Chapter 34: The Red Fermented Tofu Workshop

Chapter 34: The Red Fermented Tofu Workshop

The Feng residence steward ordered the coachman to turn the carriage around and take the passengers to their destination.

The academy exam had just concluded, and anyone well-informed in Xiangping Prefecture knew that the examination commissioner of Liaozhou was currently in the prefectural city. This was an imperial official even the prefect had to respect. The coachman dared not refuse and, upon seeing the steward's identification badge, immediately complied.

"Examination commissioner? Why is it the examination commissioner again? Where are they taking us?" Zhao was panicking. She was tough at home but lost her nerve when faced with something she couldn't handle.

Du Yunjing shoved Fu Bao aside and made a dash for the carriage door. Just as he lifted the curtain, he was stopped by the servants of the Feng residence standing beside the carriage.

The Feng residence steward chuckled at Du Yunjing's bruised and swollen face, "What happened to Scholar Du? How embarrassing for the groom to look like this!"

Du Yunjing, crouching by the carriage shaft, took deep breaths but didn't dare jump. He tried to stay calm and asked, "The academy exam is over, and I should be returning home with my family. Why is the examination commissioner forcing me to stay?"

The steward waved his hand, "Scholar Du, no wonder our master says you are lacking. You've turned a good thing into something else!"

"Our master worries your family's struggles would shame the bride. As the matchmaker, he doesn't want to lose face, so he specially sent us to help you complete the wedding arrangements before you return home!"

"This is a blessing many would kill for. Instead of expressing gratitude, you talk about 'forcing'?"

Du Yunjing's face turned dark, and his limbs shook with rage. He had originally planned to delay the wedding, hoping the examination commissioner would forget about it, and then find an excuse to deal with Li Guer. After all, Zhang County was far from the prefectural city, and with some caution, news wouldn't spread.

Who would have thought the examination commissioner was determined to block all his escape routes!

Li Guer, curled in the carriage corner, heard the noise outside and loosened her clenched fists.

The situation had spiraled out of control like a runaway horse, and she had long regretted it. However, there was no turning back now, and she could only strive to move forward along this path.

Li Guer's mother had passed away a few years ago, and after her father remarried, her life at home was no longer as comfortable as before. Li Guer didn't want to live under the thumb of her sister-in-law and stepmother, nor did she want to marry just any village man. She wanted to marry a man who could make her hold her head high and flaunt her status in front of her relatives.

Li Guer set her sights on her second cousin, Du Yunjing, from her uncle's family.

Among the men Li Guer could interact with, her second cousin not only came from a wealthy family but had also been educated since childhood, excelling in the county school. He was bound to achieve scholarly honors sooner or later, making him the perfect candidate.

Li Guer seized an opportunity to cause a scene at home, packed her belongings, and ran straight to Du Village.

Her uncle, Du Baoquan, was soft-hearted and didn't meddle in affairs, while her aunt, Zhao, loved flattery. Their eldest son, Du Yunhu, and his wife, Wei Liuhua, held no significant status. Li Guer had already figured out the situation and smoothly moved into her uncle's house.

Unfortunately, her second cousin spent most of his time studying at the county school, and during his brief visits to the village, he paid little attention to her. Despite Li Guer's many plans, she couldn't execute them under Zhao's watchful eye.

Li Guer kept her eyes fixed on Du Yunjing and accidentally discovered that her chosen second cousin seemed to have an interest in the young husband named Qiu Huanian from Li the Widow's family.

Consumed by jealousy, Li Guer immediately exaggerated the matter and told her aunt Zhao, who was furious. Zhao planned to arrange a marriage for Du Yunjing with the nephew of the clan leader's daughter-in-law, a young man from the tofu workshop in Qingfu Town, to sever her son's interest. This infuriated Li Guer, who broke several bed mats in the middle of the night.

Fortunately, Du Yunjing's teacher at the county school soon took a liking to him and intended to choose him as a son-in-law. Zhao, having a better option, immediately reneged on the agreement with the Meng family's young man, offending the clan leader's daughter-in-law, Meng Fuyue, in the process.

Li Guer breathed a temporary sigh of relief but also realized a harsh truth—she neither had the beauty to attract Du Yunjing nor the affluent background to win Zhao's favor. If things continued as they were, she would have no chance of fulfilling her dream of marrying Du Yunjing.

