Report to the Empress and the Eldest Princess: They're using the system to poach your men.

"Does the Empress know the purpose of that fish maw?"

Wen Yuening shook her head slightly.

"That is indeed a bit strange. I wondered why, since it was already dark and gloomy, they would apply black fish glue to it."

After writing the last character, gently blow on it and let the ink dry before rolling it up.

I walked to the window and whistled outside. A carrier pigeon came running in response.

He skillfully placed the roll of paper into the mailbox and tossed the pigeon outwards.

Shen Sangwan, who was still inside the hall at the moment, made no attempt to conceal her presence.

Can pigeons find their way in the rain? With such heavy rain, won't the little pigeons get lost?

With a serious expression, Shen Sangwan began to ponder this question.

Wen Yuening, who had her back to her, covered her mouth and chuckled upon hearing this.

"What is Your Highness's opinion on His Majesty's decision to hold additional provincial examinations?"

"What does the Left Chancellor intend to do?"

"My father intends for his subordinates to recommend Lord Qi of the Hanlin Academy as the chief inspector of the prefecture, who will be responsible for supervising examinations and grading papers."

Before she knew it, half a pot of tea had been consumed by Shen Sangwan.

Fang felt a bit full and got up to pace back and forth.

"However, in my humble opinion, Your Highness has probably already selected the inspectors for each prefecture, and there will be no chief inspector this time."

"Huh? Did they install a surveillance camera on me? Or did it turn into a tapeworm in my stomach?"

"This provincial examination is extremely important. It is not only to find talents for the spring examination next year and inject new strength into the court, but I also want to take this opportunity to promote the first step in reforming the imperial examination system."

Whenever Shen Sangwan spoke eloquently about matters of the court, she seemed to radiate a dazzling light, which would unconsciously draw Wen Yuening in.

"Is there anything Ah Ning can do to help?"

Although Shen Sangwan knew that Shen Yuchen would surely be able to find skilled craftsmen to make a more secure scroll box, it would probably be faster than the Empress's intricate network.

"There is indeed something, but... it's a bit tricky."

"Your Highness need not worry. If A-Ning is unable to do it, she will inform Your Highness directly and will not try to do something that might delay Your Highness's important matters."

"Yesterday, I discussed with His Majesty that the examination papers for this year's provincial examination will be opened to the scholars on the day of the examination."

"Therefore, a highly confidential box is required. I wonder if Your Majesty can find a skilled craftsman who can make such an exquisite box as quickly as possible."

Shen Sangwan stopped beating around the bush with Wen Yuening and explained the whole story.

After hesitating for a moment, the other party said, "Although this can solve the problem of missing questions to some extent, how can Your Highness guarantee the fairness of grading? In the past, there have been numerous cases of switching and altering papers."

“In previous years, each prefecture would submit the candidates’ examination papers to the chief inspector, who would then send three ministers from the Zhongdu court to review them. This year, I will abolish this practice. The inspectors from each prefecture will first review the examination papers of the prefecture they are responsible for. After reviewing them, they will be sent to Lincheng for a second review, and then submitted to the Ministry of Personnel in Zhongdu for a third review of the candidates’ papers. The average score of the three reviews will then be taken.”

"But if the latter sees the former's rating, there's a high chance they'll follow suit..."

"Your Majesty need not worry. No matter how much each prefecture scores, it will not appear on the scholars' exam papers. There will be a special book to record it."

"Your Highness is truly thoughtful."

Looking at Shen Sangwan, who was speaking eloquently, Wen Yuening recalled that in her previous life, the other person had also been very patient in answering her questions.

At that time, His Highness was an extraordinary person who knew everything from astronomy to geography.

"The Empress has always been very thorough in her work."

Standing by the window, Wen Yuening kept gazing at the rows of short crabapple trees beneath the high wall.

The fruit is already showing signs of ripening, with a slightly yellow underside and a reddish blush on the surface.

"I wonder if Your Highness would enjoy wine made from crabapple blossoms..."

He turned around abruptly, unaware that Shen Sangwan had already walked up behind him.

Just then, the other person leaned in, and her lips brushed against Shen Sangwan's cheek.

When ambiguity seeps into the air, mixed with the sound of continuous rain, it ferments somewhat uncontrollably.

Shen Sangwan was simply curious about what Wen Yuening was looking at, and she stood by the window for so long without moving.

Just as he leaned forward to see what was going on, the person in front of him suddenly turned around.

Their eyes met, and both of them froze.

Shen Sangwan was thinking to herself whether she should take this opportunity to kiss him, even just on the cheek would count as completing her mission.

Still hesitating on the edge of testing the waters, Shuyi and Qingque walked in.

"Your Highness..."

The two people who had just stepped into the hall and passed the screen stopped in their tracks and hurriedly lowered their heads.

"My goodness, Your Highness is...that person is the Empress! If the Empress Dowager and His Majesty find out, Your Highness will be in grave danger..."

Shuyi's skillful hands were twisting and turning in various strange positions under her sleeves, and she felt a wave of fear.

"Your Majesty, this... In broad daylight, why don't you and His Highness behave yourselves? If others see this... Eh—? Shuyi saw it today, shouldn't we find a chance to silence her, lest she spread it and harm Your Majesty?"

The four people inside the hall each had their own thoughts.

The sudden intrusion of the two people shattered Shen Sangwan's hard-won courage, and she deflated like a punctured balloon, taking two steps back.

He coughed twice, feigning nonchalance, and asked, "What is it?"

"Your Highness, the Empress Dowager has awakened and wishes to see you."

"The Empress Dowager also invited the Empress to go along."

Shen Sangwan asked Shuyi and learned that yesterday, because she had fainted, the Empress Dowager had also fainted.

"Help me change my clothes and go to Chonghua Palace immediately."

"Xiaotong, why do I feel like my fate is inextricably intertwined with theirs?"

[What makes you say that, Master?]

[When the late emperor passed away, I suffered unbearable heart pain. My subsequent feigned death put the Empress Dowager's life in danger. I was also affected by Miss Cen's incident. This time, I was punished by the Gou System and fell into a coma, and the Empress Dowager collapsed as well.]

Aren't they all interconnected and intertwined?

[According to the master's logic, those closely connected with the eldest princess should be affected, but why was the master unharmed when the empress was injured?]

Shen Sangwan and Wen Yuening walked side by side on the palace road. When Xiaotong raised this question, she unconsciously glanced to the side.

Could it be that my guess was inaccurate? Or was the previous event purely coincidental?

This glance was clearly seen by Shuyi and Qingque, who were following behind.

Shuyi was thinking about how to bring her prince back on track and prevent Shen Sangwan from going too far astray.

Meanwhile, Qingque was fantasizing about countless ways to kill someone and silence them.

He had even decided where to bury the book.

As Shuyi was pondering a solution, she suddenly felt a chill down her spine, as if something dangerous was staring at her.

Looking around carefully, I found nothing unusual, only Qingque's kind smile beside me.

I don't know if it's just my imagination, but I felt that the other person's smile was a bit strange, very eerie.