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

When Zhang Taiyue served as Grand Secretary, his eldest son became the second-highest scorer in the imperial examination, his second son became a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), and his third son became the top scorer in the imperial examination. At the time, someone wrote a poem to satirize this, saying, "The top scorers in the imperial examination all have the surname Zhang, but their literary talent may not necessarily shine on the land of Chu."

The autumn wind blew against his purple robe, and Qin Yun felt a chill in his heart.

The provincial examination followed immediately by the metropolitan examination. Having passed the provincial examination last year, he had hoped to pass the metropolitan examination this year and enter officialdom to assist his grandfather and father. But at this crucial moment, this person dared to bring up Zhang Taiyue's affair to allude to their family?

"Zhang Taiyue's three sons all passed the imperial examination, and Qin, the chief minister's eldest son... well, your father, passed the imperial examination early on. If Brother Qin can also pass the imperial examination this year... the Qin family has produced three generations of Jinshi, three generations of glory, which should make them no less than the Zhang family. Heh,"

Ning Nan looked up and smiled.

"I am truly happy for Brother Qin that the imperial court is about to implement reforms."

With the reform imminent... Qin Yun gave the smiling young man a deep look, a chill running down his spine.

Zhang Taiyue, the chief minister, was posthumously stripped of his property, and his three sons all met with bad ends.

Qin Yun's gaze sharpened, knowing that the other party was retorting to his previous statement that the other party had only passed the county-level examination by relying on his great-uncle's influence, implying that "you passed the provincial-level examination and the imperial examination by virtue of your father and grandfather's success."

If the other party were to make a big fuss about Zhang Taiyue's three sons all passing the imperial examinations, and then he himself were to pass the imperial examinations this year... then Sun Chengzong, who had just become the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and Xu Longdao, the Censor who had just entered the Censorate, would pounce on him like mad dogs, determined to bring his grandfather down on charges of cheating in the imperial examinations.

He glared at him, snorted, and clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Brother Bai Xuan!"

Ning Nan smiled and said, "You're welcome."

……

……

He leisurely returned to Ning Mansion from the newspaper office.

Ning Nan made a special trip to inquire and found that it was indeed true. Lou Jizu had indeed been demoted, Prefect Liu was currently under house arrest, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard was investigating evidence of his corruption.

The best outcome would be being demoted and banished from the capital; the worst outcome... would be being imprisoned.

Dong Yunzhuo, on the other hand, was unharmed and continued to serve as an imperial censor and concurrently as an educational commissioner.

After returning home, he went to his study and settled down to read. He planned to focus on passing the provincial examination first; if he failed to even become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examination), it would be a real joke.

"Shhh..."

The sounds of turning pages, grinding ink, writing, and blowing ink were all present. After finishing a piece, it was gently stacked aside.

From morning to afternoon, from afternoon to evening, until nearly midnight, when Cui Cui's wife returned home and came to the study to look for him.

He put down his pen and stared blankly at the eight-legged essay and policy discussion he had written, letting his mind rest.

……

……

"Changzhou Prefecture has been experiencing continuous rain, resulting in a poor autumn harvest. We request the Imperial Court to provide disaster relief of 20,000 taels of silver... The Cabinet's comment: It is advisable to dispatch an Imperial Censor to investigate."

"The Governor of Jiangsu Province reported that the Magistrate of Yancheng County should be transferred to Qingpu County... The Cabinet commented: Please make a decision, Your Majesty. The resumes of the two men are attached."

"The Guangdong Provincial Governor reported that the Portuguese have requested the establishment of additional treaty ports in Guangdong... The Cabinet's comment: to be discussed further."

"The Prefect of Dazhou, Sichuan, presented a thousand catties of rice to Dazhou as tribute, and congratulated the Emperor, saying: 'Dazhou enjoys favorable weather and abundant harvests, thanks to His Majesty's great grace...' The Cabinet commented: 'It will be taken into His Majesty's private treasury.'"

"Cui Xianghai of the Ministry of Rites reported that Da Chun, the chief envoy of the Northern Dynasty, submitted a memorial proposing an alliance with the Great Liang... The Cabinet's annotation: Submit to Your Majesty for consideration."

……

Zhu Cuiwei sat upright in the Qianqing Palace, her eyes aching from reviewing memorials. The day she received Cui Xianghai's memorial was September 5th.

That day, a few drops of autumn rain fell in the morning.

