Fangzhou Xier, starting with failing the art exam

"Him?" The old woman scoffed.

"He's still living in the academy, where would he get the money?"

“Let me tell you something, little girl.” She leaned closer and lowered her voice.

"The Liu family's success today is entirely due to a benefactor from the inner city."

"Noble?"

"Correct!"

"Just two days after the results were released, a car, what was it called..."

"Oh right! A two-horse carriage, how impressive! It was parked right at the entrance of the alley!"

"A steward dressed in silk got off the carriage, accompanied by several servants carrying several large trunks. He said that Liu Jing had met a distant relative in the capital and had come to offer his congratulations."

The woman sewing shoe soles added, "I saw it. The housekeeper talked to Liu Laosi for a long time in the room. When he left, Liu Laosi was bowing and scraping like a grandson."

"As soon as that important person left, the Liu family started paying back the money, painting the door, and buying new clothes the very next day!"

Lin Qingyan's heart began to race.

"What does that carriage look like? Are there any markings on it?" she asked, blinking her curious eyes.

"A mark?" The old woman thought for a moment, then shook her head.

"My eyesight is failing me, I couldn't see clearly."

"I remember the carriage was black, shiny and gleaming, and the horses pulling it were taller than people, looking very impressive!"

"I know I know!"

A teenager playing in the mud nearby suddenly looked up and shouted.

"I saw it! There was a small sign on the car door with a picture of a bird on it! A golden bird!"

"Don't talk nonsense, you little brat!" The child's mother pulled him away and scolded him.

"I'm not making this up! It's a bird! Its wings are spread wide!" the child protested.

A golden bird?

Lin Qingyan searched her mind quickly.

It's not uncommon in the capital to use birds as family crests, but a golden one is also related to the Ministry of Rites...

A name suddenly popped up.

Wang Qinian, Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites!

His family is said to have been rewarded for presenting a canary, which is considered an auspicious symbol, and the canary became their family crest.

The clues match!

Lin Qingyan suppressed his excitement, chatted with the old woman and the others for a while, sold a few needles and a few bundles of thread, and then pretended that business was bad and left Willow Alley dejectedly.

As soon as she stepped out of Anyefang's territory, she quickened her pace, and the timid expression on her face vanished.

She didn't dare go straight home. She first went around in circles to make sure the two figures following her were guards sent by her brother before she slipped into a quiet alley.

"Return to the manor, immediately!"

She whispered something to the empty alley, then hurried toward the Lin residence.

That so-called important person is most likely someone from Wang Qinian's household!

They not only bribed Liu Jing with money, but also personally visited his family to appease them, making the whole charade airtight.

……

Prince Qin's Mansion, study.

Lacey put down a project progress report in her hand, a satisfied smile spreading across her face.

The report, presented by Zhang Cheng, showcased the remarkable achievements of the Gyeonggi Water Resources Bureau in the more than half a month since its establishment, using detailed data and charts.

More than 50,000 unemployed artisans and laborers were reorganized and put into this massive urban redevelopment project.

Dozens of dilapidated ditches that had been blocked for many years were dredged, several sections of dilapidated canal embankments were reinforced, and the throughput capacity of several major wharves was also improved after expansion.

In today's Baizhao City, those men who once wandered the streets due to unemployment are now working hard on construction sites, receiving real wages and food in the evenings, and their faces are once again filled with smiles and hope.

It can be said that the people's hearts are with them.

"It is better to fill the bellies of the people than to silence them." Looking at the bustling scene outside the window, Lacey recalled this phrase she had once said and gained a new understanding of it.

You can spread your rumors all you want, I'll just focus on distributing grain to the people.

When the people's stomachs are full, how could they not know whether what they say is true or false?

Upright and honest, making you invincible.

"Your Highness."

Yang Wei walked in from outside, holding a sealed letter in his hand.

"A secret report sent by Lord Lin."

"Young Master Lin?"

　Thinking of the case that was suspected of being related to cheating in the imperial examinations, Lacey took the letter, opened it, and quickly glanced through it.

When he saw the words "Golden Sparrow Emblem" and "Prince's Mansion," a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

"What a fine Lin Qingyan! He's got real talent for solving cases," he couldn't help but praise.

He thought that sending a young girl to investigate a case was a bit reckless for Lin Yue, and that at most it would just be a way to appease his sister.

Surprisingly, this inexperienced young girl actually found evidence.

"Your Highness, now that all the witnesses and evidence points to Wang Qinian, shouldn't we take action?" Yang Wei asked.

Having brought down Huang Shizhong, the Minister of Revenue, he was already eager to try his hand at taking down the Vice Minister of Rites.

“Not enough.” Lacey shook her head and burned the letter over the candle flame.

“Wang Qinian, a second-rank official in the Ministry of Rites, has neither the guts nor the ability to manipulate the process of corruption.”

"Lin Yue's report said that Hanlin Pavilion may have laundered hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, or even more, in just one month."

"Is this money only for a dozen or so places to become a successful candidate in the imperial examinations?"

Yang Wei frowned: "Your Highness means..."

