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

Chandler's figure disappeared into the night. The contract he clutched so tightly was like his only trophy of the night, and also the first shackle binding him.

The shop door creaked shut, the bolt fell, shutting out the noise and prying eyes of the outside world.

The study room, bustling with activity during the day, is now quiet with only flickering candlelight.

Shen Yu silently gathered the scattered copper coins and silver coins on the table, but his movements were no longer as excited as before; instead, they carried a hint of solemnity.

He pursed his lips tightly, and a knot formed between his delicate brows.

"Sister Jiang."

Finally, he spoke first, his voice filled with worry beyond his years, "This Qian De, his eyes are like a wolf's, and he's resentful. Although we forced him to sign the contract today, Yongzhou is far from the emperor's reach. If he outwardly complies but inwardly defies him, or even steals my sister's idea and starts his own business, we're far away in Puxian, unable to reach him. Wouldn't we be doing all the work for someone else?"

He could clearly see that the moment Chandler put down his pen and signed the document, his eyes flashed with humiliation and ruthlessness, not the sincerity that a business partner should have.

This kid is much more insightful than that bookworm Kang Mingyan.

Jiang Zhenxue praised him in her heart, but on the surface, she simply picked up the cup of tea that had long since gone cold and took a small sip.

"Xiao Yu, what do you think is the key to how we earned over three hundred taels of silver today?" she asked instead of answering.

Shen Yu was taken aback, then replied without hesitation, "Naturally, it's my sister's ingenious idea. Both the method of pre-storage and that 'Notes on Experience' are things that no one else has ever heard of."

"You're half right." Jiang Zhenxue put down her teacup, her fingertips lightly tracing the smooth cover of the account book. "It's all about 'novelty.' Because it's novel, nobody understands it, so it can make a name for itself. What Chandler fears is precisely the endless stream of 'novel' ideas in my mind."

She stood up, walked to Shen Yu's side, picked up the copy of the contract she had kept, and waved it in the candlelight.

"You think what's holding him back is this piece of paper?"

Shen Yu looked at her, his eyes filled with confusion.

Jiang Zhenxue smiled, a smile tinged with cunning and absolute confidence. "What binds him isn't the contract, but greed. It's the endless stream of exorbitant profits this system can bring him."

Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear, as if she were giving Shen Yu the most important lesson of his life.

"I call this method today 'Golden List Success 1.0'. It can help Qian De quickly gain a foothold in Yongzhou and make a fortune. But believe it or not, within half a year, countless imitators of 'Golden List Success' will appear in Yongzhou. They will learn our cubicles, our pre-deposit system, and even fabricate all kinds of so-called 'notes'."

Shen Yu's face darkened. "At that time, he will definitely cut off contact with us and take over the family business for himself."

"No, he wouldn't dare." Jiang Zhenxue's tone was resolute. "Because when everyone has learned version 1.0, the market is saturated, and profits are thinning, I will bring out version 2.0."

She turned around and took out a wooden folder that she had never shown to anyone before from the deepest part of the counter, and slapped it down in front of Shen Yu with a crisp and clean motion.

"Open it and take a look."

Shen Yu hesitated before opening the folder. The first thing that caught his eye was a complex blueprint labeled "Yongzhou Branch Flagship Store Decoration Plan," with a few lines of smaller print next to it: "Adding a lecture area by renowned teachers, which can accommodate fifty people" and "Opening a mock exam room, equipped with time incense and number plates."

He paused for a moment, then continued turning over.

The second document is titled "Top Scholar Quarterly Marketing Charter".

"A poetry gathering for spring outings will be held, inviting renowned scholars to provide commentary, with the winner receiving a prize of one hundred taels of silver."

"The Summer Academic Competition will be held, with the top three spenders each month having the opportunity to dine with past winners and learn from them in person."

"Autumn Provincial Examination Intensive Training Camp: Closed-door learning, providing exclusive practice exam questions."

"Winter year-end bonus: For every 100 taels deposited, you will receive a free full-year 'Scientific Expedition Trends Monthly Report' for the following year."

Each and every one of these incidents was unbelievable, yet they precisely struck at the Achilles' heel of those students pursuing scientific research.

