Transmigrated into a female county magistrate during a famine, leading her country to prosperity

Chapter 1185 Seeking Fairness

"Wait a minute!"

Just as Pei Zhaoqi's fingertips were about to touch the document, a sharp shout rang out from outside the crowd.

Pei Zhaoqi paused slightly, and together with Shen Zheng, they looked in the direction of the sound.

The crowd, disturbed by the shout, turned to look and saw a group of people with unfriendly expressions striding toward the awards stage.

One of the villagers recognized one of them: "Isn't that young man next to the white-bearded old man the young master of the Huai family?"

Everyone was shocked. Looking at Huai Shaoyong's expression, they immediately guessed that this group of people had come to cause trouble.

"What are you doing!" Fang Ziyan rushed out like a firecracker, blocking the group's path, with Yu Nanshu and Cui Jinyin following closely behind.

"What are you doing here?" Huai Shaoyong looked at Fang Ziyan, who was a head shorter than him, and chuckled. "Naturally, I'm here to seek fairness. I know you're Pei Zhaoqi's friend, but don't worry, I'm not an unreasonable person, and neither is my teacher."

"Teacher?" Hearing this, Cui Jinyin frowned and looked at the white-bearded old man leading the group: "You are the headmaster of Luming Academy? Huai Shaoyong's teacher?"

"Insolence!" Before the white-bearded old man could speak, the black-bearded old man beside him shouted, "Where did this girl come from, spouting such nonsense!"

"You're the one who's being insolent!" Cui Jinyin had never been yelled at like that before, and she immediately lost her temper upon hearing it: "Did I give you permission to speak?"

The old man with the black beard choked, staring in disbelief: "You, you..."

"What do you mean, 'you'? Get out of here!" Now, Cui Jinyin has both the arrogance of a young lady and the loud voice she just learned from the common people, making her adept at arguing with others.

Fang Ziyan nodded in agreement: "If you're here to receive an award, you're welcome. But if you're here to cause trouble, then you'd better leave!"

"Looking for trouble?" Huai Shaoyong shook his head and looked directly into Fang Ziyan's eyes: "You're wrong. As I just said, we're here to seek fairness."

fair......

This was the second time the people had heard this word from him, and they couldn't help but feel uneasy.

One busybody couldn't help but ask, "Chief Scholar Pei is from Tong'an County. Do you think... the examiners might give him special treatment?"

The words had barely left his mouth when he was met with a barrage of insults: "The answer sheets are all anonymized when they reach the examiners! How can anyone know which answer sheet belongs to whom? Your nonsense is an insult to Chief Examiner Pei and a sign of distrust towards Lord Shen!"

The man shrank back, no longer daring to argue.

But the seeds of doubt have quietly taken root in the hearts of some.

On stage, Shen Zheng took in everyone's expressions.

Rather than letting those seeds of doubt take root and sprout, it's better to nip them in the bud.

Thinking about it, she asked Jiang Zhiming, "Lord Jiang, do you still remember Zhao Qi and Huai Shaoyong's answer sheets?"

Jiang Zhiming guessed what would happen next and immediately nodded: "Don't worry, Lord Shen."

Pei Zhaoqi looked at Shen Zheng with concern: "Sister Shen..."

"It's alright, Zhaoqi." Shen Zheng patted Pei Zhaoqi's shoulder, her smiling eyes full of determination: "What belongs to you, I will not allow anyone to take away."

To Shen Zheng, Pei Zhaoqi, Yu Nanshu, and the others were like saplings she had watched grow up, and she would never allow anyone to break their branches.

Shen Zheng raised her hand to summon the guards and ordered them to go to the prefectural school administration office to invite the two examiners who had not yet left. Then she gave Jiang Zhiming a wink.

Jiang Zhiming understood immediately and called out loudly to the audience, "Please welcome Huai Shaoyong, the second-place winner of the retest, to the stage to receive his award!"

The audience was stunned.

Even after all this, you're still accepting an award...

Fang Ziyan and the others were also taken aback. They all looked at the stage, and after seeing Shen Zheng nod slightly, they glared at Huai Shaoyong and turned to walk towards the podium.

Although Huai Shaoyong had the support of the Luming Academy, Zhao Qi also had their help and Sister Shen's encouragement!

The difference in strength will be revealed with a single touch!

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Huai Shaoyong stepped onto the podium to receive the award.

"Student Huai Shaoyong greets Lord Shen and Lord Jiang."

Jiang Zhiming waved his hand, signaling to the guards: "Bring up the prize for second place!"

He was implying to Huai Shaoyong that accepting the reward and leaving was the best option.

However, Huai Shaoyong did not accept his hint, but instead cupped his hands and said, "Lord Jiang, I have not come here today to receive an award."

Jiang Zhiming's expression darkened slightly. He handed the list to a soldier and walked step by step toward Huai Shaoyong: "Then what are you doing here?"

Huai Shaoyong lowered his head and said those two words again: "The students have come to seek fairness."

“I do not believe there is any injustice,” Jiang Zhiming replied immediately, his words and expression equally resolute.

But in Huai Shaoyong's eyes at this moment, Jiang Zhiming and Shen Zheng were birds of a feather, and he replied directly: "Reporting to Lord Jiang, after the results were announced yesterday, I immediately returned to Yuanzhou Prefecture and made a copy of the re-examination questions and my answers, which I gave to my teacher. After reviewing my answers, the teacher and the other teachers all said..."

"You think you deserve the top spot?" Jiang Zhiming glanced at the students from Luming Academy below the stage and said bluntly, "They are ultimately just teachers from a private academy, not examiners. Huai Shaoyong, there was nothing unfair about this re-examination."

Like Huai Shaoyong, Jiang Zhiming reiterated the importance of "fairness".

Huai Shaoyong paused for a moment, then walked towards the edge of the podium.

He took several sheets of paper from the headmaster of Luming Academy and said, "Lord Jiang, these are the answer sheets that I have copied."

Jiang Zhiming secretly rolled his eyes: "Huai Shaoyong, your answer sheet has been read by both me and Lord Shen, and you certainly deserve second place."

Many people understood Jiang Zhiming's unspoken meaning—he certainly deserved second place, but that was all he deserved.

A flash of anger crossed Huai Shaoyong's eyes as he held up his answer sheet and said, "Today, I wish to read my answer sheet aloud in front of everyone. I also wish to ask you and Lord Shen in front of everyone why I only deserve second place?"

"..." Jiang Zhiming looked at the resentment in his eyes and even suspected that the kid had been cursed.

Why are you so stubborn?

Since that was the case, Jiang Zhiming no longer gave Huai Shaoyong any face and walked over to Pei Zhaoqi's side in a few steps.

After stating his position, Jiang Zhiming considerately asked Pei Zhaoqi, "Chief Pei, Huai Shaoyong wants to write a paper with you. Are you willing to give him that opportunity?"

Pei Zhaoqi looked at Huai Shaoyong.

He saw naked disdain in Huai Shaoyong's eyes.

"Give him a chance!" The crowd below the stage began to jeer. "Give him this chance! Chief Scholar Pei, accept his challenge and make him admit defeat wholeheartedly!"

Pei Zhaoqi looked at Shen Zheng, and then at Fang Ziyan and the others below the stage, and slowly nodded: "This student is willing to write a paper with Young Master Huai, but this student has a request."

It is only natural for the person being challenged to make demands.

Jiang Zhiming immediately replied, "Alright, what are your requirements?"