The Overachieving Little Husband of the Top Scholar’s Household - Chapter 51: Xiefang Garden

After the first cotton boll burst open, the cotton fields seemed to have officially entered the season of maturity. Soon, one after another, the cotton bolls split their seams, curling their outer husks to reveal the soft, white cotton inside.

Like little clouds, the cotton swayed gently in the breeze atop the branches, looking indescribably beautiful.

The earliest batch of bolls, known as the early cotton, had begun to crack open and fluff out, while the slightly greener ones were still hanging in abundance on the branches, waiting to bloom.

To prevent sudden rain from wetting the exposed cotton and damaging its quality, Qiu Huanian organized people to pick the cotton from the fields every three to five days.

At present, there weren’t too many mature bolls, so the family could still manage the harvest on their own. But in a few more days, when a large batch of cotton ripened, if the weather proved unfavorable, they would have to hire extra hands for urgent harvesting.

As the cotton matured, most of the crops in Du Family Village also reached their harvesting period.

Corn, sorghum, wheat, millet… Across the vast land, farmers busily and joyfully reaped the fruits of their yearlong toil.

Though the weather had not yet turned cool, it was no longer as hot as the peak of summer. Every morning and evening, Qiu Huanian would take a walk through the fields, but at midday, he would retreat indoors to escape the heat.

Since Bao Yilin’s departure, the matter of Cunlan learning to read and write had been properly settled. The clan leader’s family had bought paper and brushes for both her and Yunzhe. Yunzhe was sent to the private school run by Scholar Sun in town, while Cunlan was entrusted to Ye Taohong and Qiu Huanian for her education.

Du Yunshe taught the children for one or two hours each day, and Cunlan’s arrival merely added another desk. For the lessons she had missed, Jiujiu helped her catch up, and Chi Qinghe also offered guidance.

Since Cunlan was already familiar with Qiu Huanian’ family, she quickly adapted to the study routine. Bao Li’s family initially wanted to send Yunzhe there as well, arguing that it was closer to home and that they could benefit from Du Yunshe’s scholarly brilliance.

Before Qiu Huanian could refuse, Ye Taohong sarcastically scolded them, and even the clan leader disapproved of the idea.

Accepting Cunlan was a favor extended for Jiujiu’s sake, but there was no reason to take in Yunzhe as well.

Though Bao Li’s family was displeased, they had no choice but to console themselves with the idea that the private school in town was the proper place for serious scholars.

As autumn progressed, the family had already gathered several dozen pounds of raw cotton that had not yet undergone further processing. The cotton was packed into large, overflowing baskets and stored in the rear shed.

After several days of work, Qiu Huanian, with Du Yunshe’s assistance, reconstructed a foot-powered cotton gin from memory. He also cleared out one of the sheds entirely, set up a large worktable, and hung a cotton bow from the rafters, preparing the space for the cotton-processing work ahead.

In the mornings and evenings, when the sun was not too hot, Qiu Huanian carried the unprocessed cotton into the courtyard and worked with the children to remove the seeds.

Seed removal was a delicate task. The outer husk of the cotton bolls, once dried and curled, became extremely brittle. If handled too roughly, tiny fragments of the husk could mix into the cotton, tainting its purity. Thus, the cotton had to be carefully teased out, strand by strand.

During their free time, Jiujiu and Chunsheng sat in the courtyard, helping with the seed removal. Whenever Cunlan and Yunkang were around, they joined in, learning the process so they could teach their own families.

Even Chi Qinghe, who had never seen raw cotton in this form before, was eager to give it a try.

The children placed the cleaned cotton in large, round baskets, and Qiu Huanian carried them over to the foot-powered cotton gin.

With one hand, he turned the side crank; with one foot, he pressed the pedal below. He placed a large handful of cotton onto the two cylindrical rollers, gently pushing it forward. As the cotton passed through the tightly set rollers, the seeds were automatically separated.

These cotton seeds would later be processed and saved for next year’s planting.

What remained after seed removal was clean, processed cotton.

However, to make the cotton softer and more comfortable, ensuring it provided better insulation, it still needed to go through the process of cotton bowing.

Bowing cotton required significant physical effort, so Qiu Huanian was in no rush. He planned to wait until they had harvested enough cotton, along with the clan leader’s family and Hu Qiuyan’s family, before setting aside a few days to process all the cotton together.

With the cotton harvest nearing completion, Qiu Huanian was also finishing the first draft of his yearlong effort: a cotton farming manual.

This book covered everything from seed selection to sprouting, transplanting, fertilization, pest control, and even cotton picking, seed removal, and softening techniques.

