Ch 60: Reborn to Raise My Husband

In the new year, after the busy first month, spring awakened the countryside, and the village began its spring plowing and sowing.

Xiao Hu went to the city and brought back a cartload of farming tools. The estate also bought four piglets, a pair of young sheep (one male, one female), and brought in a fierce watchdog to tie up at the gate.

Two broods of chicks had hatched—twelve in total—and twenty ducks were raised.

The once-empty livestock and poultry pens on the estate suddenly became lively.

After the first month, there were fewer banquet events, with only a brief bustle on the second day of the second month, the day of the Dragon Raising Its Head.

Xiao Yuanbao and Jiang Fulang each took on a job—Jiang went to a neighboring village for a five-table banquet;

Xiao Yuanbao stayed in their own village for a smaller three-table banquet.

Once those were done, there was no news of anyone else planning another event.

Xiao Yuanbao found himself idle again, flipping through a Jiangnan cookbook that Qi Beinan had brought back for him. With wild greens growing well in spring and fresh ingredients in abundance, he used the time to practice cooking and learning dishes from the book.

When he went out to gather wild herbs, he would collect some fresh grass to feed the two lambs.

The two new lambs had curly white fleece and bright, lively black eyes—they were adorably cute.

Xiao Yuanbao hadn’t had much experience with live sheep before, so it all felt fresh and exciting to him.

Sometimes, he would even feed them tender vegetables from the edge of the family plot.

Life on the estate was peaceful yet lively, and Xiao Yuanbao felt deeply at ease.

The only pity was that Qi Beinan still had to go to the county school every day.

That day, Xiao Yuanbao went to the craftsman’s home and finally picked up the wooden plaque that had been delayed for over two months.

It should have been finished long ago, but due to the new year, the carpenter was busy every day, and it had dragged on until early March.

“Xiao Yuanbao.”

Carrying the black-cloth-wrapped plaque along the village road, he heard someone call his name.

He turned to see that it was Chao Ge’er.

Wang Chao had already turned thirteen. He had shot up in height, was tall and lean with fair skin.

He wore a fine green robe with a crossed collar, and a pair of tasseled sachets hung from his waist. He didn’t look overly flashy, but he was certainly neatly dressed.

Steward Zhu wasn’t a bad man; in fact, he treated the Qin Niazi and her children quite well.

Even Wang Chao, who wasn’t his own son, was raised decently.

Although they both lived in the village, one was in the east, the other in the west. If they didn’t make plans to meet, it was truly hard to run into each other.

Xiao Yuanbao hadn’t seen Wang Chao in a long time—probably a year or more.

So running into him like this now surprised him.

“I heard Qi Beinan passed the xiucai exam.”

Wang Chao approached and glanced at the plaque in Xiao Yuanbao’s arms. “The Xiao family has moved up from farmers to landholders. Congratulations.”

A hint of amusement rose in Xiao Yuanbao’s eyes. “That ‘congratulations’ of yours sure doesn’t come easy.”

Looking at the smiling face before him, Wang Chao realized he could no longer find a trace of the timid boy from their childhood.

He said, “Don’t get too full of yourself. Even if you’ve gone from farmer to landholder, you’re still just mud-legged country folk.”

“I won’t be staying in this little village any longer. Steward Zhu has already arranged things with our master. I’m going to Jinling!”

His eyes gleamed with ambition as he proudly told Xiao Yuanbao, “The Jiang family of Jinling—Jiang Xianggong has received a promotion and is now a fifth-rank official. Young Master Jiang has passed the provincial exams too. Their family’s future is looking great.”

“Jinling is prosperous and rich—there’s an endless variety of foods, goods, and entertainment to dazzle the eyes. The streets are lined with fine silks and brocades. Spices and hairpins that are rare and costly here in Ling County are common new wares sold in bulk there.”

“Don’t be content with a little comfort. If you ever get the chance, you should leave this tiny place and go see the world. Open your eyes. Spending your days around the stove, smoked and steamed, your already light complexion will vanish entirely.”

Xiao Yuanbao’s smile didn’t waver. After all these years, Wang Chao was still the same Wang Chao. He could talk about things in a way that was terribly alluring.

