Chapter 138

Chapter 138

After visiting the Ji family the next morning, Shen Yuan went to chat with Magistrate Wang.

During his absence from Qingyun County, Magistrate Wang had taken good care of the Storytellers' Union and the printing workshop.

Shen Yuan brought local specialties and snacks from Youyang City, which Magistrate Wang happily accepted.

After touring the yamen, Shen Yuan had to admit that Magistrate Wang had truly expended a lot of energy.

Everything was orderly and well-organized. The yamen runners no longer drew such a strict line between civil and military duties as they had before.

Shen Yuan didn't stay long, as Magistrate Wang was very busy. He took a carriage to the Storytellers' Union to fetch Ji Xingwang and return to Dashu Village.

Having not seen Shen Yuan for a long time, Ji Xingwang was awed by his noble aura when they met again. He couldn't bring himself to call out "Xiao Yuan" and was about to bow respectfully and address him as "Boss" when he was pulled into a hug, accompanied by a clear, cheerful laugh.

"Uncle Ji, long time no see! I missed you so much in Youyang City. Shuang-ge also asked me to bring things back; they've all been sent to Dashu Village. Yesterday, I sent word that the Storytellers' Union would be closed today, so I came to pick you up and go back to Dashu Village together."

Shen Yuan chuckled, full of anticipation.

"Aunt and the others are preparing a feast in the village to treat everyone. There'll be lots of delicious food!"

Ji Xingwang nodded repeatedly, his heart swelling with a mix of emotions. He kept saying Xiao Yuan had lost weight, Xiao Yuan had grown taller, and asked how he had been.

Shen Yuan led him outside, answering each question earnestly.

Upon reaching Dashu Village, many people were waiting at the entrance.

Shen Xi bounced over, hugging Shen Yuan and saying he missed him.

"Wasn't it just one night?" Shen Yuan patted his younger brother's head, then couldn't resist pinching his cheek—the texture was wonderful.

Shen Xi was clingy and loved to act spoiled, nuzzling against Shen Yuan and whining, "I just missed you, that's all."

Shen Yuan indulged his brother, casually wrapping an arm around Shen Nan, who was standing nearby, and they walked home together.

As they walked, Shen Yuan greeted the other villagers who had come to welcome him back.

The villagers watched, stunned.

Finally, they were certain: the Shen family had prospered, but they hadn't put on any airs at all.

The heavy rain that caused a landslide on Cuiming Mountain also brought flooding to Dashu Village.

At that time, Village Head Liu had led the villagers to help Ji Yu's family protect the Shen family courtyard, and later assisted with tending the fields and graves.

Today's feast was to express their gratitude.

Shen Yuan took Village Head Liu's hand, affectionately calling him Uncle Liu. He asked why he hadn't mentioned the flooding earlier, saying he could have helped.

Village Head Liu replied, "We've had floods before, and we've always managed. There was no reason to trouble you for help this time. You're taking care of your family in a big city like Youyang; life can't be easy there. I can't help you out there, but I'll make sure everything at home is taken care of properly."

Village Head Liu knew in his heart that the food and favors he owed Shen Yuan from before could never be repaid by his family.

Since that was the case, he would do everything possible to ensure Shen Yuan's life was peaceful and secure.

And he had succeeded.

In the three days since Shen Yuan had been back home, no one had come to disturb them.

Village Head Liu had made it clear: no one was to take advantage of the Shen family's kindness and approachability by constantly crowding around them.

He had always held authority in the village, and the villagers listened to him.

Moreover, everyone understood clearly: for long-term development, they couldn't be greedy for short-term gains.

If they shamelessly pushed forward and annoyed the Shen family, their future would be difficult indeed.

Shen Yuan enjoyed himself heartily in the village for several days.

With Shen Dong, Shen Xi, Shen Nan, Shen Bei, and Shen Liushu, he led a group of village children up the mountains to climb trees and down to the river to catch fish.

They even had picnics; the whole group went wild with fun.

