Ch 60: Guide to Feeding a Villainous Husband

“How could that be? Before I left, we agreed that if there was no one at home when he returned, it meant he had come here to chat with you.”

Fang Rong invited Qin Xia into the courtyard and set down the items he brought. The two of them huddled together in concern.

“This isn’t right. Ah Jiu is always so thorough. If he told you he’d either be at home or come to find me, he definitely wouldn’t go anywhere else and worry you.”

Qin Xia felt an inexplicable sense of unease. After thinking it over, he said, “Maybe he went out for some other reason. I’ll… I’ll go ask the Wei sisters. They often spend time together.”

“He might have gone to the restaurant,” Fang Rong suggested, trying to reassure him. “He’s a grown man; he couldn’t have just disappeared.”

Qin Xia naturally didn’t want to think the worst.

“You’re right. There’s probably nothing to worry about. I’ll check with the Wei family first, and if he’s not there, I’ll look at the restaurant. It’s likely one of those two places.”

Bidding farewell to Fang Rong, Qin Xia headed straight to the Wei family.

Upon inquiry, Cao Ashuang mentioned that she had seen Yu Jiuque once that day.

“Around three-quarters past the si hour (around 10:45 AM), a peddler passed by. I wanted to buy some colored thread, and I happened to see Ah Jiu at the door. We bought some needles and thread together and then each returned home.”

Ge Xiuhong, who had accompanied her daughter-in-law, noticed Qin Xia’s worried expression and sensed that something might be wrong. She asked, “What’s the matter? Have you not been able to find Ah Jiu?”

After learning the whole story, the Wei mother and daughter-in-law exchanged concerned glances.

Qin Xia forced himself to stay calm.

“I’ll go check the restaurant.”

Ge Xiuhong nodded. “Yes, go check there. Ashuang and I will keep an eye on the entrance here. If Ah Jiu returns, we’ll tell him to wait at home for you, so you don’t end up missing each other.”

Zhuang Xing had returned to the restaurant a while ago. Since it was closed today, he was in the backyard chatting with the Qiu siblings about the events at the Song residence.

They were in the middle of an animated discussion when they suddenly saw Qin Xia enter through the back gate.

“Boss,” they greeted him.

The three of them came out of the back room, and when they learned that Qin Xia was looking for Yu Jiuque, Qiu Chuan shook his head and said, “The little boss hasn’t been here today.”

Qin Xia’s heart sank.

His intuition told him that something might have really happened to Yu Jiuque.

But given Yu Jiuque’s identity, he didn’t dare to report it to the authorities.

To avoid complicating matters, he didn’t explain the situation to his three employees. Instead, he instructed, “Don’t mention to anyone that I’m looking for Ah Jiu. If anyone asks about me or the little boss, just say you don’t know.”

Then he turned to Qiu Chuan and said, “Xiaochuan, find some paper and write a new notice, saying that the boss’s household has urgent matters and the restaurant will be closed for three days.”

Qiu Chuan agreed, and without staying any longer, Qin Xia turned and left.

Zhuang Xing, left behind, looked anxiously toward the back door, then ushered the Qiu siblings back inside. Suddenly, none of them were in the mood to discuss the Song residence anymore.

Qin Xia returned home once more, only to find that not only had the Wei mother and daughter-in-law arrived, but even Fang Rong was there.

When they saw him, they all gathered around and asked, “Did you find him?”

Qin Xia shook his head.

“No, I didn’t.”

Fang Rong wrung her hands nervously in front of her.

“In broad daylight, not in the dead of night, where could he have gone?”

Ge Xiuhong also asked Cao Ashuang if Yu Jiuque had ever mentioned any particular place he might go.

Cao Ashuang was at a loss.

“Ah Jiu and I mostly just visit each other or go to the river to do laundry. We don’t really go out much. Usually, he just goes back and forth between the restaurant and home, like Qin Xia. I can’t think of anywhere else he might go at a time like this.”

The group huddled together, but no one could come up with a good solution.

In the end, they all agreed that it was best to call a few trusted people to help with the search.

