Spending a Spring Night

Zheng Shanci took off his inner clothes, his hand falling on the smooth muscles of Yu Lanyi’s back. Yu Lanyi tilted his head back, his hair sinking into the pillow. 

His waist and abdomen tensed, then slowly relaxed. “The balm… is under the pillow.” Usually composed, Zheng Shanci almost roughly grabbed the balm, breathing heavily as he kissed again.

…

Zheng Shanci didn’t let his mind wander; he was always a good student. Scores and studying seemed to be in his bones; he loved learning and reading. 

He had read many books and met many people, yet he didn’t know who could make him want to read for a lifetime like this. Ambiguous, moist, Zheng Shanci placed kisses on Yu Lanyi’s body. 

This time, he didn’t feel the knife on his leg, and thinking of this, Zheng Shanci chuckled. Immersed and willingly indulging, Yu Lanyi’s consciousness was scattered.

…

Yu Lanyi hid in Zheng Shanci’s embrace. The next morning, the two were still in bed when Jin Yun, holding a basin, looked at the sun on the horizon and knocked on the door: “Daren, does the young master need attending?”

“Come in. Just put the things down and you can leave,” Zheng Shanci said. Jin Yun walked in with lowered eyes, placing the basin and towel down. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a hand stretch out from the bed curtains, only to be pulled back by another hand. Jin Yun’s heart raced as he quickly closed the door and left.

The Yu family had rules, and Jin Yun slept in the side room, waiting for Zheng Shanci and Yu Lanyi’s instructions. Last night, Zheng Shanci called for water three times, and the occasional creaking and water sounds from the room were suggestive. Jin Yun, an unmarried Ge’er, blushed just listening.

Suddenly, he realized something was off. How come Daren and the young master had only called for water twice since their marriage, including last night? Jin Yun finally realized something was amiss. If their relationship was cold, anyone could see they were affectionate, having called for water three times last night.

Jin Yun decided to ask his young master about it another day. After all, the young master was naive, and he feared he might be deceived. Jin Yun lived like an old maid.

The two had indulged last night, knowing today was a day off. Yu Lanyi was still sleepy, thinking that while the Ge’er in the storybooks had fun, their bodies couldn’t handle it. Even with his martial arts-trained body, Yu Lanyi almost couldn’t bear it. He drifted back to sleep.

Zheng Shanci wasn’t as tired. Seeing Yu Lanyi still asleep, he kissed his forehead and got up to wash. Looking in the mirror at his back, he saw many scratch marks, with blood seeping from them. He dressed and went out.

The warmth of yesterday still lingered in his mind. As long as his thoughts didn’t stop, he would think of the delicate and full feeling under his touch. He focused his mind, first going to the study to handle the remaining official duties. Once Yu Lanyi woke up, he planned to accompany him for a walk in the afternoon.

Zheng Shanci was looking at the stock in the county office’s warehouse. Most had been bought by the villagers, and the rest should sell in the next few days. 

Currently, it was about how to plant medicinal herbs. The method for herbs was different from crops, so Zheng Shanci asked Tan He to find a few skilled herbalists in the county to teach the villagers. Using the right method was more important than blindly farming.

Additionally, there was the method of making fertilizer. With the weather warming and the temperature rising, it was time to make this quick-acting fertilizer. Fertilizer usually involved mixing human or animal manure, hemp cake, bean cake, black beans, animal carcasses and innards, hair, blood, arsenic, and sulfur, burying it in a pit to decompose.

After some time, it would be dried and crushed for use. This fertilizer was far more effective than traditional farm manure and also had pest-repelling properties, though Zheng Shanci didn’t plan for the people of Xinfeng County to rely on it long-term.

The process was cumbersome and costly. This time, because it was the first time making medicinal herbs and large-scale economic crops, they needed some confidence. Next year, they would use improved farm manure. Those who preferred the fertilizer could continue using it.

The Zheng family’s food shop also needed new dishes. Zheng Shanci planned to open a snack shop, offering grilled sausages, mashed potatoes, cold noodles, and spicy chicken skewers, distinguishing it from the other shop. The location needed Wangfu’s help to find, ideally near the Zheng family’s food shop.

When Yu Lanyi woke up, Jin Yun came in to attend to him. His body was soft and weak, only like this when he was sick. Now, he looked like a rain-beaten lotus. The young master was handsome, with snow-white skin and long hair falling on both sides, looking different again.

