Chapter 50: A Good Marriage

Chapter 50: A Good Marriage

Zheng Shanci was busy discussing the production of cement and concrete with the workers from the engineering department. He had been staying at the county yamen recently. Previously, he had discussed road construction with Xia Dalang at the estate and had given three hundred taels of silver as a gesture. Unexpectedly, the next day, three thousand taels were sent over without any expectation of favors, which was quite unusual.

He kept this matter in his heart, planning to ask about it when he had the chance. Naturally, Zheng Shanci gladly accepted the unexpected silver. Last year, the county office was busy during the autumn harvest. The oil pressing workshops were managed by the workers from the engineering department, and now that Zheng Shanci was focusing on road construction, the personnel, finance, and engineering departments were all involved. Archivist Zhu had to schedule shifts for the yamen runners to oversee the road construction, while the finance department had to recruit workers and conscript laborers. If conscription was not possible, they would hire workers to minimize the county office's expenses.

They also needed to hire cooks, so they recruited some local women to prepare communal meals, providing two meals a day, paying thirty wen per day. Since it was the busy spring season in Xin Feng County, not many people were available for road construction, but due to the large population, some still came to help. Zheng Shanci decided to pay workers by the hour, five wen per hour, which attracted more people to participate. However, this also meant more work for the finance department and the yamen runners.

The sound of construction echoed throughout Xin Feng County, creating a lively atmosphere.

The villagers used composted grass fertilizer to sow the seeds, and once the seeds sprouted, they applied the fertilizer pellets suggested by Zheng Shanci. They diligently tended to the medicinal herbs and, in their spare time, took on jobs assigned by the yamen runners to earn extra money.

"This is great! We can earn extra money. Once the roads are built, it will be easier to travel to the county town. We won't have to trudge through mud on rainy days," said a shirtless man.

"Trudging through mud is nothing compared to falling into a mud pit. Even ox carts struggle," said another man carrying lime. "I don't think too much about it. I just want to earn more money to save up for my son's marriage and my daughter's dowry, so she can have face in her husband's family."

Life was a mix of joys and hardships, but with money, life became easier.

The workers on the construction site agreed with this sentiment.

The county office provided meals, including three dishes and a soup. The workers could serve themselves, and the soup was refillable. The meals were hearty, and the oil used was plentiful, making the food delicious. After a hard day's work, this was what they looked forward to. Every seven days, they even had a meat dish, which was a special treat. The work was enjoyable, and the food was better than what they had at home.

At noon, they could rest in a makeshift shed, where they chatted enthusiastically. "Deputy Magistrate Qi is extraordinary. I think he's a good official."

"Our county hasn't seen such activity in a long time."

"I wish my wife could come here to cook. Thirty wen a day is a great deal. When I go to get food, she could give me extra portions," said a man, smacking his lips. "My wife is a great cook. Tomorrow, I'll bring some homemade pickles for you to try."

"Exactly! Thirty wen a day for cooking two meals. If I knew how to cook, I'd be the first to sign up," another man chimed in.

"The textile workshop also pays well, and Zheng Shanci's brother oversees it. The managers there don't bully people and treat them well. If my husband works there for a year, he'll earn more than we do farming."

"Life at the textile workshop is good too."

Overall, they were happy. Having someone in the family earning money was always a cause for joy. With money, they were willing to spend a little more, enjoy good food, and buy meat from the town.

Zheng Shanci felt relieved as the road construction progressed smoothly. A few people in the finance department had embezzled money, and Zheng Shanci had Archivist Zhu arrest them. Such incidents were unavoidable, but after this, the finance department became more cautious. Those handling money were always anxious. With silver right in front of them, they had to resist temptation. If a superior made a small mistake and it was discovered, they would be the first to take the blame.

While the Xia family had donated money for road construction, the Xu family was even more supportive, directly donating five thousand taels of silver. The Xu family was quite perceptive.

Zheng Shanci had a favorable impression of the Xu family. They did not engage in unethical land transactions and had built shops and houses locally, earning most of their income from rent. They lived quietly and peacefully, and whenever the county office needed funds, they would donate. Such a wealthy family was well-liked. They paid high taxes, understood social etiquette, and did not cause trouble.

"The Xu family? They are indeed quite shrewd," said Scribe Jiang. "On my birthday, Deputy Magistrate Qi's birthday, and the birthdays of other officials, as well as the Xia and Gao families, the Xu family always sends gifts. They are thoughtful gifts, not necessarily expensive, but they show that they care."

No wonder the Xu family was not targeted by the other wealthy families in the city. Zheng Shanci was impressed by their social skills.

