Chapter 80: Shangsi Festival (a traditional Chinese festival celebrated on the third day of the third lunar month)

Chapter 80: Shangsi Festival (a traditional Chinese festival celebrated on the third day of the third lunar month)

Xiangping Prefecture is located in the south, close to the Bohai Bay, so spring arrives much earlier here than in Zhang County. By early March, the city is already filled with blooming flowers and lush green grass.

The roses, wisteria, and various other flowers in Qiu Huanian's residence are in full bloom. Every morning and evening, the air is heavy with the rich scent of flowers.

There are no roosters crowing in the city, but the night watchman's gong can be faintly heard. Not long after Qiu Huanian hears the fifth watch gong, there is movement in the courtyard.

Yawning lazily, he calls out through the window, "Is Ling'er up?"

Old lady Jin answers from outside, "Township Lord (a title of nobility), Ling'er is getting ready to go check on the workshop and the shop. He told you to keep sleeping."

Since being appointed as the manager by Qiu Huanian, Meng Yuanling has been full of energy, spending most of his time outside managing the business.

Qiu Huanian can't stay awake any longer and rubs his eyes on the pillow.

"Tell him to eat well before going out and to be careful."

After issuing the instructions, he drifts back into a deep sleep, enjoying a second round of rest.

When he opens his eyes again, the sky is bright, and the courtyard is quiet.

Qiu Huanian gets up, puts on his clothes, and steps outside. Old lady Jin brings him water for washing.

The morning sun feels fresh and warm, with golden light shining on the dew-covered petals.

"Later, cut a few branches of flowers and put them in a vase to place in the study."

Old lady Jin nods in acknowledgment, and after washing up, Qiu Huanian has a simple breakfast before taking a carriage to the Zhu family's bookstore, which he had visited before.

In the Bitter Boat Pavilion at the back of the bookstore, Su Xinbai is already waiting.

Qiu Huanian ascends to the second floor and looks out through the open window at the garden and small lake below. The spring scenery is even more beautiful than in winter, with gentle breezes carrying the scent of flowers, refreshing to the heart and mind.

Qiu Huanian is here today to submit the manuscript for a mathematics book and to review other manuscripts.

The call for manuscripts from Qimin Bookstore has been posted for almost half a month. Encouraged by the substantial payment and the philosophy of "serving the needs of all people," Su Xinbai has already received a batch of manuscripts.

Many of these manuscripts were not written recently but had been completed long ago and never submitted. The emergence of Qimin Bookstore has given them a new opportunity.

After filtering out those that are repetitive or unoriginal content, Su Xinbai has preliminarily selected three manuscripts.

Two are travel journals, and one is a compilation of business experiences.

Although the writing styles and content differ greatly, each has its own merits.

Su Xinbai has someone serve delicately shaped peach blossom cakes, cloud cakes as thin as snowflakes, mung bean cakes with dried tangerine peel, and green glutinous rice dumplings.

All four types of pastries are small and exquisitely shaped, arranged on high-footed porcelain plates, looking very tempting.

He invites Qiu Huanian to sit by the window, enjoying the scenery outside while sipping tea and tasting the pastries, casually flipping through the manuscripts in a relaxed atmosphere.

After resolving his personal struggles, Su Xinbai has become increasingly adept at enjoying life.

Dian Mo remarks with a smile that these pastries, along with the pastry chef, were specially sought out for Su Xinbai by Zhu Jingcheng.

Su Xinbai chides him softly for being talkative.

Qiu Huanian quirks an eyebrow, and Su Xinbai turns his head away, pretending not to notice.

The delicious food and beautiful scenery should not be missed. Qiu Huanian treated today as a day to relax, flipping through the manuscripts page by page, surrounded by the fragrance of flowers. He occasionally chatted with Su Xinbai and scribbled notes on the paper next to him.

By noon, the servant Su Xinbai brought went to a nearby eatery to pack several dishes.

Four dishes and a soup, including soft-shell turtle, fresh shrimp, chicken, and pork, all with a light flavor. Su Xinbai didn't eat much, and after they finished, they weren't concerned about waste since Dian Mo and the other servants would clean up and eat the leftovers.

Qiu Huanian didn't finish carefully reviewing all three books until the sun began to set.

"Two travelogues, one focusing on mountains and geography, the other on folk customs and traditions, both are excellent. Especially the one on mountains and geography, which documents the terrain of the northwest, quite different from Liaozhou, and can expand one's knowledge."

"The book on business insights, while innovative, is a bit rough. The author must be knowledgeable about business, so perhaps we should return the manuscript and ask him to elaborate further."

