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

Whispers could be heard from both sides.

But no one dared to make a loud noise.

Ning Nan's gaze remained unwavering, but out of the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but glance to both sides.

Among the people on both sides, some wore melon-shaped hats, some wore hoods, some wrapped their heads in cloth, and half of them did not wear hats, revealing their shaved heads.

Some people have long braids showing, while others have short braids.

Their gazes were also varied.

Some were dismissive, some were curious, some were bewildered, and some sighed with emotion.

The members of the delegation walked along the long street with mixed feelings.

The Han Chinese on both sides watched the delegation with complex expressions until the delegation reached the end of the long street.

Entering Zhengyang Gate, you will arrive at Qipan Street.

After walking for a while, the delegation turned east.

Turn into Dongjiang Rice Lane.

After walking for a while, the delegation, which had traveled thousands of miles, finally arrived at a huge mansion called the "Southern Embassy".

The officials of the mission, both high and low, went to the banquet.

As the deputy envoy of the mission with somewhat special circumstances, Deputy Envoy Ning claimed illness and did not go.

His absence would likely be a relief to the officials of the Northern Dynasty.

Especially Han Chinese officials, such as Grand Councilor Zhang Tingyu, Minister of Rites Wei Tingzhen, and the Duke Yansheng of the Confucius family from Shandong who came by invitation.

Otherwise, they would have to maintain a superficial harmony with the Southern Dynasty while simultaneously preventing Manchu ministers from challenging them.

Since Ning Nan decided not to go, everyone was able to relax and enjoy themselves.

The Northern Dynasty issued some bronze plaques.

The members of the Southern Kingdom delegation were not allowed to move freely within the city, since they had not shaved their heads or changed their clothes.

Ningnan received three pieces.

He kept one piece for himself, gave one to Xu Xiyin, and the last one to Qian Sijin.

Among those who went out, someone had to be holding this bronze plaque; otherwise, the patrolling infantry would arrest them, throw them into prison, and then wait for the delegation to come and take them away.

The day after tomorrow, Emperor Yongzheng will receive the Southern Dynasty delegation in the Forbidden City. Ningnan must be present this time. After the meeting, formal negotiations will begin.

This small courtyard, which belongs solely to him, is named "Qingfeng Xiaozhu".

Beijing was naturally different from the other major cities they had traveled through; once they arrived here, he had no choice but to find an inn on his own.

Erlai and Sanzhuang were training the servants and lived in the west wing, which was quite far from him.

Only he, Master Xu, Zhen Susu, and more than ten Imperial Guards lived in Qingfeng Xiaozhu.

The flower hall of Qingfeng Xiaozhu is heated by floor heating, making it warm and cozy.

As a 'maid', Zhen Susu skillfully turned over a teacup for Master Ning, who was sitting at the round table, and poured him a cup of tea:

"Young Master, please have some tea."

The aroma of tea wafts upwards.

Ning Nan took out a letter from his bosom, handed it to Qian Sijin, and sent him out to deliver it to Prince Yi's residence.

"Tomorrow night, I will host a banquet at a restaurant outside to invite Prince Hongfeng for a chat."

"Yes." Qian Sijin bowed and accepted the invitation: "Son-in-law."

The tall figure turned and walked away.

Xu Xiyin frowned: "Young Master, do you want to resolve the conflict with Prince Yi's Mansion?"

"Not bad," Ning Nan picked up his teacup, blew on it gently, and felt much better after the steam hit his face and eyes. "Before I see Emperor Yongzheng the day after tomorrow, I need to resolve the matter of Prince Yi's residence."

Xu Xiyin said with some worry, "Relying on Hong Jiao and that little eunuch, I'm afraid Hong Feng won't..."

Ning Nan laughed and said, "Don't worry, he'll give in. I'll have him write a memorial stating that this is a misunderstanding. I'll also write one myself, and submit it to the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty or something like that."

Xu Xiyin knew that he had arrested Hong Jiao and the little eunuch, and they had been under the watch of the Embroidered Uniform Guard these days.

But what Xu Xiyin didn't know was... that Hongfeng had crawled between his legs.

Such humiliation, as long as it is not publicized, is like an atomic bomb on a launch pad; as long as it is not fired, it is extremely deterrent.

