Ch 83: Reborn to Raise My Husband

In the second month, Xiao Yuanbao celebrated his birthday, and before long, the calendar had turned to the third month.

Spring came late that year. Throughout the second month, rain fell almost daily, the sun rarely showed, and the chill clung to every breath. By early March, only the outskirts of the city had begun to show faint green across the grass, and the peach and apricot trees were just beginning to bud.

The imperial metropolitan exam would begin on the ninth day of the fourth month. As soon as the third month arrived, scholars preparing to take part were already making ready to depart.

Ling County lay far from the capital. Even with fair weather and smooth roads, the journey by carriage and horse would take more than ten days—half a month, at least, when accounting for the inevitable delays. Translated on Hololo novels. Upon arrival, candidates still needed time to find lodgings and familiarize themselves with the city.

The air and customs of the capital differed greatly from those of Ling County. The northern climate was dry, unlike the humid southern lands near Ling. Many students, unaccustomed to the change, would fall ill from the difference in water and food.

If one did not arrive early to adjust, even a simple stomach illness could ruin one’s performance. Worse still, the latrines in the examination compound were infamously inconvenient; those struck with dysentery from poor adaptation suffered miserably.

Qi Beinan explained all this to Zhao Guangzong, urging him to make his preparations early. The two decided to travel together to the capital.

There were few candidates from Ling County eligible to sit for the metropolitan exam that year. Among them, Qi Beinan knew only a handful from the county academy. Of the other three elder scholars who had passed the provincial exam, he was not acquainted and did not plan to join them. There was also Luo Tingfeng, who had his own arrangements.

Thus, only Qi Beinan and Zhao Guangzong would make the journey together.

Traveling in a small group had its conveniences. Safety was not a great concern this time—after the unrest during the autumn examinations, the authorities had doubled the number of guards and patrol officers along the main roads and post stations from the first month until the end of the fourth. Any would-be bandits targeting scholars would be walking straight into a trap.

Moreover, Qi Beinan planned to bring Qin Jiang along. With the young man’s fighting skills, the journey would be all the more secure.

By the first day of the third month, Xiao Yuanbao had already begun preparing Qi Beinan’s belongings for the journey. The departure was set for the fifth day.

“Though the road to the capital is long,” Xiao Yuanbao said while folding clothes, “it’s not so bad this time. The government provides official carriages for scholars and even gives travel stipends.”

That morning, the county office had sent a carriage to their gate. It wasn’t large, but perfectly suitable for one traveler. A county banner fluttered from its frame—anyone who saw it would know it was an official examination carriage, dignified and commanding.

Along with it came a stipend of ten strings of cash.

Frugal as they were, even that wouldn’t fully cover the expenses of the journey, but it was something. Better to have a little than none at all.

“If you pass the palace exam and become a jinshi, you’ll be a disciple of the Son of Heaven himself,” Xiao Yuanbao said softly. “I can’t even imagine what that will be like.”

Qi Beinan looked at the young man bending over the chest, sorting garments. The cabinet in his room was tall, and Xiao Yuanbao had to rise on his toes to reach the folded robes at the top shelf.

Qi Beinan stepped closer.

Xiao Yuanbao caught sight of a pair of long, slender hands reaching into the wardrobe beside him, brushing past his neck. When he turned his head, he nearly bumped Qi Beinan’s chin and quickly leaned back—only to press up against the bookcase behind him.

Qi Beinan didn’t withdraw. He leaned forward, eyes lowering as he looked at the young man trapped between his arms. “Do you like the idea of being a disciple of the Son of Heaven?”

Xiao Yuanbao blinked. He didn’t answer, only glanced at Qi Beinan’s slightly dry lips and, almost involuntarily, gave a small nod.

Qi Beinan’s voice dropped to a low murmur. “Then tell me—do you prefer the first-ranked zhuangyuan, admired by all? The calm, dignified bangyan? Or the elegant, graceful tanhua?”

The quiet, steady tone slid into Xiao Yuanbao’s ears, making them burn red. Qi Beinan’s voice had lost the boyish timbre of youth, deepening with maturity—smooth and magnetic, stirring something hard to name.

Unable to meet his gaze, Xiao Yuanbao turned his head slightly. “You speak as if it depends on my choice.”

Qi Beinan lowered his head further, moving closer still. “It’s only talk between us. There’s no harm in saying what you like.”

Xiao Yuanbao flushed, flustered by such teasing, and tried to slip away. But the arm caging him in front of the wardrobe didn’t move.

