Zhuang Dongqing: “……”

Zhuang Dongqing: “…………” Taking a step back, the sea is vast and the sky is wide; enduring for a moment brings calm winds and clear skies. Zhuang Dongqing not only could endure, but he could also climb up the ladder, nodding and flattering, “Your Highness is wise.”

Cen Yan’s smile deepened as he pointed to two statements and returned to the main topic: “Let’s take a look first.” The statement from Lord Zhuang was the same as what Zhuang Dongqing heard when he met him; there was no difference. It was just normal work, coming and going, with no core tasks involved, mainly doing odd jobs, and according to his rank, he wouldn’t even have access to the exam papers.

After reading Lord Zhuang’s statement, Zhuang Dongqing cautiously raised his eyes to look at Cen Yan. Cen Yan was in a good mood, extending his hand to help him uncover the statement in front of him, his long, bony finger tapping on the next page. Zhuang Dongqing lowered his head to read. His older brother was quite the performer. Halfway through, he felt a bit anxious, and by the end, he moved his body uncomfortably.

Regaining his composure, he mentally reviewed the charges: cheating in the imperial examination, colluding with examiners, using coded language on the papers—well, to put it more seriously, manipulating the examination, showing contempt for the law, and great disrespect; all of it was indeed applicable. Especially since Zhuang Yue had the blood of the Bi family flowing through him, being a distant descendant, it was even less likely he would be let off lightly.

Zhuang Dongqing was somewhat drenched in sweat. He slightly raised his eyes to peek at Cen Yan. The man was sitting right in front of him, propping his chin with one hand, tilting his head slightly as he looked at him. He was definitely good-looking, but the curve of his lips seemed to be waiting to see a joke, full of schadenfreude.

“Your Highness,” Zhuang Dongqing spoke, pondering cautiously, “I’ve finished reading.” He still handed over the initiative to Cen Yan. After all, it was he who had let him read the statement first. Since he let him read, he must have something to say about it.

“Mm.” Cen Yan nodded, “What did you find out?” Zhuang Dongqing’s heart sank. Under Cen Yan’s piercing gaze, he steeled himself and said, “My father has been honest in his duties and hasn’t made any mistakes.”

“And your older brother?” Alright, that was intentional. Zhuang Dongqing took a deep breath and spoke honestly, “My older brother colluded with the examiners, used coded language on the papers, and cheated in the examination.”

Cen Yan’s voice was slow, “Do you know what the punishment for cheating in the imperial examination is?”

“I know a little.”

“Oh, tell me about it.” Zhuang Dongqing looked at Cen Yan again, who returned him a sly smile, clearly asking on purpose. Knowing that trouble was brewing, Zhuang Dongqing had already looked into the punishments for cheating in the imperial examination over the years.

“The lightest punishment is the cancellation of examination qualifications, with public humiliation; a heavier punishment is dismissal, revoking any titles previously earned, and a lifetime ban from participating in the imperial examination; and the heaviest punishment could lead to execution…” Zhuang Dongqing’s eyelashes trembled lightly, and Cen Yan remained silent, still wearing that slightly smiling expression.

Their gazes met for a moment, and since the other party didn’t respond, Zhuang Dongqing had to continue: “First, public humiliation, which could last from a few weeks to several months, depending on the situation, followed by corporal punishment. If that isn’t enough, it might lead to exile…”

“And if it’s heavier?” Cen Yan’s smile faded, and he asked again. Zhuang Dongqing felt a chill run down his spine, and under his gaze, he had to reply, “For serious cases, the punishment is death.”

Cen Yan straightened up, the distance between them slightly widening, and the oppressive feeling lessened considerably. “You’ve covered it quite comprehensively.” With his bony fingers tapping on that statement again, Cen Yan said softly, “So, young master, what do you think will happen to your older brother?”

Zhuang Dongqing opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words. His lips trembled and then closed again. Then he shut his eyes. Just when Cen Yan thought the other party wouldn’t answer anymore, Zhuang Dongqing looked at him again, this time his gaze no longer timid, but rather focused, saying, “According to the law, he would lose his examination qualifications, and corporal punishment would suffice; however, this time is different. Right now, if he can keep his life, that would be a great fortune.”

Cen Yan’s brows moved slightly. Zhuang Dongqing let him scrutinize, his gaze firm, looking quite brave, but— As his gaze fell, one could see that his fingers were tightly clenched in his sleeve. He was still nervous, just no longer avoiding it.

