Our family has been rebelling for generations, and you've become the top scholar in the imperia

Qin Feng walked out wearing a bright red scholar's robe.

in the hall.

All eyes were on him at the same time.

This includes the previous cabinet ministers.

"I ask you, is it your fault that so many students are unable to participate in the imperial examinations?"

Zhou Zhengde asked in a cold, deep voice.

He had heard about this matter, and the key point was that this year's examination results were indeed much lower than in previous years.

Could it really be related to Qin Feng?

"Your Majesty, I am guilty!"

Qin Feng stood tall and nodded in acknowledgment.

boom!

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise, including Zhou Zhengde, who sat upright on the dragon throne.

Standing to the side, Grandpa Miao nearly threw the tool in his hand away.

None of the officials in the court had expected this.

They actually admitted it outright?

Ren Qianyuan exchanged glances with his colleagues, their hearts filled with confusion.

What's the difference between admitting it in front of the emperor and courting death?

"Your Majesty, Qin Feng's actions of persecuting students and preventing them from participating in the imperial examinations are extremely egregious, akin to cheating in the examinations, and he deserves to be executed!"

"Throughout history, those who cheat in the imperial examinations have been executed on the spot, and their entire families exiled. Those who recommend or vouch for Qin Feng in the imperial examinations have been punished in the same way. I beg Your Majesty to issue an edict to restore the innocence of the students of my Great Zhou!"

"Killing them would not appease the anger; they are a disgrace to scholars! How dare they participate in the imperial examination and deceive the emperor! Their entire family should be executed!"

"..."

After Qin Feng admitted it.

The entire court was in an uproar.

In particular, officials from the Nanlin Party jumped out one after another, offering their incriminating evidence.

They wished they could drag the person out on the spot and behead them outside.

From the provincial examinations to the metropolitan examinations, some even went so far as to reveal that the recommending identities were fake.

Throughout the entire process, Qin Feng remained expressionless, standing tall and proud in place.

Who says people in ancient times weren't smart?

He felt that these people had very high IQs and guessed almost exactly the same thing.

He kidnapped a scholar to gain a recommendation, secretly altered his student status at the county government office, and bribed villagers to vouch for him...

Yes, he did it all!

Do you know what you're saying?

Zhou Zhengde's face was so pale it looked like it could drip water, and his eyes were full of disappointment towards Qin Feng.

He questioned in a deep voice.

"Your Majesty, I understand."

Qin Feng nodded emphatically.

Looking to the side, he saw the official who had first filed a complaint against him; the official was now shaking with joy.

"If you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext. Your Majesty, I come from a poor family. The fact that I was able to participate in the imperial examinations was due to the villagers saving up little by little—one egg from this family, one pound of bran from that family—to support my studies and participation in the examinations!"

"Your humble servant admits that I am not the best at studying, but I dare say that I have worked the hardest to participate in the imperial examinations."

"How could impoverished scholars, the peasants you gentlemen speak of, possibly become the top scholars? Therefore, whether or not these scholars participate in the imperial examination, it must be related to me. It is all my fault. I beg Your Majesty to issue an order; I am willing to die!"

In conclusion.

Everyone could see that Qin Feng's eyes were filled with tears, and his voice was choked with sobs and trembling.

The image of a poor student reading in the snow during the dead of winter inevitably comes to mind for many.

Many officials had strange expressions and began to talk in hushed tones.

"Yes, that reason doesn't hold water. How could a poor scholar like him have such power to prevent so many people from participating in the imperial examinations?"

"Could it be that his identity is fake, and he's not a poor student at all? Or perhaps...?"

"Are you out of your mind? If you really had that kind of background, why would you pretend to be a poor student? Wouldn't it have been better to just participate directly?"

"..."

The official who initially filed the complaint changed his expression drastically upon hearing the surrounding chatter.

Gritting his teeth, he pointed at Qin Feng again and questioned him sharply:

"You're spouting nonsense! Your Majesty, don't be fooled by this boy. So many scholars didn't participate in the imperial examinations because they were all more learned than you. How do you explain this?"

Qin Feng glanced at the other person.

His mouth twitched.

"My lord, I have also heard about this matter. It is said that some students were unable to participate in the imperial examination because of diarrhea. Hmm, this was done by me. I bribed all the restaurants in the capital to secretly poison people."

"Some students were reported to the Jingzhao Prefecture by courtesans and were unable to participate in the imperial examinations. Yes, I spent a lot of money to hire courtesans to scheme against these students."

"And the fact that we were robbed by bandits along the way, preventing us from reaching the capital and causing us to miss the imperial examination, was also my fault!"

Qin Feng spread his hands, scanned all the officials around him, and finally his gaze fell on the emperor above.

"Your humble servant confesses that all of the above was done by me. My humble status is a lie. I secretly kidnapped the old scholar, bribed the county magistrate, and obtained the right to participate in the imperial examination. My whole family are bandits, and we are involved in robbery and murder. Hmm, the robbery of the Vice Minister of Rites on his way back to the capital was also done by my family on my orders!"

"Your Majesty, my father was a bandit, my grandfather was a rebel leader, my mother was a saintess of the White Lotus Sect, and my grandmother was a remnant of the previous dynasty."

"Given my status, I have the power to do such a thing. Are you satisfied, my lord?"

So, what are you going to do to deal with this?

With so many buffs stacked up, even TV dramas wouldn't dare to portray it like this, and novels wouldn't dare to write it like this!

Sincerity is the ultimate weapon!

I'm just asking you, do you believe me or not?

quiet!

As Qin Feng finished speaking.

The entire court was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The official on the other side was dumbfounded.

The Nanlin Party officials around them were equally dumbfounded.

Zhou Zhengde, standing above, couldn't help but smile as he gently shook his head.

What is talent!

This is true talent!

When faced with the sudden attack from the Nanlin Party accusing them of cheating in the imperial examinations, the more they tried to explain, the more counterproductive it became.

To be able to come up with such a solution, Zhou Zhengde had to admit that it was beyond his expectations.

As for the identities Qin Feng mentioned...

A bandit's father, a rebel's grandfather, a demon's mother, and a remnant's grandmother... Is that even possible?

That's absolutely ridiculous.

Not only did Zhou Zhengde think it was impossible, but the entire court also thought it was impossible.

Yes!

How much energy and background would it take to go from a child student to the top scholar?

"Nonsense! This is the imperial court! Look at the state of yourselves! You're behaving like shrewish women from the marketplace, slandering the newly appointed top scholar in public without any evidence! Guards, drag him out and give him twenty strokes of the cane as a warning to others!"

Zhou Zhengde glanced around at his many ministers.

He suddenly waved his hand.

Immediately, several eunuchs rushed in and dragged the official who had collapsed to the ground away.

Even if someone survives a twenty-beat beating, they'll likely be bedridden for more than six months.

According to regulations, the newly appointed top scholar will enter the Hanlin Academy.

Seeing that no one spoke, he did not speak again.

Zhou Zhengde smiled, preparing to announce the results.

Entering the Hanlin Academy would naturally be the best choice, as it would allow one to join the cabinet and compete with the Nanlin Party in the future.

After Qin Feng's outburst, there's probably no good reason left to stop him from entering the Hanlin Academy.

"Your Majesty, this old minister has something to report!"

suddenly.

Grand Tutor Wang, who had been standing at the very front with his eyes closed, slowly stepped forward.

"This old minister dares to suggest that we postpone the entry of Scholar Qin into the Hanlin Academy."