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

Qin Zhongxi sat on the side of the carriage, his tone helpless.

"Prefect Liu Pu of Yingtian Prefecture was a former subordinate of my uncle. I, Qin, immediately set out to find Prefect Liu."

He lowered his head, his voice sincere.

The selection of candidates for the prefectural and provincial examinations was mainly determined by the chief examiner. However, in the provincial examination, where both names were anonymously recorded and transcripts were copied, there was probably no chance of success. Qin Zhongxi sighed inwardly.

The Prince of Anfeng at the head of the table was expressionless, with a gaunt face and wrinkles as mottled as tree bark. As the younger brother of Emperor Longchang, he was indeed too old.

He wasn't too surprised that Lou Jizuo didn't dismiss Ning Baixuan directly.

Civil officials are all cunning; if Ning Baixuan could be stumped by a mere county examination, it would indeed be hard to believe.

Lou Jizuo managed to reduce this person to the bottom, which can be considered as having accomplished something.

Prince Anfeng sighed, his expression becoming complicated, and looked up, saying, "Thank you for your hard work, Nephew Qin."

"I wouldn't dare," Qin Zhongxi said solemnly.

As the nephew of the Prime Minister Qin, his uncle not only trusted him but also made him the head of the Qin family.

Qin Zhongxi was well aware of the relationship between the Imperial Clan Leader of the Great Liang Dynasty, the Empress Dowager, and the various vassal states, as well as the relationship between his uncle and the Empress Dowager.

If it weren't for the Empress Dowager's exceptional promotion back then, my uncle wouldn't have reached his current position.

However, since he was the head of the Qin family, and considering various factors, Qin Zhongxi remained silent for a moment before finally asking:

"May I ask, Your Highness... I do not know..."

Qin Zhongxi gritted his teeth. If the matter remained at Lou Jizuo's level, there would naturally be no need to ask this question. However, since he had been promoted to the level of prefect, he had to inquire about it so that his uncle would have a clear understanding of the situation.

"I wonder... what has Ning Baixuan done to offend Prince Anfeng?"

There was a few breaths of silence inside the carriage.

After a pause, the Prince of Anfeng shook his head and said, "He did not offend me."

Qin Zhongxi was taken aback. Before he could even post anything, he heard the old man in front of him say again:

"Nephew Qin, I cannot disclose the matter at this time. In short..."

He kept his back straight and said in a calm tone.

"I admit... Ning Baixuan is indeed a remarkable talent... However... he can be a merchant, he can become a master craftsman in the Ministry of Works, he can write poetry, paint, play chess, or he can inherit the title of Marquis of Jingbei and live a leisurely life as a marquis... No matter what he wants to do, our Zhu family can guarantee him a life of wealth and leisure..."

"but……"

The old man abruptly changed the subject, his tone suddenly becoming stern:

"Passing the imperial examinations and becoming a general... he should never even dream of those things in his life!"

The old man's words were firm and cold, like a falling guillotine.

Qin Zhongxi's expression froze slightly.

Prince Anfeng lowered his eyes, glanced at him, and said with a hint of helplessness:

"Ah... My dear nephew, you've had a hard time... If this weren't such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity... if we weren't so reluctant to ruin things... a mere so-called talented man could have been dealt with simply for disrespect, and that would have been enough to prevent future trouble! Now... alas... now my dear nephew is running around everywhere... it's inconvenient for us members of the imperial clan to step in..."

Qin Zhongxi quickly lowered his head and repeatedly said, "I dare not, I dare not... If it were not for the Empress Dowager's great kindness and the Emperor's favor, my uncle and the Qin family would not be where we are today... Your Highness, please do as you command..." He spoke humbly and politely, but he couldn't help but feel a little confused. For a moment, Qin Zhongxi did not understand what the other party meant by "great opportunity" or who he meant by "tearing off the mask".

Gently lift the curtain of the carriage.

It was already dark outside.

Qin Zhongxi took his leave.

Standing by the roadside, I watched as Prince Anfeng's carriage departed.

With a series of "clattering" sounds, Qin Zhongxi's own carriage was brought over by the driver.

