Fangzhou Xier, starting with failing the art exam

He went there to deliver the money, or rather, to share the spoils!

The huge sums of money obtained through cheating in the imperial examinations were laundered through the seemingly elegant Hanlin Pavilion and then distributed to various stakeholders.

What a great way to escape!

"My lord, what should we do now? Should we seal off the Hanlin Pavilion immediately?" Wang Wu asked impatiently.

"No way," Lin Yue said firmly.

"To make a move now would be to alert the enemy."

“We don’t even know where their real ledgers are. If we rush in rashly, we won’t find anything. Instead, it will alert them and make them destroy all the evidence.”

He stood up and paced back and forth in the secret room.

Hanlin Pavilion...

Wang Teng, Liu Jing, Wang Qinian...

"Zhao Si, how's your investigation going?" He stopped and looked at his subordinate in charge of investigating the students' backgrounds.

Zhao Si immediately stepped forward and spread out a thick stack of files: "Sir, among the scholars who passed the provincial examination this year, we have selected fifteen whose family backgrounds do not match their academic performance and who are highly suspected."

“We traced their funding sources and discovered a common thread.”

"explain."

“Recently, their accounts have all seen an additional gift or loan of varying amounts, with all sorts of reasons, some from distant relatives and others from fellow villagers.”

"At first glance, it seems flawless!"

“But…” Zhao Si paused, then picked up another list.

“When we investigated the backgrounds of these so-called relatives and friends, we found that without exception, they were all regular customers of Hanlin Pavilion, and some of them were even in the antique and jade business themselves, with long-term business dealings with Hanlin Pavilion!”

"Good heavens!" Lin Yue couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice.

The evidence forms a closed loop.

Candidates contacted cheating rings through intermediaries, laundered their money through the Hanlin Pavilion, turning it into gifts or loans, and deposited it into their own accounts to deal with possible investigations.

The fraud ring then distributed the embezzled funds to relevant personnel through Hanlin Pavilion.

Hanlin Pavilion was the heart and cash cow of this vast criminal network.

"Sir, what about Liu Jing, the village chief? He's just a poor boy, where would he get the money to pull this strings?" Zhang San asked.

“He must have someone backing him,” Zhao Si replied.

“We checked, and Liu Jing’s clan school was recently renovated. He even replaced the desks, chairs, and writing implements for all the children in the clan. He was very generous.”

"They told the outside world that a distant relative of the clan who was doing business elsewhere had returned home in glory and donated a large sum of money."

"But we can't find any trace of this distant relative."

Lin Yue sneered: "No need to investigate. This distant relative is probably someone who came from the Hanlin Academy."

He was well aware of the fraud ring's scheme.

The purpose of introducing Liu Jing, a model of a poor but talented man, was to silence public criticism and to make the results of this provincial examination appear fairer.

They were even willing to invest in Liu Jing, using his innocence to cover up the dirty deals of a dozen or even dozens of other people.

This move can only be described as ruthless.

"My lord, all the clues now point to the Hanlin Pavilion. We have to do something, don't we?" Wang Wu said urgently.

Lin Yue's gaze deepened.

It's not time to close the net yet.

Who owns the Hanlin Pavilion?

What role did Wang Qinian, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, play in this web?

Does he have anyone above him?

The high-ranking Minister of Rites was a core member of the Grand Tutor's faction. Was he truly unaware of this matter, or did he tacitly approve of it, or even orchestrate it?

If these issues are not clarified, even if the Hanlin Academy is destroyed, it will only be like cutting off one leg; a new one will quickly grow back.

He needed a way to make that old fox in the Hanlin Academy show his true colors.

"No rush." ​​Lin Yue slowly sat down.

"Since they enjoy doing business, let's support them and do it together."

He looked at Zhang San and said, “Go back and tell that Third Master that you are no longer interested in becoming a Juren in the provincial examination. Your master’s goal is to become a Jinshi in next year’s metropolitan examination.”

"The price is negotiable, but you must meet someone who can make the final decision."

"Remember, you have to put on a good show. You have to make him think that you're a rich guy who doesn't care about money, but also someone who won't act until he sees something in return."

Then he turned to Wang Wu: "Keep an eye on Wang Teng, and the Hanlin Pavilion."

"I need to know who the owner of Hanlin Pavilion is. Since he can run such a large business, he can't possibly do it without leaving any trace!"

Finally, his gaze fell on Zhao Si: "Give me the most detailed files on those fifteen students with problems, as well as Liu Jing's. I want to review them personally."

"a灵&er兒，散零扒k（二）踆是!" the crowd responded in unison.

Lin Yue leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

His Highness the King of Qin's words echoed in his mind once more: "What use is the law if it cannot redress grievances for the people?"

He opened his eyes, his gaze resolute.

This time, he not only wanted to seek justice for the wrongfully killed student Liang Yuan, but also to wipe out this bunch of rats that were eroding the foundation of the Great Yan Dynasty!

……

Wherever the sun and moon reach, it is scorching earth: Chapter 254: Openly repairing the plank road while secretly crossing the Chencang pass.

South of the city, Anyefang.

Although it was named Anju Leye (meaning "peaceful and prosperous life"), it was actually a slum in Baizao.

