The Overachieving Little Husband of the Top Scholar’s Household - Chapter 43: Destruction

Zhao Shi recalled everything she had experienced in the provincial city, and resentment still filled her heart.

The steward of the academic government had taken their family away under the pretense of assisting with a wedding, arranging for them to stay in a separate courtyard. It appeared as though several people had been assigned to care for and help them, but in reality, they were being placed under house arrest, with the steward taking pleasure in tormenting them.

Every few days, the steward would come and take Zhao Shi out, claiming it was to help her choose various wedding items. In reality, it was just another way to exhaust and torment her. Everything they picked had to be the most expensive and in excessive quantities. If she showed the slightest sign of reluctance, she would face veiled threats and mistreatment.

At first, Zhao Shi tried to resist, but every time she did, the punishment only became more severe. Gradually, she no longer dared to act out.

Later, through various means, she finally discovered that this steward had some connections with the owner of the house they had previously rented. It was the steward who had specifically reminded the academic governor about the wedding arrangement, seizing the opportunity to take revenge on behalf of his friend.

Even after learning the reason, Zhao Shi was powerless to change the situation. They were confined to the courtyard and had no way of meeting the academic governor. Even if they did, there was no guarantee he would help them as she wished.

Not until the steward had squeezed out the very last penny from Zhao Shi’s family did he finally allow them to leave the provincial city. Zhao Shi gritted her teeth and pawned her silver bracelet just to afford the travel expenses for the return journey.

In the first few days after returning to Du Family Village, Zhao Shi often woke up in the middle of the night in terror, still fearing the steward’s torment.

She only managed to recover from these nightmares after some time, but once she came to her senses, she realized that life in Du Family Village was no longer as comfortable as before.

Previously, Zhao Shi had enjoyed a privileged position in the village due to her family’s wealth and her promising son. People flattered and fawned over her wherever she went, allowing her to hold her head high like a proud mother hen.

But now, with her past misdeeds exposed and Qiu Huanian’s family rising in status, those who once surrounded her with flattery gradually disappeared. Those who had always disliked her bad temper now made their disdain more evident, making life in the village increasingly unpleasant for Zhao Shi.

Her relations with the villagers had soured, and her own household had changed as well.

In the past, Zhao Shi had the final say in the family, and her eldest daughter-in-law, Wei Liuhua, never dared to oppose her. But after their months-long absence, Wei Liuhua had inexplicably grown more assertive and confident. She no longer obeyed Zhao Shi’s commands and sometimes even directly defied her, leaving Zhao Shi fuming with anger.

Zhao Shi wanted to put Wei Liuhua in her place, but now that the family’s money was nearly gone and her precious son, Du Yunjing, couldn’t be expected to work or suffer hardships, the entire household relied on Wei Liuhua and Yunhu to earn a living. If Wei Liuhua truly stood her ground, Zhao Shi had no choice but to tolerate her—for now.

She then turned her attention to tormenting Li Gu’er, but Li Gu’er had become much sharper after their trip to the provincial city. She deftly avoided Zhao Shi’s provocations, and when she couldn’t, she simply brought up the academic governor’s order to “treat her well.”

Zhao Shi had developed a deep fear of anything related to the academic governor. Just hearing those words triggered terrifying memories, instantly deflating her arrogance.

As Zhao Shi reflected on everything that had gone wrong in the past six months, she realized that the root of her misfortune had started with Qiu Huanian.

Ever since Fubao pushed Qiu Huanian, causing him to suddenly toughen up, their family had been on a downward spiral.

Meanwhile, Qiu Huanian’s family had been thriving—earning money, passing the county-level exam as the top scorer, and now, upon returning, even building a grand brick-and-tile house with two courtyards, just like the ones in the city.

Her own misfortune was painful enough, but watching her enemy prosper was even more unbearable. Seeing Qiu Huanian’s family live happily burned Zhao Shi with uncontrollable jealousy. She and her two biological sons shared the same nature deep down.

