Chapter 202 3/3

These items can definitely be sold at high prices, but the supply must be controlled.

If there are too many glass products on the market, the value of glass will drop.

In addition to glass, soap has also been made. With soda ash available, making soap isn’t difficult. However, soap production requires lard. Even though Qian Fugui arranged for people to buy large quantities of fat from butchers, the soap production still couldn’t meet demand.

Fortunately, they didn’t plan to target the low-end market. Qian Fugui intended to add precious spices to the soap and sell it at a high price.

Qian Fugui didn’t even plan to sell it in Jiang’an Province. After preparing a batch, he planned for Li Qingzhi and Jin Xiaoye to take it to the capital for sale.

There were many wealthy people in Jiangnan, but the richest in Daqi were in the capital.

Li Qingzhi fully agreed with this plan.

At this time, the common people were indeed very poor, but the wealthy were extremely rich.

This was evident from the history he had studied.

When ordinary people earned only one or two taels of silver a month, Heshen embezzled billions of taels of silver.

Daqi might not have such a corrupt official as Heshen, but there were certainly many corrupt officials. Instead of targeting the money of ordinary people, it was better to earn money from the wealthy.

In addition to Qian Fugui, Li Qingzhi also visited Governor Zhang and some other people.

He wasn’t in a hurry and remained calm, unlike other scholars who were anxious and worried, some even losing a lot of weight before the results were announced.

While the candidates eagerly awaited the announcement of the provincial exam results, the examiners were busy grading the papers.

After reviewing the papers of the candidates from Jiang’an Province, Lord Ping couldn’t help but marvel.

The scholars from Jiang’an Province were truly outstanding!

Among them, one paper stood out as particularly perfect.

“I believe this person should be the top scorer!”

“Indeed, no one else deserves the top spot more than this person!”

“Li Qingzhi’s writing is flawless!”

…

Although the names on the papers were concealed, many examiners recognized Li Qingzhi’s work.

Li Qingzhi came from an ordinary background, and the examiners wouldn’t favor him for reasons beyond his scholarship. However, they couldn’t deny his exceptional talent.

Lord Ping also believed that Li Qingzhi deserved to be the top scorer.

Initially, he thought of awarding the top spot to Li Qingzhi due to his fame, but he would have chosen someone else if a better paper had appeared.

But now, who could write a better paper than Li Qingzhi?

Li Qingzhi was undoubtedly the top scorer, though there was some debate over the ranking of the other candidates.

On the fourth day of September, the provincial exam results were announced.

Many people were waiting for the announcement, and given Li Qingzhi’s current fame, many recognized him…

Instead of pushing his way through the crowd, he sent Zhang Zao to check the results.

As for himself, he was having a meal at a nearby restaurant with Jin Xiaoye and the others.

Du Yongning specifically came to find Li Qingzhi, only to see him eating with his wife and children. “Li brother, you really are at ease!” Du Yongning was anxious, but Li Qingzhi remained calm, which made him somewhat uncomfortable.

Li Qingzhi said, “I did my best, so why worry? Du brother, you’ve lost a lot of weight. Go eat something.”

“Aren’t you going to invite me to eat with you?” Du Yongning was a bit displeased.

Li Qingzhi asked, “Do you want to eat with us?”

Du Yongning glanced at Jin Xiaoye, Li Laogen, and the three children sitting with Li Qingzhi, and left feeling dejected.

After Du Yongning left, Li Laogen, who had been trying to stay unnoticed, finally relaxed and dared to eat again.

He was both excited and terrified.

Eating in such a fancy restaurant thrilled him, but being surrounded by people he considered high and mighty made him too scared to speak.

“Father, the food here is delicious!” Li Ermao chattered nonstop. “Can I take some back for Dabao and Erbao?”

Li Qingzhi felt a bit jealous of the family chickens. “Of course, but some of the dishes aren’t suitable for Dabao and Erbao. You can take a bowl of rice back for them.” Giving such expensive restaurant food to chickens would be wasteful. Rice would suffice.

Li Ermao nodded, seeing no issue with this.

Some dishes, like the chicken on their table, were indeed unsuitable for Dabao and Erbao. Rice, however, would be perfect.

Li Qingzhi and his group drew quite a bit of attention, and many people noticed them. “That’s Li Qingzhi.”

“Is that his wife and children?”

“He said he wrote ‘Children’s Fun Stories’ for his own children, and it seems true.”

“I wonder how he did in the provincial exam.”

…

As people were talking, a boy of about fourteen or fifteen dashed up the stairs excitedly. “Sir, you are the top scorer!”

This boy was Zhang Zao, a student of Li Qingzhi.

With his announcement, all eyes in the restaurant turned to Li Qingzhi.

The top scorer in Jiang’an Province was almost guaranteed to become a jinshi.

Li Qingzhi was now assured a future official position.

“Congratulations, Li Jieyuan!”

“Li Jieyuan, we’ve met before, do you remember me?”

“Li Jieyuan…”

…

The crowd was overwhelming.

Li Qingzhi smiled and chatted with the people, while Jin Xiaoye packed up the meat and dishes to give to Zhang Zao.

They had saved this food for Zhang Zao, but it seemed he couldn’t sit and eat here now.

Seeing that Jin Xiaoye and the others were ready, Li Qingzhi excused himself from the crowd and went to settle the bill.

However, the restaurant owner insisted on treating him: “Li Jieyuan, this meal is on us!”

The owner was determined to treat him, and others in the restaurant vied to pay for Li Qingzhi’s meal.

Once you passed the exam, the world changed.

No wonder Fan Jin was so excited when he passed his exam.