The Emperor suddenly issued a decree appointing Wang Qingfan, Gu Yijian, Xie Lanqiao, and Zhang Xiulin as associate officials overseeing the spring imperial examinations, stationed to preside over the examination grounds.

Once this decree was issued, naturally quite a few veteran ministers were dissatisfied, feeling that these were nothing but children who hadn’t even finished growing up — how could they possibly handle such an important matter?

But the four families of Wang, Xie, Gu, and Zhang knew that achieving even this outcome had been no small feat.

“Brother Gu was right — when dealing with a woman, intimidation and temptation may not work, but appealing to her emotions will always be effective.” Wang Qingfan raised his eyes to look across at him, sighing with a faint laugh. “In the end, she still couldn’t bring herself to give up Zhang Zhixu.”

Across from him, Gu Yijian smiled with an air of profound mystery, lifted his teacup, and glanced sideways at the woman beside him.

Lu Qingrong had not deceived him this time — Zhang Zhixu and Chen Baoxiang were indeed deeply devoted to each other. If there was no opening to be found through Chen Baoxiang, then finding one through Zhang Zhixu would yield the same result.

For the great aristocratic clans, who among them didn’t have some troublesome affairs? As long as Chen Baoxiang had something to be wary of, everything else would become far easier to manage.

Lu Qingrong’s expression was calm and indifferent; she didn’t appear particularly excited.

It was only after the social engagements ended and she had left the Wang family’s residence that she asked: “Why was the Xie family brought along as well?”

Gu Yijian shook his head as he boarded the carriage. “I didn’t want to bring them either, but the decree came from His Majesty.”

“Xie Lanqiao is merely a sixth-rank official, and his elder brother was just demoted — by rights, he shouldn’t be receiving such an honor.” Lu Qingrong’s expression soured. “Is His Majesty actually planning to heavily employ the Xie family again?”

Gu Yijian settled himself inside the carriage and said with an amused laugh: “I naturally know you hold deep grievances against the Xie family, but their clan is still one of the foremost aristocratic houses in the realm. Did you think bringing down Xie Lanting alone would be enough to bring down the entire Xie family? That’s far too simplistic a way of thinking.”

Even the Zhang family’s earlier catastrophe had only cost them a dozen or so court officials.

So long as a great clan hasn’t committed the crime of treason and had their entire household exterminated, it is very difficult for them to decline in a short period of time.

Gu Yijian said this and then continued reviewing his own register of disciples.

This year, among each family’s disciples, the Wang family still had the most — over five hundred. The Xie family had over three hundred, and the Gu family also had over three hundred. But the Zhang family had suffered setbacks and mustered only a little over a hundred, with no particularly outstanding talents to speak of among them.

If he himself could preside over the examination hall, there would be far too many ways to facilitate matters for those beneath him. Gu Yijian was confident that from his three hundred candidates, he could produce more successful graduates than the Wang family.

Once these people emerged, he would have the means to secure official posts for them, and at that point the balance of power would inevitably tilt toward the Gu family. The title of the foremost aristocratic clan of Great Sheng — it should finally be the Gu family’s turn to bear it.

“My lord, Zhang Xiulin of the Zhang family has sent someone to invite my lord to join him in escorting the examination papers.” Someone reported from outside the carriage.

Gu Yijian clicked his tongue with mild displeasure. “This one’s another hothead — what’s there to gain from escorting examination papers? One must first inspect the examination grounds and meet with the examination officials below — that is what matters.”

As he said this, he turned his head to ask Lu Qingrong: “Didn’t your father previously have dealings with many people from the Hanlin Academy? Are there any among this year’s examination officials whom you are familiar with?”

Lu Qingrong replied with little interest: “I haven’t heard any names that ring a bell.”

“Then you may return to the residence for now.” Gu Yijian waved his hand dismissively. “There shouldn’t be anything more for you to do after this.”

“Understood.”

Sweeping her sleeves aside as she stepped down from the carriage, Lu Qingrong watched the Gu family carriage disappear into the distance, still feeling somewhat vexed.

She had come to use someone else’s blade to kill — not to become that blade herself.

