Ch 97: Reborn to Raise My Husband

On the fifth day of the first month, Qi Beinan finally had no official banquets to attend. The new house was nearly ready, so he and Xiao Yuanbao brought Master Jiang along to have a look.

They had already hired workers earlier to repair the roof, garden, and damaged corners, and to clean the entire property.

Once cleaned, the place looked spacious—too spacious, in fact. Without furniture, it had seemed hollow and empty. But now, with all the household furnishings moved in, it finally felt like a true home.

The largest courtyard in the compound had been set aside for their marital residence.

Before the New Year, Qi Beinan had commissioned a craftsman to carve a plaque for it, which had just been delivered and hung. He had also bought a flowering tree from the market and planted it in the courtyard.

Xiao Yuanbao hadn’t visited for several days. Seeing the new house so transformed, he couldn’t help his surprise.

“‘Xinyi Pavilion’?” he read aloud, standing before the main courtyard and looking at the newly hung plaque.

In the middle of the courtyard stood a young tree, about the thickness of an arm. It was winter; all its leaves and blossoms had fallen, leaving only the dark, bare branches.

Even so, he recognized it at a glance.

Qi Beinan turned his head toward him. “Do you like it?”

Seeing the faint smile tugging at his lips, Xiao Yuanbao immediately understood. He pressed his lips together, holding back his own smile.

The meaning was one only the two of them shared.

He nodded. “The name suits it—and the tree fits the season.”

Master Jiang, who couldn’t read many characters, didn’t understand the reference. But catching the quiet look between them, he chuckled and shook his head slightly. “Young people.”

Inside the courtyard, the main reception hall was furnished with a long altar table and a square central table. Four grand armchairs faced each other on either side, with a smaller side table between them.

To the left was a smaller parlor, less formal in arrangement. Along the wall sat a luohan couch, with a flower stand to the left and a folding screen to the right, shielding the view into the bedchamber.

In the bedroom stood a canopy bed, wardrobe, dressing table, flower stand, and stools.

To the right was a spacious study, furnished with a bookcase that covered half the wall and a scholar’s desk beneath it.

The Ming family’s furniture was of fine quality. The main courtyard’s rooms were fitted with huanghuali, chicken-wing wood, rosewood, and ironwood—luxurious materials. The craftsmanship was meticulous, the carvings delicate enough to draw the eye.

Just the furnishings in this courtyard alone must have cost several hundred strings of cash.

There were other full sets in the surrounding courtyards as well.

Even though the guest quarters and minor rooms didn’t need showy displays and were furnished with beech, pine, or apricot wood instead, the sheer quantity added up.

They had originally agreed on a budget of four hundred strings with the Ming family, yet what had been delivered far exceeded that value.

The Ming family’s steward had said that the set of rosewood furniture for the main hall was a wedding gift, and that the elegant five-panel floral screen came as a present from Ming Guanxin himself. But even so, the rest was worth far more than the agreed price.

Qi Beinan silently took note of this kindness.

“Your courtyard’s so large, I nearly went soft in the legs walking it,” Master Jiang said with a laugh as they strolled through. “Feels even bigger than the one in your county.”

He followed Xiao Yuanbao from one courtyard to the next, admiring the elegance of the capital’s residences—every corner refined, every view different.

If not for his student, he would never have had the chance to visit the capital, much less tour such a fine house.

“I thought it looked bigger too,” Xiao Yuanbao said, “but it only feels that way because there are more walls dividing the courtyards. In truth, it’s not as wide as the one back home.”

Still holding Master Jiang’s arm, he said with a grin, “Even if this house isn’t as big as the county one, with just me, my brother, and a handful of attendants, it’ll feel empty. You should stay with us in the capital—it’d be lovely to have you in the new house.”

“Nonsense,” Master Jiang said with a chuckle. “You two are newlyweds. My being here would only be awkward.”

“What awkwardness? Even under one roof, the courtyards are separate—we don’t even enter through the same door.”

Master Jiang only smiled, and Xiao Yuanbao let the matter drop.

The house was nearly complete now, and all the wedding furnishings could soon be delivered and arranged.

With Master Jiang’s arrival, he helped Xiao Yuanbao manage daily errands and even lent a hand making pickles. Xiao Yuanbao could finally relax a little.

After the first month, Qi Beinan returned to official duty.

The night market supervision had been successfully completed, and the imperial household had expressed satisfaction with the Ministry of Works’ results. Qi Beinan, in turn, received commendation.

He resumed his position at the Hanlin Academy.

At the beginning of the second month, a letter arrived from Tienan.

“Has the house sold?” Xiao Yuanbao asked quickly when he saw the Linzhou seal.

Spring was nearly upon them, and everything seemed to require money at once. If that property still didn’t sell, their funds would soon run dry.

Qi Beinan read the letter, his brow faintly lifting.

