Prime Minister.

Chapter 91 090 [I am guilty]

Jiang Li's answer surprised Xue Huai slightly.

He hadn't forgotten how Jiang Li had used her connections to force the Minister of Revenue to agree in order to get Shen Qingluan to leave the capital as soon as possible. Whether she genuinely disapproved of Xue Huai and Shen Qingluan's long-awaited reunion or was intentionally creating a romantic and ambiguous atmosphere in front of Xue Huai, she shouldn't have mentioned Yangzhou.

Jiang Li felt a little awkward.

She was well aware of Shen Qingluan's obsession with Xue Huai. After all, she was now one of the behind-the-scenes owners of Guangtai Money Shop's Beijing branch. Although she hadn't invested a single penny, Guangtai Money Shop would definitely come to her for help if it encountered trouble in Beijing in the future. Therefore, she had sent people to thoroughly investigate the Shen family and Shen Qingluan's background over the past few months.

There is nothing wrong with the Shen family. Shen Bingwen is not a heartless person, otherwise Xue Mingzhang would not have helped the Shen family back then.

Over the years, his original intentions have remained unchanged, and his efforts to benefit his hometown have never ceased.

Based on this, Jiang Li didn't mind giving the Shen family a little help, but she didn't have a good impression of Shen Qingluan.

The reason for this was what she had told Xue Huai that day: a life of pleasure is a hero's grave. Shen Qingluan only wanted to spend time with Xue Huai, but how could Xue Huai possibly focus his energy on such things?

However, as Xue Huai's performance became increasingly outstanding, Jiang Li realized that she needed to change her attitude towards him. She couldn't be too forceful, nor could she directly interfere in his life. Therefore, she explained calmly, "Yangzhou is where your father rose to prominence. I believe his spirit in heaven will be very concerned about the people of Yangzhou. Last summer, the Yangtze River floods breached the Yangzhou dikes, turning this land of fish and rice into a swamp in the blink of an eye, and countless people were displaced. Post-disaster reconstruction is a long and arduous process. If you can do this well, you will not only achieve outstanding political achievements, but also create a beautiful story of father and son working together to manage the world and benefit the people."

This explanation was reasonable, and Xue Huai nodded, saying, "Your Highness and I are of the same mind."

Why aren't you submitting now...?

Jiang Li silently muttered to herself, then said, "The former prefect of Yangzhou, Han Yi, was dismissed from office for his poor performance in flood control. The officials in Yangzhou Prefecture have been reshuffled. The current prefect, Tan Mingguang, is an honest and upright man. You are very capable of taking over as the assistant prefect of Yangzhou."

The position of Assistant Prefect of a prefecture is a fifth-rank official. Given Xue Huai's current sixth-rank official position, a promotion of only one rank is not excessive.

Although Xue Huai was promoted at the end of last year and is only nineteen years old this year, according to the official rules that have gradually formed in the Great Yan Dynasty over the past hundred years, officials from the capital who are normally transferred to other places will generally be promoted two or more ranks.

Xue Huai was a top scholar in the imperial examination, and his performance in the past six months has been quite outstanding. If he weren't so young, Jiang Li would have liked to help him get a position as a prefect. Having experience governing a region would be very beneficial to Xue Huai's future career. Of course, now it's just an extra step in the transfer process.

Jiang Li believed that with Xue Huai's abilities, he would definitely be able to quickly achieve political success in the local area, and then being promoted to prefect would be a natural outcome.

"After I leave the capital, I hope Your Highness can arrange for someone to look after the Xue family."

Xue Huai was not at all reserved. He was too lazy to calculate the gains and losses between him and Jiang Li, as it was ultimately just a transaction.

He now needs Jiang Li's help, and he will do his best to help her explore the old stories buried in the dusty archives.

"I would have done it even if you hadn't said anything."

Jiang Li smiled and said, "With your father's reputation, who would dare to bully the Xue family? Even if things get really bad, Minister Shen is still around, and I will help you keep an eye on things, so you don't need to worry."

