Chapter 130: The Eight Characters of Fate

Chapter 130: The Eight Characters of Fate

Qiu Huanian looked at Jiu Jiu, silently inquiring about Chun Sheng's issue.

Jiu Jiu, who was three years older than Chun Sheng, had taken on the role of the acting head of the family in the absence of her two elder brothers. She was always meticulous and naturally noticed Chun Sheng's problem.

"It's Yuan Ruo. He hasn't been to school for several days."

Qiu Huanian slightly frowned, "Did anyone go to inquire about it?"

"I asked old lady Jin to go to the Shu household to ask. Ru Tang and Fu Xia said that Yuan Jia had taken leave for family reasons and hadn't come to teach them for several days either."

Yuan Jia was Ru Tang's teacher. Later, Huang Daniang took Wei Fuxia as her goddaughter, so Yuan Jia's students became the two young girls.

"So it's a normal leave?"

But Chun Sheng spoke up urgently, "No, I know it's definitely not!"

Qiu Huanian poured him a cup of kumquat honey drink, "Don't worry, speak slowly." Du Yunse also looked over.

"Yuan Ruo stopped coming to school the day after the news of my brother becoming Number One Scholar arrived. At that time, everyone in the school came to congratulate me, and Yuan Ruo was pushed aside, seeming a bit unhappy. I invited him to come to our house to play after school the next day, and he agreed, but from the next day on, he didn't even come to school."

Jiu Jiu said, "I also sent someone to check the house where Yuan Jia and Yuan Ruo were renting. No matter how much they knocked, no one answered, and we don't know where they went."

Qiu Huanian nodded, this was indeed strange.

If there was something urgent at home and they had to leave the next day, Yuan Ruo wouldn't have agreed to Chun Sheng's invitation to play the day before. Yuan Jia was a very trustworthy and polite person, and she was strict with her younger brother. Even if there was an emergency, she would definitely have someone inform them, not just break the promise directly.

Qiu Huanian glanced at Du Yunse, and Du Yunse nodded, "Later, I will write a letter asking the Provincial Judge for help in investigating."

In the Yu Dynasty's administrative system, the Provincial Judge was equivalent to the head of the municipal public security bureau. With Du Yunse's status as Number One Scholar, just a letter would be enough to get him to act.

The former Provincial Judge of Xiangping Prefecture was suspected to be a man of Prince Jin, the third prince, providing shelter for a human trafficking gang. After the incident, he took his own life out of fear of punishment, taking all clues to the grave with him.

The newly appointed Provincial Judge, wary of his predecessor's fate, immediately organized a team to investigate upon receiving the letter from Du Yunse, the Number One Scholar who had sent his predecessor to his grave. The next morning, he sent his subordinate officials to explain the situation.

"Sir and Township Lord need not worry. The Yuan siblings you inquired about are still in Xiangping Prefecture, but they have moved to a different place."

"Why did they suddenly move for no reason?"

The official explained the reason they found, "The father of the Yuan siblings was once the county clerk of a county under Xiangping Prefecture. He accidentally drowned while repairing a water channel during a heavy rainstorm. The county magistrate, remembering his contributions, provided generous compensation to the bereaved family. However, Yuan Jia's mother fell into deep depression and died during childbirth a few months later."

"Yuan Jia has several uncles who wanted to take her and her newborn brother to their homes after her parents passed away, but they were actually after the compensation money. Yuan Jia had her own ideas and never agreed."

"Fortunately, her younger brother Yuan Ruo is a boy. Even though he is young, he can still hold up the family. If he were a girl or a boy, according to the law, as long as his uncles filed a lawsuit, the two young ones would have to be placed under the custody of their closest relatives."

Although the Yu Dynasty had female households, the conditions were harsh. Sisters like Huang Daniang and Huang Erniang, who had skills, could manage it, but Yuan Jia, who was only in her teens and caring for a baby, could not.

