Autumn Harvest

Cheng Ru welcomed Zheng Shanci to take a seat, with Yu Lanyi sitting beside him. Cheng Ru noticed the clothes and jade crown on Yu Lanyi, his eyes flickering slightly.

“This must be your husband, right?”

“My husband, Yu Lanyi,” Zheng Shanci introduced without much elaboration.

Cheng Ru knew the silk on Yu Lanyi was of high quality, and his demeanor was not like that of an ordinary family’s Ge’er. Being a cautious person, Cheng Ru became even more wary of Zheng Shanci.

“Having Zheng Daren and his husband grace us with their presence truly brings honor to our humble Cheng Mansion,” Cheng Ru said with flattering words.

The heads of the Gao Family, Xia Family, and Qi Family also arrived. The head of the Xia Family felt a bit uneasy upon seeing Zheng Shanci and was the first among the three to greet him.

Zheng Shanci maintained a gentle demeanor, showing no unusual expression.

The head of the Xia Family felt relieved and smiled.

Qi County Deputy, Registrar Jiang, and Zhu Dian Shi also came, showing how much face the Cheng Family had, as everyone of status in Xinfeng County was present.

Zhu Dian Shi sat at the table, focusing on drinking and eating, accepting any toasts offered to him. Though he seemed rough, he was actually quite measured. Zheng Shanci knew that although Dian Shi was not of high rank, Zhu Dian Shi controlled the prisons and security of Xinfeng County, essentially holding its military power.

“The groom and the new husband have arrived!”

…

A servant announced at the door, and the sound of drums and gongs followed. Yu Lanyi peeked out curiously at the entrance, eager to see the groom and the new husband. Back in the Capital City, he loved joining in such lively events. When it was his turn to get married, he lost interest in the excitement, but now he was eager again.

The eldest grandson of the Cheng Family looked happy, holding the other end of the red silk with the new husband, who was full of spirit.

After the newlyweds entered the bridal chamber, the eldest grandson of the Cheng Family began drinking with others. Someone of Zheng Shanci’s status didn’t need to rush to toast the Cheng Family’s eldest grandson. He sat at the main table, surrounded by people with an average age of over forty, except for Zhu Dian Shi and Yu Lanyi.

“Zheng Daren, since you just took office, if there’s anything you need our cooperation with, we will certainly work together to make Xinfeng County better,” Cheng Ru said.

“With someone like Old Cheng who considers the bigger picture, I toast to you,” Zheng Shanci said, raising his glass to drink with Cheng Ru.

Yu Lanyi picked up a chicken claw to nibble on. He didn’t eat rice, just used chopsticks to pick at the dishes, and after a while, drank a bowl of chicken soup. Seeing him not eating, Zheng Shanci asked, “Aren’t you eating rice? Are you full?”

“Full,” Yu Lanyi nodded.

Zheng Shanci didn’t eat much at the wedding banquet, mostly drinking. He only picked a few green vegetables while listening to others talk. Yu Lanyi, unable to stand it, picked up a chicken leg from the table and placed it in Zheng Shanci’s bowl.

Zheng Shanci ate the chicken leg, feeling better in his stomach.

The head of the Xu Family brought Xu Ge’er over to speak with the head of the Cheng Family. The Xu Family was also a powerful force in Xinfeng County, but they kept a low profile, only doing business and not acquiring much land, just a manor for the family’s own consumption.

Xu Ge’er noticed Yu Lanyi and smiled slightly.

Yu Lanyi also saw Xu Ge’er. There was no young husband beside him, so it seemed he was mistaken; Xu Ge’er hadn’t married yet. Yu Lanyi just lightly glanced over Xu Ge’er, nodding slightly.

The table was filled with the smell of alcohol, and Yu Lanyi instructed Wangfu to keep an eye on Zheng Shanci while he left the table to get some fresh air in the garden. There, he unexpectedly ran into Xu Ge’er.

