The Overachieving Little Husband of the Top Scholar’s Household - Chapter 34: The Red Fermented Bean Curd Workshop

 

The steward of the Feng residence directly ordered the coachman to turn the carriage around and take the people on board to the place he specified.

 

The provincial examination had just ended, and anyone in Xiangping Prefecture with good connections knew that the Education Commissioner of Liaozhou was currently in the prefectural city. This was an imperial official whom even the prefect had to treat with respect. The coachman dared not say a word of refusal. Upon seeing the steward’s waist token, he immediately complied with the order.

 

“The Education Commissioner? Why is it the Education Commissioner again? Where are they taking us?” Zhao Shi was at a loss. She was only tough at home, but when faced with something she dared not provoke, she immediately lost her nerve.

 

Du Yunjing pushed Fubao aside and tried to rush out of the carriage. But as soon as he lifted the curtain, he was blocked by the servants of the Feng residence standing by the carriage.

 

Seeing Du Yunjing’s bruised and swollen face, the steward of the Feng residence chuckled, “What happened to Scholar Du? How unseemly for a bridegroom to look like this.”

 

Du Yunjing, half-crouching and half-standing while holding onto the carriage shaft, took a few breaths but dared not jump down. He could only force himself to remain calm and ask, “The provincial examination is over, and I should be returning home with my family. Why is the Education Commissioner forcing me to stay?”

 

The steward waved his hand, “Scholar Du, no wonder our master says you are inadequate. You’ve turned a good thing into something else entirely.”

 

“Our master is concerned that your family’s financial difficulties might embarrass the bride, which would also reflect poorly on him as the matchmaker. So he specially sent us to help you complete the wedding arrangements before letting you return home.”

 

“This is a favor many people would beg for. Instead of being grateful, you talk about being ‘forced to stay’?”

 

Du Yunjing’s face turned dark, and his limbs trembled uncontrollably with anger. He had originally planned to delay the wedding, hoping the Education Commissioner would forget about it, and then find an excuse to deal with Li Gu’er. After all, Zhang County was far from the prefectural city, and with some caution, news would never reach here.

 

Who would have thought the Education Commissioner was truly determined to block all his escape routes!

 

Li Gu’er, huddled in the corner of the carriage, heard the commotion outside and lowered her eyes, slowly releasing her nails from her palms.

 

Things had spiraled out of control to this point, and she had long regretted her actions. However, there was no turning back now. She could only continue down this path with all her might.

 

Li Gu’er’s mother had passed away a few years ago, and after her father remarried, her life at home became much less comfortable than before. Li Gu’er did not want to live under the thumbs of her sister-in-law and stepmother, nor did she want to marry just any village man. She wanted to marry a man who would allow her to hold her head high and flaunt her status in front of her relatives.

 

Li Gu’er set her sights on her second cousin, Du Yunjing, from her uncle’s family.

 

Among the men Li Gu’er could come into contact with, her second cousin was not only from a wealthy family but had also been literate since childhood, ranking at the top of the county school. He was bound to pass the imperial examinations sooner or later, resembling a refined gentleman, making him the best candidate.

 

Li Gu’er found an opportunity to have a big fight with her family, packed her belongings, and ran straight to Du Village.

 

Her uncle, Du Baoquan, was soft-hearted and did not manage family affairs. Her aunt, Zhao Shi, loved to hear flattery. The eldest son, Du Yunhu, and his wife, Wei Liuhua, had no status in the family. Li Gu’er had already figured out the situation and successfully moved into her uncle’s house.

 

Unfortunately, her second cousin spent most of his time studying at the county school. During his brief visits home, he paid little attention to her. No matter how many plans Li Gu’er had, she could not carry them out under Zhao Shi’s watchful eyes.

 

Li Gu’er kept her eyes fixed on Du Yunjing and accidentally discovered that her chosen second cousin seemed to have a liking for a young boy named Qiu Huanian, who was a child bride in the widow Li’s family.

 

Li Gu’er’s eyes turned green with jealousy. She immediately exaggerated the matter and told her aunt Zhao Shi, who became furious. However, Zhao Shi planned to arrange a marriage between Du Yunjing and the nephew of the clan leader’s eldest daughter-in-law, a young man from the tofu shop in Qingfu Town, to cut off her son’s interest in Qiu Huanian. This angered Li Gu’er so much that she broke several bed mats in the middle of the night.

 

Fortunately, Du Yunjing’s teacher at the county school soon took a liking to him and intended to choose him as a son-in-law. Zhao Shi, having a better option, immediately reneged on the agreement with the Meng family’s young man, offending the clan leader’s eldest daughter-in-law, Meng Fuyue, in the process.

 

Li Gu’er temporarily breathed a sigh of relief but also realized a fact—she neither had the beauty to attract Du Yunjing nor the wealthy family background to impress Zhao Shi. If things continued as they were, she would have no chance of fulfilling her dream of marrying Du Yunjing.