Every step was described in simple, easy-to-understand language, accompanied by sketches to ensure that literate individuals could grasp the concepts, while those who couldn’t read could still understand the process by looking at the diagrams.

Making something complex sound profound was easy; making something profound easy to understand was far more difficult.

Qiu Huanian revised his wording multiple times, ensuring there was no ambiguity, no unnecessary embellishments, and no obscure phrases meant to impress.

To test the clarity of his book, he would explain its contents to elderly villagers who had never learned to read or had little experience beyond farming. If they couldn’t understand, he would revise it again.

Everyone in the household was aware of Qiu Huanian’ work on the book. One day, Chi Qinghe happened to glance at his writing and, though intrigued, hesitated slightly.

“Miss Chi, do you have any thoughts?” Qiu Huanian asked.

Chi Qinghe hesitated before saying, “Your book is practical, but the language is… quite plain. If some scholars were to read it, they might criticize it for lacking literary elegance.”

Qiu Huanian chuckled indifferently. “As long as it’s useful, who cares about elegance? There are already plenty of refined books in the world. A book about cotton farming doesn’t need to join that crowd.”

“Besides, this book isn’t meant for scholars who value literary grace. Those people will never set foot in a field. Even if they learn these methods, what use would it be? The people who actually grow cotton need to understand it—that’s what matters to me.”

Chi Qinghe was silent for a long moment, her gentle eyes lost in thought.

Only when Chunsheng ran in, announcing that they had finished another basket of cleaned cotton, did she snap back to reality.

“You’re right,” she finally said. “This book should be written in a way that non-scholars can understand.”

Qiu Huanian replied, “Miss Chi was only trying to offer a kind reminder.”

Chi Qinghe smiled, then walked back to sit beside Jiujiu. She picked up a cotton boll, more beautiful than an orchid, and gently teased the fibers apart with her fingers.

She was growing more and more fond of life in the Northeast. Though she still thought of her hometown and her parents every night, she was also beginning to feel a sense of renewal in this place.

…

One day, while Qiu Huanian was in his study drawing diagrams for the book, he suddenly heard someone knocking at the gate.

When he opened the door, he saw a well-dressed, steward-like man standing outside.

“Is this the home of Scholar Du?” the man asked with a smile.

“And you are?”

“My master is a businessman from the capital who has been in Liaozhou for trade. He has stayed in Zhang County for quite some time but has yet to meet its esteemed scholars. Now that he has some free time, he has arranged a small banquet in the county’s garden, inviting the local scholars and students to gather.”

Qiu Huanian accepted the invitation and saw that it was sent by Bai Yanwen. He immediately understood.

Bai Yanwen, affiliated with the Second Prince and under the command of Imperial Inspector Zhao Tianyu, had been quietly staying in Zhang County for many days. Now, at last, he was making a move.

Du Yunse was naturally not in the same camp as the Second Prince. Qiu Huanian was unsure whether Bai Yanwen had sent invitations to all the scholars and students in Zhang County as a mere formality or if he had ulterior motives.

According to the steward’s words, at least on the surface, the invitations had been sent to many people, making it difficult to find anything suspicious. Since Bai Yanwen had County Magistrate Wang’s endorsement, Du Yunse would definitely have to attend.

However, why would a businessman from afar insist on hosting a banquet specifically for the local scholars of Zhang County?

Qiu Huanian accepted the invitation, and the steward cupped his hands in farewell. He had only taken a few steps when the courtyard gate of Widow Zhuang’s house suddenly creaked open.

Widow Zhuang had gone to the fields to harvest crops, leaving only Zirong and her two children at home. Since these three had arrived in Du Family Village, they had not lifted a single finger to work, nor did they seem particularly wealthy. Yet, they always acted condescendingly toward the villagers, ordering them around with an air of superiority. If not for Widow Zhuang’s sake, someone would have lost patience and started an argument long ago.

Qiu Huanian had intended to close the door, but upon hearing the sound of their gate opening, he hesitated, leaving a small gap to observe the situation.

According to the information Du Yunse had gathered in the county, Zirong was Bai Yanwen’s concubine, and her two children were his. For some unknown reason, the three of them had been cast aside and sent back to her family, completely abandoned.

Qiu Huanian heard Yuchuan’s younger brother call out, “Fan Qi, did Father send you to fetch us?”

Zirong’s voice followed closely behind, “Fan Qi, I just heard your voice from inside the courtyard. Did Master send you to bring us something?”

The steward’s footsteps paused briefly, but he did not approach. “I am here today to deliver an invitation to Scholar Du. You should abandon your foolish hopes and focus on reflecting on your actions.”

