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

When he conquered Black Tiger Mountain, he had dealings with the magistrates of the three counties who had suffered greatly at the hands of the Black Tiger Mountain bandits.

The magistrates, county lieutenants, and commanders and deputy commanders of the three counties of Dingjiang, Yushui, and Jiulin each had their own characteristics.

This Lord Dong Yunzhuo was the magistrate of Dingjiang County. He was shrewd, capable, and decisive. He quickly raised grain and fodder according to Grand Tutor Gu's request and also conscripted a lot of laborers.

Magistrate Dong was generous, hospitable, and courteous. When he married Cui Cui, he was the only one from the three counties who came to the wedding and presented him with many generous gifts.

Ning Nan frowned and recalled that Magistrate Dong had mentioned that he had been transferred back to the capital and had even made an appointment to meet him there.

Thinking about it, Ning Nan went to the storeroom, took out the gift list from the other party, and looked at it to see how valuable the gifts were so that she could reciprocate later.

Since there is an opportunity, we can go to Phoenix Tail Street to meet the other party the day after tomorrow. However, the day after tomorrow is not the time to give gifts, so as not to be accused of cheating in the imperial examination. We should exchange names and addresses and give gifts after the examination is over.

According to the rules of the Great Liang Dynasty, after this imperial examination, the other party will become one's "mentor," and social interactions will inevitably follow in the future.

The next day.

A thin mist hung in the air outside.

When Ning Nan woke up, he found that Cui Cui was fast asleep, something he hadn't done in a long time. He poked her cheek.

Only then did Cui Cui's mother slowly wake up, her eyelashes fluttering.

Her eyes, like pools of autumn water, opened and closed repeatedly, her mind seemingly in a state of confusion and struggle.

Seeing that she was sleepy, Ning Nan laughed and said, "Why don't we take a day off today? I'll send someone to the Embroidered Uniform Guard headquarters to talk to that dark-skinned woman."

Half an hour passed.

She rubbed her messy hair, still half asleep, and said, "Don't address Commander Qin like that."

Ning Nan rolled his eyes and said, "She's a deputy commander, a fourth-rank military officer... If you call her a commander of a thousand, she'll turn on you."

As Cui Cui's wife tossed and turned in bed, she finally couldn't help but smile, her lips curving into a smile. Just as she was about to burst out laughing, she stopped herself and let out a long sigh. She didn't want to joke with him about Qin Yuanyao anymore. She got out of bed, stretched, and said, "I can't miss a day. Time to go on duty."

……

Just as Uncle Ping had harnessed the carriage, the sun was shining brightly on the horizon, revealing a golden arc.

Ningnan boarded the carriage.

As soon as they stepped out of the side gate of the Ning residence, four men dressed as servants approached and said, "Master, we'd like to accompany you to the private school today."

Ning Nan was taken aback. The voice sounded familiar. He lifted the carriage curtain and immediately smiled, "Qian Xiaoqi, Brother Xu."

Qian Sijin, Xu Cheng, and the others also smiled.

Ning Nan didn't know what his old friends from the Embroidered Uniform Guard had to do, but since they said that, it must be something important, so he didn't ask any further questions and invited them into the carriage.

After getting into the carriage, Qian Sijin solemnly explained the reason: the Northern Dynasty people had their eyes on Young Master Ning, and we were sent to protect him. We also asked Young Master Ning not to leave the city before Prince Xin ascended the throne, and it would be best not to go to Li Family Village... If he had to go, he should not go directly like yesterday. Please be sure to tell him first that he has been ordered to protect him from now on.

Ning Nan frowned, then slowly nodded. He knew that the ascension of Prince Xin to the throne was a major event recently, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard had been very busy lately.

It was only natural that he was being targeted by the Northern Dynasty, so he wasn't worried.

I even told Erlai yesterday in Lijia Village that Erlai would bring his ten servants who had signed death contracts to the capital tomorrow. They haven't been trained properly in such a short time, but we have to use them for now when we need them.

Ning Nan frowned and asked curiously, "Qian Xiaoqi, isn't your banner supposed to have ten people?"

Qian Sijin said helplessly, "Strange and dangerous things have been happening in the capital recently, and we are really short-handed... However, if Mr. Ning wants to leave the city, it will only take about an hour, and I can arrange for three squad leaders to escort Mr. Ning out of the city... If we stay in the city, the four of us will be enough."

