Chapter 36

In front of the Golden Hall, the Dragon Drum was struck ten times, and the Awakening Dragon Bell was rung nine times.

After the sound of the bell and drum, Jiang Chen strode into the hall. With the Dragon-Engraved Gold Token, the imperial guards let him pass without any hindrance.

Under the astonished gazes of all the officials, Jiang Chen strode to the throne, shouted "Long live the Emperor," and then began to plead his case: "Your Majesty, I have studied diligently for ten years, both in literature and martial arts. My loyalty is as clear as the sun and the moon. Unfortunately, I have been wronged by a villain, and I have suffered a great injustice. With no other place to seek justice, I have come to Your Majesty to file a complaint. Your Majesty, with your benevolence and virtue, will surely do justice for me."

"Minister Jiang, why are you so distressed? What injustice have you suffered? Tell me about it," Dongfang Lumei said. Although he suspected that Jiang Chen was putting on a show, the current situation in the capital had already unknowingly pushed him and Jiang Chen onto the same boat, so he had to cooperate.

"The matter is as follows, Your Majesty," Jiang Chen then recounted the entire story, embellishing the key points to ensure that the blame was squarely on Du Ruhai.

In this matter, Jiang Chen was in the right and had a solid case, so he felt no pressure at all.

After listening to Jiang Chen, Dongfang Lumei pondered for a long time: "If what you say is true, Minister Jiang, you have indeed suffered a great injustice. I am aware of the situation. However, one-sided accounts can be misleading, and I need to hear the other side's version of events from the Qianlong Examination Hall."

"I am willing to confront Du Ruhai face-to-face!" Jiang Chen, who was determined to win even when he was in the wrong, was even more resolute now that he was in the right.

Moreover, Du Ruhai had truly infuriated him this time, and Jiang Chen was determined to see this through to the bitter end.

As he spoke, Du Ruhai arrived, sobbing and wailing. His face was marked with a prominent handprint, his hair was disheveled, and his clothes were in disarray, as if he had torn them himself.

His appearance was so pitiful that it immediately evoked sympathy.

"Some of the nobles and officials thought, 'Du Ruhai is indeed a crafty old fox. His acting skills far surpass those of Jiang Chen.'"

It had to be admitted that Du Ruhai's performance was more skillful and vivid. His sorrowful eyes, pitiful actions, and disheveled appearance made him seem like a walking tragedy.

"Your Majesty, I have been wronged," Du Ruhai prostrated himself, his buttocks high in the air, and tears streamed down his face like a faucet.

"Minister Du, please stand and speak," Dongfang Lumei said, unable to show favoritism in front of the other officials.

Jiang Chen did not act rashly in the Golden Hall. He stood calmly to one side, watching Du Ruhai's performance with a cold sneer, feeling nothing but disdain for this clown.

"Your Majesty, I accuse Jiang Chen of lawlessness and disorder. He caused a disturbance at the Qianlong Examination Hall, assaulted the supervisor, and even incited Princess Gouyu to violate the ancestral rules. Your Majesty, this man caused a commotion at the Heaven Worship Ceremony and now challenges the ancestral laws. The Jiang family father and son are guilty of heinous crimes. I humbly request Your Majesty to make a wise decision and punish the Jiang family by exterminating their nine clans."

Du Ruhai, who had reached his current position through political acumen, knew how to stir emotions, incite public anger, and frame others. He was adept at making false accusations and pinning serious charges on the Jiang family to crush them.

However, he had not anticipated that Dongfang Lumei had already aligned the Jiang family with the royal camp. His performance did not move Dongfang Lumei but instead made him more wary of Du Ruhai.

Some of the older officials, however, were stirred by Du Ruhai's performance. These old conservatives had been unhappy with Jiang Chen's behavior at the Heaven Worship Ceremony, seeing it as an ominous sign.

Now, with Jiang Chen causing trouble at the Qianlong Examination Hall and challenging the ancestral laws, they viewed it as a grave offense.

"Your Majesty, the Jiang family father and son are so audacious that they cannot be tolerated!"

"I agree. Such a corrupt wind must not be allowed to grow!"

Two elderly officials with white beards quickly chimed in to support Du Ruhai.

Jiang Chen glanced at the two old men and then looked at Longteng Marquis, who stood on the left side of the hall, deep in thought.

Longteng Marquis appeared calm, as if the matter had nothing to do with him. However, Jiang Chen was certain that Longteng Marquis was behind everything.

Du Ruhai's performance, the two old men's incitement, and the support of others created a tense atmosphere.

Among the officials present, there were supporters of Longteng Marquis and his opponents.

"Your Majesty, I have listened to both Jiang Chen and Minister Du, and I find this matter quite suspicious. Why not give them a chance to defend themselves and prove their innocence? If Jiang Chen is wrong, the law will not spare him. But if someone dared to cheat at the Qianlong Examination, that is also a challenge to the ancestral laws. We must not wrong an innocent person or let a guilty one go unpunished. This matter must be handled fairly and openly to satisfy both sides," a loyal supporter of the royal family said, trying to defuse the situation.

