There was no need to interpret the meaning in this fancily-dressed man’s words; it was clear that he was targeting the only woman present today – Tan Yuzhu.

A love for drama was part of human nature. These scholars and writers, who usually prided themselves on their gentlemanly and upright behavior, didn’t speak a word at this moment in time. Instead, they all turned their gazes toward that figure in white.

Even Zhou Tiande, the son of the Baxian County governor and the organizer of today’s literary gathering, just took a small sip of tea and didn’t speak up to intervene.

However, this didn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

It was well known that Zhou Tiande and Jiang Hongfang, the man in the fancy robes, were close friends, even though one was the son of a governor and the other was a dissolute young master from a prominent family.

This was simply because the Zhou and Jiang families were two of the “Eight Virtuous Talents” in this Baxian County.^[1]

The name “Baxian” originated during the reign of the founding emperor, when eight virtuous and capable people emerged from this region.

All eight of these men had made great contributions during the founding of this dynasty. Later, as they grew older, they all resigned from their official positions and returned to their ancestral lands, building their residences in this county town.

They spent their days traveling the land, composing poems and painting. They created many timeless masterpieces, and left behind remarkable legacies.

Therefore, when Emperor Gaozhong ascended the throne and happened to pass through this region, he renamed it “Baxian County” in order to commemorate their talent and achievements, and even personally bestowed the name in writing. Among other factors, he also took into account the flourishing literary culture of the region.

As a result, Baxian County became the most popular destination for scholars and writers in the region, second only to Langya County.

To this day, the county continued to produce numerous literary giants, and could truly be described as a place steeped in literary tradition.

The Imperial Court had always followed the principle of “appointing officials from their native regions,” so almost all of the officials in Baxian County, from the county magistrate to the lowest-ranking clerks, were local residents.

The Eight Virtuous Families consistently held high-ranking positions such as governor and deputy governor, and the current governor was a member of the Zhou family.

As the son of the governor, and possessing some literary talent himself, Zhou Tiande frequently organized literary gatherings.

However, there had never been a woman present at any of the previous ones.

Even though Tan Yuzhu was a renowned female talent, she had never received an invitation. Yet today, contrary to his usual behavior, Zhou Tiande had invited her to attend.

Everyone who heard the news immediately understood why.

This was simply because the talents in Baxian County were accustomed to banding together, and were deeply intertwined with the four great noble families. 

When the court held the Imperial Examinations this time, very few of these people registered, and those who did participate failed during the first or second round.

It wasn’t that they lacked talent: it was simply because they didn’t pass the background checks, and their perspectives didn’t align with the kind of talents Chu Jiubian was looking for.

These talents and scholars, who prided themselves on their intellectual abilities, were naturally indignant that they were unable to pass such a simple test. They harbored many grievances against the Imperial Court, and even secretly wrote mocking poems and articles, accusing Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian of being poor judges of character.

However, what made them even more uncomfortable was that only four people from Baxian County passed the second round of exams.

Among them were two renowned scholars: Tan Yuzhu’s father, Tan Ji, and Tan Ji’s close friend, Yan Jinsheng.

In addition to them, there was Yan Jinsheng’s youngest son, Yan Rui.

Out of these three, the first two came as no surprise, as they were both renowned scholars who commanded great respect, and everyone was able to willingly accept their defeat.

Yan Rui, a teenager of only about fifteen years old, had passed the engineering exam due to his talent in forging. And due to the fact that he was not in the same field as the classical studies exam-takers, the others didn’t have any strong opinions on the matter.

Then there was Tan Yuzhu, a mere woman, who had also risen to prominence.

Not only had she registered to participate in the Imperial Examinations, but she even passed the first two rounds and advanced to the third!

This was practically like slapping the other students hard across the face!

Moreover, the papers from this round would be sent directly to the highest authorities, and would be personally reviewed by Grand Tutor Chu and Ning-wang.

Although they had all accused these two of lacking judgement, who among them didn’t wish to serve in the Imperial Court?

Didn’t they attend these literary gatherings all the time in order to make names for themselves, hoping for the chance to be recommended to an official position based on their filial piety and integrity?

Therefore, when they saw a woman like Tan Yuzhu being placed above them and given opportunities that were beyond their reach, they were naturally even more resentful.

Secretly, they hoped that she would fail to gain the attention of those in power, fail to enter the Imperial Academy, and lose the opportunity to enter officialdom.

