Five years of county magistrate, 100 million catties of grain shocked Li Shimin

Chapter 205 Suspected Third Prince Li Ke leaked the question

"Why do you think it's me?"

Fang Yuan frowned and asked.

Could it be that, as Wang De said just now, the trouble at the inn, that someone leaked the test questions, was talking about himself?

"It's been rumored outside that Chang'an Order has leaked the exam questions."

Gao Shenxing quickly pointed to Fang Yuan and said.

He knew that he had done something wrong and had to divert the emperor's attention from him.

Otherwise, he would be punished by the emperor for not being strict with his mouth.

"absurd!"

"I have never touched the exam questions!"

Fang Yuan's eyes turned cold, he said in a deep voice.

He was responsible for a lot of things, but he was not responsible for the examination questions.

The exam questions were in charge of by the emperor and some ministers, Fang Yuan didn't know what the exam questions were all the time.

"This, I don't know."

"Anyway, people outside are saying that you leaked it."

"If it wasn't for you, why would the candidates in Liaozhou kneel down on you in the examination room?"

Gao Shenxing pretended to be calm and said.

He thought for a while, Fang Yuan really didn't touch the exam questions.

But the matter has come to this point, we can only point the finger at Fang Yuan and divert everyone's attention from him.

"That's because if the bet is correct, His Majesty can make the decision for me."

Fang Yuan took a deep breath and said in a deep voice.

Damn it, Ge You and the others did a terrible job.

Kneeling in front of everyone, not only did not bring him a good reputation, but it caused a lot of jealousy, and he is still like this now.

Gao Shenxing opened his mouth, but in the end he didn't refute, and looked at Li Shimin for help.

"Confused, you are all confused!"

"Changsun Wuji, if you are in charge of the Ministry of Officials and are in charge of the imperial examinations, then you will be responsible for calming down the issue of leaking questions."

Li Shimin was furious and scolded Changsun Wuji and others.

"The minister obeys the order."

Changsun Wuji opened his mouth, wanting to refuse.

But seeing Li Shimin's appearance, he could only respond.

No way, who called himself the Minister of the Ministry of Officials, in charge of the Ministry of Officials?
"Chu Suiliang, Yu Shinan, the two of you are chief and deputy examiners, but you don't know how to keep your mouth shut. You are really dereliction of duty!"

"I ordered you to stabilize the resentment and emotions of the candidates, and give an explanation to the candidates who took the imperial examination."

Li Shimin continued to order.

This is the first Beijing test since he began to pay attention to the imperial examination, but this happened.

To be honest, Li Shimin wanted to kill people, but he just held back his anger and let them calm down the matter.

"Yes."

Chu Suiliang and Yu Shinan didn't hesitate, they should do it immediately.

They knew that they were negligent in their duties, which caused such a thing to happen, and they took a heavy responsibility.

"Gao Shenxing!"

Li Shimin turned his head to look at Gao Shenxing.

But did not order things directly like others.

Instead, he stared at each other, his eyes were far sharper than when he was looking at everyone before.

"Minister, I am here."

Gao Shenxing shuddered.

He couldn't help swallowing, and lowered his head.

"Leaking the secrets of the imperial examination is a heinous crime."

"I won't punish you for now, you'd better make up for your mistakes and let me settle down with everything!"

Li Shimin said solemnly.

In the end, he also looked at Gao Shilian's status as the uncle of the eldest grandson Wuji and the eldest grandson empress, so he didn't deal with Gao Shenxing immediately.

If it weren't for such a relationship, Li Shimin would have pushed Gao Shenxing to behead him, so as to inform the candidates all over the world.

"Minister, I obey the order."

Gao Shenxing wiped off his cold sweat and breathed a sigh of relief.

He was scared to death and thought he would be severely punished.

"Fang Yuan stay here first, the others go to work immediately!"

Li Shimin waved his hands impatiently and said in a deep voice.

"I'm waiting to retire."

The eldest grandson Wuji saluted one after another.

Before leaving, many people glanced at Fang Yuan.

They wondered why Li Shimin didn't arrange Fang Yuan to do other things?
Or, did Li Shimin leave Fang Yuan because of other arrangements?
"Fang Yuan, you didn't disclose the exam questions, did you?"

Li Shimin said solemnly.

He looked deeply at Fang Yuan, needing Fang Yuan to confirm again.

"Correct."

Fang Yuan only has one word.

As if because he was not trusted, his brows were frowned.

