After the interstellar female general died in battle, she transmigrated into the body of a dashing p

Jiang Hetai sneered, "It's not that you, Duke, are saying that there's no way to prove it now that there's no one to testify against you."

"I'll fucking kill you, your dead body has no proof." Duke Yun kicked the person on the ground.

Fortunately, the Minister of Revenue behind him pulled him back in time and whispered, "Duke, please calm down. This is the Imperial Study." The Emperor is still up there, and this old man dares to kick you. He really is fearless because of his status!

Sure enough, just as he was about to offer a few more words of advice, the emperor who had ascended the throne spoke up.

"Duke of Yun," Zheng Hongyuan said, his tone clearly displeased, "mind your manners."

The situation reached a stalemate again.

Gu Lin, who was behind him, pondered for a long time before loudly proclaiming, "Your Majesty, perhaps there is someone who can testify." He deliberately did not specify what he could testify to.

"We've brought that person with us; he's right outside the hall."

Upon hearing this, a dark glint flashed in Jiang Hetai's eyes.

Duke Yun turned around and gave him a meaningful look.

Zheng Hongyuan curled his lips slightly, the smile fleeting, and then parted his lips to say, "Xuan."

Even the prime minister, who had kept his eyes closed as if he were asleep, started to lift his eyelids.

Soon, Fei Jin, who was so depressed and gloomy that he looked like a ghost, was brought in by the imperial guards.

The ministers who were standing in the middle all consciously moved to the sides.

Fei Jin's eyes were vacant, his mind filled with thoughts of his father's death and what he would do. Was he going to die too?

Everyone in the hall looked at the person who hadn't reacted since entering the hall. He didn't even kneel before the emperor; his audacity was truly extraordinary!

Gu Lin, who frequently interrogated prisoners in the Ministry of Justice, carefully observed Fei Jin's state and understood what was going on. He raised his voice and said, "Fei Jin, why aren't you bowing to the Emperor? Do you even want your life?!"

Upon hearing the word "my life," Fei Jin hurriedly snapped back to his senses, knelt down, and repeatedly kowtowed, "Long live the Emperor! May you live ten thousand years, as long as the heavens..."

Auspicious words kept pouring out; were they going to use all the good things on the Emperor?

Gu Lin had no choice but to speak up again to remind him, "If the Emperor wants to ask you about the exam questions, just answer truthfully."

Duke Yun looked at him, thinking, "This guy really is... he owes me a favor."

"Exam questions?" Fei Jin raised his head, blood streaming down his nose from his forehead, showing that his blessing was sincere.

"Exam questions, oh, exam questions." After muttering a few times, he turned back to reality. "Exam questions, my dad told me part of the answers, and then he told me to go drink with my usual buddies, and then I'd find out the rest..."

Seeing that no one spoke, and thinking he hadn't said enough, he nervously began to recount his father's usual misdeeds: "And my father often gave his concubines away to other people... It was also my father who spread the news in the capital; I remember he was helping..."

"Your Majesty," Jiang Taihe suddenly stepped to the center and bowed, saying, "He has already begun to talk nonsense." After a pause, he suggested, "I'm afraid he's been possessed by some evil spirit. Your Majesty, why don't you let him out first, so he doesn't offend you later?"

Zheng Hongyuan looked at him, his expression a mixture of belief and disbelief. "Then take him away."

Everyone knows that everything Fei Jin said is true.

Based on his statement about drinking with his brothers, very few people present could clearly explain it.

The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Zheng Hongyuan looked down at the ministers below, whose heads were practically tucked into their official robes, with a half-smile on his face.

Jiang Hetai's eyes flashed with a sharp light. "That kid is mentally unstable. His words cannot be trusted!" He then changed the subject. "No matter what, the Duke of Yun cannot kill a court official privately. I beg Your Majesty to do justice for Minister Fei."

