Imperial Study —
The emperor dismissed the court and summoned the crown prince, the king of Qin, the king of Zhao, the king of An, as well as the Grand Tutor and Grand Preceptor.
Everyone except the emperor was preoccupied with their own worries.
Liang Zhidong, one of the six ministers, actually accepted bribes; he deserves to die!
But which of the kings summoned here is not related to him?
Even the Crown Prince was somewhat terrified at this moment. Could it be that his father had found out that he had secretly tried to win over Minister Liang?
still......
The three princes felt a chill run down their spines, and even the timid Prince An's legs trembled slightly.
Yes, that's right, Liang Zhidong is his man!
I thought I could use this year's autumn examination to promote a group of my own people, but I never expected...
Father, do you know everything?!
Grand Tutor Xu and Grand Preceptor Chen stood on either side of the Crown Prince and Prince Qin, adhering to the proper etiquette of court officials.
However, both men were secretly speculating about the Emperor's intentions and couldn't help but worry. Minister Liang's fate today was well-deserved, but who was behind him...?
"His Majesty has arrived!"
"Your humble servant respectfully welcomes Your Majesty, Father Emperor."
"Rise."
"Your subject/Your humble servant obeys!"
The emperor's imposing presence sent chills down everyone's spines. Apart from the crown prince, everyone else lowered their heads, not daring to look at him for long.
"Youqin, how's the case of bribery in the imperial examinations going?"
With a cold face, Baili Changzhi bowed to the crowd and then directly questioned the Crown Prince, his most trusted son.
"Your Majesty, I have ordered Commander Ge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to arrest the criminal Liang Zhidong, imprison his entire family in the Imperial Prison, capture his nine generations of relatives, and arrest all his accomplices, who have been taken to Shuntian Prefecture to await their fate."
Baili Youqin bowed and replied casually, as if the hard work behind it was insignificant.
"Yes, you have done very well. Father is very pleased."
Baili Changzhi smiled, but his gaze fell upon his other sons...
"After the palace examination, you will all go to your respective fiefdoms. You are not to return to Jinling without a summons!"
Boom!
His Majesty's words were like a thunderclap, exploding in everyone's hearts.
The officials were alarmed. Was this a sign that the princes' ulterior motives were about to be thwarted?
Baili Youqin's expression shifted slightly, as if she wanted to plead for her brothers, but she fell silent after meeting her father's deep eyes.
Father Emperor, he knows everything.
That glance was not only a warning to the other brothers, but also a warning to him not to get involved!
"Father, I don't want to leave you and Mother."
"Father, I can't bear to part with you and Mother."
Both the King of Qin and the King of An knelt down, their faces ashen.
Jinling is the land of wealth and pleasure, a paradise on earth. Their fiefdoms are far away, bitterly cold, nowhere can compare to the carefree life in Jinling.
Father Emperor, this is not only sending them away, but also "exiling" them!
Only King Zhao, after pondering for a moment upon hearing this, knelt down to accept the order:
"Your subject obeys."
The matter of bribing the chief examiner in the imperial examinations was none of his concern; he only wanted to live a peaceful life with his mother and had no desire to fight for power or profit.
If he performs well, one day when his younger brother, the Crown Prince, ascends the throne, he may be summoned to Jinling and perhaps even be able to request an imperial decree to bring his mother to his fiefdom for a reunion.
"Qinglan, get up. Tomorrow, Shiran, you two will kneel outside the Imperial Study."
Seeing this, Baili Changzhi understood the situation. It seemed the matter of bribery in the imperial examinations lay between the King of Qin and the King of An...
An incompetent son is enough to ruin an empire!
He was reluctant to kill, but when it came to punishment, his methods were ruthless!
"Your subject obeys!"
King Zhao rose and stood respectfully to the side.
"Your subject obeys!"
"Your subject obeys!"
The other two voices naturally revealed their reluctance.
