Joy of Life: I am Li Chengze, and I have mastered the Eight Wonders

Chapter 16 Corruption
Li Chengze and Fan Xian calmly took up Minister Guo's original positions, while Minister Guo tactfully stepped aside, keeping his head down the whole time, and occasionally signaled the painter with his eyes to quietly leave so as not to anger His Highness.

"Hey, why did you let the painter go? Wasn't the purpose to record the achievements?" Fan Xian pretended to be surprised.

"Your Highness, I strive to be simple in my actions and will handle the matter reported to you properly."

Sweat beads appeared on Minister Guo's forehead, and he was secretly anxious.

"Okay, then I'll ask you two questions. If you can answer them to my satisfaction, then I'll be fine. Otherwise..."

There was unquestionable authority in Li Chengze's words.

Minister Guo nodded quickly, indicating that he would tell him everything he knew.

Li Chengze casually threw the list of candidates recording the names of the helpers on the ground and asked, "What do you want to do with this list?"

Minister Guo smiled apologetically and said, "Most of these students are just hoping for the best, trying to win my favor by helping me, but in fact they are just opportunists.

I am afraid that this will corrupt the morale of the officialdom, so I took this action. "

Li Chengze sneered and said sarcastically:
"You can tell right from wrong, but you don't know how many poor kids have to give up their studies and work here just to survive. You are being too biased to generalize them."

Fan Xian nodded in agreement, knowing in his heart that although there were people like Hou Jichang, there were more students like Shi Chanli and Yang Wanli who were forced to make a living.

"Do you know how many of them are poor people who came from afar with dreams in their hearts? How unfair it is to erase their efforts and hopes just based on a list!"

Minister Guo nodded repeatedly, hurriedly picked up the list, handed it back to Li Chengze, and promised not to interfere with the candidates' helping matters and to pay the reward money as usual.

Li Chengze nodded slightly, and then asked the last question:
"Why did you replace the high-quality materials with cheap ones in the examination room? Could it be that you want to take this opportunity to commit corruption, and is there someone behind it who is instructing you?"

After hearing this, Minister Guo turned pale and panicked: "Your Highness, please understand that I have no such intention! I am dedicated to the country, how dare I be corrupt and pervert the law!"

He had never expected that His Highness would come to the examination room in person and quickly see through the trick. If this matter were to be exposed, the consequences would be disastrous.

Fan Xian watched coldly from the sidelines, secretly mocking himself. If Li Chengze hadn't been there, how could Minister Guo be so servile?

At this time, the unusual movement outside the shed attracted the attention of Minister Guo's guards. They mistakenly thought that an assassin was approaching and were about to draw their swords to attack.

However, the second prince's attendants appeared like ghosts and surrounded the guards.

Xie Bian and four other personal bodyguards stayed close to Li Chengze, forming a tense standoff with the guards who were unaware of the situation.

The noise in the examination room also alarmed the students who were helping out. They mistakenly believed that the Shangshu had met with an accident. Candidates led by Hou Jichang, in particular, impulsively picked up tools and prepared to rescue him.

However, in the eyes of Li Chengze and Fan Xian, all this was just another microcosm of the ugly officialdom.

Student Hou Jichang suddenly shouted loudly:
"Student Hou Jichang, come to protect the Shangshu!" As soon as these words came out, the students around were all stunned, thinking in their hearts:

How shameless is Hou Jichang?

Holding tiny stones, shouting and yelling outside, but not even having the courage to get close, can this be called protecting the emperor?
Afterwards, some students followed suit and shouted all kinds of words to protect the emperor, and the scene suddenly became funny and absurd.

A group of students who were confused about their future unknowingly directed their attacks against Li Chengze, who was supposed to be their savior, and regarded Minister Guo, who intended to push them into the abyss, as their protection.

Seeing this, Fan Xian felt pity and decided to remind everyone: "Dear students, can't you recognize the Second Prince just because he has changed into casual clothes?" As soon as these words came out, the guards suddenly realized what was going on and were all stunned. When did His Royal Highness the Second Prince get here?

Seeing that Minister Guo was so humble in front of the Second Prince, the guards dared not to be tough anymore. They dropped their weapons, knelt on the ground, and shouted in unison:

"Greetings to His Royal Highness the Second Prince!" The voice of apology resounded through the sky.

Hou Jichang and the others finally woke up from their dream. The "weapons" in their hands had already been taken away by Shi Chanli. He looked pale and his legs were shaking:

"Misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding! My stone can't even hurt a bird..."

Yang Wanli stood behind the crowd, watching coldly, but he understood everything in his heart.

He called out to Shi Chanli and Hou Jichang loudly. When the three of them climbed up to a higher place and looked into the distance, they were all dumbfounded when they saw the figure surrounded by masters:
"Brother Li...he is actually the second prince?!"

At this moment, there was a lot of noise inside and outside the examination room. Li Chengze looked around and felt secretly proud.

He wanted to take this opportunity to demonstrate the prince's majesty and teach Minister Guo and everyone present a profound lesson.

Minister Guo was extremely anxious when he saw the situation was getting out of control, and his clothes were soaked with sweat:
"Your Highness, can we move to another place to discuss this in detail? I will certainly follow your Highness's wishes."

Fan Xian interrupted at the right time, looking directly at Minister Guo with a stern gaze:
"Your Highness is asking you a question? Who told you to interrupt?" This scene made Minister Guo feel unprecedented pressure.

Faced with the students' discussions, Minister Guo, as the Minister of Rites, seemed particularly nervous about the quality of the materials for renovating the examination halls for the Spring Examination.

"Your Highness, this accusation is really a misunderstanding!" he hastily explained.
"Although the materials I have selected are not top-notch luxury, they are all high-quality products that ensure the stability and durability of the examination room. I have absolutely no intention of using inferior materials as good ones."

Li Chengze heard this and his eyes became even colder: "Oh?

Then why are the replacement golden nanmu and gold bricks, which are so valuable, still a mystery? Could it be that the Ministry of Revenue has enough funds, but you, Minister Guo, have other plans?"

Minister Guo's forehead was covered with sweat, and he quickly denied:
“Your Highness, please be advised that all the dismantled materials have been properly stored in the Ministry of Rites’ warehouse, and the accounts are clear, with absolutely no suspicion of corruption.

I know your highness's emphasis on integrity, so how dare I break the law?"

The students standing by were confused and had trouble telling the truth from the falsehood.

Shi Chanli and Hou Jichang exchanged puzzled glances, while Yang Wanli clenched his fists, a glimmer of hope ignited in his heart - perhaps the second prince could really seek justice for these poor children.

Li Chengze was very perceptive and hit the nail on the head:
“Could it be that Minister Guo wants to take this opportunity to showcase his new political achievements?

"To renovate an already perfect examination room just to add a touch of glamour to your resume? This is not what a gentleman would do if he wanted quick success and instant benefits."

After hearing this, Minister Guo turned pale. He did want to take this opportunity to show his ability and hoped to improve his political achievements by rebuilding the examination hall, but he never expected that His Highness would reveal his mistake.

At such a sensitive moment, he really did not dare to embezzle, but he had never expected that he would be exposed so directly for using the name of the project to promote himself.

After hearing this, the students began to discuss the matter and began to question Minister Guo's true intentions.

Li Chengze's move undoubtedly established an image of fairness and strictness in their hearts and made them see the dawn of hope.

(End of this chapter)