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

Chapter 379 Today is the day the Tang Dynasty's imperial examination begins.
Another beautiful spring has arrived.

The blazing sun hung high in the sky, warming the blue bricks and gray tiles of Chang'an City. The air, however, was no longer filled with the fragrance of flowers as usual; instead, it was filled with an lingering scholarly aroma.

Today is the day the imperial examinations of the Tang Dynasty begin.

Countless scholars, harboring dreams of achieving fame and success, are converging on the direction of the imperial city.

"The imperial examinations..."

At the foot of the imperial city, several scholars dressed in blue robes stopped, looked up at the clear blue sky and white clouds, and sighed.

One of them suddenly lowered his voice and said with some excitement.

"Have you heard? This year's imperial examination is different from previous years. In the end, all candidates will be examined by His Majesty himself. This is the Palace Examination! To be able to see His Majesty in the Taiji Hall would be to have no regrets in this life!"

"Hey, isn't that Brother Wenyan?"

As soon as the words were spoken, someone with sharp eyes spotted a group of people walking side by side not far away and immediately waved.

Meng Zhou, Zhao Lei, and Wu Sheng, who were walking towards the imperial city, stopped at the sound and turned around. They saw a group of students dressed in brocade scholar robes walking towards them. They were their classmates from the Imperial Academy.

A hint of displeasure flashed across Zhao Lei's and Wu Sheng's faces.

These people, who used to be at the Imperial Academy, always considered themselves "exceptionally talented" and often mocked the three of them for their mediocre abilities.

Fang Xingzhou, who was in the lead, stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the three of them, his tone carrying a hint of deliberate surprise.

"Zizhong and Ziyan, you've come to participate in the spring imperial examination too? I heard two months ago that you went on a study tour with Brother Wenyan, and I thought you were going to give up the exam. What, did you change your mind and come to join in the fun?"

As he spoke, his gaze never fell on Wen He, who was standing next to the three of them, as if this boy in ordinary clothes was just an insignificant follower.

Wen He wasn't annoyed; she simply crossed her arms and looked at Fang Xingzhou with great interest.

Judging from his attire and demeanor, he must come from a prominent family and be someone who is usually treated with great respect at the Imperial Academy.

“The teacher said that Brother Wenyan lacked talent and that even if he studied mathematics, he would have little future prospects.”

Fang Xingzhou changed the subject, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"Brother Wenyan left in a fit of anger back then. I thought you would give up on the imperial examinations completely. I never expected to see you here today. Your courage is truly admirable."

These words, ostensibly a compliment, were actually meant to expose Meng Zhou's shortcomings, and Zhao Lei and Wu Sheng were also looked down upon.

Wu Sheng, being the most impatient, immediately frowned and scolded him.

"Fang Xingzhou! This is the capital city, not a place for you to flaunt your arrogance at the Imperial Academy! Put away your pride!"

"Oh? Ziyan, are you in a hurry?"

Fang Xingzhou chuckled and turned his gaze to Wu Sheng.

"I heard you're going to take the Mingjing exam? The Mingjing exam tests your ability to recite and interpret the classics, it's not something you can pass by brute force alone. I truly admire your courage."

As soon as he finished speaking, the students of the Imperial Academy behind him burst into laughter, their laughter full of mockery. Fang Xingzhou waved his hand, feigning regret.

"Alright, alright. Since you have the courage, then study hard. Even if you fail, at least you can say that you participated in the imperial examination, and you can give your family an explanation when you go home, so you won't go back empty-handed."

After saying that, he glanced at the three of them with disdain, then turned around and led everyone toward the imperial city.

Meng Zhou, Zhao Lei, and Wu Sheng clenched their fists, their faces flushed red, but they had no choice but to swallow their anger because the other side outnumbered them and they were near the imperial city.

"and many more!"

Just then, a clear, youthful voice rang out, stopping Fang Xingzhou in his tracks.

Fang Xingzhou turned around and saw that the one who spoke was the boy next to Meng Zhou and the others, and immediately smiled.

"Oh? This little kid is also one of today's examinees? At your age, you probably can't even get into the capital. Could it be that the three of you are taking the exam and need to bring a little kid along for courage?"

"presumptuous!"

Zhao Lei could no longer hold back and was about to step forward to argue with them.

It was bad enough that Fang Xingzhou had humiliated them, but he dared to be so disrespectful to the magistrate of Gaoyang County!

But he had barely taken a step when Wen He stopped him. Wen He stepped forward, looking calmly at Fang Xingzhou, but her tone was sharp.

"From what you just said, it seems like all three of them are destined to fail the exam?"

