Chapter 32: The Tavern

Chapter 32: The Tavern

Zheng Shanci looked at Yu Lanyi, this time, he met Yu Lanyi's gaze directly.

The two of them finished washing up one after the other and each lay down in their own bed, both lying on their backs. Yu Lanyi tentatively moved closer, and Zheng Shanci did not react. He then inched closer, resting his head on Zheng Shanci's shoulder.

Yu Lanyi's hair brushed against Zheng Shanci's neck, sending a tickle down his spine, and Zheng Shanci's heart also felt a tickle. This was the first time they had willingly gotten so close in this bed.

However... Zheng Shanci moved Yu Lanyi's head onto the pillow and said, "Be careful, or you'll wake up with a stiff neck."

Yu Lanyi: "..."

He was seething with anger.

Yu Lanyi turned his back.

Noticing Yu Lanyi's anger, Zheng Shanci hesitated for a moment before turning over and placing a hand on Yu Lanyi's waist, embracing him. He moved closer, and the warmth from Yu Lanyi's breath spread across his neck.

Zheng Shanci's warm lips gently pressed against the back of Yu Lanyi's neck. His kiss was gentle, like a spring breeze, and then he nibbled with his teeth. Honestly, this was more overwhelming than a bite.

Yu Lanyi's body tensed momentarily before slowly relaxing. Neither of them had been this close before. On their wedding night, they had feigned intimacy because they were being watched, but it was not from the heart. This time, their closeness was a mutual, unspoken understanding.

The warmth of Zheng Shanci's hand on his waist lingered, and Yu Lanyi's earlobes turned red. His mind wandered—thinking of his father, his dad, his eldest brother, Lv Jin—but always returning to Zheng Shanci.

When he and Lv Jin had just reached marriageable age, Yu Lanyi had participated in several marriage negotiations. Due to Mr. Yu's experiences, Yu Lanyi had high standards for his future partner. He desired a future husband who would be devoted solely to him. If a third person were to join them, it would no longer feel like a family, and there would be more than just one stranger—there would be many.

He had been proposed to by many noble sons, and whenever he brought up this requirement, they would react with disbelief and impatience, saying, "How can you think that way? We need to grow the family. Being with just one person is impossible."

This was one of the reasons Yu Lanyi gained a poor reputation in the capital.

He was now quite content with Zheng Shanci, and Zheng Shanci had promised his father not to take a concubine before the age of thirty. Having spent so much time with Zheng Shanci, Yu Lanyi knew his integrity was genuine—he always kept his promises. At this thought, Yu Lanyi's spirits rose once more.

If Zheng Shanci avoided mistakes during his term and with some family support, they could return to the capital. The family had money and property, and they could find a leisurely position for Zheng Shanci, allowing them to live a carefree life.

Yu Lanyi daydreamed, a sense of joy filling his heart.

...

The next day, when Zheng Shanci woke up, Yu Lanyi was sleeping in his arms, his face rosy and still in deep sleep. Zheng Shanci did not disturb Yu Lanyi's sleep and quietly got out of bed to go to the county office.

The Great Yan Dynasty implemented a five-day workweek with days off. When Zheng Shanci arrived at the county office, he had Wang Fu summon Deputy Magistrate Qi.

Deputy Magistrate Qi arrived shortly after and first saluted, "What does Lord Zheng need from this humble official?"

"The autumn harvest season has arrived, and this is usually your responsibility, Deputy Magistrate Qi, so I wanted to ask you about it. The court has mandated the use of standardized molds for measuring rice, and I've seen that the molds meet the court's requirements. However, I've heard that there are significant loopholes during the autumn harvest measurements. Sometimes, a yamen runner's hand might slip, or they might deliberately make things difficult, causing the common people to suffer."

Deputy Magistrate Qi thought it was about something else, but this was an accepted practice in the county office. Going to the countryside to collect grain was considered a good assignment, and the yamen runners competed for it, showing that there were benefits to be gained. If the water is too clear, there will be no fish. You have to give the yamen runners some incentives, or else who would work diligently for you in the future?

Deputy Magistrate Qi said, "I will sternly warn the yamen runners to restrain themselves."

Hearing this, Zheng Shanci chuckled, "Will they really behave after your warning? I already have a plan. When they go out, I will have them searched, and when they return, they will be searched again. If I find that they have taken anything from the common people, I will have them beaten with the board and sent back. Once they take off their official robes, who among the common people would fear them?"

Deputy Magistrate Qi gasped, knowing from Zheng Shanci's tone that he was serious. This new county magistrate was indeed tough, resorting to beatings and dismissals at the drop of a hat.

Xinfeng County had truly changed. The previous county magistrate had been indifferent, content with his monthly salary and the annual tributes from the wealthy families in the city, acting as a hands-off manager. Now, Zheng Shanci wanted to take control of everything.

Deputy Magistrate Qi said, "Since Lord Zheng has spoken, I will report this truthfully."

Zheng Shanci waved his hand, dismissing Deputy Magistrate Qi.

He knew that the yamen runners in Xin Feng County were used to being lazy, and when the autumn harvest season arrived, they eagerly looked forward to profiting from the countryside. His meddling and warnings had surely made them furious.

But this was wrong; just because everyone did it didn’t make it okay. Zheng Shanci knew he couldn’t completely suppress such behavior, but he couldn’t turn a blind eye either.

When Deputy Magistrate Qi relayed Zheng Shanci’s words, the yamen runners were in an uproar.

“Lord Zheng has just arrived and is already cutting off our means of profit!”

“Cutting off someone’s income is like killing their parents. Lord Zheng is too ruthless.”

“If we’re careful, it’ll be fine. We just can’t be too reckless.”

Some were indignant, but they knew better than to openly curse Zheng Shanci in public, keeping their anger to themselves. The timid yamen runners dared not continue the practice, while the bolder ones planned to be more discreet, taking small bribes on the side.

Zheng Shanci then sought out Scribe Jiang to inquire about crops that could be grown in sandy soil during the Great Yan Dynasty. Scribe Jiang suggested a few, which Zheng Shanci noted down.

The start is always tough, but step by step, things will get done.

The yamen runners didn’t dare to defy Zheng Shanci, especially since he had already confronted Patriarch Xia on his first day. They were nervous and only did their jobs after being searched.

After handling official matters, Zheng Shanci now had time to attend to his personal affairs. He called Wang Fu in and told him, “Go around the county and see if there are any good shopfronts suitable for a food establishment.”

Wang Fu acknowledged and left.

Zheng Shanci first picked a few crops for the townspeople to grow on a large scale, instead of planting them here and there. These included chili peppers, peanuts, hawthorn, goji berries, licorice, and soybeans. He also wanted to plant poplar, willow, jujube, and pear trees, which could prevent soil erosion and yield sellable fruits. Chili peppers could be made into hot sauce for sale, while peanuts and soybeans could be pressed for oil. Hawthorn, goji berries, and licorice could be sold to herbal medicine vendors.

Zheng Shanci knew he couldn’t force the people to grow these crops but could only guide them. He thought about having the county office buy chili peppers, peanuts, hawthorn...

In the market, a jin of chili peppers cost two wen. Chili peppers were not native to the Great Yan Dynasty but had been introduced from foreign lands. Initially, few people grew them, but after tasting their flavor, the people became bolder in cultivating them.

As for the hot sauce, Zheng Shanci planned to price it at twelve wen, purchasing chili peppers from the market at three wen per jin. He planned to use the money from the food place to open a hot sauce shop and hire help.

For the other crops, Zheng Shanci decided the county office would pay one wen more than the market price, a rate that would remain unchanged for the time being. It wasn’t yet the season to plant these crops; they would have to wait until next year. Before then, he needed to gather sufficient capital.

Some tough cases from the county office’s files were sent to Zheng Shanci, while small or petty matters were handled by Deputy Magistrate Qi and Scribe Jiang, who typically delegated such tasks to their subordinates.

One of the magistrate’s duties was to adjudicate cases. Zheng Shanci rubbed his temples, feeling the weight of his responsibilities. As the head of the county, he felt like he was doing too many jobs at once.

Just a seventh-rank official, after all.

Zheng Shanci decided to focus and delve into the case files.

...

Yu Lanyi slept well and didn’t get up until the sun was high. Zheng Shanci was, as expected, no longer at home. Jin Yun came in to help him, and Yu Lanyi recalled that Zheng Shanci had mentioned attending the wedding banquet of the Cheng family’s eldest grandson that evening. He didn’t know that weddings here were at night, a custom different from the capital. He needed to prepare a gift for the Cheng family.

“What do we have in the storeroom that’s presentable but not overly extravagant?”

Jin Yun thought for a moment. “When the young master was sixteen, I remember a court official gave him a white pearl. It’s of excellent quality, round and full, perfect for a gift.”

Yu Lanyi wasn’t fond of pearls; he preferred gold jewelry. Whenever Yu Zhangxing received rewards from Emperor Wuming, he usually gave them to Yu Lanyi or simply stored them in the storeroom.

“Then wrap it up.”

Yu Lanyi spent a bit too much time at the dressing table that day, looking left and right. “How do I look today?”

Jin Yun, though puzzled, replied, “The young master looks great and noble today.”

“Ahem, that’s good. When accompanying Zheng Shanci to deliver a gift, one must be presentable.” Yu Lanyi stood up and went to the wardrobe to pick out an outfit.

Jin Yun shared Yu Lanyi's sentiments, until he saw Yu Lanyi changing outfits several times in a row, and Jin Yun was dumbfounded. Even if the young master highly valued this wedding banquet, he didn't need to change outfits so many times. In Jin Yun's view, even at palace banquets, Yu Lanyi had never been so formal.

Yu Lanyi spent a long time changing before finally settling on a green outer robe. He put on the black inner garment and found a jade crown. The symptoms of his environmental discomfort had almost disappeared. Yu Lanyi drank another bowl of medicinal soup, grimacing as he ate a piece of preserved fruit.

"I think I'm almost fully recovered and don't need any more medicine," Yu Lanyi said, annoyed.

"Young master, you still have some rashes that haven't faded," Jin Yun said.

Hearing this, Yu Lanyi relented and said, "Then I still need to take medicine."

He thought about how he had spoken to Zheng Shanci yesterday with rashes still on his face and wished he could bury himself in the quilt.

...

In the capital, Yu Shiyan met Dai Er Gongzi, the second son of the Zhongyi Earl's family, who was arrogant, frivolous, and teased Yu Shiyan. Yu Shiyan's expression turned icy: "If you have nothing important, I’ll take my leave."

Dai Er Gongzi was captivated by Yu Shiyan's good looks, and the colder Yu Shiyan was towards him, the more he was intrigued: "You are a concubine's son of a marquis's family, and I am the second legitimate son of an earl's family with an official position. I know your background, and marrying me as my principal husband would be your fortune. Don’t refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a penalty. I only have concubines and maidservants, and I still need to set up an external household. Isn't it good to give you the dignity of a principal husband?"

The more Dai Er Gongzi spoke, the more he convinced himself that allowing Yu Shiyan to be his principal husband was an act of generosity. Some of them didn't even give their principal husbands dignity, but he was willing to give Yu Shiyan dignity. The household still needed a principal husband to manage it. If Yu Shiyan bore a son, he would be the legitimate heir. He was well aware of the inner courtyard's scandals and would never let a concubine's son surpass the legitimate heir.

Some people only sought to satisfy their personal desires and whims, which paled in comparison to a peaceful household.

He laid out his personal desires clearly to Yu Shiyan. If he accepted, they would live together for a lifetime. If he didn't, there were other beautiful young men in the capital.

Dai Er Gongzi told Yu Shiyan his thoughts about the legitimate heir.

"If I die before you, your son will inherit my estate. Then you and your son can live in the mansion, free from my control. You can do as you please."

Yu Shiyan laughed bitterly at Dai Er Gongzi's words, which implied he could take a lover after his death.

Yu Shiyan couldn’t accept the idea that their marriage was solely for procreation or finding a reliable partner to bear his children.

"Thank you for your kindness, Dai Gongzi. I’ll take my leave now."

Yu Shiyan left without hesitation.

The very next day, Dai Er Gongzi married another young man. He had considered Yu Shiyan a backup, just as Yu Shiyan had considered him.

One day, while drinking with friends, Dai Er Gongzi laughed and said, "I thought only Yu Lanyi had such standards, but I didn’t expect Yu Shiyan, a concubine's son, to be so picky. Hasn’t he realized his place yet? Does he think he’s Yu Lanyi?"

Yu Lanyi was highly favored, backed by the Marquis of Changyang and the Duke of Ying, with an elder brother who was a close confidant of the emperor.

They typically didn’t refer to Yu Zhangxing as the heir of the Marquis of Changyang but as Lord Yu, as his status far surpassed that of the heir.

Yu Shiyan didn't know about Dai Er Gongzi's words. When Ye Yunchu learned about Yu Shiyan's search for a husband, he felt bitter and went to beg the Princess of Zhennan to propose to the Marquis of Changyang's family on his behalf.

The Princess of Zhennan said coldly, "I can propose for you, but he can only enter through the side door."

Before Ye Yunchu could feel happy, the latter part of the Princess of Zhennan's words struck him like a bolt from the blue: "Mother, are you asking him to be a concubine?"

Seeing her outstanding son in such a haggard state, the Princess of Zhennan disliked Yu Shiyan even more: "His status as a side consort of the prince's heir is already a promotion. Does he think he can be the principal consort? Dream on."

"If I propose, it can only be as a side consort."

Ye Yunchu felt cold inside. Yu Shiyan would never want to be his concubine, but if he compromised a little and let Shiyan be his concubine, he wouldn't marry anyone else. Then what difference would there be between Shiyan and the principal consort?

Moreover, as a nobleman, which man didn't have three wives and four concubines? He only wanted Yu Shiyan, and Yu Shiyan should understand him.

When Ye Yunchu found out that the Shi family had agreed to the marriage with Yu Shiyan, he couldn’t resist going to see Shi Xuan.

The servants at the Shi residence took him to the study, where Shi Xuan was transcribing Buddhist scriptures. Ye Yunchu arrived angry, but upon seeing Shi Xuan’s dazed expression, he didn’t know how to express his frustration.

When Shi Xuan finished transcribing, he looked up and acknowledged Ye Yunchu. He had never interacted with Ye Yunchu before and didn’t know why he had come.

He invited Ye Yunchu to sit down and talk.

Ye Yunchu came right out with it: “I heard the third young master is engaged to Yu Shiyan?”

Shi Xuan frowned slightly upon hearing Ye Yunchu directly address Yu Shiyan’s name: “My mother set it up for me. I don’t have anything against the third young master Yu, so I didn’t refuse.”

After all, it doesn’t matter who I’m with, as long as it doesn’t interfere with his Buddhist practices.

Shi Xuan was emotionally detached.

Ye Yunchu saw no concern for Yu Shiyan on Shi Xuan’s face, and he felt relieved and spoke more earnestly: “Since the third young master isn’t set on marrying the third young master Yu, then please don’t proceed with the engagement.”

Shi Xuan: “Although I have no feelings for the third young master Yu, Heir Ye is being quite forward.” Shi Xuan gestured for him to leave.

Ye Yunchu hesitated, then bowed in apology, his eyes showing some regret.

The Shi family called off the engagement the next morning.

Shi Xuan wanted to avoid trouble. Moreover, since Ye Yunchu had come to him, it must be related to Yu Shiyan. Developing feelings for Ye Yunchu before the marriage, and Ye Yunchu coming to him directly, Shi Xuan didn’t think he was that generous.

When someone asked why he called off the engagement, Shi Xuan just said it wasn’t a good match.

Both marriages Mr. Yu arranged for Yu Shiyan fell through, so Mr. Yu stopped helping Yu Shiyan find a match for a while. The wife of the Marquis of Zhongyi even complained to him, saying that Yu Shiyan had high standards and didn’t take a liking to her second son.

Mr. Yu comforted the wife of the Marquis of Zhongyi on the surface, but in his heart, he sneered.

With Yu Shiyan’s status, did he really think he could climb high? If he were truly sensible, he would know that Mr. Yu was using his connections to arrange this, and by disregarding it, he had hurt the Marquis’s face, which would ultimately reflect poorly on Mr. Yu.

When the Marquis of Changyang learned of this, his expression changed drastically, and he specifically scolded Yu Shiyan.

Yu Shiyan’s expression was restrained: “If that’s the case, please allow me to decide my own marriage.”

The Marquis of Changyang was shocked and furious: “Fine, fine, I won’t interfere with your marriage matters anymore.”

The Marquis of Changyang left in a rage.

“Third young master, what will you do? How can you oppose the Marquis?” the servant worriedly asked.

Yu Shiyan, pale-faced, shook his head: “I can’t be controlled by others. As for the Shi family, let’s just say they were unprincipled. We had already agreed, and then they went back on their word.”

Yu Shiyan developed a high fever that night and went through another ordeal.

...

In the afternoon, Zheng Shanci received a message from Wang Fu, who had found a shop with an annual rent of eight taels of silver. Since it was in a good commercial location, the price was higher than usual, but compared to the capital, it was a drop in the bucket.

The shop Mr. Yu gave to Yu Lanyi, Yu Lanyi could rent out a shop and earn nearly a hundred taels of silver a year, and he had several other shops and estates.

After finishing his duties, Zheng Shanci went to see the shop. It was located in a bustling area of Xinfeng County, surrounded by shops and a nearby academy. Zheng Shanci was very satisfied; the scholars from the academy loved to dine out, so being near the academy meant a steady stream of customers.

“Let’s settle on this one,” Zheng Shanci said.

Wang Fu took the silver and settled the deal with the owner. Zheng Shanci returned home, but Yu Lanyi was out for a stroll and hadn’t come back yet. Zheng Shanci handed the recipe he had written to the cook.

The cook, named Jin Zhang, took the recipe from Zheng Shanci's hands and was immediately astonished upon glancing at it. The recipe was incredibly detailed, even specifying the exact number of spoonfuls of salt and the precise amount of water. If all recipes were this detailed, even a regular person could cook, and the food wouldn’t turn out too bad.

The dishes in this recipe were a bit complicated, so Jin Zhang asked, "Sir, what do you want me to do with this recipe?"

Zheng Shanci replied, "I want to open a food shop and would like you to be the head chef. We don’t need to make all these dishes right away, but we can have them ready to go."

Jin Zhang said, "I was assigned to the young master by Mr. Yu, so I’ll need his approval for this."

"I understand. I'll ask Lan Yi when he returns."

Jin Zhang had two recipes in hand, one of which listed how to make some snacks. Jin Zhang asked curiously, "Sir, the grilled sausage mentioned here—I’d like to make it for you and the young master sometime."

Zheng Shanci said, "If you have time, we could also sell the grilled sausages outside the shop. Each sausage can be sold for three coins."

Jin Zhang was intrigued, mainly because he’d never seen anything like it before. As a cook, he was naturally curious.

"Sir, where did you find this recipe? Some of these dishes I’ve never even heard of, and even for the ones I know, the methods are different," Jin Zhang inquired.

Zheng Shanci simply said, "I found it in an old book, but now that book is lost. It’s a real shame."

Jin Zhang looked disappointed but didn’t push the matter.

When Yu Lanyi returned, Zheng Shanci discussed this with him, and Yu Lanyi agreed to let Jin Zhang be the head chef of the food shop.

"Then who’s going to cook at home?" Yu Lanyi asked quickly.

Jin Zhang replied, "I’ve brought a few apprentices with me. They can cook for the young master whenever needed."

Cooking is a skill, and Jin Zhang was a great cook, so he had plenty of apprentices following him. They were all eager to learn the craft and become cooks in wealthy households, or at least find work in a restaurant or small eatery. With their cooking skills, they had a means to make a living.

