Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 365 The students dare not spend a single penny!

"Take them down!"

Wen He had just stepped onto the bluestone steps in front of the Hundred Cavalry Commandery.

He suddenly turned around, glanced at the four scholars following closely behind him, and said in a deep voice to the centurion guarding the door.
The hundred riders at the gate had already noticed that the four of them had been following Wen He closely, and immediately waved when they heard this.

Four hundred guards moved with the speed of leopards, instantly advancing and grabbing Zhang Hai and his companions' arms like iron clamps.

The cold armor clung to the blue robes, and the obsequious smiles on Zhang Hai and the other three froze instantly, their faces turning ashen as they struggled to shout.

“Lord Wen! Why are you arresting us? We only wanted your guidance on our writing, and we did not offend you in the slightest! This is an abuse of power, and we will appeal to the Censorate!”

Wen He slowly turned around, his fingertips casually brushing against the specially made belt of the Hundred Riders at his waist. The copper bells swayed gently, but this only made his tone seem even colder.

"Guiding on the article? I only took over the post of Principal Clerk of the Ministry of Personnel yesterday afternoon at the Lizheng Hall. Even the officials of the Ministry of Personnel are not fully aware of it yet. The appointment document for Assistant Minister Ma was only delivered to the Ministry of Personnel this morning."

"You guys are something else. You finished writing your reports and submitted them overnight, and you were even blocking the gate of a certain mansion this morning. Your speed of getting information is probably faster than the scouts of my Hundred Cavalry Division, isn't it?"

"You've misunderstood, Mr. Wen!"

Cold sweat trickled down Zhang Hai's forehead and down his temples. His voice trembled, but he still tried to defend himself.

“Yesterday at Qingfeng Tea House in Pingkangfang, we overheard some customers chatting about your involvement in the preparations for the Spring Examination. Thinking that the county magistrate is a talent scout for those from humble backgrounds, we rushed to write our submissions overnight and hoped you would pay attention. This was all a coincidence, and we had no intention of spying on you!”

"coincide?"

Wen He raised an eyebrow, took two steps forward, and scanned the four people's evasive eyes with sharp eyes.

The thin-faced scholar on the left dared not meet his gaze, his eyes constantly glancing at the ground.

The two people on the right deliberately straightened their backs, but the fingers gripping the scroll were tightening slightly.

"There are over eight hundred scholars in Chang'an this year. If it were just a casual chat in a teahouse, the news would have spread throughout the city long ago. Why are only the four of you here?"

"From Gaoyang County to the Imperial City, one has to pass through Zhuque Street and Chongye Ward. There are at least twenty inns along the way where scholars often stay, including three in Pingkang Ward alone. Why haven't we seen a second group of people following us?"

He raised his hand to signal the guards to loosen their grip on the four men's arms slightly, but still maintained the encirclement, his tone now carrying a hint of insight.

“You say you heard it from rumors, but these rumors only reached your ears.”

"Among all of Chang'an, only the four of you happened to hear the news. With so many coincidences, do you think I should believe it or not?"

Zhang Hai's face turned from pale to ashen, his fingers unconsciously clenching his sleeves so tightly that his nails almost dug into his flesh. He tried to remain calm and shouted.

“Mr. Wen, the four of us just… just happened to meet at the teahouse yesterday. After hearing the news, we decided to prepare to submit our papers together. It really was just a coincidence. You can’t conclude that we have a problem based on a mere coincidence!”

"Just a coincidence?" Wen He scoffed, her tone becoming increasingly certain.

"Let me ask you this: ordinary scholars, upon hearing the news, would either come alone or with friends from their hometown. How could you four, from different places, have managed to come together?"

"Besides, if the four of you had no background or status, how could you have known the news earlier than others? Even if you did hear the rumors earlier, there would be other scholars along the two miles from Gaoyang Prefecture to the capital. Why were only the four of you the ones who came?"

"What does this mean?"

Zhang Hai was speechless, unable to utter a complete sentence for a long time, and could only ask back in a flustered manner.

"What does 'say'...mean?"

"This means you must have been instructed by someone."

Wen He's eyes were sharp as she stared directly at Zhang Hai.

"Although I don't know what your purpose is, perhaps it's just for speculation, I always take things seriously. The Hundred Cavalry Division's prison may be small, but it can accommodate four distinguished guests. I'll trouble you to stay for a few days while I investigate the truth."