The snack shop Zheng Shanci wanted to open was rented from the Xu family. The Xu family was very accommodating, and both Zheng Shancheng and Lin Geer were satisfied, even praising them to Zheng Shanci.

The Xu family had cleaned the tables and chairs thoroughly before handing them over and even advised them on which shops had good food, which were affordable, and where to buy groceries. They were truly considerate.

While Zheng Shanci was busy, Yu Lanyi often received invitations from Mr. Xia. He occasionally went to the estate with Mr. Xia to relax. Xu Geer also invited Yu Lanyi to his home, saying, "We have a new chef at home who cooks with a unique style. I'd like you to try it."

"Then I must go. Do you mind if I bring my brother along?" Yu Lanyi asked.

Xu Geer's green eyes curved into a smile. "Of course, come along. I'll make sure to treat you well."

Yu Lanyi changed his clothes and brought Zheng Qingyin along. Zheng Qingyin had learned household management and was now able to read accounts. Yu Lanyi was also learning, as he would eventually manage the entire household.

"I'm taking you to the Xu residence to try some new dishes."

Zheng Qingyin went with Yu Lanyi; he was much more cheerful now. In the past, he wouldn't have dared to be so casual, but now he was accustomed to going out to play with Yu Lanyi.

The Xu residence had winding streams and floating cups. Xu Geer's room was located within a garden, which amazed Yu Lanyi. In the capital, both young men and women enjoyed flowers and they had their own small gardens, but it was rare to see someone like Xu Geer living right in the midst of a garden.

Lv Jin also enjoyed brewing floral teas.

"Please sit," Xu Geer personally poured tea for them. "Have some tea first."

"Brother Xu, your place is truly beautiful," Zheng Qingyin said after taking a sip of the floral tea, the fragrance lingering in his mouth.

"You flatter me, it's all just my own casual arrangements," Xu Geer modestly replied. "Just call me Xu Geer."

"Then I'll call you Brother Xu, and you can call me Qingyin," Zheng Qingyin reciprocated the courtesy, his eyes still delighting in the sight of the flowers and plants.

Yu Lanyi had come just to taste the new dishes. If they needed to talk, Yu Lanyi was also willing to chat with Xu Geer, who spoke pleasantly and was amiable. They soon started talking about marriage. Zheng Qingyin still had some lingering fears, and being young, he hadn't thought about such things. Xu Geer had just called off an engagement and hadn't found anyone else yet.

"I heard you called off the engagement with the second grandson of the Cheng family?" Yu Lanyi asked while cracking melon seeds.

"I couldn't climb the social ladder of the Cheng family. It was originally agreed, but unfortunately, we didn't get along, and neither of us was satisfied. The Cheng family wanted Cheng Wen to take the imperial exams before marrying, which would have meant waiting for him for two years. If he passed, it was uncertain whether he would marry me," Xu Geer spoke with resentment. "It would have held me back, so I had my father call off the engagement."

Yu Lanyi said, "It's better to let go of a man like that. If he's so calculating, who knows how he would treat you in the future."

Calling off the engagement was for the best. Now that Lord Zheng is likely to deal with the Cheng family, it would be stupid for the Xu family to get involved. As the only child in his family, Xu Geer wanted to find a good man to marry into the Xu family, someone good-looking and easy to handle. Otherwise, without a younger brother, if he married out, his father would surely adopt a child from a side branch, effectively giving away the family fortune, which would make Xu Geer furious.

He had studied business from a young age, not to prepare a dowry for someone else.

The new chef prepared spicy dishes, which made Yu Lanyi's mouth burn but also brought him satisfaction. Drinking some cool tea to calm the heat, he praised the chef.

"I just love spicy food; it's only good if it brings tears to my eyes," Yu Lanyi said, thoroughly satisfied this time. Zheng Qingyin ate in small bites, and noticing Xu Geer's preoccupied look, Yu Lanyi suggested they take a walk outside.

"Are you still troubled about your marriage?" Yu Lanyi got straight to the point.

Xu Geer smiled, "I can't hide anything from you. My father wants me to become Lord Zheng's concubine, but I don't want to. I'm strong-willed inside and just want to find a manageable man to have a son with. The man doesn't need to be too capable, just good-looking and with a nice figure."

Yu Lanyi was initially furious upon hearing the first part but was left speechless by the second. It seemed Xu Geer just wanted a handsome man to father a son, which was not what Yu Lanyi had expected, leaving him stunned.

"Then you should look carefully," Yu Lanyi glanced at Xu Geer, lowering his voice. "Just good looks aren't enough; if he's scheming, he might take advantage of you. You should look carefully, and not limit yourself to Xinfeng County. Once Zheng Shanci finishes building the road, you can even look for men outside."

