Chapter 30: Fortune and Misfortune

Chapter 30: Fortune and Misfortune

Qiu Huanian originally wanted to ask Du Yunse about the questions from the academy exam, but then he thought that even if he asked, he wouldn’t understand the topics for the rigidly structured eight-legged essays taken from the Four Books or the *Classic of Filial Piety*, and even if he did understand, it wouldn’t be interesting. His curiosity quickly faded away.

Compared to Qiu Huanian’s nervousness, Du Yunse, the examinee himself, always appeared confident and composed, unaffected by congratulations or criticisms, which gave Qiu Huanian a sense of reassurance.

Two more days passed, and the re-examination of the academy exam also concluded. Now, all that remained was to wait for the examination commissioner to grade the papers and announce the results. The Huang sisters had already arrived in Xiangping Prefecture, and Qiu Huanian joined them in the kitchen of Shuyi Inn to test the new dishes Huang Daniang planned to bring to the Hundred Flavors Trial.

Huang Daniang was more than ten years older than Huang Erniang, one being the eldest sister and the other the youngest. Back then, the sisters’ family was too poor, and Huang Daniang’s mother accepted a dowry of five taels of silver to marry off her eldest daughter in an arranged marriage without her consent to a man in the county town. Only after Huang Daniang married did she realize what kind of hell she had entered.

Her husband had already fathered an illegitimate child with a boy from a brothel, her mother-in-law was shrewd and domineering, often using family discipline to beat her daughter-in-law, and her father-in-law and sister-in-law were flirting with each other... It was precisely because of their notorious reputation that they couldn’t find a decent girl nearby and had to go to the countryside to buy a bride with a high dowry.

After being beaten a few times, Huang Daniang developed a fierce determination not to let her life go to waste. She saved money to hire someone to write a petition, exposing the family’s dark secrets, and took the matter to court, insisting on a divorce, which caused a huge uproar in Zhang County.

The county magistrate felt both pity and admiration for her and allowed her to divorce, but Huang Daniang had nowhere to go. The people of Zhang County gossiped and pointed fingers at her, her mother was ashamed of her and forbade her from entering the family home, cutting off all ties and disowning her as a daughter.

With half a sorghum cake secretly given by her sister in her arms, Huang Daniang tearfully used her last savings to board a merchant’s cart, bumping along with the goods to the prefectural city.

In Xiangping Prefecture, Huang Daniang started from the bottom as a kitchen hand in a restaurant, relying on her bold and righteous personality and excellent culinary skills to make many friends. She also received an award at the Hundred Flavors Trial one year, and her life gradually improved.

A few years ago, Huang Daniang suddenly heard from a fellow villager that both her parents had passed away. Feeling both sorrowful and worried about her younger sister’s situation at home, she hurried back, only to find her two younger brothers planning to sell her sister to a human trafficker.

Huang Daniang caused a scene, completely severing ties with her family, and took her sister away from their hometown.

Her younger sister, Huang Erniang, had fallen in love with a delivery boy in the county town and didn’t want to go to Xiangping Prefecture with her sister. Huang Daniang thus opened a small eatery in the county town and bought a spice shop as a dowry for her sister, staying in Zhang County to accompany her.

Having experienced the bitterness of marrying far from home, with no relatives or support, Huang Daniang couldn’t bear to let her sister suffer the same fate.

Huang Daniang later felt immensely grateful for making this decision.

Two years after the marriage, the delivery boy revealed his true colors, using the money from Huang Erniang’s dowry to indulge in brothels. When caught, he instead blamed Huang Erniang and Huang Daniang, saying that if Huang Daniang hadn’t been so domineering and Huang Erniang hadn’t followed her sister’s example of not behaving like a proper wife, he wouldn’t have had to seek comfort in the brothels.

Huang Erniang was so angry that she miscarried. After waking up, she gritted her teeth and insisted on a divorce, leaving nothing for her in-laws. After this incident, the Huang sisters became infamous in Zhang County, with many people gossiping behind their backs about their lack of virtue and moral corruption.

