Chapter 207 2/3

As for their goods, Li Qingzhi asked Wu Baichuan to look after them.

They traveled a long way and had been on the boat for more than half a month. They looked somewhat weary and dusty.

When Li Qingzhi entered the inn, he asked, “What are the rooms like here?”

The shopkeeper replied, “Sir, we have three types of rooms: upper rooms, regular rooms, and bunk beds. Upper rooms are the best, regular rooms can be a bit crowded, and bunk beds are the cheapest.” Bunk beds referred to rooms where several people stayed together.

Li Qingzhi said, “Give me four upper rooms.”

Mrs. Qian and her two maidservants would stay in one room, he and Jin Xiaoye with Li Damao and Li Ermao in another, Li Laogen with Zhao Xiaodou in another, and Zhang Zao with two cooks in the last. Four rooms were just enough.

Actually, it would have been fine for Zhang Zao and the others to stay in regular rooms, but Li Qingzhi wasn’t short on money.

It was mainly because this inn looked quite simple, and the upper rooms were probably just average.

“Alright!” The shopkeeper agreed with a smile.

At that moment, another person came in from outside. “Shopkeeper, we need three upper rooms and seven bunk beds.”

Li Qingzhi looked over and saw Fan Weiyan.

Seven years had passed, and Fan Weiyan had gained some weight and looked a bit greasier, but Li Qingzhi recognized him at a glance.

Li Qingzhi knew he would meet Fan Weiyan in the capital; after all, they were both provincial graduates. He even thought they might arrive in the capital around the same time.

Even though Fan Weiyan had set off earlier, their fleet had been moving quite fast.

And indeed, they met.

Fan Weiyan had come to the capital with two other provincial graduates, followed by seven servants carrying various items.

Just like Li Qingzhi, they had just disembarked and were looking for accommodation in this inn.

“I’m sorry, gentlemen, but all the upper rooms in our inn are taken,” the shopkeeper said.

Their inn wasn’t large, with only about a dozen upper rooms, and most of them were already occupied, with Li Qingzhi taking the last four.

“No more upper rooms? Didn’t he just take four?” Fan Weiyan glanced at Li Qingzhi, feeling a bit unhappy.

He disliked traveling by boat, and after a long journey, he just wanted to rest quickly, without having to carry a bunch of things to another inn.

“The inn only has four upper rooms, and this gentleman has already taken them,” the shopkeeper explained.

Fan Weiyan took a look at Li Qingzhi.

Li Qingzhi’s group was well-dressed, but they had brought their families and a bunch of children.

In the group, Li Damao, Li Ermao, and Zhao Xiaodou were still quite young, and Zhang Zao and the other two students weren’t much older.

With such a group, they didn’t seem like candidates for the imperial examinations or government officials.

Fan Weiyan then noticed Jin Xiaoye and Mrs. Qian. Seeing that they were plain-looking and hadn’t dressed up, he felt even more certain that Li Qingzhi was not a significant figure. “Brother, we are provincial graduates. Can you please give in and let us have the three rooms?” Fan Weiyan said to Li Qingzhi.

He spoke politely, but there was a hint of disdain in his eyes.

Li Qingzhi replied, “No, I won’t.” They only had four rooms, and it was impossible for him to give up three of them at once.

Fan Weiyan hadn’t expected to be refused after making the request. “We are all provincial graduates…”

In Yucheng County, even when Fan Weiyan was just a scholar, he was respected. After he became a provincial graduate, he was even more admired.

Fan Weiyan thought being a provincial graduate was quite impressive and naturally looked down on Li Qingzhi.

Li Qingzhi said, “I’m a provincial graduate too.”

Fan Weiyan was taken aback for a moment, then said, “But you’re alone. Why do you need four upper rooms?”

Li Qingzhi didn’t bother to answer him and said to the shopkeeper, “Please show us to our rooms.”

With a nod, the shopkeeper led Li Qingzhi away, ignoring Fan Weiyan.

This was the capital!

Every time before the imperial examination, countless provincial graduates would come to the capital, and their inn had hosted many of them.

Not only provincial graduates but also government officials had stayed here. Therefore, the shopkeeper wasn’t afraid of offending the three provincial graduates, including Fan Weiyan.

Moreover, Li Qingzhi was also a provincial graduate.

“You…” Fan Weiyan was ignored by Li Qingzhi and felt somewhat angry. He was about to explode, but fortunately, his two friends held him back. “Brother Fan, don’t be angry. Let’s find another inn.”

“Brother Fan, this is the capital.”

They were also displeased with Li Qingzhi, but they didn’t know his background and didn’t want to offend him.

Usually, no one dared to impersonate a provincial graduate, so Li Qingzhi’s claim to be one should be true.

And a provincial graduate traveling with family and children to participate in the imperial examination probably wasn’t simple.

At least, they had money.

Fan Weiyan was held back and didn’t make a scene but looked at Li Qingzhi angrily.

On the other side, Mu, the shopkeeper, learned that the Shen family’s fleet had arrived in the capital.

“Tell someone from the Shen family’s fleet that I’ll come with people to inspect the goods tomorrow,” Shopkeeper Mu instructed.

Lu Qingxi’s business was now managed by her, and she was quite busy. Even if she didn’t go in person, it was fine.

But the Shen family had done her a big favor, so she had to show them some respect and visit them tomorrow.

After making a note of this matter, Shopkeeper Mu continued to look at the account books.

At this moment, a man in his thirties walked in from outside.

Shopkeeper Mu was somewhat surprised to see him. “Why are you here?”

The man said, “Miss, I heard some news.”

“What news?” Shopkeeper Mu asked.