Rest and Relaxation

Jin Yun walked out of the room, unaware of the two figures hidden under the jujube tree. Without noticing Zheng Shanci and Yu Lanyi, he quietly returned to his quarters—completely oblivious.

Under the tree, Zheng Shanci, breath unsteady, finally released Yu Lanyi. Both of them were panting, their clothes slightly disheveled, the night air heavy with silence. Yu Lanyi’s legs felt a bit weak. Zheng Shanci glanced at him, then quickly looked away, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard—but he said nothing.

Back in the room, after washing up, they blew out the candle.

In the dim quiet, Yu Lanyi rested his head on Zheng Shanci’s shoulder. It was a small gesture, a quiet closeness.

Zheng Shanci hesitated. Words pressed at the back of his throat, but he held them in. Still, his usual compulsiveness wouldn’t let him be. Slowly, he reached over and tilted Yu Lanyi’s chin up.

Yu Lanyi blinked. His chin was suddenly lifted, and he immediately felt a flicker of annoyance rise in his chest.

Is he going to say it again?

“Resting like this will give you a stiff neck.”

He clenched his fist. One more word about stiff necks, and he was ready to give Zheng Shanci a clean uppercut—straight to the ceiling, where he could hang there like a lantern.

But this time, Zheng Shanci didn’t say a word about neck stiffness.

Instead, he gently shifted Yu Lanyi’s head and placed it against his chest. His heartbeat was steady, his chest a little firm—but warm.

Yu Lanyi relaxed with a small sigh.

Well… at least he didn’t bring up stiff necks again. That was enough.

For now.

“It’s more comfortable this way.”

Yu Lanyi responded softly, and the small flame in his heart was instantly extinguished. Leaning against Zheng Shanci’s chest, listening to his heartbeat, Yu Lanyi felt a strange sense of joy and curiosity, as he had never been this close to hear someone’s heartbeat before.

Zheng Shanci’s heartbeat was slow and steady, just like him, while Yu Lanyi’s heart was racing. Yu Lanyi touched his lips, feeling shy despite himself.

Ahem, he wasn’t longing for anything; he was just curious since they had been married for so long, and he hadn’t experienced anything intimate yet. He was curious.

The little Ge’er in the storybooks seemed to enjoy it.

Besides, he didn’t know how Zheng Shanci was in that regard. Hopefully, he wasn’t just a pretty face.

Yu Lanyi poked Zheng Shanci’s side.

Doesn’t seem like it…

…

Zheng Shanci got busy at the county office again. He was getting the hang of things there, handling official duties more efficiently. The yamen runners who delivered the autumn harvest grain to Qingzhou had returned.

When the spicy sauce was ready to be opened, Zheng Shanci used a spoon to let Yu Lanyi taste it.

Yu Lanyi licked it, squinting his eyes, “Delicious, this spicy sauce is very fragrant. It would definitely go well with food.”

Zheng Shanci had the mansion’s cooks try it, and their eyes lit up, saying, “This is much better than the spicy sauce bought at the market.”

“Now I can rest easy.”

As for the oil pressing workshop, Zheng Shanci had already begun planning the next steps. He intended to have Qi County Deputy find a skilled worker from within the county—someone experienced in pressing oil—to help oversee the setup. Once the process was in place, they would gradually hire additional laborers to assist with production.

In ancient times, oil pressing came in many forms: lever pressing, foot pressing, and wheel pressing among them. Each had its own efficiency and labor demands.

Zheng Shanci recalled reading about a method in Tiangong Kaiwu—a classic Ming dynasty text on agriculture and industry. One technique, known as the water boiling method, was used specifically for making sesame oil. The result was exceptionally fragrant and widely known as small mill sesame oil.

He planned to borrow inspiration from that method for the workshop.

Moreover, Zheng Shanci knew that oil could be pressed in two ways—raw pressing and cooked pressing. Each method produced oils with different aromas and flavors, suitable for various culinary needs. He intended to experiment with both, not only to provide variety for the local market but also to see which process yielded better returns.

Having people under him made things easier.

The workshop had been busy, first building the spicy sauce workshop and then the oil pressing workshop. Meanwhile, the reputation of the Zheng family’s food shop in Xinfeng County was growing. The more the Zheng family’s food shop earned, the more envious some merchants became.

