He obtained the God of All Laws from human skin.

Chapter 117 High School and Failing the Exam

According to the rules of the imperial examination, in order to prevent collusion among officials during the grading period, all county officials must recuse themselves from the examination.

Therefore, from the moment the examiners moved into the county government office, Magistrate Zhang Dajiang moved to the side hall of the front office to handle his daily affairs.

Not only that, the prefectural city also brought in a group of martial arts masters, who surrounded the examination room like an iron barrel.

No one is allowed to enter or leave before the marking is finished.

This is to prevent anyone from taking risks and switching exam papers or passing messages during the marking process.

With such strict security measures in place, it would be extremely difficult for outsiders to tamper with the papers during the grading process.

However, this thing is only good for protecting against external threats, not internal ones.

Fang Mingyuan looked at the exam paper in front of him. Although his name had been covered up, he was not worried at all.

Long before the exam, he had already leaked the exam questions to Feng Shuzhi, specifying which passages to focus on and which chapters to cover in the classical interpretation questions.

Those who had made arrangements in advance already knew what was going on.

Unless someone is so stupid that they can't even copy properly, they have already made thorough preparations over the past few days, so their answers will naturally be much better than those who take the exam at the last minute.

Fang Mingyuan took a sip of tea and then looked down. Several examiners from the prefectural city were sitting on both sides, engrossed in reviewing each paper. After reading each paper, they would hand it to their colleagues for cross-checking. If they were unsure about a paper, they would mark the corner of the paper with a vermilion pen and put it aside for Fang Mingyuan to decide.

Another clerk stood beside the desk, specializing in unsealing, numbering, and copying the papers. He handed the anonymized exam papers to the examiners in order of their numbers, and then divided the papers into three stacks according to their quality.

After they finished grading, if they felt that a certain exam paper was logically sound and cited the classics appropriately, they would have the clerk present it to Fang Mingyuan for personal review.

After several busy days, the examiners finally finished grading all the exam papers for this children's examination.

The stack of papers marked "excellent" on the desk was the list of candidates to be admitted in this year's imperial examination.

Fang Mingyuan washed his hands, picked up his teacup and took a sip, then slowly picked up the top exam paper and tore off the seal that had been covering the names.

The clerk beside him had already spread out a blank register, dipped his brush in ink, and was waiting to copy down the names and hometowns of the successful candidates one by one.

As Fang Mingyuan tore open the papers, he discovered many familiar names, all of which were from the brocade box that Feng Shu had given him earlier. Seeing this, he nodded to himself. He continued tearing open another exam paper with the names covered up. When the light fell on the name, he suddenly paused for a moment.

Fang Mingyuan frowned; he recognized the name.

That day, Feng Shu specially handed him this note, which contained only these two words, and repeatedly instructed him to make sure that this person's name was not on the list.

He believed in getting things done for money, and since he had promised Feng Shu, he naturally had to get things done properly.

Moreover, Feng Shu also said that this person is just an ordinary student with no power or influence, and can't even find a relative to back him up. Taking his academic title won't cause any trouble.

He spread out the exam paper and, with an air of impartiality, flipped through it from beginning to end.

To be honest, this answer sheet is indeed well written. The questions on the interpretation of scriptures are well-supported by various sources, and the reasoning is clear. Several allusions are used appropriately, showing a hint of the style of a master.

Normally, this paper would naturally be on the list, and might even rank in the top three.

Pity.

Fang Mingyuan shook his head, placed the paper on the table, pointed to one particular handwriting, and slowly opened the scroll: "Gentlemen, please look. This passage is illogical and clearly misinterprets the sage's meaning. This paper should not be graded as excellent, but rather as inferior. What do you all think?"

The examiners next to him were all longtime employees who had followed him for many years, and they understood the meaning behind his words perfectly.

Immediately, someone chimed in, "Your Excellency is wise. When I was reviewing the papers earlier, I felt that this part was somewhat far-fetched, but I dared not make a judgment on my own. Now, Your Excellency has hit the nail on the head, and it is indeed so."

The other examiner nodded repeatedly, picked up his vermilion pen, erased the "excellent" comment, and added the word "inferior".

The clerk beside him, with his eyes lowered, also gently crossed the name off the register upon seeing this.

As time passed, Fang Mingyuan put the last exam paper back on the desk, glanced at the scribe's transcribed list, the densely packed names were neatly arranged, those who should be on the list were naturally on the list, and those who should be crossed out were also neatly crossed out.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and nodded slightly to the clerk: "The results are in. Instruct the yamen runners to post them."

Three days have passed since the county examination, and today is the day the results will be released.

Outside the county government office, a large crowd had already gathered around the screen wall where the notices were posted, all waiting for the results to be released.

