"Seventh Master, are you asking Little Liu to impersonate the candidate who forged the handwriting?" Chong Guang understood immediately. This person couldn't be found in a short time, at least not before the results were announced tomorrow. Once the results were out, it would be too late to do anything.
Zhan Feiyu tugged at Yin Wuyan's sleeve and asked curiously, "Is he good at forging handwriting?"
"Fat girl, there's nothing in this world that Little Liu can't imitate," Chong Guang laughed. The Forbidden Dragon Guard could make ministers tremble in court; they naturally had their foundations and capital.
After Chong Guang left, He Sheng and He Nuan also withdrew from the room.
Zhan Feiyu tilted her head, looking pitifully at Yin Wuyan, "Why don't we go and scout the Nanxuan Prefecture Office tonight?"
Every time a family was raided and exterminated, even the elderly with white hair or innocent children were arrested and imprisoned as they should be. Yin Wuyan had never shown mercy.
But looking at the beautiful young girl in front of him, Yin Wuyan couldn't bear to refuse, "Change your clothes."
Wearing only her sleepwear and a cloak over it, Zhan Feiyu let out a cry and ran towards her room, "Big Brother, wait for me, I'll be ready soon."
In the darkest hour before dawn, when people were sound asleep, Chen Xue Zheng was in a very good mood and slept soundly until he was awakened by urgent knocking.
"What is it?" Chen Xue Zheng roared. Anyone woken from a pleasant dream would have a bad temper.
"Sir, something has happened," the voice outside the bedroom said.
Upon hearing that it was Yan Hui's voice, Chen Xue Zheng sat up abruptly, "Come in!"
After a while, two guards stood outside the bedroom. Yan Hui lit a candle and looked at Chen Xue Zheng, who was sitting on the edge of the bed in his underclothes. He quickly reported, "Sir, we just received news that Hu Bingzhi arrested someone. Governor Zhang then led the constables to arrest Ding Yi and others, and they are being interrogated overnight."
His heart sank. Chen Xue Zheng's face turned ashen. He stood up abruptly and cursed angrily, "Qiu Ziliang was arrested? Are the two people guarding him blockheads? Why didn't they kill him?"
"Sir, please calm your anger. It wasn't Qiu Ziliang who was arrested," Yan Hui quickly said.
The enraged Chen Xue Zheng also paused. His expression remained grim, but the anger on his face subsided a little. He frowned and asked, "What exactly happened? Who did Hu Bingzhi arrest?"
Chen Xue Zheng's manipulation of Zhan Feiyu in the provincial examination was obvious. However, there was no evidence. Even if Hu Bingzhi and Zhang Chengli knew, they were helpless. What was the point of arresting Ding Yi and the others?
"I heard it was a candidate who was absent due to acclimatization. This person is skilled at forging handwriting. After he confessed, Governor Zhang immediately arrested Ding Yi and the others," Yan Hui, as Chen Xue Zheng's trusted bodyguard, knew many of the Chen family's secrets. That's why Yan Hui felt that this matter was strange and bizarre.
Chen Xue Zheng's face grew uglier and uglier. He paced back and forth in the room, and finally, in anger, he smashed the teacups and teapot on the table, "Well done, Hu Bingzhi! Well done, Zhang Chengli! They intend to call a deer a horse!"
What if they couldn't catch the handwriting forger Qiu Ziliang? They just needed to find a "Qiu Ziliang" to take the blame.
With the confessions of Ding Yi and the others, and the money found in their homes, Zhan Feiyu's exam paper was hidden, and a fake exam paper written by "Qiu Ziliang" appeared. Then the truth would be clear.
Not only would Chen Xue Zheng have to add a second round of re-examination, but he would also have to vindicate Zhan Feiyu.
The most hateful thing was that once this matter spread, Chen Xue Zheng, as the chief examiner of the provincial examination, allowed someone to exploit loopholes and replace Zhan Feiyu's exam paper. If this charge was imposed, even if Chen Xue Zheng was not dismissed from office, he would still be reprimanded by the Emperor. The key was that Zhan Feiyu would be completely unharmed.
Yan Hui looked at the agitated Chen Xue Zheng, not knowing how to persuade him. This was supposed to be a sure victory, but who would have thought that Zhan Feiyu would "take a risk" and carve out a path to survival? Zhan Feiyu was in an invincible position, while his lord was in a dilemma.
"I want to see how this 'Qiu Ziliang' managed to enter the examination hall and how he forged Zhan Feiyu's handwriting to the point of being indistinguishable from the original. I want to see if his bones are harder than my planks!" Chen Xue Zheng's eyes were sinister and terrifying, and the killing intent in his tone was undisguised. He had already decided to torture "Qiu Ziliang" to see if he could withstand it.
