Chapter 1 — Female Judge

The night before the women's exam, my fiance pried open my literature box and gave the essay on station translation policy that I had been writing for three years to my step-sister. On the phone, my step-sister recited my essay. The Ta family immediately asked to make her a champion. I pushed the blank exam book in front of the throne. "I would like to change the subject." The whole hall said I couldn't stand failure. I pointed to the seventh station in her test: "The Han Nha station translation was made up by me. This place does not exist on the map of Dai Ung."1 When the exam bell rang for the third time, Luc Minh Chau submitted his exam. She knelt on the steps, holding up her essay with both hands, a piece of silver thread exposed at the cuff of her shirt. That's my thread. Last night, I put it in the writing box, using it to bind the original manuscript. Ta Hanh Chu stood behind the officials of the Ministry of Rites and nodded slightly to her. Luc Minh Chau immediately opened her mouth and read: "The goddess believes that the evil of the service station does not lie in the lack of horses, but in having too many service stations. Combine the twelve service stations into nine, eliminate the idle service stations, merge the horse cards, save food and grass, and help urgent dispatches to be transmitted smoothly." She read without a single word. Even the "Han Nha translation" that I intentionally wrote incorrectly on the third page, she read clearly and distinctly. Luc Kinh's father sat in the last position in the jury row. He stroked his beard, his eyes could not hide the joy. Minister of Rites Chu Thien spoke first and praised: "The second lady of the Luc family, at such a young age, has already seen the evils accumulated in the station service system, which is enough to see that she has strategic talent in her heart." Ta Hanh Chu also stepped out of the line. "Your Majesty, the women's department has just been opened for the first time, and we are in need of a talented woman with such courage and knowledge. I would like to appoint Luc Minh Chau as the champion of the women's department." Luc Minh Chau's earrings moved slightly. She bowed her head, but could not hide the curl of her lips. The Emperor did not answer, just looked at me. I sit at the last table. On the table is a white sheet of paper. Seeing that I couldn't write, the inner lady came to urge me twice. Chu Thien frowned: "Luc Van Khe, why don't you do the test?" I stood up, raised the white exam book in front of the palace. "I would like to change the topic." There were several sounds of cards colliding in the palace. Luc Minh Chau raised his head and looked at me. His father's hand was placed on his knee, his knuckles were white. Ta Hanh Chu said: "Van Khe, the exam question paper was personally sealed by His Majesty, how could it be possible to change the subject because she couldn't answer?" I looked at him. "Who said I couldn't answer?" He frowned and frowned. "Then why did you hand in a blank paper?" I pointed to the essay book in Luc Minh Chau's hand. "Because the exam question paper has been leaked." Chu Thien slapped the table. "Brave!" The emperor raised his hand, and the whole hall immediately became quiet. again. "You said the exam questions were leaked, is there any evidence?" I replied: "Yes." Luc Minh Chau tightened his grip on the essay. I walked up to her, held out my hand. "Give me the cards." She stepped back a bit. "Sister, this is the exam for the first imperial exam." I asked: "Are you afraid I will tear it?" Ta Hanh Chu took a half step forward. "Van Khe and Minh Chau are also daughters of the Luc family. The two of them read the same books, it's not surprising that the literature is similar." "Similar?" I received the exam from the grandmother's hand and turned to the fourth page. "Dai Ung has eleven. Official translation stations and thirty-seven dispatch transfer stations. But Luc Minh Chau wrote twelve translation stations into nine." Chu Thien said: "Twelve is just a general way of speaking." I put my finger on a line of text. "She wrote that the seventh translation station, Han Nha translation station, should be abolished." Chu Thien glanced, his throat moved slightly. I turned to the emperor. "Your Majesty, there is no Han Nha station on the Dai Ung map." Someone immediately went to get the map. Jade card in Ta's hand

