Moreover, most scholars knew the strength of Tang Zhonglong and the others.

They were naturally happy to have fewer powerful competitors.

These people could no longer take the imperial examination route.

"The North-South dispute, the North-South dispute! Hmph!"

Jiang Chen snorted coldly and said loudly, "Feng Jin, I'm going to the Heaven Prison!"

Wen Fengli sat facing the prison wall in despair, when he suddenly heard a commotion outside.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

Wen Fengli was taken aback and quickly turned to greet him.

"This sinful subject greets Your Majesty!"

Jiang Chen looked at Wen Fengli and waved his hand, "You may all leave. I want to speak with him alone."

After everyone had retreated, Jiang Chen looked at Wen Fengli, "Besides you, which other key figures are among the southern ministers?"

When Jiang Chen asked everyone to leave, Wen Fengli's heart skipped a beat.

Hearing Jiang Chen's question, his face changed drastically, and he began to tremble all over.

His Majesty knows!

His Majesty really knows about this!

Watching the expression on Wen Fengli's face change several times, Jiang Chen said, "Speak. I don't want my Great Wei court to lose several capable officials."

Wen Fengli's conflicted expression relaxed slightly, and he looked at Jiang Chen gratefully, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness."

Jiang Chen's words "capable officials" were a clear signal.

As long as Wen Fengli spoke the names of these people, Jiang Chen could refrain from pursuing the matter.

Immediately, Wen Fengli said the names of several ministers.

After listening, Jiang Chen couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement.

You don't know until you hear it; once you hear it, it's shocking.

These people were all high-ranking officials, and some were even nominally from the North, but their ancestral homes were those of southern scholars.

After Wen Fengli finished speaking the names of those people, he said, "Please allow this sinful subject to see them. This sinful subject will explain everything to them."

Jiang Chen didn't want to kill all the pillars of the court, so he nodded, "You may."

After speaking, Jiang Chen stood up, and before turning around, said, "Your grandson was unaware of the matter. I will be lenient."

Wen Fengli's expression relaxed, and he knelt down and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!"

Watching Jiang Chen about to walk out of the prison, Wen Fengli suddenly said, "Your Majesty, those scholars..."

Jiang Chen stopped and sighed.

"Wen Fengli, you have harmed them."

Wen Fengli stared blankly as Jiang Chen's figure disappeared, his face full of painful remorse.

Soon, the imperial examination cheating incident was thoroughly investigated.

Wen Fengli was found guilty of bending the law for personal gain, a crime punishable by death. After confirming his identity, he was beheaded at the vegetable market.

Wen Fengli's grandson, Wen Ligong, knowingly avoided suspicion but failed to do so. Considering that he was deceived by Wen Fengli, he was exiled for one thousand li, and allowed to return after three years.

Tang Zhonglong and the other six scholars, although not intentionally cheating, were still suspected of cheating. Their examination results were all invalidated, and they were forbidden from participating in the imperial examination for the rest of their lives, and were expelled from the capital within five days.

This result made all the ministers sigh with regret.

Especially those key ministers who had met with Wen Fengli were even more regretful and fearful.

Because they wanted to allow southern scholars to have a greater say in the court, the result was that the most outstanding southern scholars had their careers ruined.

Therefore, after meeting with Wen Fengli, these people successively found Jiang Chen and confessed their crimes to Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen waved his hand, forgiving them for their past actions, and at the same time ordered them to assist Zhao Liting in managing the imperial examination.

The results of the imperial examination came out quickly, and Jiang Chen looked at the distribution of northern and southern scholars on it, and finally felt relieved.

Although southern scholars still accounted for the majority, the proportion was not so disparate.

Subsequently, under the arrangement of Yang Yongqi, the Minister of Rites, these newly appointed Jinshi were assigned to various departments and began their careers.

Tang Zhonglong and the others, however, returned to their hometowns in disappointment.

Once October passed, the weather became colder day by day.

The statistical results of the autumn harvest also came out.

After more than half a year of drought, except for the Guangdong and Fujian regions, the harvest in other parts of Great Wei was less than 20% of the previous years.

Fortunately, a large amount of grain was seized during the great victory of the bandit suppression, which was enough to last until the autumn harvest of the following year.

The planting on the Xiongnu side also yielded results.

Bao Qimeng sent a letter to Jiang Chen, which was full of surprises.

After Jiang Chen read it, he couldn't help but laugh.

The various drought-resistant crops obtained from the Western Regions had a bumper harvest!

Next year, they could be spread on a large scale in the northern region.

By the year after that, they could be planted throughout the entire Great Wei!

At that time, as long as they didn't encounter consecutive years of natural disasters, the people of Great Wei would no longer suffer from hunger!

At the early morning court, Jiang Chen announced this news to the ministers.

After the ministers heard it, they were all very excited and shouted in unison, "Heaven bless Great Wei, Heaven bless Your Majesty!"

The shouts were mixed with a few coughs.

Jiang Chen looked in the direction of the coughs and found that it was none other than Grand Tutor Yuan Buyi.

Jiang Chen raised his hand to signal everyone to stop and asked with concern, "Grand Tutor Yuan, are you feeling unwell?"

Yuan Buyi coughed twice and showed a somewhat weak smile, saying, "Thank you for Your Majesty's concern. I am fine."

Jiang Chen breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Grand Tutor Yuan, it's getting cold, you must take care of your health."

Yuan Buyi nodded, then took out a memorial from his sleeve and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."

The ministers, who were originally quite concerned about Yuan Buyi's health, changed their expressions when they heard this.

Good fellow, you're really as strong as an old ox.

You were coughing so badly just now, but the next second you want to present a memorial.

We were worried for nothing!

While complaining inwardly, the ministers were also very curious about what Yuan Buyi wanted to report.

Jiang Chen took the memorial from Feng Jin's hand and frowned when he saw the beginning.

The ministers, who were paying attention to the change in Jiang Chen's expression, couldn't help but feel their hearts skip a beat.

What exactly was written on Yuan Buyi's memorial? It actually made His Majesty change his expression directly?

After reading the memorial, Jiang Chen looked at Yuan Buyi, "Minister Yuan, do you want to retire and return to your hometown?"

The ministers were all stunned and looked at Yuan Buyi in disbelief.

Normally speaking, unless they were unable to walk, no minister would be willing to retire and return to their hometown while they were still able to move.

Yuan Buyi actually took the initiative to resign?

Yuan Buyi smiled and nodded, saying, "Your Majesty, I have served through three reigns. Now that my Great Wei is thriving, I am no longer able to contribute."

"In addition, my health is not good, so I want to retire and return to my hometown."

Jiang Chen couldn't help but feel a little reluctant.

Yuan Buyi was a man with a bit of a bad temper and a very strong backbone. Although he was a bit of an old-fashioned person, it would definitely not be an exaggeration to describe him as a good person.

Yuan Buyi made great efforts in bringing down the Mei family.

When he was needed to stand up, he also dared to go to Jinling, which contained potential dangers.

It could be said that he was a usable person.

"I am reluctant," Jiang Chen said.

Yuan Buyi was a little moved and said, "I am worthy of Your Majesty's concern."

"If there is a day when Your Majesty really needs me, even if I have only one breath left, I will come before Your Majesty and listen to your commands!"