Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 129

Chapter 129

Time was short, and there were only two days to prepare.

Lu Yao went back and started packing clothes. The weather had been getting cooler lately, and by the time they returned, it would be mid-October, so they had to bring winter clothes.

Each person packed four sets of clothing, both thick and thin, along with spare undergarments. Shoes, socks, belts, hairpins, and hats were also included—enough to fill two large bundles.

On Xiaodou’s side, in addition to clothes, he also brought brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, as well as several books. After everything was packed, Lu Yao prepared food for their journey.

Although the escort agency would stop at relay stations along the way, there might still be times when they had to eat in the open.

Lu Yao packed a large piece of freshly smoked ham for them, along with some salted fish and dried vegetables. Since Zhao Beichuan could cook, Lu Yao wasn’t too worried about food preparation.

Xiaodou also wanted to bring instant noodles, so Lu Yao asked the maid at home to help. The two of them spent an entire afternoon frying instant noodle cakes and packed a whole half-bag full—enough to last more than ten days.

In addition to food, Lu Yao prepared some medicine. He worried that they might fall ill with headaches or fevers and find it inconvenient to buy medicine on the road. So, he went to the pharmacy and bought several remedies for colds, diarrhea, and coughs. He made them into honey pills and wrapped them in oil paper, making them easier to take while traveling.

As their departure drew near, Lu Yao couldn’t bear to part with them. On the night before leaving, he held Zhao Beichuan by the waist, buried his face in his chest, and struggled to hold back his tears.

Zhao Beichuan felt the same. The two had been married for so many years, and except for the time when Zhao Beichuan had to leave for over a month to perform labor service, they had rarely been apart.

“Take care of yourself while I’m gone, and don’t overwork yourself.”

“Okay.” Lu Yao replied softly.

“Don’t worry about Xiaonian and Xiaochun’s marriages. We can finalize them after I return.”

“Alright.”

Zhao Beichuan gave him instructions about the household matters, and Lu Yao listened carefully. They talked until they heard the rooster crow outside. Only then did Lu Yao urge him to get some rest since they had to leave early in the morning.

After just over two hours of sleep, Zhao Beichuan got up.

Lu Yao also woke up and quickly took out the money he had prepared in advance. “Here’s two hundred taels of silver and fifty taels of gold. I also packed some loose silver and copper coins. Don’t hesitate to spend money if you need to.”

“Got it,” Zhao Beichuan said as he carefully stored the money.

“If you can find my uncle’s family when you reach Qingzhou, try to help them out. After all, we don’t have many relatives left.”

“I understand.” Zhao Beichuan squeezed Lu Yao’s hand gently.

In the courtyard, the servants had already fed and harnessed the horses to the family’s large carriage. This carriage was the one Lu Yao had bought earlier at the West Market. It was spacious enough that he and Xiaodou could stretch out their legs while sleeping inside.

They brought two horses in total, allowing them to alternate and avoid overworking them. Dahua, the horse they didn’t bring when they moved, had been left with Lu Yao’s second brother’s family.

Once everything was packed, Zhao Beidou got into the carriage first. Zhao Beichuan took the reins from the servant, led the carriage out the gate, looked back one last time at the people behind him, smiled, waved, and then jumped onto the carriage and gradually rode away.

Xiaonian, Xiaochun, and Lu Yao stood there to see them off. Even after the carriage disappeared from view, Xiaochun was still waving his heavily wrapped hand like a dumpling. “Big Brother, have a safe trip!”

Lu Yao smiled at the sight, feeling slightly less anxious. “How’s your hand?”

“Much better,” Xiaochun said, trying to unwrap the cloth to show him.

“Don’t take it off; you’ll just have to wrap it again later.”

Xiaonian, standing nearby, laughed and said, “Sister-in-law, you don’t know this, but the girl from our neighborhood really cares about Second Brother. She came to visit him yesterday and even brought a lot of food!”

Xiaochun’s face turned red. “Don’t talk nonsense! We’re not married yet, and you shouldn’t ruin her reputation.”

Lu Yao reached out and tapped Xiaonian’s head. “You’re one to talk. Your brother Kuan should be back tomorrow.”

“Really?!”

“If you count the days, it should be about time.”

