RPAGF Chapter 1492 Enko is fake!
Chapter 1492 Enko is fake!
“I arranged it. There were some old tables and chairs piled up in that corner, and I thought no one would rummage through them. So…”
"So you didn't send anyone to guard it?" Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze pierced Zhou Dexing like a knife.
Zhou Dexing lowered his head, not daring to say a word.
Zhu Qiwu spoke up: "Fourth Brother, don't blame Dexing yet. The fact that the people who stole the exam papers found that blind spot means they scouted the place beforehand. It's not Dexing's fault; it's that our precautions weren't enough."
Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Zhu Qiwu, said nothing, but his expression softened slightly.
Liu Bowen, standing nearby, said, "Young Master Qiwu, stealing the exam papers is secondary. The key issue is that they stole the papers from the third exam. The questions for the third exam had been altered, and they received the altered ones. If they prepare for the Suzhou candidates using the altered questions, then our special imperial examination will have been a waste."
Zhu Qiwu shook his head.
"Mr. Bowen, the revised questions they received are actually to our advantage."
Everyone was stunned.
Li Shanchang was the first to react: "Seventh Prince, you mean...?"
"The revised questions are more difficult than the originals," Zhu Qiwu said. "The original third question tested integrity—whether you cooperate or not. The revised question tests cunning—how to cooperate without being discovered. Those who can answer the revised questions well are more capable than those who can answer the original questions well. Even if the candidates in Suzhou were given time to prepare, Zhang Shicheng's men wouldn't be able to answer the revised questions well. Because they don't understand what 'strategic maneuvering' means."
Liu Bowen slowly unfolded his fan.
"You mean, you deliberately had the questions changed?"
“It wasn’t intentional,” Zhu Qiwu said, “but the result is the same. Zhou Xiaoqi copied the modified questions. Zhang Shicheng also got the modified questions. They got them, but they couldn’t use them.”
Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent for a long while, then smiled.
"You little rascal, you even foresaw this step."
"It wasn't planned, it was a counter-plan," Zhu Qiwu said. "Fourth Brother, don't worry too much about the stolen exam papers. They stole fifty-three papers, but we have three hundred. Even with fifty-three missing, we still have two hundred and forty-seven. When grading, we'll write down the names of the students who stole the fifty-three papers, and when the results are released, we won't accept any of them."
Li Shanchang was taking notes beside him, his hands trembling.
"Young Master Qiwu, what about today's results announcement...?"
"Release it as usual," Zhu Qiwu said. "Not only release it as usual, but release it on a grand scale. Let everyone in Yingtian Prefecture come and see."
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Qiwu: "What are you planning to do now?"
“I want to show Zhang Shicheng what our special imperial examination is like,” Zhu Qiwu said. “Didn’t he send someone to steal the exam questions? Well, let’s show him that even if he manages to steal them, his men won’t be able to outperform ours.”
"Alright. That's settled then. You'll oversee the announcement of the results. Dexing, you take some men and surround the examination hall with another layer of security. Today, when the results are announced, not even a fly is allowed to get in."
Zhou Dexing accepted the order and left.
Zhu Qiwu then turned to Liu Bowen: "Mr. Bowen, how is the grading of the examination papers going?"
“We’ve finished reviewing them.” Liu Bowen pulled a stack of papers from his sleeve. “Jinglian and I have finished reviewing the papers from the first and second rounds. Fifty-three papers from the third round were stolen, so we’ve also reviewed the remaining two hundred and forty-seven. According to your criteria, we selected eighty people from the first round, sixty from the second, and fifty from the third. A total of thirty-five people passed all three rounds.”
Thirty-five people.
Zhu Qiwu took the list and looked at it.
Chen Zilong passed all three matches.
Lu Wenzhao passed all three rounds.
Zhao Wenbin won all three matches.
Fang Zijing passed all three rounds.
He Wenchang passed all three matches.
Sun Xiucai passed all three rounds.
Qian Tinggui failed in the first round.
Liu Bancheng failed the first round.
Zhou Heizi failed the second round.
Of the thirteen people Zhang Shicheng had arranged, not one passed.
Only Sun Xiucai passed.
Zhu Qiwu looked at Sun Xiucai's name and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
Sun Xiucai passed on purpose. Letting him pass was a way to send a message back to Zou Tianyou.
"Mr. Bowen, when the results were announced, the names of all thirty-five people were made public. In addition, the names of the thirteen who did not pass were also made public."
Liu Bowen was taken aback: "Completely public?"
"Make it all public," Zhu Qiwu said. "Let everyone in Yingtian Prefecture see what the special imperial examination is about, what kind of people can pass, and what kind of people can't. Zhang Shicheng wants to get us, doesn't he? Then let's show him how his people get eliminated."
Liu Bowen thought for a while, then slowly nodded.
