Chancellor Lu’s gaze swept over his two sons and fell on his two reluctant daughters-in-law. Suppressing the urge to severely rebuke them, he said gravely, “Only by doing this, when the examination fraud case is confirmed and this year’s examination results are voided, will the two children have a chance to retake the exam. Otherwise… I fear the Emperor will never employ candidates who bribed in this examination. At that time, you would truly be destroying the two children!”

Thinking of the foolish things his two daughters-in-law had done, the fury in Chancellor Lu’s heart burned ever fiercer.

“Never mind Yuanbao, but Yuanqing is the future hope of our Lu family. Do you want your son to be ruined by this matter?!” Chancellor Lu’s voice couldn’t help but rise. “Now that the candidates have beaten the petition drum, do you think those noble and official families who bribed Wen Zhenkang can still avoid being implicated?! Between offending people… and your sons’ futures, the whole family’s more important future – you choose!”

“Your son knows his mistake!” Chancellor Lu’s eldest son hurriedly bowed his head.

“Don’t delay. You depart immediately for the Ministry of Justice, and I’ll enter the palace!” Chancellor Lu made the final decision.

Hearing this, Lu Yuanpeng’s little heart was beating wildly. His parents actually had such great audacity to dare bribe the examiner!

Thinking of the candidates beating the petition drum outside Wude Gate and that there would be excitement to watch, Lu Yuanpeng returned to his courtyard, called for a servant, and left the mansion to watch the commotion.

After all, their family had a grandfather present, and grandfather had already made arrangements, so nothing serious would happen!

The Lu family acted extremely quickly. When Chancellor Lu’s two sons went to the Ministry of Justice, they heard that Minister of Justice Lu Jin had been summoned into the palace by the Emperor and was currently outside Wude Gate pacifying the candidates beating the petition drum.

As soon as Chancellor Lu entered the palace, he wept bitterly before the Emperor, painfully denouncing his two sons for actually bribing Wen Zhenkang. Those two sons of his had harmed his two carefully cultivated grandsons, and he begged the Emperor to punish those two sons along with him.

The Emperor had read the policy essays of Chancellor Lu’s two grandsons and felt that they indeed had some real substance.

Upon hearing Chancellor Lu say that his two sons and daughters-in-law acted because all the noble and official families in the capital with examination candidates had sent gifts, fearing that not sending gifts would cause Wen Zhenkang to trip up the two children, his expression became even uglier.

The Emperor truly hadn’t expected that Wen Zhenkang would have such audacity to so brazenly accept bribes under his very nose.

No wonder… he had felt that this year’s tribute scholars were of much lower quality than before.

“Upon hearing of this matter, this old minister is heartbroken and feels he has failed Your Majesty’s countenance. I humbly request Your Majesty to punish me! This old minister failed to properly educate his sons… and is willing to bear the responsibility together!”

The Emperor suppressed his fury, opened his eyes to look at Chancellor Lu, who was still wiping tears, knowing that Chancellor Lu had always been cautious and meticulous. This time, he was probably implicated by his incompetent sons and daughters-in-law, harming his two children. He said, “The court established the imperial examinations to recruit talent for our Jin state. Chancellor Lu’s two grandsons’ policy essays – I have read them… they’re quite good! However, after Chancellor Lu returns… You must properly educate your two sons.”

Hearing this, Chancellor Lu felt relieved and kowtowed to the Emperor with trepidation: “Although Your Majesty is magnanimous, as the saying goes, ‘failure to teach one’s children is the father’s fault.’ This old minister feels deeply ashamed and requests Your Majesty to dismiss this old minister from office as a warning to others! This would also set an example for those in court… letting them take this old minister as a lesson! From now on… the court’s atmosphere will surely be clear and bright. Consider it this old minister’s… last service for Your Majesty, repaying Your Majesty’s care and favor over the years.”

Hearing Chancellor Lu’s words, the Emperor’s anger toward him quietly dissipated. The Emperor sighed, his voice softening: “Gao Demao, help Chancellor Lu to his feet!”