“I still need to finish packing your things,” he murmured.

“Say it first. There’s no rush.”

Seeing he couldn’t escape, Xiao Yuanbao relented with a sigh. “They’re all good. I’m not picky.”

Qi Beinan chuckled softly. “So easy to please? You could stand to be a little choosier.”

Xiao Yuanbao pursed his lips. “As long as it’s Brother Anan, I like them all.”

A smile touched Qi Beinan’s mouth. He reached out to straighten the young man’s collar. “I’ll be gone at least two months. Once I settle in the capital, I’ll send Qin Jiang back to bring you there. All right?”

Xiao Yuanbao’s eyes flickered. He had already calculated the time in his head. The trip alone would take half a month each way. The exam itself lasted nine days, plus another ten for results to be posted. Two months, easily—and if Qi Beinan passed and entered the palace exam in the fifth month, it would be even longer.

When Qi Beinan had gone to Linzhou for the provincial exam, they had been apart barely a month. This time, the separation would feel endless.

The closer the examination drew, the more uneasy Xiao Yuanbao felt.

But he couldn’t bring himself to say that he didn’t want Qi Beinan to go. The metropolitan exam was an important event—how could he, already nearly grown, show such childish reluctance? He’d be eighteen by his next birthday. He wasn’t a boy anymore.

Still, when he heard Qi Beinan mention that he planned to bring him to the capital later, his heart leapt.

“I can go to the capital too?” he asked, eyes lighting up.

Qi Beinan smiled. “Mm.”

Seeing the eagerness on his face, Qi Beinan went on, “If I pass the jinshi exam, there will be plenty of matters to delay me—ceremonies, assignments, all of it. If you’re in the capital, I’ll have one less worry. And if I don’t pass, well, you’ve never left Ling County. Seeing the capital’s sights and broadening your horizons will still be worth the trip.”

Xiao Yuanbao’s excitement swelled, but he held himself back enough to ask sensibly, “Wouldn’t I just be a bother?”

“How could you be?” Qi Beinan replied. “Once I arrange the carriage and horses, it’ll be no trouble. I’ll have Qin Jiang travel the road first to learn the route well.”

Qi Beinan didn’t like the idea of Xiao Yuanbao traveling alone, but after witnessing Qin Jiang’s skills, he felt reassured. By the time Qin Jiang returned to fetch Xiao Yuanbao, he would know the journey by heart.

Seeing that Qi Beinan had truly thought everything through, Xiao Yuanbao’s joy grew even greater. He grasped Qi Beinan’s arm. “All right. I’ll do as you say.”

Once he knew he could go to the capital, Xiao Yuanbao’s smile never seemed to fade. He packed with cheerful energy, practically humming as he worked.

On the fourth day of the third month, Xiao Hu came to the city to stay the night so he could see Qi Beinan off the next morning.

He had expected Xiao Yuanbao to be gloomy about the farewell, perhaps withdrawn or quiet. Instead, he found the boy busy and beaming, helping Qi Beinan prepare a table full of his favorite dishes, the air full of laughter. It was almost festive.

Xiao Hu was puzzled. He had worried that Xiao Yuanbao would feel lonely once Qi Beinan left for the capital and had planned to bring him back to the estate for a couple of months—after all, the manor was livelier than an empty city house. But seeing the boy’s bright face now, he realized his worries had been unnecessary.

The morning of the fifth dawned cold and drizzly. They had planned to escort Qi Beinan to the city gate, but the early spring rain came with a biting wind. Even holding umbrellas, the chill seeped into their bones.

So Qi Beinan and Zhao Guangzong decided not to have their families follow them beyond the outskirts. They said their farewells on the main road outside Dongyang Street.

“It won’t be long,” Qi Beinan told Xiao Yuanbao. “You’ll stay here for about a month, and by then Qin Jiang will have reached Ling County to fetch you.”

Xiao Yuanbao nodded. “I know. Once you’re on your way, I’ll start getting ready, so I’ll be packed when he comes.”

Because he would soon be following Qi Beinan to the capital himself, the farewell wasn’t quite as heavy. His heart, instead of aching, brimmed with anticipation.

Still, he fussed a little—reminding Qi Beinan to take his time on the road, to keep warm and not catch cold.

He still remembered the early autumn two years ago when a rainstorm had left Qi Beinan bedridden with fever for days.

Xiao Hu didn’t interrupt them, giving the young pair space to say their goodbyes. He simply pulled Qin Jiang aside and said quietly, “Take good care of your master on the road.”

