Chapter 51

Chapter Fifty

On the evening of the fourth day of the fourth month of the Hongde era in the Great Wei Dynasty, at the Confucius Temple examination hall, it was discovered that 112 examination papers were identical, with over seventy of them being exactly the same.

The imperial guards, upon hearing the news, immediately took control of the entire Confucius Temple, arresting the chief examiner, co-examiners, and all their assistants, including clerks, chief clerks, staff, and miscellaneous workers. They also escorted the seventeen chief and co-examiners to the palace gates that very night.

At this time, Emperor Zhao Yuansi of the Great Wei Dynasty was in the Fragrant Condensation Palace of Consort Shen, the mother of Prince Hongrun.

Due to Prince Hongrun's relationship, Consort Shen's status in the emperor's heart had risen significantly. However, because she was often in poor health, the emperor's overnight stays here were mostly spent discussing amusing stories from the childhoods of his eighth son, Hongrun, and his ninth son, Hongxuan, with her. They then slept separately, with almost no intimate activities.

Despite this, the emperor still enjoyed visiting her, chatting with her every few days. Today was one of those days.

Unexpectedly, not long after he fell asleep, the emperor was gently awakened by the grand eunuch Tong Xian.

"Your Majesty, an incident has occurred at the Confucius Temple."

"Speak softly," the awakened emperor was startled, making a gesture for Tong Xian to lower his voice. He then glanced at Consort Shen, who was sleeping on the same bed, adjusted her blanket, and carefully got up.

At this moment, Tong Xian had already brought the emperor's dragon robe. Knowing that Consort Shen was weak and easily startled during her sleep, he spoke in an extremely low voice: "Earlier, the Eighth Prince urgently summoned the imperial guards to seal off the Confucius Temple. It is said that over a hundred identical examination papers were found among the third day's candidates."

"Remarkable!" Upon hearing this, the emperor's face was filled with satisfaction and joy.

After all, the emperor had been closely watching his eighth son recently, hoping to see if he could uncover any cheating in the Ministry of Personnel's examination. Therefore, he was well aware that on the afternoon of that day, the Eighth Prince, Zhao Hongrun, had ordered the imperial guards to secretly have craftsmen from the Ministry of Works produce a batch of white wax.

Just as he was about to say more, he heard Consort Shen let out a soft moan, as if she was about to wake up.

Seeing this, the emperor immediately signaled Tong Xian to quietly leave the Fragrant Condensation Palace with him.

The two quietly came to the entrance of the Fragrant Condensation Palace.

"That rascal truly hasn't disappointed Me. ... Tong Xian, what about those people?"

"Your Majesty, the imperial guards have already escorted the chief examiner, Luo Wenzhong, and the sixteen co-examiners to the palace gates. The Eighth Prince and his imperial guards are also present. ... Does Your Majesty wish to question them?"

"Hmph!" The emperor laughed and said, "With over a hundred identical examination papers appearing in one examination, such a shocking case of cheating, how could I not immediately interrogate them? ... Order the imperial guards to escort those people to the Chongzheng Hall, and summon the Minister of Personnel and the Left and Right Secretaries."

"Yes."

After giving the orders, the emperor adjusted his dragon robe, took a deep breath, and put on an angry expression as he headed for the Chongzheng Hall.

By the time he arrived at the Chongzheng Hall, it was already around the tenth hour of the night. The chief examiner, Luo Wenzhong, and the sixteen co-examiners were already kneeling before the imperial desk.

Beside them, Prince Hongrun and his ten imperial guards were looking at them with a smug expression.

Stepping into the hall, the emperor caught sight of the comical mask hanging on his son Hongrun's head and almost burst out laughing. He managed to hold back, sitting down at the imperial desk with a stern face.

"Slap!"

The emperor's hand slammed down on the desk, as if striking the hearts of the seventeen examiners, causing them to shudder.

"Luo Wenzhong, tell Me, what is the meaning of this?!"

The emperor asked in a dark tone.

Luo Wenzhong, already pale, now looked even worse, kneeling on the ground and not daring to raise his head: "Your... Your subject does not know."

"Do not know? You are the chief examiner of this examination! Now, with over a hundred identical examination papers appearing, you tell Me you do not know?!"

Luo Wenzhong trembled with fear.

"And you? Do you not know either?!" The emperor asked the sixteen co-examiners.

"..." The sixteen co-examiners knelt on the ground with their heads lowered, not uttering a word.

"Is this how you repay My trust in you? Over a hundred identical papers... How could the candidates possibly write over a hundred identical papers?!"

"The subjects... are guilty." The seventeen examiners said in unison.

The emperor took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and remained silent, as if waiting for something.

The entire Chongzheng Hall fell silent, with no one daring to breathe loudly, except for the Eighth Prince, Zhao Hongrun, who yawned one after another.

After a long while, a young eunuch hurried in and reported, "Your Majesty, Minister of Personnel He Mei, Left Secretary Xi Jiang, and Right Secretary Kan Mi are outside the hall, requesting an audience."

"Admit them!" The emperor coldly ordered.

The young eunuch bowed and retreated. A moment later, a fifty-year-old official led two middle-aged officials into the hall. Seeing the group of Ministry of Personnel officials kneeling before the imperial desk, they all showed a look of helplessness and knelt down in front of Luo Wenzhong without a word.

"Your subject He Mei (Xi Jiang, Kan Mi) pays respects to Your Majesty." The three said in unison.

