The Overachieving Little Husband of the Top Scholar’s Household - Chapter 77: Oyster Sauce

Old Zhou took his wages, pointed out the usual routes to the newcomers, and then went home. Aunt Qiao was to stay for a few more days to properly hand over the accounts and tasks before returning to report back to the Zhu family.

This family’s original surname was Jin. The old man was the third brother in his family and was called Jin San. His wife had long been referred to as Granny Jin.

As for the little girl’s name, Granny Jin said the previous name had been given by their former masters and was now considered unlucky. She asked the new master to give her a new name.

Qiu Huanian could tell from their expressions that the old name would only make them uneasy.

However, he didn’t intend to name her himself. Instead, he would leave it to Jiujiu.

Jiujiu was now studying at the Zhu family’s elementary school. Among her classmates and close friends, whether it was Zhu Xian or Su Xinyao, they all had maids with them. Qiu Huanian planned for the new little girl to accompany Jiujiu—not to serve but simply to act as a companion.

Qiu Huanian said to Granny Jin, “We don’t have many people in this household, and the house isn’t large. There isn’t much to do. Ask Aunt Qiao more while she’s still here. Later, just take care of the three daily meals and make some everyday clothing.”

Then he instructed Jin San, “Take good care of the horse and act as the gatekeeper. Each day, drive the cart to take the children to and from school. In the mornings, sweep the courtyard and draw water from the well.”

“When my younger sister returns, your granddaughter will follow her, and everything will be arranged by her.”

“There are several empty rooms in the rear covered corridor. Pick one, clean it up, and move in. In a while, I’ll open the storeroom and give you cloth to make a set of new clothes.”

“As for monthly pay, you two will get two qian of silver each per month. Your granddaughter will get one qian. Whether it increases or decreases in the future will depend.”

For servants who had signed proper indenture contracts like the Jin family, their monthly pay was far lower than that of regular hired help. If they met a cruel master who didn’t pay them at all, they’d have no choice.

Jin San and Granny Jin hadn’t expected to meet such generous employers and repeatedly expressed their gratitude in accented official speech.

Qiu Huanian opened the storeroom. There was a bit of cotton cloth stocked at home. He picked out three suitable-colored bolts and let Granny Jin use a wooden ruler and scissors to cut out enough for making clothes.

After that, Qiu Huanian returned to his study to continue compiling his mathematics book.

Yun Cheng would check Meng Yuanling’s schoolwork each time he returned. Meng Yuanling was also diligently studying. Wei Li and Granny Wei rarely left their rooms.

The courtyard was quiet. The Jin family of three picked a rear covered room, laid out the bedding from the cabinet, and cleaned up the dust.

Jin San didn’t dare slack off and delay, so he went to the stable next door to check on the horse.

Granny Jin took her granddaughter to start tailoring the clothes, hoping to put on new ones soon so the master would be pleased to see them.

The granddaughter, at twelve years old, was already a young girl—not quite a child anymore. Naturally, she knew needlework, and her stitches were straight and quick.

Granny Jin whispered to her, “The young master of this new household is a xiangjun, a noble title. He’s a scholar, and in the future, he’ll surely rise to great heights. After our previous master’s home was confiscated, we were transported all the way here. We thought having enough to eat would already be a blessing. Who could have expected such fortune?”

“Your grandfather and I are old. We don’t dare to hope for much. But you were assigned to the young lady’s side as soon as you arrived. She doesn’t have any other maids now. You must serve her well. Everything depends on your own efforts.”

When they were in the Assistant Magistrate’s mansion in a southern prefecture, they were only low-ranking servants. They had always envied those who served the master directly—especially the close maids who were practically treated as vice-mistresses.

The granddaughter pursed her lips and nodded. She naturally understood these things.

Granny Jin sighed, “Seize this opportunity, and in the future, you won’t suffer or toil. Then we’ll have an answer for your parents.”

At dinnertime, Jin San drove the cart to pick up Jiujiu and Chunsheng. Although the two children knew Qiu Huanian was buying servants, they were still a little unused to suddenly having new people in the house.

Jiujiu gave the Jin family’s granddaughter a name—Shanhu, Coral—based on her favorite jewelry material.

Having someone the same age at home made Jiujiu happy. She let Shanhu sleep in the outer room of her own side chamber and accompany her when going out. Qiu Huanian deliberately wanted to cultivate Jiujiu’s ability to manage such matters and didn’t interfere.

Dinner was cooked together by Aunt Qiao and Granny Jin. Granny Jin, being from the south, had different culinary skills from the north, and the dishes she made had a distinctive flavor.