Their pride would truly be trampled underfoot if they were to lose to a mere woman.

The holidays passed, and another ten or so days went by.

Those candidates who had passed the Imperial Examinations gradually began to receive the news, and everyone seemed more anxious than Tan Yuzhu was herself. Yesterday, two students from a neighboring county had received the news, and the engineering student, Yan Rui, had met this morning with an official messenger sent to congratulate him.

This official, leading a contingent of soldiers and minor officials, had arrived at the Yan family’s doorstep with the sound of gongs and drums. They offered their congratulations with beaming smiles, as well as many auspicious words such as, “may you rise rapidly in your career.”

This scene was enough to make anyone envious.

Around midday, both the renowned scholar Yan Jinsheng and Tan Yuzhu’s father, Tan Ji, received their own good news from official messengers.

Only fifteen candidates had passed the classical studies exam, so with these men receiving eighth and fifth place respectively, they could be considered to have ranked very high.

Someone in her same residence had received news, but Tan Yuzhu had not.

Everyone naturally came to the conclusion that Tan Yuzhu had failed the exam.

Therefore, they were in tacit understanding that the purpose of this evening’s literary gathering was to ridicule Tan Yuzhu. However, they had assumed that she would be so busy crying at home that she wouldn’t attend.

Unexpectedly, she actually came – and with only a young maid, rather than her father or Yan Rui, whom she was on good terms with.

This opened up the opportunity for everyone to mock her.

Now, as they watched her sit there calmly, brewing tea in a leisurely manner, it seemed as if she was entirely unconcerned with failing the exam.

Seeing how unmoved she was, Jiang Hongfang continued: “Speaking of which, the scholars and men of talent from our Baxian County are truly exceptional. Otherwise, three out of the four who entered the third round of Imperial Examinations wouldn’t have passed.”

“Jiang-gongzi speaks the truth,” a scholar in green robes chimed in. “It seems that this third round must have been extremely difficult. It’s normal that a woman wasn’t able to pass.”

“If you ask me, women should just stay at home to take care of their husband and children. What kind of behavior is this, showing themselves off in public?”

“Forget about talent, they should go do embroidery at home and marry as soon as possible.”

Everyone chimed in one after another, praising Jiang Hongfang in turn.

Sat in the most prominent seat, the handsome Zhou Tiande wore a kind, gentle expression that, when he turned his attention upon someone, felt like a spring breeze caressing one’s face.

At present, he glanced at Tan Yuzhu, who was sitting almost all the way at the end of the table, and said with a gentle smile: “Miss Tan has come to this literary gathering, so why hasn’t she spoken a single word?”

The moment he opened his mouth, the entire room fell silent.

Only Jiang Hongfang joked: “Perhaps Miss Tan is shy in the presence of so many male talents.”

“Aiya,” he said with a dramatic clap of his hands. “Could it be that Miss Tan has finally found her ideal man, and is shy to the point of speechlessness?”

Upon hearing this, everyone let out muted chuckles.

“Could it be that Miss Tan has taken a liking to Li-xiong?”

“Our dear brother is so handsome and distinguished. It must be true.”

“Among us, the two young masters are naturally the most accomplished. A woman as beautiful as Miss Tan is perfectly suited to either of them. Now that is what I call a perfect match of talent and beauty.”

The words “talent” and “beauty” were very strongly emphasized.

There was a soft chuckle. Although it wasn’t loud, the mocking voices of everyone present went silent, and dozens of pairs of eyes turned toward the woman who had just laughed.

Tan Yuzhu brewed her tea slowly and deliberately, saying in a calm, clear tone: “I thought this literary gathering was for the purpose of composing poems and exchanging literary ideas. Little did I know that it would be filled with opportunistic sycophants spewing obscene and vulgar remarks. It truly disgraces the term ‘literary gathering.’”

The blatant sarcasm made everyone feel as if their tails had been trodden upon, and their expressions soured.

However, the two young masters at the head of the table didn’t seem to take this to heart. The term “sychophant” didn’t apply to them, because they were the ones with power in their hands.

“Miss Tan is quite the eloquent speaker.” Jiang Hongfang’s lips curled into a smile, and he brazenly swept his gaze across her.

On a previous occasion, he had sent a matchmaker to the Tan family with a marriage proposal, but Tan Ji had rejected it.

He then thought that he would first cultivate some feelings with Tan Yuzhu. Such a sheltered young girl, naive and inexperienced, would be easily deceived by sweet talk and a touch of feigned sincerity.

