“The day before you left the manor, Young Miss (Cheng Huizhen) also came to Qingze Courtyard. Is there something wrong with that?” Qiuju replied, somewhat fearfully.
“Cheng Huizhen came?” Hearing Qiuju’s words, a spark of realization flashed in Xiao Jingduo’s mind. He hurriedly asked, “What time? Where did she go? Why do I know nothing about this?”
“It was the previous evening, just as it was getting dark. You were reading at the time, and I thought it wasn’t a big deal, so I didn’t bother you with it.” Qiuju carefully watched Xiao Jingduo’s expression and hesitantly asked, “Young Master, Miss Biao only stood for a short while before leaving. Is there a problem?”
Xiao Jingduo didn’t answer. A bold guess formed in his mind, and he asked in return: “Where was she standing at the time? Was my book chest nearby?”
“Yes, your books hadn’t been packed yet. I had just cleaned the book chest and put it with the luggage so we could take it directly the next day. When I went there, Miss Biao was standing in the room where the luggage was kept. I asked if she wanted to see you, but Miss Biao just said there was no need. Oh, Young Master, where are you going?”
Before Qiuju could finish, Xiao Jingduo turned and strode out. The people in the courtyard were startled to see Xiao Jingduo: “Young Master, why are you here? The Madam is in Gaoshou Hall, not in the courtyard.”
“Is Cheng Huizhen here?”
“Of course Young Miss is here. Oh, Young Master, this isn’t proper!”
Xiao Jingduo completely ignored the chattering maids on both sides and quickly rushed into the courtyard, only stopping when he reached Cheng Huizhen’s room. Other maids in the courtyard heard the commotion and quickly ran over, eyeing Xiao Jingduo warily: “Young Master, what do you mean by this?”
“Go inside and announce that I have something to discuss with Cheng Huizhen.”
“This…” What a situation! The maids were displeased, but seeing Xiao Jingduo’s expression, they looked at each other and didn’t dare to disobey. A senior maid summoned her courage to step forward, intending to scold Xiao Jingduo for his rudeness. However, Xiao Jingduo merely gave her a cold glance, and the senior maid immediately lost her nerve, reluctantly agreeing: “This servant will go and inform the Young Miss.”
Cheng Huizhen had already heard the commotion outside. Upon hearing the maid’s report, a guess formed in her mind, and she eagerly said, “What are you standing there for? Quickly invite my cousin in!”
When Xiao Jingduo entered, he wasn’t as gentle and kind as Cheng Huizhen had imagined, but rather had a frosty expression. Cheng Huizhen felt uneasy and tentatively asked, “Cousin, why have you come to see me so urgently?”
“You tell me why.”
Cheng Huizhen thought for a moment and carefully asked, “Cousin, did you see that paper?”
Hearing this response, Xiao Jingduo felt a surge of anger. So it was indeed Cheng Huizhen’s doing. She had put something in his book chest, and it had fallen into someone else’s hands. Most importantly, Xiao Jingduo himself knew nothing about all this.
It was utterly presumptuous. Suppressing his anger, Xiao Jingduo asked as calmly as possible, “What did you put in my book chest that day?”
Xiao Jingduo was now certain that Cheng Huizhen had secretly slipped something into his book chest. Qiuju hadn’t noticed when packing, and before Xiao Jingduo could discover anything amiss from the chest after leaving the manor, Cheng Huizhen’s note had been taken by Dong Peng. Dong Peng was also bold, keeping quiet after obtaining it and even using it on the exam paper. That’s why Dong Peng’s behavior in the courtyard that day was so unusual, even revealing an arrogant certainty of passing with high marks.
Hearing Xiao Jingduo’s question, Cheng Huizhen misunderstood and smiled, saying, “Don’t worry, cousin. I know what’s important. I didn’t put anything in, and you didn’t see anything. Cousin, you won’t blame me for taking matters into my own hands, will you?”
What do you think? Xiao Jingduo was so angry he had a headache. He coldly looked at Cheng Huizhen: “I haven’t seen this so-called note of yours, nor do I know what you wrote on it. If you have any sense left, you’d better confess everything you’ve done while you still can.”
How could he not have seen it? Cheng Huizhen panicked internally. She remembered that the exam in the ninth year of Qiyuan in her previous life was famous. Not only was an impromptu essay added to the test that year, but questions outside the usual scope were also included. Countless examinees complained about this imperial examination, yet in the same year, many famous names appeared on the list of successful candidates. Among them were future powerful ministers and eccentric talents renowned for their abilities. The most famous was Xi Wenji, who was placed second because his essay was too well-written.
It was said that the chief examiner had a sudden inspiration to test on the ancient masterpiece “Tian Wen” (Questions to Heaven). Among the many examinees, only one dared to write a response to “Tian Wen” as his topic. As it turned out, this examinee’s audacity was justified. His essay was exceptionally well-written, with flowing prose and rich emotions, answering “Tian Wen” question by question, truly matching this masterpiece that had gone unanswered for a thousand years. However, because it was too good, the examiners, to avoid suspicion, moved him from first place to second. After the results were announced, this response to “Tian Wen” immediately became the talk of Chang’an, and the name of its author, Xi Wenji, became known throughout the land.
At the height of his fame, almost everyone in Chang’an knew about the response to “Tian Wen” and about Xi Wenji, who had been moved from first to second place due to his exceptional writing. As a young lady of the Marquis’s household, Cheng Huizhen naturally had to study the response to “Tian Wen” to keep up in noble circles.
After being reborn, Cheng Huizhen had thought long and hard about what ability she had that could catch Xiao Jingduo’s attention. After much consideration, she realized her only asset was her knowledge of the future.
