Chapter 22:

The constables rushed to the inn but found Guan Qing missing from his room, his luggage gone as well.

When they asked the innkeeper when he had left, no one seemed to know.

“Fled?!”

Would he flee at this moment, out of a guilty conscience?

“It’s hard to say,” replied a constable. “The inn staff said this kind of thing happens often. Sometimes guests simply leave without informing the staff beforehand. If they don’t pay in advance for another stay, the inn knows they won’t be staying longer and just clean the room afterward. It’s nothing unusual.”

“Exactly,” another constable added. “Guan Qing only placed third in the exam, and it might take years before he gets an official appointment. As an outsider, he has no house or land here. He has expenses for food, shelter, and daily life. Staying at an inn long-term is unaffordable. Many people leave to find work elsewhere, occasionally coming back to check for updates or paying a small fee to have a broker keep them informed. That way, neither activity interferes with the other.”

It was understandable that Guan Qing, who apparently had little money, might leave Kaifeng.

But still, it seemed suspicious—just after he was suspected of wrongdoing, he vanished.

Everyone turned to Xie Yu.

What should they do—arrest him or not?

Xie Yu made a prompt decision. “Go and intercept Yuanpei, and have the artist prepare for a sketch.”

If it turned out to be a false alarm, it would just be a wasted effort. But if they were right, it would save a great deal of time.

The men immediately scattered to carry out their tasks. On their way, they met Yuanpei galloping toward them.

“Sir!”

Even before dismounting, Yuanpei slid from his horse in excitement and surprise. “In the past ten years, only one scholar named Guan Qing has come from Taizhou Prefecture! This is a major case!”

At this news, everyone understood why he looked so shocked.

They had assumed it was a routine case of academic fraud. Just when they had finally obtained a clue, instead of celebrating, they discovered it was actually a case within a case!

There was only one Guan Qing who had passed the scholar examination in Taizhou Prefecture, but the one who had now passed the metropolitan examination was not the same Guan Qing known to his fellow townspeople—someone had taken the exam in his place!

“Bring him!” Xie Yu ordered on the street. “Issue wanted notices immediately and capture the impostor!”

The Kaifeng government, like a massive and well-trained top, quickly and efficiently sprang into action. Xie Yu himself immediately headed to the palace.

That someone had taken the exam without detection proved that the local authorities had long been bribed, and perhaps even the examiners who had overseen the prefectural examination years ago were involved.

This was only a side discovery—how many more undiscovered cases might there be?

How many officials in recent years had entered government service through such means?

He had to immediately report the matter to the emperor.

Shortly afterward, when the wanted list containing a sketch of “Guan Qing” arrived, the officials at Kaifeng Prefecture didn’t even stop to confirm it with Museng—they immediately set the artists to work.

Now that he was involved in an exam substitution scandal, it could potentially lead to a massive purge across the entire court. In comparison, individual cases of academic fraud were almost insignificant.

Ma Bing had decent drawing skills. Seeing the urgency of the situation, he joined in the effort himself and was soon roped into the tedious, seemingly endless task of copying the sketches.

As everyone knows, when a hobby becomes an obligation, the first few attempts might still be interesting, but after ten or twenty repetitions, it becomes painfully monotonous.

Ma Bing had long lost count of how many “Guan Qings” he had drawn. His hands now moved almost instinctively. Now, whenever he closed his eyes, the dark vision before him was filled with that same miserable face!

Extra pay—there had to be extra pay. As he reluctantly handed over yet another sketch of “Guan Qing,” Ma Bing grumbled inwardly.

Meanwhile, Li Qinghe was still waiting at the inn for news, pacing restlessly around the room, when suddenly he heard the sound of galloping horses outside, accompanied by shouts: “Kaifeng officials are on duty—clear the way!”

He rushed to the window and saw a group of men riding past with official insignias, their horses shaking the very ground beneath them.

A short while later, some constables arrived on horseback to post notices, drawing a large crowd.

Seeing that the notices included portraits, Li Qinghe also went downstairs to try to catch a glimpse.

He arrived a bit late and couldn’t squeeze through the crowd at first, but he heard someone inside shouting, “Stop pushing! The ink isn’t even dry yet—it got all over me!”