 

Du Yunjing was going to the prefectural city to take the provincial examination and needed someone to accompany and take care of him for two months. Li Gu’er realized this was her only opportunity. Unfortunately, she had been lazy all her life, and Zhao Shi, knowing she was useless, did not allow her to go, instead choosing the eldest daughter-in-law, Wei Liuhua.

 

Li Gu’er had schemed so much to marry Du Yunjing. How could she let this opportunity slip away? She decided to take a risk.

 

She secretly contacted her sworn brother from her hometown village and arranged to meet him on a back mountain path. From him, she obtained a powder that could make people feel listless and drowsy without anyone noticing.

 

She planned to drug Du Yunhu and Wei Liuhua’s son, Youge’er. She knew Wei Liuhua had been enduring life at her in-laws’ for a long time. If not for her poor family background and her husband’s filial piety, Wei Liuhua might have already had a big fight with Zhao Shi.

 

Wei Liuhua treated Youge’er as her most precious treasure. If something happened to Youge’er, Wei Liuhua would definitely refuse to leave her child and go to the prefectural city. Then, her opportunity would come.

 

Li Gu’er took advantage of Wei Liuhua’s busy schedule cooking and working to secretly mix the powder into Youge’er’s coarse cornmeal porridge several times. However, after several days, Youge’er’s health showed no signs of deteriorating. She secretly peeked through the door a few times and found that the previously pale and sickly child was becoming healthier and fairer.

 

Before Li Gu’er could figure out what was going on, Zhao Shi’s plan to sell Qiu Huanian to the Qiu family in Shangliang Village was exposed. Zhao Shi could no longer stay in the village and decided to take everyone except Du Yunhu’s family of three to the prefectural city. Li Gu’er got her wish and no longer needed to target Youge’er.

 

However, with so many people going together, the situation was not as she had imagined. Although she was out of the village, she was still under Zhao Shi’s watchful eyes, and there was little she could do.

 

Li Gu’er decided to go all out and asked her sworn brother for another type of powder, one that was said to be highly effective and popular among the prostitutes in the county’s brothels. It was also quite expensive.

 

Li Gu’er sweet-talked her sworn brother, promising to repay him generously once she succeeded. She also endured the shame and disgust of being intimate with him on the back mountain path before obtaining the new powder.

 

By this point, Li Gu’er had become utterly obsessed, determined to succeed at any cost.

 

Since the previous powder had not worked on Youge’er, Li Gu’er feared that the drowsiness-inducing powder might not be effective enough. So, starting half a month before the provincial examination, she secretly began drugging Zhao Shi and the others, ensuring that no one would interfere when she made her move.

 

Although she tried her best to avoid Du Yunjing, living together and sharing meals meant that Du Yunjing and Li Gu’er herself inevitably ingested some of the powder. Fortunately, the dosage was small and did not affect Du Yunjing’s performance in the examination.

 

After the second round of the provincial examination, Du Yunjing was in a good mood. He returned and said that the questions in the second round were exactly what he had practiced many times at the county school. He was sure to rank high in this examination.

 

Seeing Du Yunjing’s rare good mood, Li Gu’er felt her heart flutter. She quietly set the date for the day the results were announced, choosing the time just before the Hundred Flavors Examination.

 

This was the result of her careful consideration. First, on this day, Du Yunjing would have passed the examination and become a scholar. The entire family would be overjoyed, and their tolerance towards her would be at its highest. Once the deed was done, it was most likely to be acknowledged.

 

Second, choosing the time before the Hundred Flavors Examination meant that Du Yunjing would be in a hurry to attend the examination and would not stay in the room for long, making it easier for her to clean up the evidence and create some false impressions.

 

The night before the results were announced, Li Gu’er once again drugged the family with the drowsiness-inducing powder. To ensure success, she specifically increased the dosage.

 

However, perhaps due to the accumulated effects of the drug, even though she had tried to ensure that she and Du Yunjing only consumed a small amount of the drugged food, they still slept until noon on the day the results were announced. The Zhao Shi family of three in the next room were so drowsy that they could not be woken up.

 

Du Yunjing woke up and scolded Li Gu’er in a panic, quickly dressed, and rushed to the examination hall to check the results.

 

Li Gu’er felt both wronged and scared. A strong sense of unease suddenly rose in her heart. However, having come this far, there was no turning back. She took a deep breath and carefully mixed the precious aphrodisiac powder she had obtained at great cost into a small jug of wine Du Yunjing had bought with money from Zhao Shi two days earlier.

 

In less than half an hour, Du Yunjing returned in a rage. Li Gu’er was startled and quickly asked about the examination results. Du Yunjing mocked Li Gu’er again before disdainfully saying that he had indeed passed.

