"Ning Chen, congratulations!"

"You can't call him Ning Chen anymore. It's Marquis Ning now."

"That python robe is magnificent."

They clustered around Ning Chen, all talking at once.

Ning Chen said, annoyed, "Stop putting on airs, all of you. To outsiders I'm a marquis. In front of you I'm still Ning Chen... We're brothers. Cut the affected nonsense."

"I'm still the same kid I always was, not a thing changed."

"Back to work. I'm off to show off to the Chief... We'll meet at the courtesans' quarter tonight!"

Gao Ziping and the rest looked at each other and said in one voice, "We see the marquis out!"

Ning Chen rolled his eyes at them, stuck a middle finger up, and said, "Piss off!"

Then he went to Pan Yucheng's room.

But Pan Yucheng was not there. He had not been able to show off, and this left Ning Chen a little deflated.

He went on to Geng Jing's room.

Geng Jing had been at the morning court too and knew Ning Chen had been made a marquis.

Seeing Ning Chen, he got up at once and made his bow. "My greetings, marquis!"

"Lord Geng, between us two, let's leave out the empty ceremony."

Geng Jing smiled. "The forms cannot be let go."

"Standing on the rules, are we? Then give me a kowtow."

The corner of Geng Jing's mouth twitched and he changed the subject. "Something you need?"

Ning Chen shook his head. "Nothing."

Geng Jing: ???

Ning Chen smiled. "I only came to show Lord Geng my python robe."

Geng Jing's forehead filled with black lines.

"Lord Geng, back to work. I've had my show. I'll be going."

Geng Jing was at a complete loss, and could only shake his head helplessly. Then he could not help laughing all the same... Ning Chen was still Ning Chen, and becoming a marquis had not put any distance between them.

Coming out of the Inspectorate, Ning Chen had been thinking of going home, but changed his mind and turned toward the courtesans' quarter.

The python robe was a little large and…