Chapter 69: The Rejuvenation of All Things

Chapter 69: The Rejuvenation of All Things

After Zhu Jingcheng returned, he picked a day when Du Yunse was off duty and sent an invitation in advance, inviting their family to a small gathering at the Zhu family estate.

Previous visits had been too hurried, but now that they were settled in the city, it was indeed time to pay a visit.

Finally, when the day off arrived, Yun Cheng and his wife had much to catch up on, so Qiu Huanian allowed them to stay home and enjoy some private time. He and Du Yunse took Jiu Jiu and Chun Sheng, bringing a box of assorted homemade fruits as a modest gift, and drove to the Zhu family estate.

The main branch of the Zhu family lived in a courtyard adjacent to the main residence, comprising three courtyards, lavishly decorated. After marrying Su Xinbai, Zhu Jingcheng moved out to a slightly smaller nearby courtyard.

A small banquet was arranged in Zhu Jingcheng's courtyard, but before going there, they first had to visit the courtyard of the main branch to pay their respects to the mother of Zhu Jingcheng and Zhu Jingwei.

The wife of the main branch, surnamed Sheng, had married the father of the Zhu brothers and had two sons. Her husband had died several years prior, and most concubines had been sent away, leaving only one who had given birth to a daughter.

Madam Sheng had long wished to meet Qiu Huanian, and today she finally had the opportunity. She had made early preparations for the occasion.

She knew her eldest son highly esteemed Du Yunse and that her younger son's transformation was largely due to Qiu Huanian, so she naturally wouldn't obstruct.

Since the concubine's daughter was about eleven or twelve, around the same age as Jiu Jiu, Madam Sheng had the concubine and her daughter come out to meet the guests.

The young girl, named Zhu Xian, took after her mother with a full face and regular features, presenting a very dignified appearance.

From their conversation, Qiu Huanian discovered that this concubine, Madam Feng, had initially been Madam Sheng's maid. The two got along splendidly, and Madam Sheng treated Zhu Xian, the family's only daughter, with great kindness.

Although the Zhu family were merchants, they greatly valued family traditions and the education of their descendants. Zhu Xian, though still young, had already begun her studies.

Madam Sheng asked Jiu Jiu what books she had read and what she had learned. Jiu Jiu answered each question, and Madam Sheng smiled, "After all, she is the younger sister of the academy's top scholar; she has learned more than my Xian'er."

Madam Feng chimed in teasingly, "In the future, Xian'er will have to learn diligently from Miss Du."

Madam Sheng wished to foster a friendship between Jiu Jiu and Zhu Xian. Qiu Huanian observed that since arriving in the city, Jiu Jiu hadn't formed many close friendships. Seeing Zhu Xian's gentle and dignified nature, he raised no objections.

Madam Sheng gave Jiu Jiu a pair of gold filigree bracelets and a set of writing materials, and had the maids take the two young ladies out to play.

Jiu Jiu and Zhu Xian had just exchanged a few words and both had a good impression of each other. With Qiu Huanian's permission, Jiu Jiu took Zhu Xian's hand and they went out together.

Seeing her sister leave, Chun Sheng also became restless. Madam Sheng had a few maids take him out for a stroll, and Zhu Jingwei, not wanting to stay indoors, decided to join them.

"My younger brother is mischievous, I apologize for the disturbance, Madam."

"Not at all, boys at this age are all like this. Don't think Jingcheng is so steady now, he was quite clingy as a child."

"Now that I'm at this age, staying in the house all day, I just want to see more children and enjoy the lively atmosphere."

As Madam Sheng spoke, her smile faded slightly, but quickly returned to normal.

Zhu Jingcheng remained silent, not responding to his mother's words.

At that moment, a maid hurried in to announce that the eldest young mistress had returned.

Madam Sheng straightened up, and Madam Feng quickly adjusted her dress.

Soon after, Su Xinbai entered, first paying his respects to Madam Sheng, then apologizing, "I should have been at home waiting for the guests, but this morning something urgent came up at the Su family, and I was delayed for a while."

Madam Sheng did not make things difficult for Su Xinbai, "Your family matters are more important, there's nothing major here at home."

Zhu Jingcheng asked Su Xinbai, "Is there anything I can help with?"

Su Xinbai lowered his eyes and said, "It's already been resolved."

The two of them fell silent, and Su Xinbai walked over to sit on the chair next to Zhu Jingcheng, without any interaction.

Madam Sheng frowned slightly, while Feng Yiniang kept her eyes downcast and remained silent.