She was still figuring out what the master’s family liked to eat. Aunt Qiao, who would soon return to the Zhu family, didn’t hold anything back. As long as she was asked, she would tell.

Aunt Qiao especially emphasized, “Our Hua ge’er is very particular about food. He can even cook many novel dishes himself. Whatever he asks you to make, just make it. If he wants to enter the kitchen, don’t interfere. Only go in if he tells you to help.”

Granny Jin remembered everything clearly.

…

Qiu Huanian’ identity as a xiangjun wasn’t particularly high nor low. But because the title was personally granted by the emperor, and his husband was Du Yunse who had investigated and confiscated the imperial envoy’s estate, some reputable noblewomen in Xiangping Prefecture City sent congratulatory notes.

Qiu Huanian collected all the notes and placed them in his study to review together, making a chart as he read.

Su Xinbai held Naishuang in his arms and sat nearby, watching Qiu Huanian write and draw on paper.

“You really make a chart for everything you do.”

“Visuals are much clearer than text. You can understand them at a glance. If it can be charted, why not do it?”

This was a good habit Qiu Huanian had developed from studying and working in the modern world, and Du Yunse had already learned it from him.

After sorting through the notes, Qiu Huanian found he had received over forty. About a dozen were from officials’ families, and over twenty were from merchant families.

Since they had had no prior connection, the gifts weren’t extravagant—mostly some novel trinkets. What interested Qiu Huanian most was a basket of seafood sent by a merchant with a large fishing boat business in the Bohai Bay area.

With seafood, the key is freshness. The shrimp and fish were eaten immediately, and the whole basket of raw oysters was set aside by Qiu Huanian, who planned to try making oyster sauce, the universal condiment.

Now that he could do business, he had to try anything that could sell well.

Through Su Xinbai’s descriptions, Qiu Huanian got a general impression of these families who sent notes.

“When I hold the banquet, I’ll send each family an invitation. But probably only about half of them will actually come.”

It wasn’t a particularly important banquet, and Qiu Huanian’ status wasn’t high enough. Those who were busy or didn’t feel like going wouldn’t bother.

Still, the invitations had to be sent—that was an unspoken rule in social circles.

And at the banquet, he could take the opportunity to promote his new business.

Su Xinbai saw Qiu Huanian smiling with fox-like eyes. “You’re definitely scheming something again.”

“Where? I’m just thinking about business.”

“I’m planning to buy a shop and register it under Jin San’s name, then sell goods for profit.”

“You haven’t even finished compiling your book and now you’re starting something new.” Su Xinbai shook his head. He often marveled at Qiu Huanian’ boundless energy.

Despite his chronically ill body that needed constant medicine, he was full of upward momentum.

“There’s an old saying—‘As long as life lasts, never cease striving.’”

Qiu Huanian smiled as he put down his pen, raised both arms, and stretched lazily.

Naishuang, on Su Xinbai’s lap, also yawned just at the right moment, curled her tail, and shifted positions.

“I won’t say anything else, but Qimin Bookhouse has received a batch of manuscripts. I’ve picked out some decent ones. In a few days, I’ll ask you to review them with me. Make sure you leave time for that.”

Qiu Huanian picked up a thin booklet next to him and flipped through it.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry. I’ve got several hours free.”

Su Xinbai saw that the booklet had meticulous records of all his scheduled tasks, with time allocated down to the hour.

“…”

If Su Xinbai knew some modern slang, he’d definitely be thinking of two words—“Productivity King.”

Yet Productivity King Qiu Huanian’ schedule didn’t go entirely as planned. Du Yunse, who had just returned for his days off, put a stop to it.

In the study, when Qiu Huanian saw Du Yunse’s calm expression and darkened eyes, he guiltily looked away.

“Ahem, I had Granny Jin make a condiment called oyster sauce. Tonight, we’ll use it to braise chicken. If you rest a bit, you’ll be able to eat it soon.”

Du Yunse’s gaze lifted from the schedule.

“Why doesn’t Hua ge’er understand the need to rest?”

Regretting not hiding the schedule better, Qiu Huanian cursed himself for being careless and letting Du Yunse find it.

“It’s just that I’ve been busy these few days. Everything I’m doing is urgent. I just want to get it all arranged quickly.”

Once he had a plan, Qiu Huanian couldn’t sit still.

Du Yunse stared at him for two seconds, then put down the schedule, leaned over, and picked him up around the waist.

Their body sizes were quite different. Qiu Huanian was securely lifted, instinctively grabbing Du Yunse’s shoulders.