Back when they were younger, he used to listen with great yearning as Wang Chao described the food and fun of the county town.

Now Wang Chao had grown, and his choice of words was even more refined—his storytelling even better.

But times had changed. Xiao Yuanbao was no longer that ignorant little child who knew nothing of the world.

He said, “Then let me offer you my congratulations too.”

“But the Jiang family has such a bright future, and Jinling is full of refined officials and nobles. There’s just one thing I don’t quite understand.”

Xiao Yuanbao blinked. “Chao Ge’er, what role are you going to play in Master Jiang’s household?”

Wang Chao hesitated slightly.

“I—I’ve learned tea service, flower arranging, and even picked up some literacy. As long as I stay in the Jiang household for a few years, I’ll have a chance to become a steward.”

Xiao Yuanbao nodded. “To be a steward in a noble household is indeed a promising future. But a family like the Jiangs, with generations of officials, likely have many household-born servants. Those born and raised within such homes learn to serve from the time they’re children. Outsiders might not compare.”

“And household-born servants often have steward mothers who manage accounts, shops, or estates, and fathers who handle outside business. Everything outside the home requires connections. A grand household like that is probably no less complicated than any official bureau.”

“If one can win the master’s favor in such a place, then sure, it’s silk clothes and meat dishes. But if you don’t have a special skill, and you get lost among the crowd of servants—losing your freedom too—then it might not be better than living outside.”

Wang Chao hadn’t realized when Xiao Yuanbao had become so sharp with his words.

He already didn’t feel fully confident about his future in Jinling, and upon running into Xiao Yuanbao, had wanted to show off a little to reassure himself.

But unexpectedly, Xiao Yuanbao’s response only made him feel even more uncertain—mostly because what Xiao Yuanbao said wasn’t wrong.

“You—what do you know? Have you ever stepped through the doors of a noble official’s household? And yet you stand here making things up.”

Wang Chao said, “Besides, how am I different from a household-born servant? My father manages an estate, and Madam Zhu is the household’s stewardess.”

Xiao Yuanbao found it amusing that he would go so far as to count such people as his connections.

Steward Zhu had taken a concubine while managing the estate. Whether his legal wife was happy about it was another matter. For her to take care of Wang Chao—a child of another surname—would require an especially kind heart.

But Xiao Yuanbao didn’t want to strike too heavy a blow. If Wang Chao believed in his bright future, then he should go chase it. Whether it turned out good or bad would be determined in time. Others didn’t need to say more.

“Well then, I suppose that does count as having connections.”

Xiao Yuanbao said, “If you rise to great heights in the future, I hope you’ll look out for us rustic country folk.”

Wang Chao took in a shallow breath. “Of course. Just wait and see.”

Xiao Yuanbao carried the plaque back home and had Da Chu and Er San hang it.

The two bold and solid characters “Xiao Manor” hung above the main gate, the warm March sunlight gilding the edges of the plaque with a gentle glow.

Xiao Yuanbao stood with his hands on his hips and head tilted upward, wearing a smile that carried both satisfaction and a trace of wistfulness.

Those children he used to play with had all grown up, and three or five years had passed in a blink.

Once, they were little ones eating cakes and sweets from their parents and relatives, wearing pretty clothes handpicked for them. Now they were youths who had to earn those sweets and clothes for themselves.

Everyone was thinking about the future, rushing toward their own paths.

Even if the road Wang Chao had chosen was steep and not the most upright route,

Looking at it from another angle—wasn’t he also striving for a better life?

Though Xiao Yuanbao didn’t care for his personality, he still respected the fact that Wang Chao was willing to work for a good future.

He only hoped that, even if their roads ahead weren’t smooth, even if they were filled with thorns, they would all eventually find a good ending.

So what comes next?

Maybe it’s continued growth, maturity—or maybe the stirring of emotions, budding affections, and the first sparks of romantic admiration.

…

Three years later…

“Why don’t we travel together for the provincial exams? Once we get to Linzhou, we can rent a small courtyard. A few classmates together would be more secure than being scattered in inns.”