However, they couldn’t involve too many people—if word got out that a young man or woman had gone missing without reason, gossip would spread, and who knows what rumors might be fabricated.

With that in mind, Fang Rong returned to Zitong Alley to fetch Zheng Xinghua and also called on Liu Douzi, who had previously helped with chores like building the chicken coop at the Meng household.

From the Wei family, it was Ge Xiuhong and Cao Ashuang who joined in. When Wei Chao and Wei Xi returned home later, they would also be asked to help.

At the restaurant, the Qiu siblings stayed behind to watch over the place, while Zhuang Xing and Zheng Xinghua went off together.

However, despite searching from dawn until dusk, they still found no trace.

Qinan County was vast, and hiding a person was all too easy.

By around the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), everyone regrouped at Qin Xia’s house, all wearing dejected expressions.

Wei Chao, one of the few men present and older than Qin Xia, spoke up, “Qin ge, if we can’t find him, we might have to report this to the authorities at daybreak.”

Everyone there was just ordinary citizens of Dayong, and even though they lived in the county, most had only seen the county magistrate a couple of times in their lives.

In their eyes, if it had reached the point of reporting to the authorities, it meant the situation was likely dire.

Wei Chao figured Qin Xia might not want to hear this, but someone had to say it.

In truth, Qin Xia had a suspicion.

After all, he knew that Yu Jiuque wasn’t just an ordinary young man.

Behind him lay a tangled web of connections—connections that could even influence the political affairs of Dayong.

But these were things he couldn’t explain to the well-meaning people who cared about him and Yu Jiuque.

So, Qin Xia had no choice but to send everyone home, saying he would wait through the night at home. If there was still no sign of him by morning, he would report it to the authorities.

It wouldn’t do to report it now—a grown man missing for only a few hours wouldn’t be taken seriously by the authorities.

“You’ve all had a long day and didn’t even have a proper meal. Once Ah Jiu returns safely, I’ll host a dinner for everyone at the restaurant.”

Seeing his forced smile, everyone felt a pang of sympathy.

In the end, only Fang Rong and her son stayed behind, while the others left.

Before leaving, they all told Qin Xia to reach out if he needed any help.

Qin Xia thanked them and personally saw them out.

When he returned, he invited Fang Rong and Liu Douzi to sit in the main hall.

The two of them were determined to stay with Qin Xia through the night. After all, Qin Xia had no one else—his only close ones were them.

Once they were seated, Qin Xia found an excuse to send Liu Douzi away for a moment. Fang Rong, observing Qin Xia’s expression, hesitated several times before finally speaking up, “Xia, tell your godmother the truth—do you have some idea about Ah Jiu’s disappearance?”

Qin Xia’s heart skipped a beat, but he kept a facade of confusion.

“What do you mean, godmother?”

Fang Rong knew she shouldn’t be saying this at a time like this, but when she thought about it, Ah Jiu had always been surrounded by an air of mystery.

Her godson was a clever person, and sharing a bed with Ah Jiu every night, he surely must have figured something out.

“Let me just say what I’m thinking—don’t be upset with me. Ah Jiu is a good kid, but… do you think he might have been taken back by his previous family?”

Qin Xia fell silent for a moment.

He wanted to say that he did have some suspicions, but it wasn’t about any “family members”—it was about “people from the palace.”

Given that it was now March, according to the original story, Yu Jiuque should have already regained his memory and started planning his return to Shengjing.

However, the original story glossed over this part, so Qin Xia didn’t know what exactly Yu Jiuque experienced in Qinan County from the time he regained his memory until his return to Shengjing.

Going back to the capital alone seemed highly unlikely.

If he did, he might not even make it to the capital before losing his life.

Analyzing the situation carefully, Qin Xia felt that Yu Jiuque must have found a way to contact the former loyalists of the Eastern Palace while in Qinan County.

After the Crown Prince was deposed, the old officials of the Eastern Palace scattered, and the former Crown Prince’s faction went dormant.

Some of them went into hiding to protect themselves, waiting for an opportunity, while others were exiled to remote areas with no hope of return.

