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

"Princess?"

"Whoosh—" Ning Nan opened his mouth, blew on the hot sugar cake in his hand, and frowned.

After a moment's thought, he exclaimed "Oh!" and remembered that it seemed the Northern Dynasty had sent this princess to the Southern Dynasty for a marriage alliance, but something had happened and the alliance had fallen through.

The princess then stayed in Nanjing, and it was unknown when she would return.

The peddler had seen the procession of the princess's carriage before, with Tartar soldiers on horseback carrying flags and looking fierce, so he naturally remembered her.

While the top scholar frowned in thought, the vendor quickly wrapped up the second sugar cake and handed it to the honest-looking coachman.

The top scholar often bought sweets and cakes from him. He was very familiar with the master and servant couple. He used to call them "Young Master," but now he naturally called them "Master."

A few days ago, the family of the top scholar held a banquet. He mustered up his courage and, after much effort, brought a bag of firecrackers and went to eat there.

The servants in the master's house did not look down on him; they all smiled and called him "distinguished guest," inviting him to stay for dinner, which made him feel even more honored.

The piping hot sugar cake was handed to the grinning coachman. The vendor withdrew his hand, wiped his forehead with a handkerchief, and glanced at the scholar who was watching the departing imperial carriage.

It's rare to see a gentleman buying his kind of roadside candy, let alone someone coming to buy it in person.

The old man who bought a sugar cake and also bought one for the coachman, a servant like him, is someone I could never have imagined.

Master Ning took a bite of the warm sugar cake, his mouth stuffed full, the aroma of sesame filling his lips and teeth.

He blinked, looked away, and stopped watching the commotion.

I don't know many Tartars.

Lu Jing is one, and that prince is another.

I thought about it carefully.

It seems there are only these two. Although the people of the Heavenly Principle Sect are also from the north and have shaved their heads, they should all be Han Chinese.

Nalan Ruo... He thought of this Northern Dynasty Emperor Wenzong in a fleeting moment... but he still didn't consider him a "Tartar".

Both of these Tartars passed the imperial examination this year and became Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examination).

That prince ranked second to last in the exam. He has no chance of passing the imperial examination with the highest score in six consecutive tests, and the provincial examination is also unlikely. He didn't even attend the Deer Cry Banquet a few days ago.

Lu Jing did arrive, but he looked pale and sickly.

The examiners, holding wine cups, smiled and praised him for winning the "Five Classics Top Scholar" title, wishing him "highest honors in the metropolitan examination."

Lu Jing smiled wryly and replied that he had caught a cold and would probably not participate in this year's imperial examination.

The examiners were taken aback, then immediately exclaimed what a pity, and instead advised him to take care of his health.

Although the students also expressed their regret, they were secretly pleased... one less formidable rival...

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."

The winter wind blew through the street, and pedestrians hunched their shoulders.

While eating a sugar cake, Master Ning's mind was filled with all sorts of random thoughts.

Lu Jing doesn't participate in the imperial examinations, but I don't know if that Tartar prince will.

After the events at Heming Tower that night were publicized through the *Nancheng Daily*, no one in the city said he had relied on the "power of the Marquis of Jingbei" anymore. At least the old man's reputation wasn't ruined... Ning Nan smiled silently, feeling as if a weight had been lifted from his heart.

"Let's go."

He waved goodbye to the vendor, took a few steps, and boarded the carriage parked to the side.

……

The princess's procession was magnificent and impressive.

The rhythmic clatter of hooves echoed like thunder across Datong Street.

This moment.

Not to mention ordinary people, even those riding in carriages and sedan chairs of high-ranking officials had to make way for them.

At this time, the knights leading the way would raise their heads high and let out a disdainful snort.

Dressed in the official robes of the Northern Dynasties, with a full beard, Da Chun sat on a large black horse, riding along.

The big black horse beneath him proudly raised its hooves.

Da Chun showed no sign of pride.

The appointed time to meet His Majesty is approaching, but negotiations for an alliance with the Southern Dynasty have still not been concluded.

Dachun gripped the reins and exhaled a puff of white breath.