When Du Yunjing went to the prefectural city to take the academy exam and needed someone to accompany and care for him for two months, Li Guer realized this was her only opportunity. Unfortunately, she had been lazy all along, and Zhao, knowing she couldn't handle the work, didn't allow her to go, instead choosing the eldest daughter-in-law, Wei Liuhua.

Having plotted so much to marry Du Yunjing, Li Guer couldn't bear to let this opportunity slip away. She decided to take a risk.

She secretly contacted her sworn brother from her hometown village and arranged to meet him on a back mountain path. From him, she obtained a powder that could make someone feel lethargic and drowsy without their knowledge.

She planned to administer this powder to Du Yunhu and Wei Liuhua's son, Youge. She knew Wei Liuhua had been enduring hardships in her husband's family for a long time. If not for her impoverished family and her husband's blind filial piety, Wei Liuhua might have already caused a scene with Zhao.

Wei Liuhua treated Youge as her most precious treasure. If something happened to Youge, Wei Liuhua would rather die than leave her child to go to the prefectural city. That would be Li Guer's chance.

Taking advantage of Wei Liuhua's busy schedule with cooking and chores, Li Guer successfully sneaked the powder into the coarse cornmeal porridge that Youge ate. However, several days passed, and Youge showed no signs of illness. She secretly peeked through the door a few times and noticed that the previously pale and sickly boy was becoming healthier and more vibrant.

Before Li Guer could figure out what was going on, Zhao's scheme to sell Qiu Huanian from the Qiu family in Shangliang Village was exposed. Unable to stay in the village, Zhao decided to take everyone except Du Yunhu's family of three to the prefectural city. Li Guer got her wish and no longer needed to scheme against Youge.

However, going with so many people was not what she had envisioned. Even though she left, she was still under Zhao's watchful eye, limiting her actions.

Li Guer resolved to take drastic measures and asked her sworn brother for a type of love potion powder, said to be favored by the courtesans and prostitutes in the county, with excellent effects and a high price.

Li Guer sweet-talked her sworn brother, promising to repay him generously once she succeeded. She endured shame and disgust, engaging in a physical encounter with him on the path behind the village, before finally obtaining the new powder.

By now, Li Guer had become consumed by desperation, determined to succeed no matter the cost.

Fearing that the sleeping powder she had used on Youge was ineffective, Li Guer began secretly dosing Zhao and the others with the powder half a month before the academy exam, to ensure no one would interfere when she acted.

Although she tried to avoid Du Yunjing, living together and sharing meals meant that both Du Yunjing and Li Guer inadvertently consumed some of the powder. Fortunately, the dosage was small and did not affect Du Yunjing's performance in the exam.

After the second round of the academy exam's re-examination, Du Yunjing was in high spirits, returning home to say that the exam questions coincidentally matched what he had practiced many times at the county school, and he was sure to rank high.

Seeing Du Yunjing's rare good mood, Li Guer felt her heart flutter. She secretly chose the day the results would be announced, selecting the time just before the Hundred Flavors Exam began.

This was the moment she had carefully chosen. First, on this day, Du Yunjing would pass the exam, and the entire family would be overjoyed, their tolerance for her would be at its highest. It would be the best time to make her move and have it accepted.

Second, by choosing the time before the Hundred Flavors Exam, Du Yunjing would be in a hurry to attend the exam and would not linger in the room, making it easier for her to clean up evidence and create some illusions.

The night before the results were announced, Li Guer once again dosed everyone with the sleeping powder, increasing the dosage to guarantee success.

However, perhaps due to the accumulation of the drug, even though she had tried to limit her and Du Yunjing's intake, they both slept until noon on the day the results were announced. Zhao's family of three in the next room were so deeply asleep that they couldn't be roused.

Du Yunjing woke up frantic, scolding Li Guer before hurriedly dressing and rushing to the examination hall to check the results.

Li Guer, feeling both wronged and scared, suddenly felt a strong sense of unease. But having come this far, there was no turning back. She took a deep breath and carefully added the love potion powder she had hidden for so long, at great cost, into a small jug of wine Du Yunjing had bought with money from Zhao two days prior.

Within half an hour, Du Yunjing returned furious. Li Guer, startled, quickly asked about the exam results. Du Yunjing mocked her before disdainfully saying he had passed.

By now, Li Guer's idealized image of her cousin as a scholarly gentleman had completely crumbled. But having sacrificed so much to reach this point, she had no choice but to press on. Even if Du Yunjing's true nature was as bad as Zhao's, he was still a scholar with a title, far superior to any village man!

Biting her lip, Li Guer forced a sweet smile and approached Du Yunjing with the wine jug, offering him the wine she had bought to celebrate his success.

