Chapter 31: Descendants

Chapter 31: Descendants

"But perhaps, this is also his misfortune."

Du Yunse's heart tightened upon hearing this. "What do you mean by that, old sir?"

Old Physician Gu sighed, "I didn't mention earlier, but his body is severely depleted. Not only will it affect his lifespan, but it will also make it very difficult for him to have descendants."

Qiu Huanian blinked slowly, not immediately grasping the implications.

After transmigrating into a male body capable of pregnancy and childbirth, Qiu Huanian had always avoided thinking about the possibility of bearing children. Hearing the physician's words now, it didn't feel real to him at first.

But soon, he understood why Old Physician Gu had said that.

In ancient times, descendants and lineage were considered extremely important. The reason he and Du Yunse could face the world as a legitimate married couple was because he was a male capable of pregnancy and childbirth.

If it were confirmed that he couldn't bear children, then what about Du Yunse...

Qiu Huanian felt a sharp pang of discomfort in his heart. He knew he shouldn't doubt Du Yunse, but Du Yunse was, after all, a young man with a bright future in this ancient world. If it ever came to that, how would he handle it?

Seeing that Qiu Huanian had grasped the situation, Old Physician Gu sighed again.

He didn't want to dampen the spirits of this loving couple, but some things couldn't be ignored just because he didn't mention them. Rather than letting the issue explode uncontrollably in the future, it was better to address it now while their feelings were still strong, even if it meant he had to play the villain.

Old Physician Gu didn't know what choice Du Yunse would make, but he knew that in the households of the most sought-after officials in the capital, there were always beautiful concubines and mistresses. Even the current Yuanhua Emperor, who was deeply devoted to the late Empress, had filled his harem with various beauties.

When Du Yunse achieved fame and power, how much of their current affection would remain?

Young love and mutual support in tough times didn't always guarantee a happy ending, especially when one partner was as physically weak as this male, almost incapable of bearing children, and thus naturally at a disadvantage.

The best outcome might be to take on another concubine to bear children, but Old Physician Gu felt that, given the temperament of the male before him, he would never accept such an arrangement. When that time came, there would be another heartbroken soul in the world.

Perhaps the medicine hadn't taken full effect yet, as Qiu Huanian felt a sharp pain in his chest and a tightness in his throat, as if his emotions were on fire.

He suddenly realized how important Du Yunse had become to him without him even noticing. Not only did he want to stand by his side, but he also wanted to keep him all to himself.

At that moment, Qiu Huanian felt a familiar hand cover his teary eyes, the darkness and warmth bringing him a sense of calm. In front of Old Physician Gu, Du Yunse leaned down and kissed Qiu Huanian's cold ear.

The unprecedented softness of the touch left Qiu Huanian's mind reeling, with only the sound of his own pounding heartbeat echoing in his ears.

"I'm here, Huanian. I will always remain by your side."

Du Yunse held Qiu Huanian tightly, as if to merge him into himself.

He turned to Old Physician Gu, "Whatever rare and precious medicinal ingredients are needed, please write them down in the prescription. Even if it costs me everything, I will procure them for my husband."

"You..."

"Du Yunse has brothers and sisters at home; I have no obsession with descendants." Du Yunse spoke calmly but firmly. "But as for my husband, I only recognize Qiu Huanian."

His years of disinterest in love vanished completely after meeting this person.

Old Physician Gu fell silent and turned to his desk, swiftly writing out several prescriptions.

"This first prescription is for gentle restorative treatment. It's not expensive, but its effects are limited. It can only prevent his condition from worsening further. To truly fortify his health, other prescriptions will be necessary."

"The following prescriptions require ingredients like ginseng, deer antler, snow lotus, and ambergris. Though potent, these are beyond the means of ordinary families. He hasn't reached that stage yet, so you can begin using them once you obtain the ingredients."

"These prescriptions are the essence of my many years of medical practice. I'm offering them to you at a reduced price out of respect for your teacher and your sincerity. Remember, these are your words today. Don't renege on them later and become unfaithful and heartless."

Du Yunse thanked him earnestly, stood up to escort Old Physician Gu out, and when he returned, Qiu Huanian was lying on the pillow, spacing out.

Hearing Du Yunse's footsteps, Qiu Huanian wanted to hide on instinct, but not knowing where to go, he gave up, lifting his head only to lie back down.

Du Yunse walked to the edge of the kang and tucked him in, his knuckles brushing against Qiu Huanian's cheek. "I've already sent Aunt Shu to get the medicine, and you'll take another dose later. You need to take this medicine for ten days, after which we'll switch to a nourishing formula."

