Ch 86: Guide to Feeding a Villainous Husband

Qin Xia opened his arms towards the approaching figure and caught him in a tight embrace.

His face couldn’t hide his overwhelming joy.

“Why have you suddenly come back at this time?”

He noticed the sweat on Yu Jiuque’s forehead and his slightly labored breathing.

The weather was still cold, so for him to be sweating this much, it was clear how hard the journey had been. He must have calculated the days and traveled day and night to rush back.

Both of them had a lot to say, but right now, the most important thing was Liu Douzi’s wedding.

“Come on, let’s go in and drink to Douzi’s happiness.”

Yu Jiuque straightened up from Qin Xia’s embrace and looped his arm through Qin Xia’s.

“No time to change clothes. How do I look? Will I appear rude?”

Qin Xia took out a handkerchief for him.

“Wipe off the sweat and catch your breath. You’re fine, you look great.”

Yu Jiuque just smiled at him without saying a word.

Qin Xia’s throat tightened. If they weren’t in such a public setting, he would have kissed him right then and there.

For now, he had to hold back.

The two of them walked together to the Liu family’s gate. Though the guests had already arrived, the table for collecting wedding gifts had yet to be cleared.

The person helping to record the gifts was an elderly scholar from the alley. It wasn’t his first time doing this; whenever there was a wedding in the nearby alleys, people would often invite him because of his neat handwriting, meticulous accounting, and the fact that he never skimmed any money.

The elderly scholar had just started packing up his ink and brushes, getting ready to go inside for the feast, when suddenly, a delicate pouch appeared under his eyes. Opening it, he found several solid gold ingots shaped like auspicious symbols, mandarin ducks, and plum blossoms.

Each ingot weighed about one tael, and the five ingots combined equaled five taels of gold—equivalent to fifty taels of silver!

The dazzling golden glow left the elderly scholar momentarily stunned, thinking, Could it be that the Liu family has such wealthy relatives?

He looked up and saw a strikingly handsome young man standing beside his husband.

And this man’s husband—he knew well.

“Master Qin, this is…?”

Yu Jiuque quickly responded, “Sir, you can put it under Qin Xia’s name. It’s from the two of us as a couple.”

“Alright, alright.”

The elderly scholar was still a little bewildered but knew little of the Qin family’s affairs. He simply assumed that Qin Xia’s husband had arrived late and was making up for it with an additional gift.

Given the close relationship between the Qin and Liu families, such a large gift seemed reasonable.

The Qin family owned a restaurant, after all—money wasn’t an issue.

The elderly scholar dipped his pen in ink, found Qin Xia’s name, and, with a slight tremor in his hand, added the words “夫夫” (the couple) beneath it, writing “five gold ingots” next to it.

As he wrote, he couldn’t help but think, The Liu family has truly gained a wonderful sworn relative.

After lingering at the gate for a moment, they entered the courtyard, only to find that the newlyweds had already gone to the main hall.

As they walked inside, a few neighbors from the alley recognized Yu Jiuque, their eyes widening in shock, covering their mouths in surprise.

“Jiu Ge’er? Is it really you? You’ve returned?”

Yu Jiuque didn’t offer much of a response, merely gesturing toward the house and saying, “My husband’s sworn brother is getting married, so of course, I had to come.”

With that, he ignored their curiosity and found a place inside to focus on watching the wedding ceremony.

“First bow to the heavens and earth…”

“Second bow to the parents…”

“Husband and husband, bow to each other…”

“Ceremony complete!”

Seated in the hall, Fang Rong’s hair was adorned with flowers, her face glowing with joy she could barely contain. After receiving the tea offered by Meng Ge’er, she pulled out a red envelope and placed it in his hand.

“From now on, treat this home as your own. I’ll treat you just like my own son.”

Meng Ge’er gave a slight nod and called her “Mother.”

Fang Rong quickly responded, feeling as if a weight had lifted from her heart.

It wasn’t until Meng Ge’er was taken to rest, and the Liu family began preparing for the banquet, that Fang Rong noticed someone standing beside Qin Xia. Even though she first saw the person’s back, there was something undeniably familiar about him.

