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

The carriage gradually disappeared into the distance, followed closely by more than twenty horses, their hooves kicking up clouds of dust in the distance.

"Hmph," Yang Qiniang snorted, her eyes still showing some reluctance, but she said, "You didn't even leave an address or anything... I don't even know where to go to see you..."

Ning Nan smiled and said, "Seventh Miss, I found out Miss Zhu's address later, so I'll tell you."

"Pooh!"

Although Yang Qiniang's eyes lit up, she instinctively spat and said disdainfully with her hands on her hips, "I'm not easily fooled. People will think I'm after something from her!"

"Ha!" Ning Nan chuckled again.

As he spoke, he turned and patted the shoulder of Erlai, who had been somewhat silent.

Er Lai's mother passed away a long time ago, as did his grandparents. His mother was an only child, and Er Lai had no uncles or aunts. His father was also an outsider who married into the family and had no relatives. After Uncle Donghu left, Er Lai became all alone, with no one to talk to.

Ning Nan said that he would eat at his house from now on.

Erlai shook his head and said, "We always need to light a fire at home."

Ning Nan slowly exhaled, pressed his shoulder, and said nothing more.

Yang Qiniang patted Erlai on the head and said with a smile, "Erlai, you should get married soon... Once the baby is born, I guarantee your father will rush back to hold his grandson!"

She smiled, but her eyes held a deep sadness, a feeling that only those of the same age could understand.

Now that her spoiled daughter, whom she had raised for so long, was gone, she really missed her own daughter and grandson who had married into another village.

The sun sank to the horizon.

A fiery sunset was created.

After saying goodbye to several monkeys in the village, Yang Qiniang walked home along the shimmering, orange-tinged river.

When I arrived at my doorstep.

Her heart skipped a beat... The door to her house had been opened.

A thief has broken in!

Deng Deng Deng!

She quickly lifted her skirt and stepped forward, banging open the door to see if anything was missing.

But upon entering, what catches the eye is a deep red brocade box placed on the table.

Yang Qiniang frowned. What is this?

He glanced around and, apart from the inexplicably extra brocade box, nothing else was missing. He patted his chest quietly, feeling a little more at ease.

Slowly walk to the brocade box, pull the latch, open the box, and slowly lift the lid.

In an instant.

The gleaming silver inside almost blinded her!

"Oh my god!"

Yang Qiniang exclaimed in surprise, her eyes widening like two round eggs!

He took a long breath.

She reached out and touched the silver; it was icy cold. She roughly counted it... at least two hundred taels.

"You brat..." Yang Qiniang rubbed her eyes and muttered under her breath... She couldn't think of anyone else but this rich brat.

There was also a piece of paper under the brocade box with a line of small writing on it.

She is illiterate.

He then hurriedly ran to Ningnan's house, wearing cloth shoes.

Ning Nan held the note and looked at the delicate handwriting on it. His expression suddenly changed, and then he smiled as he looked at the anxious and hesitant Seventh Sister and softly read the words to her.

Take care of yourself.

"I will definitely come back to see you."

"Hmm..." Yang Qiniang hummed softly, then folded the note and carefully put it away in her purse.

……

The weather is getting hotter and hotter.

The Ningnan Courtyard has been quite lively these past few days.

Although Qin Yuanyao sent someone to say that the house in Nanjing had been repaired, Ning Nan had not yet moved in.

These past few days, they've been busy with construction, expanding their own Ning family compound.

He planned to expand the small courtyard into a new one, roughly consisting of two east wing rooms, two west wing rooms, a main hall in the middle, and a stable.

There was no other way. I originally planned to take my mother to Nanjing with me, but she thought about it and realized that she wouldn't know anyone there, and she wouldn't have any friends to play mahjong with. She felt uncomfortable just thinking about it.

Ning Nan then wanted her to move to the big house in the east, but her mother was unwilling.

She said that was where Master Li had lived, and she wouldn't stay there. This was something that coincided with Ning Nan's opinion.

My mother said that the Ning family courtyard was built by Ning Nan's grandfather and father, and she wouldn't leave.

But as a result, the two maids that Uncle Bo had sent to take care of his mother, the stable boy, and Uncle Fu who looked after the Ning family had nowhere to stay and had to stay at other people's houses.

"Let's build it!" the old woman said boldly, waving her hand. "We'll build another house behind it!"

But as soon as she finished bragging, the old woman immediately lowered her head, looked at her daughter-in-law, and felt a little uneasy... She had already handed over the reins of the household to her daughter-in-law... Hmm, wasn't this a bit too ungrateful of her blessings?

Seeing the old woman looking at her with a look as if she had done something wrong, Cuicui was both annoyed and amused. She said, "Mother, Nanjing is a very nice city too... If you want to play mahjong, we can bring Fourth Madam, Seventh Madam, and Third Sister-in-law along. We can let them do some light chores in the mansion and pay them wages."

