Chapter 24 The Cheat Exposed
I told Mother the truth: Shen Wanrong could barely read.
Our remaining spies went back to work.
It didn’t take long to uncover where her confidence came from.
Xie Chengzong used his connections to learn how the Women’s Examination papers were stored and transported. Then he bribed officials to obtain the questions early.
Wang Shaoheng called on the Wang family’s scholarly network. Dozens of scholars each wrote an essay.
Xie Yunting stitched the pieces together into one flawless policy paper.
Many minds, one perfect answer.
That was why Shen Wanrong dared proclaim herself future top scholar.
Shen Wanrong had brought this on herself.
Mother wasn’t going to let her get away with it.
She asked my thoughts first, then sent every shred of evidence—anonymous—to the Inspectorate.
“Let’s see whether the ruthless Inspectorate will spare her just because she thinks she’s the female lead.”
They did not.
The Women’s Examination was the Long Princess’s first great reform after taking power.
Any lingering private opposition vanished when women across the realm embraced it with joy.
Imperial examinations had always broad been sacred. Cheating was unforgivable.
Shen Wanrong had walked straight into the blade.
The Long Princess was furious. She demanded harsh punishment.
Xie Chengzong’s title was stripped. Everyone involved was imprisoned.
Yet just as sentencing neared, the Emperor died. The Long Princess ascended the throne and declared a general amnesty.
Mother, wary of breaking the world itself, advised leniency.
The Xie father and son, along with Shen Wanrong, were released to a crumbling kiln cave to fend for themselves.
Wang Shaoheng was struck from the Wang family register and cast out.
Somehow he ended up in the same kiln cave.
The original plot’s line—“the four would entangle for life”—came true after all.
Only now there were no servants, no money.
Whatever “entanglement” awaited them would be very different.