As the yamen runners pasted the red notice stamped with the county government's seal, the crowd surged forward with a roar. Those at the back stood on tiptoe, while those at the front were pushed against the screen wall. Countless eyes scanned the notice, searching for their own names.

Some were overjoyed, some were ashen-faced, and a few even squatted down against the wall and cried...

Outside the crowd, Aunt Liu and others, along with Qin Chuan, had been waiting there for a long time, just to know the result as soon as possible.

As soon as the red notice was posted, Liu Ding immediately squeezed through.

He was originally a martial artist at the Blood Condensation Realm, and his strength was extraordinary.

While saying "Excuse me, excuse me," he plowed a path through the crowd like a plow, squeezing his way to the front of the screen wall in a few steps. Once he saw the names on it, he turned to Qin Chuan and the others, waving his hands and shouting, "We won! We won!"

Inside the main hall of the Zheng residence, Zheng Ding was chatting with his mother and others. County Magistrate Zhang Dajiang and Registrar Feng Shu were also there, leisurely drinking tea.

As the results were about to be released, Madam Zheng was somewhat uneasy, her eyes frequently glancing towards the door. Seeing this, Feng Shu understood her feelings and comforted her, saying, "Madam Zheng, there's no need to worry so much. Young Master Zheng will surely pass the county examination with ease."

His confidence stemmed from the fact that he had already paved the way for Zheng Ding's "high school" success.

As early as when the exam questions were finalized, Feng Shu had already revealed the questions to Zheng Ding overnight, giving him instructions on which classic texts to focus on and which direction the exam paper should take.

Although Zheng Ding was not a gifted student, he was not stupid either. If the answer was given to him, he would naturally be able to remember it as long as he spent some time.

As for the most difficult questions on the interpretation of the classics, Feng Shu personally went to great lengths to ask a renowned scholar to write a model essay on the interpretation of the classics based on the questions, which he then handed back to Zheng Ding.

What Zheng Ding had to do was memorize this model essay from beginning to end and then copy it word for word onto the exam paper.

In addition, Feng Shu included Zheng Ding's name in the brocade box and handed it to Fang Mingyuan.

After a series of operations, from setting the questions to answering the questions to grading the papers, someone covered for Zheng Ding at every step. To be honest, unless Zheng Ding tore up the exam paper himself, Feng Shu couldn't think of any reason why he wouldn't pass the county exam. This time, the only possible result for the county exam was "Zheng Ding passed the exam".

Just as Feng Shu was pondering, a hurried servant appeared outside the door; it was the same servant from the manor who had been sent to check the list earlier.

Upon seeing the man return, Madam Zheng hurriedly asked, "Has my son passed the imperial examination?"

Seeing this, Feng Shu smiled and waited for the servant to give the answer that had already been predetermined.

But the next moment, the servant knelt down in the hall and said in a trembling voice, "Madam, I—I have never seen the young master's name on the red list."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall changed their expressions.

"Impossible!" Feng Shu blurted out first. Before the words were even finished, he had already sprung off his chair, rushed to the servant in a few steps, grabbed him by the collar, and said sternly, "It must be because you were careless and didn't see the whole picture, that's why you didn't see the name. Tell me, isn't that right?"

The servant Feng Shu was trembling with fear at this, but he still forced himself to reply, "Sir, I looked at the red list several times, even reading each name one by one, and I really didn't see the young master's name on it."

"Impossible!" Feng Shu loosened his collar, staggered back a step, his lips moved a few times as if talking to himself, and then shouted, "Impossible, I'll go see for myself."

Before he could finish speaking, the other person had already rushed out the door.

The lobby was completely silent.

Madam Zheng stood there, her face as white as a sheet of rice paper.

Zheng Ding sat stiffly in his chair, his smugness completely gone, replaced by bewilderment and fear.

Zhang Dajiang slowly stood up, his gaze fixed on Zheng Ding, his tone accusatory: "Ding'er, how exactly did you handle this county examination?"

Zheng Ding hurriedly stood up, cupped his hands, and replied, "Uncle, in this county examination, I followed the instructions of Registrar Feng exactly, without missing a single detail, and there was absolutely no problem with the exam paper. I memorized everything Registrar Feng asked me to memorize; I wrote everything he asked me to write. I don't know—I don't know why this is the result."

Zhang Dajiang didn't reply, but looked at Zheng's mother and said, "Sister, don't be anxious. Let me go to the county office to investigate and see where things went wrong."

After saying this, he summoned the coachman, got into the carriage, and headed towards the county government office.