Zhao Shi took a deep breath, her fingernails digging into her palms. She refused to believe that Qiu Huanian could continue to bask in success. He was just a lowly, insignificant ge’er who was once exchanged for two bushels of sorghum—what right did he have to stand where he was today?

Now, Zhao Shi understood just how formidable Du Yunse was. After experiencing the realities of the academic government and the ranks of officials in Xiangping Prefecture, even a rural woman like her had gained a deep awareness of their power. She had also come to realize just how influential Du Yunse’s teacher had been and how well Du Yunse had fared over the years.

She resented that such a great opportunity had not been given to her own son. But at the same time, she believed she now understood Du Yunse on a deeper level.

A young man like Du Yunse, with limitless prospects and a powerful background—how could he possibly truly favor someone like Qiu Huanian, who had grown up in the countryside? Most city men had multiple wives and concubines. Qiu Huanian was merely a lucky, opportunistic country ge’er who happened to secure a position for now.

Zhao Shi refused to believe that Du Yunse had no other interests.

For all she knew, Du Yunse had already found someone special during his years away, and now, limited by his circumstances in his hometown, he was merely settling temporarily.

That young ge’er who had supposedly traveled from afar to find Du Yunse—wasn’t he the most likely candidate?

Otherwise, why would a ge’er, with no familial ties, journey thousands of miles to stay in another man’s home and refuse to leave?

Zhao Shi wanted to spread these rumors and stir trouble in Qiu Huanian’s household while also shifting the village’s attention away from her own family. If this plan succeeded, not only would it make Qiu Huanian’s life miserable, but it would also make her own life easier.

As Zhao Shi hid in the background, scheming her sinister plans, the irrigation work in the fields continued in an orderly manner.

The water tank, designed to hold a large amount of liquid, was too heavy to be carried, so the workers had to move it every few meters. But compared to manually carrying buckets and spraying by hand, this method was already much more efficient.

Qiu Huanian quietly calculated the time. With four spraying devices operating at once, they could finish one acre of cotton fields in half an hour. In a single day, they could complete all three acres.

Once he ensured the equipment was functioning smoothly and the workers had become skilled in using it, his job was done. Du Yunse urged him to go home and rest, while the villagers who had gathered to watch gradually dispersed. Zhao Shi withdrew her venomous gaze and slipped away unnoticed among the crowd.

She needed to go home and plan carefully—she had to make sure that Qiu Huanian fell in one decisive move.

In a place unseen by Zhao Shi, Shiliu’s gaze swept over the crowd without any change in expression.

After the sun had set, Du Yunse and the hired workers finally finished transporting the sprinkler device back using a mule cart. The three acres of land had been completely sprayed with the bio-enzyme. Qiu Huanian added water and raw materials to the bio-enzyme jars, ensuring that they could be used again after some time.

They also transported the vinegar dregs from home to the edge of the field, spreading them out in piles at intervals of several meters.

With this method, when the cotton bollworms hatched from their eggs, they would avoid feeding on the stems and leaves of the cotton that had been sprayed with bio-enzyme. Instead, they would turn to the vinegar dregs. When the bollworms became rampant, they could be captured with nets near the vinegar dregs, effectively eliminating most of them.

Qiu Huanian had boiled water in advance; in summer, bathwater did not need to be too hot. After Du Yunse had bathed, the two sat on the steps in front of the main house in the courtyard to cool off.

“I took a look when I came back. Some bollworms are already avoiding the cotton stems and leaves and going straight for the vinegar dregs. You can be completely at ease now.”

Qiu Huanian nodded. “Next, we need to experiment with the optimal concentration of bio-enzyme, determine how often it should be reapplied, the density at which the vinegar dregs should be placed, and how frequently they should be replaced…”

Only by meticulously recording all this information and summarizing a stable pattern could it be written into an agricultural manual, forming a set of mature experiences that anyone could follow. This way, people across the land could grow more cotton and afford to use it.

