Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 137

Chapter 137

 

By mid-October, Zhao Beidou’s carriage finally arrived at the captial.

 

It was his first time visiting. Previously, he had only learned about the captial from ancient poetry, such as, “On an eastern wind, a thousand blossoms bloom at night, as stars fall like rain. Gilded carriages and fragrant roads abound.”

 

Now seeing it with his own eyes, he couldn’t help but marvel: the ancients did not deceive him!

 

As a candidate for the imperial exam, he had official documents issued by the government, so after a quick inspection of his luggage, he was allowed entry into the city.

 

Entering from the east gate, his eyes were met with a wide street that seemed to stretch straight to the heavens. Various carriages moved along the road, and the streets were lined with shops filled with an array of goods. Everyone he saw was dressed in fine silks or clean cotton garments—hardly anyone wore hemp or coarse fabric. What a bustling and prosperous scene!

 

Lu Jia and Lu Bing were equally astonished. They had always thought they’d seen plenty of nobles back in Pingzhou, but arriving in the captial made them feel like country bumpkins visiting the city for the first time—everything was novel to them.

 

“Third Young Master, where should we go first?”

 

“Let’s find an inn to stay at.”

 

“Understood.” Lu Jia carefully guided the carriage along, wary of accidentally bumping into the noble passersby.

 

After asking for directions a few times, they learned that most inns were located in the western part of the city, so they headed westward.

 

After about half an hour, they reached the western district, which was filled with countless restaurants and shops. Not only that, but merchants were everywhere, and they even saw several foreigners with golden hair and blue eyes.

 

Zhao Beidou sat in the carriage, fascinated by the sights. By the time he snapped out of his daze, the carriage had stopped in front of an inn.

 

Lu Jia went inside to inquire about rooms. After a while, he came out and said, “The inns in the captial are ridiculously expensive!”

 

“How much?”

 

“The innkeeper said the top-tier rooms cost two taels of silver per day, while the second-tier rooms cost seven hundred wen per day. However, the second-tier rooms are small and can only accommodate two people.”

 

Hearing this, Zhao Beidou clicked his tongue in disbelief. “That expensive? Go check the prices at the neighboring inns.”

 

Lu Jia asked around at three or four more inns, but the prices were all similar. In the end, they settled on one that seemed clean and tidy.

 

Zhao Beidou recalled his sister-in-law’s advice to him: when traveling, he should live well and eat well, and not worry about the expense—money was meant to be spent.

 

“Let’s get a top-tier room. The three of us shouldn’t split up; it’d be too troublesome.”

 

“Understood.”

 

The top-tier room was indeed spacious despite its high price. It was divided into two sections: the inner room served as the master’s bedroom, while the outer section had a narrow couch for servants. Zhao Beidou could read quietly in the inner room, and Lu Jia and Lu Bing could rest outside without disturbing him.

 

Moreover, the price reflected the quality. The top-tier rooms in the inn were all well-maintained by dedicated staff, offered hot water throughout the day, and had guards to prevent strangers from intruding.

 

After settling in, the three went to a nearby restaurant for a meal.

 

Zhao Beidou, having grown accustomed to the fine cuisine at his family’s restaurant, found the captial’s dishes mediocre. The flavors were one-dimensional, and the cooking methods were uninspired. A dish of steamed pork, half a roasted chicken, a cold appetizer, and three portions of staple food cost a staggering one tael and eight qian of silver. Outrageous!

 

After their meal, the three returned to the inn to bathe and change clothes. Zhao Beidou then planned to visit the Lin family to pay respects to Old Master Lin.

 

Following the address Lin Zijian had given him earlier, Lu Jia drove the carriage to the destination.

 

The Lin family lived on Mawang Street. After traveling down the street to nearly its end, Zhao Beidou saw a small gate with a plaque that read “Lin Residence.”

 

Previously, Lin Jingxian had served as a fourth-ranked civil official with a modest salary. Even after Lin’s father joined the Ministry of Rites—a department known for its integrity and modesty—the Lin family could only afford a small two-section courtyard.

 

This was already considered quite good. Real estate in the captial was exorbitantly priced, with a two-section courtyard costing over ten thousand taels of silver. Many officials couldn’t afford a home in the captial and opted to live in the suburbs, waking up as early as 3 a.m. to commute to their offices.

 

Zhao Beidou alighted from the carriage and knocked on the gate. After a moment, a servant opened a small door and asked, “Who are you looking for?”

 

“I am Zhao Beidou, a fellow classmate of Lin Zijian. I’ve come to pay a visit.”

 

“Please wait a moment.” The servant went inside to deliver the message. Within the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the sound of hurried footsteps came from the courtyard.

 

“Beidou, Beidou, you’re finally here!”

 

Lin Zijian ran out of the house wearing a thin layer of clothing.

 

Seeing this, Zhao Beidou quickly handed him his cloak. “It’s so cold, and you didn’t put on more layers.”

 

“Ah, having a friend visit from afar, isn’t that a joy?”

 

The two clasped hands and laughed heartily as they made their way to Old Master Lin’s room.

