Xin Feng County

Zheng Qingyin was in the kitchen watching the fire, boiling hot water to pour into the teapot. Outside, the villagers were still chatting, and he knew they wouldn’t leave anytime soon.

Father Zheng and Zheng Fulang were talking with the villagers, as it was a joyful day.

He was happy for his Second Brother, but after meeting He Tian, his mood dampened a bit. Zheng Qingyin was fourteen this year, and Father Zheng and Zheng Fulang hadn’t yet arranged a match for him.

They were cautious, wanting to wait for Zheng Shanci’s situation in the Capital City to settle, hoping Zheng Qingyin could marry into a good family. He wasn’t too concerned about marriage.

Until Second Brother passed the imperial examination, He Tian would often say things that could be misunderstood and even act inappropriately, which terrified Zheng Qingyin. He Tian had a great reputation outside, and Zheng Qingyin, being timid, didn’t dare tell his father or dad about it.

Today, He Tian acted the same way towards him. Zheng Qingyin was frightened and didn’t know what to do.

He Tian quietly entered the kitchen and saw Zheng Qingyin standing dazedly in front of the stove. He spoke softly, “Qingyin, why do you look so lost?”

Hearing He Tian’s words, Zheng Qingyin instinctively shivered. He bit his lip and forced a response, “Nothing, I’m just watching the fire. Brother He, you’re a guest, there’s no need for you to be in the kitchen.”

“Qingyin, now that your Second Brother has become a County Magistrate, you’ll be an official’s Ge’er. Will you change from how you used to be?” He Tian stepped forward, trying to reach out and touch Zheng Qingyin’s hand.

Zheng Qingyin quickly dodged, “Brother He, what are you saying? I’ll go grab some melon seeds from the house.”

He just wanted to escape.

“Zheng Qingyin, look at yourself. You want to marry into a wealthy family, but you can’t even read a single character.” He Tian’s face turned cold as he approached Zheng Qingyin, grabbing his wrist. His eyes were filled with malice, completely different from the graceful and gentle demeanor he showed in front of the villagers.

He said coldly, “Only I can tolerate and love you like this. Look at your clothes, so rustic. Who would appreciate you? You’re just a village Ge’er. And your looks, they can’t compare to the Ge’ers in town. If you go to Xinfeng County, you’ll only embarrass Zheng Shanci. You even have a sister-in-law from a Marquis family who will surely despise you.”

Zheng Qingyin’s eyes trembled.

“The situation outside isn’t good. If you go out, you’ll only be despised and deceived. You can only protect yourself in the village. Bandits and hooligans are everywhere. What can a little Ge’er like you do outside? Ge’ers are meant to marry. I’m good to you and don’t mind that you can’t read or paint. If you marry me, I’ll protect you.”

He Tian chuckled lowly, “Only I’m good to you. Don’t you know that?”

“Why bother going to Xinfeng County to humiliate yourself? Do you think Zheng Shanci truly wants you to go? To him, you’re just a burden. If you marry me, I’ll take you to Xinfeng County. Only my embrace is safe and harmless.”

…

Zheng Shancheng and Lin Ge’er bought pork and wine, and Zheng Fulang called a few familiar women and Ge’ers to the kitchen to cook. Lin Ge’er helped out, while Zheng Shancheng went to talk with the villagers.

By the time the villagers finished eating, it was already midnight.

“Where’s Qingyin?” Zheng Fulang frowned.

When they were cooking, Zheng Qingyin didn’t come to help, and now after eating, he was nowhere to be seen. This child was too inconsiderate.

Lin Ge’er noticed Zheng Qingyin seemed down during dinner and was a bit worried, so he said, “Dad, I’ll go check on Qingyin.”

“Go ahead. This child, is he growing up or what? He’s becoming more and more withdrawn.” Zheng Fulang sighed, then went to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

Zheng Fulang gave Zheng Shancheng half a string of coins, “When you went to buy meat and wine, I forgot to ask you to buy offerings for the ancestors. Go to the morning market tomorrow.”

Zheng Shancheng: “Got it, Dad.”

The villagers left, and the outside hadn’t been cleaned yet. Zheng Shancheng took a broom to sweep the melon seed shells and mud from the courtyard. He quickly chopped chicken feed and fed the chickens, then drove them into the coop.

