The news that the Marquis of Xiangyang’s household was buying up silk on a grand scale gradually began to spread over the past few days.

“Why can’t any of the major fabric shops get their hands on silk lately?”

“Seems like the Marquis of Xiangyang bought it all. I heard it’s to prepare the dowry for their eldest daughter.”

“Clearing out nearly all the silk in the capital just for a dowry—what a lavish display.”

“The poor can’t even clothe themselves, while the rich hoard silk in warehouses. This world really defies explanation.”

“The wealthy are so extravagant in marriage, while us common folks live in bitter hardship.”

“…”

People on the street were abuzz with chatter.

The common folk lamented the vast divide between rich and poor.

The wealthy, however, were amazed that the Marquis of Xiangyang was so rich.

When their legitimate daughter got married, it would likely be even grander than the famed “ten-mile bridal procession.”

Yet before people could even finish feeling envious, new rumors emerged— The Marquis of Xiangyang had begun selling off ancestral property.

“Did you hear? The Li family just sold over a thousand acres of ancestral land!”

“And all those precious items they had stored in their warehouse for over a decade? Taken to the pawnshop for cash.”

“Yikes. They have milk tea shops and an opera house. You’d think the Marquis’s household wouldn’t be short on money. How did it come to this?”

“Everyone in that household is a spendthrift. Even a mountain of gold and silver wouldn’t last with them.”

“If they’re in such dire straits, why buy silk for a dowry? Ridiculous.”

“What a joke!”

“…”

Amid these discussions, the autumn civil service exam (autumn trial) arrived as scheduled.

For scholars of the Great Wei Dynasty, this was the most important event of their lives.

Passing the metropolitan exam meant becoming a jinshi, gaining the right to enter the palace for the final imperial exam—after years of hard study, they would finally earn official recognition and status.

Among the candidates were not only ordinary scholars who had passed earlier exams, but also sons of noble families.

These sons didn’t need to sit for local or provincial exams; once of age, they could go straight to the metropolitan exam.

Backed by powerful clans and the best education resources, they often stood out in the exams and, with some maneuvering, secured rankings even in the final imperial court exam.

Hence the old saying: “It is difficult for noble sons to come from humble families.”

With limited resources dominated by aristocratic clans, only the most exceptional scholars from poor families had any chance of breaking through.

The entire Marquis of Xiangyang’s family accompanied Li Muyun to the exam venue.

It was Li Muyun’s first time sitting for the exam.

He was especially nervous, his face pale.

“Just do your best,” said his father Li Suifeng. “Your father now has a minor official post. According to the court’s hereditary grace laws, I can get you a ninth-rank position.”

Li Muyun wiped his brow.

In the past, he would’ve scoffed at a ninth-rank post.

But now…

Having experienced the hardship of studying, he genuinely admired every scholar who entered government service on their own merit.

Li Muyun walked toward the exam grounds with the crowd.

At the gate, he turned back and spotted a figure at the street corner—was that Bai Tang?

He blinked, and she was gone.

He wasn’t sure how he felt.

He had always been annoyed by his cousin constantly hanging around him.

But now that she treated him like air, he felt oddly unsettled.

Once the examinees were inside, the gates slowly closed.

Li Zhiyue took a carriage to the restaurant.

Bai Tang and Cheng Wanfeng were already there.

The three of them sat down in the main hall.

Li Zhiyue had recently arranged for the restaurant to be renovated.

The first floor now had a performance stage for music and opera.

They even added fake miniature mountains and flowing water for charm.

The second and third floors had private rooms, each named with elegant titles.

After a tour, all three were very pleased.

Then Cheng Wanfeng suddenly asked, “Zhiyue, I heard people on the street saying your family’s selling off property. Are you short on money now? My brother’s saved up some over the years. It’s not much, but it should help in a pinch.”

As she spoke, she pulled out a stack of silver notes from her sleeve and handed them over.

Li Zhiyue opened her mouth to decline—but paused.

What the hell? Wasn’t the Cheng family supposed to be poor? Why was Cheng Wanfeng casually offering tens of thousands of taels in silver notes?

Each note was worth 1,000 taels, and there were around a dozen. With this much money, why were the siblings still living in a tiny farmhouse?

And if they were this wealthy, why was she looking for investors?

Why not just have the Chengs and the Bais start a business together?

“It’s my brother’s money,” Cheng Wanfeng explained. “He offered it himself. Zhiyue, just take it and pay it back when you get through this rough patch.”

Li Zhiyue hesitated but eventually accepted it.

It was nearly 20,000 taels. With some maneuvering, it could turn into 100,000. She’d pay the Cheng family back with interest—win-win for everyone.

As the three chatted, a figure suddenly entered the room.

“Miss Cheng, Lord Cheng asked me to deliver something.” It was Zhao Shaoqing. Seeing others present, he quickly saluted. “Miss Li, and this young lady is…?”

“I’m Bai,” said Bai Tang with a nod.

After exchanging greetings, Zhao Shaoqing handed an envelope to Cheng Wanfeng. “Lord Cheng has been collecting debts since early this morning. It’s all in here.”

Cheng Wanfeng was stunned.

Her brother always seemed aloof, but she knew he was soft-hearted and couldn’t bear to see others suffer.

When he first started studying, he used family funds to help poor scholars. Later, as an official, he often used his own money to help destitute people with funeral costs or housing…

Most of their family wealth had gone toward these good deeds.

And a lot had been loaned out too.

If any colleague asked, her brother would lend money—never asking for repayment, resulting in a pile of IOUs at home.

She never imagined that her cold-faced brother would one day personally go collect debts.

It was so unlike him.

“Thank you, Lord Zhao.”

After thanking him, she personally walked Zhao Shaoqing out.

Opening the envelope, she found eight silver notes totaling 8,000 taels.

“My brother… unbelievable,” Cheng Wanfeng shook her head. “He lent out so much money behind my back. If it weren’t for you needing it, he probably never would’ve asked for repayment. Take it.”

Li Zhiyue was shocked.

The Cheng family’s financial reserves didn’t resemble a poor household’s at all. Who lends out nearly 30,000 taels just like that?

Still surprised, she accepted the money.

They were from the same region, after all—no need to be too formal.

Previously, she had liquidated various assets, raising over 130,000 taels of silver. Now with the Cheng family’s 28,000, she had a total of 160,000 taels.

That amount, in cash, was a staggering sum even for the most powerful aristocratic families in the capital. And it wasn’t fixed assets—it was liquid.

Other than the royal family, no one else could pull that off.

Almost all the silk in the capital ended up in the hands of the Marquis of Xiangyang.

Li Zhiyue then had Li Qingsong send people to nearby major cities like Yuzhou and Jizhou.

Though they didn’t completely clean out the market, they bought enough to severely reduce the remaining supply.

She had just barely managed to form a monopoly.