The Overachieving Little Husband of the Top Scholar’s Household - Chapter 17: Amending the Marriage Document

Du Yunse took half a step forward, blocking in front of Qiu Huanian, and asked in a cold tone, “Who are you?”

This action enraged the scholar-capped young man. He sneered sarcastically, “The prodigy is truly forgetful. I wonder if you’ve gotten used to village life again after coming back like a stray dog this time?”

His voice was quite loud, drawing the attention of many in the eatery.

Looking at the familiar yet displeasing expression on this face, Qiu Huanian finally remembered who he was.

Tugging at Du Yunse’s sleeve, Qiu Huanian lowered his voice and said, “It’s Du Yunjing, the second son of Uncle Baoquan and Zhao Shi. He has already passed the county exam and is now studying at the county academy.”

Because of his grudge against Zhao Shi, Qiu Huanian had thoroughly researched that family’s structure.

Du Yunjing didn’t spend much time in the village each year, and the original owner of Qiu Huanian’s body rarely went out or talked to people. So, in the original owner’s memory, Du Yunjing was vague, and it took a moment to recognize his face.

Seeing the two of them whispering intimately and completely ignoring him, Du Yunjing’s eyes flared with anger. He gritted his teeth and said, “Du Yunse, don’t think you’re anything special. You just got lucky. What do you have to compete with me now?”

Hearing this, Du Yunse looked at him with the same indifferent tone. “Are we very familiar with each other?”

Qiu Huanian couldn’t hold back a laugh and quickly hid his face behind Du Yunse to control his expression.

“Fine, fine!” Du Yunjing laughed angrily. Then, he suddenly changed his tone. “Du Yunse, your little husband is still young and beautiful. After all these years alone in the village, do you really think he has stayed faithful to you?”

This statement was almost a direct insinuation that there was something improper between himself and Qiu Huanian. Du Yunse’s face instantly turned cold.

Seeing this, Du Yunjing finally felt triumphant. But before he could press further, Du Yunse had already spoken. “I am your clan elder. You slander your brother’s wife in public and spread rumors—are these the teachings of your academy’s instructors?”

Qiu Huanian also raised his voice and said, “The corrupt see corruption, but the pure remain pure. You’re spouting baseless accusations—what difference is there between you and a rogue? If this reaches the county academy, do you think you’ll still have the face to study there?”

The people in the eatery were enjoying the drama. Seeing Du Yunse take on the role of an elder and Qiu Huanian’s well-reasoned words, they all leaned toward their side.

“If my son behaved like this—causing trouble for his elder and slandering his sister-in-law in public—I’d slap him right then and there.”

“The young couple clearly doesn’t want to deal with him, but he keeps pestering them.”

“And he calls himself a scholar? Shameless!”

Du Yunjing’s face turned pale with embarrassment, and he finally calmed down.

Previously, he hadn’t known that Du Yunse had returned to the village. Seeing him suddenly in town, chatting and laughing with Qiu Huanian, he had acted on impulse and come over to cause trouble.

But now that he had cooled down, he realized the county examination was only two months away. This was a critical time for him to try for the scholar’s title—he couldn’t afford any mistakes.

If Du Yunse and Qiu Huanian’s words spread to the county academy, things could go badly for him. The academy instructor had intentions of taking him as a son-in-law—he absolutely couldn’t let him hear about this…

Du Yunjing’s expression shifted several times before he finally left the eatery with a parting remark: “We’ll see about this in the future.”

With the mood ruined, Qiu Huanian no longer had the appetite for noodles. He pulled Du Yunse outside and, after walking silently for a while, said, “I and that Du Yunjing—”

“I know,” Du Yunse looked down at him. “You wouldn’t be interested in someone like him.”

Qiu Huanian smiled, suddenly in the mood for mischief. “Then, in your eyes, what kind of person would I be interested in?”

Du Yunse didn’t reply, but his gaze had already given the answer.

—Me.

In the end, Qiu Huanian looked away, a little embarrassed. He pointed at another eatery not far away. “Let’s check out that one; it seems busy too.”

Prices in the county town were higher than in the market town. Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse ordered two small dishes and two bowls of rice, spending a total of thirty copper coins.

After finishing their meal, they went to a fabric shop. Unlike the village and town shops, the county town’s fabric stores sold silk and satin. Rolls of smooth, delicate material in brilliant colors gleamed beautifully under the light.

The prices were equally dazzling. Even the most basic patterned silk cost 1.5 taels of silver per bolt, and satin averaged at least 3 taels.

