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

The marriage certificate stated that Cui Cui's wife lived on Datong Street in Jinling. It was originally thought that this was because Zhu Yuanwai's mansion was located on Datong Street and Cui Cui's wife was their maid.

Unexpectedly, she said that her own home was also on Datong Street, and not far from Fulai Tavern, just at the end of Xishui Lane, which only takes about 15 minutes to walk.

Very close.

In that case, there's no need to rush to set off.

But Ning Nan couldn't help but swallow hard. The marriage certificate listed the betrothal gifts: silverware, silver bracelets, wild geese, and the like that his mother had saved up.

If the other party's parents had passed away, she could of course make her own decisions, since everything would be hers after she married into the family. But since the other party had an older brother, and an elder brother is like a father, then she had to let this elder brother take a look at the betrothal gifts.

Although the deed is done, the marriage certificate has been written, and the wedding is just around the corner, the other party's brother probably won't try to break off the engagement, otherwise it would affect his sister's reputation.

But this is a matter of etiquette.

He could certainly be unconventional, like a bird soaring upwards after death, fearless of heaven and earth... but when it came to someone else's entire, complete, and once-in-a-lifetime life, he couldn't help but feel a heavy sense of responsibility weighing him down.

We can't let this woman be looked down upon by her family. We should bring something extra as a supplementary betrothal gift when we visit.

I had a hundred gold coins in hand, and I was thinking of bringing twenty gold coins when I visited, which would be enough.

His family was certainly not as well-off as the other party's. Before, Xiuxiu and Ning Beizhi... the two hundred gold coins that this aunt gave him were all spent in one go to fight Black Tiger Mountain... After all, it was for the sake of household registration. When it comes to important matters, you have to go all in. The worst thing is to be stingy with money and life.

I had thought that since Cui Cui had gone to work as a maid in a wealthy family, her family was better off than mine, but only by a limited margin.

If I bring twenty gold coins to your door, surely my brother-in-law won't kick me out?

It turned out that the woman was only now saying that the family's home was on Datong Street, and that it was their ancestral property. Ning Nan suddenly felt his back go weak again... Families who send their daughters to work as maids for the ladies of the royal family are usually not doing so because they are short of money, but because they want their daughters to be able to marry into a better family after they leave the family.

After all, she grew up with a noble family, was well-educated and polite, had a strict upbringing, and had established a familial bond with the family, so marrying into a wealthy family wouldn't be difficult...

"call……"

After lost in thought for a while, Ning Nan let out a long sigh, gritted his teeth, and put another thirty gold coins into the prepared brocade box, making a total of fifty gold coins.

Click.

He closed the lid.

He tapped the brocade box for a long time, then his eyes sharpened, and he gritted his teeth before putting in another thirty gold coins!

"Damn it!" Ning Nan exclaimed, his eyes wide. "A whole eighty gold coins... surely they won't kick me out now, will they?"

After having lunch at Fulai Tavern, it was still early before Shenshi (3-5 PM), so I had some tea with Cuicui and her mother in a private room on the second floor.

Looking out from here, the imperial palace with its red walls and golden tiles is almost right in front of you, tall, majestic, and imposing.

Datong Street was bustling with people, and sedan chairs zipped past below, with shouts echoing up from below. But Ning Nan's mood suddenly turned somewhat dejected at this moment.

Previously, Cui Cui's wife had told him that after Prince Xin ascended the throne, he would immediately hold a special imperial examination to reassure the scholars of the land.

Now that he has a registered residence, and with the new emperor's ascension to the throne just two months away, the imperial examination is no longer a distant matter, but something that needs to be addressed immediately.

Although I have been preparing for a long time and have written many essays in the eight-legged essay style, Han Laoguai said that with my abilities, it would not be difficult for me to pass the county-level examination... But I myself am only a county-level scholar, and my level is very limited. Many things are actually uncertain... I still need to practice more in the next two months.

Sigh... If I were a successful candidate in the imperial examinations today, or even just a low-ranking scholar, I wouldn't be so conflicted when I went to my wife's house... He swallowed a bowl of tea.

Cui Cui was also rather silent today, as if she hadn't said a word. Like a proud king serpent that had lowered its head, she hadn't flicked her tongue all day.

When we arrived at Xishui Lane on Datong Street, it was exactly Shen Shi (3-5 PM).

"Get out of the carriage." Wang She, dressed in a close-fitting green garment, seemed to have made a great decision. After the carriage had been stopped for about ten breaths, he finally stood up and said these words.

"Oh." Ning Nan nodded, holding the brocade box in his hand.

After getting off the carriage, a small house came into view. The gate was open, and there seemed to be only one courtyard inside. The main hall was in front, and there were side rooms on both sides.

There is also a small side room on each side of the main hall.

A young girl, who looked like a maid, stood at the gate. She had a rosy complexion and seemed very lively, but she was not particularly pretty.

"Greetings, Miss." The maidservant curtsied and said in a soft, sweet voice, "Young Master is waiting for you in the main room."

Cui Cui glanced at the maid, hummed in agreement, and nodded.

Step over the threshold, which is a foot high.

Ning Nan gripped the brocade box tightly in his hand.

The courtyard was paved with bluestone slabs, and a tall camphor tree was planted on the left, with lush branches and leaves that even brushed against the roof tiles of the west wing.

Golden sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows, blocking out most of the light and making the whole yard feel quite cool.

The maid pushed open the door to the main room.

As he entered, a faint smell of medicine wafted over... Ning Nan frowned slightly. Was he ill?

"Greetings, elder brother." Cui Cui's wife bowed respectfully.

Ning Nan's smile was a little awkward. He tried to imitate the others, but without an elder to guide him, he didn't know how to address them, so he simply followed the way Li Family Village addressed them: "Ning Nan from Li Family Village greets the Zhu brothers."

Cui Cui's elder brother sat on a soft couch, his face pale and he looked somewhat sickly. He looked somewhat like Cui Cui. When he heard Ning Nan address him, he paused for a moment, then smiled slightly and said, "Sit."

Ning Nan handed the brocade box to the maid at the right moment and said with a smile, "This is a gift for the Zhu brothers."

"Alright," the sickly young man's smile deepened. He nodded, gesturing for the maid to accept the gift, and then, as if realizing something, added, "Thank you."

Ning Nan breathed a slight sigh of relief and quickly waved his hand, saying that it was only right and proper.

Immediately... he sat down next to Cui Cui's wife.

"Hello, Brother Ning," the sickly young man seemed to perk up a bit. "My name is Zhu Boqing, courtesy name... Guochang, and I am Cuiwei's elder brother."

"Greetings, Brother Guochang," Ning Nan said sincerely, clasping his hands in greeting.

The young man, Zhu Boqing, smiled slightly.

Next, he first thanked Ning Nan for saving his sister's life, speaking very politely. Then, he asked some questions, but not anything strange, just questions like how old Ning was, how his mother was in health, and whether she had any education.

These were all routine questions... Ning Nan quietly breathed a sigh of relief, her heart gradually calming down, and answered them one by one.

Zhu Boqing listened and nodded slightly.