"Jiang Qingyi..."

The moment Zeng Qiang spoke these three words.

Xiao Mo froze entirely where he stood.

Within Xiao Mo's mind, the image of a young girl rose unbidden.

He remembered how she had once been so desperately hungry that she stole a steamed bun, only to be chased down and beaten by the shop owner, cowering trembling in a corner.

He remembered how, after he had brought her into the sect, she had always moved with such careful caution, afraid of making any mistake, afraid of being cast aside once more.

He remembered the entranced look in her eyes as she watched a shooting star streak across the sky within the courtyard.

He remembered how, on her birthday, she had pressed her hands together to make a wish, that quiet, still expression on her face and, at last, remembered how, when he had died before her, she had wept until she could not speak.

"Ten Thousand Swords Sect... Ten Thousand Swords Sect..."

Xiao Mo stared at those three characters within the file, murmuring them over and over, as though suddenly grasping something.

Within the Book of a Hundred Lives, the sect Qingyi had once founded had, it seemed, borne this very same name.

At the time, he had thought it merely coincidence, believing the Book of a Hundred Lives simply used reality as its backdrop while the actual characters within remained fictional but now, the master of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect was named, remarkably, Jiang Qingyi.

Could such a coincidence truly exist in this world?

If... if the lives he had experienced within the Book of a Hundred Lives were not merely "experiences" at all, if they were all real...

At this thought, Xiao Mo's heart could not help but tremble violently, his earlier fatigue vanishing entirely.

He felt this thought of his was perhaps far too bold but what if such a possibility truly existed?

"Your Majesty, please grant this subject a few more days. I will surely get to the bottom of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect's true circumstances!"

Seeing Xiao Mo fall silent, Zeng Qiang, believing he had failed in his duties and displeased His Majesty, hurried to speak.

"No need. Let this matter rest here." Xiao Mo shook his head, setting down the file in his hand. "The Ten Thousand Swords Sect has existed for over three thousand years now. For our Zhou Kingdom to investigate it is like an ant trying to comprehend an elephant. Whatever they don't wish you to see, you will never manage to see."

"Oh, right."

Xiao Mo changed the subject.

"I intend to establish a new office, tasked with overseeing and investigating all officials. This office will answer only to me, its rank set at the third grade. By seniority, I had originally intended to appoint Old General Zhang to the position."

"But Old General Zhang expressed that his age has grown considerable, and that he no longer has the energy for such duties, and so recommended you to me instead. I wish for you to take charge of this office. What do you think, my loyal subject?"

"This... Your Majesty, this subject's standing is too modest. I fear I would struggle to command respect."

Zeng Qiang tried to decline.

Never mind anything else.

The very phrase "overseeing and investigating all officials" alone carried weight beyond words.

"Your standing is more than sufficient." Xiao Mo would not allow him to refuse. "It's settled, then. I trust you can handle this well."

"If Your Majesty places such trust in this subject, I shall not fail the mission entrusted to me!"

Hearing His Majesty's words, Zeng Qiang understood that to decline further would be to deny His Majesty proper respect.

Zeng Qiang understood, too, that this was a genuine sign of His Majesty's deep trust in him.

"Very good." Xiao Mo nodded with satisfaction. "You may withdraw for now. The specific matters and details of the Embroidered Guard still need to be settled. I will summon you when the time comes."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Zeng Qiang bowed, turning to leave the imperial study.

Once Zeng Qiang had left, Xiao Mo sat alone within the imperial study, tapping his fingers against the desk.

"Ten Thousand Swords Sect... Jiang Qingyi..."

Xiao Mo's brow furrowed, murmuring to himself ceaselessly.

After a long while of deliberation, Xiao Mo called out toward the door, “Someone, prepare the carriage. To the National Preceptor's residence."

Before the notice board at the capital's examination hall, a crowd had already gathered.

Among them were scholars who had sat for the spring examination, their family members, and, of course, no small number of household stewards representing various officials.

Beside these stewards stood several burly, well-built men.

And these stewards' masters, without exception, all had unmarried daughters waiting at home.

What they intended to do was, naturally, to seize a promising son-in-law right from the results board.

Under normal circumstances, such matchmaking pursuits typically occurred after the palace examination, once the top three candidates had been determined but by then, it would already be far too late to seize anyone at all and even if one truly did rank among the top three, there was no guarantee they would look favorably upon one's own daughter.

And so, once the results of the provincial examination were announced, any candidate who had passed could, essentially, already be claimed.

If the son-in-law one seized went on to rank among the top three at the palace examination, that would be a tremendous windfall, and even if he did not, there would still be little to lose.

"They're coming! They're coming! The Ministry of Rites is posting the results!"

Someone shouted, and everyone raised their heads at once, looking toward the gate of the examination hall.

The gate opened, and the Minister of Rites emerged, escorted by guards, personally hanging up the results.

"I passed! I passed!"

"I passed too!"

"I ranked thirtieth! Ha ha ha!"

The moment the results board unfurled, and name after name appeared before everyone's eyes, cries of excitement rose from the candidates at once.

Some laughed toward the heavens, while others sank into disappointed silence.

"Wait!"

"What are you doing?"

"Young master, my own lord requests your presence."

"Young master, my lord's daughter has just turned sixteen, precisely at the age for marriage. Please, do us the honor of visiting our household."

"What, young master, you won't come? Someone, tie him up—no, wait, carry the young master back!"

As the results were posted, these stewards, having identified their targets among the exuberant candidates, hurried to seize them away!

"Brother Jin Yuan, isn't that your name at the very top! The top scholar, Brother Jin Yuan! You've achieved first place in two consecutive examinations!"

Just as the crowd buzzed with excitement, a friend called out to Jin Yuan.

"Brother Chen isn't bad either. Congratulations on passing, ranked fiftieth." Jin Yuan said happily but the moment Jin Yuan's words fell, several stewards, leading their men, had already surrounded him. Jin Yuan, startled, turned to leave, but found himself blocked.

"Young Master Jin truly has an impressive bearing. I wonder if Young Master Jin might have a moment to spare?"

"Young Master Jin, my young mistress is of gentle and refined temperament, and remarkably beautiful besides. She has admired you for quite some time now. Perhaps you might discuss scholarship and calligraphy with her?"

Everyone extended eager invitations, as though Jin Yuan were a mountain of gold.

After all, this was the top scholar, no less, and this man's bearing was impressive besides, quite likely to catch His Majesty's eye at the palace examination as well, essentially guaranteeing him a place among the top three.

"My thanks for your kind regard, but this humble scholar already has a wife. I must hurry back to share the good news with her. Farewell..."

Jin Yuan gave a cupped-hand bow, trying to leave quickly.

"Young master, no need to rush off. Won't you come in for a drink first?"

"Indeed, young master, there's no hurry."

"Young master, please, do sit a while within our household."

But they still refused to let Jin Yuan go.

Never mind whether this top scholar already had a wife.

Even if he did, so what?

Often it was simply a matter of money. A sufficient sum could easily persuade an existing wife to accept becoming a secondary wife, or to simply leave altogether.

Such things happened all too frequently.

"Truly, I cannot." Jin Yuan continued to decline and just as the crowd, seeing this man refuse no matter what, considered resorting to force, a woman's voice rang out, “You all should be ashamed of yourselves, harassing a man who already has a wife."

Everyone turned to look, and saw three figures approaching.

Among them, the elderly man wore a jade token at his waist, inscribed with the large characters "Confucian Academy."

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