But if everyone knows about it, you're forcing the other party to perish with you.

Before killing the eunuch who knew the truth and taking back Hongjiao, Hongfeng could hardly break ties with him completely and could only settle scores later.

"Bang!"

After pouring the tea, Zhen Fox paused, then sat down opposite Ning Nan with a thud, resting her hands on the round table, propping her chin up, and pretending to stare at him in a daze.

Master Ning has become so accustomed to such gazes that he can ignore them.

But the more Mr. Ning ignored her, the greater the challenge she felt, and the more frequently she blinked.

"Let's get down to business!"

Only after being given this drink would she blink and say, with a wronged expression:

"Young Master, have I learned everything you asked me to learn? Have I read all the books you asked me to read? Have I compiled all the intelligence you asked me to compile? You haven't assigned me anything new."

Master Ning frowned, his heart pounding with unease.

After gritting his teeth, he gave the woman a few more math problems and told her to go sit aside and pass the time.

In the late afternoon, Qian Sijin brought back Hongfeng's reply:

"I am deeply grateful to meet you, Brother Ning. There were many misunderstandings between us in the past. If we can clear them up, it would be a wonderful thing in life. Tomorrow at noon, there is a restaurant on Qipan Street called Du Lou. I would like to have a drink with you there."

Ning Nan frowned.

He set a location, but Hongfeng changed it. That's a bit strange.

After thinking for a moment, he naturally felt that he should go and meet him. He needed to resolve this matter completely before meeting Yongzheng, so that the Northern Dynasty would not use it as a bargaining chip.

This would also prevent some Manchu officials and some Han officials who were eager to show their loyalty to the Northern Dynasty emperor and Prince Yi from making things difficult for the delegation and getting off to the point.

There's even a possibility that a barrage of hidden attacks could be launched at him.

I'm not afraid of it, but it's hard to guard against and very troublesome.

Qian Sijin brought back a pile of newspapers from the Northern Dynasties and placed them in front of him. These were all bought by the Embroidered Uniform Guard's spies in the capital.

"The Beijing Daily..."

Ning Nan glanced at the newspaper headline, sighed softly, and smiled.

He flipped through the newspapers, about thirty pages in total.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard spies said that a little over a month ago, a new newspaper called "Jingcheng Daily" suddenly appeared in Beijing. Its content and format were almost identical to his "Nancheng Daily" in Nanjing.

It is also a piece praising the emperor, a piece about serialized tales of the strange and supernatural, and some current political news.

It is clear.

The other party imitated his "Nancheng Daily".

Even a cursory glance reveals that his works, such as "The Fox Fairy" and "Du Kang Ruler," are among the strange and supernatural tales he wrote.

Ning Nan flipped through it and smiled, "This newspaper is pretty good."

Qian Sijin said, "They sell it for eight copper coins a serving, so they probably don't make any money, but they're not as generous as the son-in-law."

The son-in-law can be sold for only five coins.

Ning Nan, however, affirmed, "The printing quality is no worse than ours, and the technology is also quite good. In fact, the cost might be higher than ours."

Ning Nan was somewhat surprised by this. He hadn't expected the Northern Dynasty to have so many talented people.

According to the Imperial Guards, the "Beijing Daily" became an instant hit in Beijing on its very first day of publication.

This shows that the other party's newspaper not only imitated the form of the "Nancheng Daily" but also learned its essence.

That's quite impressive.

After flipping through the pages for a while, he suddenly frowned.

rustling sound, then flipped back to look again, and asked in confusion:

"Hmm? How come every newspaper has a poem? Ha, and more than one?"

Phrases like, "The finest dishes in Beijing are found here; the new harvest in February is a testament to its quality," "A visit to the saltworks reveals the lives of the salt workers," and "Pitiable is their year-round toil, while others reap the benefits," are common.

Ning Nan read the first ten or so newspapers, and at the end of almost every newspaper, there was a short poem written by someone named "Master of Leshan Hall".

The poem's language is plain and its word choice is unrefined; it is a poem nonetheless, but its quality is mediocre.