Looking into the girl's noble and bright eyes, Xue Huai finally said with concern, "Your Highness, please take good care of yourself."

"know."

Jiang Li looked away, stood up and said, "I'm going back to the villa. By the way, let Jiang Sheng go with you to Jiangnan. He is honest and kind and his martial arts are not weak. He can protect you. I remember that you also have guards at home. Take a few more people with you to avoid being plotted against by villains."

"Yes."

Xue Huai agreed and then got up to take his leave.

Jiang Li hesitated, but ultimately did not mention anyone else. She simply smiled faintly and stepped out of the private room.

……

The next morning, Xue Huai had just finished having breakfast with Cui Shi when the steward came in to report that the palace eunuchs had summoned him and ordered him to enter the palace immediately.

"Huai'er?"

Cui was slightly worried. Although Xue Huai had often made enemies in the court in the past few years, he had very little contact with the palace. Even though he often wrote memorials to the emperor, the emperor did not pay much attention to them.

Nowadays, Xue Huai rarely impeaches others, and the emperor's attention to him has visibly increased, which makes Cui feel subconsciously worried.

"Mother, do not worry. I suppose His Majesty wants to ask me about the details of the imperial examination."

Xue Huai did not tell Cui about the turmoil inside the examination hall; he simply did not want her to worry unnecessarily.

"Be careful in front of the emperor."

Seeing that Xue Huai's expression was normal, Cui breathed a sigh of relief and only gave him some gentle instructions.

Xue Huai agreed and then asked Hua'er to help him change into his official robes before heading to the capital with the eunuch.

When he arrived near the Wende Hall, he keenly sensed that the atmosphere was slightly somber. Compared to what he had seen when he entered the palace before, the eunuchs and palace servants here today were noticeably more cautious and careful.

Xue Huai secretly increased his vigilance.

After the eunuch announced his arrival, he stepped into the inner hall, bowed without looking to the side, and said, "Your subject Xue Huai greets Your Majesty."

"No gift."

The emperor's indifferent voice came from ahead.

Xue Huai then stepped aside and glanced around the hall, noticing that there weren't many ministers inside.

Grand Secretary Ning Hengzhi, Second Grand Secretary Ouyang Hui, and Left Censor-in-Chief Cai Zhang—these three important figures stood on the left.

There were three people in front of Xue Huai: Sun Yan, Grand Secretary of the Cabinet; Yue Zhongming, Vice Minister of Rites; and Fan Dongyang, Left Vice Censor-in-Chief. Upon seeing this formation, Xue Huai felt a chill run down his spine.

The smaller the meeting, the bigger the matter; this has always been true.

"Everyone's here, who wants to speak first?"

Emperor Jiang Chen of the Great Yan sat behind his desk, with two thick memorials in front of him. The one on the left was a record of the examination hall jointly written by Sun Yan and Yue Zhongming, while the one on the right was a secret memorial from Fan Dongyang.

No one spoke.

Xue Huai was certainly not foolish enough to show off at this time. From what he had seen and heard upon entering the palace to the atmosphere in the hall at this moment, it was clear that the emperor was in a bad mood, and the first person to speak would inevitably invite trouble.

"The gentlemen are quite modest."

The emperor's lips curled into a mocking smile as he fixed his gaze on the young figure and said coldly, "Xue Huai, you tell me."

Xue Huai braced himself and asked, "Your Majesty, may I ask what I wish to say?"

The emperor replied, "Tell me what you did in the Gongyuan Hall on the twelfth day of the third month."

Xue Huai did not believe that the emperor had not read Fan Dongyang's secret report. Now that he was being asked to bring up the old matter again, it was clear that he was not making baseless accusations. He just didn't know who the emperor was targeting.

Is it one of him, Sun Yan, and Yue Zhongming, or all three of them?