A few days before this day, Qin Yuanyao had told her about this matter, saying that the Northern Dynasty planned to exchange the land south of the Huai River for an alliance with the Southern Dynasty, in order to jointly defeat the Rakshasa.

After recounting this, Qin Yuanyao took her leave the next day, leading a group of people to the Northern Dynasty to investigate the true nature of the Rakshasa.

The letter she had not seen was kept in the cabinet and discussed with Cui Xianghai, and Da Chun was also summoned.

It wasn't until the morning of that day that the cabinet finally sent over the memorial.

After looking at the folded book, she finally understood why the cabinet had stayed in China for so many days.

She ordered someone to bring Cui Xianghai over, threw the torn folded paper at his face, and asked him if he was colluding with the Northern Dynasty to humiliate her.

Cui Xianghai prostrated himself on the ground and wept bitterly, saying that the Northern Dynasty had not budged an inch in the past few days, and he was helpless.

Zhu Cuiwei said, "Then let's not form an alliance. Let them be swallowed up by the Rakshasa!" Cui Xianghai kowtowed a few times and left respectfully.

After the Qianqing Palace was empty, Zhu Cuiwei, her face pale with anger, felt a pang of anxiety. She had no heart to review the memorials anymore and ordered someone to invite the Marquis of Jingbei into the palace.

When the old Marquis entered the palace, before the Marquis of Jingbei could even pay his respects, she hurriedly left the imperial desk, curtsied, and said:

"Granddaughter-in-law greets her great-uncle."

Ning Changling stared blankly at his granddaughter-in-law, who was dressed in a narrow dragon robe. Then his breath hitched. After realizing what had happened, he beamed with joy and was overjoyed. But when he remembered that she was the emperor, he quickly prepared to bow.

Zhu Cuiwei smiled and raised her hand to stop her.

After inviting the old Marquis to sit down, her previously pale face flushed slightly. Some things should actually have been said by her elder brother.

But since her brother's illness had just improved and she had been married for a long time, she was no longer so embarrassed. With a slightly flushed face, she mustered her courage and said that she hoped that after her uncle returned, he could directly propose marriage to the royal family on behalf of his nephew Ningnan.

She plans to formally marry her grand-nephew with royal rites and have their names recorded in the imperial family genealogy.

Upon hearing this news, Ning Changling was overjoyed, tears welling in his old eyes. He repeatedly exclaimed, "Excellent! Excellent! It is a great blessing for Bai Xuan to marry His Majesty! It is a great blessing for the Ning family!"

The Emperor Emeritus had already discussed this matter with him. Once His Majesty ascended the throne, he would request that his nephew be formally designated as the heir apparent and marry into the royal family. Seeing that His Majesty did not even intend for his nephew to marry her as the heir apparent of a marquis's household, the old marquis was naturally even more gratified.

Zhu Cuiwei was naturally very happy to see that the other party was very cooperative.

After the agreement was reached, the old Marquis rushed out of the Qianqing Palace in high spirits.

Zhu Cuiwei sat behind her desk, her face flushed red, silently considering how to tell the young physician… After thinking for a long time, she decided it would be best if her uncle spoke to him. If she were to speak to him… the young empress's face paled again… she still couldn't think of a way to say it.

He sat blankly behind the imperial desk for a while.

My mind gradually calmed down.

He continued reviewing memorials while anxiously awaiting the memorial from the Marquis of Jingbei proposing marriage.

Fifteen minutes later, the plump Wang Daban, looking nervous, came to the palace to report, "Your Majesty, the Emperor Emeritus requests your presence."

Zhu Cuiwei frowned slightly, her eyebrows as light as distant mountains, wondering why her imperial brother had suddenly summoned her.

When she arrived at Jingren Palace, she saw Marquis Jingbei storming out of the palace in a huff, and her heart skipped a beat.

Upon entering the warm pavilion of Jingren Palace, I saw my elder brother still lying on the bed, looking sickly, and my heart ached instantly.

Besides his sister-in-law, Lychee, serving the Emperor was a middle-aged eunuch… Wang Bing, the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department. Wang Bing knelt and bowed, saying, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Zhu Cuiwei sat down beside the bed and gestured for Wang Bing to get up.

"Would you like some lychees?" The elder brother on the bed smiled and pointed to a porcelain jar next to him, which contained lychees that the Tang Emperor had presented from Fuzhou.