Princess Promotion

In the Xiao family study, Lord Xiao held a wolf-hair brush in his hand, the tip of the brush dancing on the rice paper, and the fragrance of ink filled the air.

Although his hands were constantly writing, his mind was constantly reviewing the recent events.

Just then, Lord Xiao hurried into the study.

Lord Xiao: "Father, there's new news today. I heard that someone selling exam questions was arrested. I didn't expect that someone would still dare to commit crimes after arresting a group of people just a few days ago."

Elder Xiao's hand trembled slightly, and a drop of ink fell on the paper, spreading out.

Elder Xiao finally knew what was wrong, but he still needed to confirm some things.

Elder Xiao raised his head and said, "Xiao'er, go and make some arrangements. I need to meet the heads of the Liu, Qing, and Wu families as soon as possible."

Lord Xiao nodded and immediately turned around to carry out his father's orders.

Elder Xiao stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the courtyard outside, his heart was surging.

The four major families gathered together again, and the atmosphere was more tense than ever before.

As soon as the head of the Wu family stepped into the room, he snorted coldly, his tone revealing disdain: "Humph, some people are really good at tricking others. They dare to do things but dare not take responsibility, and let the Wu family take the blame!"

Upon hearing this, the head of the Liu family curled his lips into a cold sneer and retorted, "Isn't the Liu family any different? Someone clearly deliberately leaked the fake exam questions and framed our Liu family. What sinister intentions they have!"

The head of the Qing family was not willing to be outdone and said indignantly: "Stop playing innocent and trying to blame me for it."

For a moment, the quarrels among the three family heads echoed in the conference room.

Each tried to prove his or her innocence and accuse the other of wrongdoing.

Their voices grew louder and louder, and their emotions became more and more excited, as if they wanted to vent all their resentment and suspicion at this moment.

Just as the argument reached its climax, the head of the Wu family directly revealed: "I wanted to strike first, but I didn't expect that before I could do anything, these rumors were flying everywhere. Who of you did it?"

Patriarch Liu and Patriarch Qing also looked at each other. After a moment of silence, the three of them simultaneously looked at Elder Xiao, who had been silent since he came in.

Xiao Ge Lao didn't waste any words and confessed directly: "I originally wanted to plant a few people to sneak in, and then let my people switch the test papers after the imperial examination started.

But what was unexpected was that there was still a month before the imperial examination, and all officials participating in the imperial examination were imprisoned in the harem.

Lord Xiao has not been able to contact his people so far, and he doesn't even know which link his people are responsible for.

Naturally, he couldn't let them do anything, so his move was a failure.

At this time, the head of the Liu family also told his plan. He was going to find some talented students and then pretend to reveal the test questions to them.

Although they knew the test question was fake after the exam started, the Liu family only wanted to leave some evidence.

If any of them really passed the exam, they would fabricate evidence to say that they had obtained the exam questions before the exam started.

This proves that the imperial examination is not fair at all. Who knows if there are other students who know the test questions and have not been caught.

Everything was planned well, but unexpectedly the next day it was revealed that someone was selling imperial examination questions.

Although it was finally discovered that it was done by a minor official, the official thought that the students who bought the test questions would definitely not dare to tell anyone.

Even if the student knew it was fake, he would not dare to come to him for the sake of his reputation.

But what was unexpected was that the student who bought the test questions told his classmates, and then the test questions spread from one person to ten, and then to a hundred.

It would be fine if it was only this small official who was selling it, but the problem is that after the small official's affair was exposed.

Overnight, a bunch of examiners appeared in the imperial capital and started selling imperial examination questions.

It's so exaggerated that if you walk into any restaurant or teahouse, you will find a mysterious man pulling you aside and asking if you want to buy the imperial examination questions.

Now even the dumbest person would know that these test questions are fake.

Why would the Liu family head frame someone? All the people in the imperial capital have seen the imperial examination questions.

When the head of the Qing family saw that the other three were staring at him, he could only cough lightly and explain.

The method used by the head of the Qing family was somewhat rough. He planned to find some talented but poor students with little reputation.

He either bribed or threatened to let his family members take the exam for him, but he was still selecting people.

A young man suddenly appeared out of nowhere and went to report that someone was forcing him to take the exam for someone else.

Then the government office would arrest the person without saying anything, no matter if he was a high-ranking official or a royal relative. Once the evidence was confirmed, they would be dragged to the execution ground and beheaded.

Without even waiting for the autumn to come, the head of the Qing family was frightened and stopped immediately.

