"Who?"

"Zhaodi, it's me, Dai Ling."

"Uncle Ling? Why are you here?"

The one who opened the door was Dai Tu's wife, from the Huang Clan, but she only opened it a crack and didn't invite Dai Ling inside.

After all, her husband wasn't home; it was just her and her son. Even though Dai Ling was a senior relative, it wasn't suitable to let him in late at night.

"Zhaodi, has Dai Tu returned?" Dai Ling understood and stood outside chatting with Huang.

Song shook her head and then sighed, "My husband went to Huai State for exams in mid-January, and he hasn't returned yet. I haven't heard from him at all, which makes me very worried."

"Not back yet? But the provincial exams in the Four States have long passed, and the official exams are in March next year," said Dai Ling.

"Exactly, I heard there was a war in Huai State earlier, so many died, and the roads were closed. It's almost New Year, and he's still not back. If something happens to him out there, how would we live?" As she spoke, Huang began to tear up; it's been a long time without news, and how could she not be worried.

Suddenly, Huang thought of something: "Uncle Ling, why are you suddenly asking about my husband? Aunt told me you went to Qingzhou; did you hear something about him on your way back?"

"Well..." Dai Ling hesitated for a moment and said, "Zhaodi, this is a long story. Come to my house; your aunt is there too, and we can talk slowly."

"Then please wait, Uncle Ling. I'll speak with Xiaofeng," Huang said.

Dai Ling nodded.

The Dai Family.

The living room was dimly lit.

Dai Ling's wife from the Wang Clan was also there, pouring tea for Huang.

Ordinary people weren't so particular; if a guest came, they'd just serve a bowl of water.

Dai Ling was a traveling merchant, so their family was relatively well-off.

"Uncle Ling, has something happened to my husband?" Huang asked uneasily. She held the tea Wang poured with both hands but had no interest in drinking.

She knew this uncle was not one to visit without matters.

Since he had just returned home and came to find them that night, how could she not be concerned? 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"Zhaodi, have some tea." Dai Ling sat across from Huang and then said, "While I was trading in Qingzhou, I saw someone in Pingting County who looked exactly like Dai Tu, even the same mole. But when I asked him, he claimed not to know me and said he was from Cangzhou."

"Then you might have really mistaken him. I heard from the village scholar that southern candidates can only take exams in Huai State and Linzhou, while northern candidates go to Qingzhou and Yu State.

Tu is from Yan State, which is in the South, and he wouldn't be able to successfully take the exam in Qingzhou," said Wang.

"Women are just ignorant of these things. Do you know what 'policies from above, counter-measures from below' means?"

Dai Ling, having traveled far and wide, naturally had more experience than Wang, who stayed home all the time. There were many loopholes in the policy that southern candidates could only take exams in the South and northern ones in the North.

Wang didn't understand.

Dai Ling explained, "With the times so chaotic, especially with so many fleeing from the North, many counties have lost their registry records, and it's hard to find related documents to check. The Four States' government offices would find it even harder to verify."

Wang still didn't understand.

Huang chimed in from the side, "Auntie, Uncle Ling means even if you fabricate an identity, the government offices would find it hard to verify its authenticity."

Though Huang had a lowly background, her family wasn't poor; her father did a bit of business in the county, belonging to the merchant class.

Dai Tu could afford to study and had travel expenses for exams, thanks to Huang's father.

Wang began to understand, then asked, "But why wouldn't Tu recognize you, Old Man?"

Wang looked at Dai Ling.

Dai Ling pondered for a moment, then said, "There can't be two identical people in this world. I'm now certain the person I saw in Qingzhou, Guo Xian, was Dai Tu."

"Guo Xian?" Wang was puzzled.

"That's the identity Tu fabricated in Qingzhou; he even topped the provincial exam there. The reason he didn't recognize me might be because he feared I would reveal his true identity, especially since he had others nearby at the time." Realizing this, Dai Ling felt like slapping himself; he should have thought of this earlier.

If he had approached Dai Tu alone, Tu would surely have acknowledged him.

"He topped the Qingzhou provincial exam?" Huang was shocked.

"Does topping mean finishing first?" Wang asked.

Huang nodded.

Wang excitedly grabbed Huang's hand, "Zhaodi, Tu has succeeded. You and Xiaofeng can become the County Magistrate's Wife and Young Master now."

The notice from the Four States that declared qualifying individuals could become officials had become a topic among the people, much talked about.

But Huang wasn't too happy, as she asked Dai Ling, "Since my husband faked his identity and topped the provincial exam in Qingzhou, wouldn't Xiaofeng and I have a hard time acknowledging him? If we expose his identity, I'd be a sinner to the Dai Family."

Huang became more worried.

On one hand, she really wanted to become the County Magistrate's Wife.

On the other hand, she feared exposing him when they reunited, causing trouble when the government pursued it, which would indeed harm her husband.

These words caused the living room to fall silent.

Dai Ling thought for a moment, his eyes brightened, "I've got a way."