Chapter 308.1: Qi Yuan’s Number One Corrupt
Such a big matter naturally was passed on first thing, and within an extremely short period of time, practically everyone in the entirety of Chongzhou Fu all knew, rapidly spreading to the county towns in the surrounding. At the same time, people were also sent to notify the other fu, especially Shannan Prefecture’s prefectural capital, Chuanzhou Fu. As the site for the Shannan Prefecture’s provincial exam, and also because currently in a special period, they need to have the preparation work taken care of well.
And as for the officials residing in the villa’s outer courtyard, after learning this matter, all mutually looked to one another in dismay, and afterwards, unanimously maintained their silence.
This truly was to not move was just that, but once moved, it was roaring thunder of ten thousand catties! Moreover, at this time, those students were already waiting extremely fretfully to begin with, not knowing when will be an end, even producing the feeling that the road ahead was uncertain and distant. His sudden move, without a doubt, was just a big heart-soothing pill. Furthermore, with the Prefectural Minister of Education being detained, they don’t need to worry that the matter of the courtyard exam will repeat during the provincial exam, and also with him expressing that he will personally oversee, even deferentially asking his Majesty to personally draft the exam questions, it made everyone feel one hundred percent at ease.
In Jiangnan’s four prefecture and twenty-eight fu, with Shannan Prefecture as the start, can the three other prefectures still sit still? Regardless what their attitude towards Jin Qinwang was originally, at this time, there certainly won’t be anyone that will give him trouble, and will even possibly flatter him, just hoping that the matter in their own territory can also settle quicker. After all, the supply of students was also a portion of one’s political achievements. If unable to settle, then in this aspect, having the worst evaluation score, what it affected wasn’t just the students’ future prospect.
After all, for the courtyard exam this time, it wasn’t that every single fu all had problems arising, so the people that were anxious and fretful were truly too many.
As for the students of Chongzhou Fu, who’d received the news first, regardless of whether or not they were planning on participating in this year’s provincial exam, each and every one were all very excited. Previously, as expected, they’d wrongly accused Jin Qinwang. Where was this taking no action? This was clearly having a plan inside, just waiting for the appropriate opportunity. There were quite a few that began excitedly packing, preparing to head to Chuanzhou Fu immediately.
Half a month, this time wasn’t long. For them, because there was the canal directly connecting the two fu, coming and going was quick and convenient, but one has to know, for the people who lived in relatively remote areas, if because the family financial situation was poor, unable to continue waiting in the prefectural capital and thus helplessly returned home, to then rush over after receiving the news at this time, then have some situations arise, perhaps this half month’s time will just be gone.
But will people disdain that this time was too tight? No! Precisely the so called ‘long nights, many dreams’!
After the excitement slightly passed, one couldn’t help but worry about the people that participated in the previous courtyard exam again. It was obvious, that exam, regardless of what the outcome was, it will certainly be considered invalid, and the people that originally were full of confidence, planning on participating in the provincial exam afterwards, their thoughts can only fall through. This really wasn’t anything, at worst just coming again next year to take the provincial exam, and in fact, can even catch up with the metropolitan exam the following year, beautifully fantasizing for a moment. One has to know, so far, there’s still a portion of people with ‘conclusive evidence’ of having participated in fraud locked up in the prisons. If truly one harboring sinister motives, then so be it, but clearly for quite a few among them, it was due to all kinds of reasons, momentarily becoming possessed, and the most innocent were those that had gotten set up by others. If they were to hereon be stripped of their qualifications to take the imperial exam, what will be ruined perhaps won’t just be them alone.
Even if wanting to participate in the provincial exam, quite a few people at this time still stayed behind, wanting to see the final result.
And in reality, Jin Qinwang truly didn’t let them be disappointed. On the second day, the result completely came out. Such high efficiency truly was rare.
The people that were originally imprisoned, the ones that should be released got released, the ones that should be detained got detained, the ones that should be punished got punished, and the main personnels that were involved also entirely kept in detention, and for the specific results, still need to wait for a further hearing, but one thing was for certain, and that’s the officials that were involved, the official hat on their heads have all been removed already. All the details were posted on the notice board, not concealed in the slightest, able to be known by all.