However, he had met her several times at various banquets, and the other party had given him no face at all, which caused resentment to grow in his heart.

But no matter how resentful he felt, behind the other party stood Tan Ji, as well as many more influential scholars and figures with considerable power.

Thus, for the sake of his reputation – and to avoid having his legs broken by his father – he didn’t dare actually take action against Tan Yuzhu.

But now that he had an opportunity to gain the upper hand, he naturally gave it his all.

Today’s literary gathering had actually been organized by him, with Zhou Tiande as the figurehead.

Tan Yuzhu finished pouring a cup of tea, then straightened her back and said without raising her head: “When our Eight Virtuous Ancestors still lived, they said that ‘a gentleman is upright, self-reliant, and possesses a magnanimous and virtuous character.’ At that time, they likely didn’t know that among their descendants —”

She finally looked up, lightly sweeping her gaze over Jiang Hongfang and Zhou Tiande. A faint smile of breathtaking beauty graced her lips.

“– there would be petty individuals like the two of you, who in light of their lack of talent and virtue, can only comfort themselves by belittling women like me.”

When these words were spoken, the courtyard fell into a silence so profound that one could hear a pin drop.

The expressions of the two young masters at the head of the table darkened.

Jiang Hongfang was a spoiled and dissolute young master who was accustomed to doing whatever he pleased. These banquets were always full of attendees who wished to establish connections with his Jiang family, so he naturally behaved without any scruples.

Therefore, he lost his temper and hurled the teacup in his hand in Tan Yuzhu’s direction.

But the maid, who had been a constant presence beside her, abruptly flicked her wrist, and a thin silver needle shot from her fingertips.

With a clink, the teacup spun around, and instead of continuing forward, it fell to the floor at Jiang Hongfang’s feet.

The porcelain shattered into innumerable pieces.

Before anyone could react, they suddenly heard the sound of gongs and drums coming from outside the manor.

It was a very familiar sound, as they had already heard it twice today.

As they heard the sound growing louder and louder, they knew that the procession was heading in the direction of this manor.

But among those present today, the only one who could have drawn such a commotion here was Tan Yuzhu.

Tan Yuzhu extended a hand, and the maid carefully helped her to her feet.

“Everyone, this little girl still needs to prepare her belongings for her journey to the capital to meet the Emperor.” Tan Yuzhu smiled faintly and said, “I won’t be joining you all for idle chatter.”

The deliberately emphasized “little girl” was like a series of resounding blows to the faces of everyone present.

Watching her graceful figure recede, Zhou Tiande finally got to his feet and headed out of the manor with a grim expression.

He had to witness it with his own eyes before he would believe that Tan Yuzhu had actually passed the exam.

Jiang Hongfang also jolted to his feet and followed suit with a dark look on his face.

Impossible. The officials who had brought the good news to Baxian County had all left earlier in the day. How could they be back again?

Tan Yuzhu must have found some random people to put on a performance so that she could save face!

However, when they hurried out of the manor right after Tan Yuzhu, they happened to catch sight of a procession arriving at the gate, even longer than the one that had brought the news earlier that morning

The leading officer was also no minor official, but He Yang, a third-rank military official and the Baxian County Commandant.

This person was a previous subordinate in the Qin Family Army. After the army was disbanded and its members were dispersed to various regions, he had been assigned to Baxian County. Here, he had no close relationships with other county officials, and they were simply colleagues.

He was habitually a man of few words, and rarely smiled, but today, even his stern, aged face held a hint of affectionate warmth.

With an Imperial Decree in his hand, he approached Tan Yuzhu and loudly announced: “Congratulations to Graduate Tan for ranking second in the Imperial Examinations! His Majesty has specifically commanded this official to deliver this Imperial Decree in person and bestow the accompanying rewards. Please depart soon and travel to the capital to participate in the final round of the Imperial Examinations.”

Tan Yuzhu voiced her thanks to the Emperor, and then thanked He Yang before formally accepting the Imperial Decree with both hands.

He Yang waved his hand, and a soldier behind him approached Tan Yuzhu with a small box, saying: “A total of sixty-five candidates passed this round of the Imperial Examinations. Those ranked below the top three will receive a reward of one hundred taels of silver, while the top three will receive fifty taels of gold!”

As he spoke, the officer opened the box to reveal an array of gold ingots dazzling enough to make one’s eyes water.

