Some things, when speculated in one's heart, evoke one emotion, but when actually verified, evoke quite another.
Take the current Prefect of Feng Tian Prefecture for example. His emotions could be described as a mix of five flavors.
If not for being in the hall, if not for having so many commoners watching, he really wanted to throw the things on the ground and curse with his beard shaking: Damn it, how could someone cheat all the way up to the top laureate.
No matter who you replace, no matter which rank you switch, it would not be so excessive.
Is the Fang family lacking common sense?
While cursing, the case still had to be tried. The Prefect of Feng Tian Prefecture trembled his lips for half a day before slamming down the startling block, "Come, summon today's top laureate."
Since Xu Mo's exam paper collided with the top laureate Fang Yuan's, who was Fang Fang Yuan, then Fang Yuan had to be summoned.
The yamen runners grabbed their sabers and rushed to summon Fang Yuan. Everyone inside and outside the Feng Tian Prefecture held their breath waiting.
After a good while, the Fang family carriage arrived, but the only one who got off was a steward.
Fang Steward.
He wore a gray-white robe, first stared at Xu Mo with a smile for two times, before leisurely saluting, "Greetings to the honorable Prefect. Our young master is indisposed and is being diagnosed by the imperial physician at the moment. Today is merely a farce of clowns jumping beams, I alone am sufficient."
His salute was also worth scrutinizing.
Xu Mo did not kneel because of his juren status, while Fang Steward did not kneel purely because he was a ninth-grade official in front of the Prime Minister's gate - also known as riding on connections.
With the Fang family backing him up, even if he was just a steward, he still did not kneel.
This move was not very reasonable, but it was a pure show of prestige, deterring the powerless Xu Mo and threatening the hesitant Prefect of Feng Tian Prefecture at the same time.
The old man on the bench was obviously much quieter.
But Xu Mo below the hall remained calm, and did not forget to remind the Prefect of Feng Tian Prefecture, "Sir, you may continue the investigation."
With so many eyes watching, the case had to be investigated.
The Prefect of Feng Tian Prefecture shook his spirits and lightly tapped the startling block. He sank his voice, "Scholar Xu Mo alleged exam paper swap, coincidentally colliding with Fang Yuan of the Fang family. Do you have anything to say?"
"Of course I have something to say." Fang Steward came to his senses, "It was merely copying our young master's exam paper once over, this kind of sloppy trick can only deceive fools."
The old face of the Prefect of Feng Tian Prefecture slightly sank. He was also shocked just now. Did that mean he was a fool as well?
Fang Steward noticed something wrong and immediately supplemented, "Now these fools have come to beat drums and cry injustice again, it is truly excessive. I ask that the sir clears the Fang family's name."
He was truly a smart man, not only putting on the attitude of a top aristocratic family, but also not looking down on others everywhere to make enemies.
The Prefect of Feng Tian Prefecture became more wary, and raised a question, "Fang Yuan's exam paper had always been kept under high security. How could it possibly have been copied by other students?"
Fang Steward smiled slightly, "Of course it was spread by our young master himself."
"Ten days ago, our young master recited this top laureate exam paper at the Wenchang Pavilion to share with a few bosom friends out of curiosity. It must have been accidentally spread from someone, and picked up by this student to foolishly come to the Feng Tian Prefecture to make trouble."
There were two keys here.
First: The exam paper had really spread out before. Xu Mo's reciting then became copying. The only thing that could prove himself was gone.
Second: It was only shared with a few close friends. This meant it was still half confidential, also explaining why such amazingly brilliant writing did not spread through Fengjing.
The Fang family was indeed a top aristocratic clan. The entire logic was watertight and seamless. They did not just wait to be attacked despite their prominent background. They even prepared fallback routes before Xu Mo made his move.
So whether Fang Yuan came or not was unimportant. A Fang steward was sufficient.
Was this the ability of prominent families?
Jiang Sheng and Wen Zhiyun's complexion both turned ghastly pale. Only Chang Yan knitted his brows with a relatively calm expression.
"So this steward said the exam paper was spread ten days ago?" Xu Mo grabbed the key point.
Fang Steward was very vigilant. "Probably around ten days."
"Whether it was exactly ten days is very important." Xu Mo did not give an inch.
Fang Steward hesitated briefly before nodding.