They hired ruffians to cause trouble, but as soon as the ruffians lay on the ground intending to wail, Registrar Zhu had them arrested and thrown into jail.

They also tried to spread rumors that eating at the Zheng family’s food shop caused diarrhea, but Registrar Zhu saw through it and arrested them for causing trouble, making them cellmates with the previous troublemakers.

Once might be a coincidence, but twice was not. The shrewd merchants suddenly realized that the Zheng family’s food shop had appeared in Xinfeng County out of nowhere, and the only recently prominent person with the surname Zheng was the new county magistrate, Zheng Daren.

With this realization, everything connected. Registrar Zhu wouldn’t go out of his way to protect a food shop unless it was to curry favor with Zheng Daren.

For a while, no one dared to cause trouble at the Zheng family’s food shop.

After deducting workers’ wages, materials, and shop rent, the monthly gross profit was fifty taels of silver, equivalent to fifty thousand wen. This was just the beginning. When Zheng Shanci received the account book, he sighed, realizing that doing business was indeed more profitable. But in ancient times, having only money was like a child holding a golden key; having money also required the power to protect it.

Yu Lanyi gave him fifty taels of silver as an investment, and Zheng Shanci planned to split it evenly, twenty-five taels each. Yu Lanyi, lying on a recliner, agreed. He still had money from selling jewelry, and even though the accountant didn’t give him money, he was living comfortably. Now, Zheng Shanci was giving him half of the food shop’s earnings.

Yu Lanyi cheered, “I have money again!”

And it was given by Zheng Shanci.

Zheng Shanci smiled. This amount was still small for Yu Lanyi, but it was a lot for Zheng Shanci. His monthly salary was only seven taels of silver. The monthly earnings from a single food shop were almost seven times his salary.

When Father Zheng and Zheng Fulang arrived, at least he would have money in hand and wouldn’t be anxious. The weather was getting colder, and Yu Lanyi, who couldn’t weave clothes, bought two thick outfits for Zheng Shanci to wear underneath. This year’s new styles didn’t appeal to him, so he didn’t buy new clothes, wearing the ones he brought from the Capital City.

He still preferred the clothes from Jin Yi Ge. Before leaving, Yu Lanyi owed Jin Yi Ge a hundred taels of silver. After he left, the shopkeeper humbly went to Changyang Marquis Mansion to collect the debt.

Yu Fulang was amused by his youngest son’s antics, “Cao Momo, give him the silver note.”

After the shopkeeper from Jin Yi Ge left, Yu Fulang chuckled, “I know his little schemes. Such nonsense, does the Marquis Mansion lack a hundred taels of silver? This kid visited all the relatives before getting married. I know him well; I gave birth to him, and I know all his little thoughts.”

Cao Momo laughed, “The young master is indeed clever.”

“If only he were truly clever,” Yu Fulang sighed, “Changxing has also given a lot of silver to Lanyi. The two brothers have a good relationship, which makes me happy. But Changxing’s marriage is still unsettled, and I can’t rest easy.”

Yu Changxing returned home only to be urged to marry again. He thought for a moment and said there was still work at the Imperial Palace, so he went back to sleep there. Marquis Changyang and Yu Fulang could only watch helplessly.

…

The Zheng family packed up, and Zheng Shancheng asked familiar people in the village to help take care of the house. They all agreed.

Lin Ge’er carefully brought over a cotton coat.

The weather was still mild—two thin layers were enough for now—but once the road turned colder, the cotton coat would be needed. They had hired a carriage for the journey, the driver sitting up front, ready to depart.

Zheng Qingyin carried his small bundle, standing quietly beside the carriage. His fingers clutched the strap tightly.

Beside him, Zheng Fulang held his hand, his voice low and warm as he spoke:

“When you get there, listen to your elder brother and sister-in-law. Go out more, don’t hide yourself away. Don’t be shy.”

He gave Qingyin’s hand a gentle squeeze.

“Take good care of yourself, alright? You’re a good child, so I’m not worried about you causing trouble. I’m only worried about others bullying you.”

Tears welled up in Zheng Qingyin’s eyes; he was reluctant to leave Father Zheng and Zheng Fulang.

