Chapter 38 Chapter 38

After this incident, the two of them were in no mood to continue shopping, and soon they returned to Chen's house together.

After returning, Jiang Jingchun asked Hua Yun to go to Shen Tao's yard and give her the cat lantern she had bought.

Shen Tao was lying on a rocking chair in the yard admiring the moon, when she heard someone knocking on the door and asked someone to open it.

Hua Yun handed the lantern to the maid beside her, "This is the lantern that Miss Chen bought outside. She asked me to help deliver it to Madam."

After saying this, he gave her the lantern and left.

When Shen Tao saw the little maid running back with a "tick-tick-tick" sound, happily holding a cat-shaped lantern, a hint of surprise appeared in her eyes.

The little maid said excitedly, "The one who came just now is Miss Jiang's maid. She said our Miss asked her to deliver the lantern to Madam. I guess they are living together now, so she asked Miss Jiang's maid to run errands."

Shen Tao took the lantern, played with it for a while, and then suddenly laughed. The maid beside her was puzzled, "Madam, what are you laughing at?"

Shen Tao said, "I've celebrated so many Mid-Autumn Festivals since I came into the family, but this is the first time I've received toys from a little girl like them."

Seeing that it was getting almost dark, Shen Tao stood up and walked into the house. The lantern in her hand swayed gently with her steps. There was always a smile in her eyes, which was much softer than her usual stern look.

How could Chen Muqing possibly give her these things?

How could she not know who sent the things?

Just tonight, she seemed to suddenly understand why Chen Muqing always liked to play with Jiang Jingchun.

*

In a blink of an eye, two days passed quickly, the sun slowly rose from the horizon, and the sky became brighter and brighter.

Today is the day when candidates for the autumn examination enter the Gongyuan.

Gongyuan is located in the southeast of the capital. After having breakfast, Jiang Jingchun and Chen Muqing also wanted to go see Song Xuanan. Calculating the time, Song Xuanan should have also set off towards Gongyuan at this time.

Jiang Jingchun and Chen Muqing quickly packed up and left.

They rode in the Chen family's carriage to the tribute courtyard. Carriages from all households gathered at the gate. Parents pulled their children and kept saying some instructions. The area at the gate was full of carriages and people. As soon as the Chen family's carriage entered this area, it merged with the thousands of carriages, and no one noticed their arrival.

The two of them arrived a little earlier than Song Xuan'an, and there was no sign of any member of the Song family among the crowd.

The Song family is still on their way.

Only Madam Song and Song Xuan'an came today. Madam Song was afraid that Song He might say something unpleasant and upset people, so she didn't ask him to come along. As for Song Xuanjing, she would not ask him to show up.

Mrs. Song was also a little nervous today, and she kept checking on the way to see if Song Xuan'an had brought his things carefully.

"Have you brought your pen, ink, paper, inkstone, paperweight, kettle, candles...?"

The autumn examination lasted for three days, and during these three days we were locked up in the tribute courtyard. If we didn’t bring all our belongings with us, we would be late.

"I've brought them all. I've had them checked a hundred times."

The servant ordered again and again, fearing that something might be left behind.

Song Xuan'an responded casually to Mrs. Song's words, but his eyes were looking out the car window.

When he was about to reach the gate of the tribute courtyard, he looked back and forth at the carriages of each family.

Mrs. Song saw that he was absent-minded and his head was about to fall out of the car window. She wanted to scold him, but she softened her voice because she thought that today was the day of his autumn examination.

She said in a gentle voice: "What are you looking at? Is there gold falling on the ground outside..."

Before she finished her words, Song Xuan'an suddenly stopped the carriage and tried to get off in a hurry. Mrs. Song couldn't help but ask, "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

Song Xuanan replied, "Jiang Jingchun and the others have arrived. I will go find them."

After saying this, he disappeared.

Mrs. Song looked at his back and muttered, "I really feel closer to her than to my own mother."

After Song Xuan'an saw the Chen family's carriage, he immediately went down to look for them. He walked to the side of the carriage and knocked on the compartment. The window curtain was opened, and Jiang Jingchun's head was revealed.

