The Overachieving Little Husband of the Top Scholar’s Household - Chapter 11: Du Yunse

On the eve of Qingming, a fine drizzle filled the air. The fertile black soil of the Northeast had begun to sprout patches of green, and as the weather warmed, pedestrians on the streets had switched to lighter clothing. In Zhang County, incense stalls selling offerings for tomb-sweeping were visible everywhere.

After midday, two men and a horse entered the city. The young man leading the horse had long arms and a wasp-like waist. His movements were quick and sharp, his gaze lively—one could tell at a glance that he was a trained martial artist.

A half-step behind him was a young scholar carrying a bookcase. His jet-black hair was like ink, and his features were strikingly handsome. He carried himself with the demeanor of a noble gentleman. Though dressed in humble, coarse cloth, he exuded a refreshing elegance, like an orchid or a jade tree.

“Yunse, is this your hometown? Which way do we go from here?” Wu Shen stroked the nose of the fine horse and asked his companion.

Du Yunse lifted his eyes to take in the familiar yet unfamiliar streets of Zhang County. A thousand thoughts swirled in his mind before he finally replied, “I haven’t been back in six years, and my family lives in the countryside. I’m not familiar with the roads in town.”

Wu Shen clapped Du Yunse’s shoulder with a broad, open gesture. “You’re back this time for a good while. Your mother, if she’s watching over you from above, would surely be pleased.”

Du Yunse did not reply. When the news of his mother’s sudden illness reached the capital, he had been trapped at the residence of his mentor, Wen Huiyang. By the time he finally got hold of the letter that had been kept from him at the manor gates, the message that came with it was of her passing.

That day, he had gazed at the sky for a long time. Then, he returned inside, changed into mourning attire, and kowtowed nine times in the direction of Du Family Village. Within the heavily guarded gates of the Wen residence, he knelt for three days until the emperor himself issued a decree, commending his filial piety and granting him permission to return home for mourning.

But Du Yunse felt unworthy of the words “filial piety.” If he had truly been filial, he wouldn’t have been absent when both his parents passed away. When his father died, he had at least managed to rush back in time for the funeral. But when his mother passed, he hadn’t even been able to attend her burial.

Every time he thought of this, Du Yunse was consumed with guilt. No matter how many reasons or excuses there were, the truth remained—he had failed in his duty as a son.

Seeing the sorrow on Du Yunse’s face, Wu Shen quickly tried to make amends. “Your mother will be happy just knowing you’ve returned safely. Tell you what—tomorrow is Qingming. I’ll stay an extra day, buy some incense and offerings, and go with you to pay respects. I’ll even say a few good words on your behalf.”

Du Yunse had already regained his composure. “His Majesty decreed that you must report to your post within fifteen days—there’s not a day to spare. Rest here in the city for a bit, but you must continue your journey tonight.”

Wu Shen scowled in frustration. “What do you think His Majesty is planning? He confiscated my family’s property, exiled my relatives to the south, but then assigned me to the northeastern border as a mere Zongqi(7th rank military officer)?”

Wu Shen was the only son of General Wu Dingshan, born in his father’s later years. A few months prior, a corruption case in Jiangnan had shaken the court. The scandal implicated the crown prince, enraging the emperor, who then purged a large number of officials. Wen Huiyang, a renowned Confucian scholar who had spoken in defense of the prince, was imprisoned. Meanwhile, Wu Dingshan, who was related to the prince’s maternal family by marriage, was dismissed from office and had his family exiled.

When an emperor is enraged, his wrath is like thunder—no one dared risk being caught in the storm.

“The emperor spared your family’s lives and even assigned you a post separately. He must still have some plans for the Wu family. You must follow orders and avoid making any further mistakes.”

“I figured as much. But to be reduced to a mere Zongqi—” Wu Shen shook his head in frustration. As the son of a great general, being sent to the frontier as a mere seventh-rank officer commanding only fifty men was a severe demotion.

“Before I left the capital, I managed to see my father once. He told me to serve loyally, fight bravely, and not to worry about them. The south is damp and full of miasma. After the confiscation, they barely have anything left. I don’t even know if they’ll be able to adjust.” Wu Shen sighed.

