Looking at the thin paper scroll poured out from Mu Sheng’s boot shaft, the crowd was in an uproar, and the other students from Taizhou were frightened to the point of turning pale.
It was well known that before the imperial examination, five students had to guarantee each other, and if one cheated, the others would be implicated.
In addition, students from the same hometown would also be thoroughly investigated, which could affect their future official careers, leaving them no choice but to fear.
Among those present, two were Mu Sheng’s guarantors, one of whom was Li Qinghe.
Li Qinghe felt his head buzzing, as if everything—his honor, status, and ambitions—had turned into illusions in an instant.
It’s over, it’s all over!
He trembled all over, looked at Mu Sheng with regret, stamped his feet, and cried, “How could you do this!”
At the final palace examination, how could you stoop to this!
It seemed as if Mu Sheng had just come to her senses, standing barefoot on the ground, shaking her head desperately, “It’s not me! This isn’t mine!”
The official in charge of the search sneered, “You won’t believe it until you see the coffin. I’ve seen many like you. Come on, keep searching, especially those from Taizhou—there might be more!”
The summer boots Mu Sheng wore were called Qingyun Lü—white soles with a green upper, symbolizing rising swiftly to high positions. They were quite popular, with eight out of ten students wearing them.
The shafts were made slightly wider above the ankles for ventilation, worn with the narrow trousers currently in fashion, keeping legs cool and comfortable.
Spring robes were thin, and sometimes pockets and purses bulged awkwardly when filled, so many students sewed small hidden pockets inside the wide shafts to store small, lightweight items.
The paper scroll was found inside Mu Sheng’s boot.
It was about three inches long, rolled thinner than a willow branch, and could easily be overlooked. When unfolded, it was covered densely with tiny characters, showing evident effort.
“You are his fellow townspeople? Come and identify whether this is his handwriting,” the official held the paper scroll in front of Li Qinghe and others.
In the past, there were specially made engraved cheating sheets for sale, but this one looked hand-copied.
Since the rankings had not yet been decided, before entering the palace, the candidates were grouped by hometown, so all the Taizhou candidates were standing together.
Many of them didn’t know Mu Sheng well and couldn’t tell, but now they dared not avoid looking.
“What do you think, Cui Feng?” Guan Qing whispered.
About half an hour ago, he had finally rushed over just in time.
Li Qinghe was dizzy and still held onto a faint hope. But after staring carefully at the scroll, he suddenly blacked out and staggered.
Guan Qing and others hurriedly caught him, patting his back to help him breathe, shouting, “Cui Feng!”
Li Qinghe’s eyes were dazed as he forced himself to say to the official, “Yes, this is indeed his handwriting.”
Even if they denied it now, it wouldn’t work. All their examination papers were sealed and stored, and a comparison would reveal the truth.
“But,” he gritted his teeth, “this matter is quite suspicious. Please, Your Honor, investigate thoroughly!”
Li Qinghe knew Mu Sheng—he was vain, sharp-tongued, and not very likable, but he did have some real ability. And now, at the final palace examination, why take such a risk?
Guan Qing pinched him through his clothes and whispered, “Cui Feng, be careful with your words!”
Others also spoke up, “Yes, don’t say anything else!”
Although they might inevitably be implicated, if they were truly unaware, it would be fine. At worst, they could retake the exam next time.
But if they stuck their necks out, and if Mu Sheng turned out to be innocent, that would be fine. But what if he really had cheated? Then they would be considered accomplices!
The official scoffed, “What a suspicious coincidence! The scroll was found in his boot, bearing his handwriting—how suspicious indeed!”
“Your Honor, there’s more!”
As he spoke, a junior official’s eyes lit up, handing over the other boot.
It turned out that on the sole, there was another piece stuck!
The official used a stick to lift it, “Cunning indeed! If not for a thorough check, you might have escaped. Come, take him away!”
On such a significant day, any candidate with means would wear new clothes and shoes to bring good luck. This piece of paper was stuck to the white sole using rice paste. Since the paper was the same color as the sole, it was hard to notice. After walking a few steps, it stuck even tighter, covered in dust, making it even harder to detect.
Mu Sheng was almost going mad, “I…”
He wanted to shout again, but suddenly, overwhelmed by anger, he rolled his eyes and fainted dead away.
The scene instantly turned chaotic.
“Immediately surround this area!”
Xie Yu instructed Huo Ping while walking toward the scene.
Huo Ping obeyed and quickly surrounded the area with imperial guards, blocking the view of the curious onlookers.
But the crowd pressed closer, standing on tiptoes and stretching their necks to see.
They had come to witness the celebration and catch some good fortune, never expecting such a dramatic scene. They wouldn’t leave without seeing the whole thing.
Frowning, Xie Yu hurried in three large steps to the palace gate, where the officials were flustered. He immediately gave orders, “You report this immediately. You continue organizing the candidates’ entry to the palace—don’t miss the auspicious time. You go find a stretcher and a physician. With the situation still unclear, leaving someone at the palace gate like this is unacceptable!”
