Chapter 105: Prince's Years
The imperial examination cheating case involving collusion between Shen Linchuan and Zhao Huaijin soon became a hot topic in the capital.
The Dali Temple posted a notice immediately.
Prince Ling Xiao Jingheng received a secret report before the imperial examination and learned that the test questions had been leaked, so he changed the test questions as soon as possible.
Then, after the imperial examination was over, the Minister of Rites who was suspected of leaking the test questions was imprisoned, and twelve candidates who had bribed were arrested.
All officials involved were detained and tried.
After reading the notice from the Dali Temple, the students were talking about it.
Suddenly someone shouted, "Prince Ling is here."
Upon hearing this, everyone swarmed to the gate of the Dali Temple and knelt on the ground in unison.
Someone cried out, "Thank you, Your Highness Prince Ling, for asking for a fair and just opportunity for us."
"Thank you, His Highness Prince Ling."
Everyone cheered, but they were unable to express the gratitude in their hearts. They had studied hard for ten years just for one day of success.
However, corrupt officials took advantage of the imperial examination to make money and leaked the test questions.
If it weren’t for His Royal Highness Prince Ling, how many of them would have failed the exam.
Xiao Jingheng looked at the students kneeling on the ground and said in a clear voice, "Since I am entrusted by the emperor to preside over the imperial examination, I will never allow anyone to take shortcuts. No one can take away your opportunity."
"Your Majesty, a thousand years old!"
The students raised their arms and cheered. At this moment, His Royal Highness Prince Ling’s status in their hearts was comparable to that of a god.
The people also spontaneously praised the deeds of His Royal Highness Prince Ling.
For a time, the reputation of His Royal Highness Prince Ling spread throughout the capital.
When the news reached the prince's ears, he flew into a rage and immediately overturned the desk, his eyes full of murderous intent.
"Your Highness, calm down."
Ye Yin, the prince's trusted guard, advised: "The most important thing right now is to make Lord Zhao shut up.
If he betrays His Highness, it will be really disadvantageous to us."
The Minister of Rites Zhao Yi is from the Eastern Palace, and those who offer bribes are also people who have defected to the prince. They use this method to support their own people.
In previous years, the imperial examinations were all under the charge of the crown prince, so naturally everything was peaceful.
But now Prince Ling has seized this job and dealt a heavy blow to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
This is a huge disaster for the Eastern Palace.
The prince rubbed his aching head and said, "He's imprisoned in the Dali Temple, and I can't reach in at all.
I tried many ways to bribe Han Qingyan and make him work for me, but he remained unmoved.
Now it seems that he has already surrendered to Prince Ling."
He punched the wall and said angrily, “I really underestimated Prince Ling.
He didn't grow up in the capital, but there are still people willing to follow him. Now he has gained a reputation as a virtuous man. He is trying to step on my head."
The prince took a deep breath, stroked his sleeves and said, "With just them, they still want to bring me down."
He narrowed his eyes and said, "Since Han Qingyan doesn't know how to appreciate my kindness, let's teach him a lesson."
He looked at Ye Yin and said, "Go and help me do something."
……
That night.
Inside Chengwen Academy.
Tao Wenyuan sat under the candlelight, looking at the test paper in his hand, with an unconcealable look of amazement in his eyes.
Although the candidate's name was covered on the test paper, she knew that it was Song Shiwei who answered the question.
The entire article is written in neat handwriting, and both the meaning of the scriptures and the policy questions are outstanding.
She carefully rolled up the test paper and put it into the scroll, waiting to go to the palace tomorrow to present it to His Majesty.
Just as I put the scroll away, the lights in the room suddenly flickered and I felt a chill behind me.
Tao Wenyuan turned around and saw a masked assassin in black breaking into her room.
She was not panicked when she saw the assassin, she just asked, "Sent by the prince?"
The assassin was shocked when he heard this. How did this woman know that it was the prince who sent him?
However, before he could think about it, a whooshing sound suddenly came from behind him.
The moment the assassin turned around in shock, he saw a flash of cold light piercing his shoulder blade. He looked down and found it was a dart.
Just as he was about to reach out to pull out the dart, he felt a black screen in front of his eyes and then fell to the ground.
The person hiding in the shadows appeared, a young man.
He glanced at the assassin, then clasped his fists and bowed to Tao Wenyuan, saying, "I'm sorry to have frightened Master Tao."
Tao Wenyuan asked him, "Are you the prince's man?"
"I am Xuanying, and I have been ordered to come and protect Master Tao."
Xuanying had already received orders from King Ling to secretly protect Tao Wenyuan.
Tao Wenyuan nodded: "Thank you for your help."
She had long expected that someone would come to assassinate her. Her relationship with Han Qingyan was no secret in the capital. The prince had tried to bribe Han Qingyan many times before but failed.
Now that Zhao Yi has been imprisoned, the prince is afraid that he will say something he shouldn't, so he is desperate and wants to use her to threaten Han Qingyan.
Unfortunately, Jamel Xiao had already calculated his moves.
Soon, the guards carried the assassin away, and Xuanying disappeared back into the darkness.
The next day, Tao Wenyuan brought the scroll into the palace. Since it was still early morning court, she waited outside.
After all the officials had left, she heard some court officials discussing something.
"With the death of Lord Zhao, I'm afraid the clues to the imperial examination cheating case will be cut off."
"How could Zhao Yi die of an acute illness in prison? How can we investigate the case if the most important person is dead?"
Hearing their conversation, Tao Wenyuan was shocked. What was going on? Why did Zhao Yi die?
She was vaguely uneasy.
Tao Wenyuan was looking for Han Qingyan in the crowd, and soon saw him coming out of the hall with a decadent look on his face.
She hurried over and called out, "Master Han."
Han Qingyan looked at the scroll in her hand and knew that she was here to see the emperor.
He asked, "I heard that you encountered an assassin last night. Were you scared?"
"I am fine."
Tao Wenyuan asked, "I just heard from the court officials that Zhao Yi is dead. What's going on?"
Han Qingyan's eyes darkened slightly, and he said, "I was careless. The one who did it was not the prince, but someone else."
A place like Dali Temple is a mixed bag of people, and it's hard to guard against, so they still succeeded.
Tao Wenyuan comforted him: "It doesn't matter. I let him escape this time, but next time I will make sure he never gets a chance to turn things around."
Han Qingyan looked at her with a hint of guilt in his eyes and said, "I'm sorry, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't be in danger."
Tao Wenyuan frowned: "If you say something like this again, I will ignore you."
She raised the scroll in her hand and said, "I've seen Miss Song's test paper. It's even better than mine back then. She will definitely be admitted this time."
Han Qingyan finally showed a smile between his brows, and he asked: "Then can I prepare the betrothal gifts?"
Tao Wenyuan looked him up and down and asked, "I heard that Lord Han is a man of integrity. Can you afford such a large betrothal gift?"
Han Qingyan raised his eyebrows and said, "How about I give myself to you as a betrothal gift?"
Tao Wenyuan chuckled and replied, "Just barely."
Considering that they were still in the palace, she said no more and only said, "Han Qingyan, you must remember that no matter what happens, do not waver in your beliefs."