She pushed through the crowd and came over to their side just as Yu Jiuque turned around.

“Godmother!”

He smiled and greeted her.

Fang Rong immediately grabbed his hand. “Jiu Ge’er, is it really you? I thought my old eyes were failing me!”

She then turned to Qin Xia, “How could you not tell me Jiu Ge’er was coming back? You had me worrying for no reason all this time.”

Yu Jiuque quickly responded, “Don’t blame him. I just arrived from the north and haven’t even returned home yet.”

Fang Rong suddenly realized that “the north” referred to Shengjing, meaning what Qin Xia had said before wasn’t a lie after all.

No matter what, the fact that he had returned was all that mattered. Seeing the couple together with no sign of distance between them, her heart was finally at ease.

“Today is truly a good day. Your brother Douzi has married, and now the two of you are reunited.”

Later, when Liu Douzi came to offer wine and saw Yu Jiuque, his mouth opened wide enough to fit an egg inside, and in his dazed state, he downed a full glass of wine in one go.

Liu Douzi was drinking secretly diluted liquor, while Yu Jiuque, like the other guests, had a glass of the fruit wine Qin Xia had brought.

He noticed that the wine in his cup was a light orange-yellow, and when he tasted it, there was a hint of jujube fragrance. It reminded him of the homemade fruit wine Qin Xia had mentioned in his letters.

“Is this the fruit wine from our distillery?”

Qin Xia nodded, pleased to hear Yu Jiuque refer to it as “our” distillery.

“This is jujube wine, brewed from winter jujubes. How does it taste?”

Yu Jiuque took another sip, licking his lips in satisfaction.

“Sweet, not harsh, with a smooth finish. I quite like it.”

“With you saying that, I’m relieved.”

Yu Jiuque’s refined palate had certainly tasted fine things before. If he could nod in approval, then selling these fruit wines in Shengjing would likely be no problem.

“There’s also persimmon wine and grape wine. You can try them all later.”

At the same table were some of the Liu family’s relatives, and a few of them were aware of the rumors about “Qin’s husband returning to his family.” These people couldn’t help but sneak glances at Yu Jiuque while they ate and drank.

However, after observing for a while, they realized that the couple’s relationship was clearly very good, with no room in their eyes for anyone else. It was nothing like the rumors of arguments, separations, or abandonment.

The longer they watched, the more it made their teeth ache, so they quickly lost interest and stopped being curious.

The chef hired by the Liu family for the wedding banquet did a decent job. The ingredients were plentiful, with large portions of fish and meat, even including a rare dish of braised pork cooked with sea cucumber.

For an ordinary family in the alley, this was already considered top-notch. Everyone ate to their heart’s content and felt that their money had been well spent.

By the time the moon was high in the sky and the guests were warm and tipsy from the wine, the banquet was nearing its end.

At some point, Qin Xia had gone to help Liu Douzi fend off some toasts, and as a result, he now smelled strongly of alcohol.

Fang Rong, in her happiness, had also had a bit too much to drink. In the end, it was Liu Douzi’s eldest aunt who helped organize and send the guests off.

“We live nearby, just a short walk away, so there’s no need for you to see us off, Aunt.”

Qin Xia politely left the courtyard, where Ding Peng was already waiting with a lantern at the gate.

Zheng Xinghua followed behind, stepping over the threshold, and called out, “Little Boss.”

She had also brought her sister-in-law, Yu Jie’er, to the Liu family’s wedding banquet today. Although she had recognized Yu Jiuque earlier, they had been seated far apart, so there hadn’t been an opportunity to talk.

“Sister Zheng, it’s been a while.”

Yu Jiuque greeted her, and Zheng Xinghua said happily, “I’ve been waiting so long for your return. Everyone at the restaurant misses you.”

“I’ll be at the restaurant tomorrow,” Yu Jiuque replied warmly, then complimented her sister-in-law, “Yu Jie’er has grown taller and is becoming more and more beautiful.”

He even took out a silver ingot shaped like a flower from his pocket and gave it to her.

After exchanging a few more words, they finally parted ways.