"Little one, I didn't say that,"

Fang Xingzhou raised an eyebrow, his tone becoming increasingly arrogant.

"But do you know that these three are called rotten wood by their teachers at the Imperial Academy? If rotten wood can become pillars, wouldn't that mean that our Great Tang has no one left?"

When Meng Zhou and the others heard the words "rotten wood," their faces turned even redder with embarrassment.

This was indeed the private evaluation of them by some teachers when they were at the Imperial Academy.

Before coming to Chang'an, they were all outstanding figures in their respective hometowns.

That's why he was recommended by the county magistrate to the Imperial Academy.

However, when they arrived at the Imperial Academy, they realized that what they had learned before was merely superficial in the eyes of those students from prestigious families.

Fang Xingzhou had even mocked him more than once, saying that when he was five years old, he had already learned far more than the three of them.

But Wen He shook her head and scoffed.

"Rotten wood? I don't think so. The three of them traveled for two months, working tirelessly and even disregarding the dangers along the way, to teach the children of poor people in remote villages, teaching them to read and do arithmetic. And what about some people?"

Wen He's gaze swept over Fang Xingzhou and the students behind him.

"A person who only stays in the comforts of Chang'an, blindly studying scriptures, and ends up being ignorant of farming and physically inactive, and doesn't even know the suffering of the people, deserves to be called a pillar of the Tang Dynasty?"

These words were like a bolt from the blue, instantly freezing the smiles on Fang Xingzhou and the others' faces.

Meng Zhou, Zhao Lei, and Wu Sheng were stunned, their eyes filled with guilt.

They never expected that after being humiliated, they would have to ask Wen He to stand up for them.

A surge of passion welled up in their hearts, and Wu Sheng and Meng Zhou resolutely stepped forward, standing in front of Wen He.

Although Zhao Lei was a beat slower, he quickly followed suit. Meng Zhou looked at Fang Xingzhou with unwavering determination in his eyes.

"Fang Xingzhou, I have indeed lost to you three times in previous mathematics competitions. But as the saying goes, 'things don't happen more than three times,' and this time in the imperial examination, my score will definitely be higher than yours!"

"Hahaha!"

Upon hearing Meng Zhou's words, Fang Xingzhou laughed as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. He immediately clutched his stomach and laughed so hard that he was doubled over. The brocade scholar's robe on his shoulder swayed and wrinkled. "Meng Wenyan, the sun is still high in the sky, and you're already talking nonsense? You think you can surpass my mathematics after just two months of studying abroad?"

After laughing enough, he straightened up, his eyes almost overflowing with disdain.

"Besides, you should know that my past examinations in mathematics at the Imperial Academy were merely for leisure and to relieve boredom. Mathematics is hardly worthy of my ambition. This spring, I aim to vie for a top-three position in the classics examination and demonstrate to His Majesty in the palace examination what a true pillar of the nation is!"

"You want to take the Mingjing exam?"

The relaxed expressions on Meng Zhou and Zhao Lei's faces instantly froze again.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing complexity in each other's eyes.

The two of them were going to take the Ming Suan exam. If Fang Xingzhou continued to take the Ming Suan exam, he would definitely be a formidable opponent with his skills. Now that he had switched to Ming Jing, although they had one less opponent in mathematics, the thought of Wu Sheng made them feel heavy-hearted.

Is this the source of confidence for students from prestigious families?
He could even choose any subject for the imperial examination at will, as if he could master any subject with ease, completely disregarding the years of hard work others had put in.

Zhao Lei clenched his fist, recalling how he had spent countless nights calculating under the lamp until the wee hours in order to thoroughly understand "The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art." Seeing Fang Xingzhou's dismissive attitude only made him feel more frustrated.

Wu Sheng stood to the side, his brows furrowed tightly, his fingers gripping the hem of his sleeve until it was wrinkled.

He had been studying the classics for three years, and he knew the Book of Poetry, the Book of Documents, the Book of Rites, and the Book of Changes by heart. He had also studied the annotations of the teachers at the Imperial Academy repeatedly. He thought that although there would be competition in this year's imperial examination, he would still have a chance to win.

However, the boats that sail on the water are different.

When he was at the Imperial Academy, he never made a mistake in reciting the classics. His interpretations of the Book of Rites and the Book of Documents were often circulated by his teachers as examples. If he were to actually pursue the Mingjing examination, he would undoubtedly become his biggest obstacle.

"What's so strange about that?"

Fang Xingzhou raised an eyebrow, slightly lifted his chin, and spoke with a smug tone.

"Haven't you heard about the new rules this year? The top three in each of the six subjects can enter the palace examination, where they can meet His Majesty in the Taiji Hall and discuss scriptures and doctrines in person. How could I miss such an opportunity to show my face before the Emperor?"