Su Xinbai nodded, "I was most unsure about this one. Since you say so, we'll send it back and ask him to revise it."

"I'll have someone start on the illustrations and typesetting for your mathematics book and the two travelogues. They should be ready for printing in a few days."

Although movable type printing had long been invented, adding illustrations and fine typesetting still required new woodblock engraving.

Su Xinbai and Qiu Huanian chatted for a while, mentioning the upcoming Shangsi Festival on the third day of the third month.

"On the third day of the third month, the Shangsi Festival, both the nobility and commoners of Xiangping Prefecture head to the Love River for a spring outing and purification rituals. Did you get any invitations this year?"

"I've received several, inviting me to go out for a spring outing, but since I'm not very familiar with them, I turned them down."

As a Township Lord, Qiu Huanian frequently received invitations to social events. He attended some and skipped others, depending on how he felt.

Su Xinbai nodded, "Xian'er wants to invite Jiu Jiu and Xin Yao out for a trip that day."

"Let them go then; with so many servants along, there's nothing to worry about."

Su Xinbai looked at Qiu Huanian for a while.

Qiu Huanian smiled, "If you've got something to say, just say it. I can't read your mind."

In fact, Qiu Huanian had already guessed what he was getting at.

The Shangsi Festival on the third day of the third month wasn't just for praying for blessings, exorcising evil, and purification rituals; it was also like an ancient Valentine's Day.

Young people who liked each other would plan outings on this day, and married couples would pray for children.

Su Xinbai probably wanted to invite Zhu Jingcheng out but couldn't bring himself to do so.

Su Xinbai kept staring at Qiu Huanian, biting his lip lightly.

Qiu Huanian laughed and surrendered, "Okay, okay, I get it. I'll send an invite when I get back, from me and Yun Se, asking you two to join us for the Shangsi Festival outing, alright?"

Su Xinbai nodded his chin slightly, finally satisfied.

He instructed the servants to prepare more of Qiu Huanian's favorite treats to take home.

"Is this a bribe?"

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Su Xinbai's usually cool face.

"This is to shut you up."

...

In the blink of an eye, it was the third day of the third month. The Shangsi Festival was a major holiday in the Yu Dynasty, and Qingfeng Academy was on break. Yun Cheng and Du Yunse had both returned home.

Early in the morning, Jiu Jiu went out to have fun with Zhu Xian and the others. Yun Cheng and his wife had already picked out their spot for the day, while Chun Sheng wanted to go to the village. Qiu Huanian told Jin San to keep a close eye on them.

Everyone in the household had their own agenda for the day. Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse also changed into fresh, lightweight outfits.

When making clothes, Qiu Huanian liked to pick the same fabric for himself and Du Yunse, but in different cuts. When they walked together, it was clear they were rocking matching outfits.

Du Yunse had no qualms about this preference and even relished it.

Not just a few outfits—if Qiu Huanian wanted to etch his name on Du Yunse's skin, he wouldn't think twice.

The two stepped out in matching outfits, strolling through the festive streets toward the Love River.

On a day meant for spring outings, hopping in a carriage would've been a buzzkill.

The highlight of the Shangsi Festival was the water purification ritual, where people cleansed their bodies to ward off diseases, bad luck, and evil spirits.

Du Fu once penned: "On the third day of the third month, the air is crisp; by the waters of Chang'an, many beauties congregate."

Though Xiangping Prefecture paled in comparison to the capital, as a provincial capital, it was still bustling.

As they neared the Love River, Xiangping's largest, the streets grew more packed. By the time they hit Yuanzheng Street, it was a sea of people, all decked out in light, flowing attire.

The air was thick with the scent of orchids. Noblewomen in veils or hats, flanked by servants, were everywhere. Their tinkling laughter set imaginations running wild.

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse clasped hands to keep from getting swept away by the crowd.

Yuanzheng Street ran along the Love River, lined with stalls hawking incense, candles, colored eggs, and orchids for the Shangsi Festival.

Qiu Huanian picked a less crowded stall and snagged two bundles of fresh orchids.

The stall owner, spotting Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse holding hands, pegged them as a couple and grinned while pushing his wares.

"Brother Hua, how about some colored eggs? Freshly laid, painted with the Goddess Gaomei's image. They're sure to float!"

Gaomei, the fertility goddess. On Shangsi Festival, married couples prayed at Gaomei Temple, painted boiled eggs with lucky designs, and set them afloat. If the eggs floated, it was a sure sign their wish for kids would come true.

