Chapter 125

Chapter 125

The two Wang brothers agreed, and Old Master Wang also began preparing to pack up the things at home.

Since they were going to the military camp in Prefecture City to help treat horses, he would need to bring all his tools for treating livestock. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be easy to buy them on the spot, as many of the tools were homemade and more convenient to use.

Old Lady Wang also packed her clothes and bedding. Elderly people always had this habit; no matter how old things were, they couldn’t bear to throw them away.

She even retrieved old clothes from her wedding trunk. These clothes were made of fine fabric, top-quality material. If she could still wear them, she wouldn’t have given them away.

Old Lady Wang picked them up and measured them, planning to take them to the main house tomorrow to see if the two girls could wear them.

An oil lamp was lit in the room. The old couple couldn’t rest for a moment, and it was almost midnight by the time they finished packing. Being elderly, they slept less and didn’t feel tired. Sitting on the kang, they chatted away.

“You know, how is Third Brother Lu Yun so capable? He even persuaded Second Brother’s wife.” It was known that this daughter-in-law wouldn’t give in without a fight. Once she decided on something, no one could change her mind.

It was thought they definitely wouldn’t be able to go to Prefecture City this time, but Lu Yao managed to persuade them in just one visit.

Wang Gou sighed, “Back then, he dared to take his family to Prefecture City. His determination and ability were beyond ordinary people. Moreover, he’s kind-hearted and takes care of his brothers. Without him, we wouldn’t be going to Prefecture City.”

“That’s true. I wonder what Prefecture City looks like.” The old lady was quite looking forward to it. Having lived so long, the farthest she had ever been was to the town.

“Alas, once we leave, we don’t know if we can return. I’m really going to miss the things at home.”

Old Lady Wang scoffed, “What’s there to miss about this shabby house? I see Older Brother and Younger Brother fighting every day, which stresses me out so much that I can’t even eat properly. Leaving them will probably let me live another ten years.”

The old man said nothing, blew out the oil lamp, and closed his eyes to sleep.

*

In the following days, Lu Yun and Wang Youtian taught Second Brother how to make cold noodles. Although it seemed simple, there was a technique to it. If the dough wasn’t washed properly, the noodles wouldn’t have the right texture.

Also, the seasoning had to be generously applied. If one was stingy with the sesame paste, the flavor wouldn’t be good. If people didn’t think it was worth the money after eating it twice, they wouldn’t come back.

Wang Youcai learned diligently. He knew that if he mastered this, it would definitely be a path to wealth. After all, it was the first of its kind in the entire town, and no one had eaten it this way before!

After learning how to make cold noodles, they went to the town to choose a shop.

Wang Youcai wanted to rent a spacious large shop, but he didn’t have enough money and hoped Wang Youtian could help with some silver.

Although Wang Youtian could afford it, he had to think about the future, “Second Brother, if you rent such a large shop, you definitely won’t be able to recoup the cost just by selling cold noodles. Think about it. The annual rent is thirty taels of silver, which averages to a little over two taels per month. The money you make from selling cold noodles would all go to rent, so how could you have any left?”

Wang Youcai thought about it and realized it made sense. Even if his brother helped with a year’s rent, he would still have to rely on himself in the future.

After much selection, they finally found a small shop in Xiasanli. The shop was a bit smaller than the previous breakfast shop, with an annual rent of sixteen taels. Wang Youtian contributed ten taels, and Wang Youcai managed the rest.

With the arrangement of Second Brother’s shop settled, it was almost time to depart.

The day before departure, Zhao Beichuan went to Wangou Village alone to bring Old Madam Zhao back.

She didn’t bring much luggage, only two small packages, and stood awkwardly next to Zhao Beichuan, not knowing where to put her hands.

Old Lady Lu knew that this person had helped her son-in-law before, and it was she who saved Lu Yao when he attempted suicide. Grateful in her heart, she took the initiative to pull her over and let her sit in the same carriage as her the next day.

Elderly people had things to talk about when they were together, and Old Madam Zhao gradually relaxed.

The next morning, everyone packed up and prepared to return.

They had brought many things on the way there, and the two carriages behind were fully loaded. On the way back, most of the gifts were given away, leaving the carriages empty so more people could sit.

Lu Lin locked the gate, and the once noisy yard became desolate today.