Upon seeing him, the others felt relieved and quickly followed his instructions.
The others were manageable, but Mu Sheng wasn’t qualified for an imperial physician, and the nearest clinic was two streets away. With the crowd packed tightly outside, where could they find a doctor?
The assigned junior official was at his wit’s end and had no choice but to call out into the crowd, “Is there a doctor here?”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than an arm shot up from the sea of people, “I’m a doctor!”
Everyone was delighted and quickly parted the crowd. Looking up, they saw a pretty young girl in a green silk robe, no more than seventeen or eighteen.
This?
Surely she’s making it up.
“She is a doctor,” came Xie Yu’s voice from the side. “Bring her over.”
Ma Bing pushed her way through the crowd and hurried over to examine the patient.
She had been there all along, witnessing everything, so there was no need to ask for background. She saw Mu Sheng with tightly closed eyes and heavy breathing, like a bellows, his hands clenched tightly, making gurgling sounds from his throat, as if trying to say something but unable to.
After examining him and feeling his pulse—deep and strong—she quickly made her diagnosis.
“This is a case of qi blockage caused by a surge of anger and rising blood, leading to disrupted qi circulation,” she spoke quickly while pulling out a needle pouch from her waist. “I’ll first give him a calming needle. If there’s a dose of An Gong Niu Huang Wan, one pill will do. But afterward, careful treatment will be needed, or else it could leave a lingering illness affecting his foundation.”
With a flick of her wrist, a shining silver needle appeared between her fingers. Before anyone could see clearly, the needle was already quivering slightly on Mu Sheng’s face.
As soon as she finished speaking, Xie Yu asked the crowd, “Who has An Gong Niu Huang Wan?”
Such ready-made medicines were commonly carried. After asking around, someone indeed produced a pill.
Black and about the size of a longan, it was hard to administer since Mu Sheng’s jaw was clenched shut. Xie Yu ordered someone to dissolve it in water and pour it into his mouth.
Not long after, Mu Sheng coughed a few times, spat out some saliva, and indeed slowly regained consciousness, although his eyes still looked dazed.
Xie Yu ordered him to be moved to a shady area to await further handling, and only then did he have time to ask Ma Bing, “Why are you here? Didn’t you go with Master Wang for the free clinic?”
Ma Bing had been busy and her hands were covered in sweat and medicine, so she asked for water to wash.
“Hmph, everyone came to watch the spectacle, and no one came for treatment. Master Wang and I sat for a while and then packed up.”
She hadn’t seen the palace examination before, so she came to watch the excitement. Master Wang, being old and unable to endure the noise, had returned to Kaifeng Prefecture earlier.
It was awkward washing her hands with a water pouch, her sleeve half-soaked and still not clean. Just as she was struggling, Xie Yu took the water pouch from her.
She was momentarily stunned, then happily thanked him.
Huo Ping glanced at her, thinking, *You sure are at ease!*
“Huo Ping,” Xie Yu suddenly spoke, “take my badge and go to the Ministry of Personnel to retrieve the records.”
They had already delayed enough.
Huo Ping hesitated, “But, Your Lordship…”
If he left, wouldn’t the prince be left without protection?
Ma Bing looked up and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll protect your prince. Consider this repayment for the water just now!”
A smile flickered in Xie Yu’s eyes.
After washing her hands, Ma Bing couldn’t help glancing toward Mu Sheng nearby and said, “Minister Xie, don’t you think this is a bit strange?”
Xie Yu guessed her meaning, “Cheating in the palace examination is rare, but not unheard of.”
Many might think, since they’ve made it this far, at the very least they’ll be jinshi graduates—why take such a risk?
But in fact, it’s not like that.
Not only the top three ranks, even among jinshi, there’s a difference:
The second rank is genuine jinshi, while the third rank is granted the title of “tong jinshi,” meaning “associate jinshi.” It may seem glorious to outsiders, but in reality, it’s somewhat inferior and cannot be compared to the first two ranks.
Just that one extra word changes the entire career outlook.
Therefore, many candidates would rather wait another three years to secure a second-rank position.
The first rank includes the zhuangyuan (top scorer), bangyan (second), and tanhua (third)—collectively known as the “Three Pillars.” These depend on talent and performance on the day; cheating is nearly impossible. However, for the second and third ranks, there’s much room for manipulation.
Unlike previous exams, the palace examination is the final threshold for transitioning from scholar to official. The content usually involves current affairs and the emperor’s words, highly targeted. If one is well-prepared or receives insider guidance, it’s possible to leap from third to second rank or from the bottom of the second to the top.
In other words, the palace examination carries the highest risk, but also the greatest reward.
However, this matter is serious and must be thoroughly investigated before any conclusions are drawn.
Xie Yu pondered briefly, then said to a nearby imperial guard, “I will go ahead first. When Huo Da comes out later, please have him return to Kaifeng Prefecture on his own.”
The guard nodded.
Xie Yu turned to Ma Bing.
Ma Bing immediately understood, “Since there’s a shortage of hands, I’ll accompany Minister Xie!”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage