Ch 121: Guide to Feeding a Villainous Husband

It was quite amusing. When Da Fu reached the age of “spring longing,” Qin Xia sent people from the estate to take him to the goose pen, thinking he would find a little female goose to fancy.

However, Da Fu took a different path and returned with a tagalong—a tiny, barely feathered gosling.

This little gosling was different from Da Fu in breed; it was a gray goose, just over twenty days old, slightly bigger than Da Fu had been when he first arrived. Its down feathers had yet to molt, leaving it looking a bit scruffy.

The gray gosling was a recent purchase at the estate. The steward, worried about its care, even brought it into the city, keeping it separated from the adult geese. They said that when Da Fu went in, his attention was immediately drawn to the group of goslings, and he somehow managed to “kidnap” one of them—another male, as the steward confirmed.

Qin Xia: …

Could it be that his goose, like its owner, also had a penchant for its own kind?

Of course, it could just be pure brotherly affection.

Possibly…

To keep things simple, Qin Xia named the gray goose “Xiao Fu” to distinguish it from Da Fu. The two geese were now inseparable, even sleeping in the same nest.

Of course, everything good brothers do must be shared. Xiao Fu now also sported a collar around its neck, with a small silver pendant hanging from it.

Unfortunately, its mottled feathers made the bright red knot of the collar disappear into the down. It stood out but had nothing to do with looking nice.

Xiao Fu was smart and soon showed how well it could understand people—though it didn’t put that intelligence to proper use. It followed Da Fu around, learning how to beg for food and flap its wings in an attempt to hop onto tables and beds.

Seeing Xiao Fu reminded Yu Jiuque of when Da Fu was still small—a sickly little ball of fluff, completely different from the big, snow-white goose it had become.

When those beady eyes stared at him, all his principles vanished, and he ordered the maid to fetch some goose food and a few dried worms.

Qin Xia, playing the role of the “strict father,” took four out of the ten dried worms.

“Three worms per goose is enough. Any more for Da Fu, and he’ll get overweight.”

Yu Jiuque glanced down at Da Fu and spoke up for him.

“Give Da Fu one more; he’s so much bigger than Xiao Fu. He should get one more bite.”

Qin Xia thought about it and agreed, taking one worm from Xiao Fu’s portion and giving it to Da Fu. Confidently, he said, “Now it’s fair.”

Yu Jiuque couldn’t help but laugh, while Xiao Fu, blinking its innocent eyes, had no idea what had just happened.

Neither goose was really hungry—they had three balanced meals a day, including meat and vegetables—but they had a habit of craving snacks.

Once their food bowls were set, and the dried worms were broken up and tossed in, they didn’t need much more attention. Looking over, one could see the two little goose butts poking up in the air.

Xiao Fu, still unable to control its bodily functions well, wore a little cloth bag over its rear.

After the geese finished their snack, Qin Xia and Yu Jiuque also completed their dinner.

Da Fu and Xiao Fu nestled together, preening their feathers, while Qin Xia, after accompanying Yu Jiuque for a walk, returned to the house to inspect the bellybands his husband was embroidering for their unborn child.

After overcoming the initial awkwardness of the first one, Yu Jiuque’s second bellyband progressed much more smoothly, and his speed had also noticeably improved.

Both bellybands were made from fine red palace silk, delicate and smooth, each one small and dainty. When Qin Xia held them in his hands, he was careful, afraid that the calluses on his fingers might snag the fabric. After admiring them for a while, he carefully put them away.

The two of them then naturally began discussing the preparations for Yu Jiuque’s upcoming delivery.

As a ge’er cannot produce milk, they had already planned to hire two wet nurses. They had already started searching for candidates, ensuring that they came from clean, reputable families and were in excellent health, adhering to the same standards used in the palace to select wet nurses.

Additionally, they had found a midwife through an introduction by Madam Xu, a retired palace midwife. It was said that during the previous emperor’s reign, a consort nearly died in childbirth along with her baby, but this very midwife had manually adjusted the fetus’s position and saved both lives. The child born that day was a girl who had since been conferred the title of Princess Chang and had grown up safely.

