Chapter 1542 - "Cheating"

Zhou Zhongjun said nonchalantly, "I was shopping, and when I reached Nanbao Bookstore, I noticed a few people acting suspiciously at the counter. Seeing me pass, they immediately hid this book under a pile. I thought they must be up to something illegal—you know, we uphold justice and righteousness; how could I stand by and watch? So I followed them. Guess what?"

Huang Zhen groaned inwardly. Young miss, we are here risking our heads on a life-and-death mission, but you seem to think this is some leisurely journey to gain experience in the jianghu. If you'd shouted 'Hengshan Sect's Zhou Zhongjun is here!' we'd all have ended up in a Cropped-Hair jail cell.

Suspecting it was merely her curiosity getting the better of her again, he simply asked, "What happened?"

"Turns out they were selling leaked exam questions," Zhou Zhongjun said triumphantly. "The Cropped-Hairs require licenses for everything. But the exam questions were leaked long ago and are sold under the table. You can buy whatever type you need..."

"So you purchased this?"

"At first they stubbornly denied having anything. But I frightened them a little—said their behavior was suspicious and I'd report them to the police. They obediently produced it and sold it to me. Only twenty circulation vouchers!" Zhou Zhongjun seemed immensely proud of herself.

As an old jianghu hand, Huang Zhen sensed something was wrong. Though examination fraud ran rampant in the Ming, it was typically conducted in secret, requiring middlemen and connections. After all, trafficking in exam questions meant risking one's life and property.

Here in Lingao, though this license exam wasn't the Imperial Examination, many people's livelihoods depended on it. The Cropped-Hairs would presumably punish cheating severely. They would never permit questions to be sold openly on the streets.

Huang Zhen's suspicions sharpened—had she fallen prey to swindlers? From Zhou Zhongjun's description, this sounded like a classic confidence trick.

With this in mind, he quickly leafed through the booklet of thin cotton paper. He couldn't judge whether the questions and answers were genuine, but on the last page, he spotted a line of small print in the footer: "Reprinted based on Ministry of Health Press TCM Practitioner Qualification Exam Mock Question Collection 1633 Edition. Copyright belongs to the original author." Below that was an ink stamp: "Manual Reprint License No. 66," and finally the price: twenty circulation vouchers.

Huang Zhen nearly collapsed. This really is a scam!

No wonder certain phrases had seemed familiar. He hastily dug through the pile of books on the table and produced the TCM Practitioner Qualification Exam Mock Question Collection, published by Ministry of Health Press. He had bought the 1634 edition, so the content differed slightly—but the cover price was only three circulation vouchers.

Huang Zhen didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Miss Zhou had been taken in by common street swindlers.

Seeing his strange expression, Zhou Zhongjun knew something was wrong. She snatched the book from his hand. One glance was enough—her pretty face flushed crimson, her eyebrows shot up, and her teeth ground together. "They dared cheat me? Don't blame me for being ruthless!" She turned to rush out.

Huang Zhen caught her quickly. "Absolutely not! We are in dangerous territory—we cannot conflict with anyone..."

"Are we supposed to fear a few measly Cropped-Hair lackeys?"

"We don't fear them, but this operation would be ruined!" Huang Zhen could see that argument didn't carry enough weight. "If we go back empty-handed, we'll have no face to show the elders."

That worked on Zhou Zhongjun. She knew her sect had invested heavily in this mission. If she destroyed the greater plan, expulsion would be the minimum consequence.

Though the Hengshan Sect was hardly paradise, it offered freedom. Her master exercised little control over her—beyond restrictions on descending the mountain and mandatory daily practice, she lived as she pleased. Her family had money and sent silver and goods regularly; they had even purchased a little maid to serve her. Her lifestyle was no worse than at home. If she returned home, her parents would nag her constantly about marriage. Worse still, she had refused foot-binding since childhood, leaving her with large natural feet. To marry into a respectable family, she would have to bind them at least symbolically. The mere thought made Zhou Zhongjun shudder.

But how could she simply swallow this humiliation? Her eyes reddened, tears beginning to pool. Though it was a trifle of twenty vouchers, she had never suffered such a loss since entering the jianghu. Now, here in Lingao, she had been duped by petty con artists.

She gritted her teeth. "Brother Huang, I understand what's at stake. Tonight, let's kill those dogs together and burn down that bookstore!"

Huang Zhen knew she couldn't let the insult go. He spoke gravely. "Absolutely out of the question. This isn't Ming territory. If you start a fire, the Cropped-Hairs' dragnet will descend on all of Nanbao. How would we hide?"

