Chapter 5

Tianxuan looked at Ning Chen with a shocked expression. Despite his young age, he possessed such a profound literary foundation.

A son should be like Lan Xing.

"It seems that in the near future, our Great Xuan Dynasty will produce a literary figure who will shake the literary world," Tianxuan praised generously.

Even the effeminate man, who had always looked down on Ning Chen, chose to remain silent at this moment.

Although he didn't understand poetry very well, even a fool could tell how high the artistic conception in Ning Chen's poem was.

Once this poem is out, it will not be long before it shocks the entire capital.

Ning Chen smiled foolishly, "I don't want to be famous; I just want to eat and stay warm."

At this moment, a knock on the door was heard.

The effeminate man went over and opened the door.

Several waiters from Zhuangyuan Tower entered one after another, each carrying a tray of delicious food.

Ning Chen watched as they placed the dishes on the table, unable to resist swallowing his saliva.

Tianxuan glanced at him and smiled, "Lan Xing, sit down."

Ning Chen tentatively asked, "Are you going to treat me to a meal?"

Tianxuan nodded.

Ning Chen was really hungry, having just recovered from a serious illness and not having eaten since yesterday.

Seeing Ning Chen sit down, Tianxuan said, "Eat, don't be polite!"

"Thank you, Uncle, then I won't be polite!"

Ning Chen, extremely hungry, forgot about manners and began to eat voraciously, savoring every bite.

Tianxuan watched him eat quietly, not touching his chopsticks.

"Really rude!"

Watching Ning Chen eat voraciously, the effeminate man looked disdainful.

Unfortunately, he and the bearded man didn't even have a seat; they stood respectfully behind Tianxuan.

Ning Chen finally finished eating and burped.

He looked up and noticed that Tianxuan hadn't eaten a single bite, feeling a bit embarrassed, "Uncle, why aren't you eating?"

"I'm not hungry!"

"Can I take the half-roasted chicken with me?"

Tianxuan looked at him, "Do you often go hungry?"

Ning Chen nodded.

"Then I'll have someone pack you a whole one."

"No need, I'll just take this half."

Tianxuan didn't insist, nodding slightly, then changed the subject, "How much do you want for this poem?"

Ning Chen thought for a moment, "You decide, Uncle? Since you're treating me to a meal, you can give me a discount."

Tianxuan thought for a moment, "How about one hundred taels?"

Ning Chen's mouth dropped open.

He had struck it rich!

One hundred taels of silver was equivalent to the annual salary of a third-rank official.

Ning Ziming, a second-rank official, had an annual salary of one hundred and fifty taels.

Of course, this was just the regular salary. If you added the integrity silver and other benefits, his annual income was around ten thousand taels of silver.

One hundred taels of silver could buy a small courtyard in a remote part of the capital.

Ten minutes later, Ning Chen left with a one-hundred-tael silver note, one tael of silver... and the half-roasted chicken.

As he left, Tianxuan told Ning Chen that he would visit Zhuangyuan Tower every three to five days... if there were any good poems, he could find him.

After Ning Chen left, Tianxuan was still thinking about the poem, unable to resist praising, "What a great poem, truly a great poem!"

The effeminate man hurriedly said, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, and many congratulations... once this poem is out, Your Majesty's prestige will surely rise to a new level!"

Tianxuan was none other than the current emperor, Emperor Xuan!

Emperor Xuan glanced at the effeminate man, "Do you want Me to take credit for it? Although I enjoy poetry, I would never do something to gain false fame."

The effeminate man, seeing Emperor Xuan's displeasure, was frightened and knelt down.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me! I just thought that since Your Majesty bought the poem, it belongs to Your Majesty."

Emperor Xuan snorted, "Do you really think the poem is only worth one hundred taels? This poem is priceless."

"The reason I said one hundred taels is for the young man's sake... he is young and weak, and if he carries a large sum of money, it will surely bring him trouble."

The effeminate man hurriedly said, "Your Majesty is merciful!"

Emperor Xuan waved his hand, "Go get paper and ink, I want to write this poem and post it outside for everyone to see... so many scholars, yet none can match a young man, it's a waste that I built this Zhuangyuan Tower."

"Your servant obeys!"

The effeminate man quickly got up and fetched the ink and paper.

Emperor Xuan thought for a moment, "Nie Liang?"

"Your servant is here!"

The bearded man, with a fierce look, knelt on one knee before Tianxuan.

Emperor Xuan said, "Follow Lan Xing and investigate his background."

"Your servant obeys!"

...

Ning Chen left Zhuangyuan Tower and went to a clothing shop, spending five taels of silver to buy a set of thick clothes and one tael of silver to buy a pair of shoes.

In the Great Xuan Dynasty, there were copper coins, one string of copper coins being one hundred coins, but they were too heavy, so people preferred silver coins, except for ordinary people.

Therefore, in business places, there were small scales and large scissors provided by the government.

How much silver? Just cut it and weigh it.

Ning Chen, wearing new clothes and carrying the half-roasted chicken, returned to Ning Mansion, stepping on a stone at the corner of the wall to climb over.

As soon as he climbed over, he saw Ning Mao with some servants waiting for him.

"You, Ning Chen, are indeed a wild child... climbing over the wall, do you have any manners at all?"

"Father told you to reflect on your actions, but you dared to climb out. If Father finds out, I wonder what will happen to you..."

Ning Mao pointed at him and scolded, spittle flying.

But suddenly, his scolding stopped.

Because Ning Chen didn't say a word, just silently picked up a stick as thick as an arm from the wall and walked towards him.

Ning Mao remembered how Ning Xing was hit by a porcelain pillow and was still in bed recovering. He also remembered how Ning Chen had tried to burn him alive last night, feeling a chill and retreating in fear.

"Ning, Ning Chen, what do you want to do?"

Ning Chen said coldly, "Don't be afraid, I just want to beat your dog head to a pulp."

"You... you dare to attack again? If Father finds out, what do you think will happen to you?"

Ning Chen said coldly, "By the time he finds out, you'll already be dead! At worst, I'll be executed for your death, but with you as a scapegoat, I won't lose."

Ning Mao suddenly remembered that he had several servants, so why should he be afraid?

"What are you standing there for? Seize him."

Several servants, holding sticks, approached Ning Chen.

Uncle Chai rushed over to protect Ning Chen, trembling with tension.

Ning Chen shouted angrily, "Who dares to touch me? Although I am not favored, I am still the fourth son of Ning Mansion, not someone you servants can touch."

The servants were stunned and dared not move.

Ning Chen was right; a master is a master, and a servant is a servant. Although Ning Chen was not favored, he was still the fourth son of Ning Mansion, not someone they could touch.

Ning Mao roared, "You dogs, what is he, the fourth son? In Ning Mansion, he is not even as good as a dog... beat him, I'll take the blame."

Ning Chen sneered, "He is the son of Minister Ning. If something happens to me, Minister Ning won't do anything to him, but you servants, committing a crime against a superior, will at least receive thirty strokes of the cane. Think about whether your cheap bones can withstand it."

"Get out of my way!"

Ning Chen roared, scaring the servants.

Ning Chen swung the stick and charged at Ning Mao.

Ning Mao screamed in fear and turned to run.