Chapter 39 Moving In

Chapter 39 Moving In

Qiu Huanian deliberately feigned a worried expression and said, "I'm not a child anymore, why would I secretly not take my medicine?"

Du Yunse's eyes sparkled with amusement. The way Brother Hua steeled himself before taking his medicine each time was indeed childlike.

"The medicine we bought from the prefecture city is enough for more than ten days. By the time it's finished, the new main room and side rooms should be nearly completed. Then we can go to the county to get you new medicine."

Qiu Huanian thought of the bitter medicine and let out a heartfelt sigh. Luckily, Old Physician Gu's medicine really worked. These days, Qiu Huanian's dizziness had become less frequent, and his body was not as weak as before, though his hands and feet were still cold in the summer.

The three masons—a father and his two sons—had moved directly to Du Village to speed up the work. They didn't stay in the thatched cottage at the back of Qiu Huanian's house but instead set up a simple shed in the garden, laying down straw and old quilts as a temporary residence.

They didn't eat with Qiu Huanian's family either, bringing their own pots and setting up a small stove. As the host, Qiu Huanian only had to supply some ingredients.

Qiu Huanian sometimes threw in some eggs, white rice, and flour to the mix, making the masons work even harder.

Now that the summer solstice was over, the weather was getting hotter. Even as the sun dipped below the horizon, the heat lingered, and the air was still thick with stifling warmth.

Qiu Huanian lifted the pot lid and dished out the pickled cabbage stir-fried noodles.

Last autumn and winter, Ye Taohong, Cun Lan's mother, had pickled several large vats of cabbage, which still hadn't been finished. She occasionally shared some with close neighbors.

As the weather grew hotter, the pickled cabbage couldn't be kept for long. Back in the day, rural areas didn't have refrigerators, and even with great care, thick white scum would form on the jars.

Qiu Huanian had received a lot of pickled cabbage and had been experimenting with various dishes. Today's pickled cabbage stir-fried noodles were one of them.

The ingredients for the pickled cabbage stir-fried noodles were straightforward: noodles, pickled cabbage, eggs, and a few seasonings—scallions, salt, soy sauce, and a small star anise.

When making the noodles, Qiu Huanian started by cracking three eggs into a bowl, beating them, and then frying them in the pan. The eggs in the stir-fried noodles needed to be well-done so that they would be flavorful when added to the soup later.

After frying the eggs and setting them aside, the next steps were simple.

Scallions were a key seasoning for the stir-fried noodles, and a good amount was necessary. Qiu Huanian grabbed a whole bunch of scallions from the garden, washed them, split them down the middle, and chopped them into half-centimeter-thick slices. He poured a small bowl of oil into the pan and added the scallions and star anise to fry.

When the scallions turned golden and slightly crispy, their leaves curling from the heat, the rich scent of scallions filled the yard. Jiu Jiu paused her needlework to glance over, while Chun Sheng in the main room kept stealing glances outside.

Once the fragrant scallion oil was ready, Qiu Huanian rinsed the pickled cabbage, cut it into thin strips, and tossed it into the pan to stir-fry with the scallions. The steam and aroma rose, filling the yard with a complex fragrance.

After the pickled cabbage softened and turned translucent, the crucial "stir-frying" step was complete. Qiu Huanian then added water to the pan, along with the eggs, soy sauce, and salt. Once the water boiled, he added the hand-pulled noodles, and a simple, homely dish of stir-fried noodles was ready.

The hand-pulled noodles were thick and needed to simmer a bit longer in the pot. When Qiu Huanian lifted the lid, the noodles had absorbed the broth, becoming soft and sticky, with a golden color that whetted the appetite.

Qiu Huanian served everyone a bowl and called them to set the table and eat.

After stir-frying, the pickled cabbage's sharpness mellowed, blending with the scallion aroma to create a slightly sour flavor that soothed the stomach affected by the hot weather. Sitting in the yard as the sun set but the sky was not yet dark, enjoying the cool evening breeze of summer, and taking a bite of the pickled cabbage stir-fried noodles brought a sense of happiness.

Usually, in the summer, everyone's appetite waned, but tonight both Jiu Jiu and Chun Sheng finished a large bowl of the noodles. Qiu Huanian even added a small half-bowl after finishing his, and Du Yunse added a full bowl.

