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

Yan Yuqing paused for a moment, then frowned and sneered:

"Is three taels of silver not enough for Your Excellency? What? If Your Majesty's monthly salary were three hundred taels, would Your Excellency not bother to waste your breath? Ha, three taels of silver? Let alone three taels of silver, even if it were three qian of silver or three copper coins, we should still be loyal to the king and serve our sovereign, even if it means dying nine times! What is wealth and honor to us?" The woman's voice grew louder and louder, her tone impassioned and passionate.

Ning Nan glanced at the old woman with slightly rosy cheeks, shook his head, and said:

"Lord Yan, I only accepted Qin Qianshi's request because the monthly salary for the clerical job was not high, my wife wouldn't be too tired, and there was no danger. If I had known that my life would be in danger..."

"Your life is not in danger!" Yan Yuqing waved her hand arrogantly. "Who told you your life was in danger?"

Ning Nan's eyes narrowed slightly: "My wife said she was transferred to Prince Xin's residence, but I've been observing the Prince Xin's residence these past two days..."

"That's enough."

Yan Yuqing interrupted with a displeased expression, "Young Master Ning,"

She frowned her white eyebrows:

"I assure you, your wife will be returned unharmed within three days. I am still a veteran of the Imperial Guard with forty years of service, and I can keep my word. Young master, you need not think too much, nor risk your life. Just stay at your residence and wait for three days."

She glanced at Ning Nan's eyes, which held a hint of anger, and sneered, "What? Does Young Master Ning look down on this old woman so much?"

Ning Nan glanced at the old woman with a cold and sarcastic expression, and resentment welled up in his heart.

It's impossible to say that the other party's guarantee was useless, after all, it was the words of the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. However, it would be extremely difficult for him to believe it, put his mind at ease, and obediently wait at home for three days.

Ning Nan took a breath, then slowly exhaled. Seeing that the other party refused to reveal the whereabouts of Cui Cui's wife, he decided not to say anything more to the old woman. His eyes darkened as he said, "In that case, I will not bother you any longer."

He picked up the food box and was about to leave.

"Wait a minute." At this moment, the deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard stationed in the capital stopped the other party, pointed to the food box in Ning Nan's hand, and said, "I heard that the food in the box is a dish that Your Excellency personally cooked for Your Majesty's wife."

"Not bad." Ning Nan frowned, his eyes filled with doubt, wondering what the old woman was up to.

Yan Yuqing nodded: "It's getting late, your food must be cold by now."

Ning Nan looked at the food box, his eyes filled with even more doubt. He then glanced at the other person and asked, "What is the meaning of this, Lord Yan?"

"I'm used to eating leftovers."

"Huh?" Ning Nan's eyes widened, and he was even more confused about what the other party meant.

Yan Yuqing said indifferently, "It would be a waste for you to take these dishes back with you."

"Your wife has several familiar female officials in the Commandant's office. In my opinion, rather than wasting a food box of good dishes, Young Master Ning would be better off leaving the food box here."

"I ordered someone to distribute the food to the ladies-in-waiting who are acquainted with your wife, so that they can have a full stomach... Hmm, this way, I can save myself the money of ordering wine and dishes for them."

……

"Squeak~"

The door opened.

A whistling autumn wind swept in.

"Clang!"

Another sound.

The people outside closed the door.

The lamplight flickered in the study.

Nearly sixty years old, yet remarkably healthy, the Deputy Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard stood up and opened the layers of eight-treasure food boxes.

As he took the dishes out, he raised his voice as if talking to himself:

"A dish of duck, a dish of cured fish, and a side dish—it was all leftovers, and it was cold."

As she spoke, she looked up at the painting "Xi Shi Washing Silk" opposite her.

The portrait shows Xi Shi standing gracefully, smiling silently.

After a few breaths, the ancient painting by a famous artist from the Five Dynasties period swayed and began to tremble slightly.

……

The covered walkway is winding.

Ning Nan followed behind Xu Tong, looking around. His expression gradually changed. This place was like a maze. Without someone to guide him, he was afraid he really wouldn't know how to get around.

They exited the gate of the Imperial Guard Commander's Mansion.

Ning Nan then bid farewell to Xu Tong, thinking that he would get on the carriage first and not sleep tonight. He would go find Shangguan Xiu and Qin Yuanyao to find out what happened. Since they wouldn't tell him, he would simply follow them.

We had just stepped down the steps and hadn't even reached Uncle Ping's carriage yet.

Several people came towards them.