The other officials knelt down and echoed, "Please, Your Majesty, do justice for Vice Minister Fei." Since they didn't want to investigate the leak of exam questions, the only option was to seize upon the private killing of an official.

These people might not have looked up to Fei Tiancai normally, but after his death, so many important officials pleaded for him. If he knew that, he would probably be laughing his head off!

"What does Elder Jian think?" Zheng Hongyuan's respect for Prime Minister Jian seemed unaffected by the previous incident involving Princess Le'an.

Jian Yuanqing coughed a few times and slowly bowed, saying, "This matter does indeed deserve punishment, but it is not an explanation for Vice Minister Fei. As for how to punish him, I believe His Majesty will decide."

The seasoned veterans present were all taken aback. This meant the Emperor was demanding an explanation from all the scholars in the land. Now, with no one alive to testify, and the only survivor claiming mental instability, the Duke of Yun, as the main person in charge, what...?

The hall fell silent. Those kneeling below felt the oppressive gaze from above, and some of their backs were already soaked with sweat.

The Emperor's temperament has become increasingly unfathomable in recent years.

Zheng Hongyuan took in the expressions below, stopped turning the ring on his finger, and said coldly, "Duke Yun, as the chief examiner for this examination, failed in his supervisory duties. He is hereby dismissed from his position as chief examiner, fined one year's salary, and ordered to reflect on his mistakes in his residence. Now that the person who leaked the questions has been brought to justice, a notice shall be posted to explain the truth."

Upon hearing the result, many people breathed a sigh of relief.

This explanation was satisfactory to the people.

"Furthermore, issue a notice that the imperial examinations will be reopened next month. Anyone found leaking questions again will be executed." Zheng Hongyuan's deep eyes swept over the crowd as he calmly said.

The kneeling men trembled at the casually uttered word "slay," as if a sharp blade had just sliced ​​across their necks.

"Mr. Jian, will you also serve as the chief examiner for the next round?"

Upon hearing this, Jian Yuanqing coughed violently, as if he were coughing up his heart, liver, spleen, and lungs, and replied weakly, "Old, cough, this old minister's body is really... weak and powerless!"

"Then Minister Jiang?" Zheng Hongyuan looked at him sincerely. "Back then, Minister Jiang was also a man of both literary and military talent. I believe that Minister Jiang will be able to select a wise and capable person for An Chong."

Since the Emperor had already said so much, how could Jiang Hetai refuse? "Your Majesty, I will obey your decree and will certainly live up to your expectations, so that talented people can emerge in Anchong."

This lucrative job will also save me a lot of trouble later on.

The leak of the exam questions on the second day was reported throughout the city, and even the maternal grandfather of the legitimate princess was confined to his home, suggesting that the emperor had truly lost trust in the Yun family.

It seems Princess Le'an has truly fallen out of favor...

Since meeting Zheng Zhian last time and having resolved her inner conflict, Yuan Zhu of Linqing Palace has picked up her sword again and is practicing it in her courtyard.

Shuangzhi hurriedly told her about the sermon she had heard, and Yuanzhu threw the longsword in her hand onto the stone table beside her, "Is what you said true?"

Rumors have been circulating in the palace that Princess Le'an has fallen out of favor, but she doesn't believe it. Such a clever little girl has at most done something to displease the emperor and been punished; it's impossible that she has fallen out of favor.

Now even the Duke of Lianyun has been dismissed from his post and placed under house arrest! Is the Emperor really serious this time?

“Absolutely true.” Shuangzhi nodded firmly. “Everyone outside is talking about it now. They’re all saying that Princess Le’an is really… finished this time!”

As soon as she finished speaking, Yuan Zhu turned around and walked out with a sullen face.

The servants in the palace are used to fawning over the powerful and belittling the weak. She had already angered the emperor, and now her only maternal grandfather, who was her only support, had been punished. Who knows how the servants will treat her now?

How can she, at such a young age, endure this?

Realizing what was happening, Shuangzhi quickly followed and asked, "Master, where are you going?"