The matter extended far beyond this. This successful candidate’s licentiate title had been obtained by stealing someone else’s essay.

Indeed, he was the one who had stolen Xiao Huayong’s essay to become the Provincial Graduate three years ago. Xiao Huayong had used some tactics to prevent him from successfully participating in that year’s spring examination, all for today.

From the former Prefect of Wuzhou who was now Governor, to that year’s chief examiner – none could escape. Emperor Youning sent imperial commissioners to thoroughly investigate. In the capital, the Minister of Rites was stripped of his position for leaking examination questions, and his grandson was executed. The Vice Minister of Rites had only been negligent in supervision, but after discovering the candidate was incompetent, he chose to cover it up and was also dismissed.

The Director of the Imperial Academy’s family had originally been used, but after the results were posted, the questions were made public, and the top essay was displayed for all to read. The He family knew their distant relative had stolen the questions but remained silent because they knew how far the implications reached.

The Director of the Imperial Academy was also dismissed, and his son was stripped of his scholarly honors and banned from ever holding office.

This was merely what pertained to this candidate surnamed He. Emperor Youning, seeing the larger picture from this small detail, didn’t believe this was an isolated case. He dispatched Imperial Censors to various regions, determined to investigate this matter thoroughly. As for how many people would be punished, it depended on how far the matter reached.

During the rouge case, Xiao Huayong had cleverly manipulated the situation, giving the involved parties time to flee while having his people watch them. When His Majesty investigated, he had his people capture these individuals and claim great merit. These people all received important positions in local government.

After taking their positions, they began preparing for the spring examination matter. Therefore, when the Imperial Censors arrived, they quickly submitted suspicious cases from previous years. Their cooperative attitude and efficient work, compared to others, again won Emperor Youning’s high praise.

“The capital’s sky is about to change,” Xiao Changqin stood under a pavilion, looking at the sky near Qingming Festival, often covered by dark clouds.

“Second Brother and Fourth Brother are scrambling about, using this to place who knows how many people. Why is Big Brother unmoved?” Xiao Changying stood beside him, the brothers of equal height.

Even if they had no desire to compete for the throne, they couldn’t be controlled by others. These two brothers, one gloomy and one mad, were not good people. Once powerful, they would surely move against their brothers.

“This trap was set by His Highness the Crown Prince. However many people they place, they’re all just covering for His Highness,” Xiao Changqin’s lips curved in a barely perceptible mockery. “The more they move now, the more their people are exposed.”

The Crown Prince’s scheme aimed to replace the corrupt officials at court, disrupt the current situation, and see clearly whose people were whose. Second Brother and Fourth Brother’s hasty actions had almost completely exposed their forces to the Crown Prince’s eyes.

“How does Big Brother know this is the Crown Prince’s scheme?” Xiao Changying wasn’t naive enough to think such an uncontrollable examination fraud case had no one pushing it along. He had vaguely guessed it might be the Crown Prince’s doing but had no evidence.

“I saw that essay that won He the Provincial Graduate title three years ago,” said Xiao Changqin.

At that time, he still had ambitions to become the ruler of the world, wanting his wife to become the most noble person in heaven. He even deceived himself thinking that if the Gu family and the imperial family continued their balance of power, when he ascended the throne, he could spare the Gu family.

Therefore, he paid attention to talented people from various regions. Scholars from humble backgrounds were easiest to win over – they had no foundation and no complex marriage alliances.

“At the time, I felt it was refined yet unconventional; showing depth of thought and strategic brilliance.” Xiao Changqin couldn’t help but smile absently as he spoke. “I noticed the writing showed restraint, and thought this person’s restraint was especially admirable. Only today do I realize that this restraint was merely what his false identity required.”

Who wrote Candidate He’s essay had become a mystery because the investigation revealed the student who took the examination had died before the autumn examination three years ago – he couldn’t possibly have taken the exam or written that essay.

“Wuzhou is very far from Luoyang…” Xiao Changying felt it unreasonable for Xiao Huayong to go to Wuzhou to take the examination under a false name.

“Has His Highness the Crown Prince been in Luoyang all these years?” Xiao Changqin asked with a smile.

He wouldn’t have been. These years, Xiao Huayong had deceived everyone’s eyes, using his short life expectancy as cover, making every prince forget about him. His Majesty was busy with state affairs and knew the Empress Dowager was by his side, only sending people to convey greetings and precious items during festivals.

Without anyone’s knowledge, he had grown into an unfathomable Crown Prince.

“Just from this, you can determine it was the Crown Prince’s doing?”

Xiao Changqin said: “His writing and his current way of handling matters are extremely similar…”

A person’s writing easily reveals their character and inner desires. Combined with the earth-shattering nature of this examination fraud case, Xiao Changqin felt nobody but the Crown Prince could have accomplished this.

At this moment, he must surely be restraining himself, not moved by this piece of fat meat before his eyes. Once his people moved, they would all be exposed to Xiao Huayong.

“Your Highness, only Prince Xin and Prince Lie have shown no movement,” Tianyuan reported to Xiao Huayong in the Eastern Palace.

“His Majesty’s judgment of people is beyond doubt. Fifth Brother has the talent of a ruler,” Xiao Huayong acknowledged Xiao Changqin. “Note down all Second Brother and Fourth Brother’s people. In the future, when something happens, we can push them forward to take the blame. With them paving the way, our people can slowly climb up.”

All these years he had never rushed to arrange people in court. Shen Xihe thought he had many people, but only Zhao Zhenghao and Cui Jinbai – the rest, including Xiao Fuxing, were only brought under his wing after the rouge case.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to or didn’t dare, but that the time wasn’t ripe. His Majesty was in his prime – arranging too early would only become His Majesty’s suspicion and sacrifice in the competition between various forces. Now was the best time to make arrangements.

He had indeed placed many people in court positions, but they were all obscure minor officials, eighth and ninth rank with only one of the seventh rank.

Only people who climbed up step by step like this would be trusted as loyal subjects when His Majesty became elderly.

“Your Highness, your original plan wasn’t like this…” Tianyuan hesitated to continue.

The spring examination move had been planned for three years, meant to bring down many people, and from the beginning, His Highness wasn’t supposed to arrange people in the most inconspicuous places but should have forcefully seized important positions.

“Originally it was just a casual game,” Xiao Huayong raised his eyes to look at the painting on the wall, which had both him and her.

At that time he hadn’t thought about living long and was just playing with them to pass his remaining boring days while he was alive.

“Now I need to think more for her.”

In ten years, these people’s wings would be fully grown. If something happened to him, then as she wished, she would have sufficient power to become the most noble person in this imperial city.

He wasn’t sure if he could pass the great hurdle four years later. Such a person as himself shouldn’t have pursued her, shouldn’t have forcefully married her – he should have found someone more suitable who could accompany her longer.

But he was so selfish, he simply couldn’t bring himself to smile and give her up to another.

For this shameful selfish desire of his, he could only try his best to compensate her. She cared about the Northwest, she wanted to control her destiny. If he couldn’t forge this path for her himself, then he would do his utmost to pave every step for her.

Whether as Empress Dowager or Female Emperor, this was the most he could give her with everything he had.

Even if he wasn’t by her side in the future, she could live as she wished.