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However, Mr Lu had had an epiphany today and had gone into seclusion. Hence, Mr Zuo, the deputy principal, became the chief examiner instead.

If Feng Wu were here today, she would recognize Mr Zuo right away, for he was among those who had attacked her five years ago!

The exam papers were divided into ten batches and each teacher was to correct 1000 exam papers.

The teacher for the ninth group was Mr Wu, whose family was connected to the Zuo family by marriage.

One look at this exam paper and he was struck with awe!

The answers were perfect!

Who on earth was this candidate?

He had no idea that such a brilliant student existed in the empire!

Mr Wu knew how the stickers were put on and he managed to remove a corner without tearing the exam paper. His heart skipped a beat as soon as he took a peek at the name!

Feng Wu?!

It couldn’t be!

Mr Wu knew about Feng Wu taking part in the exam, for everyone had heard about the incident with the authenticity of the exam permit before the exam started.

“Feng Wu? How can it be?” Mr Wu was so curious that he removed the sticker a little bit further.

He then saw the serial number on the paper.

“OMG!”

Mr Wu nearly fainted!

The serial number read 10001. Feng Wu entered the exam on recommendation and she was an addition to the 10,000 candidates, hence the 10001.

And that was precisely the number on her exam paper!

Mr Wu’s hands jolted and he almost knocked over the inkstone on his desk.

“Mr Wu?”

Mr Zhao, who sat opposite Mr Wu, looked at him in bewilderment. “Are you alright?”

Mr Wu broke into a cold sweat. “I’m fine. Just hungry, I guess.”

“You don’t say. Our workload is unbelievable. To finish correcting all these exam papers in three days, we’ll have to work around the clock. Well, we’re halfway done, at least.”

Mr Wu nodded.

He was talking to Mr Zhao, but he didn’t hear anything Mr Zhao said.

He was overwhelmed with astonishment!

This paper…

This paper…

“Mr Wu, how are your candidates doing? Anyone good?” Mr Zhao complained, “Mine aren’t doing great at all. The questions are so hard this year that I don’t think we’ll have many high scores.”

Mr Wu said involuntarily, “…Yeah, I haven’t seen any exceptional candidates either.”

After that, Mr Wu went back to staring at the paper and tried to think.

Wait!

10001… If he could find the paper with the serial number 1000, he could easily replace Feng Wu’s paper with it.

An evil idea took root in Mr Wu’s head.

He had been trying to get the position of deputy dean. With Mr Lu in seclusion, it would be down to Mr Zuo, the deputy principal, to make the decision.

The Zuo family would never stand to see Feng Wu rise.

Back then, although the Zuo family had done everything they could to cover up the truth, Mr Wu was among those who knew what really happened!

Should he take the risk? Mr Wu was conflicted.

Looking up, he saw Mr Zhao opposite him.

Mr Zhao was older, more experienced, and more capable… Moreover, Mr Zhao was one of his main competitors for this position!

At that thought, Mr Wu moved into action —

And it was his lucky day!

The paper with the serial number 1000 just happened to be in his stack!

Seriously? What a happy coincidence! Mr Wu was shocked himself!

Someone up there was doing him a favor!

If… if this candidate No. 1000 just happened to fail the exam, well…

Thinking that, Mr Wu flipped through this exam paper —

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Mr Wu didn’t know what to say when he read through exam paper No. 1000.

The candidate had answered every question fully, but only got 179.

The score wasn’t even high enough to pass the exam, let alone be ranked among the top 1000.

Feng Wu, don’t blame me. You’re just unlucky!

At that thought, Mr Wu looked around to make sure that no one was paying attention to his corner —

Then, he quietly removed Feng Wu’s paper from the stack and stashed it in his chest pocket.

After that, he changed the 1000 to 10001.

The exam papers were registered by serial number, and the actual names of the candidates were irrelevant.

Feng Wu didn’t know that her paper had been taken away.

No one did, except for Mr Wu.

Soon, all the exam papers had been marked. The failures were sealed away while the top 1000 were sent to court for the emperor to look through.

The emperor had never requested to see the exam papers before, and it would have been all up to Mr Zuo.

However, this year, His Majesty had sent his personal steward over to pick up the 1000 exam papers.

But only Mr Lu knew about this. The junior teachers such as Mr Wu didn’t have that information.

Right now, Mr Wu was knocking on Mr Zuo’s door with Feng Wu’s paper in his pocket.

Mr Zuo frowned, but still let the man in.

Mr Wu hesitated.

Mr Zuo grew impatient. “Speak now or get out!”

“Sir, this…” Mr Wu hinted with his eyes.

Mr Zuo was about to kick Mr Wu out when the latter whispered, “…Feng Wu.”

That name was a big taboo in the Zuo family.

“Go make us some tea.”

Mr Zuo instructed his servant.

Once the servant was gone, Mr Wu took the exam paper from his pocket and laid it carefully on Mr Zuo’s table.

“What’s this?” Instead of looking at the paper, Mr Zuo stared at Mr Wu.

Mr Wu smiled obsequiously. “This is Feng Wu’s exam paper.”

Mr Zuo didn’t let his face betray anything. He cast a stern look at Mr Wu, then picked up the paper.

He frowned as soon as he recognized the texture of the paper and the text format.

“It’s Feng Wu’s paper for the entrance exam. I happened to come across it when I was correcting the papers, so I took it out,” said Mr Wu in satisfaction.

Mr Zuo stared at the paper.

He didn’t think much of it at first, but soon, the frown on his face grew bigger!

Because!

It was a perfect, impeccable paper!

It was unbelievable!

There were no mistakes at all in section one!

And section two!

And section three!

And section four!

And section five!

“I can’t deduct a single point from the answers…” Mr Wu had read through Feng Wu’s paper and had tried his best to find some error in her answers, but couldn’t.

“It’s perfect. Flawless…” Mr Zuo could do nothing but compliment the answers and his mouth fell open in amazement.

Even he, the deputy principal of Imperial College and a superior cultivator, was astonished by Feng Wu’s answers.

That was how outstanding her answers were!

“Such a talented girl… such a talented girl…” Mr Zuo then thought of Zuo Qingluan.

For he was none other than Zuo Qingluan’s uncle.