Ch 56: Guide to Feeding a Villainous Husband

Even after the officers took Ermao and Lian Wu away, Qin Xia still couldn’t figure out what those burly men were all about.

He instructed Yu Jiuque to go to the private room in the back to check on Xing Yiming’s family. The commotion earlier was probably heard inside as well, so it was necessary to inform them of the outcome to prevent any worry.

Qin Xia himself took a jar of wine and personally brought it to the only table of customers left in the restaurant.

“Thank you, gentlemen, for your help. This jar of wine and this meal are on the house.”

Qin Xia could tell at a glance that these men were genuine martial artists, the kind who had real skills. It was best not to offend such people, and since they had already stepped in to help, it was only right to repay the favor. A meal’s worth of money was a small price to pay.

Without being overly formal, Qin Xia joined them at the table, drinking from a bowl just like they did. He filled each of their bowls and downed his in one gulp. This gesture loosened the men’s tongues, and they eagerly pulled Qin Xia into their conversation, revealing what they were actually up to.

These five men were sworn brothers, with the leader being a man named Bao Chun, whom the others all called “Big Brother.”

They had all come from military backgrounds, having served as soldiers.

“In recent years, the border has been stable, with no incursions from foreign tribes. The court couldn’t afford to keep so many soldiers on the payroll, so they came up with this idea of ‘reducing excess troops.’”

The intention behind reducing excess troops was good, but in practice, it inevitably led to some people taking advantage of the situation.

“Big Brother Bao here was at least a hundred-household commander in the army, and the rest of us also earned our ranks on the battlefield. But because our pockets were empty, and we couldn’t grease the right palms, the ones who were just lazing around ended up staying in the army while we were sent packing back home.”

The man with the bushy beard spoke with frustration, downing another mouthful of wine.

Another brother picked up the story.

“We’re all from villages under Qinan County. When we first got home, our families were overjoyed. They hadn’t heard from us in years and thought we were dead. But as time passed, things didn’t turn out as expected.”

The reason was simple.

It was true that these men had been ordinary villagers before they enlisted, but after experiencing the battlefield, their demeanor and mindset had changed.

“We’ve been through life and death and have seen a bit of the world. Going back to farming felt like a dead end. Not only that, but even arranging marriages has become impossible!”

At this point, the man’s tone even carried a bit of sorrow.

Qin Xia found this odd.

“You all seem impressive and strong, with real skills and physical strength. Why can’t you arrange marriages?”

In theory, such men would be highly sought after in rural areas.

The talkative bearded man set down his wine bowl and sighed.

“What else could it be? They say we’re too old, too poor, and lack prospects. Qinan County is wealthy, and the villagers live well, so the young women aren’t in a rush to marry. The younger ones don’t want to marry older men.”

Qin Xia could fill in the rest of the thought himself: those who did want to marry older men would prefer those from wealthier families.

In the Dayong dynasty, conscription could often be avoided by paying a fee, though the price rose every year. Therefore, any family with some savings would never send their men to the battlefield. In the end, those who went were usually from the poorest households.

In such families, even losing one male member could make life even harder.

After three years of service, the poor became even poorer.

Feeling a deep sense of empathy, Qin Xia stood up and poured them another round of wine.

Soldiers could hold their liquor, so he wasn’t worried about them getting drunk and causing trouble.

The conversation continued.

Seeing that farming in the village offered no future, these former comrades, who had scattered upon returning home, gathered once more at Bao Chun’s call to seek a living in the city.

“We have nothing but our skills in martial arts, which are enough to intimidate some people. Now, we’re working at a security escort agency in the city. Running an escort mission earns us some silver. After covering our expenses for food and drink, we still have enough to send back home. People say that being an escort is a dangerous job, with your life hanging by a thread. But what’s that to us? We’ve been to war. Walking a road that might have bandits is nothing compared to facing enemies on the battlefield. How scary can bandits be compared to enemies in war?”

As for why they intervened to deal with Ermao and Lian Wu, Da Kui, the man with the bushy beard, explained.

“No particular reason. We just can’t stand scoundrels like them. The thought that we fought at the border to protect people, and among those we protected were lowlifes like these, makes my blood boil!”

He was getting more agitated as he spoke, until Bao Chun gave him a stern look, and he fell silent.

Qin Xia reflected on their words for a moment, then called out to Qiu Yao, who was wiping tables, and asked her to bring out two more dishes to go with the drinks.

Bao Chun spoke up, “Boss Qin, we didn’t step in expecting a free meal. There’s no need to bring more dishes.”

Qin Xia waved it off.

