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

"Did Uncle help me get justice? Did he go to Her Majesty the Empress and impeach the magistrate of Jiangning County?" Ning Nan frowned slightly.

Qin Yun clapped his ivory fan in his palm, and a chilly autumn wind swept through the corridor. His expression turned playful as he said:

"Brother Bai Xuan, if you don't want people to know, then don't do it in the first place. You are good at poetry but not at classical studies, which is not a big deal. Why bother with a useless scholar's degree? Anyway, once the provincial examination comes, all the evil spirits will be exposed."

"If you obtain the title of Xiucai (a degree in the imperial examination system), but fail the examinations repeatedly, you will likely be able to solidify your reputation as the second Xu Qingteng."

By the time one reaches the provincial examination level, there is virtually no possibility of cheating. Whether one is from a noble family or a family of civil officials, it is of little use.

Even though he was the grandson of the Grand Secretary and the chief examiner was a direct descendant of his grandfather, he still went through a lot of hardship and failed the exam four years ago before finally passing it last year.

Like the third son of the old Marquis of Jinxi, who passed three tests in a row at the age of fourteen and became a scholar. For several years, the old Marquis of Jinxi boasted everywhere that his illegitimate son was a child prodigy. Later, he failed the provincial examinations repeatedly, and the father and son became a laughing stock in the capital.

The anonymous transcription of the provincial examinations eliminated the possibility of recognizing handwriting, making it impossible for anyone to leave any special codes in their writing, no matter how ingenious they were.

Because the provincial examination had two chief examiners and eight to twelve co-examiners who were assigned to review the papers in separate rooms, any attempt to collude with these dozen or so examiners would inevitably be exposed, resulting in collective punishment and beheading. No one dared to trust anyone else.

Over the centuries, the third-year exams have eliminated all possibilities of collusion and cheating.

Ning Nan frowned, glanced at the other person, and after a moment of silence, suddenly turned to Manager Qiu and asked, "What kind of article do these two want to publish? GG?"

Qin Yun and Hong Feng were stunned by what they saw.

Qiu He's heart skipped a beat. Even if he was stupid, he could tell that his master and these two distinguished guests were not getting along.

"Master," Qiu He said, bowing his head, "this prince from the Northern Dynasty..."

Ning Nan interrupted, "Just call him Seventh Young Master."

"Yes."

Qiu He said, "This seventh young master... he wants to publish an article about the debate between the Chinese and the barbarians, co-authored by three great Han Confucian scholars from the Northern Dynasties. It says in it, 'If you enter China, you become Chinese...'"

Ning Nan nodded and then interrupted the shopkeeper, asking:

"Has the deposit been paid?"

Qiu He quickly shook his head: "I was just about to pay."

The Ning family head, who always valued business reputation, nodded and said, "That's good."

Qin Yun glanced at the two of them, a hint of surprise and doubt flashing in his eyes.

The boss? ... Hongfeng looked him up and down, his tone hesitant: "You, you are...?"

Ning Nan's eyes were cold and his face expressionless as he said, "Gentlemen, the Nancheng Daily is my business. However, since the tabloid is going to publish a story tomorrow, it is not possible to publish your articles."

As his suspicions were confirmed, Qin Yun's breath caught in his throat, veins throbbed at his temples, anger flashed across his face, and he was filled with regret!

He never imagined that the Nancheng Daily would be Ning Baixuan's business!

Hongfeng glanced at Qin Yun, secretly annoyed. Yesterday, it was this man who told him that the *Nancheng Daily* was at its zenith in the capital, and that the *Debate on the Relationship between the Han and the Barbarians in the North*, written by those three old Han fellows, would quickly become known to the people of the capital.

Who would have thought he'd run into such a snag today!

Hongfeng turned his head and stared at the owner of the newspaper he had condescended to seek out. He paused for a moment, then lowered his gaze and said calmly, "Do you know that in the Northern Dynasty, someone like you would not be accepted as a servant even if you knelt down and called me 'Master,' begging me to take you in as a bondservant?"

Ning Nan gave an "oh," shook his head, and stared at the other person with his clear eyes, saying, "Seventh Young Master, whether in the Southern Dynasty or the Northern Dynasty, people like you are always annoying. You may not know, but those bondservants you've taken in call you 'Master' to your mouth, but in your hearts they call you 'Tartar.' No matter how many times you whip them or kill them, they will always call you 'Tartar' in their hearts. Tartar? Do you know that? They've cursed you as Tartar for their whole lives."