“What are you doing? Put me down!”

“Of course, I’m taking Hua ge’er to rest with me.”

Du Yunse carried Qiu Huanian out of the study, through the first and second courtyards, and into the main house amid the fragrant flowers.

Qiu Huanian could only be grateful that Jiujiu and Chunsheng hadn’t returned from school—otherwise, his dignity would be ruined.

Meng Yuanling had definitely seen from behind the door just now and even winked at him before Yun Cheng pulled him into the room!

Qiu Huanian was placed on the heated kang bed. He lightly thumped Du Yunse’s chest.

“You’re getting more and more shameless.”

Du Yunse hid his smile in his eyes—his meaning clear: When was I ever not?

Thin-skinned and soft inside, modern man Qiu Huanian could only fume silently.

Du Yunse helped Qiu Huanian remove his outer robe, leaving only a thin inner layer.

His hand brushed across Qiu Huanian’ skin through the light fabric—gliding over his firm back, beautiful shoulder blades, and slim waist.

The touch was fleeting, the affection lingering.

He accidentally touched a ticklish spot. Qiu Huanian collapsed on the kang, laughing and begging for mercy. “I’ll change the schedule, okay?”

Du Yunse also removed his outer robe, let down the curtain, and in the dimness, pulled Qiu Huanian into his arms.

He kissed the top of his jet-black hair.

“I hope your wishes come true, your talents shine. But I also wish for your safety and health, a worry-free life until a hundred. Every moment of leisure at the academy, I’m thinking of you, afraid you’re not taking your medicine or pushing yourself too hard.”

“Hua ge’er, don’t forget our years together.”

Du Yunse’s deep, magnetic voice was exceptionally clear in the dimness. Qiu Huanian felt his heart melt like being soaked in a hot spring, merging into Du Yunse’s embrace.

He shyly admitted in a small voice, “These days have really been a bit too busy. I’ll adjust things.”

Du Yunse only worried for his health, never truly blamed him. Seeing Qiu Huanian yield, he didn’t pursue the topic.

The two rested together. Qiu Huanian closed his eyes, drifting half-asleep, and relaxed both mentally and physically.

Only then did he realize how tired he’d become over the past few days.

It was indeed time for a break. He couldn’t be careless with this body.

Qiu Huanian said to Du Yunse, “I haven’t gone to the manor in days. It’s about time to transplant the cotton seedlings. Let’s go tomorrow—we can soak in the hot spring, too.”

Since Su Xinbai gifted him the manor, Qiu Huanian had been looking forward to soaking in the hot spring there with Du Yunse.

Now that there were servants at home and Jiujiu and Chunsheng had their studies, Qiu Huanian could go out with ease.

Naturally, Du Yunse had no objections.

Qiu Huanian stretched lazily but still lay on the kang, resting his chin on his hand.

“Is Zhao Tianyu going to be exiled?”

After Zhao Tianyu was imprisoned, he hadn’t been exiled immediately. Instead, he was questioned for many testimonies. Left Censor Su Yi personally oversaw the case, thoroughly confirming the crimes of bribery and corruption by the Second Prince’s faction.

Su Yi hadn’t wanted to be involved in the power struggles of the princes, but since the emperor had personally issued the order, he could only carry out his duties to the best of his ability.

As for the future, that could wait. But for now, he had finally avenged his past humiliation.

“Three days from now, the prisoner cart will pass through the main road of Xiangping Prefecture at noon to escort him out of the city.”

Was this a public shaming?

Qiu Huanian nodded. He had no good impression of Zhao Tianyu.

Although the man did have some capability—after arriving in Liao Prefecture, he used the Second Prince’s resources to quickly identify and sever the supply routes to the grasslands.

But he was arrogant, greedy, lustful, and oppressive to the common people—every trait hit Qiu Huanian’ sore spots.

“Will the Second Prince’s men try to save him?” Qiu Huanian didn’t want him to live a good life even in exile.

Du Yunse’s face was shrouded in the dim light.

“He’ll die on the way.”

“Who’s going to kill him? He’s already been stripped of his position and exiled.” Qiu Huanian widened his eyes.

“The Second Prince.”

“…”

Du Yunse gently stroked Qiu Huanian’s hair. “Are you scared, Hua ge’er? I’ll try not to tell you things like this anymore.”

Qiu Huanian shook his head. It wasn’t fear, just a sense of unease in his heart.

He couldn’t take human lives so lightly, even if he really disliked Zhao Tianyu.

Qiu Huanian once again realized the difference between himself and Du Yunse. Du Yunse was a true ancient man, a political being who was decisive and ruthless, never dragging things out.

