Chapter 294 (1/2)
Chapter 294: Who’s first
”It really is Fang Zhengzhi! How is that possible?” The expressions of all the officials changed. They had never doubted the results this much before.
Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping’s expression was horrible. He could not understand what went wrong.
How can Fang Zhengzhi manage to get past all of the other talents at the first recording tablet?
Emperor Lin Mubai’s expression changed as well. It was slightly conflicted, so much so that it revealed his confusion.
What was going on?
Did he take advantage of Ping Yang?
Emperor Lin Mubai wondered to himself. He knew the relations.h.i.+p between Ping Yang and Fang Zhengzhi.
He would not be surprised if Fang Zhengzhi had used Ping Yang to write his name down on the first recording tablet.
However...
Just as everyone was shocked, the last tablet on the result tablet lit up.
It was just below Fang Zhengzhi’s name.
Ping Yang!
Her name appeared on the fourth tablet.
”It’s Princess Ping Yang!”
”Ping Yang reached the fourth recording tablet?!”
”Has the fourth recording tablet been found?”
”What’s going on?”
All of the spectators and officials were confused. Some of them had also thought that Fang Zhengzhi used Ping Yang to write down his name.
As such, Ping Yang should be at the first recording tablet. However, she wrote her name down on the fourth one within five minutes of Fang Zhengzhi’s name appearing.
Could it be...
All of the spectators thought of one possibility.
Could it be that Fang Zhengzhi used Ping Yang to write his name down, then allowed Ping Yang to write her name down on the fourth tablet in a quick amount of time.
There was only one possibility.
Fang Zhengzhi brought the fourth recording tablet to the position of the first one. In other words, Fang Zhengzhi s.h.i.+fted the tablet.
”Your highness, I have something to report!” Minister Wan Chong stepped out.
”Hmm? What is it?” Emperor Lin Mubai calmed down quickly. It was impossible to know what he was thinking.
When Yu Yiping heard Wan Chong, he squinted. However, he also nodded slightly.
”I have found a problem within the compet.i.tion. If the problem persists, everyone will question the fairness of the compet.i.tion. As such,
I hope that this can be remedied immediately.” Wan Chong saw the nod and continued.
”What problem is that? Please elaborate.” Emperor Lin Mubai nodded.
Minister Wan Chong calmed himself down. Even though Emperor Lin Mubai did not say it explicitly, he had implied support.
”According to the rules of the compet.i.tion, there is no overt rule against s.h.i.+fting the recording tablets. However, the tablets represent each of the four corners. If someone s.h.i.+fts the location of the recording tablets, they would have destroyed the fairness of the compet.i.tion. Your highness, imagine this. What if everyone starts moving the recording tablets around in the future compet.i.tions? How can we still hold them in an orderly manner?” Wan Chong said pa.s.sionately.
”Your highness, I agree wholeheartedly!”
”Your highness, I agree as well. If we let such audacious behavior continue unchecked, it will not bode well for our future!”
Very quickly, two other officials stood out and concurred with Wan Chong.
Emperor Lin Mubai knew exactly what Wan Chong meant. However, he did not speak immediately, choosing instead to ponder over it momentarily.
After all, the compet.i.tion had already started. To change the rules halfway was not very reasonable.
Yu Yiping saw the emperor’s expression and immediately knew what he was thinking. He needed a reason to implement this rule now.
He looked at all of the other spectators.
All of the other spectators knew instantly what the Left Prime Minister wanted.
”Your highness, we all beg you to prevent such preposterous acts from being allowed!” Almost all of the spectators fell to their knees.
When Wen Dabao heard all of the voices, he trembled in his place.
”What?” Wen Dabao yelled. Then, he looked at the results tablet, ”Hahaha, the name is still there, the name is still there!”
Just as he was about to celebrate, his gaze froze.
He saw another name below Fang Zhengzhi’s. Ping Yang!
”Princess Ping Yang is at the fourth recording tablet? My gosh, Fang Zhengzhi, please hurry up!” Wen Dabao exclaimed.
”There’s no way he’s winning this. I think he may even be disqualified!”
”Exactly, I don’t think he can win this compet.i.tion.”
”How can a commoner possibly go up against all of us?”
Many of the spectators from influential families mocked when they heard Wen Dabao.
”What are you saying? Why will he be disqualified?” Wen Dabao was confused.
”Because he moved the fourth recording tablet! Such an outrageous act cannot be allowed!” One of the talents reiterated.
”What? How is that possible?! The compet.i.tion has already started. I must go beg the Emperor to change the rules after this compet.i.tion!”
”Wen Dabao, do you want to die?”
”Are you blind? Can’t you see how many people are kneeling down?”
They all pulled Wen Dabao back.
Wen Dabao turned around and got the shock of his life. What’s going on? Why is everyone kneeling.
Just as he was thinking about it, Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping stepped forward. He straightened his robe and fell to his knees.
”Your highness, there have been times when messengers had travelled over 300 miles a day just to change a single word in a military order. More recently, if not for the quick thinking and reaction of the previous emperor, the battle against the demons could not have been won. Even though the issue at hand today is small, it affects many people present today. Your highness, please make a decision!” Yu Yiping kowtowed and stayed on his knees.
”Your highness, please make a decision!”