 

By this point, Li Gu’er’s idealized image of her second cousin as a scholarly gentleman had completely shattered. But she had invested so much to get to this point and had no choice but to continue. Even if Du Yunjing’s true nature was as bad as Zhao Shi’s, he was still a scholar with an official title, far superior to any village man!

 

Li Gu’er gritted her teeth and, amidst the insults and ridicule, smiled charmingly as she carried the wine jug to Du Yunjing, inviting him to drink the wine she had bought to celebrate his success in the examination.

 

The skills and experience she had gained from her sworn brother came in handy at this moment.

 

In the small, dim room, Li Gu’er had not yet had time to rejoice that her plan had finally reached its most critical step when the combined effects of the two powders caused her to pass out.

 

When she regained consciousness, everything had changed, and the situation was dire.

 

Amidst the disdainful gossip and stares of the servants in the rented house, amidst Zhao Shi and Fubao’s curses and beatings, and amidst Du Yunjing’s furious and murderous gaze, Li Gu’er slowly realized that she had ruined everything.

 

Because of her drugs, Du Yunjing had missed the Hundred Flavors Examination, thoroughly offending the Education Commissioner of Liaozhou. In front of all the officials and scholars of Xiangping Prefecture, the Education Commissioner had labeled him as “unfit for great use” and banned him from participating in the next three provincial examinations.

 

The high-stakes gamble of forcing a marriage through a fait accompli had resulted in the worst possible outcome.

 

The scandal of her daytime affair with Du Yunjing had become public knowledge, completely ruining her reputation. Zhao Shi and Du Yunjing now wished to kill her.

 

She had schemed and plotted to rise above others, severed ties with her family, sold her body, and even drugged a three-year-old child. Step by step, she had planned everything meticulously, only to end up with no way out.

 

The only thing keeping Li Gu’er clinging to the Zhao Shi family was the fact that the Education Commissioner of Liaozhou had acted as a matchmaker for her and Du Yunjing. No matter what the Education Commissioner truly thought, Li Gu’er only remembered him calling her a decent woman and telling Du Yunjing to marry and treat her well.

 

This was Li Gu’er’s last lifeline. Having come this far, she would cling to Du Yunjing for dear life and never let go, no matter what!

 

Hearing the steward of the Feng residence outside the carriage say that he would help arrange the wedding between Du Yunjing and herself, Li Gu’er buried her head even lower under Zhao Shi’s murderous gaze, a faint smile creeping onto her lips.

 

She still had hope. She had not lost yet!

 

…

 

Qiu Huanian and Zhu Jingwei finalized the details of their partnership for the red fermented bean curd workshop, wrote up a contract, and each took a copy to the government office for notarization and sealing, thus formalizing the agreement for the recipe’s equity stake.

 

Zhu Jingcheng observed the entire process, occasionally offering his younger brother some advice. Du Yunse, on the other hand, remained silent, his attention entirely focused on Qiu Huanian.

 

Zhu Jingcheng maintained a calm exterior, but inwardly, he was shocked. The capabilities of Du Yunse’s young husband far exceeded his expectations.

 

Zhu Jingcheng had originally thought that Qiu Huanian was merely skilled with his hands and had a flexible mind. However, when it came to negotiating the details of the contract, he realized just how mature and thorough this young husband of the new top scholar of Xiangping Prefecture was. Qiu Huanian systematically pointed out all potential issues and, with a few words, convinced others to accept his solutions.

 

This kind of approach was unlike that of a young husband from the countryside who had not yet reached the age of twenty. Even many heirs of wealthy merchant families in Xiangping Prefecture, who had been groomed for twenty to thirty years with vast resources, could not compare to him.

 

After much thought, Zhu Jingcheng could only conclude that some people were simply born with extraordinary talent and innate knowledge.

 

Having witnessed Qiu Huanian’s abilities, Zhu Jingcheng became even more determined to befriend Du Yunse. Du Yunse was no ordinary man. The fact that such a person was born in Xiangping Prefecture and that Jingwei and he had met him in his humble beginnings might well be a blessing for the Zhu family.

 

In the contract agreed upon by Qiu Huanian and Zhu Jingwei, Qiu Huanian would contribute the recipe as equity to partner with Zhu Jingwei in establishing the red fermented bean curd workshop, receiving 10% of the net profits. Zhu Jingwei would be responsible for the site, raw material procurement, production, and sales. After giving Qiu Huanian a ten-tael silver deposit, they would split the net profits, with Zhu Jingwei taking 90% and Qiu Huanian 10%. The contract would last for fifteen years, after which Zhu Jingwei’s red fermented bean curd workshop would no longer need to share profits with Qiu Huanian.

 

In addition to these terms, the contract also detailed solutions for situations such as the workshop operating at a loss, Zhu Jingwei’s poor management, accounting issues, or incomplete recipes. These were all proposed by Qiu Huanian.

