Su Bin's initial rank had been 11th in their assessment, and it was someone among them who had argued for raising Su Bin's ranking by one spot, granting him the opportunity to partake in the Palace Examination.
Now, with the Emperor's palpable interest in Su Bin's answer sheet, the individual who had advocated for his improved ranking saw the potential for a unique insight to emerge.
For the four examiners who had initially been less inclined to favor Su Bin, a sense of unease began to creep in. The prospect of Su Bin capturing the Emperor's attention and the Emperor eventually discovering their deliberate suppression and manipulation of his ranking weighed heavily on their minds. The consequences of such a revelation were difficult to fathom.
The Emperor finally resettled into his throne, his expression inscrutable.
