She wanted to see who was so fortunate as to obtain the honor she couldn’t achieve back then.

But—

Going in this state wasn’t suitable. They were all acquaintances, and she didn’t want to meet them face to face. Besides, being recognized by the people wouldn’t be good either. She had only been gone a few months, yet had already been smeared by “internal” information spread by who knows whom. She didn’t want to invite unnecessary trouble.

After thinking it over, she squeezed out of the crowd and went into a cosmetics shop, bought rouge and powder, and went inside to apply heavy makeup.

Even her birth parents would probably need several looks to recognize her.

Having done all this, she finally followed the crowd upward.

People stopped at the street intersection.

There, a sea of black heads stretched as far as the eye could see, layer upon layer, continuous and seemingly extending for miles. It was somewhat difficult to squeeze in, and this time she had no hot water at hand. But this could only trouble gentlemen, not rogues. Su Zhen had already bought equipment from a jewelry shop next to the silk store.

Soon, cries of alarm arose from the crowd – people being stabbed in the arm by some sharp object.

In moments, Su Zhen had easily made her way to the front row, then gently returned the hairpin hidden in her sleeve to her chest.

Very unfortunately, she encountered people gossiping about herself again.

Just because this year’s second and third place scholars were present today to show the court’s attention, but the top scholar was absent.

So it was hard not to become a topic of conversation.

Magistrate Li’s resignation, Magistrate Li’s whereabouts, and Magistrate Li’s final case before resignation were all discussed with great enthusiasm before the procession arrived.

What was particularly “interesting” was that it wasn’t just that young man earlier who knew the “inside story” – many people vividly described these secrets, depicting how Magistrate Li had resigned from fear of offending the powerful, making it even more vivid and dramatic than what she had actually experienced.

Some people didn’t believe the rumors and spoke in support, but Su Zhen was still quite shocked. Hadn’t what she had done before been enough?

Someone passionately refuted: “How can you slander Magistrate Li like this? He tackled cases others didn’t dare touch…”

Someone nearby immediately sneered: “Don’t you understand yet? The Prince’s case made this Li Huaisu famous, but that was because he understood the Son of Heaven’s nature, knowing the new emperor couldn’t allow neighboring countries to suppress our nation’s momentum, so he dared to handle it freely. As for Huang Tianba’s matter, that case was tough enough, so why didn’t we see him involved? It was His Majesty who led a group of imperial women to solve the problem. Women serving as officials – not discussing whether this measure is good or bad – at least that time they did something for the common people. This Magistrate Li was nowhere to be seen from beginning to end. Though he later handled some cases among the people, offending local officials, could their backing be greater than Huang Tianba’s? In the end, what he violated were never the interests of truly important people.”

Several young men were indignant. One angrily said: “Wasn’t there news that the Minzhou case was actually Li Huaisu’s secret work? And she took on the Gu Shuangcheng case – seeing Scholar Gu blocking the sedan, his daughter’s death was probably not simple, likely done by the powerful…”

“Secret work – do you have evidence? That was just His Majesty’s favoritism at the time. Let alone the Gu Shuangcheng case – when did he actually handle it? Taking on a case and handling it are the same thing? Don’t be ridiculous,” the earlier speaker laughed again. “His Majesty ordered him to handle the Jade Consort case. He had no choice but to take it, but in the end he just toyed with a bunch of court officials, making His Majesty think he truly tried his best, then deliberately resigned in shame. In a few years, when the storm passes, won’t he volunteer to return? A mere Chief Magistrate is nothing – don’t forget, he’s also an imperial son-in-law.”

“Son-in-law?”

“Indeed, Magistrate Li became a son-in-law.”

Several girls exclaimed softly.

“Princess Lian Xin’s son-in-law at that.”

“Lian Xin – isn’t she that spoiled and vicious… This Magistrate Li initially opposed her, could it be that it was actually just for show…”

Someone quickly fell silent at this point.

The first to raise doubts was a middle-aged scholar with refined features, but his eyes hid sharpness. He stood not far to Su Zhen’s side front. His words immediately gained support from many scholars. Originally, some who had defended Magistrate Li, while a few still opposed vehemently, others began to remain silent.

There were men and women, old and young.

Consort Ai had once dressed like this to harm people. Su Zhen was extremely disgusted by people in such attire. When would scholars stop disparaging each other?

Someone wanted to kill her, someone deliberately spread rumors to the mouths of these public intellectuals among the people. Along her journey, she had indeed offended quite a few people, from court officials to the harem – Huang Zhongyue, Yan Da… even Wei Chenghui seemed not to like her much, not to mention the Empress Dowager, Lian Yue, A Luo… Now was precisely when she had lost power. Su Zhen didn’t care.

