Chapter 5: The Examiner's Provocation and a Masterful Resolution

Chapter 5: The Examiner’s Challenge, A Clever Resolution

On the day the exam results were to be announced, the sky was shrouded in heavy clouds, and a fine drizzle fell steadily, as though the heavens themselves were anxious over the outcome of the examination.

Lin Shiya stood at the edge of the crowd, her clothes thin against the chill, yet she felt no cold at all. Her entire being was focused on the list that would soon be revealed; her palms were slightly damp with sweat. Around her, some examinees chatted and laughed, others paced with visible anxiety. Their voices buzzed in her ears like distant insects—she could not hear a word, her heart pounding relentlessly.

She caught sight of Chief Examiner Zhang and Secretary Sun standing together, speaking in low voices as they cast her meaningful glances. A wave of unease surged within Lin Shiya—a sense of foreboding settled in her chest.

Could there be an issue with the exam?

Or had they discovered something about her?

“Candidate Lin, please stay.”

A low voice interrupted her thoughts.

She turned to see Chief Examiner Zhang standing behind her, a barely detectable cold smirk on his lips. Secretary Sun was just behind, holding a dossier, his gaze evasive.

“What may I do for you, sir?” Lin Shiya did her best to keep her tone steady, though her heart raced ever faster.

Zhang stepped forward, his eyes sharp as if to pierce through her. “Candidate Lin, your essay was impressive. However, I have some questions regarding your identity.”

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority.

Curious glances turned her way as whispers stirred among the examinees. An invisible pressure surrounded Lin Shiya, nearly suffocating her.

“May I ask, sir, why you say so?” Lin Shiya forced herself to remain calm, meeting Zhang’s gaze directly.

He let out a cold laugh. “Your handwriting is unusually forceful, the brushstrokes as sharp as any man’s. Moreover, your essay is insightful and far-sighted—far beyond the reach of ordinary students. I suspect…” He paused deliberately, his eyes like daggers, “you are not truly the Lin Sheng you claim to be!”

Lin Shiya’s heart skipped a beat, but unlike most, she did not panic or rush to explain.

Instead, her lips curled into a confident smile.

“Since you doubt me, sir, why not test me here and now? If I cannot answer, I will submit myself to your judgment.” Her voice was clear and resolute, ringing through the rain.

A wave of commotion swept the crowd. Some whispered in awe at her boldness; others watched eagerly, anticipating her humiliation.

Zhang had clearly not expected such a response. For a moment, he was struck speechless.

The examination yard fell silent, the soft patter of rain amplifying the tension.

After a pause, Zhang composed himself, his face dark as thunderclouds.

“Very well. Since you are so confident, I shall oblige you!” He strode to the desk, took up a brush, and after a moment’s thought, penned a policy question—one as tricky as it was sensitive, touching on current political affairs, clearly intended to put Lin Shiya in an impossible position.

She glanced at the question, her expression calm, then moved to an empty table and began to write swiftly and decisively.

Her strokes were fluid, the characters flowing like clouds and water, the essay completed in one continuous effort. The other candidates craned their necks to see what she was writing, but her imposing presence kept them at bay.

Minute by minute, the rain fell harder, and the tension in the examination yard grew thicker.

At last, Lin Shiya set down her brush and handed the finished paper to Zhang.

He took it, reading carefully. His expression shifted from grim to astonished, and finally, a hint of admiration flickered across his face.

Her essay was not only impeccably reasoned and tightly argued, but its insights were unique, and the writing elegant—far surpassing the level of her peers.

The other candidates gathered eagerly, passing her paper from hand to hand. Some could not help but praise her; others felt a pang of inferiority. All looked at Lin Shiya now with unabashed respect.

Zhang’s face grew uglier by the moment. He had not anticipated that his carefully laid trap would be so effortlessly dismantled.

A wave of satisfaction swept through Lin Shiya. She lifted her head, met Zhang’s gaze, and allowed herself a faint, triumphant smile.

Not only had she proved her talent in this exam, she had won the respect of all present.

“Sir, may I ask if my answer pleases you?”