As for physicians, with the influence of the Grand Attendant’s household, they could even summon court physicians if necessary. All in all, Yu Jiuque’s delivery conditions far exceeded those of an ordinary family, and Qin Xia truly had little to worry about.

The next day, Qin Xia visited Wanfu Temple alone.

Wanfu Temple was a royal temple, famous for its flourishing incense offerings and known as the most revered place for seeking blessings in the capital.

As someone from the modern era and a staunch materialist, Qin Xia never believed in gods or Buddha. But sometimes, it seemed as if his deep-rooted cultural heritage stirred within him. Upon entering the temple gates and smelling the distant incense, his heart inexplicably calmed.

He made offerings as he moved through the temple, eventually requesting the monks to light an eternal lamp for Yu Jiuque.

Offering a lamp before the Buddha is a significant act of merit. As long as the Buddha’s lamp burns, the merit endures.

Qin Xia folded his hands and closed his eyes, silently praying.

May the gods and Buddha protect his husband and child from disaster, keeping them safe and sound.

…

As promised to Qin Xia, Yu Jiuque indeed reduced the time he spent dealing with political matters after that day.

At first, it was through sheer self-discipline, but eventually, it became something he had no choice but to do.

In the two months before his due date, his belly grew rapidly, and he could feel the child inside growing quickly.

Aside from some unspeakable symptoms, it was as if he had returned to the early days of pregnancy, feeling especially sleepy.

Every day, he was drowsy—sitting, standing, before meals, and after meals.

He slept so much that it triggered Qin Xia’s overthinking, leading him to call a physician for a diagnosis. After learning that this was a common symptom in the later stages of pregnancy, Qin Xia finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Watching Yu Jiuque go from eating to sleeping, and from sleeping to eating, without the early morning palace duties or the hassle of arguing with uncooperative officials, he had gradually developed a soft layer of flesh all over his body.

At night, when Qin Xia held him in his arms, he felt completely fulfilled, unaware that while Yu Jiuque had gained some weight, he himself had slimmed down considerably.

In his dreams, gentle fingers brushed over his brow, easing the tension there. The unpleasant images before him dissipated, and Qin Xia’s breathing steadied as he sank into a deeper sleep.

As the first snowfall of the season arrived in Shengjing, they received several letters from Qinan County.

One of the letters from Xing Yiming contained a simplified account of the profits from the Pinyifang. Spanning several pages, the gist of it was that thanks to the introduction of beet sugar, the shop’s profits had increased by more than twenty percent compared to before.

He asked Qin Xia if it was time to start preparing for the sugar refinery in Qinan County.

Earlier, just before the autumn planting season ended, the county office had already begun distributing beet seeds, encouraging local farmers to clear land for planting. The price of the wasteland was very low, with the only stipulation being that the land had to be used to grow beets.

After the harvest, the crops would be purchased by designated merchants, and since it didn’t compete with grain production, the land would also be exempt from grain taxes for the first three years.

Initially, many were hesitant about reclaiming new land, even at a low price. But once they heard about the tax exemption, the beet seeds were quickly snatched up.

Farmers, whose livelihoods depend on the land, figured that if they could potentially make some extra money, why hesitate?

With beets sown in the fall and harvested in the spring, now seemed like the right time to start preparing.

Qin Xia penned a reply to Xing Yiming, reviewing the detailed accounts again and noting that their small treasury had gained a sizable income. After finishing the letter, he set it aside without sealing it and opened the next one from Qin Ji.

The contents of the letter were clearly dictated by Zheng Xinghua and written by the bookkeeper. The tone was simple and straightforward, much like the steady business of the restaurant described within.

Thanks to the meal sets, delivering food to the county school, and occasionally catering for banquets, the restaurant’s profits had slowly but surely recovered in the months since Qin Xia left.

He knew this was because more and more people had come to appreciate Zheng Xinghua and Zhuang Xing’s culinary skills, willing to pay for their work.

After all, the profit from catering a single banquet was equivalent to half a day’s worth of meal set sales.

