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

"Snapped!"

His eyes widened, and he sat up from the bed, his heart tightening as he scanned the cramped and shabby cell.

Apart from a few cannon salutes outside the small fence and a long gust of wind sweeping past the iron fence, there were no other sounds.

Ning Nan held her breath, picked up a single layer of clothing and put it on. When she stood up, she noticed a note on the table.

He picked it up and looked at the neat handwriting on the note.

"On the first day of the lunar month, I will go to the meeting and return at noon."

"Hoo..." The breath she had been holding came out.

His eyes were glazed over. When the cold wind blew and his body felt a little chilly, he realized what was happening and went to the foot of the bed to pick up the black cotton-padded coat and put it on.

My mind and body finally calmed down.

"The Grand Court Assembly on New Year's Day..."

As the top scholar in the imperial examination, Master Ning was naturally very familiar with the etiquette of the dynasty.

The New Year's Day Grand Court Assembly is one of the three major court assemblies of the dynasty, and it was established as early as the time of the founding emperor.

"This year is the first New Year's Day court assembly since Consort Cui ascended the throne, so naturally I have no choice but to attend..."

Thinking of this, Ning Nan's expression faltered slightly, and he lingered on the note he was holding.

"Empress... Empress..."

Master Ning muttered a few words, then turned to look at the simple bed. There were still a few strands of hair on the pillow. After looking at it for a long time, a knowing smile finally appeared on his face.

In that instant in the golden palace, he thought about many things.

"The Empress... Cui Cui is actually the Empress... a marriage alliance... with the Tartars..."

The fact that Cui Cui was an empress was enough to shock him... but the nonsensical things those members of the royal family said really chilled him to the bone.

"Fortunately..."

Master Ning placed the note on the table and exhaled a deep breath.

"My wife is still my wife..."

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel smug again. After humming twice, his eyes flashed, his lips smoothed out, and his eyes became serious.

"We fought that Tartar in the Golden Palace, but we don't know if he's dead or not."

Regardless of whether the Tartar is dead or alive, this is no small matter. The alliance is likely to fall through, and even Cui Cui will be in a difficult situation. She can certainly save her life, but there will be quite a few officials in the court who are calling for her to be killed.

He frowned, and only then did he finally think about how to get out of this godforsaken place.

More importantly... after we get out... how am I supposed to marry Cui Cui's wife legitimately?

The size of the prince consort's head is not important.

I can't let this woman keep us sneaking around forever...

"Hoo..." He took a breath silently, his eyes changing in an instant.

Just then, "thump, thump, thump..." a series of footsteps sounded in the prison corridor.

He glanced at it, saw a jailer in a black uniform, and then looked away, paying no attention.

"Clang! Clang!"

The jailer, holding a food tray in his left hand and bending his right finger, banged on the iron bars in a harsh voice.

"Hey! Top scholar, come here!"

The jailer gestured with his eyes and said menacingly:

"Dinner's ready! Come and get it yourself..."

Ning Nan let out a breath, sat on the bed without moving, and wanted to take a piece of paper to write down some things so that she could see if there was any room for maneuver.

The jailer banged on the iron bars and shouted loudly.

He was much calmer now and didn't care much about the jailer's rudeness. He reached into his pocket, wanting to find some silver to give to the man, but his sleeve was empty. He then realized that someone had taken the silver notes from his pocket.

He gave a bitter smile. Even a hero can be brought down by a mere penny. At this moment, he could only glance up at the jailer and say gently:

"Brother, could you please put it on the ground? I'll come back for it later."

That's all.

He continued sitting on the bed, turned his head, and reached out to take the pen, ink, and several sheets of paper left by his wife, intending to write down everything that various parties wanted, including "Rakshasa," "Northern Dynasty," "Court," "Border," and "Northern Two Cities."

He wondered if he could find a way or do something to justify his "beating of the Northern Dynasty's prince" in the Golden Hall. If it served the interests of any party... he narrowed his eyes... then he should have a chance to leave with a legitimate reason...

At this moment, the knocking and shouting of the jailers outside grew louder, and their faces even changed color as they began to curse.

"Damn it, who has time to wait for you! Hurry up! I don't care if you're a top scholar or not..."

Mr. Ning, sitting at the table, narrowed his eyes slightly.

He frowned and looked towards the jailer outside.

The jailer was wearing a black robe.

He had an arrogant look in his eyes, a thin build, and a pointed, monkey-like face.

He held a brown plate in his left hand, on which were noodles, salted duck eggs, and pickled vegetables.

At this moment, the top scholar inside the iron fence finally turned his gaze toward him.

The weasel-faced jailer quickly turned his head to glance at the end of the corridor, then darted back.

He raised his left hand and bit his sleeve.

A glint of cold light gradually emerged from his left sleeve.

The jailer, with his pointed snout and monkey-like face, had a gleam in his eyes.

With his left hand, he tossed the two-inch-long knife through the iron fence and onto Ning Nan's bed.

As Mr. Ning stared in disbelief.

The jailer lowered his voice and said excitedly in a barely audible tone:

"Master... I... I've come to save you..."

……

……

New Year's Day.

SGD.

Nanjing was brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations.

Even at 7 AM, the streets and alleys were still filled with the sound of firecrackers.

The imperial city resounded with cannon salutes and horns all morning.

That was the Empress presiding over the first New Year's Day grand court assembly of the Mingzhen Dynasty of the Great Liang, praying for the people of the Great Liang.

It snowed for several days in a row a few days ago.

The children living in the alley had a great time and built many snow lions.

At this moment, in the narrow alley.

"Hiss!" A large foot kicked by with the wind, "Bang!" It smashed a snow lion that a family had built, sending snow flying everywhere.

"Damn it..." The newcomer adjusted his hat, glaring at the half-snow lion on the ground and cursing, "Whose brat built this ugly thing? It's blocking your old man Peng's way!"

He was tall and burly, with a face full of fat, reeking of alcohol, and breathing hot air.

However, he has many wrinkles on his face and looks quite old.

A lot of the splattered snow fell onto a beggar who was slumped against the wall in the alley.

Old Peng's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he strode forward, leaving large footprints on the ground. However, his right foot seemed to be slightly uncomfortable as he walked.

"Thump! Thump!" He kicked the beggar's thigh without any politeness and said, "Where's Nun Xu?"

The beggar sighed helplessly, looked up at the powerful-voiced leader of the Southern Thunder Altar of the Heavenly Principle Sect, who was clearly over sixty, and said:

"Old Peng...we haven't even discussed the incision yet..."

"Pah!" Peng Liangang spat on the beggar and said, "What a load of crap!"