 

In fact, Qiu Huanian could have leveraged the Zhu brothers’ desire to befriend him to demand a larger share of the profits. However, he decided to base the contract on market valuations, ensuring everything was fair and square.

 

A stable partnership must be built on a foundation of balanced interests from the very beginning. This was a lesson Qiu Huanian had learned from his years working in public relations at a large company.

 

Zhu Jingwei, having his first serious business venture, was so excited by the detailed contract that he was beside himself. He immediately wanted to select a site, build the workshop, hire workers, and get the red fermented bean curd workshop up and running.

 

Seeing his younger brother so motivated for the first time, Zhu Jingcheng was pleased. After offering a few words of advice, he let Zhu Jingwei take the layout diagram Qiu Huanian had provided for the workshop and set off to work.

 

Qiu Huanian, satisfied, took the contract and the ten taels of silver and left the bookstore with Du Yunse.

 

“Selling the red fermented bean curd recipe this way finally puts my mind at ease,” Qiu Huanian said cheerfully as they walked.

 

Although a 10% profit share seemed small, he did not have to invest any capital, effort, or sales channels. He only had to wait for the money to come in, and it would continue for fifteen years. The total amount he would receive was likely hundreds of times the original value of the recipe.

 

“Since we arrived in the prefectural city, the Shu family has been providing our meals. We’ve hardly spent any money these days. The biggest expense was the one and a half taels for rent. Adding in the round-trip carriage fare and other miscellaneous expenses, we’ve spent less than two and a half taels in total.”

 

“With the ten taels we just received, we now have twenty-three taels at home. We can build a house as soon as we return.”

 

Speaking of building a house, Qiu Huanian’s eyes lit up with a radiant smile that softened Du Yunse’s heart.

 

Qiu Huanian shared the plans he had gone over countless times in his mind. “If we’re going to build, we should do it right. Since we have plenty of money, we might as well go all out.”

 

“Blue brick and tile houses are a must. Our current yard is a bit small, and there’s no garden. I want to buy half of the large garden behind our house from the neighbor and fill it in to build the house.”

 

“We’ll build three main rooms at the front, with the side rooms on both sides larger, about the size of two rooms. We’ll also need east and west wing rooms, one for Jiujiu and one for Chunsheng when they grow up. We’ll need a dedicated kitchen, with a passage connecting it to the side rooms so that cooking won’t be cold even in wind or snow.”

 

Qiu Huanian described his vision for the new house in detail, already eager to return home. He had endured the family’s dilapidated thatched house and the half-collapsed kang for long enough!

 

After several months in this world, he had finally earned enough money to build a new house through his own efforts. Qiu Huanian believed that their future would only get better.

 

Du Yunse listened quietly to Qiu Huanian’s words, as if the newly built house was already before his eyes—neat blue brick and tile houses, a spacious yard, fruit trees, vegetable gardens, beautiful people, and innocent children…

 

Du Yunse’s eyes were filled with a smile. He subtly took Qiu Huanian’s hand, and Qiu Huanian gently struggled for a moment before letting him hold it, his eyes glancing to the side.

 

He was eager to pass the imperial examinations as soon as possible, become an official, and have a better house, better clothes, and better medicine to take good care of Hua’er, ensuring that Hua’er’s face would always wear the relaxed and happy smile it did now.

 

Such a wonderful little husband should not have to suffer with him forever.

 

…

 

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse walked hand in hand back to the Shu residence. After the Dragon Boat Festival, the temperature had warmed, and the sky was clear. The gentle, warm breeze brushed their faces, lifting their hair and giving them a sense of peaceful contentment.

 

As they walked, Qiu Huanian suddenly laughed.

 

“What is it?” Du Yunse asked.

 

“Nothing, I just feel really good.”

 

Qiu Huanian was thinking about how, in his previous life, he had been so busy that he never had the chance to find a boyfriend to hold hands with and go on a date. Now, in this ancient world, he had achieved that, and with someone as exceptional as Du Yunse—handsome, capable, and with a perfect personality—he found it both amusing and bittersweet.

 

Qiu Huanian did not elaborate, and Du Yunse did not press further. He knew that Hua’er was probably thinking about something strange again. He gently squeezed Qiu Huanian’s slender, soft hand.

 

After walking for a while, they neared the examination hall. As they passed a lantern shop, Qiu Huanian spotted a familiar face.

 

Qiu Huanian tugged at Du Yunse and whispered, “Why is Zhao Shi still in the prefectural city? Who is that person next to her?”

 

Living in the prefectural city was not cheap, and the provincial examination was over. After all the chaos that had happened yesterday, shouldn’t the Zhao Shi family have scurried back to Zhang County as soon as possible?

 

Du Yunse also did not know the reason. Given the family’s history of causing trouble, he pulled Qiu Huanian aside. “Let’s observe for a moment.”

 

Zhao Shi and the middle-aged man in silk clothes did not stay long in the lantern shop. The man did all the talking, while Zhao Shi stood by with a mournful face, listening meekly.