The other person's voice was calm yet grating, and Hongfeng's expression froze. It took him a breath to confirm the truth of what he had heard.

"What did you say?!" Hong Feng suddenly flew into a rage! He spoke each word slowly and deliberately, his voice growing increasingly fierce.

Since entering the Southern Dynasty, this was the first time anyone had dared to address him by those two words to his face.

The four guards standing behind him, all wearing melon-shaped hats, glared angrily at Ning Nan with murderous eyes.

Ning Nan smiled and said, "Tartars."

Clang!

Before Hongfeng could give any orders, the tall, shrewd-eyed man in the black jacket behind him drew his knife!

A flash of cold light.

The cold blade slashed towards Ning Nan!

"when!"

A beam of silver light pierced through the air!

The man swung his sword, and a crossbow bolt struck the blade squarely!

Outside the covered walkway, a similarly tall figure, wielding a powerful crossbow, leaped down from the distant wall and aimed the crossbow at the man.

In addition, several other capable figures emerged from other rooms, rooftops, and behind trees, all converging on Ningnan.

Hong Feng was startled. He glanced around and instantly saw seven or eight figures surrounding them.

The man with the crossbow approached step by step. The man in the black jacket with a cold expression frowned and glanced at Hong Feng.

Hong Feng stared at Ning Nan, his face turning ashen. He gritted his teeth silently, then raised his hand. The man in the black jacket sheathed his sword and retreated. Even when facing the attack of seven or eight skilled fighters, the man in the black jacket remained expressionless.

Ning Nan glanced at Qian Sijin, who was walking over with a crossbow, and greeted him with a smile.

After he was switched by Feng Yu of the Heavenly Principles Sect last time, Qian Xiaoqi was severely criticized. When he returned, Qian Xiaoqi told him that they were now protecting Young Master Ning from the open to the covert, so Young Master Ning could rest assured.

Hongfeng waved his hand and, with a livid face, hurled another string of incoherent words at him.

After listening, Ning Nan stared at him, sighed, and said calmly, "I said, no matter if it's the Southern Dynasty or the Northern Dynasty, no matter what, no matter who you are, in my eyes, you are a Tartar."

"Ha!" Hongfeng's temple throbbed, and his face flushed with anger. "Brother Ning, I hope you will remember what you said in the future."

Ning Nan laughed and said, "That's difficult. I remember clearly what others say about me, but I don't remember very well what I say about others."

Hong Feng's handsome face contorted in pain. He snorted and turned to leave.

Qin Yun, accompanied by several guards, had an unpredictable look in his eyes. When he saw the man in the black jacket brandishing his sword at the nobleman of the Jingbei Marquis's mansion, he was surprised and delighted... It was just a pity that Ning Baixuan's guards had arrived.

Seeing that Hongfeng had suffered a loss but did not retaliate, and was about to leave immediately, Qin Yun couldn't help but feel a little regretful. He figured Hongfeng was afraid that this madman surnamed Ning would beat him up like he had beaten his brother. "Hongfeng's ability to bend and stretch is quite admirable..." Qin Yun thought to himself.

With Hongfeng gone, he naturally wouldn't stay, and turned to leave with his few guards.

At this time.

Ning Nan stopped him and asked, "Brother Qin, do you know what story the Nancheng Daily will publish tomorrow?"

Qin Yun held the folding fan in his palm and narrowed his eyes.

"The story of Zhang Taiyue," Ning Nan said.

Qin Yun laughed and said, "Brother Ning, are you perhaps implying that Zhang Taiyue was suppressed for a whole year back then? And that you, like Zhang Taiyue, were suppressed by Magistrate Lou? Suppressed from the county examination onwards?"

Xu Wei, whose talent was unparalleled, repeatedly failed the provincial examinations. Zhang Taiyue, the Grand Secretary whose power was equivalent to that of a regent, was also suppressed in the provincial examinations, but only for one term... How could anyone suppress someone in the county examinations?

"No," Ning Nan shook his head and said, "What I want to publish is the story of Zhang Taiyue's three sons becoming the top scholars in the imperial examinations when Zhang Taiyue was the Grand Secretary."

Qin Yun's expression froze for a moment, then his pupils suddenly contracted!