But Huang Daniang was no longer the helpless woman who had left her hometown on a bumpy cart. She had money, skills, and a strong personality, and no one dared to humiliate her to her face. Except for people like Wei Dexing, who occasionally made snide remarks, the sisters lived a relatively comfortable life in the county town.

In the kitchen of Shuyi Inn, a stove and a chopping board were specially reserved. Huang Daniang took the lead, with Huang Erniang assisting her, while Qiu Huanian watched from the side.

Such secret recipes were usually not shared with outsiders, but Huang Daniang was grateful to Qiu Huanian for making better Red Fermented Tofu, which had solved her urgent problem, so she invited Qiu Huanian to watch her cook in the kitchen.

Qiu Huanian could make this recipe himself in the future, but he couldn’t sell it to others.

Huang Daniang first mixed tender tofu that had been brined but not pressed with fermented tofu, crushing it into a paste with a rolling pin. Then she took a freshly slaughtered young rooster and a piece of high-quality pork belly, spreading the tofu paste thickly and evenly over them, and set them aside to marinate.

Huang Erniang washed the large bones and boiled water, while Huang Daniang added the bones, ham, and fried chicken skin to the pot, along with a small slice of ginger, to create a clear and flavorful broth.

When making the broth, ginger should never be added in excess, as it would overwhelm the other flavors.

Qiu Huanian watched as Huang Daniang skillfully handled the ingredients, feeling that he had learned a lot.

Once the young rooster was fully marinated, Huang Daniang placed it on the chopping board, removed the tofu paste, and sliced it into thin, long, and neatly arranged pieces along the grain of the meat. Each cut was made with the same spacing and angle, keeping the slices connected at the base so the chicken didn’t fall apart.

Next, she had her sister heat up soybean oil in another pot, frying various spices, scallions, and ginger to make a flavored oil. After judging the oil’s temperature, she used a large ladle to pour the hot oil evenly over the young rooster.

The thin slices of meat on the rooster’s body curled up at the ends, resembling delicate layers of beautiful feathers.

Then, Huang Daniang fried the pork belly as well, cut it into large chunks, and stuffed it into the rooster’s belly along with the tender tofu, securing the opening with thin twigs.

After preparing the chicken, Huang Daniang placed it in the prepared broth, simmering and steaming it halfway, allowing the rich aroma of the broth to blend harmoniously with the various ingredients inside the chicken.

When the chicken had absorbed enough broth to become tender and fully cooked, the final step was for Huang Daniang to take out the red fermented tofu sauce, brush it all over the chicken, sprinkle minced garlic, and drizzle a layer of hot oil. This complex process, involving five cooking techniques—marinating, frying, pan-frying, steaming, and simmering—finally completed the dish.

The kitchen at Shuyi Inn was already bursting with a rich, enticing aroma, the novel and delightful scent wafting out from the stove, drawing curious guests to ask what special dish was cooking.

"Brother Hua, why don't you give this dish a name?"

Among the new dishes Huang Daniang had developed, this one was her proudest creation. She had thought of several names but was unsatisfied, and it still remained unnamed.

"Me?" Qiu Huanian was surprised.

"The Hundred Tastes Competition is approaching, and the dish to be presented to the prefect and the scholar candidates can't just be called 'Fermented Tofu Chicken with Meat.' I'm not well-read and can't come up with a good name. You've just seen how the dish is made—help me think of a name!"

Having been a lifestyle video blogger for several years, Qiu Huanian was adept at naming things. He quickly dismissed all the silly and unsuitable names that came to mind, pondered for a moment, and then had an idea.

"What about calling it 'Phoenix Nestled in Rosy Clouds'?"

"'Phoenix Nestled in Rosy Clouds'?"

"The red fermented tofu resembles rosy clouds, the chicken symbolizes a phoenix, representing scholars who will top the imperial exams. The chicken is stuffed with tofu and pork, which can also imply 'a belly full of poetry and a natural elegance,' perfectly aligning with the Hundred Tastes Competition."