 

After finalizing the purchase, the shop assistant handed Zhao Shi twenty-four red candles. Zhao Shi hesitated for a moment, then, under the man’s mocking gaze, tremblingly took out three qian of silver and counted out sixty copper coins, handing them to the assistant with a look of despair.

 

After they left, Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse entered the lantern shop. The assistant, seeing the two dressed in brand-new embroidered clothes and both exceptionally good-looking, immediately greeted them with a smile.

 

“What can I do for you, honored guests?”

 

“What are the prices for candles and oil lamps here?” Qiu Huanian didn’t rush to inquire about Zhao Shi’s matter.

 

“White candles are 12 coins each, red candles are 15 coins each. As for oil lamps, the base depends on the material and style, ranging from 20 coins to one tael of silver. Lamp oil costs 150 coins per catty, and the wicks are 5 coins each.”

 

Seeing Qiu Huanian nod without speaking, the shop assistant added, “To be honest with you, sir, you won’t find a more fair price in all of Xiangping Prefecture. Although the lamp oil and wicks are a bit expensive, there’s a reason for it. The lamp oil in our shop is high-quality sesame oil, not the kind of tung oil that produces black smoke when lit. The wicks are also specially made with added ingredients, making them much brighter than ordinary ones. Many scholars come to our shop specifically to buy lamp oil and wicks for reading at night!”

 

The assistant wasn’t exaggerating. While observing Zhao Shi outside, Qiu Huanian had already seen two scholars come to this shop to buy lamp oil and wicks.

 

In ancient times, because candles and lamp oil were so expensive, many poor families couldn’t afford lighting at night and had to do things in the dark.

 

When there was moonlight, it was manageable, but without it, the inside and outside of the house would be pitch black, and one could easily trip or fall.

 

Qiu Huanian had suffered greatly from this over the past few months. Now that he had a bit more money, he planned to equip the new house with oil lamps, gradually improving their quality of life.

 

Lamp oil and lamp bases were inconvenient to carry, and they would be cheaper in Zhang County, so Qiu Huanian wasn’t in a hurry to buy them in the prefectural city. However, he was quite interested in the specially made wicks.

 

For most tasks, brightness wasn’t a priority, but when studying, poor lighting could strain the eyes. It was early summer now, with long days and short nights, but by autumn and winter, the nights in the northeast could last over ten hours. Du Yunse would need to use a lamp for reading, and it had to be a bright one.

 

Qiu Huanian smiled and said, “Sesame oil can be bought anywhere, but I’ve never seen your specially made wicks before. I’ll buy a few to try first. If they’re good, I’ll come back for more.”

 

“Sure thing, sir. How many would you like?”

 

“Let’s start with two. Don’t worry, if the product is good, I’ll definitely come back for more.”

 

While the assistant was packing the wicks, Qiu Huanian casually asked, “By the way, what were those two people who just left doing? Why was the man in silk buying candles but making the woman in plain clothes pay?”

 

The behavior of those two was indeed strange, and Qiu Huanian’s curiosity was natural. The assistant didn’t think much of it and replied directly, “Sir, you might not know this, but that man is a steward from the Feng residence. He was tasked with helping that woman’s son prepare for a wedding, so he accompanied her to buy things.”

 

“A wedding?”

 

“Apparently, it was ordered by the Education Commissioner himself. Who knows the details?”

 

The assistant didn’t dare say more, but he was inwardly amazed. Logically, if the Education Commissioner had personally ordered his steward to help with the wedding, the woman’s son must be highly regarded by the Commissioner. Yet, the Feng steward was intimidating the woman, not contributing a single coin, and even deliberately making her spend more.

 

Take the red candles for the wedding chamber, for example. Given the woman’s attire and her pained expression when paying, there was no way she needed twenty-four candles! But the Feng steward insisted on buying that many, claiming that since the Education Commissioner himself had acted as the matchmaker, the wedding had to be grand and not embarrass the Commissioner.

 

In the assistant’s opinion, the woman’s son probably hadn’t earned the Commissioner’s favor but had instead offended him in some way. When the master dislikes someone, the servants naturally find ways to make things difficult.

 

Qiu Huanian paid for the packed wicks and left the shop with Du Yunse. Once outside, he remarked with a mix of emotion and curiosity, “I thought Magistrate Feng’s offer to officiate the wedding was just a spur-of-the-moment remark. I didn’t expect him to actually send someone to follow up on it the next day.”

 

Du Yunse said, “Magistrate Feng is known for seeing things through to the end. Once he says something, he ensures it happens. Moreover, Magistrate Feng genuinely believes Li Gu’er is innocent, which is why he personally acted as the matchmaker to secure this marriage after hearing from the clerk that Li Gu’er was crying and insisting on marrying Du Yunjing.”