Not long after, they returned home. Qin Xia guessed that Yu Jiuque probably had something to discuss with Ding Peng, so he excused himself, saying he needed to feed Da Fu and the cats, and left the room, lantern in hand, heading to the kitchen.

Inside the room, Ding Peng knelt immediately.

“Greetings to the Lord.”

Though Yu Jiuque had not yet officially assumed his position, for now, the head of the Directorate of Ceremonial remained Eunuch She, but everyone knew that Eunuch She’s time in power was coming to an end.

“A new emperor brings new ministers. Eunuch She won’t be in charge much longer.”

“The emperor has issued a decree that the Western Palace will soon be disbanded and merged with the Eastern Palace, both to be overseen by the Directorate of Ceremonial. I’ve now transferred you to the Western Palace, starting as a Hundred Household Officer. It won’t be an easy task, and there are veterans in the Eastern Palace above you. You know what to do. Do it well and don’t disappoint me.”

Ding Peng could immediately feel the shift in Yu Jiuque’s demeanor once Qin Xia had left the room—his imposing presence returned.

Truthfully, this was the Yu Jiuque he was familiar with—decisive, without a hint of warmth, and commanding without question.

Ding Peng respectfully thanked him, and after being told to rise, he heard Yu Jiuque say, “Getting promoted is a good thing. You’ve worked diligently by Master Qin’s side these past few days. I found you a house in Shengjing, in the southern city’s Xia Ma alley. Here’s the key. When you return, you can settle in.”

Something was tossed toward him, and Ding Peng caught it, his face lighting up with joy.

The southern city was part of Shengjing’s inner city, and houses there were not cheap. Although it was true that Ding Peng worked for Yu Jiuque, he had previously been just an ordinary agent in the Western Palace. It was only by catching Yu Jiuque’s eye that he had been promoted to a squad leader.

But even as a squad leader, in charge of a small group of soldiers, his monthly salary was still pitifully low. Before leaving the capital, he had always lived in the Western Palace dormitory.

Now, for him, this was like “reaching the heavens in one step.”

What he needed to do going forward was to manage his duties well in the Eastern Palace and carry out tasks for the lord. If Lord Yu ate meat, even if Ding Peng only got to drink some soup, his future would still be bright.

Ding Peng was perceptive. After receiving such a reward, he also knew it was time for him to quietly leave, as he didn’t want to disturb the peace between the lord and Master Qin.

Without delay, he returned to the room he had stayed in for some days, restored the bedding and other items to their original state, packed up his few belongings into a small bundle, and silently left.

“Ding Peng left?”

Hearing that it had quieted down outside, Qin Xia came out to look around and noticed the small room was already empty.

“Yes, but he’s still in Qinan for now. He’ll return to the capital with us later.”

Now that Yu Jiuque had returned, he didn’t like having others in the courtyard. Ding Peng, being chosen by Yu Jiuque, had good sense and knew when to step away.

At that moment, Da Fu squeezed past Qin Xia’s legs, its beady black eyes fixed on Yu Jiuque, watching him intently.

Yu Jiuque patted its head. “What’s the matter? Don’t recognize me?”

With a flourish, Yu Jiuque produced a handful of dried earthworms, offering one to Da Fu. “You may not remember me, but you probably recognize this.”

“Gah gah!”

Sure enough, Da Fu snatched the dried earthworm and gobbled it up in no time.

This time, however, it had learned its lesson. After finishing, it stuck to Yu Jiuque’s side, nudging at his chest and refusing to leave.

It kept calling out, so loudly that Yu Jiuque was almost getting a headache.

“If you keep this up, the neighbors will start knocking on the door.”

Hurriedly, Yu Jiuque stuffed more dried earthworms into Da Fu’s beak, allowing the bird to feast contentedly.

Qin Xia stood by, smiling as he watched. When the water in the large pot in the kitchen was almost boiling, he fetched it and brought it inside, and together he and Yu Jiuque began pouring bucket after bucket into the bath.

The red candles flickered, and steam swirled through the room.

“It’s getting late. How about we bathe together?”

Qin Xia tested the water temperature, then glanced at Yu Jiuque, raising an eyebrow slightly.