The skills and experience she had gained from her sworn brother proved useful at this moment.

In the small, dimly lit room, Li Guer had barely begun to rejoice that her plan had reached its most critical step when the combined effects of the two powders knocked her unconscious.

When she came to, everything had gone disastrously wrong.

Amidst the scornful gossip and stares of the household servants in the rented house, the curses and beatings from Zhao and Fu Bao, and Du Yunjing's terrifying, murderous gaze, Li Guer gradually realized she had destroyed everything.

Because of her drugging, Du Yunjing had missed the Hundred Flavors Exam, thoroughly offending the education commissioner of Liaozhou, who publicly declared him "unfit for great use" in front of the officials and scholars of Xiangping Prefecture, banning him from the next three provincial exams.

Her supposedly foolproof plan to force a marriage had backfired in the worst way.

Her scandal with Du Yunjing had become public knowledge, her reputation utterly destroyed, and both Zhao and Du Yunjing wished her dead.

She had schemed tirelessly to elevate herself above others, severed ties with her family, sold her body, and even drugged a three-year-old child, only to end up with no future.

The only thing keeping Li Guer attached to Zhao's family was the fact that the education commissioner of Liaozhou had acted as a matchmaker for her and Du Yunjing. Regardless of the commissioner's true thoughts, Li Guer clung to his words that she was a decent woman and that Du Yunjing should marry and treat her well.

This was Li Guer's last lifeline. Having come this far, she would cling to Du Yunjing no matter what, refusing to let go and face a future with nowhere to go!

Hearing the steward from Feng's residence outside the carriage offering to help arrange the marriage between Du Yunjing and herself, Li Guer buried her head even lower under Zhao's murderous gaze, a faint smile creeping onto her lips.

She still had hope; she hadn't lost yet!

Qiu Huanian and Zhu Jingwei discussed the details of their cooperation in the red fermented tofu business, drafted a contract, each took a copy to the government office for notarization and stamping, and finalized the agreement on the recipe as equity.

Zhu Jingcheng watched the whole thing, chiming in with advice for his younger brother now and then, while Du Yunse remained silent, intently watching Qiu Huanian.

Zhu Jingcheng kept a straight face, but inside he was blown away. Du Yunse's young husband was way more capable than he expected.

Zhu Jingcheng had initially thought Qiu Huanian was just skilled and resourceful. But when it came to discussing the contract details, he realized just how sharp and on the ball this young husband of the new top scholar in Xiangping Prefecture was. Qiu Huanian laid out all the potential problems and, with just a few words, got everyone on board with his fixes.

This kind of business savvy was rare for a young guy from the sticks who wasn’t even twenty yet. Even the heirs of Xiangping’s rich merchant families, groomed for decades with all the resources, couldn’t hold a candle to him.

After thinking it over, Zhu Jingcheng figured some people are just born with it.

Seeing what Qiu Huanian could do, Zhu Jingcheng was even more set on staying tight with Du Yunse. Du Yunse was something else. For a guy like him to pop up in Xiangping and cross paths with Jingwei and him early on might just be the Zhu family’s lucky break.

In the deal Qiu Huanian and Zhu Jingwei hammered out, Qiu Huanian would chip in the recipe as his share to team up with Zhu Jingwei in starting the red fermented tofu business, getting 10% of the profits. Zhu Jingwei would handle the location, buying materials, making the stuff, and selling it. After fronting Qiu Huanian ten taels of silver, they’d split the profits, with Zhu Jingwei taking 90% and Qiu Huanian getting 10%. The deal would run for fifteen years, after which Zhu Jingwei’s red fermented tofu business wouldn’t have to cut Qiu Huanian in anymore.

On top of that, the contract spelled out fixes for stuff like the business losing money, Zhu Jingwei messing up, accounting screw-ups, or Qiu Huanian holding back on the recipe—all Qiu Huanian’s ideas.

Honestly, Qiu Huanian could’ve played the Zhu brothers’ eagerness to stay friendly to ask for a bigger cut. But he went with market rates, making sure the deal was fair and square.

A solid partnership has to start with balanced interests—something Qiu Huanian picked up from his PR days at a big company.

Zhu Jingwei, tackling something big for the first time, was pumped about the detailed contract and couldn’t sit still. He was ready to pick a spot, build the place, hire help, and get the red fermented tofu business rolling.

Seeing his little brother so fired up, Zhu Jingcheng was thrilled. After giving a few tips, he let Zhu Jingwei take the layout Qiu Huanian had drawn up and get to work.

