Chapter 3

"Minister Ning, if you don’t want to be known as someone who abuses children, please send a few thicker quilts and clothes."

Ning Chen shouted loudly.

He knew that Ning Ziming was extremely concerned about his reputation and would not let himself be labeled with such a bad name.

Ning Ziming heard this, but his expression turned even uglier.

Ning Gan quickly caught up and said flatteringly, "Father, don’t be angry. Ning Chen just wants to get your attention this way. Ignore him... If you starve him for a few days, he’ll realize this trick doesn’t work and will come to beg for your forgiveness."

"Yes, absolutely can’t let him get away with it. How dare he blackmail Father, and even dare to hit us with wood. It’s outrageous."

Ning Mao chimed in.

Ning Ziming said nothing and walked to a room in the back courtyard.

Before he even entered, he heard crying.

Ning Gan eagerly lifted the curtain, and Ning Ziming walked in.

The room was luxurious and warm.

Ning Xing lay on the bed, his forehead wrapped in a white bandage, with fresh blood seeping through.

Beside the bed, a plump woman was crying.

She was the daughter of the current Left Chancellor, Chang Huaili, Chang Ruyue.

Seeing Ning Ziming, Chang Ruyue wiped her tears, stood up, and greeted him with a sob, "Master has returned?"

Ning Ziming grunted and looked at Ning Xing on the bed, asking, "How is Xing? Has the doctor been called?"

Chang Ruyue sobbed and said, "The doctor has already been here. Xing is seriously injured and needs to rest in bed for a while."

Ning Ziming frowned deeply, his expression grim.

"That brat..." Ning Mao was about to call him a bastard, but Chang Ruyue gave him a look, and he immediately changed his words, "Second Brother is so pitiful. He always saves the best food for Ning Chen, but who would have thought he would not only steal Second Brother’s jade pendant but also use such vicious means. It’s too much!"

Chang Ruyue frowned slightly and scolded, "Don’t speak of your own brother like that. Ning Chen comes from a small village and lacks discipline... It’s also my fault as a mother for not disciplining him properly."

Ning Gan hurriedly said, "Mother, what does this have to do with you? Clearly, it’s Ning Chen’s fault. Why are you taking the blame?"

Chang Ruyue wiped away the nonexistent tears from the corner of her eyes and sighed, "Ning Chen is indeed a bit unruly, but it’s not entirely his fault. It’s my fault as a mother for not disciplining him properly."

"You two brothers shouldn’t blame him over this... Although he’s not my biological son, I’ve always treated him like my own."

Ning Ziming had intended to ask about Ning Chen’s lack of clothes and food, but hearing Chang Ruyue’s words, he became even more convinced that Ning Chen was lying.

Humph, truly unruly and full of lies, a hopeless case.

"Ning Chen’s insolence and vicious means... Someone, seal off the West Courtyard. Without my order, he is not to step out of the West Courtyard."

Ning Ziming said with a look of disgust.

Chang Ruyue’s lips curled into a sly smile... Her level was much higher than her three sons.

...

In the West Courtyard, Uncle Chai helped Ning Chen back to his room.

"Fourth Young Master, you really scared me just now."

"Why did you do this? If you had just apologized to Grandfather, it would have been fine... Now, Master will probably like you even less!"

Ning Chen smiled coldly and said, "Uncle Chai, have I not apologized enough?"

"All these years, I’ve been carefully flattering them, enduring humiliation, and even apologizing to the dogs when they bit me... But as you saw, I almost met the King of Hell."

Uncle Chai sighed, his face full of concern.

He truly felt sorry for Ning Chen, who was sensible, kind, and well-behaved... But why couldn’t he get a smile from Master?

In the end, the Fourth Young Master had no background and could not help Master’s career.

"Fourth Young Master, what’s the point of doing this? It will only make your situation worse."

Ning Chen smiled and said, "At the very least, Ning Gan and the others won’t dare to bully me so easily in the future."

"First step, establish authority. Second step, make money. Third step, leave Ning Manor and start my own household."

Uncle Chai looked at Ning Chen in confusion.

"The imperial examination is over, right? The results should be announced in three days, right?"

Uncle Chai nodded, not understanding why Ning Chen was asking this.

