coobybook Chapter 135 Big List
Chapter 135 Big List
Bai Zhi was immediately incredulous and asked, "What's going on?"
"Gu Shou gave you a child-protecting amulet, do you remember?"
A talisman to protect a child? Bai Zhi closed her eyes and tried to think, but she couldn't remember it: "He gave me this thing?"
Chu Yunchuan stretched out his hand and gestured: "This is a big gold talisman. He gave it to you when you pretended to be pregnant, and you kept it on your desk. After you left the capital, I found out that the talisman was stained with a deadly poison. If you wear it all the time, the poison will invade your lungs within three months and you will be unable to recover. He was afraid that you were pregnant with the eldest grandson of the Marquis' Mansion, so he did this to you."
When she was in the Marquis' Mansion, Bai Zhi had never been on guard against anyone except Ge Zhen. She never thought that Gu Lao Er would also plot against her. When she thought about how she almost lost her life, Bai Zhi felt a chill: "What's wrong with the Xuanping Marquis' Mansion? Is it so immoral? Everyone is abnormal."
"It's just that this little bit of personal conspiracy is nothing compared to the current situation." Chu Yunchuan stretched out his hand and pulled Bai Zhi into his arms, hugging her tightly, burying half of his face in her hair, and murmured, "It's a good thing you never wear things like rings, perfume bags, and gold talismans."
Bai Zhi suddenly realized: "Golden talisman? Is it made of gold?"
Chu Yunchuan didn't know what she was going to do, so he just answered honestly: "...It seems so, pure gold."
After a long silence, Bai Zhi muttered, "What a pity..."
Chu Yunchuan: "...Don't think about it. When the whole family of Xuanpinghou Mansion was imprisoned, I glued the golden talisman to Gu Shou's body. He should be in the mass grave now."
"Burying him with gold? That's too extravagant."
"..."
A few days later, the last battle of the three consecutive exams, the imperial examination, opened with great fanfare. The imperial envoy, who had been eating and playing to observe the people's livelihood since arriving in Weizhou, suddenly changed his nature and sat in the examination room, watching for cheating during the day and the answer sheets at night. The imperial examination lasted for nine days and six nights, and Lu Jiliang watched for nine days and six nights, and remained motionless even when his eyes were bloodshot. After the exam, he personally escorted all the answer sheets directly from the examination room to the Grand Scholars' Academy guarded by officers and soldiers, and these knowledgeable, fair and selfless Grand Scholars decided the list of successful candidates.
The result was that from King Jing to the imperial envoy, no one was qualified to inquire about the final list.
Lu Jiliang was determined to curb cheating in the imperial examinations.
but……
An hour after the grand secretaries had drawn up the list, Chu Yunchuan received the list secretly copied by the secret guards. He couldn't help but sigh that the imperial envoy was really inexperienced.
"Your Highness." Fang Zhiheng sighed as he looked at the list. "There are so many candidates for the Cinnabar Examination on the list. It seems that the barbarians came prepared... Your Highness, the Imperial Envoy is so concerned about just one examination. I think His Majesty is afraid that among the people you sent to Beijing to take the palace examination, there are your confidants."
Chu Yunchuan narrowed his eyes: "It seems that forcibly changing the big list is not feasible."
"Your Highness, the list cannot be changed. His Majesty is so afraid of you that he would not send only Lord Lu. There are so many eyes watching in secret. If you really change the list of candidates, no matter what your reasons are, you will never be able to clear yourself from the blame, Your Highness. After all, the candidates of the Vermilion Crimson Examination have only come into contact with the barbarians. It is better to wait and see what happens."
"Then we can only play the long game and catch the big fish." Chu Yunchuan handed the big list to Fang Zhiheng and ordered, "Send secret guards to keep a close eye on them day and night. If there is anything unusual, send a message immediately."
"Yes."
"As for how to arrange it... leave a few of the lowest-ranking officials in Ning and En states vacant, and send all those who have passed the Cinnabar List there."
Fang Zhiheng showed reluctance on his face: "Your Highness, the purpose of the imperial examination is to select talents. Even those who passed the Cinnabar Examination had studied hard for ten years to get to where they are today. Isn't it unfair to send them to the desolate border of Ning and En for no reason?"
"It's really unfair." Chu Yunchuan said frankly, "After this is over, if they are really innocent, the government will compensate them."
"But Your Highness..."
Chu Yunchuan looked at Fang Zhiheng, his brows drooping. "If it was anyone else, it would be fine, but Ge Zhen, you and I have to be on guard. Zhiheng, you are well versed in medical theory, and you know that prevention is better than cure for all diseases, and the same is true for governing a country and keeping the people safe. If you can't keep the people in peace, what's the point of talking about fairness?"
"……Yes."
"In the end, I am too mediocre as King Jing."
Fang Zhiheng was stunned.
Chu Yunchuan sat on the chair and rubbed his brows. Fang Zhiheng showed a slightly tired smile: "If my parents were here, they would definitely be much stronger than me. Who knows, they might have used a trick to catch Ge Zhen and solve the barbarian disaster. But I really can't think of a better way. I can only wrong the people of the thirteen states under the rule of King Jing now."
"Your Highness..." Fang Zhiheng took two steps with trembling hands, "How can Your Highness be so self-deprecating? If it weren't for Your Highness, the Thirteen States would still be a scorched earth. Now, the scorched earth has been rebuilt in just two years, and all the people have returned home. How can you say you are wronged?"
Chu Yunchuan laughed and said, "It's just a sentimental sentiment, Zhiheng, you don't have to take it so seriously."
"Even if you are sentimental, I hope Your Highness will not say that again." Fang Zhiheng thought for a long time, and brought up Bai Zhi as if he had grabbed a life-saving straw, "If Miss Bai heard this, what would she think?"
Bai Zhi heard it? Chu Yunchuan closed his eyes, and in his mind, he imagined Bai Zhi's indifferent face: "What would she think... Zhiheng, do you still remember that in the thirty-first year of Tongzheng, on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, when I was operating in Beidi and preparing to bring the wolf into the house, you brought Bai Zhi to see me."
"remember."
"Do you know what she said to me that day?"
Fang Zhiheng shook his head. Chu Yunchuan never mentioned this secret conversation again, and he was very curious about what Bai Zhi could have said to persuade Chu Yunchuan, who was so angry at the time, to change his mind.
"She said that she didn't care about the lives of the people, she only cared about my heart."
Fang Zhiheng's eyes widened: "Ah?"
He was so scared that he broke out in a cold sweat - why did he bring such an unreliable person with him!
"Whether I wanted to kill thousands of people or was committing treason, she didn't care at all. She just said that she hoped I could follow my heart. It was as if I hadn't done anything monstrous, but just temporarily went astray." Chu Yunchuan recalled that scene and couldn't help laughing. "Since then, my heart has calmed down. If I don't know where my heart is anymore, wouldn't I have failed her?"
"Your Highness..."
"I am satisfied with rebuilding the Thirteen States to its current state. As long as I am still on the throne of King Jing, I will fulfill my duty to this land. This is not forced by anyone, but my heart." Chu Yunchuan said calmly, "Even if I am not as good as my parents, even if I am not as good as the successors, I will defend the Thirteen States to the last moment, Zhiheng, don't worry."
The calm voice that sounded like a story also calmed Fang Zhiheng's heart.
Yes, just follow your heart and don’t worry about what others think.