Qiu Huanian's hand hesitated briefly.

"Brother Hua, let's head to the river for the cleansing ritual," Du Yunse called to him.

After a brief pause, Qiu Huanian bought two matching colored eggs.

He pretended nothing was amiss and smiled at Du Yunse, "Let's go, to the river."

Although they had invited Zhu Jingcheng and Su Xinbai, they weren't in a hurry to meet up with them. After all, on such a wonderful day as the Shangsi Festival, no one wanted to be a third wheel or encounter one.

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse walked to the river, descending the open embankment to the riverside. Many people were already there, enjoying themselves. Some bold young women and men deliberately dipped bundles of orchids in water and sprinkled it on handsome young men.

Du Yunse raised his sleeve to block droplets of water coming from who knows where.

Qiu Huanian squinted slightly, dipped his orchids in the clean river water, and, seizing the moment, gave a light shake, splashing Du Yunse, who was caught off guard.

Someone in the crowd cheered, and others shouted for another round.

Qiu Huanian bent over, laughing until his stomach hurt. Du Yunse's eyes showed a hint of helplessness as he protected Qiu Huanian and found a slightly open spot.

He dipped his own orchids in the water and gently brushed them over Qiu Huanian's face, leaving a glistening droplet on the small red mole between his eyebrows.

"May all illnesses be cleansed, and all poisons be repelled."

Qiu Huanian narrowed his eyes briefly before opening them again, a few drops of water sliding down his delicate face, like morning pear blossoms heavy with dew, ready to bloom.

Along the riverbank, a vendor was selling peony branches. According to Shangsi Festival customs, if a man had someone he fancied, he would often gift them a peony.

Du Yunse bought a blooming pink-and-white peony and tucked it behind Qiu Huanian's ear.

"Clouds remind one of fine garments, flowers of a beautiful face; the spring breeze brushes the threshold, and the dew enriches the blossoms."

An ancient verse from a millennium ago flashed through Du Yunse's mind, and he tucked the awe deep within his heart.

The noise around them was overwhelming, and Du Yunse felt a faint displeasure. He noticed many people cloaked in long veils and thought that Brother Hua should also wear one.

But Brother Hua disliked the idea, so he dismissed the thought.

Unaware of Du Yunse's possessive musings, Qiu Huanian played in the water for a while and gradually grew tired. He turned to Du Yunse and said, "Let's find Xinbai and the others, then head to the Gaomei Temple."

As per the invitation's instructions, the two arrived at a teahouse on Yuanzheng Street, where Zhu Jingcheng had reserved a private room in advance.

Zhu Jingcheng and Su Xinbai, who were supposed to arrive earlier, were still missing. Qiu Huanian chuckled, "They're probably off playing somewhere and have completely forgotten about us."

Du Yunse ordered tea and a selection of snacks, and the two sat in the private room, admiring the lively scene along the Love River through the open window. After waiting for about half an hour, Su Xinbai and Zhu Jingcheng finally arrived.

Both clutched orchid grass, their clothes damp from the riverside purification ritual.

Su Xinbai held a pure white peony, subtly hiding it behind his back as he stepped into the private room.

Qiu Huanian feigned ignorance.

"You're late! Three drinks as punishment!"

Su Xinbai looked sheepish, and Zhu Jingcheng quickly interjected, "It's our mistake. We hope Yunse and Huanian won't hold it against us. Tonight, I'll host a dinner to atone for our tardiness."

"Of course, we won't blame you," Qiu Huanian said, stressing the word "you." Su Xinbai glanced up briefly before averting his gaze.

After a brief rest, the four made their way to the Gaomei Temple, nestled by the Love River.

Among them were two young couples: one had lost years to misunderstandings, while the other, constrained by physical limitations and incomplete rituals, hesitated to cross boundaries. None of them met the criteria for seeking children.

If the Gaomei Goddess were to manifest, she would probably be speechless upon seeing them.

—Without even the reality of being a couple, how could she bless them? It's not like they could conceive through sheer will.

Though all four were aware of this, none raised any objections. Each harbored their own thoughts as they walked toward the Gaomei Temple, as if it were merely a necessary custom to fulfill.

What each of them was thinking, only they themselves knew.

Qiu Huanian had long noticed that the world he had previously lived in bore many similarities to the one he was currently in, as if they were parallel universes.

For example, the Gaomei Goddess, who presided over marriage and fertility, also existed in the modern world. However, in the modern world, the Gaomei Goddess originally took the form of an adult female deity but gradually evolved into a male figure, while in the Yu Dynasty, the Gaomei Goddess remained a female deity.