Zhang’s jaw tightened, anger flashing in his eyes, but he forced a smile. “Indeed, your talent is remarkable, Candidate Lin. I am impressed…” Before he could finish, a sharp, mocking voice cut through the air.

“Hmph! All fancy words and flowery phrases—who’s to say she didn’t cheat?” Candidate Wang’s sneering tone slithered through the crowd like a venomous snake.

He shoved his way forward, his beady eyes full of malice. “She’s so young, yet her handwriting is so practiced. Who knows if she’s been secretly coached, or worse—used some underhanded trick during the exam!”

His words were like sparks in dry grass, igniting suspicion among the crowd. Even those who had just admired Lin Shiya began to mutter and exchange uneasy looks.

The mood shifted in an instant. Now, eyes that had brimmed with respect were clouded with doubt.

Fury blazed within Lin Shiya. She spun toward Wang, her glare as sharp as blades.

Her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles whitened; she longed to silence that spiteful mouth herself.

The atmosphere crackled with tension, as if a storm were about to break.

“Enough, Candidate Wang! Mind your tongue!” A clear, righteous voice broke the deadlock.

Candidate Li pushed through the crowd to stand at Lin Shiya’s side, his gaze cold and contemptuous as he faced Wang. “I saw with my own eyes—Lin answered the question in one fluid motion, without a hint of deceit! To slander her so is shameful!”

Li’s words washed over the crowd like a cool spring, quelling the fire of suspicion.

He continued, “Moreover, Lin’s essay is exceptional, both in insight and style—far beyond what ordinary candidates could dream of. To accuse her of cheating is to insult us all!”

The other examinees, moved by Li’s integrity, nodded in agreement and looked at Wang with open disdain.

Under their collective gaze, Wang grew visibly uncomfortable, his complexion shifting from green to white, as if he’d swallowed a fly.

Lin Shiya glanced at Li, surprised that someone would step forward to defend her at such a moment.

Zhang’s face darkened further, a muscle twitching at his jaw as anger simmered beneath the surface.

He swept his gaze over the crowd before finally settling on Lin Shiya, the trace of a cryptic smile tugging at his lips.

“In that case,” Zhang paused, his eyes lingering on Lin Shiya, “Candidate Lin’s talent is indeed admirable, and I am convinced there was no cheating involved.” He stressed the word “convinced,” his tone heavy with implication.

A collective sigh of relief rippled through the crowd.

Lin Shiya, too, felt a weight lift from her heart; at last, the stone she’d carried within her was set down.

She straightened her back, a faint, proud smile playing on her lips—like the first plum blossom of winter, cool and unyielding.

The rain eased. A single beam of sunlight pierced the clouds, bathing the examination yard in gentle light.

The air was fresh with the scent of earth and ink, filling the heart with tranquility.

Lin Shiya felt an unfamiliar lightness. She cast a grateful glance at Li, who returned a warm, reassuring smile.

Around them, the other candidates looked on with approval; suspicion and doubt had vanished like mist.

All seemed settled. The tense atmosphere of the examination yard had given way to ease and camaraderie. The candidates gathered in small groups, speaking of what had just transpired, heaping praise on Lin Shiya’s talent and courage.

Yet, as Lin Shiya’s gaze wandered, she noticed the servant Liu lurking furtively in a corner, a paper packet in his hands as he surreptitiously stuffed something inside.

His movements were cautious, as if terrified of being seen.

A chill crept into Lin Shiya’s heart—a new foreboding rising.

There was something off about Liu’s behavior, as if he were plotting something in secret.

While the atmosphere in the examination yard appeared relaxed, to Lin Shiya it felt like the calm before the storm, stirring an unspoken unease within her.

She watched Liu’s every move from the corner of her eye, her expression hardening, her senses sharpening like a leopard poised to spring.

“Brother Li,” she said softly, lowering her voice, “there’s something I must attend to. Please excuse me a moment.” Though her tone was calm, a glint of icy resolve flashed in her eyes.

With that, she turned and strode toward Liu, her steps light yet determined—like a black cat stalking its prey in the shadows, silent and graceful as she closed in on her target.