The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Xiong Gan didn't expect that he would prove his innocence by having nothing to do with him.

Li Dongyang's eyes moved slightly and he whispered to Xie Qian: "This kid is quite smart."

Xie Qian hummed.

The officials lowered their heads, knowing that it couldn't be Yan Chengjin.

Yan Chengjin is already one of the Nine Qings.

Although he is not as good as the six ministries and the cabinet, he is still a third-rank official. He lost his official title because of Yan Song, so he can't do it.

Rokubu looked at each other, exchanging glances, as if asking, do you want to defend him?

Yan Chengjin looked at Emperor Hongzhi: "Your Majesty, can I prove myself in this way?"

During the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong once drew lots to decide Liu Yong's life.

The two lots placed in the bowl both had death written on them.

The minister thought that Liu Yong would definitely die.

But Liu Yong grabbed one and swallowed it. As long as it proves that the thing in the bowl is a dead lot, it means that he swallowed a live lot.

God-like operations are often used to solve seamless dead situations.

"But this Confucian dress was indeed worn into the Gongyuan by Yan Song, and only you know the design."

"The sealing officer of the Ministry of Rites also knows that if Mr. Xiong feels that it is related to me, please provide evidence of guilt."

Yan Chengjin did not ask further: "If there is no proof of innocence, please allow your Majesty to hand it over to the Metropolitan Procuratorate for investigation."

All the officials wanted to speak but stopped.

Under the imperial examination system of the Ming Dynasty, the test papers were printed by the candidates themselves and brought into the examination room.

In addition to Yan Chengjin, the Ministry of Rites also knew the test papers two days in advance. There is really no evidence to identify Yan Chengjin.

"Your Majesty, although Yan Chengjin can prove himself, in order to avoid suspicion, it is better to hand it over to the Ministry of Punishment or Dali Temple for trial."

Xiong Gan bowed slightly and cursed Xu Mu in his heart as being as stupid as a pig and a dog, and he would not make the trap deeper when he was being framed. Yan Chengjin said it through in such a simple way.

There really aren't any clues related to Yan Chengjin.

Emperor Hongzhi looked at Liu Jian: "What do Mr. Liu think?"

"Leaving it to the Ministry of Punishment and Dali Temple will be more convincing to the candidates all over the world."

Imperial examination fraud involving officials has always been tried by the Ministry of Punishment and Dali Temple.

Xiong Gan let out a sigh of relief.

As long as the cabinet approves, the case must be heard by the Ministry of Punishment.

Yang Tinghe raised his head slightly, wanting to defend Yan Chengjin.

He thought to himself: "The exam papers are still in Gongyuan. If Xiong Gan decides that Yan Chengjin has leaked, all the policy questions that he answered will be invalid. Wouldn't it be unfair for Shen'er to fail like this?"

Yan Chengjin narrowed his eyes slightly, fearing that Xiong Gan would harm him.

Fortunately, he still has a hand.

"Master Xiong cannot investigate this case."

"Why?"

"I have a bullet seal here. Please take a look at it."

Yan Chengjin hasn't handed in bullets for a long time.

Suddenly, he took out a bullet from his sleeve, and the officials' hearts tightened. Who was going to suffer?

Xiong Gan's whole body was cold and sweat broke out on his forehead. He was the person Yan Chengjin was investigating recently.

Emperor Hongzhi looked carefully.

This bullet was written, and when the prince left the capital, Xiong Gan sent a letter to King Ning.

Mou Bin said that when he returned to the capital from the northwest, he encountered two groups of assassins. At this moment, he couldn't help but think about a lot.

He looked at Xiong Gan: "Xiong Qing's family, have you ever sent a message to Prince Ning?"

Xiong Gan secretly scolded Yan Chengjin for being shameless and pondered for a moment: "Yes, I heard that Prince Ning had saffron. My mother was still angry, so she sent someone to Prince Ning's mansion to get some saffron to make medicinal tea."

When I sent someone to Jiangnan, I really asked King Ning for saffron.

Saffron is a rare medicinal material abundant in Songjiang Prefecture.

"Yan Song wore Confucian clothes to pay tribute to the courtyard. It must be true, right?

I heard that your majesty allowed him to continue answering questions. However, if he could do so, his examination paper should be invalidated. "

Zhang Sheng felt that this could ensure the fairness of the imperial examination.

Several officials from the Ministry of Rites nodded.

"I second the proposal!"

"I second the proposal!"

Yan Song was a little panicked, and kowtowed to Emperor Hongzhi, nervous and aggrieved: "Your Majesty, it is clear to you! I am really unjust for being born late..."

But he found that he had no relatives and no officials were willing to speak for him.

