Chapter 76: Servants

Chapter 76: Servants

The sudden arrest and exile of the imperial envoy Zhao Tianyu to a thousand miles away caused immediate turmoil in both the court and the public as soon as the news broke.

In Liaozhou, it wasn’t just Zhao Tianyu who fell from grace, but most of the arrangements made by the second prince and his maternal grandfather at the border were also exposed to the light, subtly implicating Prince Pingxian as well.

This incident, much like the corruption case involving the crown prince in Jiangnan last year, was bound to cause significant trouble for the second prince.

The third prince, already enfeoffed, became even more prominent and unstoppable.

Since Du Yunse was responsible for the confiscation of Zhao Tianyu's property, the emperor's attitude towards the crown prince's house arrest was reevaluated by those with ulterior motives.

Those who had previously backed the wrong horse or were eager to act now had their own plans.

Despite the turbulent times, Du Yunse, as previously agreed, accompanied Qiu Huanian for a follow-up consultation during his day off.

The two traveled by carriage through the bustling streets of the prefectural city, where the confiscation of the imperial envoy's property was still the hottest topic.

Qiu Huanian overheard many people in the carriage talking about the handsome scholar who led the operation yesterday.

Some said the scholar was another imperial envoy; others claimed he was a noble from the capital, and some even spun romantic tales, inventing several beauties and concocting a dramatic love story.

Qiu Huanian found it hilarious, winking at Du Yunse and laughing.

Du Yunse sighed helplessly. Well, as long as Brother Hua was happy, that was all that mattered.

"What will become of Zhao Tianyu's family?"

"His wife, coming from a prominent family, should be able to negotiate a divorce to avoid exile. Those in Xiangping Prefecture are the concubines he acquired in the past six months, lacking even concubine documents, so they can only be treated as servants and confiscated by the state."

"Confiscated?"

"The court has specialized officials who transport confiscated slaves to other regions for sale, with the proceeds going to the state."

Qiu Huanian sighed, feeling a bit alarmed and reminding himself to be cautious, as it was all too easy to fall into an irredeemable situation in ancient times.

He inexplicably thought of Sixteen, who seemed to have been conscripted into the palace as a guard after his family's confiscation, enduring hardships from a young age, with even his original name forgotten.

Du Yunse brushed the stray hair from Qiu Huanian's temple, "Once the title is conferred, Brother Hua can have servants, making life easier."

Qiu Huanian nodded. Having traveled to this era, and with Du Yunse destined to take the imperial exams and become an official, Qiu Huanian wasn’t particularly opposed to having servants. However, he certainly wouldn’t treat them as less than human, as many ancient people did.

"I'll ask Xinbai how many are needed; we can't afford to be extravagant now."

Old Man Zhou guided the carriage to the clinic run by Old Physician Gu's son, whose medical skills, though not as advanced as his father's, were still renowned. Many people were coming and going at the clinic's entrance.

Du Yunse had sent a notice in advance, and the Gu family led them to the main house at the back.

A skilled physician is always in demand. Although Old Physician Gu was forced to leave the capital, he lived well, with a finely built and harmonious home, a perfect place for a peaceful retirement.

Qiu Huanian sat opposite Old Physician Gu, who twisted his beard, observed, listened, and asked questions before slowly nodding.

"Your health is better than I expected last year, showing proper care and continuous use of precious medicines."

Du Yunse's expression softened immediately, and he bowed solemnly, "Please, sir, prescribe a new remedy."

Old Physician Gu shook his head, "I am just a retired old man, unworthy of such respect from someone as prominent as you."

"A physician's heart is benevolent; I will naturally prescribe. But do not forget your initial promise and do not betray all this."

Old Physician Gu wrote out the prescription and had his family take it to the nearby pharmacy to prepare the medicine. Except for a few rare medicinal herbs, the rest were all available.

This time, since they had the funds, Old Physician Gu didn’t hesitate to charge ten taels, including the consultation fee.

The cost was high, but it was worth every penny. After all, even many dignitaries in Xiangping Prefecture wanted to consult Old Physician Gu but couldn’t get an appointment.

"This prescription works gently, taking effect gradually over time. You should take it until this winter, and then come back to see me."

Old Physician Gu checked Qiu Huanian's pulse again to confirm.

"If you continue to take care of yourself like this, in a few years, you might still be able to conceive."

