The merchant's rebirth led to the complete downfall of the Marquis's mansion.

Liu Qingping thought it made a lot of sense.

"That's true, after all, they are students from Kyoto, so their chances of passing are quite high! Let's try again in the spring imperial examination! That one gathers the best talents from all over the country! It'll be even more impressive!"

What should we prepare for the imperial examinations?

Qin Yao smiled but remained silent. Liu Qingping thought about it for a while with a troubled expression, and then decided to wait.

Qin Yao is so confident, she must have a plan. She'll just sit back and reap the rewards when the time comes.

Thinking about it this way, she cheered up again and continued looking outside.

"Hey! Isn't that my cousin?"

Qin Yao also looked over and saw Yang Jinghong standing not far from the stall, half-covering his face with a fan.

"What is he doing?"

Just as Qin Yao finished asking, she saw Wang Sheng take an iced drink and hand it to Yang Jinghong.

Qin Yao & Liu Qingping: "..."

"Why is he doing this so secretly?" Liu Qingping asked, puzzled.

Qin Yao was even more confused, seeing him stealing glances while drinking, which seemed rather furtive.

It's puzzling how they seem afraid of being seen by someone.

"Perhaps, he's afraid of ruining his image as a refined gentleman?"

Qin Yao guessed that some young masters over there were too proud to ask their servants to come and collect the items.

"But they weren't covering their faces! Could it be that they were afraid we'd see them?"

Liu Qingping lifted the curtain and went downstairs; Qin Yao couldn't even stop her.

He could only watch as she approached Yang Jinghong.

As expected, Yang Jinghong's eyes widened immediately upon seeing her, his face filled with terror, especially when he looked past Liu Qingping and saw Qin Yao in the carriage.

Yang Jinghong shoved the unfinished drink into Wang Sheng's arms and turned to run towards the exam gate.

Liu Qingping was dumbfounded.

"What's wrong with me? Is it scary?" Liu Qingping asked Wang Sheng.

Wang Sheng was also puzzled! He subconsciously shook his head when Liu Qingping asked him.

"How could a princess be frightening!" Wang Sheng was also puzzled. "Perhaps the young master is in a hurry to go in!"

Liu Qingping could only mutter "sick" under her breath before returning to the carriage.

Her maid, Xiao Lan, also went to help, so now only she and Qin Yao were there. Luckily, she had the foresight to prepare some food in the carriage, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to squeeze in.

While eating, Liu Qingping mumbled, "Princess Mother heard about our plan and was even going to send us people, but I refused."

In fact, the princess's mother was very impressed with what Qin Yao was going to do, and even said that Qin Yao was a person who could do great things.

Liu Qingping didn't quite understand what a "major event" meant, but she knew that the princess's mother approved of it.

It's just sending people; we have enough!

She also has several maids. Using the princess's mother's people is a huge waste of talent!

She knew that the princess's mother's maids were all trained, knew martial arts, and were very efficient.

Her few sturdy maids are the best at delivering things.

Qin Yao didn't have a good appetite; she only drank a few sips of water and replied:

"Your Highness is so kind, but we are capable of handling our own affairs, and we really shouldn't trouble her."

Liu Qingping nodded in agreement; that was exactly what she was thinking.

Outside the carriage, most of the examinees had gone inside, and Qingzhi and the others finally had some free time and began packing their things.

The exam will last for 9 days, and they will come back after the exam in a few days.

Just as Qin Yao was about to let Er Jiu leave, she saw an unexpected person.

The person wearing a dark long gown standing under the tree was looking at the entrance to the examination hall.

It's Jiang Su!

Liu Qingping followed her gaze and immediately lost her appetite.

"Hmph! If you ask me, someone like him should be banned from taking the exam for life! It's only been three years! Does that mean he can still catch up with the next autumn exam?" Liu Qingping put down the pastries in her hand and said angrily.

Such a despicable person still wants to be an official; wherever he goes, there will be no peace!

"Yes!" Qin Yao said thoughtfully.

The exam three years later was the very same exam that Jiang Su had taken in his previous life!

If he can take the exam as scheduled, then...

He could pass the test without knowing the questions, but now that he knows, wouldn't he be able to easily crush everyone else?

This is not fair!

Let her shatter his dream with her own hands!

