Transforming into a stunningly beautiful fox spirit, leaving a scar on the heart of a prodigy.

September 19th, Imperial Examination Hall in the capital.

Before dawn, the entrance to the examination hall was already packed with people.

Candidates from all over the country lined up in long queues, carrying their examination baskets.

The air was filled with the smell of stale steamed buns and old ink, mixed with a hint of sweat from extreme tension.

Gu Xiang carried that tattered book box on his back.

He specially changed into the new long gown that Su Qing bought for him today, but the clothes looked awkward on him no matter how you looked at them, like a child who had stolen an adult's clothes.

"Brother Su... Brother Su." Gu Xiang's teeth chattered as he tugged at the sleeve of the person in front of him. "I... I need to use the restroom."

Su Qing turned around, holding the broken folding fan with only half a fan rib left, looking disgusted.

Today she changed back into her blue men's clothing, her hair tied up high, making her look exceptionally energetic.

Even among this group of disheveled and unkempt candidates, he stood out conspicuously.

"Hold it in," Su Qing replied irritably. "You wouldn't pee when I told you to at the inn, but now that we're at the door, you're making a fuss. Besides, is this pee? You're just scared."

Gu Xiang blushed, wanting to retort, but she couldn't muster the anger in her stomach.

He looked at the solemn-looking candidates around him, and then at the two vermilion gates of the examination hall. He felt that they were not gates, but two gaping mouths that were about to devour people.

"Stop looking, you'll never become the top scholar no matter how much you look." Su Qing reached out and slapped him on the back of the head. "Chest out, head up, stomach in. We're here to take an exam, not to visit a grave."

The line slowly moved forward, and finally it was time for the body search.

The soldiers responsible for the body search were all fierce-looking, as if they wanted to peel off every layer of the examinee's skin to check them.

Gu Xiang obediently handed over the exam basket, opening his arms to wait for inspection.

The examiner in charge of this line was a burly man with triangular eyes and a bulbous nose; he was clearly not a kind person.

He glanced at the travel permit in Gu Xiang's hand, a cold smile curling at the corner of his lips.

"Gu Xiang from Qingniu Town?" The examiner casually tossed the travel permit onto the table, sizing up Gu Xiang. "Disrespectful to elders, insubordinate, and even dares to offend the Second Prince's household?"

Gu Xiang's heart skipped a beat.

How did this person know?

"Take off your clothes." The examiner slammed the whip on the table. "Take them all off."

Gu Xiang was stunned: "Sir, this...this isn't according to the rules, is it? A body search only requires removing the outer robe..."

"Enough with the nonsense!" The examiner glared at him. "I suspect you're smuggling in cheat sheets! Just take them off when I tell you to! Stop with the rambling! Take off your underpants too, I need to check...that place for any cheat sheets!"

The surrounding examinees burst into laughter.

Gu Xiang's face instantly turned a deep purplish-red, his hands gripping his collar tightly, his knuckles turning white.

To be stripped naked in public and have one's private parts examined is worse than death for a scholar.

"I won't take it off!" Gu Xiang gritted her teeth, her voice trembling. "This is an insult to civility! I have the teachings of a sage, how can I..."

"A saint?" The examiner scoffed, reaching out to pull at Gu Xiang's belt. "Now that I'm here, I'm a saint! Take it off!"

Gu Xiang clutched her belt tightly, tears welling up in her eyes.

Just then, a fair hand suddenly reached out and grabbed the examiner's wrist.

"Click."

A crisp sound—the sound of bones breaking.

Before the examiner could react, he felt a piercing pain in his wrist, and he gasped for breath, his mouth wide open but unable to make a sound.

Su Qing stood to the side with a smile, holding the examiner's wrist in her hand. With a little force, the examiner's face turned a little paler.

"Confucius said: Do not do what is improper," Su Qing said slowly. "Since you don't want this hand anymore, then don't want it."

After saying that, she raised her foot and seemingly casually kicked the examiner in the stomach.