"But it will depend on your physical condition at that time."

As a physician, Old Physician Gu spoke very matter-of-factly, but Qiu Huanian’s face began to blush.

He had found Su Xinbai’s situation amusing earlier, but now it was his turn.

Qiu Huanian averted his gaze, avoiding Du Yunse’s eyes, pretending nothing was happening.

Compared to Su Xinbai, he still had time—at least until he achieved success in the imperial examinations.

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse bid farewell and left. Du Yunse helped Qiu Huanian into the carriage.

Qiu Huanian set the medicine aside and noticed Du Yunse was in an unusually good mood.

"Are you thrilled to hear we might still have children?"

"I'm happy that your health has improved," Du Yunse said. "As for children, as long as there’s even a slight risk, I won’t let you bear them."

Did ancient times even have reliable contraception? Qiu Huanian couldn’t help but wonder.

"I’ll take the contraceptive brew," Du Yunse said calmly and seriously.

Qiu Huanian turned to look out the carriage window, his small earlobes turning pink under his hair, and the corners of his lips curling up slightly.

...

Ten days later, a courier on horseback delivered the imperial edict appointing Qiu Huanian as Township Lord, along with the news that the Emperor had finally lifted the Crown Prince's house arrest.

It was said that the incident involving the Second Prince made the Emperor realize that the Crown Prince's mistakes were not irredeemable.

The Crown Prince seized the chance to present the draft of Qiu Huanian’s agricultural book, along with many agricultural books compiled by the imperial library, saying that during his year of house arrest, he had focused on correcting his mistakes and studying agricultural texts. Now, his sole focus was farming, and he asked his father to let him work on the imperial estates to set an example for the realm’s farmers.

Compared to the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, who had condoned corrupt officials stealing from the people, appeared even more despicable.

The Emperor ended the Crown Prince’s house arrest but didn’t restore his court privileges or reopen the Wenhua Pavilion for his instruction. The Crown Prince remained powerless.

Even though Qiu Huanian's agricultural book had not yet been completed or presented, nor had its effectiveness been confirmed, he was granted the title of Township Lord. Besides Du Yunse's petition, the Crown Prince also played a role in this.

On the day of the edict, Du Yunse took leave from the academy to return home, and the two bathed and dressed formally to receive the decree.

After the messenger left, the rest of the household learned of this stunning news.

Qiu Huanian carefully stored the bright yellow imperial edict in an ornately carved wooden box and placed it on the main table in the central room.

Just by sitting there, it served as a talisman.

Qiu Huanian’s title of Township Lord was personally bestowed by the Emperor, so the officials from the Ministry of Rites did not dare to be negligent. The ceremonial robes and rewards for the Township Lord were also prepared and delivered together.

The ceremonial attire worn by the Township Lords of the Yu Dynasty is uniformly made of luxurious vermilion-colored palace silk with Taiping floral patterns, embroidered with auspicious clouds and cranes, and the headdress is made of tortoiseshell and pearls. The styles for women and young men differ, but both are equally dignified and grand.

Since Qiu Huanian's body measurements were unknown, the ceremonial attire was made with extra allowance. Once delivered, it could be tweaked by skilled embroiderers.

The luxurious vermilion-colored palace silk, even indoors, shimmered with brilliance. The embroidery on it was strikingly lifelike, representing the highest craftsmanship of the Yu Dynasty's imperial weaving workshop.

Once the ceremonial attire was laid out, everyone urged Qiu Huanian to try it on. Excited, Qiu Huanian slipped behind the screen to change out of his outer garments and then emerged wearing the full set of ceremonial attire.

The vermilion silk draped over his body, the hidden patterns flickering in and out of view. The sheen of the silk reflected off his delicate, fair skin, making the young beauty seem to emit a hazy glow, like the moon emerging from clouds.

Du Yunse couldn't help but hold his breath.

Qiu Huanian gave him a soft smile, looking like a celestial being stepping out of an ancient painting.

"How do I look?"

"You look stunning, as always," Du Yunse said, his eyes shining.

Feeling a bit shy with others around, Qiu Huanian turned to inspect the other rewards.

As a Township Lord, Qiu Huanian was entitled to a monthly stipend of fifteen taels of silver and an annual allowance of thirty dan of rice, enough to provide a very comfortable life for an ordinary family.

