Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 35

When Lu Yao woke up, he found that he was already dressed and lying on the kang in the east room.

 

Zhao Beichuan and the two children were not there. He quickly got up and called out, “Beichuan?”

 

Xiao Nian and Xiao Dou ran over and said, “Sister-in-law, you’re awake! Big Brother went to chop firewood on the mountain. He said you were tired and told us not to disturb you.”

 

Lu Yao couldn’t help but blush at the thought of last night. Although they didn’t go all the way, they had done everything else; they had touched and explored each other, and their relationship had progressed very quickly.

 

It had to be said that young people have great stamina. After messing around for half the night, he was up so early to chop firewood.

 

“Have you eaten?”

 

“We finished eating. We had half of the meat and rice left from yesterday. The rest is in the pot, warming up for you.”

 

“Go play.” Lu Yao stacked the quilt and got off the kang, feeling a bit sore and itchy at the base of his thighs, clearly from being rubbed raw. He couldn’t help but mutter a curse at Zhao Beichuan under his breath, feeling like a beast…

 

After eating, he took out the alum he bought yesterday, crushed it, and mixed it with salt to sprinkle into the wooden basin soaking the rabbit skins. They would be tanned once they returned from selling the tofu.

 

Lin Daman came in to move the tofu and greeted Lu Yao when he saw he was awake. “Zhao Dongjia sent the wooden cart back and told us to drive the mule cart to sell tofu.”

 

Lu Yao asked, “Can you drive a mule cart?”

 

“I’ve driven it a couple of times; it should be fine.”

 

“Then let’s take the cart to sell tofu today.”

 

Lu Yao placed the scales and the hemp bags for the beans on the cart, along with the pig legs he had cut up last night, to take back to his family when they went to Lu’s village.

 

Lin Daman was still a bit unskilled at driving the mule cart; when they went out, the cart’s yoke almost hit the door frame, causing him to break out in a cold sweat. “I haven’t driven in a long time, so I’m a bit rusty.”

 

“It’s fine; just practice more. Otherwise, when the weather gets cold, it won’t be easy for us to push the cart over the mountains.”

 

Lu Yao sat on the cart, responsible for calling out to sell tofu, while Lin Daman led the mule in front. It wasn’t long before they encountered a few buyers.

 

“Hey, the tofu seller has switched to a mule cart! You must be making quite a profit!” said an old man with missing teeth, who often came to buy tofu.

 

Lu Yao smiled and replied, “Not much profit, it’s all hard-earned money.”

 

“This mule must not have been cheap. Just look at that big frame; from a distance, it looks like a horse!”

 

“Over six taels of silver, I nearly emptied my savings.”

 

The old man said, “You young folks are so bold! If I had six taels, I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to buy a mule.”

 

Lu Yao didn’t say anything more as he finished scooping tofu for him. Lin Daman continued walking with the mule towards the village. Once they arrived, he tied the mule under a tree, and Lu Yao shouted a couple of times. People began to come over to buy tofu as they heard him.

 

Many people, seeing the mule cart, made sour comments. Lu Yao knew they were envious, but he couldn’t let their jealousy stop him from selling.

 

Today, they sold less tofu, only managing to sell three-quarters of a block. Lu Yao planned to take the rest to Lu’s village to sell.

 

As Lin Daman was about to lead the mule away, a tall, thin woman approached from a distance. This woman was surnamed Yang and lived next door to Old Lady Song.

 

“Sister Yang, are you here to buy tofu?”

 

The woman waved her hand and said mysteriously, “Did you know that Song Changshun brought back the widower Song yesterday?”

 

“What?!” Lin Daman exclaimed in surprise.

 

Lu Yao was also incredulous, thinking how could they have taken him back after all that had happened between them?

 

Sister Yang said, “They snuck him back in the middle of the night. I happened to see when I went to the bathroom. The widower was in bad shape, looking so thin he was just skin and bones. Tsk, tsk…”

 

After chatting for a bit, Lin Daman led the mule outside the village, and as they passed by Song’s house, he couldn’t help but glance inside.

