The Command to Pamper the Husband - Chapter 226

The final session of the palace examination.

Seated at his assigned desk, Zhao Jide was furiously writing.

The exam paper seemed tailored for him, with every question flowing effortlessly from his pen.

If all went well, he was certain to be the top scorer.

Just as Zhao Jide was confidently writing, a patrolling officer in the examination hall suddenly tripped and fell in front of his desk.

In an attempt to steady himself, the officer grabbed Zhao Jide’s desk, knocking over the ink.

The previously pristine paper was instantly soaked in black ink.

For a moment, Zhao Jide was completely stunned.

Shocked, he stood up abruptly, staring at the officer slowly getting up from the floor.

The officer glanced at the ruined exam paper apologetically. “Sorry.”

The word “sorry” was spoken with apparent regret.

But to Zhao Jide, it felt dismissive.

“Just sorry?”

The officer raised an eyebrow. “What more do you want? This is an examination hall. Any loud outbursts will get you expelled and disqualified.”

Zhao Jide felt his blood boil with anger.

“You know this is an exam hall! This is my exam paper! How am I supposed to take the exam now? Huh?”

The officer glanced at the paper. “Just start on a new sheet.”

He then sneered, “If you truly have knowledge, rewriting it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Zhao Jide’s temples throbbed with rage.

“Rewriting it? No problem?”

Overwhelmed with fury, Zhao Jide leapt over the desk, grabbing the inkstone and smashing it on the officer’s head.

Bang!

The officer’s head started bleeding immediately.

“Murder!”

The officer shouted, causing a commotion throughout the hall.

The chief examiner rushed over upon hearing the disturbance.

Zhao Jide explained the situation, but the chief examiner only saw that he had assaulted an officer and reported the incident to the Ministry of Justice.

The Minister of Justice seemed to be conveniently nearby, arriving with his men within moments.

No one listened to Zhao Jide’s explanation.

Everyone only saw that he had attacked a patrolling officer in the examination hall.

Despite Zhao Jide’s clear recounting of events, the Minister of Justice declared him guilty of attempted cheating and subsequent rage.

It was at this moment that the Empress unexpectedly arrived at the examination hall.

As the Empress entered, Zhao Jide was being taken away by officers.

All officials and officers hurriedly bowed to the Empress.

Seeing Zhao Jide being restrained, the Empress frowned. “What’s going on here?”

The Minister of Justice replied, “He was caught cheating and became violent.”

Zhao Jide straightened his neck. “I did not! He’s lying.”

The officer restraining him slapped his head.

“Shut up! How dare you behave like this in front of the Empress!”

The Empress frowned. “Let him speak.”

The officer looked at the Minister of Justice for guidance.

The Empress smiled slightly. “What? Are my words not authoritative?”

The officer quickly replied, “This servant dares not!”

He pressed the sword against Zhao Jide’s back, threatening him, “Since Her Majesty is asking, you better speak.”

Zhao Jide ignored the threat.

This was his only chance.

If he missed it, he might never get to speak again.

“Student Zhao Jide, the top scorer of the provincial examination. Just now, while answering the exam questions, this patrolling officer suddenly fell at my desk.”

“Before he fell, he grabbed my desk, accidentally spilling the ink.”

Before Zhao Jide could finish, the Minister of Justice interrupted angrily, “Nonsense.”

Zhao Jide retorted, “Since you entered, this officer hasn’t said a word, and you call my words nonsense. Where does your conclusion come from?”

The Minister of Justice snorted.

“I have judged many cases, and I recognize a deceitful person when I see one.”

He then bowed to the Empress. “Your Majesty, please don’t be deceived by him.”

The Empress turned to the Chief Eunuch, Song Dezhong. “Check Zhao Jide’s provincial exam results.”

Song Dezhong bowed and left.

He quickly returned. “Your Majesty, Zhao Jide is indeed the top scorer.”

The Empress addressed Zhao Jide, “The Minister of Justice accuses you of cheating, which you deny. Would you dare to answer the exam questions again in my presence?”

Zhao Jide’s eyes lit up.

He knew this was the Empress giving him a chance.

He immediately thanked her. “Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty. I will answer the questions now.”

Though the exam paper was ruined, the questions were still legible.

A eunuch set up a desk, and Zhao Jide began to rewrite the answers.

Having already answered the questions once, he quickly filled the paper with ease.

The Minister of Justice and the chief examiner exchanged worried glances.

The Empress sipped tea, observing their reactions without comment.

The other candidates continued their exams.

Despite the interruption, Zhao Jide finished his answers before the end of the examination period.

The Empress glanced at the Minister of Justice. “Bring his exam paper to me.”

The Minister of Justice glared at Zhao Jide before handing the paper to the Empress.

The Empress reviewed the paper silently.

Everyone waited in tense silence, Zhao Jide’s heart pounding.

After reading, the Empress didn’t leave.

“Summon the officials grading the exams. Have them review this paper in my presence.”

The Minister of Justice turned pale.

His legs trembled, and he knelt.

The Empress looked at him.

“What is it?”

The Minister of Justice kowtowed, “Your Majesty, I admit my mistake!”

The chief examiner also knelt.

The Empress looked at them coldly, leaning back in her chair. “Your nephew is also taking this exam, correct?”

The Minister of Justice trembled.

The Empress snorted. “Did you think your scheme was flawless?”

She slapped the table, and the Minister’s nephew was brought forward, along with his exam paper.

The paper bore Zhao Jide’s name.

Seeing his name on someone else’s paper, Zhao Jide was shocked.

“Where is my paper?”

Another eunuch presented Zhao Jide’s previous exam paper, which bore someone else’s name.

Zhao Jide asked, “If you were going to swap our papers, why ruin my paper? Without that incident, I wouldn’t have caused a scene, and I wouldn’t have known until the results were announced. Wouldn’t that have been better for you?”

Zhao Jide’s words left the Minister of Justice speechless.

Did he think the officer wanted this commotion?

He didn’t even know that officer!

He wasn’t one of his men.

The Empress raised an eyebrow. “That officer was sent by me.”

Both the Minister of Justice and Zhao Jide turned to look at the Empress.

The Minister of Justice thought, *Your Majesty sent him? You knew all along?*

Zhao Jide thought, ‘I might have hit him a bit too hard.’