Xu Ge’er smiled warmly, his green eyes looking very nice, “Greetings to the County Magistrate’s husband.”

Yu Lanyi waved his hand, “These are just formalities.”

In the Capital City, if someone hosted a banquet and sent an invitation, although there would be some pleasantries at first, they wouldn’t keep greeting each other repeatedly. They all grew up together, knowing each other’s true nature.

Not to mention the most virtuous Ge’er from the Grand Secretary’s family in Shengjing, who had a good reputation but was actually quite hot-tempered.

“I recognized you long ago and wanted to catch your attention, but I didn’t expect to make you laugh,” Xu Ge’er said with a smile.

“Do you want to be friends with me, or do you want me to say good things about you to Zheng Shanci?”

Xu Ge’er: “…”

So straightforward.

Xu Ge’er smiled subtly, “Our family can’t compare to the Xia, Cheng, Gao, and Qi families. We just have many houses in Xinfeng County. If Zheng Daren needs anything and it’s inconvenient to find my father, you can have your husband come to me.”

Yu Lanyi listened and asked, “Can you make decisions in your family?”

Xu Ge’er smiled, “I am the young master of the Xu Family.”

Yu Lanyi understood that the Xu Family had many houses, and because their status wasn’t as high as the other families in Xinfeng County, they wanted to cooperate with Zheng Shanci. Xu Ge’er’s status wasn’t suitable for directly approaching Zheng Shanci, so they came to him.

He hadn’t been involved in business before; all the family matters were managed by Yu Fulang. This was Yu Lanyi’s first encounter with such matters. Sometimes, it’s more effective to speak to the wives or husbands who need to handle things than directly to the person in charge.

Yu Lanyi nodded reservedly, “If needed, I’ll have Jin Yun come to you.”

Xu Ge’er bowed, “Thank you, Young Master Yu.”

Xu Ge’er wanted to cater to his interests, so he inquired about how people at the Zheng Mansion addressed Yu Lanyi. Xu Ge’er was surprised to hear him called Young Master Yu instead of Zheng Fulang.

The people at the mansion wouldn’t call Yu Lanyi Young Master without reason, and Zheng Shanci was used to it, indicating that Yu Lanyi’s status might be even more prestigious than Zheng Shanci’s. Otherwise, they wouldn’t call him Young Master Yu without adding the husband’s surname.

Yu Lanyi returned to the table, and Zheng Shanci had stopped drinking, only eating. Shortly after Yu Lanyi returned, Zheng Shanci bid farewell to Cheng Ru, “There are still matters at home, Old Cheng, I’ll take my leave.”

Cheng Ru stood up and cupped his hands, “Zheng Daren, take care. If there’s anything you need from this old man, just let me know.”

Zheng Shanci responded politely, “If that day comes, I won’t be shy.”

Yu Lanyi left the Cheng Mansion feeling quite happy, while the noble ladies and husbands at the table felt a bit disappointed. Yu Lanyi had been sitting with Zheng Shanci at the main table, leaving them no chance to get close. When Yu Lanyi finally left the table, he was pulled aside by Xu Ge’er, and now he was leaving directly, without them having a chance to build a connection.

Cheng Furen smiled, “The autumn chrysanthemums in our mansion are in full bloom. I’ll send an invitation to the County Magistrate’s husband to come and enjoy the chrysanthemums with us.”

With Cheng Furen’s words, most of the ladies and husbands chimed in with smiles, “That sounds wonderful. The night is dim, and we can’t see the chrysanthemums in the garden clearly. It’s better to enjoy them during the day.”

“No wonder Cheng Furen is from a scholarly family, always enjoying chrysanthemums every year,” Qi Furen teased.

Cheng Furen smiled faintly without saying anything.

…

Yu Lanyi wanted to get on the carriage and go home after leaving the Cheng Mansion, but Zheng Shanci pulled him aside, saying, “Let’s walk back and enjoy the night view.”

“Aren’t you drunk?”

Zheng Shanci smiled, “I didn’t drink too much.”