Du Yunse’s gaze flickered slightly. Wu Dingshan had followed the emperor on many military campaigns and knew him well. If he had given such instructions to his son, it suggested there were deeper layers to the case.

A few days after Du Yunse was permitted to leave the capital, the crown prince—who had been under house arrest in the Eastern Palace—suddenly fell gravely ill. The emperor, moved by paternal affection, began releasing imprisoned officials associated with the prince. Some were exiled from the capital, some were stripped of their assets and banished, while others were placed under house arrest. But in the end, all their lives were spared.

After receiving his orders, Wu Shen wasted no time. He saw his father one last time, then rode swiftly to his new post. Along the way, he encountered Du Yunse and gave him a ride, allowing Du Yunse to arrive a few days earlier than planned.

“Wen Sir has been placed under house arrest in his own residence. Other than being unable to leave or communicate with the outside world, his daily life remains unchanged. You can rest assured,” Wu Shen said as he browsed the offerings at a rain-sheltered incense stall.

“Even if I can’t go in person, I can at least buy some offerings as a token of respect.”

Having grown up surrounded by wealth, Wu Shen was unimpressed by the rough incense and paper offerings at the Zhang County stalls. Only the hand-painted ritual papers displayed at the center barely met his standards.

“These ritual papers—” Wu Shen suddenly hesitated.

After the Wu family’s downfall, they were left penniless. When Wu Shen was appointed as a Zongqi, his commission came with a ten-tael relocation stipend. He had given it all to his father before leaving, worried about his family’s hardships. Now, he had only a little over three hundred copper coins left for travel expenses.

Judging by capital city prices, he estimated that each hand-painted ritual paper would cost at least seventy copper coins. Adding paper money and fruit offerings, he would need at least a hundred coins.

Du Yunse, knowing his situation, said, “You’re strapped for money. No need to buy these. It’s the thought that counts.”

Feeling it would be disgraceful to show weakness, Wu Shen called the stall owner over to ask the price—only to be shocked. The ritual papers he had his eye on were merely fifteen coins each.

“These are our best-selling ritual papers this year! We’ve sold over three hundred in just a few days. Tomorrow is Qingming, so we’ll probably sell a lot more. Our master has been watching over the artist day and night to keep up with demand. If you don’t decide soon, we’ll sell out by today!”

As the stall owner spoke, a middle-aged man dressed as a wealthy steward arrived and immediately bought six sheets, saying they were for each of his ancestors.

Wu Shen turned to Du Yunse in surprise. “Yunse, why is everything so cheap in your hometown?”

Du Yunse shook his head. The usual cost of hiring an artist in Zhang County was around fifty copper coins per piece. He couldn’t understand why these ritual papers were selling for so little.

“I’ll take two, along with the best paper money and fruit offerings. Where’s your ink and brush?”

Wu Shen borrowed the stall’s ink and brush to complete the ritual papers, then handed the wrapped offerings to Du Yunse. Letting out a satisfied sigh, he felt as if he had finally completed an important task.

He and Du Yunse had known each other for years and had a good relationship. Now that both had been caught in the crown prince’s scandal, they shared a sense of mutual hardship.

Wu Shen prided himself on loyalty. No matter how tight his finances, he felt it was only right to buy some offerings to show his respect.

“By the way, Yunse, who do you still have at home?” Wu Shen asked. Du Yunse was always reserved, and he had never had the chance to ask before.

“My father was an only son, and my mother was a refugee from another province. My grandparents passed away years ago. At home, I have a younger brother, a younger sister… and my betrothed.”

“You’re engaged?” Wu Shen raised an eyebrow.

Du Yunse said calmly, “It was arranged by my mother six years ago. He has been in my family ever since.”

Wu Shen laughed, “I didn’t even know about this. I’d love to see the expressions of those families who wanted to have you as their son-in-law when they hear about it.”

Du Yunse shook his head, “I have never hidden this matter, but some families simply refuse to give up.”

Wu Shen understood their thinking. After all, it was just a rural foster husband; a letter of withdrawal could dissolve the engagement without much trouble. But Du Yunse refused to do so.

“I say, is your future spouse good-looking? How is his learning? Can he compose poetry?” Wu Shen teased.

Du Yunse remained composed, “I have never met him. Life in the countryside is harsh; he likely hasn’t had the opportunity to learn to read.”

