Chapter 29: A Taste of Home

Chapter 29: A Taste of Home

Yu Lanyi made up his mind without hesitation and headed back to the estate with Jin Yun. He briefly explored the markets and shops of Xin Feng County, noting that the clothing shops offered a narrow selection of patterns and the street food options were fewer than in other counties. The county’s terrain was flat and straightforward.

Xin Feng County was vast, but half of it was sandy soil. Having just arrived, Yu Lanyi hadn’t yet figured out the locals. He returned to the county office and stayed in bed to keep recovering.

Jin Yun asked the kitchen to whip up some light dishes for Yu Lanyi.

Chrysanthemum tofu, fresh salad, ginseng chicken soup, and stir-fried radish strips were prepared, and the kitchen also made date paste cake for dessert. They also brewed the West Lake Longjing tea from the Marquis’s estate.

The chef was quite experienced. After visiting the Xin Feng County market, he realized that the prices of vegetables here were high. Sandstorms made vegetable cultivation scarce, driving up demand and prices.

This left the chef completely stunned.

He muttered, "The prices here are twice as high as in ordinary counties. One meal here costs as much as two elsewhere."

"I recall a county near Xin Feng when we arrived with the master that wasn’t as affected by sandstorms, so the vegetable prices should be cheaper."

The chef and his assistant chatted while swiftly prepping the ingredients.

...

After lunch, Zheng Shanci headed back to the courtyard, which had already transformed. Except for the scenery, most of it was restored to its original state. Zheng Shanci silently praised the Marquis’s servants and maids for their impressive efficiency, as no one else could achieve such meticulous work.

He went to the bedroom, where Yu Lanyi was lying obediently in bed, still smelling of medicinal herbs.

"What brings you back?" Yu Lanyi was somewhat surprised to see Zheng Shanci.

"I was concerned, so I came back to see how you’re doing," Zheng Shanci replied, taking off his official robe. "Plus, I couldn’t rest well during my nap at the office, so I thought I’d come back for a short rest."

Yu Lanyi had never seen Zheng Shanci in his official robe before. As a seventh-rank magistrate, his official robe was a pale green, and he wore an official hat that covered his hair. At first glance, he looked handsome.

Hearing that Zheng Shanci was worried about him, Yu Lanyi felt pleased. When Zheng Shanci mentioned sleeping together, he quickly said, "I'm still sick. Aren't you afraid I'll pass the illness to you?"

"I asked Jin Yun to tidy up the side room. You can sleep there for now."

Zheng Shanci smiled, "We shared a bed last night, and now you’re bringing this up? I don't mind. If I catch the illness, it just means my body is weak."

Yu Lanyi was happy inside but still said, "Last night, I was too tired and fell asleep early. I didn't know you were beside me. If I were awake, I wouldn't let you sleep next to me."

Zheng Shanci chuckled, "I understand."

"What did you have for lunch? I told the kitchen to make light meals for you before I left. You can't indulge yourself," Zheng Shanci said as he washed his hands and face, then got into bed. For convenience, he slept on the outer side.

"The chef listened to you. I ate lightly," Yu Lanyi replied, thinking of the rash on his body. In the past, when he was sick in the capital, he rarely followed dietary restrictions. This time, the rash really freaked him out enough to make him adhere to the doctor's orders.

"That's good," Zheng Shanci felt relieved about another matter.

He thought of the letter he had written to the Zheng family, unsure if they would come to Xin Feng County. The place was somewhat remote, but he could still take care of them. In the original story, the most prominent character was the original protagonist, who was a cannon fodder. His family naturally wouldn't be described in detail. Life in ancient times was tough, and after finally producing a Jinshi, he now had an official position. He should still remember their kindness.

After a moment of contemplation, he said, "I wrote to my family to inform them that we are married. My father, my dad, my eldest brother, and my younger brother live in the village. I invited them to Xin Feng County. I realized I forgot to mention this to you earlier."

Yu Lanyi felt a jolt of nervousness. He had been married to Zheng Shanci for over two months, and all household matters were left to him. He didn't have to serve in-laws like in a wealthy family, which seemed like a low marriage but actually gave him freedom.