Zheng Fulang said, “Look at me, saying such sad things. You’ll be fine in Xinfeng County. There’s jerky in your bundle, remember to eat it on the road. If anything feels uncomfortable, tell your elder brother and sister-in-law.”

Zheng Qingyin nodded silently, reaching out to hug Zheng Fulang, resting his face against him, “Father, I’ll miss you.”

“You’re grown up now; it’s time to see the world.” Zheng Fulang urged Zheng Qingyin, “Get on the carriage. When you reach Xinfeng County, have Shanci write a letter back.”

Zheng Qingyin stepped onto the small wooden stool and climbed into the carriage, lifting the curtain to look at Father Zheng and Zheng Fulang.

Father Zheng said, “Take your time, be careful on the road.”

Father Zheng patted Zheng Shancheng’s shoulder, and Zheng Shancheng got on the carriage.

Lin Ge’er poked his head out, “Dad, Father, we’re leaving.”

Zheng Fulang said, “Go on, be careful on the road.”

The driver cracked the whip, and the carriage wheels left tracks on the ground.

Father Zheng and Zheng Fulang stood at the village entrance, watching until the carriage became a black dot in their eyes. Zheng Fulang thought he heard a faint “Father,” and wondered, “Did Qingyin call me?”

“Qingyin just left, and you’re already missing him.” Father Zheng also missed the three children. He felt a bit melancholic; they had raised the three children from a young age, and now all three had left home, leaving only him and his husband.

Zheng Fulang kept staring, but the carriage had disappeared, not even a small black dot remained.

Zheng Qingyin sat in the carriage, feeling its jolts. He lifted the curtain but could no longer see Father Zheng and Zheng Fulang. He stuck his head out, watching them become a small black dot in his view, holding back tears. As the distance grew, Zheng Qingyin couldn’t help but shout, “Father.”

But the distance was too great; he didn’t know if Zheng Fulang heard him.

Lin Ge’er, seeing Zheng Qingyin still crying, felt pity and gently patted his back, “It’s always like this the first time. You’ll get used to it. Plus, you have your elder brother and sister-in-law. When you reach Xinfeng County, you’ll see your second brother and sister-in-law too.”

Zheng Qingyin’s eyes were like they had been washed by water. He watched the scenery outside the curtain retreating, feeling clear-headed. He closed his eyes, realizing that some old matters in Qingxiang Village could finally be let go. He no longer had to be shackled by others. But whenever he thought about it, he still felt sad.

He looked up to meet Zheng Shancheng’s concerned gaze, feeling warmth in his heart. He still had his elder brother and sister-in-law. Looking at the retreating scenery again, he felt a sense of relief, a tiny spark of joy in his heart.

“Qingyin, we’ll be visiting many places on this trip. You can see how different they are from Qingxiang Village, with different customs too.” After leaving home, Lin Ge’er felt sad for a while but was soon filled with excitement.

“We can explore together,” Lin Ge’er said with anticipation.

Zheng Qingyin pinched his clothes, nodding lightly, a small smile appearing on his face, like a shy plant.

Zheng Shancheng’s face showed some relief.

Zheng Qingyin heard the call of a bird and lifted the curtain to see a flock of geese flying south, free in the sky. He watched them in a daze until they flew out of sight, and he withdrew his gaze.

…

Father Zheng and Zheng Fulang walked back from the village, meeting villagers along the way. Old Miao asked, “What were you doing? You have nothing in your hands.”

“We sent Shancheng, Lin Ge’er, and Qingyin off to Xinfeng County,” Father Zheng replied.

“Why didn’t you two go?” Old Miao felt a bit envious, wondering why Father Zheng and Zheng Fulang didn’t go.

“Our ancestors have lived in Qingxiang Village for generations. Besides, it’s getting cold, and the New Year is coming. We two old folks will stay put. Maybe we’ll go if we feel like it later,” Zheng Fulang said with a smile.

“Indeed, Shancheng and Qingyin can go out and see the world,” Old Miao sighed.

The news of Zheng Shancheng, Lin Ge’er, and Zheng Qingyin going to Xinfeng County spread quickly through the village. Old He was at home smoking his pipe, planning to finish it before turning the soil in the fields.

Hearing the village women talking about the Zheng family, Old He learned that Zheng Shancheng and Zheng Qingyin were going to join Zheng Shanci.

