Chapter 413

Yao Siqing was quite understanding, "Are there lavatories in this Baohe Hall?"

"Of course there are. People who come to the banquet need to relieve themselves." The Fourth Prince reacted quickly, "If the young ladies can't find them, I will call the palace maids to show you the way."

For safety reasons, people who entered the imperial city for the banquet could not bring servant girls or attendants. The princes and princesses could exceptionally bring one personal attendant, while all other needs had to be met by the palace maids and eunuchs.

As the legitimate daughter of the Yao family, Yao Siqing naturally knew this rule. But she didn't need directions. She wanted to create a quiet and safe enough environment.

"Fourth Brother can slowly show them the way. Fifth Brother really can't hold it anymore, so I'll take my leave first." Chang Yan, who was standing next to them, spoke urgently, sweating realistically on his forehead.

Fortunately they were men, so it was fine to say these things in public.

If it were young ladies, their spine would have been smashed.

Yao Siqing's eyes shifted as she glanced in the direction the Fifth Prince had left. She could only agree, "Then I'll have to trouble the Fourth Highness."

The lavatories were set up in the side halls, separated between men and women, quite far apart from each other.

Yao Siqing and Jiang Sheng followed the palace maid while pondering how to meet the Fifth Prince on the other side, and how to do it inconspicuously without arousing suspicion.

The imperial palace was solemn and strict. Even the lavatories were attended by palace maids. Let alone crossing the entire main hall to reach the men's lavatory.

Yao Siqing frowned worriedly about this, thinking that she wouldn't be able to deliver the silver ticket today.

But she didn't expect Jiang Sheng to dismiss the palace maid and whisper, "Don't worry Sister Yao, Fifth Brother should be coming."

Others might not know, but how could she not understand her own brother?

If Big Brother's plan had failed, it must have been because Fifth Brother didn't want to meet.

As long as Fifth Brother wanted to meet, his status as a prince could provide convenience, not to mention his meticulous mind shouldn't be underestimated either.

Knowing that it was inconvenient for his sister, he would definitely think of ways to come over. Jiang Sheng looked certain. Yao Siqing didn't say anything. The two women walked to the lavatory and carefully pushed the door open. Indeed, inside stood a panting young man.

He must have secretly run over, climbed over the wall, and finally crawled in through the window.

The original neat brocade robe was a little wrinkled, his palms were also red from pressing, and the hair beside his temples was slightly messy. Only his unfathomable eyes remained smiling.

Yao Siqing was a bit shocked. She just said "I'll wait for you outside" and closed the lavatory door to stand guard.

Finally, the world was quiet. There were no strict palace rules, no chaotic eyes, and no discrepant statuses.

The young man rubbed his palms, unusually shy and apologetic, and said in a low voice, "Sister."

The young lady looked at him coldly without responding.

"Jiang Sheng, be good, don't be angry anymore. We don't have much time." Chang Yan smiled bitterly. "The banquet is about to start and I still have to make a donation."

It's not without reason he's called the Fifth Prince! Such an effective move to subdue the enemy!

Jiang Sheng reluctantly swallowed her grievances and took out the silver ticket from her arms to slap it over, "My brothers asked me to give this to you, afraid you don't have money to donate."

A full ten thousand taels!

After learning that he still owed money, even his half-brother the Fourth Prince had withdrawn the intention of lending money.

But his brothers who he didn't have blood relations with had unconditionally given ten thousand taels in silver tickets.

Chang Yan's eyes turned red as he stroked the warm paper and said in a low voice, "You don't have to, actually I don't need it. After all, I'm still a prince."

"Father told me the Jiang family is going to donate twenty thousand taels. How much are you donating?" Jiang Sheng pretended to believe him and asked earnestly.

Chang Yan was rendered speechless.

"If you don't have money, just say so. Don't even tell us and just run away." Jiang Sheng pouted, "Auntie almost didn't even spend her wedding night. Fourth Brother is still crying now. It's up to you."

The water of West Lake, the tears of Fourth Brother.

Chang Yan felt utterly helpless. "It's my fault, it's all my fault."

"As long as you know you were wrong!" Only then did Jiang Sheng let go of her resentment. "We'll talk about apologizing later. Take this money for donation first. If it's not enough, I'll think of a way."

It was as if ten thousand taels was just cabbage.

Chang Yan chuckled and put the silver ticket back in her hand. "I really don't need it. Everyone knows I have no money. Rather than donating ten thousand taels of silver to provoke speculation, I might as well be shamelessly poor."

What's a little humiliation? How could he just donate the money his second brother worked hard to earn? This time Jiang Sheng was dumbfounded.

If Fifth Brother didn't need money, then what was the point of her racking her brains to come here?

Was it just for that grievance? Or to verify the Fifth Prince's identity?

"Don't worry, I asked you to come because I have important things to discuss." Chang Yan easily guessed her thoughts and laughed. "I'm not in a position to meet Big Brother, but I want you to tell Big Brother that the Fang family's recent moves are by no means trivial."

The story started with the Fang family proposing a wealth tax at the imperial examination. At that time, people thought Fang Yuan was willing to offend the prominent families in order to impress the imperial family and get first place.

Later, when the Fang family proposed making donations, it seemed as if they wanted to clear the shame of "buying the title with money". Even someone as astute as Chang Yan was convinced and didn't have the slightest doubt.

The sudden appearance of Chang Yan at the spring banquet had disrupted the Fang family's plan. It also turned the prominent families' donations into donations from the entire Fuyang city, washing away some of the Fang family's credit.

But only some of it. As long as the amount of donations was high enough, credit would still remain with the Fang family. They would still be able to curry favor with the imperial family.

Yes, it was here that Chang Yan realized something was wrong.

The Fang family seemed to be working hard to please the imperial family, willing to donate silver, willing to collect wealth tax, and willing to offend other prominent families.

Their trump card was clearly the Eldest Prince. The most important thing they should be doing is helping the Eldest Prince in his fight for the throne. Currying the imperial family's favor should also be getting the Eldest Prince to do it. But the Fang family was taking most of the credit upon Fang Yuan, while the Eldest Prince came second.

Could the Fang family be trying to overthrow the regime?

But without the support of commoners and legitimacy, the Fang family, which didn't even have military generals, had neither the intention nor the ability.

Chang Yan became suspicious and randomly flipped through the classics, unable to find a reason. But he saw histories related to "fraud in the imperial examinations".

As the only stage for scholars, the most important means of selecting officials, the imperial examinations allowed scholars past and present to believe in its absolute fairness and impartiality.

There were a few cases of fraud in history. In the end, even the chief examiner was implicated. They would rather wrongly execute than let go. There had never been an instance when things were covered up after being exposed.

If there were, it would only be the past two years of examinations.

For two people involved in the same fraud, one became the top scholar and the other the second top scholar. How could scholars across the country be convinced? What really happened with the fraud back then?

"Only now do I put everything together. The Fang family's actions have never been for the Eldest Prince. They want to silence the scholars across the country and prevent the fraud from being mentioned again." Chang Yan gloomily continued word for word, "Once they fail to silence it and scholar groups become agitated and bring up the fraud again, either Big Brother or Fang Yuan will stink for thousands of years."

"Then... doesn't the imperial family do anything about it?" Jiang Sheng was dumbfounded.

There were so many twists and turns that she wouldn't be able to figure it out even after ten years.

"Him?" Chang Yan laughed. "He's sitting back and reaping the profits."