 

Lu Yao comforted him, saying, “That kind of person isn’t worth your sadness.”

 

“I’m not really sad, but don’t laugh at me. Just thinking about him makes me feel sick, like I’ve eaten something awful. After living with him for so many years, it just feels unsettling.”

 

“Now that those two are together, it might even be a good thing. One’s stupid and the other’s cruel. Just wait and see, it won’t end well for them.”

 

“Mother, you… you should eat.” Song Ping set a bowl of corn porridge by the kang.

 

The widower Song grinned, showing a smile he thought was gentle, which frightened Song Ping so much that she screamed and ran away.

 

His appearance was truly terrifying. After more than a month in the temple, where he only had a bowl of watery porridge that barely reflected his shadow, he had become so thin that his cheeks were sunken and he was nothing but a skeleton.

 

When he first arrived at the temple, he had tried to resist, but after being beaten a few times and going hungry for two or three days, he became obedient.

 

Doing heavy work every day and still not getting enough to eat, he occasionally suffered bullying from the women and men inside. In just a month, he was worn down both physically and mentally. If it weren’t for the hatred he felt, he might have already died in there.

 

He hated Old Lady Song for her cruelty in sending him to such a place to suffer, hated Song Changshun for being heartless and revealing everything that day, and hated Lin Daman for bringing people to catch him cheating. If it weren’t for all that, he wouldn’t have had to endure this suffering!

 

Inside, he swore a bitter oath that if he got out, no one would have a good life!

 

“Cough, cough, cough…” He had eaten too quickly, and the corn stuck in his throat, causing him to cough violently.

 

Outside, Old Lady Song and Song Changshun exchanged worried glances as they heard him coughing.

 

A place like the temple isn’t one where you can just send someone in and take them out at will. It didn’t cost anything to send someone in, but it took a full five taels to redeem them!

 

That money was supposed to be for Song Changfu’s life savings, which should have been saved for his grandson, but now half of it was wasted on the widower.

 

Old Lady Song said, “I told you not to go get him, but you insisted I let you bring him back. Just look at him now; he doesn’t have much longer to live. If he dies, we’ll have to pay for a coffin!”

 

“I had no idea he would end up like this…” Originally, the widower was just average-looking, but now he was so thin he looked like a ghost. Song Changshun didn’t even feel like touching him.

 

“You brought him back, you take care of him. Don’t expect me to look after him!” Old Lady Song said and walked away, leaving Song Changshun to turn in circles at the door, mustering the courage to push it open.

 

“Sister…”

 

The widower Song hid the hatred in his eyes, slowly raising his head with tears welling up, “What do you want from me?” His weak demeanor had a hint of his former self.

 

Song Changshun’s heart softened as he stepped forward and held his hand, “That day it was my fault; I let you suffer.”

 

The widower Song shook his head, tears in his eyes, “It was my fault; I shouldn’t have been with you in the first place. I heard you divorced Daman, and it’s all my fault…”

 

“It’s not your fault. Even without you, I couldn’t have tolerated his temper. He didn’t have a shred of a brother’s demeanor; even if he was ugly, he would hit people at the slightest provocation. It would be a mercy for him if I hadn’t divorced him!”

 

“Alas, it’s ultimately my fault that you lost your home.”

 

“Enough of that. You should take care of your health. In the future… in the future, let’s live together and raise Song Ping to adulthood.”

 

Meanwhile, Lu Yao and Lin Daman drove the cart to Lu’s village. Having the mule cart made it faster; a journey that usually took half an hour was completed in just a quarter of that time today.

 

Lu Yao told Lin Daman to sell the tofu by himself while she carried the pig leg toward her family’s home.

 

She knocked on the big door, and soon Lu Yun came out. When he saw Lu Yao, he slowly opened the door.

 

“Where’s our mother? Is it just you at home?”

 

“Father and Second Brother went out to help; Mother went visiting, and Sister-in-law and Lu Miao are at home.”

 

Carrying the pork was tiring for Lu Yao, “Go find Mother and tell her I brought back some pork.”