“Ah, the Zheng family is really lucky. Zheng Shanci is so capable, a county magistrate. I’ve never seen such a thing in my life. I’ve only been to the county town once, and my legs were shaking just passing by the county office. The county magistrate oversees the whole county, and all the officials listen to Zheng Shanci. I can’t even imagine such a life.”

Old He thought, who wouldn’t want a son like Zheng Shanci? Who wouldn’t want to benefit from it? But people aren’t fools; they won’t let others take advantage for free. Old He took a puff of his pipe. It was good that Zheng Qingyin left; his son’s infatuation should end too.

He planned to find a wife for He Tian and live a stable life, which was better than anything.

Ever since Old He and Aunt He learned of He Tian’s feelings, they kept him at home to cool off, preventing him from doing anything rash that would be hard to handle later.

Aunt He also heard that Zheng Qingyin had gone to Xinfeng County with Zheng Shancheng. She hurriedly opened the door, “Son, you can come out now.”

He Tian’s face relaxed, “Mom, do you support me?”

“Silly boy, Zheng Qingyin has already gone to Xinfeng County. Stop thinking about it. We’ll find you another wife. Don’t dwell on Zheng Qingyin. Once you marry, find a job in town.”

He Tian’s face changed, turning from green to purple, back and forth. He gritted his teeth, “Why are you telling me now? You’ve ruined my future! With parents like you, how can I succeed?”

He Tian felt a wave of regret, even a hint of resentment. Why go to town to work for those money-grubbing merchants, bowing and scraping? Wouldn’t it be better to be Zheng Shanci’s brother-in-law? Why stop him?

Aunt He saw the resentment in He Tian’s eyes, and her heart sank. Still, she held back her pain and said, “Son, stop thinking about it. It’s impossible. Think about it, if you were a noble’s son, would you marry a village Ge’er as your husband?”

He Tian: “Of course, I wouldn’t.”

Aunt He: “I won’t persuade you anymore. If you want to find Zheng Qingyin, go to Xinfeng County yourself.”

Aunt He didn’t expect He Tian to resent her after all she did for him, and it hurt her.

…

The county office had a five-day break, and Zheng Shanci promised to accompany Yu Lanyi today. Yu Lanyi changed into riding clothes in the morning, wanting Zheng Shanci to go horseback riding at the ranch.

Zheng Shanci chose a gentle pony, mounted it, and patted its head as its hooves clopped on the ground.

Yu Lanyi rode the horse that Yu Changxing had given him. The horse had followed him all the way and still looked down its nose at Zheng Shanci. Zheng Shanci chuckled, grabbing a handful of hay to feed his pony.

Yu Lanyi mounted his horse, noticing that Zheng Shanci was a head shorter than him. He curiously glanced at Zheng Shanci’s horse and laughed loudly, “Zheng Shanci, why did you choose such a small horse?”

“It’s not small, just short,” Zheng Shanci corrected.

The pony ate the hay from Zheng Shanci’s hand, feeling wronged.

Yu Lanyi: “Let’s race! See who gets to the hill first.”

Zheng Shanci agreed, and Jin Yun acted as the referee. Jin Yun shouted “start,” and Yu Lanyi’s black horse shot out like an arrow. In contrast, Zheng Shanci… Jin Yun’s mouth twitched.

Zheng Shanci led the pony slowly, holding the reins.

The pony refused to move, lazily carrying Zheng Shanci. It was used to carrying young ladies and Ge’er, accustomed to a slow pace, occasionally trotting a few steps.

Zheng Shanci was both amused and exasperated.

Yu Lanyi waited impatiently at the finish line for Zheng Shanci. When he finally arrived, Yu Lanyi dismounted, “Why are you so slow?”

“Your riding skills are excellent; I can’t match you.”

Yu Lanyi crossed his arms, looking at Zheng Shanci with a smirk, “Good that you know!”

The horses went to drink water at a nearby pond, surrounded by trees. Yu Lanyi saw Zheng Shanci touching the tree bark and pouted, pulling him away, “What’s so interesting? You’re here to accompany me.”

“Alright, what else do you want to do?” Zheng Shanci asked with a smile, refocusing.

