"You'd best not be lying to me."

After issuing the mild warning, Jiang Chen didn't want to delve into such trivial matters and changed the subject:

"Do you know why I specifically brought you out of prison today?"

Jia Yao lowered his eyes and replied, "Your Majesty, this guilty subject does not know."

Seeing how composed he was in the face of such a situation, a hint of appreciation flashed in Jiang Chen's eyes.

Those who achieve great things must possess inner peace. This alone made Jia Yao worth recruiting.

Thinking of this, Jiang Chen softened his tone and said, "I summoned you because Zhang Zifang recommended you. He said you are a genius in governing the country, with a noble character, and would not be involved with rebels."

"He even vouched for you with his life in front of me and over twenty scholars. It was his persistence that earned you this opportunity."

As the words fell, Jia Yao's body trembled for a moment, but he quickly recovered.

He lowered his head and said, "Please forgive this guilty subject's ignorance. What exactly do you mean by all this?"

Jiang Chen didn't believe that Jia Yao hadn't understood his intention to recruit him.

However, he had always cherished talent and was willing to lower himself to extend the invitation a few more times, satisfying the pointless vanity of these literati.

"What I mean is, are you willing to enter the court as an official, to be my right-hand man, to rebuild Great Wei, and atone for your crimes with merit?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Yao's hands, resting on his knees, clenched instantly, with such force that veins faintly appeared.

After a long silence, he finally said with difficulty, "This guilty subject may have to disappoint Your Majesty."

"This subject only possesses a little talent, enough for writing poetry, but is utterly incapable of governing the country."

"Young Master Zhang has an open mind and always looks at people's strengths. He overestimated this subject's talent. I hope Your Majesty will not blame him for this matter..."

"Enough!"

Jiang Chen frowned. "Are you taking me for a fool? You're making up such clumsy lies to refuse me!"

"Zhang Zifang is my confidant, and I trust his judgment... As for you, I can see that you are not unmoved, so why are you being so contrary?"

He added with some doubt, "Could it be that you think my sincerity is not enough?"

"Or are you under the impression that I am a cruel tyrant, which is why you are unwilling to join the court? If that is the case, I am willing to treat you with all due respect!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Jia Yao suddenly raised his head, his beautiful face full of shock, but his eyes lit up with a dazzling light.

But soon, as if remembering something, his face instantly turned ashen.

He lowered his head again, his tone trembling but firm: "This subject has never felt that Your Majesty is a tyrant!"

"Even without our meeting at Huai River, you would still be a good ruler in this subject's eyes. The people you killed were all evil-doers!"

"Their existence caused countless people to suffer. Killing one saves hundreds! Thousands! How can this be called cruel?"

Seeming to realize that his tone was too extreme, Jia Yao took a deep breath and lowered his voice:

"In short, this commoner is unwilling to join the court, not because of Your Majesty, but because this subject is talentless, lacking in virtue, and unworthy of being an official... Your Majesty need not doubt yourself because of this."

Jiang Chen looked at the insincere fellow on the ground, a smile appearing in his eyes.

Zhang Zifang has really found him an interesting person.

He, Jiang Chen, is determined to have this Jia Yao! Even the King of Heaven can't change that!

Adopting a feigned angry expression, Jiang Chen said mildly, "Oh? According to you, that scoundrel Zhang Zifang is deceiving me?"

"He kept saying that you are incredibly talented, no less than him, so I was willing to make the effort to bring you out of prison."

"But now, in front of me and these palace servants, you say that you have mediocre talent and are unworthy of being an official..."

With a cold laugh, Jiang Chen's tone suddenly turned grim: "Do you know the consequences of fooling me?"

"No, it's not Young Master Zhang's fault!" Jia Yao hurriedly explained, kowtowing heavily to Jiang Chen: "Your, Your Majesty, if you want to punish someone, then punish me. It's all because this subject is ill and unable to serve as an official that this disaster occurred..."

Jiang Chen gave a noncommittal smile: "More lies!"

"Just now, you said it was because your learning was too shallow, so you were not worthy of being an official, and now the reason for rejecting me has become that you are ill?"

"Jia Yao, ah, Jia Yao, I thought you were a gentleman, but I didn't expect you to be such a..."

Without continuing, Jiang Chen cast a look of extreme disappointment at the person who had stiffened on the ground.

This action was more lethal than any language.

Visibly, Jia Yao's straight back seemed to be bent little by little by something heavy, and his thin body trembled uncontrollably.

Seeing this, Jiang Chen estimated that this fellow had really reached his limit, so he stopped provoking him.

Adopting a melancholic tone, he said, "Originally, I wanted to order the Imperial Guards to take over your family's case, to fully investigate and restore your innocence, so that you could enter the court cleanly, without leaving any blemish."

"Unfortunately, it seems you don't need it!"

"I am not one to force others to do things they don't want to do. Since you are unwilling, then go back to prison and stay there. As for the matter of being implicated in the rebellion, I don't need to bother with it anymore."

After speaking, Jiang Chen deliberately didn't give Jia Yao a glance and directly ordered, "Xu Mu, take him away. I don't want to see him again."

"Yes!" Xu Mu accepted the order and was about to step forward to take Jia Yao away.

But Feng Jin, who knew Jiang Chen's thoughts well, pulled him back, hinting that he slow down.

Although he didn't understand the reason, Xu Mu was always loyal and immediately did so.

And these slow footsteps were no less than a form of torture for Jia Yao, who was kneeling on the ground and suffering the torment of his conscience.

He thought of Zhang Zifang, who he had only met a few times but who had shown him great favor, of Jiang Chen, who had been repeatedly rejected but still considered him in every way, and who was still tolerant of him in the end, and of his parents and relatives in prison...

A deep struggle and pain flashed in his eyes, and he once again hated why he was born a woman!

Why?

Why?!

Why did Heaven make her a woman, yet give her amazing talent and an indomitable ambition?

Why did she learn to read, allowing her to know the wider world outside the courtyard?!

She started learning at the age of three, growing up with poetry and books.

Through cold winters and hot summers, year after year, she studied history and recited poetry every day, watching generals conquer and ministers pacify the world.

But no matter how grand her aspirations were, no matter how hard she worked, some things were destined from birth, and if she didn't have them at birth, she could never have them in this life!

Am I, going to give up like this?

Give up the only chance in this lifetime?

Jia Yao'er had already inquired about the rules of the imperial examinations on the first day the imperial decree was issued.

They required a physical examination and verification of household registration, and it was impossible for her to sneak in with her female body!

But if the emperor directly appointed her as an official, the situation would be different. As long as she was careful when working, no one would discover her identity!

She could be Jia Yao for the rest of her life and realize her ambitions!!

But this crime of deceiving the emperor...

Jia Yao'er's heart began to beat uncontrollably, and even her body trembled with great excitement and fear.

Jiang Chen noticed his abnormality and felt a little helpless in his heart.

This kid is really stubborn enough.

He has been forced to this point, but he is still unwilling to give in.

However, it doesn't matter much. A wild horse is more interesting to tame, and this little difficulty can't scare Jiang Chen.