Chapter 278 - Chapter 278: Chapter 274: Impersonation_1 (1/2)

Chapter 278: Chapter 274: Impersonation_1

Translator: 549690339

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.