That almost imperceptible difference in length of the pasted paper was impossible to detect at a glance, but a careful copyist would certainly notice it. Seeing Yang Wanli's paper being covered with a slightly shorter piece of paper, Fan Xian's mood inexplicably lifted. He shook his head with a smile and couldn't help but ask, "Even if they are identified, how do you mark them during copying?"

The official beside him smiled awkwardly, knowing that this rising star didn't quite understand the rules yet. He answered cautiously, "Lord Fan, as long as the copyist subtly alters certain strokes of the characters, the examiners will naturally understand."

Fan Xian suddenly understood and exclaimed, "So even if the examiners don't know who it is, as long as they know they're grading the right person."

"Yes, my Lord," the Ministry of Rites official replied respectfully, secretly criticizing the young man whose literary talent had shaken the world, yet he didn't even know these old tricks of the bureaucracy.

Little did he know that Fan Xian was also secretly cursing these people for their stupidity. If the officials of Qing had not been so arrogant, these riddled old rules would not have been followed for so many years. He wouldn't have been able to exploit the loopholes to do something for those truly talented scholars.

Of course, he also understood that the entire bureaucratic power structure had always tacitly agreed to this method because, in this matter, whether they were political enemies or not, they had all agreed to this way of dividing the spoils. No official within the system, except for a madman, would dare to cause trouble.

In fact, the Crown Prince and the other grandees, even the Prime Minister, had other means to arrange this matter, but they had all found him for the same reasons. First, as the Director in charge of anonymization, he played a crucial role in the process. Second, other than Prime Minister Lin, the other parties wanted to see what Fan Xian's attitude was.

Fan Xian's attitude was simple: Fuck you all. After all, not everyone was as idle as Fan Xian, and not everyone had a good father, like Princess Iron Fan and her bull mother.

After a busy night, the Spring Examination, which could determine the lives of countless scholars, finally came to an end. Many officials rubbed their tired eyes and gathered in the main hall, listening to the Grand Examiner of this Spring Examination, Minister of Rites Guo Youzhi, speak.

After a series of uninspired words and lies about selecting talents for the country, Guo Youzhi waved his hand wearily, dismissing the lower-level officials. Then, he looked at Fan Xian with a kind smile and said, "Lord Fan, you have also worked hard these past few days."

"I dare not," Fan Xian forced a smile and said, "The adults dare not complain of hardship, let alone a junior official like myself."

Guo Youzhi smiled slightly, "Everyone has worked hard." In fact, the senior officials present knew the inside story of this Spring Examination. Those who had benefited from it were not only Guo Youzhi and the two examiners. Even Fan Xian didn't know that a few days ago, someone had already sent his share of silver to the Fan residence, the amount of which was even more terrifying than half a year's income from the Danbo Bookstore.

After several days of the Imperial Examination, the entire examination compound was filled with a rancid smell of money. Fan Xian stood on the stone steps, covering his nose with his hand, and took one last look at the dark examination compound. A look of satisfaction appeared on his face. He had been in this world for many years, only knowing that he had to survive, but not knowing how he should live. It was not until he was determined to do this that he realized that being a generally good person actually felt quite good.

Of course, a good person doesn't mean an old, foolish do-gooder.

The officials of the three ministries had gathered the examination papers, and under the guidance of the palace eunuchs and the protection of the imperial guards and the agents of the Overwatch Council, the group traveled through the barely dawning night sky of Kyoto towards the Imperial College. Within a few days, these anonymized and copied examination papers would be graded, and the top three candidates would be selected. They would then be sent to the Emperor for the Palace Examination, where the Number One Scholar, the Third Rank Scholar, and the Second Rank Scholar of this year would be determined...

Fan Xian left the stinking examination compound. A carriage from the Fan residence was already waiting at the entrance. After getting into the carriage, he took the towel that Teng Zijing handed over and wiped his face haphazardly, asking tiredly, "Does my father have any objections to what I did?"

"No," Teng Zijing shifted his injured thigh and replied softly, "But the master seems a little unhappy. He feels that the young master should have informed the Prime Minister beforehand. Moreover, this matter involves too many people. If it really provokes public anger, I'm afraid that the Prime Minister and the master will have a hard time protecting you."

Fan Xian smiled and said nothing, thinking that he still had the Overwatch Council behind him. More importantly, Chen Pingping had Wang Qinian relay a message that His Majesty was preparing to rectify officialdom this year. He was just going along with the trend. He guessed that Chen Pingping was outwardly scolding him for causing trouble, but inwardly he was secretly pleased that he finally had an excuse to take action.

Fan Xian was just providing the Overwatch Council with a reason, and then the Overwatch Council would present this reason to His Majesty, so that the Emperor could make a decision. As for the Crown Prince and Consort Ning, Fan Xian had other arrangements. When anonymizing the papers, whether it was someone recommended by the Crown Prince or the First Prince, Fan Xian had selected a few names of talented scholars and hid them, giving them some protection, which could be considered as giving the other party an explanation.