His Majesty originally intended to arrange a marriage between the Seventeenth Princess and the consumptive emperor of the Southern Dynasty.

Unfortunately, the Seventeenth Princess, who had been all set in the north and accepted the dowry from His Majesty, turned her back on him in the south and staged a runaway wedding! This infuriated His Majesty so much that he almost smashed the imperial seal!

They had no choice but to secretly send the Seventeenth Princess's elder brother, the Third Prince, to Jiangnan to discipline her.

When her elder brother arrived, the princess repeatedly admitted her mistakes, but as soon as the prince left, she reverted to her old ways.

Not long ago, she even disguised herself as a man and ordered Prince Hongfeng to take her out to see the excitement of the provincial examination results being announced.

Da Chun invoked the title of "Third Prince" to advise the other party, to which the Seventeenth Princess retorted, "Just because he says so, I have to listen? Is the Emperor's daughter supposed to be so obedient?"

Da Chun was speechless for a moment.

After the marriage alliance with the Seventeenth Princess fell through, His Majesty then proposed Prince Hongfeng as a marriage alliance with the Empress.

Although negotiations for an alliance were in full swing, the other side flatly rejected the idea of ​​a marriage alliance.

They didn't even discuss it, only talking about trivial matters such as "how much food will be supplied after the alliance," and didn't readily conclude the alliance... This dragged on for more than two months, and the appointed time to meet His Majesty was fast approaching... The alliance could no longer be delayed.

Da Chun was deep in thought. They naturally knew that the Southern Dynasty wanted to delay the alliance and watch them suffer defeats in the war against the Rakshasa, so that they would make greater concessions in the negotiations.

If a marriage alliance can be formed, then concessions are acceptable... but if the marriage alliance fails, things become more complicated.

If the two sides were to form a marriage alliance, they would gain control of the legitimate Zhu Liang dynasty and, after taking over Jiangnan, the people's hearts could be quickly stabilized.

Without a marriage alliance, a large group of rebels claiming to be the legitimate successors of the Zhu-Liang dynasty would likely emerge, making it difficult to quickly stabilize the south.

His Majesty seemed to be losing patience and sent him a secret letter, saying that as long as the officials in Jiangnan could see their sincerity, that it was not because the Northern Dynasty refused the marriage, or because the Northern Dynasty did not want peace in the world, that would be enough...

Da Chun immediately understood...

The imperial carriage entered the palace.

The ceremonial guards were left outside; here, only a group of maids and Da Chun accompanied the Seventeenth Princess.

We walked to the outside of the Qianqing Palace.

The Empress's chief eunuch came to greet them.

Zhu Qingmian, a princess of the Northern Dynasty, stepped gracefully down from the carriage wearing a court crown, adorned with a pearl from the East.

She wore a dark blue court robe, a gold necklace around her neck, a jade bracelet on her wrist, and a gold bracelet and chain on her ankle.

Wearing a pair of hoof-shaped shoes that were an inch high, they made a crisp sound every time they walked.

As the esteemed princess of the Northern Dynasty was about to enter the main hall, her face paled and her eyes showed some trepidation.

The anxiety wasn't because the woman she was about to meet was likely to give her the cold shoulder... after all, she had made the woman's brother lose face quite a bit.

It was because... Zhu Qingmian felt a strong reluctance and pouted... but Da Chun said that she had come today to bid farewell to the Empress and to complete the proper etiquette.

By the end of next month at the latest, she will be returning to the Northern Dynasty along with the Northern Dynasty's delegation and the Southern Dynasty's delegation...

Qianqing Palace.

Inside the main hall.

The dragon throne was high above, and the empress of the Southern Dynasty, who had been on the throne for three months, sat upright on it.

A beaded curtain was placed in front of the dragon throne.

Behind the beaded curtain, the Empress, dressed in a scarlet dragon robe and wearing a twelve-tassel crown, exuded elegance and majesty, radiating an imposing aura.

Zhu Qingmian stepped into the main hall, pursed her lips, and gave the other party a deep curtsy.

"Bulbuza greets His Majesty of Great Liang..."