Normally, Chun Sheng would have been pestering Qiu Huanian to make more of these stir-fried noodles, but now, still in his "sulking" phase, he hesitated for a long time without saying anything.

Qiu Huanian saw through Chun Sheng's intentions but pretended not to notice, smiling as he scooped out the remaining half-pot of noodles and took them to the garden to give the masons an extra meal.

Noodle soup couldn't be kept overnight, as it would turn into mush. Qiu Huanian had made a bit too much, so it was better to give it to the masons, who worked hard and could never get enough to eat.

Du Yunse accompanied Qiu Huanian to check on the progress of the new house.

The new house had been under construction for ten days now. Qiu Huanian was generous, and the masons worked diligently. With additional helpers hired for miscellaneous tasks, the progress was even faster than expected. The foundations of the main room and side rooms were almost done, leaving only the beams, roof, windows, doors, and the kang to be installed.

The windows and doors needed to be measured and custom-made, and with the additional rooms, more furniture would be needed. At least the rooms for regular use had to be furnished. Qiu Huanian planned to make another trip to the county town in the next few days to shop.

In addition to the silver from selling Sorghum Candy when they left, Qiu Huanian now has a total of twenty-seven taels of silver on hand, which they could use to buy some nice things after careful budgeting.

Buying the garden from Widow Zhuang cost one and a half taels, the wages for the masons totaled three taels, the three laborers from the village added up to less than one tael, and the bricks, tiles, and wood materials cost ten taels combined. The current expenses for the new house have already exceeded fifteen taels.

However, the house is being built big and strong, so it's worth every penny.

The next day, after settling things at home, Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse set off early in the morning with a mule-drawn cart to the county town, trying to avoid the scorching midday sun.

Qiu Huanian found a well-reputed carpenter in the south of the county town and ordered doors and windows for the main room and side rooms. He also selected a few ready-made pieces of furniture, paid a deposit, and arranged for them to be delivered to Du Village in five days.

Du Yunse, who had been quietly watching the elderly carpenter, seemed a bit off. Qiu Huanian noticed his unusual behavior and tugged at his sleeve after they left.

"Yunse, are you okay?"

Du Yunse snapped out of his thoughts, lowered his eyes, and shook his head. "It's nothing. We still need to buy cotton and cloth, right? Let's go."

After storing the mule-drawn cart, the two walked side by side through the narrow, winding streets of the southern town. As they walked, Qiu Huanian looked ahead and spoke softly.

"If you're feeling upset, you can talk to me. Don't be afraid of embarrassment. What's our relationship now?"

His clear, pleasant voice blended with the street noise, reaching Du Yunse's ears. Du Yunse paused for a moment, visibly moved.

After a moment of silence, he spoke in a hoarse voice, "I just remembered my father."

"...It's been so many years; I can barely remember what he looked like."

"Nine years ago, I ranked first in the county exam and felt that my knowledge was sufficient. I wanted to go to the prefectural capital to take the scholar exam. My father didn't say a word but quietly sold half-grown pigs from the pen and took me on the trip."

"The expenses in the prefectural capital were too high, and my father fell ill due to the unfamiliar environment. After the prefectural exam, we headed back home. When we reached Zhang County, we learned that I had also ranked first in the prefectural exam."

"That day, my father laughed heartily, bought a bowl of wontons from a stall in the south of town, and watched me eat. Suddenly, he wiped away a tear."

"A month after the prefectural exam was the academy exam. My father wanted me to continue, but how could we afford to go to the prefectural capital again?"

Du Yunse spoke slowly, his voice trailing off into the air, only heard by Qiu Huanian, who listened intently.

"Not long after, word got around that I had ranked first in both the county and prefectural exams at the age of ten, reaching the ears of the examination commissioner at the time. He came to Du Village with an itinerant teacher who happened to pass by. The teacher took a liking to me and wanted to take me as his disciple."

"The teacher didn't have much time to stay, so if I agreed, I'd have to leave right away. I was young and unsure, but my father said a man's ambitions are vast, urging me to go quickly."

"On the morning of my departure, he walked alongside the mule-drawn cart for a long, long time. I kept looking back at him, and that last glance... was our final goodbye."

Du Yunse's voice trembled at the end, and he went quiet for a long time.