She leaned against the car window to look at him.

Song Xuan'an was wearing a black robe today, a jade-gold crown on his head, and his ponytail was tied behind his head, fluttering freely in the autumn wind outside.

The morning sun shone on his face, and the young man was full of energy.

Before coming here, Jiang Jingchun was really unsure. She always said that she believed him, but when the time came, she was always a little worried. Now after meeting Song Xuan'an, all her worries were swallowed back into her stomach.

Song Xuan'an looked at her and smiled. He said, "I knew you would come today."

Jiang Jingchun replied with a smile, and she joked: "Even if marriage is not an issue, you still have to come."

After hearing this, Song Xuan'an's smile widened, and he wanted to say something. Chen Muqing beside him also popped his head in, "Song Xuan'an, if you fail the exam this time, I will look down on you."

"What are you saying, you old fool?" Song Xuan'an retorted.

It was a crowded and noisy place, so no one noticed the three of them. They talked for a long time, until suddenly, the noisy crowd became quiet for no apparent reason.

The three of them found it strange and gradually fell silent.

I don't know which family next to me asked, "Why is Mr. Gu here today?"

Jiang Jingchun followed the direction of everyone's gaze and saw Gu Huaisheng getting off the carriage. His crimson official uniform made his figure even more upright. His every move was solemn and he had the aura of the moonlight. However, his eyes and brows were so cold that people would feel offended if they even looked at him.

Wasn't he working in the Censorate? Besides, he didn't have to take the imperial examinations, so what was he doing here? Thinking of the last time they met at Jiang's house, Jiang Jingchun decided to have a clean break with him, and immediately looked away, no longer looking in his direction.

Some people were still discussing him.

"What is this young marquis doing here today? Why is he wearing his official uniform? This attitude..."

Someone who knew something about the situation explained, "You may not know this, but he is the supervisor in the examination room this year."

Someone in this family works in the Ministry of Rites and he more or less heard some of the rumors.

Gu Huaisheng lifted his robe and got off the carriage. He ignored the looks from the people around him and walked towards the gate of the tribute courtyard without changing his expression.

He had seen Jiang Jingchun and Song Xuan'an a long time ago. Just now in the carriage, he saw the two of them talking and laughing. He watched them for a long time before getting off the carriage. However, when he got off the carriage and passed by them, he didn't even look at them, and didn't even glance at them, looking as if he didn't care at all.

It was not until Gu Huaisheng walked past that Jiang Jingchun looked at his back and became thoughtful.

She thought that the last time she said that to him, he really didn't bother her anymore.

That's fine.

She obviously didn't take Gu Huaisheng's deliberate alienation seriously, and even felt fortunate about it.

After all, if Gu Huaisheng became annoying, she would not be able to tolerate that.

She and Chen Muqing spoke to Song Xuan'an for a few more words. Finally, Song Xuan'an was called back by his mother and given a few words of instructions, and then he also went towards the gate of Gongyuan.

The autumn examination would last for three days, and they had just agreed to pick him up here three days later.

After Song Xuan'an left, the two did not stay any longer. They met and greeted Mrs. Song and then returned to the Chen family.

On the other side, Song Xuan'an entered the Gongyuan and was subjected to a routine body search at the door.

In previous years, there were always some people who were not honest at this time and attempted to cheat. Even though this dynasty has severe punishments for cheating in imperial examinations, there are always quite a few people who do these things. After all, once you enter the officialdom, the temptation to achieve success is really great. Who can resist having evil thoughts?

It is also because there are too many people who want to cheat that Emperor Taihe issued an order a few years ago that anyone who cheats, regardless of the form and success or failure, will be severely punished, killing all those with evil intentions.

As a result of this move, the number of cheating people dropped dramatically.

But there are always some people who don't care about their lives.

Students have endless ways to cheat, so the search is quite strict. Before entering the examination room, pens, ink, paper, inkstone, water bottles... even candles must be checked carefully. If anyone with a suspicious look is seen, they will be dragged into the inner room and stripped and searched, and their shoes and socks must be taken off.

