Chapter 80
**Chapter 80: The Challenges of the Imperial Examination in Ancient Times**
Shen Wei had long held this intention.
At first, she had chosen a rather casual name for her shop, opting for "Wei Xue Bing Cheng" over "Cha Qian Dao." However, after some careful consideration, she realized that in ancient times, naming a shop should align with local customs and traditions.
For instance, the modern foreign brand McDonald's is known as "Jin Gong Men" in China, which is a form of localization.
Moreover, changing the name was also a precaution. After all, Shen Wei had crossed into this world following a car accident, and there might be other time travelers here as well. If another traveler were to see the sign "Wei Xue Bing Cheng," it could lead to unforeseen troubles for her.
She tapped her fingers on the table, a series of names flashing through her mind.
"Wei Xue Zhai," "Qi Yan Ji," "Jing Wei Xuan," "Yan Wei Zhai"... After a moment of contemplation, Shen Wei finally spoke: "How about we call it 'Wei Yan Ji'?"
First, this name fits the style of the era; second, it contains the characters "Wei" and "Yan." If one day Shen Wei's ownership of the shop were to be revealed, how touched the Yan Wang would be to discover that she had secretly incorporated their names into the shop's title!
After all, Shen Wei loved him so much that she had even changed their names to name the shop!
Ye Qiushuang also thought the name was quite good and nodded in agreement, saying, "I'll have the carpenter remake the shop sign when we return today."
Shen Wei reminded her, "We also need to rename the pastries in the shop."
The name "Bohe Ximi Dongdong" was too long and hard to remember, so it needed to be changed to something catchy or meaningful.
Renaming the desserts was left to Ye Qiushuang. Shen Wei paused for a moment and added meaningfully, "In our future business partnership, we must always adhere to the principle of 'integrity as the foundation, profit through righteousness.' We can't just seek immediate gains; we need to keep our sights set on the long term."
Both Ye Qiushuang and Boss Zhang nodded in agreement.
Boss Zhang was secretly amazed. The principle of "trust and righteousness" in business was something many seasoned merchants might not fully grasp.
This young owner seemed surprisingly insightful.
After their discussion concluded, Shen Wei stood up to leave.
Opening a small dessert shop was just the initial corner of her business empire. She intended to gradually accumulate capital—tea, timber, cotton, textiles, ceramics, inns, and restaurants—she wanted to expand step by step.
She even had thoughts of trading salt and iron.
In ancient times, the salt and iron trade was the most lucrative, but it had always been tightly controlled by the royal family. With Shen Wei's current low status and weak background, she couldn't touch the salt and iron business for now.
"Master, shall we return to the Wangfu?" Mama Rong quietly inquired about Shen Wei's plans in the carriage.
Shen Wei glanced at the bright sky outside and thought for a moment before asking Mama Rong, "Mama Rong, have you arranged for that female merchant at the Wen Miao to regularly pass on messages?"
Mama Rong nodded, "Rest assured, Master. That merchant goes to the Wen Miao regularly to collect fabric and gets along well with your mother."
In addition to Mama Rong visiting the Wen Miao each month to keep an eye on Shen Xiuming, the female merchant who collected fabric had also been bought off by Shen Wei.
Shen Wei was not only pushing herself but was also constantly motivating Shen Xiuming from the shadows. Shen Xiuming had once been a gambler, and he needed constant reminders to gradually rid himself of his bad habits and focus on his studies.
The imperial examination in ancient times was no easy feat; merely memorizing the Four Books and Five Classics was just the basic entry requirement. The content of the spring examination would only be more challenging.
To put it metaphorically, you might think the spring examination question is—fill in the blank, "The spring river water warms (?), the first to know."
But the actual question might be: "An ancient poem states: 'The spring river water warms, the duck is the first to know.' This year, the weather in Jiangnan has been strange, with excessive rainfall causing rivers to overflow. Candidates are required to scientifically analyze how to prevent and control flooding in Jiangnan from multiple perspectives, including the national conditions, economy, politics, diplomacy, and people's livelihoods of the Qing Kingdom."
In the spring examination, candidates had to write seven or eight essays in one go, along with judgments, official documents, and current affairs discussions. The difficulty was evident.
Shen Wei lowered the carriage curtain, "Let's return to the Wangfu."
It was important to give Shen Xiuming a bit of pressure, but not too much; too much pressure could break him.
...
At the Wen Miao on the outskirts of the capital, the loom emitted a faint creaking sound.
Inside the Wen Miao, Shen Xiuming was deeply engrossed in writing, leaving behind neat rows of characters on the xuan paper. He was writing earnestly, fully focused.
Outside, Shen Mu was weaving cloth while chatting with the female merchant.
The merchant often came to collect fabric, and over time, she and Shen Mu had become friends. Wanting to understand her daughter's situation, Shen Mu shared Shen Wei's matters with her.
The merchant sighed, "Auntie, I just found out that your daughter is actually a concubine in the Wangfu. Oh dear, I went to the Wangfu yesterday to collect fabric and learned that your daughter is pregnant!"
Shen Mu's weaving came to a halt: "Pregnant?"
She felt a bit dazed, a wave of sour emotions surging within her. Her husband had died early, her eldest son had perished in battle, her eldest daughter was tormented by her in-laws, and her second daughter was suffering in the Wangfu... She had never done anything wrong in her life; why was heaven punishing her like this?
The merchant spoke up, "Auntie, I speak plainly, so please don't take offense. In the Wangfu, aside from the Wangfei and the side concubines, the secondary concubines and maidservants are merely tools for bearing children. Now that your daughter is pregnant, her life might improve a bit. But her status is low; even if she gives birth, she won't be able to raise the child herself, merely adding to someone else's dowry."
Shen Mu secretly wiped away her tears.
Indeed, what status did a concubine in the Wangfu have? Even if Shen Wei were pregnant, her life would likely not be easy.
"But don't worry too much, Auntie. As long as your son is successful, your daughter in the Wangfu will surely not have too hard a life," the merchant comforted Shen Mu gently.
Shen Mu wiped her tears and looked at Shen Xiuming, who was diligently studying in the room.
The Wen Miao had poor sound insulation, and their earlier conversation naturally reached Shen Xiuming's ears. He tightened his grip on the brush and focused even harder on his studies.
Third sister, wait for me.
I will surely make a name for myself and not let you become merely a tool for childbirth in the Wangfu...
Just as Shen Xiuming was immersed in his studies, a frail figure suddenly stumbled into the Wen Miao.
It was a disheveled woman, wandering aimlessly into the Wen Miao. Her gaze drifted until she spotted Shen Mu at the loom. It was as if she had grasped onto her last hope; tears streamed down her face as she choked out, "Mother..."
Her vision blurred, and she fainted.
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