So, based on her remaining memories, she wrote the response to “Tian Wen” on a note and secretly slipped it into Xiao Jingduo’s book chest. From what Cheng Huizhen knew of Xiao Jingduo, he would surely review his books before the exam and would then discover her note. Whether Xiao Jingduo ultimately used it or not, her intentions would have been conveyed, and he would naturally see her value.
However, too much time had passed, and Cheng Huizhen could no longer remember the specific content of the “Tian Wen” response. Moreover, Cheng Huizhen was not particularly skilled in literary composition. In her previous life, she had only forcibly memorized a few passages to keep up appearances. Now, after a lifetime, she had forgotten most of that essay, only remembering the beginning, the end, and a few famous lines in between. But this was enough. Cheng Huizhen believed that with these, Xiao Jingduo could gain a significant advantage and become famous through the “Tian Wen” response, replacing Xi Wenji. In her previous life, Xi Wenji’s second place was certainly glorious, but for Xiao Jingduo, it might have been somewhat awkward. Cheng Huizhen felt she had secured a great benefit for Xiao Jingduo, and he would surely be extremely grateful to her. From then on, he would view her differently. Xiao Jingduo’s rushed visit today was the best proof of this. However, Cheng Huizhen never imagined that Xiao Jingduo would say he had never seen the note.
How could this be possible?
Cheng Huizhen was at a loss. Her lips trembled, and her confused mind suddenly reacted: “Cousin, what do you mean? Why are you asking about this? What exactly are you trying to do?”
Xiao Jingduo gave a light laugh. So Cheng Huizhen also knew that such actions were cheating. If she was afraid of being implicated now, why wasn’t she afraid when she secretly slipped him something earlier?
“What exactly did you write? There’s still time to tell me now.”
Cheng Huizhen’s face turned pale. She stepped back two paces and said sharply and hurriedly, “No, I don’t know anything. This has nothing to do with me.”
“To be frank, I’ve already handed the note over to the chief examiner. The Ministry of Rites will soon send someone to investigate this matter. If you tell me all the details now, I might still be able to help you. If it comes to the point where the Ministry of Rites sends people, even I won’t be able to save you,” Xiao Jingduo said.
If Cheng Huizhen had been more alert or quick-witted, she would have noticed the contradictions in Xiao Jingduo’s words. He had just said he had never seen the note from beginning to end, but now he claimed to have handed it over to the Ministry of Rites. Such self-contradiction clearly showed that Xiao Jingduo was bluffing her. But Cheng Huizhen didn’t realize this. She fully believed Xiao Jingduo was telling the truth, so she hung her head and honestly confessed everything.
“I don’t know what’s been happening to me lately, I’ve been having strange dreams. A few days ago, I saw an essay in my dream, a perfect, divine creation. In the dream, a Bodhisattva told me that because of my sincerity, they were showing me the exam topics in advance. After I woke up, I couldn’t forget it, but I couldn’t tell anyone else, so I wrote it down and secretly passed it to you, cousin, hoping you could judge it for me.”
After saying this, Cheng Huizhen secretly looked at Xiao Jingduo’s expression, but he just listened calmly, neither believing nor disbelieving, and asked, “What else?”
Cheng Huizhen felt dejected, not knowing how Xiao Jingduo had figured out that she wasn’t telling the whole truth. She could only continue to add, “I also saw the policy question for this exam in my dream, so I wrote that on the paper too. I… I really didn’t mean to leak the exam questions. I just wanted to help you, cousin.”
Help him? Xiao Jingduo felt bitter. In his view, Cheng Huizhen’s actions were clearly intended to ruin him. Fortunately, Xiao Jingduo had been vigilant early on. If he had only found out after the incident, it would have been too late to say anything.
Leaking imperial examination questions, and the source being traced back to him – the consequences were simply unthinkable.
“Is there anything else you’re hiding from me?” Xiao Jingduo asked coldly.
Frightened by Xiao Jingduo’s expression, Cheng Huizhen timidly shook her head, “No, there’s nothing else.”
Cheng Huizhen didn’t dare to say that she couldn’t remember clearly, so she wasn’t sure if the policy question she wrote on the note was for this year’s exam or from another year.
Xiao Jingduo stared at Cheng Huizhen for a good while longer, until her head lowered more and more, almost as if she wanted to sink into the ground. Only then did he lightly say, “Take care of yourself,” before turning and leaving.
Xiao Jingduo knew that Cheng Huizhen had made a terrible mistake this time. Not only had she recklessly leaked exam questions, but she had also stupidly put them in his book chest, allowing them to fall into the hands of others. If this matter were to come to light, Xiao Jingduo didn’t know what would happen to Cheng Huizhen, but he himself would certainly face dire consequences. The leaked note originating from him was an indefensible crime.
However, it was fortunate that he had discovered it early; there was still a chance to remedy the situation.
Xiao Jingduo had no time to return to Qingze Courtyard. He went straight to the stables, took a horse, and galloped out of the Marquis’s mansion. After leaving the Dingyong Marquis’s residence, Xiao Jingduo rode at full speed towards the Court of Judicial Review.
The Court of Judicial Review, which oversaw prisons, had many people coming and going every day. Xiao Jingduo reined in his horse at the entrance of the Court, rushed in two quick steps to the guard, and said, “Officer, I have urgent business with Li Qingyun, the Chief Minister. Please inform him for me.”
That afternoon, Xiao Jingduo met with Rong Ke in a separate courtyard.
“It’s you? You asked Li Qingyun to find me. What’s the matter?”
“Princess, I suspect there has been cheating in this imperial examination.”
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