But no matter how unwilling they were, they had no choice.
The emperor's command must not be disobeyed!
The next step will focus on the palace examination.
The imperial examination system was designed to cultivate talent and elites for Tianyao.
It is of great significance and cannot be taken lightly.
As the future heir apparent, Baili Changzhi intended to train the Crown Prince and entrusted him with this matter. Those who passed the imperial examinations would, to varying degrees, be grateful to the Crown Prince and would contribute to his future efforts in assisting him to become a wise and benevolent ruler...
Apart from the two princes kneeling outside the room who didn't understand, the officials inside the room, as well as Prince Zhao, had already realized what was going on.
Your Majesty/Father, the reason for summoning them is to tell them not to try to shake the foundation of the country. The Crown Prince will always be the heir apparent!
Those who pass the imperial examination this year will become the Crown Prince's most loyal subjects in the future!
He gave them a good talking-to, using both kindness and severity.
Baili Changzhi dismissed everyone else, leaving only the Crown Prince...
The original list of names in the top tier sits on the table.
Baili Changzhi squinted, reading ten lines at a glance.
Suddenly, he noticed a young man, and with a single glance, the head eunuch serving beside him respectfully handed over a more detailed booklet...
Registered residence: Wujia Village, Taohua Town, Taohua County, Anqing Prefecture.
His biological father, Wu Sanlang, was a junior cavalry officer under the Yong'an Marquis, holding the rank of centurion. He died in the winter of the twenty-ninth year of Yong'an.
His birth mother, Wu Jiangshi, was from Wujia Village, Taohua Town, Ping'an County, Anqing Prefecture. In the thirty-sixth year of Yong'an, she was granted the title of a seventh-rank county lady.
Sure enough, he was the son of that extraordinary woman. No wonder he felt a sense of familiarity when he saw the young man's name.
Three years have passed in the blink of an eye, and the young son of Lady Jiang has also passed the imperial examination, achieving the highest rank...
“Youqin, come and take a look.”
"Your subject obeys."
Baili Youqin stepped forward, bowed, and accepted the booklet, then began to peruse it...
Wu Qingyun.
Upon seeing the name, he felt a sense of familiarity.
"Among this year's top-ranked scholars, this young man is the youngest. You should observe him closely. If he shows talent, nurture him. Perhaps one day, he can assist you..."
The emperor's close advisor, the father's expectations for this person are higher than those for Baili Youqin.
Seeing that the Crown Prince remained unmoved, the chief eunuch, at the Emperor's behest, brought up the national policy from three years ago...
Baili Youqin's eyes brightened; so that's how it is.
No wonder my father bestowed the title of county lady upon a village woman back then; it turns out that the national policy at the time was...
"Your subject will certainly not let down Father's painstaking efforts."
"This is truly a good son of your father. Now, let your father test you again. Among the top ten in the first rank, how should Wu Qingyun be appointed?"
"A tree that stands out in the forest will be felled by the wind. A person who excels above others will be criticized by the masses."
Your subject believes that the rankings should remain unchanged, based on the rankings determined by Grand Tutor Xu and the other examiners. As for the conferment of titles, these should be decided through joint consultation among the six ministers.
The meaning of "百里有琴" is "from the stream".
Not promoting someone beyond their rank or skipping a level, in effect protects them from being ostracized in officialdom.
“My son has grown up. As his father, I can finally pass the throne to you with peace of mind.”
Baili Changzhi sighed sincerely, then coughed.
"Father!"
Baili Youqin quickly handed over the tea and gestured to the head eunuch to go and fetch the imperial physician.
"It's nothing, it's just an old ailment. Father wasn't joking. After the palace examination, once a crown princess has been chosen for you, the abdication ceremony will be held..."
"Father~"
"You will be a good emperor. I believe you will lead Tianyao to become the strongest among all nations!"
"Your subject will certainly not disgrace the glorious name of Tianyao!"
........
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com