Chapter 275: The Calf - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

 Chapter 275: The Calf

“Your Majesty, the person who wrote this article is not listed on the examination rankings.”

“What?”

Emperor Qi suddenly understood Elder Xu's purpose for coming. He set aside the article and turned his gaze to the unfamiliar face behind Elder Xu.

Realizing that the emperor was about to interrogate directly, Elder Xu signaled Yin Canwen to step forward.

Yin Canwen had never met the emperor before and was naturally nervous. Despite his anxiety, he maintained his composure, kneeling and shouting, “Commoner Yin Canwen from Cangzhou pays his respects to Your Majesty. Long live, Your Majesty, long live, long, long live!”

He bowed his head respectfully.

In terms of etiquette, there was nothing to criticize.

“Raise your head. I have questions to ask you.”

Emperor Qi’s authoritative presence made Yin Canwen uneasy. But there was no use in showing weakness, so he swallowed hard and looked up at the emperor. Despite his nervousness, he did not show any signs of guilt.

Emperor Qi stared at him, exerting the weight of his imperial authority. Though Yin Canwen appeared scared, he did not retreat, which gave the emperor a rough idea of the situation.

“This article was written by you?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“With such remarkable talent, why did you not follow the proper path? Instead, you chose to accuse my official, the Minister of Personnel?”

Upon hearing this, Yin Canwen looked anxiously at Elder Xu.

Why was the emperor asking such a question? Shouldn’t he first inquire why Yin Canwen was not on the list?

But the emperor’s intentions were inscrutable. Even Elder Xu, who had served in the court for a lifetime, could not always guess what was on the emperor’s mind.

Hearing this question, Elder Xu grew anxious.

Could it be that the emperor intended to protect the Minister of Personnel?

If that were the case, he would risk his own life to seek justice for the humble scholars!

As he was about to speak in defense of Yin Canwen, Emperor Qi interrupted him.

“Elder, I am asking him, not you.”

With a single sentence, Emperor Qi silenced the words that were about to come out of Elder Xu’s mouth.

“I want to hear from you.”

Emperor Qi’s expression was emotionless, making it hard to gauge his mood. For a young scholar yet to embark on an official career, this was a tremendous pressure.

Even Bai Chaohai, who was behind, found it hard to bear such expressionless questioning.

He couldn’t help but sweat for Yin Canwen.

At this moment, Yin Canwen was unsure of how to respond. In his confusion, a serene image of someone who remained calm even in the face of calamity appeared in his mind.

With this thought, his nervousness began to ease.

After adjusting his emotions and steeling himself, he slowly replied to Emperor Qi.

“Your Majesty, please be enlightened. I come from Cangzhou and was fortunate to be appreciated by the headmaster of Yunqi Academy. I had the opportunity to study while working at the academy and learned from great scholars. Naturally, I hoped to contribute to Your Majesty and benefit the people. I participated in the imperial examination, but to my dismay, I was not on the list. My fervent efforts were defeated by officials who manipulated their power. How can I tolerate this? If Your Majesty asks me why I did not follow the proper path, then I also ask Your Majesty why I did not receive the results I deserved despite following the right path. Shouldn’t I accuse Minister Wen, who ruined my future?”

As Yin Canwen finished speaking, Bai Chaohai’s sweat trickled down his forehead.

Indeed, the fearless new generation dared to speak so boldly during their first audience with the emperor. Did they not fear the emperor’s wrath?

Yet Elder Xu looked on with a satisfied smile. He was right in his judgment of Yin Canwen. Such integrity and bravery, untainted by wealth or power, promised great potential with time and experience.

He cast a supportive glance at Emperor Qi.

Emperor Qi raised an eyebrow and looked at Yin Canwen kneeling below. He was a tough one.

Most aristocratic young men would bow their heads respectfully and adopt a submissive posture before him.

But this young scholar, who had nothing and was insignificant, displayed a remarkable spirit of uprightness.

Emperor Qi said to Elder Xu, “His manner reminds me of when I first met you in my childhood. You were so audacious that you left my father speechless. I thought then that such a person was exceedingly rude. If I were my father, I would have given you a good beating!”

Upon hearing this, Yin Canwen clenched his fists, feeling that he had completely offended the emperor.

But it didn’t matter. If he didn’t speak his mind now, he would never have another chance.

With this thought, his fear diminished somewhat.

However, Elder Xu suddenly laughed heartily.

“But the late emperor did not punish me for this. Instead, he supported me. It seems that Your Majesty is also like the late emperor, someone who values his ministers. You will certainly support Scholar Yin, right?”

“You old fox!”

With these two sentences, the previous tension dissipated, replaced by a harmonious atmosphere between the emperor and his subjects.

Emperor Qi, who had been staring at Yin Canwen, now showed a hint of pleasure.

“Indeed, facing my reproach, although fearful, you did not retreat. You are a promising candidate. If I were to appoint you to the cabinet, would you be willing?”

Being specially appointed to the cabinet was an unprecedented honor.

Bai Chaohai was happy for Yin Canwen, but neither Yin Canwen nor Elder Xu shared his enthusiasm.

Since he came to report an injustice, he should see it through. As long as Minister Wen’s wrongdoing had not been addressed, entering the cabinet would not bring him joy.

So, Yin Canwen bowed again and said to Emperor Qi.

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s favor, but Yin Canwen still believes that walking the right path is the way to honor the Way of Heaven. I implore Your Majesty to give the common people a fair result and bring the corrupt Minister Wen to justice! Even if I cannot enter the cabinet or become an official in the future, it does not matter. But it is essential to provide justice for the humble scholars!”

This was his second 'rebuke' of Emperor Qi. The emperor’s previously softened expression darkened again.

He looked at Yin Canwen without speaking.

He had underestimated this person. Despite his young age, he was fearless. Unlike those with family connections, he had nothing to lose. However, the emperor, who had been firmly established in the court for years, had to consider the broader implications.

Minister Wen had used his position to elevate aristocratic young men, which could be a serious issue.

Although the emperor detested examination fraud, dealing with it would involve pulling at a thread that could unravel a whole web of interests. Thus, Emperor Qi was reluctant to act immediately.

He planned to offer Yin Canwen a promising future to silence him.

Afterward, he would find another opportunity to deal with the Minister of Personnel, resolving the issue without causing a major upheaval.