Xu Geer: "..."

...

Zheng Shanci returned home in the evening and had just finished washing up and gotten into bed. Yu Lanyi pulled him over, scrutinizing his face and then feeling his abs.

Zheng Shanci went along with the force, letting Yu Lanyi touch him. He kissed him, holding Yu Lanyi's waist. His hands caressed Yu Lanyi's smooth skin, parting his legs.

Yu Lanyi, thinking of Xu Geer's words, suddenly felt that Zheng Shanci was one of the best men in the Great Yan Dynasty. Apart from his slightly lower status, he was handsome, had a good figure, was very tolerant, didn't take concubines, and was willing to strive for better.

Where else could one find such a man?

And he was also great in bed.

"I'm almost done with my work. I estimate that my uncle and the others will be returning from the capital soon, and I'm thinking of bringing them something to take to the border," Zheng Shanci said, his breath still slightly rapid from the heat.

"Bringing them some strong liquor would be best; the soldiers like to drink strong liquor, and sometimes it's needed for treating wounds," Yu Lanyi suggested, knowing what Second Master Yu would appreciate most.

"Alright... I'll buy some strong liquor for my uncle."

At home, he didn't need to worry about gifts; his father would handle all such matters. Now that he had his own family, he had to prepare separate gifts for relatives and friends.

"Zheng Shanci, you're so diligent and studious, how come you only ranked third in the imperial examination?" Yu Lanyi pinched Zheng Shanci's abs.

Zheng Shanci remained silent.

"Lan Yi, ranking third is already quite an achievement," Zheng Shanci thought to himself. The imperial examination is held only once every three years, and only three hundred people can become Jinshi. Among these three hundred, there are nobles and aristocrats whose educational resources are undoubtedly better than those from humble backgrounds. Although he didn't admire the original host's character, he was indeed talented in his studies.

In his modern life, he wasn't particularly outstanding either, just fortunate to be in the right place at the right time.

Seeing that Zheng Shanci remained silent but still gentle, Yu Lanyi felt a sense of calm and composure from him. Normally, he would have disliked such a temperament, but now he found himself immersed in Zheng Shanci's gentleness.

Zheng Shanci was good, and this marriage, though a twist of fate, turned out to be a good match for him.

Second Master Yu returned from the capital, having been instructed by his elder brother and sister-in-law to bring back many things, including the latest outfits from the Golden Garment Pavilion.

"Ah, I really hope Lan Yi returns to the capital soon."

Madam Yu laughed, "I think you're just tired of the hassle."

When Second Master Yu left the capital, Yu Shiyan had just married into the Prince of Zhennan's residence. Ye Yunchu had done well in disaster relief, and Emperor Wuming was pleased. With the marriage certificate issued, the Prince and Princess of Zhennan had no choice but to accept Yu Shiyan as a concubine.

"Fortunately, he's only a concubine, otherwise who knows how Lan Yi would react when he finds out," Second Master Yu sighed. "I hope my nephew-in-law can make something of himself."

Madam Yu also sighed at the situation. If it weren't for this incident, Yu Lanyi would have married into a much higher social status and wouldn't have gone to Xinfeng County. However, she saw that the young couple had a good relationship, and sometimes misfortune can turn into fortune. Social status is important, but living a good life together is even more so.

Yu Shiyan wore a pink wedding dress when he married, and since he wasn't the primary wife, he had to enter through a side door. He hated Ye Yunchu deeply. He didn't want to be a concubine; if possible, he would rather leave the capital.

He was angry at himself and at Ye Yunchu.

On their wedding night, the two had a falling out. Ye Yunchu was initially happy, finally having completed the disaster relief and able to return to the capital to marry the person he loved, but Yu Shiyan resented him.

For the position of the primary wife, Ye Yunchu tried to comfort him, "I will make you the primary wife."

Yu Shiyan turned his back and said firmly, "You won't."

"You also think I'm marrying above my station," Yu Shiyan said with tears in his eyes, looking at Ye Yunchu. "People outside think the same, everyone thinks I'm taking advantage of you, but you know this isn't what I wanted."

Hearing this, Ye Yunchu avoided Yu Shiyan's gaze. On their wedding night, they lay in the same bed but dreamed different dreams.

...

Xinfeng County

The Xia family, for some reason, donated money to Zheng Shanci for road construction, while the other three families still stuck together. After handling his official duties, Zheng Shanci would go to inspect the newly built cement road.

He would also check the growth of medicinal herbs in the fields, which saved some trouble. Just returning from the countryside, Jiaoyu Liu came to see him, and Zheng Shanci realized it was time for the Confucian ceremony.