His True BaiFuMei

Facing the gazes and whispers of the crowd, and the seemingly amused look in Yu Fulang’s eyes, Zheng Shanci gritted his teeth and said, “I’ll marry.”

Yu Fulang beamed and said, “I also intend to marry Lanyi to this young man. They’ve met once, so what’s there to say? I need to ask Pei Daren who left the lock. Otherwise, with this incident, the household will be in turmoil, and my husband might have to report to the court and file a complaint against Pei Daren.”

Yu Lanyi was about to speak but was silenced by a stern look from Yu Fulang, reluctantly closing his mouth.

After Zheng Shanci said he would marry, the pressure on him suddenly eased. Hearing Yu Fulang shift the focus to the Pei family, he thought, “The Pei family should bring this person to the Marquis Mansion to apologize.”

The Changyang Marquis Mansion is not to be trifled with. This in-law family is overwhelming, and it’s easy for them to manipulate a scholar from a humble background like him. Amidst the chatter around him, he noticed Yu Lanyi still glaring at him privately.

It was the first time Zheng Shanci had encountered such an unreasonable person. He bared his teeth and glared back.

Yu Lanyi: “…”

This person dared to glare at him, having the audacity of a bear and a leopard.

Do you know who he is? Do you know who his father is?

A mere scholar, unaware of the vastness of the heavens.

The Pei family agreed to find out who left the lock. Seeing the marks on Zheng Shanci’s clothes, the Pei Old Furen instructed a maid to take him to change clothes.

Zheng Shanci cupped his hands, “Thank you, Old Furen.”

Yu Shiyan had already given the maid some money and was no longer in the mansion. Although Yu Fulang managed to salvage the situation somewhat, the outcome remained unchanged. 

Yu Lanyi could only be with a scholar from a humble background. This proud elder brother was always arrogant, and marrying such a person was even more satisfying.

“The Pei family needs to give our Yu family an explanation. I’ll take Lanyi back first and come for a result tomorrow. I won’t disturb the Old Furen’s birthday celebration any longer,” Yu Fulang said politely.

After changing his clothes, Zheng Shanci was led back to the banquet by a maid. His classmate, Chen Wu, saw him return and hurriedly asked, “Where did you go? Half the guests have already left.”

Chen Wu, full of wine, had a flushed face. He toasted everyone he met but hadn’t yet drunk his way to a promising future.

He muttered, “I spent money to get in, drank all the wine, but haven’t tasted any delicacies.”

The original host had also drunk quite a bit, and with his good looks and witty conversation, he had piqued the interest of an official. Before he could be happy, he got drunk, and the current situation took over.

The days of blandness were gone forever. Thinking of Yu Lanyi, the future would surely be lively.

He was still a straight man.

He sat down and picked some food to eat.

Lamb shank, thousand-layer cake, crispy duck, snow vegetable yellow croaker, and a dish of seven-color pastries. Zheng Shanci’s stomach felt much better. Earlier, it felt like he had been tossed around in a washing machine, with his internal organs displaced.

“Zheng Xiong, why so silent?” Chen Wu saw Zheng Shanci enjoying the delicacies and sat down to eat some pastries to fill his stomach.

Zheng Shanci pondered, “Speechless.”

“Why do you say that, Zheng Xiong? Did something happen?” Chen Wu’s eyes sparkled with interest.

The matters of the inner courtyard hadn’t spread so quickly, and Zheng Shanci didn’t want to say much.

“Zheng Gongzi, Pei Daren requests your presence.” A servant gestured invitingly to Zheng Shanci.

Chen Wu stood up respectfully as he watched Zheng Shanci rise and follow the servant.

Chen Wu muttered, “This guy is killing us scholars with envy. What’s there to be speechless about? Pei Daren just summoned him.”

“What a disgrace. Tomorrow, this matter will be the talk of the town.” The young ladies and Ge’ers who returned to their seats spoke to each other.

“What happened?” Others were drawn in.

Chen Wu, with his wine cup, eavesdropped on the gossip.

His heart was in turmoil. Zheng Xiong, to have such fortune.

The scholars who had also sneaked in with borrowed invitations exchanged glances, not expecting one of them to stand out.

Skipping twenty years of detours, he had paved his way to success early, soaring to become a golden phoenix in a day.

They were envious, jealous, and resentful.

“Why didn’t this good fortune come to me? I’d be willing to be a live-in son-in-law!”

“If I had such a father-in-law, what would I fear? I’d be the one being toasted.”

Meanwhile, Zheng Shanci paid his respects to Assistant Minister Pei, who looked at him warmly, “These are the maids and servants of the mansion. Please identify who led you to the side room.”

“I was drunk and couldn’t see the person’s face. It was a maid, but I remember her voice.”

“Then please identify their voices.”

Assistant Minister Pei had the maids speak in front of Zheng Shanci, but after a round, Zheng Shanci shook his head, “Pei Daren, she’s not here.”

Assistant Minister Pei understood. It was indeed the missing maid, and he still needed to give the Yu family an explanation.

“Thank you, Zheng Gongzi.”

Zheng Shanci cupped his hands, “Glad to be of help, Pei Daren.”

Assistant Minister Pei scrutinized Zheng Shanci, finding his demeanor neither servile nor overbearing, which left a good impression. However, having seen many people and with the family incident, he didn’t keep Zheng Shanci long and sent him off.

Once Zheng Shanci left, he couldn’t return to the banquet. The feast was over, and the servant led him out of the mansion.

As he exited the Pei Mansion, the Capital City was still bustling. Lanterns hung from the shops, casting a gentle glow. Many young masters, ladies, and Ge’ers in fine clothes roamed the streets. 