He could not hesitate for long at this moment, so he quickly composed himself and briefly recounted the events of the day in a calm tone.

Before he could even begin, the Emperor frowned and said, "I don't want to hear those ambiguous and trivial matters. You only need to explain the details of the splitting of the papers and the reasons behind the last dozen or so papers that were obtained through connections."

"The minister obeys the order."

Xue Huai's heart stirred slightly. Although he couldn't see Sun Yan and Yue Zhongming's expressions, he could roughly guess their feelings at this moment.

This was not the examination hall, and the results of the spring examination were already settled. Xue Huai no longer needed to hide anything, so he recounted his investigation in detail.

Of course, he did not deliberately frame Sun Yue and his companion; he only stated the facts as he knew them.

Fan Dongyang then added, explaining the whole story of the paper-cutting incident: the two clerks at the sealing office colluded and accepted large sums of money from several candidates in this year's imperial examination to help them switch the papers.

After the two finished speaking, the hall fell into a long silence.

Sun Yan and Yue Zhongming stood there with solemn expressions, but their backs were actually drenched in cold sweat.

"Grand Secretary Sun."

The emperor addressed Sun Yan as usual, but Sun Yan could hear the anger hidden in the emperor's indifferent voice.

He humbly replied, "Your subject is here."

The emperor gazed at his aged face and said, "As the chief examiner of this year's imperial examination, how can such a thing have happened under your jurisdiction? What explanation do you have?"

"Your Majesty, I am ashamed!"

Sun Yan bowed his head, his voice trembling, and said, "Before the start of this year's spring imperial examination, I, along with Vice Minister Yue, summoned all the examiners and scribes and repeatedly instructed them to strictly prohibit anyone from engaging in favoritism or cheating during the examination. However, I never expected that there would be such audacious individuals who would commit such vile and outrageous acts, betraying His Majesty's trust and expectations. As the chief examiner, I failed to strictly supervise my subordinates and did not discover such madmen in time; I deserve to die a thousand deaths!"

At this moment, Yue Zhongming also reported: "Your Majesty, as the deputy chief examiner, I have failed to clean up the atmosphere of the examination hall and have failed Your Majesty's trust. I am guilty and beg Your Majesty to issue an edict to punish me!"

Although he and Sun Yan were like oil and water, they were now in the same boat, sharing both prosperity and adversity.

If Sun Yan is punished by the emperor, how could he, as the deputy chief examiner, possibly escape punishment?

The only option at present is to work together and shift the responsibility to the officials below. Even if we suffer joint liability as a result, it is better than becoming the direct target of the emperor's wrath.

Xue Huai had already retreated.

He was not surprised by the reaction of Sun and Yue. As long as they stubbornly denied it, the emperor would most likely not take drastic measures and would only impose a slight punishment as a warning.

The next moment, he heard the emperor say in a low voice, "Before the imperial examination began, I said something to you. I wonder if you still remember it."

Sun Yan and Yue Zhongming lowered their heads and dared not utter a sound.

The Emperor reached out and touched the paperweight on the table, and slowly said, "I have said that this year's imperial examination must be conducted in an impartial manner. If I had not informed you in advance, it would be understandable that you might have harbored any侥幸 (a sense of侥幸, a feeling of getting away with something), but since I have clearly stated that there should be no favoritism, you must not disobey me."

Upon hearing this, Sun Yan and Yue Zhongming's hearts jumped into their throats.

"You actually disregarded my words. It seems you've enjoyed wealth and luxury for too long and have forgotten your duty as subjects."

The emperor gave a cold laugh, raised his hand and slammed the paperweight to the ground, and said in a chilling voice: "Who gave you the audacity to act so recklessly and use the National Talent Selection Ceremony as a means for you to make money!"

With a "bang," the jade paperweight shattered into pieces.

Xue Huai's brow twitched.

Although the emperor wasn't targeting him, he could still feel the overwhelming rage.

(End of this chapter)