Yu Lanyi: “Let’s lie on the pasture. The grass is soft.”

Saying so, Yu Lanyi lay down, and Zheng Shanci followed suit. It had been a while since Zheng Shanci looked at the sky. The ancient sky was blue, brightening his mood.

Zheng Shanci turned to look at Yu Lanyi, who squinted his eyes as the wind blew over him. Zheng Shanci closed his eyes, enjoying the rare leisure.

After lying down for a while, Yu Lanyi turned to talk to Zheng Shanci, only to find him asleep. Yu Lanyi said nothing, quietly shifting, bending the grass beneath him.

Yu Lanyi touched Zheng Shanci’s lips, then his Adam’s apple.

…

After running around the ranch, Zheng Shanci fell asleep. At noon, they went to the Zheng family’s food shop for a meal, and Yu Lanyi ate heartily.

Zheng Shanci poured a bowl of soup for Yu Lanyi, placing it by his side. He was surprised to find that Yu Lanyi wasn’t picky about food; he liked anything tasty, with no particular dislikes.

In this regard, he was easy to please.

Thinking about it, Zheng Shanci smiled. He noticed oil at the corner of Yu Lanyi’s mouth and stood up to wipe it away, “Eat slowly.”

Yu Lanyi was enjoying his meal, but when Zheng Shanci suddenly wiped his mouth, he felt a rush of heat. He stuffed a piece of braised eggplant into his mouth.

After a bowl of soup, Yu Lanyi was satisfied.

Zheng Shanci shared the spicy sauce recipe and method with the workers at the spicy sauce workshop, having them sign confidentiality agreements. A third of the workers were skilled, while the rest were hired from outside. Zheng Shanci made a point to give preference to soldiers’ widows.

The oil pressing workshop followed the same model as the spicy sauce workshop, with a third skilled workers and the rest hired from outside. The first batch of spicy sauce wasn’t ready yet, but once it was, it would be sold to the Zheng family’s food shop to build its reputation.

Zheng Shanci’s mind worked quickly.

After eating, Yu Lanyi took Zheng Shanci to a bookstore to pick out storybooks. Zheng Shanci wanted to buy some books too, choosing from a list provided by the Hanlin Academy. Yu Lanyi glanced at them and quickly lost interest.

“Lanyi, do you want a candied hawthorn?” An old man was selling them. Hawthorns were abundant here, and so were candied hawthorns.

Yu Lanyi wanted one, but seeing that the buyers were mostly adults with children, he stubbornly said, “I don’t eat those; they’re for kids.”

Yu Lanyi’s emotions were always easy to read. Zheng Shanci told him to wait and went to talk to the vendor, returning with two sticks of candied hawthorn.

Zheng Shanci handed one to Yu Lanyi without a word, eating his own. The sourness made his teeth chatter, but he couldn’t stop.

“Eat slowly; it’s still sour,” Zheng Shanci reminded.

Yu Lanyi took a bite, his face contorting from the sourness.

He had liked sour things when he was unwell and had no taste, but now that he was better, he couldn’t handle it.

He was about to give the candied hawthorn to Zheng Shanci to finish when he saw Zheng Shanci, mouth full of sourness, laughing.

“Is it that sour?”

Yu Lanyi handed the candied hawthorn to Zheng Shanci, “You bought it, you finish it.”

Zheng Shanci said, “If I eat too much sugar, my teeth will hurt.”

Yu Lanyi: “If your teeth hurt, endure it.”

Zheng Shanci didn’t expect Yu Lanyi to say that. He was momentarily stunned, then laughed, his gaze warm like spring.

“Don’t you care if my teeth hurt?”

“Then all the good food is mine,” Yu Lanyi’s heart skipped a beat.

Zheng Shanci didn’t know when he started wanting to laugh whenever he saw Yu Lanyi, as if his mood brightened.

“Zheng Shanci, you should buy a jade crown. You can wear it on your days off,” Yu Lanyi suggested, gesturing. Zheng Shanci had a good appearance and temperament, so he would look great in a jade crown.

“Alright, you help me pick one,” Zheng Shanci said, feeling shy, “I’m not good at these things.”

He usually bought clothes casually.

Yu Lanyi’s mood improved, “No one’s perfect. If you can’t, I’ll pick a nice one for you.”