After being apart for so long, Qin Xia wasn’t in the mood to hold back, and before his words had even fully left his lips, Yu Jiuque’s fingers were already at his belt.

Outside, Da Fu pecked noisily at the door frame, but the two inside paid no attention.

…

The room seemed to grow hotter, and the warm water rippled across the floor.

Qin Xia’s hands wrapped around his husband’s waist in the water. Compared to the frail body he once knew, now there was a faint outline of muscle beneath his fingers.

He traced the lines a few more times, and Yu Jiuque, unable to bear it any longer, clung to the edge of the tub, pleading for mercy.

When things reached a critical moment, Qin Xia instinctively tried to pull back, but Yu Jiuque leaned in closer, his skin pale as jade, utterly captivating.

“I’m healthy now,” Yu Jiuque murmured, the meaning clear.

A long while passed.

The water’s surface finally stopped shaking violently and returned to calm.

Qin Xia, with his hair slightly damp, was the first to get out and put on a robe. He then scooped up a thoroughly weakened Yu Jiuque.

He wrapped Yu Jiuque’s hair in a towel, feeling that they may have overdone it, worrying that he might catch a cold.

When he returned, he brought a cup of ginger tea.

“I added brown sugar. It’s not bad,” he coaxed, urging Yu Jiuque to drink half of it while he drank the rest himself.

The ginger tea warmed their bodies, and after drying his hair, Yu Jiuque nestled contentedly into Qin Xia’s arms, wrapped in a cotton quilt, leaning against the bed to talk.

Qin Xia showed him the silver note for one thousand taels.

In turn, Yu Jiuque quietly revealed, “The emperor rewarded me with a house. I went to see it before I left the capital. It’s very large.”

Qin Xia blinked, “How large?”

Yu Jiuque smiled, feline-like.

“Houses for court officials are assigned according to rank, with strict regulations. I’m at the third rank, which is the highest an inner attendant can reach. But to show special favor, the emperor bestowed upon me a residence that once belonged to a second-rank official—four courtyards deep.”

As for why the house became vacant, it was likely because the previous second-rank official had fallen out of favor, his family assets confiscated.

Such tasks were often handled by the Eastern Palace agents, and Qin Xia suspected that the house was one Yu Jiuque had chosen himself.

He asked, and sure enough, it was true.

As for why he chose that particular place, Yu Jiuque’s reason was simple: “I liked the large pond in the back garden. It’s fed by live water from the capital. When Da Fu comes, he can swim freely.”

Qin Xia couldn’t help but marvel at how the grand “dream” he had once painted for Da Fu had actually come true a few months later.

They continued chatting until it was time to sleep, and the date for their return to the capital was set.

…

The shop on Quelin street had originally been rented for an entire year, but now they were leaving nearly two months early. Qin Xia didn’t ask the Song family to return the rent.

“We’re the ones breaking the contract first.”

Seeing that Qin Xia truly didn’t want to take back the few taels of silver, Song Dongling had no choice but to have her steward accept the decision, though she couldn’t help but feel a bit regretful. “Now that the two of you are heading to Shengjing, it’ll be hard to see each other in the future.”

“All feasts must come to an end.” Qin Xia clasped his hands respectfully to Song Dongling. “Although my husband and I must go on a long journey, Qin Ji will remain here. In the future, we’ll still rely on Miss Song’s care.”

Song Dongling smiled lightly and nodded.

“Of course.”

She could tell that Qin Xia’s husband was likely no ordinary person. Though Qin Xia was merely a chef, to have built up a thriving business with a restaurant, candy shop, and private fruit wine brewing within less than a year meant he was not someone to be underestimated.

Shengjing was no ordinary place—no one could simply decide to go there without some kind of support.

Maintaining a good relationship with them would certainly be wise.

With the shop matters settled, both stores officially posted notices outside.

Qin Ji Eatery announced it would close in half a month, while the Qin Ji Dining Hall would move back to its original location.

Though it was just a restaurant, the looming departure created a subtle sense of sadness that spread through Helin street.

Feng Hongyang gathered a few county school teachers and chose an evening to order a large meal at the restaurant.