The dogs outside started howling again, their voices loud. Usually, Zheng Shancheng found it annoying, but today he felt happy.

Tonight, the villagers came to the Zheng family for dinner. There was no smoke from cooking, only the laughter of children and the voices of adults.

“The Zheng family is really blessed…”

“County Magistrate, hehe, from now on, I have to call him Zheng Daren…”

A few words drifted in the wind.

Zheng Shancheng grinned widely, holding the broom.

Father Zheng: “Shancheng, why are you grinning like a fool? How come there’s a hoe missing from the house?”

Zheng Shancheng slapped his forehead, “I heard Shanci wrote back today, and I forgot the hoe in the field.”

Father Zheng: “You careless fool, so careless!”

“I’ll get it tomorrow morning. Everyone in the village knows each other. It’s so dark now, no one will take it.” Zheng Shancheng defended himself, “I’m just happy.”

Father Zheng just said a few words, not really angry. He rolled a cigarette and took a puff.

Lin Ge’er saw the light in Zheng Qingyin’s room and knocked on the door, “Qingyin, can I come in?”

Zheng Qingyin wiped his tears, “Wait a moment, Sister-in-law.”

He quickly found a mirror, tidied himself up, and then opened the door, “Sister-in-law, come in.”

Zheng Qingyin lived alone. The room had a bed and a set of tables and chairs, which were hand-me-downs from Zheng Shanci. There was a bamboo basket in the bedside cabinet, which he had woven himself. It contained some fabric scraps, and he liked to embroider sachets and handkerchiefs in his spare time, selling them with Zheng Shancheng in town to supplement the household income.

The basket also held a shoe he was working on.

“Qingyin, your hands are really skillful. The embroidery is so dense.”

Zheng Qingyin felt embarrassed and patted the bed, “Sister-in-law, have a seat.”

“I noticed Father’s shoes are a bit worn, so I thought I’d use the leftover money from selling sachets at the market to make him a new pair.”

Lin Ge’er sat down, “Qingyin, you’re so filial. Don’t embroider at night; it’s bad for your eyes.”

“I know, Sister-in-law.”

Before marrying into the family, Lin Ge’er liked to dress up. After marrying Zheng Shancheng, he secretly bought a silk flower with his spare money. Zheng Qingyin was beautiful but didn’t care for dressing up. He only had a few sets of clothes and rarely wore hairpins.

He saved all his money.

Zheng Shanci went to study and take the imperial exams, and the family relied not only on Father and Dad, but also on this youngest brother who was so considerate and mature.

“I noticed you seemed down tonight. Is something bothering you?” Lin Ge’er asked gently.

Zheng Qingyin didn’t dare to say anything and just shook his head, “Sister-in-law, I’m fine. Maybe it’s the weather affecting my mood.”

“Qingyin, you should treat yourself better. Second Brother is an official now, so you don’t have to be so frugal. Buy a few more clothes and accessories. The Ge’ers in the village all like to dress up, but you don’t. Which Ge’er doesn’t like to dress up?”

Hearing this, Zheng Qingyin felt a bit sad. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he didn’t know what to do. He mumbled, “Sister-in-law, do you dislike me too?”

Lin Ge’er didn’t know which words upset Zheng Qingyin and hurriedly wiped his tears, “I, I don’t dislike you. I just want you to treat yourself better. Qingyin, you’re so good-looking. If you wore nice clothes and accessories, you’d be even more beautiful.”

Zheng Qingyin stopped crying but was still sniffling, “Sister-in-law, you’re not lying to me?”

“Little brother, what good would it do me to lie to you?” Lin Ge’er laughed, “When I married your brother, I was attracted to his good looks. You see, your Second Brother married a Ge’er from a Marquis family in the Capital City. How could it not be because of his good looks? If he were a bit uglier, would the Marquis family have taken a liking to him? You’re their brother, so how could you not have good looks?”

Zheng Qingyin smiled through his tears.

Lin Ge’er: “I tell you, you know your Second Brother’s bad temper. If it weren’t for that face of his, would the Marquis family have even looked at him?”

Zheng Qingyin: “…”

After talking with Zheng Qingyin, Lin Ge’er went back to his room to wash up.

Zheng Shancheng had already finished washing up and was lying in bed.

The room they shared was a bit larger. Zheng Shancheng held Lin Ge’er, breathing heavily.

Lin Ge’er tilted his head, holding Zheng Shancheng’s head.