Madam Sheng chatted with Qiu Huanian, thanking him for securing a proper job for her second son. She invited Qiu Huanian to drop by the Zhu family anytime he was free. Then, claiming she was tired and needed to rest, she asked Zhu Jingcheng and Su Xinbai to take good care of the guests.

Zhu Jingcheng had already arranged for the kitchen to prepare a banquet, set up in the hallway of his courtyard. They ate and chatted with Qiu Huanian's family, enjoying a very pleasant time.

The servants brought Jiu Jiu and Chun Sheng back safely, and Chun Sheng had received a pile of toys, all bought by Zhu Jingwei.

Seeing Zhu Jingcheng about to scold him, Zhu Jingwei quickly raised his hand in surrender, "Brother, everyone says I've come a long way in the past six months. Don't embarrass me in front of the guests."

Zhu Jingcheng shook his head helplessly, "You're already at marriageable age, but you're still so playful. Mother can't even find a suitable wife for you. You need to be more mature."

Zhu Jingwei shrugged, "These things depend on fate. After all, as the younger son, I don't have to manage the family business. I just want to find someone I click with. I can't be like—"

Zhu Jingcheng put down his wine cup, making a noticeable sound on the table, and Zhu Jingwei quickly fell silent.

Su Xinbai picked up a small bite of food and ate it calmly, as if he hadn't heard anything.

Qiu Huanian glanced around, exchanged a look with Du Yunse, and wisely decided not to intervene.

Zhu Jingcheng had some confidential news that he didn't want too many people to hear, so after the meal, he made an excuse to invite Du Yunse to his study for a detailed discussion.

Zhu Jingwei took the children to play. Chun Sheng, still unsure how to use several of his toys, clung tightly to Zhu Jingwei.

Outside, the sky had darkened, and a chill was setting in. Su Xinbai invited Qiu Huanian to sit in his room.

Su Xinbai naturally resided in the main room of the small courtyard. When Qiu Huanian entered, he found the three main rooms filled with bookshelves and desks, elegantly decorated with a faint scent of wood. The shelves were filled with books Su Xinbai usually enjoyed reading.

"I don't usually entertain guests here, so there aren't many places to sit. Let's not be formal. Come with me to the inner room and sit on the Hu bed."

Behind the jade-colored silk curtain in the inner room, besides a small kang, there was a Hu bed papered with purple paulownia and elephant patterns. In front of the Hu bed was a brazier burning silver charcoal, covered with a lilac-colored brocade quilt and white lamb's wool, with several vermillion pillows embroidered with floral and bird patterns. It looked both opulent and cozy.

Qiu Huanian noticed that Su Xinbai's attire and the room's decor had a certain clash—simple and elegant elements mixed with opulent and lavish touches.

This contrast was appealing; it made his demeanor even more mysterious and noble.

Sitting on the soft Hu bed, Qiu Huanian stretched lazily and joked in the warm room, "The Hu bed is much more comfortable than a chair. Xinbai, you really know how to enjoy life."

Su Xinbai remained silent.

Auntie Qiao, standing nearby, chuckled, "This was all set up by the eldest young master."

So it was Zhu Jingcheng's arrangement, no wonder Su Xinbai remained silent. Qiu Huanian didn't know what to say either. His eyes scanned the room and noticed something amiss.

On the small kang in the inner room, there was only one set of bedding that showed signs of use. On the purple copper-carved clothes rack, there were only Su Xinbai's usual clothes.

It seemed that this inner room was only occupied by Su Xinbai alone.

Qiu Huanian frowned almost imperceptibly. The relationship between Zhu Jingcheng and Su Xinbai was even more strained than he had thought.

In Qiu Huanian's view, both of them were good people, with compatible personalities and interests. How had they ended up like this?

He couldn't help but wonder what had happened in the past to bring about this mismatched marriage, leading to the current situation.

It wasn't until Su Xinbai called him that Qiu Huanian snapped out of his thoughts.

"Xinbai, what did you just say?"

"On the Flower Festival, which falls on February 12th, the noble ladies of Xiangping Prefecture will go for an outing to Xiuyan Mountain. I was wondering if you'd like to bring Jiu Jiu along."

"Are you going?"

"I'll probably bring Xian'er and a younger sister from my mother's side. That's mainly why my family called me back this time."

"Su Xinyue?" Qiu Huanian remembered the young lady from the Su family he met while buying a cat.

Su Xinbai was somewhat surprised, "Not her, but how do you know her, Huanian?"

Qiu Huanian vaguely replied, "I bumped into her while shopping outside once."

Su Xinbai, looking at Qiu Huanian's expression, had already guessed most of it.

