kvmb Chapter 337 You...you actually dared to betray us?
Chapter 337 You...you actually dared to betray us?
Upon seeing this question, countless Jiangdong youths gasped in shock.
What are they here for?
They are deceiving the emperor in the examination hall!
The Xiang clan has been forming cliques and engaging in corrupt practices, harboring rebellious intentions for a long time!
Now I realize that all the answers I memorized were wrong, and I even saw the exam paper discussing "dismemberment by chariots," "extermination of three generations," "collective punishment," and "extermination of all" at length!
That sense of horror instantly shattered my psychological defenses.
……
at the same time.
Prefect Fang Zhengge, sitting on the high platform, also noticed the extremely strange atmosphere in the examination hall below.
No one picked up a pen.
Those Xiang family members who should have been diligently writing were now as if they had seen a ghost, their faces pale, sweating profusely, and some even convulsing in their cells.
No?
What kind of freaks are the disciples sent by the Xiang family?
I hope there's no polio or epilepsy!
You won't be allowed into the imperial court like that!
"What happened?"
Fang Zhengge frowned, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.
He casually beckoned to an invigilator and whispered, "Go and bring me a spare blank exam paper!"
"Yes, sir."
Before long, an exam paper was respectfully handed to Fang Zhengge's desk.
Fang Zhengge looked down casually.
Just one glance.
"Bang!"
The teacup in his hand crashed to the ground and shattered, splashing scalding tea all over him, but he was completely unaware.
Fang Zhengge's eyes bulged out.
"This...this...it's fake...it's all fake..."
I have been tricked!
The Xiang family has been tricked!
What leaking of answers, what collusion—it's all bullshit!
That was a poisoned bait deliberately thrown out by the imperial court, just to expose their true colors in the examination hall!
No wonder the case in Shangdang County was downplayed!
Why was no responsibility of the Kuaiji Commandery investigated?
So that's where they were waiting for me!
"It's over...it's all over..."
Fang Zhengge felt a sudden dizziness and his vision went black. He knew all too well what kind of person Xiang Liang was.
If Xiang Liang knew that a core member of the Xiang family had failed miserably in the examination... he would definitely skin him alive, torture him to death!
Until the sun set and the gong sounded to signal the end of the roll.
Looking at the exam papers filled with nonsensical writing or simply blank pages, all the Xiang family members turned ashen-faced and were expelled from the examination hall.
The gate slowly opened.
Outside the examination hall, Xiang Liang, who had been waiting all day, was beaming with pride.
He even secretly ordered people to bring colorful flags and banners, leading a group of Xiang clan members to wave the flags and cheer, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the newcomers.
However, when he saw the Xiang family members walking out of the examination hall with deathly pale faces, Xiang Liang hurriedly went to greet them.
He grabbed Xiang Zhuang, who was walking at the front, and laughed excitedly, "Hahaha, Zhuang'er, how did the exam go? Did you use all the answers that Master Zhang gave you?!"
Xiang Zhuang shuddered and looked at the other members of the Xiang family in bewilderment.
Everyone blushed, lowered their heads, and stammered, not daring to utter a sound in response.
Xiang Liang's smile gradually froze, his brows furrowed, and he became increasingly puzzled.
He sensed something was wrong, grabbed Xiang Zhuang by the collar, his face darkening, and demanded sternly, "What exactly happened? Are you all mute? Tell me the truth!"
Faced with Xiang Liang's rage, Xiang Zhuang's legs went weak with fear, and he cried out in a sob, "Uncle! It's all over! It's all over! The questions on the exam paper... are completely different from the answers we memorized!"
Even the most basic interpretations of the scriptures are wrong! We...we completely failed!
"What?"
Upon hearing this, Xiang Liang was struck dumb, his eyes wide open.
Completely different? How could that be!
Suddenly, his back was soaked with cold sweat.
Something's very fishy about this—we've fallen for a trap!
This is a complex scheme!
"Oh no! An ambush!"
Xiang Liang gasped, then decisively ordered, "All of you shut up! Go back immediately and notify everyone to evacuate Wu County and return to the main camp deep in the mountains west of the city! Quickly!"
……
As night fell, the autumn rain began to fall again, pattering softly.
Deep within the Jiangnan Examination Hall, in a heavily guarded, top-secret examination room.
The flickering candlelight stretched people's shadows long.
The exam papers have all been sealed and anonymized, ready for the examiners to review them together tomorrow morning.
But at that moment, the door to the examination room was quietly pushed open.
Fang Zhengge walked in, his hair disheveled, his eyes bloodshot, and panting heavily.
"Lord Fang? What brings you here so late at night..." The two deputy examiners on duty were startled and quickly stood up.
"I...I am acting on the secret orders of the Imperial Envoy tonight to inspect the sealing of the examination papers. You...you all, step back! Retreat outside and stand guard. Without my order, no one is to approach even a step!"
Fang Zhengge gritted his teeth, invoked the title of imperial envoy, and rebuked him sternly.
The assistant examiners exchanged glances. Although they felt it was against the rules, seeing the prefect's murderous expression, none of them dared to say anything and could only obediently retreat.
The gate was closed again.
Fang Zhengge completely dropped his pretense and rushed to the mountain of exam papers.
A cornered dog will jump over the wall!
This is the only path he can take now!
If we don't retrieve the exam papers of the Xiang family members and prevent them from making the list, the day the results are released will be the day Fang Zhengge dies!
With trembling hands, he pulled a small wooden box from his wide sleeves.
Upon opening the wooden box, a privately made sealing wax seal was found inside.
Fang Zhengge carefully picked open the paper strip with the thin blade.
One of these isn't from the Xiang family, throw it away!
These two papers are excellent answers from students from underprivileged backgrounds. Tear them up!
Finally, he turned to a scroll that belonged to Xiang Zhuang.
Looking at the scriptures covered in scribbles and the completely blank essay questions, I felt a sense of loss.
Fang Zhengge's eyes twitched violently.
This kind of rotten exam paper, which is worse than a dog crawling, should not only not be on the list, but should also be beaten out of the examination hall on the spot according to the law!
But he can't care about that now!
He's trying to force a false claim about a deer!
So what if I hand in a blank paper? So what if I give an irrelevant answer?
If you write an "Excellent" on your paper, who dares to say it's not up to standard?
In this Jiangnan region, if Fang Zhenge says it's a deer, then it is a deer!
If you say it's a horse, then it is a horse!
Sudden.
The door to the examination room was suddenly kicked open from the outside.
"Bang!"
A chill rushed into the room, extinguishing half the candlelight.
Fang Zhengge was so startled that his wrist trembled, and the vermilion pen fell to the ground. He turned around in terror.
In the night rain outside the door, a tall and slender figure stood quietly on the steps, holding a black oil-paper umbrella and surrounded by a group of Black Ice Guard assassins.
The umbrella brim was slightly raised, revealing a handsome, languid face with a half-smile.
"Lord Fang, what are you doing, playing with a jigsaw puzzle in the middle of the night?"
Zhang Fan spoke calmly.
"Close the net!"
Fang Zhengge was struck dumb, all color draining from his face. After a brief moment of shock, he suddenly realized what was happening and pointed at Zhang Fan, roaring:
"Zhang Fan! You...you dare to betray us?"