But the people’s reaction was something she had never expected. Every single thing she had fought desperately to do – she dared not say it was for country and people, but at least she had acted with a clear conscience. Was this the result she deserved?

She remembered once drinking with Quan Feitong, when Quan Feitong had taught her the way of being an official – not just burying oneself in work, but also performing for the people, getting close to them. Otherwise, when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.

She had been slightly drunk then and said very boldly: “If I am guilty, it is only the Spring and Autumn Annals that know.”

Thinking about it now, what boldness? Pure foolishness.

But even so, she still felt this was what she should uphold.

She forcefully raised her eyebrows.

Soon, these people began discussing women serving as officials. Some said it was good, some remained opposed. The scholar who had just said he wouldn’t discuss whether women serving as officials was good or bad now took an opposing stance, saying it ultimately violated moral order. But this time the opposing voices were much fewer than when Su Zhen was being questioned, since many present were female compatriots.

“Sir, you are mistaken,” a woman immediately laughed and scolded. “Not to mention that the Minzhou case was solved by several women, do you know who this year’s top scholar is?”

“Yu Sheng, also a girl disguised as a man.”

“Yesterday at the palace examination, she revealed her female identity.”

Excited voices rose one after another in the crowd.

The scholar and a group of students looked rather unpleasant. The woman wore yellow clothes, had clear, bright features, and smiled slightly: “Do you feel like your men have been slapped?”

“More than that,” a young girl beside her raised her eyebrows slightly. “Moreover, Yu Sheng is His Majesty’s Consort Gu, the sister of Gu Shuangcheng you mentioned – Gu Xiluo.”

The crowd erupted in astonishment.

The scholar’s lips curved slightly: “His Majesty wants to promote reform, yet the winner is his own woman. Doesn’t this relationship seem a bit subtle?”

All those sour scholars – his nearby students nodded in agreement. The young girl was unhurried: “Oh, did you forget about this examination’s selection method for the three tests?”

The scholar’s gaze obviously darkened.

It turned out that this national examination was indeed different from previous years. In the county and metropolitan examinations, after officials selected twice as many essays as usual, the essays were posted at local government offices for people to choose from. The people’s choices were also factored in before final rankings were determined and quotas for the next examination were selected.

“Also, Consort Gu was one of the chief investigators of the Minzhou case you mentioned. I heard that after the parade, the Hanlin Academy will hold a debate session, welcoming scholars from across the realm to compete.”

The woman in yellow said slowly, ending with this.

The scholar and students were speechless. Finally, the scholar said coldly: “Then we men must properly seek advice from Scholar Gu.”

Women among the people, regardless of age, burst into applause like waves. Though some were warned by their fathers, brothers, and husbands, the passion that burst forth could not be suppressed.

Even some men, who appeared to be literati but unlike the inflexible scholar and others, nodded silently.

People in the distance asked what was happening, and those who heard passed it on.

The sound was like tidal waves. Before the procession arrived, this place had already started its own civilian celebration.

Lian Yu was an emperor with grand ambitions, and this reform was just the beginning.

Su Zhen said nothing. The sweat on her forehead was hot, but her heart was cold, chilled throughout her body.

She wasn’t jealous of A Luo, just that life’s circumstances were so unpredictable.

She suddenly pushed forward through the crowd, walked to the two women’s side, and said softly: “I heard Consort Gu once studied under Master Tingyu. You two young ladies are also outstanding disciples under Master Tingyu, aren’t you?”

“There are probably many of your fellow disciples among the young ladies on this ten-li long street. Well done. Congratulations that this flame of reform will burn bright.”

The two were startled upon hearing this. Before they could speak, they saw this heavily made-up woman smile slightly and disappear into the crowd.

Su Zhen returned to her previous position, knowing she had been meddlesome. It was just that the scholar had suppressed Magistrate Li’s prestige, but was defeated by those two girls. She felt annoyed and wanted to deflate their arrogance too.

“His Majesty’s imperial carriage approaches – kneel!”

Just then, at the end of the street, square fans, banners, and bright yellow ceremonial equipment appeared first, followed by accompanying officials, including several light cavalry. The imperial jade carriage was surrounded by inner palace attendants and guards, majestic and imposing. A grand procession appeared unexpectedly before everyone’s eyes. The carriage’s tasseled gauze curtains were raised high, and the man seated inside wore black robes and a golden crown with hanging pearls that swayed, his face half-hidden, dazzling and authoritative, making people dare not look directly. This was undoubtedly the most eye-catching sight on the street. Beside the imperial carriage, however, a black steed followed closely, with a person in a golden python robe and bright red sitting atop it. Her hair was bound high, her face bore no cosmetics, yet she was radiantly beautiful, complementing the man in the imperial carriage.

Thus, both sides of the street immediately erupted in cheers that shook the sky.