Outside the county government office, Feng Shu finally arrived. Before the carriage had even come to a complete stop, he lifted the curtain and jumped out. He stumbled and almost fell, but he didn't bother to help himself and scrambled towards the crowd in front of the screen wall.

The area in front of the red notice board was still packed with people, so densely packed that it was impossible to squeeze through. Feng Shu tried to push his way in twice but failed. Frustrated, his eyes reddened, and he swung his fist at the people in front of him, yelling, "Get out of my way! All of you, get out of my way!"

The surrounding people were beaten for no reason and were about to retaliate when they turned around and saw that it was the registrar from the yamen. They could only curse under their breath and move aside.

Feng Shu rushed to the red list, braced himself against the screen wall, and looked at the names one by one. He scanned the list, but none were there!

The second and third times, there was still no Zheng Ding's name!

Why is Zheng Ding's name not on the list?

Feng Shu pushed through the crowd and hurried toward the yamen (government office).

Inside the yamen, Fang Mingyuan sat upright in a grand chair, holding a freshly brewed cup of Longjing tea, the aroma of which wafted through the air.

Seeing Feng Shu burst in, covered in sweat, he put down his teacup, a smile appearing on his face, his tone even carrying a hint of self-satisfaction: "Lord Feng, you've come at the right time. Did you see the names on the red list? How was it? Did I do a good job, Lord Feng?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Shu abruptly stopped in his tracks, as if he had been punched in the chest. His eyes were filled with confusion as he asked, "Lord Fang, why—is Zheng Ding not on the list?"

Fang Mingyuan paused slightly in his teacup, his brows furrowed, and a look of doubt appeared on his face: "Then Zheng Ding is naturally not on the list."

""

He set down his teacup, his brow furrowed, and his tone carried a hint of confusion: "Lord Feng, didn't you specifically instruct me to ensure this person's name is not on the list?"

Feng Shuru was struck by lightning, and she froze on the spot, her mouth open but unable to utter a sound.

When did he say he wouldn't let Zheng Ding be on the list?

Zheng Ding was the county magistrate's nephew. He had gone to great lengths to pave the way for him, he had leaked the exam questions, and he had someone else write the interpretations of the classics. The first name in the brocade box was Zheng Ding. How could he possibly let Zheng Ding be left out of the list?

Just as he was about to speak in his defense, he heard a series of hurried footsteps behind him.

Zhang Dajiang had already arrived at the lobby entrance and overheard Fang Mingyuan's words clearly.

He abruptly stopped, his gaze sweeping over Feng Shu, and he said sternly, "Feng Shu! Is it you who's preventing Ding'er from passing the imperial examination?"

Feng Shu hurriedly turned around, waving his hands repeatedly, cold sweat already seeping from his forehead: "Your Excellency, please calm down! I had no such intention!"

"Young Master Zheng was someone I personally promoted all the way; how could I possibly harm him?"

He suddenly turned to Fang Mingyuan, his voice changing, "Lord Fang, what exactly did you mean by that? When did I ever say that Zheng Ding wouldn't be on the list?"

Fang Mingyuan's brows furrowed even more. He slammed his teacup down on the table, his tone hardening: "Lord Feng, are you questioning me? That day in the elegant room of Xiangmanlou, you specifically instructed that this person must not be on the list." I remember it clearly. What, are you denying it now?

"Impossible!" Feng Shu's voice immediately became shrill. He rushed to Fang Mingyuan, his fingers trembling as he gestured in the air. "I did give you a note, sir, but it didn't say Zheng Ding, it said Qin Chuan! Qin Chuan! That day at Xiangmanlou, I personally wrote his name on a piece of paper and handed it to you alone. Sir, think carefully, it's Qin Chuan, not Zheng Ding!"

"Insolence!" Fang Mingyuan abruptly stood up, his sleeve knocking over a teacup on the table, which fell to the ground and shattered. "It's clearly your own fault for handling things carelessly, and now you're trying to blame me!"

Zhang Dajiang stood in the hall, looking at the scene before him, his face ashen.

He had a general idea that Feng Shu wanted to suppress Qin Chuan, but somehow Fang Mingyuan got the name wrong and suppressed Zheng Ding instead.

Ultimately, it was a case of collusion between his registrar and the education commissioner, but unexpectedly, it resulted in his nephew being implicated.

If this gets out, no one will benefit from it.

"Enough!" Zhang Dajiang shouted angrily. He glanced coldly at Feng Shu, then looked at Fang Mingyuan and said, "Lord Fang, regardless of whose fault this is, my nephew's name must appear on the red list. As for the rest, I can temporarily set aside the matter."

"Impossible!" Fang Mingyuan snorted coldly, refusing outright. "The red list has already been posted, and the register has been sealed. There is absolutely no reason to change it."

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