USWHC -Chapter 395 Openly Copying (Part 5)

“Erhan’s xiucai title was copied?” Sister-in-law You said in disbelief.

“Most likely! Hmph, I said it before—how could he possibly pass on his own?” Old Madam Ji sneered.

“Oh my, how embarrassing!” Ji Mei sighed dramatically. “What if he ruins our reputation and I can’t get married because of him?”

Hearing this, Ji Lao Da said angrily, “What xiucai? If you don’t have the ability, just stay honest and low-key. Look at this now—bringing shame to the whole family!”

By now, almost everyone in Xiangshui Village had gotten the news. One after another, they rushed over and surrounded the county yamen so tightly that not even water could pass through. Everyone craned their necks to look inside.

At this moment, Ji Yi and Zhu Jie stood side by side in the main hall, faces cold, waiting for the magistrate to appear.

Just then, a unified shout rang out: “Silence!”

The county magistrate strode in with exaggerated swagger. Seeing the crowd gathered outside, he straightened his chest even more, putting on an air of authority.

But the moment he saw Ji Yi and Zhu Jie standing upright in the hall, his expression darkened again. Damn it, just two peasants acting so arrogantly—don’t they even know to kneel while waiting for me?

“You insolent commoners! Why are you not kneeling?” the magistrate roared, his voice echoing through the hall with considerable intimidation.

However, Ji Yi showed not the slightest fear. Calmly, he said, “This student has obtained the xiucai degree this year and is exempt from kneeling.”

“Hmph! A cheating xiucai still thinks he doesn’t have to kneel? Kneel!” the magistrate barked coldly.

Ji Yi merely gave a slight bow and replied, “This student has committed no cheating. Your Honor must not make baseless accusations.”

“Baseless? I’ll show you what baseless means! I never speak without proof!” the magistrate said arrogantly—I just make lies sound like facts, he thought smugly.

He glared fiercely, trying to suppress Ji Yi with sheer presence. But Ji Yi stood tall, meeting his gaze calmly, showing no intention of kneeling.

Strangely enough, that composed look unsettled the magistrate instead. Somehow, Ji Yi’s eyes felt intimidating. What kind of joke is this? I’ve been shouting all this time, yet instead of scaring him, I’ve scared myself? The magistrate grew irritated and shouted again, “How dare you! Kneel at once!”

But no one paid him any heed. Ji Yi still stood unmoved. This truly enraged the magistrate.

“Guards! Make him kneel!” he shouted.

Of course, “making him kneel” wouldn’t be so simple—it would inevitably involve a few strikes from the yamen rods.

Immediately, two bailiffs stepped forward carrying sticks. Just as they raised them to strike, Ji Yi said coolly, “Your Honor, I am a xiucai. How can punishment be applied so casually?”

Indeed, passing the xiucai exam came with privileges. In the Great Liang, scholars were highly respected—even a county magistrate couldn’t beat them arbitrarily. Without proper justification, those intimidation rods couldn’t simply be used, or the magistrate himself could be reported.

Hearing this, the bailiffs hesitated, holding their sticks awkwardly and glancing at the magistrate, waiting for his command.

The magistrate sneered. “Your xiucai title is about to be stripped away by me, yet you still dare to act arrogant? Kneel!”

Ji Yi refused to back down. “Even if it’s to be stripped, shouldn’t it be done first before I kneel?”

His tone was firm and unyielding. The magistrate glared, but Ji Yi continued coldly, “If Your Honor can beat or strip titles at will, wouldn’t that be an insult to all scholars?”

The magistrate was just about to rebuke him further when murmurs began to rise from the crowd below:

“Exactly! Then what was the point of us earning our xiucai titles?”

“With such lawless behavior, is there still any justice in the world?”

Ji Yi’s words immediately struck a chord with the other scholars. Why? Because while “insulting scholars” might not seem like a big deal, what truly worried them was this—if the magistrate could beat Ji Yi today on a whim, then tomorrow, could he just as easily beat them? Strip their titles whenever he pleased?