 

“However, Magistrate Feng is very busy and doesn’t have time to focus on such trivial matters. He likely just instructed the steward to arrange the wedding for Du Yunjing and Li Gu’er in Xiangping Prefecture. The steward’s harsh treatment of Zhao Shi was probably his own interpretation after hearing about what happened at the Hundred Flavors Examination.”

 

Qiu Huanian thought of Zhao Shi’s earlier expression of suppressed anger and sighed with a smile, “In Du Village, Zhao Shi always bullied others, relying on her seniority and family status. Now that the tables have turned, I wonder if she reflects on her past actions.”

 

“If she were capable of reflection, she wouldn’t have ended up in this situation. Zhao Shi is like this, and so is Du Yunjing,” Du Yunse commented indifferently.

 

Hua’er’s heart was too kind and soft, always hoping for good people to be rewarded and for bad people to repent. Having seen much of the world’s treachery and deceit, Du Yunse knew that some people’s inherent malice, once formed, could never truly change. If one let their guard down, they might be bitten back.

 

However, he liked Hua’er as he was now and didn’t want him to change because of any hardships. As a couple, he would protect him well.

 

…

 

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse had originally planned to pack up and return to Zhang County, but that afternoon, they received another invitation from Min Taikang, the headmaster of Qingfeng Academy. The invitation asked Du Yunse to visit Qingfeng Academy on Mount Xiuyan in the south of Xiangping Prefecture the next day.

 

“You’re really becoming a celebrity now, with invitations coming one after another,” Qiu Huanian said with a smile.

 

Aside from Min Taikang’s invitation, many others who had learned of Du Yunse’s whereabouts had sent invitations. Du Yunse had declined them all, but the invitation from the headmaster of Qingfeng Academy, the most prestigious academy in Liaozhou, couldn’t be easily refused.

 

“The Xiuyan Tea Gathering invites scholars from Xiangping Prefecture to taste a new batch of Zhengshan Xiaozhong black tea the headmaster acquired this year. This kind of tea gathering at the academy probably involves discussing scholarly topics while drinking tea, right?”

 

“Tasting tea is just the pretext. The headmaster’s goal is likely to take advantage of the gathering of scholars in Xiangping Prefecture to invite guests to Qingfeng Academy to discuss academic matters with the students.”

 

“Then you should go. We’ll stay one more day, and I’ll check on Zhu Jingwei’s progress with the red fermented bean curd workshop,” Qiu Huanian said, immediately losing interest upon hearing that the gathering would involve discussions of the Four Books and Five Classics and scholarly topics.

 

Too hard to understand, not useful, and not interested.

 

Du Yunse nodded with a smile. He found Hua’er utterly adorable no matter what he did.

 

Qiu Huanian noticed Du Yunse’s gaze and coughed lightly, his eyes darting around. “I’ll go borrow an oil lamp from the main courtyard to test the wicks we bought today.”

 

Qiu Huanian borrowed a black ceramic oil lamp from Aunt Shu. That evening, he placed the wick in the shallow lamp oil, let it soak, and then lit it with a fire starter. A bean-sized flame flickered to life, illuminating the surrounding space.

 

“It does seem brighter than a candle. What do you think, Yunse?”

 

“Brighter than most oil lamps.”

 

Qiu Huanian turned and picked up a book, flipping through a few pages under the lamp. The characters were clear and easy to read, without straining his eyes.

 

“I’ll go buy more wicks from that lantern shop tomorrow. Who knows when we’ll be back in the prefectural city next time? I might as well buy a hundred. One wick per night will last a long time.”

 

The next morning, Du Yunse changed into the clean new clothes Qiu Huanian had prepared and set off for Qingfeng Academy. Qiu Huanian, having nothing to do, stayed at the Shu residence and played cat’s cradle with Rutang for a while.

 

He noticed that Rutang had been in low spirits for the past few days and still hadn’t cheered up. The Shu couple was busy with their inn business and often neglected their only daughter. After some thought, Qiu Huanian followed Rutang’s prompts in the game and asked, “Rutang, you stay at home every day. Why don’t you play with friends your age?”

 

There were several children around Rutang’s age living in Sweet Water Lane, and Qiu Huanian had seen quite a few of them during his comings and goings over the past few days.

 

“I used to have some, but I don’t want to play with them anymore.”

 

Qiu Huanian’s heart stirred. Rutang was eleven this year. Could it be that ancient children also went through a rebellious phase? He thought of Jiujiu and Chunsheng in his own family. What would they be like when they grew older?

 

Qiu Huanian regretted not reading more parenting books in his previous life. He now felt like a concerned yet fulfilled father, eagerly anticipating his children’s growth and changes while worrying about problems he might not be able to solve.

 

Half concerned and half curious, Qiu Huanian asked Rutang, “Did someone say something you didn’t like to hear?”