He paused, his eyes becoming increasingly arrogant.

"If I can rank among the top three in the Mingjing examination, I will be able to showcase my talents before His Majesty and let him know that the pillars of our Great Tang are not those tutors who only teach children, but true talents like myself who inherit the family tradition and are well-versed in the classics!"

The rules he mentioned were indeed the new rules established for this year's imperial examinations.

The top three candidates from each of the six categories of Mingjing (Classics), Jinshi (Imperial Examination), Xiucai (Talented Scholar), Mingfa (Law), Mingshu (Book of Calligraphy), and Mingsuan (Calculation) were selected to enter the palace examination, which was personally presided over by Li Shimin.

This rule was not set by Wen He.

Some time ago, he was confined to his residence because of the Cui family matter, and he could not even step out of the mansion.

In reality, it was only after repeated discussions between Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and Ma Zhou that the decision was presented to Li Shimin for final approval.

After all, the Taiji Hall had limited space. If all the candidates were summoned to the palace, not only would the scene be chaotic, but it would also be difficult for Li Shimin to examine them one by one.

"Little brat, do you understand now? I am the pillar of the nation, while the three beside you are nothing but rotten wood."

Wen He stood aside, watching Fang Xingzhou's determined look, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

He did not deny that Fang Xingzhou might indeed have some skill in memorizing classical texts.

Children from prominent families receive instruction from renowned teachers from a young age, and their knowledge of classics, history, philosophy, and literature is already more profound than that of ordinary scholars. If it comes down to rote memorization, Wu Sheng might really have to put in some effort.

But.

Fang Xingzhou was unaware that Wu Sheng had a teacher.

He had been studying for exams since he was seven years old.

Don't think of this as something sad.

An orphan with no money or power is able to acquire knowledge for free in a quiet and peaceful place and change his life.

And this is not an isolated case, but rather tens of thousands, or even more.

This is nothing short of a miracle.

So what if we're studying just for exams?

At least for those who work hard, there is only one way they can change their destiny.

At least Wen He can continue to support his studies through exams or scholarships.

The ancients were truly remarkable.

But they didn't experience getting up at three or four in the morning to memorize texts and going to bed at eleven or twelve at night.

Before going to sleep, I have to put on my headphones again to memorize the English.

All year round, regardless of rain or wind.

Throughout the entire Tang Dynasty, no one understood how to take exams better than Wen He.

"Since you are so confident in yourself, how about we make a bet?"

Wen He took a step forward, her clear eyes looking at Fang Xingzhou.

Fang Xingzhou was stunned for a moment, then chuckled.

"Little kid, what do you want to bet with me on? Are you betting that these people next to you will pass the exam?"

"Mr. Wu".

Wen He ignored his sarcasm and turned to call out.

Wu Sheng immediately stepped forward, bowed, and replied, "Your student is here."

The word "student" stunned Fang Xingzhou and the students of the Imperial Academy behind him.

Has Wu Sheng gone mad?

He actually called himself a "student" in front of a teenager; if word got out, it would probably become a laughing stock in Chang'an.

Ignoring their astonishment, Wen He turned to Fang Xingzhou, her tone resolute.

“Wu Sheng also applied for the Mingjing exam this year. I bet his score will be higher than yours.”

"Hahaha!"

Fang Xingzhou laughed so hard he couldn't stand up straight, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.

"Little brat, are you still half asleep? Wu Sheng's grades in the classics at the Imperial Academy have always been behind mine, and you're actually betting he can surpass me?"

"What if he actually did better than you on the test?"

Wen He pressed on, her tone laced with no hint of a joke.

Fang Xingzhou stopped laughing, his eyes filled with disdain, and deliberately raised his voice.

"He doesn't need to be better than me! As long as he can get into the top three in the Mingjing examination, I will kneel in front of him in front of all the scholars in Chang'an and shout 'Father!' three times! How about it?"

After saying that, he turned to look at Wu Sheng, his tone provocative.

"However, even if he doesn't make it into the top three, he still has to perform this ritual for me and call me 'Father' three times. Do you dare to do it?"

Wu Sheng's face turned deathly pale instantly.

Getting into the top three of the Mingjing examination is no easy feat.

Fang Xingzhou was already an expert in classical studies, and there were other scions of prominent families eyeing him covetously. How could he be confident?

Meng Zhou and Zhao Lei were also anxious and were about to speak up to refuse on behalf of Wu Sheng, but Wen He beat them to it.

"A gentleman's word!"

Wen He stretched out her palm, facing upwards, her eyes full of determination.

