Finally, the wild chrysanthemums were left for Gu Jue to buy.

Shen Qianchen obediently went into the Ya Ming Teahouse across the street to wait for him.

"Madam, are you here?" The waiter greeted Shen Qianchen warmly with a smile, "There is a private room on the second floor, please come this way."

"You two." Shen Qianchen smiled sweetly, holding up her skirt, and slowly walked up the stairs, "When my husband comes later, please take him to my place, little brother."

"Okay!" The waiter responded readily, "Madam, may I ask you one more question? What is your husband's name and what are his characteristics?"

"The surname is Yin." Shen Qianchen rolled his eyes and said mischievously, "As for his characteristics, you will definitely recognize him when he comes."

“……” The waiter was stunned.

Shen Qianchen stopped teasing him, stroked his sleeves, and said, "He and I are wearing the same color clothes."

The waiter responded immediately, and then eloquently recommended his tea and snacks: "Madam, my teahouse has just launched a new sweet-scented osmanthus tea, would you like to try it?"

"Also, our sesame cake and lotus root cake are very famous in the capital, but this sesame cake has just been sold out, and we have to wait another stick of incense for the next batch..."

The waiter led Shen Qianchen along the way while chattering non-stop.

Outside the teahouse, Gu Jue stood across the street and watched Shen Qianchen go upstairs. Then he went to find the old man selling flowers and bought all the wild chrysanthemums on his stall. He then ordered Jingfeng to move all the wild chrysanthemums to the carriage.

Then he went to Nanzhufang, which was only two shops away from Yaming Teahouse.

Nanzhufang is a jewelry shop that has been around for more than a hundred years. The jewelry craftsmen there have first-class skills, which have been passed down from ancestors to fathers and fathers to sons from generation to generation.

This was not the first time that Gu Jue came, so the waiter immediately welcomed him into the inner room, brought in a mahogany box carved with a peony pattern, and placed it on the coffee table next to Gu Jue.

"Mr. Yin, can you please take a look at this hairpin and see if there is any problem?" the waiter asked with a smile on his face, but there was pride in his eyes and eyebrows.

Everyone in the capital city knows Nanzhufang. One piece of jewelry from Nanzhufang is worth a house in the capital city. Therefore, all those who come to them to order jewelry are rich and powerful and have plenty of money.

Everything produced by their Nanzhufang is a top-notch product. Every piece of jewelry is worth the money. You won't find a second identical piece in the capital. From the materials used, such as jade, gemstones, and pearls, to the craftsmanship of the craftsmen, all are first-class.

All jewelry sold in Nanzhufang must be ordered in advance. For example, the hairpin ordered by Mr. Yin was customized a year ago. From the style of the hairpin, material selection, initial sample... every step, their craftsmen will confirm with the buyer step by step, modify it little by little, and strive to be foolproof.

Lying on the red velvet cloth in the box is a red gold filigree phoenix hairpin. Each gemstone is as bright and transparent as a pomegranate seed, and every detail of the hairpin is so exquisite.

When Gu Jue picked up the hairpin, the pair of phoenix wings as thin as cicada wings trembled slightly, and the light of the red-haired hairpin reflected on his eyelashes, as if dyeing his eyelashes golden.

Gu Jue could imagine how this hairpin would look like on his little girl's head, and his eyes sparkled.

He wanted to give her the best coming-of-age gift! Gu Jue smiled slightly and carefully put the hairpin back into the box, his movements so careful and cautious as if he was holding a rare treasure.

He didn't need to answer again, the waiter confirmed it, and Mr. Yin was very satisfied.

Less than a cup of tea later, Gu Jue came out of Nanzhufang again and asked Jingfeng to help him put away the box. Then, he also went to Yaming Teahouse.

As soon as he entered the teahouse, the waiter who had greeted Shen Qianchen just now came up to him quickly and greeted him with a smile on his face: "This is Master Yin, right?"

The waiter looked Gu Jue up and down, and couldn't help but hear what Madam Yin had just said: "When he comes, you will definitely recognize him!"

It's true! Even if this Mr. Yin didn't wear this purple dress today, I would definitely recognize him. Only a handsome and extraordinary man like him can be worthy of a lady like Madam Yin.

Gu Jue nodded in response.

The waiter quickly led the way for him, chattering, "Mr. Yin, please follow me. Your Madam is in the elegant seat on the second floor."

"Young Master and Madam are truly a perfect match, a perfect match made in heaven!"

The waiter had a really loud voice, and even the few scholars who had just entered the room couldn't help but look in Gu Jue's direction, but it was just a glance, and then they were called away by their classmates and friends.

