Tang Dynasty: Consort Wu? Your Majesty, please address her as the Crown Prince's Consort.

Just then, the ancient and heavy gate of the examination hall slowly opened.

A group of people dressed in official robes slowly walked out from inside.

When everyone saw the person in charge, they couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.

Standing next to Zhang Heng, Ma Zhou couldn't help but mutter under his breath when he saw the person in charge:

"It's actually Lord Wei Zheng!"

Upon hearing Ma Zhou's words, Zhang Heng, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but smile slightly, which reminded him of what His Highness the Crown Prince had told him a few days ago.

……

"Ziping! I will not offer you any assistance in this spring's imperial examination, but I will create the fairest environment for all candidates!"

……

Recalling His Highness the Crown Prince's words, and seeing that the chief examiner for this year's imperial examination was Wei Zheng, it was clearly His Highness the Crown Prince's doing.

Otherwise, the chief examiners for the imperial examinations in the past should have been from the Ministry of Rites.

The students below reacted in various ways when they saw that the leader was Wei Zheng.

Most students from impoverished families felt joy and relief, while many scions of wealthy families had mixed feelings.

Throughout the Tang Dynasty, everyone knew that Wei Zheng was famously upright and incorruptible. If he were to be the chief examiner, all their pre-prepared methods would be rendered useless.

Just then, Wei Zheng spoke up:

"quiet!!!

I, Wei Zheng, am the chief examiner for this spring imperial examination, appointed by the Crown Prince and His Majesty. All students participating in this spring imperial examination, please proceed to the candidate passage on the side for inspection.

As he spoke, Wei Zheng pointed to a passageway next to the main gate of the examination hall that had been fenced off with wooden railings. On both sides of the passageway, people were dressed in flying fish robes and holding embroidered spring knives.

Seeing this scene, many candidates couldn't help but feel a jolt in their hearts.

The aura emanating from these men was truly intimidating; they were clearly not ordinary soldiers.

Then Wei Zheng spoke up:

"I must remind you all that if you bring anything you should not bring into the examination hall and are discovered, not only will you be stripped of your academic honors on the spot, but your direct descendants for the next three generations will also be barred from participating in the imperial examinations."

After speaking, Wei Zheng immediately smiled and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to the candidates below, and said:

"I wish you all the best for the future, and I also advise you to act accordingly!"

Upon seeing this, everyone quickly returned the greeting to Wei Zheng.

"We thank Master Wei very much!"

As the crowd finished speaking, the gates of the examination hall opened completely, and the Imperial Guards at each passage began to systematically check the candidates' luggage one by one!

at the same time.

Liangyi Hall.

Inside the hall, Li Chengqian and Li Shimin were staring at each other.

"You unfilial son! What are you doing here again? I have already promised you that Wei Zheng would be the chief examiner."

Seeing his old man's disgusted expression, Li Chengqian couldn't help but reveal a fawning smile.

"Hehe! Can't I just miss Father and come to the palace to keep him company?"

"Heh! Do you even believe that yourself? Speak! What is it now?"

Li Shimin immediately gave him a disdainful look, but Li Chengqian didn't care and immediately took out an imperial edict from his pocket.

"Ahem! Father! May I use my imperial seal for a moment!"

Seeing his rebellious son pull out an imperial edict from his robes, and hearing his words, Li Shimin instantly broke down.

"Bullshit! What do you mean 'your' imperial seal'? This is mine, mine!!!"

However, in the face of his old man's roar, Li Chengqian simply picked at his ear with an indifferent expression.

"What do you mean 'yours' and 'mine'? In the end, it's all mine anyway. What's wrong with using it?"

Li Chengqian's words also made Li Shimin pause in his breath. He wanted to refute, but for a moment he didn't know how to refute.

Left with no other choice, he could only look at his rebellious son and say:

"Show me the imperial edict!"

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian did not refuse and immediately handed over the imperial edict in his hand.

When he saw the contents of the imperial edict, Li Shimin immediately lost his composure.

It clearly states that Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Changsun Wuji, Wei Zheng, Xiao Yu, Gao Shilian, and Yu Shinan are to work together with the Hanlin Academy to review the spring examination papers!

"You unfilial son! What are you doing? They've all gone to grade exam papers, what will happen to the government?"

This rebellious son, right from the start, dragged almost all of his capable civil officials under his command to grade examination papers.

However, upon hearing this, Li Chengqian replied with an innocent expression:

"I've still reserved Wang Gui and Pei Ji for you! Just keep working hard these days, you'll be back once the papers are graded, right? It'll be quick, at most a month!"

Upon hearing the names Wang Gui and Pei Ji, Li Shimin felt more uncomfortable than if he had eaten shit.

You're such a good-for-nothing son.

One is from the Wang family of Taiyuan, and the other is a close minister of the retired emperor. Are these two people even capable of being used?

If it weren't for the need to give face to the aristocratic families and the retired emperor, he wouldn't have kept these two people in their current positions!

The reason why Wang Gui was among the three prime ministers was entirely to give face to the powerful families and prevent them from doing anything underhanded behind the scenes.

He doesn't want to rebuild the empire from scratch. It's not impossible, but it's exhausting!

"What exactly is that kid up to? Why not just let the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy handle the grading?"

"Hehehe! It's just that I'm worried. There are so many scions of noble families in the Hanlin Academy. If we let them review the papers, how can those from poor families possibly have a chance to rise in the ranks?"

Hearing his son's words, Li Shimin couldn't help but frown slightly. He looked at him with a suspicious expression and said:

"No way! When did you become so interested in the imperial examinations? This isn't like you!"

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian couldn't help but feel a little guilty, but he still put on a righteous and indignant appearance.

"What are you saying? What are you saying? As the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty, the future Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, isn't it my duty to ensure the fairness of the imperial examinations?"

Seeing his rebellious son Li's righteous and awe-inspiring demeanor, Li Shimin couldn't help but feel a little flustered.

"Brilliant! If you've been through something upsetting, you must tell Father. We can't talk nonsense. If you think Father is spoiling Qingque too much, don't worry, this year I'll send Qingque to her fiefdom!"

Seeing his old man's worried expression, Li Chengqian couldn't help but feel speechless.

No?

What do you mean by that?

Can't I simply be acting in the name of fairness and justice?

And what does this have to do with that chubby kid? That chubby kid is eating and using the food and supplies of aristocratic families now, isn't that good enough? Why should we let him go?

Seeing his old man like this, Li Chengqian lost his patience.

He immediately picked up the imperial seal from the side, snatched the imperial edict from Li Shimin's hand, and then slammed it down on the edict.

After doing all this, Li Chengqian couldn't help but mutter something under his breath.

"Why are you rambling on? I'm the son, and it's only natural for a father to listen to his son. That's it, you'll have to manage on your own this month. If it really gets too much, I'll have Yao Guangxiao come and help you!"

After saying this, Li Chengqian picked up the imperial edict and left, ignoring Li Shimin's bewildered expression.