Fang Xingzhou stared at the tiny hand, paused for a moment, then snorted softly, bent down, and gave it a sharp high five: "A promise is a promise!"

After the high-five, Fang Xingzhou straightened up, deliberately moved closer to Wu Sheng, and smiled smugly: "Brother Ziyan, don't renege on your promise later, I'm still waiting to hear you call me 'Father'!"

The students behind him burst into laughter, their laughter filled with mockery.

"Farewell!"

Fang Xingzhou uttered two words and led his group away, leaving Meng Zhou and the other two standing there with solemn expressions.

After everyone had gone far away, Wu Shengcai's voice trembled with anxiety: "Prince, why did you agree to him? It's too difficult to get into the top three in the Mingjing examination. I... I'm afraid I'll let you down."

Meng Zhou and Zhao Lei nodded in agreement: "Yes, sir, Fang Xingzhou's understanding of the classics is already better than Wu Sheng's. This bet is too disadvantageous for Wu Sheng!"

Wen He waved her hand and smiled easily: "What's the rush? Have you forgotten the 'sea of ​​questions' I gave you this past month? Those classic questions are just the same few test points over and over again. The so-called Mingjing subject is just testing memorization and interpretation in different ways. It's not difficult at all."

Wen He smiled at the three of them, looking exceptionally relaxed.

Wu Sheng, Meng Zhou, and Zhao Lei looked at each other in bewilderment.

They've really lived a life of luxury this past month; the papers they've written on could fill their living space.

Even when Qi San and his companions went to the outhouse, they would simply take the toilet paper from them.

They call it "waste utilization".

Anyway, Wen He isn't used to it, so she's not afraid of getting ink all over her bottom.

For the past month, Meng Zhou and Zhao Lei have been memorizing equations and doing math problems until they feel nauseous.

Wu Sheng memorized those scriptures until he vomited.

Even if they were to take the traditional eight-legged essay exam, this sea of ​​questions would be enough to get them into the top three.

Unless you encounter the shining stars of the Northern Song Dynasty.

Before long, Wen He led Meng Zhou, Zhao Lei, and Wu Sheng to the outside of the examination hall.

The vermilion walls of the courtyard stood tall, and the entrance was already crowded with scholars dressed in Confucian robes. Su Dingfang, leading a troop of a hundred cavalrymen, stood guard at the entrance, solemnly inspecting each examinee.

To ensure fairness in the imperial examinations, Li Shimin specifically ordered Li Daozong to lead the Left Army to completely surround the examination hall.

Even if a bird flew by in the palace, it would be shot down with a crossbow.

Li Daozong himself stood by the stone steps at the entrance of the examination hall, his hands behind his back, his eyes sweeping over the bustling crowd, occasionally shouting a few words in Su Dingfang's direction.

"Check carefully! Don't let any unauthorized personnel sneak in!"

"Take off your coat! What are you dawdling for!"

Su Dingfang was frowning at a hesitant examinee, his voice so loud it could be heard throughout the entrance.

"We're all grown men, what's there to be shy about? Did you hide cheat sheets in your clothes? Besides, everyone has that area between their legs, who could possibly steal yours?"

Huang Chun, who was standing to the side registering the candidates' names, suddenly felt a pain in his chest when he heard this, and quietly looked up at Su Dingfang.

The latter, however, did not notice anything amiss. Instead, he nodded at Huang Chun, assuming that Huang Chun was asking if there was anything wrong, and even grinned heartily.

Huang Chun sighed helplessly.

Well, General Su is straightforward and never minces words, so there's no point in arguing with him about these things.

You always lose something in order to gain something.

It's just a matter of one stab.

"Brother Xingzhou, look, Meng Zhou and the others are here!"

Near the entrance, a student from the Imperial Academy behind Fang Xingzhou suddenly pointed to a spot not far away, his tone tinged with schadenfreude.

Fang Xingzhou turned around in the direction he pointed and saw Wen He leading Meng Zhou and the others toward the examination hall.

His brows furrowed instantly, and he chuckled softly, "Why is that little kid here too? Could it be that Meng Zhou and the others brought him in? These poor kids have no manners at all, bringing a child to the examination hall. What kind of behavior is this!"

He was grumbling on and on when he suddenly felt a light tap on his shoulder.

Fang Xingzhou thought it was a classmate behind him and turned around impatiently.

"I told you not to bother me..."

He froze before he could finish speaking.

Standing before him was none other than Li Daozong!

Fang Xingzhou was so frightened that his whole body stiffened, and he quickly bowed and saluted, his voice trembling slightly.

"This student, Fang Shun, greets His Highness Prince Rencheng!"