"Wenxianzi! You can't do this!"

Zhang Hai's voice changed in his haste.

“We are scholars of this session. You imprison us without cause. Aren’t you afraid of disappointing scholars across the land? Aren’t you afraid of being impeached by the censors for abusing your power?”

What does it matter to me if scholars across the land are disheartened?

As for the censor?

Ha ha.

It seems like quite a few new people have recently joined the Censorate.

He wanted to see who dared to do it.

Wen He was too lazy to argue with them anymore. He waved his hand at the captain and said, "Separate them into different cells, one person per cell. They are not allowed to communicate with each other. There is no need to rush to interrogate them. Let them wait. If anyone makes a fuss, gag them. Don't let these people disrupt the order of the Hundred Cavalry Division."

"Here!"

The cavalryman bowed and accepted the order, then waved to his colleagues, who dragged the four men toward the western prison cells.

"Mr. Wen, spare my life!"

"We are truly innocent."

Zhang Hai and the other three were still struggling and shouting.

But his struggles were futile as he was dragged along by the hundred guards.

After the four were taken away, Wen He turned and walked into the council hall of the Hundred Cavalry Division.

The faint scent of pine smoke filled the hall, dispelling the morning chill.

Su Dingfang was deep in thought, staring at an open border map, his finger lightly tapping on the marks of Turkic tribes, seemingly pondering the deployment of defenses along the border.

Old Su still longs to go to the grasslands.

Not being able to capture Jieli before was arguably his biggest regret.

Xu Jingzong sat at a table to the side, holding a brush in his hand, organizing the newly arrived files.

Upon seeing Wen He enter, the two quickly stood up to greet him.

"Jiaying, it's been quite a while since you've been to the Hundred Riders," Old Xu teased.

"I've been busy with work," Wen He said with a smile, and then greeted Su Dingfang, "Greetings, General."

"Greetings, sir Wen." Su Dingfang immediately returned the greeting.

Since Su Dingfang became the Inspector General of the Hundred Cavalry, Wen He has hardly come here anymore.

Unless something special happens, it's really hard to see him again among the Hundred Riders.

What happened outside just now?

After Wen He sat down, Xu Jingzong handed her a bowl of honey water and asked her what was wrong.

Wen He then recounted what had happened.

Xu Jingzong frowned sharply: "The imperial examination is indeed a common event, held every year. However, Jiaying, your status is special. I'm afraid the sons of noble families won't come to you, but the sons of poor families will."

“But people from poor families are often isolated from information. Even if they knew, they shouldn’t have been able to get in so quickly. These four people probably have ulterior motives.”

Su Dingfang nodded slightly upon hearing this, his eyes showing a hint of understanding: "It seems someone is trying to use the imperial examination as an excuse to gather information?"

"I don't know." Wen He put down her teacup, her tone becoming serious.

"This year's imperial examination will implement new methods such as locking the examination halls, anonymizing names, and mutual supervision by two officials. The sons of aristocratic families will definitely be unwilling. In the past, they relied on submitting their papers, sending notes, and even bribing examiners to monopolize most of the admission quotas. Now that we have cut off their access, they will definitely resort to some underhanded tricks."

"The news about those four people came suspiciously. Their eyes were shifty when they spoke, and they didn't seem like poor scholars who genuinely sought guidance. They might be spies sent by some aristocratic family. Let's detain them first, lest they break the rules of the imperial examination."

"This is also a good opportunity to tell those who want to sell their scrolls that they shouldn't even think about getting a chance from me."

The scroll is in motion.

To put it bluntly, they wanted to cheat.

Build a good relationship with the examiners to gain more opportunities.

Xu Jingzong frowned slightly, his tone tinged with worry: "But if it's really as they say, just an ordinary scholar trying to submit his work, wouldn't arresting and imprisoning him directly give others grounds for criticism?"

"After all, scholars are sensitive about the imperial examinations. If word gets out that the Hundred Cavalry Division is detaining scholars without cause, it might lead to impeachment by the censors, and might even make people think that His Majesty's promotion of fair examinations is a pretense, and that he is actually suppressing scholars."

Wen He glanced at him sideways, her tone tinged with helplessness: "Old Xu, you're overthinking things. The Hundred Riders don't need to consider so much when they do things."

"Besides, there are too many loopholes in what those four people said, so there must be something wrong with them. And by doing this, aren't I saving myself a lot of trouble?"

