Chapter 164: The Grand Plan

Chapter 164: The Grand Plan

Time flew by in the days of eating, sleeping, and repeating the cycle, and before Qiu Huanian even realized, it was already the eve of the 23rd year of Emperor Yuanhua's reign.

This year, the family was larger and livelier, with two new babies, filling the entire household with a joyful atmosphere.

After ten days of recovery, Qiu Huanian could now walk and move normally, though his spirits were still not great, needing to rest after just five minutes of activity.

Unable to tolerate his disheveled appearance, he insisted that Du Yunse help him bathe after waking up and feeding the two children in the morning.

The bath was taken in the warm pavilion of the main house, with the children left in the delivery room under the care of two uncles and a wet nurse. In the warm and comfortable room, only the two of them were present, spending a full half-hour in the soothing sounds of the water, only stepping out of the bathtub when the water was nearly cold.

After the bath, Qiu Huanian felt refreshed and rejuvenated, while Du Yunse also had a satisfied smile on his face.

Qiu Huanian, half-heartedly accused him, "How old are you, still vying with our sons for food?"

Du Yunse looked innocent, "Didn't you, Brother Hua, ask me to taste it?"

"Nonsense! I only told you, told you..." Qiu Huanian's voice grew softer, unable to continue. The faint milky sweetness in his mouth constantly reminded him of what had just happened, making him blush like a steamed crab.

Curiosity and boldness can be dangerous!

At that moment, Xing Mi's voice rang out from the courtyard, saving the flustered Qiu Huanian.

"Brother, it's time to replace the peach charms and hang the couplets. Chun Sheng asked me to come and ask how to hang them."

Everyone in the house was now gathered in the outer courtyard, as planned, the New Year's Eve feast would be held in the main house of the outer courtyard, which was as large as five rooms.

Qiu Huanian adjusted his collar and spoke to the outside, "Have the things prepared, leave the main gate and the main courtyard's couplets for Yun Se to handle, the other courtyards should be handled by their occupants, and for the unoccupied areas, let Wu Da handle them."

With so many houses and gates, hanging couplets and replacing peach charms during the New Year became a delightful chore.

At this hour, Qiu Huanian felt bad about keeping the family waiting, so he pulled Du Yunse to the front.

Du Yunse put a thick, snow-white mink-lined wind cap on him, wrapped him in a cloak of the same color that reached his feet, and handed him an exquisitely crafted, heat-resistant copper hand warmer with plum blossom designs, then lifted him into his arms.

Bundled up like a ball, Qiu Huanian wanted to resist, but Du Yunse directly pressed the big ball into his embrace.

"Everyone in the outer courtyard is family, I'll carry Brother Hua over. It's cold outside, what if Brother Hua catches a chill after just bathing?"

Qiu Huanian had no choice but to nod slightly, not feeling the temperature change, as he was carried from the main house of the inner courtyard to the front.

Seeing them come out, Xing Mi ran over and lifted the thick red felt curtain on the back door of the hallway. Du Yunse used his knee to push open the tall wooden door and steadily carried Qiu Huanian over the threshold.

Qiu Huanian, who hadn't been out since giving birth, was warmly welcomed.

"Brother Hua, come sit here!"

"Finally, we see our Brother Hua, I look left and right, how come he looks even better than before giving birth!"

"Brother Hua, hello!"

"Brother Hua, would you like some mackerel dumplings? The fish was sent early this morning by Sister Deng Die from Haijin Town, I had the kitchen make hundreds of dumplings, it's just the right time to eat them now."

...

Qiu Huanian greeted Ye Taohong and Bao Yi, responding to the children's words while sitting down at the small huanghuali wood table with auspicious cloud patterns. Hong Fei, with good insight, placed a brazier by his feet.

"Did Sister Deng Die send someone with things this morning?"

Jiu Jiu replied, "Indeed, it was specially delivered from Haijin Town—fresh seafood including fish and shrimp, the largest being as big as half a person, with pink skin! The messenger said that Sister Deng Die and Brother Wang send their best and will visit us in the capital after the New Year."