After bathing, they returned to bed. Lin Ge’er lazily said, “Shanci said we should go to Xinfeng County with Father and Dad. What do you think?”

Zheng Shancheng: “Do you want to go?”

“Why wouldn’t I? I’ve never been to a county town.” Lin Ge’er said excitedly, “The family has been waiting for Second Brother to bring honor to the family. Now that he’s an official, as his elder brother, you should go and congratulate him in person.”

Zheng Shancheng pinched Lin Ge’er’s nose, “I’ll think about it. Besides, it depends on what Father and Dad think.”

Lin Ge’er: “If you don’t think for yourself, at least think about our future children and Qingyin. If Qingyin stays in the village, what kind of man will he find?”

Zheng Shancheng pondered.

He thought for a moment and then said, “It still depends on what Father and Dad think. Besides, Shanci just went to Xinfeng County, and his foundation might not be stable. If we rush over, won’t we just be causing trouble?”

Lin Ge’er: “You, you only have eyes for your Second Brother, always thinking about him.”

…

Meanwhile, Zheng Shanci and Yu Lanyi had breakfast at the inn and didn’t linger, continuing their journey after resting for a night. They woke up earlier than the two Yang brothers. When Yang San woke up, he inquired about Zheng Shanci and his group.

Old Zhou said, “They’ve already left the inn.”

Yang Er and Yang San felt a bit regretful. They didn’t even know Zheng Shanci’s full name, only his surname. The official heading to the Capital City, Ji Daren, came downstairs and overheard the Yang brothers asking about the group from last night. He couldn’t help but wonder if that small County Magistrate had an unusual background to be so valued by the Yang family.

He felt he had missed an opportunity to make a connection.

Ji Daren had been in a good mood that day, but now he felt uninterested.

Zheng Shanci woke up early, while Yu Lanyi was still sleepy. He sat in the carriage, drowsy, and only ate a few bites of a bun.

For Yu Lanyi, it was too early.

Zheng Shanci: “You can sleep in the carriage.”

Yu Lanyi complained, “The carriage is uncomfortable.”

He had cushions under him, along with Zheng Shanci’s cloak, but he couldn’t find a good pillow. Yu Lanyi’s eyes darted around, and he looked at Zheng Shanci, “I’m so sleepy, I want to sleep.”

Zheng Shanci thought for a moment, “I’ll add another layer of bedding to the carriage.”

Yu Lanyi: “No need, I think it’s soft enough.”

Yu Lanyi looked at Zheng Shanci’s leg and seriously asked, “Can I rest my head on your knee as a pillow?”

Zheng Shanci nodded, even smoothing out his robe. Yu Lanyi felt a surge of joy and slowly lay down, resting his head on Zheng Shanci’s knee.

Zheng Shanci bent down, pulled a blanket over, and covered Yu Lanyi. Autumn had arrived, and the weather was getting colder. Without a blanket, it was easy to catch a cold.

He picked up the book he had set aside and focused on reading.

Lying in the carriage, Yu Lanyi could see Zheng Shanci’s smooth jawline when he looked up. Zheng Shanci didn’t notice his gaze, just kept his head down, reading. After finishing a page, he gently turned it. The sound of the carriage wheels and the rustling of pages filled the air, and Yu Lanyi closed his eyes and fell asleep.

He slept until noon. At noon, they reached a small county town and went into a tavern for a meal.

Yu Lanyi tasted the food and was quite satisfied.

Zheng Shanci used public chopsticks to serve Yu Lanyi some greens, “The weather is getting colder, make sure to keep warm.”

Yu Lanyi tilted his head, looking at the green vegetables in his bowl. He pouted, reluctantly eating them.

“I brought a thick jacket and a cloak.”

Zheng Shanci: “That’s good. It seems like there’s plenty of rain this year.”

Every time Yu Lanyi arrived at a new place, he felt like a traveling wanderer, free and unrestrained. He had seen white clouds over green mountains, the moon setting among stars, and colorful sunsets. Everywhere was a beautiful scene. Unfortunately, he hadn’t studied hard when he was young and couldn’t write any poetry. Although Shengjing was nice, occasionally going out to see the world broadened his horizons and lifted his spirits.

He asked Zheng Shanci if he could write poetry.

Zheng Shanci looked embarrassed and shook his head, “I can’t write poetry.”