Wen He smiled.

In this way, even if someone knows that he is the deputy chief examiner for this year's imperial examination, it will not be possible to detect him.

No one would dare to come knocking on the door to collect documents anymore.

He paused, then changed the subject, bringing the topic back to the preparations for the imperial examinations: "Let's not talk about that now. I've called you here today to discuss matters related to the imperial examinations."

"This imperial examination will implement the measures of locking the examination hall, anonymizing names, and mutual supervision by two officials. Although His Majesty has approved it, I am still not at ease. After the examiners lock the examination hall, someone needs to guard it day and night to prevent outsiders from contacting it. In addition to officials from the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate, reliable people are also needed to patrol the perimeter of the examination hall to prevent aristocratic families from passing messages outside the examination hall."

Su Dingfang immediately understood.

"Does County Magistrate Wen want the Hundred Cavalry to assist him?"

"Exactly."

Wen He nodded, her tone earnest.

"The hundred riders are all His Majesty's trusted confidants, loyal and reliable, and familiar with the terrain inside and outside the imperial city. Only with your assistance can I feel at ease."

"The courtyard to be locked up is the Jingsi Courtyard on the west side of the Imperial College. It is a secluded and quiet place that is not easy to be disturbed. A team of 100 riders should be sent to guard it day and night, and no one is allowed to approach."

"Even officials from the Ministry of Personnel are not allowed to enter without His Majesty's written edict."

"The examination venue is set up in the Gongyuan, which is located south of the Ministry of Personnel. A hundred cavalrymen are needed to patrol the area around it, especially the alley behind the Gongyuan. In previous years, scholars often passed cheat sheets here. This year, such a situation must not happen again."

Upon hearing this, Xu Jingzong couldn't help but worry again. He put down his brush and said with some concern, "But in previous years, the Ministry of Personnel would ask the Left and Right Imperial Guards and the Left and Right Gate Guards to be in charge of martial law during the Spring Examinations. These two guards have been in charge of the gates of the Imperial City for many years and are familiar with the officials of the Ministry of Personnel."

"Won't our sudden takeover by the Hundred Cavalry cause discontent among the two guards?"

"After all, they are departments that are in charge of palace affairs. If we take their jobs, it may cause unnecessary trouble."

Wen He put down her teacup, her eyes firm, her tone leaving no room for doubt: "Old Xu, you must remember, the Hundred Riders are His Majesty's personal guard, responsible only to His Majesty, and do not need to curry favor with anyone. Besides, this is not about stealing a job, but about His Majesty's tacit approval."

"Among the Left and Right Guards and the Gate Guards, there are bound to be people planted by aristocratic families. If we let them be in charge of martial law, I'm afraid we won't be able to prevent those petty tricks from being dealt with by the Hundred Cavalry. This is to ensure the fairness of the imperial examination and to help His Majesty stabilize the situation. What's wrong with that?"

Su Dingfang chimed in, "Wen Xianzi is right. The Left and Right Guards have close ties with aristocratic families, and the Gate Guards are too focused on rules and lack adaptability. This year's imperial examination is of great importance, and we do need reliable people like our Hundred Cavalry to be responsible for the outer perimeter protection in order to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Hearing their explanation, Xu Jingzong set aside his concerns and nodded, "In that case, let's first draft a duty roster and select reliable people to guard the lockhouse and the examination hall. However..."

He changed the subject, his tone carrying a hint of reminder.

"Mobilizing a hundred cavalry requires His Majesty's decree. Shouldn't we consult His Majesty first before making this arrangement? If we mobilize them without authorization, even if our intentions are good, it will inevitably give others grounds for criticism."

"Of course we need to ask for permission. The Hundred Riders are His Majesty's Hundred Riders, and any action requires His Majesty's permission."

Wen He smiled, her tone exceptionally sincere.

But both Su Dingfang and Xu Jingzong's lips twitched a few times.

On Wen He's birthday, Zhang Wenxiao and Fan Biao and a few others suddenly disappeared.

When asked about it later, these people refused to say a word.

Soon after, they received news that Lu Ziye and others had been killed by bandits.

They absolutely refused to believe that this matter had nothing to do with Wen He.

But if even they could think of it, how could His Majesty not?

Since His Majesty didn't say anything, they naturally didn't feel comfortable asking.

Su Dingfang pondered for a moment and said, "Then I will trouble you, Wen, to ask His Majesty for instructions."

