Ch 46: The Regent’s Farmer Husband

At dawn, the sky was turning pale, and roosters were crowing one after another throughout the village. Early birds chirped busily outside the window.

Jiang Yan opened his eyes and blinked a few times to wake himself. Under his chin was something soft and familiar—it was Jiang Ji’s hair. But unlike usual, Jiang Yan realized he was lying on his side this time, with one arm draped over Jiang Ji, holding him close.

He froze slightly. Jiang Ji always liked to hold onto something when he slept—he’d cling to Jiang Yan’s arm and nuzzle his head against Jiang Yan’s neck without realizing it. Jiang Yan had noticed that the very first night they shared a bed.

But he himself had never had the habit of hugging anyone while sleeping. Not before, and not even recently. He couldn’t remember why, in the middle of the night, he’d rolled over and placed his arm around Jiang Ji like this.

His mind was a little hazy. His fingers twitched slightly, but he didn’t pull his hand back right away. He just stared blankly at the wall, lost in thought.

The person in his arms shifted, rolling onto his back—he was waking up. Instinctively, Jiang Yan closed his eyes and pretended to still be asleep.

Jiang Ji opened his eyes, yawned, and rubbed them before fully waking up.

When he lowered his hand, he realized there was an arm wrapped around his waist.

Eh? Jiang Yan’s arm?

This was the first time Jiang Yan had ever draped an arm over him while sleeping. Usually, it was the opposite—Jiang Ji would wake to find himself clinging to Jiang Yan’s arm, or resting against him.

Jiang Yan always slept straight and proper, barely even turned in his sleep. When he did lie on his side, his posture remained disciplined—arms and legs never sprawling, each in its place.

Jiang Ji turned his head to look at him. Jiang Yan’s eyes were closed, his lashes long, brow bone pronounced. His thick eyebrows formed a sharp, heroic line; his nose was high, his lips thin, and his jawline clean and defined.

He was strikingly handsome and masculine—in Jiang Ji’s words from his past life, a real man’s man. In his circle, someone like this would have been very popular among people like himself.

But Jiang Yan’s temperament most of the time was calm, composed, and scholarly—an interesting contradiction that made him even more attractive.

Jiang Ji sighed inwardly. If I weren’t worried you might already be married, I’d have made a move long ago.

He watched him for a while, then gently lifted Jiang Yan’s wrist off his waist, setting it aside. He got out of bed, dressed quietly, and left the room.

When the sound of the door closing reached him, Jiang Yan opened his eyes. After a moment of stillness, he sat up and got out of bed.

In the courtyard outside, Jiang Ji was carrying the plow on his back.

“You’re going out to plow the fields?” Jiang Yan asked.

“You’re up,” Jiang Ji said, setting the plow down and grabbing a rope as he walked toward the cowshed. “Go fetch water. I’m going to turn the soil and let it dry for a few days—helps reduce pests and disease.”

“Alright.”

Jiang Ji led the ox out to the fields, while Jiang Yan picked up the carrying pole and water buckets to draw water.

At the village well, a small line had already formed, and people were chatting idly as they waited.

When Jiang Yan arrived, one of the older women at the front turned to him and asked with a teasing smile, “Jiang Yan, I heard a matchmaker came by yesterday to arrange a marriage for Jiang Ji?”

Jiang Yan nodded. “Yeah.”

The line at the well immediately perked up with interest. Another aunt chimed in, “I heard it was Aunt Zhou from Mushan Village. She’s a top-notch matchmaker! Hey, Jiang Yan, which village was the girl from?”

Jiang Yan said calmly, “I’m not sure.”

“You didn’t listen in?”

“No.”

Someone laughed. “How could Jiang Yan go eavesdrop on a matchmaking talk?”

“Oh come on, they live together. What’s the harm in overhearing a little?”

Another person asked, “Did it work out then?”

Jiang Yan shook his head. “No.”

“Eh? So was Jiang Ji not interested, or was it his mother?”

“Ah, Li Hua’s mother, why are you prying so much? Planning to set your daughter up with him?”

“Get out of here, I’m just asking.”

“Well, your Li Hua’s old enough too, isn’t she? Time to start arranging things.”

“Yeah, I’ve started thinking about it.” The aunt turned back to Jiang Yan. “So why didn’t it work out? Jiang Ji didn’t like the girl?”

Jiang Yan gave her a look and shook his head. “No, Jiang Ji said he just doesn’t want to get married yet.”

“What? He’s nineteen already and still doesn’t want to marry?”

“Sounds like an excuse to me. Probably just didn’t like the girl.”

“Right, his family’s better off now. Of course his standards have gone up—ordinary girls won’t catch his eye anymore.”

“Hey, Jiang Yan, did Jiang Ji say why he doesn’t want to marry?” asked Li Hua’s mother again.

Jiang Yan hesitated, then said, “Not really. But he said he has no plans to marry for the next couple of years.”

“Oh dear, what’s that boy thinking?”

“Impossible. Even if he’s not in a rush, surely his mother is?”

“Well, in the end, it’s up to her anyway.”