While the Prefect of Feng Tian Prefecture on the bench still had knitted brows, Qi Huai outside the hall was already ecstatic and applauded Xu Brother's astuteness.
"Sir." Xu Mo bowed in salute, "My student has the reciting date on this paper. I ask that you examine it."
The Prefect of Feng Tian Prefecture immediately called over his clerk to assist in spreading out the six feet long exam paper. Unexpectedly, they saw a reciting stop date on the bottom right corner - the morning of April 11th.
It was precisely the second day after the results were posted.
Also 19 days ago.
Fang Yuan had spread the exam paper ten days ago when he went to the Wenchang Pavilion, preparing his fallback route.
But Xu Mo was even earlier. He had copied the exam paper overnight on the day the results were posted. He absolutely could not have copied Fang Yuan's paper from nine days later.
Fang Steward took a deep breath.
The Prefect of Feng Tian Prefecture cast his gaze upon him, wanting to see what else this prestigious family had up their sleeves.
"Sir." Fang Steward was still composed. "This is merely a sheet of paper. Anyone can write anything they want on it."
Scholars could usually judge the time of writing based on the ink traces, but it was by the unit of months for those differing by ten odd days. It was simply impossible to discern.
Xu Mo could say he wrote it nineteen days ago.
And Fang Steward could counter that it was not accurate.
Both sides had reason and held their own ground, falling into a deadlock.
There was a deathly silence in the great hall of the Feng Tian Prefecture.
Outside the Feng Tian Prefecture, Qi Huai was stirred up to unable to contain himself. He personally witnessed Xu Mo's exam paper before nineteen days ago. He could testify!
However, just as he wanted to speak out, Xu Mo in the hall suddenly spoke again, "Your honor, perhaps there is still a method to discern."
Everyone's attention turned.
Qi Huai knew Xu Mo was protecting him, and felt equally touched and ashamed with his heart surging violently.
"Speak." The Prefect of Feng Tian Prefecture responded.
Xu Mo pointed at the six feet long exam paper and calmly said, "Instead of us reciting this paper on the spot, to see who has higher similarity with the original text."
The imperial examination was split into three sessions, each lasting three days.
In the first two sessions, the students were tested on material memorization of the Four Books and Five Classics. Only the last session was creative writing to produce articles.
Three days time was usually used with the first day for modifications and adding details, the last two days for full text recitations, which had to fill the six-foot-long page. This showed how much content it contained.
Xu Mo, with immense grief and anger in his heart, still used up a full night to copy it out. He was still not certain on one hundred percent accuracy.
What qualifications did Fang Yuan have to recite this? How much could he recite?
Fang Steward's expression froze as he looked at Xu Mo, with a threatening gaze about to spill out from his eyes.
Xu Mo did not see this at all and stood calmly.
From the moment he decided to come strike the drums and cry injustice at the Feng Tian Prefecture, no matter how amazing the Fang family was, it could not be a reason for him to retreat.
Fang Steward's faced turned cold.
The Prefect of Feng Tian Prefecture on the bench seemed to hesitate on whether to lower the startling block to agree to Xu Mo's request.
Fang Steward snapped, "So you're saying, as long as someone memorizes the top examination paper, and prepares a recitation draft beforehand, they can then accuse the top examinee of stealing his paper?"
Combined with the ten-day spread that the Fang family deliberately left, this was not entirely impossible.
The startling block in the hand of the Prefect of Feng Tian Prefecture froze in place, unable to slam down no matter what.
The scene fell into a deadlock again.
Qi Huai could no longer wait and lifted his leg, wanting to go inside to testify for Xu Mo.
But he was held back by Chang Yan.
"Don't go in." The twelve-year-old boy said quietly. "The Fang family would pick on your close ties with eldest brother, making you open to false testimony."
Entering rashly would only wrongly involve the Qi family.
"What to do then? Allow the two sides to remain deadlocked?" Qi Huai was burning with impatience.
Chang Yan pursed his lips and did not speak.
Because Xu Mo standing inside the great hall of the Feng Tian Prefecture had already spoken again, "May I inform the honorable sir. Since both sides are riddled with doubt, why not bring out the original examination paper from the imperial examination, and ask the former venerable elders of the Imperial Examination Hall to gather and discern, to see who truly belongs to the handwriting and style on the original paper!"
Handwriting could not be faked.