On the day of the ancestral worship, Shen Ye rushed back just in time.

Shen Yuan set aside his playful mood, and the whole family went up the mountain to pay their respects.

After everyone had kowtowed and burned paper money, Shen Yuan suddenly announced to the graves that he was getting married.

Shen Anniang instinctively looked at Shen Yuan, pursed her lips, but ultimately did not stop him—she silently acquiesced.

Shen Ye merely raised an eyebrow, surprised that his nephew and Xie Yulin had reached this point.

In the following days, the Shen family became busy again.

The Xie family's old residence was also bustling with activity.

Luo Yun was so busy his head was spinning. He handed over the task of decorating the residence to others and went to oversee the wedding attire instead.

The embroiderers were brought from Youyang City, all top-notch masters.

Every stitch was meticulous and careful, but Luo Yun was still afraid of mistakes, so he came to check on the progress every day.

Besides the clothes, he also oversaw the shoes and the hair crown.

With only four days left until the wedding, it was truly exhausting.

When the wedding invitations were sent out, the influential circles of Qingyun County were thrown into an uproar.

Magistrate Wang, the Ji family, and several friendly teahouse owners and managers received invitations—these were sent by Shen Yuan. They weren't qualified to receive the Xie family's wedding invitations.

Xie Yulin didn't send invitations to anyone else. The Xie family members attending the wedding banquet were the ones who had been confined to the old residence to relearn how to be proper people.

Previously, members of the second branch who had been confined there due to the rebellion remained unruly. While Xie Yulin was fighting on the front lines, he couldn't be bothered to keep holding their lives in his hands.

If they didn't want them, he could simply discard them.

The hidden guards no longer stopped them, and they successfully followed the rest of the second branch—some were beheaded, others exiled.

The younger generation of the Xie family found this marriage astonishing and unheard of.

But they didn't dare utter a single word of dissent.

Xie Shengfeng looked at the despondent Xie Shiyan. "What's wrong with you lately? You look like you've lost your soul. We have to perform well at Fifth Granduncle's wedding banquet, or we'll definitely be punished."

"Ah, Fifth Granduncle said we should take the imperial examination this time. I don't know if I can pass. If I fail, he won't punish me, will he? No, Fifth Granduncle is so strict; he'll definitely punish me. I wonder if begging his wife would work."

"If you're not skilled enough to pass the exam yourself, how can you have the nerve to ask for favors?" Xie Shiyan's brow furrowed, and he said unhappily, "Fifth Uncle hates people who suck up and look for shortcuts the most."

"Nothing has even happened yet, why are you snapping at me? I was just thinking out loud." Xie Shengfeng knew he couldn't pick a fight, and besides, Xie Shiyan was after all a generation older than him, so he suppressed his temper. "If you can't stand Fifth Granduncle marrying a man, have the guts to get angry at Fifth Granduncle himself. What's the point of taking it out on me?"

With that, Xie Shengfeng rolled his eyes and stomped off in a huff.

He needed to buckle down and study more, so he wouldn't actually fail the exam when the time came.

Xie Shiyan stood rooted to the spot, motionless as a wooden post.

He used to always think that Shen Yuan was just a male concubine, nothing significant. For someone of Fifth Uncle's status and position, it would be strange not to have male favorites if he liked men.

When he first came to the old residence, he knew Fifth Uncle's intention was to give the Xie family a hand, to cultivate some capable people.

Otherwise, the Xie family would be doomed sooner or later.

He wanted to be someone Fifth Uncle could use, to be Fifth Uncle's right hand, his blade.

He even wanted to be Fifth Uncle's man.

He had wanted that since childhood.

But it was too late.

No, that wasn't right. He never would have had a chance anyway.

Because he was a junior of the Xie family, they were related by blood. Fifth Uncle would never look at him that way.

It was impossible for Fifth Uncle to feel any sexual desire or impulse toward him.

After who knows how long, Xie Shiyan finally moved his stiff limbs.

Forget it.

