Imperial Examinations, the Emperor’s Prearranged Move

After Prince Nolan was taken away by the imperial guards, the entire great hall fell silent. The officials present seemed unable to believe what they had just witnessed; each one stood in a daze, but none dared to look up at the man seated on the throne.

The Emperor’s authority and dominance reached an unprecedented height. With the Empress’s natal clan already toppled, even Prince Nolan—who once held sway over the court—was now brought down.

As expected, the Emperor never strikes unless he aims for the heart—when he does, he goes straight for the jugular. None of the ministers dared underestimate him anymore.

With Prince Nolan’s imprisonment, the court politics of Eastlyn were certain to be reshuffled. But with both Prince Nolan and the Empress’s clan falling one after the other, who could still suppress the power of the great aristocratic houses? Would their era rise again? Would the Emperor allow it?

The aristocratic ministers secretly rejoiced, each itching to make their move and ready to fight for dominance. The others, however, were deeply anxious—especially those who had been close to Prince Nolan, who desperately tried to keep themselves hidden, afraid they would be the next target.

The Crown Prince’s faction wore worried expressions as well. Seeing the Emperor’s actions, they knew the next blow might fall on the Crown Prince himself. They had to act—first and foremost, they needed to find a way to rescue Prince Nolan.

But the problem was, Prince Nolan’s charge was defying his sovereign and disobeying the Emperor—personally pronounced by the Emperor himself. To overturn it would mean accusing the Emperor of error, which was tantamount to treason.

Drip... drip... In the cold winter, the officials of Eastlyn broke out in a cold sweat from fear. The Emperor looked down from above, surveying the varied expressions of his ministers, and felt an unprecedented satisfaction.

It had been half a year since Prince Nolan joined forces with General Warren Yu to corner him in morning court, forcing him into a humiliating compromise. He still couldn’t forget the disgrace and embarrassment of that moment—being driven to such a state as the Emperor was an utter humiliation.

Now... he had finally avenged his past humiliation.

No one can challenge imperial authority—not even Prince Nolan, who was showered with privileges and cherished by the late Emperor as a jewel. The fearful faces and anxious expressions of the civil and military officials made the Emperor feel completely at ease. This was the majesty a true sovereign should possess.

Indeed, morning court without Prince Nolan was far more comfortable. This time, he was determined to ensure Eastlyn would never recover from this blow.

After court ended, the Emperor returned to the imperial study and immediately drafted an edict: commoner youths would be allowed to become officials, and every spring there would be a civil examination. Regardless of background—aristocrat or commoner—all could compete based on talent and learning.

The edict came suddenly, but not a single person dared voice an objection.

With the edict announced, the officials’ expressions changed yet again. Instantly, the news of Prince Nolan’s imprisonment was overshadowed. The great clans and powerful families felt both joy and worry—joy that their sons had a new path, worry that they might not outmatch the hard-studying commoner youths.

Though those born into humble families were poor, many still had enough resources for one child to study. Given how pampered and lazy their own sons were, the aristocrats worried their heirs might not be able to compete with the diligent commoner youths. But...

With the Empress’s clan and Prince Nolan as cautionary examples, not even the great houses or powerful families dared challenge the Emperor’s authority at this moment.

Compared to the aristocrats, the commoner youths were ecstatic. In the capital, many poor but educated boys knelt outside the palace, shouting long live to the Emperor. As for all this—none of it had anything to do with Serena Feng.

Alongside the edict, the imperial guards also left the palace. They split into two groups—one headed for Ninth Prince Manor to seal it off, the other for Serena Feng’s modest West District courtyard.

Serena Feng had worn a phoenix hairpin reserved only for the Empress—a symbolic act of treason. The Emperor’s public dispatch of imperial guards wasn’t out of fear she’d escape, but a deliberate show for the Capital: anyone who opposes the Emperor will meet a terrible end.

After Prince Nolan was imprisoned, the Crown Prince raced around trying to rescue him, paying no attention to Serena Feng’s situation. Besides, as long as Prince Nolan was freed, Serena Feng would naturally be safe.

Everyone knew that the Emperor’s accusation regarding the phoenix hairpin was just a way to smear Prince Nolan, to pin on him the charge of plotting rebellion.

If General Warren Yu abandoned the Northlyn frontier and marched on Eastlyn to rescue Prince Nolan, it would only confirm the charge of rebellion. Once branded a traitor, Prince Nolan would never have a chance at the throne; even if the Emperor allowed it, the people would never accept a usurper as their ruler.

“Father truly is wise and mighty.” Upon hearing that Prince Nolan had been jailed, Adrian Dongling’s spirits soared. The gloom vanished from his face, and carrying this good news, he rushed to Princess Serenity’s palace, planning to work with her to persuade the Emperor to lift the Empress’s confinement.

