Old Chao from the Spring Breeze Pavilion owned numerous properties like the one on Lin 47th Street. He had been acquainted with many ambitious and high-ranking officials in the past. It seemed that if such a person were to leave Chang 'an, he would definitely not bid farewell to the shop owners on Lin 47th Street. However, before he left today, he deliberately came to the Lin 47th Street to bid farewell to those shop owners. In the eyes of the upper class of the empire, they would probably think that this middle-aged man wanted to use this street that caused the Spring Breeze Pavilion incident to send a clear warning: Don't mess around after I leave.
But Ning Que knew that this was definitely not the real reason he came to the Lin 47th Street — he wanted to bid farewell to himself, to the partner who had fought side by side in the spring rain and ate noodles with fried egg side by side. It was only because Ning Que wanted to hide his identity and was now a secret guard of the palace that the middle-aged man would patiently bid farewell to all the shop owners so that no one in Chang 'an would notice his existence.
Thinking of this, even Ning Que, who considered himself to be indifferent, could not help but feel warm in his chest. Looking at the approaching crowd and the smiling middle-aged man in a green robe in the middle, he did not know what to do.
Arriving at the entrance of the Old Brush Pen Shop, Chao Xiaoshu looked at the lad and the little handmaiden in the shop and smiled slightly. He saluted with hands folded in front and said, "Boss Ning, nice to meet you."
Ning Que looked at the blocked entrance of the shop and the crowd of onlookers outside the crowd. He smiled bitterly and imitated Chao Changsheng, bowing with his hands folded in front of his chest. "Greetings, Second Brother Chao."
He had heard the words "Second Brother Chao" from Deputy Commander Xu Chongshan. He thought it was intimate and respectful and very appropriate. But unexpectedly, Chao Xiaoshu was slightly startled and then burst into laughter. The imposing men standing behind Chao Xiaoshu all shook their heads and looked at Ning Que with a bit of good-natured banter. People in Chang 'an City called Chao Xiaoshu Old Chao of the Spring Breeze Pavilion, while the brothers in the Fish-dragon Gang called him Grand Master or Big Brother. Few people knew that Second Brother Chao was called, so Ning Que had unknowingly exposed himself.
"I'm leaving Chang 'an City soon, so I brought my brothers to meet you. Boss Ning, if you have any inconveniences in the future, you can go to them. Of course, I believe that as long as Boss Ning is diligent in managing the business, you will surely soar into the clouds. At that time, please don't forget to help these brothers of mine. "
Chao Xiaoshu looked at him and said with a smile. He pointed his right hand to the few men behind him with an imposing manner and said, "You have already met Qi IV. They are Chang III, Liu V, Fei VI and Chen VII. They are all my trusted brothers."
Chao Xiaoshu had said this in other shops as well. But when he said it to Ning Que, he naturally had a hidden meaning. Ning Que understood, and so did the men at the entrance of the Old Brush Pen Shop. Chang San, Liu Wu, and the others looked at each other and saw the surprise in each other's eyes. Then they took a step forward and silently saluted Ning Que.
They knew what had happened on that rainy spring night, and they already had a good impression of Ning Que, who they had never met. At the same time, they also knew that Chao Xiaoshu had a very high opinion of this lad, but they did not expect it to be so high. There was even a hint of solemnity in his words.
Chang Siwei looked at Ning Que and said gently, "Boss Ning, if there is any inconvenience in the future, I will inevitably come and bother you."
After the conversation in the palace last night, Ning Que now understood that these men in front of him were the secret bodyguards that His Majesty the Tang Emperor had scattered among the people. Now that their identities had been revealed, they might return to the palace in a few days. Naturally, he would not neglect them. But listening to these words, he felt that something was wrong.
Chang III was cold, Qi IV was ruthless, Liu V was fierce, Fei VI was fierce, and Chen VII was dark. These were the evaluations of the generals of the Fish-dragon Gang in Chang 'an City. But looking at Chang Siwei's gentle expression, Ning Que could not associate him with the word cold. He did not expect that this man had already planned to entangle himself with him.
Since they wanted to deceive others, Chao Xiaoshu and the others naturally could not stay in the Old Brush Pen Shop for too long. They just casually chatted for a while, and then Chao Xiaoshu looked at Ning Que with a smile and said two words.
"Let's go."
It was another light and gentle spring rain. Many pedestrians did not even bother to wear a conical hat. Ning Que stood silently at the entrance of Lin 47th Street and looked at the gradually fading figures in the distance. He looked at the back of the middle-aged man in a green robe who was still carefree and casual, and suddenly felt a little regret in his heart.
"Brotherhood, of course, needs time to prove it. If I agree to be brothers with you just because you say so, wouldn't it be too embarrassing for me? I originally thought that after a few years, if I was good enough, it would be okay to be brothers with you. But you just left like this, and it still makes me feel very embarrassed. "
Ning Que shook his head and sighed. He turned back and held Sangsang's little hand and walked into the alley. A few blooming peach blossoms stretched out from above the alley wall, but they were cut into pieces by the spring rain and scattered on the bluestone pavement.