He thought that Governor Zhang and Hu Bingzhi had waited for him by remaining inactive during the day, catching him off guard.
Chen Xue Zheng laughed in extreme anger, squeezing out words from between his teeth, "You immediately go and take care of Qiu Ziliang. Remember, you do it yourself. I don't want to see any more accidents!"
"Yes, sir." Yan Hui agreed. His lord had originally planned to silence the witnesses after the situation had calmed down, but now it seemed that leaving Qiu Ziliang alive was too risky. Only by killing him could they ensure everything was foolproof.
In the bedroom, Zhan Feiyu winked at Yin Wuyan. As expected, there was an unexpected surprise.
Yan Hui opened the door and walked out, letting the guards at the door go in to clean up the broken teacups and teapot on the ground.
But at that very moment, as if sensing something, Yan Hui looked back towards the door. In the darkness, only the candlelight from inside cast a faint glow. The room was empty, with no one there.
Rubbing his temples, Yan Hui dismissed it as his imagination, but he was still worried about Chen Xue Zheng's safety. He whispered, "You two protect the sir without leaving his side."
"Yes," the two guards immediately replied.
If it weren't for Zhan Feiyu's invisible golden finger, even if Yin Wuyan's skills were far superior to Yan Hui's, he wouldn't have been able to eavesdrop on their conversation with Chen Xue Zheng, let alone know Qiu Ziliang's name.
The actions of Governor Zhang and Hu Bingzhi in arresting people late at night were naturally not hidden from the several examiners. Of course, they never intended to hide it; instead, they deliberately made a big scene and leaked the news.
Therefore, by the time dawn broke, the prefecture office was brightly lit, and constables were on high alert outside the gate.
Ding Yi, who had been arrested and imprisoned, and the soldiers responsible for collecting the papers, Wang Ping, and the scribe who transcribed them, Zhao Haiyuan, could not withstand the severe interrogation. They had already confessed. Constable Geng immediately led his men to search the inn where the three were staying and indeed found the hidden bank notes, one thousand taels each.
The monthly salary of an ordinary clerk was less than two taels of silver. With some illicit income, it would be at most thirty taels a year. One thousand taels was equivalent to about thirty years of salary, which perfectly illustrated the saying that wealth moves people's hearts.
In the dim morning light, Chen Xue Zheng, dressed in official robes, strode in with a stern face. His gloomy gaze swept over everyone present, and finally, he sat down in the main seat, "I didn't know what happened that required Governor Zhang to arrest people and interrogate them overnight. Does this humble official, a third-rank Xue Zheng of the imperial court, not have the right to be present?"
Governor Zhang, who was being targeted, stood up and cupped his hands in greeting towards Chen Xue Zheng in the upper seat, his attitude humble, "Sir, please calm your anger. It was truly sudden."
"When Official Hu questioned the orderly Ding Yi, who would have thought he would confess to taking money and deliberately splash tea all over Official Hu? Since it involved the imperial examinations, my subordinate and Official Hu dared not be negligent. We immediately investigated and interrogated all the soldiers, scribes, and orderlies from the provincial examination that day, and we found several who had accepted money."
After Governor Zhang finished speaking, he handed over the confession he had just obtained, "These are the signed and thumb-printed confessions of Ding Yi and the other two. Please review them, sir."
Chen Xue Zheng's gloomy gaze glanced at Governor Zhang. He picked up the three confessions and read them quickly.
After a while, Chen Xue Zheng put down the confessions and said meaningfully, "I don't see anything special in these three confessions. One person admitted to losing an exam paper, one person splashed Official Hu with tea, and one person hid Zhan Feiyu's black paper?"
Chen Xue Zheng sneered, "If I remember correctly, Zhan Feiyu's exam paper was placed there properly, but his Four Books essay was written terribly!"
"Replying to you, sir, Zhao Haiyuan has confessed that he hid Zhan Feiyu's exam paper and then burned it," Governor Zhang had to reiterate. With the signed and thumb-printed confessions here, Chen Xue Zheng deliberately ignored them.
"Governor Zhang, I heard that you used torture to extract a confession? Governor Zhang repeatedly mentions the imperial examination case. Does this mean you believe I was negligent? Or does it mean I was involved in bribery in the imperial examinations?"
As soon as his voice fell, Chen Xue Zheng slapped the table with a bang and reprimanded him sternly, "Without evidence, Governor Zhang dares to speak of imperial examination bribery? Zhang Chengli, I think you don't want that official hat on your head anymore!"
"Minister Chen!" With a bang, the sound of a teacup falling to the ground was heard.
Chen Xue Zheng, after throwing the cup at Hu Bingzhi, pointed at him with one hand and roared, "Then find this person who forged Zhan Feiyu's handwriting for me! I want to interrogate him personally!"