However, this time, the letter ended with some exciting news. It turned out that Zhuang Xing had accepted Da Kui’s affections, and their relationship had progressed quickly to the point of discussing marriage.

Qin Xia couldn’t help but feel happy for Zhuang Xing and took the letter to show Yu Jiuque.

After reading it, Yu Jiuque also smiled.

“Zhuang Xing is a good ge’er, and Da Kui is an honest man. It’s wonderful that they can be together.”

Zhuang Xing had once vowed never to marry, believing himself too unattractive to find a good match. But sometimes, fate has its own way of working things out. It seemed that Da Kui, with patience over the course of a year, had slowly won Zhuang Xing’s heart.

“Once they set a wedding date, we should send a gift back as well.”

Yu Jiuque folded the letter and sighed, “Every time we hear news like this, I can’t help but miss our little courtyard in Qinan County.”

Qin Xia handed the letter from the Liu family to his husband, smiling as he said, “There will always be a chance to go back. I haven’t read godmother’s letter yet, but I bet she’s reminding us to visit her again.”

Yu Jiuque also smiled warmly.

“I miss godmother too. We’ve gathered quite a few good things recently. Let’s have them sorted and send them back together.”

Both of them were mindful of their gratitude. During their time in Qinan County, they’d received so much care from Fang Rong, and now that they were in the capital, they frequently sent back food, supplies, and other good things to ensure their godmother and godbrother were well taken care of. They always emphasized in their letters that Fang Rong shouldn’t hesitate to use or eat the items they sent.

As Yu Jiuque unfolded the letter, he recognized Meng Ge’er’s familiar handwriting. When he reached the last page, his smile deepened.

“It seems today is a day full of good news.”

He handed the letter to Qin Xia. “We’ve just heard Shopkeeper Xing’s happy news, and now Douzi and Meng Ge’er have some to share too.”

Qin Xia could already guess what had happened based on that, and sure enough, the letter mentioned that Meng Ge’er was now pregnant.

“That Douzi, he’s quite something.”

Qin Xia playfully flicked the letter. “I always thought of him as a kid, but now he’s about to become a father.”

Yu Jiuque, gently caressing his own belly, had a soft, serene look in his eyes.

“How fortuitous. I still have quite a bit of herbal supplements suitable for expecting ge’er. I can’t use all of them by myself, so it won’t go to waste if we send them to Meng Ge’er.”

They agreed to carefully write a note in their reply, reminding Meng Ge’er to seek a proper physician for tailored care. Although supplements could be beneficial, they shouldn’t be taken carelessly.

Qin Xia decided to move his writing tools over, setting up a small table so that he and Yu Jiuque could sit close together and finish writing their letters with ease and deliberation.

“The weather’s cold with all this snow. How about a porridge-based hotpot for dinner?”

Putting down his brush, Qin Xia had already planned the evening meal in his mind.

Using an old hen and pork bones to make a rich broth, he’d combine it with fragrant rice, cooking it until the rice dissolved into the water, turning the porridge into a thick, creamy consistency with floating rice oil, sweet and nourishing.

The options for dipping would be plentiful: fish slices, eel shreds, meatballs, tripe, leafy greens, dried bean curd, and frozen tofu…

The famed Yuan Zhen from Suiyuan Shidan once said: “If you can see the water but not the rice, it’s not porridge; if you see the rice but not the water, it’s not porridge.” A porridge-based hotpot represents the pinnacle of this balance.

With just a few words, Qin Xia had already stirred Yu Jiuque’s appetite.

The room was cozy and warm, especially near his husband. Qin Xia leaned in closer, feeling reluctant to leave the comfort of the moment.

Seeing that Qin Xia seemed a bit tired, Yu Jiuque glanced at the time. It was still early before dinner, so he asked, “Would you like to lie down for a nap?”

Before Qin Xia could answer, they heard the sound of the crystal curtain being pushed aside. Madam Xu entered the room, bowing respectfully, her face full of concern.

“Master, someone has arrived from the palace with urgent matters. They request your immediate presence.”