Qin Jiang, whose face had long since healed, stood straight and strong with a bundle on his back, his spirit bright. Though he had traveled across Ling County many times as part of the escort bureau, he had never been to the capital, and the thought of it filled him with eager anticipation.

He patted his chest confidently. “Don’t worry, sir.”

The Zhao family elders had also come to the city to see Zhao Guangzong off.

The matter with the Yang family still weighed on their hearts. Zhao Lizheng and Madam Zhang had felt guilty for weeks—none of them had been at ease.

“The most important thing is to travel safely,” Zhao Lizheng said. “With young Qi accompanying you, your mother and I can rest easy.”

Madam Zhang stood beside her son, fussing over his clothes, afraid he might catch a chill.

“This isn’t my first trip for the exams,” Zhao Guangzong said with a small smile. “I know what to do. You and Mother should take care of yourselves and not work too hard.”

Hearing that, Zhao Lizheng exhaled slowly. “It was your mother and I who mishandled the matter with the Yangs. You’re grown now—we won’t interfere in your affairs anymore.”

He gave a faint, rueful smile. “Your mother and I are just farmers. Our way of thinking doesn’t match yours. The Zhao family’s future rests on you.”

“Father, that’s not what I meant,” Zhao Guangzong said quickly. “I don’t blame you or Mother. The Yangs and I simply weren’t meant to be. Marriage, like the examinations, rarely succeeds on the first try.”

“I know,” Zhao Lizheng replied quietly. “Your mother and I have thought it over—we really didn’t handle things as well as we should have.”

“Let’s leave it in the past,” he said at last. “Focus on your exam and don’t let anything distract you.”

“I won’t.”

From down the road, Qi Beinan called, “Guangzong, the time’s about up. Ready to go?”

Zhao Guangzong startled, then called back, “Coming!”

He turned to his parents. “It’s cold out here. Go back home before the wind makes you sick.”

“Go on,” Zhao Lizheng said. “Travel safe.”

Zhao Guangzong lifted his umbrella and crossed to Qi Beinan’s carriage.

As he passed, Qi Beinan grinned teasingly. “How old are you now, still clinging to your parents like a child?”

Zhao Guangzong gave a helpless laugh.

“I swear,” Qi Beinan added, “it feels like time’s gone backward. It’s as if you’re ten again, heading off for your first children’s exam. Lift your head—let me see if your eyes are red.”

Zhao Guangzong’s ears turned slightly red from Qi Beinan’s teasing. Rather than respond, he countered, “Strange—this trip will keep you away for months, yet Bao-ge’er hardly spoke to you before you left.”

Then, with a smirk, he added, “Could it be he’s grown tired of you and just wants you gone sooner?”

Qi Beinan chuckled. “It’s raining out. I couldn’t bear for him to stand there catching cold, so I got into the carriage quickly.”

Zhao Guangzong pressed his lips into a line, shaking his head. “Then it’s I who asked too much.”

They exchanged a few more jests like that, and the heaviness of parting grew lighter between them.

The carriage wheels began to turn, rolling over the wet cobblestones. The drizzle thickened, and the main street lay almost deserted—melancholy and quiet, but smooth for travel.

Xiao Yuanbao waved until the carriage disappeared completely from sight, only then lowering his hand.

Rain misted down; the wind cut cold against his cheeks. He wanted to stand there longer, but the three elders with him were all of advanced age. Though he was young and sturdy, he couldn’t let them shiver in the damp wind for his sentiment’s sake.

So he turned and urged the Zhao elders to head home with him.

When they reached the fork where the alley split toward their respective homes, they said their goodbyes.

As they walked, Xiao Hu suddenly said, “Did Anan mention your marriage?”

Careful not to step into a puddle, Xiao Yuanbao turned his head. “Father, you’ve forgotten again? Didn’t we already make things clear last year?”

“You silly boy,” Xiao Hu said. “I meant—did he say when the marriage would actually happen?”

Xiao Yuanbao froze for a moment. In truth, they hadn’t spoken of that yet. Both knew of the betrothal, and both had confessed their feelings, but as for arranging the wedding, he—being a young ge’er—was too shy to bring it up himself. It would be better for Qi Beinan to say it first.

“He’s been so busy since passing the provincial exam,” Xiao Yuanbao said after a pause. “There’s hardly been time to think about marriage. Don’t worry, Father. He’s not the kind to forget his promises or turn his back for gain.”

