Wen Mengsheng was unaware of the harsh words the Bai family's third branch was hurling at him. His sole focus was ensuring Yin Canwen failed the imperial examination.
Consequently, he paid extraordinary attention to Yin Canwen's exam paper and results.
The Great Jin dynasty's imperial examinations had a practice of transcribing exam papers. This was originally established to prevent the grading officials from recognizing familiar handwriting and giving unfair marks. Who knew this very step would present an opportunity for Wen Jingsong?
The scribes were all people he had arranged, each having received his benefits and kept their mouths shut.
During the transcription, the names were deliberately written with easily erasable ink, facilitating later alterations.
The examiners only saw essays with identical handwriting, naturally judging solely based on the quality of the writing. Once the results were out, he would swap the essays of successful poor scholars with those of less successful noble sons.
With the names altered, it was naturally undetectable.
The original copies of those exam papers would then mysteriously disappear.
Even if someone tried to investigate, there would be no way.
This had been the practice for several years, and everyone involved was skilled at it.
With the backing of noble families and powerful officials, no one would investigate, and no one dared to investigate!
Elder Xu meticulously sifted through the lists of successful candidates from the imperial examinations he had participated in since taking office. If he hadn't known about this beforehand, even he might not have discovered the trickery.
Otherwise, why would they say Wen Jingsong was an old fox?
The noble sons submitted through him generally received lower rankings in the second tier. Everyone focused on the top positions, and no one bothered to scrutinize the ones at the end.
Although the rankings were low, most of them were retained in the capital, starting as minor officials.
Some families with strong influence could promote their sons to important positions within three to five years. Others, with weaker families, could at least secure official posts for their descendants.
"Crack."
He slammed the lists onto the ground with a resounding thud, his eyes spitting fire.
"How many promising scholars from humble backgrounds had their futures ruined by him? Is he not afraid of divine retribution!"
Those whose papers were replaced were henceforth unknown, either returning to their hometowns or fading into obscurity. In short, they were a loss to the talented individuals of Great Jin!
If a military officer colluding with the enemy and betraying the country was unforgivable, then how could the buying and selling of official posts by civil officials be tolerated!
"Your Highness, Your Highness, you had better uproot their wicked deeds completely! Otherwise, I will risk my life to send that Wen fellow and his accomplices to their deaths! To give an account to the scholars of humble origins across the land!"
Elder Xu had a fiery temper in his youth, and it hadn't much abated with age. It was only after the deaths of his children and grandchildren that he felt everything was in vain and stopped fighting.
But now, Wen Jingsong's actions had touched his raw nerve, and he was determined to fight him to the death.
Wen Jingsong, however, was unaware that Elder Xu had set his sights on him and still thought everything was secure.
It was just that these past two days, his son seemed to have gone mad, constantly wanting to swap Yin Canwen's essay and speaking of it with considerable resentment.
But Wen Jingsong was not foolish. Yin Canwen's reputation was already widespread. If he were to fail the examination, it might stir up many complications.
Therefore, he repeatedly reprimanded Wen Mengsheng, telling him to stay at home and not run around, and wait until the results were out and everything was settled.
Wen Mengsheng was so angry that he couldn't sleep well for several nights, wishing he had wings to fly over and swap the exam papers himself.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Bai Sihan and Madam Shen boarded the carriage, packed their luggage, and under the escort of the escort agency, they gradually made their way towards Qiongzhou.
Thinking that only her elder aunt, Madam Lin, and Princess Wenyi had come to see them off, Madam Shen felt indignant.
There was nothing she could do. Bai Siruo had taken an invitation from the Eldest Princess Changlin to Mingchi much earlier, and there, the Feng family's carriage had been waiting for a while.
"Second Cousin!"
As soon as Bai Siruo alighted from the carriage, she saw Feng Jinlin standing outside, chatting with A'yao.
He turned back upon hearing her call, and seeing her happy demeanor, his worries lessened somewhat.
"Why are you so late?"
"If I came earlier, would I have to listen to those young ladies and madams gossiping about me?"
Feng Er was caught off guard by her words and chuckled as he looked at her, saying, "You're quite brazen!"
"Isn't that what I learned from Second Cousin!"
As she spoke, she walked forward with a smile. Feng Jinyao alighted from the carriage and joined them as they entered the polo field.
As expected, the moment Bai Siruo arrived, the chattering discussions around them did not cease. Although they didn't name her, every word was meant to pierce the heart.
Especially Liang Luo!
Her many grievances with Xu Mingyue were related to Bai Siruo. If she didn't step on her now, when would she?
"A few days ago, my household just beat to death a maidservant who was having an affair. That person was originally a top maid in my chambers. I was thinking of finding a capable steward for her as a husband after some time, as a sign of respect from the masters. Who knew that the maid was foolish and hooked up with some unknown wild man outside, and even got pregnant. In my anger, I ordered her to be beaten to death. What do you say, such a woman of ill repute, why keep her if not to beat her to death?"
"Exactly! Exactly! Although the customs of Great Jin are not that conservative, they are not tolerant of such people who corrupt public morals. In my opinion, it's good to beat her to death, lest she embarrass Great Jin!"
"The two elder sisters are right. I also hate vulgar people the most. I don't know how some people still have the face to be out in broad daylight, aren't they afraid of being struck by lightning!"
After the three women finished speaking one after another, the dozen or so young lords and ladies around them burst into laughter.
Liang Luo looked at Bai Siruo with eyes full of provocation!
A look that said, "What can you do to me!"
Now she was a sought-after "noble lady." Who didn't know her father had been promoted, and she herself was about to marry into the Ninth Prince's mansion?
The Liang and Wei families were now truly inseparable. Whether it was to avoid offending the Wei family or to curry favor with the Liang family, in short, the admiration she received now was comparable to that of Wei Lanxuan in the past.
Feng Jinyao watched Liang Luo with cold eyes, her mind full of matters in Jinling City. Such a mess had been dumped on Liang Quanbin. It was clearly a suicide mission, yet the Liang family, one by one, was so proud. She didn't know what Liang Luo was gloating about!
Just as she was thinking of retorting with a sarcastic remark, she saw Bai Siruo move.
The hem of her skirt, which she was clutching, was slightly wrinkled, indicating that she had indeed suffered when she first heard these words.
But for some reason, at this moment, she walked over with an open and dignified demeanor, raising the same bright smile as before, and "kindly" reminded the three women who had just spoken.
"Miss Liang is truly iron-blooded and unfeeling. Beating a maidservant to death is nothing, but it ruins her reputation for virtue and kindness. I wonder who will be the unlucky one in the future. Before the wife is even married, she already has a reputation for mistreating servants. Tell me, which family would be willing?"