"I guess she must have offended you."

"Someone else had a run-in with her; I was just watching." Qiu Huanian decided to speak his mind, "Your sister's personality is nothing like yours."

Su Xinbai shook his head, "She was raised by a concubine, and my stepmother pretty much ignores her, lets her do as she pleases. My stepmother knows her nature and doesn't trust her to take her younger sister out, so she entrusted me with it."

"In your big families, with all those wives, concubines, and kids, it's hard to keep track of who's who."

Su Xinbai sighed lightly, as only the servants who had grown up with him were in the room, he could speak more freely.

"My father's household is pretty straightforward, with just two main wives and two concubines. You know, even some low-ranking officials, not even seventh or eighth rank, have households with over ten wives and concubines."

"Even in the Zhu family, other branches have concubines and secondary wives who are like half-masters, often more than a dozen."

"People say it's a sign of a prosperous family with lots of kids." Su Xinbai's voice paused, "Let's just call it a good thing."

The young lad Dian Mo, who had grown up with Su Xinbai, pursed his lips, "Why are you saying that, young master? You don't really think that way."

Su Xinbai was about to scold Dian Mo for his rudeness, but Qiu Huanian laughed, "Dian Mo's right, there's no one else here, so why not be honest? Bottling things up can make you sick."

Su Xinbai stayed silent but didn't object. Qiu Huanian knew that Su Xinbai's personality was sometimes like a sealed gourd, not expecting him to speak out, so he directly communicated with Dian Mo.

"Tell me, what's really on your young master's mind?"

Over the years, Su Xinbai never moved on, and Dian Mo could only watch in frustration. Finally meeting someone like Qiu Huanian who could reach Su Xinbai, he jumped at the chance.

"I can't say much about other things, but as for taking concubines... Today, when the young master went back to his mother's family, the mistress mentioned that even though the Zhu family respects our Su family, the young master's been married for years without any news. The Zhu family's eldest young master, the eldest grandson, isn't getting any younger, and the Zhu family must be getting anxious."

"At the very least, let the young master pick a few good ones to bring into the household, have a kid or two, to stop the gossip and avoid being called jealous and barren."

"Master Qiu, you should've seen it—my young master's face changed right away. If others hadn't been there, he might've cried—"

"Dian Mo!" Su Xinbai interrupted.

Dian Mo stuck out his tongue, "Don't get mad at me for speaking up, but this can't be ignored. Before it gets worse, you and Master Qiu should talk it over, let him help you figure something out."

"..."

"No wonder when I mentioned big families, you brought up concubines—turns out you're dealing with a problem." Qiu Huanian held Su Xinbai's cold hand.

Even in the room with the charcoal fire burning, Su Xinbai's body was still cold, even Qiu Huanian, a long-term patient, was warmer than him.

Qiu Huanian could feel that although Su Xinbai always maintained his calm and indifferent demeanor, his fingertips and eyelashes were trembling slightly.

"If you care about this, why not talk it over properly with the eldest young master of the Zhu family?"

"Given the eldest young master's character, if you speak up, he will surely respect you, and the Zhu family won't dare to force you. Moreover, I can see that the eldest young master is clearly very attentive to you. Besides the reclining bed, there must be quite a few things in this room that he has added, right?"

Dian Mo nodded beside him, "Throughout the year, in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, all the food, drinks, and entertainment items, the eldest young master has never missed a single thing. He personally selects and sends them according to my young master's preferences, all of which are precious items."

"Originally, when the head of the Su family decided to marry the young master into the Zhu family, I was quite discontent. But over the years, the eldest young master of the Zhu family has truly been exceptional. His appearance, character, and scholarship are all top-notch, and more importantly, he is very attentive to the young master, without any scandals. It's just that the young master still..."

Su Xinbai slightly frowned and exhaled, "You wouldn't understand."

Qiu Huanian and Dian Mo waited for him to speak.

After a long silence, he finally spoke with great difficulty, each word requiring immense effort.

"When I first came to the Zhu family, I was too proud and arrogant, and with him... it's already irreparable."

"The way he treats me now is just like the rest of the Zhu family, out of deference to the Su family. I also... don't want to push this."

Su Xinbai seemed to have used up all his words, slightly turning his head away, indicating he didn't want to discuss it further.

"When he personally tells me he wants to take on a concubine, I will agree. It's not a big deal."

In the lamplight, Su Xinbai's profile was illuminated, his long eyelashes slightly glistening, with red marks at the corners of his eyes, like a stroke of vermilion in the endless snow.

"..."

