Chapter 37: Rest Day

Chapter 37: Rest Day

Jin Yun walked out of the house and, not seeing Zheng Shanci and Yu Lanyi, went back to his room alone, unaware that they were under the jujube tree. Zheng Shanci, breathing heavily, let go of Yu Lanyi, whose legs were a bit weak. Both of them were panting. Zheng Shanci glanced at Yu Lanyi’s state, then averted his eyes, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he stayed quiet.

After the two returned to the house and freshened up, they blew out the candles. Yu Lanyi rested his head on Zheng Shanci’s shoulder, but Zheng Shanci hesitated, holding back his words, his compulsion taking over again.

He reached out and lifted Yu Lanyi’s head.

Yu Lanyi suddenly felt his chin being lifted, and a spark of anger flared in his chest. Was he going to bring up the stiff neck thing again? Yu Lanyi wanted to throw an uppercut at Zheng Shanci, sending him flying to the bed’s canopy, stuck there for good.

This time, Zheng Shanci didn’t mention the stiff neck. Instead, he placed Yu Lanyi’s head on his chest. Although Zheng Shanci’s chest was a bit hard, Yu Lanyi was satisfied, at least he didn’t say anything about a stiff neck.

“This is more comfortable.”

Yu Lanyi murmured, and the spark in his chest died out. Leaning on Zheng Shanci’s chest, listening to his heartbeat, Yu Lanyi felt strangely excited, as he had never been this close to someone’s heartbeat before.

Zheng Shanci’s heartbeat was just like him, always beating slowly. Yu Lanyi clenched his jaw, his heart racing. He touched his lips, inevitably blushing.

Ahem, he wasn’t yearning for anything, but he felt that since they had been married for so long, he hadn’t yet been intimate, and he was a bit curious.

From the tales he’d read, it sounded pleasurable.

And he still didn’t know how Zheng Shanci was in that aspect. Was he all talk?

Yu Lanyi poked Zheng Shanci’s side.

He didn’t appear to be.

……

Zheng Shanci was back at the county office, busy as ever. He had become adept at handling county affairs, managing official tasks with greater skill and efficiency. The yamen runners returned after delivering the autumn harvest to Qingzhou.

When they opened the chili sauce, Zheng Shanci scooped a bit with a spoon for Yu Lanyi to taste.

Yu Lanyi tasted it, squinting: “It’s delicious. This chili sauce is very fragrant. It would definitely go well with meals.”

Zheng Shanci then had the chefs in the mansion taste it, and their eyes lit up: “This is far superior to the market-bought chili sauce.”

“That’s reassuring.”

As for oil extraction, Zheng Shanci planned to have Deputy Magistrate Qi find a skilled worker in the county to extract oil and then hire workers. In ancient times, oil extraction methods included lever pressing, foot pressing, and wheel pressing. Zheng Shanci remembered that *The Exploitation of the Works of Nature* mentioned a method called boiling, used to make sesame oil, which was very fragrant and called “small mill sesame oil.” Zheng Shanci intended to borrow some ideas from it. Additionally, oil extraction was divided into raw pressing and cooked pressing, with different methods and flavors.

Having subordinates made things run smoother.

The workers in the workshop hadn’t stopped these days, first building the chili sauce workshop and then the oil extraction workshop. Meanwhile, the reputation of the Zheng family’s eatery grew louder in Xinfeng County. The more the Zheng family’s eatery earned, the more jealous some merchants became.

They hired ruffians to cause trouble, but as soon as the ruffians lay on the ground, ready to wail, Archivist Zhu arrested them and threw them in jail.

They also tried to spread rumors that the Zheng family’s eatery caused stomachaches, but Archivist Zhu saw through it and arrested them for provocation, making them cellmates with the previous troublemakers.

Once was a coincidence, but twice was not. The shrewd merchants suddenly realized that the Zheng family’s eatery had appeared out of nowhere in Xinfeng County, and the only Zheng who had recently gained prominence was the new County Magistrate, Lord Zheng.

With that thought, everything connected. Archivist Zhu wouldn’t act without benefit, and protecting an eatery seemed like overkill, but if it was to curry favor with Lord Zheng, it made sense.

For a while, no one dared to cause trouble at the Zheng family’s eatery.