"Are you really only eighteen years old?"
"Mr. Bowen, you've asked this four times today."
"Because every time I ask, the answer is different."
Zhu Qiwu smiled but did not reply.
He turned and walked towards the examination hall.
Halfway there, Lu Wenzhao emerged from the street corner, holding the folding fan in his hand and smiling.
"Good morning, Seventh Young Master."
“Young Master Lu, you’ve come at the right time,” Zhu Qiwu said. “Have you recognized those three people you mentioned?”
"I recognized two. The third one hasn't shown up yet. But I guess he'll appear when the results are released."
"Why?"
"Because stealing the exam papers was only the first step. Their real goal wasn't to steal the papers, but to create chaos when the results were announced. They planned to take advantage of the confusion to tear down the announcement of the special imperial examination, burn the exam questions, and make everyone in Yingtian Prefecture believe that the special imperial examination was fake."
"Three people. One stole the exam papers, one tore down the notice, and one burned the exam questions. The division of labor was clear."
“Yes,” Lu Wenzhao said. “The one who stole the exam papers was named Qian Liu, a minor leader under Zhang Shicheng. He was quite skilled in martial arts, especially at scaling walls. The one who tore down the notice was named Sun Dadao, a rough man with great strength, good at fighting. The one who burned the exam papers…”
He paused.
"The person who burned the exam questions was named Zhao Wenli."
Zhu Qiwu's pupils contracted slightly.
"Zhao Wenli? Zhao Bulan's cousin?"
"Yes. It's him. He's Zhang Shicheng's second-in-command, ten times more difficult to deal with than Zhao Bulan. The three people who came to Yingtian Prefecture this time were all arranged by him."
Zhao Wenli. Zhang Shicheng's second-in-command.
This person is ten times more dangerous than Zhao Bulan.
"Young Master Lu, where is Zhao Wenli now?"
“I don’t know,” Lu Wenzhao said, “but he’ll definitely show up when the results are released. Because that’s when the crowds are largest, making it the easiest time to create chaos.”
Zhu Qiwu thought for a moment, then took out a night vision telescope and a public opinion index card from his pocket.
"Young Master Lu, please do me a favor."
"What's up?"
"When the results are posted, look for Zhao Wenli in the crowd. Once you find him, don't alert him; let me know using this." He handed Lu Wenzhao a pair of night-vision binoculars. "This thing can see people within fifty feet in the dark. It won't be fully light when the results are posted; use this to find him."
Lu Wenzhao took the binoculars and examined them from all angles.
"What is this?"
"Don't worry about what it is, just use it."
Lu Wenzhao smiled and put the binoculars away.
"Okay. I'm going then."
"Wait," Zhu Qiwu called after him, "There's one more thing. Those three, arrest them if you can, otherwise keep an eye on them. Especially Zhao Wenli, I want him alive."
Lu Wenzhao paused for a moment, then nodded. "Understood."
He turned and left, his white figure disappearing around the street corner.
Zhu Qiwu stood there, looking in the direction he had disappeared.
Then he turned to Tang and...
"Tang He, go and fetch Xu Da. We need to rearrange the process of posting the results."
Tang accepted the order and left.
Zhu Qiwu stood alone on the street, opened the system panel, and looked at today's sign-in rewards.
Ding, check-in successful. Reward: One megaphone tube, which can amplify sound tenfold and transmit it within a radius of 200 feet. Bonus: Five smoke bombs, which release dense smoke that lasts for half an hour when lit, and are non-toxic.
Zhu Qiwu carefully put away the megaphone tube and the smoke bomb.
Smoke grenades. These might come in handy when the results are announced.
If Zhao Wenli really comes to burn the questions, the smoke bomb can choke him out.
Half an hour later, the entrance to the examination hall in Yingtian Prefecture was already packed with people.
Zhu Qiwu stood on the second floor of the examination hall, looking down through the window. A dense crowd stretched from the entrance of the examination hall all the way to five streets away. Some carried lanterns, some held torches, and some stood on tiptoe to peek inside.
Fang Zijing stood at the entrance of the examination hall, holding a stack of red papers, and was posting the notice for the special imperial examination on the wall.
Tang He led twenty personal guards on patrol around the examination hall, each carrying a knife.
Xu Da led fifty soldiers to surround the examination hall in two layers, three layers inside and three layers outside, making it impossible to pass through.
Zhou Dexing led thirty archers to lie prone on the rooftop opposite the examination hall, their arrows aimed at the entrance of the examination hall.
Liu Bowen and Song Lian stood in the main hall of the examination hall, with thirty-five examination papers in front of them, making their final checks.
Zhu Yuanzhang did not come. He waited for news at the Prince of Wu's residence. But Zhu Qiwu could sense that his fourth brother's gaze was always on him.
The sky was getting brighter.