The onlookers all gasped in astonishment.

“It’s really gold!”

“Fifty taels of gold only fills such a small box? I’d think it would require two large crates.”

“What do you know? The Tan family isn’t short of money. This is simply an honor for them!”

Indeed, unlike ordinary people, these members of prominent families like Tan Yuzhu’s were not short of money, and fifty taels of gold was not a large sum in their eyes.

But the eyes staring Tan Yuzhu’s way were practically dripping blood.

This was gold personally bestowed by His Majesty, and was also a reward for placing in the top three in the Imperial Examinations. Its significance was far greater than its intrinsic value!

However, what followed caused their envy to soar even higher. He Yang had someone bring out a plaque, and when the bright red silk covering it was removed, the words “Successfully Passed the Imperial Examinations” were revealed.

And below was Bai Lihong’s handwritten signature and seal.

Chu Jiubian had instructed Bai Lihong to write this, and then assigned a messenger to deliver it to the local county commandant.

The top three candidates were Lu Yao, Tan Yuzhu, and an agricultural student named Zhang Er. In their home counties, the local commandants were all former subordinates of the Qin Family Army, which made it quite convenient to put them to use.

He Yang’s arrival half a day later than the other officials came about because he wanted to give the craftsmen time to create the finest plaque.

However, when Tan Ji was informed of his success earlier in the day, this information was given to Tan Yuzhu so as to prevent her from waiting anxiously.

When Tan Yuzhu learned that she had not only passed the Imperial Examinations, but had achieved one of the highest ranks, she readily accepted the invitation to the literary gathering. This was the moment she had been waiting for.

She had long disdained this group of sanctimonious hypocrites, and today was the perfect opportunity to strike back at them.

He Yang didn’t get along well with the local officials, and knew that neither the governor’s son nor the young master from the Jiang family were the decent sort. Upon discovering that Tan Yuzhu was attending a literary gathering here, and that it was likely a scheme to humiliate the young girl, he had rushed over as quickly as he could.

Seeing the ugly expressions on the faces of these scholars who usually held themselves in such high regard, both He Yang and Tan Yuzhu were deeply satisfied.

But at this moment, Tan Yuzhu refrained from mocking them. That would be beneath her. Besides, the pointing fingers and whispers from the surrounding villagers were enough to make these people completely lose face.

Thus, Tan Yuzhu invited He Yang back home to sit down for a cup of tea, and also to deliver the plaque and the gold.

He Yang readily agreed, and the group set off once more in a lively procession.

Upon hearing the news, Tan Ji and the Yan family father and son waited for them at the entrance of the manor, beaming with joy.

After dinner, they saw He Yang and the others off, but the county governor and deputy governor arrived soon afterward.

The group exchanged pleasantries, and the governor even apologized to Tan Yuzhu for his son’s inconsiderate behavior.

Having reached the position of county governor, he was naturally no fool.

He knew that the situation had changed. Imperial power was now at an all-time high, and it was unknown how things would develop in the future.

Avoiding causing offense to any party was the best course of action in the long run.

Many others shared this opinion. Consequently, a constant stream of people came to speak with the Tan and Yan families in the following days, but not just anyone was given an audience.

News that a woman had passed the Imperial Examinations and even achieved second place spread rapidly throughout Great Ning.

Those women who hadn’t participated due to various concerns were regretful, but also curiously excited.

It was unfortunate that the Imperial Examinations might not happen again after this year. But if they did happen again in the future, they would no longer be so easily discouraged. They would register without hesitation and seize every opportunity to climb the social ladder.

And those women who had failed the exams despite having prepared diligently, and had thought that they may have been passed over because of their gender, felt their fighting spirit rekindle.

It wasn’t that women were inherently incapable, it was that they simply weren’t yet at the level where they could be selected.

Therefore, they must work even harder to ensure that they had a better chance of performing well in the next exams, and to achieve success like Tan Yuzhu, passing the Imperial Examinations and bringing honor to their families.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of Great Ning, in a remote southern village…..

From the clan heads to the village chieftain, and from the respected elders to the young children, everyone gathered in front of a certain courtyard, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the family of eight standing at the courtyard gate.

This group consisted of common people dressed in coarse linen clothes.

Compared to the wealthier families in the village, this one consisted of only the elderly and young, and the two sole able-bodied workers had to work themselves to the bone just to keep their family from starving.

Nobody could have imagined that a family like theirs would one day be visited by a lofty commandant.

