The Overachieving Little Husband of the Top Scholar’s Household - Chapter 125: Little Tools

Chapter 125: Little Tools

When Qiu Huanian heard Du Yunse’s words, he instinctively held his breath.

Many once-overlooked details now linked together in his mind.

So, Emperor Yuanhua’s previous act of seemingly placing the Crown Prince under soft house arrest had not only been to protect the Crown Prince, but also to protect the other two princes.

Perhaps he wished to move against the factions operating behind the scenes of the succession struggle, but he did not want the Second and Third Princes to risk their lives in the process. If he allowed the Crown Prince to take action freely, the conflict between brothers could easily spiral out of control.

Once the Crown Prince ascended the throne, he would certainly want the other two princes dead.

That was why Emperor Yuanhua had temporarily restrained the Crown Prince, limiting his faction’s influence, intending to resolve the matter more gently by his own hand.

However — just as Du Yunse had said —

The Crown Prince wanted them dead.

From a rational perspective, opposing the Emperor directly was not a wise course of action. So what was it that made the Crown Prince refuse to relent?

Qiu Huanian suddenly remembered what Su Xinbai had once said — that the Crown Prince’s poor health was not due to illness, but because he had been poisoned from within the womb. This theory had first been put forward by the now-retired Imperial Physician Gu, living in Xiangping Prefecture.

If the poisoning had occurred before birth, then naturally the pregnant mother would not have escaped its effects. Was it truly illness that had caused the late Empress’s death?

And who, before Emperor Yuanhua had even ascended the throne, had silently laid such a crucial piece on the chessboard?

“Hiss—” Qiu Huanian drew in a sharp breath, feeling his head ache.

“In the waning years of the late Emperor,” Du Yunse’s voice was steady and calm, “he was muddle-headed and without virtue. The princes fought endlessly for the succession, plunging the Yu Dynasty’s people into misery. Beyond the borders, enemies breached the passes, plundering and kidnapping; within the realm, corrupt officials oppressed the good. In many places, there were even horrors of people eating one another…”

“The current Son of Heaven began as a weak and unloved prince. That he was able, in the kingdom’s moment of peril, to rally the realm, and after ascending the throne restore peace within a little over twenty years — he is truly a wise ruler of a generation.”

“But in those chaotic times, the situation forced him to move too quickly, leaving behind many hidden dangers, now entrenched and impossible to address without shaking the entire structure.”

In a feudal dynasty — unlike a modern society — the events of state were not publicly recorded for all to read. Although only twenty-some years had passed, this was the first time Qiu Huanian had heard such details of the highest echelons’ struggle for power.

“When the late Empress was pregnant with the Crown Prince,” Du Yunse continued, “His Majesty was trapped at the border. Though he won repeated victories, all his supplies were cut off. In the freezing winter, the army began to waver. At the time, most aristocratic families and political cliques had already chosen sides. To make them fully support a prince with no obvious advantage, one had to both show true potential and offer a reward they could not refuse.”

Du Yunse patiently broke down the causes and consequences for Qiu Huanian. In Xiangping Prefecture, such matters could be avoided; but once they were living in the capital, if Qiu Huanian didn’t know, he would suffer for it.

Qiu Huanian’s mind was quick. “This reward — was it the future throne?”

Du Yunse nodded. “Consort Wen’s father, Bi Yongshi, was already a senior minister. Consort Ying came from the great northern aristocratic Xie family. One after the other, they were married to the then-prince, and soon each bore him a son.”

“So the Crown Prince and the Second and Third Princes are close in age.”

The reward Emperor Yuanhua offered those factions — the carrot he dangled before them — was the possibility that the next emperor would carry their blood, making them the maternal clan of the future sovereign.

This was even more tempting than the rewards for aiding a prince to the throne.

But it also made the Empress and the Crown Prince — the legitimate wife and eldest son — the targets of hostility.

“Before marrying Consort Wen and Consort Ying,” Du Yunse continued, “His Majesty, in private, promised the late Empress three things.”

This was known to almost no one; only because Du Yunse was the Crown Prince’s confidant had he heard it directly from the prince.