"A few years ago, those relatives pushed too aggressively, so Yuan Jia quietly moved with her brother to the prefecture city. After that, as you know, Yuan Jia found a job as a female teacher, and Yuan Ruo attended the same private school as the young master."

Yuan Jia was a very independent and strong-willed girl. She never shared these details with her friends in the prefecture city, and Yuan Ruo, like his sister, never disclosed their family's struggles to the outside world.

"Did their relatives find them in the prefecture city a few days ago?"

"You are perceptive, Township Lord." The official flattered and then said, "They somehow found out where the Yuan siblings were living and even..."

"Hmm?"

"Even arranged a marriage for Yuan Jia without her consent. This time, they brought the fiancé directly to take her away."

"..."

Qiu Huanian couldn’t help but laugh in frustration. Yuan Jia’s troublesome relatives had finally found a "good solution." However capable Yuan Jia might be, she was still an unmarried young woman without parents to make decisions for her. These self-proclaimed "elders" could easily marry her off first and then slowly devour her and Yuan Ruo’s family assets.

The official, aware of the Number One Scholar’s family’s regard for the Yuan siblings, cautiously suggested, "We found the Yuan siblings last night and informed them that you and the Township Lord have returned and are looking for them. Would you like to see them?"

Qiu Huanian thought for a moment, "They left in a hurry, so their current living situation must be less than ideal. I’ll send a carriage to bring them here to stay."

Qiu Huanian had Jin San drive the carriage, with Agate and Xing Mi accompanying to ensure their safe arrival.

"When poor, one can only care for oneself; when prosperous, one can help the world." As his family’s status and wealth increased, Qiu Huanian found himself capable of doing more and more, and he was eager to help others within his capacity.

This was not only because Yuan Ruo was Chun Sheng’s good friend but also because Qiu Huanian himself greatly admired Yuan Jia’s character and abilities.

Chun Sheng had been waiting in the courtyard, anxious for news. When he heard that Qiu Huanian had sent someone to fetch Yuan Jia and Yuan Ruo, he immediately lit up with joy.

Shortly after, Jin San returned with the carriage, and Chun Sheng dashed out, eager to see his friend.

"Yuan Ruo, Yuan Ruo! Finally, I see you. Why didn’t you tell me if something happened at home—"

Chun Sheng’s happy yet reproachful words suddenly stopped. He saw Yuan Ruo jump down from the carriage, looking noticeably thinner after just a few days, his small face, eyes red and swollen, biting his lips without speaking.

"Yuan Ruo?"

Yuan Jia followed closely, stepping down from the carriage. She patted her brother’s head, softly apologizing with a smile, "We ran into some unexpected troubles. I apologize on behalf of Yuan Ruo to the young master."

Chun Sheng scratched his head, "I’m just glad you’re here."

Yuan Jia and Yuan Ruo went to the main room to see Qiu Huanian. Noticing the siblings seemed downcast, Qiu Huanian had Mumian prepare a side room for them to stay in.

Yuan Jia, looking downcast and apologetic, said, "The Township Lord had mentioned the mathematics book earlier, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to complete it."

Yuan Jia had a talent for mathematics, and Qiu Huanian had once encouraged her to organize her ideas into a book and submit it to Qimin Bookstore.

"What happened?"

Yuan Ruo pursed his lips and took the initiative to explain, "It’s entirely my fault. When we rushed off, I was packing my sister’s manuscripts and accidentally left out a part, which happened to be the most crucial section."

Yuan Ruo’s eyes reddened further, "When my sister found out, she wanted to sneak back to retrieve it. But those villains were lying in wait. Although my sister escaped, they burned all of her manuscripts, all of them..."

Yuan Jia pulled her brother into her arms to comfort him, "It’s not your fault. It’s those villains’ doing. How could it be your mistake?"

Hearing that those troublesome relatives had burned Yuan Jia’s manuscripts, Qiu Huanian couldn’t help but frown deeply.

