Ch 100: Guide to Feeding a Villainous Husband

In reality, Changle Marquis’s little schemes could hardly escape the notice of Yu Jiuque. The Marquis still fancied himself as the “Taiping Marquis of Eternal Prosperity,” unaware that he had long become a thorn in the new emperor’s side, who was already contemplating how to get rid of him.

Taiping Pavilion, backed by the Marquis’s estate, was ostensibly a place for banquets, but it was more like an information hub. Marquis Changle, no ally of the new emperor, held plenty of secrets about court officials and the aristocracy in the capital. How could the emperor sleep soundly with such a place existing?

Secrets, after all, were far more valuable than gold and silver.

The emperor, having only recently ascended the throne, was busy restoring order to the court and hadn’t yet found time to deal with the Marquis and his household. Yet, despite having his title stripped, Changle Marquis remained clueless, like a moth to a flame, persistently crashing toward danger even after the candle had been moved further away.

This time, he even dared to reach toward Heguang Pavilion.

The fruit wine from Springtai County’s small distillery, brewed from a recipe Qin Xia had personally crafted, was now being claimed as the Marquis’s “private brew.” The audacity of slapping his name on someone else’s work! He didn’t even have the self-awareness to know his own worth!

Yu Jiuque couldn’t help but think that this Marquis’s brain was smaller than a grape.

With a sharp thud, the teacup filled with strong tea was slammed back onto the table. The tea spilled over, scalding Yu Jiuque’s hand.

The young eunuch attending him hurriedly offered a silk handkerchief scented with orchid.

Yu Jiuque accepted it, then gave an order: “Have Ding Peng take the evidence of Xue Qi’s crimes and wait at the Northern District Magistrate’s office.”

Since the Marquis enjoyed collaborating with the magistrate’s office to arrest people, Yu Jiuque was happy to repay the favor.

An eye for an eye—that was Yu Jiuque’s principle.

Within the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, a silver-topped official sedan chair, carried by four men, arrived at the gate of the Northern District Magistrate’s office.

The Northern District housed the capital’s elite, and the cases handled there were often the most troublesome and difficult.

The head of the magistrate’s office, a commander of the sixth rank, had a tough job. He was frequently caught in political crossfire, since in the Northern District, any random person of higher status could easily crush him with their influence.

So, when the commander learned that an official of the third rank had arrived, he barely had time to straighten his official hat before rushing out.

Upon hearing that the visitor was Yu Jiuque, he nearly collapsed in terror.

What a catastrophe—who could have possibly angered this powerful figure from the court?

Contrary to the commander’s anxiety, Yu Jiuque’s demeanor was surprisingly gracious.

“I’ve come uninvited, and I hope Lord Gan will forgive my intrusion,” Yu Jiuque said politely.

Commander Gan was too terrified even to wipe the cold sweat from his brow, offering nothing but nervous smiles. “Your words are too kind, Lord. How may I serve you today?”

Yu Jiuque gave a signal to Ding Peng.

Ding Peng respectfully presented the box in his hands, opening the lid with a single hand. At the same time, Yu Jiuque picked up his tea cup, blew gently on the steam, and said something that to Commander Gan was as shocking as a thunderclap.

“Lord Gan, don’t be alarmed. I am here today to file a report.”

The wooden box immediately seemed ominous to the commander, and he hardly needed to ask what was inside. No doubt it contained meticulously gathered evidence by the secret police.

What remained to be seen was which family in the Northern District was about to be in trouble—whether it was a case of deserved retribution or fabricated charges.

Steadying himself, Commander Gan adjusted his wide sleeves and opened the box. He pulled out a stack of papers, and after only glancing through a few, he understood the situation.

If moments ago he had been worried that an innocent person might face imprisonment, now he was almost ready to clap his hands in approval.

“Your Excellency, this case you’re reporting—is the accused Marquis Changle’s son, Xue Qi?”

“Precisely,” Yu Jiuque replied, leaning back in his chair. Without mercy, he continued, “Over the years, Xue Qi has acted recklessly under the protection of Marquis Changle’s influence, committing numerous offenses, including harassing innocent citizens and forcefully taking married women. The Marquis’s estate has always settled these matters with silver. Lord Gan, am I correct?”

Commander Gan could only admit the truth. This was precisely the difficulty of his position. Many victims had come to report Xue Qi’s crimes, but once the Marquis’s family was involved, the cases would be quietly closed.

Those without titles or official ranks couldn’t hope to go head-to-head with Marquis Changle’s son. For many, receiving compensation in silver was already a fortunate outcome. Pressing further could mean losing their lives.

Yu Jiuque continued, “I know you are a good official, Lord Gan. So, I’m giving you an opportunity to serve justice for the people. The question is, do you want it?”

As he spoke, Ding Peng, steady as a rock, subtly pushed the wooden box forward.

Commander Gan felt a wave of panic wash over him.

Who would dare to touch even a hair on Xue Qi, protected by the Marquis’s estate and the wealth of Taiping Pavilion?

But the man before him dared—because he was the most powerful eunuch in the court, and because he had no family or clan ties. His only support was the emperor himself.