If Qi Beinan had wanted to seek someone of higher status now that he was a juren, he wouldn’t have openly told the Yang family that he was already engaged. He wouldn’t have let others know he was betrothed, nor suggested bringing Xiao Yuanbao to the capital later.

“I know what sort of man Anan is,” Xiao Hu said. “I just don’t want you two to delay too long. He’s twenty-two now. Most men his age in the village already have two children. When will I ever hold a grandchild?”

Xiao Yuanbao’s cheeks flushed. His brows drew together. “Father, what are you saying? We haven’t even set a date, and you’re already talking about grandchildren? Aren’t you embarrassed?”

“If you’d just fix a date for the wedding,” Xiao Hu muttered, “there’d be nothing to be embarrassed about.”

He exhaled heavily. “You two are still young—you can afford to dawdle. But I’m not. These past two years, I’ve felt my age catching up to me. My head spins, my back aches. A few more years, and I might not even have the strength to hold a grandchild.”

Xiao Yuanbao pursed his lips. His father was usually so strong and proud—yet here he was, feigning frailty just to urge him into marriage and grandchildren.

“If you’re not feeling well, I’ll fetch a doctor,” Xiao Yuanbao said at once.

His father waved him off.

Still, Xiao Yuanbao went on, “Though I think if you drank a little less wine, you wouldn’t have those dizzy spells.”

“Listen to you!” Xiao Hu huffed, half scolding, half amused. “Since when did you grow such a sharp tongue?”

Xiao Yuanbao made a small noise of protest and fell silent, following his father back into the house.

A short while later, Xiao Hu heard his son mutter from behind, “Then—then maybe when Brother Anan comes back, Father can test the waters and ask him?”

Hearing that, Xiao Hu smiled inwardly. So his son was anxious too, even if he wouldn’t admit it.

He said, “You’ll be heading to the capital yourself next month. Ask him then—no need to wait until he’s back in Ling County. Who knows when that’ll be?”

Xiao Yuanbao thought that over and found it reasonable. Still, he turned away and grumbled, ducking his head. “I’m not asking. I’ll wait for him to bring it up first.”

With that, he quickened his pace and retreated into his room.

Two days later, Xiao Hu returned to the estate.

At the end of last year, they had begun clearing new land beyond the mountain forest and hired several more tenant farmers. With the expanded fields and extra hands, he no longer needed to toil in the soil himself.

Still, spring planting was the busiest time of year, and he couldn’t rest easy unless he was there to oversee things.

The steward had also suggested that, with a mountain forest now in their possession, they could plant fruit trees—an orchard would yield far more profit than simply cutting firewood.

Xiao Hu agreed and began looking into buying saplings to plant.

Left alone in the city house, Xiao Yuanbao grew bored. After a few days, he decided to visit the Ming family.

“My good boy, you actually remembered I exist?” Ming Guanxin greeted him with mock ferocity, though his grin was wide.

Xiao Yuanbao, knowing he was at fault, gave a sheepish smile. It was true—he hadn’t visited in quite some time.

“I’ve just been busy lately,” he said. “But the moment I had a free day, I thought of you first. See? I even brought your favorite chicken and duck offal.”

“You weren’t busy,” Ming Guanxin retorted. “You were glued to Qi-langjun’s side and couldn’t get away. Now that he’s left the county, only then do you remember your friends.”

Xiao Yuanbao blushed to the tips of his ears.

Ming Guanxin looked at Xiao Yuanbao’s flustered face and laughed. “I can’t really blame you. If I had such a fine gentleman for a fiancé, I wouldn’t want to go out and play either.”

“Don’t tease me,” Xiao Yuanbao protested.

He reached out to tug Ming Guanxin’s arm in mock complaint, but when his hand brushed against him, he paused, eyes widening. “You’ve lost weight! Have you not been eating properly since I stopped bringing you food these days?”

Instead of worrying, Ming Guanxin looked delighted. “You really think I’ve slimmed down?”

Xiao Yuanbao gave him a careful look and nodded. “Your face looks the same, but your figure’s definitely thinner.”

Ming Guanxin grinned from ear to ear. “Then my effort hasn’t been for nothing!”

Xiao Yuanbao frowned in puzzlement. “What effort? Why on earth are you putting yourself through that?”

Lowering his voice, Ming Guanxin leaned close to his ear. “My family has been in talks with another household—if all goes well, a match will be set.”