“Young master, please wash up first.” Yu Lanyi nodded slightly.

He looked at his reflection in the dressing table mirror, feeling shy. His collarbone still had red kiss marks, so he pulled his inner clothes to cover them. Zheng Shanci had been like a madman yesterday, and his inner thighs still hurt, though Yu Lanyi admitted he had enjoyed it.

“Young master, this morning we made preserved egg and lean meat porridge for you, along with a plate of fresh meat buns. Please try them.” The kitchen was always prepared, and the attendants set the breakfast in the room.

Jin Yun helped him with his hair, then tentatively asked, “Young master, why have you and Daren only been together once after so long? Besides the wedding night, only twice.”

Yu Lanyi was sipping porridge, and hearing Jin Yun’s words, he paused, blushing deeply. He mumbled, “Well, when we arrived in Xinfeng County, it was winter. You know I fear the cold, so I didn’t let Zheng Shanci touch me.”

Jin Yun gradually understood. Knowing the young master’s temperament, this explanation made sense. Jin Yun still hoped the future little master or young master would be born in the Capital City, feeling it would be better than in Xinfeng County. He sighed inwardly, seeing Yu Lanyi happily eating breakfast, and felt relieved.

Yu Lanyi breathed a sigh of relief, almost giving himself away. Though his legs were weak, he had been lying in bed for a while and wanted to go out. He applied some powder to the kiss marks on his collarbone and went out to take a look.

It was still novel, and Yu Lanyi felt everyone looked different. From a distance, he saw Zheng Shanci walking down the corridor. Zheng Shanci had asked Wangfu to notify him when Yu Lanyi went out.

“After lunch, where do you want to go?” Zheng Shanci asked, finding Yu Lanyi dazzling today.

“Where else? I wanted to go horseback riding, but that’s not happening now,” Yu Lanyi said, giving Zheng Shanci a glare. “Xia Fulang sent an invitation, so I thought we’d go to their estate today.”

Zheng Shanci asked, “Not taking me along?” Yu Lanyi laughed, “Of course, I’ll take you. I’ll have Jin Yun send a message.”

Zheng Shanci smiled. Since the incident at the ruined temple, the four families had sent invitations and gifts, but they hadn’t accepted. Trying to take them down in one go was impossible; dividing and suppressing was more effective.

The Xia family had made mistakes, but compared to the other three, they were more restrained, likely because the Xia family head was timid and had no connections in the court.

The Qi family had Qi County Deputy, who was always bold. The Cheng family was even more so, being large and influential. The Gao family followed the Cheng family and gained many benefits, becoming bolder.

Lin Ge’er was talking to Zheng Shanci when he saw Zheng Shanci and Yu Lanyi and laughed, “You two are together today. Usually, I only see Lanyi alone.”

Zheng Shanci heard this as a subtle criticism for not accompanying Yu Lanyi and felt embarrassed, saying, “I’ve been too busy lately and haven’t spent enough time with Lanyi.” Yu Lanyi and Lin Ge’er exchanged a glance and both smiled.

Zheng Shanci wanted to open another snack shop and thought of having Zheng Shancheng and Lin Ge’er manage it. Since the Zheng family’s food shop was nearby, it was better to choose some staff themselves.

Zheng Shancheng said, “We don’t know how to keep accounts.”

“We’ll hire a reliable accountant, and I’ll still check the accounts monthly. Don’t worry, big brother,” Zheng Shanci said.

“That’s good. We can’t sit idle anyway,” Lin Ge’er replied.

In Xinfeng County, they were living well. Initially anxious, they found themselves thriving here. At first, not having to do laundry or cook felt strange, but now they embraced it, living freely. Occasionally cooking for the family was a form of relaxation.

Zheng Shancheng said, “Life is good now, but our parents haven’t come over yet.” He worried about the elderly parents, feeling they needed someone around.

Zheng Shanci pondered, “There’s a security bureau in Xinfeng County. I’ll pick two sharp ones to go back, send some gold and silver, and if father and dad want to come, they can come together.”

Lin Ge’er laughed, “That’s a good idea, but we need to find some strong people to go.”