“That sounds perfect. Let’s choose a place with an osmanthus tree in the yard—it’ll symbolize winning honor in the palace exams, don’t you think?”

“The exam’s only a few months away now. Everyone’s talking about lodging and plans, and yet you don’t seem the least bit interested.”

Zhao Guangzong was chatting with his classmates but turned to glance at Qi Beinan, who was sitting by the window, sketching the swaying shadows of bamboo in the garden.

Qi Beinan didn’t respond. He just continued tracing the shadows cast on the paper with his fine-tipped brush.

Only when Zhao Guangzong muttered, “Trying to game the system,” did Qi Beinan stop with a smile.

“The weather’s hot. Sitting around chatting makes it even hotter.”

“It’s not our first time going to Linzhou. Nothing to worry about.”

Even just leaning over the desk, Qi Beinan still looked tall and composed—refined and upright.

Zhao Guangzong plopped down beside him. “I’ve always wondered—how is someone so healthy, handsome, and graceful like you so old-fashioned and serious all the time?”

“Do you know everyone in class secretly calls you ‘Master Qi’?”

Qi Beinan smacked his lips. “Has a nice ring to it. We’re the same generation, but I’ve already got a leg up.”

Zhao Guangzong shook his head. “Now he’s leaning into it.”

“So should we go together with the others? They made some good points. After studying together all this time, the bond is strong—stronger than with strangers. If we all stay in the same place, we can look out for each other.”

Qi Beinan replied, “It’s not even July yet. No rush.”

But in his heart, he thought—this year’s provincial exam won’t amount to anything.

With that, he suddenly stood, placing both hands on the window frame.

Late June sunlight poured down in waves, like it could boil the water in the courtyard pond. The light danced among the lotus leaves.

The noon sun was bright and scorching. Zhao Guangzong was just about to follow him when—

Suddenly, the sky darkened, as if dusk had fallen. In the middle of a clear blue day, it was abruptly as dark as night.

The classroom fell instantly silent.

Everyone thought someone was playing a prank and had pulled all the curtains down—but upon looking around, the windows were wide open.

Seeing Qi Beinan and Zhao Guangzong already at the window, the others rushed over to see what was happening outside.

The flowers were still flowers, the trees still trees—no fierce wind, no signs of an impending summer storm. But it was as if something had covered the sun in an instant.

“A strange phenomenon… the sky is acting strange!”

Someone murmured with trembling lips. Everyone who heard it felt a sudden chill crawl up their backs.

“Could it be some demon or monster appearing in the sky?!”

“We’ve never seen a sky like this before—should we hide or run?!”

Chaos erupted in the county school. It truly felt as though heaven and earth were about to collapse.

“Brother Qi, what do you think we should do?”

One of the students, seeing that Qi Beinan remained composed and unflustered, hurried over to ask.

Qi Beinan replied, “The wise do not speak lightly of the supernatural. This is nothing more than an unusual celestial phenomenon. You are all scholars—future pillars of the nation. You must remain calm in the face of the unexpected.”

“But… but this kind of strange darkness in the middle of the day—how can it not be terrifying?”

“Heaven and earth have existed for millions of years. Our lives span but a few fleeting decades. There are many things we’ve never seen or heard of. There’s no need to panic.”

Hearing Qi Beinan’s calm and steady words, the students gradually settled down and their panic eased a little.

In less than fifteen minutes, the world was suddenly bright again. The sunlight returned as fiercely as before.

A collective gasp rose among the students.

If not for the fact that they had all experienced it together, they would’ve thought it had been nothing more than a dream.

Though the phenomenon lasted only a brief moment, it still stirred chaos outside.

Some people took advantage of the darkness to sneak into street shops and commit theft and robbery.

In that short time, the silk shops, jewelry stores, and grain shops were all looted.

At the meat market, a few thieves tried to stir up trouble, but butchers are not easily trifled with—upon spotting the commotion, they drew their knives.

By the time the sun returned, people were still fleeing through the streets clutching stolen silk and jewelry strung around their necks.