Yuchuan’s shrill voice rose sharply, like a suona horn, “Fan Qi, how dare you speak to us like this! You’re just a servant. Where is my father? I want to see my father!”

Fan Qi replied leisurely, “I am indeed a servant, but you have already been transferred to a collateral branch in the family registry. You are no longer my masters.”

Yuchuan shouted angrily, “Fan Qi, would you have dared to speak to me like this when we were in the capital? You despicable lackey who fawns on the powerful and tramples the weak! Just wait until I return—I’ll make you regret this!”

Fan Qi gave a mocking smile that did not reach his eyes. “You still think you can threaten me? You’re no longer the arrogant young lady who could stop someone and have my sister’s leg broken. If you don’t learn to behave, you might not even know how you end up dead!”

“The Master has no desire to see you. If not for the fact that you still carry the Bai family’s bloodline, you would have died in the ancestral hall long ago. You barely managed to escape with your lives, so you’d best settle down in the countryside and farm properly.”

“If you keep causing trouble like this, I might just reveal what you did back in the capital. When that happens, even this village won’t tolerate you anymore!”

Yuchuan stomped her feet and screamed hoarsely, “Go ahead and tell! I never wanted to stay in this wretched village anyway!”

“My father was just momentarily angry, deceived by those women. He loves my mother and us the most! It’s all because of you wretched servants, speaking ill of us behind our backs. Sooner or later, I will return and make you all pay!”

Fan Qi let out a strange chuckle. “Then you’d better hurry up and start dreaming—because in your dreams, anything is possible.”

He turned around, got back onto the carriage, raised the whip, and drove away, leaving Bai Yuchuan and Zi Rong standing there, fuming and cursing.

Qiu Huanian listened impassively to the drama unfolding outside, then quietly closed the door.

It seemed Bai Yanwen had completely abandoned Yuchuan and her family. Otherwise, even a servant wouldn’t dare speak to illegitimate children of the Bai family in such a way.

What exactly had Zi Rong and her children done back in the capital to be so thoroughly cast aside and exiled to the countryside?

Qiu Huanian buried his curiosity for now, planning to inquire when an opportunity arose. Having such troublesome and hostile neighbors living next door, it was best to stay prepared.

Bai Yanwen’s invitation included scholars and their families. Qiu Huanian hadn’t been to the county in a long time. The cotton fields had just been harvested, leaving him with some free time, so he decided to go along and take a look around.

On the day of the banquet, both Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse dressed in newly made embroidered clothes. Now that their household was more prosperous, Qiu Huanian bought one or two bolts of new cotton fabric every month to make clothes for everyone.

Qiu Huanian wore a warm jade hairpin, while Du Yunse wrapped his hair in a bordered scholar’s scarf.

Both of them were naturally good-looking, and with a little grooming, they appeared as a refined and elegant couple, talented and beautiful in equal measure.

Yuncheng, being a student, was also invited. Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse first drove their carriage to a storage area near the county school, intending to pick up Yuncheng so they could go together and look after one another.

Du Yunse had taken exams at the county school several times and was quite familiar with the place. The clerks there also recognized him as the scholar who ranked first in every exam.

After exchanging greetings, a clerk went inside to call Yuncheng. Before long, Yuncheng emerged.

At his age, he was experiencing a growth spurt. In just two or three months, Qiu Huanian noticed he had grown much taller. He had already shed his boyish look and begun to develop the features of a young man.

His facial features were well-defined, his demeanor steady, exuding the air of a true gentleman.

When Yuncheng saw Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse, his eyes lit up slightly. He walked over and greeted them, “Brother Yunse, Sister Huanian.”

Qiu Huanian knew Yuncheng had always been Du Yunse’s little admirer and teased him with a few lighthearted remarks, successfully making Yuncheng drop his mature, adult-like facade.

As they walked, they chatted about village affairs.

A lot had happened in the village over the past two or three months—the Du family splitting up, Zhao Shi’s Fu Bao being imprisoned, Du Yunjing and others being expelled from the clan, the collection of labor service duties, and so on.

Yuncheng already knew that his second uncle had been sent to perform labor service for the family. When the topic came up again, he let out a light sigh.

“I copied some books at the county school, and I also have some exam questions reviewed by the teacher. Brother, could you bring them back to Cunlan for me?”

“Only for Cunlan? Someone else might make a fuss.”

Qiu Huanian was growing increasingly frustrated with the Bao Li family, who had been gossiping everywhere after their request to send their son to study was rejected. His words carried a hint of impatience.

