The other three Cabinet elders had already walked to the front of the table, lowering their heads to carefully examine the contents of the examination paper. After browsing through one fold, the look of admiration in their eyes could no longer be concealed. The three elders stood with their hands behind their backs, murmuring to themselves. If one listened closely, one could faintly hear uncontrollable sounds of praise.

This scene caused the court officials present to show varying expressions in their eyes.

For a moment, no one inquired about Elder Yang taking the wrong case file. Most of their attention was focused on the examination paper at the front of the hall.

“A rare talent, truly a rare talent! Look carefully, this woman is not only proficient in writing imperial edicts, but also excels in learning from the past and understanding the present. The wording and phrasing of the essay are extremely proper, beyond reproach, and its meaning is infinitely profound.” Elder Gu of Huagai Hall couldn’t help but praise.

She was the oldest among the four Cabinet elders and had always been proficient in the art of composing essays on classics and righteousness. Few scholars and students in the world could receive a word of praise from her.

As soon as these words were spoken, the court officials stepped forward, surrounding the table and lowering their heads to read this examination paper, completely forgetting about investigating the bias and fraud in the examination.

Pei Yuanshao narrowed his eyes, glancing at the twenty Han Lin scholars kneeling trembling before the hall.

A flash of harshness passed through his eyes, and he yawned exaggeratedly, covering his mouth. With a curl of his lips, he said with a half-smile, “The ministers have come to Qianqing Palace tonight to discuss matters of state, not to appreciate and evaluate examination essays. It’s late into the night, and it doesn’t matter if you don’t sleep, but this palace and the Imperial Consort surely cannot accompany you in discussing and reading essays on classics and righteousness!”

His voice was neither loud nor soft, seemingly mocking and sarcastic, as he leaned obliquely against one leg of the long table. He glanced at everyone, coldness evident in his eyes.

“Look, even the Jing Lord’s face is showing impatience… tsk tsk tsk!” Pei Yuanshao turned his gaze to look at Jing Huan.

Seeing that everyone had finally come to their senses and their gazes were uniformly directed at him, he didn’t say more.

Pei Yuanshao leisurely adjusted his sleeves, pointing at the examination paper on the long table. His dark peach blossom eyes fixed steadily on Elder Yang as he repeatedly asked, “Is Elder absolutely certain that she found that blowdart in this examination paper? There’s no mistake with the side of the paper?”

Elder Yang lifted her drooping eyelids, her expression solemn. Although her hair was completely white, she was spirited and energetic, her eyes clear and bright.

She nodded gravely towards Pei Yuanshao and said seriously, “There can be no mistake! This minister stakes her life on it!”

“If that’s the case, please trouble Elder to open the name seal paper!”

Elder Yang lowered her head in acknowledgment, stepped forward, and tore open the name seal paper on the left side of the first fold of the examination paper.

On it, the name and place of origin were written vertically in black characters.

“Liu Changning, candidate from Yifen Seventh Year, Jianglin Prefecture, Yong’an Commandery”.

Inside Qianqing Palace, there was complete silence.

What did the three characters “Liu Changning” mean?

It meant that what Elder Yang had said earlier was correct. Her… various behaviors in the examination hall were all due to poisoning!

Liu Cangyun, the top scholar from a humble family in Lingnan, had been watched closely by the powerful and noble in the capital from the day she entered the city.

The news of her fainting at the entrance of the examination hall on the day the metropolitan examination ended had spread throughout the entire Jinling City. There were rumors that Liu Changning had talent but a weak constitution, and would not be able to handle important duties in the future.

But unexpectedly… there was another hidden truth to this matter.

Thinking of the silver needle and the drug.

Elder Yang’s personal testimony that this woman had slept for eight consecutive days in the examination hall…

It was almost impossible to be false! Liu Cangyun had been secretly harmed, poisoned by a silver needle with the “Nine Days Falling” drug.

This… this… this meant that for this year’s metropolitan examination papers… she had only been clear-headed on the first day, completing all three exam subjects.

This astonishing speed of answering questions was inconceivable!

The officials surrounding the long wooden table were momentarily stunned, their eyes fixed on the examination paper on the table, the shock in their hearts unable to dissipate for a long time.

The metropolitan examinations of the Jin Feng Dynasty had always been divided into three subjects, with each subject further divided into three test questions.

In previous years, even for those exceptionally talented women, it would take five days to complete all the exam questions.

And this year’s policy essay questions were particularly abstruse, testing practical matters. According to the candidates of this session, it was already a struggle to complete the exam questions in nine days.

But Liu Cangyun had used only one day to complete the poetry, prose, classics interpretation, and policy essays that usually took nine days to answer in the metropolitan examination.

What was even more shocking was that her policy essay, without piling up flowery rhetoric, was practical and applicable in every sentence, deserving of the top rank.

If the silver needle incident was true, this woman’s talent was certainly not falsely claimed, and perhaps even immeasurable.

Pei Yuanshao’s lips curved into a smile as he raised his eyes to observe the crowd before the hall. The powerful ministers of the court were still unable to shake off their shock and admiration after viewing the examination paper.

He suddenly felt a swelling pride in his heart. Even though it wasn’t his Mingde Long Imperial Consort being praised and admired by everyone, he felt a kind of shared joy.

His heart beat like a drum, and his ink-black eyes were filled with a smile as dazzling as the Milky Way.

“Isn’t she excellent?” Jing Huan suddenly leaned close to his ear and asked in a low voice.

Pei Yuanshao’s ink-black eyes narrowed slightly, the smile on his face suddenly disappearing completely.

He turned his head to glance at her obliquely and said flatly, “Indeed, her talent and knowledge are exceptional, but she was born into poverty, a mere commoner girl. The Jing Lord values her greatly.”