Xie Shiyan remained in a daze until the day of the wedding banquet.

He got up early and waited outside Xie Yulin's door. When the man in bright red wedding robes appeared, his handsome face was so striking that Xie Shiyan couldn't look away.

Only when those deep, indifferent eyes glanced over—a cold gaze that made Xie Shiyan shiver—did he immediately lower his head.

He hid his feelings and followed behind.

Xie Shiyan thought to himself that Fifth Uncle had always been like this in his memory—so cold it made people tremble. No wonder even his own parents feared him, thinking he was unapproachable and distant.

But when the other groom arrived, he realized he was wrong.

The person who had always been like frost now had intense love burning in his eyes, as if they were about to catch fire.

Fifth Uncle looked down at that person as if looking at his own life.

Cherishing, fervent, joyful, grateful...

There were too many other emotions Xie Shiyan couldn't see.

Because they belonged solely to Shen Yuan. Only Shen Yuan could see them.

The wedding music blared nonstop as the two in wedding robes boarded a carriage to the newly purchased residence in Qingyun County.

They performed the ceremony inside.

On the seats were the spirit tablets of Shen Yuan's parents.

Shen Yuan's relatives were busy entertaining the guests.

There weren't many guests—mostly people from the yamen and the village, along with members of the Storytellers' Union.

The Xie family members who came had a separate seating area.

This wedding banquet was truly rather unconventional.

After the ceremony, Shen Yuan, with Xie Yulin in tow, took a wine cup to toast the guests.

He was very happy today. Qin Shisong and the others did their best to liven up the atmosphere to make Shen Yuan even happier, and soon the courtyard was bustling with noise.

No one dared to make Xie Yulin toast. Before he could even speak, they would respectfully bow their heads, offer some blessings, and then drain their cups in one go.

Xie Yulin enjoyed hearing those words and would graciously take a sip.

Shen Yuan, caught up in the excitement, drank freely and soon became dizzy, leaning into Xie Yulin.

Instinctively wrapping an arm around him, Xie Yulin leaned down and softly asked if he wanted to go back and rest.

Shen Yuan nodded and said yes.

The guests, who had been laughing and joking just moments before, fell silent. They didn't dare to watch as Xie Yulin carried him away, all bowing their heads, not moving a muscle.

Only after the two had disappeared from sight did Shen Ye raise his cup with a loud shout, and the crowd became lively again.

Shen Dong and the others stood guard at the door, staring intently at Xie Yulin.

Shen Dong stepped forward and said solemnly, "Put Big Brother down. I'll carry him inside to rest."

They knew Shen Yuan was happy and had been looking forward to today's wedding banquet, so they hadn't shown their displeasure in front of him.

None of the four younger ones wanted their big brother to end up with the man before them.

Some feared their big brother would be gossiped about; others feared he would abandon them.

Xie Yulin held onto Shen Yuan and didn't let go. He couldn't possibly release him.

The drunken Shen Yuan curled up uncomfortably, nuzzling his head against Xie Yulin's chest and mumbling, "Xie... Yulin, uncomfortable..."

Shen Nan raised a hand to cover his sister's eyes. The three brothers watched as their big brother, with his flushed lips, kissed the man's chin and then snuggled back in.

No more words were needed. Shen Dong, face dark, stepped aside.

The four siblings returned defeated, unable to reclaim their big brother.

Youyang City.

Song Zijun walked out of the Ministry of Rites hall where envoys from various countries were being received, his face as dark as thunder.

The envoys inside were all dejected. They didn't know how they had offended Song Zijun. No matter what they said, the man surnamed Song disagreed; his attitude was extremely firm and his temper fierce.

It seemed like one more word would make him raise his hand and throw a punch.

Outmatched in presence, the final negotiation results were significantly weaker for the envoys.

The envoys from Westmoon Country were pressured the most, but their being taken advantage of wasn't without reason. Everyone knew that Wu Country's Deputy Prime Minister Song was the former Prime Minister of Westmoon.