Deep feelings, drink it all; shallow feelings, just a sip. Although he didn’t sip, he didn’t drink much. He noticed that Yu Lanyi didn’t eat much at the table, thinking he didn’t like the food there, so he planned to leave the Cheng Mansion early and take Yu Lanyi to the night market to buy some snacks. Although talking to those people could help understand them better, there was no rush.

“Then I want to eat lamb skewers!” Yu Lanyi said, his eyes sparkling.

“Let’s go,” Zheng Shanci said with a smile.

He let the coachman go back first, with Jin Yun and Wangfu following them, but they stayed a few steps behind, allowing Yu Lanyi and Zheng Shanci to walk without concern.

The night market in Xinfeng County was much livelier than during the day. During the day, other shops would be open, but at night, only street vendors and eateries remained open.

“What would you like, sir?”

“Ten lamb skewers,” Yu Lanyi ordered, “Extra chili.”

After ordering, he was about to tell Zheng Shanci that the lamb skewers from this stall were delicious. Zheng Shanci listened to the shouts around him, watching the people bustling about, feeling quite moved.

“Zheng Shanci, have some lamb skewers,” Yu Lanyi said, handing a skewer to Zheng Shanci.

Zheng Shanci ate two skewers, and the rest went into Yu Lanyi’s stomach. He also bought a bowl of spicy tofu pudding for just three coins, feeling quite pleased. Xinfeng County had a natural advantage in growing beans on sandy soil.

Yu Lanyi hadn’t eaten at the table earlier, but now he held a bowl of bean rice in his hands. The bowl was small—only about the size of a palm—and cost four coins. It came with sauce, salt, vinegar, and a few pieces of homemade pickles finely chopped.

These condiments were stored in short bamboo tubes, and customers could help themselves using a wooden spoon tucked into each tube.

The lamb skewers sold here were cheaper than those in the Capital City. In the capital, raising sheep wasn’t common—pastureland was required, and land there was far too expensive for such use. It wasn’t considered a practical or profitable business.

Moreover, people in the Capital City didn’t eat much pork. They preferred chicken and duck. Raising pigs was expensive in ancient times and had a long growth cycle. Only dedicated pig farms could profit from it. Otherwise, families usually raised a single pig, fattening it up for slaughter during the New Year celebrations.

In contrast, in Xinfeng County, almost no one raised pigs. They raised sheep instead.

Sheep’s milk could be sold fresh, and their wool could be sheared in the summer, either for sale or to make wool socks and scarves—offering families a source of income. And of course, there was the meat.

The local sandy soil wasn’t great for crops, but it was ideal for pasture. There were few forests, but plenty of open land for grazing.

Yu Lanyi also ate a piece of persimmon cake. The aroma of persimmons was enticing, and Yu Lanyi approached the vendor to buy two pieces, not forgetting to share with Zheng Shanci.

Zheng Shanci took a bite.

That night, the two of them also drank a bowl of sour plum soup before returning to the mansion. The County Magistrate’s residence was in the backyard of the county office, so living there was quite safe. Yu Lanyi told Wangfu and Jin Yun to go about their business and not follow them.

Yu Lanyi told Zheng Shanci about Xu Ge’er.

Zheng Shanci was intrigued. If they wanted to open a shop in the future, they would indeed need to rent a storefront, so building a good relationship with the Xu Family would be beneficial.

“Lanyi, if there’s anything in the future, I’ll need your help.”

Yu Lanyi listened, raising his chin and nodding reservedly.

Zheng Shanci worked at the county office, so he was in charge of matters at home. After all, he was the head of the household.

After the two of them washed up and got ready for bed, Zheng Shanci hesitated.

The fifty taels of silver Yu Lanyi had given him were enough to open a modest eatery. But after reviewing the county office’s accounts, he found himself leaning toward a different plan. He wanted to buy crops—invest early and sell after the autumn harvest. It could bring in more money long-term, but for now, he was short on funds.

