"Master, what's wrong?"
"Are you sure it's the top scholar?"
"How could there be a mistake? The servants who accompanied him all saw clearly, there can be no mistake!"
After hearing this, Wen Jingsong completely panicked.
If this matter were to leak out, he feared their Wen family wouldn't see the light of tomorrow.
He immediately gave orders.
"Hurry and send someone to find the young master. Why is he running around at such a time? Also, go and find the steward for me, quickly!"
The servant didn't doubt him and could only obey.
He rushed to order people to find the young master and the steward.
Wen Jingsong was completely stunned by the news.
But he also knew that he couldn't panic at this moment, otherwise everything would go wrong.
First, he had to find his son and make sure he remembered that essay perfectly. Then, Yin Canwen must be silenced. As long as he was alive, their lives would be in danger. After the storm passed, the examination papers must be destroyed.
While thinking about how to handle the matter properly, he tried his best to recall and write down the essay from memory, as much as he could.
But people are like this, the more anxious they are, the more their minds go blank.
He had only glanced at it before, remembering some of it, piecing together fragments, less than thirty percent of the original text.
How could he not expose himself?
Therefore, the most urgent matter was to kill Yin Canwen. With no witnesses, there was still room for maneuver.
As for why the essay was flawed, he would investigate later.
Recalling Wen Mengsheng's obsession and thoughts in the past few days, he felt that someone foolish must have taken his son's money and deliberately wronged Yin Canwen.
It was a pity that such a pillar of the nation was ruined.
But compared to the future and lives of his Wen family, Yin Canwen was doomed.
Unfortunately, he didn't know that Yin Canwen, whom the steward was secretly looking for, was now in the mansion of Elder Xu. Not only was he safe, but he would also deliver the fatal blow to the Wen family's downfall.
The Xu family.
Elder Xu was currently in a fit of rage.
Although he knew that Wen Jingsong was behind the scenes, he never expected that he would dare to disgrace even the top position.
Holding the essay in his hand and looking at Yin Canwen, for some reason, he felt that he resembled himself from years ago.
Both from humble origins, both with ambitions.
However, he met a good emperor and the right opportunity, which allowed him to reach this point step by step.
But this person in front of him, if not for the vigilance of the Bai and Feng families, might have been buried for many years without anyone knowing.
His pity for talented people overcame everything.
So he said to the two of them.
"Don't worry, as long as I am here, I will surely set things right. The imperial examinations are for recruiting wise and capable people, not for the Wen family to seek private wealth, nor for the powerful and wealthy families to transfer benefits. Since things have come to this point, we must make a big fuss!"
Anyway, with Prince Ding around, all overt and covert means could be used.
Did they want to squeeze out the path for scholars from humble backgrounds?
Then let them see the power of the humble scholars uniting!
He walked up to Yin Canwen and asked, "Child, are you afraid?"
At this moment, he was no longer fierce or scolding, but a loving elder speaking to the junior he cared about.
Yin Canwen might have been afraid before, fearing that he was just an unknown nobody, facing powerful nobles, like a pebble thrown into the sea, disappearing without even causing a ripple.
But now he was not afraid.
The Feng family, the Bai family, the Xu family, and the tens of thousands of humble scholars in the world all gave him the greatest support.
If he backed down this time, he would despise himself forever.
So he looked at Elder Xu with firm eyes and said directly, "Your Excellency, please rest assured. I never intended to retreat when I came here today. I will definitely file this impeachment!"
Elder Xu's eyes showed a look of relief.
It wasn't because his essay was well-written, but because he had the courage to defy the powerful.
If he were to enter officialdom in the future, he would likely face many such situations. If he kept retreating, then being the top scholar would be of little use!
Therefore, upon receiving Yin Canwen's affirmative reply, he felt a sense of hope for the future of the Great Jin.
"That's good. If so, then I will face any danger with you!"
Beside him, Bai Dalang also stepped forward and said loudly, "Your Excellency, count me in!"
Bai Dalang was also a member of the Grand Secretariat, but he had not interacted much with Elder Xu before. Seeing him like this now, he reminded him somewhat of Bai Xiang's demeanor from years ago, and he couldn't help but sigh.
He patted their shoulders and said.
"Good, then the three of us will go to see His Majesty and tear down the fig leaf of corruption in the imperial examinations. I want to see who is behind this! How dare they shamelessly endanger our Great Jin!"
"Yes, we will obey Your Excellency's orders!"
"Yes, we will obey Your Excellency's orders!"
The two said in unison, their voices like thunder, showing a posture of righteousness triumphing over evil.
Before leaving, Elder Xu called the steward and whispered a few instructions. The steward, with a serious expression, hurried out.
The two looked at him with some confusion.
He smiled slightly and explained, "Our Emperor is very slippery. If this matter is not made big enough, it might be resolved as a minor issue, and only the Wen family will be punished. But I disagree, I want to stir up a storm that shakes the heavens and earth!"
After saying this, he let out two laughs and strode out.
Bai Dalang was momentarily puzzled. Wasn't Elder Xu often ill? Why was he walking with such vigor now!
He couldn't understand what he was up to!
But since it had come to this, he could only follow.
The three of them took the Xu family's carriage towards the imperial city.
At this moment, the message Elder Xu sent to the steward also reached Prince Ding's mansion.
Prince Ding, Xiao Tingyi, smiled upon hearing it. "Elder is indeed an elder, his moves are always decisive! Do as the Elder said! Make sure that within an hour, all the families in the Eastern Capital who participated in the imperial examinations know that there was corruption in this examination!"
"Yes!"
Yang Zhao received the order and quickly made arrangements through Xu Lin and Su Cheng.
As expected, as soon as Elder Xu and the others entered the palace, discussions began to spread in the streets outside.
Meanwhile, the eldest young master of the Wen family was still standing proudly at the entrance of the Feng family, unaware that disaster was about to befall him!
"Go, knock on the Feng family's door! This young master will show the Wen family what is treasure and what is weed!"