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

Descendants of refugees from the Northern Dynasty, unregistered residents, ruffians from Lijia Village, Ning the Demon, and troublemakers.

On this day, Lin Tao sent people to Lijia Village to inquire and collected a lot of information.

The county constable, with his hands behind his back, glanced at the man with disdain... He was just a scoundrel, putting on airs. He hadn't even cleared his own name yet, but he was already pretending to be a detective.

So be it.

Lin Tao waved his hand, signaling the minor official in charge of criminal matters to take the man away.

With witnesses and physical evidence, the case is clear and straightforward.

Although Li Erlai no longer claimed to have been instructed by Ning Nan after waking up, he still confessed to the murder, saying that he killed Li Baoxin in a moment of panic last night, and that it had nothing to do with his elder brother. He told Li Erlai to kill him quickly if he wanted to.

Lin Tao snorted, turned around expressionlessly, and walked towards the door.

Recalling the serious demeanor of that troublemaker, as if this were truly a miscarriage of justice, he sneered, but couldn't help frowning... Shangguan Xiu, this noble scion, is truly cunning. I underestimated him before. He truly deserves to be a descendant of the first Marquis of Zhenguo.

Unexpectedly, this person came up with such a brilliant plan—sending someone to Grand Tutor Gu to falsely accuse Ning Nan of colluding with the Northern Dynasty. In this way, he easily took over the jurisdiction of this little troublemaker Ning Nan and took him away.

While this troublesome commoner was examining the body, he spent a long time speculating about the bizarre scene of the suspect's autopsy before finally piecing together the truth.

Even if there are slight discrepancies, it should be pretty close to the truth.

Although Grand Tutor Gu was upright and incorruptible, and insightful, Shangguan Xiu spoke frankly about the Northern Dynasty, which must have put him in a difficult position. Even if he were in the position of Grand Tutor, he probably wouldn't be able to do anything about it. He could only issue a document ordering the Embroidered Uniform Guard to investigate the matter thoroughly and request a gold medal from Prince Xin to show his stance.

Governor, governor, oh governor… Lin Tao thought for a moment and sighed silently… After Hong Chengchou, the court was less confident in sending governors to other regions, and it was wary of both military and civil officials.

Shangguan Xiu's plan showed that he had a clear understanding of people's hearts and the current situation, and struck the law right where it hurts.

Lin Tao made up his mind. Even if Li Erlai insisted in court that the murder had nothing to do with Ning Nan, after Li Erlai was sentenced to death, he would petition the court to investigate Shangguan Xiu's false accusation and then imprison Ning Nan again.

"The sons of noble families... are lawless." Lin Tao gritted his teeth and thought for a moment. He wanted to prove to the emperor that the most loyal people in this world were still them, the disciples of sages who had studied the classics!

……

……

At dusk, a cool breeze was blowing. The curfew had not yet been imposed in Nanjing. Leisurely nobles, officials who had finished their duties, talented scholars gathering, shrewd merchants, and noble ladies adorned with gold and silver... sedan chairs and carriages, in clusters and places, with people offering each other greetings, exchanging toasts, and exchanging smiles, the bustling prosperity of the number one city under heaven was pieced together bit by bit.

At this time of year, the most bustling place is naturally the Qinhuai River.

Even though the sun sets early, the dazzling lights on both banks, along with the serene moonlight in the sky, still reflect on the river surface. The shimmering waves make the river surface appear as smooth as a mirror, and the cool river water seems to have taken on a warm touch. Just looking at it is like feeling a spring breeze flowing into one's heart.

As the rumble of carriages filled the air, the brothels on both banks of the river erupted in noise. Customers came and went, some open and uninhibited, others with hats on and heads bowed. The madams, all smiles, announced that a young virgin had arrived in the brothel last month, just begun her training, and was waiting for their turn. The prostitutes, their faces radiant with smiles, took the hands of familiar customers, covering their mouths and whispering with laughter, "I haven't had my turn yet today, my heart feels like it's been bitten by mosquitoes..." Their soft, intimate, and seductive voices, as clear as a nightingale's song, and their delicate, boneless bodies, like willow branches, entwined around them. Under the red or yellow light, their eyes seemed to mist, deep and tender, watery, like a wife longing for her husband's return. Combined with this voice and figure, even with heavy makeup, the customers' eyes would gleam, and they would assume the air of a newlywed groom, straightening their backs and exuding confidence.