The main reason is that they have never been exposed to the exam questions, so how could they have leaked the exam questions?
"I also know that you didn't disclose the exam questions."

Li Shimin sat down and sighed.

Only a few people were exposed to the exam questions this time.

Fang Yuan was not in this ranks, and he didn't know anyone who knew the exam questions.

Fang Yuan was left because he had other arrangements, so he waved to Fang Yuan.

"What's the matter, Your Majesty?"

Fang Yuan approached Li Shimin.

"The candidates in Liaozhou are betting on the test because of you, but what about these people?"

"Do you think they bet on the right question, or did someone really leak the question?"

Li Shimin tapped another batch of test papers.

On his desktop, there were two batches of test papers.

A group of Liaozhou candidates represented by Zhang Ji.

The other group is the Cui family and the Yang family just mentioned.

I didn't continue to talk about this matter just now because I wanted to calm down the emotions of the candidates as soon as possible, so as not to make things worse.

"I don't know."

Fang Yuan thought for a while and said.

The Cui family and the Yang family should be the Boling Cui family and the Hongnong Yang family.

Although the relationship with the two families is not very good, Fang Yuan can't make trouble.

Not to mention that he himself has no evidence, and Li Shimin himself will not pursue such a big family too much.

"I'm asking you which possibility it is, not whether you know it."

Li Shimin frowned and said.

"Your bet is right, so are others, right?"

Fang Yuan thought for a while and said.

He never thought of himself as great.

Since you can guess it, others can guess it too.

"These people can bet every year, don't you think it's strange?"

Li Shimin tapped his fingers on the table, said in a cold voice with a sullen face.

These aristocratic families bet on the title every year, and every time there is a group of them in the imperial examination.

People from aristocratic families are quite capable in themselves, and with the addition of winning questions, they will win more.

Originally, the establishment of the imperial examination was to check and balance the aristocratic family, but how could such a phenomenon check and balance the aristocratic family?

"Your Majesty means they know the test questions?"

"Who are the ones who are responsible for setting the questions and who know the questions?"

Fang Yuan thought for a while, then followed Li Shimin's meaning and asked.

In fact, Fang Yuan didn't want to get too involved in this kind of thing.

It's just that Li Shimin will not let him stay as he wants.

"Those who know this year's exam questions are Zhen, the Supreme Emperor, the Crown Prince, the King of Shu, the King of Yue, Pei Ji, Wang Gui, Fang Xuanling, Chu Suiliang, Yu Shinan, and Changsun Wuji. I think Pei Ji is most likely!"

Li Shimin narrowed his eyes and said in a deep voice.

There are only eleven people in total, and Pei Ji is the most likely one.

It's just that there is no evidence, and Pei Ji is also a veteran, so Li Shimin can only doubt it.

Originally, Du Ruhui should also know the exam questions, but Du Ruhui was lying on the bed in critical condition, so he didn't participate in it.

"Your Majesty said it very well."

Fang Yuan's heart trembled, he secretly scolded Li Shimin for thinking highly of him.

Except for Chu Suiliang and Yu Shinan, whose status was slightly lower, the others were either princes or governors of the three provinces.

They are all the top officials, let me, a mere fifth-rank Chang'an order, guess which one may leak the question, is this too much for myself?
"What are you talking about?"

"So who do you think it should be?"

Li Shimin rolled his eyes at Fang Yuan, frowned and said.

"Your Majesty, aren't you embarrassing me?"

"They are all ministers of humerus, not something I can guess."

Fang Yuan smiled wryly.

"Why didn't I realize you were so timid before?"

Li Shimin looked Fang Yuan up and down, and said maliciously.

The Fang Yuan he knew before was a bold and careful person.

Even Xiao Yu, even Pei Ji, and even Bishamon dared to fight each other.

Now let him guess who it is, and still say that?
"The minister has always been very timid."

Fang Yuan smiled and said.

"Hmph, I believe you are the one to blame."

"Fang Yuan, since you took office as Chang'an Commander, have I not arranged anything for you?"

Li Shimin snorted coldly and looked away.

"Your Majesty, please order."

Fang Yuan sighed in his heart.

Knowing that Li Shimin wants to arrange for himself to do things.

"Go and check these people, I want to know who leaked the exam questions to them."

Li Shimin pointed to the test papers of Cui and Yang.

He can trust the candidates from Liaozhou, not only because they are related to Fang Yuan.

The most important thing is that most of the candidates are from small families, or even ordinary people, with no relationship background.

