This time, the event at Ming's Restaurant not only drew students from the Imperial College and many officials, but it also surprisingly attracted a large number of scholars, both with and without academic honors.
The fact that one could read books for free at Ming's Restaurant was no secret in Huaided Fang. A few scholars had already been coming to the restaurant to read. After they realized they wouldn't be chased away by the shopkeeper or the waiters, word gradually spread.
Now, even outside of mealtimes, Ming's Restaurant was always bustling with people.
Ming Lingyi even joked that her shop didn't need guarding, since they had so much "free labor."
Most of these scholars came from poor families and were very well-mannered. They were only there to read, so whenever mealtimes approached, they would leave on their own, making sure to straighten the tables and chairs so as not to interfere with business.