Li Daozong ignored his bow and instead gestured with his chin in Wen He's direction, speaking in a cold tone.

"You just called him 'little kid'?"

Fang Xingzhou's heart skipped a beat, but then he thought that Li Daozong thought he knew Wen He and wanted to ask him about Wen He's trespassing into the imperial city, so he quickly explained.

“Your Highness, I do not recognize that child! He trespassed into the Imperial City; he must have been brought in by Meng Zhou and the others. It has nothing to do with me! However, those three were indeed students of the Imperial Academy, and their academic conduct was lax. I fear this may be inappropriate. I urge Your Highness…”

A sharp slap rang out, interrupting Fang Xingzhou's words.

Li Daozong's slap landed heavily on Fang Xingzhou's left cheek, the force of which sent Fang Xingzhou staggering and falling to the ground.

He felt dizzy, half of his face went numb instantly, and tears welled up uncontrollably. After a while, he felt a burning pain.

The students from the Imperial Academy who were traveling with Fang Xingzhou were so frightened that they took several steps back, instinctively distancing themselves from him, for fear of being implicated.

Fang Xingzhou lay on the ground, in pain and furious, but dared not retaliate against Li Daozong. He could only grit his teeth and raise his head, his voice trembling with tears as he questioned, "Your Highness, Prince Rencheng! Why have you humiliated this student? What have I done wrong?"

"Humiliate you?"

Li Daozong sneered, looking down at him with disdain in his eyes.

"Who do you think you are, daring to call Wen He 'little brat'? Ask the hundred riders around here if it's appropriate for me to slap you like this?"

As soon as he finished speaking, all the riders around him turned to look.

"Wen...Wen He?"

Fang Xingzhou shuddered as if struck by lightning, collapsing to the ground and staring incredulously at the boy walking towards them.

The group of students from the Imperial Academy behind him were so shocked that their eyes widened and their mouths were agape.

That seemingly kind and gentle young man was actually the legendary "Hundred Rider Killer" Wen He, who commanded a hundred cavalry at a young age and even brought down the Cui family of Qinghe.
"He...he is the magistrate of Gaoyang County?"

Fang Xingzhou slumped to the ground, clutching his aching and numb cheek, his pupils contracted sharply, and his whole body trembled uncontrollably.

What he feared was neither Wen He's status as a "Hundred Cavalry Captain" nor his title of "Hundred Cavalry Killer".

What truly terrified him was Wen He's current title.

Principal of the Ministry of Personnel, and Deputy Examiner for the Spring Imperial Examination in the first year of the Zhenguan era!

Just now he was mocking the other person for being a little kid, and even dared to bet with the deputy examiner on their ranking in the Mingjing examination.

"The magistrate of Gaoyang County has arrived?"

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from inside the examination hall. Ma Zhou, dressed in a blue official robe, rushed out to greet them, clearly having heard the commotion outside.

He was walking too fast and didn't notice Fang Xingzhou curled up on the ground, stepping on the back of the other's hand.

"what!"

A piercing scream rang out instantly. Ma Zhou then looked down and saw Fang Xingzhou's face contorted in pain. He quickly withdrew his foot and asked in surprise, "Why are you lying on the ground, examinee? The entrance to the examination hall is not a place to rest!"

Fang Xingzhou held up his trembling hand, the back of which was already red, tears welling up in his eyes, but he couldn't utter a single word of rebuttal.

He couldn't very well say that he was slapped down by Prince Rencheng, nor could he say that he had just offended the deputy examiner.

"Hey, isn't this Brother Xingzhou?"

Wen He's voice rang out at the right moment, with a hint of knowing the answer in her voice.

"Why didn't you line up properly to get in? Instead, you're trying to stage an accident on the ground."

He had seen clearly what Li Daozong had done to Fang Xingzhou and what had happened to him. He was deliberately saying this to make Fang Xingzhou lose face in front of everyone.

"Little one, is this someone you know?"

Li Daozong raised an eyebrow, looking at Wen He's gloating expression, but then thought it didn't seem like it.

"Look at your expression, it's like you're watching a joke."

"We're not exactly acquaintances,"

Wen He waved her hand, her tone relaxed.

"Just now outside the palace gate, this young master Fang made a bet with my student, saying that my student wouldn't be in the top three in the Mingjing examination this year."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the candidates and officials watching the spectacle immediately changed.

Is this person crazy?
He dared to gamble with the students of Gaoyang County on their imperial examination rankings and even dared to utter arrogant words. No wonder he was slapped by the Prince of Rencheng!

"Your student?"

Li Daozong was taken aback for a moment, and asked subconsciously.

"Didn't that kid Li Yifu go to work in the Ministry of Personnel? He's still too young, why would he come to take the imperial examination?"