Candidates with related backgrounds have no way to obtain exam questions in advance, let alone those without related backgrounds.

"Secret investigation or high investigation?"

Fang Yuan thought for a while and asked.

He also had the idea of ​​checking it out.

By the way, look up that Gao Shenxing.

After leaking the exam questions, he almost hurt himself.

I don't know how the situation outside the palace is. Is the candidate's mood stable?
But there should be no big problem if a minister like Changsun Wuji personally handles it, right?

"Secret investigation, don't startle the snake!"

Li Shimin pondered for a moment and said.

The people involved are all extraordinary people, so we still have to check carefully.

"I understand!"

"The minister will retire first?"

Fang Yuan nodded and said.

"Check it out!"

"If you can't solve it, go directly to the palace to find me!"

Li Shimin nodded heavily.

Fang Yuan left and left the palace at night.

At the gate of Suzaku, Xue Bowu had been waiting for a long time.

Entering the palace at night, Fang Yuan called Xue Bowu for safety.

But because the emperor only summoned Fang Yuan, Xue Bowu couldn't enter.

So after Fang Yuan entered the palace, he has been waiting for Fang Yuan at the gate of Suzaku.

"Fang Yuan, you are so slow, I am almost fainting from hunger."

Xue Bowu complained.

"Thanks a lot."

"Go home to eat or go to Yipinxiang to eat?"

Fang Yuan patted Xue Bowu's shoulder and asked.

Letting Xue Bowu wait alone at the gate of the palace at night was really hard work for him.

"Go to Yipinxiang and call my sister!"

Xue Bowu's eyes lit up immediately, and he said excitedly.

But he still didn't forget to call Xue Jiaoyan.

"Then I have to go back to the mansion. The two roads are in opposite directions. Are you sure?"

Fang Yuan has no opinion.

But considering that Xue Bowu was hungry, it would take a long time to make another trip like this.

"what?"

"Then how long does it take to get to Yipinxiang from here?"

Xue Bowu suddenly turned bitter, scratched his head and asked.

"It takes about a stick of incense to go to Yipinxiang, and it takes about a stick of incense to go home."

"And if you go home and go to Yipinxiang again, it will take about an hour and a half."

Fang Yuan roughly estimated.

With Suzaku Gate as the center, Fangfu and Yipinxiang are almost on the left and right.

"Then it's better not to bark, let's pack up and go back after eating."

Xue Bowu counted his fingers, finally shook his head and said.

I'm already so hungry now, and it takes so long to go back and forth, so I won't be hungry and faint on the road?

"Let's go then."

Fang Yuan walked in the direction of Yipinxiang.

The night was dark and there were no pedestrians on the road.

There is a faint moon in the sky, and the road can be seen clearly.

Fang Yuan is not in a hurry, he has not walked on the road so leisurely for a long time.

Although Xue Bowu said he fainted from hunger, he surprisingly didn't urge Fang Yuan.

So the two walked slowly at night, quite leisurely and elegant.

Not long after, Fang Yuan and the two walked more than half of the distance, and they will soon arrive at Yipinxiang.

Although there is a curfew in Chang'an City, there are still many inns and restaurants open, where customers can stay overnight.

suddenly,
Fang Yuan noticed that there were two staggering figures coming towards him.

Judging by the way they walked, it seemed that they had drunk a lot of alcohol, and their walk was erratic.

Naturally, Fang Yuan didn't intend to pay too much attention to it, even if there is a curfew now, even if he is the order of Chang'an.

As the two sides approached, Fang Yuan saw their appearance clearly, and gave up the thought just now, because they are candidates.

Not only the candidates, but also those candidates who ran into Yipinxiang Restaurant that day, that is, the candidates who also bet on the right question this time.

"stop!"

When Fang Yuan met the two of them, he suddenly shouted.

"You, who are you?"

The two examinees were taken aback, and they were sobered up a lot.

The two of them rubbed their eyes, trying to see Fang Yuan clearly.

When he saw Fang Yuan clearly, his eyes widened in fright, and his face was full of shock.

"Fang, Fang Ling, I, we are first-time offenders, please forgive me, we will never dare again."

The two candidates hurriedly saluted Fang Yuan respectfully.

"It's okay not to pursue it, just answer a few questions from the officer!"

Fang Yuan frowned slightly, and soon understood why they were afraid.

I thought I was caught by myself for violating the curfew, and I was worried that I would be punished by myself as the Changan Order.

