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

Ning Nan, somewhat disheartened, handed the mutton to Chef Xu, asking her to cook some for Qing Huan and the rest for everyone else.

He even approved some silver, saying that once this storm had passed, he would have Manager Wang take you to a tavern for a big meal.

Except for Chef Xu, who kept her lips pursed, everyone else was overjoyed and said with smiles, "Thank you, Young Marquis!"

Ning Nan took a breath and ordered them to call him "Master" again.

Seeing that Chef Xu looked uneasy, Ning Nan gave her a new set of knives and a brand-new porcelain bowl. Chef Xu's eyes lit up, and she happily steamed some pastries for the master.

Ning Nan took a bite of her pastry and said, "You sculpted this cat lying down really well, it's so lifelike." The cook, Xu, resentfully replied, "Master, this is a rabbit munching on a carrot."

Ning Nan stared at the strangely shaped pastry, composed himself, and realized that saying "cat" was just a guess; he just wanted to know what Chef Xu was making.

At this moment, he smiled and shook his head, saying, "Then I lose. I guessed it was a cat, and Madam guessed it was a rabbit. I don't believe it." Cook Xu's face beamed with joy, thinking to herself that Madam's judgment was still the best, but she said shyly, "Master, it's my fault for not shaping it well. It looks like a cat."

……

The moon in the sky is as wan as a hook.

A gust of wind blew through the hall, making the Ning Mansion's flower hall sound rather desolate. The banana trees and garden outside had not yet been fully restored; the servants had only barely filled in the soil. At this time of year, the cold, pale moonlight shone down, making the courtyard even more chilly.

Only Master Ning was in the room, quietly grinding ink with a slight movement of his wrist.

Gongsun's disciple and Senior Brother Feng didn't come. Such a big thing happened today, and the curfew is too strict, so they probably won't come.

As for Qinghuan, she received half of the "Snowy Night Embroidery Manual" last night. It contains a summary of embroidery needlework techniques since the Tang Dynasty, including Shu embroidery and Suzhou embroidery. It is very precious and she is currently studying it in her room.

This half-book was a gift from Li Yanting to her.

The young man from Lijia Village, who was eager to learn, handed over the book with both hands, saying that he had borrowed it from a classmate and had copied it down by hand over the past few days to give to the girl.

Ning Nan snatched it, flipped through it, and found that some parts of it were still wet with ink, indicating that it was a newly copied book, and only half of it had been copied.

The book-reading seed said that he would give the remaining half of the book to the girl after he finished copying it in a few days. The girl was overjoyed and spent the whole day reading the book in her room.

Ning Nan had mixed feelings, but also some relief.

I was worried that after what happened this morning, my sister-in-law would cry all day at home and wouldn't dare to come out and see anyone.

Unexpectedly, when asked, Xia Wan said that the second young lady went to read a book as soon as she returned to her room, laughing as she read. She also ate her meals well and even helped the servants hoe the flowers in the afternoon. Ning Nan was relieved. It's rare to find a girl who doesn't hold grudges. No wonder she lives so happily every day.

Grind the ink.

Ning Nan then picked up his pen. A few days ago, his wife had told him about the flintlock gun. He thought that Cui Cui's wife might have been envious of Hei Pi's wife's promotion and wanted to help the court to make a contribution so that she could also get promoted. That's why she came to him to inquire about the flintlock gun.

"They are ambitious, that's for sure."

Ning Nan muttered something to himself, then earnestly began writing in small regular script on the paper.

The article is titled "On the Manufacturing and Optimization of Flintlock Guns".

I've been writing for several days now, and if I write a little more today, I'll basically finish. It's all in vernacular Chinese and I've also drawn quite a few diagrams. I think the craftsmen should be able to understand it. The technology isn't advanced, but if it's executed well, the flintlock guns of the Great Liang should be slightly better than those of the Northern Dynasties.

Since the Northern Dynasties already possessed the technology, they weren't worried about it being leaked. Even if it were leaked, the Northern Dynasty craftsmen might look down on what they had written, since they were the ones who developed the technology first.

As Master Ning wrote, he thought to himself, "When Granny Cui Cui hands this over, the imperial court will surely promote her, won't it?"

The pen tip dragged the ink, leaping across the paper like a dragon or snake.

rustling... rustling...

By the time the waning moon climbed from the treetops to the zenith, it was already midnight. Ning Nan put down his pen, yawned, and blew on the ink.

I glanced outside.

At this time of year, Cui Cui's wife would usually be going home.

Today, however, the area outside the gate remained quiet. The gatekeeper was still and didn't say a word of greeting to the lady.

call.

Ning Nan let out a breath, silently withdrew his gaze, and put away the few pages of paper whose ink had dried.

She leisurely went back to her room to sleep.

Perhaps due to the tension during the day, I had trouble sleeping at night. It wasn't until late in the morning, after hearing a few rooster crows, that I finally felt at ease and fell asleep.

……

The next day, the sky was bright.

As the light mist began to dissipate, Master Ning, who had only slept for an hour or two, got up and rushed to the private school in Willow Leaf Lane.

As soon as he stepped outside, he discovered something strange.