Qiu Huanian’s comment wasn’t directed at Yuncheng personally, but since it involved Yuncheng’s third uncle’s family, he felt a bit awkward. However, he also knew it was their own fault.

“The family’s labor duty includes my share, and my second uncle took my place. I should repay him in some way. These materials are for Cunlan. If Yunzhe wants to read them, he can borrow them from Cunlan himself.”

As for whether Cunlan would be willing to lend them, Yuncheng would not interfere.

As the eldest grandson, Yuncheng had a clearer understanding of family matters than even his grandfather. His grandfather, being old, believed that maintaining harmony within the large family was most important, that small conflicts could always be smoothed over with compromises.

But Yuncheng felt that so-called “compensation” without the consent of those who had suffered losses was merely a more palatable form of oppression.

As the younger generation grew up, this enormous family would not hold together for much longer.

Yuncheng’s parents had only him as their only child. Among his grandfather’s grandchildren, the only girl was Cunlan. Though his grandfather always urged him to treat his second and third uncles’ children equally, Yuncheng, despite trying, always held a special fondness for his capable and understanding younger sister.

“With my second uncle gone, Cunlan and my second aunt must be having a hard time. I can’t do much to help from the county school, so I’d appreciate it if you two could look after her.”

Qiu Huanian smiled. “Cunlan and Jiujiu are close and often visit our house. To us, she’s like a younger sister too. It’s no trouble at all.”

Although the clan leader sometimes turned a blind eye to conflicts for the sake of maintaining stability, Baoren and his wife, along with Yuncheng, had always been upright and clear-minded.

Qiu Huanian knew that the clan leader occasionally criticized Baoren for being too indecisive and soft-hearted. But as long as he could make the right decisions when it truly mattered, being kind in daily life wasn’t a bad thing.

After discussing the labor duties, they turned to the banquet.

The banquet was being held at Xiefang Garden, the most exquisite estate in the northern part of the county. It had been built by a former county magistrate from Jiangnan, designed in the style of Jiangnan gardens. The garden was filled with flowers that bloomed in every season, providing a beautiful floral display all year round, hence the name “Xiefang” (Plucking Fragrance).

Before leaving office, the magistrate sold Xiefang Garden to a wealthy merchant from Zhang County. Since then, the estate had been closed off, with few people entering.

Among the locals, rumors of its breathtaking beauty had continued to circulate.

When Bai Yanwen arrived in Zhang County, he bought Xiefang Garden and spent a fortune restoring it. The estate was finally completed a few days ago, and this banquet marked the first time in years that guests would be welcomed inside.

“It’s said that Bai Yanwen personally sent invitations to all the scholars living in Zhang County. The only students invited were those currently studying at the county school,” Yuncheng, who studied there, easily learned such details.

This was understandable. Although the ranks of students and scholars seemed close, the difference in status was significant.

Students merely had the right to study for free at the county school, while scholars held an official rank recognized by the Yu Dynasty, belonging to the privileged literati class.

“Did many people accept the invitation?” Qiu Huanian asked curiously.

“Unless they had urgent matters, all the invited students from the county school agreed to attend.”

At the gate of Xiefang Garden, as they handed over their invitations, Qiu Huanian glanced at a carriage parked nearby. His steps suddenly halted.

Stepping out of the carriage were two familiar figures—Wei Dexing, the owner of Wei’s Spice Shop, and his younger brother Wei Li.

Qiu Huanian’s peripheral vision swept over a carriage parked at the entrance of Xiefang Garden, and his footsteps suddenly halted.

He saw two familiar figures getting out of the carriage—Wei Dexing, the owner of Wei Ji Spice Shop, who had attempted to use the pretext of repaying a favor to inquire about Wu Shen’s whereabouts but flew into a rage when rejected, and his younger brother, Wei Li.

Wei Li kept his head down, making it impossible to see his expression. However, judging from his body language, he seemed somewhat fearful and unwilling, yet unable to make his own choice.

Wei Dexing, with an ingratiating smile, nodded and bowed as he spoke a few words to the Bai family servant at the entrance of Xiefang Garden. Without giving Wei Li a chance to refuse, he pulled him inside.

Qiu Huanian frowned slightly. The three of them walked to the entrance of Xiefang Garden and handed their invitation cards to the servants receiving guests at the door.

With a deliberate tone, Qiu Huanian asked, “Besides scholars and the family members of xiucai, are there other guests at today’s banquet?”

The servants, aware of the scholars’ sensitivities, assumed that Qiu Huanian was displeased and hurriedly replied with a smile, “Young master, what are you saying? Those two just now were not here for the banquet.”