"Bang!"

The examiner flew out like a kite with a broken string, tracing a graceful arc in the air before crashing heavily into the plaque above the gate of the examination hall.

"Bang!"

The examiner fell down and got stuck right under the four big characters "fair and honest," his eyes rolling back as he fainted.

The entire room fell silent.

Everyone stared, mouths agape, at the scholar in the blue robe. Beating up an examiner at the entrance of the examination hall? Had this guy gone mad?!

"Rebellion! Rebellion!" The soldiers nearby finally reacted, drawing their swords and surrounding Su Qing. "How dare you commit violence in the examination hall! Arrest him! Arrest him now!"

Gu Xiang was terrified and quickly stepped in front of Su Qing, crying, "No...don't do it! He attacked first! He's a bad guy!"

Su Qing pulled Gu Xiang behind her, dusted off the hem of her clothes, and looked indifferent.

"Who's making a scene!"

A stern, angry shout came from inside the examination hall.

An elderly man in a scarlet official robe strode out, followed by a group of obsequious officials. The old man had a gaunt face and a sinister look in his eyes; he was none other than the Minister of Rites, and also the chief examiner for this imperial examination.

"Who dares to cause trouble in the examination hall?" The Minister of Rites scanned the entire hall, his gaze finally settling on Su Qing. "It's you?"

Su Qing raised an eyebrow: "It's me. What, this examiner wants to see men's butts, so I have an obligation to fix his eyes?"

"Outrageous!" the Minister of Rites roared. "Assaulting a high-ranking official and yelling at the examination hall—according to the law, this is a capital offense! Guards, seize him!"

Dozens of soldiers were about to rush up.

Su Qing sneered, took out a golden token from his pocket, casually tossed it into the air, and caught it steadily.

"Look closely, what is this?"

The Minister of Rites took a closer look, and his expression changed instantly.

That's the Third Prince's personal token!

Seeing the order is like seeing the person!

Before he could react, a terrifying aura suddenly erupted from Su Qing's body.

It wasn't the true energy of a martial artist, nor the righteous spirit of a Confucian scholar, but rather a strange and oppressive aura that made people tremble from the depths of their souls.

This aura was directed only at the Minister of Rites.

The Minister felt a sudden darkness before his eyes, as if he saw a nine-tailed fox demon, its vertical pupils filled with mockery and murderous intent, staring coldly at him.

If he dares to move even once, he will be torn to shreds in the next second.

Cold sweat instantly soaked the Minister's back.

"This...this is..." The Minister's legs went weak and he almost knelt down.

Su Qing regained her composure, tucked the token back into her bosom, and looked at him with a smile: "Sir, are you still going to arrest me?"

The Minister gasped for breath, looking at Su Qing in horror.

Although he was the Grand Preceptor's man, he also knew that there were some ruthless characters in the capital who were not to be trifled with.

This person in front of me is definitely a big problem.

"Misunderstanding...misunderstanding." The Minister wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Since you're one of the Third Prince's men...then it's naturally a misunderstanding. Let them through! Let them through immediately!"

The soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment, then had no choice but to sheathe their swords and make way for them.

Su Qing swaggered in, pulling the still-dazed Gu Xiang along, and walked into the gate of the examination hall.

As she passed the examiner who had fainted, she casually stepped on the back of his hand.

"Ah!" The examiner screamed in pain while unconscious, then woke up again. Upon seeing Su Qing's smiling face, his eyes rolled back and he fainted again.

Upon entering the examination hall, number plates were distributed.

Whether it was intentional revenge by the Minister or not, Su Qing received a "stinky" number.

The so-called "stinky cell" is a cell right next to the latrine.

That smell, it can travel ten miles with the wind at your back, and kill a cow if it's against the wind.

Su Qing stood at the entrance of the cell, pinching her nose, looking at the dilapidated table inside and the stinking latrine bucket next to it, her brows furrowed into a deep frown.