After deducting workers’ salaries, material costs, and shop rent, the monthly gross profit was fifty taels of silver, equivalent to fifty thousand coins. This was just the beginning. When Zheng Shanci received the ledger, he sighed, realizing that business was indeed more profitable. But in ancient times, having only wealth was like a child holding a golden key. With money, one also needed the power to protect it.

Yu Lanyi gave him fifty taels of silver as an investment, and Zheng Shanci planned to split it equally, twenty-five taels each. Yu Lanyi, lying on the recliner, responded. He still had money from reselling jewelry, and even though the accountant didn’t give him money, his life was comfortable. Now, Zheng Shanci was giving him half of the eatery’s profits.

Yu Lanyi cheered, "I have money again!"

It was given by Shan Ci.

Shan Ci smiled. This amount of money was still little for Yu Lanyi, but for Shan Ci, it was a lot. His monthly salary was only seven taels of silver. The monthly earnings of a single eatery were almost seven times his salary.

When Zheng's father and Mr. Zheng arrived, at least he had money on hand and wasn't worried. The weather gradually grew colder. Yu Lanyi didn't know how to weave clothes, so he bought two thick outfits for Shan Ci to wear inside. There were no new styles he liked this year, so he didn't buy new clothes and wore the ones he brought from the capital.

He still preferred the clothes from the Golden Clothes Pavilion. Before Yu Lanyi left, he owed the Golden Clothes Pavilion one hundred taels of silver. After Yu Lanyi left, the Proprietor of the Golden Clothes Pavilion humbly entered the Marquis of Changyang's residence to collect the debt.

Mr. Yu was both amused and exasperated by his youngest son: "Nanny Cao, give him the silver notes."

After the Proprietor left, Mr. Yu scolded with a laugh, "I don't know what he's up to, being so absurd. Is the Marquis's residence short of one hundred taels of silver? This boy visited all the relatives before getting married. I don't understand him. He's my son, and I know all his little schemes."

Nanny Cao smiled, "The young master has a clever streak."

"If only he were truly clever," Mr. Yu sighed. "Changxing has also given quite a bit of silver to Lanyi. The two brothers have a good relationship, which makes me happy. But Changxing's lifelong matters are still unsettled, and my heart can't rest."

Changxing returned home and was urged to marry again. He thought for a moment and said there were still matters in the palace, so he went back to the palace to sleep. The Marquis of Changyang and Mr. Yu could only stare in frustration.

...

The Zheng family had packed up. Zheng Shancheng found familiar people in the village and asked his childhood friends to help take care of the house. They all agreed.

Lin Geer brought a cotton-padded jacket. The current weather was still fine with a couple of thin layers, but when it got colder on the road, they would put on the cotton-padded jacket. They hired a carriage, and the coachman sat outside. Zheng Qingyin carried his own bundle. Mr. Zheng held his hand and said carefully, "When you get there, listen to your eldest brother and second brother. Go out more and don't be restrained. Take good care of yourself there. You're a good child, and I'm not worried you'll cause trouble, but I'm concerned others might bully you."

Zheng Qingyin's eyes were filled with tears. He was reluctant to part with Zheng's father and Mr. Zheng.

Mr. Zheng said, "Why am I saying such discouraging words? You'll be fine in Xinfeng County. I've put some dried meat in your bundle. Remember to eat it on the road. If there's anything uncomfortable on the way, tell your eldest brother and sister-in-law."

Zheng Qingyin nodded silently. He reached out and hugged Mr. Zheng, nestling his face against him affectionately: "Dad, I can't bear to leave you."

"You're such a big person now, and you still need to go out and see the world," Mr. Zheng urged Zheng Qingyin. "Hurry and get on the carriage. When you get to Xinfeng County, have Shan Ci send a letter back to let us know."

Zheng Qingyin stepped onto the small wooden stool and climbed into the carriage. He lifted the curtain and looked at Zheng's father and Mr. Zheng.

Zheng's father said, "Take your time and be careful on the road."

Zheng's father patted Zheng Shancheng's shoulder, and Zheng Shancheng got into the carriage.

Lin Geer stuck her head out and called, "Dad, we're leaving."

Mr. Zheng said, "Go ahead, and be careful on the road."

