Chapter 81

Chapter 81

With the turning of seasons, a full year had passed since the family arrived in Qiongzhou.

Another autumn arrived. Last year, when they first came, most of the fruits were already past their prime. But this year, Song Yun made sure not to miss out, enjoying all the fresh, peak-season fruits Qiongzhou had to offer.

However, nothing topped durian for him.

Ruan Hang found this rather puzzling, but he respected Song Yun’s preference, sending servants every few days to buy the choicest durians from the market.

Song Yun’s children were now half a year old.

When the children were first born, Ruan Hang had hastily sent a letter to Yangzhou. By the time the reply arrived, another half year had passed, and the whole household buzzed with joy.

"My sister passed the imperial exams!" Song Yun exclaimed in delight, clutching the letter Bai Yue had sent him.

"What post did the Emperor give her?" Ruan Hang asked from the side.

"Hmm, it’s called... Hanlin Academy editor. What kind of position is that? It sounds really impressive," Song Yun said.

Ruan Hang was taken aback and couldn’t help but read the letter himself.

In the year since the new Emperor ascended the throne, he had wielded his power fiercely, sweeping through the entire bureaucracy.

In the late years of the previous Emperor’s reign, most of the court had been under the influence of Prince You and the Empress Dowager. Thus, as soon as the new Emperor took power, he acted decisively, not only swiftly removing dissenters in the capital but also cleansing local officials throughout the year.

Though Ruan Hang was in Qiongzhou, the news still sent chills down his spine. The last letter from his father had also mentioned it.

Now, officials everywhere were walking on eggshells. In some places, even the highest-ranking magistrates down to the lowest clerks were stripped of rank, exiled, or thrown in chains.

Without mentioning other regions, Ruan Hang had personally witnessed how, over the past year, more and more officials from the mainland had arrived in Qiongzhou.

Wave after wave of demoted officials were sent here, until the island groaned under their weight.

It was likely that Lingnan, Yunnan, and the northern borders were just as packed...

But as a result, vacancies in the bureaucracy were increasing.

In the past, if a *juren* (provincial graduate) wanted to become an official, those with bad luck might wait their entire lives without securing a position. Even those who passed the palace exams but ranked middling at best could hardly hope for an official post without greasing every palm.

But this year was different. It was said that even *juren* could immediately fill vacancies as County Magistrates.

Even so, Bai Yue’s entry into the Hanlin Academy was still astonishing.

By convention, only the top three candidates of the first-tier list could secure such a position. Though Bai Yue had passed the exams this time, her ranking was rather ordinary.

"The Emperor must admire her greatly," Ruan Hang mused.

He was secretly thrilled by this news.

Previously, though he had explicitly stated in his letter to his father his intention to formally recognize Song Yun as his main wife, the reply from his father had conspicuously avoided the subject, offering no opinion.

Ruan Hang understood clearly—his father simply disagreed but didn’t want to argue with his son over such a distance.

But now, things were different. Song Yun’s sister had finally passed the imperial exams and become an official. The Bai family was no longer what it once was.

Even if his father was calculating, he would now consider an alliance with the Bai family a shrewd match.

The Ruan family had seen better days, and now they could be each other’s strong right arm with the Bai family—nothing could be better.

Ruan Hang was determined to make Song Yun his main wife no matter what, but he also didn’t want to quarrel with his father again.

Now, this arrangement would spare them unnecessary conflict. Once they returned to Yangzhou, they could happily settle the matter as a harmonious family.

Song Yun, however, was blissfully unaware, oblivious to what Ruan Hang was thinking or how his sister’s official position might affect him. He simply marveled, "My sister is so amazing..."

Seeing his dazed, puppy-like look, Ruan Hang couldn’t help but laugh and kissed him.

Song Yun didn’t understand why Ruan Hang kissed him, but he took it in stride and couldn’t resist asking curiously, "So, is my sister’s rank higher or yours?"

"Hers is higher," Ruan Hang said.

"How could that be?" Song Yun gave him a suspicious look, then glanced at the letter in his hand. "You’re pulling my leg again. Wait, what rank are you, anyway?"