Even a minor sixth-ranked official like Commander Gan could now sense the shift in the political winds. If they moved forward with the arrest, the Eastern Palace would back them—what did he have to fear?

“This is my duty, Your Excellency. Xue Qi has abused his power and committed countless atrocities. Now, he has even attempted to take a life. If we don’t punish him, how can we quell the outrage of the people? Even if the emperor himself commits a crime, he is no different from a commoner. How can we spare a mere Marquis’s son? I am willing to proceed!”

“Good!” Yu Jiuque responded approvingly, then turned to Ding Peng.

“Captain Ding, take a team and go with Lord Gan.”

With the jinyiwei involved, not even a Marquis’s estate could escape unscathed!

Meanwhile, just as the officers of the Southern District Magistrate were attempting to forcibly drag Qin Xia out of Heguang Pavilion, at the Northern District, Xue Qi was already being hauled out of his comfortable den, crying for his father and mother. Bare-chested and with flabby skin hanging loosely, he was a pitiful sight.

Around him, a disorderly group of concubines knelt on the floor, their clothing disheveled. Both women and ge’ers had their garments in disarray, and behind a delicate crystal curtain, a pink undergarment was shamelessly draped across a chair.

Marquis Changle was not present at the estate when the combined forces of the Eastern Palace and the Northern District Magistrate came to arrest his son. Upon hearing the news, the Marchioness was so terrified that half of her soul seemed to leave her body. When she rushed into the scene, witnessing the debauchery of her son in broad daylight, her blood boiled with shame. Despite her usual indulgence of her only son, she knew that the reputation of the Marquis’s household had been utterly ruined on this day.

Just as she was about to rely on her status as a noblewoman and use her authority to stall for time until the Marquis returned to protect their son, the situation took another sharp turn.

The insane maid, whom she had secretly ordered to be sent away and left to die, appeared right before her eyes under the protection of several Eastern Palace guards.

Ah Jin, recognizing Xue Qi, was overcome by her madness and, had it not been for the firm restraint of the guards, it seemed she would have rushed forward and bitten a piece of Xue Qi’s flesh.

Thus, Xue Qi and Ah Jin were taken away together, leaving the Marchioness slowly collapsing to the ground.

…

After leaving the Northern District Magistrate’s office, Yu Jiuque immediately made his way to the Southern District. He still wore his crimson python-embroidered robe, though it was not yet the right moment for him to make his appearance.

If Heguang Pavilion were to be associated with the influence of Eunuch Yu, it would be both a blessing and a curse in the eyes of outsiders.

Fortunately, to suppress the Southern District Magistrate, all it took was two guards from the Eastern Palace and one token of authority.

“The proprietor of Heguang Pavilion, Qin Xia, is a key witness in an important case under the orders of the Eastern Palace. We are here to take him away.”

The head officer from the Southern District stood frozen. How could a mere restaurant owner be entangled with both Marquis Changle and the Eastern Palace?

Even if he had eight heads, they would all be at risk.

In any case, a “stolen recipe” case couldn’t compare to the Eastern Palace’s “important case.”

Faced with the imposing and intimidating Eastern Palace officers, the local officials nodded submissively, not daring to say a word in protest.

With the Eastern Palace taking charge, they had a legitimate excuse to report back to their superiors without fear of punishment.

The officers from the Southern District had arrived with great pomp and circumstance but left quietly and discreetly.

The onlookers, who had been hoping to witness the excitement, were left puzzled and whispered among themselves.

“Weren’t they here to arrest someone? Why did they leave without taking anyone?”

“Are you blind? Didn’t you see the magistrate’s men leave, only for the Eastern Palace to show up? This owner of Heguang Pavilion must have gotten himself into big trouble!”

“Getting involved with the Eastern Palace? Even if he survives, he’ll lose a layer of skin.”

But after a bit of murmuring, the crowd began to feel something didn’t add up. The notorious Eastern Palace, known for its ruthlessness, was supposed to strike fear into everyone, yet they were treating the owner of Heguang Pavilion with respect. This didn’t look like an arrest at all.

At that moment, Qin Xia was indeed conversing with the two officers before him, smiling and relaxed.

The officers were both under Yu Jiuque’s command, so Qin Xia didn’t react with fear, unlike most people. Moreover, he recognized the two familiar faces—after all, they had accompanied him when he left Qinan County.

Besides the cart driver Ding Peng, there was Lu Liang, who loved eating Beggar’s Chicken, and Bao Heng, who had a baby face.

After making a show of force at the door, the group entered the establishment and explained the Marquis’s plot.

“Lord Yu cannot reveal himself at this moment, but rest assured, there’s no need to worry. Right now, the Marquis’s household is too busy with their own troubles to bother tangling with the Southern District Magistrate over this baseless accusation.”

Even though they said this, Qin Xia had already caught sight of the familiar official sedan parked at the corner of the street.

His gaze briefly lingered there, and at that moment, he happened to lock eyes with his little husband, who secretly gave him a discreet wave.

Qin Xia stifled a smile, not wanting to undermine the lord’s “dignity.”