The coachman flicked the whip, and the wheels pressed into the ground, leaving marks.

Zheng's father and Mr. Zheng stood at the village entrance, watching until the carriage gradually turned into a black dot in their eyes. Mr. Zheng faintly heard a call of "Dad" and wondered, "Was that Qingyin calling me?"

"Qingyin just left, and you already miss him," Zheng's father also missed the three children. He felt a bit melancholy. He had raised the three children from a young age, and now all three had left home. Only he and Mr. Zheng remained at home.

Mr. Zheng still gazed longingly. The carriage had disappeared, not even a black dot remained.

Zheng Qingyin sat in the carriage, feeling its jolts. He lifted the curtain and could no longer see Zheng's father and Mr. Zheng. He stuck his head out and watched as they turned into a small black dot in his vision, holding back tears. As the distance grew farther, Zheng Qingyin finally couldn't help but shout "Dad."

But the distance was too great, and he didn't know if Mr. Zheng heard him.

Lin Geer saw Zheng Qingyin still crying and felt pity, slowly patting his back: "It's always like this the first time. You'll get used to it later. You still have your eldest brother and sister-in-law. When you get to Xinfeng County, you'll see your second brother and sister-in-law."

Zheng Qingyin's eyes were as if washed with water. He looked at the scenery outside the curtain, constantly receding, his heart clear. He closed his eyes, realizing that some old matters in Qingxiang Village could finally be let go. He no longer had to be restrained by others. But whenever he thought about it, Zheng Qingyin still felt sad.

He looked up and met Zheng Shancheng’s caring eyes, feeling a warmth in his heart. He still had his elder brother and sister-in-law by his side. Zheng Qingyin looked again at the scenery flowing backward, feeling relieved and a faint joy in his heart.

"Qingyin, we’ll be traveling through many places on this journey. You’ll see how different they are from our Qingxiang Village, with different customs," Lin Geer said, her sadness quickly turned into excitement after leaving home.

"We can go and explore together," Lin Geer said with longing.

Zheng Qingyin pinched the corner of his clothes, nodded gently, and a shy smile crept onto his face, like a shy flower.

Zheng Shancheng’s face showed a hint of relaxation.

Zheng Qingyin heard the call of a bird and lifted the carriage curtain to see a flock of wild geese flying south, free and unrestrained in the sky. He stared blankly at the geese until they passed over the sky and were out of sight, then he finally looked away.

...

Mr. Zheng and Zheng’s father walked back to the village, where they met some villagers. Old Miao asked, "What were you doing? You’re empty-handed."

"We just sent Shancheng, Lin Geer, and Qingyin off in a carriage to Xin Feng County," Zheng’s father replied.

"Why didn’t you two go?" Old Miao felt a pang of envy and wondered why Zheng’s father and Mr. Zheng didn’t go.

"Our ancestors have always been in Qingxiang Village. Besides, it’s about to get cold, and the New Year is coming. We old folks will skip this time. If we feel like it, we’ll go later," Mr. Zheng said with a smile.

"Indeed, Shancheng and Qingyin can go out and see the world," Old Miao sighed.

Word spread quickly through the village that Zheng Shancheng, Lin Geer, and Zheng Qingyin had taken a carriage to Xin Feng County for a better life. Old He was at home smoking his pipe, planning to finish this smoke and then go turn over the soil in the fields.

Hearing the village women discussing the Zheng family, Old He learned that Zheng Shancheng and Zheng Qingyin had gone to seek refuge with Zheng Shanci.

"Ah, the Zheng family is truly blessed. Zheng Shanci is so capable—he’s the county magistrate! I’ve never seen such a thing in my life. I’ve only been to the county town once, and when I passed by the county office, my legs were trembling. The magistrate manages such a large county, and all the officials under him listen to Zheng Shanci alone. Such a life is unimaginable to me."

Old He thought to himself, who wouldn’t want a son like Zheng Shanci? Who wouldn’t want to share in the benefits? But people aren’t fools; they won’t let others take advantage for nothing. Old He took a puff of his pipe. It was good that Zheng Qingyin had left; it was time for his son’s foolish infatuation to end.

He would find a good wife for He Tian and settle down—nothing was more important than living a stable life.