I always thought Yu Zhijian had gone crazy killing people during the half month of the city lockdown, but now I realize that he was just that bad at that time.

After Yu Zhijian left, Yao Chuguang became a real murderer. He really dared to kill anyone.

After the four family heads confessed their stories, they discovered that they all had their own plans.

But their plans were interrupted or destroyed by unexpected accidents before they could be implemented.

If the recent accidents in the imperial examinations were not caused by the other three parties, then there are only two possibilities.

One possibility is that all this is just a coincidence, and Yao Chuguang is unpopular, so there are endless people coming out to cause trouble and oppose him.

This possibility is very small. Yao Chuguang is just disliked by the powerful, but he has a high reputation among the people.

The second possibility is that Yao Chuguang directed and acted in all of this from beginning to end.

At this time, the back garden of the palace was full of flowers.

Yao Chuguang was dressed in an elegant green shirt, holding an exquisite pitching arrow in his hand, looking calm and focused.

In front of her stood a row of ten exquisite copper pots, each with a small wooden plaque engraved with a different name.

Li Yinhan walked over and picked up the arrows scattered on the ground. As he did so, he said, "I just can't understand why you did so many things to undermine the imperial examination system when you weren't the one who launched it?"

Li Yinhan felt that there was no doubt that Yao Chuguang was a smart person, but sometimes he wondered if she was too smart and that was a bit strange.

Is this a plan that a human could come up with?

Although Li Yinhan was a reckless person, he felt that being Yao Chuguang's enemy was a bit pitiful.

When he just returned to the imperial capital, he naturally heard the rumor that Yu Zhijian killed all the villains in the imperial capital within half a month.

Li Yinhan naturally knew that such statements were nothing more than the people's glorification of Yu Zhijian's iron-fisted approach.

In fact, most of those who were tried were just marginal figures in the powerful families, and the real core power was not touched.

The outside world may think that the reason why Yao Chuguang did not take action against the powerful is because she had just ascended the throne and needed to stabilize the regime and avoid exacerbating conflicts.

But Li Yinhan knew Yao Chuguang, she was not the kind of person who would compromise for power.

There must be deeper considerations behind her inaction.

What Li Yinhan didn't expect was that not long after he came back, Yao Chuguang cleverly transferred Yu Zhijian away from the imperial capital.

This gave those powerful and influential families an illusion that the new monarch would not take action against them for the time being.

The reason why Yao Chuguang wanted to keep those people was just to make use of their last bit of value and prepare for the coming storm.

The issue of the imperial examinations had caused a lot of controversy, and Yao Chuguang needed a scapegoat of sufficient weight to serve as a warning to others and shock the government and the public.

And these powerful families are the best candidates in her eyes.

Their status and influence are enough to ensure that this drama of killing the chicken to scare the monkeys achieves the maximum effect.

The thing Li Yinhan did most after he came back was to use threats and intimidation, just like a treacherous minister who had succeeded in his career.

Usually he would wear a mask and take people to do things in the morning, such as selling imperial examination questions.

He threatened and intimidated the students at noon and did all kinds of evil things.

At night, he would take people to find the powerful people on the list, and he usually didn't waste any words.

Li Yinhan gave them two choices: either volunteer to become a scapegoat and take responsibility for the chaos in the imperial examinations, so that they could at least save their family's lives and part of their property.

Or he would personally tie them up, gag them, and send them directly to the Ministry of Justice, and once convicted, they would be beheaded and their property confiscated.

The faces of the powerful and influential people turned pale. They knew that Li Yinhan's words were not a threat, but a real choice.

Faced with life and death, they had to make a decision and chose the former, at least this way they could leave a glimmer of hope for their families.

Li Yinhan always felt that something was wrong. Those heroes who settled accounts with the evildoers were all righteous and upright.

But sneaking up to him was like a treacherous minister persecuting a loyal and honest person.

Li Yinhan thought that it was no wonder that Yu Zhijian was transferred away. He was afraid that he would go out to cause trouble in the morning and Yu Zhijian would find clues by noon.

Maybe they will bring people to arrest me at night.

Yao Chuguang picked up another arrow and said, "It's a simple truth. A thief can be thieves for a thousand days, but you can't be on guard against thieves for a thousand days."

Li Yinhan became even more confused and asked, "So you just become a thief to avoid being thieves?"

Yao Chuguang looked at Li Yinhan speechlessly. What she actually wanted to say was that she knew that the powerful and wealthy would make trouble in the imperial examination.