Jiujiu and Chunsheng had already gone to bed, and the courtyard was silent. Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse spoke softly about the events of the day.

“Chunsheng’s aptitude for studying is indeed not high. He cannot compare to Jiujiu and Yunkang, let alone to how you were back then. He doesn’t say it, but in his heart, he has always been troubled by it. Before, I thought he was just young and mischievous, but I was too careless.”

Du Yunse gently stroked the crease that had unconsciously formed between Qiu Huanian’s brows. “This is not your fault. As his elder brother, I have also failed in my responsibilities. I will have a deep talk with Chunsheng. You must not worry yourself sick over this.”

Qiu Huanian nodded and then mentioned Shiliu’s strange behavior. “Yunse, do you know what Shiliu’s background is? I keep feeling that his attitude is somewhat odd.”

Du Yunse shook his head. “Shiliu is the crown prince’s personal secret guard. Almost no outsiders know his background. I only saw him once or twice in the two years when His Highness was studying under our teacher. He is deeply trusted by the crown prince and has reportedly followed him since he was just over ten years old.”

“What is the origin of these secret guards? What happens to their families?”

“Our teacher once mentioned that the palace training institutes typically select talented orphans who have been sent into the court for training. Shiliu is very likely the descendant of a criminal. Since he does not mention his real name, he has probably severed all ties with his past.”

Qiu Huanian sighed. “No wonder he said those things to Chunsheng.”

The words meant to scare Chunsheng into giving up were likely real experiences from Shiliu’s own life.

Having drunk an extra half bowl of porridge in the evening, Qiu Huanian found it difficult to sleep. He got up and pulled Du Yunse’s hand. “Come with me to the fields again. I want to check on the vinegar dregs. I won’t feel at ease until I see how they’ve been placed.”

The two of them closed the courtyard gate and walked to the cotton fields under the occasional sound of barking dogs. In the moonlight, they could already see cotton bollworms on the vinegar dreg piles spaced out every few meters.

Looking at the vast expanse of cotton fields before him, Qiu Huanian smiled with a strong sense of accomplishment. “Judging by the growth of the cotton, the yield per acre will definitely exceed two hundred jin.”

“Zhu Jingcheng said he would come to collect the cotton in the fall. This year, we won’t have to worry about selling it. But later, I’ll have to make tools for removing cotton seeds and fluffing the cotton. That way, we can save a processing fee and earn more.”

As Qiu Huanian spoke, he and Du Yunse continued walking along the field paths. Suddenly, his ears picked up an unusual sound—something that didn’t resemble the noises made by nocturnal animals but rather the breathing of a person.

Qiu Huanian was startled and, without making any sudden movements, grasped Du Yunse’s wrist, signaling him with his eyes to look in the direction of the suspicious sound.

Du Yunse shielded Qiu Huanian behind him, and the two cautiously took a few steps toward the source of the sound, but they saw nothing.

The cotton plants had grown waist-high for an adult. In the dim nighttime light, a person of short stature could easily hide in the shadows within the cotton field, evading their line of sight. Qiu Huanian remained on guard.

He exchanged a glance with Du Yunse, and neither of them chose to leave immediately.

They had been tending to these three acres of cotton fields since spring, pouring in immense effort. Now that the harvest was in sight, the fields could not suffer any man-made damage.

Whoever was in the field, sneaking around at night instead of resting at home, must have some hidden motive.

Du Yunse gestured for Qiu Huanian to stay put while he went back to call for help. But Qiu Huanian hesitated.

They didn’t know if there was only one person in the field or several. They had no idea what their intentions were or if there were accomplices nearby. Splitting up without knowing the situation could lead to unexpected danger.

The situation reached a stalemate when Qiu Huanian heard another rustling sound—this time from behind them. The person in the cotton field seemed to be trying to escape.