“That’s great!” Xiaonian’s smile lit up his whole face.

Lu Yao was also happy about Ma Kuan’s return because it meant he could finally stop managing everything and focus on finding a house and preparing Xiaonian’s dowry.

As expected, Ma Kuan returned the next afternoon, bringing two carts of distiller’s yeast from Zhongzhou. Not only that, but he also brought big news.

The Feng family, a major liquor merchant from Suzhou, wanted to partner with them to sell Lu Wine in the south.

Lu Yao had struggled to break into the southern market before. First, southern merchants tended to form tight-knit groups and were highly resistant to outsiders disrupting their internal markets. Second, Lu Wine was very strong, and people in the south, who were used to lighter alcohol, might not accept it.

However, as time passed, good products would always find their way through.

Many southern traders had been smuggling Lu Wine from Zhongzhou and reselling it in the south. They diluted the strong wine to create lighter versions, which they sold at very high prices.

Some small merchants had made fortunes in just a few years by reselling Lu Wine.

Driven by profit, even the most resistant wine merchants had to start considering accepting Lu Wine.

But these merchants didn’t take Lu Yao seriously. They only sent a few low-level representatives to negotiate, offering extremely low prices, as if selling their wine to the Feng family was an honor.

Ma Kuan, however, was no fool. He wasn’t angered by their ridiculous offer. Instead, he pretended to be troubled and said, “Ah, I’m really sorry. Our distillery is just a small workshop with low production. We already supply eight northern provinces, so we might not have enough to spare.”

The other party said, “The southern market is much larger than the north. Plus, shipping to Suzhou and Jinling uses water routes, which reduces transportation costs. You should prioritize supplying us.”

“That may be true, but doing business requires integrity. We’ve already promised to supply the north, so we can’t go back on our word.”

“Then how much can you allocate to us at the very least?”

Ma Kuan didn’t answer, only smiling. The representative looked frustrated. He had confidently assured his boss that he could secure the deal, but now it seemed difficult.

They stayed in Zhongzhou for just three days before leaving. Ma Kuan wasn’t worried—he knew they would come back sooner or later. So this time, he returned to discuss expanding the Zhongzhou distillery with Lu Yao.

Lu Yao pondered, “We can expand, but we must control the prices ourselves. Also, when hiring workers, we need to be extra cautious and protect our recipes at all costs.”

“Understood.”

After discussing business, Lu Yao brought up a personal matter.

“If we expand the Zhongzhou distillery, you might need to stay there permanently.”

Ma Kuan’s face dimmed slightly. “I understand.”

“Are you planning to buy a house there or in Pingzhou?”

Ma Kuan’s eyes lit up with joy. “Either—both work!”

Lu Yao teased, “Both? Do you expect me to buy you two houses?”

“I’ll buy it myself!” Ma Kuan had saved a lot. Over the years, Lu Yao paid him well and even gave him a 10% share in the distillery’s profits. Last year alone, he earned nearly 6,000 taels in dividends.

Lu Yao laughed. “You handle Zhongzhou, and I’ll get one in Pingzhou for you two. That way, you’ll have a place when you visit.”

Ma Kuan nodded excitedly.

Lu Yao set aside his account book. “Your big brother won’t be back from Qingzhou anytime soon, so I’m planning your wedding for next June.”

“I’ll leave it to you.”

Xiaochun’s wedding was earlier, in February. The groom, Zhang Jia, was already twenty-one and couldn’t wait any longer.

Zhang Qiulan seemed very fond of Xiaochun, even visiting him secretly several times. Although Lu Yao hadn’t caught them, Xiaochun’s demeanor made it obvious.

That day, Lu Yao had plans to check out houses with Zhang Yu, so he let Ma Kuan rest after his tiring journey.

When Ma Kuan stepped outside, he saw Xiaonian waiting nearby.

“Kuan Ge!”

“Hey.” Ma Kuan quickly walked toward her and took out a cloth pouch from his chest. Inside was a pair of red jade bead earrings. These were called Southern Red Agate in later times, very rare and extremely expensive. He had searched for a long time before finding someone to help him purchase them.

“Wow, they’re so beautiful!” Xiaonian held them in her palms, unable to put them down.