"I agree. All we have heard so far are one-sided accounts. They should be given a chance to speak fully and defend themselves," another official who was friendly with the Jiang family added.

Dongfang Lumei pondered for a moment and nodded: "Very well, Minister Du, you may speak first."

Du Ruhai nodded: "Very well, I will speak first. Before the three basic examinations, the Jiang family approached me twice. The first time, they offered me 600,000 taels of silver. As a loyal servant of the emperor, I could not accept such a bribe. I firmly rejected Jiang Feng's unreasonable request to cheat and later turned over the 600,000 taels to the state treasury."

"The second time, Jiang Feng and his son invited me to their residence. They tried to persuade me, but when that failed, Jiang Chen openly threatened me, saying I would regret it."

"I am a man of integrity, serving the emperor with a clear conscience. How could I fear the threats of the Jiang family? However, who would have thought that the Jiang family would be so ruthless? After failing the examination, they caused a disturbance at the hall and even assaulted me! Your Majesty, the Qianlong Examination has many stages, each handled by specialists. The subject supervisors can testify that Jiang Chen's answers were nonsensical and off-topic. How could I possibly favor him and violate the rules of the Qianlong Examination and the ancestral laws?"

Du Ruhai spoke with such confidence and without a hint of hesitation, appearing like an incorruptible official.

His eloquence was impressive, and many neutral officials began to doubt the Jiang family's innocence.

Dongfang Lumei found the matter troubling and looked at Jiang Chen.

"Your Majesty, I did not come to the Golden Hall to compete in rhetoric with Du Ruhai. He has spent decades in office, and his rhetorical skills are already at a masterful level. He could turn a straw into gold."

"The 600,000 taels of silver is true, but it was not my father who asked him to cheat. Instead, Du Ruhai came to the Jianghan Marquisate and hinted that we could buy safety with money. If we did not pay the 600,000 taels, he would fail me in the basic examinations."

"He took the money, but later, he received pressure from certain forces. He came back to us and said that even though he had taken the money, he would still fail me in the basic examinations. My father, angry at his lack of integrity, argued with him, saying he had taken the money but was not doing his job."

"If 600,000 taels could buy us safety, we would have accepted it. We could have tightened our belts and lived frugally for a few years. However, Du Ruhai, under the emperor's grace, ignored the ancestral laws and openly violated the rules of the Qianlong Examination by switching my answers! Your Majesty, I ask, if I passed the first two basic examinations, how could I fail the third, which only required rote memorization? Does this make sense?"

"What? Switching answers?"

"Does Du Ruhai have the nerve to do such a thing?"

"The Qianlong Examination has never been tampered with in history. Is the Jiang family falsely accusing him?"

"Jiang Chen's point is valid. The third examination only required rote memorization, which even a child of seven or eight could pass with some effort!"

The officials were divided, unsure who was telling the truth.

If judged by their reputations, Jianghan Marquis Jiang Feng was a man of integrity.

Du Ruhai, on the other hand, had a less favorable reputation. He was known for his greed and corruption, and his reputation in the capital was not good.

Dongfang Lumei rubbed his forehead and looked outside, hoping Princess Gouyu would appear to help him judge the situation.

However, Princess Gouyu had not shown up, and he wondered what she was doing.

Du Ruhai stomped his feet: "Jiang Chen, you are slandering me. This is the Golden Hall, and your words must be backed by evidence. If you have no evidence, I can accuse you of defaming a minister."

"Evidence?" Jiang Chen smiled coldly. "I have a question for you, Du Ruhai. You say my answers were nonsensical and off-topic. Let's have a bet here in the Golden Hall. Call the subject supervisors, and I will answer the questions again. We will see if my answers are as bad as you claim."

"Answer again?" Du Ruhai laughed, placing his hands on his hips. "Jiang Chen, who do you think you are? The rules set by our ancestors have never been changed. Why should they be changed for you?"

"Du Ruhai, you are afraid, so you oppose it."

At this point, all the subject supervisors and Jiang Chen's exam papers were presented to Dongfang Lumei.

Dongfang Lumei looked at them and sighed: "Jiang Chen, your name is on the paper, and the handwriting matches yours. To prove your innocence, you need more evidence."

Jiang Chen was not afraid. He looked calmly at the four subject supervisors: "Your Majesty, it is difficult to find evidence now. However, I remember the exam content and my answers clearly. I humbly request Your Majesty to give me a chance to write down my correct answers. Even if the Jiang family loses the feudal order, I will accept the loss with no regrets."

"Very well, bring the writing materials!" Dongfang Lumei immediately agreed.

"Your Majesty, isn't this against the ancestral rules?"

"Your Majesty, be cautious. The laws of our ancestors cannot be changed lightly."

Dongfang Lumei smiled faintly: "Gentlemen, there is no need to worry. I only want to see Jiang Chen's correct answers. I have not said that if his answers are correct, he will pass. This is to help resolve the case, not to re-examine him. Both parties are my trusted ministers, and I cannot act rashly."

The writing materials were quickly prepared. Jiang Chen stepped forward calmly and began to write.

The atmosphere in the hall became tense and anxious.