"Patriarch, I am also part of the Xiao Family, even though I am illegitimate, you cannot ignore me. On my father’s deathbed, he asked the old Patriarch to take care of me, and the old Patriarch... agreed." Xiao Pavilion said in a trembling voice.

"You still have the face to mention the old Patriarch?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Quan coldly snapped again, then said, "Did the old Patriarch tell you to become a spy for Prince Huai?"

Xiao Pavilion’s expression changed, and he hurriedly denied, "I... I did not."

"Didn’t? Since July, the Fish Scale Guard has been watching you, and they know exactly who you have met and where you have gone. Do you still want to quibble?" Xiao Quan said angrily.

When Chen Mo left Jiangnan, he told Xiao Quan about Xiao Pavilion, and Xiao Quan knew then.

Xiao Quan wanted to warn him, but he feared that Xiao Pavilion would implicate the entire Xiao Family. After all, since Chen Mo dared to tell him about this, he wasn’t worried about Xiao Quan leaking it, so he kept it in his heart.

Seeing that everything was exposed, Xiao Pavilion suddenly felt as if all hope was lost.

Seeing him like this, Xiao Quan sighed and said, "The reason I came today is to tell you to confess everything to General Nangong. Your family and the family will take care of you."

After saying this, Xiao Quan left.

After Xiao Quan left, cries of anguish echoed in the dungeon.

Xiao Pavilion wanted to hold his tongue, but being a pampered son, he couldn’t withstand the tortures used during the interrogation.

Previously, Nangong Xian, out of regard for him being a member of the Xiao Family, did not take harsh measures before Xiao Quan spoke. But after hearing Xiao Quan’s words, it was clear that they had completely given up on Xiao Pavilion, so he had no more concerns.

After a round of punishment, Xiao Quan answered everything without reservation.

Upon learning that Prince Huai and King Chong had allied with Lu Sheng and would soon attack Huai State, Nangong Xian’s expression changed, and he hurriedly sent someone to deliver this message to the garrison in Huai State and to Duke An in Linzhou.

...

Linzhou.

Xiangyang.

The regional examination, especially the one held in autumn, also known as "Qiu Wei," has a long duration because each exam lasts three days and nights. In between, there are venue changes, so the entire exam cycle is nine days and seven nights.

During this period, examinees are not allowed to leave the examination hall; answering, eating, drinking, and sleeping are all done within the "hao she."

In previous imperial examinations, the candidates had to provide their own food and drink within the "hao she," or purchase it themselves.

However, to let the examinees feel the importance the Chen Mo Regime places on them, Chen Mo covered the costs and provided free food and drink for the examinees.

This isn’t a small expense.

Without any requirements, the total number of candidates from the Four States reached over 300,000.

With over 300,000 people, the expenses for nine days of eating, drinking, and other necessities were considerable.

Of course, this expenditure was not in vain, as the examinees were grateful to Chen Mo.

However, those who were caught cheating in the exams were not included.

In the study of Duke An’s Mansion.

"Duke An, here is the list of candidates caught cheating today. Please take a look." Wei Linchun respectfully handed Chen Mo a booklet.

Upon opening it, Chen Mo found over a dozen names and could not help but rub his forehead.

The regional examination had been going on for three days, and every day there were candidates caught cheating.

On the first day alone, over a hundred were caught.

To serve as a deterrent, Chen Mo ordered that those caught cheating be subjected to caning, and then be paraded outside the examination shed with a cangue around their necks.

This action indeed had a deterrent effect, as the second day saw far fewer caught, but there were still over forty.

"Are these people really unafraid, or am I too lenient?" Chen Mo said.

Wei Linchun said, "It’s because the temptation of becoming an official is too great. They are willing to take risks to cheat."

After all, passing the regional exam meant becoming an official; such a bright opportunity would naturally make candidates try everything.

"Forget it, punish them as usual." Chen Mo thought for a moment and gave up on the idea of increasing the severity of the punishment.

Throughout history, candidates have cheated in every examination, and the previous dynasty even established laws for it. Cheating in the imperial examinations could result in caning, confiscation of property, exile, or even execution, but it could never be entirely eradicated. The only solution was to strengthen supervision.

"I’ll have General Sun transfer a team from the Personal Guard Battalion for your use, to strengthen the patrols at the examination venues and ensure fairness to the greatest extent possible," Chen Mo said in a stern voice.

"Yes."

"You may depart."

"This official takes his leave."

...

After Wei Linchun had left, Chen Mo continued to ponder ways to make money. Previously, to fill the financial gaps in Linzhou, Chen Mo had almost completely withdrawn all the silver from Fu Ze Restaurant’s accounts.

The business at Fu Ze Restaurant was booming, but earning one million taels still took a long time.

Especially since Geng Songfu had submitted a "Retirement Soldier Benefit Plan" this morning, which also required funds.

The mansion still had some money, but those were their dowries, and unless it was absolutely necessary, Chen Mo didn’t want to use that money.

His preliminary plan was to manufacture glass.

He had thought about making glass since his business had just started.

In his previous life, his family ran a quarry, so he knew about the idea of making glass.

Previously, he did not have the conditions, and he was too weak to protect this wealth.

Now, it’s time to take action.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

At this moment, there was a knock on the door of the study.

With a creak, the door was pushed open, and Xia Zhiqing walked in.

She, who had always stayed inside the residence and rarely went out, never changed her attire. The form-fitting white long dress outlined a gourd-like figure, and after having a child, her figure seemed to have developed a second time.

Her feet were clad in green embroidered shoes, hidden under her skirt, difficult to notice. From Chen Mo’s perspective, Xia Zhiqing was quite suitable to wear a cheongsam. He had thought about this long ago, but he had always been busy with other things and kept forgetting it.