The Overachieving Little Husband of the Top Scholar’s Household - Chapter 14: Carrying Water

The village chief and the others were afraid that Qiu Huanian would be heartbroken over being schemed against by the Qiu family, but Qiu Huanian felt that even if the original owner of this body were here, he wouldn’t be saddened by this matter.

In the original owner’s heart, aside from his mother who had passed away early, the rest of the Qiu family had nothing to do with him anymore.

Since that was the case, Qiu Huanian naturally wouldn’t care.

Seeing the concern in Du Yunse’s eyes, Qiu Huanian smiled and said, “I understand. Whatever happens to the Qiu family has nothing to do with me. Since they dared to do this, they must be prepared to reap the consequences.”

The village chief asked Du Yunse, “Yunse, what did Magistrate Wang say?”

“The magistrate has already taken the kidnappers’ confessions and has sent people to Shangliang Village to arrest Qiu Fu and Qiu Gui. Once all the criminals are brought in, the court will hold a trial.”

After recognizing Du Yunse, Wang Chuci had initially wanted to keep him in the county to chat for a while. However, since Du Yunse was eager to return home, Magistrate Wang had no choice but to let him go for now.

This group of kidnappers was involved in dozens of cases across several counties, and the trials would not be concluded quickly. Wang Chuci had Wu Shen and Du Yunse leave their testimonies and addresses, promising to send someone to inform them of the verdict once the trials were completed.

As the conversation continued into the evening, Wu Shen stood up to take his leave. The village chief, knowing the imperial orders were urgent, did not try to keep him. Instead, he turned to his eldest son, Baoren, and had him bring two taels of broken silver to Wu Shen.

“Grand Elder, I really can’t accept this silver!” Wu Shen’s face flushed red as he tried to refuse.

Wu Shen could see that although the Du village chief’s family was better off than most in the village, they were still farmers, and earning money was not easy. How could he accept their money?

But the village chief firmly refused to take it back, speaking loudly, “If anyone else had come today, I wouldn’t have given them silver. But Wu Little General, your father’s merits on the northeastern border—who among the people living on this land does not remember them in their hearts? His son is now in trouble here. Anyone with a conscience would step forward to help!”

“If you were well off, I wouldn’t do anything unnecessary. But now, your father, the great general, has been dismissed and exiled, and you, a young man, must travel alone to the border. If you refuse to let me do this small kindness, I would feel utterly ashamed!”

Wu Shen was deeply moved by these words. He knew his father had made great military contributions in the northeast in his early years, but since then, the emperor had never sent his father back to the northeast to lead troops. Because of this, Wu Shen had never fully grasped the extent of his father’s influence in the region.

“My father always told me that a general must be loyal to the emperor and love the people because only with the people’s support can one be invincible. I once understood only the surface meaning of this. Today, I am beginning to truly comprehend it. If my father were here and heard your words, he would be overjoyed.”

Realizing that continuing to refuse would only hurt the Du village chief’s feelings, Wu Shen finally accepted the silver, took a step back, and bowed deeply. “On behalf of my father, I thank you for your generosity, Grand Elder. If I have the chance in the future, I will repay your kindness many times over.”

The Du village chief stroked his beard and laughed heartily, escorting the group to the village entrance.

Jiujiu and Chunsheng were getting sleepy, so Qiu Huanian took them home to rest while Du Yunse walked a little further with Wu Shen.

Leading his horse along the village path illuminated by moonlight, Wu Shen’s emotions had yet to fully settle. “I used to think I was highly skilled in martial arts and well-versed in military strategy, but my father always told me I didn’t truly understand warfare. At the time, I didn’t believe him. Now I see that only by venturing out alone can one truly gain experience.”

He turned to Du Yunse. “Yunse, were you thinking about something just now?”

After hearing the village chief’s words, Du Yunse had already begun to piece together scattered thoughts in his mind.

For instance, why hadn’t the emperor sent Wu Dingshan back to the northeastern border for so many years? And why, after dismissing Wu Dingshan and exiling him to the southern frontier, had he specifically sent Wu Dingshan’s only son to the northeast border as a mere low-ranking officer?

Du Yunse lowered his gaze. The more he deduced, the more he realized how unfathomable the emperor’s intentions were.

