and asked curiously, "The exam has been postponed to a month later?"

"It's scheduled after the Double Ninth Festival." Gu Jue nodded. "The examination hall in the Imperial Examination Hall is too simple. I also want to take advantage of this short period of time to quickly renovate the Imperial Examination Hall..."

"Also, the rules of the imperial examination need to be changed." Shen Qianchen said seriously. When he tilted his little face to look at Gu Jue, his phoenix eyes were shining. "Why are people not allowed to hand in their papers early? This rule is too weird!"

Shen Qianchen felt that if it weren't for this rigid rule, Gu Jue would not have left the examination room today. He would have definitely finished the first exam yesterday.

Gu Jue was stunned, staring at her pink little face. Her flawless skin was like the finest white jade, without a single blemish.

He smiled, gently rested his forehead against Shen Qianchen's, and said with a smile: "The one who knows me is Qianchen."

After the first round of the imperial examination, Gu Jue had the same plan.

For example, the candidate who took the Zixue Pill he gave him in the examination room today, had already finished the test paper before fainting. However, according to the rules of the joint examination, if he was carried out of the examination room early due to illness, he would be disqualified from the examination.

This rule makes no sense at all.

Shen Qianchen smiled broadly as if she had received great praise, and leaned softly on his shoulder.

While playing with the jade pendant on his waist, she asked, "Do you still want to take the exam next month?"

Gu Jue stretched out his right hand, lifted her little face slightly with his slender fingers, stared into her pair of clear autumn eyes, and asked, "What do you think? Otherwise, I'll test you to be a royal consort?"

There was a hint of joking teasing in his tone, and his dark pupils reflected her face clearly like a mirror. His eyes were as gentle as water, making people unable to help but indulge in them.

Shen Qianchen bit her lower lip slightly and said delicately, "I don't want to be a royal consort! Didn't I say that if I want to be one, I want to be the number one scholar's wife!"

"Okay! Then I will go and find you a wife who is the number one scholar." Gu Jue looked like a husband who respected his wife. He gently took one of her hands and kissed her fair and tender fingertips.

Shen Qianchen felt a tingling sensation coming from his fingertips. His fingers trembled but did not move away.

"Forget it." Shen Qianchen shook her head. She was just joking with Gu Jue. "It's too tiring. After three rounds in nine days, your remaining poison has just been cleared."

Perhaps the fourteen-year-old Gu Jue still needed to take the imperial examination to prove that his excellence was not just because he was a prince. Now that he is over twenty years old, Gu Jue no longer needs to use the imperial examination to prove himself.

Gu Jiuxia is unique! Shen Qianchen raised his hand and touched Gu Jue's head, coaxing: "Be good!"

"I'll do whatever you say." Gu Jue smiled, with undercurrents occasionally flashing through his pupils under his long, thick eyelashes. His big hands on her waist held her tightly, revealing an aggression.

The tail of his words rose slightly, as if he was teasing, but also as if he was pampering, gentle and doting.

"You really listen to me?" She also raised her eyebrows, her eyes rolled around, and her sweet voice was a little bit arrogant, like a smug and proud cat, gently patting him with its soft paw pads, teasing him, and leading him.

Gu Jue asked her in return: "When did I not listen to you?"

"..." Shen Qianchen was speechless. He felt that she had turned into an unreasonable tigress. He said casually, "Okay, okay, you are the most obedient!"

"So, what's the reward?" he teased her.

Shen Qianchen reacted very quickly this time. She raised her head and kissed him perfunctorily between the eyebrows, then tilted her face and asked, "Are you satisfied, my dear?"

She deliberately dragged out the tone, her voice was soft and gentle, and the man's eyes suddenly became hot, as bright as the sunshine in midsummer, so bright that Shen Qianchen could not look directly at it.

The burning heat from his body penetrated through the thin clothes...

It’s so hot!

Shen Qianchen felt that even his body seemed to be warmed by him. His cheeks also became hot and slightly flushed. He thought: His body is now like a furnace, no longer as cold as it was a year ago.

A charming atmosphere lingered between the two of them, and even the air around them seemed to be warming up.

At this moment, a eunuch's respectful voice came from outside: "Your Majesty, Queen, the Prince of Nanyang requests an audience!"

(End of this chapter)