Qiu Huanian knew that such a deep-seated issue couldn't be untied in a short while, so he decided not to provoke him for now and would find a better opportunity to persuade him later.

This year's Flower Morning Festival spring outing was held at Xiuyan Mountain, where Qingfeng Academy is also located. It is said that the headmaster of the academy, Min, has agreed to allow the distinguished guests to enter the academy for a tour and relax.

Qiu Huanian wanted to visit Qingfeng Academy to see the environment where Du Yunse usually studies and promised to take Jiu Jiu along.

He didn't need to worry about the spring outing spots and invitations; with Su Xinbai's influence, adding a few more people was no trouble.

...

Time flew by, and after the Dragon Head-raising Festival, following the Rain Water solar term, the earth thawed, and everything began to revive.

A chilly drizzle in early spring heralded the start of another planting season.

Qiu Huanian invited Su Xinbai to visit the rural estate to check the situation.

Early in the morning, Su Xinbai came to Qiu Huanian's house to meet. When he entered, Qiu Huanian was reluctantly taking his medicine, taking several sips to finish a small bowl of bitter medicinal brew. As soon as he put down the bowl, he immediately grabbed some preserved fruit to eat.

"Your health is really difficult to maintain," Su Xinbai said, encountering someone who had to take medicine every day throughout the year for the first time.

Qiu Huanian smiled bitterly, "I don't know when I'll get better, and the medicine is almost finished again."

Day by day, money flows like water into medicine.

Su Xinbai said, "Tell me which ingredients are missing, and I'll have someone find them for you."

Qiu Huanian relaxed his furrowed brows, "I plan to go for a follow-up with Old Physician Gu after finishing the remaining medicine. If there's a new prescription, I'll prepare the medicine accordingly."

"Is it the former imperial physician, Gu Shengshou?"

"It should be him. Yun Se said Old Physician Gu is a retired imperial physician from the palace."

Su Xinbai nodded, "After returning to his hometown, Gu Shengshou has been living in seclusion, usually only allowing his son to practice medicine. It's not easy to invite him. With him checking your pulse, I am relieved."

Qiu Huanian asked curiously, "With such excellent medical skills, why did Old Physician Gu return to his hometown? If you can tell me, please do; if not, it's okay."

After getting to know Su Xinbai, Qiu Huanian's "gossip network" expanded once again. Su Xinbai's background and upbringing allowed him to know many things that ordinary people would never know in their lifetime.

Su Xinbai sat down opposite Qiu Huanian, who offered him some preserved fruit. Su Xinbai paused briefly before putting it into his mouth.

"I only know the rumors circulating outside. This matter is related to the Crown Prince."

"The Crown Prince?" Qiu Huanian thought of Sixteen, wondering how the ever-contradictory young man was doing recently.

"Rumors say that the current Emperor and the late empress were deeply in love. The late empress followed the Emperor during his uprising, which took a toll on her health. She died shortly after the Emperor ascended the throne, leaving behind their only child, the current Crown Prince, who also suddenly fell seriously ill."

"The Emperor called upon the best doctors from across the country to treat the Crown Prince, but none could diagnose the illness. Only Dr. Gu, after consulting countless ancient texts, claimed the Crown Prince was poisoned, not ill, and that the poisoning had occurred since he was in the womb."

"The Emperor, in a rage, accused Dr. Gu of fear-mongering and wanted to punish him. It was the great scholar Wen Huiyang, then still in the Hanlin Academy, who spoke up and saved Dr. Gu."

"After that, Dr. Gu retired to his hometown, no longer serving as a royal physician."

Though these events were told plainly, one could still sense the tension and danger of those times. Qiu Huanian was shocked, "So, what happened to the Crown Prince's illness...?"

Su Xinbai shook his head, "This is a secret unknown to outsiders. Whether it was an illness or poison has never been confirmed. Regardless, the Crown Prince has grown safely to over twenty years old, though his condition has kept recurring. That's why the second prince has been married for several years, while the Crown Prince remains unmarried."

"These matters should only be discussed privately, but it's best not to talk about them in front of outsiders, lest we be accused of slandering the Crown Prince."

Qiu Huanian nodded, feeling a weight in his heart.

Du Yunse, Wu Shen, and the Crown Prince were all deeply connected, and Sixteen was the Crown Prince's personal guard. If something happened to the Crown Prince, Qiu Huanian wondered what would become of the people he cared about.

No matter how the dark clouds churned on the horizon, they could not stop the green sprouts from breaking through the soil.

