For hundreds of years, the imperial examinations had belonged to the Ministry of Rites. The metropolitan, provincial, and qualifying exams, as well as the schedules for the major examinations, were all discussed and determined by Ministry of Rites officials. Ceremonial affairs were also handled by the Ministry of Rites, and even the Imperial College was subordinate to them. As the Minister of Rites, he should have ensured fairness in the examinations and protected the learning environment and livelihoods of the students. However, he allowed them to become "ghostwriters" for money, which was undoubtedly a failure for the Ministry of Rites.
Especially the attitudes of the wealthy young masters made Qi Huai frown, and gave him a sense of responsibility. "I heard rumors about gambling for exam questions a few years ago, but I always felt that the examinations should rely on one's own true abilities. I didn't expect things to become so nefarious," he said as he gripped his folding fan. "Brother Xu is able to find me, so you must have made up your mind. Rest assured that Qi is willing to see this through to the end."
The sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy had a youthful complexion, with fiery light in his eyes.
They harbored ambitions for the world, they loved the four directions, they bravely forged ahead, they had not yet been worn down by time, had their edges smoothed, their arrogance ground away, their aspirations extinguished.
They possessed a vibrant spirit that they would later look back on with tears in their eyes for the rest of their lives.
Xu Mo trembled as he sincerely welcomed his friend from the Imperial College, a true kindred spirit, with the same clanging sense of justice and brightness.
When their palms met, they saw determination in each other's eyes.
"Brother Xu..."
"Brother Qi..."
This matter was very tricky for Xu Mo, because he didn't want to take out the accomplished essays he had written to exchange only for some silver and no actual help resolving the situation.
But it was different for Qi Huai.
He was the son of the Minister of Rites, and had ample silver. Even if he went to gamble for exam questions, no one would suspect him, and his true identity could withstand scrutiny.
The only regret was that Qi Huai had barely passed as a juren, so if he gambled it could only be for the provincial exam questions, and he had no way to trace things back to Zhu Zhi.
"You want to gamble for the juren exam questions?" Qi Huai was somewhat surprised.
Xu Mo was prudent by nature. He trusted Qi Huai, but not completely, so he only revealed the sinister dealings behind the gambling, and didn't mention his real goal—Zhu Zhi.
"That's right, the provincial exam is too difficult, so gambling for those questions would also be harder," Xu Mo gave this excuse. "The juren exam encompasses more and involves more people."
Qi Huai was the son of the Minister of Rites, who was responsible for the examinations, so revealing the darkness behind the gambling for questions itself was meritorious.
Since they were already performing meritorious deeds, naturally they should catch as many people as possible.
Qi Huai understood his meaning. "Leave this matter to me."
The next day, he brought an even fairer and more delicate young master.
Xu Mo sat in a pavilion outside the Imperial College, a place with roads on three sides and a river on the fourth, an extraordinarily suitable spot for clandestine discussions, where no one could follow them.
But the less shelter there was, the easier it was for the December chill to invade.
Even with three layers on the inside and three on the outside, Xu Mo still couldn't help but shiver when a piercing cold wind blew.
There was no hot tea, let alone a hot towel.
Fortunately his younger sister had stuffed a baked sweet potato into his arms before he left, which was now nestled hotly against his chest, becoming the only heat source on his body.
When another piercing cold wind blew...
Xu Mo couldn't resist reaching into his clothes and taking out the baked sweet potato wrapped in a handkerchief. He had just peeled back a corner when Qi Huai suddenly leapt out from somewhere, panting, with an impatient dark-clothed young master following behind him.
"Brother Xu, I'm here," he gasped, "and I've brought help for you too."
Xu Mo's expression didn't change as he raised his hand and threw the baked sweet potato back into his clothes, taking the chance to wrap his robes tighter.
"Let me introduce you." Qi Huai pointed to the dark-clothed young master. "This is my...younger brother. He's willing to help us gamble for the juren exam questions."
This dark-clothed young master looked about fourteen or fifteen years old, fair and delicate, with some similarities to Qi Huai in his brows and eyes, undoubtedly a blood-related elder brother.
Xu Mo slightly dipped his head in thanks.
But the dark-clothed young master across from him furrowed his brows. His expression went from puzzlement to shock, and finally blurted out two words, "It's you?"
Qi Huai raised an eyebrow.
Xu Mo was also confused. "Have I met young master Qi somewhere?"
The dark-clothed young master faltered, suddenly realizing something. He hurriedly shook his head as quickly as a rattle drum. "No, no, we haven't met before and don't know each other."
And there was no kicking or mud-gnawing either.
Xu Mo became even more confused.
The pressure of the gambling for exam questions occupied his mind, and he had no time to think more about it. He just solemnly said, "I'm afraid I'll have to trouble young master to act in two days, going from passive to active."
Passive meant the wealthy young masters looking for Xu Mo to get essays for trading. Active meant the dark-clothed young master looking for wealthy young masters to buy essays for trading.
For nobles, the wealthy young masters would certainly treat them obsequiously, no matter how picky they were, because nobles could bring wealth.
At that time, the dark-clothed young master would use "not satisfied" as an excuse to flip through more essays and find more ghostwriters.
It was a pity the exam papers couldn't circulate, otherwise Xu Mo could have obtained Zhu Zhi's papers and determined the student behind them from the brushwork and style.
But it was fine. As nobles, they were naturally superior, and had the right to make lofty criticisms. After several rounds of nitpicking, as long as the dark-clothed young master let slip that he "wanted to be like that juren old master Zhu," the wealthy young masters would certainly be willing to find the ghostwriters behind it.
And this ghostwriter was the key that Xu Mo wanted to find.
"This matter not only concerns Xu Mo himself, but also the future of countless impoverished students. Although they are poor, as long as they persevere they can gain recognition through their talents. But this so-called gambling for questions, these so-called ghostwriters, will confine their lives and prevent them from ever standing up and rising to the peak." Xu Mo looked sincerely at the Qi brothers, "Our strength may be insignificant, we may not be able to punish everyone behind this, but as long as we can expose this matter and let the imperial court see the darkness behind the examinations, we will have accomplished our mission."
They were so insignificant, yet so critical.
When the situation became irremediable, there would always be people who stood up for justice, always people who could save countless impoverished students and prevent them from going down a twisted path.
The Dayu Dynasty should not only belong to the children of prominent families, nor should the court only consist of their descendants. Impoverished students should not become stepping stones for the powerful.
This world belonged to everyone!
Xu Mo raised his head and gazed deeply at the azure sky overhead, as if wanting to confide his lifelong ideals, but still barely held them back.
The Qi brothers stared at him in a daze, not understanding how this slender youth could seem so tall and towering in this moment, tall enough to make others look up to him.
Yet they subconsciously resolved to see this matter through to the end, and accomplish it beautifully!