Qian Sijin gave a wry smile and said:

"Sir, I don't know either. Our spies have inquired in the streets and alleys, but they still don't know who owns the *Capital Daily* or the Leshan Hall. However, the people of the capital often curse it, saying, 'What a waste of ink! Why not print a few dozen more pages of *A Chinese Ghost Story*? At least it would have cost me a penny.'"

Ning Nan laughed upon hearing this.

The news in the newspapers is quite good.

The other party's background seemed very strong, so the Ningnan Daily only dared to record events and not to publish "editorials," that is, to express their own views.

But the editors of the Beijing Daily completely ignored this.

He not only writes about facts, but also about opinions, using humor and satire to offer insightful observations, which left him quite astonished.

As he looked, Ning Nan's eyebrows furrowed.

He stopped paying attention to other things and called out to the fox, who was engrossed in solving a math problem, to come and help him grind the ink.

He picked up his pen, spread out the paper, and intended to jot down these important events.

…………

"..."

"Gentlemen! Nian Gengyao's power is immense! This year's 'Nian Selection' saw him recommend a full eighteen candidates! Is it the threshold for the imperial examinations that's rising? Or is it the threshold of the Nian family that's rising?... "

"Corrupt and lawless scoundrels! None are better than Cai Ting and Cai Ruopu! Giant parasites of the nation! Traitors to the state!..."

"..."

"I have heard of a tiger that quietly entered the capital. It lingered outside the Nian residence, then leaped over the wall from the west... Is the tiger now entrenched in the northwest?"

"Li Wei was appointed to govern Jiangnan, but a giant pest has sprung up there!"

"When Nalan Wenzong traveled south, he saw 'When Will the Moon Be Bright Again?' The two cities of Nanning and Beining—if they could meet here, wouldn't it be a golden age on earth!"

"..."

"The Du Lou Literary Gathering! A grand feast for talented men! Has Ning Jiexiao seen this report? The owner of Leshan Hall cordially invites you!"

"Wei Yang is promoted to the Ministry of Revenue! Xu Shu becomes a Vice Minister!"

"Liu Xinzhai has gone south in quiet elegance, leaving Beijing utterly desolate and devoid of dancers!"

"..."

"The Imperial Academy Chancellor commented on Ning Jiexiao: The poem is only a fragment, and the writing is obviously clumsy! The Master of Leshan Hall commented: The Master is the moon in the sky, and the fragment is the star in the sky. Although the star is broken, the moon is still bright. The Chancellor's learning reflects the Master's heavenly learning, like water reflecting the moon. It is beautiful, but it reflects the moon but is not the moon. He should be ashamed of the star in the sky."

"In the Imperial Palace, the Emperor angrily rebuked Zeng Jing! Lü Liuliang's poison is far-reaching! The 'Record of Awakening from Delusion' is now published by the state! To set things right!"

"On the Empress Dowager's birthday, Ning Jiexiao presented her with a beautifully written poem! Who is the God of Literature? Ning Jiexiao, with his incomplete verses..."

"..."

"The owner of Leshan Hall is willing to offer 50,000 taels of silver to meet with Ning Jiexiao!"

…………

The newspaper was full of miscellaneous things: some policies, some current events, and some romantic and poetic things like poetry gatherings and literary parties.

Ning Nan took notes for a long time, especially when he came to yesterday's news: "The owner of Leshan Hall: willing to offer 50,000 taels of silver to meet with Ning Jiexiao!" He couldn't help but frown.

I've heard this name many times before. I've heard it's very mysterious, and that the person has always been known for their unique Wei stele calligraphy. I only learned today from the newspaper that they also have some fragments of their calligraphy.

Do you know who Ning Jiexiao is?

The Embroidered Uniform Guard had extensive information, so he frowned and asked Qian Sijin.

Fifty thousand taels of silver? I request an audience with Ning Jiexiao.

Ning Nan couldn't help but gasp in amazement; the owner of Leshan Hall was incredibly wealthy!

Qian Sijin shook his head, somewhat ashamed:

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard also inquired with some booksellers, but they were unable to find out the person's true identity."

"Master Xu," Ning Nan turned his head, looked at Xu Xiyin who was reading a Taoist book to the side, and frowned, "Do you know who this Ning Jiexiao is?"