The bluestone pavement at the city gate was also scattered with pistils. Beside a wine shop, Chao Xiaoshu and his brothers who had been through life and death with him for many years drank with the peach blossoms in Chang 'an City and then bid farewell.
…
…
The spring rain came one after another, and people who had just met or reunited were either alive or dead. The lad from the City of Wei and his little handmaiden had unknowingly spent their first month in the capital of the empire, and then finally ushered in the most important day of their lives, if all those incidents of life and death were not counted.
Today was the opening of the Academy. That was right, it was indeed the opening of the Academy. On the first day of the opening of the Academy, those who could pass the Academy Entrance Examination would become an honorable student of the Academy in Chang 'an. As for those candidates who failed the Academy Entrance Examination, they had seen the solemn opening ceremony and the true appearance of the Academy. Presumably, this memory would become an unforgettable and comforting part of their lives.
Ning Que and Sangsang got up at five o 'clock in the morning and began to freshen up for breakfast. The opening of the Academy was a big event for the entire Tang Empire and even the whole world. As for the people of Chang 'an City, they had been looking forward to it for many days. All kinds of hawkers had opened their business in advance, so the master and handmaiden were lucky enough to eat hot and sour noodle slice soup.
Ning Que kept yawning and rubbed his tired eyes. It was obvious that he did not sleep well last night. Sangsang had two dark circles under her eyes that were darker than the color of her skin. She looked even more nervous than her young master.
The Ministry of Rites had a special carriage to pick up candidates, but Ning Que chose to rent a carriage to go alone because he wanted to take Sangsang with him. The carriage knew the identity of the customer and did not dare to neglect it. It had been waiting at the entrance of the alley since midnight. So the master and handmaiden left the Old Brush Pen Shop and immediately set off for the south.
It was fine when they were in the Eastern City, but once the carriage entered the Southern City, it became difficult to move. At this time, it was dawn and the spacious Vermilion Bird Avenue looked a little gloomy. It was filled with hundreds of horse carriages. The sky was drizzling, and countless wheels were moving on the wet bluestone slabs, and many horses were kicking the rain angrily.
The carriages from the Ministry of Rites were the first to pass. The carriages of candidates with the Academy Entrance Examination certificates were also under the command of the City Gate Guards. They squeezed out a bloody path and formed a long line along the drum tower towards the Vermilion Bird Gate. Today, the candidates of the Academy in Chang 'an City were the most important people. The carriages of the officials from various departments and even the nobles who attended the opening ceremony were squeezed to the side. As for the rich scholars who had bought tickets to watch the fun, they were even pushed to the back of the line.
The candidates were more important than the officials and the rich merchants who could bring in taxes for the empire. It seemed unimaginable, but it was the truth. Moreover, looking at the quiet and luxurious carriages and the calm attendants and guards, one could imagine that the opening ceremony of the Academy had been like this for countless years.
Sitting in the carriage, Ning Que and Sangsang lifted the curtain from time to time to look around. Their slightly nervous and anxious mood gradually calmed down. When the carriage finally drove out of the Southern Gate of Chang 'an City and headed south along the spacious official road towards the lofty mountain in the clouds, he was even in the mood to enjoy the scenery.
The spring rain was still pattering down, but the mountain that suddenly rose from the Wei River Plain was not affected at all. Because the mountain was clear in front of the mountain, and the mountain was above the rain clouds. The light of the rising sun was reflected by the cliff, and the light was sprinkled to the world, which felt very warm.
Looking at the mountain in the distance under the sun in the drizzle, Ning Que suddenly became extremely calm. He did not know why, but he felt that there was something there that attracted him, and there was a smell that he liked.
South of Chang 'an, under the mountain, was the Academy.
It was the nameless Academy that had gone through thousands of years of trials and hardships. It had a longer history than the Tang Empire, and it had trained countless famous ministers for the Tang Empire and the world. It was not mysterious but almost like a god.
It was also the place that Ning Que had to go through all kinds of hardships to enter.
…
…
The nameless mountain suddenly rose between the plains and the river, and rushed straight to the sky.
The nameless Academy silently appeared in the mortal world, and stood tall for thousands of years.
Dozens of carriages drove to the foot of the mountain, and the laughter in the carriages stopped abruptly. The students who came for the examination did not feel any pressure, but they had to remain silent because of the respect in their hearts.
Under the clear light of the morning sun, there was a large area at the foot of the mountain. It was a gentle slope composed of green meadows and hills, undulating like solidified waves. The grass was like a painting, and there were dozens of intertwining and complicated roads in the painting. There were a few flowering trees planted at a certain distance along the road, and in the middle of the meadow, there were groups of flowering trees. They were the color of apricot blossoms or peach blossoms. They were not regular, but they were extremely beautiful on the hillside.
Next to the window, Ning Que and Sangsang looked at the fairyland on earth, and looked at the black and white buildings of the Academy above the grassy slope. They could not help but be a little lost in thought. After a long silence, he looked back at Sangsang and said very seriously, "I must enter the Academy!"
Sangsang raised her little face and looked at him worriedly. She said, "Young master, have you finished the few sets of real questions for the academy entrance exam?"
Ning Que was silent for a long time, and after a long time, he said angrily, "Auspicious words! You little kid don't know what auspicious words are! "
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