Ye Xiren had learned her lesson this time.
Not only did she instruct Ma Shan to strike ruthlessly, but she also personally oversaw the operation.
Watching Ye Changming leisurely carrying his examination basket, humming a tune, and approaching with his two attendants—one plump and one lean—she blew out her lantern and stood in the darkness of the alleyway.
"Eldest Young Master, why aren't you nervous at all?" the attendant Pang Jin's voice carried from afar.
Ye Changming raised an eyebrow: "Nervous about what? Could I possibly fail?"
"That's true," Shou Yin chimed in with a naive smile, his face full of admiration. "Eldest Young Master is exceptionally talented and will undoubtedly top the rankings, bringing glory to Nandu."
As the three conversed, they drew closer.
Ma Shan and his men exchanged glances, covered their faces, and rushed forward in a swarm. The man had some skill, and his companions acted swiftly and fiercely. The smug Ye Changming only saw a blur before being forcefully pinned to the ground.
"Thud!"
A flurry of fists rained down upon him.
"Eldest Young Master!" Pang Jin and Shou Yin widened their eyes and immediately lunged forward to rescue him, but several others held them back, preventing them from approaching.
"What are you doing?" Ye Changming struggled desperately. He had always preferred studying over martial arts and was almost defenseless. "Who are you?! How dare you act so recklessly under the Emperor's very nose!"
The assailants paid no heed. After a few punches left him dizzy and disoriented, one of them pulled a club from behind, weighed it in his hand, and with a sudden fierce glare, swung it hard toward Ye Changming's right hand.
Ye Changming let out a piercing scream.
Pang Jin and Shou Yin, both skilled in martial arts, quickly broke free from those restraining them and forcefully kicked them away.
Pang Jin rushed toward the Eldest Young Master, while Shou Yin charged at Ma Shan, shouting angrily, "You scoundrels, let go of our Eldest Young Master! Help! Ruffians are causing trouble!"
The cries echoed through the darkness.
Ma Shan didn't linger. Using the momentum from Shou Yin's kick, he retreated, grabbed the club, and signaled to his men. They vanished into the dark alleyways and disappeared from sight.
Ye Xiren watched his retreating figure.
This Ma Shan was a capable man—bold, decisive, and skilled in martial arts. He could command others and make them follow his orders. Most commendably, he didn't linger in the fight and left promptly.
Pang Jin and Shou Yin were no pushovers in martial arts. If there had been more time or a way to subdue them, she would have preferred not to harm her own brother.
The thought flashed through her mind, and Ye Xiren took a deep breath.
She pinched her own thigh hard, instantly reddening her eyes and welling them with tears. With a scream, she rushed forward, "Ah, Brother, Brother… what happened to you?"
She crouched beside him, inspecting him from head to toe.
Pang Jin and Shou Yin were frantic with worry. Though surprised by Ye Xiren's sudden appearance, they immediately felt reassured, thinking of the siblings' close bond. Anxiously, they said, "Second Young Miss, what should we do? The Eldest Young Master…"
Ye Xiren commanded, "Quick, take my brother home!"
Ye Changming, his face contorted in pain, clutched his arm. Hearing this, he shook his head vigorously and spoke with difficulty, "No… I must take the imperial examination. Let me go to the Spring Examination…"
He didn't want to give up.
"Eldest Young Master!" Pang Jin and Shou Yin were at a loss.
Ye Xiren supported his arm, her face full of concern, her tone resolute: "No, Brother, your injuries are too severe. You must return home immediately for treatment."
Ye Changming tried to protest.
Ye Xiren's expression remained unchanged, but her hand, supporting his injured arm, trembled slightly in "excitement," accidentally applying a bit of pressure. Ye Changming's face instantly paled, and he was rendered speechless by the pain.
The clamor about attending the Spring Examination instantly vanished.
Ye Xiren stood up. "Take him back."
Pang Jin and Shou Yin immediately made their decision. Hoisting the man onto their backs, they hurriedly turned back toward the Ye Residence.
Ye Xiren stood in place, watching their retreating figures, and let out a long sigh. Once he was back home, her mother would never let him leave to take the Spring Examination again.
Finally, the outcome had been changed.
A carriage approached from the distance and stopped beside Ye Xiren. The coachman jumped down, holding an oil-paper package. "Second Miss, these are the morning snacks from the Pan family's shop."
Ye Xiren took the package and boarded the carriage, but she didn't eat. Instead, she casually set it aside.
The coachman found it strange. Just moments ago, the young lady had insisted on having morning snacks from the Pan family's shop and urged him to hurry and buy them. Why wasn't she touching them now?
"My brother just had his hand injured and has already been sent back to the Ye family. It seems he won't be able to take the Spring Examination today," Ye Xiren said.
"Ah?" The coachman grew anxious. "Should we head back now, then?"
"No." Ye Xiren shook her head and looked in another direction. "We're going to the Examination Hall."
She wanted to see… what secrets lay within this Spring Examination. Why did Ye Changming's examination fraud incident happen?
The coachman was puzzled.
But he was Ye Xiren's future dowry coachman, with his deed of sale in her hands. Naturally, his loyalty lay solely with her. Without hesitation, he steered the carriage toward the Examination Hall.
Examination Hall
After the fall of Beidu and the hasty southward relocation of the mobile administration, the capital of Daliang moved from Beidu to the present-day Nandu. The young former emperor passed away shortly after arriving in Nandu last year, and the new emperor hastily ascended the throne, opening the special imperial examination.
