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

Ok?

Ning Nan turned around and looked over, his eyebrows twitching, before he burst out laughing.

"Three strong ones!"

Three tall, burly men with simple, dark skin came running over.

"Big brother, what brings you here?!" San Zhuang ran over excitedly and grabbed Ning Nan's sleeve.

Ning Nan sized him up from head to toe... He was dressed in a black flying fish robe, with an embroidered spring knife at his left hip and a copper hammer at his right. He was even more robust than he had been a dozen days ago, and his eyes shone with a sharp and capable air. It was no wonder that he had asked Xiu Xiu to send San Zhuang to the Embroidered Uniform Guard to find some martial arts masters and staff instructors to learn martial arts.

Ning Nan patted his shoulder with a smile, pulled him to sit down, and said that he didn't have anything to do, so he came to check on him.

San Zhuang's eyes lit up immediately, and he said, "Big brother is amazing! Even just this first courtyard of the Prince's mansion is so big that ordinary officials can't get in."

Upon hearing the young, burly man's words, the officials at his table and those at the surrounding tables involuntarily puffed out their chests. Looking back and seeing it was a member of the Imperial Guard, they whispered amongst themselves, "As expected of the Imperial Guard; he may look young, but he has quite a bit of knowledge."

"But brother," Sanzhuang added, "these are all lowly officials here, nothing interesting. It's just that the show is entertaining." He raised an eyebrow, intending to take his brother inside to see what was really interesting.

Hey!

Before San Zhuang could utter a second sentence, his words stirred up a hornet's nest. Not only did five or six pairs of sharp eyes sweep over him at his table, but the minor officials at the surrounding tables also turned their gazes toward him with sinister intent.

Ning Nan took a breath, coughed twice, interrupted San Zhuang, and changed the subject, saying, "You've become a Jinyiwei now, that's really something. You're also deeply trusted by Commander Qin. For such an important day as the Mid-Autumn Festival at the Prince Xin's mansion, they actually transferred someone like you, who's only been a Jinyiwei for ten days, to be their guard. Hmm, you're quite impressive."

As soon as the words left my mouth, the chill down my spine immediately lessened.

Upon hearing the words "trusted by the Commander-in-Chief," the officials turned their attention back to the female lead singing on the stage.

That's true. To be summoned to Prince Xin's mansion as a guard on such a day and allowed to carry a sword, one must be a highly trusted member of the emperor's personal guard. There's no need to say anything to this inexperienced young Imperial Guard, lest he be branded as disrespectful in the mansion.

At this moment, Sanzhuang's eyes widened and he shouted, "Big brother, I'm not a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"

Ok?

Not the Embroidered Uniform Guard?

Ning Nan was startled and looked the tiger-headed youth up and down, asking in surprise, "Aren't you a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard? Why are you wearing this flying fish robe?"

San Zhuang said, "Brother Qian's banner is short of manpower. Brother Xu Cheng from their banner is about the same size as me and has extra flying fish robes, so he gave me one to wear, along with a token and a knife, asking me to come and help out."

Ning Nan then let out an "oh," realizing what was going on. He had just been thinking that if Xiu Xiu or Qin Yuanyao wanted to recruit the Three Strong Men into the Embroidered Uniform Guard, they should at least inform him first.

At this time.

Snapped!

Someone slammed their hand on the table, glanced at the two of them, and sneered, "So that's how it is. A monkey in a crown, no wonder your knowledge is so limited." Upon hearing this, the people around chuckled softly.

Fake Imperial Guards, no wonder they say they are insignificant officials, no wonder they don't know the prestige of officials in the capital, and no wonder they don't know the difficulty of the imperial examinations.

San Zhuang didn't understand what "a monkey wearing a crown" meant, and frowned, asking, "Big brother, what did he say?"

Ning Nan raised an eyebrow.

He glanced at the official who had just spoken and chuckled, "Oh, nothing much. It's just that the Queen Mother of the West is holding a Peach Banquet, and a nobody like Bi Ma Wen (弼马温) is coming to join in the fun, yet he thinks he's some kind of important official."

"Hey!"

Suddenly, several sounds of slamming the table rang out. The man who had just spoken blew his beard, glared, and abruptly clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "Brother, what did you just say?"

Ning Nan said nonchalantly, "My brother isn't very well-educated. I'm just explaining the idiom 'a monkey wearing a hat' that the adults used to talk about to him. What? Did I explain it wrong?"