"It's not Yifu, it's the three of them."

Wen He turned to the side and pointed to Meng Zhou, Zhao Lei, and Wu Sheng behind her. The three of them had been standing there dumbfounded for a while, and when they heard the words "my students," they were struck dumb, their eyes instantly turning red.

They came from humble backgrounds and suffered countless scornful treatment at the Imperial Academy. They never imagined that one day they would be recognized as students by someone like the magistrate of Gaoyang County!
"Waaaaah, my beloved teacher!"

Meng Zhou knelt down with a thud, his voice choked with emotion. Wu Sheng and Zhao Lei followed suit, kneeling down and kowtowing deeply to Wen He, shouting in unison, "Disciple greets Master!"

All eyes immediately focused on the three of them, filled with shock, envy, and a touch of awe.

Having been accepted as disciples by the Prince of Gaoyang, these three people's future is likely limitless!

"Alright, alright, get up."

Helplessly, Wen He pulled back the sleeve that Meng Zhou was holding, and then gently kicked Wu Sheng's knee.

“Crying and sobbing in public, you don’t feel ashamed, but I feel embarrassed! Hurry up and go to the back of the line, don’t be late for your turn to enter.”

The three quickly agreed, kowtowed to Wen He again, wiped away their tears, stood up, and walked proudly towards the end of the line.

Along the way, countless envious glances fell upon them, and even the students of the Imperial Academy who had previously mocked them dared not look up at them again.

"Little kid, where did you find these three prodigies?"

Li Daozong watched the three figures disappear into the distance, raised an eyebrow at Wen He, and then gave Ma Zhou a meaningful glance.

"Anything that catches your eye must be extraordinary."

Ma Zhou sighed, his tone full of envy: "It's really enviable. I used to envy Li Yifu for being able to get guidance from the county magistrate, and now he has three virtuous brothers to become his disciples. It's a pity that I'm too old and I really have no face to ask to become his disciples."

He had long heard that Wen He had effective teaching methods, and that even a mischievous child like Li Yifu could be taught to behave properly. Now that he saw that Meng Zhou and the others had gained Wen He's approval, he was even more eager to try.

"They're just three hotheads."

Wen He smiled faintly, her tone casual.

"The one we found to accompany the Crown Prince in his studies before wasn't exactly a prodigy."

Ma Zhou didn't understand the deeper meaning behind those words, but Li Daozong understood them instantly.

The Crown Prince is getting older, and although there are Xiao Yu, Wen He, and Yu Shinan who has not yet returned to Chang'an in the Eastern Palace.

But we still don't have enough manpower.

Wen He's acceptance of these three disciples from humble backgrounds likely has a deeper meaning.

"Are these three from humble backgrounds?"

Li Daozong asked in a low voice, his eyes showing a hint of seriousness.

He was worried that Wen He would recruit people for the Eastern Palace without authorization.

If we are not careful, we will surely arouse His Majesty's suspicion.

"We are all children of the common people, and we have achieved what we have today through hard work and study."

Wen He nodded, her tone remaining calm.

"I see." Li Daozong nodded thoughtfully, then asked another question.

"Is this His Majesty's will?"

Wen He didn't answer directly, but smiled noncommittally.

"When they were studying in Zheng County before, His Majesty and the Crown Prince met them and were quite satisfied with their character."

This has already been made very clear.

Li Shimin was aware of this matter and may even have secretly approved it.

Li Daozong stopped asking questions, but he became more concerned about these three poor students.

The three of them talked as they walked towards the inner side of the examination hall, their steps light and quick, as if they had completely forgotten about Fang Xingzhou on the ground.

Fang Xingzhou remained slumped on the ground, his hands aching, his cheeks aching, and his heart aching even more.

As he watched Wen He, Li Daozong, and Ma Zhou walk away side by side, and recalled his arrogance just now, he felt a wave of dizziness.

He not only offended the deputy examiner, but also lost his ranking in the Mingjing examination. Even if he manages to enter the examination hall, he is unlikely to have a good result.

The surrounding examinees gradually dispersed, and no one looked at him again, as if he were just a dirty stone on the ground.

Fang Xingzhou gritted his teeth, struggled to stand up, covered his cheek, and stood up.

For Wen He, the farce at the entrance of the examination hall caused by Fang Xingzhou was just a minor episode before the start of the spring examination, and it wouldn't cause any ripples.

After all the candidates had finished removing their clothes and undergoing inspection to ensure they had not brought any contraband, he accompanied Ma Zhou and Li Daozong as they watched as the candidates were divided into six different examination halls according to their subjects.