But he was also his beloved, someone who shared a deep connection with his heart and held lofty ideals of governing and bringing peace to the people.

Qiu Huanian thought carefully. “The Emperor sent Zhao Tianyu to Liaozhou to deal with smuggling. Once Zhao Tianyu and the Second Prince behind him accomplished their task, the Emperor then issued a decree to take them down.”

“This is—”

“Using a borrowed knife to kill, then cooking the hound after the rabbit is dead,” Du Yunse said blandly.

“But that’s his own son.” Qiu Huanian sighed.

“The Second Prince harbors ambitions for the throne. He thinks his opponent is the Crown Prince, but once he sets his eyes on the throne, the true master of the throne will naturally become wary. At such times, what difference does it make that they’re father and son?”

Qiu Huanian shook his head. “Struggles for imperial power are too distant from me. Right now, I just hope Shiliu will be alright.”

The brief yet warm and harmonious days spent in Du Family Village had always stayed in Qiu Huanian’s memory. Shiliu’s help and care remained vivid in his mind. Qiu Huanian hoped this friend he hadn’t seen in a long time would be safe and well.

At dinnertime, Granny Jin called from outside that the meal was ready. Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse got up and got dressed again.

The meal was laid out in the flower hall, and a unique aroma was already wafting through the courtyard.

“What’s that smell? So rich and fragrant! Smells a bit like sauce, but how could sauce be this fresh?” Meng Yuanling came bouncing over.

“This is the oyster sauce I mentioned a few days ago.”

Meng Yuanling took another delighted sniff. “When Hua ge’er, you kept that huge basket of oysters saying you wanted to make some kind of oil, I was feeling sorry about it. Who would’ve thought it’d smell this good!”

When Granny Jin was cooking the oyster sauce, Meng Yuanling happened to be out, so he hadn’t smelled it.

After Chunsheng began attending private school, he had grown up and become much more mature. He no longer rushed noisily at the sight of food like before, but his eyes were full of anticipation.

“Let’s not stand around out here. Come inside and eat.”

At the table sat Qiu Huanian’s family of four, plus the young couple Yun Cheng and Meng Yuanling. The Jin family of three would cook and eat separately after them. Wei Li’s body still hadn’t fully recovered, so his meal was delivered to his room.

Today’s main dish was chicken with oyster sauce, something Qiu Huanian had specifically instructed them to prepare.

A Sanhuang(3 yellow – beak, skin and feet) chicken was freshly slaughtered and chopped into small pieces, then marinated with scallions, ginger, and cooking wine, with a bit of oyster sauce added for a base flavor.

After marinating for half an hour, oil was added to a pot, and the chicken was stir-fried over high heat until it shriveled, dehydrated, and turned yellowish and slightly crispy. Then soy sauce, sugar, oyster sauce, and a bit of pepper were added for flavor.

Finally, enough boiling water was poured in to cover the chicken, the pot was lidded, and it was simmered for fifteen minutes. The result was a dish of juicy, tender chicken with rich flavor.

The Sanhuang chicken was a top-quality three-month-old cockerel, with yellow skin and red meat, offering an incredibly firm texture.

And the umami flavor of the oyster sauce—something from a time far ahead—added an irreplaceable brilliance to the dish.

In Qiu Huanian’s world, oyster sauce wasn’t invented until the second half of the nineteenth century, when a southern coastal merchant accidentally created it. Once introduced, it quickly became an indispensable condiment on Chinese dining tables.

Bringing oyster sauce to the Yu Dynasty, offering it to people whose palates had never encountered modern food additives, would surely astonish them.

Chunsheng kept picking food into his bowl; the others also ate more than usual. Even Du Yunse couldn’t resist its charm.

“Hua ge’er, are you planning to sell this oyster sauce at your shop?” Meng Yuanling asked after wiping his mouth.

“That’s right, but the production cost is too high, so I’m going to sell it a different way.”

Xiangping Prefecture wasn’t far from the Bohai Bay, so the price of oysters was barely acceptable, though still not cheap. Making oyster sauce also required a lot of labor, so production would inevitably be low in the beginning.

This time, Qiu Huanian wasn’t aiming for small profits with high volume. He planned to go the scarcity marketing route.

In ancient times, the gap between rich and poor was vast, with the majority of wealth concentrated in the hands of a few elite. One meal from a wealthy household could feed a poor person for a whole year.

Now that Qiu Huanian held the title of County Lord, he was considered part of that upper circle. Naturally, he wanted to seize this opportunity and earn big money from the rich.