Recalling the warning his teacher had given him before being taken away, Du Yunse did not voice his suspicions but instead offered a subtle hint. “When you arrive at the army, you must not indulge in self-pity or complain. Seize every opportunity to establish merit, and when necessary, make use of your father’s reputation in the northeast.”

“How could I wallow in self-pity? Even a low-ranking officer commands fifty soldiers and can fight on the front lines honorably!” Wu Shen curled his lips. “This time, I will make a name for myself no less than my father’s!”

After some excited gestures, he sighed again. “My mother’s health isn’t good. I wonder if she’ll be able to adapt to the climate in the southern frontier… How did everything happen so suddenly?”

“Yunse, the Crown Prince once studied under Master Wen Huiyang for a few years, so you two are technically former classmates. Based on what you know of His Highness, do you really think he was the one ordering those corrupt dealings and factional schemes?”

Du Yunse glanced at him. “Hasn’t General Wu ever taught you that careless words bring disaster?”

“There’s no one else here but us.”

But Du Yunse still refused to delve into the topic. “By blood ties, you’re the Crown Prince’s cousin. Do you know the truth behind this?”

Wu Shen was left speechless for a while before finally sighing in frustration. “The emperor has confined His Highness in the Eastern Palace. Though he hasn’t deposed him, he has stripped him of all his supporters. I really don’t know what will happen in the future…”

“Yunse, we part ways here today. I hope that the next time we meet, you will have passed the imperial examination, and I will have achieved military merit and been promoted!”

“The battlefield is merciless. Take care of yourself.”

“You too!”

Wu Shen pulled the reins, mounted his horse, and galloped toward the border. Under the bright moonlight, his young and unrestrained figure quickly disappeared into the vast fields.

Du Yunse watched him go and sighed softly amidst the familiar yet distant scenery of Du family village.

Although he had left the capital, the political intrigues and conspiracies still followed him like shadows. Du Yunse knew he had not escaped the emperor’s carefully laid chessboard; he was still just an insignificant piece in the game.

Turning around, he gazed at the peaceful and tranquil Du family village under the night sky. His heart softened bit by bit. Thankfully, he still had family—his younger sister and brother, and a fiancé who was good in every way.

Thinking of his first meeting with Qiu Huanian that day, Du Yunse’s heart raced slightly. He followed the path back to the village.

Arriving at his doorstep, he saw that the horse borrowed from the magistrate had already been led inside. The courtyard gate was left slightly ajar, waiting for the traveler to return home.

Du Yunse pushed the door open and stepped inside. The courtyard was quiet. The horse was tied to a post in the southwest corner, with a large basket of wild vegetables placed in front of it.

Qiu Huanian emerged from the right side room, carrying a bundle of quilts, blankets, and pillows. Upon seeing Du Yunse, he mouthed the words: “Be quiet.”

Du Yunse stepped forward and took the items from Qiu Huanian’s hands. He was nearly a head taller than Qiu Huanian, so standing close, Qiu Huanian had to look up at him.

“Jiujiu and Chunsheng are already asleep. Let’s go to the main house,” Qiu Huanian whispered.

These past few days, Qiu Huanian had already cleaned the main house, even replacing the window paper. However, since the kang bed hadn’t been heated in a long time, it was a bit cold.

Du Yunse skillfully spread out a mattress wide enough for one person and placed a quilt on top. Qiu Huanian touched the straw mat on the kang and found it too chilly. He wanted to go out to heat the bed, but Du Yunse stopped him.

“It’s already spring; it’s not that cold. You’ve had a long day—go rest.”

The young man’s cold voice carried a trace of gentleness. Moonlight streamed in through the door, draping a thin veil over them. Only then did Qiu Huanian belatedly realize how ambiguous it was for an engaged couple to be alone together late at night. Hastily, he muttered a couple of random sentences and fled in a panic.

Thankfully, Du Yunse hadn’t insisted they sleep together; otherwise, Qiu Huanian truly wouldn’t have known how to handle the situation!

Watching Qiu Huanian’s slightly flustered figure retreat into the left side room, Du Yunse was silent for a moment before closing the door.

He recalled what Wu Shen had said earlier when they parted outside the village.

“Yunse, I never thought someone as indifferent to beauty as you would end up with such a perfect fiancé. But don’t get too smug—Huanian is a ge’er with his own mind. Though he’s your betrothed, you two have never met before. His heart may not be set on you.”