Yu Lanyi thought Zheng Shanci was a half-baked scholar, unable to even write a pretentious poem.

In the evening, they arrived at a small town without an inn, so they had to stay at a guesthouse.

Yu Lanyi booked an upper room, and the innkeeper’s eyes lit up, quickly coming forward to serve them, “This way, Young Master and Fulang.”

Zheng Shanci and Yu Lanyi had dinner at the guesthouse, and at night, Yu Lanyi dragged Zheng Shanci out to explore the night market.

This place revered the River God, nestled between mountains and water, with many rare and novel items. There was also the story of the River God and the bride. They went to listen to a storyteller, found a place to sit, and ordered a pot of tea.

“In the past, when I went out to listen to stories, I had to bring the household servants. I couldn’t just bring Jin Yun alone. Those people following me were so annoying. Now I can listen to stories whenever I want.” Yu Lanyi cracked open some melon seeds, “I can eat melon seeds whenever I want, and no one says I’m being ungraceful.”

Zheng Shanci laughed at his words.

Yu Lanyi listened to the storyteller’s tale and said softly, “Zheng Shanci, it turns out getting married is such a joyful thing.”

Zheng Shanci was taken aback by his words. He looked at Yu Lanyi, who was intently listening to the storyteller. The storyteller held a wooden clapper, wearing a long robe, and slapped the clapper heavily, his voice becoming passionate.

The teahouse was filled with people from all over, sipping tea and eating peanuts and melon seeds, exuding a sense of leisure. Zheng Shanci’s gaze lingered on Yu Lanyi, and he smiled.

After listening to the story and buying some snacks, they returned to the guesthouse to settle in.

From the Capital City to Xinfeng County, it took over two months. Yu Lanyi had traveled through one-sixth of Da Yan’s territory, and in the blink of an eye, two months had passed.

The pastries they had ordered from the Capital City were long gone, but along the way, there were many local specialties, and Yu Lanyi didn’t miss any. Today, just as they started cooking lunch, the sky rumbled with thunder, and it began to rain.

Yu Lanyi immediately jumped into the carriage. The horses couldn’t travel well in the thunderstorm, and they were trapped in the carriage.

“What a heavy rain.” Yu Lanyi used a towel to wipe his hair.

Zheng Shanci lifted the curtain, knowing they couldn’t stay here. They had two carts of luggage that couldn’t get wet. He sent Wangfu ahead to see if there was a place to take shelter from the rain.

“Zheng Shanci, it’s so cold.” Yu Lanyi sneezed.

“Daren, Young Master, there’s an abandoned temple ahead where we can take shelter.”

The coachman drove the carriage over.

When Zheng Shanci and Yu Lanyi entered, there was already a group of people in the temple. They had lit a fire and looked at Zheng Shanci and Yu Lanyi with caution.

“Sorry to intrude, the rain outside is too heavy. We’re here to take shelter.” Zheng Shanci cupped his hands and spoke in a deep voice.

The leader, a middle-aged man, saw Zheng Shanci’s polite demeanor and smiled, “No need to be so formal, young master. We’re just travelers passing through, also seeking shelter from the rain. You and your…”

“Fulang,” Zheng Shanci replied.

“So, you’re a couple. Please, come and warm yourselves by the fire.”

“Thank you for your kindness, but we’ll start another fire. We have quite a few people.”

Jin Yun and Wangfu, along with the others, took care of the luggage and gathered firewood to start a fire.

Yu Lanyi extended his hands to warm them by the fire.

“How much longer until we reach Xinfeng County?”

Zheng Shanci reassured him, “Just three more days.”

The journey had worn Yu Lanyi out. The constant travel had made him weary, and he no longer found the places interesting. He just wanted to settle down. Zheng Shanci took a towel to help Yu Lanyi dry his hair.

The rain outside showed no signs of stopping, and by evening, they were still in the temple. Zheng Shanci asked Jin Yun to take out the dry rations and boil some water.

They steamed the dry rations.

The dry rations were jerky and flatbread.

It wasn’t very tasty, but having the cook prepare a meal would draw too much attention. The flatbread and jerky were soaked in water to soften them. Zheng Shanci ate the dry rations, finding them just right.

Yu Lanyi looked at the flatbread and jerky in front of him. He thought for a moment and decided to eat the jerky first. He bit into it but couldn’t tear it off.