In a few days, he would host a banquet at home and serve dishes made with oyster sauce.

Once the noble ladies who attended the banquet became enchanted by the flavor and couldn’t find it anywhere else, he would officially launch the oyster sauce. With this advanced and delicious condiment, he’d scoop out silver by the handful from the wealthy.

“Hua ge’er, what price are you setting for the oyster sauce?” Meng Yuanling wanted to ask on behalf of his second brother whether it could be sold in Zhang County.

Qiu Huanian shook his head. “It won’t sell in Zhang County. Too expensive. I plan to sell a palm-sized bottle of oyster sauce for one tael of silver.”

Meng Yuanling widened his eyes. “Wouldn’t that be just a few meals and it’s gone—one tael of silver!”

Qiu Huanian smiled confidently. “Some wealthy households spend one tael of silver on a single egg. A dish of eggplant might require five or six chickens to accompany it. So what’s this? If it were cheap, they’d think it unworthy of their status. Make it expensive, and they’ll scramble to buy it.”

Meng Yuanling shivered at the thought of such extravagance and didn’t mention selling it in Zhang County again.

Yun Cheng’s eyes glimmered with a smile. Under the table, he held his hand.

The two exchanged flirtatious glances, love thick in the air. Qiu Huanian chuckled, instructed Granny Jin to clear the table, and everyone returned to their own rooms to enjoy their private time.

…

The next day, after Jin San returned from sending the children to school, Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse prepared to head out to the estate outside the city.

Yun Cheng and Meng Yuanling were still asleep, their door tightly closed and the windows shut, everything quiet inside—clearly, they had been up to mischief half the night.

Qiu Huanian didn’t disturb them. He gave a few instructions to Granny Jin, greeted Wei Li, and then took the carriage and departed.

Spring was growing stronger. The countryside was covered in lush green grass, emerald crops, and patches of blooming wildflowers.

When they arrived at the estate, Old Deng and his sons had already received word and came out to greet them, each more respectful than the last.

They knew Qiu Huanian was now the true owner of the estate and had also been granted the title of County Lord.

On top of that, they’d heard that Qiu Huanian’s husband, Du Yunse, was the very young scholar who had famously raided the Imperial Inspector’s residence.

In Old Deng’s mind, Zhao Tianyu came to the estate and caused trouble, only for Du Yunse to raid his house within three days. What did this mean? It meant that Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse were far more formidable than even an imperial inspector!

“County Lord, we’ve already deeply tilled all thirty mu of land. The cotton seedlings have all grown. When would you like us to transplant them?”

“Let’s go take a look at the cotton seedlings first.”

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse went to the insulated nursery house that had been set aside and carefully checked the status of the seedlings.

Qiu Huanian was knowledgeable about cotton farming, which Old Deng had grown used to. But seeing that Du Yunse also knew so much about cotton left Old Deng dumbfounded.

Wasn’t this the powerful gentleman who raided an imperial inspector’s residence? How could he be even more familiar with crops than an old farmer like himself?!

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse randomly inspected for half an hour, confirming that the tens of thousands of cotton seedlings were all in good condition.

Qiu Huanian instructed them to begin transplanting the seedlings into the fields starting tomorrow, strictly following the spacing guidelines in the agricultural manual, and to promptly replace any missing ones. If anything was unclear, they should come to the city and ask. They mustn’t remain silent out of fear.

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse strolled hand in hand through the fields, stopping and going as they pleased, enjoying the gentle spring breeze and reminiscing about their days of farming back in the village.

Amid their busy lives, they had carved out this simple day for a lighthearted and joyful date in the season of blooming spring.

At noon, after enjoying a simple yet tasty farmhouse lunch prepared on the estate, Old Deng came to report that the hot spring had been prepared.

Qiu Huanian had brought clothes along, sent all unrelated people away, changed into light silk undergarments, and eagerly pulled Du Yunse along to the warm pavilion at the back.

The warm pavilion had been thoroughly cleaned beforehand, and the small pool in the center had been filled with fresh hot spring water. Steam curled through the air, soothing the mind and spirit.

Once they entered and shut the door, Qiu Huanian suddenly realized he had overlooked something.

When he had come with Su Xinbai before, to avoid awkwardness, the estate staff had set up a screen in the center of the small pool.

But this time, he came with Du Yunse. In the eyes of the estate staff, what need would husbands have for a screen? So the small pool was completely open, with nothing to block the view.

Qiu Huanian’s heart began to race. He sneaked a glance at Du Yunse’s chest and abdomen, then quickly averted his eyes.