 

Rutang pursed her lips, and the cat’s cradle in her hands collapsed into a tangled mess. She untangled the string from her fingers and tossed it aside, lowering her head in silence.

 

Seeing this, Qiu Huanian knew he had hit the mark and smiled. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it, Rutang. I just want to tell you that you don’t need to care too much about people you don’t like. If you don’t like something, your own happiness is what matters most.”

 

The Shu couple referred to Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse as brothers, so Rutang was naturally a generation younger. Although she was only a little less than two years older than Jiujiu, she had to call Qiu Huanian “Uncle.”

 

Hearing Qiu Huanian’s gentle, smiling voice, Rutang’s eyes reddened slightly. She glanced around to make sure Aunt Shu wasn’t nearby, then hesitantly said, “Uncle Hua, I… I…”

 

“Hmm?” Qiu Huanian waited patiently.

 

Rutang closed her eyes, made up her mind, and asked, “Can I ask you something?”

 

“You can ask anything. Whether I answer is up to me, so don’t feel burdened.”

 

Rutang propped her pointed chin on her hand, her eyes fixed on the tangled string beside her. After several attempts, she finally managed to form a sentence. “It’s just… what Uncle Yunse said yesterday… do you really believe him?”

 

Qiu Huanian raised an eyebrow, and Rutang quickly added, “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop! Everyone was in the side courtyard house at the time. I heard the doctor say that your medicine needed fresh rush pith as a guide. I remembered there was rush pith under the tree behind the side courtyard house. The house was too crowded, so I went out to look for it myself. When I came back, I found everyone else had left. I was about to go in and ask what was going on when I happened to hear Old Doctor Gu and Uncle Yunse talking…”

 

“I didn’t tell anyone! Not even my parents.”

 

Qiu Huanian hadn’t expected a young girl to be outside the house yesterday. He wasn’t too concerned about Rutang overhearing Old Doctor Gu and Du Yunse’s conversation, though he felt a bit embarrassed. After all, Du Yunse’s heartfelt confession in the heat of the moment could only be described as deeply emotional. Thinking back on it now made his face flush.

 

“I know you didn’t mean to eavesdrop, Rutang, and I won’t blame you. Just keep it to yourself, as you have been.”

 

Rutang breathed a sigh of relief, and her next words came out more smoothly. “Uncle Yunse said he could live without children, that he only wanted to spend his life with you… But everyone says Uncle Yunse is the reincarnation of the Literary Star, destined to become a high official in the capital. Even wealthy families in Xiangping Prefecture have multiple wives and concubines. Even… even the owner of the silver shop next door just took in a new concubine. Uncle Hua, do you really believe what Uncle Yunse said?”

 

Qiu Huanian waited quietly for Rutang to finish before chuckling. “Rutang, what you really want to ask isn’t whether I believe your Uncle Yunse, is it? You’re hesitating about whether to believe someone, aren’t you?”

 

Seeing Rutang struggling to express herself, Qiu Huanian kindly asked, “Is it related to your parents?”

 

Rutang stared at the embroidered tips of her satin shoes and said awkwardly, “I… I heard about your situation, Uncle Hua, so I’ll tell you about mine. We’ll keep each other’s secrets, okay?”

 

This was the solution she had come up with after a night of torment, a way to ease her conscience.

 

Qiu Huanian smiled. Although Rutang was a bit more mature due to growing up in the prefectural city, she was still a child at heart. “Alright, we’ll keep each other’s secrets.”

 

Rutang checked again to make sure Aunt Shu wasn’t nearby, then whispered her story to Qiu Huanian.

 

“When my mother was pregnant with me, the family business wasn’t doing well yet. My mother worked from dawn to dusk with my father, transporting goods in the city to earn money, and she accidentally hurt her body.”

 

“After I was born, the doctor said it would be difficult for her to get pregnant again. My father knelt down and swore that he would take good care of my mother and me, and that when I grew up, he would find a son-in-law to marry into the family. He vowed he would never have a second wife. Many people close to our family know about this.”

 

Qiu Huanian frowned slightly. Although he didn’t know these details, he had heard from Aunt Huang that the Shu couple had supported each other through hard times. During his time in the prefectural city, he had also sensed the deep affection between the two.

 

Rutang suddenly bringing this up—could it be that Shu Huacai had done something behind Zheng Yiwan’s back?

 

“Rutang… did you discover something?”

 

Rutang quickly shook her head and explained in a low voice, “No, but my grandfather has been pressuring my father about this. He even came to the prefectural city to make a scene. Although my father sent him back, my mother cried secretly. I saw her, but she told me not to tell my father.”

 

“Does your father have any brothers?” Qiu Huanian had been puzzled when he first arrived. The Shu residence had very few people living in it. In ancient times, it was customary for families to live together, so it was unusual for the Shu couple to buy a house in the prefectural city without bringing their parents to live with them.

