Expelled from the Duke's mansion, the fake heiress is richer than a country.

The shopkeeper scoffed, "Still want to come? With your two sickly looks, you'd be lucky if you didn't die in front of my shop and dirty my ground!"

"Get out! Get out!"

He waved his hand angrily, his hair standing on end: "What kind of master are you? You've been taking the exam for over ten years and haven't passed even once. It must have been tough on your family. They've been drained of their blood and sweat, and now they're practically skinned alive!"

The man, with his eyes closed, silently rested his head in the arms of his page, and two streams of turbid tears quietly flowed from the corners of his eyes.

The shopkeeper and his assistant angrily went back to the shop. The onlookers dispersed.

Every year around the time of the imperial examinations, such dramas unfold at any time. There are even cases of people threatening suicide on the spot after failing the exams. Life is like a play, but who takes it seriously? No one has the extra sympathy to pity a useless piece of trash.

The master and servant, all alone and abandoned outside the shop, cried out to heaven and earth in vain.

Helpless, the pageboy had no choice but to help his master to the side so he could rest against a large tree. He wiped away his tears, then silently squatted down and began to tidy up the mess of luggage.

Yu Wenbin also wanted to leave. But when he turned to look at his third sister, he saw her bending down to pick up two books that had fallen to the ground and slowly flipping through them.

He walked over, puzzled. Did his third sister feel pity for these two people? But his third sister was usually cold and indifferent; she didn't seem like the kind of person who was overly kind-hearted.

Yu Wanran casually flipped through a few handwritten books, and when the page boy came over to tidy them up, she handed them to him and asked him a casual question.

"Were all these books handwritten by your master? Were the annotations written by your master as well?"

The pageboy glanced at her, puzzled, then, with tears welling in his eyes, nodded heavily. He whispered, "My master is incredibly talented, but he's just had bad luck..."

Yu Wanran looked up and glanced at the sky.

In her previous life, she was covered in wounds. As she climbed up the cliff carrying Dendrobium officinale, how she wished someone could hold an umbrella over her head to shield her from the biting wind and rain.

Even without an umbrella, it would be good if someone could lend her a hand...

No.

Dragging her limp, she crawled into the Ruicao Hall. Uncle Fu saw the Dendrobium officinale in her arms and didn't kick her out, letting her feel the only warmth in the world.

Thinking of the elegant calligraphy in the book and the detailed and unique insights, Yu Wanran looked at the master and servant in front of her. Although they were down on their luck, they could not hide their inherent nobility and composure.

She stepped forward, squatted down, and examined the scholar's complexion.

"Your master seems to have caught a cold? If you don't see a doctor soon, I'm afraid..."

The pageboy immediately looked at her, his sorrowful eyes filled with a hidden hope.

"I know. But... we've run out of money..."

Yu Wanran stopped talking nonsense and straightened up.

"Trust me, carry your master on your back and come with us!"

Yu Wenbin was extremely surprised: "Third Sister?"

"Brother, please help them out."

While helping pack her luggage, Yu Wanran took her older brother aside and whispered something to him.

"Brother, a businessman needs to have his own vision and learn how to invest."

Although she felt a pang of pity for the down-on-his-luck old scholar, she saw more of his talent.

Even if she can't profit from the funding, she'll need to recruit talented subordinates for her future business development. Perhaps this desperate old scholar could be of use to her?

Yu Wenbin didn't quite understand his third sister's thoughts. But since she had made up her mind, he didn't say anything more. He gave the purse to Yu Wanran, helped carry the old scholar on his back, and had the page carry the luggage. The four of them then found another inn together.

After settling the old scholar in, Yu Wanran asked her elder brother to fetch a doctor to treat him.

The doctor shook his head and said, "This gentleman is weak and his vital energy is greatly depleted due to famine. Recently, he has also been affected by seasonal pathogens, which has weakened his defensive qi, resulting in symptoms such as chills, fever, and cough. He urgently needs treatment."

Upon noticing the patient's "family" remain silent, and the pageboy's eyes darting around like mosquito coils, he coughed lightly.

"I'll prescribe some medicine for the patient to decoct and take. Also, don't skimp on the patient's diet anymore. Make sure they stay warm, eat well, and get plenty of rest."

Yu Wanran understood; the old scholar's condition was a result of poverty. Hunger and cold had caused him to collapse before the exam.

She paid the consultation fee and the cost of the medicine, and sent her page with the doctor back to the clinic to get the medicine. On the bed, the old scholar struggled to sit up, his face full of gratitude as he bowed to her and Yu Wenbin.

"My surname is Xue, and my given name is Heyu. I will never forget your kindness in saving my life! May I ask your esteemed names?"

"Our surname is Yu, we are merchants, and we have come to Beijing from afar."

Yu Wanran did not give her full name. Although she intended to befriend the person she was investing in, she couldn't openly show that she was seeking a return; that would be too mercenary.

Moreover, those who are grateful will remember you. On the contrary, those who are ungrateful are not worth continuing to associate with; consider it a good deed done and move on.

Xue and Yu were slightly surprised by their merchant status, but they didn't show the usual arrogance of scholars and reveal any disdain. On the contrary, they continued to inquire about the two men with gratitude in their hearts.

What if I can't repay the kindness in the future and find that I can't find the person who helped me?

Yu Wenbin asked curiously, "Mr. Xue, you are a scholar who passed the imperial examination. People say that poor scholars are rich scholars. How did you end up in this situation?"

Xue Heyu looked ashamed and pained.

"It's because I was so focused on the imperial examinations that I've become a burden to my family!"

What he didn't say was that, as the son of a concubine, his life was full of misfortune. He finally passed the imperial examination and thought his life could be turned around. But he failed the exam again and again.

More than a decade passed, and as he grew older, his family gradually lost patience with him. The resources that had previously been allocated to him were all withdrawn and given to younger members of the family.

From a place teeming with dignitaries to now being deserted, he has witnessed firsthand the stark contrast between the warmth and coldness of human relationships.

His wife came from a wealthy family and married him when he was young and promising. Now, unable to bear the hardship of poverty and unwilling to see him stubbornly devote himself to the bottomless pit of the imperial examinations, she left in a huff.

Now only the elderly mother and daughter remain in the family.

He had originally intended to take a gamble and participate in the imperial examination one last time. If he failed, he would give up and open a private school or become someone's secretary. However, upon arriving in the capital, he caught a cold and fell ill, nearly reaching the point of death.

The Yu siblings not only saved him, but also his entire family.

Yu Wanran sighed: "Mr. Xue, do you still plan to stay in the capital and participate in the imperial examination?"

Xue Heyu gripped the corner of the blanket tightly, his eyes filled with determination.

"This is my last chance in my life. As long as I don't die, I'll crawl into the exam hall!"

He was not reconciled.

Despite his vast knowledge, why did he repeatedly fail the imperial examinations? Many of his classmates, whose grades were inferior to his, passed the exams one after another. He probably just lacked some luck and flexibility.

However, if he fails to win again this time, he will have no choice but to give up returning home. He cannot burden his last two family members.

Seeing Xue Heyu's dejected expression, Yu Wanran abandoned her plan to recruit him. Without saying much, she took out twenty taels of silver and gently placed it on the bedside table.

"Help someone to the end, and see them through to the end."

Facing Xue Heyu's wide eyes, she smiled and said, "Mr. Xue, we are destined to meet. I now have the ability to help you get into the examination hall. I hope you get well soon and realize your long-cherished wish."

Even if it doesn't work out, having money to go home and reunite with family is still a good thing.