Meanwhile, Qiu Huanian, satisfied, left the bookstore with the contract and ten taels of silver, walking alongside Du Yunse onto the street.

"Selling the red fermented tofu recipe this way finally puts my mind at ease," Qiu Huanian said cheerfully as they walked.

Though the 10% profit share seemed small, he didn’t have to contribute any capital, effort, or sales channels. He only needed to wait for his share of the profits, which would continue for a full fifteen years. The total amount he would receive was likely hundreds of times the original value of the recipe.

"Since we arrived in the prefecture, our meals have been provided by the Shu family. We’ve hardly spent any money these days, with the largest expense being the one and a half taels of rent. Adding in the round-trip travel costs and other miscellaneous expenses, we’ve spent less than two and a half taels in total."

"With the ten taels we just received, we now have twenty-three taels at home. We can start building the house as soon as we return."

At the mention of building a house, Qiu Huanian’s eyes lit up, his radiant smile softening Du Yunse’s heart.

Qiu Huanian shared the plans he had been mulling over countless times in his mind. "If we’re going to build, let’s do it right. Since we have plenty of money, we might as well go all out."

"A brick-tiled house is a must. Our current yard is too small, and there’s no garden. I want to buy half of the large garden behind our house from the neighbor and fill it in to build the house."

"We’ll build three main rooms at the front, with the side rooms on either side enlarged to the size of two rooms. We’ll also need east and west wing rooms, one for Jiu Jiu and one for Chun Sheng as they grow up. We’ll have a dedicated kitchen, with a passageway connecting it to the side rooms so that cooking won’t be cold even in windy or snowy weather."

Qiu Huanian described his vision for the new house in detail, already eager to return home. He had endured the dilapidated thatched house and the half-collapsed kang for far too long!

Having crossed over several months ago, he had finally earned enough money with his own hands to build a new house. Qiu Huanian was confident that their future would be even brighter.

Du Yunse listened quietly as Qiu Huanian spoke, the image of the new house already forming in his mind—neat brick-tiled rooms, a spacious yard, fruit trees, a vegetable garden, and the sight of his beloved and their children...

Du Yunse’s eyes filled with warmth as he subtly took Qiu Huanian’s hand. Qiu Huanian gave a slight tug, glanced to the side, and then allowed Du Yunse to hold his hand.

Du Yunse was eager to pass the imperial exams as soon as possible, become an official, and provide a better house, better food and clothing, and better medicine to take care of Brother Hua, ensuring that his face would always wear the same relaxed and happy smile as it did now.

Such a wonderful young husband shouldn’t have to keep suffering with him.

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse strolled hand in hand towards the Shu residence. After the Dragon Boat Festival, the weather had warmed, the sky was clear, and a gentle breeze brushed their faces, lifting their hair, creating a sense of tranquility.

As they walked, Qiu Huanian burst into laughter.

"What's so funny?" Du Yunse asked.

"Nothing, just feeling really good."

Qiu Huanian thought about how in his previous life, he had been too busy to find a boyfriend to hold hands and stroll through the streets. Now, in this ancient era, he had actually achieved it, and with someone as flawless in looks, personality, and ability as Du Yunse. It was both amusing and a bit bittersweet.

Qiu Huanian didn't elaborate, and Du Yunse didn't press further. He knew that Brother Hua was likely pondering something odd again, so he gently squeezed the other's slender, soft hand.

After walking for a while, they approached the examination hall. As they passed a shop selling lanterns and candles, Qiu Huanian's keen eyes spotted a familiar face.

He tugged at Du Yunse and whispered, "Why is Zhao still in the city? Who is that person next to her?"

Living in the city was expensive, and the academy exam had ended. After all the chaos yesterday, shouldn't Zhao and her family have hurried back to Zhang County as soon as possible?

Du Yunse didn't know the reason either. Given their negative impression of the family's troublemaking tendencies, he pulled Qiu Huanian aside. "Let's observe for a moment."

Zhao and the middle-aged man in silk didn't stay in the lantern shop for long. The man did all the talking, while Zhao stood by with a sorrowful expression, nodding meekly.

After finalizing the purchase, the shop assistant bundled twenty-four red candles and handed them to Zhao. She hesitated, then under the man's mocking gaze, tremblingly pulled out three qian of silver and counted out sixty copper coins, handing them to the assistant with a look of despair.

