After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

"Did Li Yanting become a cuckold?"

Ning Nan put down the silver note in his hand and immediately exclaimed in surprise.

Li Xing, with a tense little face, spoke slowly and clearly, recounting the whole story. Finally, like a little adult, he let out a sigh of relief: "Oh no..."

call.

Ning Nan couldn't help but gasp, and suddenly realized something.

A few days ago, he sent someone to Lijia Village to bring his mother to Nanjing for the Mid-Autumn Festival. But his mother sent the messenger back, asking if his daughter-in-law was pregnant and if she needed anyone to take care of her. Ning Nan said that not only was Cui Cui not pregnant, but she wouldn't be home for the Mid-Autumn Festival either, as she was going to work at the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) office.

The old woman immediately rejected the message, saying that her daughter-in-law wasn't home, so what was she doing here? Then she sent someone to deliver a truckload of fresh fruits and vegetables from the countryside, a basket of eggs, and a few old hens, along with several jars of pickled vegetables.

He said to pay close attention to his daughter-in-law's health, and if she has any symptoms, he should definitely see a doctor and tell her. She won't be coming over for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Ning Nan was immediately puzzled. His daughter-in-law wasn't there, so why wasn't his son a human being?

He then asked the servant, "How is my mother's health?"

The other person said that the old lady was in good health, with a rosy complexion and a strong voice. However, she was currently staying at the old village head's house. He had visited Lijia Village several times, and each time he had found the old lady at the old village head's house.

Ning Nan could understand this. After Li Baoxin died, his mother became sworn sisters with Li Baoxin's only daughter, Li Yi, making him an aunt. Li Baoxin's granddaughter became his cousin.

With him and his mother around, Li Baoxin's brothers and nephews wouldn't be able to take advantage of Li Yi's extinct lineage.

Later, at Li Baoxin's funeral, Li Yanting knelt before Li Yi and asked for her hand in marriage, wanting to marry her daughter. This moved Li Yi and her mother deeply… the two women wept as they hurried to help the boy who was studying. The engagement was arranged that very day, and the two would marry after the younger cousin observed a year of mourning for her grandfather.

But that's where the problem lies.

That little cousin—she doesn't like Li Yanting!

She actually doesn't like Li Yanting!

Ning Nan found it somewhat unbelievable.

Li Xing shook his little head, pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, and said it was a letter written by the village head's granddaughter to the "Reading Seed." He said that when the "Reading Seed" brother took the letter, he pulled it out and read it, and he managed to hold back his tears on the spot. But later, when no one was at the newspaper office, he cried his heart out and crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it away.

Li Xing picked it up.

The letter was simple; it said that Brother Yanting had shown her immense kindness, which she could never repay in this life, and that she would repay him even if she had to be his slave in the next life… She also said that she and Wang Erniu from the next village had been childhood sweethearts and deeply in love, and that her heart had long belonged to Brother Erniu… She begged Brother Yanting to grant them their wish…

call.

"A bookworm..." Ning Nan took a breath. "He didn't hang himself, did he?"

Li Xing's face tightened, and he shook his head, saying, "I don't know either. But one morning, I did see Brother 'Reading Seed' come back soaking wet."

Tsk, Ning Nan's eyes are complicated; he must have jumped over the river.

No wonder the servant said that every time he went to the old village head's house to see the old lady, he could hear women crying and cursing coming from inside. He thought they were still crying about Li Baoxin after all this time, but it turns out that his mother and his aunt Li Yi were cursing their little cousin!

He did remember Wang Erniu. He wasn't exactly ugly, but compared to Li Yanting… he was worlds apart. Like heaven and earth. A peasant and a scholar.

Ning Nan sighed.

He now somewhat understands the feelings of the brothers of those foolish female protagonists in storybooks and TV dramas.

If it weren't for my little cousin having to observe mourning...

He even wanted to force that silly girl to marry Li Yanting right now.

Master Ning asked in a complicated tone, "Do bookworms still read the books of sages these days?"

Li Xing said that he was still studying, practically reading every day. Ning Nan breathed a sigh of relief; as long as he still wanted to pass the imperial examination, it meant he hadn't given up on himself.

Even an upright official finds it difficult to settle family disputes, so he simply pretends not to know about such matters.

I wonder if my mother and Li Yi can persuade my little cousin to change her mind. If not, I'm afraid the academic star of Li Family Village will be jilted... After a while, Ning Nan and Li Xing accidentally looked at each other, and then... they couldn't help but laugh out loud, calling him "green-haired turtle" and "bastard" for a long time.

Because they were confined to their quarters and couldn't go out, but the Mid-Autumn Festival was indeed quite lively, he arranged for several servants who remained at the manor to take Li Xing, Li Jiujin, and the other four children from Li Family Village to Nanjing to see the festivities. Food and drink were on them. It was also a way to give the servants a holiday. But they were to be careful.