He fell under suspicion by the Emperor of Xiyue and nearly lost his life.

The envoys from various countries, believing they were implicated by the Xiyue envoy, gave the Xiyue delegation the cold shoulder.

In the carriage, Song Zijuan heard his servant ask where he wanted to go and was momentarily confused.

Right, where was he to go?

Song Zijuan didn’t want to return to his residence, so he let the carriage wander aimlessly through the pitch-black night.

After an unknown amount of time, Song Zijuan named a destination. The servant quickly steadied the reins and drove him there.

In a narrow alley in the South City district, a knock sounded on a household’s door.

A male voice called out from within, asking who it was.

Song Zijuan replied calmly, "It's me."

Hearing the somewhat familiar voice, Lu Yuan quickly opened the door. In the moonlight, he made out the person at the entrance and said happily, "It really is you!"

Song Zijuan was ushered into the courtyard by Lu Yuan. A woman peered out from the central room, asking Lu Yuan who had come.

Lu Yuan hesitated a moment before replying, "Ajin's here."

The woman immediately sprang into action. "Ajin's here? Have you eaten yet? I’ll make some food."

Lu Yuan didn’t dare decide for Song Zijuan. He glanced at him, and seeing him nod, he added with a smile, "Thanks, love. Ajin likes sweets, so steam a sugar cake."

"You got it!"

A fire was lit in the kitchen stove. Song Zijuan looked at the small courtyard, where everywhere were signs of daily life.

Lu Yuan sat nearby, keeping him company. He could see Song Zijuan was in low spirits, but he didn’t know what to say.

At first, when he’d searched for his younger brother, it was just to reunite the family. Later, he found him, but he never expected his brother to be such a high-ranking official. They were no longer of the same social class.

One was in the sky, like a cloud.

The other was on the ground, like mud.

Lu Yuan felt daunted. He didn’t dare get close to his brother, nor could he glimpse any trace of his younger brother in this powerful and noble man.

After coming to the state of Wu, he didn’t live with his brother. Instead, he bought a small courtyard and opened a general store.

He wanted a simple, quiet life with his wife and child.

He knew his brother had sent people to protect them.

He was grateful, knowing his brother still held some regard for him as his elder brother.

So, when Song Zijuan visited him in Wu for the first time, he called him "Ajin."

The name that belonged to his younger brother.

And his brother did not refuse.

Lu Yuan sat quietly nearby, and Song Zijuan could hear his breathing.

"Brother."

The breathing paused, then quickened, followed by a delighted voice, "Yes!"

Savoring this unfamiliar feeling of familial warmth, Song Zijuan looked up at the moon and confided his troubles to his brother.

"The person I like got married today."

Lu Yuan was stunned. He wanted to say something but realized Song Zijuan didn’t need comfort—he just needed a listening ear.

"I never thought that amid all my scheming, I'd fall for him. He is sincere, kind, cheerful, and optimistic. It was as if as long as I was with him, there was no cold in this world, only warm sunshine. I couldn’t help but be drawn to him, yet I could never fully believe it was real."

"I couldn’t believe that such a genuinely good person truly existed in this world."

"I did wrong. I hurt him and hurt many others. There’s no turning back for me. His staying with me would put him in danger too, and I couldn't protect him. I had to leave…"

A tear slid down Song Zijuan’s cheek, his expression numb. "Brother, I really brought this on myself."

"I miss him so much."

He missed Qingyun County, the Ji Family Teahouse, Dashu Village, the Shen family, the bed he shared with Shen Yuan, and Shen Yuan himself.

He missed everything between them.

Song Zijuan realized that from now on, he would have to rely on these memories to make it through each day.

Lu Yuan used his finger to wipe away the tear on Song Zijuan's cheek. "Ajin, don’t cry. Your brother and sister-in-law are here. Come over for meals often."

Song Zijuan’s nose stung, and more tears fell.

…

The news of Xie Yulin marrying Shen Yuan in Qingyun County had spread throughout Youyang City.

