When the results were released, the list of thirty testers selected by the examination was also sent to the imperial court. After a month, the palace examination was completed and the three firsts were divided into the first ones. Only these thirty testers could obtain the status of Jinshi.

Today, Emperor Yongxuan finished reading the list of test papers and the test papers, and summoned several examiners to the imperial study room for questions.

"I heard that during the exam, there was a candidate named Zhang Ping who assisted the Ministry of Justice to solve a unsolved case. Tao Aiqing's memorial also mentioned this life, which was very appreciated. Why is such a talent not among the thirty people selected?"

Gong Songming, the Minister of Rites, had recovered his dysentery and his body had not yet fully recovered. He stood tremblingly. He did not participate in the review of the papers and could not answer, so he asked the Hanlin Scholar Li Fangtong to answer.

Emperor Yongxuan glanced at the case and said, "Gong Aiqing, why did Lan Aiqing not arrive and ask Li Aiqing to explain to me?"

Gong Songming sighed deeply: "Report to the emperor that among the thirty testers selected this time, one of them had just been killed. The Ministry of Justice is trying this case. The murdered tester was named Ma Lian. When the tester was reviewing the paper, several officials who reviewed the papers were unable to make a choice between Ma Lian and Zhang Ping, whom the emperor mentioned just now, and there was a dispute. Lord Tao, Minister Lan and Mr. Li and other adults were optimistic about Zhang Ping, while Mr. Liu recommended Ma Lian. Later, for some reasons, Mr. Li revoked his recommendation to Zhang Ping. Ma Lian was selected. On the night of the election, Ma Lian was killed. The Ministry of Justice had brought Zhang Ping to the yamen. Mr. Lan seemed to have recognized Zhang Ping before, and was also a little suspicious, so it was not convenient to come to meet the saint. Therefore, before he arrived, please forgive me. Not long after, the Ministry of Justice's detailed comments on this matter should be submitted."

After hearing this, Emperor Yongxuan frowned slightly: "What Gong Aiqing meant is that Lan Aiqing secretly leaked the process of marking the papers to Zhang Ping?"

Gong Songming quickly knelt down: "Your Majesty, I must not dare. It is because the Ministry of Justice has such a speculation."

Emperor Yongxuan stood up and said with a kind look: "Gong Aiqing, get up quickly. I just asked casually, and there is no other intention. You have just recovered from a serious illness and should not be tired." He ordered the young eunuch to bring a chair for Gong Songming.

Gong Songming had just finished thanking me and sat down, Emperor Yongxuan said again: "Is this case still the trial of Tao Aiqing? He wrote a letter to me to praise the screen."

For a moment, all the officials could not understand the meaning of Emperor Yongxuan. Gong Songming said vaguely: "This minister is not clear. Or... Lord Tao will hand the case over to Dali Temple in order to avoid suspicion."

Emperor Yongxuan smiled: "Then I will immediately write a handwritten order to Tao Aiqing so that he does not have to avoid it. I believe in Tao Aiqing's character. In the past dynasties, officials of princes and officials recommended talents, which became a good story. If officials in this dynasty only knew the candidates, they would be suspected. Wouldn't they be ridiculed by later generations? The officials who reviewed the papers could only leave the imperial city the day after the release of the results. On the night of the release of the results, Ma Lian was killed, so Lan Aiqing should not be suspected at the moment."

Another little eunuch was called and ordered Lan Jue to enter the palace immediately.

About half an hour later, Lan Jue arrived at the imperial study room and Emperor Yongxuan said, "Lan Aiqing, I heard that when Tao Aiqing and you were marking the papers, they both belonged to Zhang Ping's papers. I also wanted to read the articles in this life. You can bring Zhang Ping's test papers to me."

Li Fangtong took a step forward: "Your Majesty, Zhang Ping has a bad character, and now he is a murder suspect. Is it inappropriate to do this?"

Emperor Yongxuan said: "I just want to see his papers, so you don't have to worry too much."

Li Fangtong was still about to speak, but Lan Jue had already knelt down on the ground: "Shangshu Gong is ill, Lord Tao returned to the Ministry of Justice after reviewing the papers. It was a negligence for a while and before he received the emperor's will, he issued the list. He asked the emperor to punish him."

Emperor Yongxuan smiled and said, "Lan Aiqing, please invite him to the thirty Jinshi exams, you can choose. This is an old example. I trust all the ministers and will not interfere. Even if I do not review them, I will post the list first. I also believe in the eyes of all the ministers. If I do not use the example, I will not use the example."

Lord Gong was sweating coldly and crawled on the ground. The other officials also knelt down, and then they found the key point.