With that settled, Zheng Shancheng felt relieved, and the couple returned to their room. Lin Ge’er hugged Zheng Shancheng’s neck and kissed him, “Are you happy now? You act like you’re the only one worried about father and dad.”

In broad daylight, Zheng Shancheng felt embarrassed. He tried to push Lin Ge’er’s hand away but didn’t use much force, only saying, “Father and dad haven’t had a good life yet.”

A room full of spring. Zheng Shancheng couldn’t exert strength in his legs, so Lin Ge’er had to do the work.

…

After lunch, Yu Lanyi and Zheng Shanci took a carriage to the Xia family’s estate. Xia Fulang was delighted when the carriage arrived. He had invited Yu Lanyi, not expecting him to bring Zheng Shanci along.

They were indeed aiming for Zheng Shanci, so this was perfect. With both Zheng Shanci and Yu Lanyi coming, Xia Fulang couldn’t come alone and brought Xia Dalang along.

Xia Fulang and the others greeted Zheng Shanci and then walked into the estate together. Xia Dalang mentioned a pond with many fish. Zheng Shanci immediately knew the Xia family had found out about his love for fishing.

The scenery and environment were nice, and with spring just beginning, Yu Lanyi felt like he was back at his estate in the Capital City. He said, “When we return to the Capital, I’ll take you to see the estate my dad gave me.” Zheng Shanci agreed.

Xia Dalang noted this. It seemed likely that Zheng Daren would return to the Capital. Having an estate in the Capital suggested a background. The Capital’s prices and housing were sky-high, and without family support, even officials couldn’t afford a place to live.

This county magistrate’s husband had been wealthy since arriving in Xinfeng County. Could he be from a prominent family in the Capital? But then, why would a prominent family send their son-in-law to a remote place like Xinfeng County?

There’s no political gain here, only hardship. If they had connections, they’d be assigned to a prosperous place in Jiangnan, and after three years, they’d have achievements to show, making it easier to transfer to the Capital for promotion. The officials valued achievements and background.

Yu Lanyi wanted to walk in the woods, so Xia Fulang accompanied him. “We’ll go talk, and you can go fishing,” Yu Lanyi said, still a bit annoyed with Zheng Shanci.

“Alright, I’ll go fishing and see if we can have steamed fish for dinner,” Zheng Shanci replied good-naturedly.

Yu Lanyi’s lips curled up, remembering the few small fish Zheng Shanci had caught before, only enough for a bowl of porridge. It was a matter of timing; fishing required patience. When the timing was right, Zheng Shanci could catch a few big fish.

Xia Dalang had prepared fishing rods, bait, and buckets. He also had fresh fruit and freshly baked pastries placed by the pond. Xia Dalang regretted not practicing fishing more often, thinking it would be a good excuse to invite Zheng Shanci out to fish.

While fishing, Zheng Shanci chatted with Xia Dalang, who was careful to gauge his words. Zheng Shanci spoke casually, mentioning the county office had gained gold and silver from the ruined temple.

Xia Dalang thought, “My family had a share in that.” He also talked about waiting for the villagers to grow and process the medicinal herbs and mentioned he hadn’t visited the county school yet but planned to.

“This gold and silver from the ruined temple solved my urgent needs. I want to build a road to Lan County. Xinfeng County is isolated in Qingzhou, and connecting it to Lan County would make it easier for people and goods to move around,” Zheng Shanci said.

Xia Dalang, having traveled with the Xia family head, understood a bit and nodded, “Our roads are bad, and the wind and sand are harsh. Merchants don’t like coming here. The county’s goods can only be sold locally, with no profit.”

Xinfeng County’s land wasn’t suitable for growing grain, but it had a natural advantage for medicinal herbs. Previous county magistrates lacked Zheng Shanci’s boldness to mobilize the entire county, especially with the county office backing them.

The city’s big families didn’t dare convert all their fields to herbs, still planting more grain. It was a habit, thinking grain was stable because everyone else planted it.

The county office would buy the herbs, and the city’s big families didn’t go to the county office for seeds. They had their connections to buy herb seeds for their tenant farmers. If they couldn’t sell them, the county office was there.

Who wouldn’t want to make more money if they could?

Zheng Shanci was puzzled, having caught three big fish today. Upon closer inspection, these weren’t pond fish but river fish placed in the pond. He was impressed.

Xia Dalang praised Zheng Shanci’s fishing skills. Embarrassing.