"The market value of a successful candidate in the imperial examinations is at most ten thousand taels of silver. A dozen or so would amount to a hundred thousand or two hundred thousand taels of silver."

"But the revenue of this Hanlin Pavilion far exceeds that amount. Where did the extra money go?"

"Or rather, what they are selling may be much more than just a number of places to become a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations)."

Lacey's thinking became clearer: "Wang Qinian is probably just a front man; behind him, there must be an even bigger boss."

"This boss needs more than just money; he needs something even more important than money."

"Something more important than money?" Yang Wei asked, puzzled.

“Power,” Lacey uttered the word.

"Through the imperial examination, we will place our own people in various prefectures, counties and districts of the Great Yan, and fundamentally control the Great Yan bureaucratic system."

"Don't you think this is far more terrifying than simply accumulating wealth?"

Yang Wei gasped in shock.

If that's the case, then this is not a simple case of fraud!

"Then... then could the mastermind behind this be Grand Tutor Xun?" Yang Wei asked tentatively.

“Possibly, but we have no evidence.” Lacey’s expression was calm.

"Moreover, even if it were him, given Grand Tutor Xun's shrewdness, he would never personally get involved."

"He might even be deliberately distancing himself from this matter."

"It won't be easy for us to find him."

Lacey's gaze returned to the map.

“We are currently investigating the case covertly, while they are operating in the open.”

"In that case, let's make a bigger commotion so they can't see where our real target is."

He turned to Yang Wei and said, "You pass on my order to Zhang Cheng."

"Yes."

“Tell him that the next phase of the Gyeonggi Water Conservancy Bureau’s project will focus on two locations.” Lacey tapped her finger on the map.

"First, there is the Wenyun River surrounding the Imperial College and Baizhao Academy."

"This river has been in disrepair for many years, which has affected the students' view and made it easy for diseases to spread. We need to dredge and widen it completely and plant flowers and trees on both banks."

“The second place is the Ink Canal behind the Ministry of Rites.” He moved his finger to another location.

"This canal was built specifically to facilitate the cleaning of writing implements in the Imperial Examination Hall. Now it is almost abandoned and has become a place where filth accumulates. We will dredge it and restore it to its original state."

Yang Wei was taken aback for a moment, then understood Lacey's intention.

This is clearly like sending a large army right to the enemy's doorstep!

The Imperial Academy and the Ministry of Rites were the core areas of the imperial examination scandal.

Under the guise of river repair, thousands or even tens of thousands of workers will be sent there, and the entire area will be turned upside down.

At that time, it will become much more difficult for them to hide evidence or secretly collude, making it easier for them to carry out their plans.

"Your Highness is brilliant!" Yang Wei exclaimed sincerely.

"This tactic of feigning an attack on one side while secretly advancing on another is... no, you've essentially built the plank road right in their face!"

Even if they knew our intentions, they wouldn't be able to say a single word!

"Who dares to oppose His Highness's efforts to improve the environment for students? Who dares to obstruct the dredging of the capital's waterways?"

"Go ahead and do it. Make as much of a commotion as possible," Lacey said calmly.

"Let's draw all the attention of the capital to the construction site. That way, Lin Yue and his team's investigation will be safer."

"Yes!" Yang Wei accepted the order and left.

……

Wherever the sun and moon reach, it is scorching earth: Chapter 255: Some people, those who should be shut up, should be shut up forever.

Grand Master's Mansion.

In stark contrast to the bustling Qin Prince's Mansion, this place appeared unusually quiet and deserted.

Since Huang Shizhong's case came to light and the Emperor ordered Grand Tutor Xun Huiming to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors, this once bustling mansion has rarely received visitors.

In the study, the scent of sandalwood is wafting.

Xun Huiming sat upright in the armchair, dressed in plain clothes, holding an ancient book in his hands, his expression indifferent, as if the storms of the outside world had nothing to do with him.

But the two people standing in front of him were far less composed than he was.

Minister of Rites Qian Yunhe, and Vice Minister of Rites Wang Qinian.

Qian Yunhe was over fifty years old, but his expression remained relatively calm.

But Wang Qinian looked completely lost and dejected, his face pale and he could barely stand.

"Grand Tutor, you...you must do justice for us!" Wang Qinian finally couldn't hold back anymore, his voice trembling with tears.

"That King of Qin... he's gone too far! He... he's even built a construction site right up to the entrance of our Ministry of Rites!"

"That's not river repair, that's clearly holding a knife to our throats!"

Xun Huiming didn't even lift his eyelids, but simply turned a page of his book and said:

"His Highness Prince Qin was ordered to improve the capital's water conservancy and improve people's livelihoods. This is a great achievement. How can you say that this is too much of a bullying?"

"But you, Qinian, as a second-rank official of the imperial court, are so panicked. What kind of behavior is this?"

These words were poured over Wang Qinian's head, instantly calming him down but also making him even more terrified.

Minister of Rites Qian Yunhe stepped forward and bowed deeply to Xun Huiming: "Grand Tutor is right, but... His Highness Prince Qin's actions are too obvious."