More and more people were gathering at the entrance of the examination hall.
Zhu Qiwu listened to the voices in the crowd with his upgraded version of Super Ear. Most people were talking about Enke; some were excited, some were nervous, and some were skeptical.
"Do you think this Enko is real or fake?"
"Of course it's true! I've memorized all the questions the Seventh Prince set!"
"I heard Zhang Shicheng sent people to steal the exam questions; I wonder if they succeeded."
"So what if they stole it? Our people aren't just sitting around doing nothing."
Zhu Qiwu listened to these discussions and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
The people's hearts are with us.
The 73 percent figure on the public opinion index card is accurate.
It was completely light when the sky brightened.
Zhu Qiwu picked up the megaphone tube and went to the second-floor balcony of the examination hall.
The people below fell silent upon seeing him.
"Fellow citizens of Yingtian Prefecture!" Zhu Qiwu's voice blared through a megaphone, clearly audible within a two-hundred-foot radius, "The examination papers for the special imperial examination have been reviewed. The results will be released today. Those who pass will be appointed to official positions on the spot. Those who fail can try again next year. The special imperial examination is real; those who pass will be given official positions, salaries, and land. Anyone who doesn't believe it can come and see the results now!"
A cheer erupted from the crowd.
Zhu Qiwu put down the megaphone and nodded to Tang He.
Tang He picked up a piece of red paper and began to read out names.
"First place: Chen Zilong, from Qingtian, Zhejiang. He passed all three sections. He received first-class honors in Classics, Policy Essays, and Practical Skills."
A commotion broke out in the crowd.
"Who is Chen Zilong? I've never heard of him."
"It's from Qingtian, and the recommendation letter was written by Mr. Liu Bowen. How could it be bad?"
Fang Zijing wrote Chen Zilong's name at the top and then pasted it on the wall.
"Second place: Lu Wenzhao, from Suzhou. He passed all three sections. He received first-class honors in Classics, Policy Essays, and Practical Skills."
The crowd stirred again.
"Lu Wenzhao? Isn't that Zhang Shicheng's strategist? Why is he taking the imperial examination?"
"They've abandoned the darkness and embraced the light. The Seventh Prince said that if you pass the exam, you'll be given an official position; he doesn't care who you were before."
Zhu Qiwu, watching from the second floor, noticed that the expressions of several people in the crowd were off.
The group of people were dressed in ordinary clothes, but they positioned themselves carefully. One was on the left side of the entrance to the examination hall, one on the right, and the other at the very back of the crowd.
The one on the left—Name: Qian Liu. Identity: Zhang Shicheng's spy. Martial Arts: Superior. Loyalty: Superior.
The one on the right—Name: Sun Dadao. Occupation: Zhang Shicheng's henchman. Martial Arts: Superior. Loyalty: Superior.
The last one—Name: Zhao Wenli. Position: Zhang Shicheng's second strategist. Literary talent: Top-tier. Political acumen: Top-tier. Danger level: Extremely high.
All three of them arrived.
Zhu Qiwu gripped the balcony railing tightly.
Tang He is still saying his name.
"Third place, Zhao Wenbin, from Suzhou. Passed all three rounds..."
"Fourth place: Fang Zijing, from Jinhua Prefecture. He passed all three rounds..."
"Fifth place, He Wenchang, from Liujia Village. Passed all three rounds..."
They read out the names one by one, until all thirty-five names had been read.
Then Tang He took out the second piece of red paper.
"The following is a special note regarding this special examination. The questions for the third session of this special examination were altered before the exam. The altered questions were more difficult than the originals. However, all thirty-five people who passed the exam did so using the altered questions. What does this show? It shows that those who pass our special examination not only have backbone, but also intelligence."
Another commotion broke out in the crowd.
Zhu Qiwu stared at the three people.
Qian Liu stood on the left, his hands tucked into his sleeves, seemingly fiddling with something.
Sun Dadao stood on the right, his eyes fixed on the notice on the wall, as if he were looking for something.
Zhao Wenli stood at the very back, holding a folding fan in his hand, his expression calm.
It's too peaceful.
Zhu Qiwu's intuition told him that Zhao Wenli was about to make a move.
Just then, a loud shout came from behind the crowd.
"Enko is fake! The questions were stolen! Don't believe it!"
Everyone turned their heads away.
Sun Dadao had somehow squeezed to the front of the crowd, holding up a piece of paper and shouting loudly.
"Enke's questions were stolen from Suzhou! The Seventh Prince (a nickname for a young master) has no idea how to set questions! What kind of questions could an eighteen-year-old kid like him possibly come up with? Don't be fooled!"
The crowd began to stir.
Zhu Qiwu did not move.
He looked at Sun Dadao, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
Tang was the first to react, grabbing his knife and rushing over. (End of Chapter)