Qiu Huanian glanced at them, admired the exquisite craftsmanship of traditional Chinese textiles, then turned to look at cotton fabric instead.

Du Yunse followed his gaze to the luxurious materials. Back in the capital, Du Yunse had seen much finer fabrics, worn by beauties whose garments rustled like wind-chimes. Yet, he had never paid them much attention or cared what they wore.

But now, the thought of these fine clothes adorning Qiu Huanian made his heart burn.

His Hua-ge’er was more beautiful than any of them. If he dressed up, he would be breathtaking. Unfortunately, Du Yunse couldn’t afford even a single foot of such fabric.

“Yunse, look at this.” Qiu Huanian’s voice broke Du Yunse’s thoughts.

Turning back, he saw Qiu Huanian comparing a bolt of moon-white cotton fabric with the shop assistant.

“How about this color? I’ll make you a long robe.”

Qiu Huanian had originally planned to buy one bolt of cloth to make short jackets for all four family members. But after learning that Du Yunse would be taking the county examination in two months, he changed his mind.

Short jackets ended at the thigh—practical and economical, they were commonly worn by villagers and servants but lacked dignity.

Though Du Yunse himself probably wouldn’t mind taking the exam in short clothes, Qiu Huanian still wanted him to dress properly. Seeing Du Yunjing strutting around in a scholar’s robe only solidified his decision.

Even though Du Yunse would look more dignified than Du Yunjing wearing a sackcloth, he still couldn’t allow him to be dressed worse for the exam!

Du Yunse didn’t respond immediately, so Qiu Huanian continued, “You’re going to the capital for the exam. Even for good luck, you should wear new clothes. Dark colors don’t suit you. Do you prefer this light blue, or do you want something else?”

The shop assistant, accustomed to serving customers all day, quickly caught on. Upon hearing that the young man was about to take the scholar’s exam, he put on a welcoming smile and enthusiastically made recommendations.

“The young scholar is so handsome; he must choose fabric that does him justice. This bolt of ice-blue is fresh and elegant—perfect for spring and summer. Or this soft violet fabric, which matches his noble aura perfectly, not to mention its auspicious name.”

Du Yunse hadn’t passed the exam yet, but to make a sale, the assistant was already calling him a scholar.

Ice-blue was a pale cyan, and soft violet a light lavender. As Qiu Huanian listened to the assistant’s recommendations, he found that every color would look good on Du Yunse.

The assistant, seeing that he seemed genuinely interested, turned to a pricier section and said, “If none of these appeal to you, how about half a bolt of our newly stocked golden-brocade silk with a koi pattern? It would look magnificent on the young scholar.”

The golden-red silk shimmered with a gentle glow in the assistant’s hands, and the woven koi motif was exquisitely detailed.

Seeing Qiu Huanian’s eyes show real interest, Du Yunse quickly pulled him back. “Hua-ge’er, why would I need such expensive fabric? If anything, I should be buying it for you.”

Qiu Huanian calmed himself down and regretfully shifted his gaze away from the brocade. That bolt of brocade was priced at two taels of silver, and even half a bolt would cost one tael, far exceeding their budget for this trip.

In the end, Qiu Huanian chose one bolt of Changrong-colored fabric and one bolt of moon-white cotton fabric. Both were light-colored—light purple and light blue—which matched well together. He planned to use one for the tops and the other for the trousers, ensuring that the whole family wouldn’t end up wearing identical outfits.

After some skillful bargaining, relying on his eloquence and pleasing appearance, Qiu Huanian successfully purchased the two bolts of cotton fabric at the same price as in the town, spending a total of 800 wen. He also managed to get a bundle of matching-colored cotton thread from the shop.

The two then carried the fabric back to the place selling cotton. By now, the cotton had been entirely stuffed into stitched covers, turning into quilt cores. Carefully placing all their purchases onto the cart, layering straw at the bottom for support and securing them with ropes, they set off toward the final stop of their trip—the county yamen.

Two days ago, Du Yunse had just visited the county yamen, so the yamen guards still remembered him. They did not give them any trouble and immediately went inside to report. Before long, a message came back—the county magistrate wanted to meet Du Yunse in person.

Two yamen guards came over to lead the horse and mule cart to the backyard for safekeeping, while Qiu Huanian followed Du Yunse inside to meet Magistrate Wang.

Magistrate Wang had been serving in Zhang County for over fifteen years. Due to a lack of connections in higher places, he had never been promoted and had gradually given up on ambition, instead immersing himself in poetry, calligraphy, and painting.