An official at the next table stood up and asked, "May I ask what official position you hold, sir?"

Ning Nan chuckled: "Naturally, I am not as good as the stable boy."

"Hey!" another person shouted angrily, "Even if Sun Wukong is a stable boy, he's still a powerful stable boy with great supernatural abilities. Isn't that better than a commoner?"

Ning Nan shrugged and laughed, "This gentleman misunderstands. When I explained to my brother, I meant '弼马温' (Bima Wen), not Sun Wukong (Sun Xingzhe). I meant Sun Wukong's previous role as Bi Ma Wen. How could Sun Wukong accept being a mere Bi Ma Wen? As for whether it's better than being a commoner?" Ning Nan glanced at them and laughed, "Just like Sun Wukong when he was still on Flower Fruit Mountain, he was definitely a commoner. Sun Wukong would rather wreak havoc in the Heavenly Palace as a commoner than be such a lowly Bi Ma Wen!"

San Zhuang burst into laughter and said, "That's right! I won't be a stable boy!"

The single stone stirred up a thousand ripples. Several tables of civil officials nearby immediately rose to their feet, their faces turning a deep purplish-red. Some even began rolling up their sleeves. But soon, seasoned and prudent officials began to mediate, pulling aside the civil officials beside them and pleading, "Gentlemen, gentlemen," "Don't stoop to their level," "The Prince Xin's residence," "The stewards are watching this area," "This is an insult to scholarship, an insult to scholarship..."

Ning Nan's lips curled into a cold smile. He didn't care about any of that. Even with a gun pointed at his head, he wouldn't back down, let alone... the one with the gun now! What idioms to use to insult him? Bring them on! If they were insulting him, or San Zhuang, who was well-educated, he could just laugh it off. But San Zhuang wasn't well-educated and wouldn't understand their sarcastic remarks, so he couldn't be insulted! If he was going to insult someone, he had to do it openly. Spilling insults, stirring up trouble, relying on a few lousy books—who did they think they were bullying?!

Under the persuasion of several experienced and prudent officials, these junior officials, though still looking angry and muttering curses, slowly sat down.

Ning Nan snorted and casually picked up a fruit, handing it to San Zhuang. San Zhuang took it and unceremoniously munched on it for a few bites.

Ning Nan ignored them, pretending they didn't exist. After a while, he turned to San Zhuang and asked, "San Zhuang, do you want to be a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

This was actually one of his ideas. The Embroidered Uniform Guard was a hereditary position. If Sanzhuang wanted to become one, he could get a few more weapons for the court, accumulate some merit, and give Sanzhuang a job that could support his family for generations.

At this moment, the surrounding civil officials snorted a few times in a sarcastic tone, seemingly mocking the two commoners... The Imperial Guard, the emperor's personal guard, is not something you can just become as you please?! It's hereditary! But since these people didn't say anything, Ning Nan simply pretended they didn't exist.

San Zhuang shook his head and said, "They asked me, and offered me the position. But I refused."

Ning Nan frowned in confusion.

San Zhuang said, "Commander Shangguan, Commander Qin, and, oh, Vice Commander Qin, have all asked me about it, but I won't take the position."

Ning Nan smiled and said, "Then tell your older brother what you want to do in the future."

San Zhuang exclaimed in disbelief, "Big brother! Have you forgotten? I'm your head guard! What kind of Imperial Guard would I be?!"

Ning Nan's eyes widened in surprise... He remembered now. He had brought San Zhuang into Nanjing to make him the commander of his personal guards, but since he had sent him to learn martial arts, San Zhuang hadn't officially taken up his post yet. Ning Nan then smiled and said, "I haven't forgotten, I haven't forgotten. Learn more skills in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and then come back later."

San Zhuang smiled with satisfaction, then stood up with a grin and said, "Alright, alright, big brother, let's not talk about that now. Come on, I have a token, I'll take you to the second courtyard. That twelve-year-old Tong family Qilin from the Northern Dynasty just beat that useless Wu chess master. Your chess skills are unmatched; back in Li Family Village, Mr. Han was terrified of you like a tiger… Come on, I'll take you in and see, who knows, maybe when you step onto the stage, you'll make that Tong family Qilin run for his life!"

Just then.

Bang!

A man at the next table slammed his hand on the table, his eyes gleaming, and exclaimed, "Heh heh heh! Truly... tsk! What an invincible figure!"