 

Lin Jingxian was writing at his desk. Upon hearing that Zhao Beidou had arrived, he tidied up his work and came out to greet him.

 

“Grandfather Lin!”

 

After six or seven years apart, the two nearly failed to recognize each other. Lin Jingxian scrutinized Zhao Beidou for a long moment before exclaiming in surprise, “I almost thought it was your elder brother who came. You brothers really look more and more alike!”

 

Zhao Beidou scratched his head and laughed. “I’m not as tall as my elder brother yet.”

 

“You better stop growing, or you’ll hit your head on door frames,” Lin Zijian teased, gesturing to compare their heights. Zhao Beidou seemed to have grown taller again.

 

“Zijian, bring a chair over. You must be tired from the journey. When did you arrive?”

 

Zhao Beidou took the chair from Zijian’s hands and sat down. “Not too bad. The journey took about ten days, and we arrived this morning.”

 

“I heard you ranked first in the provincial exams—excellent work!”

 

Zhao Beidou responded modestly, “It was just good luck. Zijian’s paper was just as good as mine, but perhaps it didn’t align with the examiners’ preferences, so he didn’t place first.”

 

Lin Jingxian stroked his beard and sighed, “Luck is a form of skill too! Watching you two grow from young boys to successful examinees fills me with immense gratitude.”

 

After a few pleasantries, Zhao Beidou had Lu Jia bring in the gifts his sister-in-law had prepared.

 

There were six boxes in total. One contained a pair of 300-year-old ginseng roots, worth five to six hundred taels of silver. Another box held a landscape painting by Zhao Fangyan from the previous dynasty, equally valuable. The third box contained a pair of fine glass goblets, which Lu Yao had purchased from a Western merchant during a clearance sale—practical yet elegant gifts.

 

The remaining boxes were filled with writing supplies. Altogether, the gifts were worth over a thousand taels of silver.

 

Lin Jingxian asked, “How are your sister-in-law and elder brother doing?”

 

“They’re well, just very busy. They’ll come to visit later.”

 

“Good. I’ll catch up with them then.”

 

After chatting for a while, Old Master Lin seemed to grow tired. The two bid him farewell and went to Lin Zijian’s room.

 

“I’ve been waiting for you for over a month. Lu Yuan and the others arrived long ago. Why did it take you so long to get here?” Lu Yuan had also passed the provincial exams, ranking fifteenth. Although the ranking wasn’t high, passing was an enormous achievement in itself.

 

Zhao Beidou explained, “I went with my elder brother to Qingzhou. I came straight to the captial after returning.”

 

“What were you doing in Qingzhou?”

 

“Looking for relatives. I told you before, my ancestral home is in Qingzhou. I had some time, so I went to visit.”

 

“Did you find your relatives?”

 

“Yes, I found them. I have a paternal uncle and a maternal uncle there.”

 

“That’s good. By the way, where are you staying in the captial?”

 

“At an inn in the western district.”

 

Hearing this, Lin Zijian quickly said, “You’ve come such a long way. How can you stay in an inn? Go cancel your room and stay with me.”

 

“There’s no need to trouble you. My elder brother and sister-in-law might arrive in a few days.”

 

“Are you looking down on my small home? Is that why you won’t stay with me?”

 

Zhao Beidou kicked him lightly. “Don’t talk nonsense.”

 

Lin Zijian chuckled. “Then why won’t you stay with me?”

 

“Your… your mother and your stepmother, how are they?”

 

At this, Lin Zijian’s cheerful expression dimmed. “Forget it. It’s better if you stay at the inn.”

 

“What happened?”

 

“Mother gave birth to another child recently, this time a baby girl. Father is still overjoyed and plans to hold a one-month banquet for her in a few days.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“When I passed the provincial exam, he didn’t say anything about holding a banquet.”

 

“I didn’t have one either, and I’m the top scorer.”

 

Lin Zijian couldn’t help but laugh. “True, why am I competing with a newborn? I’ve already talked to my mother. After the exams next year, if there’s an official position available, I’ll take her with me when I leave.”

 

“Did she agree?”

 

“Yes, my mother was very happy. She’s been ignoring everyone else these days.”

 

“That’s good. You’ll definitely face all kinds of challenges in the future, but I hope you can stay true to your principles.”

 

Lin Zijian nodded. “Grandfather said the same thing. Don’t worry, Beidou. Do you still remember the vow we made back in Qiushui Town?”

 

“To establish a mission for the people, to uphold the heart of the heavens and earth, to carry forward the wisdom of the sages, and to bring peace to all generations!”

 

The two clasped hands, each seeing a spark of determination in the other’s eyes.

 

—

 

Zhao Beidou didn’t stay at Lin’s residence, but Lin Zijian came to the inn every day to find him.

 

After showing him around the captial for three days, they began to focus intensely on their studies.

 

With Lin Jingxian’s connections, Zhao Beidou first visited the Imperial Academy. There, he encountered many renowned figures and countless great scholars from noble families. Each of them was an authoritative figure in their respective fields, and their lectures left a profound impression.