Place the low stool on the ground.

As soon as he stepped onto the low stool, he heard a series of hurried footsteps behind him.

Under the cover of night, several eunuchs, accompanied by a group of guards and carrying torches, hurriedly arrived at the Jiangning County Government Office.

Not long after.

He then heard a stern edict coming from inside.

It is said that Her Majesty the Empress summoned Lou Jizuo, the magistrate of Jiangning County.

……

……

The Ning Mansion is bustling with activity today.

Yet it was both bustling and eerily quiet.

The Ning family set up two tables of wine for the servants and also roasted a whole lamb.

In the past, when the master was not present, the servants would always drink and eat meat and chat to relax. But today, everyone ate in silence, not daring to breathe loudly. If anyone made a loud noise, they would be met with a fierce glare from Steward Wang.

A table of delicious dishes was also set out in the flower hall of the second courtyard of the Ning Mansion.

Gongsun Shanzhang and his granddaughter Heng from the Gongsun family sat on the left, while Madam Xiao and young lady Ning Beizhi from the Jingbei Marquis's mansion sat on the right, and the second young lady Qinghuan sat next to Master Ning.

In addition, several classmates from the private school and a few students from Bailu Academy, including Li Yanting, also came.

The dishes on the table were the most exquisite and expensive dishes sent by Fu Lai Tavern, but the atmosphere in the room was somewhat dull.

Ning Nan raised his glass, looked around, and smiled as he offered a toast to the arriving guests:

"Although I came in last place... I still passed the county exam."

Everyone was in low spirits, but when the host brought out a glass, they could only manage a forced smile and raise their glasses in return.

Master Ning, always adept at handling interpersonal relationships when necessary, smiled and offered Li Yanting a toast, saying, "It's one thing for the county's second-place scholar not to host a dinner, but to come to my house for a free meal." Li Yanting, however, replied matter-of-factly, "I'm here to congratulate my master." Qinghuan, on the other hand, blushed deeply...

During the meal, Gongsun Yuliu frowned deeply.

I had a feeling that something was wrong.

He had the disciple write down the essay from memory and looked at it. Unless all the other disciples in Jiangning County were top scholars, the disciple should not have been ranked last.

A hint of menace flashed across the brow of Mr. Gongsun, who was about to become the Minister of Rites.

The talent selection ceremony is for selecting talented individuals for the nation.

The fact that the first three rounds of the imperial examinations heavily depended on the local officials was a persistent problem, but Lou Jizuo's naming of the candidates for the Jiangning County examination this time really angered him.

Gongsun Yuliu stroked his beard, his gaze solemn. There were many students present, and there were still the prefectural and provincial examinations to come. He would not make a scene on the spot to seek so-called "justice," lest it cause dissatisfaction and distrust of the court among his disciples and others, and delay the subsequent examinations.

The old man hummed softly, sighing inwardly... He could only settle accounts later.

Gongsun Heng felt so wronged for her master that she almost cried. These past few days, she had watched her master brave wind and rain, painstakingly writing articles, only to be constantly scolded by her grandfather, who would say, "With this level of skill, you still want to pass the imperial examination?"

At times like these, the master would not get angry. He would obediently bow his head and correct his mistakes as his grandfather had instructed, unlike the great hero who had pressed a knife to the fat thief's neck that day. Instead, he would become a naive child who had just begun his studies.

She secretly asked her grandfather, "Is it really true that my master can't pass the imperial examination?"

Grandpa, however, patted his fan, glanced at her sideways, and said in an unfriendly tone, "With the aptitude of your cheap master, if your grandfather can't teach a single scholar to pass the imperial examination, he'll smash the Gongsun family's plaque!" She puffed out her cheeks, delighted.

Gongsun Heng had no appetite. She pursed her lips, glanced at her master who was chatting and laughing as he explained the origin of each dish to everyone, and sighed inwardly, not knowing what to say.

She looked up and glanced around, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Hmm... I wonder where Master's wife is... Today is the day Master will announce the results of the county examination... but Master's wife didn't come back to see Master even earlier."