There was even a blood-covered thief caught stealing meat…

In short, the city streets were in utter chaos. The county authorities rushed to dispatch constables to restore order.

The yamen was quickly flooded with citizens and merchants filing reports, demanding justice. The line stretched long.

The county school dismissed early. Students were advised to be careful with their words and not to spread panic or rumors. Those returning home were also told to reassure their families.

Qi Beinan, however, had already warned his family earlier that morning: with the heat, they should avoid going out and stay indoors as much as possible.

On the way back, he saw many people rushing to leave the city—farmers and merchants who’d come to town to do business. After such an unsettling event, they were all eager to return home safely.

“Sir is back! Sir is back!”

When Qi Beinan returned home, he found the main gate tightly shut. He knocked, and the guard dog began barking furiously, alerting those inside the estate.

Soon, Da Chu and Er San came cautiously to open the door.

When they saw he had returned safely, they both sighed in relief and quickly called out loudly to the others in the courtyard, ushering Qi Beinan in.

As soon as he reached the threshing yard, Xiao Hu and Xiao Yuanbao came running out to meet him.

The first thing everyone said was to ask whether the other was alright.

“We had just finished lunch,” Xiao Yuanbao said. “It was hot, so we were cooling off in the breeze by the garden, sipping mung bean soup. We were just saying we’d go rest when the sky suddenly turned dark.”

“No one dared go outside,” he continued. “Father saw it go dark at noon and immediately called everyone to shut and seal all the doors and windows.”

Qi Beinan nodded. “You did well to close everything.”

He briefly told everyone about the chaos in town. “Aside from the thefts, a butcher went a bit too far and accidentally killed one of the meat thieves. The city’s very unsettled right now.”

Everyone listened with wide eyes, visibly rattled.

Xiao Hu said, “Thankfully, the village population is small and not too densely packed. Most people were already resting after work, so nothing happened here. Just before you came home, the village head stopped by with six strong young men. They went door to door asking if anything had happened.”

Xiao Hu had wanted to go with them, but he didn’t feel comfortable leaving Xiao Yuanbao at home, so he stayed.

If any trouble had broken out, humble households like theirs would be the first to be targeted by bandits.

Later that evening, the village head convened a village meeting. As a scholar and titled gentleman in the village, Qi Beinan went to speak and help calm the people.

He reminded everyone not to believe in wild rumors or be incited to act in ways that might disturb public order.

He also warned villagers to stay close to home for now and not wander too far.

When the meeting ended, the whole family walked back together.

Xiao Yuanbao said anxiously, “The autumn exam is in the eighth month, and examinees will start heading to the provincial capital in the seventh. With something like this happening now, will the roads still be safe?”

“This year’s exam may not happen as scheduled,” Qi Beinan said. “Don’t worry yet. Let’s wait and see.”

…

In early July, a dispatch arrived from the prefecture.

The sudden solar eclipse was deemed an ominous sign. The imperial examinations, being a matter of national importance, could not be taken lightly. All examinees across the empire were to postpone until the following autumn.

The xiucais at the county school, who had been preparing to travel to the provincial exam, were stunned—unsure whether to feel relieved or disappointed.

But since the imperial decree had been issued, personal feelings no longer mattered. Whether happy or sad, they could only obey.

Qi Beinan, however, felt no strong emotion. It was just as he had expected.

He brought the news home and shared it with Xiao Hu and Xiao Yuanbao.

“Brother, you really are a prophet! You said there might be a delay—and now there really is one. Honestly, I think it’s a good thing. Not only do we get another year to prepare, but with that strange event and all the panic, going to the exam would’ve been dangerous.”

Qi Beinan nodded. “Indeed. Waiting another year isn’t a bad thing.”

Xiao Hu said, “These past two years, rain or shine, snow or frost, you’ve been going to the county school day after day. It’s truly been hard on you.”

“The village head was farsighted—he bought a house in the city for Guangzong early on. I was thinking, perhaps we should also get a place in the city,” said Xiao Hu.

Back then, with buying land and building houses in the village, money had been tight. Even if the idea had crossed their minds, they couldn’t afford it.