An old woman tucked her hands into her sleeves, shivering from the cold where she stood behind the crowd. She clicked her tongue in amazement and said: “The Zhang family must have incredibly good luck. Their son actually passed the Imperial Examinations and became a successful candidate.”

A dark-skinned boy beside her strained to catch a glimpse of the people in the courtyard ahead, saying: “My grandfather always said that Zhang Er-ge was a good farmer, and it seems he was right. Now he’s going to become an official in the capital.”

“Aiyo, I said all along that Zhang Er looks like he has a promising future ahead of him, and I was absolutely right!”

“Yeah, right. When Zhang Er sold two mu of land to go and take the exams in the city, didn’t you say he was wasting money?”

“Just so. But look at him now, His Majesty bestowed fifty taels of gold upon him! That’s gold! Think about how much land he can buy with that!”

The noise of the crowd swelled until the village chieftain turned around to level a glare at them, at which point they finally quieted down.

Zhang Er held the Imperial Degree in his uncontrollably trembling hands.

The other members of his family were even less worldly and experienced than him. Their complexions changed rapidly as they hid behind him, not daring to speak a word.

Fortunately, the county commandant was aware that they were simple and honest farmers, and didn’t stand on formalities. He even patiently prompted Zhang Er to profess his gratitude toward His Majesty.

Zhang Er and his family immediately knelt down and bowed in the direction of the capital city.

Seeing this, the other villagers knelt down as well.

The commandant found this somewhat amusing, and quickly told them to stand up.

The village chieftain, who was somewhat more knowledgeable in the realm of etiquette, took a bulging purse from his sleeve and handed it to the county commandant.

The commandant understood the sincerity of this gift, so he accepted it and immediately instructed his subordinates to send back one hundred taels of silver as a token of his own appreciation.

Shortly after he left, the governor and deputy governor arrived.

Later on, various wealthy and influential families approached Zhang Er, some with an interest in recruiting him, and some who simply wished to establish connections. But each of them were very generous, and everyone watched as all kinds of rare and valuable items that they had never seen before were delivered in a steady stream to Zhang Er’s residence.

Zhang Er had previously received advice from the county commandant, and knew that some people’s requests should not be granted, while others were permissible.

As a result, he avoided offending many of these people while still receiving many valuable things.

Zhang Er’s family was also very generous, and shared any good things they received with their relatives and fellow villagers. As a result, the entire village benefited from their generosity and grew in wealth.

At last, everyone began to understand the advantages of the Imperial Examination system.

This was a classic example of one person’s success benefitting everyone around them.

The idea of “taking the Imperial Examinations” had been unconsciously ingrained into the minds of the common people.

The results of the examinations arrived in the middle of the first month of the year, and the final round was scheduled for the first day of the third month.

Upon receiving the news, the successful candidates from all over the country set out for the capital to participate in the final examination.

Some of them, like Lu Yao, hailed from wealthy families and were escorted by family members and servants, traveling comfortably in horse-drawn carriages.

There were also those like Zhang Er, who simply packed a bag and prepared to set off. However, thanks to the gold and silver sent by the Imperial Court and various other sources, he was able to stay in inns along the way and didn’t suffer any hardships.

Meanwhile, a constant stream of news poured into the capital.

Initially, this included the names and hometowns of those who passed the Imperial Examinations, then details about where these scholars traveled, whom they met, and what they did.

Whether Chu Jiubian’s judgement of their character was truly exceptional, or because the people sent to deliver the news had given them instructions, the sixty-five selected candidates were all perfectly well-behaved, and simply focused on traveling all the way without causing any trouble.

As for the wealthy families who wanted to recruit them or marry off their daughters to them, no one paid them any attention.

When they heard this, the vassal kings in the capital, who were supposed to leave on the fifteenth, delayed their departure.

In order to prevent Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao from using this as an opportunity to frame them with accusations of “attempting to rebel,” the vassal kings, led by Huguang-wang and Dongjiang-wang, went to the palace together and requested to stay until after the Imperial Examinations.

Nanjiang-wang and Pingxi-wang had no plans in particular, and simply wanted to stay to witness the grandeur of the Imperial Examinations.

As for Anhui-wang Bai Liming, he had always kept a low profile, and simply went along with whatever others did like a timid little quail.

Qin Xiao had no strong feelings on the matter, and only felt that these people remaining in the capital would give rise to trouble, which would be somewhat bothersome.

