After closing the door, Leng Xue opened his arms and said brother will lend you a strong shoulder to cry on. Su Zhen slapped his hand away and said, cry my ass, I’m going to find Mu San.

She suspected Mu San had contacted Li Zhaoting.

Otherwise, Li Zhaoting’s appearance was too coincidental.

Li Zhaoting must have been at the execution ground that day too, because he knew she was “Li Huaisu.”

Mu San also stayed at this inn, right across from their building. However, when she went to visit him, he wasn’t there. When she asked the waiter, he said he had gone out in the evening.

Who exactly was this noble young master who brought no attendants, took the imperial examination every time but always failed?

In the night, Su Zhen ran around the courtyard with countless questions from these past days.

The moonlight this night was too cold, just like Li Zhaoting’s eyes—she… couldn’t sleep.

She didn’t cry, because tomorrow would be a new day. She had to find a way, do everything she possibly could. Even if the whole world laughed at her, she couldn’t laugh at herself.

Leng Xue leaned against the railing, his gaze following her all night.

Whenever she looked up, she could see him smiling at her.

The next day, she began having Leng Xue inquire about which high officials in the capital were honest and upright in their governance.

The result was that there were indeed some, but damn it, none were in the Ministry of Personnel. Su Zhen thought: You bunch of turtle bastards who gave me a fake certificate—just wait until I get into the Ministry of Personnel as an official. I’ll definitely crack down on counterfeiting and make you all fall apart.

People from other departments, even if sympathetic to her, couldn’t intervene. She carefully considered Mu San’s words and after much deliberation, finally went straight to Left Chancellor Yan Da’s residence. Li Zhaoting was in Quan Feitong’s household—that path was blocked, and she didn’t want to beg Quan Feitong and be looked down upon by Li Zhaoting. The relationship between Lian Yu and Quan Feitong was turbulent and unclear—she couldn’t stand on the wrong side.

Yan Da held high position and great power, with considerable popular reputation. He was said to be overly stern and had significant conflicts with the ambiguous Quan Feitong.

She was just a commoner and had prepared for three visits to Yan’s residence like visiting a sage’s hut.

Unexpectedly, she was invited in on the first try.

Yan Da sat in a grand teacher’s chair, drinking tea without looking at her.

This Left Chancellor was over fifty, with deep wrinkles crisscrossing his face. His hair was half white and half black, his gaze unfathomably deep with hidden severity.

This man was truly somewhat frightening.

Su Zhen respectfully paid her respects, but he continued methodically drinking his tea.

Since he didn’t tell her to rise, Su Zhen remained bowed, cursing the old fossil in her heart while maintaining perfect humility on her face.

After a long time, he finished that cup of tea that could have been drunk in three sips, then finally asked Su Zhen what business brought her to him.

Yan Da didn’t speak in official rhetoric, which was somewhat beyond Su Zhen’s expectations. She also spoke directly about the certificate switching incident.

Yan Da asked, “Where is the fake certificate?”

Su Zhen hesitated briefly, then presented the thing she had torn up and glued back together.

The butler came to collect it, and upon seeing the state of the thing, looked quite awkward.

Yan Da actually laughed, stroking his beard and saying lightly, “Well torn. This… what they returned to you must definitely be fake.”

Hearing this, Su Zhen was excited—good, the old man wasn’t pretending to be confused when he understood perfectly.

But his next words made her want to draw circles and curse him.

“Normally, having that side issue you a seat assignment token wouldn’t be any great matter for this minister. Even if you took the exam, you might not pass, and in the end, only about ten people have the ability to reach the emperor. But you had the courage to confront the princess yet lack the ability to enter the examination hall?”