Each courtyard was guarded by more than ten cavalrymen and more than one hundred imperial guards, with a sentry post every three steps and a scout every five steps, so that not even a fly could easily fly in.

Before announcing the exam questions, the 100 riders had to verify the identities of each candidate, comparing them with household registration documents and portraits to ensure that no one impersonated another.

However, this check revealed a problem.

Outside the Mingjing Examination Hall on the east side of the Gongyuan (Imperial Examination Hall), a hundred horsemen were verifying the identities of the candidates one by one.

Wen He stood under the corridor, watching the riders compare the portraits on the household registration documents with the candidates themselves.

He knew that the most difficult thing to prevent in the imperial examinations was impersonation, especially by those scions of wealthy families who wanted to take shortcuts and always used money to bribe poor scholars to take the exams for them.

"Next up, Wang Zhongwen."

As the riders shouted, a young man dressed in a blue robe with a fair complexion stepped forward and handed over the household registration documents with both hands.

The officer in charge of verification took the document, glanced at the portrait, then looked up at the young man, and suddenly frowned.

"The document says you have a black mole on your left eyebrow, but you don't have one on your eyebrow."

The young man's expression changed slightly, and he quickly explained, "Reporting to Your Excellency, the mole was accidentally rubbed off a few days ago, so it's not very noticeable."

The cavalrymen were skeptical and about to ask again when Zhang Wenxiao suddenly stepped forward, his gaze falling on the young man's hand.

"The household registration records clearly state that you have lived in Henan for a long time, so why do you speak with a Chang'an accent?"

Upon hearing this, the young man froze instantly, his eyes darting around in a panic.

Seeing this, Wen He stepped forward, her tone calm yet carrying a sense of pressure.

"Tell me the truth, who sent you to take the exam for me? If you dare to conceal it, according to the laws of the Tang Dynasty, both the person who took the exam for you and the person who was taken for you will be exiled three thousand miles away. Think it over carefully."

The young man was so frightened that he fell to his knees with a thud, his voice trembling.

"Please spare my life, sir!"

As soon as he knelt down, he revealed his employer's identity.

Wen He's eyes turned cold, and she ordered Zhang Wenxiao, "Take him away and keep him under strict guard. We'll interrogate him about Fang Ming's whereabouts later."

Before Zhang Wenxiao could leave with his men, there was another commotion at the Imperial Examination Institute on the other side.

A hundred riders galloped up and bowed to report.

"Young master, problems have also been discovered with the imperial examination! There's a candidate named 'Li Xiu,' whose household registration documents state that he has an old injury in his right leg and walks with a slight limp, but he walks steadily and there's no sign of injury at all!"

Wen He and Ma Zhou exchanged a glance, both seeing shock in each other's eyes.

In just half an hour, two cases of cheating on exams were uncovered! He immediately led his men to the Imperial Examination Hall, where he saw "Lin Feng" being pinned to the ground by a hundred cavalrymen, his face full of resentment.

"Why are you arresting me? I am Lin Feng! I am the person listed on the documents!"

"is it?"

Wen He picked up the document and pointed to the handwriting on it.

"The household registration record on the document was written three years ago. Although the ink is faint, you can still see that the last stroke of the character '封' has a hook. But when you signed it just now, the last stroke of the character '封' was straight. You can't even write your own name correctly, yet you dare to say that you are Lin Feng?"

The candidate's face turned deathly pale instantly, and he was unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.

In the following hour, more than twenty cases of proxy test-taking were discovered among the candidates for subjects such as law and mathematics.

Some people even forged a complete set of household registration documents in an attempt to deceive the authorities.

Wen He looked at the more than twenty test-takers who had been brought together, her tone cold and stern.

"The Tang Dynasty established the imperial examination system to select truly talented individuals, not to allow those who want to exploit loopholes! Your actions are tantamount to aiding and abetting evil, and you should all be sent to the Dali Temple."

"Gaoyang County lord, spare my life!"

Those scholars who took the exam for others were immediately devastated.

But Wen He didn't even glance at them.

Even if these people confessed their crimes, Li Shimin would never let them go.

This was the first imperial examination after Li Shimin ascended the throne, and these people dared to be so audacious.

He then ordered all the substitute test-takers to be taken to the Dali Temple, and ordered a hundred cavalrymen to immediately arrest the scholars who had been impersonated.

"How annoying!"

The usually mild-mannered Ma Zhou was unusually angry, slamming the roster he was holding heavily on the table.

"Of the more than 500 candidates, more than 20 were imposters! These people are so greedy for the imperial examinations that they would even deceive the emperor. They are utterly depraved!"

“Master Ma, calm down.”

Wen He appeared calm, tapping her fingertips lightly on the edge of the table.