The Gaomei Temple by the Love River was constantly filled with incense smoke, its buildings well-maintained. On the day of the Shangsi Festival, countless visitors flocked to the temple.

Even high-ranking noblewomen had to wait in line obediently.

The four waited in line for a long time before entering the temple and being led to the main courtyard. Here, water from the Love River was channeled into a shallow, winding stream, evoking the elegance of the "floating wine cups" tradition.

However, on the day of the Shangsi Festival, what floated in the stream were not wine cups but colorful painted eggs.

To ensure that the worshippers did not leave disappointed, several young attendants stood by the stream with long-handled nets, making sure that none of the eggs sank or got stuck, allowing them to smoothly drift into the hands of the intended recipients.

"The Goddess of Fertility is kind-hearted. If you've done good deeds and lived virtuously, and sincerely come to seek marriage or children, their wishes won't go unanswered."

Qiu Huanian originally didn't believe much in gods, but after experiencing the phenomenon of time travel, he couldn't entirely disbelieve.

He took out two colored eggs he had bought earlier from his sleeve and said to Du Yunse, "Yun Se, go wait down by the river."

Couples praying for children at the temple usually have one person toss the colored eggs into the water upstream while the other waits downstream to catch them as they float down, then they share the eggs.

Du Yunse stood still, hesitating to say anything.

Qiu Huanian smiled gently, "We'll talk about your health later. On such a nice day, let's make a wish first."

"I just think, living in this world for a lifetime, it would be nice to have a child who shares our blood, if fate allows."

"Alright."

Du Yunse nodded solemnly, pulled up the hem of his robe, and squatted downstream.

Qiu Huanian walked upstream, took a deep breath, and gently placed the two colored eggs into the water.

The eggs floated up and down with the current, staying close together, not blocked by the bends, smoothly drifting downstream.

The young temple acolytes by the winding stream sang in unison, "May your marriage be blissful, and noble children come to your door."

Du Yunse carefully picked up the eggs and finally relaxed. Though he knew not to blindly believe in gods, at this moment, he felt much more at ease.

If the Goddess of Fertility blesses a happy marriage, then Brother Hua's health will definitely get better.

Qiu Huanian came over to find Du Yunse, and like the other couples praying for children, they shared the eggs.

Su Xinbai stood a little further away, calmly watching the winding stream and the ritual for children. Zhu Jingcheng also didn't approach, just stood silently a few steps away from Su Xinbai.

Su Xinbai's hands hung down, the peony flower the flower boy had sold to Zhu Jingcheng hidden in his sleeve.

Seeing Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse's eggs successfully drift downstream, Zhu Jingcheng found a topic, "We can congratulate them later."

Su Xinbai hummed in agreement, "Aren't you going to buy some eggs?"

"What?" The temple was noisy, and Zhu Jingcheng didn't quite catch it.

Su Xinbai gently lifted his beautiful chin, "Over by the temple gate, someone's selling eggs."

Zhu Jingcheng looked at him, the Zhu family's eldest young master, usually commanding in business, now looked dazed, as if he hadn't understood.

Su Xinbai frowned, took a light breath, and threw the peony flower he was holding at Zhu Jingcheng, then turned his head away, "If you don't want to buy, forget it."

Zhu Jingcheng hurriedly caught the flower branch, realizing it was the one he had bought by the riverside earlier. He had thought Su Xinbai had already thrown it away, not expecting him to have kept it in his hand all along.

A light seemed to go off in Zhu Jingcheng's head, and he immediately took the peony, lifted the hem of his long robe, and pushed through the crowd to the temple gate without hesitation.

Su Xinbai watched his retreating figure, exhaled, and the tips of his ears, hidden under his black hair, turned a translucent pink in the sunlight.

...

After Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse completed the entire ritual of the winding stream for descendants, they turned back to look for their friends who had come with them but couldn't find them immediately.

Qiu Huanian looked around and finally saw the two by the winding stream, apparently also going to release some colored eggs.

Qiu Huanian smiled, thinking that the gift he had prepared for Su Xinbai could now be handed over.

"Let’s not worry about them. Let’s go burn incense for the Goddess of Fertility instead."

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse walked to the front of the temple, made their offerings, lit incense sticks, and each silently made a wish in the swirling smoke before bowing together.

They didn’t disturb Su Xinbai and Zhu Jingcheng. After leaving, they found their servants, told them they were heading out first, and said Zhu Jingcheng’s "apology" dinner could wait.