Looking towards the Prince Xin's Mansion next door, his brows gradually furrowed. The Prince Xin's Mansion, which used to be bustling with carriages and horses and noisy, was unusually quiet today.

It's already August 26th, and Prince Xin will be enthroned in a few days. Logically, shouldn't it be as noisy as it was on August 24th? Why is it so quiet today?

Ning Nan shook his somewhat drowsy head strangely and lay down in the carriage to catch up on sleep.

After returning from school.

Before Ning Nan even entered the gate, he lifted the curtain of the carriage and asked the gatekeeper at the side gate, "Has the madam returned?"

The doorman quickly shook his head.

Ning Nan frowned and asked if the madam had sent any message back. The doorman quickly shook his head.

Well, there wasn't even a message. Ning Nan lowered the carriage curtain, his eyes filled with doubt.

……

night.

Gongsun Heng has arrived.

The flower hall finally had some life, with bright and soft lighting.

The two could barely be considered to have a teacher-student relationship, so there was no need to ask Qinghuan, who was engrossed in reading, to accompany them.

"The curfew has been relaxed a bit. It seems that the imperial criminal can't be found in the city, so the court's people went to search outside the city."

"Senior Brother Feng said he went home to get that jar of good wine and will come over tomorrow. Junior Brother Li is still copying the 'Snowy Night Embroidery Manual' that Senior Brother Feng found for him. He'll finish copying it tomorrow and come over together."

Wearing a square scarf and dressed in the scholar's robe of Bailu Academy, the female disciple silently picked up a black stone, making a clear and loud sound.

Ning Nan nodded, picked up a white piece, and remained silent.

He defends, the opponent attacks; let's see if the opponent can break the Laurel Chess Formation now.

After three rounds.

Gongsun Heng was scolded by Ning Nan until she cried.

Why did you land here?

"Why did you have to think about it for so long?"

"Didn't I clearly record that move in your game record from the day before yesterday?"

"Don't even mention your grandfather, you can't even beat your junior brother Li!"

"What are you thinking? Did you even study the sheet music during the day?"

"Stop crying! Crying won't help!"

Ning Nan's game got worse and worse, and in frustration, he threw down his chess piece.

Gongsun Heng's eyes reddened.

"Pooh!"

She threw the table down, spat at Ning Nan, and jumped up to run outside, wiping her eyes as she ran.

"Well……"

Ning Nan was so angry that his face turned red.

Upon realizing he had made the little girl cry, his expression froze. He reached out, trying to stop her, but naturally couldn't. She ran out, sobbing.

Ning Nan's eyes gradually became somewhat confused. After gritting his teeth, he gasped for breath and rubbed his face hard before finally exhaling slowly. His emotions calmed down, leaving him only with regret.

Thump, thump, thump.

Heavy footsteps approached.

With red-rimmed eyes and an angry expression, Miss Gongsun gritted her teeth and walked back, seemingly stamping her feet with each step.

"Clang!"

She sat down in the chair, her eyes bloodshot as she glared at Ning Nan. Rolling up her sleeves, she said fiercely, "Come on! Get off again!"

The lights flickered inside the flower hall.

"Feel sorry,"

Ning Nan narrowed his bloodshot eyes, raising his hand to place a piece to restore the Laurel Chess Formation, while sincerely apologizing.

"I lost my composure just now, I won't do it again."

Gongsun Heng's eyes widened in surprise. She carefully observed the expression on her master's face, then frowned slightly and said:

"Master, what's wrong?"

Ning Nan held the chess pieces in his fingers, remained silent for a moment, and then placed the pieces down with a series of claps, following the laurel chess game from his memory.

After making more than ten moves, Ning Nan sighed and said, "Your master's wife is on duty at the Embroidered Uniform Guard and hasn't been home for three days."

Gongsun's eyes widened suddenly: "You haven't been home for three days? Then why haven't you gone to find her?"

Ning Nan pursed his lips, paused for a moment, then continued placing pieces—snap, snap, snap, snap—after placing more than ten pieces, he frowned and said:

"Your master's wife told me a long time ago that she probably wouldn't be coming home for the next few days, and wouldn't have time to go home until after Prince Xin ascends the throne. She told me this a long time ago. Won't she be angry if I go to see her now?"

Gongsun Heng raised an eyebrow, seemingly amused and annoyed, and said:

"If I get married and have a husband in the future, and I'm a female teacher at the academy, teaching for three days straight without going home, exhausted and miserable, and my husband comes to visit me at the academy, I'll be overjoyed! How could I possibly be angry?!"

As she spoke, Gongsun Heng stopped talking, her face flushed, and she looked somewhat embarrassed. She then let out a soft "humph".

The night outside was dark.

Ning Nan pursed his lips, his hand continuing to place the pieces. Snap, snap, snap, snap, he placed more than ten more pieces, and the Laurel Chess Game was about to take shape.

"Snapped!"

He slapped all the chess pieces from his palm onto the chessboard.

That's all for tonight.

Ning Nan suddenly looked up and stared at the female disciple, saying,

"You're right... I'll go to Prince Xin's residence and bring your master's wife a meal."