"Is this a place for humans to stay?" Su Qing cursed.

Gu Xiang, who was next to him, was luckier and got a middle position.

He looked at Su Qing with concern: "Brother Su, how about... how about we switch places? My nose is stuffy, I can't smell anything."

"Come on, you're hopeless." Su Qing waved her hand. "With your build, half an hour of smelling you would be enough to kill you. Get back to your seat."

Gu Xiang walked away, turning back every few steps.

Su Qing walked into the cell and disdainfully used two fingers to pick up a rag and wipe the table.

The smell hit her right in the head, making her want to kill someone.

"Trying to disgust me, huh?" Su Qing sneered.

She pulled a worn-out pen from her sleeve, moistened it with saliva, and quickly drew a few scribbles on the wall of the cell.

"change!"

Su Qing gave a low shout and tapped the rune with his finger.

A miraculous scene unfolded.

The stench in the cell seemed to have been sucked away by something, disappearing instantly without a trace, leaving the air incredibly fresh.

And on the Mingyuan Tower in the very center of the examination hall.

The Minister of Rites was holding a teacup, wanting to drink some hot tea to calm his nerves.

Suddenly, a pungent, almost tangible stench appeared out of nowhere and assaulted his nostrils.

The smell was as if all the outhouses in the entire capital had been moved to his presence and fermented for three hundred years.

"puff!"

The Minister spat out his entire mouthful of tea, choking and coughing repeatedly, tears and snot streaming down his face.

"What's going on! Where's that stench coming from!" the Minister shouted, covering his nose.

The assistant examiners next to them were also covering their noses, their faces ashen.

"Sir...it seems...it seems to be coming from you..." a deputy examiner said cautiously.

The Minister lowered his head and sniffed his sleeve, nearly fainting from the stench.

……

Inside the cell, Su Qing was in a great mood, humming a little tune as she began grinding ink.

Not long after, the trial curls came out.

Gu Xiang sat in his cell, took a deep breath, and unfolded the exam paper with trembling hands.

His face turned pale after just one glance at the question.

The title consists of only one line: "On the relationship between ruler and subject, father and son, and obedience to Heaven and the people."

This question may seem ordinary, but it actually hides a deadly trap.

In the current imperial court, the emperor is incompetent and tyrannical, while the imperial advisor wields absolute power and influence.

This so-called "following the will of Heaven and responding to the will of the people" does not follow the way of Heaven, but the imperial advisor; it does not respond to the will of the people, but the imperial power.

To write this article well, one must sing praises, acknowledge that the Grand Preceptor's actions were in accordance with the will of Heaven, and portray those absurd tyrannical policies as the rule of a sage.

If it's not written this way... that would be blasphemous, at best failing the exam, at worst losing your head.

This is a question that could cost you your life.

Sighs echoed from the surrounding cells.

Many candidates looked at the questions with dismay, and in the end could only shake their heads helplessly and pick up their pens to write those insincere flattering words.

After all, nobody wants to die.

Gu Xiang held the pen, his hand trembling violently.

A drop of ink falls on the paper, spreading out in a black hue.

Should I write it?

As long as he writes a few nice words, praising the imperial advisor and the holy emperor, with his literary talent, it won't be difficult for him to pass the imperial examination.

Then I can become an official, bring honor to my ancestors, and make Grandpa Village Chief happy.

but……

Gu Xiang closed his eyes.

The image of the slaughtered village outside Qingniu Town flashed through my mind, along with the withered corpses and the unseeing eyes.

The images of refugees seen along the way, and the tragic scenes of people exchanging children to eat, came to mind.

If this is what it means to follow the will of Heaven and the will of the people, then is Heaven blind?

Gu Xiang suddenly opened her eyes, her eyes red-rimmed.

He wanted to write, but the pen in his hand felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, and he couldn't bring himself to write.

"Gu Xiang".

A clear, cold voice suddenly rang in his mind.

