He admired his handwriting with interest. It's straight and wide, and it looks quite impressive. He couldn't bear to destroy the paper, and was going to keep it and steal it out of the palace when it was dry. However, at this moment, a muffled angry voice suddenly sounded outside the quiet imperial study.

"Where did that rascal go?"

Ning Que raised his head in shock and saw a hand open the door of the imperial study.

His pupils constricted, dexterous. He flicked his fingers, letting the dry paper slide into the bottom corner of the shelf. He quickly turned, clasped his hands together, and pretended to be looking at a book on the shelf. The books on the shelves tilted in the other direction, and he clasped his hands together and managed to cover the paper. No one will notice that it has been touched.

A short, but muscular middle-aged general walked into the imperial study. He wears the uniform of the Imperial Guard and wears a black and gold belt around his waist, indicating that his position is high. When his gaze fell on Ning Que, who looked like a bookworm and was staring intently at the book, he roared angrily, "Who let you in?"

Ning Que looked like he was lost in his own world, but his ears were pricked up, listening to every move behind him. His heart skipped a beat when he heard a voice behind him. There must be something wrong somewhere. Maybe he misheard the eunuch. He suspected it was a plot to bring him down, he was too young for them to do so hard. Still, it was a great sin to enter the imperial study without the emperor's permission. He must not allow himself to get into such trouble.

He turned around like a lovely scholar dazzled by the emperor's private collection of books. He rubbed his eyes and looked at the short and fat guard standing at the door in confusion, "There is an edict telling me to go to the palace." Is there a problem?

The stocky guard was slightly stunned. He must have never imagined that a man who had been caught with a red hand in the imperial study would be so calm. With an expression of disbelief on his face, he pinched his forehead and muttered angrily. "Lao Zhao, you bastard. You didn't even teach him the rules beforehand!

Ning Que walked around the table, stood in front of the table, and bowed politely. He asked, "General, do you know Brother Cao?"

No matter how friendly Zhao Xiaoshu was on Lin Forty-seventh Street and Chunfeng Pavilion, Ning Que refused to call him brother. However, in order to protect himself, he does not hesitate to speak out now. Answering a question with another person is the form of attack he chooses. As long as the guards' attention was taken away from the study, he was safe.

Looking around to make sure there was no one, the stocky guard cautiously looked around the study. After confirming that there didn't seem to be anything wrong, he patted his forehead again and said to Ning Que painfully, "You kid." I've been looking for you outside for an hour. How dare you come in? Keep this in mind. You haven't been here today. You don't dare to brag to anyone, or I'll end you!

Ning Que followed the roaring man out of the imperial study. They turned west and came to the guard duty room of the Spring Palace.

In the dark room, he finally realized that the short and fat man with a Hebei accent was Xu Chongshan, the deputy commander of the Tang Dynasty Guards. He is also the person Chao Xiaoshu asked him to meet.

"Your Majesty likes calligraphy, and you happen to sell calligraphy. That's how we managed to get you in without alerting anyone. But you kid, how dare you enter the imperial study! Do you really think you're a god of calligraphy? Do you think the emperor invited you to discuss calligraphy?!

Xu Chongshan pointed at Ning Que's nose and roared angrily, spitting stars flying all over the ground.

Ning Que rubbed his nose dissatisfied. The emperor did not invite him to discuss calligraphy, but he had already written some in the imperial study. What can they do to him? He thought about the piece of paper in the corner of the shelf as he pondered how to get it out of the palace.

Xu Chongshan yelled at him and got tired, and put his hands on his thick waist. He gasped slightly and said, "Let's get down to business."

Ning Que smiled and agreed. "Please continue."

Xu Chongshan looked at him strangely. "Look at you, smile so much. You don't seem to be like what Lao Zhao said at all.

"That's because you're so good." Ning Que replied seriously.

Nothing works better than flattery. Even the most fragile ass kiss can be useful, let alone from a young lad who looks a little childish and stupid. Xu Chongshan's expression calmed down, and after coughing lightly, he said, "You should know who Lao Zhao is by now, right?"

Ning Que frowned slightly, pretending to be stunned. "General, is Brother Zhao your subordinate?"

"I don't have the guts to order Lao Zhao of the Spring Breeze Pavilion. Also... Don't call him Brother Zhao in the future. Most of the old people who used to call him are gone. We call him Second Brother Zhao.

Xu Chongshan said sternly. Then, he thought of the battle in the spring rain, and thought of Lao Zhao's evaluation of the young man. He began to feel that the lad was less harsh, smiled lightly, and suddenly changed the subject. "Why did you help Lao Zhao last night?"

"He paid me five hundred taels of silver." Ning Que answered honestly.

No one would die for five hundred taels of silver for someone he had just met. Not to mention a sixteen-year-old guy who was about to enter the academy. Xu Chongshan did not believe his explanation, so he did not believe that he did it out of greed. He felt that Ning Que was a sentimental person, and began to have a better vision of him.

"Your Majesty likes the sentimental kind. Me too. Xu Chongshan said with a smile. "I'm going to ask you a question. Is that... Are you willing to sacrifice your name or even your reputation for your country?

Ning Que stiffened slightly. He frowned and thought for a long time. On the one hand, he tries to guess the real reason behind the problem. On the other hand, he did not understand why he said "even reputation". Is a person's reputation more important than a person's life?

This is a widespread, serious, even sacred, huge question. However, this is also a problem that cannot be bypassed. He thought about it for a long time, thought of the generals of Weicheng, thought of the brothers who walked with him through life and death, and thought of the enthusiastic people of Chang'an. He thought about it seriously before he replied: "If I am forced to do this, my life, I can sacrifice ......"

Speaking of this, he thought of a scene from the night before, where Zhao Xiaoshu reluctantly dropped half a bowl of noodles and looked at the gray wall of the store with great loneliness. He hesitated for a moment before adding. "But there are some things that cannot be sacrificed."

Xu Chongshan looked at him sternly, realizing that this young man did not make a decision immediately, but thought about it carefully and seriously. The deputy commander was not angry about this, but was actually glad that Ning Que did it. That's because he knows that a well-thought-out answer is much more credible than an impulsive answer.

"From today on, you are a member of the Tang Dynasty Guards."

There were no other issues and no tests. After just a short conversation between the two, Xu Chongshan had already given this young man a place among the guards of the Tang Dynasty. Chao Xiaoshu's assurances played a role, but a bigger part of the reason was because he really liked Ning Que's character, as could be seen from his answers.

Ning Que was speechless. He looked at the shiny wooden pass in his hand, then looked at the sign behind him, and was silent for a long time before he said blankly: "Can you become an imperial guard just by participating in a battle?"

"The Ichthyosaurus Sect has been forced into the light by stupid officials. Don't look at me like that. The Emperor himself said so yesterday. That's why we need to put more people in the dark.

Xu Chongshan explained coldly: "This is the highest glory of the Tang people. Don't think about saying no.

"It's not a matter of rejection." Ning Que said helplessly. "The question is, what does the court need me to do? What can I do? The point is, I had to take the entrance exam for the college as soon as possible.

Hearing the word "academy", Xu Chongshan's expression changed slightly. As a senior member of the guards, he knew what Chao Xiaoshu had encountered when he was young. It is because of this incident that these guards in the dark can enjoy the current treatment. He smiled warmly at Ning Que and said, "Don't worry." If you can, you can enter the college. After leaving the college, you can work for the court. There is no conflict between the two.