Becoming a widow for the sake of good fortune? The short-lived prince lived a hundred years

But that person must have come to this room more than once before she took over the restaurant.

Yan Xining looked around the room.

The naked eye cannot see any difference.

She looked for a moment and knocked in the southeast direction.

Nothing found.

She chose a spot two and a half feet away, and after trying four or five more places, she still found nothing.

She couldn't help but laugh. The person himself might not even be sure, yet she was here to find it. If it was something that didn't exist, wouldn't she be wasting her time here?

Just keep doing your own thing.

Yan Xining was about to return to her seat, but she paused. There was one last seat, and that was right under her feet.

She squatted down and knocked, and the ground made a "hollow, hollow, hollow" sound.

Yan Xining took a closer look. This piece of land in the corner was usually not visited by others, so it was not easy to be discovered. If one wanted to hide something, this place would be the most suitable.

She took out a dagger and pried up the floorboards.

There was a small cloth bag inside.

When the cloth bag was opened, there was a small box inside with a secret lock on it.

That lock is well made.

Yan Xining could tell at a glance that it was the most complicated Qilin lock in ancient times. It was said that it had seventy-two changes. If one of the changes was released incorrectly, it would explode from the inside out. Not only would the person opening the lock be blown to pieces, but the things protected by the lock would also be blown to ashes.

It seems that the things here are quite important, otherwise, there would be no need to use a lock of this level.

Yan Xining took a look at it and put it back into the bag.

The box was made of iron, there was no blueprint for the lock, and the calculation process was complicated, so she had no intention of opening it.

If we give this thing to that person, he won't hang around Zhuangyuanlou at night and affect business, which would be a profitable deal!

Putting the small cloth bag away, she continued with her own work.

The Spring Examination is finally over.

The vermilion gate of the Imperial Examination Hall slowly opened, as if opening a passage for the candidates to see the light of day again.

Many candidates came out of the Imperial Examination Hall with pale faces. It was not known whether the few days of examinations had drained their energy, or whether the unsatisfactory examination results had made them feel desperate.

However, these few days were a great test for their health, and many of them even staggered when they walked.

Those whose families were in the capital were lucky enough to be taken home by their families as soon as they left. They asked about their well-being, brought them water and soup, and were like the warm sun in winter, warming their tired hearts.

However, the candidates who came to the capital from other places to take part in the examination could only go back to their respective inns on their own or with the help of their servants. Their frail figures looked a little lonely in the bustling streets of the capital.

Many candidates looked at those who had family members to pick them up with envy.

You have to know that during the days of their exams, they were all in that small cubicle the size of a palm, including the exams, food and accommodation. In order to prevent the food from spoiling, they almost all brought dry and hard steamed buns. The steamed buns were so hard that it took a lot of effort to bite into them. They had to chew them repeatedly in their mouths before they could swallow them.

At this time, being able to drink a mouthful of hot soup and eat something soft is simply a heavenly enjoyment.

Those candidates from other places just pursed their dry lips. This was the treatment that other people’s family members would give them. How could they, the candidates from other places, deserve it?

Following the crowd, many people walked out in a daze.

Suddenly, a burst of fragrance hit me, a rich, alluring aroma, like the mellow aroma of stewed meat mixed with the sweet scent of rice porridge.

The slightly numb expressions of those tired candidates changed instantly, and they all looked up at the source of the fragrance.

Then, they saw four people standing on the right side. In front of them were two large wooden barrels. The barrels were still new, and the lids were originally tightly closed. Now one of them opened a gap, and the fragrance came out.

I saw a man dressed as a waiter waving his hands and shouting, "Gentlemen staying at Zhuangyuan Building, look here, look here, here, here!"

Everyone was confused. Some stopped, some took a look and left, and some looked confused or curious.

The waiter's face was filled with a warm and sincere smile. "Our young master, Master Ning, said that all students who have stayed in the Champion Building are our honored guests. Thank you all for your hard work in the examinations. I'll bring you some hot soup and porridge."

Everyone understood what was said, and many people's eyes lit up.

The waiter said with a smile, "Look, the young master has specially ordered us to prepare hot soup and porridge for everyone. The soup is made with old hens and various nourishing herbs, carefully simmered all night long. The porridge is carefully cooked with new rice, soft and sticky, and sweet red dates and lotus seeds are added! It's free, one bowl per person, to fill your stomach! Our master doesn't ask for anything else, just that this hot soup and porridge can warm your bodies and stomachs!"

The scholars who had stayed in the Zhuangyuan Building were stunned at first, as if they couldn't believe their ears. Then, their eyes quickly turned red, and some even burst into tears.

A thin scholar, his lips trembling slightly, said in a choked voice, "Is it really... for us?"

His eyes were full of surprise and emotion, and he walked towards the wooden barrel with a staggering step.

Several candidates nearby looked at each other and saw the same emotion in each other's eyes: a complex expression of surprise, emotion, and warmth.

Their hearts, which were originally lonely because of leaving home to take the exam, seemed to be blown by the spring breeze at this moment.

The scholars staying in the Zhuangyuan Building gathered around, but they lined up consciously and in an orderly manner, and no one fought for the seats.

Although they were hungry and exhausted, they all had respect for this kindness in their hearts.

The team was quiet and orderly, with only light footsteps and occasional suppressed coughs. These sounds intertwined together, highlighting a different kind of warmth.

When they received the bowl of hot soup or porridge, their hands were shaking slightly and they kept saying "thank you!"

The waiters who were scooping soup and porridge smiled warmly and kindly: "Gentlemen, please don't be polite! Our boss said that he is about the same age as you, so just treat him as a brother! A bowl of soup and porridge is nothing!"

Another person added with a smile, "Our boss specifically instructed that each person can only have one bowl of porridge and one bowl of soup. It's not that he's reluctant, but he's considering that you just finished your exams and haven't had a proper meal in a few days. If he adds too much, it will make you sick! That would be a good intention with bad results!"

After hearing what the waiter said, the candidates were stunned for a moment, and then the look of emotion in their eyes became even more intense.

A frail candidate, holding a steaming bowl of soup, said with emotion, "In this huge capital city, with no relatives to turn to, to receive such care is truly a blessing."

Those who hadn't stayed at the Zhuangyuan Building were filled with envy when they heard this. They felt a little regretful that they should have chosen the Zhuangyuan Building. It was just that some of them had arrived earlier when the Zhuangyuan Building wasn't open, while others had arrived later when it was already fully booked.

"Bah, fame-seeking, hypocritical!"