With Prince Nolan brought down, all Adrian had to do was shift the blame for the past onto him, letting Nolan shoulder yet another crime. He was sure his father, the Emperor, would be pleased.

Adrian wasn’t alone in this thinking. When the Warren clan received the news, they began heatedly discussing it. Prince Nolan’s downfall and the opening of official posts to commoner scholars both hit the Warrens hard; as the leading aristocratic house, they were the first to feel the impact.

The former was an opportunity, while the latter could be seen as a form of punishment. Not everyone agreed, though—at least William Warren didn’t. He dismissed the commoner scholars, believing it would take thirty to fifty years before they could gain real footing in court.

Becoming an official was easy, but holding onto the position was impossible without help. The court was a game played by many; no matter how talented or capable a commoner was, without support, they wouldn’t rise.

What really irked William Warren was that the Warren clan had meddled in imperial affairs—and worse, had done so behind his back. Did the family think he was too easygoing?

Several elders were still congratulating themselves, boasting about how the Warren clan had united with other great houses and the Emperor to pull down Prince Nolan. Before they could finish, William Warren’s face darkened, and he rudely interrupted.

“Elder Shan, don’t you think I deserve an explanation? How is it that, as the clan head, I know nothing of the family’s decisions?” The Warren clan had three Grand Elders—Shan, Ren, and Zhi—who held supervisory power and, if united, could even depose the clan head. Their authority was hidden but greater than that of the patriarch, provided they acted together.

Elder Shan wasn’t the least bit afraid of William Warren’s anger. In terms of seniority, William still had to call him great-grandfather. Even though William was the clan head, he’d only held the position for less than half a year and lacked real authority or capable supporters. To Elder Shan, William was still just a kid, not worth taking seriously.

Elder Shan didn’t even bother to stand up. He sipped his tea before saying, "Don’t be angry, clan head. You weren’t feeling well at the time, and we elders didn’t want to bother you with such a trivial matter. The three of us agreed on it."

What he meant was, even if William Warren had been present, he couldn’t have changed anything. This was a decision made by the three Grand Elders.

“That’s right, I agreed to it too,” Elder Zhi chimed in. Elder Ren, thin but sharp-eyed, caught William Warren’s dissatisfaction and bluntly put him on the spot: “What’s wrong, clan head? Do you think us three old men were wrong to seek benefit for the family? Don’t forget, it was Prince Nolan who incited the Emperor to suppress our Warren clan. If not for that, we wouldn’t have to bow to the Hsieh Clan.”

The Emperor was never at fault—the blame always fell on his ministers. Clearly, it was the Emperor who wanted to centralize power, but these people pinned all the blame on Prince Nolan.

Facing the three elders’ barrage, William Warren didn’t get angry. He remained calm and unruffled, as if oblivious to their hostility. The middle-generation uncles watching from below nodded in secret approval—no wonder the previous patriarch had bypassed them and chosen William. Only he had the composure and skill to stand up to the three Grand Elders.

If it were them, they’d be red-faced and tongue-tied under the elders’ pressure.

Seeing William Warren remain silent, the three elders assumed he had suffered a silent defeat and couldn’t fight back. They looked down on him, lifting their chins in contempt.

Just a brat—don’t think that being clan head means you can do as you please. The Warren clan head serves the family; anything that benefits the clan must be pursued at all costs. It’s a thankless position—do well, and it’s just your duty; fail, and you’re incompetent.

William Warren seemed not to notice the elders’ scornful looks. He brushed off the memorial at his waist, stood up unhurriedly, his gentle eyes now cold and sharp as he swept his gaze over the three elders, making their hearts tremble. Only then did he speak: “It is the Warren clan’s ancestral rule not to meddle in royal disputes. Elders Ren, Shan, and Zhi have violated this, and by clan law should be expelled, their descendants forever barred from our lineage. However, in recognition of your service, expulsion will be waived. From today, the three of you will retire to Anhua Courtyard and be supported by the clan.”

William Warren hadn’t spoken before, but now that he did, it was to depose all three elders. Their faces changed instantly. With a bang, Elder Ren—the most ill-tempered—slammed the table and roared, “William Warren, how dare you!”

His old face flushed red, and even his once-bright eyes grew clouded—he was furious.

“Clan head, think carefully before you act.” Elder Shan said with a false smile. He didn’t believe William Warren would really dare to depose all three of them; if they fell, half the Warren clan would fall with them.

Elder Zhi chimed in again, his tone mocking: “Clan head, we’re family. Break the bones and the sinews still connect. The three of us have always worked for the clan’s benefit and future. Even if you don’t respect us, you should at least respect tradition. After all, we are your elders, and it would be unfilial to treat us this way. The Warren clan cannot have an unfilial clan head.”

This was both relying on seniority and a threat. In the past, William Warren would have let it go—he was always tactful and considerate, and wouldn’t embarrass his elders. But now?