I can roughly guess what they want to do, and there are only two aspects to attack.

Either they bribe the examiners and replace the test papers with the questions, or they target the students, using threats or bribes to force them not to take the exam or to have someone take the exam for them.

Since we all know what they are going to do, we should act before them.

On the surface, these powerful people claim to be allies and share a common hatred of the enemy, but they all have their own ulterior motives.

If someone else takes action first, they will stop immediately.

Be happy to watch the fire from the other side of the river, and then add insult to injury when necessary.

It is in the greatest interest of oneself to have others take action, as this way the imperial examination can be ruined without getting hurt.

This way you can get things done and protect yourself at the same time, so why not do it?

Just like Yicheng back then, perhaps the Emperor of Qi's original intention was just to let the barbarians besiege Yicheng.

Let his uncle send troops to rescue Yao Chuguang without authorization, and then hold Duke Li accountable for sending troops without authorization, and thus take back the military power.

Once noticed by the powerful, they naturally want to get a piece of the pie.

When this plan was implemented, it was like a snowball and could not be controlled at all.

It was their instigation that led to the deaths and injuries of more than half of the hundreds of thousands of people in Yicheng.

So Yao Chuguang never thought of letting them go from the beginning to the end, for any reason.

Yao Chuguang finally hit a copper pot this time. Li Yinhan went over and picked it up and took a look, and knew whose turn it was tonight.

Li Yinhan asked, "We've caught so many scapegoats. Even if Elder Xiao and the others are slow to react, they should realize that all of this is a play we staged ourselves."

Yao Chuguang said very bluntly: "So what if I know, who would believe me if I tell others?"

Li Yinhan continued to ask, "Since they've already guessed it's us, then why don't they just take advantage of the situation and fish in troubled waters?"

Yao Chuguang sneered: "It's too late!"

Now the imperial examination date is just around the corner, and Yao Chuguang has killed those who should be killed and suppressed those who should be suppressed.

Now the only ones capable of causing trouble are these four major families.

But it was precisely for this reason that Yao Chuguang said that they had missed the best opportunity to take action.

Because if Yao Chuguang takes action now, he can lock them down without thinking if they dare to have any evil thoughts about the imperial examination.

Yao Chuguang can just send them all back to where they came from.

As soon as the imperial examination is over, a large number of new forces will fill the vacancies of the four major families.

Now the only thing they can do is to keep a low profile and not let Yao Chuguang wipe them out at any time.

The court may lack anything, but it cannot lack officials or official positions.

Elder Xiao closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled.

He knew that Yao Chuguang's purpose was not only to sow discord, but also to completely cut off their retreat.

This scheme was so cleverly set up that they only realized it now.

"What a good move! 'killing with a borrowed knife', what a good move! 'besieging Wei to save Zhao'." Elder Xiao's voice was a little bitter. He had to admire Yao Chuguang's wisdom and courage.

It’s not unfair to lose this round!

Yao Chuguang first used a trick to destroy their alliance, and then directed and acted out a plan to sabotage the imperial examination.

Let them suspect each other of doing it and watch the fire from the other side.

Finally, we took this opportunity to eliminate dissidents, and by the time they realized what was happening, they were already isolated and helpless.

Elder Xiao knew that victory or defeat was already decided and there was no point in saying more. He said, "Take care of yourselves," and stood up and left.

The three heads of the Wu, Qing and Liu families were left looking at each other, discussing today's information with each other.

Patriarch Qing murmured to himself, "Crazy, really too crazy."

Patriarch Liu: "This is what humans do."

The head of the Wu family echoed, "When this woman gets crazy, she even scolds herself!"

Patriarchs Qing and Liu looked at Patriarch Wu at the same time, and felt that the more they looked at him, the more he looked like a villain.

The three of them realized at once that Yao Chuguang was really crazy.

He never does things the usual way. In order to send troops to attack the barbarians, he would directly rebel if they disagreed.

In order to promote the imperial examination system, they actually promoted it while destroying it themselves. Only a person who is not crazy enough can do such a contradictory thing.

The most outrageous thing is that she came back to deal with the mess she made. Just think about all the things she has done in the past two months.

Patriarchs Qing, Liu, and Wu were all wondering at the time, this move was too ruthless, weren't they afraid at all of being discovered by Yao Chuguang?

He was also happily thinking that if Yao Chuguang investigated, he should provide some evidence.

How happy I was when I watched it at the beginning, how sad I am now.

How stupid! He was sold out by others and still counted the money for them.