Qiu Huanian received the Township Lord's identity token, which would allow him to collect his stipend regularly at the local government office. The monthly stipend would be collected each month, while the rice allowance would be collected in one go during the autumn harvest.

The token and the ceremonial attire were standard rewards. Additionally, the emperor granted him two skilled craftsmen, urging him to diligently study agriculture and not to let down the emperor's trust. The craftsmen could not be transported quickly by horse and would arrive in a few days.

The Crown Prince also presented several boxes of high-quality tribute medicine, citing his appreciation for the agricultural book Qiu Huanian had written.

To Qiu Huanian's surprise, the imperial concubine Kang also sent gifts—a total of twelve bolts of palace gauze and silk, along with two boxes of palace-made jewelry, all extremely lavish.

Though Concubine Kang claimed it was to congratulate a talented fellow townsman, Qiu Huanian remained puzzled.

After Du Yunse jogged his memory, Qiu Huanian recalled that a year ago, Du Yunse and Wu Shen had inadvertently solved a child abduction case involving Concubine Kang's younger brother, who had been abducted in his childhood.

Concubine Kang had intended to reward them then, but due to various reasons, it hadn't happened. This time, she seized the chance of Qiu Huanian's appointment as Township Lord to combine the previous reward with this one.

Regarding the abduction case, one of the victims, Wei Li, was still staying in the main house.

After Zhao Tianyu's family was stripped of their assets, Wei Li was no longer in danger, but his health had deteriorated during his time as a wanderer. Terrified, he became gravely ill. Out of pity, Qiu Huanian had Old Man Zhou fetch his aunt, Granny Wei, from the village to stay with him and aid his recovery.

This aunt was not Wei Li's biological aunt, but both shared the surname Wei and had met while wandering, relying on each other for survival.

Granny Wei happened to have a nephew named Wei Yue, who had unfortunately died during a famine. Granny Wei then let Wei Li take on this identity so he could find a place to settle down.

Since the guest room in the house was empty anyway, Qiu Huanian told Wei Li that Zhao Tianyu had been punished and urged him to rest and recover, while also thinking about his future.

Wei Li stared blankly, tears streaming down his face, and suddenly knelt on the ground, vowing to serve Qiu Huanian for the rest of his life in gratitude.

Qiu Huanian quickly helped him back onto the kang, urging him not to overthink it. He had saved Wei Li out of kindness, not for any reward.

The news of Qiu Huanian's appointment as Township Lord spread, and acquaintances came to congratulate him.

Although it was only the lowest rank of Township Lord, it was still a legitimate title, marking his entry into the noble class.

From then on, Qiu Huanian could meet officials without bowing, participate in noble social circles, command servants, and be addressed with respect.

The closest and quickest to react was naturally Su Xinbai.

The imperial decree arrived in the morning, and by afternoon, he had come to visit.

"This is wonderful. Although your heart is not in seeking glory and honor, having the title of Township Lord will make everything more convenient for you."

"On such a joyous occasion, you can't refuse my gift."

Su Xinbai preemptively insisted, and of course, it was a grand gesture. He straight up gave Qiu Huanian the small estate where cotton was grown.

Qiu Huanian held the deed, both amused and overwhelmed, "This..."

A forty-acre estate, with five acres of plum trees, a well-built main house, and a hot spring, definitely worth two to three hundred taels of silver, and Su Xinbai just handed it over like it was nothing.

"Since you were granted the title of Township Lord because of cotton, this estate is a hundred times better off in your hands than in mine."

"Moreover, your help and friendship towards me, how could a mere estate ever compare?"

Qiu Huanian couldn't help but accept, "When your child is born, I will definitely prepare a generous gift in return."

Su Xinbai's usually cold face instantly flushed with discomfort.

The two were talking in the garden pavilion, with no one else nearby. Qiu Huanian inquired eagerly, "How is it going, any progress?"

Su Xinbai feigned ignorance, "What progress?"

Qiu Huanian smiled and said, "Naturally, mutual affection, like lovebirds frolicking in the water..."

Su Xinbai quickly clamped a hand over Qiu Huanian's mouth, "How can you say such things!"

Qiu Huanian mumbled, yielding, "I'm just concerned about you! Didn't you just talk about our friendship? If there's any difficulty, I can help you with ideas."

Su Xinbai sat up straight, struggling to find the right words.

"Is it that you're not up to it? Or is he not up to it?"

