Chapter 96: Returning Home

Chapter 96: Returning Home

On the second day of their marriage, Qiu Huanian slowly woke up in bed.

He had lost consciousness at some point the previous night, but now he felt clean and was wearing fresh undergarments, likely because Du Yunse had helped wash and change him afterward.

Recalling the events of the night, Qiu Huanian's lips, rosy and delicate, twitched slightly, and his heartbeat quickened.

His waist felt weak and sore, and his thighs were still numb, with his arms and fingertips aching all over.

Despite this, Qiu Huanian followed his instincts, moving his hand from Du Yunse's chest and continuing to caress and touch.

His mischievous hand was soon caught and restrained.

"Brother Hua, are you awake?"

"Mmm," Qiu Huanian lazily hummed, his fingertips still exploring inside the collar.

Du Yunse's breath hitched, and he tightened his grip.

Qiu Huanian muttered at him.

"Didn't you touch everywhere last night? And I left marks too. So stingy."

"If I were any more generous, Brother Hua might not leave the room today."

This "threat" was effective, and Qiu Huanian finally stopped teasing.

Du Yunse lifted Qiu Huanian up and massaged his back through the undergarments. Qiu Huanian lay on top of him, light as a feather, humming softly in comfort.

Du Yunse kissed the top of his head and his forehead, wishing time could stand still at this moment.

The saying "A moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold" had finally been thoroughly experienced by him.

The wedding night and the moment of success in the imperial examination—the two greatest joys of life had come together, and there was no moment happier than this.

Du Yunse's hands were long and warm, applying just the right amount of pressure. He knew Qiu Huanian's body well, and after a while, Qiu Huanian felt much better.

Qiu Huanian mumbled softly, "I always knew you had good stamina, but still... it was beyond expectations."

Last night, Du Yunse had even lifted him with one arm, thrusting while igniting fires everywhere, forcing Qiu Huanian to cling tightly to Du Yunse's shoulders and beg for mercy.

Qiu Huanian noticed that every time he called out "husband," Du Yunse would get even more excited.

"It was Brother Hua who kept provoking me."

Qiu Huanian hummed twice, pretending not to hear.

Outside, the daylight was bright, but the red curtains dimmed the light slightly.

"What time is it now? It's so quiet outside."

"It's almost past the hour of Si. Old lady Jin came by this morning, and I told her not to disturb us."

So it was almost 11 a.m.?

The ancients were used to sleeping early and waking early. Since Qiu Huanian had traveled here, even when he slept in, he had never slept this late.

Thinking that there were others in the house, he suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.

He complained unreasonably in a low voice, "It's all your fault!"

Du Yunse chuckled, pinched his chin, and kissed him, "Alright, it's my fault."

As for what exactly it was blamed for, it depended on individual interpretation.

After lingering for a while, Qiu Huanian finally got dressed with Du Yunse's help, hung onto him, and shuffled step by step to the door.

Then he let go of Du Yunse, straightened his clothes, and calmly pushed the door open to go out.

Du Yunse chuckled and shook his head behind him.

When Qiu Huanian arrived in the courtyard, he indeed didn't see anyone, only old lady Jin came over from the kitchen upon hearing the noise.

"Where is everyone else at home?"

"Master Yun Cheng, Brother Ling, and the young lady and young master have taken the relatives out for a stroll, saying they didn't want to disturb the Township Lord and the master's rest."

Since Du Yunse became a Juren, the title had changed to master.

Qiu Huanian felt a bit uncomfortable and took a moment to react.

"Let's have aunt and the others come stay at our house later. The small courtyard on the other side can also accommodate some people. Staying outside in an inn is both expensive and uncomfortable."

Old lady Jin nodded in agreement, "I'll go and tidy up this afternoon."

At noon, Jiu Jiu and the others returned.

A large group of people from Du Village set up several tables in the second courtyard, eating and chatting together, as if they were back in the village.

Bao Ren came with Meng Fuyue this time, not only to attend the wedding banquet of Du Yunse and Qiu Huanian but also to see their son and daughter-in-law whom they hadn't seen for over half a year.

"Yun Se, Huanian, you have really taken good care of Yun Cheng and Brother Ling. Uncle and aunt thank you here."

Qiu Huanian smiled and waved his hand, "Brother Ling has also helped me a lot. We are all family, and it's only right to take care of each other outside."

Bao Ren then said, "Yun Se mentioned in his letter that he wants to return to the village to worship our ancestors. In our Du Village, only one Juren has emerged in over ten generations, and he is also a Jieyuan. It's indeed worth a grand celebration."

"Father was overjoyed when he received the news that Yun Se had passed the Jieyuan examination. The preparations for the ancestral worship are almost ready. It's just a matter of when you return."

Qiu Huanian looked at Du Yunse, who pondered for a moment and then said, "Let's return to the village together five days later."

"Great! Our Du Village is really going to make a name for itself! Before we left, many Du families from nearby came to our door, wanting to recognize us as relatives and join our clan."