But over the past two years, the crops had been well tended, and there hadn’t been any large expenses, so their finances were far better than before.

“I had originally planned to wait until after your provincial exams to talk about buying a city residence—so you wouldn’t get distracted. But now that the exams have been postponed for another year, there’s no harm in getting this done. It’ll help you with your studies too.”

Qi Beinan wasn’t surprised by Xiao Hu’s plan. He had mentioned before the idea of buying property in the city.

He wasn’t opposed to it. After all, having more assets was never a bad thing—and the Xiao family had roots in Ling County; it was only right that they own property there.

Years ago, he had already advised the family: if money ever became available, they should consider acquiring assets while conditions were favorable. Don’t wait until it’s urgently needed—by then, the right opportunity may not come, and funds might not be as abundant.

Buying a home was a good thing. However…

Qi Beinan said, “Uncle Xiao has been managing the estate for two years now and already has a sharp business sense. I’ll follow your lead.”

“With a home in the city, I’ll certainly have more time to study… It’s just a pity I won’t be able to eat home-cooked meals anymore.”

Xiao Hu looked at Qi Beinan. He was a man himself—how could he not understand what lay beneath those words?

But hearing this, he actually felt relieved. It meant that Beinan’s heart had not changed.

At present, Qi Beinan was of marrying age, good-looking, and a xiucai to boot. In every sense, he was a highly desirable match.

In the village, it was fine. Years ago, families with sons or gers had already heard about him and wouldn’t try their luck pushing proposals.

But city folk didn’t know he was already spoken for. Seeing his appearance, they’d surely start thinking about forming ties.

Once he had a place in the city, he’d be staying there most of the time. The hours spent commuting back and forth could easily be swapped for sitting in teahouses and wine shops—

With more time to meet and mingle.

If no one was watching, and he let his heart stray, he might well get engaged to someone from a high-ranking family. And if he then passed the exams and left for an official post elsewhere…

Where would Xiao Hu go to retrieve his son-in-law?

Even if someone turned out to be disloyal, you could say they were never worth relying on to begin with.

But people need some structure, some boundaries. Left unchecked, even the best can change.

Having watched over him for all these years, Xiao Hu had already set his heart on this son-in-law. Finding another like him wouldn’t be easy.

“You can’t live and study in the city all alone without someone to look after you,” said Xiao Hu, then turned to the quiet Xiao Yuanbao. “Xiao Bao, you go to the city and take care of your brother.”

“Me?”

Xiao Yuanbao was just thinking about how dull it would be if Qi Beinan moved to the city. He’d only get to see him in the late afternoon or evening once he came back from the county school.

But hearing that his father wanted to send him along too—it was a complete surprise. Xiao Yuanbao was overjoyed but didn’t want to seem too eager. He blinked and asked, “Then… who’ll take care of you, Father?”

“With so many people at home, do you think I’ll lack someone to look after me?” Xiao Hu said. “Once you’re in the city, I’ll have Madam Xiao cook for me. Didn’t you always say her cooking isn’t bad?”

“Your brother is at the hardest stage of his studies. He needs someone trustworthy by his side. That’s not something to take lightly.”

Of course, Xiao Hu didn’t say the rest aloud—that what he really feared wasn’t having no one to look after Beinan, but someone else being the one to look after him.

“Then… I’ll do as Father says,” Xiao Yuanbao agreed. “And once I’m in the city, I can learn more local dishes too.”

Although he was now in charge of cooking, most of his skills were still in rustic banquet fare. If he wanted to serve food in the city, he wasn’t nearly good enough yet.

Qi Beinan, upon hearing this, thought to himself—his father-in-law truly understood the situation.

With that arrangement, he could rest easy. So long as Xiao Yuanbao was with him, it didn’t matter where he lived.

Two days later, Qi Beinan and Xiao Yuanbao went to the city together and found a property agent to inquire about purchasing a house.

Zhao Guangzong, catching wind of it, came rushing over and pestered them, begging to find a place on the same street.

Fearing they might say no, he even offered three rounds of iced drinks, two meals of mutton, and one box of Bao Xiang Zhai’s pastries as a bribe before they finally gave in.

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