Reluctantly, everyone boarded the carriage. Old Lady Lu couldn’t help but get teary-eyed. This trip might be the last one. The next time they returned, it would be to be buried with the old man.

Lu Yao, fearing she would get upset, kept comforting her, “It’s okay, Mother. We’ll come back next summer.”

“How can we always come back? Don’t we have a business to run?”

“Then we’ll come back every two years.”

Old Lady Lu shook her head, “It’s such a long way. I’m too old to travel back and forth. We’ll see if there’s a chance in the future.”

The carriage swayed halfway when they saw Wang Youcai waiting with a carriage.

They needed to go to town to pick up the soldiers and return together.

The journey back was smooth sailing. They didn’t encounter any bandits or heavy rains delaying their travel. They departed on the sixth day of June and arrived back in Ping Prefecture City by the evening of the eleventh.

With General Ge there, they didn’t enter the city through the South Gate this time but directly through the North Gate, which was used by the military. Without checking household registration or travel permits, they were allowed in with just a greeting.

Ge Changbao was in a hurry to report for duty, and Lu Lin and Wang Youtian were anxious to see their new homes. Lu Yao had a lot of things waiting for him, so they didn’t exchange pleasantries and went straight to their respective homes after entering the city.

The two elderly Wangs followed Wang Youtian back to their new house on Changshui Street.

Entering the alley, Lu Yun opened the carriage door and pointed the way, “Father, Mother, our house is ahead. My second brother’s house is two alleys away from ours.”

“Oh!” The two elderly people looked carefully. They were quite shocked, especially when they entered the city and saw the tall walls, which made their legs tremble with nervousness. Upon entering the city, they were dazzled by the bustling streets and didn’t know where to look.

“Yi~” Wang Youtian pulled the reins, and the carriage stopped at a brown-red gate. The gate was opened, and the carriage was driven inside.

“This courtyard is really spacious!” Old Master Wang couldn’t help but exclaim. They had been worried that if their son bought a small house, they wouldn’t have enough room.

Seeing the large courtyard, the elderly couple finally dispelled their worries. Even if more grandchildren were added, there would still be enough room!

*

After returning to Prefecture City, Lu Yao rested for two days and then began his busy life again.

There was a problem at the winery. The second batch of wine yeast made in spring might not have had the temperature controlled properly, resulting in poor fermentation and a significant difference in the taste of the wine, making it unsellable.

Lu Shiliu came over, anxious to report. Lu Yao immediately went to the winery upon hearing this.

“The wine yeast in the warehouse looks no different from before, but for some reason, the wine brewed this time is much worse than before.”

Lu Yao scooped up a ladle of distilled wine and sniffed it. The smell was indeed a bit strange, but the alcohol content seemed right. He then went to the warehouse to check on the fermentation starter. The color and texture were about the same as before, but the smell was also a bit off. It was probably because the temperature hadn’t risen enough during the final days of the moisture control process.

"How much raw liquor was produced in this batch?"

"Reporting to you, Master, we produced sixty vats in total."

"How much fermentation starter is left in the warehouse?"

"Over seven hundred jin."

Lu Yao said, "Don’t use the remaining starter. Turn it directly into fertilizer and send it to the estate. As for the finished wine and raw liquor, find some time to process them into alcohol and send it to the military camp. In a few days, I’ll have Ma Kuan arrange for two carts of starter to be transferred from Zhong Prefecture to ensure this year’s sales."

Lu Shiliu finally felt relieved and wiped his sweat, saying, "It’s good that it can be remedied, it’s good that it can be remedied..."

Lu Yao snorted and said, "Do you know how much money I’ll lose because of this batch? Keep an eye on the starter production next time. If this happens again, you’ll go and take the punishment yourself!"

Lu Shiliu turned pale and bowed, saying, "I understand."

After returning from the distillery, Lu Yao called Ma Kuan and assigned him to handle the starter matters in Zhong Prefecture in the next few days.

Ma Kuan said, "It so happens that I had several hundred jin of extra starter made in Zhong Prefecture this year. You mentioned that business might boom in the northwest, so I prepared in advance."

Lu Yao looked down at the account book of the tavern and said, "Hmm, how has the tavern business been these days?"

"Similar to the months of May and June in previous years, but slightly fewer roast meats have been sold."

"Have other taverns started to imitate?"