Qiu Huanian and Su Xinbai took a carriage out of the city. In the exposed black soil of the countryside, a thin veil of green grass could already be seen, though it disappeared upon closer inspection.

Qiu Huanian's home was located in the southern part of the city, not far from the southern gate. The carriage ride took less than an hour to reach the previously chosen estate.

Old Dengtou had received the message in advance and brought all the tenant farmers to the estate to welcome them, making a grand display.

"Eldest young mistress, Master Qiu, all the tenant farmers on our estate are here, except for one young man who recently fled from famine and is too sick to rise. Please take a look."

Qiu Huanian gave Su Xinbai a "look at this" glance, eager to hear Old Dengtou's introduction.

There were thirteen households of tenant farmers living on the estate, from large families of over a dozen members to those who had fled from famine, forming households of one or two people.

There were twenty-eight able-bodied men and women, seven children under twelve, and eleven elderly people over fifty, totaling forty-six people.

Thirty acres of land didn't require so many hands; most of the labor was needed to tend to the five acres of plum trees. Harvesting plums each summer was a big job, and sometimes they had to hire extra help from outside.

Su Xinbai's family was wealthy and managed the estate leniently, so the tenant farmers lived well, without looking malnourished or poorly clothed.

Qiu Huanian calculated that, with two people tending to every three acres of cotton fields, the current workforce was barely sufficient. They would figure out a solution when it came time to pick the plums.

"Estate Manager Deng, how is the new ledger coming along?"

"It's all done, just waiting for Master Qiu to review it!"

Estate Manager Deng presented the new ledger, and Qiu Huanian asked him to walk through it, explaining each section as they went.

After Qiu Huanian's scrutiny, the ledger now included two acres of vegetable fields, five sheep, six pigs, one dairy cow, and a flock of chickens, ducks, and geese.

As Qiu Huanian reviewed each section, he asked the other tenant farmers related questions, ensuring everything matched up.

Old Dengtou's heart raced, grateful he hadn't cut corners this time, or else he might have really lost his position as estate manager.

After a few subtle reprimands, Old Deng wouldn’t dare cause trouble for at least a few years.

Once he confirmed the manor was in order, Qiu Huanian instructed the tenant farmers not to rush into plowing the fields but to start with cotton seedling propagation.

This time, instead of dictating orally, he brought a copy of the seedling propagation section from his agricultural book. He split the tenant farmers into two groups: those who could read a little and those who couldn’t read at all, letting them learn from the book while he supervised.

Led by Old Deng, those who could read a little learned quickly. However, those who couldn’t read at all, relying only on the pictures, still misunderstood some parts. Qiu Huanian noted the issues, planning to revise the illustrations when he got back.

The tenant farmers were surprised and confused by Qiu Huanian’s plan to grow cotton on the manor, but no one questioned it. After all, Su Xinbai had promised them the same amount of grain as last year, no matter how the crops turned out. They were just tenant farmers; their job was to work, so why bother with the details?

By the afternoon, Qiu Huanian was feeling tired. Su Xinbai had arranged for the main residence on the manor to be cleaned in advance and asked if he wanted to soak in the hot spring.

Qiu Huanian perked up and agreed with a smile.

The backyard of the main residence had a heated pavilion with a small stone pool fed by a hot spring. The water came up to just below Qiu Huanian’s chest, but for Du Yunse, it would only reach his waist.

The heated pavilion was already filled with hot spring water, and the steam fogged up Qiu Huanian’s vision. The servants had set up a screen in the middle of the pool, so Qiu Huanian couldn’t see Su Xinbai on the other side, but he could hear his voice.

Qiu Huanian sank into the warm, almost scalding water, sighing contentedly as he splashed the surface.

"Can this hot spring cook eggs? Have you tried it?"

Su Xinbai’s cool voice was muffled by the steam, "...Cook eggs? I haven’t been here before. Do you want to try?"

"Never mind, I don’t feel like getting out. We can try next time; the manor isn’t going anywhere."

Qiu Huanian stared at the steam for a while, then softly asked Su Xinbai, "Xinbai, since it’s just us here, can you tell me what you really think about Jingcheng?"

"A lifetime together—what else is there to think about?"

Qiu Huanian chuckled, "You’re too stubborn. Don’t blame me for being blunt."

"Just answer directly: Would you be willing to see him have children with someone else? Would you be willing to have children with him?"

"..."

On the other side of the screen, even the faint sound of water seemed to disappear.

Qiu Huanian waited for a long time. Just as he thought he wouldn’t get an answer today, Su Xinbai’s distant, muffled voice finally came through the steam.

"...That would depend on if he wants to have kids with me."