Now, with Zheng Shanci's father, dad, an elder brother, and a younger brother coming, he wasn't sure how to handle it.

"It's only right for them to come, but I don't know how to interact with them," Yu Lanyi said. He had been pampered since childhood and was quite clever inside, knowing how to act cute and obedient in front of elders and what kind of behavior elders liked in younger ones. He was very sweet-talking.

As for Zheng Shanci's father and dad, he felt they were strangers, and there was a sense of helplessness. He’d never dealt with people like this in his social circle.

"Just act normal," Zheng Shanci said gently. "I’m here with you, and if it’s too much, just hand it over to me."

Yu Lanyi felt much more at ease after hearing this. He was exhausted: "I’m going to bed, I’m tired."

"You’re still not well; you need to stay in bed and rest up."

Yu Lanyi felt a pang of guilt; he had gone out today and been exposed to the cold wind, but Zheng Shanci didn’t need to know that.

Zheng Shanci had been concerned about Yu Lanyi’s mild fever last night and had spent some energy this morning. He shut his eyes and was out like a light.

If it weren’t for the rash, Yu Lanyi would have turned over, but with the rash, he didn’t want Zheng Shanci to see it. After a few months together, Yu Lanyi’s feelings had already started to shift; Zheng Shanci seemed like a good husband.

He decided to wait and see how Zheng Shanci would act in the future. Yu Lanyi thought this way, but his heart was already leaning towards Zheng Shanci.

...

Shengjing

Ever since Yu Lanyi went to Xin Feng County with Zheng Shanci, Mr. Yu felt an emptiness in his heart. One day, after dinner, he noticed the cook had prepared Yu Lanyi’s favorite dishes, and tears welled up in his eyes. After dinner, he wanted to visit Yu Lanyi’s room to remember him.

The maid carried the lamp as Mr. Yu stepped into Yu Lanyi’s courtyard. As soon as he entered, he saw that even the tables were missing; the courtyard was completely bare.

Mr. Yu: "...What, has the house been robbed?!"

The nanny by Mr. Yu’s side said, "How could you not know how to manage your own household? The maids and servants in the mansion wouldn’t dare to pull such a stunt, fearing they’d be beaten to death. I believe the young master took everything himself."

Nanny Cao was Mr. Yu’s wet nurse and was very close to him.

Mr. Yu laughed and cried: "That rascal, he cleared everything out when he got married."

"The items you set up in the young master’s courtyard were all top-notch. The young master couldn’t bear to leave them behind, thinking of these things is like thinking of you."

Mr. Yu’s expression softened, feeling a bit melancholy: "I always feared he’d be mistreated by his in-laws, saying he only knew how to cause trouble. Now that he’s not here with me, I still worry. What a troublemaker."

"Changxing has always been sensible since he was a child, but my son is a real handful. Now that he’s married, he still gives me headaches."

Nanny Cao sighed: "You still worry about the second young master."

"Honestly, I already regret it. I regret marrying him off so far away, to suffer hardships. How can his body endure it? Will he eat enough, stay warm? Is his husband treating him well? Lanyi has a bad temper; if he upsets Zheng Shanci, Zheng Shanci seems like a gentleman, but I haven’t interacted with him much. I don’t know his roots, I don’t know how my son is doing."

Seeing this, Nanny Cao comforted him: "He’ll come back for the New Year. Besides, the servants the young master took with him were all trained by you. Jin Yun has grown up with the young master and is a loyal servant. The second young master also learned martial arts from the eldest son. When the second son-in-law went to take up his post, he arrived at the mansion and settled the household. The entire courtyard is filled with Yu family members; the second son-in-law should be the one afraid."

Hearing this, Mr. Yu imagined Yu Lanyi standing arrogantly with his hands on his hips in front of his son-in-law, who was trembling, surrounded by Yu family servants and maids, not letting him escape.

He burst out laughing.

The servants and maids following Mr. Yu admired him; no wonder Nanny Cao was always Mr. Yu’s confidant. Who could match her way with words? Even serving the masters in the palace would be a breeze.