At this moment, a masculine voice remembered: "Your Majesty, wait."

Yan Chengjin said calmly: "Yan Song must have been wronged."

Only then did Yan Song see clearly, was this Yan Chengjin's true face? He was a little surprised.

All the officials were equally surprised that Yan Chengjin would speak for this scholar.

Emperor Hongzhi looked stunned. He heard that Yan Chengjin almost forced Yan Song to leave the capital: "Why?"

Before Yan Chengjin could answer, Zhu Houzhao said seriously: "My son tested Yan Song with a fake strategy question, but he didn't accept it."

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is right, Jin Yiwei can testify."

The Jin Yiwei are the eyes and ears of the imperial court and the most trusted person by His Majesty.

Yan Song was dumbfounded and looked at Zhu Houzhao, you are...actually the prince of the Ming Dynasty?

"How could he blatantly write down the plan on paper?"

Emperor Hongzhi took a deep breath: "Pass on my decree and leave it to Dali Temple for investigation."

Yan Chengjin lowered his head, Jin Yiwei was probably going to investigate Xiong Xiu.

Xiong Xiu felt as if he had been caught trying to steal a chicken, and his back became wet.

outside the palace,

The scholars gathered in front of the Gongyuan, waiting for the official to release the news.

After the exam, I learned that this year another examiner had an affair with a candidate and cheated, and they all shouted that God was unfair.

“This year’s exam in Beizhili was simple, but the study of mind only tested the unity of knowledge and action. I finally passed the exam with great difficulty.”

"But now it is rumored that Qiu Wei has leaked the questions again, and I don't know how many people's exam papers have been invalidated."

The candidates who had been disqualified once in the eleventh year of Hongzhi knelt on the ground, crying and roaring to the sky.

What's more, they complained about the bumpy official career and called the invigilators and soldiers a loser.

Xiao Jing personally took the imperial edict to the Yamen of Dali Temple.

"Mr. Chang, the answer sheet of Gongyuan is still sealed. Your Majesty has asked you to solve the case within two days."

The candidates’ papers are still waiting for marking.

Chang Yuanxi was a little confused.

When the three divisions met to interrogate Cheng Minzheng, they didn't ask him about it. He didn't want to take on the imperial examination case at all.

"Eunuch Xiao, can you show me the way?"

"Hey, there's no way. It was recommended by Mr. Liu. Mr. Chang should find a way on his own."

After Xiao Jing left, Chang Yuanxi racked his brains and couldn't figure out where to start.

"There is only one piece of Confucian clothing as evidence, and the clue is the handwriting, but the handwriting can be imitated..."

He sent someone to ask Yan Song. He washed the clothes himself and didn't know who had stolen them.

After sitting in the duty room for a long time, I decided to ask Wang Shouren.

When Wang Shouren was in the Ministry of Punishment, he retried many old unjust cases and had superb investigative skills.

"My dear nephew, can you help Shibo analyze this case?"

Wang Shouren felt that with Brother Gao's temperament, he would not be at his wits end: "Chang Shibo might as well go find Brother Gao. My nephew guessed that he would also investigate secretly."

"Brother Gao?"

"That's the censor of the capital, Yan Chengjin."

Chang Yuanxi was suspicious and came to the small courtyard of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. He had seen Yan Chengjin in the morning and recognized him.

"Mr. Chang came to see me, but you want some clues?"

"Exactly."

Yan Chengjin thought about it carefully and said seriously: "I feel that Xiong Gan wants to harm me."

Chang Yuanxi choked on his saliva and almost couldn't breathe: "Sir Yan, you can write random memorials, but you can't fix the crime randomly."

Rumor has it that this guy is stable, but I see that you are not stable at all, just open your mouth and come!

Yan Chengjin also had no clue, so he could only start with Xiong Gan, but there was no news yet.

"Master Chang, please go back first."

The next morning,

When Yan Chengjin came to check the room, he saw Fang Xue coming back.

"The matter that your Excellency wants to investigate has been found. Lord Xiong has been to Xu Mu's house. It was not Lord Xiong who framed him, but Xu Mu.

There is a maid who can testify. There are many things involved in this matter. How should you deal with it? "

Xu Mu was a Jinshi in the Chenghua Dynasty. He was an official in Southern Zhili and was later promoted to Northern Zhili.

"To Lord Chang of Dali Temple."

Early in the morning, Dali Temple.

Chang Yuanxi walked into the Yamen with his head lowered. He lay awake all night and could not think of any clues.

Menzao fiddled with the broom a few times, feeling weak.

"These are my soap shoes, not leaves!" Chang Yuanxi said angrily.

The secretary ran in and said, "Master Temple, Mr. Fang is here and said that he has a witness to give to you."