But these officials remained unwaveringly loyal to the Eastern Palace, never giving up the idea of restoring the Crown Prince to power.

From the later developments in the story and the characterization of Yu Jiuque in the book, it was clear that he and the Eastern Palace were using each other.

Yu Jiuque was a pawn within the inner palace, while the Eastern Palace served as the stepping stones in his rise to power.

Qin Xia had reason to believe that during Yu Jiuque’s recovery, he had made contact with the old Eastern Palace officials, and they had reached an agreement.

Otherwise, there would be no way to explain how Yu Jiuque, who had been missing for several months, could return to the palace smoothly, with even his previous position still vacant.

If…

Qin Xia couldn’t help but consider the worst-case scenario.

The plot was likely still progressing invisibly, and Yu Jiuque might inevitably be drawn into it. With March already here, he would rather believe that it was the people from the Eastern Palace who had taken Yu Jiuque than his enemies.

At least that way, it would mean Yu Jiuque wasn’t in danger.

These were things he couldn’t say to Fang Rong, and he couldn’t just sit and wait in the house either.

So he got up and started searching around, hoping to find any clues that Yu Jiuque might have left behind.

Fang Rong watched as he opened a trunk at the foot of the bed and began taking out clothes, bedding, and other items.

Qin Xia thought that since Yu Jiuque was meticulous, if he wanted to hide something, he would surely hide it in a place that wouldn’t be easily discovered.

As he rummaged through, a piece of paper fluttered out.

Qin Xia bent down to pick it up, and his expression changed instantly.

“Xia, what does it say on the paper?”

Fang Rong couldn’t read, but seeing Qin Xia’s reaction, she grew even more anxious.

Qin Xia felt the need to calm down.

The handwriting on the paper was hurried and the words were scattered, indicating that Yu Jiuque had written it in a rush each time.

But even so, it was enough for Qin Xia to piece together one fact—Yu Jiuque’s memory had already started to return.

He had been slowly piecing together his past through the fragments of memory that were coming back.

“Xia?”

Fang Rong asked tentatively again.

Qin Xia snapped back to reality, quickly folding the paper and thinking fast to come up with an explanation.

“These… were written by Ah Jiu for me. They weren’t left now—they’re from before.”

In Fang Rong’s eyes, Yu Jiuque was someone with beautiful handwriting and likely had a talent for writing as well.

Since Qin Xia had said so, she assumed the paper contained some private words meant only for the two of them.

“Godmother won’t ask anymore. Quickly put it away.”

Qin Xia tucked the paper into his inner pocket and fell into deep thought.

Now that he was certain that Yu Jiuque had regained at least 70-80% of his past memories, Qin Xia was even more convinced that his husband’s disappearance was anything but simple.

He began to ponder where he should search if Yu Jiuque truly couldn’t return. If he were to search, where should he start?

Qin Xia methodically considered that if he wanted to stay close, he should head to Shengjing. In the capital, even the highest-ranking officials and princes frequented the restaurants, and it was said that the emperor from the previous dynasty enjoyed ordering “takeout,” attracting many vendors to set up stalls outside the palace gates.

For a eunuch of Yu Jiuque’s status, he would surely have a residence outside the palace as well.

If Qin Xia were to arrange a chance encounter, would Yu Jiuque still recognize him as his “faithful husband”?

As these wild thoughts swirled in his mind, Qin Xia found himself at a loss for words.

His mind was in a chaotic whirl, and before he realized it, he had already left the main hall and was standing in the kitchen.

He urgently needed something to do with his hands to calm his mind and organize his thoughts.

Qin Xia stood in the kitchen for a moment, lost in thought, before decisively pulling out a bag of flour, planning to steam a batch of large buns.

Freshly steamed buns, each one larger than a palm, were white, plump, and soft.

When Yu Jiuque was in good spirits, he could eat four or five of them in one meal.

As Qin Xia poured flour into a basin and began kneading the dough, he started to consider his next steps.

That same night, in the late hours.

Somewhere in Qinan County.

In a dark chamber, Yu Jiuque was sitting on a soft couch.