"You don’t even know your husband’s official rank?" Ruan Hang asked in astonishment at his utterly clueless expression.

Song Yun scratched his head, realizing that not knowing this was indeed quite negligent, but he still blushed and argued stubbornly, "How would I understand official matters..."

"This has nothing to do with official matters—it’s common knowledge," Ruan Hang said, equal parts amused and exasperated, ruffling his hair.

"Well... I’m so busy every day, how would I have time to care about your rank? As long as you bring home your salary and the children and I have food and clothes, isn’t that enough?" Song Yun stammered.

Song Yun really had found his spine now, Ruan Hang thought.

He didn’t know when Song Yun had learned it, but no matter what happened, he could always find a reasonable excuse for himself.

Yet every time he saw Song Yun like this, Ruan Hang’s chest warmed with honeyed affection.

In the past, Song Yun had always been a bit timid. But since coming to Qiongzhou, he had improved so much. Ruan Hang truly loved this new, confident version of Song Yun—loved how he gave as good as he got, loved how he disobeyed.

So, Ruan Hang gathered Song Yun close, pinched his apple-round cheeks, and said with a smile, "Alright, alright, you’ve really become quite the little manager now. Your husband’s salary is all under your control, hm?"

"So what’s your rank, really?" Song Yun badgered.

"Your husband is a seventh-rank County Magistrate," Ruan Hang indulged him kindly, not without self-deprecation. "A pipsqueak seventh-rank—remember that?"

"That’s not true..." Song Yun muttered, pouting.

"Not what?" Ruan Hang asked.

"Not a tiny sesame," Song Yun said.

"Then what am I?" Ruan Hang asked, amused.

Song Yun set his face in earnest lines. He clung to Ruan Hang’s neck and said, "You’re not small at all. In my eyes, you’re the biggest, the mightiest. No one is greater than you."

Ruan Hang froze for a moment, admitting to himself that his heart did somersaults.

Whether in the past or now, Song Yun’s gaze when looking at him was always like this—filled with simple worship and adoration. It had nothing to do with Ruan Hang’s rank or wealth, but simply because he was Ruan Hang, his beloved husband.

Unable to resist, Ruan Hang swept him up bridal-style and carried him toward the bedroom, pressing kisses to his cheeks, then scattering them down his neck and jaw.

Song Yun squirmed with laughter. "Husband, stooop..."

"Even if it tickles, no squirming," Ruan Hang said with a laugh.

*

In the afternoon, Song Yun tiptoed toward the front courtyard’s study door—a babe bundled on his back, the other holding his hand.

Inside, Ruan Hang was holding court for his earnest young scholars.

Although the attempt to cultivate wasteland for rice farming had failed, Ruan Hang eventually found other worthwhile pursuits. After all, he felt that he couldn't let his time here go to waste.

Over the past two years, many disgraced officials and convicts had been exiled to Wenchang. As convicted criminals, they were all under the supervision of the county government.

However, Ruan Hang did not subject them to hard labor.

Since ancient times, Qiongzhou had been a backwater region. Though some had passed imperial examinations and earned scholarly titles, they were few and far between—not because there were no diligent students, but because none of those who succeeded in the exams were willing to return to teach in their hometown.

Now, with so many educated people arriving all at once, why not have them instruct the local students?

Thus, Ruan Hang carefully reviewed the backgrounds and knowledge of these exiled officials and selected many knowledgeable scholars to serve as teachers at the county school.

This move not only gave the exiled officials a second chance, filling them with boundless gratitude, but also greatly benefited the students, who were thrilled and enthusiastic.

Additionally, ever since Song Yun’s pregnancy, Ruan Hang had been thoroughly unimpressed with the local physicians’ skills—they couldn’t even diagnose twins, forcing her to endure months of dietary restrictions and pointless hardship.

So, he also inquired among the exiles for those with medical expertise and found several. He then assigned them to the county school to open clinics and teach local physicians willing to improve their skills.

With few official duties to attend to, Ruan Hang often lectured at the county school himself, meeting many promising students. He even sponsored a few from impoverished families, taking them in as his personal disciples.

Thus, Ruan Hang frequently taught in this very study, and before long, over two years had passed.