It turned out that the young emperor had been entangled in Zhang Ping for a long time, but the drunkard was not about drinking. According to the rules of this dynasty, thirty Jinshi candidates should have been given a list and test paper first, and the emperor could only give the exam after the exam. Some people thought it was inappropriate to choose the emperor and had to change it temporarily.

But because the late emperor was in poor health, he was young when he ascended the throne and was read by the Taifu. It has become a routine for so many years.

After the thirty people were selected this time, Master Yun asked Lord Gong for a list and read it again. Lord Gong thought that according to this convention, Master Yun reviewed it and directly released the results, leaving the young emperor who had just taken power behind.

Lord Gong's cold sweat soaked his clothes.

Although Lan Jue took the initiative to take the responsibility, he was still locked in the imperial city when the results were released. The little emperor must have thought that whoever made the decision to release the list was the same as Mingjing.

Emperor Yongxuan had already stood up again and said with concern: "Your best friend, please calm down. I just asked and did not mean to blame you. Gong Aiqing, although the imperial examination has passed, you have to work harder. Uncle Huai is about to get married. Gong Aiqing must cherish his health, otherwise my aunt will not be able to pass the door."

Lord Gong kowtowed heavily.

After leaving the imperial study room, all the officials breathed a sigh of relief.

Lord Gong grabbed Lan Jue's hand and said, "It's still Mr. Lan that your mind is spinning fast. Fortunately, you are here, otherwise I will still fall into the fog and I will not know."

Lan Jue said: "I am too proud of you, and the officials are also enlightened for a moment."

Liu Bing said: "By the way, Lord Lan, you were asked to the Ministry of Justice for questioning, isn't it?"

Lan Jue said lightly: "Oh, thank you Lord Liu for your care. It was because when that screen was arrested by the Ministry of Justice, Lan was eating noodles at him, so Mr. Wang asked me to go to the Ministry of Justice to ask a few words."

Liu Bing said: "It seems that the screen is indeed quite talented. Just the skill of making noodles can make Lord Lan miss it. Alas, I hope it is not a murderer. By the way, have you found any clues in the Ministry of Justice?"

Lan Jue said: "When the Ministry of Justice investigated the case, how dare Lan ask over and asked? I only know that Ma Sheng made many enemies, so the Ministry of Justice arrested several suspects. Alas, it's a pity that a Jinshi talent, Lord Liu lost an excellent student for nothing, and he was mourning and following the changes."

Li Fangtong snorted heavily, Liu Bing sighed, Lan Jue smiled, bowed farewell to Liu Bing and others.

Zhang Ping squatted in the corner of the cell of the Ministry of Justice and ate the prison silently.

Under the rule of Lord Tao, the prison rice was pretty good. The steamed buns were not hard, and there were porridge and pickles. Zhang Ping was more satisfied with eating it.

Chen Chou sat next to Zhang Ping, holding the steamed bun and frowning.

"Brother Zhang, after we go out, should we go to the temple to burn some incense? Not only will we fail the exam, but we will also be in prison... Alas..."

Several other scholars who had had a festive relationship with Ma Lian gathered together to curse angrily.

"This Ma Lian will not be at ease even if he dies!"

"If you kill this kind of person, it would be dirty to kill me!"

"What does the Ministry of Justice mean? There is no evidence to prove that we did not kill him, but there is no evidence to prove that we killed him. Why should we put us in prison? I want to sue Dali Temple, and I want to sue the emperor!"

...

Wang Yan stood at the corner of the corridor and looked silently in the direction of the cell.

Dr. Kong whispered: "Mr. Wang, it's a bit unruly to lock up so many suspects in one go. Lord Shangshu means that one or two are left, and let go of the others. Why did Lord Wang keep them? Let's watch here again?"

Wang Yan said expressionlessly: "They may not be the real murderer, but if you look at their words and deeds in prison, you may find clues. This case may not be an ordinary murder case."

Kong Lang couldn't help but feel dissatisfied with it. The case looked horizontally and vertically, and it looked like an ordinary vendetta. He still asked Wang Yan intriguedly: "So have you observed anything?"

Wang Yan didn't say anything, and in the cell, a scholar whispered: "...In my opinion, Ma Lian was treated as a substitute by a ghost. Didn't he win the test room?... On the night before the exam, there was a cry in the empty test room. Have you heard it?"

Two or three scholars shivered and nodded silently.

Another scholar snorted: "It's not that you are hysterical, right? I haven't heard anything. If we say we are suspicious, wouldn't Feng Ruoqi be even more suspicious? His grudges with Ma Lian are extraordinary, and he has done that kind of business..."

Wang Yan immediately asked the captain to check the person who was talking and the background of Feng Ruoqi he said, and the captain left in a hurry.
Chapter completed!