Just in time, Registrar Jiang brought him some promising news. A merchant caravan would be passing through after the harvest, looking to buy crops in bulk and resell them elsewhere. If they could strike a deal, it might bring significant profit to the county—and to the farmers.

But there was a catch: they needed to pay a deposit to secure the agreement.

Zheng Shanci usually wouldn’t borrow money easily, but if he did, it meant he really needed it.

He saw Yu Lanyi already lying on the pillow, reading a storybook for his nightly reading.

He cleared his throat and said, “Lanyi, could you lend me some money? I’ll pay you back next year.”

Yu Lanyi: “How much?”

Zheng Shanci said, “One hundred taels of silver.”

Yu Lanyi put down the storybook, “Wait a moment.”

He climbed out of bed and, in front of Zheng Shanci, took out a box from a purple robe in the wardrobe. Just as he was about to open it, he suddenly remembered what Yu Fulang had told him: never let a man see where you hide your money.

He looked around cautiously, then closed the wardrobe door, hiding his head and body. Inside the wardrobe, he opened the box and took out a one hundred tael silver note, looking quite sneaky.

Zheng Shanci: “…”

Actually, it was quite obvious.

Yu Lanyi hid the box, then slipped the silver note into his sleeve. Back in bed, he took the note out of his sleeve and handed it to Zheng Shanci, “Here’s the money you need. What do you need so much money for?”

His father had told him that if a man suddenly had a large expense, he should secretly observe to see if the man had a mistress outside.

Yu Lanyi glanced at Zheng Shanci from the corner of his eye. Zheng Shanci was indeed handsome, but his face showed no signs of guilt.

“I plan to use the money to order some crops from the merchant caravan for next year. The quantity might be a bit large.”

“Okay.” Hearing that Zheng Shanci wasn’t using the money for anything else, Yu Lanyi was relieved and continued reading his storybook.

This was too easy to trust someone.

Zheng Shanci reminded, “Lanyi, you shouldn’t lend money so easily. You might not get it back.”

Yu Lanyi grinned, “I rarely lend money. If someone doesn’t repay, even if they have ten guts, they wouldn’t dare not repay. My elder brother would teach them a lesson, and I would also stand up for myself.”

He said this proudly, waving his fist.

Zheng Shanci: “…”

His chest suddenly felt tight.

Zheng Shanci didn’t dare to say anything.

Yu Lanyi’s punch, he could barely withstand with an iron plate, but Yu Changxing’s punch would send Zheng Shanci straight to heaven.

After finishing his storybook, Yu Lanyi contentedly pulled up the covers. Zheng Shanci went to blow out the candle. In the darkness, Yu Lanyi carefully pinched Zheng Shanci’s ear. Zheng Shanci’s ear twitched and instantly became hot.

In the darkness, unable to see each other’s faces, Yu Lanyi leaned over and bit the other’s red ear.

He then reached out to pinch his arm, feeling quite satisfied.

…

The next morning, Zheng Shanci went to the county office and discussed with Registrar Jiang, asking him to negotiate with the merchant caravan, hoping to lower the price since their budget was limited.

Registrar Jiang: “Rest assured, Zheng Daren.”

The merchant caravan recognized Registrar Jiang’s face, and Zheng Shanci also sent Wangfu to accompany Registrar Jiang, as one can never be too careful.

Qi County Deputy and Zhu Dian Shi had little interaction with Zheng Shanci. Qi County Deputy occasionally had to submit documents to Zheng Shanci, while Zhu Dian Shi generally didn’t approach him.

Most of the yamen officers in the county office respected Zhu Dian Shi and usually listened to him.

The autumn harvest arrived, and the wheat turned yellow. The villagers happily gathered in the fields, filling bags with wheat and carrying them to the Village Head’s place, where the yamen officers from the county office would inspect the quality and weigh the wheat before transporting it to the county town.

“Weigh it!”

“Put the grain on the scale,” the Village Head directed the villagers.