Ever since Old He and his wife found out about He Tian’s feelings, they had kept him at home, not letting him go out, hoping he would calm down and avoid doing anything rash that would be hard to handle later.

He Tian’s mother also heard that Zheng Qingyin had already left with Zheng Shancheng for Xin Feng County. She hurriedly opened the door: "Son, you can come out now."

He Tian’s face relaxed slightly: "Mother, do you support me?"

"Silly child, Zheng Qingyin has already gone to Xin Feng County. Stop thinking about it. Your father and I will find you a different wife. Don’t dwell on Zheng Qingyin anymore. Once you’re married, go to the town and find a decent job."

He Tian’s face turned pale, then flushed with anger. He gritted his teeth: "Why did you only tell me now? You’ve ruined my future! With parents like you, how can I ever succeed?"

He Tian felt a wave of regret and even a hint of hatred. Why should he go to the town? To work as a laborer for those money-grubbing merchants, bowing and scraping to the townsfolk? Wouldn’t it be better to be Zheng Shanci’s brother-in-law? Why did they stop him?

He Tian’s mother saw the hatred in his eyes and felt a pang of pain, but she forced herself to say, "Son, stop thinking about it. It’s impossible. Think about it—if you were a nobleman’s son, would you marry a village boy as your spouse?"

He Tian: "Of course I wouldn’t."

He Tian’s mother: "I won’t try to convince you. If you want to go find Zheng Qingyin, go to Xin Feng County yourself."

He Tian’s mother was hurt that, despite everything she had done for him, he still resented her.

...

The county office had a day off every five days, and Zheng Shanci had promised Yu Lanyi to spend the day with him. Yu Lanyi had put on a riding outfit that morning, wanting Zheng Shanci to go horseback riding with him at the ranch.

Zheng Shanci chose a gentle pony, mounted it, and felt the horse’s hooves hit the ground. He gently patted the horse’s head.

The horse Yu Lanyi was riding was a gift from Yu Zhangxing. This horse had followed him all the way here and still acted haughty around Zheng Shanci. Zheng Shanci smiled, picked up a handful of hay, and fed his own short horse.

Yu Lanyi mounted his horse and saw that Zheng Shanci was a head shorter. He gave a curious look at Zheng Shanci's horse and laughed loudly, "Zheng Shanci, why’d you go with such a small horse?"

"It’s not small, just a bit short," Zheng Shanci corrected.

The short horse ate the hay from Zheng Shanci's hand, seeming a bit put out.

Yu Lanyi said, "Let’s race! First one to the top of that hill wins."

Zheng Shanci agreed, and Jin Yun acted as the referee. Jin Yun shouted "Start," and Yu Lanyi, riding his black horse, took off like a shot. Meanwhile, Zheng Shanci’s slow pace made Jin Yun’s mouth twitch in amusement.

Zheng Shanci held the reins of his short horse, ambling along.

The short horse refused to move, lazily trudging along with Zheng Shanci. It was used to carrying young ladies and boys, accustomed to a slow, easy pace, occasionally making a half-hearted attempt at trotting.

Zheng Shanci was caught between laughter and frustration.

Yu Lanyi stood impatiently at the finish line, waiting for Zheng Shanci. When Zheng Shanci finally arrived, Yu Lanyi dismounted and said, "What’s taking you so long?"

"You’re a much better rider than I am."

Yu Lanyi crossed his arms, gave Zheng Shanci a sidelong glance, and smirked, "You know it!"

The horses wandered off to drink from a nearby pond. The area was mostly open grassland, with a few trees scattered around the pond. Seeing Zheng Shanci running his fingers over the tree bark, Yu Lanyi pouted and tugged at him, "What’s the big deal about this? You're here to accompany me."

"Alright, what else do you want to do?" Zheng Shanci smiled, turning his attention back.

Yu Lanyi said, "Let's lie down on the grassland; the grass feels nice and soft."

Yu Lanyi lay down as he spoke, and Zheng Shanci followed suit. It felt like ages since Zheng Shanci had last looked up at the sky. The ancient sky was blue, and it lifted his spirits.

Zheng Shanci turned to look at Yu Lanyi, who had his eyes closed, the breeze brushing over him. Zheng Shanci closed his eyes, savoring this rare moment of peace.

