After their minds were read, the entire court trembled with fear.

Chapter 48: The protagonist dies?

How dare you say that!

The Minister of Rites choked on his breath: "Cough cough cough."

[Take the water in the vats at the examination hall, for example. My goodness, it was filthy! It was changed only once every three years. Some weren't even changed once in three years!]

Oh, by the way, this Minister of Rites himself failed the imperial examination because he drank from a vat of three-year-old aged liquor that hadn't been changed in the examination hall, which caused him to need to relieve himself in the outhouse for an entire day.

The Minister of Rites, whose career had been delayed for three years, harbored resentment towards the then Minister of Rites.

Suddenly, all the officials in the court thought of something.

The former Minister of Rites was eventually exiled, and the reason for this exile was indeed because the current Minister of Rites informed on him.

The son committed murder.

Corruption and bribery.

The evidence of several serious crimes, such as the chaos in the imperial examination system, was laid out completely before the old emperor.

There was no room for the former Minister of Rites to make excuses.

Goodness, he endured hardship and bided his time under the command of someone he disliked.

It's worth noting that the current Minister of Rites served under the former Minister of Rites for a full eight years.

This guy really knows how to endure things to gather evidence of the previous Minister of Rites' crimes.

【No, it's one thing for you to hold a grudge, but why are you also taking revenge on the students behind you?】

[It took me ages to find you! It was during the imperial examination six years ago that you deliberately kept the water in the examination hall's vats unchanged, thinking you were suffering so that future generations would have to experience it for you!]

The Minister of Rites' eyelids twitched.

That happened? How come he has no recollection of it at all?

Noticing the old emperor's ambiguous smile, the Minister of Rites skillfully slid to his knees.

The old emperor said, "I suddenly remembered that during the imperial examination six years ago, it seemed that many people were unwell. Minister of Rites, you must pay close attention this time."

"Yes, yes, Your Majesty is right."

The Minister of Rites nodded repeatedly: "Your subject will certainly ensure that this imperial examination is clean and hygienic."

"Furthermore, we have strengthened the related services and security for this examination, making it more comprehensive than ever before!"

【Huh? Are you sure that's what you call thoughtful?】

Shen Zhiyi glanced at the conversation between the Minister of Rites and Chen, the Assistant Minister of Rites, from the previous night, and couldn't help but wipe her sweat.

[This is wonderful! The service was so thorough this time, they even went to the anus.]

[This job of checking and searching people is really tough – the pay is low, the work is awful, and you even have to touch other people's anuses.]

The officials, who were initially confused about what "chrysanthemum" meant, suddenly understood.

Now, one by one, they were all glad that they had taken the exam early.

The imperial examinations were rigorous, but to be so rigorous as to even punish the candidates' anuses was truly unprecedented.

Minister of Rites, you really have a heavy taste.

The Minister of Rites snorted coldly.

So what?

He did this to make sure someone had slipped a cheat sheet into that spot, so naturally he had to check it carefully.

Surely no one would actually leave cheat sheets in a place like that.

【Huh—】

Shen Zhiyi gave a strong look of disdain.

They really don't mind getting dirty.

【etc. 】

Shen Zhiyi seemed to have seen something interesting.

The old emperor shifted his position slightly towards Shen Zhiyi.

[Hahahaha, Minister of Rites, you are truly a talent, a genius! I hereby declare the title of "Great Talent" yours!]

Chen Decai: No, Shen Lang, that title is mine!!!

[I never expected the Minister of Rites to be like this.]

[When the Minister of Rites was examining the young scholars, he stuffed cheat sheets into his anus. I was wondering, who in their right mind would think of searching their body and then their anus? So you did it yourself, and therefore assumed that others would do the same, hahaha.]

"Pfft."

A low, suppressed laugh came from inside the hall.

Seeing his spirits dampened, one of the officials quickly covered his mouth.

Fortunately, Shen Zhiyi was so engrossed in it that she didn't notice anything amiss.