 

Rutang gritted her teeth. “He does. My mother says that whole family is bad. They almost drove my father to death back then. After my father ran away to the prefectural city and met my mother, they built up the family business, and now that family is trying to take advantage of it!”

 

“Their plan is either to have my father take in a woman from my aunt’s family to bear a son, or to have my father adopt my uncle’s son. Either way, they can’t let the family line ‘die out.’ In reality, they just want my parents’ wealth!”

 

Qiu Huanian sighed, finally understanding why Rutang had been in low spirits. In ancient times, a girl or a young boy facing such a situation had no solution. They could only hope that their father’s promise would never change.

 

“I used to play with Zhu Xia, the daughter of the silver shop owner next door. A while ago, I heard her father had taken in a new concubine, and I felt bad for her. Her mother is so good, and she already has a son and two daughters, but this still happened…”

 

“I went to comfort Zhu Xia, but she told me that it’s normal for wealthy and capable men to have multiple wives and concubines. Her mother is virtuous and wouldn’t mind. She even told me to persuade my mother, saying that our family not having a son would make us a laughingstock.”

 

“I’ll never play with her again!” Rutang’s eyes turned red with anger as she recounted this, her voice trembling with emotion.

 

Qiu Huanian handed Rutang a handkerchief. She wiped her eyes, then suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. She had kept these thoughts bottled up, not daring to tell anyone. Yet, for some reason, she had poured everything out to this young uncle she had only known for a little over a month.

 

Uncle Hua seemed to have a magical quality that made people feel trusted and at ease.

 

“Uncle Hua, am I… really wrong?” The confusion Rutang hadn’t even wanted to admit to herself slowly seeped out.

 

What was right, what was wrong—she didn’t really understand. She just didn’t want her mother to be sad, didn’t want their happy little family of three to be destroyed. But her relatives, her friends, and even most people in the world said that what she couldn’t accept was actually right. This made Rutang feel uneasy.

 

A gentle hand rested on Rutang’s head, softly ruffling her hair.

 

Qiu Huanian patted Rutang’s head as he often did with Jiujiu, speaking to her earnestly and kindly. “What’s customary isn’t necessarily right. It just needs time to be overturned. In my opinion, Rutang, your thoughts and actions are completely correct. If people don’t share your values, it’s best to ignore them.”

 

“As for your parents’ situation, trust your father’s promise, and believe that your mother has the strength to face any outcome.”

 

“If you’re still worried, work on improving yourself. Even a daughter can achieve great things. Your mother and your aunts from the Huang family are living proof, aren’t they?”

 

Seeing Rutang’s worries begin to ease, Qiu Huanian gazed at the fluttering leaves in the warm breeze and smiled softly. This answer was for Rutang, but also for himself.

 

He believed in Du Yunse’s promise and trusted in his own ability to face any outcome. Only then could he continue walking the path to happiness.

 

…

 

Around lunchtime, Zhu Jingwei arrived with his family’s steward and a servant. He immediately said to Qiu Huanian, “Hua’er, I’ve already set up the red fermented bean curd workshop as you instructed. Since you’re still in the prefectural city, come with me to take a look. If there’s anything wrong, we can fix it early!”

 

Qiu Huanian was surprised by how quickly Zhu Jingwei had acted. He had been waiting for Zhu Jingwei to come to him with questions if there were any misunderstandings.

 

“It’s all set up?”

 

Seeing Qiu Huanian’s disbelief, Zhu Jingwei’s competitive spirit was roused. “Hua’er, you already drew the diagrams. What’s so hard about it? It’s just buying a large courtyard, some jars, shelves, bamboo curtains, and arranging them as you said, right?”

 

The Zhu family steward, who had accompanied Zhu Jingwei, smiled and added, “Young Master went home yesterday and immediately sent people to buy the materials and select a location. This morning, he personally oversaw the servants arranging everything in the workshop. In all my years with the Zhu family, this is the first time I’ve seen the Young Master so dedicated. He’s doing a great job, truly worthy of being the Zhu family’s heir.”

 

Zhu Jingwei was pleased by the praise but modestly said, “Jiang Er, it’s not as impressive as you make it sound. I just pointed out a few things that needed fixing.”

 

Jiang Er chuckled and said to Qiu Huanian, “Hua’er, don’t mind me. I’m the steward of the madam’s dowry. When the madam heard that the Young Master was willing to take on serious work, she was overjoyed. If the Eldest Young Master hadn’t stopped her, she would have come to meet you in person. The madam sent me to help the Young Master manage the red fermented bean curd workshop. We’ll be working together often in the future.”

 

Qiu Huanian nodded with a smile, thinking that this was the advantage of a wealthy family like the Zhu family. With an experienced and capable steward like Jiang Er overseeing things, there was no need to worry about Zhu Jingwei making mistakes due to lack of experience.

 

“Alright, let’s go take a look at the red fermented bean curd workshop that Young Master Jingwei personally arranged.”