After the matter was revealed, Fan Xian wanted people to feel that he was not biased towards any faction in the court when doing this, but was simply a pure scholar who made a "noble" and crazy decision based on some pedantic obsession.

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In the following days, Kyoto was calm. Since Fan Xian had revealed the information, the hidden forces of the Overwatch Council began to cooperate. At least before the list of the top three candidates was released, no shocking news spread in the officialdom. In the end, those people that Fan Xian had secretly inserted were not eliminated. Obviously, there were Chen Pingping's spies in the Imperial College and the Ministry of Rites, secretly helping Fan Xian hide.

As for those high-ranking officials like Guo Youzhi, perhaps they had been doing exam fraud too smoothly in the past few years, and they had big bosses like the Crown Prince behind them, so they didn't pay enough attention and didn't see the obvious problems.

On February 22nd, spring branches were gradually unfolding on both sides of the road, and small birds were paired up on the branches, which was a joyous spring season. In the inn located on the west side of Kyoto, not far from the Imperial College, scholars from all over the country who were waiting for news were gathered downstairs in a panic. There was no wine or food on the table, because these students had no appetite at this time, and focused all their attention on inquiring about news.

"No chance," a student from Shandong sighed and shook his head. "I guess there's no chance this time either."

"Brother Jialin, what do you mean by that?" The student sitting next to him had a slightly darker complexion. It was Yang Wanli, who had exchanged glances with Fan Xian in the examination compound.

He came from Quanzhou and often made a living by the sea, which was very different from those talented scholars who came from wealthy families and spent the first half of their lives in the study. It could be seen that he was in a very relaxed mood. He picked up a peanut soaked in old vinegar from the table, chewed it, and said vaguely, "Brother Jialin is a famous figure in Shandong. His policy essays are extremely well-written. Everyone praised them after reading them a few days ago. As for me, I am not good at this way of writing. Although I am confident that I am good enough to govern a county, there is definitely no possibility of making the list."

Cheng Jialin came from Shandong and was taking the Imperial Examination for the third time. He smiled bitterly and lowered his voice, saying, "Don't you and I understand these things? Only so many people are selected for each exam. Senior officials in the court recommend a few, the palace determines a few, and the Imperial College takes a few students. What are we outsiders, who may have some reputation in our hometowns, in Kyoto? Even if the court wants to find a few talented people to serve as a foil, to silence the scholars in the world, there are plenty of famous scholars in Kyoto to choose from. It's impossible for it to be our turn."

Another scholar at the table, with a thin face, didn't look like a lucky man. Perhaps he had drunk too much, and there was accumulated depression in his chest that he couldn't vent, so he spoke very boldly. He sneered, "I think it's better not to take the Imperial Examination in the future, so as to avoid you two having to waste so much money on travel expenses. What a load of crap, the Imperial Examination is just for the high officials in the court to choose dogs for themselves!"

Cheng Jialin's face darkened, and then he was slightly frightened. He advised, "Brother Jichang, keep your voice down. If the agents of the Overwatch Council hear you, not to mention how your and my careers will be affected, I'm afraid even our lives will be in danger."

The Brother Jichang's surname was Hou, and he was also a strange person who didn't like to take the path of the powerful. Although he had a thin reputation in Kyoto and was always on par with He Zongwei, he had always been a bit lonely because of his sharp tongue and that personality. Hearing his friend's worried words, he couldn't help but laugh and say, "Although the Overwatch Council is terrifying, how can those agents look up to small figures like you and me? If they are really capable, why don't they keep an eye on the corruption in the Imperial Examination?"

Yang Wanli shook his head and said, "Although the Overwatch Council has always had a terrible reputation, it is indeed very useful in supervising officialdom."

Hou Jichang waved his fingers and said, "Which official is clean? If you put your hope on the Overwatch Council, isn't that like seeking skin from a tiger?"

Yang Wanli retorted, "Officials are also selected from among scholars. How can they all be bad people? I think..." For a moment, he couldn't find a figure in Kyoto that was known for his integrity among the officials. He couldn't help but be a bit dull. After a long time, he suddenly lit up and said, "I think Lord Fan Xian, the Vice-President of the Imperial College, is a very good official."

His two friends next to him naturally knew about Yang Wanli being caught by Lord Fan for carrying notes in his clothes, and they teased him in unison, "So, the official is a good official after you've taken the exam. This good official is really simple."

The three of them joked for a few more words, and as the wine gradually went to their heads, they couldn't help but start cursing the malpractices in the court in a low voice. They then returned to the previous topic of whether the atmosphere of the Imperial Examination might really improve if the Overwatch Council was willing to thoroughly investigate the corruption.

Just then, there was a sudden commotion outside the inn. The three of them stood up curiously and heard scholars outside roaring in ecstasy, "Corruption in the Imperial Examination! Minister of Rites Guo Youzhi is dismissed and imprisoned!"

With a bang! A spring thunder roared in the sky above Kyoto, and a fresh spring rain sprinkled on the students inside and outside the inn.