After Ding Peng and Bao Zheng finished their tasks and bid farewell, Qin Xia stood outside, watching as the sedan carrying Yu Jiuque slowly moved away.

In just one afternoon, Heguang Pavilion had gone from being a “unlucky target” caught between lawsuits from both the Southern District Magistrate and the Eastern Palace to becoming a “mysterious place” that had emerged unscathed and was treated with respect by the notorious Eastern Palace.

…

The scandal surrounding the real and fake fruit wine died down for the time being after the Marquis’s heir, Xue Qi, was imprisoned. Rumors spread that the wine, which tasted identical to Taiping Pavilion’s private brew but sold for three taels less, suddenly saw a surge in popularity.

To most people, if they could drink the same fine wine that only the elites from Taiping Pavilion could afford at a lower price, who cared about who truly owned the recipe?

Business at Heguang Pavilion gradually recovered. With its unique dishes, impressive flavors, and fair prices, the restaurant quickly became famous throughout the Southern District, just as Qin Ji Food Stall had made a name for itself back in Qinan County. Good food and good wine — who didn’t love them?

While Qin Xia managed the restaurant smoothly, Yu Jiuque had been much busier lately.

With Xue Qi in jail, Marquis Changle was scrambling, pleading for help from every influential figure in the capital, even going so far as to beg the emperor for mercy for his son.

But instead of receiving sympathy, the emperor threw the complaints of “bullying and oppressing citizens” right in the Marquis’s face, knocking his hairpiece askew in the process.

When the emperor was still the crown prince, he had already loathed the Marquis Changle’s family, viewing them as good-for-nothings who were wasting the noble bloodline of the late Duke.

In truth, Marquis Changle was a disgraced noble who had been stripped of his title. Who gave him the audacity to act so arrogantly in the capital and allow his son to rampage through the streets?

At the emperor’s behest, Yu Jiuque, while managing the endless piles of paperwork and duties at the Directorate of Ceremonial, was also tasked with digging up more dirt on Marquis Changle — and each piece of dirt led to more.

Unfortunately, as of late, Yu Jiuque wasn’t sure if he was suffering from the heat or some other ailment. Ever since the beginning of May, his eyelids felt heavy every day, as if they had been glued shut, making him incredibly drowsy.

He drank strong tea for several days, but that only ended up aggravating his stomach pains, forcing him to stop.

Too busy to consult an imperial physician, he resorted to a simple method: having an attendant carry a jug of iced water. Whenever he felt drowsy, he would use a cold cloth to wipe his face.

Working tirelessly day and night, his hatred for Marquis Changle’s family only grew stronger.

…

The moonlight shone brightly overhead.

Inside Lord Yu’s residence, Qin Xia prepared a bowl of mung bean soup with milk.

In modern times, Qin Xia would have used a blender to make this dessert, but here, he had to resort to another method for quicker preparation. He soaked the mung beans and then froze them, taking advantage of the estate’s ice cellar. The night before, he froze the water-soaked beans into an ice block, which he then dropped directly into a pot of boiling water.

With this method, after boiling over high heat for a quarter of an hour, the mung beans quickly broke down into a soft paste. He then reduced the heat, added sugar and milk, and stirred slowly to prevent the mixture from burning. During the process, he carefully filtered out the bean skins, leaving behind a smooth, pale green “bean paste” with a creamy texture.

Once it was cooled in a porcelain bowl, he prepared two servings: one plain for himself, and one with glutinous rice balls for Yu Jiuque.

At the door to the study, Qin Xia knew well that Yu Jiuque was inside handling official matters, and idle people were not allowed to disturb him. Taking the tray from the servant, Qin Xia intended to deliver the night snack himself and accompany his husband.

Pushing the door open, the room was quiet. Qin Xia signaled for the servants to withdraw.

After a few steps, he reached the desk and quickly realized the source of the silence.

At some point, Yu Jiuque had fallen asleep at his desk, with a precarious stack of documents leaning dangerously to one side, about to topple onto the back of his head.

Qin Xia swiftly stepped forward, set down the tray, and straightened the stack of papers.

The soft clink of the porcelain spoon in the bowl echoed, waking up Da Fu, who had been napping at Yu Jiuque’s feet. The person himself, however, remained sound asleep.

He couldn’t even sleep this soundly in bed.

Qin Xia called Da Fu out, coaxing it to go play outside the room, and then turned to look at Yu Jiuque’s furrowed brow, connecting it to the strange changes he had noticed in his husband recently.

His appetite had decreased slightly, and he had been unusually drowsy—definitely not a good sign.

Even if it was just a case of summer fatigue, he should still take a couple of medicinal tonics to help regulate his health. Otherwise, the strain from all his work would surely damage his energy.

Knowing how busy Yu Jiuque had been lately, Qin Xia left the study, worried, and called a servant over to give orders. “Go fetch the doctor who last checked the lord’s pulse.”

The doctor had already been vetted by the Eastern Palace, his background clear and his discretion ensured. Additionally, his clinic was near Lord Yu’s residence, so the round trip wouldn’t take more than half an hour.

Two swift-footed servants, along with the sedan carriers, set off immediately.