Mr. Yu glanced at the bare courtyard again, not wanting to see it anymore, and had the lamp taken away.

Back in the room, the Marquis of Changyang was looking at the portraits of young men and women from the capital that Mr. Yu had left on the table.

"You’re back. I saw you left these on the table, so I took a look," the Marquis said without looking up.

"Changxing is of age now, I’m looking for a match for him. Several families are suitable, but I’ll see what Changxing wants. The child’s wishes are most important; we’re just giving suggestions," Mr. Yu said as he took off his cloak.

Yu Changxing was about the same age as Emperor Wuming, who already had two princes, while Yu Changxing was still unmarried. In the capital, people his age were already fathers, but Yu Changxing was delayed. He was stubborn and not at all interested in marriage, which worried the Marquis and Mr. Yu.

As they lay in bed to rest, the Marquis hesitated and said, "Pay more attention to Shiyan’s marriage as well."

As soon as these words were spoken, the surroundings fell into silence.

Mr. Yu replied coolly, "What kind of person does the Marquis take me for? Since Yu Shiyan was born, although I don’t like him, I’ve never used any underhanded methods. His father passed away after giving birth to him, and I haven’t made things difficult for him, but I just can’t bring myself to like him. He knows this well, and during festivals, he stays in his own small courtyard, not bothering to appear before me."

"I’m from a noble family and would never engage in dirty or despicable acts."

The Marquis of Changyang felt guilty again, "My words have hurt your feelings. I’m not good with words. I’m sorry."

Mr. Yu said, "I’ve also considered Yu Shiyan’s marriage options. There are two suitable candidates. One is from the scholarly Shi family. The Shi family’s third son is a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Rites. The Shi family has a good reputation, and the parents are kind-hearted. He’s well-versed in propriety and etiquette. He has no concubines or mistresses. I’ve inquired about him. When he was taking the imperial examination, he once felt confused and voluntarily went to live in a temple for a period of time. He’s thoughtful about relationships with both women and men."

The Marquis of Changyang nodded repeatedly upon hearing this.

"There is also the second son of the loyal and righteous Earl’s family. Dai, the second son, is temporarily in a position in the Hanlin Academy and is currently a sixth-rank official. Once he has accumulated enough experience in the Hanlin Academy, he will move to one of the six ministries. Being from an Earl’s family, Dai has taken in two or three concubines after coming of age. He’s bold and direct. After all, he’s from a military family. Although he’s studied and become a civil official, his temperament is still acceptable."

"You’ve gone to great lengths," the Marquis of Changyang reached out to hold Mr. Yu’s hand.

Mr. Yu sneered and pulled his hand away, "I’m not a petty person. As long as he behaves himself, the Marquis’s residence will prepare a dowry for him and send him off to get married."

"It’s just about sending someone off."

It would be better for Yu Shiyan to marry and leave, otherwise, staying in the Marquis’s residence would always bother him. If he marries and leaves, he can live his own life and rarely return to the Marquis’s residence.

The Marquis of Changyang knew these two families in the capital and knew that Mr. Yu had not resorted to any tricks, feeling even more guilty. He wasn’t worried about Changxing, but he still thought about Yu Lanyi and decided to put more effort into Yu Lanyi and Zheng Shanci’s situation.

At least, he should make sure that the second son-in-law returns to the capital.

Mr. Yu rolled over and went to sleep.

...

The next day, Nanny Cao told Yu Shiyan about the two candidates. Yu Shiyan opened his mouth and bowed, "Thank you, Mr. Yu, for your concern. I’m truly grateful."

Nanny Cao said, "As long as the third young master knows Mr. Yu treats you well, that is enough. In the past, the head of the household was not as considerate as Mr. Yu. If the third young master agrees, Mr. Yu will arrange a suitable day for you to meet the two young men."

Yu Shiyan said, "I have no objections."

Nanny Cao bowed, "Then I will go and report back to Mr. Yu."

Yu Shiyan seemed satisfied and sent someone to investigate. The information matched what Mr. Yu had told him, and Yu Shiyan felt reassured. He also wanted to move out of the Marquis’s residence.