Ning Chen’s lips curled up, "Do you think Ning Gan will be on the list?"

"The First Young Master is personally tutored by Master, so his scholarship is naturally good... If nothing goes wrong, the First Young Master will definitely be on the list."

Ning Chen’s smile gradually became strange. The current emperor loves poetry, so in recent years, the literary style of the Great Xuan Dynasty has flourished, with a large number of poems and songs emerging.

It is said that the Left Chancellor once gained the emperor’s favor with a single poem and rose to prominence.

Therefore, the literati of the Great Xuan Dynasty all want to create a timeless masterpiece... Perhaps they will gain the emperor’s favor.

Ning Chen thought of selling poetry.

Good poetry is hard to come by.

Ning Chen can’t write poetry, but in this world, there are no Li Bai, Du Fu, or Bai Juyi... He can use their works freely.

First, make money.

With money, move out of Ning Manor and no longer suffer from others’ disdain.

"Uncle Chai, let’s go to the Zhuangyuan Tower tomorrow!"

In the capital, there is a Zhuangyuan Tower, a gathering place for literati.

The owner of the Zhuangyuan Tower is a great lover of poetry. As long as you can write a good poem or song, you can stay and eat for free at the Zhuangyuan Tower.

Therefore, many excellent works have emerged from the Zhuangyuan Tower.

Ning Chen decided to go to the Zhuangyuan Tower tomorrow to sell poetry, earn some money, and move out.

...

The next day, Ning Chen got up, and Uncle Chai brought in hot water.

"Uncle Chai, quickly tidy up. After I wash up, we’ll go to the Zhuangyuan Tower."

"Fourth Young Master, I’m afraid we can’t go."

"Hmm?"

Uncle Chai sighed and said, "Last night, Master ordered you to be confined to the West Courtyard, not to step out, and there are people watching the gate."

Ning Chen’s face darkened.

However, he had a plan.

There’s a pile of firewood in the corner of the yard, which he can use to climb over the wall.

Ning Chen washed up quickly and went to the yard, planning to climb over the wall.

But Uncle Chai couldn’t go. He was old and had a lame leg, so he couldn’t climb over the wall.

"Fourth Young Master, let’s not go. If Master finds out, he’ll be angry."

Ning Chen sneered, "Let him be angry. If he’s so angry, let him burn himself to death... No one will stop me from making money."

Ning Chen climbed over the wall.

Since coming to Ning Manor, Ning Chen rarely went out. He had only heard of the Zhuangyuan Tower but never been there.

However, the Zhuangyuan Tower was famous, and he found it easily by asking around.

The Zhuangyuan Tower was a three-story vermilion building, surrounded by water on three sides, very grand and well-located.

Ning Chen was about to enter when three people came out.

The leader was a man in his forties or fifties, dressed in fine clothes, with a distinguished appearance.

Behind him were two men, one with a beard, tall and muscular, looking fierce.

The other was fair-skinned and beardless, with a somewhat effeminate appearance.

The well-dressed middle-aged man shook his head and sighed, "What a waste of a trip. Not a single good poem, just a bunch of freeloaders."

"Don’t be upset, Master. Good poetry and songs are rare... Let’s come again next time."

The fair-skinned, beardless man, with a slightly high-pitched voice, comforted him.

Ning Chen’s eyes lit up. From the man’s attire, he was a wealthy person.

As Ning Chen passed by the three men, he suddenly bowed, "Please wait a moment, sirs."

The three men stopped.

The fierce-looking man and the effeminate man stepped forward to protect the well-dressed middle-aged man.

Ning Chen hurriedly said, "Don’t be nervous, I’m not a bad person... I just want to ask if you came here to buy poetry?"

The three men scrutinized Ning Chen.

Ning Chen was thin, not very tall, and his clothes were faded, looking like a poor scholar.

The well-dressed middle-aged man asked, "So, you have poetry to sell?"

Ning Chen nodded, "I’m proficient in poetry, songs, and verses. What do you want? Just say it... No money if you’re not satisfied."

The middle-aged man laughed, "You’re young, but you talk big!"

Ning Chen patted his chest and guaranteed, "I said, no money if you’re not satisfied... Why don’t you try one first? If you like it, you can buy it."

"I do business fairly, no cheating, young or old!"