Qiu Huanian murmured an absentminded agreement. Du Yunse knew that this matter would surely leave a thorn in Brother Hua's side, and no words or promises would make a difference. Only through consistent effort over time could he prove his sincerity to Brother Hua.

Fortunately, they still had many days and nights together, supporting each other.

"Brother Hua, you must stay well and grow old by my side," Du Yunse murmured.

Qiu Huanian closed his eyes, hearing Du Yunse's words, feeling the breathing and heartbeat of the body beside him, and responded with a faint hum.

...

At the entrance of the examination hall in Xiangping Prefecture, people from all walks of life with any connection came to see the results, crowding around the bulletin board.

Du Yunjing pushed through the crowd, his square scarf askew, his clothes wrinkled, and sweating from anxiety.

Maybe because of the unfamiliar environment, their family had been experiencing weird physical symptoms these past few days—dizziness, headaches, irritability, and feeling sleepy. First, it was Zhao, then Fu Bao and Du Baoquan, and after the academy exam, Du Yunjing also showed the same symptoms.

This morning, he had specifically told Li Guer to wake him before the results were posted at si hour, but Li Guer had overslept, and the others hadn't woken up either, so he arrived at the examination hall almost at noon to check the results.

"I need to rank high..."

"I need to rank higher than Du Yunse..."

Du Yunjing's anxiety grew, his mind getting foggier, and he muttered the words without realizing it. A few Qingfeng Academy scholars who had just checked the results heard him and laughed.

"Why is someone still here obsessing over ranking higher than Du Yunse?"

"Brother, are you perhaps the third-ranked Li scholar on the list?"

"Hey! I know Scholar Li, he's already in his forties, so it can't be him. This guy must be the fourth-ranked Chen scholar or the fifth-ranked Wang scholar!"

These students from Qingfeng Academy meant no harm; they were just excited after passing the exam and obtaining the lowest level of scholarly rank, finally stepping into the upper class of the Yu Dynasty, so they were eager to chat with anyone.

In their view, ranking lower than Du Yunse, the top scorer in the academy exam, was nothing to be ashamed of. Only their famous genius classmate Yu Min would be upset about it.

This young scholar before them, who regarded Du Yunse as a rival, must surely have considerable knowledge, so they started guessing his identity from the third rank onward.

After several guesses without success, the atmosphere became slightly awkward. What started as playful teasing now felt like rubbing salt in the wound.

—If Du Yunjing hadn't been muttering about ranking higher than Du Yunse, leading these scholars to mistake his level and think he was on par with Yu Min, this awkward situation wouldn't have happened.

Wang Yinzhi, a mild-mannered student among them, seeing Du Yunjing's eagerness to know his rank, kindly suggested, "I've roughly memorized all twenty-six names on the list. Why don't you tell me your name, and I'll help you recall your rank?"

Du Yunjing, desperate for any help, blurted out, "I'm Du Yunjing."

This...

The students from Qingfeng Academy fell silent for a moment. This name, being so similar to Du Yunse's, had caught their attention when they checked the results earlier.

Seeing their silence, Du Yunjing instinctively stood on tiptoe to look towards the posted list.

The crowd in front of him shifted, revealing a gap that allowed Du Yunjing to see the red list with the twenty-six names.

Du Yunjing was ranked twenty-sixth.

And Du Yunse's name topped the list.

The first and the last, as distinct as night and day.

Du Yunjing's eyes instantly turned bloodshot, his face twisted, and his teeth chattered uncontrollably, unwilling to believe what he saw.

The students of Qingfeng Academy, seeing his terrifying appearance, looked at each other uneasily.

In fact, Du Yunjing came from a farming family, and being able to pass the academy exam at such a young age, even if at the bottom of the list, was commendable. But considering his earlier obsession with surpassing Du Yunse, the situation became delicate.

That was Du Yunse, whom even Yu Min, from the prominent Yu family of Liaozhou, couldn't surpass. Where did this Du Yunjing get the confidence to consider Du Yunse a rival, barely making it onto the list?

Earlier, after Yu Min saw the list, he left with a look of reluctance, only saying, "Today I am one step behind, but not necessarily in the future."

This Du Yunjing, however, was filled with resentment and hatred, as if he had some deep-seated grudge, wanting to tear Du Yunse apart.

His obsession with surpassing Du Yunse likely went beyond academic competition, mixed with many other thoughts and grievances.