Some officials even went so far as to rip off their beards to suppress their laughter.

Some officials also secretly peeked at the Minister of Rites's backside out of curiosity.

His gaze was incredibly intense.

The Minister of Works stroked his beard with satisfaction.

Another person has had their backside stared at by "thousands" in this grand hall.

He, the Minister of Works, is not a single person!

[However, at that time, no one really thought that a candidate would stuff cheat sheets into their anus. The Minister of Rites did manage to sneak in, but the cheat sheets were completely useless.]

I can't hold it in anymore, my stomach hurts from laughing.

[I spent all night painstakingly copying cheat sheets, but not a single one was correct, hahaha.]

[And here's the really, really funny part: the Minister of Rites had a stomachache and needed to use the restroom, but being young, he couldn't hold it in at all, hahaha.]

Shen Zhiyi bit the back of her hand.

So throughout the entire examination process, the Minister of Rites' pants were covered in poop, and the cheat sheet was stained with poop.

"Hahaha."

The old emperor couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Shen Zhiyi looked up abruptly: What's wrong? Why are you so happy?

The Minister of Rites stared at Shen Zhiyi with a resentful look.

Is it really necessary to bring up things that happened when he was ten years old, at his age?

He still has to save face!

The old emperor noticed that Shen Zhiyi had raised her head and immediately tried to cover it up.

"Well, I think the Minister of Rites' arrangements for the imperial examinations are very thoughtful. I am pleased to hear them."

"Of course they were thorough; they even checked other people's anuses."

Wait, isn't it possible I'll be one of those people checking things at the entrance?

Shen Zhiyi broke down.

I can't possibly see a man's anus, oh no! I refuse.

The Minister of Rites thought sinisterly, "I'll arrange for you to go!"

But it was just a joke. If he actually did it, the old emperor would tear him apart.

They then briefly discussed other matters, and the morning court session ended.

On the 23rd, the emperor relieved himself twice.

[That old turtle is something else, it can really hold it in.]

[At noon, a seven-colored figure—no, it was Consort Qi—carrying a bowl of pork tripe and chicken soup, was summoned to the capital. The two were publicly summoned in broad daylight.]

Zhang Sheren spat out all the tea he had just taken a moment to drink.

We're eating!

He turned to look at Chen Decai.

Chen Decai said somewhat awkwardly in a low voice, "Well, I'm getting into it."

Zhang Sheren: ...

I looked at the bright sunshine outside the palace.

Your Majesty has such great energy!

[On the 23rd, at midnight, the Emperor rested in the Zichen Palace and did not go to attend to the Emperor in bed.]

Zhang Sheren: This sounds weird... It's... It's against the Heavenly Gang?!

The old emperor, who was about to wash up and go to bed, finally couldn't take it anymore.

"You all better get out of here."

Haha, time to get off work!

Shen Zhiyi quickly put the pen and booklet into her crossbody bag and left without looking back.

The curfew had been relaxed during the previous dynasty, but it was still enforced by the late Emperor of Daye, although it has been abolished in recent years.

The person who proposed lifting the curfew was the former Vice Minister of Revenue, now the newly appointed Minister of Personnel.

After the curfew is lifted, security issues are likely to arise, so the Thousand Guards patrol late at night.

Shen Zhiyi felt at ease walking down the street.

She never went home empty-handed, because it was too dangerous at night; there was always delicious food, and there was no way to escape.

With a roasted chicken leg in her left hand, a baked flatbread in her right, and a bowl of mixed noodles hanging around her neck, Shen Zhiyi walked into the alleyway of her rented courtyard, her mouth greasy from eating.

"Ah—um."

Just as Shen Zhiyi took a bite of the chicken leg skin, a sharp pain shot through the back of her head, and the next second she collapsed to the ground, motionless.

Before she fainted: Ah, this feeling is so familiar. Am I going to be put in a sack again?

—The protagonist dies, the story ends (not really).