The whole family traveled through time, and the best people were actually doing involution in ancien

Time passed quickly, and Shen Mingzhu's various industries were on the right track. She arranged for Shen Laoer and Shen Mingshan, father and son, to manage Hongchiba, Yaoshan and Chashan, and arranged for the village chief and his two sons to manage Bailashan and the candle factory.

Since Shen Mingzhu's candles were of good quality, Shen Mingzhu thought of some ways to dye the wax and made candles into daily necessities in various colors.

She also thought of craft candles. She asked Carpenter Shen to make many candle molds and recruited women and girls in the village who were more skillful with their hands. She would launch high-end craft candles every quarter.

After the first batch of handicraft candles were made, Shen Mingzhu took Shen Mingyu to the county town and gave one each to County Magistrate Zhang and Chief Secretary Wang, and then went to Bailu Academy to give one each to Principal Yu and the three teachers.

Not only that, Shen Mingzhu also gave one each to Manager Wang of Sanwei Bookstore and Li Sanniang of Jinxiufang.

Li Sanniang gently stroked the rose candlestick, reluctant to let it go and said:

"Mingzhu, how did you make this? How did you make it so beautiful?"

"Also, what kind of flower is this? I have never seen a flower like this before!"

"I can't believe this is made of candles. It's really a delicate and perfect work of art."

Shen Mingzhu found it funny when she saw Li Sanniang's surprised expression.

There were indeed no roses in this dynasty, so it was normal that Li Sanniang had never seen roses. The reason why she gave artistic candlesticks to those people who had close ties with her family and had status today was actually to ask them to help promote them.

Ordinary people here cannot afford candles. Only rich people can use candles. But the wealthy families who can afford artistic candles like hers need Li Sanniang and others to help sell them.

Li Sanniang came back to her senses after a while, realizing that she had lost her composure. She smiled and said:

"Mingzhu, the candlestick you made is so beautiful. I have never seen such an exquisite and beautiful candlestick. Will you sell this candlestick to the public?"

This was what she was waiting for.

Shen Mingzhu showed her two dimples and said sweetly:

"It's for external sales. This is the first batch of high-end candles from our candle factory. Our factory only makes ten high-end candles every month. If Aunt Li likes them, I'll leave two for you?"

Li Sanniang was a little disappointed: "Only ten were made! This is the first time I have seen such vivid and colorful flower candles. If you can make more, then..."

Shen Mingzhu blinked: "Aunt Li, good things are more about refinement than quantity, right?"

Li Sanniang then smiled and said:

"You little guy, I don't know what's wrong with your brain. You are born to be a businessman."

"Really? Everyone in your family is talented. Even you are so smart. How did you give birth to Baoer?"

"Mingzhu, how much do you want to charge for these candlesticks? Can you sell them in my shop?"

Shen Mingzhu nodded, "Sure! But I haven't figured out the price yet. What do you think is a good price, Aunt Li?"

Li Sanniang thought for a moment, "High-end candles like yours, made so exquisitely, can be sold to scholars and mistresses of wealthy families. Each of these artistic candlesticks can be sold for ten taels of silver, or even more."

Shen Mingzhu smiled and said, "Let's set the base price at twenty taels of silver per unit."

Li Sanniang was a little surprised: "So high?"

Shen Mingzhu analyzed: "This candle is complicated to make...it's worth the price."

Li Sanniang understood, and she smiled and said, "You are a smart little man, you are a good businessman. Twenty taels of silver is not a lot. Who knows, before long, your candles will become the first choice for dowries of the young ladies in the city."

Shen Mingzhu returned to Shenjia Village. What she didn't know was that as soon as she left the county government office, the runner who came back from the state capital to report the good news entered Magistrate Zhang's office.

As soon as the yamen runner entered the courtyard gate, he shouted: "Great joy, great joy! County magistrate, great joy."

When the yamen runner shouted, other people working in the yard heard the sound and ran out.

Wang Zhubu scolded:

"Why are you shouting so loudly in this government office?"

The yamen runner lowered his voice and said excitedly:

"Shen Ruhai from our county won first place in the provincial examination, and Shen Ruhai's eldest son Shen Mingshu also won first place in the college examination."

"Also, there is Shen Ruhai's father, Shen Shiwang. Old man Shen Shiwang also ranked tenth in this provincial examination."

"Really? Shen Ruhai really passed the exam and became the top scholar?"

Wang Zhubu was so excited that his hands were shaking. It had been many years since anyone from their poor county passed the imperial examination.

Not only did Shen Ruhai and his son pass the imperial examination, but Shen Ruhai actually ranked first among them. It was a great joyful event.

Wang Zhubu excitedly stepped forward and asked the yamen runner, "Clerk, have you brought the document back?"

The yamen runner tremblingly took out a few documents from his arms and carefully handed them to Wang Zhubu.

Wang Zhubu took the document and was about to turn around to report to the magistrate when he saw Magistrate Zhang striding towards him.

Wang Zhubu immediately said, "Sir, Shen Ruhai and his son passed the imperial examinations, and Shen Ruhai even won the provincial examination."

County Magistrate Zhang was extremely excited. He had thought that Shen Ruhai would pass the imperial examination, but he had never expected that Shen Ruhai would actually pass the imperial examination and become the top scorer.

The first place in the provincial examination! It was a rare honor to be the first among thousands of scholars in the counties under the jurisdiction of the prefecture.

Especially in their remote and impoverished county, there are few scholars, let alone juren.

Now Shen Ruhai has actually been admitted to the imperial examination and became a scholar. Their county will become famous because of this.

Thinking of this, County Magistrate Zhang excitedly opened the document. After seeing Shen Ruhai's name and seal on it, he excitedly said to everyone:

"Shen Ruhai won the provincial examination and became the top scorer. This is the biggest happy event in our county. Everyone working in the government office today will be rewarded one ounce of silver."

"Thank you, sir. We are really blessed by Shen Jieyuan! Haha..."

Everyone present was very happy. Their county could finally hold its head high.

Seeing that everyone was happy, Magistrate Zhang couldn't help but sigh:

"The Shen Ruhai family is really talented! Not only are Shen Ruhai and Shen Mingshu good at studying, but even Shen Ruhai's father, the old man, was able to rank in the top ten in the provincial examination. And the little girl Shen Mingzhu is extremely smart and lovable. What a family of geniuses!"

Could County Magistrate Zhang say that he was both envious and jealous of Shen Ruhai?

However, you cannot envy your children for their academic performance.

Magistrate Zhang announced amid the cheers of the crowd:

"Shen Ruhai is the first champion of the provincial examination in our county. In order to enhance the enthusiasm for studying in our county, an order is passed down to inform the whole county of the examination results of Shen Ruhai's three generations of grandfather and grandson. Shen Ruhai will also be rewarded with a farm of 50 acres of land and 200 taels of silver."

"Reward Shen Shiwang, the candidate for the imperial examination, with 20 mu of land and 100 taels of silver, and reward Shen Mingshu, the first in the provincial examination, with 50 taels of silver."

When County Magistrate Zhang announced the reward for the three generations of the Shen family, people across the county were in an uproar.

There was actually a juren in their county, the first place! The first place among the juren, how amazing that was.

Also, this time, three generations of the Shen family, a grandfather and grandchildren, all passed the imperial examination at the same time, which has never happened before.

The most important thing is that studying can make money!

Look, the three generations of the Shen family, through studying, have obtained an inheritance that others would never get in their entire lives. This is what they earned through studying.

County Magistrate Zhang’s propaganda was very effective. As a result, many people began to find ways to send their children to school.