The renowned scholar Wen Huiyang was the figure he admired most. Since Wen Huiyang had personally taken Du Yunse as his disciple from Zhang County, Magistrate Wang naturally had a deep impression of him.

Back then, when Master Wen declared that Du Yunse was not to take the imperial examinations for ten years, Magistrate Wang had been utterly baffled. A true prodigy should be stunning the world while still young—why prevent him from taking the exams?

He had once prepared wine and dishes to visit Master Wen and ask about it, only to receive a response that left him ashamed and introspective.

“Talent does not equate to capability, and writing essays is not the same as governing a region. He is still young, and his extraordinary brilliance makes him as rare as a precious jade. If he were to become an official too soon, it would ruin him. Instead, he should follow me and travel the world. Only after seeing the vast landscapes will he understand how to turn intelligence into true governance.”

Now, Du Yunse had returned from his studies, and nearly ten years had passed. Magistrate Wang was quite curious—how much depth did this former prodigy now possess?

After paying his respects to the magistrate, Du Yunse stated the purpose of his visit. Magistrate Wang, upon hearing that it was a minor matter, immediately ordered his yamen guards to bring the official documents to the county vice magistrate for drafting the marriage certificate. Meanwhile, he took the opportunity to test Du Yunse himself.

Magistrate Wang was a proper jinshi scholar, having passed both rounds of the imperial examination. Over the years, he had immersed himself in scholarly pursuits, and his knowledge was profound. With a mind to probe Du Yunse’s capabilities, he posed many sharp and difficult questions. Yet, Du Yunse answered each one with composure and confidence.

Qiu Huanian listened for a short while before realizing he could no longer follow along. He had no background in ancient literature or classical texts, and his knowledge in this area was limited to what he had learned in high school—most of which he had already forgotten.

Half an hour later, Magistrate Wang sighed in satisfaction, though he still wished for more.

“Not bad. Compared to your younger years, your breadth of knowledge has expanded, and you now carry yourself with more poise and restraint. Master Wen’s words have indeed proven true.”

“Do you plan to take the autumn imperial examination next year?”

Magistrate Wang did not even bother asking about the county-level examination. In his eyes, Du Yunse passing the exam to become a xiucai in two months was a certainty—after all, if not for Master Wen’s intervention, Du Yunse would have already been a xiucai ten years ago.

“I plan to take the exam next year,” Du Yunse replied. Having studied at the county academy before, he could rightfully refer to himself as the magistrate’s student.

“Good! I await the day you make it onto the honor roll!”

Magistrate Wang, aware of Du Yunse’s financial difficulties, took a book from his shelf.

“This is the Compilation of the County-Level Examination, newly edited by the county academy last year. With your level of knowledge, you don’t need to study at the academy specifically before the exam. Reading through this book will be sufficient.”

He then instructed a yamen guard, “Go to the storeroom and take three reams of xuan paper and three sets of brush and ink from my account to give to Du Gongzi.”

A single sheet of regular xuan paper cost three wen, with a ream containing a hundred sheets. Just the three reams of paper alone were worth nearly one tael of silver. Du Yunse wanted to decline, but Magistrate Wang insisted.

“You’re preparing for the imperial examination—how can you do so without paper and ink? As the county magistrate, it is my duty to support the scholars under my jurisdiction. I won’t force you to accept anything else, but these are essential, and you must take them.”

“If you wish to repay me, then secure a high ranking in next year’s provincial exam and add a mark to my political achievements. That would be the best repayment.”

Knowing that Du Family Village was far away, Magistrate Wang allowed them to leave as soon as the marriage certificate was completed. Before departing, Qiu Huanian recalled the matter of the kidnappers.

Du Yunse, noticing his thoughts, took the initiative to ask Magistrate Wang about it.

“I have already sent official documents to the surrounding counties, requesting their cooperation in handling the case. I estimate that in another half a month, we will have results. Until then, details of the case will be kept confidential. When you return, do not spread this information around.”

Magistrate Wang then remembered that two of the arrested criminals were Qiu Huanian’s relatives and asked, “Do you have any thoughts about those two relatives of yours?”

Qiu Huanian certainly had no intention of pleading for them.

“Magistrate Wang is an upstanding official who enforces the law impartially. How could I have any opinions? It is best to handle them according to the law.”

Hearing this, Magistrate Wang let out a satisfied chuckle and looked at Qiu Huanian with newfound appreciation.

Given Du Yunse’s talent, if he were paired with a foolish and blindly filial village spouse, Magistrate Wang would have found it quite a pity.