There was a bowl of hot water in front of him, given by Zheng Shanci. Yu Lanyi had no choice but to soak the jerky in the hot water before eating it. It wasn’t very good, but he managed to swallow it.

The jerky wasn’t enough for him, so Yu Lanyi hesitated, poking at the hard flatbread.

Yu Lanyi looked at Jin Yun, and they exchanged glances.

Zheng Shanci pushed the hot water closer to Yu Lanyi.

Yu Lanyi felt as if the sky had fallen.

“I want to eat roast duck,” Yu Lanyi said.

Zheng Shanci: “Just endure for a few more days. We’re almost there.”

Yu Lanyi pouted, soaking the flatbread in the hot water, then took Zheng Shanci’s jerky.

Zheng Shanci didn’t mind and took out a new piece of jerky from his bag.

After a tasteless dinner, Yu Lanyi yawned, listening to the rain. Zheng Shanci didn’t read his book this time. With strangers around, he was always cautious.

The middle-aged man, perhaps feeling bored, struck up a conversation, “Young brother, where are you headed?”

Zheng Shanci smiled wryly, “Our family has fallen on hard times, and we’re going to rely on relatives. As you can see, these belongings are just for show.”

“You seem to come from a well-off family.”

Zheng Shanci quickly waved his hand, “That’s all in the past. Now we’re going to live under someone else’s roof, just hoping my uncle treats us well. My Fulang and I will be content. I used to love gambling and squandered everything. Now I’ve come to my senses, but there’s nothing left.”

The middle-aged man showed sympathy, “Gambling is indeed harmful.”

After exchanging a few words, the middle-aged man went to sleep. Zheng Shanci quietly instructed Wangfu, “Have the others take turns keeping watch tonight. I don’t think these people are up to any good. Be cautious. If they try to rummage through our bags, let them go through mine. But if they try to touch anything else, act as if you’ve been startled.”

Wangfu was startled, looking at the people around the fire, feeling a chill down his spine.

“Yes, Daren.”

Yu Lanyi still used Zheng Shanci’s leg as a pillow.

That night, Wangfu and the others remained vigilant. Sure enough, one of the men from the middle-aged man’s group tried to rummage through their bags. Wangfu, following Zheng Shanci’s instructions, scared the man away.

“Nothing valuable.”

“Lots of books. Seems like this guy was a bookworm.”

“Haha, a bookworm who gambles. That’s rare, hahaha.”

“That bookworm’s Fulang is quite good-looking. If we didn’t have important business, otherwise…”

They lowered their voices, joking.

…

The next day, Zheng Shanci woke up and planned to leave with Yu Lanyi. The middle-aged man, half-asleep, called out to Zheng Shanci.

“Young brother, leaving so early?”

Zheng Shanci paused, and Wangfu felt a pang of anxiety for him.

“My Fulang fell ill after getting caught in the rain yesterday. I need to find a doctor quickly.” Zheng Shanci’s voice was urgent.

“You even take your Fulang with you when seeking refuge with relatives. Though you’re a gambler, you have a good heart.” The middle-aged man sighed, “You should hurry, don’t delay your Fulang’s illness.”

“The weather is getting colder. Take care of yourself in the temple.”

The middle-aged man waved his hand, a bit impatient, pulling the blanket over himself to sleep again.

Bookworms sure talk a lot of nonsense.

Zheng Shanci climbed into the carriage, and the coachman quickly drove away.

“That was close, Daren.” Wangfu’s heart was in his throat.

“Hurry up. If they realize I was lying, we’ll be in trouble.” Zheng Shanci was also sweating.

“I didn’t hear any loopholes in your words, Daren.” Wangfu scratched his face.

Zheng Shanci: “A gambler doesn’t change. Once a gambler, they don’t care about family.”

Wangfu thought for a moment and admired him.

It was just as Zheng Shanci had said.

Yesterday, when Zheng Shanci entered the temple, he sensed that the people around the fire were not to be trifled with. Leaving now would draw too much attention and arouse suspicion. Seeing their rain-soaked and travel-worn appearance, he knew they had important matters to attend to.

After spending a night in the temple, Zheng Shanci’s heart was finally at ease once they left.

Yu Lanyi was still asleep, unaware that they had just escaped from danger.

They didn’t dare delay any longer and hurried to Xinfeng County.