Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!-Chapter 654: Your Servant Pleads Guilty_1

Time flew by, and by the afternoon, within the grand hall, Rongchuan had managed to treat the Emperor as if he were air. There was no helping it, after all, the Emperor kept strolling around, doing so frequently enough that concern turned into indifference. Better to focus all attention on the essays.

The Emperor seemed particularly fond of taking strolls today. Those with stronger psychological resilience slowly stopped minding the Emperor’s presence, while those with weaker mental fortitude were greatly affected.

This situation was a real test of one’s mental strength, and the Emperor remained completely oblivious to it.

Shen Yang’s robes were soaked with sweat on his back; he told himself not to care, but couldn’t help but pay attention. The more attention he paid, the worse his once-sure performance became, barely managing to eke out eighty percent of his capability, even his handwriting was worse than usual.

Shi Qing had one mindset: no matter what happened, he couldn’t afford to be distracted. This time, it wasn’t just about his own fate, it was a turning point for his future, and for his descendants. Not the slightest error was permissible, and today, Shi Qing exceeded his usual performance by a great deal.

In the end, the Emperor couldn’t resist standing by Rongchuan’s side. The more he watched the boy, the more satisfied he became; Rongchuan’s entire essay remained uninfluenced by his presence. After so many years, it was rare for the Emperor to take a liking to someone after just one meeting; his first reaction to anything was always scrutiny.

The Emperor caressed the palm of his hand—this was not normal, highly abnormal, especially for someone like himself who had successfully led a rebellion and been in power for many years. Therefore, Zhang Rongchuan required a thorough investigation. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

The Emperor turned and glanced at Zhou Changlian again. This candidate wasn’t bad either. Even without Ning Xu’s approval, this child could shine on his own merits.

In the Empress’s bedchamber, the Empress asked the Female Officer, "Is it almost over out there?"

The Female Officer replied, "Yes."

The Empress’s fingertips touched a twig from the other day, where a bud was now opening, "No need to change the incense today."

The Female Officer respectfully said, "Understood."

The palace examination finally concluded, and the answer sheets on the desks were collected. Some were nearly perfect, some were flustered, and others felt a sense of relief that it was finally over.

Everyone stood up and left the grand hall in an orderly fashion; it was already dusk, and fortunately, the sunset was still visible.

They left following their designated places, in perfect order.

The Emperor watched everyone depart from a high vantage point, then said to Eunuch Liu beside him, "Summon Marquis Ning to the Palace."

Eunuch Liu felt a swirl in his stomach but responded, "Yes."

Outside the Palace gates, those who knew each other gathered in small groups, and some were in no hurry to return by carriage.

Chang Lian stood with Rongchuan, and upon seeing Shi Qing waving, called, "Shi Qing, over here!"

Shi Qing quickly walked over, "I was just looking for you guys."

Rongchuan replied, "Brother Shi, let’s go back to the Zhou residence together."

Shi Qing, not wanting to return to his cold home, also wanted to share his experience with others, "Agreed."

The three walked slowly toward the direction of the carriages, and only when they were far from the Palace gates did Rongchuan speak softly, "Today, I nearly lost my composure."

Chang Lian, still trembling at the memory, added, "Me too. He stood beside me several times; my heart nearly leapt out of my chest."

Rongchuan felt that the Emperor spent the most time by his side, and for particularly long periods, "Right now, all I want is to enjoy a good meal at home and then have a good night’s sleep."

Shi Qing was slightly better off, fixated on performing well at the time, "Look at the two of you; try not to have nightmares tonight."

Chang Lian was still shaken, "That’s unpredictable."

Chatting and laughing, the three men boarded the carriage, and on the Zhou family’s carriage, refreshments and honey water had been prepared.

Chang Lian drank the honey water and ate the refreshments, saying, "This must be mother’s doing."

Rongchuan thought it was his aunt’s idea.

Shi Qing inwardly thought how nice it was to return to the Zhou residence, unlike himself who had to take the carriage back to his own cold house, with no one to care for such things.

Shen Yang boarded his carriage, and the young servant, seeing his master’s distracted look, asked, "Young master, what’s the matter?"

Shen Yang’s forehead still beaded with a cold sweat, "I didn’t perform well this time. The Emperor was constantly circling around me, and I felt he was always watching me. Now it’s done, I don’t know how Zhou Changlian performed, but I hope he also underperformed like me."

The servant fell silent, "Young master, you seem too preoccupied with Third Young Master Zhou."

Shen Yang replied bitterly, "I need to save face. That time Zhou Changlian mocked me in front of so many people, making everyone at the inn unwilling to associate with me; I must win back my pride."

Unbeknownst to Chang Lian, Shen Yang still harbored thoughts about him; meanwhile, he was discussing the articles he composed with Shi Qing and Rongchuan.

An excited Chang Lian was gesturing as he spoke, "I referred to some advice my father had given me, and it was a tremendous help this time."

Especially since his father had mentioned more than once the importance of road construction.

Inwardly, Shi Qing still envied Zhou Changlian for having such a capable father, which gave him an advantage over many others. Master Zhou certainly hadn’t held back in privately tutoring his own son.

Rongchuan’s eyes curved, "I also cited several sources, but I made some modifications."

Chang Lian responded, "Let’s compare our answers."

Rongchuan shared his references, and Chang Lian covered his face with his hand, "Why didn’t I think of that? I feel your approach is better."

Chang Lian inwardly sighed, realizing his perception was indeed not as sharp as Rongchuan’s. Had it not been for his knowledgeable father and dedicated mentor, and his own extra effort, he wouldn’t have achieved today’s success. This time, he truly did his best.

Rongchuan remarked, "Third Brother’s writing is also very good; there are points you mentioned that I hadn’t considered."

Rongchuan wasn’t just being comforting; he genuinely thought his third brother did well. In the entire Zhou family, Chang Lian was the most diligent in his studies. If he didn’t understand something after ten tries, he would go over it a hundred times, and this resilience really impressed Rongchuan.

Shi Qing, who had been quietly listening, and considering the discussions between Chang Lian and Rongchuan, lightened up quite a bit, "It seems we all did well. I’m looking forward to seeing good results."

Chang Lian clenched his fist, "We’ve completed the hundred paces; now all that’s left is the final result. Let’s hope we all get good outcomes."

He simply hoped he wasn’t just another degree holder; he wasn’t greedy for the highest rank but hoped to be placed in the second class.

Inside the Palace, Ning Xu walked towards the government hall, conflicting feelings had troubled him these past few days, torn over whether to tell the Emperor about his discoveries. He had held back, feeling it better if the Emperor saw the situation for himself and also curious to witness the Emperor’s reaction, given his suspicious nature.

Yet to his surprise, the Emperor had summoned him first.

Upon arriving at the government hall, Ning Xu was about to bow when the Emperor spoke, "No need for formalities. I summoned you because there’s a matter I need you to investigate."

Hearing this, Ning Xu felt reassured; the Emperor’s perception of Rongchuan was indeed different. At this moment, there was nothing to hide, and he quickly knelt, saying, "This servant begs for forgiveness."

The Emperor instantly understood, Ning Xu must have met Zhang Rongchuan and even conducted an investigation, "What have you found? Your interest in the examination list the other day was because of Zhang Rongchuan, wasn’t it?"