Cen Yan’s expression turned serious, “That’s right.”

“That’s the current situation of the Zhuang family.”

“There are ways to resolve it.” Zhuang Dongqing let out a sigh of relief, listening attentively. Cen Yan: “First, handle it according to the rules. Lord Zhuang hasn’t committed any crimes; as long as your father doesn’t protect your older brother, the worst that could happen is a reprimand for negligence, dismissal, or demotion, or perhaps being sent out of the capital. In any case, his life would be safe.”

After all, the matter with the Crown Prince was a case of poor parenting, and the Emperor would only impose a lighter punishment. “Second, if you want to keep your official position, what does the old saying say? When disaster strikes, everyone for themselves. If Lord Zhuang is ruthless enough to divorce his wife, then the Zhuang family and the Bi family can completely sever ties, each discussing their own matters. Your older brother’s case might even be judged as instigated by the Bi family.”

Huh? Zhuang Dongqing was surprised. Cen Yan: “Generally speaking, there are these two options.”

“What do you think, young master?” Zhuang Dongqing thought for a moment, hesitating, “Then, what about Zhuang Yue?” These two methods didn’t mention at all what would happen to Zhuang Yue, so was he just going to be left out? Would Zhuang Yue be executed?

Cen Yan: “Do you want to protect him?” Zhuang Dongqing stammered, “I just want to ask if there are any other ways…” Being asked like this, he thought of something else. In ancient families, they were all connected by blood. If Zhuang Yue were to die, would it really have no impact on the Zhuang family? If it truly had no impact, then why would Cen Yan bother to ask him?

“Of course there are. Didn’t you come to the royal residence for help? So, what do you want to do?” Cen Yan’s gaze was straight, his emotions unreadable, completely restrained. Zhuang Dongqing couldn’t understand, nor could he read him, feeling a bit dazed. Liu Qi, beside him, was sweating nervously.

“I want?” Zhuang Dongqing was confused. Cen Yan smiled, “Aren’t you seeking help? You can’t expect the royal residence to do all the work and give you all the ideas, right?” After a pause, he pointedly said, “After all, the two methods mentioned above can already ensure he doesn’t fall into disgrace.”

Talking about children. Pointing at him. Using Zhuang Dongqing’s reason for seeking help against him. Hmm. That does make sense. After all, this wasn’t the royal residence’s business. Zhuang Dongqing quickly recalled the plot. If he wanted the Zhuang family to have a better outcome, he needed to add another layer of protection. What should he do?

Right, he remembered… Zhuang Dongqing’s scattered gaze refocused, slowly looking at Cen Yan again, wanting to say something but hesitating. Cen Yan’s voice was gentle, “What did you think of? Share it with me.” It sounded like encouragement, but also like temptation. Zhuang Dongqing always felt there was a pitfall in those words. But he couldn’t figure it out. He could only be himself, speaking honestly, “The deed has been done, and it is what it is. If Zhuang Yue wants to reduce his punishment, can he, can he report first?”

“Assist the three divisions in handling the case, and under this pretext, he could reduce his punishment?”

“?” Cen Yan, “Hmm?” Zhuang Dongqing repeated it again, this time the words flowed smoothly. Cen Yan was surprised, suddenly laughing, “Do you know what you’re saying?”

“I know, it might be difficult, but Zhuang Yue doesn’t have the surname Bi after all.” Cen Yan was genuinely interested now, suddenly leaning closer to Zhuang Dongqing, almost pressing his face against his, scrutinizing him inch by inch. Zhuang Dongqing’s body was covered in goosebumps, and he didn’t dare to retreat, forcing himself to stay upright.

After a while, Zhuang Dongqing’s eyelashes were trembling, feeling scared. Cen Yan suddenly got a bit playful, raising his hand quickly, and Zhuang Dongqing’s forced calmness instantly crumbled, his eyes closing as he shrank back.

“Hahahaha.”

“Am I that scary?” Zhuang Dongqing: “……” You’re the one who has killed the most, what do you think, big brother?! Perhaps his gaze was too mournful, and Cen Yan laughed even more joyfully. Don’t get angry, don’t get angry; if you get sick, no one will replace you.

Zhuang Dongqing tried to return to the main topic, “Isn’t this not feasible?” Cen Yan crossed his arms, his brows relaxing, and because of this laughter, his voice became much lighter, “I’m just the Deputy Minister of the Dali Temple; why not ask me to be lenient instead of seeking help from afar?”