Hanh Chu was brought down very low. Luc Minh Chau quickly said: "Perhaps I wrote it wrong." I nodded. "So tell me, what should the seventh translation station be called?" She opened her mouth. But can't say. I asked again: "In the essay, you said the north of Han Nha station is connected to Thanh Pha dispatch station, the south is connected to Lac Tung bridge. In which continent is Thanh Pha station located?"The back of Luc Minh Chau's hand was sweating. Father quickly spoke up: "The exam asked about books and essays, not to check every detail on the map. Van Khe, don't force people too much." I looked at him. "Did father also stand outside your study last night?" Father's beard trembled slightly. The emperor said: "Luc Van Khe, speak clearly." I took out a thin piece of paper from my sleeve. "Han Nha translation station, Thanh Pha dispatch station and Lac Tung bridge are all place names made up by the goddess. Last night, the goddess discovered that the lock of the literature box had a pick mark, so she placed an old essay inside. Whoever takes it will bring these three fake place names to the main hall." Even the layer of powder on Luc Minh Chau's face could not cover the sweat. at the tip of the nose. Ta Hanh Chu said: "Based on only three place names, to conclude that she stole the manuscript, isn't it too arbitrary? Minh Chau has lived in the Luc family for ten years, maybe she has seen her manuscript." I laughed. "Tu Tu Ta's reminder is very correct." I took out the second item from my sleeve. A piece of silver thread. "The silver thread I used to tie the manuscript last night was soaked in purple water. Anyone who touches it will leave a green mark on their fingertips. Luc Minh Chau, do you dare to raise your hand?" Luc Minh Chau hid his hand in his sleeve. Ta Hanh Chu was about to open his mouth. The Emperor had said before: "Put out your hand." 2 When Luc Minh Chau reached out her hand, her fingertips trembled so much that she couldn't control it. There was indeed a light blue streak between her right thumb and index finger. The official card in Chu Thien's hand fell to his knees. Father stood up, but was stopped by the inner servant. Luc Minh Chau's eyes filled with tears. "Sister, I just helped you clean up the desk. It's not unusual to touch the silver thread. Last night you had a fever and the literature box was opened again. I was afraid that the exam papers would get damp so I helped you rearrange it." I asked: "Did I have a fever last night?" She looked towards her father. Father immediately continued: "Yesterday you came back from the exam school, your face was not good. Minh Chau was worried about you, that's why I came to visit." I nodded. "So, Ta Tu also worried about me?" Ta Hanh Chu looked at me. "Of course I worried about her." I took out a copper button from my sleeve. The Ta family's cloud pattern was engraved on the button. "This button fell next to my writing box." Ta Hanh Chu reached out to hold the cuff of his shirt. Sure enough, one was missing. Several courtiers in the palace simultaneously looked over. He stabilized his voice and said: "Last night I went to Luc Palace to discuss the marriage with your father. Perhaps when passing by your study, I accidentally dropped it." I said: "Did you just pass by and accidentally pry open my writing box?" Luc Minh Chau's crying became softer. "Sister, do you have to destroy me right on the main hall? If you don't want me to be your champion, I'll just give it to you. Why must you slander me? Me and Prince Ta?” What a great move to retreat and advance. As soon as she cried, her father was heartbroken. "Your Majesty, little girl Van Khe has been aggressive since she was young. She and Minh Chau had a feud because of the female faculty's rank, and for a moment they spoke without thinking. I would like to send her back to the warden's house."Warden. Hearing these two words, the hand in my sleeve squeezed the third object tightly. The emperor asked: "Luc Van Khe, if it's just stealing a manuscript, the female faculty can re-grade it. Why did you ask to change the topic as soon as you opened your mouth?" I was waiting for this question. I pay my respects to the emperor. “Because stealing manuscripts is just that

small matter. The exam questions being leaked is a big deal." Chu Thien opened his mouth in front of everyone: "The exam questions were sealed by His Majesty's hand, and the Ministry of Rites used three layers of locks to preserve them. Luc Van Khe, don't plunder the court because of the competition for rank." I looked at him. "If the topic was not revealed, why did Luc Minh Chau answer about the station translation policy?" Chu Thien replied: "She is talented, she guessed correctly." I continued asking: "Then why is the essay she correctly guessed the same old manuscript in my literature box?" Chu Thien did not answer. Ta Hanh Chu continued: "The evil of station translation, inside the court and outside the people." everyone knows. It's not difficult for the female faculty member to ask about the exam policy. I said: "So, did Prince Ta Tu know that today, in the test box, we shouldn't have asked about the test box?" The whole main hall immediately fell silent. The Emperor slowly looked towards the test box next to the throne. The three layers of sealing wax on the box were still intact. Chu Thien said: "Your Majesty, no one touched the test box." "The wax seal hasn't been touched, but that doesn't mean the exam questions haven't been changed." I looked at the box. The female department's electorate has two layers of paper. The outer text was copied by the Ministry of Rites, the inner text was written by His Majesty himself. If someone only changes the outer layer of questions, there is no need to touch the sealing wax." Chu Thien's fingers tightened. "How do you know that the exam has two layers?" I replied: "Because three days ago, the goddess was summoned to Van Hoa pavilion, helping His Majesty check the backup questions for the exam." Father was stunned. He did not know. Ta Hanh Chu also did not know. The emperor looked at me for a moment. "Continue." I said: "The backup questions have a total of three questions. The station translation policy is only the third sentence. The first topic that His Majesty chose was an urgent dispatch from An Tay that was delayed by three days." Sweat began to appear on Chu Thien's forehead. Ta Hanh Chu's fingers tightened on the jade card. I turned to Luc Minh Chau. "Do you dare to answer the first question right on the throne?" Luc Minh Chau bit her lip. Of course she did not dare. She only memorized my old textbook on station translation. The real exam question, she had never seen. The Emperor came out. commanded: "Get the letter box." The inner lady lifted the letter box. Chu Thien stepped out and knelt down. "Your Majesty, if you open the seal at this time, the ceremony will be broken." The emperor stared at him. "I told you to take it." The inner lady opened the box. The outer layer of paper was taken out, but when the paper inside was opened, inside was the emperor's handwriting: Urgent dispatch from An Tay was delayed by three days. Who is responsible? Chu Thien knelt down on the ground. Ta Hanh Chu did not kneel. He looked at me. His eyes were no longer like the eyes of a fiance looking at his fiancee. But like a chess player who had just discovered that he had made a mistake. "Chu Thien." Chu Thien's forehead was close to the ground. "I am present." "Who changed the outside layer?" Chu Thien gritted his teeth. said: "He knows." Chu Thien raised his head too quickly, the pearl chain on the mandarin's hat hit the mandarin's badge. I took out the third object. On the wax surface was half the imprint of the Ministry of Ceremonies paper. "Last night, someone took white paper from the southern room of the Ministry of Ceremonies and replaced the outer layer of the title. The watermark of the paper is printed on this piece of wax. The goddess picked it up next to Prince Xie's wheel.