"You, you say."

The two candidates breathed a sigh of relief and asked.

"What's your name?"

Fang Yuan pondered for a moment, said in a deep voice.

The two froze for a moment, then looked at each other, as if they wanted to run away.

After all, Fang Yuan didn't know the two of them, so wouldn't it be over if the two of them escaped?

"There are only so few candidates in the Beijing exam, can you escape?"

Fang Yuan couldn't help being amused.

Although there are quite a few candidates for the Beijing Examination, there are only over a thousand candidates.

With a little research, you can find out who the two of them are.

In this situation, I also want to escape, have you been drinking too much?
"Yang Zhenyou, Yang Wenjun."

The two candidates quickly answered respectfully.

There was no longer any thought of running away.

"How did you bet on the right question?"

Fang Yuan continued to ask.

"This"

Most of the drunkenness of the two disappeared, and they slowly sobered up.

They looked at Fang Yuan vigilantly, as if they were thinking about whether they could answer.

"Bo Wu, remove their thighs and bring them back to the county government for retrial."

Fang Yuan's eyes sank, he said coldly.

Xue Bowu let out a cry, and walked towards the two of them.

After only two steps, his stomach made the sound of hunger gurgling.

Xue Bowu stopped immediately, turned his head and looked at Fang Yuan aggrievedly.

"Fang, Fang Ling, you can't do this."

"We're just triggering a curfew with a maximum of [-] lashes."

The two candidates were already frightened, they quickly backed away and looked at Xue Bowu and Fang Yuan in a panic.

"You should have heard about the leakage of the test questions, right?"

"The imperial court is stabilizing the emotions of the examinees, but it will also conduct an in-depth investigation into whether the questions are leaked or reserved."

"Both of you are candidates for winning the test. In the investigation list, if you are familiar with each other, you can tell the truth to the official. Otherwise, it is a normal process for the official to take you back to the county government for punishment."

Fang Yuan said in a deep voice.

"I, we."

"It's the husband of Shouchun County Lord, Qian Niu prepares himself for Yang Yuzhi."

"That's what he told us the day we had a conflict with you at Yipinxiang Restaurant last time."

The two examinees looked at each other in blank dismay, and finally confessed truthfully.

Their alcoholism has completely recovered, and their thoughts have become normal.

After a little thought, I knew that Fang Yuan was not lying, and the imperial court might investigate deeply.

"Yang Yuzhi?!"

Fang Yuan frowned slightly.

A little surprised, but also reasonable.

Yang Yuzhi and the third prince Li Ke have a close relationship, and the third prince Li Ke knows the exam questions.

If Yang Yuzhi learned about the exam questions from the third prince, and then revealed it to these candidates, he would "bet" the exam questions.

"Yes Yes."

"At Yipinxiang that day, he even told us not to tell it."

The two candidates nodded repeatedly.

"Who was with him that day?"

Fang Yuan pondered for a moment, then continued to ask.

That person can stand side by side with Yang Yuzhi, and his status should not be low.

"A young master of the Boling Cui family, we don't know his name."

The two shook their heads and said.

"Take out your test certificate and take a look."

Fang Yuan nodded, said in a deep voice.

The young master of the Boling Cui family, that is quite reasonable.

This time, apart from candidates from Liaozhou, Cui and Yang were the ones who made the most bets.

It is normal for Yang Yuzhi and the young master of the Cui family of Boling to come together and "push" the exam questions.

The two touched their bodies, finally took out two test certificates and handed them to Fang Yuan.

"The case of leaked test questions is a matter of serious concern."

"If you want to live, don't tell anyone that you had a conversation with this officer."

Fang Yuan checked it, handed the certificate back to the two, and reminded.

"Yes Yes Yes."

The two nodded repeatedly.

"Let's go."

Fang Yuan waved his hands and let them go.

The two are just candidates, and the big fish is Yang Yuzhi.

It is easy to catch Yang Yuzhi, but difficult to find out the truth behind it.

If it is the third prince Li Ke, then he has offended a prince.

It's better to discuss this matter in the long run, and let the matter ferment for a while before we talk about it.

The two left as if fleeing, and quickly disappeared into the night, as if they had never appeared.

"Come on, let's go eat."

Fang Yuan was in a good mood, he dragged Xue Bowu to Yipinxiang.

Not long after, the two went to Yipinxiang Restaurant to have a feast.

The leak of the exam questions didn't stop just because Changsun Wuji and others came forward.

(End of this chapter)