Because you can’t solve it either. Big brother, you’re just acting on behalf of the Emperor… Zhuang Dongqing was stunned for a moment, slowly realizing what the pitfall he felt earlier was. Lowering his eyes, Zhuang Dongqing chose to speak kindly, “If raising a hand could solve it, Your Highness wouldn’t need to ask me. Since you asked, it must be that this case involves a lot and can’t be brushed aside.”

Cen Yan: “Like this.” Those two words again, Zhuang Dongqing had already heard them to the point of numbness. Cen Yan stopped laughing and said seriously, “Although it’s difficult, this method is indeed good.” It’s also the only solution without future repercussions.

“But can Zhuang Yue listen to you?” The Bi family was Zhuang Yue’s maternal family; reporting his own family would require some courage and determination. Zhuang Dongqing shook his head, “He won’t listen to me.”

“But there’s someone he will definitely listen to.” Cen Yan: “Who?”

“Madam Zhuang, Bi Shuyu.” Cen Yan raised an eyebrow, “You want the Bi family woman to persuade her own son to report the Bi family?”

“Isn’t that a personal vendetta?” It wasn’t a secret that the Bi family treated Zhuang Dongqing poorly. Asking her to persuade her son to report his maternal family… that was akin to killing him emotionally. Zhuang Dongqing, however, didn’t seem pleased; he simply thought, “I just feel that compared to my father, the madam wants to protect her own son more.”

As soon as he said this, it drew a deep look from Cen Yan. But Zhuang Dongqing still kept his head down, completely unaware. Since there was a plan, it was necessary to return to the Zhuang family.

After lunch, Zhuang Dongqing got into the carriage, and Cen Yan followed him in. Zhuang Dongqing was puzzled, and Cen Yan only said, “I’ll go with you; maybe I can help persuade Madam Zhuang.” Zhuang Dongqing didn’t believe a word of it. But he couldn’t stop Cen Yan, so he said nothing and let it be.

When they arrived at the Zhuang residence, Cen Yan didn’t accompany Zhuang Dongqing but assigned a team led by Hao San to him, calmly instructing, “You still need to keep an eye on them; you can’t mess it up every time.” Hao San nodded nervously. Zhuang Dongqing felt he couldn’t refuse and didn’t say much.

After the people went to the main courtyard, Cen Yan finished a cup of tea, stood up, and asked a servant to lead the way to see Zhuang Dongqing’s courtyard. The servant was about to refuse when he saw the royal guards draw their swords, the flash of silver making people panic. How could they dare to say anything? They immediately bowed and led the way.

Zhuang Dongqing’s small courtyard could be described as simple without exaggeration. Cen Yan walked around, and it was clear that the four walls were bare, with nothing of note. Liu Qi went to check the wardrobe; Zhuang Dongqing and Liu Fu each had only one set of clothes. Making new ones would take time, so he thought of using some old ones first. Upon seeing the patches, Liu Qi fell silent.

Looking at Cen Yan, Cen Yan chuckled, “This mistress is doing quite well.” After picking through, Liu Qi didn’t find a single piece worth looking at. He looked at Cen Yan again and tentatively said, “How about I send someone to the big fabric store to have two sets of clothes made for Young Master Zhuang in a hurry, and the rest can be made slowly by the royal residence?”

Cen Yan was indifferent, “You keep the people you brought; you can decide.” Liu Qi agreed. There was nothing special about it.

Coming out of the main room, Cen Yan stopped in front of a dead potted plant. Liu Qi hurried forward to examine it, using tools to turn the soil, carefully discerning, and reported, “There should be mercury and cinnabar in the soil; the medicinal materials have absorbed quite a bit, but I can tell that the main medicinal material should be of the blood-activating category.”

“But why…” Cen Yan broke off a dry branch, thought for a moment, “It’s an abortion drug.” Liu Qi was startled. Cen Yan played with the dry branch, pondering whether what he had told him that night was actually the truth? His gaze fell; at least it could prove that just using medicine wouldn’t work, which was indeed true.

After a while, a subordinate came to report that there was a commotion in the main courtyard. Madam Zhuang was furious and wanted to punish the second young master, but Captain Hao wouldn’t allow it. A group of people had already drawn their swords, and both sides were at a standstill, asking Cen Yan to go over. Liu Qi was anxious upon hearing this. Cen Yan pressed his forehead, unsure of what expression to wear, shaking his head and laughing, “He really did say it as it is…” Not sure if he was being straightforward or foolish.

“Lead the way; let’s go take a look.”