When Yu Lanyi had enough of lying down, he turned to talk to Zheng Shanci, only to find him already asleep, breathing steadily. Yu Lanyi didn't speak but quietly moved, the grass flattening beneath him.

Yu Lanyi touched Zheng Shanci's lips and then his Adam's apple.

...

After running around the pasture, Zheng Shanci fell asleep. At noon, they went to the Zheng family's eatery for a meal, and Yu Lanyi ate heartily.

Zheng Shanci lowered his head and served Yu Lanyi a bowl of soup, placing it beside him. He was surprised to find that Yu Lanyi wasn't picky; he enjoyed all kinds of delicious food without any dietary restrictions.

In this regard, he was easy to please.

Thinking this, Zheng Shanci smiled. He noticed oil on Yu Lanyi's lips and stood up to wipe it off, saying, "Eat slowly."

Yu Lanyi had been eating well, but when Zheng Shanci suddenly wiped his lips, he felt a rush of warmth. He stuffed a piece of braised eggplant into his mouth.

After drinking a bowl of soup, Yu Lanyi was satisfied.

Zheng Shanci informed the workers at the chili sauce workshop about the recipe and method, making them sign a confidentiality agreement. One-third of the workers were experienced, while the other two-thirds were hired from outside. Zheng Shanci specifically gave priority to the widows of soldiers if they came to work.

The oil press workshop was similar to the chili sauce workshop, with one-third experienced workers and two-thirds hired from outside. The first batch of chili sauce hadn't been made yet, but once it was ready, they planned to sell it first at the Zheng family's eatery to build its reputation.

Zheng Shanci's mind was racing.

After eating, Yu Lanyi took Zheng Shanci to a bookstore to pick out some novels. Zheng Shanci also wanted to buy a few books, selecting some from the Imperial Academy's recommended list. Yu Lanyi lost interest after just one glance.

"Yu Lanyi, do you want some candied hawthorn skewers?" an old man was selling candied hawthorn skewers, carrying them on his shoulder. Hawthorns were abundant in this region, and candied hawthorn skewers were a common sight.

Yu Lanyi wanted to eat, but seeing that the people around him buying were adults with children, buying for the kids, he retorted, "I don't eat this, it's something only kids like."

Yu Lanyi's feelings were always transparent. Zheng Shanci told him to wait, then walked over to talk to the vendor, and soon returned with two candied hawthorn skewers.

Zheng Shanci handed one to Yu Lanyi, then said nothing more. He began eating his own skewer, but was a bit overwhelmed by the sourness, his teeth clenched, yet he refused to stop.

Zheng Shanci reminded him, "Take it slow; it’s pretty sour."

Yu Lanyi took a bite, and indeed, his face contorted from the sourness.

Yu Lanyi used to like sour things when he wasn’t used to the local climate and had no taste in his mouth, but now that he was healthy, he couldn’t tolerate the sourness anymore.

He was about to pass his skewer to Zheng Shanci to finish it together, but Zheng Shanci was already laughing, his mouth full of the sour treat.

"Is it that sour?"

Yu Lanyi shoved the skewer to Zheng Shanci, "You bought it, so you finish it."

Zheng Shanci said, "Too much sugar makes my teeth ache."

Yu Lanyi replied, "If your teeth hurt, then bear with it."

Zheng Shanci didn't expect Yu Lanyi to say such a thing, he was stunned for a moment then laughed again, his gaze as warm as a spring day.

"Don't you feel sorry for my teeth hurting?"

"Then all the delicious food will be mine," Yu Lanyi's heart skipped a beat as he said.

Zheng Shanci didn't know when he started wanting to laugh whenever he saw Yu Lanyi, as if his mood brightened up.

"Zheng Shanci, you should buy a jade crown, you can wear it during your days off," Yu Lanyi gestured, Zheng Shanci's appearance wasn't bad, and his temperament was good, so wearing a jade crown would definitely look good.

"Alright, you help me pick one," Zheng Shanci said shyly, "I'm not proficient in these matters."

The clothes he bought were just picked randomly.

Yu Lanyi's mood improved, he said, "No one’s perfect. If you can’t decide, I’ll pick a good one for you."