After they left, Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse stepped into the lantern shop. The assistant, seeing the two dressed in brand-new embroidered clothes and both exceptionally handsome, immediately greeted them with a smile.

"How may I assist you, esteemed guests?"

"How do you sell your candles and oil lamps here?" Qiu Huanian didn't rush to inquire about Zhao.

"White candles cost 12 wen each, and red candles cost 15 wen. As for oil lamps, the base varies by material and style, ranging from 20 wen to one tael. Lamp oil costs 150 wen per jin, and the wicks are 5 wen each."

Seeing Qiu Huanian nod without speaking, the assistant added, "To be honest, sir, you won't find a better price in all of Xiangping Prefecture. Though the lamp oil and wicks are a bit pricey, there's a reason for it. Our lamp oil is high-quality sesame oil, not the kind of tung oil that produces smoke when lit. The wicks are specially treated, making the oil lamps much brighter than ordinary ones. Many scholars come specifically to buy our lamp oil and wicks for better reading light at night!"

The assistant wasn't exaggerating. In the short time they had been observing Zhao, Qiu Huanian had already seen two scholars come to the shop to buy lamp oil and wicks.

In ancient times, because candles and lamp oil were so costly, many poor families couldn't afford lighting at night and had to fumble around in the dark.

When there was moonlight, it was manageable, but without it, the inside and outside of the house were pitch black, and one could easily trip or fall.

Qiu Huanian had endured this hardship over the past few months. Now that he had a bit more money, he planned to equip the new house with oil lamps, gradually improving their quality of life.

Lamp oil and lamp bases were inconvenient to carry, and they would be cheaper in Zhang County, so Qiu Huanian wasn't in a hurry to buy them in the city. However, he was quite interested in the specially treated wicks.

For other tasks, brightness wasn't a priority, but for reading, dim light was harmful to the eyes. It was just the beginning of summer, with long days and short nights, but by autumn and winter, nights in the northeast could last over ten hours. Du Yunse would need to light a lamp for reading, and it had to be a bright one.

Qiu Huanian smiled and said, "Sesame oil can be bought anywhere, but your specially treated wicks are something I've never seen before. I'll buy a couple to try. If they're good, I'll come back for more."

"Sure thing, sir. How many would you like?"

"Just two for now. Don't worry, if they're good, I'll definitely come back for more."

While the assistant was wrapping the wicks, Qiu Huanian casually asked, "By the way, what were those two people who just left doing? Why was the man in silk buying candles, but the woman in plain clothes paying?"

Their behavior was indeed strange, and Qiu Huanian's curiosity wasn't out of place. The assistant didn't think much of it and replied directly, "Sir, you might not know, but that man is a steward from the examination commissioner's residence. He was tasked with arranging a wedding for the woman's son and accompanied her to buy things."

"A wedding?"

"Apparently, it was personally ordered by the examination commissioner. Who knows the details!"

The shop assistant didn't dare say much, but in his heart, he was already marveling. Logically, if the examination commissioner specifically ordered his servants to help with the wedding, the woman's son should be highly regarded by him. Yet, the steward from the Feng residence was intimidating the woman, not only refusing to contribute a single penny but also deliberately making her spend more.

Take the red candles for the wedding chamber, for example. Given the woman's attire and her pained expression when paying, why would she need twenty-four candles! But the steward insisted on buying so many, claiming that the examination commissioner himself had arranged the match and that the wedding must be grand to avoid embarrassing him.

In the shop assistant's view, the woman's son was probably not favored by the examination commissioner but had somehow offended him. Naturally, the servants would find ways to make things difficult for someone their master disliked.

After receiving the packaged wicks and paying, Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse left the lamp shop together. Qiu Huanian remarked with a mix of wonder and curiosity, "I thought Examination Commissioner Feng's talk of officiating the wedding was just angry words. I didn't expect him to actually send someone to follow up the next day."

Du Yunse replied, "Examination Commissioner Feng is known for seeing things through to the end. Once he says something, he ensures it happens. Moreover, he genuinely believes Li Guer is innocent. That's why, upon hearing from a clerk that Li Guer was crying and insisting on marrying Du Yunjing, he personally arranged the marriage."

"However, Examination Commissioner Feng is too busy to pay special attention to such trivial matters. He probably just instructed the steward to handle the wedding for Du Yunjing and Li Guer in Xiangping Prefecture. The steward's harsh treatment of Zhao must be his own decision after hearing about the incident at the Hundred Flavors Test."