“What promises?” Qiu Huanian asked.

“First: to protect the late Empress and the unborn Crown Prince. Second: once the danger had passed, to take no more concubines. Third: once he had ascended the throne and the realm was stable, when the Crown Prince was grown, to abdicate to him and leave the palace with the Empress, to live as ordinary husband and wife.”

“….”

Looking back, none of these promises could be fulfilled.

The late Empress had died young, the cause unknown. Now, even if Emperor Yuanhua repeatedly hinted that the throne would be passed to him, the Crown Prince could not fully believe it.

The earlier incident of house arrest, though the Crown Prince might understand there were other motives, likely brought the father-son relationship to freezing point.

Qiu Huanian now better understood “the Crown Prince wants them dead.”

Aside from avenging his mother and leaving no suspect alive, it was also extreme suspicion and a desire for control, allowing no trace of risk to remain.

“How certain is the Crown Prince?”

“That case in the winter three years ago, framing the Crown Prince,” Du Yunse replied. “If His Majesty had not abruptly intervened and forced the house arrest, the Crown Prince would have seized the moment to uncover the plotters and execute them all.”

“….” Qiu Huanian shook his head. “I think the Crown Prince is the most like His Majesty — their thirst for control is exactly the same.”

He had seen the Crown Prince once at the imperial farm and had thought then that he concealed much behind his demeanor.

When the Empress had died, the Crown Prince had not yet reached the age of ten. How had he grown up, in that dangerous palace, quietly building such vast power while being praised by all as benevolent and kind?

Even with Emperor Yuanhua’s tacit support and guidance, it was still difficult to imagine.

“Must you take part?” Qiu Huanian asked softly.

Du Yunse lowered his eyes. “This is the path His Majesty has set for me. Besides, the Second Prince is foolish and arrogant, the Prince of Jin is foolish and cruel — apart from the Crown Prince, there is no wise ruler to choose.”

Qiu Huanian remembered asking Du Yunse back in Du Village whom he was loyal to, and Du Yunse’s answer had been, only to a wise ruler of the Yu Dynasty.

He also remembered that soon after they first met, Du Yunse had spoken his ambition: to cultivate himself, order his household, govern the state, and bring peace to the realm — the moment when Qiu Huanian had truly been moved by him.

Du Yunse’s involvement in the succession was not merely being pushed by the Emperor, nor just for rewards — in his heart, he held the Confucian concern for the people and an upright spirit, unwilling to see the chaos of the late Emperor’s reign repeated.

Qiu Huanian cupped Du Yunse’s face in his hands, looking up, catching the apology in his eyes.

He smiled. “Then go and do it — I’ll always support you. Don’t feel you owe me for this; it’s my choice too. If our efforts can make life better for most people, what reason do we have not to?”

“Huanian…”

Du Yunse could no longer hold back; he bent to kiss Qiu Huanian’s lips.

Qiu Huanian, mindful of the banquet that afternoon, didn’t dare let things go too far — yet Du Yunse bit and kissed again, urgent and consuming.

When they parted, Qiu Huanian’s clothes were rumpled, his lips flushed and bearing clear bite marks; Du Yunse’s breath was only slightly uneven.

Qiu Huanian gave him a fierce glare that was more mock scolding than menace.

“What are your plans these next few days?”

“A rest tomorrow. The following day, I lead the graduates to present thanks to His Majesty, then to the Temple of Culture to honor the ancient sage and have the inscription made.”

“Good.” Qiu Huanian ground his teeth. “Then you be ready for me that night.”

Du Yunse accepted easily, thinking that at least this gave him something to look forward to during the tedious banquet ahead, and even his step felt lighter.

After seeing him off, Qiu Huanian returned to preparing the household.

The most important matter was the “completion banquet” (shaowei yan¹) in a few days — to invite the capital’s elite and celebrate Du Yunse’s champion title.

It was both a celebration and a chance to cultivate connections — the new champion’s first appearance in the capital’s elite circles had to be done promptly and perfectly.