Du Yunse tightened his grip on Qiu Huanian’s hand, and the two turned together toward the source of the noise. The person in the field was panicking, trampling over more than a dozen cotton plants in their haste to flee. Qiu Huanian, heart aching for the damaged cotton, instinctively slowed his steps.

At that moment, a sudden clamor arose from the village, with at least a dozen people carrying torches running toward them. The flames flickered brightly in the night.

Uncertain of the situation, Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse chose to stay where they were and wait.

Du Family Village was on flat terrain, close to the main road, and had never suffered from bandit raids. The approaching group from the village was unlikely to pose any real danger. Moreover, Shiliu, an elite secret guard of the crown prince, was still in the village. With him around, there was no chance of a major threat.

In less than a quarter of an hour, the group from the village reached the cotton fields. At the front, Shiliu held a torch, alongside Baoren, the eldest son of the Village chief, and several other men of the Bao generation who held influence in the village, along with their younger relatives.

Qiu Huanian cast a questioning look at Shiliu, who appeared slightly surprised to see Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse there.

Baoren asked urgently, “Hua-ge’er, did something happen in your fields?”

“Uncle Baoren, why are you all here?”

Baoren glanced at Shiliu before sighing and explaining, “It’s thanks to your esteemed guest here. If not for him capturing Zhao Shi, we wouldn’t have known that she sent Fubao to sabotage your fields tonight. If we hadn’t caught him, half of your three acres of cotton might have been destroyed!”

Fubao? Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse turned their gazes toward the shadow that had been motionless in the cotton field.

Following their gaze, Shiliu swiftly leaped into the field, avoiding the cotton plants with ease. With his free hand, he grabbed a small figure and tossed him outward.

The figure landed heavily seven or eight meters away, illuminated by Baoren’s torch—it was indeed Zhao Shi’s son, Fubao.

Fubao was dazed from the fall, experiencing the worst pain he had ever felt in his life. His head throbbed, and his legs felt numb. He opened his mouth to cry but, seeing himself surrounded by so many adults, swallowed his sobs in terror.

“Fubao! What were you doing in the cotton fields in the dead of night?!”

Gasping for breath, Fubao screamed desperately, “Mother, Mother! Why aren’t you coming yet…?”

Baoren’s face completely darkened. He ignored Fubao, who was writhing in pain on the ground, and instructed the others, “Go and check the cotton fields immediately. See what has happened to the cotton.”

Qiu Huanian was so furious upon hearing that the Zhao family had such sinister intentions toward his cotton that he had to take deep breaths to calm himself. Du Yunse’s expression was also grim.

A quarter of an hour later, over a dozen people returned after roughly inspecting the three-acre cotton field. Only the area around Qiu Huanian had about a dozen cotton plants pulled out, and another dozen or so trampled due to Fubao’s escape attempt. The damage was contained within an acceptable range.

Fortunately, Qiu Huanian had a sudden whim to visit the field tonight. Fortunately, Shiliu was sharp-eyed; otherwise, the loss would have been far greater.

Qiu Huanian felt both relieved and furious. The more than thirty damaged cotton plants had all been nurtured from seeds by him, carefully cultivated bit by bit. Every single damaged plant pained him deeply.

In ancient rural communities, crops were valued more than life itself. No matter how deep the conflicts between families, they would never target each other’s crops. Once caught, the perpetrator would be universally despised and condemned. The laws of the Yu Dynasty even specifically defined the crime and punishment for maliciously destroying crops.

Baoren’s hands trembled with rage. His own family was also growing cotton alongside Qiu Huanian. He knew better than anyone how difficult it was to cultivate these cotton plants. For Fubao to deliberately uproot perfectly healthy crops—it was an offense to the ancestors of the Du family, a sin that would send him to the eighteenth level of hell even in the underworld!

