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

After all, it was my first time leaving Lijia Village and my first time coming back, so I didn't have much travel experience.

These carriages were quite conspicuous. Since their group was smaller, the possibility of them being watched was indeed quite high.

Ning Nan raised an eyebrow, tapped his knee a few times with his fingers, and pondered several possibilities.

The other party may indeed have been unintentional; everyone was going to the same destination and just happened to be going the same way. However, the carriage caravan was not very fast. The other party could have lagged behind a little more or overtaken them, but they did not.

He followed behind at a steady pace.

However, it's also possible that the other party felt safer traveling alone with a group of people.

Following behind, borrowing the tiger's power, having someone to protect you from both sides, the chances of being targeted by robbers will be smaller... This is the first possibility.

The second possibility is that the other party is actually a gang of highway robbers who have their eyes on my carriages and the goods inside.

Banditry has always been a persistent problem for the imperial court. After one group is eradicated, another one will rise up soon after. It is impossible to completely eradicate them. Even in the mountains around Nanjing, there are still many bandit dens... Sending a woman to keep watch is quite a creative idea for this group.

"Uncle Fu, do you think it looks like him?" Ning Nan asked the old soldier beside him.

Ning Fu was probably in his forties, his wrinkles cracked like elm bark. Hearing this, he grinned and said, "Young master, don't worry. Both Ning Fu and the two coachmen from the Marquis of Zhenguo's mansion behind him are from the military."

He patted under the car seat, a strange look in his eyes: "There's some stuff hidden here!"

A waist knife is hidden underneath.

Ning Nan nodded and smiled. This veteran, who came from a military family, was quite methodical in his work. The two coachmen behind him were also capable men, so they wouldn't be in a very passive position. He felt quite at ease.

Because of their experience, the three of them were very cautious.

During their rest, the three glanced at the woman behind them and immediately agreed to Ning Nan's detour plan.

"Young Master is truly remarkably perceptive," Ning Fu remarked with a hint of admiration.

This road leads north. It is wide, and there is only a relatively low mountain ahead, with several forks in the road.

"Try to go around areas without hills on either side," Ning Nan pointed to the road, indicating an open area to the north.

These three should all be quite skilled fighters. At this point, the area to be wary of is surrounded by dense forests and hills on both sides. If they are ambushed, an arrow can be fired from both sides and pierce their throats. No matter how high their martial arts skills are, they will be of little use.

His feet dangled under the carriage, his body swaying precariously, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

Besides the two possibilities mentioned above, there is a third possibility...

That means this woman was sent by people in Nanjing to follow him? To kill him? ...It's all possible.

For example... a spark flew in Ning Nan's eyes... that second young master Ning from the Jingbei Marquis's mansion.

The weather is rather cool today, and the light is dim, but fortunately there is no sign of rain. Summer rains are usually torrential, and if the roads become muddy, carriages and horses' hooves could easily get stuck.

Qin Yuanyao rode the large white horse presented as a gift from the Western Regions, holding the reins and following the three carriages ahead with an indifferent expression.

The carriage tracks are winding and intersecting. From the tracks, it can be seen that the second carriage was the heaviest, the third carriage was the lightest, and the first carriage was in the middle.

"Ningnan..."

She lowered her eyes and exhaled.

I first heard this name this morning around 5 AM.

Chen Ruhai, the owner of Fulai Tavern, and the Imperial Guard guarding the place delivered a letter overnight, and this name arrived along with the letter.

Chen Ruhai was over fifty years old and obese. He rode his horse and personally delivered the letter to himself. After saying just one sentence, he suddenly collapsed.

Upon opening the letter, she immediately understood why Chen Ruhai was so anxious.

On the open road, she took a deep breath and gripped the reins tightly. The contents of the letter were too shocking, and even now, she could not calm her mind.

The letter contained a simple story: a wealthy young woman from the Zhu family had been robbed and seriously injured. She was rescued by villagers from Li Village, and after her injuries improved, she wrote this letter and entrusted someone to deliver it to Fulai Tavern, asking the Zhu family to take her back.

Chen Ruhai said anxiously, "The writer of the letter must undoubtedly be Prince Xin!"

Whether it's the handwriting, the recollections of certain events in the letter, or the layout of the so-called Zhu Mansion, every detail indicates that the writer of the letter is indeed Prince Xin!

Chen Ruhai patted his large head in frustration and said that the letter was delivered by the owner of Fulai Tavern, a letter of greeting from a fellow villager named Ningnan.

However, these days he was so anxious about the matter of Prince Xin that he had been using the Prince's Chamber of Commerce to find people. He didn't pay attention to the so-called "fellow townsman" and thought he was just another freeloader, so he put the letter away.

But unexpectedly, it almost caused a major blunder!

He was so anxious last night that he couldn't sleep. He stayed up all night to deal with some unresolved matters and, while processing some pending letters, he still read this letter.

"I could not atone for this with a hundred deaths! I could not atone for this with a hundred deaths!" Chen Ruhai cried and wailed in the Imperial Guard Commander's Mansion, wiping away his tears.

Qin Yuanyao let out a deep breath.

Her breasts, bound so tightly, nearly suffocated her at that moment.

She didn't know what would happen to Chen Ruhai if Prince Xin was really in Li Family Village, but the Embroidered Uniform Guard... she really didn't know what to do this time...

"Right under our noses, but we couldn't find it..."

Those experienced captains who went to search Li Family Village have already been apprehended.

The letter was sent by a centurion to the Prince's residence for the Grand Tutor and the Prince's Chief Secretary to examine and verify the handwriting.

He dispatched three centurions, along with thirty of the most upright officers of the Imperial Guard, who rode two horses and headed straight for Li Family Village.

The Five Military Commissions mobilized and dispatched a 500-man elite battalion from the Imperial City Military Cavalry to garrison in Hangezhuang as a precaution.

He also ordered several Imperial Guards to go to several thousand-household garrisons around Lijia Village with warrants, instructing these garrisons to mobilize their soldiers and prepare for battle.

After these orders were given, information about the messenger 'Ning Nan's' whereabouts was also sent over.

"Shangguan Xiu...Yanchun Pavilion...Poetry Gathering...Shangguan Xiu...Shangguan Xiu..."

Looking at this almost absurd intelligence, she cursed under her breath and rode her horse straight to the Marquis of Zhenguo's residence.

Upon arriving at the Zhenguo Marquis's residence, he barely resisted the urge to whip the man and rushed up to ask if he had seen Ningnan delivering the letter at the Fulai Tavern that day.

This son of an official, at a time like this, still acted so nonchalantly, saying something like, "Oh, what's wrong? Commander Qin has taken a fancy to my brother?"

Enraged, she kicked the other person in the chest!

The spoiled brat, lying on the ground, finally clutched his chest and became a little more serious, saying with a pained expression, "Yes, yes, yes!"

This is no small matter.

After leaving the Marquis's residence, she immediately mounted her horse and gave chase.

Previous explorations had always focused on the Northern Dynasties.

Even now, she wouldn't give up on this possibility. What if Ning Nan was a spy from the Northern Dynasty and had once again tricked the Embroidered Uniform Guard? In that case, not only would her own reputation be ruined, but she would also be condemned even if she died a thousand deaths in front of His Majesty.