“It’s just some small dishes, nothing worth mentioning.”

These five men were noble-hearted. Many soldiers returning from war turned into thuggish bullies, but these men remained upright in their conduct. Qin Xia found them genuinely admirable.

A moment later, it wasn’t Qiu Yao who brought the dishes, but Zhuang Xing. He carried a plate of tofu skin in red oil and a dish of fried peanuts.

Zhuang Xing, though of age, had not married, and his hairstyle was not the type worn by married Ge’ers.

As soon as he appeared, he subtly caught the attention of several of the men at the table. Zhuang Xing remained calm, placed the dishes down, gave a slight bow, and then walked away.

“You two, stop staring and get your eyes back in your heads,” Bao Chun scolded, causing Da Kui and another man to sheepishly rub their noses and faces, having been caught in the act.

Bao Chun raised his wine bowl towards Qin Xia.

“Forgive us for the embarrassment, Boss Qin.”

Qin Xia raised his own bowl in return, acknowledging the gesture.

This matter concerned Xing Ge’er, and even as the boss, Qin Xia didn’t have the right to speak on his behalf.

They continued to drink slowly with the small dishes. The men praised Qin Xia’s drinking capacity, but Qin Xia could see that, despite their seemingly sufficient funds, each man carried a burden in his heart, clearly frustrated by their circumstances.

Sure enough, after a few more rounds of drinks, Da Kui started speaking his mind again.

The gist of it was that they were all standing up for Bao Chun, who they believed should have been promoted from an ordinary escort to a chief escort by now. However, the boss of the escort agency was deliberately holding him back.

“It’s because that other chief escort, who doesn’t get along with Big Brother, is constantly competing with him. That man is a relative of the agency’s owner, but his skills are mediocre at best!”

They all despised those who got by through connections, but despite the recurring injustice, they were powerless to change it.

Qin Xia listened for a long while before coming up with an idea.

“Have you ever considered starting your own business?”

“Start our own business?” The man next to Qin Xia scoffed. “We have no capital and no connections. What could we do? We can’t do business; we have neither money nor network.”

Qin Xia shook his head.

“Commerce might not be your forte, but your skills in martial arts aren’t limited to escorting. Why not consider opening a ‘fighting house’?”

A “fighting house” was a business that had emerged in Dayong recently. In Dayong, if you wanted to hire someone to collect debts, settle a private vendetta, or teach a lesson to someone who was too troublesome to involve the authorities, you could go to a fighting house, pay some silver, and hire a tough guy.

These tough guys knew how to handle things discreetly, getting the job done without attracting official attention. Their usual practice was to ambush someone on the roadside, throw a sack over them, and give them a good beating.

The authorities generally turned a blind eye to such matters, and it operated in a small gray area.

However, Bao Chun did not agree.

“That’s the behavior of ruffians.”

The implication was that he looked down on the idea.

Qin Xia, however, didn’t see it that way.

Leaving aside other arguments, even “civilized debt collection” is considered a legitimate business in modern times, so why not in Dayong?

“Brother Bao, have you ever considered that the reason this line of work is associated with ruffians is because it’s mostly done by ruffians? Their behavior is erratic, and their morals are questionable. But in Dayong, many common people are often forced to seek out a ‘fighting house’ because of desperate situations. It’s not that they want to hire former ruffians or scoundrels, but because they have no other choice. If a few upright men like yourselves were to enter this line of work, you’d likely find even more business.”

Besides, who says a fighting house can only employ thugs?

Qin Xia recalled reading an article about ancient fighting houses that even took on tasks like finding lost people or pets. They were more like a “one-stop shop” than just a place to hire muscle.

“Finding people? Now that’s something I’m familiar with—I used to be a scout in the army!”

“Brother, I think Boss Qin has a point. A fighter doesn’t necessarily have to do bad things. For instance, if a girl is being harassed by a rogue, hiring us to give him a beating would be doing a public service!”

“Exactly, Brother. Remember when someone came to our escort agency wanting to hire a bodyguard? They needed someone to protect their female relatives on a trip to a temple outside the city, offering a tael of silver for just one day’s work. And they still had to check if any guards were available. We could take on jobs like that too!”

Bao Chun, who had initially been resistant to the idea of becoming a hired hand, now saw the potential in it.

It was as if the fog of uncertainty had lifted, revealing a clear path ahead.

“Thank you, Boss Qin, for your guidance!”

Seeing Bao Chun raise his bowl again, Qin Xia felt a twinge of concern.

“Brother Bao, you’re too kind. I was just sharing some thoughts, and if it helps, then I’m glad.”