He had just woken up from unconsciousness, and under the dim light of a candle, his face appeared exceptionally pale.

His last memory was of being on his way to the Liu residence when he was suddenly ambushed.

The attackers had forcibly abducted him, used some method to weaken his limbs, and then seemed to be staging his death as though he had been violated and killed. They disheveled his clothes and pulled out a knife.

At that critical moment, Yu Jiuque had thought there was no escape, but unexpectedly, another group of people appeared. They killed the assailants, knocked him out, and took him away.

When he regained consciousness, he found himself here.

Beside his pillow was an open wooden box, inside of which lay a jade pendant.

The jade was of the highest quality, with a smooth and rich texture that even a wealthy household like the Song family might not possess.

Strangely, the moment Yu Jiuque saw the jade pendant, he instinctively knew that he recognized it.

The pendant was like a loose thread—pulling on it brought forth a flood of clear, vivid memories that crashed into his mind all at once.

Yu Jiuque sat there in a daze for a full fifteen minutes before he could barely piece together the reality.

The winding red walls and towering palaces of his dreams.

The lingering fragrance of incense and the golden dragon embroidery.

All of it now had an explanation.

He even finally remembered his own name.

Yu Jiuque.

He was once an orphan wandering the streets of Shengjing. Because of his delicate and handsome appearance, he had to deliberately make himself look ugly while begging on the streets.

By a twist of fate, he was discovered by a eunuch surnamed Yu during a trip outside the palace. The eunuch took him in as an adopted son, gave him a name, and planned to send the young boy into the palace to cultivate him.

“At such a young age, you’ve already got a charming appearance. Little Jiu, this isn’t your flaw; it’s your strength! Once you’re in the palace, listen to your godfather’s advice—if you’re willing to set aside your pride and purity, with your looks, you can have anything you want.”

Later, Yu Jiuque’s godfather’s plan could be considered both a success and a failure. It succeeded because Yu Jiuque indeed rose to prominence in the palace.

But it also failed because when Yu Jiuque learned that he was being groomed to become the plaything of a powerful old eunuch, he devised a plan to protect himself while sending his adopted father to the Cold Palace to sweep the floors.

He then schemed against the old eunuch, toppling him, and secured himself the position of Supervisor of the Firewood Department.

The Firewood Department might sound unremarkable, but it was actually a rather crucial role.

It controlled the distribution of firewood and charcoal throughout the inner court, with plenty of opportunities for graft. Moreover, those in the palace who were out of favor had to send bribes just to get a few extra baskets of good firewood and charcoal.

Otherwise, no matter what rank they held, even consorts and nobles would have to endure the freezing cold.

Yu Jiuque’s connection with the deposed Crown Prince began with a basket of winter charcoal.

Before entering the palace, Yu Jiuque was an illiterate orphan, but after entering the palace, he diligently studied in the inner school, becoming literate and knowledgeable.

He also witnessed the once-praised Crown Prince become a “prisoner” in an abandoned palace.

Even though Yu Jiuque was just a eunuch, he remembered a time when he was a low-ranking servant who accidentally bumped into a senior eunuch while on duty.

The senior eunuch was about to slap him when the Crown Prince happened to pass by and intervened to save him.

Out of gratitude for the Crown Prince’s kindness, Yu Jiuque turned a blind eye and allowed someone to secretly send some firewood to the confined Crown Prince.

And so…

He became a secret ally of the Eastern Palace.

Yu Jiuque thought to himself that this was not a bad outcome. The matter began with repaying a debt of gratitude, but ultimately, it was about his desire for power.

In the palace, low-ranking eunuchs were only subjected to bullying. Only by climbing to a high enough position could one protect oneself.

The Crown Prince, seeing that Yu Jiuque was still young and had good physical potential, secretly arranged for someone to teach him martial arts.

Three months before leaving the palace, thanks to the covert efforts of the old officials from the Eastern Palace, Yu Jiuque was transferred from the Firewood Department to the Imperial Horse Department.

In Dayong, the Imperial Horse Department traditionally stood in rivalry with the Ceremonial Department.

One held power, the other commanded troops.