Wang Yinzhi serves in Hejian Prefecture, overseeing Haijin Town, making it easy for him to get fresh seafood. He and his wife Deng Die often send delicious seafood to Qiu Huanian's family in the capital.

Qiu Huanian loves fish. Having only had a small bowl of porridge in the morning, he couldn’t resist his craving now. His eyes lit up as he said, "Bring me a small plate of mackerel dumplings, and steam some crystal shrimp dumplings using starch."

It was New Year’s Eve, and the kitchen had already prepared countless ingredients. Shortly after Qiu Huanian spoke, the mackerel dumplings and crystal shrimp dumplings were served, along with a small bowl of hibiscus and green pea soup.

Jiu Jiu and the others had already eaten and did not overindulge; only Yun Ying, being greedy, ate two more translucent shrimp dumplings.

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse sat opposite each other and had this meal at an odd hour. The mackerel dumplings and shrimp dumplings were incredibly tender and juicy, bursting with flavor in their mouths, so fresh that Qiu Huanian nearly bit his tongue.

The hibiscus and green pea soup was simmered with chicken broth, tofu crumbs, small green vegetable crumbs, and green pea crumbs, seasoned with just a spoonful of salt, full of the natural flavors of the ingredients.

This soup, considering its ingredients and method, was nothing special, but in the dead of winter, being able to eat fresh green vegetables was more valuable than a feast of meat and fish.

Seeing the fresh small green vegetables in the soup, Ye Taohong couldn’t help but ask, "Although the climate in the capital is not as cold as in the northeast, no vegetables grow in the fields during winter. It’s really strange—where did these small green vegetables come from?"

Qiu Huanian had been eating green vegetables every day recently and hadn’t thought much about it, assuming they were from the estate’s deep cellars. Hearing Ye Taohong’s question, he finally realized something was off.

The green vegetables stored in the estate’s cellars shouldn’t be this fresh or of such variety.

Qiu Huanian looked at Du Yunse, who replied, "These are greenhouse vegetables grown in the Shanglin Garden, with very limited yields, usually only for the emperor, favored concubines, and royal offspring. Brother Hua’s portion was specially decreed by the emperor after his childbirth."

"Greenhouse vegetables, Yunse—do you mean growing vegetables in greenhouses?" Ye Taohong widened her eyes. "Goodness, think of all the charcoal that would waste!"

The greenhouse vegetable technology of the Yu Dynasty, Qiu Huanian had previously understood, but lost interest after realizing the severe imbalance between the investment and the yield.

In ancient times, without plastic greenhouses or electric and water heating, greenhouse vegetable cultivation purely used charcoal to heat the houses in winter, keeping the houses warm enough for vegetables to grow.

The amount of charcoal needed for a small handful of green vegetables was almost enough for a poor family to use sparingly throughout the winter. Only the royal family could indulge in such luxury for a bite of green vegetables.

Getting a taste of royal luxury, Qiu Huanian drank a small bowl of soup and invited everyone to taste the "imperial vegetables."

"Yunse, I remember the Shanglin Garden is managed by the Imperial Banquet Office?" Qiu Huanian suddenly asked, thinking of something.

The Imperial Banquet Office oversees royal banquets and tributes from various regions, managing the Shanglin Garden, which provides food and other raw materials for the royal family.

There were others in the room, and Qiu Huanian only spoke half of his thoughts, but Du Yunse already understood his meaning.

The current Minister of the Imperial Banquet Office is Yu Wen, the eldest of the Yu clan. Qiu Huanian personally had a feud with Yu Wen’s wife, and the Yu clan had already sided with the third prince. Could he have tampered with the vegetables from the Shanglin Garden?

Du Yunse patted Qiu Huanian’s head. "Brother Hua, rest assured—the emperor knows exactly what he’s eating."

