"Scholars everywhere are ashamed of cheating, how dare he even step onto the stage?"
Several people shouted and ran away in the crowd.
Everyone stared in astonishment at this scene. What cheating? Were these students just saying that Scholar Zhao Yan cheated?
That's utterly shameful! It's disgraceful!
Everyone present, including Master Qin, was stunned. Scholar Shang looked at the few people who had just run away and couldn't remember who those students were.
Magistrate Liu reacted quickly, shouting, "Men, chase after them and capture them!"
The officers and soldiers rushed to the place where the people had disappeared.
Zhao Yan was furious at being humiliated and retorted, "I didn't! They're slandering me!"
Master Qin certainly wouldn't allow his academy to be smeared, especially since it was his own students who exposed it.
If he finds out who those people are, they must be expelled from the academy!
"Whose students are those? Did you see them clearly just now?" Master Qin asked.
All the teachers frowned and shook their heads.
Those people were moving too fast; some of them didn't even get a clear look at them.
However, some petty troublemakers below won't let it go so easily.
Someone boldly shouted, "Master Qin, are all the students of your esteemed academy of such poor character?"
"Yes, it must have been jealousy among your colleagues that led to the revelation of the truth."
"This is interesting. Will the new scholar still be able to receive the money?"
"Of course we can't give it to them! Whether they earned it through their own learning is still uncertain."
“My son is innocent, he absolutely did not cheat!” Zhao Yanniang stumbled and squeezed to the front from the back.
God knows how angry she was when she heard those scoundrels slander her son like that! No one had the right to slander her son!
Zhao Yanniang went up on stage and looked at the crowd below.
She was a woman who had lived in the village all her life; she had never seen such a grand scene before.
But today, for the sake of her son, she had to defend herself, saying, "My son Yan'er started studying at the age of five and passed the imperial examination at the age of seven, entering Bailu Academy."
“He was the most diligent student. He would get up to study as soon as it was light and would stay up until night. Especially in winter, when it was cold in the village, my Yan’er would keep warm by walking around the house while studying.”
"He studied for over a decade without a single day of rest. I absolutely will not allow you to say such things!"
Zhao Yanniang recalled the suffering her son had endured, and although her voice was trembling with sobs, every word she spoke was firm and resolute.
This is a mother protecting her son.
Zhao Yan stepped forward and took his mother's hand, proving that he had absolutely not cheated. The innocent are innocent. The magistrate is here today and will clear my name.
As he spoke, Zhao Yan bowed to Magistrate Liu.
Magistrate Liu was also deeply moved by Zhao Yan's mother's words. How inspiring! Her family was in such difficult circumstances, yet Zhao Yan persisted in her studies.
Thinking of his wayward son, Magistrate Liu felt that his son was a disappointment.
What a disobedient son! We provided him with such good conditions, and he doesn't appreciate them at all!
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