"Yes, they’ve somehow gotten hold of cumin seasoning. Now, four or five eateries are roasting meat that’s almost indistinguishable from ours."

Lu Yao chuckled and said, "There’s no helping it. Grilling isn’t difficult and it was only a matter of time before they learned. We can’t compete on price, so we need to focus on the quality of the meat. Regular customers who are used to it definitely won’t switch places."

Ma Kuan nodded and said, "There’s one more thing. A few major merchants came to Shang Jing recently and wanted to learn the dishes from our tavern. They offered a high price, but since you weren’t around, I took the liberty of refusing. I also sent people to discreetly watch them to prevent them from secretly contacting our chefs."

"Well done. The wine and dishes of the tavern are our foundation. We can’t easily give that away no matter what." Besides, Lu Yao had ambitions. He wanted to open a tavern in Shang Jing.

If Dou passes the imperial examination, he might stay at the Shang Jing Guozijian. I’ll take the opportunity to explore the Shang Jing market. People strive to move upwards. Although Ping Prefecture is good, who wouldn’t want to develop in a bigger place?

After finishing the business matters, Lu Yao brought up a personal matter. "You’re twenty-one this year, right?"

"Yes." Ma Kuan didn’t know why Lu Yao suddenly asked this.

"It’s time for you to get married. Is there a girl you like?"

"I need to share your worries, and I don’t dare to indulge in personal affairs."

Lu Yao thought, 'You’re still putting on an act with me,' and directly said, "What do you think of Xiao Nian?"

Ma Kuan was startled and became so nervous that he couldn’t speak, his face turning red as he stammered, "Miss Nian, she, she’s very, very good."

"Then would you like to become my brother-in-law?"

Ma Kuan knelt down with a thud and kowtowed solidly, saying, "Kuan is willing!"

Lu Yao reached out and helped him up. Ma Kuan was so excited that tears of joy streamed down his face. He hadn’t expected Lu Yao to actually agree to his marriage with Xiao Nian.

His parents had passed away early, and when his father died, it almost implicated Lu Family Tavern. Fortunately, the master didn’t mind and took him and his sister in. Not only did he provide for their food and drink, but he also paid for his medical treatment. How could he, a mere beneficiary, marry the master’s sister?

"After you return from Zhong Prefecture this time, pick a good day to formally arrange the marriage."

Ma Kuan wiped his tears and said, "Thank you, Master!"

"Still calling me Master?"

"Thank you, Brother-in-law!"

"Go on." Lu Yao watched as Ma Kuan walked away with a spring in his step and shook his head with a smile. Now that Xiao Nian’s marriage was settled, he started to worry about Xiao Chun.

Xiao Chun was older than Xiao Nian, already seventeen this year. Although it’s fine for men to marry a bit later, he still needed to pay attention.

The boy was too honest. Over the years, he had been helping at their eatery and tavern. Although Lu Yao didn’t say it, he treated him like a brother in his heart and had long prepared a substantial estate for him.

Well, he’d discuss it with his husband when he got home in the evening.

*

It was late when Lu Yao returned from the tavern. He soaked in a hot bath to wash away his fatigue.

Zhao Beichuan entered and saw him dozing in the bathtub. He tested the water temperature with his hand and found it was almost cold.

He quickly woke Lu Yao up and lifted him out of the bathtub.

"I got your clothes wet," Lu Yao said lazily, yawning.

"It’s fine if they’re wet. I was about to take a bath too. You’ve been tired these past few days."

"It’s alright. There’s just a lot of trivial matters. My body isn’t tired, but my mind is." Lu Yao reached out and took the towel Zhao Beichuan handed him to dry his hair.

"I’ll help you relax in a bit." Zhao Beichuan carried the bathtub out and quickly took a shower in the side room before hurrying back to the bedroom.

Inside, Lu Yao had changed into a jade-colored nightgown, his long black hair draped over his shoulders, looking like a fine piece of jade, fair and handsome.

Zhao Beichuan couldn’t resist and pulled him into his arms, kissing him for a long time.

"Stop fooling around. I have to attend a birthday banquet tomorrow. It’s Master Qu’s sixty-sixth birthday." Lu Yao, with a flushed face, pushed against his chest to avoid the kisses.

"Then let’s do it another day." Zhao Beichuan buried his face in Lu Yao’s neck and sniffed. The light scent of soap was refreshing. He undid Lu Yao’s collar and bit the birthmark on his collarbone.