 

Lu Yun was taken aback but quickly ran out, and before long, he brought Old Lady Lu back with him.

 

“How did you bring back so much meat?!” Old Lady Lu was shocked to see the pig leg in the kitchen, which weighed at least ten pounds.

 

“Da Chuan hunted a wild boar the day before yesterday. He sold half of it in town yesterday, and since we can’t eat all the rest, I brought it to you.”

 

“We might as well have sold it together. How much money is this worth?” The old lady grimaced, knowing pork was fifty wen a pound; ten pounds could sell for five hundred wen!

 

“Quickly take it back to sell; we’re not wealthy. How can we eat such a big piece of meat?”

 

Standing beside them, Lu Yun was drooling at the sight of the pork but was too intimidated by Lu Yao’s past domineering behavior to advise his mother.

 

“Now that it’s here, there’s no reason to take it back. Let’s share some with the younger brothers; if there’s too much, let Sister-in-law cut a piece to take back to our mother.”

 

Old Lady Lu’s expression softened as she patted Lu Yao on the arm, “You’ve really grown up since you got married. You’re no longer the disorganized person you used to be.”

 

Lu Yao smiled sheepishly, “By the way, I bought a mule cart with Da Chuan. From now on, you can just have Second Brother go pick it up for family use.”

 

“Oh, when did you buy it?”

 

“I bought the mule more than ten days ago, and the wooden cart was just finished yesterday. It’s parked at the village entrance, and Daman is selling tofu with it now.”

 

Old Lady Lu held his hand, sighing, “You used to be so reluctant to even cook a meal. Now you’re doing this hard tofu business. Take care of yourself; don’t wear yourself out. Having a baby is important; you and Da Chuan have been married for over two months now, and there hasn’t been any news!”

 

Lu Yao felt her face flush as she recalled last night, “W-We’re not in a hurry to have children yet.”

 

“How can you not be in a hurry? Money can always be earned, but if you don’t have kids soon, it will be too late!”

 

No matter the era, the pressure to have children seems to have never faded. Lu Yao could only helplessly nod in agreement.

 

“I’ll go stew the meat. Your father and Lu Lin will be back soon. Stay and eat with us.”

 

Lu Yao waved her hand, “There’s still a lot of work to do at home. When things calm down, I’ll come back with Da Chuan.”

 

Old Lady Lu couldn’t keep her, so she and Lu Yun accompanied her to the door just as Lin Daman finished selling the tofu and came over to pick her up.

 

Lu Yao climbed onto the cart, “Hurry inside. Cook some more meat for the younger brothers. Don’t be stingy. Next time we hunt a wild boar, I’ll bring some for you again.”

 

Once they were far away, Lu Yun spoke up, “Third Brother has really changed.” In the past, Lu Yao was used to being selfish; he wouldn’t even share meat with them. Even if it went bad, it would rot in his own pot, and no one else could benefit from it.

 

Old Lady Lu sighed softly, knowing that after someone has died once, even the worst of them has to change for the better.

 

“Go call your sister-in-law over; I’ll cut her a piece of meat.”

 

Lu Yun quickly went to the east room to call her. Before long, Hu Chunrong came over with her son. Seeing that large piece of meat on the cutting board, which weighed at least ten pounds, she was stunned.

 

Lu Yun told her that Lu Yao had brought a big piece of meat home, and she couldn’t believe it. With Lu Yao’s personality, he would never share, and he actually was willing to give them meat? It was truly unexpected!

 

“Mother, did Third Brother just come by?”

 

“Yes, take this piece of meat to your in-laws later. We can’t eat it all at once; it’ll go bad.”

 

“This, this is too much.”

 

“Your maternal family has many people who can eat it. The meat was meant for you from Lu Yao; what he did in the past was wrong, so you should bear more in the future.”

 

“Alright.” Hu Chunrong completely let go of her previous prejudices. Since Lu Yao intended to mend their relationship, she wouldn’t hold a grudge against the past anymore.

 

On the way back from Lu’s village, it was just noon.