During his travels, Du Yunse had encountered many people consumed by love, some even turning to hatred because of it. In the capital, scholars often held banquets, indulging in romantic tales, yet Du Yunse had never found such things interesting.

He never felt he needed love—something as fleeting as morning dew. Having a fiancé chosen by his mother was already sufficient.

But now, after spending less than half a day together, Du Yunse found himself unsatisfied with stopping at mere formality. He hoped that Qiu Huanian’s bright, expressive eyes would linger on him longer—long enough for his own image to become the only one reflected in them.

“A pearl naturally seeks a worthy owner—that is only right. I will prove that I am his perfect match.” Beneath the moonlight, this was how Du Yunse had responded to Wu Shen.

…

That night, Qiu Huanian had many bizarre and vivid dreams, but upon waking, he remembered none of them. Looking out the window, he saw that the sky was already bright—he had woken up later than usual.

Over the past ten days, Jiujiu and Chunsheng had become accustomed to sleeping until they naturally woke up. Both were still fast asleep. Remembering that there was now an extra person at home, Qiu Huanian hesitated for a moment before getting up from the kang.

Stepping into the courtyard, he saw that the door to the main house was open. Inside, the bedding and mattress had been neatly folded and placed in the corner. The chicken coop and the horse’s trough had both been replenished with feed.

Du Yunse stood holding a carrying pole and two buckets, about to fetch water from the river behind the village. Seeing this, Qiu Huanian walked over and took one of the buckets. “Let’s go together.”

After locking the door, they set off. By this time, many villagers were already up and about. Seeing them, people greeted them with teasing smiles.

Qiu Huanian had nearly memorized everyone in the village over the past few days. As he responded to greetings, he also introduced the villagers to Du Yunse, who nodded in acknowledgment.

They reached the river and walked upstream to fetch water. The deepest part of the river barely reached an adult’s knees, and the water was crystal clear, with tiny fish about the length of a thumb swimming inside.

The villagers of Du Family Village would usually fetch water, store it in jars, and drink it directly. But to be safe, Qiu Huanian always boiled the water first, letting it cool in a specially bought large teapot before drinking.

Du Yunse crouched down, filled the buckets with water, and placed them on the riverbank—all without letting Qiu Huanian lift a finger. Watching how effortlessly Du Yunse worked, Qiu Huanian thought about how he himself still struggled to carry even one bucket in each hand. A pang of frustration hit him.

In his past life, he wasn’t exactly weak, but in this life, having been reborn as a ge’er, his strength was practically halved. Doing just a little more labor left him sore all over.

This was deeply unsatisfactory for someone who had once been known as a “top achiever” blogger.

Of course, if he asked Meng Yuanling, Hu Qiuyan, Meng Fuyue, or anyone else who had seen his recent efforts, they would all agree: Hua ge’er was the most hardworking and capable young ge’er they had ever met.

“What are you thinking about?” Du Yunse noticed Qiu Huanian staring at him.

Qiu Huanian smiled. “You seem quite skilled at this kind of work.”

Although Du Yunse was from a rural background, he had been away for nearly ten years. Qiu Huanian hadn’t expected him to adapt so quickly to farm work.

“My teacher has a free-spirited nature. While traveling with him, we often stayed in remote villages or braved the wilderness. I had to take care of all the daily tasks,” Du Yunse said, glancing at Qiu Huanian’s slender wrists. “From now on, leave the heavy work to me. Don’t overwork yourself.”

Qiu Huanian clicked his tongue. He had thought Du Yunse’s “studies” merely involved working to pay for his education. He hadn’t expected it to include wilderness survival and extreme endurance training. The realization that Du Yunse had left home at just ten years old made Qiu Huanian feel a twinge of sympathy.

“Why did you go on this study journey?” Qiu Huanian asked without thinking.

Du Yunse set the bucket down and stood tall in the morning light, his figure as upright as a bamboo stalk. With unwavering certainty, he replied, “To cultivate oneself, manage a household, and then—”

“—govern the country and bring peace to the land,” Qiu Huanian finished the sentence for him.

Gazing at the striking young man before him, who stood bathed in the golden dawn, Qiu Huanian felt a sudden rush of excitement and anticipation.

He was eager to see whether this man, still clad in humble cloth garments, could truly achieve all that he aspired to.