"You may rise." The emperor waved his hand, allowing the Minister of Personnel and the Left and Right Secretaries to stand.

"Thank Your Majesty."

The three stood up, bowing their heads and standing respectfully, not daring to look sideways.

"He Minister."

"Your subject is here."

"This examination was overseen by your Ministry of Personnel. I have always trusted you, but this time, you have greatly disappointed Me!"

"Your... subject is guilty." The Minister of Personnel, He Mei, knelt down again with a thud.

At this moment, the emperor glanced at the Minister of Personnel, stood up, and picked up a thick stack of examination papers from the desk. He slowly walked to He Mei and casually scattered them in front of him, saying in a deep voice, "Under the supervision of your Ministry of Personnel, over a hundred almost identical examination papers appeared in one examination. What do you have to say?"

He Mei knelt on the ground, picked up a few papers, and examined them closely. Indeed, although the handwriting was different, the content was shockingly similar, with some being exactly the same.

"..."

The fifty-year-old Minister of Personnel glanced sideways at Luo Wenzhong and the other officials behind him, and said in a low voice, "Your subject has failed in my duties. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Left Secretary, Xi Jiang, and the Right Secretary, Kan Mi, also bowed and confessed their guilt.

"This examination, although not directly handled by you three, you have indeed failed in your duties. I will reduce your salaries by half for six months. Do you have any complaints?"

"Your Majesty is merciful." The Minister of Personnel and the Left and Right Secretaries hurriedly thanked him, as a six-month salary reduction was a very light punishment.

"But you..." The emperor turned to the seventeen examiners, including Luo Wenzhong, and angrily rebuked them, "As examiners, you allowed such a shocking case of cheating to occur, making a mockery of our Great Wei's examination system... What do you have to say?!"

"Your Majesty, spare our lives." The seventeen examiners repeatedly bowed and begged for mercy.

"Hmph!" The emperor coldly snorted and coldly scanned the group of kneeling officials, "I do not believe you were completely unaware of this. Some of you may have known and turned a blind eye... Tomorrow at the morning court, I will hand this matter over to the Supreme Court for a thorough investigation. Also, He Minister."

"Your subject is here."

"I believe there is chaos within your Ministry of Personnel. I order you to immediately clean it up. As for the re-examination, I will hand it over to the Ministry of Rites. What do you think?"

"..."

The Minister of Personnel, He Mei, felt a jolt in his heart upon hearing this. He looked up and glanced at the emperor, who was staring intently at him. He seemed to understand something and lowered his head, saying, "Your... subject obeys."

"Handing the examination over to the Ministry of Rites?"

Zhao Hongrun was also taken aback, wondering if this was a temporary measure or a permanent change in the management of the examination.

That night, the emperor issued several orders.

First, he established the Censorate, responsible for investigating officials, inspecting counties, correcting legal cases, and maintaining court etiquette.

Second, the Ministry of Personnel's Department of Evaluation would no longer be responsible for evaluating and promoting officials in the capital and those above the fifth rank in the provinces, which would now be handled by the Censorate.

Third, the Ministry of Personnel's Department of Selection would no longer be responsible for recommending and appointing officials in the capital and those above the fifth rank in the provinces, which would now be handled by the Secretariat and the Censorate.

Fourth, the examination would be transferred from the Ministry of Personnel to the Ministry of Rites, which would be fully responsible for it.

As for Luo Wenzhong and the other sixteen examiners, they were immediately handed over to the Supreme Court for investigation.

Listening to the emperor's orders, which seemed to be dismantling the Ministry of Personnel, Zhao Hongrun felt increasingly uneasy.

He sensed that this was not a hasty decision but a well-thought-out plan.

What puzzled Zhao Hongrun even more was that the emperor did not seem to be deeply investigating whether Luo Wenzhong and the sixteen examiners were involved in corruption. It seemed as if he was using this incident to weaken the Ministry of Personnel.

"Could it be..."

Unconsciously, Zhao Hongrun's expression turned grim.

At this moment, the emperor, who had simply dealt with the examination cheating, slowly walked to his side, leaned down, and whispered in his ear.

"Done well! But this round, I win... Remember, currently you... one win, two losses!"

With that, he lightly patted Zhao Hongrun's shoulder and walked out of the Chongzheng Hall with a smile.

"Ha ha ha ha—"

From the side, the grand eunuch Tong Xian looked at the stunned Eighth Prince, Zhao Hongrun, and then at the smiling emperor. He seemed to hear the emperor's low murmur from that day in the Chongzheng Hall.

"The Ministry of Personnel... is too big..."

With a hint of regret, Tong Xian looked at Zhao Hongrun and followed the laughing emperor.

Looking back at the departing emperor and eunuch, Zhao Hongrun was completely stunned.

"Your Highness, Your Highness..."

Noticing their prince's unusual expression, the imperial guards gathered around and found him clenching his fists tightly, his young face flushed red.

Yes, Zhao Hongrun's goal was achieved; Luo Wenzhong would likely lose his position. But, but...

"Ah ah ah ah ah—!"

A shrill, desperate scream echoed throughout the Chongzheng Hall.

Hearing this scream from a distance, the emperor's face showed even more satisfaction.

"Ha! This scream is more refreshing than ever, ha ha ha..."

The page turns, and the advertisement begins.

The page turns, and the advertisement ends.