"So we just swallow this loss?!" Zhou Zhongjun ground her teeth.

"Endure for now! When the time comes to strike, not just that bookstore—we'll burn all of Nanbao to the ground!"

This finally pacified Zhou Zhongjun. Even so, she remained in foul spirits. Going upstairs, she encountered Nan Wan'er sweeping the floor and snapped at her: "Loose hoof! Sweeping away at nothing, just pretending to be busy!"

Huang Zhen observed everything. Though he felt unjust sympathy for Nan Wan'er, his mind was too consumed with examinations and opening the shop to offer comfort.

The licensing situation remained grim. Jiao Gongli and Song Shengying had already withdrawn from the attempt. Even the Meng brothers—whether they could pass remained uncertain. He had made inquiries: passing wasn't easy. Even naturalized citizens who had lived here for a year or two often had to enroll in "training classes" to succeed. Stories of self-study success were rare.

As for these "training classes," rumor held that one operated in East Gate Market called "New Lingao," jointly run by Lingao's largest pharmacy, Runshetang, and the Ministry of Health. Word had it that Chiefs Liu and Deng of the Ministry held private shares in the venture. Enrollees reportedly enjoyed high pass rates.

Huang Zhen had initially assumed this was like the stationery shops in the capital that facilitated exam fraud—he thought he might simply buy his way in. Unexpectedly, enrollment in the training class required passing an entrance examination: whether naturalized or native, applicants needed an original Grade B diploma or higher for the class to accept them.

This drove Hero Huang half-mad. Was this place even fit for human habitation? This certificate, that certificate... Even when the dynasty's founder established his strict Yellow Register and road pass system, the net hadn't been woven this tight. Here, every step was an ordeal.

And then there was Zhou Zhongjun, a perpetual source of worry. When his master had briefed him, he'd explained that women worked openly under the Cropped-Hairs, so bringing more female disciples would help conceal the group's true nature.

What he hadn't expected was that upon arriving in Lingao, Zhou Zhongjun would refuse to carry her share or do any work, knowing only how to wander and shop all day. Far from providing cover, she acted as a magnet for attention.

If he didn't open the shop and give her a proper identity soon, trouble would find them.

After much deliberation, helpless, Huang Zhen decided to seek the female director's advice once more. Perhaps he could open a door through her connections.

Knowing she wouldn't accept gifts, he saved the expense. Arriving at the branch, he didn't need to be announced—the doorman said the Director was in her office, so he went directly.

Seeing Huang Zhen visit again, the female director beamed. She seated him in a rattan chair, served tea enthusiastically, and inquired about his health, the shop's progress, and whether he needed any assistance.

Huang Zhen recounted his difficulties: "...We are all from the Ming. We know nothing of Australian rules like examinations. We wish to take them but find it extremely difficult—the people I've hired have practiced medicine and sold herbs their entire lives, possessing genuine skills, but they are getting on in years. Asking them to memorize books at this stage is simply too hard..."

The Director nodded sympathetically as he spoke. When he finished, she laughed. "Don't worry. The Yuan Elder Court has always encouraged commerce. However, medicine concerns people's safety. Allowing anyone to practice and sell medicine as in the Ming shows a disregard for public health. That's why the Yuan Elder Court established these regulations."

"Yes, yes. The Yuan Elder Court's benevolence and commitment to serving the people commands Huang's complete admiration," Huang Zhen agreed respectfully, quoting a slogan he had spotted on the street.

He then mentioned Zhou Zhongjun being swindled—not to "petition the Blue Sky Official for justice," but because he feared that if those scammers were eventually caught by the authorities, the officials would learn of the incident.

Rather than face questioning then—he didn't trust Zhou Zhongjun's ability to handle interrogation gracefully—it was better to report it upfront. The amount was trivial, so it shouldn't attract much scrutiny. Fortunately, the Cropped-Hairs didn't practice "Thief Blooms"—the Ming yamen trick of using criminal cases to extort money from both victims and perpetrators.

Indeed, the matter didn't interest the Director much. She merely nodded:

"Cases like yours aren't rare here. Having drifted through half a life in the Ming's old society and old system, people can't adapt immediately to the new society and new system. Older people struggle to learn new things and inevitably fear difficulty, seeking crooked paths or shortcuts—I understand all this." She placed her hand over her heart, her eyes crinkling with warmth.

"Yes, yes."

"This isn't the first time. You aren't the only victims. But we haven't yet found a good way to address it. Those bookstore clerks are exploiting legal loopholes," the Director explained, "taking advantage of your eagerness to succeed."