The court was open, with curfews set late, and there was more freedom for women and Ge’ers. Unfortunately, he was already feeling a bit tired.

Zheng Shanci followed his memory back to the alley. The Zheng family had struggled to support a scholar. 

Originally farmers, the entire clan pooled resources to support Zheng Shanci’s journey through the imperial exams to the Capital City. His family consisted of five members, including his father and two elders, and two brothers. Zheng Shanci was the second in the family.

The eldest, Zheng Shancheng, was already married with children and was the family’s pillar. The youngest, Zheng Qingyin, was still a fourteen-year-old Ge’er. 

After Zheng Shanci passed the provincial exam, he became well-known in the village, and merchants from the town and county sought him out to form good relations.

Weighing the pros and cons, Zheng Shanci accepted the merchants’ sponsorship, which provided him with the funds to travel to the Capital City, leaving him with some spare silver. Now, having spent most of his money to attend the banquet at Assistant Minister Pei’s mansion, he had little left.

The cost of living in the Capital City was high, and rent was expensive. Zheng Shanci had managed to find a cheap rental in a small alley, where the environment was poor but livable.

Returning to his room, he lay down on the bed and fell asleep.

…

Meanwhile, the Changyang Marquis Mansion was still brightly lit. Only the Marquis of Changyang, Yu Fulang, and two confidants remained in the main hall. Yu Lanyi knelt below, looking defiant. The Marquis of Changyang, seeing his expression, was furious.

“You unfilial son, you’ve disgraced the Marquis Mansion. Doing such shameless things in public, are you trying to anger me to death?!” The Marquis of Changyang, holding a ruler, glared fiercely at Yu Lanyi.

Yu Lanyi shrank his neck, reluctantly extending his palm.

“Smack—”

The Marquis of Changyang mercilessly struck him with the ruler.

Yu Lanyi endured the pain without begging for mercy, and Yu Fulang, also angry this time, didn’t intervene. In the past, Yu Fulang had been the most doting on Yu Lanyi, but now, with such a grave mistake, his reputation was ruined. No good young man would marry him.

Yu Lanyi was of age, and Yu Fulang had been considering matches for him. This child had been spoiled since childhood, and if he married into a family with a higher status than the Marquis Mansion, Yu Fulang feared he would suffer. The matches he considered were slightly lower than the Marquis Mansion, but then this mess happened!

“You’ve been spoiled by me and your father, leading to this. Go kneel in the ancestral hall!” The Marquis of Changyang, heart aching, waved his hand, not wanting to see Yu Lanyi.

Yu Lanyi protested, “I’m still pure. Those are just people gossiping!”

The Marquis of Changyang wanted to beat this ungrateful son to death, “You’re going to be the death of me.”

“Marquis, calm down. The matter has already happened, and we must consider the future. I’ve sent people to investigate the young man locked with Lanyi. To silence the rumors, they must marry first. I observed that young man; he seems decent. However, his family background seems poor, judging by his clothing.”

In the eyes of someone like Yu Fulang, Zheng Shanci’s best attire was nothing special.

“This matter requires careful consideration.” The Marquis of Changyang had no choice but to handle the remaining issues for his son. If not handled well, it would affect their family’s reputation.

Before going to kneel in the ancestral hall, Yu Lanyi pulled Jin Yun aside, “Find out everything about the man locked with me. I want to know his entire life by tomorrow. That despicable person, I’ll have someone break his legs!”

Jin Yun: “…Understood, Young Master. I brought you two knee pads.”

Yu Lanyi looked at Jin Yun appreciatively. The two of them discreetly exchanged the knee pads from Jin Yun’s sleeve into Yu Lanyi’s.

It was spring, and the air was warm.

Zheng Shanci got up in the morning to make breakfast for himself. He made a few scallion pancakes, ate two, and saved three for lunch. The original host had also found a job at a bookstore to earn money. With nothing to do, Zheng Shanci planned to continue copying books to earn some extra income.

He was determined not to be a “phoenix man.”

Today, he wanted to go out, but without any money, he could only wander around aimlessly. After copying some books, he planned to indulge in some window shopping.

After graduating, Zheng Shanci worked in a library, where he knew some elderly gentlemen. He often practiced calligraphy, and with the original host’s memories, his writing, initially a bit raw, gradually became more skilled.

The Da Yan dynasty he was in was a rare era of peace and prosperity. The reigning Emperor Wu Ming was a young and wise ruler, who lightened taxes, emphasized agriculture, opened the imperial exams, and continued a policy of openness and inclusivity. He treated talents with respect, and the Yan dynasty highly valued literature. 

With no wars at the borders for years, the status of military officials was slightly lower than that of civil officials. However, Emperor Wu Ming skillfully balanced the two. Currently, the Da Yan dynasty was politically stable, and the market was thriving, a scene of prosperity.

However, even in a prosperous era, there were underlying injustices. The Yan dynasty had intense factional struggles, and scholars deeply involved in these struggles faced life-and-death situations, with many exiled to distant lands.

The Changyang Marquis Mansion had a military background and was a prestigious family. The Marquis of Changyang handled some affairs of the Ministry of War. 

Most importantly, the eldest legitimate son of the family, Yu Changxing, Yu Lanyi’s biological brother, served as a deputy commander in the Imperial Guard. 

As a close confidant of the emperor, he held command over the Imperial Guard. If not for his lack of experience, he could have been the commander.

Yu Changxing had been a study companion to Emperor Wu Ming during his time as a prince, earning the emperor’s trust.

After all, being a villainous supporting character required some family background.

So, he was both a “phoenix man” and a “soft rice man.”

He had never lived off someone else; he was a good man.