If anyone had been feeling most downcast lately, it was these scholars.

For ordinary folks like Liu Douzi, the national mourning at the end of last year may have been an inconvenience—his wedding had just happened to fall within the three-month mourning period, but the worst consequence was merely postponing the event.

For scholars, however, the mourning caused all imperial exams to be delayed.

The provincial exam, for instance, only occurred every three years. With the national mourning, the wait became even longer, and countless scholars’ careers were being delayed as a result.

Although these teachers had long given up on the idea of taking the civil exams themselves and focused on their studies, they couldn’t help but feel empathy for their students who had studied diligently for years.

On top of this melancholy came the “terrible news” that Qin Ji would soon close. Each scholar clung to their wine jars, drinking without any intention of stopping.

Qin Xia shook his head in sympathy and went to the kitchen to instruct Zhuang Xing to make a large pot of hot and sour soup, which Qiu Chuan then brought out to help sober them up.

In the remaining days, Qin Xia and Yu Jiuque gradually took care of the small tasks needed before their departure.

Zheng Xinghua had already agreed to Qin Xia’s earlier suggestion to take over the dining hall and assume the role of manager.

The accountant they had hired now set aside time each day to teach the staff to read, and Zheng Xinghua was diligently learning alongside them.

Meanwhile, Qiu Chuan and Qiu Yao would be accompanying them to Shengjing.

The siblings had no attachments in the city. Before leaving, they took incense, paper money, and homemade food to their mother’s grave, paying their respects and spending a long time reluctantly saying goodbye to Zhaocai and Xiaohu.

As for Qin Xia, looking back at their home, everything was old, and there was hardly anything worth taking with them. After packing and repacking, they had only two sets of Qin Xia’s clothes to bring along.

They were only for changing during the journey—once in the capital, they would certainly need to buy new clothes.

The hens in the backyard were tied and sent to the Wei family next door, and they made an extra key for the house, leaving it with Fang Rong.

“The cats are used to living in the courtyard, and they probably won’t leave anytime soon. We’ll trouble you, godmother, to check in every day, give them some food and water. If anyone’s willing to adopt them, that would be even better.”

Fang Rong held the key tightly, feeling a mix of emotions.

“I think it’s a good thing that you’re going to Shengjing, that you’re going to build a better future. But I also feel that it won’t be like now, where I can see you with just a few steps. In the end, it feels a bit lonely. I’m already getting old, close to my end, so I just hope you won’t forget about me, your godmother. Whenever you have time, come back and stay for a day or two. Just seeing you will be enough for me. Don’t worry about your courtyard; I’ll go every few days to clean it, and I’ll make sure to light the stove regularly.”

Qin Xia comforted her, saying, “godmother, what are you saying? Douzi just got married, and in the future, he and his husband will honor you. You still have many blessings ahead of you. When you have grandchildren, make sure to send us a letter. As the eldest uncle, I’ll definitely have to show my appreciation, right?”

The decision had already been made, and Fang Rong knew there was no use in saying more.

She assumed that since Jiu Ge’er’s family was prestigious, they wouldn’t allow their son to marry far away, and with Qin Xia’s capabilities, they were headed to Shengjing to build a future there.

After all, Qin Xia was a man, not one to lose out by moving to the capital.

“Alright, since you say so, when there’s good news, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

Talking about her son and son-in-law immediately brought a smile to Fang Rong’s face.

That evening, the couple stayed for dinner at the Liu family’s house.

Qin Xia prepared a table full of delicious dishes, and everyone gathered together, eating in high spirits.

Yu Jiuque spoke at length with Meng Ge’er, giving him a hairpin, a comb, and two silk handkerchiefs as a gesture of courtesy between in-laws.

However, Meng Ge’er had no idea that the “brother-in-law” sitting before him was such an important figure.

…

Ten days passed—long in some ways, short in others.

With the restaurant, winery, and candy shop all arranged, and the carriage ready for departure, it was time.

On a cool spring morning, Qin Xia and Yu Jiuque locked the doors to the Qin family’s home, said their farewells to the relatives and friends who had come to see them off, and, holding Da Fu, officially embarked on their journey to Shengjing.

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

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