...

Most of the relatives from Du Village came in pairs, such as Yun Ting and Xia Xing, the young couple.

They contracted three mu of land from Qiu Huanian's family and planted cotton and grain according to Qiu Huanian's instructions before he left. Previously, Qiu Huanian sent a letter back, asking them to convert the harvest into money.

This year, many households in Du Village tried planting cotton, but due to the lack of systematic and scientific guidance, the yield was not as good as Qiu Huanian's, mostly around 150 jin per mu.

Yun Ting, who had previously worked for Qiu Huanian's family, was skilled in cotton planting. The one mu of cotton he took care of yielded over 200 jin, the best in the village.

"Why is there such a big difference in yield?" Qiu Huanian asked them in detail.

"Most villagers learned to plant cotton from me and Uncle Bao Ren. Some parts we ourselves couldn't remember clearly, so naturally, we couldn't explain them accurately. Some parts we did explain, but the villagers didn't want to follow our instructions completely and had their own ideas."

In short, this is the drawback of oral transmission, which heavily relies on the instructor's own mastery and eloquence.

However, once the agricultural book is officially promulgated and widely disseminated, with a unified authoritative standard, these issues will no longer be a problem.

"How did the cotton sell?"

"Just as Brother Hua said before he left, after people in Zhang County started growing cotton, the price of cotton dropped. We had no means to transport it to distant places for sale, so the clan leader found a reputable merchant, and the villagers sold it uniformly at 140 wen per jin."

After deducting taxes, the three mu of land yielded a total of 31 taels of silver. According to the 30-70 split, Yun Ting and Xia Xing got 9 taels, while Qiu Huanian received 22 taels.

Qiu Huanian took the silver package and placed it aside.

"Your family has many people but little land. With five brothers, you will eventually have to divide the family property. What are your plans?"

Yun Ting and Xia Xing exchanged glances, "What does Brother Hua mean?"

"After Yun Se passes the imperial examination and takes up an official position elsewhere, I will have even less time to manage the land in Du Village. Since you have the silver on hand, if you are interested, you can buy these three mu of land at the price of 3 taels per mu."

Qiu Huanian's land is close to the village, and the three mu are contiguous and easy to manage. Yun Ting and his wife were immediately tempted.

But they still reminded, "Brother Hua, after Yun Se became a Jieyuan, many people, whether surnamed Du or not, wanted to come to Du Village to establish connections and settle down. The land price near the village has already risen, and now water land costs 4 to 5 taels per mu."

"The land price has risen so quickly?" Qiu Huanian chuckled.

This is what you call Du Yun Se single-handedly turning Du Village into a famous school district, with houses and land prices all rising accordingly.

"Given our friendship, let's not get caught up in this price hike. Let's still calculate it at 3 taels per mu."

"But you must cultivate the land well in the future. Land is the foundation of a farmer's livelihood. Don't be tempted to sell it at a high price just because the land price has risen."

"We understand! We'll go back and buy the land from you with the silver."

The 9 taels of silver from the autumn harvest were just enough to buy the three mu of land.

Xia Xing knows how to spin wool, and Yun Ting is a hard worker. Over the year, the couple has saved some spare money, so they won't be bankrupted by buying the land.

After discussing the land purchase, Qiu Huanian asked them, "Everyone else came with their families. Why did only Auntie Qiuyan come with Yun Kang?"

Qiu Huanian had been puzzled at the time but had not asked directly out of caution.

Yun Ting looked at Xia Xing, and both of them showed signs of difficulty.

"Did something really happen?" Qiu Huanian instinctively frowned.

Qiu Huanian was not particularly familiar with Hu Qiuyan's husband, Du Baoshan. Their family usually had more contact with Hu Qiuyan.

Du Baoshan is one of the youngest in the Bao generation of Du Village, not yet thirty this year.

"Brother Hua, you know that Uncle Baoshan and your father-in-law, Uncle Baoyan, are cousins from the same grandfather. Uncle Baoyan has no brothers, so in terms of kinship, your two families are the closest in the village."

Qiu Huanian nodded. This was mentioned by Hu Qiuyan when he first met her after crossing over.

"After Yun Se became a Jieyuan, many people came to Du Village to establish connections and approached Uncle Baoshan. Although the clan leader and Uncle Baoren tried to suppress it, Uncle Baoshan still accepted many gifts."

"Before we left, Auntie Qiuyan had a fight with Uncle Baoshan over this, so Uncle Baoshan didn't come."

"..."

Qiu Huanian felt a bit uneasy.

More than anger, it was a sense of helplessness and lamentation.

In his memory, Baoshan was young, somewhat clever, and very sociable. Although he had minor flaws, he was generally quite decent.

Humans are indeed fickle creatures...

"Brother Hua, don't worry. We're all in the same village, and with the clan leader watching, Uncle Baoshan wouldn't dare to cause real trouble."