Qiu Huanian, under the cover of his robe sleeve, held Du Yunse's hand and walked with him. Any words of comfort felt inadequate at that moment. Qiu Huanian simply needed to be a quiet listener.

Listening to the words Du Yunse never got to say when he was ten.

The two walked all the way to the cotton-selling booth, where the owner had changed, and the previous merchant had left.

Qiu Huanian bought ten catties of cotton in one go and five bolts of plain-colored fabric to make bedsheets for the new kang.

The clerk at the fabric shop remembered Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse. When he found out Du Yunse had passed the scholar exam, he kept congratulating them. If not for Qiu Huanian's "firm resolve," they might have been persuaded to buy much more.

After finishing these tasks, the two went to the Wanshi Escort Agency. Du Yunse wanted to send a letter to Wu Shen, informing him that he had passed the scholar exam.

The escort at Wanshi Escort Agency clapped his head upon seeing them. "You two came at the right time. The agency just received a letter from General Wu Shen for Mr. Du this morning. We hadn't had the chance to deliver it to Du Village before you arrived."

"Wu Shen sent me a letter?"

"Yes."

Du Yunse didn’t know why Wu Shen had suddenly sent a letter, so he took it and opened it to read.

After reading the brief letter, his brow furrowed slightly. Noticing this, Qiu Huanian asked what was wrong. Du Yunse folded the letter and tucked it into his pocket, saying they would discuss it later.

On the way back, when no one else was around, Du Yunse finally shared the contents of the letter with Qiu Huanian.

Qiu Huanian murmured in surprise, "There’s another war at the border?"

"Since the founding of the Yu Dynasty, border conflicts have been constant. However, after the Emperor personally led a campaign over a decade ago, the northern tribes have only been causing minor disturbances." Wen Huiyang was no recluse scholar. Having studied under him, Du Yunse was well-informed about border affairs.

"Wu Shen mentioned that the nomads’ recent assaults have unexpectedly intensified. He fought bravely at the Jingshan Guard post and earned merits, but due to his father’s situation, he’s unlikely to receive any official promotion or reward this time."

Wu Shen didn’t focus on this in his letter, instead highlighting his achievements while briefly mentioning the nomads’ unusual behavior and his concerns.

"Since the Emperor ascended the throne, he has vigorously reformed the military. The border is now guarded by elite troops and capable generals, far surpassing the strength of two or three decades ago. The last time the nomads breached the border was over twenty years ago, during a series of natural disasters and famines in the northeastern provinces."

"Wu Shen wrote that the nomads’ provisions seem more plentiful than usual for this time of year, and their weapons are new and sharp. Though they still fall short of the imperial army and were ultimately repelled, it’s still concerning."

Qiu Huanian frowned, deep in thought. The northern tribes are nomadic, lacking the technology to forge high-quality iron tools and unable to grow much grain.

Though their vast grasslands naturally produce excellent warhorses, their forces are short on weapons and supplies, making it hard for them to seriously threaten the Yu Dynasty’s borders.

Throughout history, all dynasties have imposed strict controls on iron tools in the grasslands, and the Yu Dynasty is no exception. The mention of the nomads having new weapons in Wu Shen’s letter is no small matter.

"Could someone from the Central Plains be secretly smuggling iron tools to the grasslands?"

Du Yunse spoke with gravity, "Weapons are strictly regulated in our dynasty. Ordinary merchants wouldn’t have the means to do this. There’s likely more to this within the court’s inner circles."

Civil officials, military leaders? Nobles, or even members of the royal family?

Du Yunse gently smoothed the worry lines from Qiu Huanian’s forehead. They were still in the countryside, far removed from these matters, and worrying wouldn’t help.

"Wu Shen must have detailed this in his memorial to the emperor. The issue of iron tools is significant, and the Emperor will investigate thoroughly."

Qiu Huanian nodded slowly. Zhang County is relatively close to the border, just three or four days’ ride by fast horse. He hoped their tranquil life would remain undisturbed.

The matters in Wu Shen’s letter were, after all, too distant from their current lives. Once back in the village, Qiu Huanian got caught up in his tasks and soon forgot about it.

A few days later, several rooms along with the corridors were completed ahead of schedule, and the carpenter delivered the doors, windows, and furniture.

Qiu Huanian hired a craftsman to install kangs in the main room and two side rooms for living, but the small rooms on either side of the main room were left without kangs.