Gu Huaisheng, as the Supervisory Officer, was loaned to Gongyuan by the Ministry of Rites to take charge of all affairs there.

He sat in a chair nearby, staring at the situation.

It took about an incense stick of time to reach Song Xuan'an.

He placed all his luggage on the search table, then spread out his arms and allowed himself to be searched with a frank expression.

The inspectors took his things, opened the package and checked it carefully. They checked everything he brought with him. At first, there was nothing strange about it. However, one of the inspectors took the wolf-hair brush that Song Xuanjing gave him and examined it for a long time.

This was also Song Xuan'an's first time taking part in the Autumn Examination, so naturally he didn't understand the ins and outs of it. But those who searched had done it session after session, so there was no way anything could escape their eyes.

There's something... odd about this one.

Soucha looked up at the owner of the brush and found that it was the young master of the Song family. After thinking for a moment, he turned around and went to Gu Huaisheng with the wolf hair brush.

Song Xuan'an didn't know what was going on. He couldn't help but frown as he watched the search. Is there something strange about this thing? It's just a pen. What's so strange about it?

The inspector brought the things to Gu Huaisheng and presented the pen to him. He said, "Sir, this pen is a little strange."

Gu Huaisheng naturally noticed what was happening there. After searching for so long, something must have gone wrong. He glanced at Song Xuan'an, who was looking at them with a frown on his face, as if he was extremely puzzled by this sudden incident.

Gu Huaisheng retracted his gaze, took the pen handed to him by the inspector, held it in his hand and observed it carefully.

It took him only a moment to understand what the man meant by his strange words.

There seems to be a crack on the top of the pen.

The gap is so small that ordinary people would not notice it. Even if they did, they would just think it was the structure of the brush. This thing is just an ordinary brush in normal times, but if it is used in an imperial examination, it will inevitably arouse suspicion.

Gu Huaisheng fiddled with the top of the pen and saw that the gap was getting bigger and bigger. There should be a small cap on it that could be opened.

Seeing this, the inspector standing by could basically conclude that there must be something wrong with this transaction. He watched Gu Huaisheng's movements with bated breath, and his heart began to lift slightly.

The owner of this pen is Song Xuan'an. If he really cheated, then this matter will be difficult to handle. He is of noble status and is the grandson of Song Gelao... It's difficult, it's really difficult.

He couldn't help but feel lucky that Gu Huaisheng was there today. With him around, no matter how difficult the task was, it would not be that difficult.

He watched Gu Huaisheng's movements and saw him push open the small lid with his finger, and with a "pop", the lid fell to the ground.

Song Xuan'an, who was not far away, obviously saw Gu Huaisheng's actions, and his pupils suddenly widened.

What's going on? Why is this like this?!

He stared at Gu Huaisheng's movements, his eyes full of disbelief.

Gu Huaisheng raised his eyes and looked in his direction. The two looked at each other, but under Song Xuan'an's sight, he turned the pen over with an expressionless face, and several gold foils fell out of it.

The pen barrel was hollow, with gold foil hidden inside. He picked up the gold foil and looked at it. There were densely packed small characters written on it. Gu Huaisheng squinted his eyes and read it in the sunlight, and found that it contained the contents of the Four Books and Five Classics.

When he saw this thing during the search, his face changed drastically.

Although he couldn't see what was written on the gold foil, it could basically prove that Song Xuan'an had cheated.

Putting notes in the pen tube is not uncommon in the past.

Gu Huaisheng held the thing in his hand and looked at it for a long time. I don’t know what he was thinking about, and he didn’t react for a long time.

It was not until the search officer reminded him that he came to his senses.

The corner of Gu Huaisheng's mouth curled up into a faint smile. He looked at Song Xuan'an not far away, and the young man's eyes were still filled with uncontrollable astonishment.

Seeing his reaction, Gu Huaisheng could basically guess that he didn't know this in advance.

But what can he do? The secret was found on him, and he can't explain it even if he has a hundred mouths.

He turned back to the inspector and said, "Song Xuan'an had an unknown object hidden in his pen. He was suspected of cheating in the imperial examination and was imprisoned."