Su Xinbai took a deep breath, knowing he had to speak immediately to stop Qiu Huanian from dropping another bombshell.

"Although my relationship with the eldest young master has improved a lot, it still remains strictly proper. It has been like this for years, how should I proceed, how..."

Su Xinbai pursed his lips, turned his head away, his slender fingers wrinkling his sleeves.

Qiu Huanian thought for a moment. Truth be told, he had no practical experience either, but with Su Xinbai, one dared to ask, and the other dared to advise.

"Maybe you can take a cue from those romance novels?"

"Huh?"

"In those romantic novels, there are many such scenes. You are so good-looking, with a little effort, wouldn't the other person be swayed?"

Su Xinbai, who had read extensively, had also sneaked a peek at those risqué topics, "That's too frivolous."

He thought of something, his usually cold face suddenly turned a deep pink, like a crystal-clear cold jade tinged with warmth, his long eyelashes fluttering.

"Between husbands, the intimacy between spouses, how can that be called frivolous?"

Qiu Huanian laughed, "If it really doesn't work, why don't you buy a pot of spring wine and get him to drink it?"

"..." Su Xinbai was silent for a moment, "I shouldn't have asked you."

Qiu Huanian couldn't help but laugh, planning to ask Su Xinbai every few days to tease him.

After becoming a Township Lord, Qiu Huanian intended to host a banquet, partly to celebrate, and partly to get to know people and step into the social circle.

He took stock of the assets he had at home and retrieved a dusty box of jewelry.

"I don't know much about the craftsmanship and value of jewelry, Xinbai. Can you help me see how much these are worth?"

These pieces of jewelry were extorted by Qiu Huanian from Bai Yanwen at a banquet in The Garden of Harvested Blooms in Zhang County last year.

Back then, Qiu Huanian didn't grasp the full implications, so he hadn't sold them off.

Now that the imperial inspector, Zhao Tianyu, had been arrested, and his family's property was confiscated, Qiu Huanian could finally sell them for money.

Su Xinbai quickly looked through them, not knowing much more than Qiu Huanian.

"Most are silver or gilded, with some decent-quality pearls. The most expensive should be this filigree peony hairpin inlaid with precious stones. I'll take it back and consult someone more knowledgeable."

Qiu Huanian said, "If everything checks out, go ahead and sell them for me. I'll use the proceeds to throw a small banquet."

Su Xinbai advised, "This is your first banquet as the Township Lord. Think carefully about who to invite and how to organize the event. Sadly, I'm not much help in this area either."

His new status came with new responsibilities, and Qiu Huanian nodded, "There's still some time, no rush. I'll figure it out slowly."

When it came to hosting a banquet, naturally, he needed to buy servants.

Su Xinbai explained to Qiu Huanian that while private brokers had decent servants, their backgrounds might be unclear, and they might lack experience.

Now that Qiu Huanian was eligible to buy from official brokers, it was best to purchase from them, selecting experienced servants from the households of officials who had been convicted. It was better to buy them as families rather than individually, as they would be easier to handle.

Qiu Huanian heeded the advice and chose a good day to first collect his monthly stipend, then went to the official broker to outline his needs.

The broker's manager bowed respectfully and greeted Qiu Huanian.

"Township Lord, you've arrived at just the right time. This month, several groups of people have been brought in from the south and west, and not all of them have been chosen yet. Let me recommend a few candidates to you."

Servants confiscated from households and those reduced to slavery were usually not dealt with locally. The official broker would break them into small family units and send them far away for sale, ensuring they couldn't cause any trouble.

Qiu Huanian's requirements were simple: a good cook, a coachman who could also do some needlework, and that was it.

The broker's manager quickly thought of suitable candidates, "We have a couple just over fifty, with a granddaughter around ten. They used to work in the household of a magistrate in the south. When the magistrate was convicted and his property confiscated, they were taken in."

"The woman worked in the kitchen and knows some needlework. The man fed the horses, so he naturally knows how to drive a carriage. The granddaughter can also work. If you have young masters in your household, she could be useful."

The broker's manager knew the details of these servants well.

"Why only the old couple and granddaughter? Where are the rest of their family?"

"Their son died before the confiscation. The daughter-in-law, being somewhat attractive, was specially assigned to be sold elsewhere, probably far away."

Seeing Qiu Huanian silent, the manager speculated, "The little girl is twelve, doesn't take after her mother in looks, quite ordinary, and obedient. Township Lord, you needn't worry."