Considering they came from the same place and their names were only one character apart, the students of Qingfeng Academy had many speculations and decided against befriending Du Yunjing.

Such a person, even if he passed the academy exam at a young age, wasn't going to go far. Why waste time inviting trouble?

Wang Yinzhi spoke up, "Let's go back. The academy only gave us half a day off to see the list, and we have the Hundred Flavors Test tonight. If we're late, the teacher will have our heads."

Hearing his words, Du Yunjing suddenly snapped back to reality and pleaded urgently, "Fellow scholars, please stay!"

He tried to incite them, "Don't you think this is strange? Du Yunse is just a poor boy, how could he be the top of the academy exam? There must be something shady! I want to see the papers, let's go ask the examination commissioner for all the papers!"

"Du Yunjing, be careful what you say!" Wang Yinzhi immediately scolded in alarm.

By saying this in public, wasn't Du Yunjing directly challenging the examination commissioner? Unless the commissioner was biased, how could there be any foul play in the academy exam papers?

After being interrupted by Wang Yinzhi, Du Yunjing also realized that his words would definitely anger the examination commissioner, but he was too unwilling to accept that he was so far behind Du Yunse, and he couldn't believe that Du Yunse had the ability to be the top of the academy exam.

But what if? What if?

"Maybe the examination commissioner made a mistake while grading, or... I heard that the commissioner knew Du Yunse's teacher in the capital..." Du Yunjing was spiraling into delusion.

"We don't know where you heard that, but if you really have ideas, go by yourself, don't get us involved," Wang Yinzhi, fearing trouble, hurriedly urged his classmates to leave.

These newly listed scholars, suddenly encountering such a situation, were quickly shaken out of their earlier excitement and just wanted to stay away from Du Yunjing.

Xiangping Prefecture was the capital of Liaozhou, where news traveled fast, and Qingfeng Academy was one of the top academies. These students all knew the background of the new examination commissioner, Feng Mingjun.

From a prestigious Hanlin scholar to a censor supervising all officials, and now the examination commissioner of Liaozhou, Feng Mingjun's unconventional career path was backed by his notorious stubbornness, upright and incorruptible to the point where even the emperor found him a headache. How could such a person engage in favoritism during the academy exam grading?

Moreover, anyone who had seen Du Yunse's winning poem at the Dragon Boat Festival poetry contest couldn't doubt his knowledge and vision.

Their Qingfeng Academy teacher had even gone over that poem in detail in class!

Wang Yinzhi and the others wanted to leave, but Du Yunjing refused to give up. The group started tugging at each other at the entrance of the examination hall, and the distinctive lake-green robes of Qingfeng Academy instantly attracted everyone's attention.

A few moments later, a few bailiffs keeping order at the examination hall came over to inquire about the situation.

"Gentlemen scholars, I am here on behalf of Commissioner Feng to pass on a message," the leading bailiff said with a bow.

"Commissioner Feng?" They were still processing, "Which Commissioner Feng?"

"Naturally, our Liaozhou's examination commissioner, Commissioner Feng," the bailiff chuckled, "Commissioner Feng happened to be inspecting the examination hall and has already heard about your earlier dispute."

"Commissioner Feng said that after the Hundred Flavors Test, all the essays of the new xiucai (scholars) will be posted, and those who wish to read them can do so at their convenience."

"Additionally, Commissioner Feng asked me to relay a message," the clerk glanced coldly at Du Yunjing, "A limited vision can be fixed, but a narrow mind will never achieve greatness."

Du Yunjing's face instantly turned pale, and a cold sweat broke out on his back, finally feeling regret and fear.

The examination commissioner has the authority to oversee all the scholars in the prefecture. Although the emperor appoints a chief examiner to oversee the provincial examinations in each prefecture's capital, xiucai must first pass the local examinations presided over by the prefecture's examination commissioner to be eligible for the provincial examinations.

In other words, if the examination commissioner dislikes a scholar, he can bar him from the provincial examinations, cutting off his path to the imperial exams.

Though Commissioner Feng didn’t name names, everyone knew who he was talking about. Being branded by the prefecture's examination commissioner as "narrow-minded and unlikely to achieve greatness," does Du Yunjing still have a future?

Du Yunjing stepped back, trembling at the thought of being barred from the imperial exams. He had once gloated over Du Yunse facing such a fate, but now that disaster had struck him, he realized how devastating it truly was.

The clerk waved his hand, "The area outside the examination hall is crowded. You xiucai should leave quickly after checking the results. You can chat more during the Hundred Flavors Test tonight."