But it's not aimed at him.

Judging from their gait, they also seemed to be heading towards the Commandant's Mansion.

When Ning Nan glanced at them, the others also noticed him. Their eyes widened in surprise, then their faces lit up with joy. They hurriedly stepped forward and bowed in unison, saying, "Greetings, Young Master Ning!"

Ning Nan was a little confused, but she quickly returned the greeting.

The middle-aged man leading the group opposite them was Liu Zhengyang, the steward of Princess Tang.

The young man next to Steward Liu was named Zheng Ming. He remembered that Zheng Ming was the head of the guards of Princess Tang. The faces of the other guards also looked familiar; they were all guards of Princess Tang.

After exchanging greetings, Liu Zhengyang, his face pale, bowed again and said that they would not disturb Young Master Ning any longer. He pointed and said that they had important business to attend to at the Commandant's Mansion.

Ning Nan had a good impression of Princess Zhu Jiamu of Tang. Seeing that they came late at night, and that they were all Princess Zhu Jiamu's attendants, she found it strange that the clever and witty princess was nowhere to be seen.

Upon seeing their pale, worried faces, he couldn't help but ask, "What happened? Where is your princess?"

Upon hearing this question, the group exchanged bewildered glances. Ning Nan noticed that their eyes were bloodshot, suggesting they hadn't slept for several nights.

Liu Zhengyang looked at Zheng Ming, and Zheng Ming looked at him in return. After a long while, the head of the guards who dared to draw his sword against the Northern Dynasty's commander gritted his teeth and nodded solemnly.

Previously, one of the four young masters of the Northern Dynasty tried to bully Princess Tang in the street. If it weren't for Young Master Ning's ruthless intervention, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Zheng Ming has always been very grateful for this.

Liu Zhengyang had also heard the princess say many times that Young Master Ning was exceptionally talented and had always wanted to invite him to serve as a staff member in Guangfu.

With disaster looming, they wondered if Young Master Ning could offer some advice. Steward Liu couldn't help but sigh, "Young Master Ning is no outsider."

Ning Nan was taken aback.

Liu Zhengyang looked distressed. After hesitating for a long time, he said to Ning Nan, "Young Master Ning, to be honest..."

He looked at Ning Nan with sorrowful eyes, his voice turning mournful:

"My princess has been missing ever since the day before yesterday... um, ever since she went to Prince Xin's mansion to participate in the ceremonies at Prince Xin's tomb... the princess... she... she has been missing..." Tears suddenly streamed down the old man's face, his voice filled with extreme sorrow.

Ning Nan stepped forward and grabbed the old steward's sleeve, frowning as he said, "Gone? What do you mean, gone?"

Liu Zhengyang said sadly, "Young master, on the 24th... on the 24th, the Prince Xin's mansion held a ceremony to visit the mausoleum. His Highness Prince Xin brought the princess to the mansion a day in advance. The princess said that since there were servants in the Prince Xin's mansion, it would be inconvenient for us. So she sent us all back to the Tang Prince's mansion."

"On the 24th, the officials of the Prince Xin's Palace participated in the ceremony of visiting the mausoleum. The imperial carriage went all the way to Xiaoling Mausoleum. There were soldiers escorting them along the way, but when they arrived at Xiaoling Mausoleum, the people there discovered that... they discovered that... the one sitting on the phoenix carriage was not Prince Xin!" Ning Nan's hand gripping the old man's sleeve suddenly tightened.

The old man's pupils contracted, and he exclaimed in surprise:

"Not only is the one sitting in the phoenix carriage not Prince Xin, but the princess and the ministers of the Eastern Palace who should have been sitting in the sedan chair and carriage have also disappeared. None of them are them... Princess, princess... the princess is gone..." Before he could finish speaking, Liu Zhengyang saw that Young Master Ning's face suddenly turned pale, and his pupils shrank. The other man's hand, which had been holding his sleeve, loosened and fell down.

"Young Master Ning!" Liu Zhengyang quickly helped Ning Nan, who seemed to be staggering.

"It's alright!" Ning Nan paused, covering his forehead with his hand.

……

……

The hour of Chou (1-3 AM).

A cold moon hangs in the sky.

Shangguan Xiu, accompanied by several Imperial Guards and leading a greyhound named "Jinbao," searched the bushes around Xuanwu Lake. The dog darted about, creating a constant rustling sound in the bushes.

Xuanwu Lake is a large lake in Beijing, and the waning moon in the sky is reflected in the center of the lake.

The water surface was calm and still.