Some of the newer servants had prepared similar events before; Qiu Huanian gathered them, questioning and making lists.

The main reception would be held in the main courtyard, the front for officials, the inner court for the ladies. The garden would be tidied for strolling; Yuzhu Courtyard readied for guests to rest.

All needed assigned watchers. The eastern courtyards and the library would be locked, to prevent private meetings among guests.

In the capital, where noble houses were many and banquets frequent, a service industry for such events was well-developed. Qiu Huanian needed only set the menu and skilled chefs would cook on-site.

It was also fashionable to have opera performed; he would have to invite a renowned troupe to set up a stage and perform.

“The master has won as champion; we can’t just hire any troupe, lest people look down on us. The most famous troupes are favorites of grand houses, with great airs, and with our short notice, we may not be able to get them.”

Qiu Huanian remembered, from his past life in PR, dealing with celebrity teams — some stars could be incredibly difficult, fussing over everything from the brand of water to who could appear near them.

Once, a star’s team had even demanded that Qiu Huanian not appear on camera or in the same frame as the star — leaving him baffled.

It seemed such things had existed since ancient times, and the thought made him oddly nostalgic.

Of course, he had also known truly talented and gracious stars — his last project before quitting had been smooth from start to finish with the newly crowned film emperor, Shen Yuzhi.

He snapped back to the moment. “Exactly how lofty are these airs? They wouldn’t ask me to absent myself, would they?”

The servant smiled. “Young Master, don’t jest — you are the Qishu Young Master, the champion’s spouse. Even the proudest players wouldn’t offend you openly. The concern is that they’ll be lazy and make excuses to refuse. Best to have someone who knows their leader speak on your behalf.”

Qiu Huanian thought, but could find no suitable contact.

They were new in the capital with few acquaintances. The Min brothers hardly seemed the type to know star performers.

The Crown Prince had said they could come to him for help — and if he was busy, to go to Sixteen.

Would asking Sixteen to hire a troupe mean finding them bound hand and foot in the garden the next morning?

“…We’ll decide later. For now, arrange the venue, make purchases, and hire the chefs.” Looking at a capable servant, Qiu Huanian asked, “What’s your name?”

The man smiled. “This humble one is Quan Yu; my husband is Yinchuan, a kitchen cook. Our two little daughters were honored to receive names from you — Hongfei and Bicui.”

Qiu Huanian nodded. “Boquan will be with the master these days, and Xingmi with me; you take on more of the banquet work.”

Quan Yu agreed happily and left. The others, seeing this, were envious and understood that ability was the way to stand out before the Young Master — they bustled eagerly to work.

Having stirred up the household’s energy, Qiu Huanian had hot water brought, shut the door, and turned to matters not for outside eyes.

The contraceptive draught Du Yunse drank was specially made by Grandmaster Gu, almost harmless — but Qiu Huanian believed all medicine bore some risk, and he disliked using it often.

So it was time to consider the ancient equivalents of modern contraceptive devices. Fish bladders had to be fresh each time, which was inconvenient. Sheepskin could be made in bulk, softened in hot water for reuse; these had been invented by the court physician of a certain dissolute French king, to prevent the king from siring too many illegitimate children.

Qiu Huanian took out his small private box and checked. Sadly, the temperature changes had ruined nearly all the “small tools” he’d brought from Xiangping — only one remained intact.

It was too late to have sheepskin prepared, and somewhat embarrassing besides.

The ancients were hardly shy about such things — bedchamber affairs were often attended by servants, and sometimes became threesomes.

Qiu Huanian, a modern man, could not abide it; he always dismissed attendants and left the outer chamber unguarded at night. No wonder Du Yunse thought him “thin-skinned.”

Was tonight’s plan to reprise their “wedding night” destined to fail?

Unwilling to accept it, Qiu Huanian ground his teeth and looked at the table.

Carefully used… one should be enough.

Should be?

Footnotes:

1. 1. Shaowei Yan (燒尾宴) – A “completion banquet” historically held by newly promoted officials or examination graduates to celebrate achievement and entertain peers and superiors.