The Ceremonial Department was entirely under the control of the Second Prince, so the Crown Prince had no choice but to place Yu Jiuque in the Imperial Horse Department, thinking it would at least be a thorn in the side of those old eunuchs.

The jade pendant now before him was undoubtedly a token of the Eastern Palace.

At that moment, a voice suddenly broke the darkness.

“Lord Yu, the young master holds you in high esteem. After learning that you were ambushed while on a mission outside, he ordered a thorough search for your whereabouts, determined to find you, dead or alive. The shadow guards tracked you for a thousand miles, discovering that you were severely injured and had lost your memory, eventually being sold to Qinan County by human traffickers.”

“By coincidence, Qinan County happens to be under my jurisdiction. We were already planning how to establish contact with you when, unexpectedly, the other party made a sudden move against you. In the urgency of the moment, I had no choice but to prioritize saving you. Fearing that you might misunderstand the situation, we had to resort to more forceful measures. I hope you can forgive us for that.”

Yu Jiuque had just begun to grasp his situation and process the events of his past when he was bombarded with another round of startling revelations from the visitor.

At the same time, he quickly realized the most important point in the man’s speech.

“You mentioned that Qinan County is under your jurisdiction. Could it be that…”

The visitor clearly had no intention of hiding anything.

He soon stepped out from the darkness and bowed to Yu Jiuque.

“I am Liang Tianqi, the magistrate of Qinan County.”

Who would have thought that the county magistrate of Qinan County was also a member of the Crown Prince’s faction?

At this point, Yu Jiuque had only one question.

“Why was Lord Liang so certain that I had regained my memory?”

Liang Tianqi spoke frankly.

“To be honest, my wife comes from a family renowned in medicine, well-versed in ancestral acupuncture techniques. After we brought you here, I asked my wife to take your pulse and administer acupuncture.”

Yu Jiuque let out a soft chuckle.

“Lord Liang, you deliberately placed the jade pendant here, clearly to test me. If I had regained my memory, it would be a cause for celebration. If not… I suspect I wouldn’t be leaving this place anytime soon.”

Hearing Yu Jiuque refer to himself with a different term of address, Liang Tianqi understood.

“You give me too much credit, sir.”

Yu Jiuque exhaled softly.

He didn’t blame Liang Tianqi; in fact, he knew he had to rely on him for now.

After all, outwardly, he was still just Ah Jiu, a young Ge’er from Qinan County, while Liang Tianqi was the county’s magistrate.

“I assume, Lord Liang, that after discovering my identity, you’ve been observing me from the shadows for some time.”

Liang Tianqi cleared his throat.

Indeed, he had sent shadow guards to keep watch, but all they reported were scenes of Yu Jiuque living a sweet, domestic life with his husband, making it difficult for Liang Tianqi to figure out how to phrase his reports back to the capital.

He couldn’t very well say that it seemed like Yu Jiuque had decided to devote himself to being the husband of a restaurant owner, showing no intention of returning to the palace.

If Yu Jiuque were just an insignificant person, it wouldn’t matter, but he wasn’t. His departure from the palace on official business was ostensibly under the Imperial Horse Department’s orders, but he was secretly also carrying out a mission from the Crown Prince.

To bring down the Third Prince, the Crown Prince had tasked him with secretly gathering evidence of the Third Prince’s collusion with local merchants to amass wealth and raise private armies.

“This token represents the authority of the Crown Prince.”

Facing Liang Tianqi, Yu Jiuque said, “Please prepare paper and ink. I will write a letter to the Crown Prince.”

He made sure to emphasize:

“Including the mission entrusted to me by the Crown Prince, I have fulfilled my duty.”

…

In the dark chamber, with no daylight visible, Yu Jiuque finished writing the lengthy letter in the secret language of the Eastern Palace, feeling a sharp ache in his wrist.

Liang Tianqi, being considerate, had prepared some porridge and light food for him.

“My apologies, sir. My wife mentioned that you had been drugged earlier, and the effects have not fully worn off. If you were to eat anything greasy, it might cause you to feel nauseous.”