He added quickly, “It’s not settled yet, so you mustn’t spread it around. I only told you because you’re my friend. Anyone else, I wouldn’t breathe a word.”

Xiao Yuanbao’s eyes lit up. “That’s wonderful news! Don’t worry, I know how to keep quiet.”

His curiosity rose. “So who is it? Do I know the gentleman?”

“I don’t know if you do,” Ming Guanxin said, dropping his voice even lower. “But he’s from Ling County too.”

Then, smiling a little mischievously, he added, “He’s actually here today—he’s in the main hall talking with my father right now. Do you want to sneak a look?”

Xiao Yuanbao hesitated. “Wouldn’t that be rude?”

“It’s fine. There’s a side room connected to the hall through the back garden. We can peek from behind the screen—they’ll never notice.”

Xiao Yuanbao’s heart thumped with both guilt and excitement. He wasn’t used to such sneaky business, and it reminded him of stealing peaches back home as a child.

Ming Guanxin dismissed the servants, and the two slipped through the back garden into the small side chamber beside the main hall.

A calm, clear male voice drifted from beyond the screen. “No one in the city runs a better cloth business than you, Uncle Ming.”

“My father always says,” replied another voice—Ming Guanxin’s father, “that few men in trade truly impress him, but you are one. He admires your skill and your talent for connections. He tells us juniors to learn from your example.”

The voice was unfamiliar to Xiao Yuanbao—steady, polite, and refined.

Ming Guanxin tugged him slightly to one side. Through a narrow gap in the screen, Xiao Yuanbao saw the man sitting across from Ming Guanxin’s father.

He was fair-skinned, with peach-blossom eyes and an elegant bearing that could almost outshine the light in the room.

Xiao Yuanbao blinked, stunned. When he turned to look at Ming Guanxin, his friend’s eyes were gleaming—a kind of brightness Xiao Yuanbao had only ever seen when food was especially to his taste.

“Well?” Ming Guanxin whispered eagerly once they’d crept back out to the garden. “Handsome, isn’t he?”

Xiao Yuanbao nodded earnestly. “Extremely handsome.”

“He’s the young master from Xiangyun Manor—Mu Langjun.”

“Mu Langjun?” Xiao Yuanbao recalled. “I’ve seen him once from afar. When Xiangyun Manor first brought the Wan Yue silk to market, everyone—brothers and sisters alike—flocked to see him.”

He chuckled softly. “I remember my brother even got jealous back then, scolding me over nothing. Took ages to coax him out of it.”

Then, surprised, he said, “But I saw your father and the Mu family’s master quarreling in the market that time. I thought your families didn’t get along.”

“Ah, merchants compete. A bit of rivalry and posturing—it’s all part of the trade.” Ming Guanxin waved it off. “The Mu family’s been trying to secure a supply of Wan Yue silk without success. They want to form a marriage alliance with us, to share in the profits.”

“And you agreed?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Ming Guanxin shrugged. “Father said if the marriage works out, he’ll hand me the business. It’s partnership and inheritance both—it makes everything more secure.”

He smiled, almost boyishly. “And after all, you saw him yourself. Mu Langjun’s looks are enough to make anyone agree. I’m not losing out.”

Xiao Yuanbao laughed. “That’s exactly what a merchant’s son would say—practical first, feelings later. But so long as you like him, that’s what truly matters.”

Ming Guanxin looked up at the sky, a faint wistfulness in his expression. “Bao-ge’er, you weren’t born into a merchant family. You wouldn’t understand—our lives revolve around one word: profit. We live well because of it, but we also have to protect it.”

“For families like ours, marriages aren’t made for love. If the match happens to please both sides, that’s a blessing worth thanking heaven for. Fortunately, my father dotes on me, and my mother is strong-minded enough to shield me in this big household. So even when they marry me for advantage, they’ll make sure it isn’t a poor match.”

Xiao Yuanbao pressed his lips together, thinking that every kind of family carried its own burdens.

Seeing his friend’s faint melancholy, he patted the back of Ming Guanxin’s hand. “At least this time fortune’s smiling on you, Xin-ge’er.”

Ming Guanxin gave a half-laugh, half-sigh. “I just worry that even if Mu Langjun agrees out of duty to his parents, he won’t truly be pleased with me.”

“You mustn’t lose heart,” Xiao Yuanbao said gently. “Affection takes time. Even I—Anan and I have been promised since childhood, grew up together, yet our path wasn’t without twists either.”

Ming Guanxin smiled. “Hearing that from you makes me feel much more at ease.”

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