Huang Daniang laughed repeatedly, "Good, that's a great name."

For such a luxurious dish, it not only needed to excel in color, aroma, and taste but also have a good meaning and auspicious connotations to gain fame and sell well.

Huang Daniang could already imagine how much this dish, with its connotations of "a belly full of poetry and a natural elegance" and "topping the imperial exams," would be sought after in Xiangping Prefecture if it received praise from the scholars at the Hundred Tastes Competition.

Huang Daniang brought the dish to the table and invited everyone to eat together.

The dish was beautifully presented, its aroma so enticing that everyone hesitated to take the first bite.

Qiu Huanian used his chopsticks to break through the vibrant red skin of the "Phoenix," picking up a piece of chicken that was slightly crispy on the outside and tender and juicy inside, placing it into Du Yunse's bowl.

"Go ahead, try it. Maybe it'll help you ace the imperial exams!"

Du Yunse, with a smile in his eyes, obediently ate the chicken, and everyone at the table laughed.

"People outside say our Du Gongzi is the reincarnation of the Literary Star. Does he really need this dish to top the imperial exams?"

"When Du Gongzi aces the imperial exams and tops the list, this dish will bask in his glory."

"At that time, Brother Hua, you must invite me to the banquet!"

Qiu Huanian was amused, "I'll agree on his behalf. When he tops the imperial exams, he'll definitely endorse this 'Phoenix Nestled in Rosy Clouds'!"

Du Yunse watched Qiu Huanian with a gentle smile throughout, saying nothing.

Everyone quickly devoured the dish, praising it highly. Zheng Yiwan and Shu Huacai, who had tasted many delicacies over the years, also applauded it enthusiastically.

"It's all thanks to Auntie's incredible skill! This dish is both novel and delicious, even better than what the top chefs from the largest restaurants in Xiangping Prefecture can make. I'm not exaggerating—this 'Phoenix Nestled in Rosy Clouds' is sure to win first place at this year's Hundred Tastes Competition!"

...

In the blink of an eye, it was the day of the results announcement. The night before, Qiu Huanian had a nightmare with unclear details and woke up unable to fall back asleep. After some restless tossing and turning, Du Yunse opened his eyes too.

"Brother Hua, what's wrong?"

"Did I wake you? It's nothing, go back to sleep." Qiu Huanian pulled the blanket down to his chin.

Du Yunse lay an arm's length away, and the moonlight from outside the window cast a faint outline of his figure, visible to Qiu Huanian.

The figure stirred, sitting up and leaning closer to Qiu Huanian.

Qiu Huanian felt a warm, dry palm press against his forehead, the calluses brushing his delicate skin, sending a shiver through him.

Du Yunse's voice, a bit hoarser than usual, came from above. "Good, no fever."

Qiu Huanian, however, felt his face burning up. He squirmed slightly, but it only made it seem like he was nuzzling into Du Yunse's palm.

"I'm really fine, you should go back to sleep. Tomorrow, after checking the results, there's still the Hundred Flavors Trial, where we'll write poetry and critique dishes."

Du Yunse pulled the blanket over and lay beside Qiu Huanian. The moonlight, no longer blocked, shone through, lighting up Qiu Huanian's fair, beautiful face.

"I've slept enough. I'll keep you company for a while."

Du Yunse gazed at him with restrained longing, his voice soft and hoarse. "Are you nervous?"

"A little," Qiu Huanian turned halfway, his hand on the pillow under his face, his eyes bright. "Do you think you can top the academy exam?"

Qiu Huanian had hesitated to ask, worried it might pressure Du Yunse, but on the eve of the results, he finally worked up the courage.

Du Yunse chuckled softly. "So Brother Hua's been worrying about this, huh?"

Qiu Huanian, flustered, insisted, "I asked first—answer me!"

"Do you want the truth, Brother Hua?"