Ning Guangshao was supposed to be a groom tonight. But unfortunately, halfway through his wedding night with his bride, he was woken up by the steward of the mansion. The third master of the Ning family in the capital was very annoyed. As he dressed, he cursed the steward mercilessly.

He was already annoyed and resentful because he couldn't sleep with Miss Jin'er, the top courtesan of Yanchun Pavilion. He cursed the pretentious courtesan in his heart. He had no choice but to find someone who looked similar to make do. But even this good thing was ruined by the manager... or more accurately, by his elder brother Ning Guangtiao.

Just now, when he was naked, the steward told him, "It's done... the master wants the third master to go back."

He had no choice but to get up. The fact that his elder brother called him wasn't the key point; the main thing was that "the matter was settled."

"Is that little beast from Li Family Village dead or alive?" Ning Guangshao pinched the woman's cheek one last time, and she immediately pulled the blanket over herself shyly, making a "hmm" sound.

Ning Guangshao chuckled and said, "I'll be back soon, no new customers allowed." The woman narrowed her peach blossom eyes and nodded, "Mmm-hmm."

The steward, unfazed, glanced directly at the bed and whispered, "He's not dead, but he's beyond saving."

Ning Guangshao went out the door with him, frowning, and said, "If you're going to die, you're going to die; if you're going to live, you're going to live. What does it mean to be half-dead?"

The steward whispered, "They said things went a little wrong, but it's pretty much it; by all accounts, it should be exile."

"Exile? What good is that?" Ning Guangshao exclaimed as he got into the carriage.

The steward shook his head slightly and said in a voice as low as a mosquito's buzz, "They handled things very cleanly over there... even cleaner than we imagined. Exile is also a good thing; the head of the family has already made arrangements for the next step."

"As long as Big Brother has made the arrangements, that's fine," Ning Guangshao nodded, too lazy to pay any more attention. After a while, he sneered and said, "Letting these shady insects do things for them is giving them face."

"The Marquis's health is deteriorating, and he might only be alive in the next few months..." The steward sighed slightly. "The head of the family has no choice but to cooperate with them... The head of the family must consider the Marquis's well-being to prevent him from making a mistake."

When I arrived at my elder brother's study.

Inside were only the eldest brother, the second brother, and three core managers of the Ning family; the chief advisor, Mr. Xue Yan, was not present.

These men were all his most trusted confidants. Several of the stewards had daughters who married into the Ning family, and he also took one of them as a concubine. She even had a son two years ago.

The elder brothers were discussing how to manage the estate after their nephew Zhiyuan inherited the title of Marquis of Jingbei... At this point, the matter was quite open.

The overall situation of the Ning family was controlled by the eldest brother, the business in the north was managed by the second brother, and he was in charge of the business in the south.

The land of the Marquis of Jingbei's residence is in the south, and I suppose he will be managing it for his nephew in the future.

Ning Guangshao's heart burned with desire. What he valued most was actually the title of Marquis, even though it wasn't his.

After his nephew inherited the title, he planned to have him sleep with Jin'er, a girl from Yanchun Pavilion. His nephew was always timid, well-behaved, and obedient. Once Jin'er couldn't refuse, he would pull his nephew away and pounce on her to be the groom... The third master of the Ning family in the capital smirked and chuckled a few times.

"A villager from a remote mountain village, a dog-like creature, actually dares to dream of inheriting the title of Marquis of Jingbei."

After the core managers left, Ning Guangshao scoffed dismissively.

With the major decision made, the brothers chatted for a few moments.

The eldest brother leaned back in his chair and smiled at him with a slightly tired tone, "Heh, people don't even know that Brother Changling is the Marquis of Jingbei. Third brother, you're just slandering him."

"If you knew, would you not come over? If you knew, would you not have this idea?" Ning Guangshao shouted.

The second brother chimed in, "Big brother, the third brother is right. You don't need to hesitate anymore... You're just kind-hearted. The deed is done. Li Baoxin is dead, and it has nothing to do with us. No matter how much they investigate, they won't find us. That little bastard is in jail too; at the very least, he'll be exiled."

"With such a title on his shoulders, even if Brother Changling rescues the little beast and allows him to be recognized as a member of the family, he will have no face to inherit the title. His Majesty and the court will not recognize him either, especially since Prince Xin will soon be in power. With a new emperor comes a new court. Brother Changling understands this. He has no affection for Prince Xin and will not go against this. The court also has its laws... This is good... I think it's not a bad thing that things went wrong over there."