"Young master, who do you want to marry?"

"I’ll decide after meeting them," Yu Shiyan thought about the third son of the Shi family and was curious about his story.

This third son of the Shi family is a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Rites and once lived in a temple. The elders of the family took turns to persuade him, but not only did they fail to convince him, they almost ended up being persuaded by him to shave their heads and become monks. This shocked everyone, and they all thought the Shi family’s third son was quite unusual.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Wuming laughed heartily and said, "This person is truly interesting."

After he left the temple, Emperor Wuming arranged for him to hold a position in the Ministry of Rites, partly out of jest.

"The second son of the loyal and righteous Earl’s family is of noble status and is the best match for the third young master," the servant reminded.

"I’m not optimistic about him. Switching from military to civil service and temporarily holding a position in the Hanlin Academy indicates that he’s not yet ready to gain experience in the six ministries. He’s not among the top three scholars, so why should he go to the Hanlin Academy? It’s just that he’s not capable enough and needs more experience to rely on his family background for a good official position."

Yu Shiyan calmly said, "The current emperor values governance and the imperial examination system. He would not allow such arbitrary movements of official positions to happen. Even if it does happen, that position would likely be a sinecure."

...

Meanwhile, in the capital, Mr. Yu was in a cold war with the Marquis of Changyang over Yu Shiyan’s matter, while in Xinfeng County, Yu Lanyi was still lying in bed recovering from illness, craving some fruit.

Jin Yun hesitated, "Young master, there’s not much fruit here, and right now, only oranges are available."

Yu Lanyi: "?"

He flopped onto the bed, feeling hopeless. "Just peel me an orange."

Jin Yun peeled an orange for Yu Lanyi, who ate a few pieces. The sourness made Yu Lanyi’s face pucker. But after days of bland food, the orange woke up his taste buds, and he started to enjoy it more and more.

"Jin Yun, try a piece too."

Jin Yun took a bite, and his face puckered too.

Yu Lanyi urged, "Jin Yun, peel me another one."

Jin Yun responded and took another orange to peel for Yu Lanyi. How can the young master stand such sour oranges? He never liked sour oranges before.

Jin Yun saw Yu Lanyi eating the orange with delight.

A thought struck him—could the young master be pregnant?

He calculated the days. If you count from the wedding day, things were pretty intense. It wasn’t impossible.

"Young master..." Jin Yun lowered his voice, hushed, as if he was afraid someone might overhear.

Yu Lanyi: "Jin Yun, what’s gotten into you? Why are you acting so weird?"

Jin Yun gave a knowing look and said, "Young master, are you pregnant?"

Yu Lanyi was so shocked he dropped the orange on the bed.

He tilted his head, "What?!"

"No way, how could I be pregnant?" Yu Lanyi stammered, "How could I be pregnant?"

He couldn’t be pregnant on his own. There’s no way.

"Young master, maybe we should call a doctor to check you out?" Jin Yun suggested.

Yu Lanyi was fed up.

"No need, it’s not possible. I’d know if I were pregnant." Yu Lanyi glared at him.

Jin Yun’s face said, "I’m not so sure."

Yu Lanyi angrily munched on a few more orange slices.

Jin Yun’s look grew more intense.

Zheng Shanci looked through Xin Feng County’s records and found that most were elderly widows and military widows. One-third of the population in Xin Feng County was like this.

He frowned and said, "Wang Fu, call Scribe Jiang here."

"Yes, sir."

Scribe Jiang arrived quickly and first paid his respects.

"Tell me, why are there so many military households in Xin Feng County's registries?"

Military households are distinct from regular civilian registrations, as they are designated by the court to specifically bear military duties. Once a military household is established, descendants are obligated to serve as soldiers for generations, and they cannot leave the military registry without official approval. Military households have the obligation to provide military service, and this obligation is hereditary, with sons replacing fathers and younger brothers succeeding elder brothers.

The management of military households differs from that of ordinary registered civilians. The county government is tasked with providing rations, salt, and clothing to soldiers, and after a year, the local county government submits a report to the Ministry of Revenue to verify the number of people and distribute silver to military households. Additionally, military households receive certain tax reductions.