Thinking of Zhao's earlier look of suppressed anger, Qiu Huanian sighed with a smile, "In Du Village, Zhao always bullied others, relying on her seniority and family background. Now the tables have turned. I wonder if she reflects on her past actions."

"If she could reflect, she wouldn't have come to this. Zhao is like this, and so is Du Yunjing," Du Yunse commented indifferently.

Brother Hua is too kind and tender-hearted, always hoping that good people get their due and that even the wicked might turn over a new leaf. Having seen much of the world's treachery and deceit, Du Yunse knows that some people's inherent evil, once formed, can never truly change. If one is careless, they might even be bitten back.

However, he likes Brother Hua as he is now and doesn't wish for him to change because of any setbacks. As a couple, he will protect him well.

...

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse had planned to pack up and return to Zhang County, but that afternoon, they received an invitation from Min Taikang, the headmaster of Qingfeng Academy, inviting Du Yunse to visit the academy on Nanyan Mountain in Xiangping Prefecture the next day.

"You're really becoming famous, with invitations coming one after another," Qiu Huanian joked.

Apart from Min Taikang's invitation, many others who had found out Du Yunse's address sent invitations, all of which Du Yunse declined. However, the invitation from the headmaster of Liaozhou's most famous Qingfeng Academy could not be easily refused.

"The Nanyan Tea Gathering invites the scholars of Xiangping Prefecture to taste this year's new batch of Zhengshan Xiaozhong black tea. At such academy-hosted tea gatherings, do they also discuss scholarly topics while sipping tea?"

"Tea tasting is just a pretext. The headmaster's real intention is to take advantage of the gathering of scholars in Xiangping Prefecture to invite guests to Qingfeng Academy to discuss learning and philosophy with the students."

"Then you should go. We'll stay one more day. I can check on the progress of Zhu Jingwei's red fermented tofu workshop," Qiu Huanian said, losing interest as soon as he heard it was about discussing the Four Books and Five Classics and scholarly matters.

Can't understand, won't use, don't want to hear.

Du Yunse nodded with a smile, finding Brother Hua utterly adorable no matter what.

Noticing Du Yunse's gaze, Qiu Huanian coughed lightly and looked away, "I'll borrow an oil lamp from the main courtyard to try out the wicks we bought today."

Qiu Huanian borrowed a black pottery oil lamp from Aunt Shu. That night, he soaked the wick in the shallow oil, lit it with a fire starter, and a bean-sized flame suddenly illuminated the surrounding space.

"It seems brighter than candles, don't you think, Yun Se?"

"Brighter than most oil lamps."

Qiu Huanian turned to fetch a book, flipped through a couple of pages under the lamp, and found the characters very clear and easy on the eyes.

"I'll buy more wicks from that lamp shop tomorrow. Who knows when we'll be back in the prefecture city next time? Might as well buy a hundred. Burning one each night will last a long time."

Early the next morning, Du Yunse set off for Qingfeng Academy in the clean new clothes Qiu Huanian had prepared. With nothing else to do, Qiu Huanian stayed at the Shu household and played cat's cradle with Rutang for a while.

He noticed that Rutang had been in low spirits for several days, with no improvement. The Shu couple, busy with their inn business, often neglected their only daughter. After some thought, Qiu Huanian followed Rutang's lead in the game and asked, "Rutang, you stay at home every day. Why don't you find some friends your age to play with?"

There were several boys and girls around Rutang's age living in Sweet Water Lane, and Qiu Huanian had seen quite a few coming and going these days.

"I used to have some, but I don't feel like playing with them lately."

Qiu Huanian's heart stirred. Rutang is eleven this year. Could it be that ancient children also go through a rebellious phase? He thought of his own Jiu Jiu and Chun Sheng. What would they be like when they grow a bit older?

Qiu Huanian regretted not having read more parenting books back in the modern era. Now, he felt like a concerned yet fulfilled old father, eagerly anticipating the growth and changes of his children, while also worrying about problems he might not be able to solve.

Partly concerned and partly curious, Qiu Huanian asked Rutang, "Did someone say something that Rutang didn't like to hear?"

Rutang pursed her lips, and the flower string in her hands fell into a mess. She untied the flower string from her fingers and tossed it aside, lowering her head without speaking.

Seeing this, Qiu Huanian knew he had hit the nail on the head and smiled, "It's okay if Rutang doesn't want to talk about it. Uncle just wants to let you know, there's no need to care too much about people you don't like. What's most important is your own happiness."