Since they spent so much time together, the two children had grown deeply attached to Ruan Hang. Now nearly three years old, they would still cry whenever he wasn’t home.

Today, it was Ruan Qing who cried first. Having fallen asleep with Ruan Hang nearby, waking up to find him gone was completely upsetting, leading to an uncontrollable crying fit.

His sister, Ruan Xiao, hadn’t intended to cry, but seeing her brother’s distress, she soon followed suit.

With the two children taking turns wailing, Song Yun found it impossible to soothe them and had no choice but to promise to take them to find Ruan Hang.

In the middle of his lecture, Ruan Hang glanced up and saw Song Yun peering into the study from the doorway.

Beside him stood the two children, their faces pitiful—red noses, teary eyes, and big tears rolling down their cheeks.

Now two years older, their faces had filled out, resembling Song Yun closely. When Ruan Hang looked over, it was as if three identical people were staring at him expectantly.

Clearing his throat, Ruan Hang instructed his students to read on their own and walked to the door.

The moment he approached, Song Yun hastily shoved the children into his arms as if passing off a hot potato.

Ruan Qing obediently threw himself into Ruan Hang’s embrace, bursting into tears again.

Ruan Xiao tugged at him, demanding to be held as well. Ruan Hang had no choice but to squat down and pick her up, balancing a child in each arm as he tried to comfort them.

“They started crying for you the moment they woke up from their nap. Nothing I did helped—it’s really impossible…” Song Yun lamented.

Ruan Hang gave a resigned sigh, though this wasn’t the first time it had happened. Calmly, he said, “Just leave them with me for now.”

Now that the children were in his arms, they clung to him like burrs, leaving him no choice but to keep them close.

Song Yun beamed and gave a loud smooch on Ruan Hang’s cheek.

“This is the study,” Ruan Hang quickly glanced around. Fortunately, they were hidden near the doorway, and no one seemed to have noticed.

“Then I’ll go back and make you… hmm…” Song Yun thought for a moment before offering eagerly, “I’ll make you some sugarcane water to cool your body and beat the heat.”

Remembering the disaster Song Yun had caused the last time he tried cooking, Ruan Hang couldn’t help but laugh. “Don’t make anything. Just go back and rest.”

Ruan Hang sat the children down beside him, setting up a small desk with brushes and paper for them to scribble away.

The young students in the classroom were curious, constantly looking over.

Ruan Hang had to remind them several times to pay attention.

The afternoon passed quickly. Luckily, the children were well-behaved, playing quietly—though as time went on, they began missing their mother and pleaded with Ruan Hang to take them back to see Song Yun.

That was just how they were—couldn't stand being separated from either parent. When Ruan Hang wasn’t around, they cried for him; when Song Yun was gone, they cried for her.

Ruan Hang was at his wits' end, but since class was nearly over anyway, he let the students out early and took the children home.

Walking through the courtyard gate under the setting sun, Ruan Hang asked them, “Guess where your mother is?”

“In the kitchen,” Ruan Qing guessed succinctly.

“Sleeping in the bedroom!” Ruan Xiao countered.

Ruan Hang chuckled and led them toward the bedroom.

*

As his term neared its end, Ruan Hang recalled the emperor’s words—that he should remind him to recall him to the capital. But now, he was stumped.

How exactly was he supposed to remind him?

As a County Magistrate, Ruan Hang had no direct right to petition the throne. Reporting it through the provincial governor would seem downright strange.

It sounded utterly absurd. If Ruan Hang wrote truthfully to the governor, would he be written off as crazy?

The governor might assume that his exile to Qiongzhou had driven him to delusions—that he imagined the emperor summoning him back…

After pondering for days, Ruan Hang still hadn’t figured out how to broach the matter with the emperor.

But he wasn’t particularly anxious. Even if the emperor truly forgot about him, he found life here quite pleasant—far from the political turmoil and cutthroat world of fame and fortune. It wasn’t a bad fate.

Were it not for his parents and family back in Yangzhou, he might have considered staying here for the rest of his life…

However, the emperor’s memory proved sharp. Soon enough, transfer orders came through, summoning Ruan Hang back to the capital to give his official report.