Sewage flowed freely in the narrow alley, and the low shacks on both sides were crammed together, making it difficult to breathe.

If it weren't for His Highness Prince Qin's work-for-relief project setting up a point here and repairing some roads and ditches, it would be difficult to even find a place to stand.

At this moment, a thin young girl in a simple dress and a simple hairpin walked timidly down the alley, carrying a small bamboo basket full of needles and thread.

She looked to be only a little over ten years old, with a sallow complexion and evasive eyes, appearing malnourished and unsophisticated.

"Selling needles and thread... Selling the finest embroidery needles and colorful silk threads..."

Her calls were thin and weak, and were quickly drowned out by the surrounding noise.

This young girl was none other than Lin Qingyan.

Following her brother's instructions, she spent the entire morning dressing herself up like this.

She even applied some turmeric powder to her face to make herself look more haggard.

At first, she thought it was fun, but when she actually walked into the shantytown, smelled the musty and rancid smell in the air, and saw the residents who were dressed in rags and looked pale, her sense of novelty vanished instantly, leaving only an indescribable sense of oppression.

Is this the true face of the other side of Beijing?

Do we, in our Great Yan Dynasty, also have places like this?

The two places she frequented, the Celestial Master's Mansion and the Lin Mansion, seemed like two different worlds.

She composed herself, remembered her mission, and began searching the alley for the target.

According to the case file, the clansmen of Liu Jing, the newly appointed head of the township, lived in Willow Alley in this area.

She had to ask several people before she finally found the place after going through many twists and turns.

Willow Alley doesn't actually have a single willow tree; it got its name from an old, long-dead willow tree that once stood at the entrance of the alley.

Lin Qingyan slowed down, calling out as he carefully observed.

Soon, she discovered a courtyard that stood out from its surroundings.

The gate to the courtyard was newly painted red; although its style was old, it stood out conspicuously among the gray wooden doors.

Two small red lanterns hung at the entrance. Although they were not lit, their brand-new appearance seemed to announce the owner's happy occasion.

It is here.

Lin Qingyan thought to himself.

Instead of knocking on the door directly, she stopped at the door of a neighbor's house next door, which had its door open.

An old woman with a wrinkled face was sitting on the doorstep, picking vegetables and chatting with her neighbors.

"Grandma, do you want to buy needles and thread?" Lin Qingyan timidly stepped forward and opened her small bamboo basket.

The old woman looked up, sized her up, and waved her hand:

"No, no, I'm not buying it. My eyesight isn't good anymore, and I haven't done needlework in a long time."

"Grandma, look! I have all the colors of silk thread. It would be so pretty to make a purse for my granddaughter."

Lin Qingyan didn't give up. He squatted down and moved the bamboo basket closer to the old woman.

Her obedient yet pitiful appearance seemed to evoke the old woman's sympathy.

The old woman sighed: "You poor girl, you've had a hard life too. Alright, let me take a look."

Lin Qingyan was overjoyed, knowing that there was hope.

As she helped the old woman sort through the silk threads, she chatted casually, seemingly unintentionally.

"Grandma, your alley is so lively."

"What's all the fuss about? They're all poor folks, arguing all day long over a bite to eat," the old woman said, pursing her lips.

“I think the house next door looks quite grand. The door has been freshly painted and lanterns are hanging. Is there some big celebration?” Lin Qingyan pointed to the house with his chin.

When the neighbor was mentioned, the old woman's face immediately showed a complex expression that was both envious and somewhat disdainful.

"Hey, don't even mention it, that's the Liu family, their ancestral graves are practically emitting auspicious smoke!"

"Liu family?"

"you do not say!"

Another woman who was sewing shoe soles nearby also came over, lowered her voice, and said mysteriously:

"Have you heard about that kid in their family named Liu Jing?"

"He's the top scorer in this provincial examination! He's number one!"

"Wow! The village chief!" Lin Qingyan covered his mouth in feigned surprise.

"That's like the God of Literature descending to earth! No wonder! This family is destined to produce a high-ranking official!"

“Who says otherwise!” the old woman clicked her tongue.

"Back then, their family was even poorer than us!"

"That boy Liu Jing is pitiful. His parents died early, and he was able to go to school only because of the help he received from the clan."

“A few years ago, his family was heavily in debt. His uncle, Liu Laosi, who lived there, was constantly being blocked at the door by debt collectors.”

"Now look how great it is! I passed the imperial examination in one fell swoop, and all those old scores have been paid off overnight!"

"Tsk tsk, things really do change every ten years."

"Pay it all off overnight?" Lin Qingyan grasped this key point.

"Yes!" the auntie sewing shoe soles said with certainty.

“Just a few days ago, those vicious debt collectors came to our door!”

"As a result, Liu Laosi opened the door and threw out a bag of gleaming silver without even blinking! Everyone was dumbfounded!"

Lin Qingyan quickly calculated in her mind.

Even if a poor family's son or nephew passes the imperial examination, the rewards and congratulatory gifts from the court would not arrive so quickly, let alone provide a large sum of cash to pay off old debts.

This money is definitely of questionable origin.

"The Liu family has really had a stroke of good fortune!"

"That talented Liu Jing must have sent a lot of money home, right?" she continued, feigning innocence.