Ning Nan felt a warmth in his heart, immediately thanked everyone, and then reached into his pocket for some silver.

Qian Sijin quickly stopped him, saying with a wry smile, "Young Master Ning, you are too kind. You have rendered great service to the country, and we would feel uneasy accepting your reward."

Ning Nan pretended to insist on taking it, but the four people on the other side refused, looking troubled, so Ning Nan had no choice but to give up.

The bookworm hadn't lied to him.

When he entered the school, Fatty Chu was already excitedly bragging to his classmates about it.

Tomorrow, the Education Commissioner of Yingtian Prefecture, Lord Dong, will hold a literary gathering on Fengwei Street. It will not be a poetry gathering, but rather a test of the students of Yingtian Prefecture using the teachings of the sages, to see how qualified the candidates from Yingtian Prefecture are this year.

Not only the candidates from Bailu Academy, but also those from the Imperial Academy and other places in Yingtian Prefecture who were living in the capital and had some reputation would come to visit. Generally, Lord Dong would set the questions, and everyone would try to answer them. He would also set some policy essay questions to see what the public's inclinations were towards the government.

When Chu Pangzi and the others asked him if he was going, Ning Nan laughed and said, "Of course I'll go." Pangzi and Zhao Jing and the others cheered immediately, saying that with "Cold and Quiet," "When Will the Moon Be Bright," "Long Howl," and "High Howl" going with them, they would definitely not be left out. The education commissioner, the prefect, and the magistrates of the two counties would surely come to their table to join in the fun.

At this moment, Tang Lianbin couldn't help but frown, saying that he had heard that the educational commissioner Dong Yunzhuo had never liked poetry and was upright and incorruptible, preferring only practical matters. When he was the magistrate of Dingjiang County in Yunhu, he was known as "Dong Qingtian" (Dong the Upright Official).

Everyone was stunned.

Zuo Yong also sighed and said that, to be honest, he knew a little about this matter.

Zuo Yong said that he and Lord Dong were from the same hometown, both from Sishui County. He had heard about this incident. Apparently, when Lord Dong was young, he and Du Xiangqing, a talented scholar from Sichuan, took the provincial examination together. Before the examination, the two had a quarrel.

Dong Yunzhuo came from a humble background, while Du Xiangqing came from a wealthy family and was an unparalleled poet. Du Xiangqing even ranked second in the palace examination, while Dong Yunzhuo ranked last and almost failed to enter the palace examination.

As a result, he was looked down upon by his peers and ridiculed by his contemporaries, who said he was overestimating himself. Dong Yunzhuo angrily said, "What use are poems and lyrics? They're just tea and brothels." This caused a great deal of dissatisfaction among many people, and he gained a reputation for being "arrogant." Fortunately, he passed the imperial examination and, although he was suppressed for many years, he eventually received a real appointment.

Upon hearing this, everyone was immediately at a loss and began to advise Ning Nan to lay low for a while. Zhao Jing said with a worried look, "Brother Bai Xuan's reputation is too great. When Lord Dong comes down with 'brothel tea, prostitute,' I'm afraid Brother Bai Xuan won't even be able to refute it."

The provincial education commissioner was no ordinary person. Although the imperial examination was supposed to be fair, it was only fair up to the provincial examination. Before the provincial examination, a student's future could be decided almost entirely by the provincial education commissioner.

Ning Nan recalled his impression of Dong Yunzhuo, who was always smiling and addressed him as "brother." Was this the kind of person who was so headstrong in his youth? What use are poems and lyrics, to brothels and teahouses?

……

The sun climbed to its zenith and then began to set in the west.

After school ended, Ning Nan boarded a carriage and returned to the Ning residence with four Imperial Guards.

Not long after leaving Willow Leaf Lane.

He got off the carriage, intending to go to a familiar bookstore to buy some writing materials.

As soon as he got out of the car, Ning Nan paused.

A luxurious carriage was following behind theirs.

At this moment, on this bright red and luxurious carriage.

A figure that seemed somewhat familiar to him stepped down.

The newcomer was slender and graceful, with flowing black hair. She wore a light pink dress and exquisite gold ornaments on her head.

Upon seeing this person, Ning Nan's eyes widened, and she exclaimed in surprise, raising her voice, "Miss Zhu?"

"Oh," she said, her expression a mix of disdain and smugness as she raised her chin, "Chef Ning... what are you doing following me?"