“Why don’t you try them on?”

Xiaonian reached up, took off the pair of bright moon earrings she was wearing, and replaced them with the red jade earrings. The bright red jade complemented her face, making her look as delicate as a peach blossom. Ma Kuan’s heart pounded like a drum as he watched her.

“I’ve seen others wear earrings like these before, and I thought they would definitely look good on you. Now that I see it, it’s even more true than I imagined.”

Xiaonian was so flattered by his praise that her earlobes turned red, almost as if they were about to drip blood. “Brother Kuan, you should go rest now. Xiaolan has been talking about you for days.”

“Alright.”

“This house is in a good location, spacious enough, and the price is cheap. If you buy it and renovate it properly, it will definitely be worth it,” the seller rambled on enthusiastically as he walked ahead.

Lu Yao and Zhang Yu followed behind, carefully inspecting the courtyard. The house had two sections, which was enough for a young couple to live in.

Although it was located on Changrong Street, it was a bit far from their family home—about a fifteen-minute walk.

“What do you two think?”

Lu Yao asked, “Who used to live in this house?”

“It was built by Mister Shi for his mistress. A few years ago, the mistress was brought into his main residence, so he sold this house to me. Originally, I prepared it as a wedding house for my second son, but he was sent to Jizhou for a long-term posting, so this courtyard has been left unused.”

Lu Yao nodded. “Can the price of three thousand taels be negotiated?”

“Oh, Manager Lu, this price really isn’t high. You can ask around—there’s definitely no house this cheap in the area.”

Lu Yao smiled. “The house is decent, but it’s old and will need a lot of renovations, which will cost another large sum. It might be better to spend more and buy a new one.”

Zhang Yu agreed, nodding. The marriage arrangements were urgent. Qiulan’s dowry had already been prepared, but Xiaochun still didn’t have a house.

Initially, Zhang Qiulan thought about holding the wedding in the house she had already bought. However, Zhang Yu felt it was inappropriate. Since it was a wedding, it should be done properly. If they got married at Zhang’s house, it would look like Lu Yao was marrying into the family, which he would definitely not agree to.

After some thought, Zhang Qiulan gave up on the idea. She didn’t want to make things difficult for anyone.

Over the past few days, she had been going to the Lu family’s restaurant to visit her little husband.

That young man was so adorable. Every time they met, his cheeks flushed red with shyness, and his clear eyes looked up at her like a puppy, unable to hide his admiration. She couldn’t resist reaching out to ruffle Xiaochun’s hair.

Back to the topic—this house wasn’t too expensive at three thousand taels, but there wasn’t much special about it. Lu Yao wasn’t very satisfied.

The landlord hesitated and said, “The lowest I can go is two thousand eight hundred taels. Any lower, and I really can’t sell it.”

Lu Yao shook his head. “It’s not about the two hundred taels. It’s just that the hassle of renovating isn’t worth it. Let’s look at some other houses.”

The two left the courtyard and took a carriage to another house.

This one was also not very close to their home, but it was bigger than the previous one. It had three sections and a total of fifteen rooms. The asking price was three thousand eight hundred taels—one thousand taels more than the first house.

However, this courtyard was relatively new. The main gate was freshly painted, the courtyard was paved with neat stone slabs, and the screen wall was carved from a single piece of granite, giving it a solid and dignified look.

The main building’s materials were also of high quality. The doors and windows were made of pine wood, which is highly durable and resistant to water damage, lasting for over a hundred years without rotting.

The rooms were empty. The east room could fit a bed, and the west room had a heated brick bed. It seemed the previous owner, like Lu Yao, feared the cold and preferred sleeping on a heated bed in winter.

The east and west side rooms were also empty, indicating they hadn’t been used yet.

After touring the house, both Lu Yao and Zhang Yu were very satisfied.

The negotiations were handled by the steward of the household. The lowest price he offered was three thousand five hundred taels—no less.

After thinking it over, Lu Yao decided, “Please contact your master and arrange a time to complete the deed transfer at the government office.”

Since this house was meant for Xiaochun’s wedding, they brought him along on the day of the transfer and directly registered the property in his name.

