The Cold Door Hero

Summary

Liu Ling discusses a poem from an exam paper that critiques the court, which raises concerns among the examiners. He defends the poem's critique as aligned with the court's current stance on the northern expedition and decides it can pass the second review. Liu Ling then receives a box of exam papers, including one from Zheng Rong Tai, who had been eliminated for poor handwriting. Yu Shen expresses concern about the implications of Jia Wang, a special candidate, participating in the exam. They worry about the potential for favoritism and the challenge of identifying Jia Wang's pseudonym among the anonymous papers. Meanwhile, Zheng Rong Tai and Li Yan Qing meet at a tavern, where Zheng displays his wealth by buying a seat and ordering an extravagant meal, while Li Yan Qing shares personal news about his family.

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