Qiu Huanian nodded; he wasn't particularly afraid of this. After all, they would soon return to Du Village, and this trip back would be a good opportunity to resolve some lingering issues once and for all.

In ancient times, it was difficult for officials to sever ties with their ancestral clans. Du Yunse and Du Village were intertwined in prosperity and adversity. Rather than leaving things unattended, it was better to establish rules from the start to prevent any mishaps.

Qiu Huanian later discussed this matter with Du Yunse, who put down his brush and pulled Qiu Huanian closer.

Qiu Huanian sat directly on his lap.

"Is it heavy?"

"Not heavy." Du Yunse kissed his cheek and held him tighter.

After completing the final step of their wedding night, the two still pretended to be reserved in public, but in private, they became increasingly affectionate, almost merging into one.

Leaning against Du Yunse, Qiu Huanian looked at the papers Du Yunse had taken out from the side.

"Is this... the clan rules?"

"Yes, without rules, there can be no order. Previously, the clan had no written rules, and matters were decided solely by the clan leader, which inevitably led to oversights and dissatisfaction."

Qiu Huanian skimmed through the three pages of clan rules. Du Yunse had covered everything from basic matters like weddings, funerals, elder care, and child-rearing to property distribution, and even various conflicts and crimes, clearly outlining what was permissible and what was not.

The language was concise and elegant, with a balance of simplicity and depth. It could even be considered a fine piece of literature if posted.

—This was, after all, written by a Jieyuan, so the quality was naturally exceptional.

Qiu Huanian couldn't find anything that needed to be added or revised.

"After returning for the ancestral worship, we'll show the clan rules to everyone. If there are no objections, we'll ask the clan leader to enforce them accordingly."

Qiu Huanian smiled, "You're now the most sought-after person in Du Village. Who would dare to object?"

With their return to the village imminent, Qiu Huanian had many things to prepare.

Having grown accustomed to living in the city, returning to the village for a short stay meant packing all sorts of daily necessities to avoid discomfort from not being able to buy them in the village.

Each of the four people brought several sets of clothes, bedding, a heating stove, oil lamps for lighting, paper and brushes for writing, tooth powder and towels for washing, pots, pans, and various seasonings for cooking... All these small items added up to a full cart.

When they sent Min Leyi to the capital, Qiu Huanian was surprised that he had brought a whole cart of luggage. Now, it was his turn, and it wasn't much different.

In ancient times, preparing for a comfortable trip required a lot of effort.

Besides preparing for his own family, Qiu Huanian also arranged return carriages for the relatives from Du Village who had come to Xiangping Prefecture for the wedding banquet.

He wasn't short of money now and was generous where he could be.

During their stay in the city, Wei Liuhua and others had been staying at Qiu Huanian's house, and he had even given them some pocket money to enjoy their time exploring the city.

Qiu Huanian stretched and clung to Du Yunse.

"We still need to prepare gifts for close acquaintances and prepare return gifts for those who come to congratulate us..."

Du Yunse patted him gently, "Brother Hua, you've worked hard."

"With someone helping, I just need to do the talking, and I quite enjoy doing this."

Qiu Huanian chuckled first, "First time in the city... second time in the city... Now returning to the village, we can be considered as truly returning in glory, right?"

"There's a saying, 'Returning home without wealth is like wearing fine clothes at night.'"

"Now that I'm bringing back a Jieyuan husband, of course, I need to prepare well to make everyone envious."

Du Yunse indulgingly brushed the stray hair at Qiu Huanian's temple and pinched his pink earlobe.

"It's they who should envy me for having Huanian."

...

In the blink of an eye, it was time to return to the village. Yun Cheng and Meng Yuanling were also going back this time. With no one to look after the house, Qiu Huanian had to ask his friend Zhu Jingwei, who was the most idle, to take care of it.

Zhu Jingwei patted his chest and promised to send Auntie Qiao, who had previously worked as a cook at Qiu Huanian's house, to stay and watch the courtyard, guarding against thieves and fires.

Cream Frost was close to Su Xinbai, so she was sent to the Zhu family for temporary care. Su Xinbai, who was not very mobile and couldn't go out, was filled with joy at having a cat to keep him company, though he didn't say it out loud.

Qiu Huanian's family packed their luggage into one carriage. Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse rode in one carriage, Jiu Jiu and Chun Sheng in another, totaling three large carriages.

Jin San was responsible for driving, and two coachmen were hired. Coral followed Jiu Jiu, while old lady Jin took care of the luggage in the carriage.

Before departure, Wei Liuhua looked at the scene and sighed with a smile, "Brother Hua's family now truly looks like a wealthy household."

Meng Fuyue added, "Brother Hua is a Township Lord, and Yun Se is a Juren master, so they are naturally a wealthy family."

Qiu Huanian laughed, "Please stop teasing me. No matter what, aren't you still calling me auntie and sister-in-law?"

Everyone laughed, and Hu Qiuyan also smiled, though her expression wasn't as relaxed as the others.