Map of the Kingdom's Warfare.

Summary

Pei Ju discovers that rumors about Jiang Zhong being appointed as the magistrate of Zhuo County are false, stemming from a mix-up with another appointment. Wei Yun Qi expresses skepticism about Chen Tao's chances for the position due to his mediocre qualifications and past issues. Instead, Du Yan is being nominated for the magistrate role, which surprises Pei Ju. He considers the implications of this for his own ambitions, particularly regarding the Minister of the National Academy position, which he sees as crucial for building a network for his family’s future. Pei Ju visits Lu Zhuo, the former Minister of the National Academy, to discuss the upcoming imperial examinations and to propose Wang Shan as the new minister. Lu Zhuo is hesitant but agrees to recommend Wang Shan, acknowledging his own debt of gratitude to Pei Ju.

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