Baoren had always been known for his kindness and generosity, but at this moment, he completely disregarded the tear-streaked, pain-ridden Fubao. He grabbed him by the belt and dragged him to the uprooted cotton plants, demanding, “Did you do this?”

Terrified out of his wits, Fubao trembled and nodded in admission. Caught red-handed, his crime was undeniable.

Baoren took a deep breath and turned to the equally grim-faced villagers accompanying him. “Fellow villagers, this is a grave matter. In the past ten miles of Zhang County, such a wicked act has been unheard of for decades, and yet it has happened right here in Du Family Village. I must ask you to accompany me to my father so we can report the truth and let him decide.”

The others immediately responded, “Of course! That’s why we followed you out. This is a serious matter, and it must be handled properly. Otherwise, how can the people of Du Family Village hold their heads high in Zhang County? Who will dare to farm in peace if this goes unpunished?”

Qiu Huanian crouched down, gently touching the strong, flowering cotton plants that had been sprayed with pesticide just this afternoon but were now uprooted. He silently stood up.

Shiliu held up a torch, illuminating the scene, while Du Yunse supported Qiu Huanian’s arm. Qiu Huanian pressed his temple, which was throbbing with dizziness, and shook his head to indicate he was fine.

“Let’s go to the Village chief’s house. This matter must be given a proper resolution,” Qiu Huanian said, hardening his heart.

The group returned to the village and arrived at the Village chief’s house. The courtyard was already brightly lit. The commotion Baoren had stirred while calling people out of the village had woken many villagers, who had gathered at the Village chief’s home to see what had happened.

Under the flickering light, Zhao Shi was tied up, her hands and feet bound, and her mouth gagged. She lay on the ground. The rest of her family was also present. Although Du Yunjing was not tied up, his face was bruised and swollen. He stood there with a dark expression, saying nothing.

Seeing Baoren and the others return with Fubao in tow, Du Yunjing’s expression darkened even further. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Zhao Shi whimpered and struggled but was unable to speak.

The Village chief had already changed into proper attire and stood in the courtyard, leaning on his cane.

“Baoren, what did you find?” he asked.

“It is exactly as Shiliu Gongzi described. Fubao did go to Hua Ge’er’s cotton field. Fortunately, Hua Ge’er and Yunse happened to be at the edge of the field checking the vinegar dregs, and we arrived just in time. Only about thirty plants were damaged,” Baoren reported.

The Village chief struck his cane heavily against the ground, his face as dark as water. The villagers, who had not yet understood the situation, gasped when they heard Baoren’s words.

Uprooting cotton? How dare they? How could they possibly lay hands on crops?

“Zhao Shi, do you have anything to say for yourself?” the Village chief asked coldly, looking down at the woman on the ground.

Zhao Shi could not speak due to the gag, and the Village chief had no interest in listening to her excuses. Beyond his anger, he felt only deep regret. He regretted not dealing with Zhao Shi thoroughly when the Qiu family first made trouble. Perhaps then, her family would have been shaken into behaving properly instead of spiraling into greater and greater misdeeds.

The villagers who had followed Baoren to inspect the field recounted the incident for the gathered crowd. Upon hearing it, the villagers all turned their gazes of anger and contempt toward Zhao Shi. As people who had tilled the land for generations, nothing angered them more than the deliberate destruction of crops.

Unlike Zhao Shi, whose family was wealthy and had never truly suffered in the fields, most people in Du Family Village had no such luxury.

To them, their hard-earned crops were gifts from the gods of grain, their very lifeline. Even with meticulous care, crops could still be lost to natural disasters or poor harvests. How could anyone be so vile as to intentionally destroy them?

With such a family in the village, how could anyone sleep soundly at night?

“I say we should just drive them out of the village! We already have Yunse, a literary star blessed by the heavens. Let Du Yunjing do whatever he wants elsewhere—I refuse to be associated with such a family!”

