Chapter 28
Chapter 28: This Round, I’m on the Fifth Level!
March 5. Today was the day His Majesty held a banquet inside Imperial City.
The Jade Grove Banquet was the literary feast every scholar dreamed of. Early in the morning, palace attendants and palace maids were already bustling like ants, preparing the Jade Grove Garden.
Inside Imperial City, in the Imperial Study.
Before Emperor Jianping lay the list of the ninety new metropolitan graduates from this year’s spring exam. A stack of small booklets sat beside it, each recording a candidate’s basic background.
“Among these ninety,” Emperor Jianping said, flipping the register with a frown, “more than sixty are aristocratic heirs, and most of them ranked high.”
His lip curled. “Some of those great-clan disciples really are learned. But some… are useless dandies who can barely string a sentence together. And they still made the list. Do they take me for blind?”
Across from him, Gu Yan Qing set down his teacup. “Your Majesty is sharp-eyed, naturally. But when the Late Emperor ruled, the examinations were already like this. This year is Your Majesty’s first spring exam since ascending the throne. The great clans are being so blatant because they’re waiting to see how you respond.”
Imperial authority and the great clans could be allies—or enemies. Back then, the Late Emperor relied on the great clans to take the throne, so their power had grown enormous. Now, their reach had stretched far enough to threaten the royal house itself.
“Heh.” Emperor Jianping’s laugh turned cold. “They keep testing my bottom line. Fine. Let them. This palace exam, I will set the question myself. I’ll make every impostor show their true face.”
“It seems Your Majesty has already decided on the topic,” Gu Yan Qing said mildly.
“Of course I have.” Emperor Jianping looked pleased. He waved his hand, dismissing the attendants until only the two of them remained in the Imperial Study.
“Chancellor Gu, come here.” Emperor Jianping beckoned with a grin.
Gu Yan Qing rose and approached.
Emperor Jianping leaned over the desk and whispered, “This time… we test how they would implement the new policies nationwide. What do you think?”
Gu Yan Qing’s expression didn’t shift, but his gaze lowered slightly. The reform had reached a crucial stage. How to expand it across the realm was a true problem.
If someone could answer well, they would immediately catch the Emperor’s eye. Even Gu Yan Qing himself would be forced to take notice.
In that instant, Gu Yan Qing thought of the metropolitan exam papers.
He had read all ninety. Carefully.
The history and poetry questions were easy—and easiest to cheat on. The classics and policy questions were harder, and the answers were a mess. Some rambled nonsense. Some flattered shamelessly, praising the court and the Emperor until it turned sickening.
But there were also a few with real insight.
One candidate in particular stood out—sharp pen, brilliant talent, and unusually thoughtful about reform.
Gu Yan Qing remembered the name well: Shen Gui Yuan.
“Your Majesty and I have been pushing the new policies openly,” Gu Yan Qing said evenly. “Every scholar in the realm knows it. But what if someone loudly supports reform in front of Your Majesty, while secretly harboring ulterior motives?”
Emperor Jianping blinked. “What?”
A scholar daring to deceive the Emperor to his face?
Then again… if it was someone planted by the great clans…
Emperor Jianping’s brows knitted, then quickly relaxed.
“That’s exactly why I can’t go a single day without you, Chancellor Gu!” Emperor Jianping lifted a hand as if to clap Gu Yan Qing’s shoulder.
Gu Yan Qing stepped aside with effortless ease.
Emperor Jianping’s hand slapped air.
Hmph. Now he was getting proud.
“I know you’re clever.” Emperor Jianping leaned forward, eyes bright. “Did you see something in the metropolitan exam?”
Gu Yan Qing didn’t tease him. He selected several booklets and placed them directly in front of the Emperor.
“These people,” he said, “were trained in secret by major clans, according to my investigation. On the surface, they all appear to be ordinary scholars.”
“Those old foxes!” Emperor Jianping’s face darkened. “They dare play dirty with me!”
“This is only what I’ve uncovered so far,” Gu Yan Qing continued. “There are likely more that I haven’t found. I don’t know how many.”
There were ninety on the list. More than sixty came from famous families. And among the remaining twenty-some poor scholars… who knew how many were hidden pawns?
It was laughable.
And it was tragic.
“Bastards!” Emperor Jianping exploded. In a sweep of fury, he knocked the registers off the desk. Booklets scattered across the floor.
Names spilled everywhere.
The spring exam should have been a grand event to select talent for the Emperor, for Qing Yun Kingdom.
Instead, it had become a feast for the great clans to plant their own people.
“This is my first spring exam since I took the throne,” Emperor Jianping hissed. “Fine. Those old men are truly something!”
Gu Yan Qing remained calm. He looked down at the booklets on the floor, and his gaze paused on one name.
Jiang Chao Sheng.
Maybe they weren’t without people to use.
“Your Majesty need not be angry.” Gu Yan Qing’s lips lifted into a faint, charming curve. “This may not be a bad thing for us.”
Emperor Jianping’s fury stuttered. “Not a bad thing?”
“Those old foxes likely guessed what topic Your Majesty would set,” Gu Yan Qing said. “They will have prepared accordingly. So why not… turn their scheme back on them?”
Emperor Jianping froze.
Then his eyes lit up as understanding snapped into place.
They thought they could predict him.
But he had predicted their prediction—and could even pretend to fall for it, luring them straight into a trap.
This round… he was on the fifth level.
“Chancellor Gu,” Emperor Jianping said, leaning back with a smile, “what are you plotting now? Come on. Tell me.”
Gu Yan Qing glanced at him, expression unreadable, and explained his plan.
For this palace exam, he did have a few ideas.
And this morning…
After reading Jiang Jiang’s diary…
Those ideas had shifted, just a little.