Gu Xiang was startled and looked around.

"Stop looking, I'm using telepathy." Su Qing's voice was languid and mocking. "What's wrong, can't bring yourself to write? Are you so desperate for officialdom that you're willing to sell your conscience for a government hat?"

"I...I didn't!" Gu Xiang shouted in his heart.

"If you don't have one, then write one." Su Qing's voice turned serious. "Gu Xiang, do you want to be a coward for life, or a saint for a quarter of an hour? Is all that cleverness in your head just for learning how to flatter?"

A saint for a quarter of an hour...

Gu Xiang was stunned.

Yes, he studied the classics for twenty years, learning "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness," and learning to "establish a heart for heaven and earth and establish a destiny for the people."

If you don't even dare to speak the truth, what's the point of studying? What's the point of taking the imperial examinations?

A surge of hot blood welled up in my chest and rushed straight to the top of my head.

The confusion in Gu Xiang's eyes dissipated, replaced by an unprecedented determination.

To hell with following the will of Heaven and the will of the people!

To hell with the Imperial Advisor!

I'm not putting up with this anymore!

Gu Xiang took a deep breath and ground the ink again.

This time, he studied very hard and very seriously.

The black ink swirled in the inkstone, and surprisingly, it faintly shimmered with a layer of golden light.

That is righteous spirit, the backbone of scholars.

He picked up his pen, dipped it in thick ink, and wrote the first line heavily on the exam paper:

"Heaven shows no favoritism, but always sides with the virtuous. Now, evil forces are wreaking havoc in the government, treating the people like dirt. This is going against Heaven, not following it!"

His pen moves with a sharp, resounding stroke, each word like a knife.

And in the stinking cell not far away.

Su Qing crossed her legs, looked at the questions on the test paper, and pursed her lips.

"What a ridiculous question! Even a dog would shake its head at it."

She picked up her pen and drew a huge turtle in the center of the exam paper. On the turtle's back were written two large characters: "National Preceptor".

After finishing the drawing, she nodded in satisfaction and added a small note next to it:

"This question is too 'torture-inducing'; I suggest dragging the person who set it out and beheading them for fun."

Putting down his pen, Su Qing stretched and scanned Gu Xiang's cell with his divine sense.

Sensing the faint yet pure golden light rising from there, a smile appeared on her lips.

"You idiot, there's still some hope for you."

At this moment, the once clear sky above the examination hall suddenly became stormy with clouds.

An invisible wave emanated from Gu Xiang's cell and spread outwards.

The candidates, who were engrossed in writing flattering words, suddenly felt a jolt in their hearts, and the pens in their hands inexplicably broke.

Upstairs in Mingyuan Tower, the Minister of Rites, who had just changed his clothes, was about to take a sip of water when suddenly his hand trembled, and the cup fell to the ground and shattered.

He suddenly looked up towards the examination hall, his expression changing drastically.

"This is...righteous energy?!"

"There's actually someone in this examination hall who can stir up the primordial energy of heaven and earth?!"

The Minister's voice was trembling.

In this world where evil reigns supreme, righteousness is the greatest variable.

"Investigate! Investigate for me!" the Minister roared hysterically. "Who wrote this article! Find him!"

……

Inside the cell, Gu Xiang knew nothing of this.

He was completely immersed in his own world.

The words I write seem to have a life of their own, each one pulsating and burning.

He wanted to pour all his experiences and anger onto this thin piece of paper.

Even if it means losing your head after the exam, even if you can't leave this examination hall.

Today, he cares for his hometown and will act as a saint for this very moment!

Su Qing looked at the commotion over there, sighed helplessly, folded up the test paper with the turtle drawn on it and stuffed it into her bosom, then took out another piece of white paper and laid it out.

"What a troublemaker."

Su Qing complained, but the folding fan in her hand quietly slipped out and turned into a short blade that gleamed with cold light, which she then hid in her sleeve.

"It looks like today's exam isn't going to end well."