“This old minister has failed Your Majesty and dares not rise!” Chancellor Lu’s voice choked with emotion, sincere.

“Chancellor Lu, since I ascended the throne, you have supported me throughout. I am well aware of this! This matter was caused by the corrupt atmosphere of examination fraud. That Chancellor Lu could righteously denounce his own family by personally coming to the palace to report his two sons to me – this balances out his merits and faults! Return home!”

“This old minister kowtows in gratitude for Your Majesty’s divine grace! Even ten thousand deaths cannot repay Your Majesty’s great kindness. This old minister will henceforth properly educate the children and grandchildren in his household, so they can all become useful to Your Majesty in the future, repaying Your Majesty’s sacred grace!” Chancellor Lu was moved to tears, kowtowing with his head to the ground.

The Emperor nodded with satisfaction: “Gao Demao, escort Chancellor Lu out.”

Gao Demao hurriedly and respectfully invited Chancellor Lu to walk out. Chancellor Lu expressed his gratitude and trepidation once more before slowly withdrawing from the great hall.

Since Qin Lang was also a tribute scholar participating in the palace examination, when Bai Jinxiu suddenly heard of such a major incident, she couldn’t sit still. After strictly ordering everyone in the Qin mansion not to discuss this matter, she had someone prepare a carriage to return to the Bai family.

Both Liu Shi and Dong Shi were also restless, fearing that this incident would implicate Qin Lang and Dong Changyuan.

Hearing that Bai Jinxiu had returned, Liu Shi came out to welcome her.

Bai Jinxiu grasped Liu Shi’s hand, walking together toward the inner courtyard while saying: “The entire capital is in chaos right now. Just now, the wife of Qin Lang’s maternal cousin secretly came to ask on behalf of Qin Lang’s uncle, fearing that I had also sent gifts. Now, all families with candidates in the spring examination are either clamoring to go to Wude Gate to seek justice, or are anxiously worried about their gift-giving being exposed! Before I came, I heard that Chancellor Lu had already entered the palace for an audience, and Chancellor Lu’s eldest and third sons had also gone to the Ministry of Justice!”

Liu Shi, being merely a woman of the inner quarters, listened with trembling fear: “Then this time… will it affect our son-in-law?”

“Our family didn’t send gifts, but if examination fraud is ultimately discovered, this spring’s examination results will just be voided! Qin Lang will probably have to take the exam again!” After Bai Jinxiu finished speaking to Liu Shi, she said, “Mother, you return to your courtyard first. I’ll go find my elder sister to discuss this. Let’s all not worry for now!”

“Right, right, right! You go discuss with A’Bao. A’Bao always has more ideas!” Liu Shi nodded.

When Bai Jinxiu entered the courtyard, supported by Cui Bi’s hand, she saw Bai Qingyan practicing with her silver spear, continuously repeating the monotonous movements of thrusting and stabbing.

“Elder sister…”

“Second Miss!” Chun Tao smiled and curtsied.

Hearing Bai Jinxiu’s voice, the sweat-covered Bai Qingyan sheathed her coldly gleaming silver spear, inserted it into the rack, and took the wet cloth Chun Tao handed her to wipe her face and hands: “Are you here because of this examination fraud case?”

Bai Jinxiu lifted her moon-white dress as she entered, nodding: “Right now, Minister of Justice Lu Jin has already gone to Wude Gate to pacify the candidates. Wen Zhenkang and his associates haven’t left the palace yet and have been detained by the Imperial Guards! As long as the bribery is confirmed, not only will the chief examiner and deputy examiners lose their heads, but the candidates’ results will probably all be voided!”

“So at this time, you cannot panic. Go back and have Qin Lang prepare well, with full concentration – he’ll probably have to take the exam again!” Bai Qingyan said to Bai Jinxiu.

“Elder sister? This matter…” Bai Jinxiu felt that elder sister was too calm, unhurried and composed, feeling this was elder sister’s handiwork. She asked in a low voice: “Does this matter have anything to do with our family?”