As someone who had written two books himself, he knew all too well the immense effort and spirit required to write.

Even if he consoled Yuan Jia by saying the burned manuscripts could be rewritten, her current state likely wouldn’t allow her to dive back into the work.

Qiu Huanian sighed, "You and Yuan Ruo stay here for a few days and rest well. Once you’ve recovered, we’ll discuss what to do next."

Yuan Jia stood up to thank him, "Du Yunse has become the Number One Scholar, and we have no congratulatory gift. We’re truly ashamed to trouble the Township Lord for help."

Qiu Huanian smiled, "It’s nothing. Your staying here has made Chun Sheng incredibly happy. He’s been talking about Yuan Ruo non-stop."

Yuan Jia exhaled, something flashing in her mind, her expression dimming as she shook her head almost imperceptibly.

After settling the Yuan siblings, Qiu Huanian pulled Du Yunse aside to change clothes. Their time back was limited, and their schedule was tight. Today, they still had to formally acknowledge their godson at the Zhu residence.

"You see how fate works in mysterious ways. Our birth charts match Little Raccoon’s perfectly, and the best day for the godparent ceremony just happens to be the second day after our return."

In the carriage, Qiu Huanian checked the gifts while speaking to Du Yunse.

Du Yunse, dressed in matching attire, chuckled softly, "Brother Hua, do you believe in this stuff?"

"Better to believe than not. Believing in good things makes one happy."

As for bad things?—Sorry, feudal superstitions are a no-go.

"Then, Brother Hua, would you like to know the result of our matching birth charts?"

"Oh?"

Qiu Huanian became intrigued.

After the autumn provincial examination results were announced last year, they had an unforgettable wedding. Meng Yuanling had gotten Qiu Huanian's birth chart ahead of time to compare it with Du Yunse's, but Qiu Huanian had never known the specific results, only that they were favorable.

"We’re not there yet, tell me quickly."

Du Yunse held Qiu Huanian's swaying arm and slowly said, "Our birth charts' five elements are in harmony, and our zodiac signs are perfectly matched, making ours the most blissful marriage. Moreover, my day pillar shows 'right wealth,' meaning I get a lot of help from my spouse. Brother Hua’s day pillar shows 'right palace,' meaning a smart, strategic, and adaptable spouse, bringing prosperity when wealth comes."

Qiu Huanian blinked and pondered, "Are you complimenting yourself here?"

Du Yunse chuckled softly, "That’s what the birth chart shows. Brother Hua is a gift from heaven to me."

Qiu Huanian felt there was more to Du Yunse's words, "Did the fortune-teller add anything else?"

Du Yunse's voice was low and pleasant, "The fortune-teller also said that when our birth charts are combined, it produces a beautiful line."

"What is it?"

"A star falls on the plains, and all crops thrive in the fertile soil."

The carriage went completely silent. Both Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse remained quiet for a long time.

These ten words seemed vague, merely a metaphorical auspicious phrase, but for Qiu Huanian, who knew his origins, and Du Yunse, who had some suspicions, the meaning was almost too deep to think about.

Qiu Huanian instinctively grabbed Du Yunse's arm. Du Yunse patted him reassuringly, "I’ve already handled the fortune-teller. He himself doesn’t understand why he came up with such a phrase. Brother Hua, don’t worry."

Qiu Huanian exhaled and smiled with emotion, "I just never thought it’d be this magical."

"Yun Se, I—"

Du Yunse gently shook his head, "I’ll wait for the day when Brother Hua is willing to tell me everything."

Qiu Huanian said no more, simply leaning quietly against Du Yunse, listening to the sound of the carriage moving along the spacious street.

He would tell Du Yunse everything openly, leaving no secrets between them, but it would likely be a long, long time from now—so long that it would be when they were about to leave this world.

Author's Note:

Note 1: Birth charts are just metaphysics! Don’t take them too seriously in real life!