"Of course."

Du Yunse reached out and brushed a few unruly strands of hair from Qiu Huanian's upturned nose, his fingertip lightly tapping his forehead.

That tiny crimson mole felt like a spark, igniting his heart with that brief touch.

"I will definitely be the top of the academy."

Qiu Huanian was stunned, not even noticing Du Yunse's slightly overstepping action.

Du Yunse was always calm and composed, but now, his youthful confidence shone through, sharp as a gleaming blade.

Qiu Huanian's heart raced like a drum in that moment.

This man, the more he understood him, the more he fell for him.

Qiu Huanian let out a shaky breath, his heart racing with excitement and longing.

"Du Yunse, I..."

I want to kiss you.

He didn't say it out loud, quickly burying his face in the pillow, only his crimson ear tips showing.

He reminded himself frantically, 'This is ancient times! Ancient times!'

Qiu Huanian heard Du Yunse laugh softly by his ear, the sound like a spring stream splashing against rugged cliffs, making Qiu Huanian's heart flutter.

"Huanian..." Du Yunse murmured.

He placed his hand on the pale, slender nape of the person before him, feeling the vigorous pulse of blood flow and heartbeat in this body.

Du Yunse's hand tightened slightly, successfully feeling the shiver of the person beneath him.

He leaned down and whispered into Qiu Huanian's ear, his gaze deep and lingering as he withdrew his hand.

"It’s still early before dawn, Brother Hua. Don’t worry. Get some more sleep."

He didn’t overstep again and lay back down.

Qiu Huanian kept his head buried in the pillow like an ostrich. After a long while, hearing no movement from Du Yunse’s side, he gradually relaxed.

The words Du Yunse had just whispered in his ear still echoed incessantly in his heart—

"I am fond of you."

Qiu Huanian stiffly turned over, his back facing Du Yunse, his heart screaming internally.

He, a modern man, had actually been outdone by someone from ancient times!

Du Yunse opened his eyes and looked at his back, a slight smile curling at the corner of his lips.

Brother Hua’s face was indeed too thin.

...

The next day, as soon as it dawned, Qiu Huanian got up. Zheng Yiwan from the main courtyard heard the commotion and came over, laughing through the door between the two courtyards, "Look at the dark circles under your eyes, youth indeed."

Shu Huacai chimed in, "Don’t just talk about Brother Hua, even I was thinking about today’s results announcement last night and didn’t sleep well."

Qiu Huanian was too embarrassed to say why he really didn’t sleep well, so he could only admit that he was nervous about the results, hence the dark circles.

After Huang Daniang and Huang Erniang moved in, the Shu residence became more populated, and the kitchen was put to use. Huang Daniang got up early to prepare breakfast and called everyone to the main courtyard to eat.

"The results won’t be posted until mid-morning. Today is going to be busy, so come eat first."

Huang Daniang’s cooking was divine; even simple home-cooked dishes were incredibly delicious. The pastries and porridge were also shaped and plated, and the families gathered around, eating with relish.

Shu Huacai said while eating, "Today the entrance to the examination hall will definitely be crowded. I’ve asked Shu Wu to go early and keep an eye out. Du Gongzi and Brother Hua shouldn’t go and push through the crowd."

Qiu Huanian wanted to say something, but Du Yunse had already agreed first.

"You look too pale. Rest a bit more after eating." Du Yunse picked up a crispy fried small river fish for Qiu Huanian; the crispy fish went perfectly with the porridge.

Huang Erniang also said, "Brother Hua, your face looks dull. Go rest."

Qiu Huanian touched his face. Indeed, since getting up this morning, he felt his head was heavy and he couldn’t summon any energy.

After eating, Du Yunse had Qiu Huanian go back to the kang to continue sleeping, while he sat by the window reading.

Qiu Huanian couldn’t sleep well. Every now and then, he wanted to ask what time it was, so Du Yunse simply took a book and came to sit by the kang.