By the time Su Xinbai and Zhu Jingcheng emerged, Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse were long gone.

Su Xinbai pursed his lips, and Zhu Jingcheng asked him, concerned, "What’s wrong?"

"...Huanian’s going to tease me again."

"We’re a proper couple. What’s wrong with a little teasing?" Zhu Jingcheng curled his lips and cautiously asked him, "Then, my dear, shall we head back too?"

Su Xinbai gave a slight nod, and Zhu Jingcheng promptly had the servants summon a carriage. The two returned to the Zhu family’s small courtyard, where dinner was served, though neither had much of an appetite.

When it grew dark, Su Xinbai went to the inner room to wash up alone, while Shi Juan and the others, as usual, tidied Zhu Jingcheng’s study.

"Eldest young master, the bathwater’s ready. It’s the perfect time for you to bathe."

Su Xinbai’s hand stilled as he scooped water, the clear liquid trickling through his fingers. The maid watched him carefully, unsure whether to offer a towel.

Zhu Jingcheng glanced at Su Xinbai, partially concealed by the silk curtain, and cleared his throat. "No need. Everyone, out."

No one moved, as if they hadn’t understood.

Su Xinbai took the towel and carefully wiped his slender fingers.

"Everyone, out."

After this command, the servants in the room finally reacted and quickly exited the room.

Dian Mo couldn’t suppress a smile as he left last, carefully closing the door and signaling the courtyard servants to step back, ensuring the masters wouldn’t be disturbed.

The Shangsi Festival and the Goddess of Fertility—truly miraculous!

With the door shut, the main room turned into an entirely private sanctuary.

The warm scent from the Boshan incense burner filled the air, the brocade quilt and lavish bedding beckoned, and the flickering candlelight highlighted the beauty’s face.

Zhu Jingcheng couldn’t resist stepping closer to Su Xinbai, who, though nervous, didn’t pull away.

"My dear, shall we... retire for the night?"

Su Xinbai’s lashes fluttered, the candlelight casting sharp shadows beneath his eyes. "Wait."

He turned to the rosewood cabinet adorned with entwined branch motifs, rummaged inside, and retrieved a small, delicate wine pot.

"What’s this?"

Su Xinbai pressed his lips together, his expression cool, though his neck flushed crimson.

He parted his lips slightly. "Wine."

What the wine was for, Zhu Jingcheng had already understood.

"Who taught you..." Zhu Jingcheng chuckled softly, shaking his head. "When did you get this? There’s no need for it."

He took the wine pot from Su Xinbai’s hand, and Su Xinbai paused briefly before releasing it.

Zhu Jingcheng glanced at it and sighed with a smile, "If only I had known earlier, Xinbai, why wait until now?"

Under Su Xinbai's flustered and shy gaze, Zhu Jingcheng opened the spout of the wine flask and gently sniffed, "It's fine spring wine, perfect for lifting spirits and harmless to the body."

Su Xinbai suddenly felt displeased, "You seem quite the expert, eldest young master?"

"In business, one inevitably comes into contact with all sorts of people. My family, fearing I might be led astray, taught me early on. My dear, don't misunderstand me. I've stayed faithful to you all this time, with no second thoughts."

Su Xinbai was stunned, "You, you have what?"

"Eight years ago, at the Lantern Festival poetry gathering in the capital, I saw you."

Su Xinbai was utterly shocked and wanted to ask more, but now wasn't the time. Zhu Jingcheng raised the wine flask and took a sip, then in that posture, embraced Su Xinbai, leaned down, and kissed his lips.

"Hmm..."

Su Xinbai tilted his head back helplessly, clutching at Zhu Jingcheng's chest, as the sweet wine flowed from the corner of his mouth, sliding down into the tightly fastened collar.

The two parted breathlessly, Zhu Jingcheng's gaze was predatory, as if ready to devour.

"Xinbai, it's my fault that you thought of using wine." He lifted his unsteady husband and carried him to the bed, "I'll show you just how much I adore you."

Su Xinbai felt dizzy, catching Zhu Jingcheng's hoarse whisper in his ears, "...how much I want you."

Was the wine really that potent? Su Xinbai thought hazily, curling his knees, as Zhu Jingcheng pressed him down, half-forcing him to comply.

His pale, almost translucent skin glistened with a thin layer of sweat, his lips and teeth suppressing low moans, the candlelight casting ambiguous, swaying shadows on the walls.

The hibiscus canopy bathed the spring night in warmth.

The night stretched on, ample for lovers to share their deepest feelings in the heat of passion.