What kind of emergency could be so urgent that they couldn’t even wait for the ink to dry?

Li Qinghe couldn’t help but call out, “Is there anyone in front who can read? Please read it aloud so everyone can stop pushing!”

A voice from inside shouted back, “I can’t read!”

The crowd erupted in anger. “If you can’t read, what are you pushing for?!”

Aren’t you just making things worse?

Li Qinghe quickly raised his arm and shouted, “Here! Here! I am… I am a juren (successful provincial examinee)!”

He had hastily changed his identity, fearing recognition from Museng’s case.

Upon hearing this, the crowd immediately fell silent in respect and quickly cleared a large space.

“Ah, a juren! Our apologies!”

“Look closely—his forehead is broad and full, and his face is round and harmonious. Definitely the face of an official!”

“Hey, make way in front! Don’t jostle this gentleman!”

Some even helped push others aside, and Li Qinghe found himself passed through the crowd like a gourd being passed hand to hand.

“Thank you, thank you… Excuse me, excuse me…” He barely had time to see who was helping him, so he just randomly thanked everyone before finally looking up at the notice.

The moment the portrait on the notice entered his vision, Li Qinghe’s head buzzed as if he had forgotten to breathe.

“Esteemed sir, what’s going on?”

“Yes, it’s been a long time since the city was under such alert. It’s quite alarming—what happened?”

Someone couldn’t wait and urged him to speak.

Li Qinghe’s mind was in chaos. Just as he was about to open his mouth, he saw two more constables riding swiftly down the street on horseback.

The man in front carried a copper gong, striking it as he shouted, “We are currently seeking the impostor Guan Qing. Anyone who sees him must report immediately. Those who hide him will be treated as accomplices. This must not be neglected!”

The man behind held a thick stack of portraits. As soon as his companion finished shouting, he grabbed a handful and flung them into the air.

The two riders didn’t stop but sped off like the wind. Before the crowd could react, the portraits fluttered down like a heavy snowfall.

A few moments later, the same announcement echoed from a distance. The crowd finally snapped out of their daze and rushed into the street, stretching out their arms desperately to catch the falling portraits.

Unbelievable! Unbelievable! Someone actually took an exam in another’s place?! That’s a capital crime punishable by execution and confiscation of property!

How many years had it been since such a thing last happened?

Li Qinghe was jostled a couple of times and stumbled back to his senses. Coincidentally, someone nearby had grabbed a portrait, so he moved closer to take a look. It was indeed Guan Qing!

No, he’s not Guan Qing at all!

Then who was he, and where had the real Guan Qing gone?

This was also the question Ma Bing and the others were pondering.

After confirmation from Museng, this “Guan Qing” was the one who had jostled him on the day of the palace examination.

“What, there’s only one Guan Qing?” Museng exclaimed in surprise. “I’ve seen the original Guan Qing before, and he definitely doesn’t look like this!”

He’s an impostor?

Then why did he try to harm me?

Ma Bing thought for a moment. “Did you ever have a conflict with the real Guan Qing?”

To impersonate someone, the Guan family must have been aware of it. In other words, the fake Guan Qing was acting on behalf of the real one to some extent.

If they dared to go this far as to impersonate someone, then helping him take revenge wouldn’t seem out of the ordinary.

Museng hesitated, thinking for a moment before uncertainly replying, “I once openly mocked him…”

The group collectively clicked their tongues.

You and your big mouth!

Museng grew anxious. “But everyone said the same thing! His family was wealthy, yet he repeatedly failed the exams. Wasn’t that just the heavens not working properly?”

It’s not easy for poor families to support a scholar, but even ordinary families struggle.

Not only do they lose a strong laborer and a source of income, but they also need to afford brushes, ink, paper, and tuition fees for the school. As they grow older, they must travel to study and take exams…

Don’t they need to socialize when they go out? And doesn’t that cost money?

So most candidates live frugally before passing the exams.

But Guan Qing didn’t.

The Guan family was a wealthy household in Taizhou. Guan Qing always traveled with carriages and attendants, living extravagantly.