When her family had met with disaster, her father had slipped her one hundred and twenty thousand taels in banknotes, urging her to flee as far as she could — to find a good place and live out the rest of her days in peace.

One hundred and twenty thousand taels was indeed enough for her to spend her entire life in idle comfort, but every time she thought about Xie Lanting — who had deceived her and then received promotions, married, had children, and lived a happy life — she was filled with a hatred so intense it was as if her heart were bleeding.

She had spent several months scraping by in Jiangbei, enduring beatings and suffering, and only after confirming that she could fully conceal her emotions did she write to Cheng Huaili.

But by that time, Cheng Huaili had been in a rather precarious position himself. After telling her about Chen Baoxiang’s origins, he had pushed her toward Gu Yijian.

Gu Yijian’s appetite was enormous — he opened his mouth asking for one hundred thousand taels, and even then only promised to clear her case and arrange for her placement at the entertainment district. Everything else she would have to manage on her own.

Heaven only knew how many times she had wanted to drive a blade straight through Xie Lanting.

But that wouldn’t be worth it. She wanted to see Xie Lanting suffer — ideally ten times, a hundred times more than she had suffered — and only then would she feel any satisfaction.

Lu Qingrong walked a few steps down the street, narrowing her eyes in the distance toward the direction where the Xie family’s estate lay.

·

Xie Lanting had received his reassignment orders to Jiangbei and would be departing in three days.

He packed his belongings with sluggish movements. His usually clean-shaven face had grown somewhat rough with stubble, and his eyes no longer held their former luster.

“Brother.” Xie Lanqiao pushed open the door and entered, at a loss. “Don’t be in such a hurry to leave — what am I supposed to do once you’re gone? I won’t be able to cope with the examination hall at all.”

Xie Lanting glanced at him. “Didn’t Father teach you what to do?”

“Of course he did.” Xie Lanqiao scratched his head. “But it’s all so complicated — I couldn’t even follow half of it.”

And no one had told him that serving as an examination official also meant slipping answers to candidates, helping to switch out examination papers, and hiding ghostwriters near the latrines. Father had also instructed him to find opportunities to approach the grading officials after the papers were collected.

Although Great Sheng’s examination papers were not anonymized, the grading officials’ preferences could greatly determine whether a person passed or not — but from the moment the grading officials were assigned, they were guarded by palace imperial guards, making them hardly easy for him to approach.

To say nothing of the officials responsible for posting the results, the officials responsible for delivering the papers, and even the minor clerks responsible for bringing lamp oil to the review hall — he was expected to cultivate relationships with every single one of them.

Xie Lanqiao’s face turned positively green with worry.

As Xie Lanting listened to him speak, he gradually began to feel that something was not right. “Have the methods become this blatant this year?”

In previous years, their family would know the general examination topics a full month before the exams began. Dedicated people would be assigned to coach the students below with mock questions and model answers. After the exams, they would additionally take care to avoid any conspicuous contact with the review officials, so as not to give others cause for criticism.

Why did this year’s approach sound so absurd — and so prone to errors?

“Father says this is His Majesty’s first imperial examination since ascending the throne, and those above are paying particular attention to it, so all the other usual channels are blocked.” Xie Lanqiao said. “The examination papers were set by His Majesty personally — no one was able to review them beforehand.”

Xie Lanting suddenly had another sense of foreboding.

He set down his things and went out to find his father, intending to urge him not to concern himself so much this year and to stop interfering with the imperial examinations.

But before he could even open his mouth, his father threw a teacup at him with a face full of fury: “You good-for-nothing wretch, what are you doing before me — you’re an eyesore! Get out!”

Xie Lanting attempted to explain: “I have something important to say.”

“Unless you are reinstated to your former position by tomorrow and bring glory to the Xie family, everything you say is nothing but an attempt to anger me to death — cough, cough, cough…”

His mother, tears streaming down her face, supported his father and frowned, gesturing for him to leave.

Xie Lanting fell silent.

He walked out through the door and looked up at the overcast sky outside, with an ever-present feeling that Shangjing might very soon be struck by a violent storm.