Qingzhou.
The County King's Mansion.
"County King, will you be the one to set the examination papers again this time?"
The speaker was the Prefect of Qingzhou. Her status was second only to the County King, making her effectively second-in-command in Qingzhou.
The County King was a middle-aged woman with a proper appearance and a full, square face. Fine wrinkles were faintly visible at the corners of her eyes, but her presence was commanding. Merely sitting on her chair, she exuded an aura of silent authority that instilled a sense of pressure.
The County King glanced at the Prefect and said,
"I have matters to attend to this year. The examination in a little over a month will be your responsibility. Remember, fairness and impartiality in the examination are paramount."
Examinations like the "Tongshi" were typically presided over by the Prefect. However, last year, the County King had taken a personal interest and officiated the exam, which was why the Prefect had specifically come to the County King's Mansion to seek instructions.
[Tongshi]: An examination for "Tong Sheng" (literary students). Passing the Tongshi grants the title of "Xiu Cai."
Upon receiving the instruction, the Prefect immediately rose and bowed respectfully to the County King before taking her leave.
...
The Prefect's Mansion.
Returning to her own mansion from the County King's Mansion, the Prefect instructed her subordinates,
"Go, summon Cao Zhubo."
At this moment, her face no longer displayed the previous humility and politeness. Her back straightened, her chin lifted slightly higher, and her gaze carried a sense of condescension.
"Yes."
A servant hurried out to call for Cao Zhubo.
Cao Zhubo was a talent personally recruited by the Prefect and housed within the mansion. Her official position was not granted by the dynasty; all the authority she wielded came solely from the Prefect's Mansion.
Cao Zhubo soon arrived in the study with the servant.
It was evident that she was accustomed to being summoned like this, as she arrived shortly after the servant had departed.
The Prefect, seated in the superior position, cast a perfunctory glance at her subordinate and stated,
"This Tongshi examination has been entrusted to our Prefect's Mansion."
Though it was a simple statement, Cao Zhubo's heart skipped a beat.
Not for any other reason than that the Prefect was about to engage in her sordid practice of profiting from examinations.
She had not known the Prefect was this type of person when she was recruited. At the time, she believed she had finally met her patron. She had resolved to repay the Prefect's favor with utmost dedication.
In the initial period after joining the mansion, the Prefect had treated her with great courtesy, never putting on airs of superiority, which further fostered her sense of belonging to the Prefect's Mansion.
However, things changed after she assisted the Prefect in presiding over the Tongshi for the first time.
It turned out that the Prefect was not as upright and incorruptible as she had initially believed. She amassed substantial wealth by aiding students in cheating during the examinations.
It was worth noting that in Da Yue, any law related to "study" could be considered "stringent."
What the Prefect was doing constituted a capital offense, punishable by the execution of the entire family!
Yet, without her knowledge, she had also become an "accomplice."
If the matter were exposed, she too would face the same fate of execution for her entire clan!
The laws of Da Yue stipulated: Those who engage in examination fraud, principals and accomplices alike, shall receive the same punishment!
Therefore, once she boarded this ill-fated ship, there was no turning back.
Seeing that the matter was now a done deal, the Prefect revealed her true colors before Cao Zhubo, her attitude changing dramatically. To this day, Cao Zhubo felt like a mere dog summoned and dismissed at will by the Prefect's Mansion.
...
A little over a month later.
Baichuan Academy.
The Tongshi was scheduled for the next day, and all the top students in the Heaven Class Three were preparing with great anticipation.
The pressure on these top students was significantly greater than that on ordinary Tong Sheng.
They were all the most outstanding scholars from various regions, and their abilities were not to be underestimated. However, they were all accustomed to being the "best," and there could only be one top scorer. This placed even greater psychological pressure on the students of Heaven Class Three.
This was precisely the kind of class filled with "ambition seekers"...
As for ordinary Tong Sheng, their primary goal was simply to pass the examination. Of course, achieving a spot on the top list would be even better.
After the female instructor highlighted some key points on the platform, she allowed everyone to review independently.
Seeing the instructor leave, Nian Jiaojiao stretched lazily and slumped onto her desk, beginning to doze.
Heaven knew how exhausted she was!
For the past month, she had no idea what Xuan Yi and Yu Chuan were thinking, but whenever it was their turn, they would "exploit" her relentlessly.
This made Nian Jiaojiao question her life choices... Wasn't she in a world where women were dominant? How come all the men in her household were so...
With this thought, Nian Jiaojiao sighed and turned over.
As she turned, she was met with the sight of Chen Liangyu's scowling face.
"Nian Jiaojiao, the instructor asked us to review, and your behavior is seriously affecting others!"
Chen Liangyu slammed her book onto the desk with a "bang."
Nian Jiaojiao frowned.
"I believe the commotion you're creating, Classmate Chen, is far greater than mine."
As she spoke, she gestured around her. "If you don't believe me, look."
Chen Liangyu instinctively glanced around. As expected, everyone was looking at her.
Chen Liangyu's face turned red, but she stubbornly retorted,
"That's because you started it!"
Ever since their last debate, Chen Liangyu had lost her composure when facing Nian Jiaojiao. She constantly engaged in minor acts of provocation against Nian Jiaojiao within the class.
However, these actions not only failed to harm Nian Jiaojiao in any way but also caused Chen Liangyu's reputation among the commoners' faction to plummet. Many students from commoner backgrounds considered Chen Liangyu's behavior too "petty" and somewhat unbefitting of a woman.
Chen Liangyu's attention was entirely focused on Nian Jiaojiao, completely oblivious to the growing dissatisfaction others felt towards her. Instead, she repeatedly sought to cause trouble for Nian Jiaojiao.
Initially, these were minor issues, and Nian Jiaojiao paid them no mind. But as the incidents accumulated, Nian Jiaojiao grew somewhat annoyed. When Chen Liangyu provoked her, she would retort on the spot.
"I say, Chen Liangyu, can you focus on yourself? You stare at me all day, aren't you tired? Could it be that you have a crush on me?" Nian Jiaojiao asked with feigned curiosity.
Chen Liangyu, provoked by Nian Jiaojiao's barrage of questions, began to breathe heavily. She pointed at Nian Jiaojiao, stammering, "You, you, you..."
Nian Jiaojiao interrupted her, continuing,
"What 'you'? You couldn't defeat me in the debate, and now you can't even speak clearly?" httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Unable to out-argue Nian Jiaojiao, Chen Liangyu stood up in anger.
"Chen Liangyu, what are you doing?"
Just then, the female instructor entered and witnessed the scene. She glared at Chen Liangyu and began to reprimand her,
"Chen Liangyu, sit down. The examination is tomorrow, and you still have the mind to quarrel with your classmates today? Sit down!"
Chen Liangyu resentfully sat down.
At that moment, she harbored hatred for the instructor as well.
Once she obtained her Xiu Cai, Ju Ren, and Jin Shi degrees and became a high-ranking official, she vowed to repay the humiliation inflicted by everyone present!
After making her vow in her heart, Chen Liangyu inexplicably calmed down. She picked up her book and resumed her review.
After the argument, her focus became even sharper than usual, and the speed at which she turned the pages even quickened.