The Marquis doesn't support his beloved wife's ambitions, so I'll take the imperial e

The capital city, the residence of the Marquis of Ningguo.

The priceless Ru kiln teacup was smashed to the ground, shattering into pieces of jade. The scalding tea splashed onto the precious lichen, creating wisps of steam.

"Useless! They're all useless!"

Xiao Qingyan kicked over the low rosewood table in front of him, his handsome face filled with a sinister and violent aura.

He was dressed in a brocade robe, the gold-embroidered qilin pattern gleaming coldly in the candlelight, making him look even more like a trapped beast about to devour its prey.

"Did I raise you all just so you couldn't even find a single woman?"

A man in brown robes knelt amidst the shards of porcelain, his forehead pressed against the cold ground, his body trembling like a leaf. "My lord, please calm your anger! Your subordinate... Your subordinate has sent men to search the capital and all the surrounding prefectures, inns, carriage shops... We've searched everywhere we can, but there's no trace of Miss Jiang. It's as if she... vanished into thin air."

Vanished into thin air?

Xiao Qingyan sneered, his eyes almost overflowing with savagery.

Where could she possibly disappear to? That woman, seemingly gentle, harbors a sharp claw within. He had only ignored her for a few days, and she dared to run off with his money, hook up with another man, and vanish without a trace!

The thought that she might be nestled in another man's arms, looking at someone else with the same eyes that once gazed at him with such affection, made Xiao Qingyan feel an unnamed fire burning wildly in his chest, burning so intensely that it felt like his internal organs were out of place.

He tugged at his collar in frustration, his voice hoarse and dangerous: "Then keep searching! Find her at the ends of the earth, dig three feet into the ground, and I'll find her for you!"

He paused, then added, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth: "I need to know where she is, who she's with, what she's doing... Not a single hair on her head can be missed!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

……

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Puxian County, the "Golden List Success" self-study room was bustling with activity.

Jiang Zhenxue looked at the account book presented by Shen Yu. Even though she had expected it, her heart couldn't help but feel a surge of heat.

"Sister Jiang, after deducting all our expenses this month, including newly purchased books, tea and snacks, and wages for hiring people to distribute flyers, our net profit is one hundred and eighty-two taels." Shen Yu's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement.

In just over a month, they went from nothing to something, not only recovering all their initial investment but also making a net profit of nearly two hundred taels of silver. This was something he would never have dared to dream of before.

"Thank you for your hard work, Xiao Yu." Jiang Zhenxue closed the ledger with a satisfied smile on her face. "I'll double your monthly allowance this month."

"No, Sister Jiang, I can't accept this." Shen Yu quickly waved his hand. "You saved my life, gave me a place to live, and allowed me to continue my studies. This is already an immense favor. How can I take any more of your money?"

"One thing at a time," Jiang Zhenxue said firmly. "I've seen all the effort you've put into the study. Your accounts are crystal clear; your notes are priceless. You deserve it."

Looking at the boy's face, flushed with excitement, she felt a deep sense of emotion.

Shen Yu's growth rate far exceeded her expectations. He is now capable of standing on his own and is her most capable assistant.

Just as the two were talking, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the shop. Then, two yamen runners dressed in black robes and carrying swords at their waists strode in, their expressions arrogant.

"Who is Manager Jiang Zhenxue?" The head constable looked around and finally fixed his gaze on Jiang Zhenxue behind the counter.

The quiet atmosphere of the study room was instantly shattered, and all the students stopped writing and looked over curiously.

Shen Yu immediately stepped forward, shielding Jiang Zhenxue behind him, and asked warily, "What brings you two gentlemen here?"

The constable impatiently pushed him away, "Go away, this is none of your business. The county magistrate requests your presence; please have Manager Jiang come with us to the yamen."

County Magistrate?

Jiang Zhenxue felt a chill run down her spine. It was that county magistrate who had made things difficult for her in every way, saying that a woman running a private school was misleading students.

She suppressed her thoughts, stepped out from behind the counter, and gave a respectful curtsy. "May I ask what business you have with me, sir?"

"You'll find out when you get there," the constable said, then turned and walked away, his attitude extremely arrogant.

"Sister Jiang..." Shen Yu looked at her with concern.

"It's okay, I'll be right back." Jiang Zhenxue patted his hand reassuringly. "Keep an eye on the shop."

In the back hall of the county government office, the county magistrate who had once looked down on Jiang Zhenxue was sitting upright in a grand chair, slowly sipping his tea.

Upon seeing Jiang Zhenxue enter, he did not stand up. He merely lazily raised his eyelids and said with a forced smile, "Oh, isn't this Manager Jiang? It's been a while. Manager Jiang's business is certainly booming."

His tone contained not a trace of congratulations, but rather a sour, sarcastic tone.

Jiang Zhenxue sneered inwardly, but remained respectful on the surface: "Thanks to your blessing, sir, I am merely providing a place for the students of Pu County to study, and earning a little money to make a living."

"Money to make a living?" The county magistrate seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. He put down his teacup, leaned forward, and his triangular eyes gleamed with greed. "I've heard that Manager Jiang, your 'Golden List Study Room' is making a fortune every day. If you're making a living from that, then there probably won't be many people in our Pu County who can eat their fill."

Jiang Zhenxue lowered her eyes and listened quietly without responding.

Seeing her silence, the county magistrate realized he had lost interest, so he coughed and adopted an official air, "I summoned you here today to discuss tax collection. According to the laws of our dynasty, all merchants must pay taxes on time to replenish the national treasury. Manager Jiang, your study has been open for almost a month now; shouldn't the taxes be paid?"

The true intentions have finally been revealed.

Jiang Zhenxue raised her head, her expression calm: "What you say is true, sir. I am preparing to go to the yamen to declare and pay taxes in the next couple of days. I wonder what tax rate should be applied to my study?"

Upon hearing this, the county magistrate's smile deepened, and he slowly extended three fingers.

"Manager Jiang's business is quite novel; it's neither a bookstore nor a teahouse, yet the profits are so substantial. After much thought, I believe it should be classified as 'miscellaneous profit-making activities.' Naturally, the tax rate for it should also be somewhat special."

He paused, then said, word by word, "Let's go with 30%."

"Thirty percent?" Even though Jiang Zhenxue was prepared, she was still shocked by this number.

The tax rate for ordinary shops is only 10%, at most 15%. This 30% isn't a tax at all; it's outright robbery!

She suppressed her anger and tried to make her voice sound calm: "My lord, isn't a 30% tax rate a bit too high? As far as I know, even the largest restaurant in the city has never had such a high tax rate. Although my study has some income, its expenses are also high. If we pay taxes at 30%, I'm afraid... it will be difficult to continue."

"Unsustainable?" The county magistrate sneered, completely tearing off his mask of hypocrisy, his face full of vengeful pleasure.

"Manager Jiang, don't forget. Who was it that said you, a woman without official rank, were not fit to run a private school and would mislead students? Now you've changed your name, but aren't you doing the same business? I'm only turning a blind eye because it's not easy for you, a woman, to make a living. That's already a great favor."

His voice suddenly rose, carrying an unyielding authority: "This tax rate is set by me! Whatever you say it is, that's what it is! You either obediently pay 30% tax and seek peace. Or, I'll issue an official document tomorrow saying that your study is a den of iniquity and has an improper atmosphere, and shut down your shop!"