"I really can’t sleep..." Qiu Huanian said sheepishly, meeting Du Yunse’s serious gaze.

Du Yunse sighed, reached out, and closed Qiu Huanian’s eyes, blocking out the light from outside.

"Shall I read to you, Brother Hua?"

Qiu Huanian nodded vaguely in agreement. Du Yunse opened the travelogue he had specially taken out and began to read in a deep voice.

Du Yunse’s voice was light and pleasant, with a magnetic tone at the end, even more beautiful than the highest-played ASMR audio Qiu Huanian had heard in his past life. Listening to the landscapes and human stories in the travelogue, Qiu Huanian gradually fell into a semi-sleeping, wandering state, his body and mind relaxing bit by bit.

After an unknown amount of time, Qiu Huanian suddenly heard Shu Wu’s voice.

He jolted awake instantly, and Shu Wu rushed into the courtyard from the main house.

"Congratulations, Master Du! Congratulations, top scholar!" he shouted excitedly, drawing everyone in the courtyard over. "Master Du is ranked first in the Xiangping Prefecture academy exam, the top scholar!"

"People outside are saying that Master Du has achieved the 'Little Triple Crown'!"

Qiu Huanian, hearing this, was so thrilled that he tried to rise from the kang, but as soon as he lifted his head, his vision suddenly went dark, and all his strength dissipated.

Before slipping into unconsciousness, Qiu Huanian heard Du Yunse's frantic voice and felt a warm, strong embrace.

"Huanian!"

...

Qiu Huanian woke up to the bitter taste of medicinal soup, his thoughts still hazy, when he heard several voices rising and falling.

"He's awake! He's awake!"

"Brother Hua is awake!"

He blinked with difficulty, feeling his hand tightly held by someone with an unusually strong grip.

Qiu Huanian opened his dry lips and faintly uttered a word, "It hurts."

Du Yunse was momentarily stunned, then quickly released his hand, his eyes red as he wiped the thin sweat from Qiu Huanian's forehead. "Brother Hua, I..."

He genuinely felt guilty.

After waking up, Qiu Huanian still felt a throbbing pain in his temples. Seeing that he was still lying on the kang, with the Huang sisters and the Shu couple gathered around, he asked, "What happened to me? How long was I unconscious?"

A raspy, unfamiliar voice responded to Qiu Huanian, "Less than an hour. Your constitution is weak, and you haven't been looking after yourself. After experiencing extreme joy and sorrow, your body couldn't handle the stress, leading to this crisis."

Qiu Huanian felt slightly better and was helped by Du Yunse to sit up, leaning against Du Yunse's chest.

The speaker was an elderly man nearing seventy, with white hair and a long beard covering his face. His eyes were sharp and piercing, and he held a slender silver needle in his hand.

Qiu Huanian guessed he was a doctor. Seeing the cold glint of the silver needle and the old doctor's sharp gaze, he felt an inexplicable sense of dread.

Du Yunse tenderly brushed aside Qiu Huanian's long hair. "Brother Hua, this is Old Doctor Gu, a former imperial physician who retired and opened a clinic in Xiangping Prefecture. Today, when you fainted so suddenly and dangerously, Old Doctor Gu's son was out on a house call, so I begged repeatedly to have him come personally to treat you."

Old Doctor Gu snorted, "If it weren't for your teacher speaking a fair word to the Emperor back then, I might not have been able to retire and return home. This is just a small repayment of a favor."

Qiu Huanian wanted to thank him, but Old Doctor Gu waved his hand. "Take care of yourself properly. With your constitution, even if you were born into a wealthy family and constantly took medicine, it might not be enough to keep you healthy. Yet, you were born into a farming family and managed to survive this long."

Qiu Huanian's heart stirred, and he asked, "What exactly is the state of my health?"

In the original host's memories, this body had suffered since the womb. After birth, during the years in the Qiu family, he was underfed, poorly clothed, and constantly beaten and scolded, leaving him so weak that he was half a step into the grave, barely clinging to life.