Some people pick servants based on looks, while others prefer plain appearances. The manager had seen it all.

Qiu Huanian, of course, wasn't worried about that. He sighed inwardly, "Take me to see them."

The manager smiled and led the way, bowing slightly.

The three of them—old and young—lacked any particularly skilled craft. Buying them as a family wasn't ideal, but the best isn't always the most suitable. For Qiu Huanian, these three would suffice.

The official broker's backyard had several rows of low, long barracks, all with large communal beds. The servants awaiting sale lived together in small family units.

After all, they were to be sold for profit, so the brokers at the official market didn’t deliberately mistreat them. The servants inside were decently dressed and looked healthy, but their expressions were filled with anxiety and unease.

The steward led Qiu Huanian over, standing in the courtyard, and everyone obediently lowered their heads, unable to resist sneaking glances at Qiu Huanian.

Seeing that Qiu Huanian was young and kind-faced, not the type of master who enjoyed tormenting others, many hoped he would buy their whole family, sparing them from more fear and hardship.

If they remained unsold, the official market wouldn’t keep idle people, and who knew what fate might await them.

In a corner, a lone young woman gritted her teeth, her beautiful eyes narrowing slightly, as if contemplating something.

Qiu Huanian was so young and buying servants on his own—he must already be married. His husband probably wasn’t much older either. If she could just get in, she’d find a way to rise. The only worry was that Qiu Huanian might be shrewd and unwilling to buy a pretty servant girl...

She pinched her carefully kept long red nails, hesitating whether to risk it.

She’d been daydreaming too long when someone tapped her from behind.

"Zao'er, the steward told us to get back to work. What are you doing standing here?"

The steward’s sharp eyes were already on her. Zao'er gritted her teeth and had no choice but to turn and leave.

Too bad. If Qiu Huanian’s husband had accompanied him today, she could’ve tripped and twisted her ankle, throwing herself into his arms to seduce him into taking her away.

Who knew when the next buyer would show up?

Zao'er had once lived like a young lady, accompanying her former mistress in luxury since childhood. She never imagined living in such a dump!

It was all Mrs. Song’s two-faced fault. On the surface, she had kindly let her go, but it was all just an act to appease Chi Qinghe. In the end, Mrs. Song had sent a report to the county office accusing her of stealing from the household. When she went to clear her name, she was caught.

After being taken by the official market, she was transported to the west to be sold. She had finally climbed to the position of a concubine, only to offend the main wife and be sent back to the official market, eventually being brought back to Xiangping Prefecture.

Zao'er’s nails nearly pierced her skin.

Returning to Xiangping Prefecture—wasn’t this one-in-a-million chance fate? If she ever made it big, she’d make Mrs. Song and Chi Qinghe pay!

...

Qiu Huanian had never seen Zao'er in person, so he naturally didn’t recognize the servant girl who had once incited her mistress, Chi Qinghe, to drown herself in the river just so she could return home.

His gaze fell on the grandfather, grandmother, and granddaughter brought over by the steward.

The three of them, knowing they weren’t easy to sell, were visibly nervous, their faces wearing cautious smiles, praying to catch Qiu Huanian’s eye.

Qiu Huanian asked them kindly what they were good at, and it matched what the steward had said.

All three had gentle temperaments, and their hands and figures showed they were accustomed to hard work.

Qiu Huanian asked the steward about the price, and the three of them collectively sighed in relief. The little girl turned to grab her grandmother’s hand, but the older woman quickly signaled her to stand properly.

"The two older ones are two taels each, and the little one is three taels. If you take the whole family, I’ll knock off five qian—six taels and five qian of silver will do."

They weren’t strong laborers, nor were they beauties, and they didn’t have any special skills. A single person wasn’t worth a good acre of land.

Qiu Huanian remained silent, took out six taels and five qian of silver from his newly received monthly salary, signed the documents, took the three’s contracts, and brought them back to his main house.

Now that he had bought new servants, Auntie Qiao and Old Man Zhou were no longer needed. Qiu Huanian settled their monthly wages, and though Old Man Zhou had worked for less than a month, he was paid for a full month.

Seeing how Qiu Huanian handled things, the three new servants felt even more at ease. The bitterness and tension of being transported all the way to the northern border after the confiscation of their household finally completely dissipated.