“No matter,” Yu Jiuque replied.

He looked at the bowl of porridge and two small dishes in front of him, his stomach already growling with hunger.

However, after getting used to eating Qin Xia’s cooking, this porridge tasted no different from drinking plain water.

Still, adhering to the principle of not wasting food, he forced himself to finish it all.

Liang Tianqi quickly returned.

“The secret letter has been handed over to the shadow guards. It will be expedited through our channels and delivered to the Crown Prince within three days.”

Yu Jiuque thought to himself that, although he was delayed by several months, he had at least completed his task. Yet, he felt no sense of relief.

Because although the previous matter was resolved, new challenges awaited.

“May I ask, Lord Liang, what arrangements has the Crown Prince made for me?”

Liang Tianqi hesitated for a moment before replying, “The Crown Prince has said that if your life is not in danger, we should do everything possible to heal you and hope for your early return to the capital.”

Of course. Yu Jiuque was a eunuch privy to many secrets of the Eastern Palace and even the royal family.

The Crown Prince, though kind, was once the heir to the empire. He would never allow someone with such knowledge to roam freely outside the palace.

Even if Yu Jiuque didn’t return to the capital, he could no longer live a peaceful life with Qin Xia.

Sensing Yu Jiuque’s reluctance, Liang Tianqi, who had witnessed how well Qin Xia cared for Yu Jiuque, privately believed that the two had genuinely fallen in love.

He tried a different approach: “Even if you don’t consider your own safety, you must think of Boss Qin. Since the enemy already knows your whereabouts, where there was a first attempt, a second one is likely to follow.”

“I understand your point, Lord Liang.”

Yu Jiuque rubbed his thumb, vaguely recalling that he used to wear a thumb ring there.

“Did the Crown Prince mention when I should return to the capital?”

Liang Tianqi shook his head.

They had only just located Yu Jiuque and had not yet figured out all the details. If not for today’s unexpected events, the two sides might not have met yet.

“I will return to the capital, but before that, I need to make arrangements for my husband.”

Yu Jiuque suddenly reverted to using his usual form of address, and Liang Tianqi seemed to sense something but ultimately said nothing.

After speaking, Yu Jiuque bowed to Liang Tianqi.

“If I leave, and you remain in your post, I ask you to look after him.”

The person he referred to, of course, was Qin Xia and Qin Family Eatery.

Liang Tianqi returned the bow and replied, “That is within my duties as an official.”

Liang Tianqi was undoubtedly a good magistrate.

Although Yu Jiuque had not been in Qinan County for long, he knew that the county was well-governed and its people lived in peace.

Liang Tianqi’s promise was trustworthy; the only problem now was how to return and explain everything to Qin Xia.

Yu Jiuque looked at his hands and feet, then touched his head before finally turning to Liang Tianqi and saying, “Lord Liang, since your wife is skilled in medicine, she must also know how to inflict a wound that avoids vital areas.”

Liang Tianqi vaguely understood what he was suggesting.

“You mean to say…”

Yu Jiuque nodded.

“Please consult with your wife and have someone inflict a wound on me. Publicly, we’ll say that I was kidnapped by bandits and fortunately rescued by officials.”

Although returning home injured after such a long absence would undoubtedly worry Qin Xia even more, the injury could serve to cover up many suspicions and save some explanations.

Yu Jiuque thought to himself that he had already hidden so much from Qin Xia.

Perhaps soon they would be separated, and if possible, it was better to tell fewer lies.

…

Late at night, just before the hour of the ox (1-3 AM).

Fang Rong had been persuaded by Qin Xia to go home, but Liu Douzi stayed, keeping Qin Xia company. He wrapped himself in a blanket and lay down in another room.

Qin Xia, sitting alone, had no intention of sleeping. He stared blankly into the empty space in front of him.

As he waited, he suddenly heard Da Fu honking loudly at the door.

Following this was a series of knocks on the door.

Qin Xia instantly sprang out of bed and rushed to the door.

Liu Douzi, half-asleep, stumbled out with one shoe on.

“Xia ge, could it be that your husband has returned?”