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

Jiang Zhenxue smiled calmly, her slender finger lightly tapping the account book: "Zhang, the scholar, is a smart man. What he wants is not money, but fame. I have given him a stage to make a name for himself, and he will only be grateful to me. If I give him too much, it will be a mercenary transaction; if I give him too little, it will be an insult to him. Therefore, the amount I have prepared is just right, exactly the amount befitting his newly promoted status as a scholar."

Kang Mingyan listened in a daze, feeling that Xue'er's words and actions always had a deeper meaning that he couldn't see through.

The mock provincial examination was even more successful than expected.

On that day, fifty of the most outstanding students from Puxian County gathered together and wrote furiously in an examination hall that was completely modeled after the Imperial Examination Hall. The atmosphere was solemn and dignified, and it really resembled the autumn imperial examination.

Three days after the exam, Zhang, the successful candidate in the imperial examination, personally gave a lecture, which brought the atmosphere to a climax. He commented on the strengths and weaknesses of each exam paper, and combined with his own experience, he shared many unique tips for taking the exam. The students in the audience listened with great interest and exclaimed that they had thoroughly enjoyed the lecture.

After this battle, the status of "Passing the Imperial Examination" in the academic circles of Puxian County became unshakeable. It was no longer just a study room that provided a place to study, but a "sacred place" in the hearts of all scholars that could truly help them succeed in the examinations.

The shop's revenue also increased accordingly, and the daily income was so stable that it gave people peace of mind.

Jiang Zhenxue knew she had thoroughly mastered the Puxian market. It was time to plan for the next step.

That afternoon, after the guests had rested for a while, she called Shen Yu into the inner room.

"Xiao Yu, this store in Puxian is now on the right track, and I'm thinking it's time to open a branch." Jiang Zhenxue got straight to the point.

Shen Yu was not surprised; he had long seen Jiang Jie's ambition.

"The Mr. Qian from Yongzhou wrote again a few days ago to inquire about the shop, saying that the shop has been leased and he is just waiting for your instructions, sister."

"No rush." ​​Jiang Zhenxue waved her hand. "Yongzhou is Qian De's territory. Let him go and scout ahead first. We can't put all our eggs in one basket. Lizhou Prefecture is full of scholars, but not just from Puxian. The neighboring Yunyang County and Qinghe County are also places with a strong literary tradition. We can open two directly operated branches there."

Her finger traced lightly across the map, and a clear business empire took shape in her mind.

"When a market gap appears, innovators reap the greatest benefits. But soon, imitators will flock in, leading to an endless price war that will drag down service and reputation. We can only enjoy this piece of the pie for three to five years at most."

Jiang Zhenxue looked at Shen Yu with expectation and solemnity in her eyes: "So, Xiao Yu, your studies can't be delayed any longer. I will hire another manager and a few more employees to handle the miscellaneous affairs of this shop. Starting next month, you don't need to worry about the accounts anymore. You only need to study in the shop every day. Your battlefield is in the examination hall, not at the counter."

Shen Yu's heart suddenly warmed, and a warm current surged from his chest to his entire body.

He was constantly worried about neglecting his studies, but he was also grateful for Sister Jiang's kindness in taking him in, so he dared not put down his work. Little did he know that Sister Jiang had already planned out a way out for him.

"Sister Jiang..." Shen Yu's eyes reddened, a thousand words stuck in his throat, but in the end, they only turned into a firm promise, "I...I will definitely not let you down!"

Jiang Zhenxue smiled with satisfaction and patted his shoulder: "Go on, go study. I'll be waiting for the day you pass the imperial examination with flying colors."

Shen Yu nodded emphatically, turned around to return to his study, and felt an unprecedented surge of motivation within him.

However, just as he reached the door, the door to the study room was kicked open.

"Bang!"

A loud bang shattered the silence of the room.

All the students who were engrossed in their studies were startled and looked up in astonishment at the doorway.

Four or five people swaggered in through the door. The leader was a young man in his early twenties, dressed in a royal blue brocade robe, with a valuable dragon-patterned jade pendant hanging from his waist. He was waving a gold-flecked folding fan in his hand, his face full of arrogance and disdain.

The men following behind him were also dressed like spoiled brats, each with slicked-back hair and frivolous eyes.

Jiang Zhenxue's heart sank.

Sure enough, with fame came trouble.

"Oh, so this is the 'Golden List Success' that bewitched all the scholars of Puxian?" The young man in blue, who was in the lead, pointed at the cubicle in front of him with his folding fan, his tone sarcastic. "To me, it's nothing special. The place isn't big, but the rules are."

A weasel-faced lackey beside him immediately chimed in, "That's right, Young Master Lin. A bunch of poor, pedantic scholars, crammed into this pigeonhole, actually think they can pass the imperial examination with flying colors? What a joke!"

The students in the study room blushed with anger at these words, but dared not speak out because of the other person's wealthy and noble appearance.

Kang Mingyan happened to be present. Being straightforward, he immediately stood up and angrily rebuked, "Who are you people? How dare you spout nonsense in this quiet place, disturbing people's studies!"

"Oh, so there's another one who's not afraid of death." The young man called "Young Master Lin" pointed at Kang Mingyan with his fan and sneered, "I am Lin Ruyu, and my father is the Prefectural Magistrate of Lizhou. What, you have a problem with that?"

Prefect of Lizhou!

Kang Mingyan's face turned pale instantly. How could a mere scholar like him dare to offend the son of a high-ranking official?

Seeing that he was stunned, Lin Ruyu became even more smug. She glanced around the room and finally fixed her gaze on Jiang Zhenxue, who was walking out of the inner room.

His eyes suddenly lit up.

The woman was dressed in simple, elegant clothes, without any makeup, yet her eyes were bright, her teeth white, and her skin as white as snow. In particular, her composed demeanor added a touch of refined elegance to the scholarly atmosphere.

Lin Ruyu's gaze instantly became blatant and aggressive.

"Tsk tsk, I've long heard that the shopkeeper who passed the imperial examination is a stunning beauty. Seeing her today, I can confirm that her reputation is well-deserved." He put away his folding fan and walked step by step toward Jiang Zhenxue, whistling lightly.

"Manager Jiang, is that right? Let me tell you, what kind of woman are you? Instead of staying home to be a good wife and mother, you're out here showing your face in public, hanging out with this bunch of stinky men. What kind of nonsense is that?"

His followers behind him burst into laughter.

"Young Master Lin is right! Women should stay in their bedrooms; studying is a man's job!"

"Exactly! Why run a shop? It's too hard work. Why not join our Young Master Lin? He'll guarantee you a life of comfort and ease!"

The language was foul and offensive, and it was unbearable to hear.

Jiang Zhenxue's face turned cold, but she knew she absolutely could not lose her temper at this moment. The other party was a son of an official, and he had come to cause trouble. If she lost her composure, she would be playing right into their hands.

She curtsied, her voice clear and cool, neither servile nor arrogant: "If you gentlemen wish to study, my humble shop welcomes you. If you are here to cause trouble, then please forgive my poor hospitality; please take your leave."