Wang Yinzhi and the others hurried off, discussing the events as they walked, planning to discuss them thoroughly with their classmates upon their return.

Du Yunjing didn’t dare mention any grading irregularities again, leaving the examination hall in a daze and heading back to his rented house.

The landlord’s servant was feeding the horses and, seeing him return, casually asked with a smile, "Mr. Du, back from checking the results? Did you pass the xiucai exam?"

Du Yunjing suddenly exploded in anger, kicking over a bucket of fodder by the stable, spilling half of it on the servant, "Whether I passed or not is none of your damn business!"

The servant, startled and mindful that Du was a scholar and a tenant, bit back his anger and went to brush off the fodder from his clothes.

His clothes, just washed yesterday, were now ruined. What the hell was wrong with this Du guy!

Watching Du Yunjing's back disappear into the doorway of the side room, the servant rolled his eyes fiercely.

He’d been debating whether to tell Du he’d seen Du’s cousin, surnamed Li, secretly adding something to the tea that morning.

Now, why bother? Good for her! Let someone like him get what’s coming! After all, they’re not family. If something happens, it’s their problem, not his.

...

Du Yunse had been tending to Qiu Huanian, watching him take his medicine and sleep, wiping the sweat from his temples with a warm, damp cloth.

The illness came on fast and left just as quickly. After lying down all afternoon, Qiu Huanian no longer felt dizzy or saw black spots. Aside from some lingering weakness, he was back to normal.

But with Old Physician Gu's medical advice, neither Qiu Huanian nor Du Yunse dared to take the illness lightly. Du Yunse was so anxious that he had to watch Qiu Huanian's every move.

Qiu Huanian lay on his side on the kang, half-embracing a pillow, laughing hoarsely, "At this time, the new xiucai of Xiangping Prefecture are probably out enjoying themselves, while you, the top scholar, can only stay by the sickbed."

Du Yunse poured a cup of warm water, helped him sit up, and brought it to his lips, "I feel at ease only when I'm with you. Other matters can wait."

The warm water soothed his dry, itchy throat, and Qiu Huanian recovered, his mind beginning to plan again, "That won’t do. I’m counting on you to vote for Huang Daniang's dishes at the Hundred Flavors Test and promote my red fermented tofu."

Qiu Huanian had a rare virtue—emotional stability and strong self-regulation. Whether returning from a big factory to the countryside or traveling from modern times to ancient times, he quickly adapted to his environment.

After learning about his current health issues, Qiu Huanian took a little time to quickly accept reality.

No matter what, he was still alive and kicking, not bedridden and spitting blood with every step. Old Physician Gu also said there was hope for recovery, far from the point of self-pity or despair.

Money must continue to be earned, life must be lived well, and Du Yunse must be firmly held in his grasp...

Qiu Huanian looked at Du Yunse and smiled softly. The words Du Yunse had spoken at noon were, for an ancient person, quite shocking. With Du Yunse's noble and reserved character, speaking to such an extent revealed the depth and weight of his feelings.

Qiu Huanian's heart swelled, his fingertips warming, all his tender feelings turning into ripples in his heart. This sudden bad news, instead, acted like a strong medicine, making both him and Du Yunse face their true feelings.

Qiu Huanian had come to terms with his feelings and naturally did not want to miss the only person who had made him so infatuated in two lifetimes. Although this relationship might face challenges in the future, all favorable outcomes can be nurtured, and Qiu Huanian was least afraid of nurturing.

He planted a tall, green sapling with all his heart, eagerly anticipating the day when it would grow into a towering tree with lush foliage.

Qiu Huanian instructed Du Yunse to fetch a few small jars of half-catty red fermented tofu from the cabinet and said with a smile, "I haven't been feeling well these past few days and lack the energy, so I'll leave the red fermented tofu entirely in your hands. After Huang Daniang's 'Phoenix Perched on Rosy Clouds' shines brightly tonight, don't forget to seize the opportunity to promote it."

Of course, Qiu Huanian had other plans for promoting the red fermented tofu, but he said this just to tease Du Yunse. Du Yunse nodded seriously and agreed to it all, making Qiu Huanian curious about how he would handle it.

Unfortunately, the Hundred Flavors Tasting Event only invited newly ranked scholars and some prominent families from Xiangping Prefecture, so Qiu Huanian had no chance to witness it in person.

"Focus on your main duties and don't let this tarnish your image," Qiu Huanian reminded him with concern.

"Don't worry, Brother Hua," Du Yunse replied. "You just said you needed to rest well, so why are you worrying again?"

