A thousand-year-old family begins with one fighting against ten thousand.

The alliance of many aristocratic families originally planned to collectively abandon the examination. However, when they discovered that scholars from all over the country were flocking to the imperial court, they realized that Yang Jian might have seen through their intentions, so he allowed these people to enter the capital ahead of schedule.

Yang Jian had considered concealing it, but the commotion of students from all over the country flocking to the capital was too great to hide, so he gave up.

Moreover, sending these students to the capital might alert the enemy and perhaps bring unexpected surprises.

He knew all too well the caution and double-dealing of those aristocratic families.

Once they choose to skip the exam, these people will quickly fill their places.

Several top families quickly held another small meeting. Everyone looked at each other with some hostility and suspicion. They had reason to suspect that there was an undercover agent on the other side. Otherwise, why would their flawless plan have been discovered?

The major families were only able to unite because of their fear of Yang Jian, but now that this incident has occurred, their cooperation has immediately been fractured.

A pang of regret flashed through the heart of the Sima family patriarch. Had they known things would turn out this way, they wouldn't have abandoned Shen Ye so quickly.

All the other powerful families have a way out, but their family doesn't.

"Even if they bring all these students here, what good will it do?"

"If we simply have all the disciples of each family participate in the imperial examinations, then after the results are announced, they will all be at the top of the list and occupy all the official titles. This imperial examination system will naturally remain a joke."

"If we wait until the imperial court grants official positions and then make them all give up, the imperial examination system will become a complete joke."

The heads of several prominent families seemed to agree with this and all agreed to the plan proposed by the old patriarch of the Sima family.

But the old patriarch of the Sima family knew it was all over.

As he expected, after the old patriarchs of the various families left, they all secretly contacted Yang Jian, wanting to sell him for a good price.

Whether or not they took the imperial examinations, while it had a significant impact on them, it wasn't to the point of destroying their entire clan and causing their deaths.

As you can see, the imperial examination system, which was implemented in the Tang Dynasty for hundreds of years, survived the suppression by Emperor Taizong, the purges by Empress Wu Zetian, and the repression by Emperor Xuanzong. It was still very powerful and a force that could shake the imperial power in the mid-to-late Tang Dynasty.

Although the imperial examinations have selected some talented individuals from humble backgrounds, the majority of those who made the list were descendants of prominent families.

It wasn't until Huang Chao, a man devoid of martial virtue, slaughtered them according to their family genealogy that these aristocratic families were swept into the dustbin of history.

It's now obvious that Yang Jian has already noticed their plan and is prepared for it, yet they still stubbornly insist on aligning themselves with him. This is not in line with the survival principles of their aristocratic family.

However, what truly convinced them to pledge allegiance to Yang Jian was the battle report that came back. Yang Jian's military might was indeed terrifying, and the rebellions they had stirred up in various places were easily quelled.

There's no need to stubbornly compete with Yang Jian. Their aristocratic families never fight for a short period of time. They submit to a strong emperor. Even the most powerful dynasty cannot produce wise rulers in every generation.

Twenty years later, they fought again to see who would rule the world.

Even the Sima family was secretly contacting Yang Jian; it was Shen Ye, not Yang Jian, who had a grudge against him.

They were gambling that Shen Ye wasn't that important to Yang Jian.

Unfortunately, they made the wrong bet.

One reason was that Yang Jian discovered Shen Ye was indeed an extremely talented person; the other was that he also needed an opportunity to make an example of him.

Yang Jian couldn't help but grin as he looked at the overtures from the various powerful families in his hand.

He hadn't expected that stirring up trouble would be so effective, or perhaps he hadn't expected that these families, with their centuries-old traditions, would have such low moral standards.

"Your Majesty, these powerful families may be feigning weakness to deceive us; we must be on guard."

"If we are careless, and these powerful families launch another attack from below, it will be too late to regret it."

Shen Ye reminded him.

Yang Jian laughed heartily, and the aristocratic families bowing their heads made him breathe a sigh of relief.

"Rest assured, my dear minister, I will never underestimate the enemy."

"My dear minister, just follow the plan. I will handle everything."

Yang Jian handed a piece of paper to Shen Ye, which was the Sima family's "sincerity".

Shen Ye took it and chuckled.

"Your Majesty, I never imagined that my head could be worth so much money!"

"Ten thousand taels of gold, dozens of manors, dozens of residences in the capital city of Luoyang, one hundred thousand bushels of grain, and the full support of the top aristocratic family, the Sima family."

"What merit do I, Shen Ye, possess to deserve this?"

Yang Jian patted Shen Ye on the shoulder, took Shen Ye's hand, and slipped the note into his palm.

"I will need your continued attention to the matters that follow."

Shen Ye was overjoyed; he hadn't expected his chance for revenge to come so soon.

Yang Jian was clearly trying to kill the chicken that Sima family was using as a warning to others; he was the knife that killed the chicken.

However, he volunteered to become this knife, and was very happy to become this knife.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will never fail in your trust."

Recalling the exam question that had absolutely nothing to do with the Book of Han, Shen Ye was full of confidence.

After this imperial examination is held, he will release the news that the Book of Han has been excluded from the examination. When a wall falls, everyone pushes it down. The goodwill shown by His Majesty is the best proof.

Moreover, he meticulously prepared a delicacy for the Sima family, which would absolutely make them wish they were dead.

He will definitely cover the Sima family's graves with soil very firmly.

As the imperial examination drew closer, the Sima family still hadn't received a response from Yang Jian.

The old patriarch of the Sima family had already prepared for the worst, sending all the disciples of the clan away to different places. No matter what the future held for the Sima family, they were not allowed to change their surname to Sima.

"Master, is this necessary?"

"Our Sima family has been a first-rate family since the Han Dynasty, and in the Qian Dynasty, we became a top-tier family. How could a mere Shen Ye possibly shake our position?!"

"As long as His Majesty hasn't turned back, he won't offend the Sima family for the sake of a mere Shen Ye."

"Between our Sima family and Shen Ye, I believe His Majesty can see who is more important!"

His statement was echoed by many people, but the fact that so many people echoed it made the old patriarch of the Sima family feel even more sorrowful.

After him, not a single member of the Sima family was able to see the true nature of the times.

Is he afraid of a mere Shen Ye?!

How is that possible!

What he feared were the fierce tigers and wolves, Yang Jian and the aristocratic families who had betrayed him.

Yang Jian will definitely make an example of the Sima family, and those other powerful families will certainly lend a helping hand, enjoying the feast of dividing up the Sima family.