Wen He didn't refuse and nodded: "Okay, by the way, there's one more thing. The search inside the examination room needs to be strengthened. Apart from writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones, nothing unrelated to the exam is allowed to be brought in, especially sachets that can hide cheat sheets, pen holders, and even the inner layers of clothing. They all need to be carefully checked."

He used to see people cheating in TV dramas, and it seemed like they all used this kind of method.

So I thought I'd give you a heads-up.

"I would also like to trouble you two superiors to select a few more meticulous cavalry guards to assist the Ministry of Personnel in the search, so as to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the situation."

Wen He smiled slyly when she mentioned the name Shangguan.

Su Dingfang felt somewhat helpless.

His rank of Hundred Cavalry Inspector General was indeed much higher than Wen He's.

But what Wen He said just now didn't sound like a subordinate reporting to a superior at all.

However, he didn't really treat Wen He as a subordinate.

Although Wen He was only a captain, he still held the title of Viscount of Gaoyang County.

"Don't worry, leave this to me."

Su Dingfang immediately agreed.

Xu Jingzong added, "I can compile a list of the cheating methods commonly used by scholars in previous years, so that the guards can know in advance and be prepared."

Upon hearing this, Wen He nodded in satisfaction and bowed to the two of them, saying, "Then I'll have to trouble you two superiors."

The three of them discussed for nearly an hour, finalizing everything from the shifts for guarding the lockhouse to the routes for patrolling the examination hall, and the detailed procedures for searching the examination rooms.

After the meeting ended, the sun outside the window had risen high in the sky. Wen He glanced at the sky and said to Su Dingfang and Xu Jingzong, "It's almost time. I'll go and interrogate those four scholars."

Su Dingfang and Xu Jingzong both nodded somewhat helplessly.

Wen He then took his leave and left the council hall. He then sent someone to fetch Zhang Wenxiao.

The two walked together toward the western cell.

This was newly built this year, so the prisoners of the Hundred Cavalry will no longer need to borrow cells from the Ministry of Justice.

Wen He did not go directly into the cell, but went to the guard room next door first, and observed the activity in the four cells through the small window in the wall.

Zhang Hai was pacing back and forth in his cell with his hands behind his back, occasionally snorting at the wall. He seemed calm, but his anxiety was hard to hide.

In the next cell, another thin-faced scholar huddled in a corner, hugging his knees with his hands, his eyes vacant.

After passing another cell around the corner, a tall, thin scholar kept banging on the cell door, muttering, "Let me out."

Only the scholar named Chen Kui sat on the straw pile, his hands clenched tightly, his forehead pressed against his knees, his body trembling slightly; he was clearly the most nervous of the four.

Wen He smiled knowingly and said to Zhang Wenxiao beside her, "Interrogate Chen Kui first. Take him to the interrogation room."

Zhang Wenxiao obeyed the order and immediately had the guards open Chen Kui's cell. Upon seeing the guards enter, Chen Kui was terrified and looked up sharply, his face ashen. He struggled to shrink back, shouting, "What are you doing? I'm innocent! I want to see Magistrate Wen!"

"The magistrate of Wen County will naturally want to see you. Come with us!"

The guards stepped forward, grabbed Chen Kui's arm, and dragged him outside.

Chen Kui struggled and shouted all the way to the interrogation room, and his voice was hoarse.

The interrogation room was small, with a small table in the middle. Wen He sat behind the table, while Zhang Wenxiao stood to the side, his sharp eyes fixed on Chen Kui.

As soon as Chen Kui was forced to sit down in the chair, he immediately started crying and shouting.

"Lord Wen! I am truly innocent! I only wanted to submit my essay to you and ask for your guidance. You cannot wrong an innocent person without cause!"

Zhang Wenxiao frowned and shouted sternly, "Insolence! With County Magistrate Wen here, how dare you make such a racket? If you dare to cry out again, I'll pull out all your teeth!"

Chen Kui trembled at the rebuke, his crying stopped abruptly, but he still sobbed as he tried to explain.

"I...I really didn't lie. I'm just an ordinary scholar, how could I dare to do anything bad..."

Wen He picked up the teacup on the table, took a small sip, and said in a calm but undeniably authoritative tone: "Chen Kui, I advise you not to cry foul anymore. I have already interrogated Zhang Hai, Xu Hao, and Wang Song, and they have all confessed."