“That’s true.”

The women kept gossiping while Jiang Yan finished drawing water and headed home.

Back at the house, Zhao Ru was cooking breakfast. When she saw Jiang Yan come in, she remembered the night before and asked, “Jiang Yan, I saw you and Xiao Ji talking in the yard last night—did you ask him?”

“I did.” Jiang Yan poured the water into the storage jar.

“What did he say?” she asked quickly.

Looking at her, Jiang Yan replied honestly, “He said he doesn’t have a girl he likes, and it’s not that he’s hung up on the one from before, either.”

“Neither?” Zhao Ru frowned. “Then why won’t he marry? Did you ask him that?”

“He said he just doesn’t want to for now. He wants to focus on earning money and wait until the family’s stable before thinking about it.” Jiang Yan poured in the second bucket of water and added, “There’s farm work to do, the new house construction, and he’s planning a workshop later this year. He wants to build his career first—says he has no time for marriage now.”

Zhao Ru sighed. “Ah, that child. Getting married doesn’t take up his time—I can handle the arrangements! He can still do his work.”

Jiang Yan tried to comfort her. “Auntie, he’s only nineteen. He hasn’t even come of age yet, so there’s no rush.”

“Nineteen’s not that young either. Even if he just gets engaged first, that’d be fine. Getting married next year would be perfect timing.”

As she stirred the rice in the pot, she thought of another possibility. “Jiang Yan, do you think maybe he was hurt before? That’s why he doesn’t want to marry now?”

Jiang Yan said after a pause, “He told me he’s over that girl.”

“I don’t mean he’s still pining for her,” Zhao Ru said, waving a hand. “I mean, maybe that heartbreak made him want to earn more before marrying?”

Jiang Yan: “…”

“But the family’s well-off now,” Zhao Ru muttered, confused. “Why still refuse marriage? Look around—what young man in this village doesn’t want to marry early and take a wife? There must be something weighing on his heart.”

Jiang Yan really didn’t know how to respond. He couldn’t tell her the real reason—that Jiang Ji simply didn’t like women. After a brief silence, he said, “Anyway, he’s still young. Waiting a couple of years isn’t too late.”

Then he hurriedly picked up the buckets and left.

But at the well, a new group of villagers had gathered, asking again about Jiang Ji’s failed matchmaking. When he got back home, Zhao Ru dragged him into yet another round of speculation about why Jiang Ji refused to marry.

All morning, Jiang Yan found himself answering the same question over and over.

Jiang Yan: “…”

During breakfast, Jiang Ji noticed the odd look Jiang Yan was giving him and finally asked, “Why are you staring at me like that?”

Jiang Yan lowered his eyes, took a sip of porridge, and said, “The whole village’s been talking about your matchmaking. I’ve answered that question four times this morning.”

“Pfft—cough, cough!” Jiang Ji nearly spit out his porridge and ended up choking instead. He turned aside, coughing hard, while Jiang Yan reached over and patted his back.

Jiang Xia, Jiang Nan, and Jiang Bei hadn’t known anything about the matchmaking—by the time they’d come home yesterday, the matchmaker had already left, and no one mentioned it. They were just finding out now.

Jiang Xia blinked in surprise. “Mother, Brother’s getting a match arranged?”

Jiang Nan and Jiang Bei also looked up in confusion.

Zhao Ru nodded. “The matchmaker came by yesterday.”

“Did it go through?” Jiang Xia asked curiously. “Which family?”

Zhao Ru sighed. “Your brother said he doesn’t want to marry yet.”

Jiang Xia, Jiang Nan, and Jiang Bei all turned to stare at Jiang Ji.

His face was still red from coughing. After taking a sip of water, he said, “What are you all looking at me for? Done eating already?”

Jiang Nan and Jiang Bei quickly buried their heads and kept eating. Jiang Xia glanced at him a few more times before curiosity got the better of her. “Brother, why don’t you want to marry yet? Brother Qiang got married when he was seventeen.”

Jiang Ji gave her a sideways look. “If I don’t like anyone, why would I marry? Isn’t that normal?”

“Like someone?” Jiang Xia frowned slightly. “But doesn’t everyone marry through a matchmaker? It’s all parents’ orders and matchmaker’s words—hardly anyone marries for love.”

Jiang Ji froze. Jiang Xia was only thirteen, yet she already had such deeply ingrained thinking.

He frowned slightly at her and said, “Jiang Xia, even though matchmaking is one way to get married, two people who have never met suddenly becoming husband and wife—without knowing each other at all—how can they be sure they’ll be happy later?”

Jiang Xia looked puzzled. “But isn’t that how everyone does it?”

“Just because everyone does it doesn’t mean it’s right.” Jiang Ji said seriously. “Remember this: you can meet someone through matchmaking, but you must really get to know them first. Spend time together, make sure you truly like the person before you marry. Understand?”

Jiang Xia turned to look at her mother.

Zhao Ru was also stunned. “Xiao Ji, where did you even hear such things? Since ancient times, people have always lived this way.”