Even as the Minister of the Imperial Banquet Office, under the emperor’s watch, Yu Wen, having only been in office for a year, couldn’t possibly have that much control.

The Yuanhua Emperor placed Yu Wen in the position of Minister of the Imperial Banquet Office as a move to settle accounts with the Yu family later, not to jeopardize his own safety, and must have already placed trusted people in the Imperial Banquet Office.

If even the ingredients exclusively for the royal family couldn’t be guaranteed safe, then the Yuanhua Emperor might as well not be the emperor.

Qiu Huanian realized he had overthought and embarrassingly touched his nose.

Since Du Yunse said "soon," he had been a bit paranoid. After childbirth, his temperament had become somewhat sensitive and overthinking, which wasn’t good.

Du Yunse saw Qiu Huanian’s thoughts and held his hand tightly, feeling heartache.

The specially invited Uncle Putao in the mansion was experienced, having seen the joys and sorrows of many families with new births. He had solemnly reminded Du Yunse that the birthing parent might become sensitive and changeable in the first few months after childbirth and must be accompanied well.

Du Yunse kept these words in mind, always carefully and thoughtfully helping Qiu Huanian relax.

Brother Hua is very perceptive and intelligent. Although he is naturally optimistic, the complicated political situation in the capital inevitably weighs on his mind. Du Yunse only regrets that, although the grand plan is in place, it still takes time to complete and cannot be immediately settled, so that Brother Hua can be completely at ease.

Soon, using the case of the real and fake Miss Zhao to "flush out the snake," and then using the poisoning incident of Prince Jin's eldest son to lure out the big fish, forcing them into a desperate move, Wu Shen will secretly lead troops into the capital...

Du Yunse's expression darkened slightly, burying those two treasonous words deep in his heart, and he softly smiled, "Brother Hua, are you tired? Do you want to go back and rest for a while, and see what Gu Gu and Yang Yang are doing?"

Qiu Huanian was indeed feeling restless, nodding and yawning, letting Du Yunse carry him back to the delivery room, bundled up once again.

After they returned, the wet nurses and others discreetly withdrew. Gu Gu and Yang Yang had just changed into bright red new clothes, lying obediently in the cradle, like two chubby red packets.

Seeing the two little treasures, Qiu Huanian's mood instantly brightened, and all his worries melted away.

He walked to the side of the cradle, leaned down, and planted a kiss on each of the two little bundles' soft, pale cheeks. As soon as he looked up, Du Yunse did the same to his face.

"What are you doing? Always causing trouble," Qiu Huanian feigned annoyance.

"Just like Brother Hua, kissing my own precious one."

"..." Qiu Huanian couldn't keep up the act, his face turning red instantly.

He gritted his teeth, starting to think whether it would be better to bite the Number One Scholar's lips or his Adam's apple, but in any case, he had to get his 'revenge' bite in!

Du Yunse gently supported Qiu Huanian's waist and back, waiting for his little husband to calm down, then carried him to sit on the kang, wiping the thin sweat from his forehead.

"Is Brother Hua happy now?"

Qiu Huanian used his index finger to hook open Du Yunse's collar, satisfied with the bite marks and red marks he left, "Well done, keep it up."

Du Yunse grabbed this naughty hand, "Shall we continue?"

Qiu Huanian considered the likelihood of being at a disadvantage if they continued, and decisively shook his head, "It's the New Year, no mischief allowed. Go and put up the couplets."

"Brother Hua, are you chasing me away?" Du, the Number One Scholar, actually looked a bit pitiful, it was hard to tell who was clinging to whom.

Qiu Huanian smiled and patted his cheek, "Today is New Year's Eve, go check around the mansion for any oversights, I'll take a nap."

"Gu Gu and Yang Yang, root for your father!"

The little babies, only ten days old, had no idea what rooting meant, blinking their big eyes in confusion. Du Yunse looked at these three treasures, one big and two small, and smiled warmly from the depths of his heart.

"Then have a good sleep, wait for me to come back."