While other students borrowed moonlight to copy books frantically to save a few coins, he slept soundly under silk quilts;

While other students walked dozens of miles to save on travel expenses, often ending up with bloodied feet, the luxurious Guan family carriage had already arrived…

Someone supported by such wealth still failed to even pass the scholar examination after seven attempts!

Almost everyone was driven mad by jealousy and envy.

“Later, when he finally passed as a scholar, the Guan family was overjoyed and sent him to the county school, reportedly spending a fortune. But Guan Qing…” Museng’s face showed a mixture of anger and jealousy. “He always came in last! How could he deserve it!”

Passing the scholar exam allowed one to attend the county school, where top students received monthly stipends and excellent performers could study for free.

Because of this, many poor scholars couldn’t even afford the fees and had to give up great opportunities.

Everyone fell silent after hearing this.

Museng’s anger was understandable.

For these poor scholars, every step forward was as difficult as climbing a mountain. Some even had to abandon golden opportunities for just a few taels of silver.

Talented people struggled, while the untalented…

“So, did you do anything particularly harsh to Guan Qing?” Ma Bing asked.

Museng clenched his fists and took several deep breaths. “Not really. At most, I joined in with some sarcastic remarks and maybe slighted his servants.”

He was sharp-tongued, not foolish. The Guan family had considerable influence locally. He wouldn’t dare provoke their only son.

People value their reputation, and trees value their bark. Later, Guan Qing also sensed that he wasn’t welcome at the academy and, realizing he wasn’t cut out for scholarly pursuits, eventually withdrew voluntarily.

After he left, the academy students only discussed him briefly before returning to their studies for the exams. Gradually, everyone forgot about Guan Qing.

Later, they gradually passed their exams, went to other places for further studies, and moved to the capital for the imperial examinations, each busy with their own journey. Naturally, they didn’t keep up with the news from their hometowns and didn’t know when Guan Qing became a juren.

Nothing?

Ma Bing folded his arms, puzzled. If Museng truly had no conflict with Guan Qing, why would the impostor do this?

Forging handwriting wasn’t something that could be done in just a day or two. The handwriting on that cheat sheet was so convincing that even Museng nearly mistook it, indicating the impostor had put in tremendous effort.

What kind of hatred could drive someone to plot for so long?

This couldn’t be explained by mere exam impersonation.

It seemed they would have to investigate from the root to get to the bottom of it… This would take some time.

Just as they were talking, Xie Yu returned from the palace with an imperial decree.

Upon hearing of the exam impersonation case, the emperor was indeed furious. He immediately dispatched imperial inspectors to thoroughly investigate Taizhou Prefecture and authorized Xie Yu and the Kaifeng Prefecture to act with discretion, ensuring the swift capture of the escaped impostor Guan Qing.

Additionally, the emperor ordered an investigation into the Taizhou examiners from the time the impostor passed, and those who had recommended him weren’t spared either.

“Such incompetence and deceit that undermines the foundation of our Great Lü Dynasty! Bring them all to the capital immediately and have the Six Ministries and Three Judicial Departments conduct a joint trial!”

A day ago, no one could have imagined that a seemingly insignificant case of cheating would have such far-reaching consequences.

With just a few imperial decrees, the first wave of implicated officials numbered nearly ten. Who could say how many more would follow?

Before the full force of the imperial court was unleashed, ordinary people could hardly imagine its might.

Once the wanted notice for Guan Qing was issued, the imperial guards and constables of Kaifeng Prefecture were mobilized en masse, spreading out like mercury. Within half a day, wanted notices had been posted in over twenty towns and villages within the capital region, and local authorities extended the search to the countryside.

Wherever there were people, there were wanted notices with portraits.

By evening, even in small roadside tea huts, the guests were already discussing this earth-shattering case.

According to the inn’s report, Guan Qing only had a mule for transport. Though it had enough stamina, it wasn’t fast. In just one day, he couldn’t have escaped the area.

Now it was as if an invisible net had been cast over the entire region, and “Guan Qing” was like a fish in a net, a turtle in a jar.

The imperial court only needed to slowly tighten the net, and he would have no chance of escape.

All that remained was to wait.