Later, in Du Village, after being bought by Li the Widow, he was able to eat and sleep well, no longer beaten or forced to do heavy labor, and his health improved somewhat. However, he remained frail and prone to illness.

After Qiu Huanian crossed over, he felt that this body was in better condition than in the original host's memories. Although he still had little strength and tired easily, at least he didn't frequently experience dizziness or blackouts. He attributed this to a benefit of his transmigration, similar to rapid wound healing, and didn't think much of it.

But after fainting today and hearing Old Doctor Gu's assessment, Qiu Huanian realized that things might not be as simple as he thought.

Old Doctor Gu stroked his long beard and said, "You've had a congenital deficiency since birth, and you weren't properly nourished in your early years. Under normal circumstances, you wouldn't live past your twenties."

"Fortunately, in the past year, you must have had some extraordinary encounter. Your body suddenly became as if it had taken a miracle cure, strengthening significantly. However, the effects of this 'cure' have already waned, and your foundation is still too weak to be fully restored. So now, while you may appear fine on the outside, internally, you are still deteriorating. If you don't take care of yourself, your lifespan may still be affected."

After hearing this, Qiu Huanian was deeply impressed by Old Doctor Gu. His transmigration was indeed an extraordinary encounter, a "miracle cure." Unfortunately, he had thought its effects were permanent, but now it seemed it was only a temporary relief, not a cure.

Qiu Huanian's eyes sparkled, "Once I got lost in the back mountain, not knowing where I was, and suddenly found a ginseng growing alone. I was so hungry that I dug it up and ate it. Later, no matter how I tried, I couldn't find my way back to that place. Now that I think about it, that ginseng must be the 'Miracle Medicine' you mentioned."

Old Doctor Gu chuckled a few times, not indicating whether he believed it or not.

Upon hearing the old physician say "at most live until the age of twenty" and "still harmful to his lifespan," Du Yunse held Qiu Huanian's arm tighter and tighter. Qiu Huanian helplessly patted him twice, comforting him, "Don't worry, didn't the doctor say that taking good care will be fine?"

The old physician looked at them and did not relent, "Taking good care only offers some hope, and that kind of care is not something an ordinary family can afford."

"Friends and family, please leave the room. I have something to say to him."

After the Huang sisters and the Shu couple left the courtyard, the old physician looked at Du Yunse and asked, "Why aren't you leaving?"

Du Yunse looked directly at him, "Brother Hua is my husband; I must stay and listen."

Seeing the old physician look at him, Qiu Huanian coughed lightly, "Please speak directly."

The old physician sighed, "Since you insist, I won't press further."

"I know your encounter is definitely not just a ginseng, but I have no intention of prying. A doctor's duty is to be compassionate; as long as it benefits your health, why should I dig deeper? I just want to know, is there a chance for others to have such an encounter?"

Qiu Huanian said seriously, "I was just lucky; apart from me, such a thing could not happen again in the entire Yu Dynasty."

Two people from different times and spaces, with the same name and similar looks, both near death, triggering a crossing, is a one in a billion miracle that can't be repeated.

The old physician, both disappointed and relieved, admonished him, "Only the three of us know this, and it must not get out, or it will definitely cause problems."

After Du Yunse agreed, he eagerly asked, "Old physician Gu, please elaborate on how Brother Hua should take care of himself."

The old physician said, "Taking care is not a one-time effort; it can only accumulate effects over years. First, do not overwork; second, do not let depression knot your heart; and finally, use various precious supplements extensively."

Qiu Huanian couldn't help but ask, "How precious?"

"As precious as you can get, no upper limit."

"..."

The old physician looked at Du Yunse, meaningfully saying, "Because of your teacher, I have some understanding of your abilities. Having been in the palace for many years, I know many things that dare not be spoken. With your future, I am not afraid that you won't be able to get these precious supplements, which is fortunate for your little husband."

"But perhaps, this is also his misfortune."