Third Uncle, It's Your Turn

With Fang Zheng accompanying him, the outer curtain official inspected all the reporters' baskets one by one.

Finally, he gave a bitter smile.

Today was like cutting a fart with a small knife. His eyes were truly opened!

He never imagined so many food items could be brought to the provincial examination. Had he known earlier, he would have prepared the same way when he took the exam himself.

Those three days of suffering... even pigs ate better than him.

Times have truly changed...

The watching scholars weren't faring much better, their spirits crushed as their mothers' homemade flatbread suddenly lost its appeal!

Thinking about the others' dried abalone and meat, they felt they had already lost before the examination began, standing outside the examination compound gates. A wave of sadness washed over them.

Seeing all reporters had been checked, Fang Zheng followed the outer curtain official into the examination compound with satisfaction.

The examination compound was extremely large, able to accommodate twelve thousand candidates gathered in one place.

Fang Zheng walked along the examination cells.

He couldn't help looking around carefully to examine the cells. There was no need to discuss food and drink, but the cell space was extremely cramped.

The overall area was only about one square meter!

Three sides were walls, plus two boards. The upper board was used for writing during the day, and at night it was removed and inserted into grooves below to connect with the lower sitting board to form a "bed."

Called a bed, one couldn't actually lie down on it, only curl up and lean against the wall to sleep in an extremely awkward position!

Moreover, to prevent cheating, candidates wore only single-layer clothing and had no bedding at night. Many people endured through sheer willpower, only to fall seriously ill upon returning home.

Taking exams here for three days, three sessions, a total of nine days and six nights! Truly, only by tasting the bitterest suffering can one rise above others!

The only somewhat comforting thought was that under these conditions, whether you were from a wealthy noble family or a poor commoner, everyone was treated equally.

Perhaps apart from birth and death, this was the only place that was relatively fair.

After a quick look around, Fang Zheng stopped observing and hurried to the Lansheng Tower.

Lansheng Tower was where examination officials worked. Before all candidates were in position, officials waited there.

Zhang Dongxiang naturally sat in the main seat.

Seeing Fang Zheng rushing in late with no good expression on his face, he immediately said, "Fang Zheng! Why are you coming at this time!"

"How dare you treat the Grand Selection as a joke! If you're late again, don't blame me for reporting you to His Majesty!"

Fang Zheng put on a fawning smile and moved close to the old man, whispering, "Third Uncle! Do me a favor, I was helping check if candidates were smuggling things in!"

"Didn't His Majesty tell you I'm only here to monitor the examination today? I don't need to deal with anything else!"

Hearing him call him "Third Uncle," Zhang Dongxiang's serious expression immediately collapsed as he angrily whispered back, "I am not your Third Uncle! You've harmed Minister Li and now want to harm me too?"

"Listen to how unpleasant you sound! What do you mean 'harm'! Outside, countless people want to claim me as their father and I refuse them all. You should be secretly delighted I'm calling you Third Uncle! Secretly delighted!"

Zhang Dongxiang's old face turned crimson with anger, and he quickly changed the subject: "Today, besides monitoring, you're also responsible for grading papers! Though His Majesty mentioned beforehand you'd be monitoring, grading is also the inner curtain official's duty! You've taken up a position!"

At the mention of grading, Fang Zheng's eyes immediately glazed over!

I'd rather sweep the floor! Grading is absolutely impossible!

If he actually graded papers, he'd be harming people! The consequences were unimaginable. Wouldn't that be endlessly destructive?

With cross-checking of papers, not only might he be exposed, but how would others view him? How would future generations view him!

Not taking the imperial examinations seriously! Treating the national Grand Selection as a joke! Toying with the futures of pure-hearted scholars!

At that point, everyone in the world would try to kill him!

You could nail God to a cross, but don't make me grade papers!

The examination system was sacred and inviolable! Though he was a poor student, he had to protect the system. This was faith, love motherland!

Fang Zheng immediately said seriously, "Third Uncle, say no more! I'll go to the kitchen to cook for the candidates!"

His voice was so loud everyone heard.

Third Uncle!!!?

All officials present inhaled sharply!

Their eyes showed faint excitement as they looked back and forth between Zhang Dongxiang and Fang Zheng!

Good heavens... an earth-shattering secret! Court insider information, Fang Zheng's background was frighteningly deep!

Minister Li was his big uncle, Minister Zhang was his third uncle, then wasn't Minister Zheng his second uncle!?

Taking it further, given His Majesty's attitude toward him... it wouldn't be surprising if he were His Majesty's illegitimate son...

How could such complicated relationships exist in this world? I need to go home and figure this out... it's too messy.

The officials immediately entered rabid gossip mode.

Zhang Dongxiang's heart was pierced by the officials' gazes, and he cried out in pain, "I am truly not his Third Uncle!!!"

Truly not? Why say "truly"? Couldn't you just say you're not?

And why are you shouting so loudly! Feeling guilty?

Such obvious cover-up, unnecessary!

The officials nodded knowingly and stopped staring at the two.

Seeing no one was paying attention anymore, Zhang Dongxiang sighed in relief and said softly to Fang Zheng, "In the future, could you please not call me Third Uncle when others are present? Call me anything else, and I'll be grateful to you, Minister Fang!"

Zhang Dongxiang felt bitter inside. Given this bastard's personality, he would never change and would always try to attach himself like a piece of phlegm!

Now he could only beg him not to call him that in public.

Minister Li had already been victimized, and he absolutely couldn't fall into the same trap!

...

Don't call him that when others are present?

The group of officials had their ears perked up like antennas, still carefully monitoring the pair. Hearing this, their faces lit up with joy.

So he really is the Third Uncle! Confirmed so quickly!

The officials normally just worked in their offices and read books at home, leading very bland lives! This kind of juicy gossip was a first for them!

And not many people knew about it... it was truly exciting!

Fortunately, everyone was proper and didn't easily reveal their thoughts on their faces, still calmly drinking tea.

Fang Zheng sighed, "Fine, I promise you... but I don't want to grade papers, only monitor."

Zhang Dongxiang immediately frowned, "Impossible! The national Grand Selection absolutely cannot be taken as a joke!"

"Since you've occupied the inner curtain official position, you must take full responsibility! On this point, there's no room for negotiation!"

"You became a jinshi at fifteen, and I must praise you as a young genius! What's wrong with letting you grade provincial examination papers? Don't tell me you haven't read any books all these years?"

Fang Zheng spread his hands, his eyebrows dancing as he said, "I have! 'Spring Colors in the Attic,' 'Flying Flower Fantasies,' 'Appreciating Flowers Treasured Mirror,' 'Red Chamber Spring Dreams'..."

Everyone turned their heads away, unable to bear hearing these obscene book titles, as if their scholarly ears had been polluted.

Zhang Dongxiang furiously said, "Enough! You must complete all inner curtain official duties, or I will definitely report you!"

The other officials shook their heads.

This Fang Zheng... really doesn't give his Third Uncle any peace...