The eastern small room was set up with a newly polished desk and a new bookshelf, serving as a study. The western small room was fitted with a large stove by the craftsman, capable of accommodating two pots, and would serve as the kitchen. Once the back rooms were built, one would be reserved as a storeroom.

The main room was for Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse to live in together, the western side room for Jiu Jiu, and the eastern side room for Chun Sheng. This way, each person finally had their own room, eliminating the need to crowd together.

As for the interior decor, Qiu Huanian decided to keep it simple for the time being, but to make living more comfortable, he prepared quite a few small items.

For example, new kang mats were placed on each bed, the bought fabric was cut and stitched into properly sized bed linens, and several more quilts and mattresses were made, all with new fabric.

As for furniture, Qiu Huanian bought some new pieces from the carpenter, but the old furniture made of sturdy wood wasn’t discarded. Qiu Huanian and his helpers sanded the old furniture, polished it with tung oil, and moved it into the new house, where it retained its charm.

On the eighteenth day of construction, the family of four finally moved from the old thatched house into the newly renovated home. The front courtyard wall was almost complete, and after they moved in, the old thatched house would be demolished to build the back rooms and garden according to Qiu Huanian’s design.

During the move, Qiu Huanian cooked the last meal using the stove in the old yard. After that, cooking would be done in the new small room, and the indoor kitchen would no longer be a problem during windy or rainy weather.

Standing in the bright and spacious house, Qiu Huanian was fine, but Chun Sheng was so excited he couldn’t speak, and Jiu Jiu stared with her mouth open for a while before suddenly wiping away tears.

Such spacious and bright brick-and-tile houses, such beautiful courtyards—even in the town, few families could afford to build something like this. Could they really own something like this?

Originally, the best house in Du Village belonged to Du Baoquan, and it was even newer than the clan leader's house. But compared to Qiu Huanian's courtyard, it paled in comparison.

Not to mention the two large wing rooms, the long eaves, and the corridors connecting the main room and the side rooms, which were styles rarely seen in the village.

Additionally, there was a row of rear annexes still under construction and a large garden with its own entrance on one side, all resembling the construction methods of city houses.

Everyone knew such houses were more beautiful and comfortable, but few in the village or countryside built like this, as it required more materials and more days of labor.

Only someone like Qiu Huanian, who had plenty of money and was willing to spend for a better quality of life, would build like this.

Even though the courtyard wasn’t fully finished, many villagers had already brought gifts of vegetables and fruits to visit and tour the place. They would then vividly describe it to friends and relatives from other villages, spreading the word of this unique courtyard even further.

The Song Juren residence in Peach Blossom Town specially sent servants to deliver a set of Ru ware tea set and a pair of vase ornaments as housewarming gifts.

After Du Yunse earned the "Little Triple Crown," the Song Juren residence became much friendlier towards them, often sending servants with small items useful for summer.

If it weren’t for the fact that they were too busy building their house, they would have probably been invited to the residence long ago.

Du Yunse accepted the gifts and took two ancient books he had hand-copied as return gifts for the Song residence servants.

These ancient books were mostly rare manuscripts not commonly found in the market. Du Yunse had the privilege of reading so many thanks to his mentor Wen Huiyang, making them perfect as return gifts.

Qiu Huanian put away the tea set and displayed the pair of peony-patterned vases on the main room table, where they complemented the central scroll he had painted.

On the first night in the new house, Qiu Huanian unexpectedly found himself unable to sleep.

Although he had shared a room with Du Yunse for more than ten days in the prefectural city and had done some bold things, that was still living as a guest. Now, lying together in their own home in the quiet of the night, the feelings were subtly but entirely different.

Qiu Huanian turned over on the brand-new bedding, propped his elbow on the pillow, and glanced over at Du Yunse, who was just an arm's length away.

Even in sleep, Du Yunse's posture was perfectly straight, with his arms flat at his sides, his jawline drawing a smooth arc in the moonlight.

Qiu Huanian reached out and gently poked Du Yunse's chin, rousing the half-asleep man beside him.

Du Yunse stirred awake, his voice hoarse as he asked, "What's wrong, Brother Hua?"

As he spoke, he was about to sit up, but Qiu Huanian quickly gestured to indicate he was fine, saying somewhat guiltily, "I didn't realize you were already asleep."

