Transmigrated into a female county magistrate during a famine, leading her country to prosperity

Listening to Wang Huai'an's intermittent description, Shen Zheng understood everything.

After learning the truth, he might want to come to the government office to plead guilty and confess everything.

But the price of confessing is far too high.

His wife's life, his son's academic achievements, and even his official position—everything would be destroyed in an instant, and his happy family would cease to exist.

He knew he couldn't afford the price, so he hesitated.

That day, he ultimately did not step out of the palace gates, and was forced to accept his son's academic achievements and the fact that his wife had sided with him.

However, there is one thing that Shen Zheng still cannot figure out.

She asked Wang Huai'an, "Do you know... how they helped Wang Ang pass the imperial examination? Did they switch the exam papers? Or did they change the final score?"

As she spoke, even Shen Zheng herself frowned.

She believes neither of these methods is likely, as Yu Zhengqing is also one of this year's examiners.

Is the prefectural school administrator really that capable, able to pull off such underhanded tactics right under Yu Zhengqing's nose?

Wang Huai'an shook his head: "I don't know... They never told my wife the truth, only that she should wait for the results to be released. After that... I also asked Wu Shun, but Wu Shun avoided answering. I think... that must be the secret of the prefectural school administration."

"Secret? Secret my ass! You idiot!" Yu Zhengqing's chest heaved rapidly as he flung the gavel to the ground. The gavel rolled twice and struck Wang Huai'an squarely on the forehead.

Yu Zhengqing roared, "I am the examiner for this year's prefectural examination. Use your brain and think carefully! Who dares to play tricks or switch answer sheets under my very nose?!"

Wang Huai'an finally raised his head.

He seemed to understand Yu Zhengqing's meaning, yet he also seemed not to.

"grown ups......"

“Wang Huai’an, Wang Huai’an, you really are…” Yu Zhengqing pointed at him, pointing up and down several times, “Why don’t you believe me? Why don’t you believe Wang Ang? He is your own son, and you were able to become a seventh-rank official, so why can’t he even pass the county-level examination? Just because a son resembles his mother, does that mean he must be a mediocre person!”

Wang Huai'an was completely stunned, his mind a complete blank.

Yu Zhengqing was so angry that he couldn't catch his breath and strode out of the courtroom to get some fresh air.

Watching Yu Zhengqing's departing figure, Shen Zheng felt that fate was playing tricks on her.

Wang Huai'an stared blankly at her, "Lord Shen..."

Is that what he thought?

How could that be?

How could that be!

“It’s just what you think.” Shen Zheng sighed and clarified the facts for him: “Wang Ang passed the imperial examination with his own abilities. As for what Madam Wu Shun said to your wife, it was just casting a wide net. If Wang Ang had passed the imperial examination, the credit would have gone to Wu Shun.”

Wang Huai'an felt as if he had been struck by a heavy blow, and stammered, "What if Ang'er doesn't pass the exam..."

Doesn't that mean Wu Shun lied to him?

“If Wang Ang doesn’t pass the exam, this deal will naturally fall through, and Wu Shun will have countless excuses,” Shen Zheng said. “He could say that Lord Yu was watching too closely, and he had no chance to act. He could also say that Wang Ang was too stupid, and his exam paper was a complete mess. Even if he helped, others would notice, so he didn’t act. In short… as long as your wife agrees to Wu Shun’s wife’s terms, whether Wang Ang passes the exam or not, you’ve already fallen into Wu Shun’s trap. Their trick has no cost and isn’t too clever, but unfortunately…”

Unfortunately, it was that fool, Madam Wang, who took the bait.

There wasn't a single bait in their net, but she still swam in anyway.

Wang Huai'an felt like he was going crazy.

It turns out that the son passed the imperial examination as a scholar through his own hard work.

It turns out that the secret he had been hiding for months was not a secret at all.

It turns out that for the past few months, the people from the prefectural school administration had been playing him for fools.

Overwhelmed by the overwhelming truth, Wang Huai'an both cried and laughed. Coupled with his disheveled hair and filthy clothes, he appeared as if he had lost his mind.

Shen Zheng looked at him and Yu Zhengqing outside the hall, her heart filled with mixed feelings, but reason told her that she had to continue asking.

"After that, did Wu Shun ask you to do anything?"

Wang Huai'an raised his head, his gaze blank.

After a long pause, he finally said, "No... Yesterday was the first time he took the initiative to approach me."

Outside the hall, Yu Zhengqing sneered: "Good iron should be used on the blade. He came to you for the first time and wanted to kill you."

Knowing that Yu Zhengqing was angry, Shen Zheng continued to ask, "How did he find you? Did he tell you to go to Zhuqing Lane alone and not to reveal your whereabouts to others?"

Wang Huai'an nodded, lost in painful memories: "It was the arsonist who contacted me. Yesterday morning, I had just left the mansion and hadn't even gotten into my carriage when he bumped into me and slipped a note into my hand. The note was written in Wu Shun's voice, telling me to go to the bamboo grove at the end of Zhuqing Lane at 4:45 a.m.... At that time, I vaguely guessed that Wu Shun might want to harm you."

What he didn't expect was that his life would be "unfavorable".

He smiled bitterly through his tears and continued, "Although I hesitated for a while, I was ultimately worried that the matter of the prefectural examination would be exposed, so... I went to Zhuqing Lane."

"And then?" Shen Zheng asked.

"After I arrived at the bamboo grove in Zhuqing Lane, I did not see Wu Shun." Wang Huai'an's voice grew weaker and weaker. "Then I waited in the bamboo grove for a while, but he still did not come. Just as I was about to leave, I suddenly heard footsteps behind me... But before I could see who it was, my mouth and nose were covered, and after that, I knew nothing more."

Shen Zheng listened quietly to his description.

After reviewing the logic once again, Shen Zheng asked, "Is everything you said true? Is there anything you've lied about?"

"This humble official dares not deceive you any further!" Wang Huai'an bowed his head and kowtowed heavily, his voice hoarse as he said, "If it weren't for the guidance of you two lords, this humble official would have been kept in the dark until his death. This humble official... thank you two lords. I will accept any punishment."

Yu Zhengqing walked in, his steps heavy.

He looked at the face he had worked with for two years and asked in a deep voice, "Wu Shun wanted your life, but after you woke up last night, you still concealed the fact that they plotted against you because you were afraid that the matter of the prefectural examination would be exposed. Wang Huai'an, I ask you, your wife's life is valuable, your son's academic achievements are valuable, but is your life so worthless! If Wu Shun hadn't been desperate and wanted your whole family dead, how long were you going to deceive me!"

Wang Huai'an could hear the pain and regret in his words.

But it's too late to say anything now.

He only wanted to be a good husband and a good father, but he felt ashamed before his superiors, the government office, and his own official position...

"I hope that you two gentlemen will allow me to go to the prefectural school administration office to identify Wu Shun," he said.