Chen Kui looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with disbelief: "Impossible! How could they confess? They clearly said..."

He suddenly realized he had misspoke halfway through his sentence, quickly shut his mouth, and his face grew even paler.

Wen He took in his reaction and continued, "They said that they came to submit their papers at your behest. You said that a certain person who has just taken over the position of the head of the Ministry of Personnel would definitely be biased, so you made them follow you to take advantage of the situation."

"You were the one who said that if you could curry favor with someone, you would definitely pass the imperial examination this spring. Now they've all shifted the blame onto you, and you still want to argue?"

Chen Kui's body trembled even more violently, his hands gripping the armrests of the chair tightly, his knuckles turning white: "No... that's not how it is! They're lying! They're the ones who wanted to drag the students here, the students were forced!" "The students originally wanted to refuse, but those fifty strings of cash, the students dared not spend a single penny. Our families have been farming and studying for generations, and not a single one of us has ever passed the imperial examination. We're terrified of poverty."

So you rejected that person?

Wen He put down her teacup and stared at Chen Kui with eyes as sharp as knives.

"Yes, it was the student who refused him. Yes, it was Zhang Hai who said that this was the only chance, and if it worked out, we could enter the imperial court in the future. The student was momentarily blinded by greed and agreed."

Chen Kui wailed.

Zhang Wenxiao, who was standing to the side, was taken aback.

No amount of torture worked, and he confessed right away?
Young master, your methods are getting more and more impressive.

Wen He finally felt relaxed and at ease.

I originally intended to use this method to solve the case of the abandoned corpse in the Wei River, but I didn't expect that Qu Mei and her lover would confess so quickly.

Now it's finally coming in handy.

"I'm giving you one last chance. Tell the truth, who sent you to submit your papers? What is your true purpose? If you confess honestly, I can plead with His Majesty for leniency."

"If you insist on hiding it, I will send you directly to the Dali Temple. There, there are plenty of ways to make you talk. But by then, you will never have another chance to participate in the imperial examinations."

This statement hit Chen Kui where it hurt.

He had studied diligently for many years in the hope of changing his fate through the imperial examination. If he were sent to the Dali Temple, not only would he have no hope of achieving fame and success, but he would also have a criminal record and never be able to hold his head high for the rest of his life.

Chen Kui's mental defenses crumbled instantly, tears streaming down his face as he knelt down with a thud: "Lord Wen! Confess the students! Confess all the students! Please, please don't send the students to the Dali Temple!"

Wen He gestured for Zhang Wenxiao to help him up: "Speak, explain the whole story clearly."

Zhang Wenxiao stepped forward and reached out to pull the limp Chen Kui back into the chair.

Chen Kui was still trembling uncontrollably, his hands tightly gripping his clothes, his fingertips crumpling the plain fabric into wrinkles.

He took several deep breaths before he could barely steady his voice and speak, his voice trembling with tears.

"Wenxianzi... I am indeed a candidate for this year's examination. My ancestral home is in Yanzhou. I only came to Chang'an last winter to prepare for the examination. I previously submitted a self-recommendation letter to the Ministry of Personnel, hoping to obtain a minor official position, but the Ministry of Personnel said that I was not qualified and returned the letter..."

He paused here, his gaze drifting to the ground, and his voice lowered even further.

"Last night, I was studying in my rented inn room when someone knocked on the door. I thought it was the innkeeper, but when I opened the door, I saw a man in a dark brocade robe. He looked to be about forty years old, with a short beard and a distinct Hebei accent. He said he knew I had failed in my self-recommendation and that I was eager to establish myself in Chang'an, so he pointed me in the right direction."

"You've come to see someone?"

Wen He pressed on, her fingertips tapping lightly on the table, the rhythm slow yet carrying an invisible pressure, her gaze fixed on the subtle expressions on Chen Kui's face.

Chen Kui swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing, and continued, "Yes, yes, he said... that you were just appointed by His Majesty as the Principal of the Ministry of Personnel and also assisted Assistant Minister Ma in presiding over the imperial examinations. You are currently the most powerful official in Chang'an."

"As long as the student can bring their exam paper to see you, flatter you a bit, and praise your abilities, you might pay more attention to the student during the imperial examination. Even if you can't directly help the student pass the exam, you can still arrange a job for the student in the Ministry of Personnel, even if it's just a minor clerk copying documents."