“Exactly! If we don’t expel them, what if Zhao Shi takes revenge by destroying our fields in the dead of night? My entire family’s livelihood depends on those few acres!”

“Last time, Zhao Shi clearly conspired with the Qiu family to abduct Hua Ge’er. The confession was already obtained, yet the Village chief still went out of his way to protect her. Everyone knew it was for Du Yunjing’s sake. But in the end, Du Yunjing went to the prefectural city for the exam and even offended the academic officer, completely wasting the Village chief’s efforts.”

“Shh, the Village chief is about to speak. Let’s see what he has to say this time.”

The Village chief knocked his cane on the ground again, and the murmurs in the courtyard fell silent. Everyone waited for his decision.

Shiliu slightly raised his chin. The Village chief’s gaze swept over him, and his heart trembled. This was someone that no one in Du Family Village dared to offend.

“Our Du Family Village, the Du village, may not have officially established village rules yet, but not harming crops is a principle that our ancestors have upheld for generations. You all have stirred up trouble in the village time and time again, and now you’ve committed an unforgivable crime. If I continue to shield you, even the ancestors in the underworld will point at my nose and spit on me.”

“Destroying crops is a serious crime explicitly stated in imperial law. Fubao has been caught red-handed, and Zhao Shi, as the instigator, cannot escape blame either, with Young Master Shiliu as a witness. At dawn, they will be sent to the county office for the magistrate to handle according to the law.”

The courtyard of the Village chief’s house was packed with people. Upon hearing this, the crowd immediately grew restless. Some clapped their hands in approval, while others still had doubts.

Clearing his dry throat, the Village chief continued, “Before that, I also understand the sentiments of the villagers. For the dignity of Du Family Village, such wicked individuals must not remain among us. Baoren, go and open the ancestral hall, take out the village register, and make it official as soon as possible.”

The Village chief had already been considering expelling Zhao Shi’s family from Du Family Village, but he hadn’t expected the opportunity to come so suddenly, so blatantly that it could no longer be concealed.

Opening the ancestral hall and taking out the village register—this was a clear and undeniable declaration of expulsion from the family lineage.

Zhao Shi, who was struggling on the ground, suddenly widened her eyes, momentarily forgetting to resist. No matter what, she never imagined she would end up being expelled from the village.

How could this be? Their family was one of the wealthiest in Du Family Village. Her son was a scholar with status and reputation. Why? Why were they being driven out of the village?!

Zhao Shi was aware of the risks of pulling up crops, but she believed that as long as it was done discreetly at night, leaving no evidence, no one could really do anything to her. Yet, she had never expected that just as she sent Fubao to check if anyone was around, before she even had a chance to act, they would be caught by that ge’er who had held an umbrella for Qiu Huanian during the day.

That ge’er, all by himself, took down her entire family in just a few moments with swift and decisive moves. How was this some mere lover of Du Yunse’s from the outside? He was clearly a death star in disguise!

Looking at everything unfolding in the courtyard, after his anger and regret subsided, the Village chief let out a long sigh, feeling nothing but melancholy.

Du Yunjing, however, suddenly let out a cold laugh. Now that things had come to this point, he no longer bothered to pretend.

“Village chief, you’ve always looked down on me, thinking I’m not as good as Du Yunse. Now your wish has come true. Why keep up the pretense?”

The Village chief never expected Du Yunjing to say such a thing. His beard trembled with rage. “You—you call yourself a scholar and dare to speak such words without shame?!”

There might be people in the village who had the right to accuse the Village chief of favoritism, but Du Yunjing was certainly not one of them.

It was true that Du Yunjing’s talent could not compare to Du Yunse’s, but the Village chief had still placed great hope in him, mediating on his behalf multiple times. Just two or three months ago, he had even gone so far as to shield Zhao Shi for his sake, creating a rift with Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse.

If they hadn’t repeatedly made mistakes of their own, how would things have come to this?

How could he have the audacity to say such words?!