In the Government Office, the County Magistrate sat at the head of the hall, with the Imperial Inspector sitting upright to his left, exuding an aura of authority without the need for anger. The head of the Ministry of Surveillance, the old eunuch, held a tea cup in one hand and used his other hand to delicately lift the tea lid with orchid fingers, blowing away the floating foam within.
This year the jury was quite different from those in the past. If any other county or prefecture official were to face such a scenario, they would at least sweat a few more pounds, if not be outright frightened.
But Chen Guangrui was different. He was the previous top candidate of the imperial examination's first class, and after two years of working as an editor in the Hanlin Academy, he was placed here in Linjiang by the Imperial Court.