After Entering The Abusive Novel, I Became The Empress - chapter 28

The room fell silent in an instant. Especially Lin Haiyan—he looked at Lu Jingchuan in shock, disbelief filling his eyes.

In everyone’s view, the Emperor was a wise and benevolent ruler. He had opened more academies, sent countless teachers across the land to spread learning, and ensured that students everywhere had the chance to study.

How could such a man ever permit corruption in the imperial examinations?

“Why?” Yet when the question left his lips, Lin Haiyan realized he wasn’t feeling the burning anger he had imagined.

“Because of the court.” Lu Jingchuan’s tone carried helplessness. As one of the Emperor’s sharpest claws, he naturally understood the rot festering within Great Yin’s institutions.

The factions in court were tangled beyond measure. Each prince harbored his own designs, many with sinister intentions.

On the surface, everyone acted in harmony, but behind closed doors they schemed how to kill one another, how to drag rivals down, and how to push their own men into power.

Lin Haiyan fell into silence. He was no naive bookworm—on his journey to the capital for the examinations, he had once cherished lofty dreams of making a name for himself. But had it not been for Old Master Ye persuading the Sixth Princess to save him, all his poetry, his statecraft essays, his mastery of the Classic of Poetry—would have been stolen away and used by others.

“What’s wrong, are you scared?” Qin Yuqing lifted her eyes to him and continued, “At the way things stand, you may not even make the list. Those who do might not be half as talented as you, but they have a fine teacher behind them.”

Lin Haiyan shook his head firmly. “Never once have I been afraid.” He drew from his robe a worn-out book and said, “I’m not some man of great ambition. I was only thinking—if I do make the list, won’t my voice carry farther? If my voice carries farther, won’t my resistance be heard by more? And if it is heard by more… might the outcome not change?”

Qin Yuqing studied him thoughtfully, her gaze brightening. Perhaps there was another way forward.

In times of chaos such as these—if those of us who are kind-hearted never seize the throne of nine dragons, how could we ever grant peace to the people of this world?

“Lu Jingchuan, I have a little problem I need your help with.” Qin Yuqing crooked her finger. Though puzzled, he leaned close without hesitation.

“There should be plenty of teachers in the capital without virtue, yes?”

Lu Jingchuan blinked, then nodded dumbly.

“Then I want the one with the least virtue.”

“I see.” At first Lu Jingchuan didn’t understand, but now he grasped exactly what she intended.

“The Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy.” Lu Jingchuan tapped the table. At once, Lu Jiu flew in from the window, laid a ledger on the table, and vanished again.

Qin Yuqing never even saw where he came from, much less where he went.

If only she could do that one day! Then she wouldn’t be so disadvantaged in a fight.

“How long before I can fly like that? If I could, I’d look so dashing.” In her mind’s eye she already saw herself soaring through the skies, loosing arrows that struck true from above.

She—the divine sharpshooter.

“Back to earth. He’s gone.” Lu Jingchuan’s amused voice broke her daydream.

Qin Yuqing’s eyes fell upon the ledger. Lu Jingchuan flipped it open and handed it to her. “This records the crimes of officials, from the lightest to the heaviest.”

She had steeled herself, yet still sucked in a breath when she saw the very first entry.

The original story had always hinted at it: three years ago, children in the capital had vanished in droves. Every night, one could hear the wailing cries of children—but never find their source.

Soon, tales spread that demons were snatching children by night. Families barred their doors at dusk, terrified their own would be taken.

“So… those children… were used by him…” Qin Yuqing had sensed something grim in the novel, but she never imagined this man, for the sake of eternal youth, would commit acts lower than beasts.

To use children so—what monstrous sin!

The further she read, the colder she felt. Case after case, each a real atrocity of this dynasty.

Children… people used as foundations for high towers… corruption and silencing in the examinations…

She told herself again and again this was a fictional world, yet she couldn’t suppress the fury and grief within her.

These weren’t just lives—they were hope itself. Many had futures blazing with promise, yet because of the Grand Academician’s careless word, their lives were ended.

“Anything worse?” Qin Yuqing lowered her gaze to the students outside the window. “If we’re doing this, let’s do it big.”

“Very well. I’ll stand with you.” Hatred burned in Lu Jingchuan’s eyes. He too had longed to slay these villains, but the chance had never come.

The ledger was thickest with those who had committed the gravest crimes. But such men were hardest to bring down—evidence was not enough to ensure their deaths.

Lin Haiyan and Chuntao exchanged a glance, each seeing the same helplessness in the other’s eyes.

Soon night fell, the streets empty.

“The air is dry, beware of fire.” The watchman’s voice rang out—then a shrill, piercing scream tore through the silence.

“D-dead! Someone’s dead!” The watchman collapsed in terror, stammering as he crawled away before scrambling to report to the magistrate.