Chu Jiubian, however, had a change of heart. He sent a knowing glance toward Qin Xiao, a smile on his lips.

Qin Xiao understood then that he wanted these people to stay, though the other’s reasoning was not immediately clear to him.

Bai Lihong was sitting behind his desk. His understanding of his Jiujiu and Xiansheng had reached a new level, and he could tell what they wanted him to say simply by observing their expressions and subtle gestures.

Thus, he spoke in exactly the tone of voice that Chu Jiubian usually used to coax him: “Then please stay a little longer, but behave yourselves and don’t cause any trouble.”

Hearing such words spoken in a “child-coaxing” voice by a young boy, the vassal kings all wore very strange expressions.

But as long as they achieved their objective, that was all that mattered.

As for whether they would behave themselves and stay out of trouble, this wasn’t something that the Emperor could ensure with words alone.

Once they left, Chu Jiubian turned to Bai Lihong and asked: “Can Your Majesty guess why I want them to stay?”

Bai Lihong frowned slightly. Then, after some careful thought, his eyes suddenly lit up: “When the students get to the capital, the vassal kings and lots of other people will be curious about them. Many people will come here, and the city will be very lively.”

Chu Jiubian nodded: “That’s right. And?”

“Jiujiu says that it’s easiest to fish in troubled waters.” Bai Lihong’s eyes gleamed. “We can use this opportunity to investigate the relationships between the vassal kings and the noble families. If we find out that certain people are collaborating, we can find ways to sow discord between them.”

“En.” Chu Jiubian continued to encourage him. “What else?”

The young child reached up and touched his chin, a very serious look on his little face.

Qin Xiao sat cross-legged in his chair with his chin in one hand. His gaze shifted from the child’s face to Chu Jiubian across from him.

Chu Jiubian glanced back at him and said: “You should think about it too.”

Qin Xiao just smiled: “Alright, I will.”

“I’ve got it!” Bai Lihong clapped his hands. “We can use other people to do our dirty work.”

Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao didn’t find it strange that a three-year-old – or rather, a four-year-old after the New Year – was talking about “dirty work,” and in fact thought that it was perfectly normal.

Bai Lihong said: “It’s not clear which of the vassal kings and noble families are cooperating, but it’s pretty obvious which ones don’t get along. We can give compromising information about one party to another, then let them fight amongst themselves while we reap the benefits.”

The child spoke so much at once that his mouth became dry, so he quickly grabbed the warm water nearby and took a sip.

“Very well said,” Chu Jiubian told him, clapping his hands together.

Bai Lihong happily clapped his hands as well, his bright eyes crinkling slightly.

Were an outsider to observe them, they would surely notice that when the child smiled, his countenance bore a striking resemblance to Chu Jiubian’s.

Children instinctively imitated those around them.

Just like pets tended to resemble their owners, children also tended to become more and more like the people they trusted and admired.

After questioning Bai Lihong, Chu Jiubian turned to Qin Xiao and raised an eyebrow: “What do you think?”

“His Majesty has already said it all,” Qin Xiao replied. 

Bai Lihong immediately puffed out his chest in pride.

Look, he was already becoming as capable as Jiujiu!

Seeing the arrogant way he held his chubby thin so high, Qin Xiao paused before deliberately changing the subject: “However, there is one more thing to do.”

Bai Lihong immediately lost his puffed up appearance and asked in a childish voice: “What else is there, Jiujiu?”

“Once the Imperial Examinations are over, we will have people at our disposal,” said Qin Xiao. “It’s about time we put pressure on certain parties.”

Purging the powerful noble families and vassal kings was a necessary task, but it must be done with a valid excuse.

Therefore, they needed to pressure those people into making mistakes and creating chaos amongst themselves, then find an opportunity to strike while simultaneously maintaining the moral high ground.

Chu Jiubian looked at him steadily, a faint smile on his lips: “How does this relate to keeping them in the capital?”

“Naturally, it’s so that we can bring them some ‘good news.’”

Qin Xiao spoke in a knowing tone.

Bai Lihong looked left and right, rubbing his little face as he said: “Uh-oh, I don’t get it.”

Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao both smiled.

Although the child didn’t understand, he gave them a silly smile in return.

Chu Jiubian’s heart melted, and he asked softly: “Does Your Majesty know about the Edict of Grace?”

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[1] Baxian (八贤) means “eight worthy/virtuous people.” ⮐

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Chapter 77 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 79