A disabled person! Can they still take the exam?

He would be happier if he stayed in the mud for the rest of his life!

……

During the exam period, Qin Yao finalized several shop deals, preparing to specialize in beverages.

These shops are not large, but they all have backyards where they can store ice and make iced drinks.

With the popularity of sending students to take exams, the fact that it's a Qin family business, and the success of the hot pot restaurant that preceded it, the company has a strong following.

People are very receptive to iced drinks, and the business has been booming since the store opened.

On the day the test takers came out, Qin Yao followed the same method and had someone set up a stall, but this time she set up two stalls.

An extra pastry stall has been added.

Having stayed inside for so long, those who are physically weak might not be able to keep up. Adding some food would help replenish their strength.

This time, it wasn't just the Qin family who came; people from two other shops also showed up.

However, they all followed Qin Yao's example and set up tea stalls.

Qin Yao didn't care; she wouldn't mind even if they sent her a Manchu Han Imperial Feast.

As long as she's the one initiating things, she'll get the lion's share of the credit.

Soon, the gates opened, and the candidates came out one after another.

The Qin family provided free pastries and drinks, and the servants and family members of the examinees who were waiting all came over to receive some.

Once the people inside came out, they delivered them over.

Some candidates who had no one to pick them up went to collect their tickets themselves, and Qingzhi even moved a few chairs to the side for them to rest.

When Yang Jinghong came out, he was supporting someone.

Wang Sheng went over to help and helped the person to a chair.

"Come on! Bring some water," Yang Jinghong instructed Wang Sheng.

Wang Sheng quickly went over to fetch some water and handed it to Yang Jinghong.

"Brother Bai!" Yang Jinghong handed over the water, and Bai Ziyu quickly drank it.

It took him a long time to recover. "Thank you, Brother Yang."

Bai Ziyu sincerely thanked him. In order to keep up with the schedule, he had not drunk water for a whole day, and only now did he feel like he had come back to life.

"Brother Bai, you're too kind. If you were feeling unwell, you should have informed the examiner. If I hadn't noticed, you..."

When Yang Jinghong saw him lying there motionless, he helped him up and found him pale-faced, as if something had really happened.

Bai Ziyu shook his head. "I've already missed two exams; there can't be any more surprises this time!"

"Alright! I'll take you back!" Yang Jinghong didn't want to say anything more; he knew better than anyone the importance of the scientific expedition to the students.

How many three-year periods does one have in a lifetime?

Bai Ziyu quickly waved his hand, "No need, no need, I can go back by myself."

Don't be so polite!

Yang Jinghong beckoned Wang Sheng to come and help him up, but there was no one to help him. He was still half-dead. How was he going to get back?

Bai Ziyu couldn't refuse, so he could only thank him repeatedly.

"and many more!"

Bai Ziyu walked up to Qingzhi and the others, and bowed to them with his hands clasped.

"Ziyu thanks everyone from the Qin family!"

Before entering the examination hall, he drank water from the Qin family; upon exiting, he received life-saving water from the Qin family again, for which he should be grateful.

Bai Ziyu bowed deeply.

Qiu Liu hurriedly stepped forward and patted him on the back.

"No, no, we're just following Miss's orders, we can't accept this."

"Miss, there's no need for you to be modest. The young lady's order was genuine, and your intervention was also genuine. Ziyu should be grateful!"

Bai Ziyu bowed again, and everyone returned the bow.

"If Ziyu is fortunate enough to pass the imperial examination, I will surely repay him!"

Fearing he would continue to be sarcastic, Yang Jinghong hurriedly went over and pulled him away.

"Alright, let's not disturb them anymore, let's go back first."

Yang Jinghong led him into the carriage, and Wang Sheng drove the carriage in the direction Bai Ziyu had indicated.

When he arrived at the destination, Yang Jinghong was greatly surprised.

Bai Ziyu was wearing faded clothes. He knew his family wasn't well-off, but he hadn't expected it to be this bad.

Although the house was still in the city, the roof tiles of his dwelling were so thick that light could see through, and there was hardly any furniture inside.

A room, a table, a bed.

"My humble abode is simple, Brother Yang..." Bai Ziyu was very embarrassed.

"It is truly remarkable that such an environment can produce a talent like Brother Bai."

……