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The scholar was taken aback and then laughed sarcastically, “You insolent child, dare you slander us! Do you believe we can sue you for defamation? You are outrageously talking nonsense at such a young age. Can someone like you, a lowly merchant, tarnish my honorable reputation as a scholar?”

Auntie Xiao and Yanru were infuriated, but they didn’t dare to scold them and stomped their feet in exasperation, “Such scoundrels! Scoundrels!”

Upon hearing the man’s accent, Yingbao squinted his eyes and turned to Auntie Xiao, “Auntie, can I take a look at their guest register?”

Auntie Xiao nodded and led Yingbao to the counter, pulling out the register. “Here, they checked in at the end of April and haven’t paid a single coin. It’s already December and they are still here.”

Yingbao didn’t pay attention to the date, instead, he carefully examined their places of origin and ages.

Both, are from Qinchuan County, but from different towns.

One person’s information was particularly strange, he was allegedly just seventeen years old.

Yingbao looked up and scrutinized the men sitting in the lobby, neither of them seemed seventeen.

The youngest one, despite having shaved his beard and having caked his face with thick powder, could not hide the fact that he was almost thirty.

The fact that this man’s accent was from Zhouhe County made Yingbao suspect his identity.

Perhaps he was a scholar who had come to participate in the examinations under someone else’s identity?

Yingbao shut the register, and quickly ran in front of the two, hands on hips, “I suggest you leave at once! Otherwise, I will report to the county government that you are participating in the examinations under someone else’s household registration!”

Actually, the situation of participants using someone else’s household registration for the examinations happens in every county, it’s not strange, but it cannot be publicized, otherwise, it’s illegal.

These students, firstly, are too poor to afford the repeated fees of hiring proctors to invigilate the meals. Secondly, they may be descendants of lower class, not qualified to participate in the examination, so they spend money to use other people’s household registration.

The families whose registration is used, if they have had someone in the family who passed the government examination and became a scholar or were recommended as an official, the descendants can participate in the examinations without recruiting a proctor to ensure their meals.

The other students just need to buy such a family’s household registration, replace their names and participate in the examinations, significant cost can be saved.

After all, not everyone can ensure that they pass the examination in one try.

The two were shocked, their faces fluctuating with uncertainty.

Yingbao continued, “You must leave by tomorrow! If you’re still here, I will go to the county government and sue you for using someone else’s household registration!”

She pointed at the man who had a Zhouhe county accent, “You’re from Zhouhe county, right? Yet you’re impersonating someone from Ten-mile Shop. I advise you to leave early. Otherwise…hmm!”

The man’s face, already powdered, turned even more pale, stuttering in defense, “Y-You’re talking nonsense! W-What impersonation…I-I am genuinely…”

Yingbao didn’t listen to his babbling, she simply walked away with Yanru.

“Hey hey hey! Where are you going?” The man got anxious, stood up abruptly and quickly looked left and right seeing no other people in the lobby, he hastily said, “We will leave now! Now, you…don’t go…” to report.

Having said that, he scurried back to his room to pack his things.

Yingbao and Yanru exchanged a look and waited at the inn entrance.

Neither of these two seemed like good folks, seeing his companion pack, the other one also didn’t dare to stay, quickly packed his luggage and left, running faster than anyone.

They are not poor, they just want to freeload, sometimes they even order food and drinks from other shops and put the tab on the inn’s account, saying they will settle it all together.

Seeing both of them have left, Auntie Xiao heaved a sigh of relief and turned to Yingbao, “Thank you, Yingbao.”

Eventually, the scoundrels didn’t pay, but this was already the best possible outcome.

As a humble merchant herself, she definitely didn’t dare to offend these scholars. After all, who knows if they will pass their examinations and become officials to seek revenge on her family in the future.

Additionally, these scholars have the government’s support when they stay at the inn, it inherently causes trouble for the merchants.

Good-natured scholars certainly wouldn’t do such a thing, but those with bad character can easily take advantage of the merchants, leaving them with unspeakable frustrations.

Yingbao understood their concerns and didn’t say anything, she just led Yanru back home.

The next day, the Jiang family returned to the village with their newly bought goods, to prepare for the wedding.

Because Jiang Cheng’s marriage had to take place in the village.

The bride has to be escorted by a wedding procession from her old home to his old home, where the wedding ceremony will take place. After a month of marriage, the couple will move back to the county.

Yingbao and Dani didn’t return home, the two sisters lived in the backyard of the shop, while their shop was taken care of by Jiang Cheng and Jiang Quan.

Dani also wanted to stay and play for a few days, but her older aunt didn’t allow, saying she was already engaged and couldn’t afford to behave irresponsibly anymore.

Dani watched dejectedly as her sister climbed onto the carriage, and quietly told Yingbao, “I definitely don’t want to be engaged early.”

“Hmm!” Yingbao nodded emphatically, “Indeed, one shouldn’t be engaged early. There’s no freedom.”

After the New Year, Dani would be eleven, and her sister would already be fourteen, perhaps in a year or two she will be married off.

Her gaze then shifted to Jiang Quan.

Her second cousin was already sixteen, almost as tall as her eldest cousin.

He was wearing a black turban, with a cloth flower tucked in his ear, dressed in a black short robe, a blue cloth belt tied around his waist, holding various objects and a small purse.

His feet were in a pair of brand new deer hide boots, his face, although not as fair and handsome as his elder brother, was also quite handsome and stately, with a keen look in his eyes, he was definitely a capable and clever person.

Her second cousin like this, in the future, should be able to become a great merchant.

Because his mind is more nimble, and he’s bold and resourceful than his elder brother.

In just over a year, he has already made friends with many people in the county, even calling the constable, Jinwu, his brother, so they hit it off.

That’s why Zhang Jia and his concubine’s family, didn’t dare to provoke Auntie Jiang Yunniang, even less harbour any ill intentions towards the specialty shop.

Jiang Quan, turning his head, faced the steady gaze of his little cousin and laughed, “Why are you staring at me? Do you think your second brother is exceptionally attractive and unmatched?”

Yingbao nodded earnestly and said, “If you wouldn’t laugh, you would seem even more attractive.”

Jiang Quan’s face twitched and he replied irritably, “I insist on laughing!” and stretched his mouth into a wide square shape.

Yingbao and Dani: …

“Brother Jiang Quan…” A delicate, cloying female voice rang out. “Do you have any chestnut cakes left?”

Jiang Quan instantly put on a professional smile, “We still have some, how many boxes does Miss Pan want?”

The young girl in the green dress glanced shyly at him and raised a finger, “One box. My mother especially likes the chestnut cakes from your shop.”

Jiang Quan took a box of chestnut cakes from the shelf and handed it over, “Much appreciated, four hundred coins.”

The girl in the green dress paid, but didn’t take the box, instead she kept loitering in the shop, frequently sneaking glances at the cashier’s desk.

Jiang Cheng was sitting at the cashier’s desk calculating the books, utterly ignorant of the person spying on him.

The whole incident amused Yingbao, so she deliberately mentioned to her second cousin, “Second brother, how much are you planning to give as a wedding gift when elder brother gets married in a few days?”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Quan’s eyes widened, “Why should I give a gift? Grandma said those who aren’t married don’t need to give one.”