He also sent Li Xing a thousand taels of silver, some cured meat and pickled vegetables to Dahei, and a jar of fine yellow wine to Chen the blacksmith, as a Mid-Autumn Festival greeting.

Er Lai is in Li Family Village. We sent him mooncakes and wine before, so there's no need to worry. San Zhuang is in the capital, working for the Embroidered Uniform Guard. He was conscripted by Qin Yuanyao and I heard he'll be guarding Prince Xin's mansion tonight.

It was around 3 PM.

Only the Imperial Guards responsible for watching over him and himself remained in the mansion.

Ning Nan took out the books given to him by Mr. Huang Lizhou of the private school in Liuye Lane and studied them diligently for a long time.

Because of the Baiyufang incident and the delay caused by that so-called Fourth Young Master of the Northern Dynasty, I have fallen far behind in my studies.

And Prince Xin is about to ascend the throne. It is said that as soon as he ascends the throne, he will immediately hold a special imperial examination. The time is very close.

With this in mind, he focused all his attention on today's eight-legged essay. He planned to write two essays today and three tomorrow, and after his confinement was lifted the day after tomorrow, he would go to the private school to find Mr. Lizhou and ask him to take a good look at his work.

The sun gradually set in the west.

The Prince Xin's mansion next door was holding a grand banquet today, making a lot of noise and bustle, while my own Ning mansion was truly deserted and ignored.

Around 3 PM, the entire city of Nanjing seemed to be in an uproar. The sounds of firecrackers and fireworks kept coming in waves, and cheers, sometimes near and sometimes far, also drifted in.

When it was time for dinner, someone from the Imperial Guards who were left behind brought him food, which he ate quickly before continuing to write his eight-legged essay.

Not long after, as darkness fell, the liveliness at the Prince Xin's mansion next door increased by more than one level.

First came a deafening barrage of cannon fire; Ning Nan didn't count, but it must have been around a hundred. Then came the fireworks, one after another, wave after wave. Next came the opera singers, their drums and gongs thundering, the actors singing their hearts out, followed by waves of cheers and applause.

Feeling agitated and unable to put pen to paper, he put down his pen and went outside.

Looking up, I saw a full, round moon hanging high in the sky, stars twinkling overhead, fireworks blazing, and the city filled with the vibrant energy of everyday life—a truly magnificent sight. Despite the noise in my ears, my heart found a strange peace.

He strolled up to the second floor of the flower hall and looked south. There was no curfew tonight, and the banks of the Qinhuai River were packed with people.

Painted boats stretched to the horizon, lanterns dotted the water, and people laughed and chatted joyfully. At some point, colorful lanterns began to float on the river, drifting with the current. Soon after, people on both banks began to release sky lanterns. Under the bright moon, tiny flames rose from people's hands, gradually soaring into the dark sky, drifting with the wind, flying higher and higher, with a magnificent and beautiful air, as if vying with Chang'e (the Moon Goddess) for height.

Looking at this scene, Ning Nan couldn't help but smile. He thought to himself that if Cui Cui wasn't on duty tonight and he wasn't confined to his quarters, he and Cui Cui would probably be releasing sky lanterns by the river right now.

He stood on tiptoe, following the flow of people, thinking that he and Cui Cui would probably release lanterns under... that willow tree, or that willow tree. He wrote "Master Zhu's martial arts are unparalleled" on the lantern, and Cui Cui wrote "Master Ning, congratulations on your fortune" on the same lantern, then they released them together...

Then, thump thump thump!

A series of hurried footsteps echoed up to the second floor, where only faint starlight could be seen.

Ning Nan turned around and narrowed his eyes.

"Uh... Commander Qin?" Qin Yuanyao, this dark-skinned woman, asked, "What's wrong?"

Qin Yuanyao asked with a somewhat serious expression, "Do you still have your musket?"

"Yeah, I'm here," Ning Nan frowned, "What's up?"

Qin Yuanyao nodded, her eyes serious, and solemnly said, "Then come with me and bring your musket."

"Where to?"

"Xinwangfu."

Ning Nan frowned and said, "Wasn't I under house arrest?"

"Prince Xin has shown mercy and allowed you to enter. Also—" Qin Yuanyao said coldly, "Don't call me Commander Qin."

"Um?"

Qin Yuanyao slightly raised her chin and said calmly, "I am currently the Vice Commander of the Imperial Guard of the Great Liang Dynasty. Hmm, just in case Young Master Ning doesn't know... I am a fourth-rank military officer."

"Oh," Ning Nan scoffed, then smiled rudely and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Vice Commissioner Qin!"