Scribe Jiang clasped his hands and remarked, "Our region is quite close to the border. At that time, Xin Feng County had a small population, so the court brought many border soldiers to settle here to ensure their peace of mind. Thus, there are a significant number of military households."

Zheng Shanci replied, "I understand."

"Tomorrow, you will accompany me to inspect the fields."

Scribe Jiang was delighted in his heart and said, "Yes, Lord Zheng."

Half of Xin Feng County's poverty is due to the fact that half of the land is sandy, making it difficult to grow grains and vegetables. The other half of the poverty stems from poor transportation. The roads in Xin Feng County are extremely difficult to traverse, and there is little money to be made here, so merchants are reluctant to come. Merchants are profit-driven; they avoid ventures that offer no gain.

As Zheng Shanci traveled, he noticed that other counties had merchants traveling back and forth, but as soon as they reached the road to Xin Feng County, the population began to thin out. As they journeyed, there was no one in front of them, and no one behind them.

When he worked in the library, his job was leisurely, and he read most of the books in the library. The knowledge stayed with him, particularly from books such as "Sowing in the Desert—Natural Farming, Global Ecological Restoration, and Ultimate Food Security," "Chinese Desert and Sandy Land Plants," and "Chinese Ex Situ Cultivation Flora: Desert Plants."

In addition to reading these books, Zheng Shanci also knew that there was a slight chance of finding gold mines in the desert. However, the likelihood was slim, and Zheng Shanci did not have high expectations for it.

The next day, he planned to accompany Scribe Jiang to assess the soil of Xin Feng County to make a better judgment.

Admittedly, he lacked practical experience; he had only read books and would have to slowly practice and explore. Zheng Shanci thought about these matters as he looked at the military households in Xin Feng County's registry and sighed.

The Ministry of Revenue has always been notoriously tight-fisted. Securing funds from the Ministry of Revenue is challenging, but Zheng Shanci would do his best to submit a memorial and try.

He scratched his face and continued to handle official duties.

Today, he needed to review some urgent documents. As a newly appointed official, Zheng Shanci needed to first grasp the situation in Xin Feng County to know how to improve the county and help the people live a more prosperous life.

Having taken on the role of magistrate of Xin Feng County, he was resolved to excel in his duties. Zheng Shanci thought this in his heart.

That evening, after returning home and freshening up, Zheng Shanci saw Yu Lanyi lying on the bed, swinging his legs and reading a storybook while eating an orange. In the afternoon, Yu Lanyi, bored at home, had asked Jin Yun to purchase some storybooks for him. He had just finished reading a tale about a fox spirit and a scholar.

"Zheng Shanci, have an orange!" Yu Lanyi's eyes lit up when he saw Zheng Shanci, and he handed him the orange.

Without hesitation, Zheng Shanci took the orange and bit into it, immediately wrinkling his face from the sourness: "It's so sour."

Yu Lanyi, delighted by Zheng Shanci's sour expression, burst into laughter: "It tastes just right to me."

Zheng Shanci looked up and asked, "Did you do that on purpose?"

Yu Lanyi raised his chin proudly: "Yes, I did it on purpose. So what?"

There was really nothing Zheng Shanci could do. He couldn't beat Yu Lanyi and would instead get beaten up.

He had only reinforced a few garments with iron pieces but avoided doing so with his official robe.

"How are you feeling today?" Zheng Shanci chose to change the subject.

"Not bad, just sticking to lighter meals," Yu Lanyi smacked his lips: "My mouth feels bland."

Zheng Shanci laughed: "No taste? It's full of sourness."

Yu Lanyi: "..."

Yu Lanyi was so angry that he wanted to hit Zheng Shanci. He tugged at Zheng Shanci's official robe, and Zheng Shanci sat on the edge of the bed following Yu Lanyi's pull. Yu Lanyi's gaze fell on Zheng Shanci's face and Adam's apple. He looked dignified and handsome in his official robe.

Yu Lanyi said, "Then why don't you try it?"