(T/N: Saying they lost their official hat is another way of saying they’ve been removed from their post.)
Regarding this bit, it was actually the result of Li Hong Yuan inquiring Jing Wan’s idea. This kind of completely open model had benefits in itself, so Jing Wan unhesitantly ‘presented borrowed flowers to buddha’. And Li Hong Yuan unexpectedly didn’t have the slightest hesitation either, just fully accepting. This kind of ability to be able to accept anything that was beneficial, Jing Wan actually sincerely admired. This kind of person, even if on personal matters was self-centered, but on matters that benefited the country and the people was able to be rational, standing tall, seeing far, then even if not considered a wise ruler, still won’t be that far off.
It’s also that Li Hong Yuan didn’t know Jing Wan’s thoughts, else he probably will laugh.
For someone like him, he won’t care what others think, and also won’t go justify anything to the people of the world either. His goal was just one, letting people know, who the person who came up with this idea was. Even if right now unable broadcast widely, as long as a few people know, then in the future, when it increasingly spreads, he will eventually be able to let her stand to the front of the stage, the people’s heart, the prestige………….
Gathering popular sentiment, this kind of thing, Li Hong Yuan won’t go do. He will only do what he should do, yet he will unhesitantly go raise Jing Wan’s position. Even if doing these things now might get suspected by the one on the throne, believing that he was borrowing his wife’s name to commit devious things, he still won’t hesitate.
Those that were originally in prison and already in despair never once thought that they not only would come out perfectly intact, but their originally dead end future prospects would actually also reignite the dawn again, because the people that merely just bought the exam questions didn’t get permanently stripped of their qualifications to take the imperial exam, but rather just banned from the exam for three years. Three years, for a minority of scholars, was wasting time, because they have the ability to walk to the end in one step. For these people, even if knowing the exam questions, still won’t lower themselves to go buy, but for a great majority of people, they have studied for many years, so three years, for them, was just studying for another three years, that’s all, simply not having any influence. Moreover, for those that just unluckily became a scapegoat, not only was there no losses, they even obtained additional compensation. For people like these, they generally all didn’t have a background, their family situation relatively poor, and the compensation given to them was that their names will be recorded in a booklet, and in the imperial exam afterwards, at any place, in the month leading up to and after the exam, the food and lodging expenses will entirely be shouldered by the imperial court, regardless of how many years they take the exam.
Regardless whether it’s the former or the latter, all in all, these people who originally were thought to be thoroughly out of luck, all had the joy of reaching a new peak from the winding mountain roads, especially the latter, even feeling that they were this fortunate, for a moment, crying tears of joy. And towards our wise and valiant emperor, that was shedding tears of gratitude. ———–En, the official statement was that this was his Majesty’s idea.
This similarly was Jing Wan’s masterpiece. For matters that would clearly win the hearts of the people, of course they need to have this honor pressed on Le Cheng Emperor’s head. This way was the safest after all.
Although Li Hong Yuan wasn’t all that willing inside, but he also knew Jing Wan was entirely doing this for him. In the end, he could only nod.
The courtyard exam fraud case, in Chongzhou Fu, can be considered to have officially come to an end. However, towards this entire incident, this was actually just the beginning.
At the same time, at a time unknown to everyone, Chongzhou Fu even dispatched a batch of people to each county and each village to receive those exam candidates that had returned home. Jing Wan’s reasoning was very simple. Their many years of hard work was perhaps just waiting for this one time. For the wealthy, it was still okay, missing the opportunity was nothing more than just waiting another year, but for families where the entire family all starve themselves to provide for one scholar, they might not be able to hold on for another year. Moreover, for the time to be this tight, it was also because of her husband, so as a virtuous wife, she naturally needed to help deal with the aftermath.
T/N: Tbh we haven’t even started on the salt administration issue and this courtyard exam scandal is already a whirlwind on its own. I always like seeing how the author connects events and matters that seemingly appear to be completely unrelated. I have to say, for any clean and honest officials left in the area who aren’t involved, must be a shit time to be working here. In a way, despite LHY always being called a tyrant, he’s a pretty good ruler.
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