"Brother Wang, I heard that the Dali Temple has announced the verdict?"

"Yes, Wei Yuanzhi has already confessed his guilt. In order to atone for his crime, he also confessed some of the things his father did over the years!"

“…”

This sensational examination cheating case has finally come to an end today. All those involved in leaking and selling the examination questions have been sentenced to execution, and those candidates who bought the examination questions have been stripped of their honors and will never be allowed to take the imperial examinations in their lifetime.

Because of Wei Yuanzhi's accusation, his father Wei Jingze became the mastermind of the examination fraud case. However, he did not go to court today. He was charged with too many crimes. Even if he was not guilty of fraud, he would still be dead! The once glorious Minister of Personnel Wei Jingze then became the target of everyone's anger in Beijing. People everywhere were exaggerating his various crimes. Three people make a tiger. In the end, Wei Jingze had become a murderer and an unforgivable person. The people would spit viciously when they mentioned him.

When the three courts tried Wei Jingze a few days later, the capital city became more and more excited. This time, Gu Jue did not take Shen Qianchen to watch the excitement, but just told her the interrogation process as a story, and finally said:

"Wei Jingze was also sentenced to beheaded in the autumn, his property was confiscated, and the rest of the Wei family was exiled. Wei Jingze used his position to modify the performance evaluations of many local officials. These local officials will also be brought to the capital for trial."

It is foreseeable that the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple will still be busy in the future. After all, those officials involved in bribery and falsifying performance appraisals will have to be convicted one by one.

As Shen Qianchen listened, he checked Gu Jue's exam basket anxiously.

This exam basket was packed by Shen Qianchen last night. She had just asked Gu Jue jokingly whether he was going to retake the exam.

As a result, Gu Jue said with a smile: "In the exam, if I can't earn you a top scholar wife, I must earn you a tribute scholar wife."

Since Gu Jue wanted to take the exam, Shen Qianchen naturally agreed with both hands and feet.

This was the second time she prepared the exam basket for Gu Jue. She was not as flustered as last time. She basically prepared a new list exactly the same as last time.

When Shen Qianchen closed the examination basket again, he suddenly thought of something and asked curiously: "Jiu Xia, will the Wei family's house be confiscated by the court?"

Shen Qianchen remembered that the Wei family's house was not only large enough, but also in an excellent location, close to the imperial palace and Duke Mu's Mansion.

Gu Jue understood the meaning of the music and asked, "Has Pei Linye not found a house yet?"

Shen Qianchen nodded with a smile.

Gu Jue rubbed her head and said, "Leave it to me." Of course, a good house should be given to one's family first.

Amber, who was outside the carriage, also heard the conversation between the two masters. She felt her scalp tingling again. Shen Qianchen's words were obviously ambiguous, but Gu Jue could understand her meaning very well. This always made Amber feel that she, as a capable palace maid, was really unqualified.

At this time, the Imperial Examination Hall appeared in front of them. Amber cleared her throat and said, "Master Jiu, Madam, we have arrived at the Imperial Examination Hall."

Jingfeng let out a soft "whoa" and stopped the carriage.

Because of the cheating case, this re-examination received more attention than the last one, so many people came to watch the fun outside the Imperial Examination Hall.

Seeing that there were so many people, Gu Jue said to Shen Qianchen, "Don't see me off."

Shen Qianchen obediently stopped, waved goodbye to him, stood there and watched Gu Jue go to the front to line up, and watched him enter the dragon gate of the Imperial Examination Hall.

Gu Jue didn't go to the Imperial Examination Hall today for the exam. After the first round of the exam, he had instructed the Ministry of Rites to improve the environment of the Imperial Examination Hall and modify the process of the exam. He went there to check the results and see if there was anything else that needed to be changed.

The examination rooms were re-arranged for the examinees this time, so this time Gu Jue was assigned to a new room, which was twice as big as the last time. Although the six-foot width was still not enough for a man to sleep comfortably, it was barely enough for sleeping. Not only the rooms, but even the toilets in the examination lane were renovated.

The Gongyuan has a brand new look.

Before distributing the test papers, the outer curtain official in the Imperial Academy first read out the new rules drafted by the Ministry of Rites. The rules were basically the same, and the one that shocked the candidates the most was probably that they were allowed to hand in their papers early.

The examinees were stunned. Because the test papers had not been distributed yet, they were not afraid of being accused of cheating and could not help but start talking at once:

“Will anyone really hand in their papers early?”

“That’s impossible!”

"Yes. Three days is still too short for me."