"He also said that it wasn't just me; he had found three other scholars who, like me, had failed to recommend themselves. He asked us to wait at your gate this morning to submit our papers to you together, saying that with more people, it would be easier for you to remember us."

Wen He sneered inwardly, thinking that this made him sound like a shallow person.

It seems this person is not familiar with themselves.

But how could he find out about the court's affairs so quickly?

That means it must be a force within the imperial court.

"What benefits did he give you?"

Wen He's fingers paused on the table, her tone still calm, yet exuding an undeniable authority.

“He…he gave the student fifty strings of cash.”

Chen Kui lowered his head even further, his voice barely audible, almost drowned out by the whistling air in the interrogation room.

"He said this was money for the writing materials we would use to submit our papers, and that if things went well, he would reward us handsomely, for example, by helping the students get to know officials in the Ministry of Personnel."

"I...I'm from a poor family, and the money I brought with me to Chang'an is almost gone. Last month, I even owed the innkeeper money, and the innkeeper has been urging me to pay several times. Seeing those copper coins, I just couldn't resist..."

Wen He raised an eyebrow: "Then you didn't ask who he was? And why he would help you for no reason?"

"A student asked!"

Chen Kui quickly looked up, his eyes filled with an urgent attempt to explain, his eyes red-rimmed, and cold sweat streaming down his temples.

"The students found it strange at the time. Who would give money to someone for no reason and help them with their future?"

"When the students asked him his name and which household he belonged to, he just sneered and said, 'You don't need to know who I am, just do as I say.'"

"He also said that if the student dared to ask any more questions, not only would the money be taken back, but the student would also never be able to find a place to stand in Chang'an again. His eyes were particularly cold when he said this, and he looked frightening. The student was afraid that he really had power, so he didn't dare to ask any more questions..."

As he spoke, he suddenly slid off the chair, knelt down with a thud, clasped his hands together in a gesture of respect to Wen He, and his knees made a soft sound as they tapped on the bluestone slab.

"Master Wen, I really don't know who he is or why he did this. I was just confused for a moment and was greedy for that little bit of money, which is why I came to submit my paper to you. Please forgive me this time. I will never dare to be greedy for small gains again, and I will never dare to listen to strangers again!"

Wen He stared at him for a moment, noticing that his forehead was covered in cold sweat, his face was pale, and the sobbing in his voice seemed genuine, with even his shoulders trembling slightly. She then waved to Zhang Wenxiao.

"Take him away first, put him back in his original cell, keep a close eye on him, don't let him have contact with other people, and don't mistreat him. Give him the same food rations as ordinary prisoners, and don't let him go hungry."

Zhang Wenxiao responded with a "Yes."

He stepped forward and dragged Chen Kui, who was still begging for mercy, out of the house.

Chen Kui's crying gradually faded outside the door, leaving only Wen He in the interrogation room. He leaned back in his chair, stroking his chin in deep thought.

Hebei accent.

A short-bearded man around forty years old.

They were looking for scholars who had failed to recommend themselves, or who were in dire need of money or career prospects.

The person behind this knows how to pick people; they know that these scholars have obvious weaknesses and are easily bribed.

As for the accent, Wen He could no longer determine whether it was used to conceal the identity.

Hebei.

This is a very sensitive place.

Before he could figure it out, Zhang Wenxiao returned, bowed, and stood aside, asking, "County Magistrate, who should we interrogate next?"

"Shen Zhanghai."

Wen He stood up, walked to the desk, picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and the warm tea slid down her throat, suppressing some of the gloom of the trial.

"He was pretending to be calm in the cell just now, pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back. Maybe he knows something extra, or he's bolder than Chen Kui and can recall more details."

Zhang Wenxiao accepted the order and turned to fetch the person.

Before long, Zhang Hai was brought in.

He was much calmer than Chen Kui. Although his face was pale, he deliberately straightened his back. After entering the interrogation room, he first bowed to Wen He before standing still. His gaze fell on the paper and pen on the table, avoiding eye contact with Wen He, but his fingers unconsciously clenched his sleeves.

"Zhang Hai, do you know why I am interrogating you?"

Wen He's tone was even colder than when she had interrogated Chen Kui earlier, carrying a sharp edge that directly exposed his lies.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Hai hesitated for a moment with his head down before looking up and speaking.