“Mother, think about it,” Jiang Ji said. “Two people who don’t even know each other suddenly becoming husband and wife—how frightening is that? What if the man’s temper is bad? What if he’s violent? What if he gambles or drinks? If you don’t know someone, you shouldn’t marry them.”

Zhao Ru laughed. “You can ask about those things beforehand.”

“Asking and seeing are not the same thing. You know how matchmakers are—they only talk about the good things and never mention the bad. And if someone wants to hide something, they can act nice and proper when you meet them, but once you’re married, the truth shows. Look at all those families that fight every day—aren’t most of them like that?”

Jiang Ji said seriously, “You only see a person’s true nature with time. Unless you’ve spent time together, marrying someone you barely know is risky. The man doesn’t lose much, but the woman could suffer terribly. If she’s lucky, she finds a good one. If she’s not, she might never escape without getting hurt.”

Zhao Ru frowned. “That makes sense, but you can still check before marrying. What you’re describing is rare.”

“Rare? Every village has at least a handful of such cases.” Jiang Ji said solemnly. “Mother, no matter what others do, at least in our family, our children can’t marry someone they’ve never met, talked to, or understood. Even if you like someone, you still have to see what kind of person and family they come from before marrying. Otherwise, you’ll just end up arguing every day and living in misery.”

Then he turned especially toward Jiang Xia. “Jiang Xia, especially you—girls must be even more careful. And before eighteen, you’re not allowed to marry.”

His words left everyone stunned and speechless, staring at him in disbelief. Only Jiang Yan sat quietly, watching him with thoughtful eyes.

Zhao Ru frowned. “You child, if she’s eighteen, she’ll already be an old maid! You don’t want her to marry at all, is that it?”

“How’s eighteen old?” Jiang Ji countered. “Even if Jiang Xia never marries, that’s fine. I’ll take care of my sister.”

Zhao Ru sighed. “Nonsense. Everyone marries.”

Jiang Ji knew Zhao Ru wouldn’t easily accept this, so he thought for a bit and said, “Mother, a girl’s body isn’t even fully developed until eighteen. Marrying too young harms her health—it shortens her life.”

Zhao Ru was shocked. “Shortens her life?”

“Really?” Jiang Xia asked, eyes wide.

Jiang Ji nodded. “Of course. Before eighteen, your body’s still growing. Some girls even have children before then—that’s terrible for their health. If your body isn’t mature yet and you give birth, you’ll get sick. That shortens your lifespan.”

“Brother, where did you hear that? I’ve never heard anyone say that.”

Jiang Ji pointed upward and said, “The immortals said it.”

Jiang Yan: “…”

“Really from the immortals?” Jiang Xia asked.

Jiang Ji nodded. “Mm-hmm. Otherwise how would I know?”

The words “the immortals said it” had miraculous power in this household. As soon as Jiang Ji said something came from the immortals, no matter how skeptical they were before, Zhao Ru and the others would instantly believe him.

Jiang Nan and Jiang Bei had been listening quietly the whole time, not understanding much—until the part about not marrying before eighteen.

Jiang Nan said, “If the immortals said it, then it must be right.”

Jiang Ji looked at him. “You understood that?”

“Yeah.”

“What did you understand?”

Jiang Bei answered, “You can only get married after eighteen.”

Jiang Nan nodded. “Right! Second Sister has to wait until she’s eighteen to marry.”

Jiang Ji smiled. “Good, you actually understood.”

Jiang Nan then asked, “Brother, does that mean Jiang Bei and I can only marry after eighteen too?”

“Right. And your wives can’t be too young either—they also have to be at least eighteen.”

“Oh. Okay.” Jiang Nan nodded carefreely—marriage was still a long way off anyway.

Jiang Yan noticed Zhao Ru was no longer arguing. He looked at Jiang Ji and just happened to meet his eyes.

Jiang Ji raised his brows slightly and tilted his chin upward, a bit proud of himself.

Jiang Yan: “…”

Still, seeing that they no longer avoided talking about “the immortals” in front of him, Jiang Yan felt a quiet warmth and the corners of his lips curved faintly.

[Congratulations, Host, on completing Special Mission #068. Reward: One Beginner Skill Learning Manual.]

The electronic voice of 2977 suddenly sounded in Jiang Ji’s mind, and he froze.

Huh? What mission #068? And a beginner skill manual?

“I’m full.” He downed the rest of his porridge, set down the bowl, and walked out.

In the main hall, he opened the system interface and saw the entry: [Special Mission #068: Educate your family on modern scientific views of love and marriage.]

Ah, so that’s what it was.

He hadn’t even meant to do it, but somehow he completed a mission and got a reward. Pleased, he asked, “2977, what’s this skill manual for?”

[Beginner Skill Learning Manual: Host may learn any one beginner-level skill.]

“Any skill? You mean it’s not tied to specific system tasks anymore? Like if I want to learn archery or horseback riding, I can do it without completing a separate mission first?”

[Correct.]

Jiang Ji’s eyes lit up. “That’s great!”

[Would the host like to use the manual now?]

Jiang Ji thought for a moment. “No, I’ll save it for later when I really need it.”

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