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

"Probably not now." Jiang Zhenxue thought for a moment. In ancient times, wealthy families had independent studies, while poor families mostly studied by the light of a hole in the wall.

"Miss, it's late. You should go back and rest. I'll keep an eye on him," the innkeeper said.

"Okay." Jiang Zhenxue was both shocked and exhausted, and really didn't have the energy to do anything else. Besides, saving a man's life was already an act of great kindness, and there was no reason for her to clean up after him.

She went back to her room, locked the door, and fell into a deep sleep.

When I woke up, it was the hottest time of day, and the cicadas were chirping loudly outside.

There are still many things to do today, such as finding a broker and then going to the yamen to get the right to establish the private school.

Yes, although the novel's plot is melodramatic, it's still quite realistic in some aspects. Finding a house requires a middleman, and opening a private school also requires proper procedures and permits.

That day, she looked at several houses. Finally, she settled on one that had originally been a bookstore, making it easy to decorate. The price was also reasonable, and there was a room available for resting, so she wouldn't have to pay extra for accommodation.

She negotiated a lower price and signed a one-year lease.

Unfortunately, Jiang Zhenxue got the order wrong.

When she went to the yamen to apply for the operating rights of the private school, the county magistrate frequently made things difficult for her, saying that she was a woman without official rank and would mislead students.

She went to the government office several times, but to no avail, and ended up accomplishing nothing in Pu County for half a month.

In the end, Jiang Zhenxue died and resigned herself to her fate, realizing that she had oversimplified the process of running a private school and doing business.

Fortunately, the money she brought was enough to live comfortably for a while.

That day, Jiang Zhenxue was having dinner at a restaurant when she suddenly saw a familiar figure.

This place was unfamiliar, and the only thing she remembered vividly was the man she encountered on her very first day there who was threatening to kill himself.

This time, the man was in better spirits. Although he wasn't exactly riding high, he looked confident and no longer hung his head in dejection like he had the other day.

Jiang Zhenxue suddenly remembered that a few days ago was the imperial examination for children, and the man should have passed and become a scholar.

At that moment, the man also saw Jiang Zhenxue and said familiarly, "Miss, what a coincidence! I'm here to eat too. Shall we eat together?"

"Sure, it's your treat," Jiang Zhenxue said without hesitation.

After all, he was his savior, so he could afford to accept a meal.

The man sat down with delight. "Young lady, you're absolutely right! As long as you're alive, there's always a chance. I never imagined I'd pass the imperial examination and become a scholar!"

"My family's attitude towards me has improved a lot, and my father has become more amiable. However, the original school curriculum is no longer suitable for me, so I'm thinking of studying on my own and taking the exam again."

In ancient times, most people entered school in their childhood. Once they achieved academic success, even if they were only a Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations), they would no longer study with ordinary people. Instead, they would mostly become self-taught or study in private schools at home.

"Girl, I've been thinking about that study room you mentioned last time. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there really was a place like that where I could study in peace and not have to deal with my parents every day?"

Jiang Zhenxue suddenly had a revelation.

Opening a private school in Puxian County may not be easy, but opening a bookstore or a place to sit and drink tea is much easier. A study room is somewhere in between, where you can both read and sit. The key is that you only need to pay money, rather than needing government approval.

"There are currently no study rooms in Puxian County, but I plan to open one," Jiang Zhenxue said earnestly.

Not to mention Puxian, even in the capital, no one had ever heard of a "study room." Ever since the man gave Jiang Zhenxue the inspiration, she set about starting one.

The man would come to help from time to time, and the two became familiar with each other over time.

Jiang Zhenxue knew that the man's name was "Kang Mingyan," and that his father was a local gentry, and that his family was quite wealthy, so he had never lacked food or drink since childhood. His father had high hopes for Kang Mingyan, hoping that he would embark on an official career, and therefore he was very strict with him.

However, the more pressure was applied, the worse Kang Mingyan performed in the exams, taking the county-level exam for eight years.

Jiang Zhenxue did not want to cause any more trouble, so she concealed her identity as a runaway concubine of the Ningguo Marquis's mansion, claiming that her parents had died and that her relatives coveted her family property and wanted to murder her, so she had fled here.

Kang Mingyan, having become foolish from studying, didn't think much of it. Instead, he felt even more sympathy and pity for her and helped her with many things.

A month or so later, Jiang Zhenxue's study room was properly decorated. The hall was divided into more than a dozen cubicles, each one meter long, so that guests could not disturb each other. Jiang Zhenxue purchased the Four Books and Five Classics, the books for the imperial examinations, and famous works from the printing house. In this way, guests did not have to spend a lot of money to buy books or pay favors to borrow books. They could read a wide range of books at low cost whenever they wanted.

In addition, Jiang Zhenxue improved the chairs, using cotton to make backrests and cushions to ensure that customers can sit comfortably.

She doesn't believe in those grueling, arduous study methods; she thinks learning should take place in a comfortable environment, with a good balance between work and rest.

Therefore, she also bought some tea drinks, all of which contained high levels of caffeine, making them excellent for refreshing the mind.

After completing all this, the basic preparations were finished. Jiang Zhenxue hung up a sign for the study room, which read "Passing the Imperial Examination" and explained the purpose of the study room.

She knew that although her study room had a good location and a good concept, it would be impossible to promote it without marketing.

At first, Jiang Zhenxue asked Kang Mingyan for help: "Young master, you have been studying for so many years, you must know some fellow students. Could you bring them to my study room? It's a new store opening, not only is it half price, but we also provide free tea."

"They were originally planning to come. A few days ago, Brother Liang asked me to borrow 'Tiangong Kaiwu' (The Exploitation of the Works of Nature), but I said I couldn't find it. You have it here, and you don't need to buy it; you can read it for free. He was very willing to come," Kang Mingyan said.

"Young Master Kang, since you've gone to such lengths, I won't charge you. You can come anytime you want in the future."

"Hey!" Kang Mingyan declined, "One thing at a time. There's no business without taking money."