He genuinely believed that men like Bao Chun and his brothers, with their integrity and strength, deserved more than a life of mediocrity and struggle.

Nearly another half hour passed.

Three empty wine jars sat in a row under the table, and even the cilantro in the pig ear salad had been eaten.

“Boss Qin, your food is truly exceptional. We’ll be coming back often!”

Despite their tolerance for alcohol, the men were now swaying slightly, with Bao Chun being the most sober. He gathered his four brothers and escorted them to the door, giving Qin Xia a respectful bow.

Qin Xia returned the gesture, intending to watch them leave. However, he noticed that Bao Chun lingered behind, as if he had something more to say.

Qin Xia made it clear he was ready to listen, and Bao Chun hesitantly asked, “Boss Qin, if I may ask, how old is the young Ge’er who served us earlier, and is he engaged?”

Qin Xia looked at Bao Chun in surprise, seeing a hint of embarrassment on the latter’s face.

“To be honest, all my brothers are still bachelors, and as their eldest brother, I can’t just stand by and do nothing. If it’s not convenient to answer, Boss Qin, you don’t have to say anything.”

Qin Xia thought for a moment and shared what he could.

“Xing Ge’er is indeed not yet married, and as far as I know, he’s not engaged either. However, when he started working at the restaurant, he mentioned that he has no intention of marrying.”

This time, it was Bao Chun who was surprised.

“Why is that?”

Qin Xia wasn’t sure if the men had noticed the birthmark on Xing Ge’er’s temple earlier.

“That’s something I can’t really explain. If it’s meant to be, you’ll find out.”

Bao Chun nodded in understanding.

“I see. Thank you, Boss Qin.”

The five men, arms slung around each other’s shoulders, gradually disappeared into the distance. Qin Xia raised his hand to pat his slightly flushed cheeks.

When he turned around, he almost bumped into Yu Jiuque.

Yu Jiuque pulled him behind the counter and poured him a cup of tea.

“How much did you drink? You all were having such a lively conversation that I didn’t want to interrupt. By the way, Shopkeeper Xing and his family finished their meal and left through the back door.”

Drinking so much had left Qin Xia’s mouth dry. He drank half a cup of tea and then leaned against Yu Jiuque.

The faint orchid scent from the collar of the young man’s clothes made Qin Xia feel even more intoxicated.

Yu Jiuque reached out and stroked his chin.

“In broad daylight, what are you doing?”

Qin Xia half-closed his eyes.

“I’m the boss. Who can tell me what to do?”

After saying this somewhat self-indulgent remark, he recounted the key points of his conversation with Bao Chun and the others to Yu Jiuque.

Yu Jiuque realized that he was actually familiar with the “reduction of surplus troops” from three years ago, likely a memory from his time in the palace. However, he pretended not to know in front of Qin Xia.

Little did Yu Jiuque know that Qin Xia was thinking about how, in the book, during Yu Jiuque’s regency, he had implemented many similar policies, which caused widespread resentment and made him the target of much criticism.

Yu Jiuque was indeed skilled at maneuvering and power-hungry, but when faced with the court’s corruption, he also showed a determination to tackle the issues head-on, regardless of the consequences to his reputation.

As Yu Jiuque once said, he was destined to be remembered infamously, so why care about his posthumous reputation?

Even the young emperor eventually had to admit that some of his ideas were refined and improved upon from those of Yu Jiuque, the infamous eunuch.

This complex character, both loved and hated, is what made him so compelling.

Having drunk too much, Qin Xia leaned on Yu Jiuque for a short while before the young man urged him to go rest in the back courtyard.

Qin Xia thought he would only sleep for an hour or so, but when he opened his eyes, it was already dark.

He rubbed his temples and sat up in the dimly lit room.

Lifting the bed curtain, he noticed a bowl of honey water placed on the table beside the bed. Although it had cooled, it was still pleasant to drink in this season.

The honey water soothed his throat, and after clearing it, Qin Xia got up, put on his shoes, and stepped outside.

As he opened the door, he saw that the kitchen and courtyard were already lit up, with Zheng Xinghua and Zhuang Xing busy at work.

The air was filled with a fragrance that was hard to describe.

When he reached the kitchen, Yu Jiuque happened to walk out with a small bowl in his hands. Seeing Qin Xia, he smiled and picked up a piece of food from the bowl with his chopsticks, bringing it to Qin Xia’s lips.

“This afternoon, Little Yao and I went out and gathered a lot of magnolia flowers. Sister Zheng fried some of them. Try it and tell me how it tastes.”