Although most of his energy in the past decade had been devoted to classical studies, having traveled widely with his mentor, how could he not understand practical matters?

It wasn't that he didn't understand those things; it was just that he hadn't needed to engage with them before. Now that he had a family to support and a husband to protect, he naturally had to adapt and take on tasks he had previously shied away from.

A true gentleman adapts to the situation, and Du Yunse had no reluctance in this regard. He was just eager to grow stronger quickly, strong enough to support a celestial palace in the clouds, allowing Brother Hua to relax and enjoy life in his embrace.

After repeatedly checking on Qiu Huanian's health and giving many instructions to the Shu family couple, Du Yunse finally left at dusk to attend the Hundred Flavors Tasting Event at Mingfeng Terrace by the Love River on Yuanzheng Street.

Zheng Yiwan specifically summoned Shu Wu from the inn to accompany Du Yunse to the Hundred Flavors Tasting Event, in case Du Yunse encountered any issues that needed handling. Shu Wu was naturally thrilled with this easy and culturally rewarding task.

Mingfeng Terrace was constructed on the west bank of the Love River, a single-story waterside pavilion surrounded by water on three sides. Standing ten feet high, one could take in the bustling scenes on both sides of the Love River from the terrace.

The current magistrate of Xiangping Prefecture, Si Jing, liked this place and had allocated funds to renovate it after taking office, using it as an official venue for banquets.

Du Yunse arrived right on time, with three quarters of an hour left before the Hundred Flavors Tasting Event officially began. Although he had little interaction with the scholars of Xiangping Prefecture before, those who had participated in the Dragon Boat Festival Poetry Competition recognized him. Seeing the new top scholar arrive, they stepped forward to congratulate him.

Du Yunse exchanged pleasantries with them, occasionally sharing anecdotes from his travels and profound insights into the classics, history, and philosophy. His vast knowledge and upright character greatly impressed the scholars.

Even Yu Min, after a bit of initial hesitation, couldn't resist joining the conversation.

As time passed and the Hundred Flavors Tasting Event was about to begin, the examination commissioner, prefect, headmaster of Qingfeng Academy, and various officials from Xiangping Prefecture arrived. Seeing the new scholars gathered together discussing academics, Examination Commissioner Feng Mingjun nodded approvingly.

"This year's batch of scholars is excellent. If more of them pass the provincial and imperial exams to serve the court in the future, it will be a credit to Commissioner Feng!" Prefect Si Jing said with a smile.

Hearing this, Feng Mingjun was reminded of someone. Most of this year's scholars were commendable, but one had slipped his notice. Although he could vaguely discern some talent, the person's character was truly deplorable.

He had thought that this scholar, being Du Yunse's cousin, might learn some virtues from his elder brother. With a few more years of experience, he might even achieve the rare feat of having two provincial scholars or two imperial scholars in one family.

Who could have expected that this person would be so narrow-minded and short-sighted to the point of foolishness? Compared to Du Yunse, he was like a muddy fish eye next to a splendid southern pearl—one in the heavens, the other in the mud.

Feng Mingjun scanned the crowd but did not see the scholar named Du Yunjing, who had spoken recklessly at the examination hall gate at noon. His brows furrowed tightly.

"Have all the new scholars arrived?"

The clerk nearby quickly replied, "Twenty-four have arrived. One couldn't come due to a sudden family emergency and has already sent a message requesting leave. Currently, only one has neither sent a message nor arrived."

With less than a quarter of an hour left before the Hundred Flavors Tasting Event began, it was indeed strange that this person neither showed up nor sent a message requesting leave.

Feng Mingjun snorted coldly, "Is the absent scholar Du Yunjing from Zhang County?"

The clerk, unsure why Commissioner Feng specifically remembered this person, recalled and nodded, "Yes, it's him."

Feng Mingjun angrily said, "The prefect, examination commissioner, and various court officials have all arrived at Mingfeng Terrace. Du Yunjing really has a grand air, making all of us wait for him."

Prefect Si Jing, unaware of Du Yunjing's absurd behavior at the examination hall gate at noon, was puzzled by Commissioner Feng's unusually fiery temper today.

To ensure the Hundred Flavors Tasting Event proceeded smoothly, he mediated, "Perhaps something urgent came up suddenly. Why not send someone to check the scholar's residence?"

Feng Mingjun, still furious, ordered the clerk, "Take some men to the examination hall right away to check the records and look into Du Yunjing's residence in Xiangping Prefecture!"