Many dignitaries went to the Xie family to inquire, but the Xies closed their doors and refused visitors.

They knew about this matter.

But they were powerless to stop it.

They could only refuse to go to Qingyun County and avoid attending the wedding banquet.

They had thought the wedding couldn't proceed, but little did they know their son truly didn’t care about his parents’ wishes. He went ahead with the ceremony even without elders present.

Xie’s father and mother were furious but helpless.

Back then, because of their son's attraction to men, they had beaten him nearly to death, removed him from the family register, and abandoned him in the snow.

Even that hadn’t changed his mind. At that time, he didn’t even have someone he liked; he just knew he was interested in men.

Now that he had the one who held his heart, they were even more powerless.

Moreover, their son was now the pillar of the Xie family.

If they disowned him, the family’s protection would essentially vanish.

Not only could they not remove him, they actually had to accept his beloved.

Xie’s father and mother were at their wits' end, only waiting for their son to return to Youyang before dealing with the matter further.

After the wedding, Xie Yulin couldn't stay in Qingyun County any longer; he had to return to Youyang City to attend to official duties.

Shen Yuan wanted to have some fun in his hometown and told Xie Yulin to go ahead first.

Promising over and over to return as soon as possible, Shen Yuan saw his sweetheart off on the boat.

The Xie family expected to meet Shen Yuan and assumed he would be entered into the family registry.

They planned to use this to make demands of Xie Yulin, but who knew that upon returning, Xie Yulin would dive straight into government affairs and never bring up the registry at all.

Without Xie Yulin's permission, no one could enter Jingyuan.

They wanted to ask, but they had no chance to inquire in private.

As the New Year approached, snow began to fall in Youyang City.

In the study at Jingyuan, Xie Yulin wrote a letter to his lover, wanting to ask when he would return.

But considering the roads were bad and there were bandits around, he didn't dare send it.

He feared that if Shen Yuan saw the letter, he would come rushing back, and something might happen.

During the New Year, the Storytellers' Union and the opera houses were bustling with New Year's cheer, having bought gifts ahead of time to hand out to their employees.

The jewelry shops and clothing stores under the Union were also decked out with red lanterns, which were dusted with white snow, adding to the festive mood.

Once everywhere you could hang a lantern was decorated, New Year's Eve arrived.

On New Year's Eve, dragon and lion dance troupes put on a lively show, as the beat of drums, clang of gongs, and clash of cymbals filled the air.

Outside, it was alive with excitement, but Jingyuan was silent.

The Xie family's New Year's Eve banquet featured an opera troupe. The stage was located near Jingyuan, and a trickle of noise drifted in.

Luo Yun had the doors and windows tightly closed, worried it might bother Xie Yulin inside.

Luo Yun shook his head and sighed, wondering how many New Years the person inside had spent alone.

As servants, they would get together to ring in the New Year once their master went to sleep.

"Knock, knock, knock—"

A frantic knocking came from the gate.

The Jingyuan guards answered it.

Xie Yulin had washed up and was lying in bed.

He had intended to read, but after one line, his mind wandered.

Whether his eyes were open or closed, all he could think about was Shen Yuan.

He missed him terribly.

He had no taste for food or drink.

The door was pushed open. Xie Yulin noticed and thought it was Luo Yun coming in to check on the charcoal heater.

Quick, light steps soon reached the inner chamber. The bed curtain was pulled aside, and before Xie Yulin could see clearly, someone landed on top of him.

A cold, snowy chill carried a familiar scent. His cheek was nuzzled, and in his ear was the voice he’d been dying to hear.

"Xie Yulin, Xie Yulin, Xie Yulin, Xie Yulin, Xie Yulin, Xie Yulin." Shen Yuan threw himself into Xie Yulin's arms, calling his name repeatedly, nuzzling his face and kissing his lips.

Only when Xie Yulin snapped out of it, reached out, and pressed Shen Yuan's waist tightly against his chest, leaving no gap between them, did he truly react.