At the gates of the capital’s greatest academy, countless sheets of paper rained from the sky. White banners hung upon the gates, scrawled with red characters—as though written in bl00d, crying accusations.

And in their midst, a man knelt.

His head drooped, a brush still clutched in his hand. Across his face were inked several words.

“The wronged soul collects its debt.”

Qin Yuqing’s face hardened as she looked across the table at the Second Prince, Qin Junyi, and the Crown Prince, Qin Youqian. The death of the Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy, kneeling lifeless in his study, had already spread through the streets. That morning, the Emperor had flown into a rage and demanded a full investigation.

“Two elder brothers, this matter concerns the examinations. Do you happen to know the identity of the deceased?” she asked innocently. For now, she was but the Sixth Princess returned from a temple, ignorant of the capital’s affairs.

The Crown Prince’s expression was grim. The Second Prince cast him a glance, schadenfreude glinting in his eyes as he explained.

“That man was the Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy—and the Crown Prince’s tutor.” Qin Junyi’s probing gaze lingered on the Crown Prince. “He was also chief examiner for the imperial examinations all these years. Every name on the golden list passed through his hand.”

“Not long ago, the Crown Prince brought gifts to visit his teacher. I’ve heard His Highness has recently gathered quite a few promising pupils under him.”

“Second Brother, what are you implying! My teacher was always upright and just. He would never commit corruption in the examinations!” Fury flared in Qin Youqian’s eyes. If not for his upbringing, he might already have leapt up to tear his brother’s mouth apart.

Qin Junyi only smiled, sipping tea. His tone grew even more mocking. “Upright and just, you say? Free of corruption? Hah.” He ignored the Crown Prince, instead turning to Qin Yuqing. “Sixth Sister, do you know what I discovered?”

Qin Yuqing shook her head. She had invited the Crown Prince today because Lu Jingchuan told her the Grand Academician had been his tutor, a loyal mentor since his childhood.

She had invited the Second Prince because he was supposed to be investigating Chen Yijun’s case. Yet so much time had passed without even a ripple. Judging by Qin Junyi’s reaction, perhaps the case was unrelated to him—but because she held the novel’s script in hand, she still suspected him.

Most of all—the novel’s male lead had yet to appear. No matter what Qin Yuqing tried, she couldn’t encounter him. But she had unearthed plenty of information.

According to the novel, the male lead Yu Bingyan had volunteered to assist Qin Junyi in probing Chen Yijun’s exam scandal. Few might know, but Qin Yuqing did—Yu Bingyan had spent heavily to replace a top-ranked scholar in the imperial examinations, installing his own man in court.

Qin Yuqing suspected the one replaced had been Chen Yijun. Only a stolen first-rank title would suit Yu Bingyan’s pompous airs.

“Do you remember Chen Yijun from Wenshan?” Qin Junyi asked, smiling as if making casual conversation, but his eyes were sharp with intent.

The Crown Prince, hearing the name, forced himself calm. He knew that no matter how angry he was, the dead could not return. Whether as Crown Prince or mere student, this matter was no longer his to interfere in.

“I do. He used his death to prove Clear Mountain Essays was written by his late wife. A man worthy of respect.” Qin Yuqing spoke with sorrow, mourning the loss of such talent.

“It was the Grand Academician who ruled Clear Mountain Essays to be plagiarized, barring Chen Yijun from ever taking the exams again,” Qin Junyi said coldly. “All Wenshan saw it plainly: Chen Yijun did plagiarize. But if the essay was his wife’s, then how did the Grand Academician know it was copied? And on what grounds did he judge it so?”

The Crown Prince faltered. He hated to believe his teacher base and corrupt, but the truth was laid bare. He knew Qin Junyi would never fabricate such a claim. Then a thought struck him.

“The last top-ranked scholar of that year… wasn’t he under Second Brother’s tutelage? He now serves in the Palace of Meals, does he not?”

The Palace of Meals? Qin Yuqing frowned. When she first transmigrated, she had been framed by witchcraft—and that too was linked to the Palace of Meals. If the man truly served there, it would explain how the novel’s male lead appeared in time to “save” her. Otherwise, how could he have known?

Surely he hadn’t conveniently “lost his way” like Lu Jingchuan did, right?

“Who?” Qin Junyi looked puzzled, clearly not understanding what the Crown Prince implied. “I am pure as wind, loyal to His Majesty. I would never have disciples. Second Brother, do not slander me.”

“Pure as wind, loyal to His Majesty? After Wenshan, how many sought you out?” Qin Youqian shot back.

Qin Junyi chuckled, amused. “And you, Crown Prince? Do you claim none sought you?”

The tension between them grew sharp. But just then, shrieks echoed from the street.

“Another body!”

Both princes turned toward the window. On the opposite teahouse roof knelt another corpse. White banners fluttered, sheets of paper fell like snow.

Qin Yuqing caught one in her hand, her long lashes hiding her eyes.

No rush.

The real show was only beginning.