"The person is being held in the prefecture office prison," Hu Bingzhi did not back down at all, "Governor Zhang, bring the prisoner here!"
Two constables took their orders and went to the prison. The other examiners exchanged glances. Although none of them spoke, they all understood in their hearts that Zhan Feiyu's paper had indeed been hidden and destroyed. However, the confessions of Ding Yi and the other two were not enough to prove this. The key lay with the prisoner who was about to be interrogated.
The minor officials had already cleaned up the broken teacups on the ground and poured a fresh cup of tea onto Chen Xue Zheng's desk.
After picking up the teacup and taking a few sips of tea, Chen Xue Zheng narrowed his eyes and pondered. This so-called prisoner was just a pawn created by Zhang Chengli and Hu Bingzhi to call a deer a horse. Therefore, as soon as he came up, he would surely confess. Coupled with the confessions of Ding Yi and the other two, the four confessions would be ironclad evidence. Zhan Feiyu would be cleared, but he, the chief examiner, would be charged with negligent supervision.
Chen Xue Zheng's gaze became even colder and more menacing. He absolutely could not let this person confess!
After a while, two constables escorted the prisoner in.
Chen Xue Zheng looked up at the prisoner in the blood-stained prison uniform and roared angrily, "Audacious villain! How dare you not kneel when you see me? Guards, give him fifty heavy planks!"
Chen Xue Zheng's preemptive words stunned everyone present. The prisoner had just stepped in, and even if he were to kneel, he would have to walk to the center of the hall.
"It's late at night, don't disturb the neighbors. Muzzle him and beat him hard!" Chen Xue Zheng used this as an excuse to give a meaningful look to the soldiers below.
Unlike the last time he came to Nanxuan Prefecture, when Chen Xue Zheng only brought a few guards like Yan Hui, the constables and yamen runners of Nanxuan Prefecture were outwardly obedient but inwardly disobedient. Even if Chen Xue Zheng ordered a beating, if Governor Zhang didn't speak, the constables wouldn't carry out the order.
But this time it was different. For this provincial examination, Chen Xue Zheng not only brought fifty soldiers with him but also the scribes and minor officials responsible for matters related to the examination. Therefore, at Chen Xue Zheng's command, four soldiers immediately stepped forward.
Pushing aside the two constables, the burly soldiers kicked the prisoner's knees, forcing him to the ground. Then, they immediately covered his mouth with their companions and pressed him to the ground.
The remaining two soldiers took the court planks from the constables, raised them high, and brought them down heavily. In an instant, they struck seven or eight times. The posture clearly indicated their intention to beat the person to death.
"Minister Chen!" Hu Bingzhi glared at Chen Xue Zheng, who was deliberately acting this way, "This is just a scholar who couldn't even lift a chicken. After fifty planks, aren't you trying to silence him by killing him?"
Chen Xue Zheng was in a very good mood at the moment. He sneered with a fake smile, "Official Hu, as a third-rank Xue Zheng and the chief examiner of this provincial examination, what is wrong with me presiding over this case if you say it is an imperial examination case? If you are not satisfied, you can report it to the imperial court!"
"You..." Hu Bingzhi trembled with anger. Looking at the prisoner being beaten on the ground, making muffled sounds, he wished he could rush forward and snatch the court planks from the soldiers' hands.
Governor Zhang's expression also became extremely grim. However, as the saying goes, a higher rank crushes a lower one. Chen Xue Zheng's beating of the prisoner on the charge of disrespect was reasonable. Even though everyone knew that Chen Xue Zheng was trying to silence the witness.
But looking at the soldiers standing on both sides, their eyes glinting menacingly, Governor Zhang couldn't possibly let the constables and soldiers of Nanxuan Prefecture make a move. To put it mildly, it would be an unjust act; to put it broadly, it could be considered rebellion.
Seeing Hu Bingzhi and Governor Zhang's stifled expressions of anger but inability to speak, Chen Xue Zheng revealed a triumphant smile. Even if he didn't beat the person to death, what of it? After the results were announced at dawn, a thorough investigation could be conducted.
What was this person's name, whether he entered the examination hall, and whether he could forge handwriting – all would be revealed. At that time, he could even use this opportunity to send Governor Zhang and Hu Bingzhi to prison.
The sound of the court planks hitting flesh was muffled but chilling. With his mouth gagged, the prisoner could only let out muffled cries of pain. When the pain became unbearable, he struggled violently.
However, the two soldiers pressing him down were like two mountains. No matter how he struggled, the planks still fell heavily on his back and lower back...
"Sir, if you continue to beat him, I'm afraid he won't be able to hold on," Principal Cheng said, glancing at the prisoner who was breathing less and less. Without even interrogating him, without knowing his name, was he going to beat him to death like this?