The Shu couple referred to Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse as brothers, so Rutang was naturally a generation younger. Although she was only slightly older than Jiu Jiu, she had to call Qiu Huanian uncle.

Hearing Qiu Huanian's gentle, smiling voice, Rutang's eyes reddened slightly. She glanced around to make sure Aunt Shu wasn't nearby, then said hesitantly, "Uncle Huan, I, I..."

"Hmm?" Qiu Huanian patiently waited for her.

Rutang closed her eyes, made up her mind, and then asked, "Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask anything, but whether I answer or not is up to me—no pressure."

Rutang rested her pointed chin, looking down at the tangled flower string beside her hand, and after several attempts, she managed to organize her words, "It's just, what Uncle Yunse said yesterday, do you really believe it?"

Qiu Huanian raised an eyebrow, and Rutang quickly added, "I didn't mean to listen in! At the time, everyone was in the courtyard house. I heard the doctor say that your medicine needed fresh rush as a guide. I remembered there was rush under the tree behind the courtyard house. The room was too crowded, so I went out to find the rush myself. When I came back, I found that everyone else had left. I was supposed to go in and ask about the situation, but I happened to hear Old Physician Gu and Uncle Yunse talking..."

"I didn't tell anyone! Not even my parents."

Qiu Huanian hadn't expected there to be a little girl outside the house yesterday. He didn't mind much that Rutang had overheard Old Physician Gu and Du Yunse's conversation, just felt a little embarrassed. After all, what Du Yunse said in the heat of the moment yesterday could definitely be called a deep confession. Thinking back calmly, it was quite blush-inducing.

"I know Rutang didn't mean to, and I won't blame you. Just don't tell anyone, like now."

Rutang sighed in relief, and the words that followed came out smoothly, "Uncle Yunse said he could do without children, just wanted to spend the rest of his life with you... But, everyone says Uncle Yunse is a Literary Star descended, destined to become a high official in the capital in the future. Not to mention high officials, even some wealthy families in Xiangping Prefecture have multiple wives and concubines. Even, even the boss of the silver shop next to my house just took in a new concubine. Uncle Huan, do you really believe what Uncle Yunse said?"

Qiu Huanian waited quietly for Rutang to finish, then laughed and said, "What Rutang really wants to ask is not whether I believe Uncle Yunse, right? You're hesitating about whom to believe?"

Seeing Rutang unsure how to express herself, Qiu Huanian understandingly asked softly, "Is it related to your parents?"

Rutang stared at the embroidered satin shoe tips, nervously saying, "I, I heard about Uncle Huan's matters, and I'll tell you about mine. We must keep it a secret together!"

This was the solution she came up with after a night of torment, to ease her conscience.

Qiu Huanian chuckled. Rutang, though slightly precocious from growing up in the prefecture city, was still a child after all. "Okay, we'll keep it a secret together."

Rutang confirmed again that Aunt Shu wasn't nearby, then whispered to Qiu Huanian.

"When my mother was pregnant with me, the family business hadn't taken off yet. My mother worked from dawn to dusk with my father, driving carts and transporting goods in the city to earn money, and accidentally hurt her body."

"After I was born, the doctor said she would have difficulty getting pregnant again. My father knelt down and vowed that he would take good care of my mother and me, and when I grew up, he would arrange a matrilocal marriage, and he would never have a second thought in this lifetime. Many people close to our family know about this."

Qiu Huanian frowned slightly. Although he didn't know these details, he had heard from Huang Daniang that the Shu couple had supported each other from humble beginnings. During his time in the prefecture city, he could also feel the deep affection between the two.

Rutang suddenly brought this up. Could it be that Shu Huacai had done something behind Zheng Yiwan's back?

"Has Rutang... discovered something?"

Rutang quickly shook her head, whispering an explanation, "No, but my grandfather has been pressuring my father about this, even coming to the prefecture city to make a scene before. Although my father sent them back, my mother still cried secretly, and when I saw her, she told me not to tell my father."

"Does your father have other brothers?" Qiu Huanian had been puzzled since he arrived. The Shu residence had too few people. The ancients generally valued family unity. It was quite unreasonable for the Shu couple to buy a house in the prefecture city without bringing the elderly to live with them.

Rutang gritted her teeth, "Yes, my mother said that family is all bad people. They almost drove my father to death back then. After my father ran to the prefecture city and met my mother, they worked hard to build the current family business, and then they came back trying to take advantage!"

"Their plan is either to have my father take a woman from my aunt's family to bear a son, or to have my father adopt my uncle's son, just so they can't 'be without descendants.' But actually, they just want my parents' family business!"