Yu Lanyi had gone out to pick up some pastries today. Besides the mung bean cake Zheng Shanci brought yesterday, he also bought osmanthus cake, donkey rolls, and poria cake. He even had a sugar painting with him.

The osmanthus cake was made with glutinous rice flour, sugar, and osmanthus honey. It was fragrant, crispy, and soft, with the scent of osmanthus wafting from a distance. The pastries were sold by a good-looking young man and his husband at a stall. Yu Lanyi first had Jin Yun buy a few pieces to try, and he found them more and more delicious. No wonder there was a long line at the stall.

Seeing the young man’s skill, Yu Lanyi started to feel like trying his hand in the kitchen. Back at home, Mr. Yu never made soup, so Yu Lanyi would just go to the kitchen, ladle some chicken broth, and serve it to the Marquis of Changyang, saying it was his own creation.

Yu Lanyi didn’t want to cook anything fancy, just pastries.

Zheng Shanci said, "Lan Yi, it’s good to have some pastries to fill you up. At the Cheng residence, you’ll have to talk a lot. If you can’t handle it, just leave it to me."

"Don’t underestimate me," Yu Lanyi muttered, clearly annoyed.

When it was time, Yu Lanyi had Jin Yun bring the gifts. Seeing Zheng Shanci in a daze, he proudly said, "How can you attend a wedding banquet without gifts? Don’t worry about such things at home; I’ll handle them."

Zheng Shanci smiled, climbed into the carriage, and reached over to brush the pastry crumbs from the corner of Yu Lanyi’s mouth. "How did you manage to get your mouth dirty while eating pastries?"

Yu Lanyi didn’t speak, his face red. Zheng Shanci had never been this intimate with him before. Yu Lanyi’s heart was pounding. Their marriage was arranged by their parents through a matchmaker, and if there was to be any affection, it would develop after the engagement, allowing the two to interact.

The carriage was still moving through the streets. Yu Lanyi had bought wind chimes for all four corners of the carriage, and as the wind blew, the chimes made a crisp sound.

Inside the carriage, it was just the two of them. Zheng Shanci looked at Yu Lanyi, felt a stir in his heart, and tucked a strand of hair behind Yu Lanyi’s ear, gently rubbing his red earlobe.

He said, "Lan Yi, you look like a ripe apple."

Zheng Shanci didn’t shy away from other words, and his statement was quite suggestive.

"Sir, we’ve arrived at the Cheng residence."

"Understood."

Zheng Shanci and Yu Lanyi stepped down from the carriage together, with Zheng Shanci discreetly holding Yu Lanyi's hand under the cover of his wide robe. Yu Lanyi's fingertips tingled, and someone came forward to greet Zheng Shanci.

Zheng Shanci returned the greeting with equal formality, but he did not let go of Yu Lanyi's hand.

Those who noticed Zheng Shanci holding his husband's hand quickly dismissed any lingering thoughts. Yu Lanyi broke free and glared at Zheng Shanci, whispering in a low voice, "With so many people around, are you out of your mind?"

"Be careful, I'll deal with you later," Yu Lanyi said.

Zheng Shanci was momentarily stunned. He only wanted to show everyone that he already had a husband and that they were deeply devoted to each other, with no need to add anyone else to their household. Hearing Yu Lanyi speak so seriously, he found it amusing and felt a warmth in his heart.

"Alright."

The Cheng family had three generations living together. Cheng Ru, who had once been a provincial governor, was now an ordinary citizen. When he saw Zheng Shanci coming to pay his respects, Zheng Shanci steadied Cheng Ru to stop him from bowing.

"Old Master Cheng, you honor me too much. With your esteemed reputation, how could I, a junior, accept your bow? Please sit down; it’s me who should be bowing to you."

Cheng Ru insisted on bowing, his kind eyes and gentle expression saying, "Now that I have retired, how could I presume on my age and make things difficult for Lord Zheng? As an ordinary citizen, I do not deserve your respect. If Lord Zheng shows me some respect, it is a testament to your good character."