Lu Yao immediately went limp. "You can’t change the date of a birthday... Besides, we’ve already made an appointment. We can’t go back on our word."

"I’ll be gentle. It’s been a long time since we’ve been intimate."

Lu Yao nodded.

With Zhao Beichuan's permission, he reached out to remove Lu Yao's undergarments, but left his upper body half-covered.

Lu Yao, unable to bear the teasing, urged him to hurry up. Zhao Beichuan, grinning mischievously, pinched his slender waist and deliberately did not comply. It wasn't until Lu Yao, in a fit of anger, pushed him away and took the initiative to sit down that the vigorous movements began.

His pale feet arched, toes tensed, leaving afterimages in the air as they moved.

After a long while, Zhao Beichuan fetched a basin of hot water, cleaned the exhausted man, and then turned off the light.

Lu Yao had dozed off earlier, but now, though tired, he couldn't sleep. Resting his head on his husband's shoulder, he said, "Today, I proposed to Ma Kuan."

"What did he say?"

"He cried from happiness."

Zhao Beichuan snorted. "That boy is too cunning. I'm afraid Xiaonian will be at a disadvantage if she marries him."

"Better to have someone clever than a fool. Besides, we're still here. If anything happens with Ma Kuan in the future, we can still make decisions for Xiaonian."

That’s true, Ma Kuan isn’t even enough to fill one of his hands. If he ever dares to wrong my sister, I’ll flay him alive.

"Also, when you have the time, ask Xiaochun what kind of girl or boy he likes, and if there’s a suitable match, settle his marriage."

Zhao Beichuan hugged him and kissed his forehead, "Alright, don’t think about those things. Go to sleep now."

*

After finishing the business at the tavern and the brewery, it was already July.

Lu Yao finally found time to take Xiaodou and Lin Zijian on a trip to the Daoist temple.

The autumn examination was approaching, and they wanted to pray for a smooth journey, seeking some peace of mind, while also resolving the matter of the old Taoist’s gift of copper coins.

They climbed into the carriage, and Zhao Beidou and Lin Zijian were very excited, talking about the temple all the way.

Lu Yao listened absentmindedly, his mind preoccupied with the copper coins.

Leaving the city, the carriage traveled halfway through the market before reaching the foot of Qingyun Mountain. From there, they still had to climb hundreds of steps to reach Qingyun Temple.

Lu Yao had been here once before, so this time he walked up the stone steps with ease.

Walking into the courtyard of the Taoist temple, the three of them first went to find a young Taoist to get some incense, and then proceeded to the main hall to offer incense and pray for blessings.

This was Zhao Beidou's first time visiting such a place, so he was unfamiliar with it, but Lin Zijian knew it well. When they were in Shang Jing, his mother often took him here.

Not only did they visit Taoist temples, but sometimes they also went to Buddhist temples, worshipping everything. When people encountered problems they couldn't solve in reality, they would place their hopes on the intangible deities and Buddhas.

The Taoist temple was even more dilapidated and desolate than it had been five years ago. The paint on the main hall was peeling off, revealing the wood that had been eaten away by ants.

The characters "Qingyun Temple" on the plaque above the main hall were almost illegible. Lu Yao thought that this place indeed needed to be rebuilt.

Three people knelt in the main hall to offer incense. Lu Yao bowed in worship, then stood up and went to inquire with the abbot of the Taoist temple.

After a short while, an elderly man with white hair wearing a Taoist robe walked over. This man was Abbot Qingxuzi of the Taoist temple, but he was not the person who had given Lu Yao the copper coin that day.

"What does the benefactor want from this poor Taoist?"

Lu Yao said, "Five years ago, when I came to the mountain to pray, a Taoist priest from your temple gave me a copper coin and told me to return it after five years, and also to help with the renovation of the temple. Do you know if this Taoist priest is still at the temple?"

The abbot stroked his beard and said, "Can you let me see the copper coin you mentioned?"

Lu Yao took it off from his neck and handed it to him.

The Taoist temple master examined it carefully for a moment and said, "This... this is impossible ah..."

Lu Yao felt a sudden pang in his heart and thought, could it be that the elder had passed away many years ago?

"This is the Kan Shi Coin of our master, Ling Xiao Daoist, but he ascended to immortality more than thirty years ago."