Wu Shen clicked his tongue twice, “I thought scholars like you only preferred cultured, refined beauties. But you, you’re like a Daoist priest—I’ve never seen you show any interest in good looks.”

Du Yunse glanced at Wu Shen, “Marriage should follow the will of one’s parents and the word of a matchmaker. The most important things are character and health. If you place too much emphasis on appearance, you’ll be blinded and miss out on a good match.”

“Alright, alright, I get it. I shouldn’t have commented on your fiancé,” Wu Shen surrendered, realizing he had been lectured instead of teasing successfully.

Holding the horse’s reins, Wu Shen walked alongside Du Yunse into the county town, planning to find an inn to rest for half a day, eat something, and then continue his journey. As they walked, Wu Shen suddenly stopped in his tracks, his sword-like brows furrowed.

“That mule cart that just passed by seemed suspicious.”

Though Wu Shen was the only son of Wu Dingshan in his old age, his father had never spoiled him. From a young age, he had trained diligently, making him not only highly skilled in martial arts but also exceptionally sharp in perception.

Du Yunse glanced at the mule cart that had stopped about ten meters behind them and noticed something unusual as well.

Despite the drizzling weather, the cart, which was loaded with large wooden crates, was not covered with an oilcloth. On closer inspection, some inconspicuous corners of the crates had holes about the size of a copper coin, seemingly designed for ventilation.

“There are living people inside those crates,” Wu Shen lowered his voice, “They must be traffickers.”

Some traffickers, unwilling to spend money or unable to acquire suitable individuals through regular means, would abduct children and young men from good families, transporting them thousands of miles away to be sold. The laws of Yu Dynasty imposed severe punishments on this crime, yet it remained rampant.

As the mule cart came to a stop, the gate of a modest courtyard nearby suddenly opened. Several burly men stepped out, unloading the crates and carrying them inside. Du Yunse pulled Wu Shen along, pretending not to notice anything, and continued walking.

“They have the advantage in numbers. Take your appointment letter to the county office and request constables to apprehend them.”

Wu Shen was not reckless; he had no intention of playing the lone hero. “Let’s hurry, in case these traffickers get away.”

A county magistrate, like a Zongqi (squadron leader), held a rank of 正七品 (seventh rank, upper grade). However, in the Yu Dynasty, civil officials outranked military ones. Therefore, upon meeting the county magistrate, Wang Chuci, Wu Shen first paid his respects before quickly reporting the traffickers.

Wang Chuci had served in Zhang County for years and deeply despised human traffickers. Understanding the urgency, he did not waste time with pleasantries or bureaucratic delays. Instead, he immediately summoned over a dozen constables to accompany Wu Shen in making the arrest.

In less than half an hour, the traffickers—who still had no idea what had given them away—were captured and brought to court. The people inside the crates were freed: one was a seventeen-year-old young man who had been drugged unconscious, while another, found in the courtyard, was a fifteen-year-old boy. Both were fair and delicate in appearance.

During the interrogation, Wang Chuci quickly uncovered the extent of their crimes. The gang had not only operated in Zhang County but had also set up channels in neighboring counties. The fifteen-year-old was from a nearby county, while the seventeen-year-old was the child of a wealthy family in Zhang County itself.

“You had already succeeded. Why didn’t you flee the city as usual but instead lingered?” Wang Chuci pressed for details.

The gang leader, already terrified after receiving a beating, blurted out everything. “Your Honor, we originally planned to leave immediately after abducting the boy from the county. But yesterday, an acquaintance mentioned a big job in the countryside during the Qingming Festival. We decided to take a risk and stay another day. We never expected to get caught…”

Thinking back to that sharp-eyed youth’s impressive skills, the trafficker was filled with regret and resentment. He should never have been greedy!

Wang Chuci slammed the gavel in fury. “Where in the countryside were you heading for this Qingming job? Who were you targeting? Speak clearly!”

The trafficker cowered in fear and hastily answered, “It—it was a young man named Qiu Huanian from Du Family Village! He was introduced to us by his maternal cousins!”

Standing to the side, Wu Shen had been listening attentively. Suddenly, he raised an eyebrow.

He realized that, in that instant, the man beside him—Du Yunse—had gone completely rigid.