"Master Wen is simply suspecting that we were instructed by someone else, but as I have already said, I just wanted to submit my essay to you and ask for your guidance. No one else instructed me. If you don't believe me, you can look at my essay. I wrote it all by myself while staying up all night. There is absolutely no falsehood in it!"

"No one else instigated this?"

Wen He scoffed, "So you still left those fifty strings of cash at your place?"

"Or is it that the man gave you more, or promised you greater benefits?"

Zhang Hai's face turned deathly pale instantly.

His eyes widened, a hint of panic flashing in them. His lips trembled slightly, but he couldn't utter a word for a long time.

Wen He chuckled and continued, "Chen Kui has already confessed everything. That man with the Hebei accent found the four of you scholars who failed to recommend yourselves, gave each of you fifty strings of cash, and told you to go to the gate of a certain prefecture early this morning to submit your papers. Are you still going to pretend?"

"Or do you want to try the torture methods of the Hundred Riders?"

Zhang Hai's shoulders slumped instantly, as if all his strength had been drained away. He staggered back a step, his back hitting the cold wall before he could barely regain his balance.

After a moment of silence, he gave a bitter smile and knelt down, saying, "Since County Magistrate Wen knows everything... then I'm afraid I have no choice but to confess. Indeed, there was such a man who approached me and gave me fifty strings of cash."

"Don't worry, the Hundred Riders believe in leniency for those who confess and severity for those who resist. As long as you confess honestly, I will spare your life."

Wen He's tone softened slightly.

What he wanted was the truth, not to force these manipulated scholars to their deaths.

"Where did he contact you? What did he say? Are there any other details, such as his accessories or who he mentioned?"

Zhang Hai stood up, dusted off his knees, lowered his eyes, and said in a low voice.

“My ancestral home is Bingzhou. I have been in Chang’an for three years. I failed the imperial examinations twice. My family can hardly afford to continue my studies. Last month, my mother sent a message saying that the family’s fields are almost sold out. She told me that if I fail the exams again, I should go home and farm instead of wasting money in Chang’an.”

His eyes were glistening with tears.

This person is trying to gain sympathy.

Unfortunately, Wen He's expression remained blank, showing no sympathy whatsoever.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Hai felt utterly hopeless.

Knowing that playing the victim wouldn't work, he had no choice but to tell the truth.

What he said was similar to what Chen Kui had said before.

After Wen He finished asking his questions, he ordered someone to take him away, and then had Zhang Wenxiao bring in Xu Hao and Wang Song for questioning.

The two people had different expressions when they were brought in.

I just don't know if they guessed that Wen He had already asked others beforehand.

They were easily intimidated and couldn't hold back, so they confessed everything.

This saved Wen He a lot of time.

What the two of them said was almost identical to what Chen Kui and Zhang Hai had said before.

There were no particularly useful clues.

After the four men had finished their interrogations, Zhang Wenxiao organized their statements and handed them to Wen He: "Young master, their statements match up. They all spoke of men in brocade robes with Hebei accents, gave the same amount of money, and gave similar instructions. They shouldn't be lying."

Wen He took the confession, read it carefully, and frowned even more: "Four scholars, from different places, who did not know each other, were bribed by the same man using the same methods. They even remembered each other's accents. It is clear that this man does have a Hebei accent. What is his purpose in having these people submit their papers?"

Zhang Wenxiao thought for a moment and said, "Could it be that they are trying to deliberately ruin your reputation?"

"They're bribing these four scholars now to become your students, and then they'll plot against them during the imperial examinations. If that happens, young master, you'll have no way to defend yourself."

Upon hearing this, Wen He's eyes lit up.

The way they looked at Zhang Wenxiao changed again and again.

"You're amazing, you even thought of that."

"Hehe, I've learned a few things by following the young master around for so long." Zhang Wenxiao chuckled sheepishly.

"That's your own skill, it has nothing to do with me. Don't praise me like that again."

Wen He shook her head with a wry smile.

Looking down at the confession in his hand, his finger traced the words "Hebei accent" across it, and his eyes darkened.

He paused, then said, "This man with the Hebei accent must have someone behind him. He can afford to spend so much money to bribe scholars and dares to openly engage in underhanded tactics in Chang'an. He is no ordinary person. He might be one of those forces that are unwilling to lose their privilege in the imperial examinations. They dare not openly oppose His Majesty's anti-corruption measures, so they want to use these methods in secret to undermine the fairness of the imperial examinations."

"But that makes the scope much smaller, with a Hebei accent."