Shen Yuan felt like his waist might break, but he didn't say anything; he also wished he could squeeze himself completely into Xie Yulin's embrace.

"I missed you so much, I almost cried," Shen Yuan clung to Xie Yulin, refusing to let go, and said in a sticky tone, "I can't bear being away from you for so long again. I can't take it."

Xie Yulin hummed in agreement, pressing close to Shen Yuan's ear and rubbing his face against it. "A-Yuan, you said it. You must keep your word."

"I will!"

"Why did you come back now?" Xie Yulin felt Shen Yuan's body, confirming he was unharmed.

Shen Yuan couldn't help but kiss Xie Yulin again, covering his entire face with kisses.

Afterward, he chuckled and said, "I missed you too much. Aunt and the others couldn't stand it, saying that without you by my side, I wouldn't have a good New Year, so I decided to come back."

"I didn't let the guards inform you in advance. Knowing the dangers on the road, I had them stay close to protect our safety."

He didn't ask the guards to return early, not to give a surprise, but because he feared Xie Yulin would worry every day until he arrived, unable to have peace of mind.

The moment Shen Yuan made the decision, he understood why Xie Yulin always let him know only after things were resolved.

It was out of deep concern, not wanting the other to suffer from anxiety.

And in that instant, Xie Yulin also understood how Shen Yuan felt each time he learned about things only after the fact.

Even if it meant worry and distress, he still wanted to know.

No matter what it was, as long as it concerned the other, he wanted to know, to be involved, to solve it together.

Shen Yuan's face was cupped, and his mouth was bitten and kissed for a long time until his tongue went numb.

Finally catching his breath, Shen Yuan covered Xie Yulin's mouth, resting for a moment before panting lightly, "Xie Yulin, Aunt asked me to come and invite you to the New Year's Eve dinner."

Xie Yulin raised his hand to grasp Shen Yuan's wrist, tilting his head to kiss it gently. "Alright."

The Shen family's New Year's Eve dinner was lavish.

The household already had plenty of ingredients prepared. Shen Anniang led a group of helpers, and Ji Pingan was also called over. Dishes were quickly served one after another.

After Xie Yulin arrived, he also spent some time in the kitchen making egg fried rice.

Because Shen Yuan loved it.

After he went to Shen Yuan's room to change into the clothes he had left there earlier, the dinner began.

Shen Ye was originally sitting next to Shen Anniang, with Shen Bei on the other side.

Without hesitation, Ji Pingan picked up Shen Ye and placed him in an empty seat nearby, taking Shen Ye's spot next to Shen Anniang.

His handsome, resolute face was flushed red, but his seat seemed rooted to the spot, his back straight, refusing to move.

Shen Anniang blushed and remained silent. Shen Ye looked back and forth before finally raising Little Black and asking, "How many things happened while we were away?"

Little Black didn't know. Little Black wagged its tail. Little Black wanted to eat meat.

Shen Yuan and Xie Yulin sat together. As Xie Yulin settled in, he served some egg fried rice into Shen Yuan's bowl.

The firmness, saltiness, and the proportion of eggs were all exactly how Shen Yuan liked it.

As he ate, he looked at the people sitting around him.

They were all his family.

It was wonderful.

Xie Yulin leaned in close to Shen Yuan and asked softly, "What are you smiling about?"

Shen Yuan couldn't stop smiling. He leaned close to his lover's ear and whispered, "Xie Yulin, I'm so happy."

"That's good."

Xie Yulin looked at Shen Yuan, his eyes smiling. He wished the person before him could always smile so happily.

That way, he would be happy as well.

-----------------------

Author's Note: The main story ends here.

Ah, Xiao Yuan and Prime Minister Xie have to say goodbye to everyone! Thank you, dear readers, for accompanying us this far!

My intermittent updates lately really weren't good; I apologize again [please forgive me].

As for extras, I'm not sure if there will be any. When I revise the text, I'll see if there's anything I missed. If there is, I'll write it in a bonus side story.

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