 

He felt like a sponge thrown into the sea, soaking up knowledge tirelessly, wishing he had more eyes and ears to attend every scholar’s lecture.

 

At the Imperial Academy, he also ran into Lu Yuan. Now a pupil of the esteemed Qiu scholar, Lu Yuan was staying at the Qiu family residence.

 

The three of them had a warm reunion and shared a meal together. Lu Yuan’s mentor treated him well, providing not only food but also writing materials, which deeply moved him.

 

During this time, some people attempted to make connections with Zhao Beidou by sending him invitations, but he declined them all, using his exam preparations as an excuse.

 

He understood the complexity of court politics and avoided entangling himself in any factional disputes before he was ready.

 

On November 20th, Ma Kuan arrived with several attendants.

 

After inquiring at the Lin residence and learning Zhao Beidou’s whereabouts, he went to the inn.

 

In the morning, Zhao Beidou was attending classes at the Imperial Academy. He returned to the inn only after lunch, as the meals there were affordable—four dishes and a soup with unlimited staple food, all for just eighty wen. It was far better than the overpriced meals outside, which cost several taels of silver!

 

Not only did he eat there himself, but he also bought two portions in a food container for Lu Jia and Lu Bing. They could reheat the leftovers for dinner, saving time and money.

 

Other scholars noticed and started doing the same, with some even buying meals for their entire families. This led to a temporary shortage at the Academy’s dining hall, and latecomers couldn’t get any food.

 

Eventually, the administration had to prohibit scholars from taking food out, which resolved the dining crisis.

 

Lu Jia and Lu Bing lamented regretfully, “We’ll never get to enjoy such good and affordable food again.”

 

Back to the story, Zhao Beidou returned from the Imperial Academy to find Ma Kuan waiting in the front hall. “Brother Kuan!”

 

Hearing his voice, Ma Kuan stood up and said, “Beidou, you’re back.”

 

Zhao Beidou rushed over in delight. “Why are you here? Did Big Brother and Sister-in-law come too?”

 

“The distillery has some urgent matters, so they couldn’t come. They asked me to come ahead and help you arrange your accommodations.”

 

Zhao Beidou felt a bit disappointed but quickly adjusted his mood. “Is there trouble at the distillery?”

 

“Nothing serious. With the border war, your sister-in-law plans to send an additional three thousand jin of alcohol to the border this year.”

 

“I heard about that. Recently, the Imperial Academy has been discussing the war. It’s said that the Khitan king personally led his troops south.” Zhao Beidou’s expression showed concern. “I wonder how things are going at the border.”

 

“There’s no definitive news yet, but Pingzhou City remains calm. Don’t worry.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Ma Kuan glanced around the inn and asked, “How are you finding this place?”

 

“It’s fine, just too expensive—two taels of silver a day.” Zhao Beidou made a pained expression.

 

“It’s not easy living in the captial. Stay here for a few more days. Once I’ve arranged the house, we’ll move out.”

 

“Okay!”

 

—

 

“His pulse is smooth and strong, and the fetus is very stable.”

 

Lu Yao withdrew his hand, his cheeks slightly flushed. Even though he was over three months pregnant, he still felt a bit shy hearing such remarks from the doctor.

 

Leaving the clinic, Zhao Beichuan carried a large bundle of supplements and placed them in the carriage.

 

The medicine proved effective. After more than a month, Lu Yao’s complexion had become rosy, and his cheeks were fuller.

 

Instead of taking Changrong Street, the carriage turned onto Changshui Street, as Lu Yao intended to share his pregnancy news with his mother.

 

As the carriage passed the Lu family’s restaurant, Zhao Beichuan stopped. Lu Yun was cleaning dishes since it was the lull after the lunch rush.

 

Seeing the carriage at the door, he hurried out to greet them. “Third Brother-in-law, why are you here? Where’s Third Brother?”

 

Lu Yao opened the carriage door and said, “He’s here. We’re going to Mother’s house first. Come over later when you’re done.”

 

“Alright!”

 

At the Lu family residence, Zhao Beichuan knocked on the door. Shortly after, Lu’s mother came out. Seeing her son-in-law, she beamed, “Da Chuan, you’re here.”

 

“Mother.”

 

“Come in.” She opened the gate wide, and Zhao Beichuan drove the carriage into the courtyard. Once it was parked, he carefully helped Lu Yao down.

 

Seeing her son’s cautious movements, the old lady scolded jokingly, “Stop bullying Da Chuan! You’re grown now, and you can’t even get off a carriage?”

 

“Ow, Mother, be gentle. I have good news to tell you inside.”

 

“What’s the good news?” the old lady asked as she followed them inside.

 

On the kang bed, Taozi and little Dandan were playing. Seeing visitors, they greeted them cheerfully, calling them Third Uncle.

 

Dandan was still slightly tongue-tied, calling out, “San Dou,” as he reached out for a hug with his short arms.

 

Zhao Beichuan quickly stopped him and hoisted him onto his shoulder. “Your Third Uncle can’t carry you now.”

 

The old lady looked puzzled. “Why not?”

 

“Mother, I’m pregnant.”