Amidst the continuous warfare, there had been no Spring Examination for four years. Yet, the number of people arriving at the Examination Hall was not large.
Firstly, the war had not only disrupted the Spring Examination but also prevented local provincial examinations from being held as scheduled. Secondly, most areas north of the Huai'an Qu were under the control of the Bei Yan people. The journey for scholars to attend the Spring Examination was long and arduous, making it difficult to traverse the war-torn regions.
"Finally, the Spring Examination is here. Our young master is sure to pass with flying colors."
"Indeed. The court is in urgent need of talent. Prime Minister Jiang has long said that those selected in this Spring Examination will be directly appointed to official positions."
"Amitabha. At last, the war has ceased. With peace restored, everything will be fine."
"That's hard to say. After all, the Northern Yan Delegation has just entered the capital. What if the peace talks fail?"
"Don't say such things. Since Bei Yan is willing to negotiate peace, how could the talks possibly fail? Peace has only just been restored for a few days!"
…
Ye Xiren still couldn't understand why examination fraud had occurred.
After several repetitions, Ye Changming never seemed inclined to commit examination fraud.
Was he framed?
Her brother was exceptionally talented. Although his reputation in Nandu was not yet prominent, before the southward relocation of the mobile administration, he had already made a name for himself in Beidu.
It was normal for him to attract envy, but successfully plotting against him wouldn't be easy. Moreover, literary culture flourished in Jiangnan, and Nandu had many more renowned scholars. Why would anyone target only Ye Changming?
With the same outcome occurring three times, Ye Xiren refused to believe it was mere coincidence.
Her brother usually offended only frivolous young nobles. How could they possibly orchestrate a scheme within the examination hall? Besides, earlier today, she had reminded him at the entrance of the Examination Hall. Even if he was angry, he would have been cautious and unlikely to fall easily into a trap.
Those with the power to influence the imperial examinations were all busy receiving the Northern Yan Delegation. Why would they bother harming her brother, a mere scholar?
Examination fraud in Daliang was merely an embarrassment—it had nothing to do with major court affairs or the peace talks with Bei Yan.
Ye Xiren couldn't fathom what had happened inside the examination hall. But today, she had "solved" the fraud problem at its root. Now, with Ye Changming absent from the Spring Examination…
She would see whether examination fraud would still erupt.
Rather than having her brother take this Spring Examination, she wanted more to preserve the lives of her entire family. There would be many more Spring Examinations, but life was only granted once. She had woken up three times on this day—who knew if there would be another chance?
Ye Xiren took a deep breath and lowered the carriage curtain. "Let's go back."
The coachman nodded, and the carriage swayed as it departed, heading west toward the Ye Residence.
The coachman abruptly reined in the horse, the motion too sudden. The carriage lurched forward, and Ye Xiren, lost in thought, tilted sideways, colliding with the carriage wall with a muffled groan.
Before she could straighten herself, she heard someone on the opposite side scolding in awkward Daliang speech: "How dare you! How are you driving?!"
Thwack!
A whip struck the carriage with a heavy thud, startling Ye Xiren.
Just as the coachman was about to draw his knife to retaliate, the opposing coachman raised his voice: "Still trying to argue? If you disturb His Highness, even your head and your master’s won’t be enough to pay for it."
Hearing this, Ye Xiren instinctively felt a pang in her neck, a surge of frustration rising within her.
But the words "His Highness" were even more alarming. Ye Xiren pushed open the carriage door, her voice gentle and polite: "It was my failure to discipline my servant. I beg your forgiveness."
At the same time, from inside the opposite carriage, two maids carefully lifted the curtain, and a clear, unhurried male voice spoke: "Mole."
The previously arrogant coachman, Mole, fell silent and bowed respectfully. "Your Highness."
Ye Xiren looked over.
Indeed, the other party was not from Daliang. The coachman wore Bei Yan military attire, his hair braided and loosely hanging. Beside the carriage stood a group of Bei Yan men, riding tall horses, their waists adorned with gleaming, cold blades, guarding the luxurious carriage in the center.
Ye Xiren did not look inside the carriage but stepped down, keeping her head lowered, signaling her coachman to move aside and make way.
The coachman shifted the carriage.
At the same time, the sound of hoofbeats echoed from behind, accompanied by several voices carrying flattering laughter from a distance. "Oh, Your Highness Chizhan, what happened here?"
"Nothing," the person inside the carriage replied indifferently, his tone unreadable. "Prime Minister Liu, Minister Li, what brings you here?"
Liu Doxi smiled. "His Majesty and Prime Minister Jiang have instructed us to ensure Your Highness is well attended. Naturally, we must be ready at all times."
He turned, frowning. "What is going on? Has someone shown disrespect to Your Highness?" His voice grew stern, his gaze turning unfriendly as he looked at Ye Xiren and her companion.
Ye Xiren remained with her head lowered, offering no defense. She simply bowed and apologized: "I was in a hurry to return home, and my carriage moved too hastily, disturbing Your Excellency. I beg your forgiveness."
Both carriages were now side by side, but it was clear that the Bei Yan carriage had suddenly emerged from an alley, startling the Ye family’s carriage. The Bei Yan coachman, fearing blame from his master, had deliberately accused Ye Xiren and her party.
"Which family are you from? Do you know who you have offended?!"