Qiu Huanian sighed, finally understanding the reason for Rutang's bad mood. In ancient times, it was truly unsolvable for a girl or a boy to encounter such a situation, and they could only hope that their father's promise would never change.

"I used to play well with Zhu Xia, the daughter of the silver shop owner next door. Recently, I heard that her father had taken a new concubine, and I felt indignant for her. Her mother is so good and has already given birth to a son and two daughters, yet this still happened..."

"I went to comfort Zhu Xia, but she told me that it's only natural for a wealthy and capable man to have multiple wives and concubines. She said her mother is virtuous and wouldn't mind, and even asked me to persuade my mother, saying that our family would be laughed at if we continued without a son."

"I don't want to play with her anymore!" Rutang's eyes turned red with anger as she recounted these words, her voice trembling with emotion.

Qiu Huanian handed the handkerchief beside him to Rutang, who wiped her eyes and then felt a bit embarrassed. These were things she had kept to herself, not daring to tell anyone. Yet, for some reason, she had poured them all out to this young uncle she had only known for a little over a month.

Uncle Hua seemed to have a magical way of making people feel trusted and comforted.

"Uncle Hua, am I really wrong?" The confusion that Rutang had been unwilling to admit in her heart slowly surfaced.

What was right and what was wrong? She didn't really understand. She just didn't want her mother to be sad, didn't want their happy little family of three to be destroyed. But relatives, playmates, and even most people in the world said that what she couldn't accept was actually right, which made Rutang feel anxious.

A gentle hand landed on Rutang's head, softly ruffling her hair.

Qiu Huanian, just like he did with Jiu Jiu, patted Rutang's head and said to her earnestly and kindly, "What is taken for granted is not necessarily right; it just needs time to be overturned. In my opinion, Rutang's thoughts and actions are very correct. If people have different paths, there's no need to conspire together. Those who think differently and are irrelevant can simply be ignored."

"As for your parents, believe in your father's promise, and also believe that your mother has the ability to face any outcome."

"If you're still worried, then work hard to improve yourself. Even as a daughter, you can achieve great things. Aren't your mother and your aunts from the Huang family living examples?"

Seeing that Rutang's heart seemed to be easing, Qiu Huanian gazed at the leaves fluttering in the warm breeze and smiled gently. This answer was for Rutang, and also for himself.

He believed in Du Yunse's promise and also believed in his own ability to face any outcome. Only in this way could he continue on the path to happiness.

...

When it was almost time for lunch, Zhu Jingwei arrived with the family steward and servants. He immediately rushed to Qiu Huanian and said, "Brother Hua, I've already set up the red fermented tofu workshop as you instructed. While you're still in the city, come with me to check it out. If there's anything amiss, we can correct it promptly!"

Qiu Huanian was surprised by how quickly Zhu Jingwei had acted. He had been waiting in case Zhu Jingwei had any questions to ask him.

"Is everything set up?"

Seeing Qiu Huanian's disbelief, Zhu Jingwei was spurred by his competitive spirit. "Brother Hua, you've already drawn the plans. What's so difficult about it? It's just buying a large courtyard, some jars, shelves, bamboo screens, and setting them up as you instructed."

The Zhu family steward, who was following Zhu Jingwei, smiled and spoke up for him. "The young master went home yesterday and immediately gathered people to purchase items and select a location. This morning, he personally went to the red fermented tofu workshop to oversee the servants arranging everything. In all my years with the Zhu family, this is the first time I've seen the young master so dedicated. He's handling it with such finesse, truly living up to being the direct descendant of the Zhu family."

Zhu Jingwei was pleased by the praise but modestly said, "Jiang Er, it's not as exaggerated as you say. I just gave a little direction where things were wrong."

Jiang Er laughed and said to Qiu Huanian, "Brother Hua, don't take it the wrong way. I'm the steward brought by the madam. She was overjoyed to hear that the young master was willing to do serious work. If it weren't for the eldest son stopping her, saying that you and Mr. Du were busy, she would have wanted to meet you right away. The madam sent me to help the young master manage the red fermented tofu workshop. We'll be working together often in the future."

Qiu Huanian smiled and nodded, thinking this was the hallmark of a wealthy family like the Zhu family. With the experienced and capable Jiang Er overseeing things, there was no need to worry about Zhu Jingwei making mistakes due to lack of experience.

"Alright, let's go see how the red fermented tofu workshop, personally directed by Young Master Jingwei, has turned out."