Wen He's gaze gradually darkened.

"Isn't Qinghe County in Hebei?"

No sooner had he said this than Zhang Wenxiao noticed his unusual expression and quickly stepped forward to ask, "Young master, is something on your mind?"

Wen He didn't answer him, but instead raised her eyes and said calmly, "Call Chen Dahai."

Zhang Wenxiao didn't ask any further questions, and turned to leave quickly.

Not long after, a series of hurried footsteps could be heard outside the door.

Chen Dahai strode in and bowed to Wen He, saying, "Greetings, young master! You've come to see me, is there a new job?"

Zhang Wenxiao was sensible; seeing Chen Dahai arrive, he quietly slipped out and closed the door behind him.

Wen He pointed to the chair in front of her: "Sit down, I have something to ask you. Have you been keeping an eye on Xun Jue lately?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Dahai immediately straightened his back and said, "Young master, don't worry, we've been keeping an eye on him! We've sent six brothers to take turns following him. We can find out exactly what position he uses to sleep with women at night!"

As he spoke, he grinned and chuckled.

Three black lines immediately appeared on Wen He's forehead.

What would he do with this?
He coughed lightly, suppressing his speechlessness, and said with a stern face, "What I'm asking is, has he been acting strangely lately? For example, has anyone from the Cui family come to see him? Or has he secretly gone to see any members of the Cui family?"

Chen Dahai then stopped joking, frowned and pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, "There's nothing unusual. He's been recuperating at home during this time. He was almost beaten to death by that old bastard Cui Yushu before, and it took him more than half a month to fully recover. Recently, he has only occasionally gone out to buy some medicinal herbs, and he hasn't even come close to the gate of the Cui residence."

Wen He nodded slightly, her doubts lessening somewhat.

Therefore, it seems that the incident of scholars submitting their examination papers was not a conspiracy between Xun Jue and Cui Shi.

Cui Yushu wouldn't be so shameless as to immediately order Xun Jue around after hitting him.

But upon further reflection, Wen He became more wary.

The worst thing you can do is assume things.

He had doubts.

Could it be that Xun Jue is feigning illness to cover his tracks while secretly still in contact with the Cui family?
He stared at Chen Dahai and pressed, "Are you sure? Is it possible that he used some method to avoid your people and secretly go to see the Cui family? Like going out the back door, or going out in the middle of the night?"

"Absolutely not!"

Chen Dahai slapped his thigh and assured him.

“The brothers in the second team were all personally trained by you, young master. Even when he goes to the outhouse, someone follows him.”

Seeing Chen Dahai's confident tone, Wen He temporarily set aside her doubts about Xun Jue and changed the subject.

"Then think again, have any members of the Cui family from Qinghe come to Chang'an recently?"

If Xun Jue wasn't involved, could it be that the Cui family bypassed Xun Jue and sent other people to Chang'an to cause trouble?

After all, the Cui family had deep roots in Hebei, and they didn't rely solely on Cui Jue.

Upon hearing this, Chen Dahai's eyes lit up, and he quickly said, "Yes! Cui Yushu's eldest grandson, Cui Wei, came to Chang'an half a month ago, saying he wanted to participate in this year's imperial examination. I even made a note of it at the time, thinking that the Cui family might cause trouble when they came to Chang'an, so I kept an eye on them."

"Cui Wei?"

Wen He's fingers paused on the table, and her brows furrowed slightly.

There is no such person in historical records.

"What kind of person is he? What is his personality like? What is his status within the Cui family?"

Chen Dahai recalled for a moment and said, "This person is quite talented in literature. It is said that he is quite famous in Qinghe. His poems and essays are praised by many people. However, his personality is not good. He is very eccentric and arrogant. He looks down on everyone. Moreover, his relationship with Cui Jue is particularly bad. When he was in the Cui family, he often beat and scolded Cui Jue, thinking that Cui Jue was a collateral branch and not worthy to speak to him."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but sneer: "The most ridiculous thing is that when Cui Wei is at home, he always likes others to boast that he has the talent of a king's advisor, saying that once he passes the imperial examination, he will definitely be highly valued by His Majesty and become prime minister, thus raising the reputation of the Cui family even higher."

Wen He couldn't help but chuckle as she listened.

That's incredibly shameless.

However, this confirms that Cui Wei is an extremely arrogant person.

He pondered for a moment, and gradually a clue came to him.

(End of this chapter)