"You must be careful when writing your answer sheet. If you make a mistake in writing a word, your answer will be ruined..."

“…”

"Ding!" When the gong sounded, the surroundings suddenly fell into silence, and everyone knew that this was the signal to start distributing the test papers.

The atmosphere suddenly became solemn and everyone looked awe-inspiring.

For most ordinary candidates, one exam determines their entire life.

After the dragon gate of the Imperial Examination Hall was closed, it remained closed for a whole day and night and was not opened again until noon the next day.

There were many relatives of the candidates waiting outside, and they immediately started a commotion, thinking that a candidate was seriously ill and was being carried out horizontally.

Who would have thought that a young man in a blue robe would walk out from behind the goal, looking calm and energetic, with his exam basket in his hand.

"Jiu Xia!"

Shen Qianchen was already waiting in a tea stall outside the Imperial Examination Hall, looking at Gu Jue with burning eyes. Gu Jue looked much more respectable and clean than the last time he came out of the Imperial Examination Hall, with a little stubble on his chin and his clothes slightly wrinkled.

When he walked up to Shen Qianchen, the first thing Shen Qianchen did was to feel his pulse. After confirming that his pulse was good, he was in the mood to joke with him: "Do you want to smash someone's house today?"

Gu Jue: “…”

Gu Jue rubbed her hair.

There was another burst of noise all around, the dragon gate opened again, and two more candidates came out of the Imperial Examination Hall carrying their exam baskets. These two also handed in their papers early.

The second session of the next joint examination will be held the day after tomorrow, which means that candidates who submit their papers early will have two more nights to rest than other candidates in the examination hall, and can conserve their energy for the next two examinations.

There was actually a familiar face among these two candidates, the young candidate named Xuan.

Shen Qianchen also recognized the Xuan Juren, blinked, and said softly: "It's him."

"Jiuxia, do you think he can pass the exam?" Shen Qianchen asked casually, his eyes flickering.

Xuan Juren also saw the two of them, nodded slightly, and left with another candidate.

Gu Jue looked at Xuan Juren's back as he left, smiled, and said casually, "I think it should be possible."

"I think so too." Shen Qianchen nodded vigorously.

Although in Shen Qianchen's memory of his previous life, there was no official with the surname Xuan in the imperial court, but there might have been cheating in this imperial examination in his previous life, but Gu Lang did not discover it.

The greed of human beings will only become more and more greedy.

In the previous life, Wei Jingze became the Prime Minister two years later, and she remained in power until she and Qin Yao led a large army to the gates of the city. In other words, the subsequent imperial examinations were probably not clean.

The imperial court was supposed to select talented people, but under Wei Jingze's manipulation, those who were unlearned and cheated were promoted, and those who were truly talented failed. The Great Qi Dynasty was in decline. Even if she and Qin Yao were not there, there would be others.

Shen Qianchen held Gu Jue's hand and walked towards the carriage, and asked, "Are there two more exams?"

"Take the test." Gu Jue said with certainty.

He took all three exams as he said, and left the examination room one day early for each exam.

Shen Qianchen would always wait for him outside the Imperial Examination Hall and take him back to the palace together, just like an ordinary young couple.

After Gu Jue finished the third exam, without waiting for the results to be announced, he summoned the Minister of Rites and the left and right vice ministers to meet him the next day and again brought up the issue of the imperial examination reform, such as allowing candidates to request an extra copy of the answer sheet if they made a mistake.

In the joint examination, candidates can write down their ideas on a piece of draft paper. It doesn't matter how messy the draft is. When they officially write the essay on the answer sheet, the handwriting must be absolutely neat, and there cannot be a single typo. If there is a typo, it means failure.

In Gu Jue's opinion, this rule is too rigid and inhumane.

The imperial examination system has been in existence for hundreds of years. Perfecting the system certainly cannot be accomplished through one or two examinations. Gu Jue also hopes to improve it step by step and abolish some unnecessary rules.

“……” Minister of Rites Yang Xuanshan felt his head starting to hurt again.

The left and right assistant ministers of the Ministry of Rites exchanged glances with each other. They had not expected that Gu Jue would know so many details of the imperial examination, as if he had been there in person.

After several clashes since Gu Jue ascended the throne, the court officials already knew his temper. He looked like a free and easy person, but in fact he was a man of his word.

Yang Xuanshan had already lost his temper because of Gu Jue. It was useless for him to object anyway, so he might as well be obedient and sensible: "Your Majesty is right!"

The left and right assistant ministers of the Ministry of Rites also responded.

(End of this chapter)