Shen Yu's hands began to tremble slightly. He turned to the last page, which was a thin booklet with five large characters prominently displayed on the cover—

Predictions for Hot Topics in the Provincial Examinations

"This..." Shen Yu looked up at Jiang Zhenxue in shock, his mind buzzing. He thought what he had seen today was earth-shattering, but he didn't expect that it was just the tip of the iceberg.

Sister Jiang... what kind of world is hidden in her mind?

"See that?" Jiang Zhenxue's voice drifted over. "When Chandler's 1.0 version is eliminated by the market and he's in a terrible predicament, I'll tell him I have a 2.0 version that will allow him to regain his dominance and earn ten times more money than he does now. Do you think he'll come begging to me on his knees?"

"By then, what I want won't be 70%, it might be 80% or 90%. Not only will he not dare to betray me, but he will also be like the most loyal dog, guarding my territory in Yongzhou and eliminating all imitators, because those people are also taking away his livelihood."

"Moreover, this was something I prepared in advance; I had my eye on that market for a long time."

Jiang Zhenxue's tone was calm, as if she were talking about something perfectly ordinary. But to Shen Yu, these words were like a thunderclap.

He finally understood.

Sister Jiang wasn't selling an idea, but a hen that would continuously lay golden eggs. Qian De only bought the first golden egg, while the hen remained forever in Sister Jiang's hands.

So this is what "technology-based equity investment" really means!

"What wolves fear isn't chains, it's hunting rifles." Jiang Zhenxue said softly, seeing his sudden realization. "Our endless stream of new ideas is like a hunting rifle pointed at his head. The faster he runs, the faster he'll die."

Shen Yu closed the folder, holding it solemnly with both hands as if it were the imperial seal of a dynasty. The look in his eyes as he looked at Jiang Zhenxue had completely transformed from initial gratitude and closeness into awe and fervor.

"I understand," he said softly. "Sister Jiang, I've learned a lot."

"Alright, stop thinking about it." Jiang Zhenxue waved her hand, sat back down behind the counter, and pointed to the small mountain of silver coins. "Let's get to work and tally up today's spoils. This is the first territory we've conquered."

"Yes!" Shen Yu swept away his previous worries, his eyes regained their burning light, and he began to work on the abacus with great enthusiasm.

The clattering sound of the abacus beads was particularly crisp and pleasant in the quiet night.

After a long while, when the last account was checked, Shen Yu announced a number that made his own heart race.

"Three hundred and sixty-seven taels... Sister Jiang, a day's advance deposit exceeds the annual income of many wealthy families in Pu County."

Looking at the number, Jiang Zhenxue felt the heavy weight in her heart, the weight of "escape," finally lift.

Xiao Qingyan, look, without you, I won't freeze to death. On the contrary, I can live a life full of brilliance on my own.

The pent-up frustration in her chest dissipated quietly with this thought.

As night deepened, the sound of the night watchman's gong came from outside the window.

Shen Yu neatly stacked the last silver ingot and locked it in the money box, but remained motionless for a long time. He looked at the woman by the window, her slender profile illuminated by the candlelight, and finally couldn't help but ask a question that had been lingering in his mind for a long time.

"Sister Jiang."

"Um?"

"Why are you doing all this?" Shen Yu's voice was soft. "Just... to make money?"

He didn't believe it.

A woman who can casually save a beggar on the street and conceive such extraordinary talents could not possibly aspire to be merely a wealthy man.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhenxue turned her head, her gaze passing over Shen Yu and landing on the boundless darkness outside the window. Those eyes, which always carried a gentle smile, now became deep and distant, as if piercing through the night of Puxian and seeing somewhere a thousand miles away.

After a long silence, she spoke softly, her voice carrying a hint of coldness that went unnoticed by anyone.

"I'm making money for a ticket."

Shen Yu's heart skipped a beat, and he pressed on, "What kind of tickets?"

Jiang Zhenxue slowly withdrew her gaze, returning it to Shen Yu's young and earnest face. A smile curved her lips, a smile that concealed sharpness, ambition, and even more so, a hint of... determination.

"A... ordinary ticket." A ticket that allows one to have an equal dialogue with the Ningguo Marquis's Mansion in the capital.