Holding the thin deed in his hands, Xiaochun was overwhelmed with emotions. How could he, of all people, be so fortunate to have such a generous brother and sister-in-law? A house this big would take him several lifetimes to afford on his own.

Seeing him crying uncontrollably, Lu Yao patted his shoulder and said, “Silly boy, what’s there to cry about? You’re my little brother. As your sister-in-law, of course, I’ll make sure you’re all settled.”

“Th-thank you, Sister-in-law… Wuwuwu…”

“Hurry up and wipe your tears, or people will laugh at you.”

Sniffling, Xiaochun thought to himself that they could laugh all they wanted—there was no way he could hold back his tears today.

After buying the house, they had to start renovations and purchase furniture. Lu Yao simply let Xiaochun handle it himself since he’d be the one living there and could oversee any changes needed.

By the end of August, Zhao Beichuan and the others had been gone for more than half a month.

During these days, Lu Yao had been busy and didn’t think about him too much. However, on the rare occasions when he got up in the middle of the night, he would call for someone to light the lamp, but when no one responded, he would remember that Zhao Beichuan was not at home.

He felt a bit of disappointment but wasn’t too upset because he knew Zhao Beichuan’s return date and was confident that this trip would not be dangerous.

On the road to Qingzhou, Zhao Beichuan was napping in the carriage. The coachman was from the escort agency. Originally, Zhao Beichuan had planned to drive the carriage himself, but Qu Tian had already arranged everything, so he took the opportunity to relax and laze about in the carriage with his younger brother.

Grandmother Zhao wasn’t sitting with them. There was another carriage carrying servants at the back, and it also contained a maid from the master’s family. Grandmother Zhao sat with her, and they chatted as they went.

The carriage rolled along the official road, occasionally bumping. Zhao Beichuan opened his eyes slightly, saw that there was nothing to worry about, and went back to napping.

Xiao Douzi, however, was full of energy, constantly looking out the window and occasionally picking up his brush to compose a poem, reading it aloud to his older brother.

Zhao Beichuan couldn’t understand it at all. It was like playing the piano to a cow, but at least the cow had a good temper. Zhao Beichuan not only couldn’t understand it but also got annoyed, reaching out to slap him a few times, telling him to stop reading those annoying poems.

Xiao Douzi felt wronged but dared not resist under the pressure of Zhao Beichuan’s forceful reprimand. He could only write the poems down on paper and plan to show them to Zijiang when they returned. The saying “reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles” applied here, as this journey was also a way to broaden his horizons.

The distance from Pingzhou to Qingzhou was nearly two thousand miles. Normally, it would take over twenty days to travel, but there were many mountain roads along the way, and the carriage was difficult to maneuver, so it took almost a month to reach Qingzhou City.

Similar to Pingzhou, Qingzhou was also a historically rich ancient city, dating back over seven hundred years, originally called Qingjun. Because it was located in the east, and in the five elements, the east corresponds to wood, and wood is green, the city was named Qingzhou.

Upon entering the city, the carriage had to be checked for a travel permit, but the escort agency had already prepared it, so Zhao Beichuan and the others did not need to make any extra arrangements.

Once they arrived, the head of the escort agency, Zheng Lian, found Zhao Beichuan and said, “Zhao Boss, none of our people have been to Jiuyuan County, so we won’t be able to guide you further. From now on, it will be up to you to find your way.”

Zhao Beichuan nodded in understanding. “Thank you for your hard work on this trip.”

Zheng Lian cupped his hands and said, “There is a carriage rental business in the city. You might be able to inquire about the road to Jiuyuan County there. We will stay in Qingzhou for ten days to rest. If you haven’t returned by then, we may need to leave first.”

“Thank you!” Zhao Beichuan knew that this was something Qu Tian had specifically instructed, otherwise, the escort agency would not have stayed idle for so long.

Zhao Beichuan then called for Grandmother Zhao to ask if she remembered the direction to Jiuyuan County.

Grandmother Zhao thought for a moment and shook her head. “We walked along the mountain roads back then, so we didn’t know where we were.”

Following Zheng Lian’s advice, Zhao Beichuan found a carriage rental shop and indeed managed to gather information about the direction to Jiuyuan County. He also hired an old driver who frequently traveled to Jiuyuan County to drive the carriage and accompany them on their journey.