 

Lin Daman unloaded the mule cart and led the dappled horse back to the barn. Lu Yao scooped a bowl of soy pulp and poured it into the trough, then reached out to pat the dappled horse’s head. Having the mule cart made things much more convenient, saving more than half an hour compared to before.

 

Soaking the beans left her with little to do during the day; she would have to wait until dark to grind them.

 

Taking advantage of the free time, Lu Yao took out the soaked rabbit skins and used scissors to scrape off the bits of meat.

 

He remembered seeing in a video in his past life that tanning the fur required repeated soaking, and then the grease had to be scraped off completely for the skin to become soft and warm.

 

As Lu Yao scraped the rabbit skin, he suddenly heard the sound of pounding hooves outside. He put down what he was doing and stood up to look out.

 

Three horses came from the direction of the village head, real high-headed steeds, each carrying a person in official attire. The leading official was banging a gong in his hand.

 

The children heard the sound and ran out, peering over the wooden door.

 

From the memories of his original self, Lu Yao recalled that it must be the day for tax collection. Every year after the Mid-Autumn Festival, the government began dispatching minor officials to collect land taxes from the villages.

 

In this dynasty, the tax burden was quite heavy—out of ten dou of grain produced per mu of land, three dou had to be paid as tax. The Zhao family had more than twelve mu of land, which meant they needed to submit around three shih six dou of grain.

 

In addition to land taxes, there was also a poll tax, known as the “head tax.” Every male over the age of three in the household had to pay twenty-five wen in tax. For families with many males, such as the Ding carpenter’s family, they had to pay three to four hundred wen just for the head tax.

 

However, women and children did not have to pay this tax, so the Zhao family only needed to pay for Zhao Beichuan and Zhao Xiaodou.

 

As the horses passed by, everyone in the village came out to see. Sister-in-law Tian Er waved to Lu Yao, “Come over and see what the situation is this year.”

 

This year’s harvest was not as good as in previous years; the fields suffered flooding in the summer. If they collected according to the usual proportions, a lot of people would end up starving.

 

By the time they arrived at the village, many people had already gathered. The village head was checking the land records against the officials.

 

Wangou Village had a total of eight hundred and ten mu of upper fields, one thousand two hundred mu of middle fields, and six hundred sixty-five mu of lower fields, summing up to a total tax of eight hundred and one shih of grain.

 

After confirming, the village head cautiously said, “Sir, this year, a lot of land in the village was flooded; the common people may not be able to pay so much grain…”

 

Nearby, the villagers chimed in, “My fields are on a slope; they’ve been flooded, and I’ve hardly produced a few shih of grain.”

 

“Yes, my place was flooded even more; I don’t know if we can get through this winter.”

 

“Sir, have mercy and collect a little less.”

 

The official raised an eyebrow, “Are you saying that Wangou Village doesn’t want to pay the land tax?”

 

Not paying the land tax was a serious crime, punishable by flogging.

 

The village head was startled and quickly said, “I wouldn’t dare. I just hope you, sir, can be lenient and reduce the tax a little… Otherwise, I’m afraid everyone won’t survive until spring.”

 

“This matter is not within my authority. The higher-ups have ordered that what is owed must be paid. There are other villages that suffered even more severe flooding, and they aren’t reducing their payments!”

 

Seeing no hope, the village head sighed and nodded, sending people to notify each household to prepare their grain as soon as possible.

 

The official cleared his throat and raised his voice, “You have three days to prepare the land tax. The grain must not be of inferior quality, must not be old grain passed off as new, and must not be grass or stones passed off as grain. Once discovered, the penalty will be thirty lashes and a fine of five shih of grain!”

 

The villagers fell silent, terrified. In the face of absolute power, no amount of dissent or complaint was useful. The arms of the common people couldn’t compete with the thigh of authority; they were not even arms, just fine hairs at most.

 

Lu Yao patted Xiaodou and Xiaonian, who were still watching the commotion, “Let’s go home and prepare the grain.”

 

Just as the three of them reached their doorstep, four or five men were standing in front of their house.

 

Lu Yao asked curiously, “What can I do for you, gentlemen?”

 

“Young Master Zhao, please lend us some grain!”