"Where there's a policy, there's a countermeasure; the imperial examination system has always had its share of people who exploit loopholes."

Fortunately, the others were sensible enough not to bring cheat sheets.

They must have heard about the methods used by the Hundred Riders to search and confiscate items, and knew that hiding them would be a waste of time, so they only dared to tamper with their identities.

Upon hearing this, Ma Zhou's expression softened slightly, but he still couldn't help but sigh.

"It's also thanks to the rigorous checks by the Hundred Cavalry; otherwise, if these people had really slipped in, it would not only have been unfair to the other candidates, but it would have also ruined the rules of the imperial examination."

Not long after, a long, resonant bell rang through the air above the examination hall, and the examiners from the six examination halls simultaneously began to present the examination questions, officially commencing the spring examination.

Before the gates of the examination hall were completely closed, Wen He led Zhang Wenxiao and several riders away.

Firstly, it was to avoid suspicion, since he was the teacher of Meng and Zhou.

Secondly, he had no interest in spending three whole days in that oppressive courtyard.

After leaving the examination hall, Wen He went straight back to the Hundred Cavalry Division. Just as she reached the vicinity of the drill ground, she heard a series of angry curses and screams, which were particularly jarring.

"Hurry up! Haven't you eaten? Li Daoxing, get up for your dad!"

"Snapped!"

After the crisp crack of the whip, came Dugu Chen's furious shouts.

Wen He looked in the direction of the sound and saw Dugu Chen riding a tall horse on the training ground, holding a cowhide whip in his hand, and sternly reprimanding Li Daoxing who was lying on the ground.

Seeing that Li Daoxing hadn't moved for a while, he flicked his wrist and lashed the whip down hard again.

"what!"

Li Daoxing let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered, struggling to get up, but was whipped back down.

"Dugu Chen, this king, this king... ah!"

Before he could finish speaking, the second lash came down, striking his back and leaving a red welt instantly.

"Your head is mine!"

Dugu Chen tightened the reins and glared down at him.

"His Majesty stripped you of your title long ago. Now you're just a commoner with no official rank or position! If you don't get up and run these ten laps, your father will beat you so badly you won't be able to crawl back to your residence! Hurry up!"

"Stop fighting! Stop fighting! I'm running! I'm running, okay?!"

With a mournful face, Li Daoxing struggled to get up from the ground and staggered forward, wailing as he ran.

"Ouch, it hurts so much! Brother, come quick, I want to go home!!"

"Go home? Dream on. Once you're in the Hundred Riders, you can forget about leaving. You dog, you stole Ye Ye's beauty a year ago... Bah, you lazybones, get running for me."

Watching this scene from afar, Wen He couldn't help but turn to look at Zhang Wenxiao, her eyes full of "you think about it, you think about it carefully."

Zhang Wenxiao felt uneasy under his gaze and asked, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"Young master, why are you looking at me like that? I haven't done anything to you."

"I'm just curious."

Wen He stroked his chin, his tone carrying a hint of inquiry.

"When you were training Dugu Chen, did you give him any special 'training'? I feel like he's getting more and more 'abnormal' now."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wenxiao immediately smiled and waved his hand, shifting the blame back to him: "If we're talking about ruthlessness, Young Master was much ruthless to him than you were to Biaoxia back then, have you forgotten? When Dugu Chen first joined the Hundred Cavalry, he was unruly, so you threw him into the stable and made him live with the horses for three days, and even made him clean up horse manure with his bare hands. I think his current temperament is inseparable from the 'training' you gave him back then."

"Cough cough..."

Wen He coughed lightly twice, her eyes somewhat unfocused.

"I did that to toughen him up and teach him what rules are. Besides, I didn't hit him that hard back then, did I?"

Zhang Wenxiao didn't reply, but gestured for him to look at the training ground.

Dugu Chen raised his whip again, and Li Daoxing's screams rose eight octaves higher.

Dugu Chen laughed as he fought.

This isn't training; it's clearly deliberate torture.

Just as Wen He was getting into it and even thought about finding some melon seeds to sit down and watch slowly...

Just then, Gao Yue arrived at an inopportune moment.

"Isn't this a high-ranking official? What brings you here today, Hundred Cavalry? Could it be that some blind fool in the court has impeached me again?"

Wen He jokingly agreed.

Gao Yue sighed helplessly and said with a laugh, "Who would dare to impeach you, the magistrate of Gaoyang County, nowadays? It was His Majesty who came to see you."

As he spoke, he took out a letter sealed with clay from his sleeve.

"His Majesty's secret decree: the county magistrate is to read this and then burn it."

(End of this chapter)