The old woman shook her head violently, her silver hair fluttering in the air: "No, they'll feel uncomfortable... and I won't feel comfortable either."

So when Cuicui's mother saw her mother's condition, she approved the money to expand the house.

These past few days, my mother has been strutting around, bragging that her daughter-in-law is expanding her house.

That night, Ning Nan rewarded Cui Cui well. She plowed the fields until midnight, until she fell asleep from exhaustion. Only then did Ning Nan exhale with satisfaction, blow on her hair by her ear, sink her head into the pillow, and fall into a deep sleep.

Besides the Ning family courtyard undergoing extensive construction, the house left by Master Li is also being renovated.

But it's just some furniture alteration, a minor job, and it'll be done in a few days.

They bought many tables and chairs and converted the room into a classroom.

Today, Erlai and Sanzhuang climbed the ladder, one on each side, and hung a brand-new plaque outside the gate.

Black background with gold lettering —

Lijiacun Primary School.

"The way of the university lies in manifesting one's bright virtue, in loving the people, and in abiding in perfect goodness... The way of the primary school lies in recognizing characters, in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and in maintaining good health... Principal Li Xing, do you understand your task?" Ning Nan said earnestly to the little boy beside him.

Li Xing's face was serious, and he straightened his back, saying, "Yes... Big Brother! I understand!"

Old Han, fanning himself, looked up at the plaque and clicked his tongue a few times, saying, "I thought that after you acquired so much land, you would either become a new Master Li, taking concubines, seizing land, raising rents... and then making extensive connections, pulling strings, befriending scholars from all walks of life, and earning the title of a minor worthy of Li Family Village;"

"Or... you'll do good deeds, lower rents, be upright and honest, repair bridges and roads... only to be attacked by the surrounding lords and end up with nothing but bones..."

"I didn't expect this," he said, pointing to the plaque, "it's quite original."

Lijiacun Primary School.

Only people from Lijia Village and his tenants can come to study. Lunch, writing materials, and tuition are provided. There is no charge. Two hours of classes are held every day. In other words, as long as parents can spare the two hours that their children would otherwise spend doing farm work, they can have a free lunch here.

This school has a principal and teachers.

The principal is Li Xing, and the teacher is also Li Xing.

Li Xing learned a lot from him, and in terms of intelligence, he was second only to Da Hei.

However, Ning Nan did not want to be too unconventional, lest he be criticized by scholars.

This primary school still teaches the traditional Chinese Three Character Classic and Thousand Character Classic to help children and teenagers learn to read, and does not teach simplified Chinese characters.

Aside from that, the most important thing about this school is teaching mathematics, and a little bit of natural science.

Mathematical talent is what he urgently needs right now.

Seeing that Han Laoguai looked so emotional, Ning Nan smiled and invited him inside for tea.

Principal Xing, his face flushed, poured tea for the two of them.

Ning Nanchao, the old monster, smiled regretfully: "We originally wanted you to be the principal, but you said you didn't want to, that you wanted to go to Nanjing... Oh right, I haven't asked you why you're going to Nanjing?"

"Heh..." The old monster raised his chin with a reserved air and chuckled, "White Deer Academy."

Ning Nan looked the old man up and down in surprise: "Your beard is half white, and you're still going to school? Do they still want you?"

Old Han glared at him and said irritably, "I'm going to be a teacher!"

Uh!

Ning Nan was immediately stunned: "Wow... Old monster! You actually managed to get into Bailu Academy as a teacher?!"

Old Han proudly said that he had a classmate who was now a teacher at Bailu Academy. He introduced him to the headmaster, who was quite satisfied with his teachings on Han and Tang history. The headmaster then invited him to join the academy and teach Han and Tang history to the students.

Upon hearing this, Ning Nan sighed with admiration, "You old monster, this can be considered a case of withered trees coming back to life."

Old Han smiled smugly and took a sip of tea.

Then, Ning Nan asked, "How's the name you chose for me?"

"It's ready."

Old Han's eyes lit up. He put down his teacup and solemnly said, "I searched through all the ancient sites, observed the stars at night, and combined them with your birth date and time. It took countless days and nights... to finally come up with a courtesy name for you."

Ning Nan rubbed his hands together hopefully, picked up the teapot, and poured some tea for the old monster.

"Up to the heavens, down to the earth, peace and tranquility."

Old Han smirked, his voice smug. "It's meant to subdue the soaring clouds with domineering force! How about it? Isn't that word domineering? Are you satisfied?"

Ning Nan's eyes widened in surprise, and his hand holding the teapot trembled, causing the tea to spill out instantly.

"Huh?" He stared at the old monster, frowning in confusion. "Ning Jiexiao?"