Du Yunse murmured that it was fine and got up to pour Qiu Huanian a half-cup of warm water.

Qiu Huanian took a few absent-minded sips, then lay on the pillow and said, "I can't sleep."

Du Yunse lay beside him, waiting for him to continue.

"It's just that when I think about when we first arrived, there was only a thatched house and a partially collapsed kang bed. Now we’ve built this big house, with even the floors paved in brick. It all feels a bit unreal."

When Qiu Huanian said "when we first arrived," he meant when he first transmigrated, but in Du Yunse's ears, it automatically transformed into when they first came to Du Village.

Du Yunse's chest ached with sympathy, "You've suffered."

But Qiu Huanian just smiled, "Why talk about that? There are always people worse off than us. Instead of complaining, it's better to strive hard. Look, aren't we living in a good house now?"

Du Yunse didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. Brother Hua was always like this, no matter what he faced, he was full of confidence and drive.

Once he privately joked to himself that this was called being a "grind king," Du Yunse didn't understand what it meant but remembered it anyway.

After a few words, Qiu Huanian still wasn't sleepy, but his heart became restless, and he tugged at the sleeve of Du Yunse's inner garment that was peeking out from under the quilt.

"Yun Se, don’t you have any feelings about this?"

Du Yunse didn’t understand at first. "What do you mean?"

"Look, the moon hangs above the willow branches, the door is ajar in the breeze, the moonlight shifts and the flower shadows dance—it’s as if a jade beauty is here—" (Note 1)

"Huanian!" Du Yunse quickly interrupted him, took a breath, and then asked, "Where did you learn these, these odd verses?"

He’d learned them in modern times—from TV and bookstores everywhere. They were classical opera masterpieces that defied feudal norms and celebrated human nature and love, Qiu Huanian thought to himself.

Of course, he couldn’t tell Du Yunse the truth, but Qiu Huanian found it amusing.

A boyfriend who’s too proper always makes you want to push his boundaries.

Qiu Huanian propped his sharp chin, squinting his beautiful, alluring fox-like eyes.

"What’s the harm? It’s not like I said it out loud in broad daylight."

"In the stillness of the night, even sages know that food and desire are part of human nature. Besides, haven’t you…"

"Hmm..."

Qiu Huanian’s words were cut off by a deep, lingering kiss. He gripped Du Yunse’s shoulders, a sly, triumphant smile spreading across his face.

After the kiss, Qiu Huanian had already snuck under Du Yunse’s blanket. Du Yunse held the young man in his arms, helpless but unwilling to send him away, resigning himself to testing his patience.

Qiu Huanian, now satisfied, didn’t care about any of that. Having achieved his goal, he rested his head on Du Yunse’s shoulder, a sweet smile on his lips as his breathing grew calm and steady.

Du Yunse kissed his forehead, adjusted their positions to make Qiu Huanian more comfortable, and held his little husband close as they drifted off to sleep.

...

Two days later, the courtyard walls and gates were fully constructed, and the back rooms were beginning to take shape.

Du Yunse was busy in the cotton fields, while Qiu Huanian sat alone in the main room, reading. Suddenly, he heard someone calling him from outside.

Hearing the voice, Qiu Huanian and Jiu Jiu both went to the door, opened the gate, and found a friendly villager standing outside.

"Brother Hua, I just ran into a stranger at the village entrance. He was asking about Yun Se’s house. I was worried something might be off, so I sent him on a longer route and came to warn you first."

The incident where Zhao and the Qiu family had plotted to abduct Qiu Huanian had caused quite a commotion. Now, with a stranger who didn’t sound like he was from Liaozhou asking about Du Yunse, the villagers were on edge.

"Thanks, Uncle Baozhen. What did the stranger look like?"

"A young man in his twenties, riding a horse. Nothing stood out, but his accent sounded like someone from the capital—I’ve met a few like him in the county."

After delivering the message, Baozhen left. Qiu Huanian didn’t recognize the man, but with a capital accent, he figured the stranger must be connected to Du Yunse. After a moment’s thought, he told Jiu Jiu to hurry to the fields and fetch Du Yunse.

Author's note:

Note 1: Adapted from "The Romance of the Western Chamber," a poem Cui Yingying sent to Zhang Sheng via Hongniang. After reading it, Zhang Sheng grasped her deep feelings and secretly met her at midnight.