Tienan wrote that a merchant had come to view their house. The man hadn’t seemed particularly enthusiastic, but he hadn’t tried to bargain either.

They had listed the property at five hundred strings—a deliberately inflated price. As long as a buyer offered no less than four hundred and twenty, they would sell.

Yet this merchant, curiously enough, agreed to the full five hundred without a word of negotiation.

Tienan met him in person and realized soon after that the man wasn’t some fool with too much money—he clearly had his own reasons.

No one knew quite how the merchant had found out that Tienan held property in Yunping Ward.

That autumn, when the imperial decree lifted the nationwide curfew, another order followed in the twelfth month requiring all prefectures to establish and regulate their night markets, ensuring they wouldn’t disturb local residents’ rest.

The Linzhou prefecture chose Yunping Ward for the new night market.

Yunping Ward sat along the river, with a fine view and a good distance from the crowded downtown streets—a perfect location for a bustling night bazaar.

As soon as word spread, merchants rushed to buy the once-neglected shops there. Within two months, every stall had been snatched up.

By year’s end, the night market was in full swing. With official support, merchants in Yunping Ward enjoyed reduced taxes, and during the Lantern Festival, the grand celebration was held right there. The public flocked to it, and the area thrived with noise and color.

Now, even more shops had opened, and the streets were lively day and night.

Rent prices for small storefronts had soared—from the original three strings of cash per month to five. Shops along the riverside, in especially desirable locations, went for six to eight strings, sometimes even higher.

And that was just for rent. Buying one outright was nearly impossible.

The merchant had set his eyes on a three-story building overlooking the river and was willing to pay a high price for it.

After asking around about the property’s ownership, he finally traced it to Tienan.

When he learned that the owner was unlikely to sell, he sent word through intermediaries but was firmly refused.

Unwilling to give up, he used a clever excuse—pretending to inquire about a house for sale—to get a meeting with Tienan.

Tienan, not yet having received Qi Beinan’s instruction on selling the property, didn’t dare decide on his own. He wrote to Qi Beinan for guidance.

“The merchant is offering eight hundred strings for the building,” Qi Beinan read aloud to Xiao Yuanbao, “and another five hundred for our residence, if we’ll sell both together.”

“So—should we sell or not?” Xiao Yuanbao asked.

He knew that Yunping Ward’s property prices had gone up but wasn’t sure by how much.

“At that price, we wouldn’t be losing money,” Qi Beinan said.

They had bought all fifteen shop units there for only a thousand strings total. Even though the three-story building alone was worth several smaller shops, this sale would still bring a considerable profit.

Still, the building’s location was excellent and bound to appreciate further.

But Qi Beinan’s funds were tight, and selling the house and shop together would be convenient—it would free up a large sum quickly and keep their finances flowing.

Since there was an offer on the table, he began to lean toward selling—but not at that price.

He took up his brush and dictated a reply to Tienan:

“For both the house and the building, one thousand five hundred strings. If the buyer won’t agree, we can instead lease him two riverside shops at the current rate—eight strings per month each, fifteen for both, guaranteed stable for this year. If he still refuses, our lowest price for sale is one thousand four hundred.”

He sealed the letter, enclosed a small payment for postage, and sent it by express courier.

Xiao Yuanbao waited anxiously, hoping the deal would go through.

If it did, everything—wedding, expenses, and investments—would finally fall into place.

He didn’t have to wait long. By late February, as the capital began to thaw, news came.

That day, Xiao Yuanbao was making pickles with Master Jiang. Qin Jiang had just dropped Qi Beinan off at the palace gates and was on his way back after grabbing a bowl of noodles from a street stall.

At the mouth of the lane, he spotted a figure looking around uncertainly. The man seemed familiar—and as he came closer, Qin Jiang realized it was Tienan.

It was his first time in the capital. Though he had the address, navigating the city’s maze of streets had left him wandering for quite a while before he finally found the house.

“You must be exhausted after such a long journey from Linzhou,” Xiao Yuanbao said warmly, having him shown in. He called for Wenge’er to serve tea and for Hongtang to bring out some pastries.

“The weather along the road was good, and the trip smooth,” Tienan said with a smile. “I’m not tired at all.”

He was now a tall, broad-shouldered young man, steady in manner after managing affairs in Linzhou.

“It’s just that I kept worrying about you and Lord Qi—couldn’t stand how slow the carriage seemed to go.”

Xiao Yuanbao laughed. “Your tongue’s gotten honeyed.”

Tienan knew that in this household, the young master managed affairs as ably as the lord, so he produced his travel bundle and handed over the documents.

The moment Xiao Yuanbao saw that Tienan had come in person, he knew the deal must have gone through.

The boy had surely brought the money himself—such a sum couldn’t be trusted to couriers alone.

Of course, they could have transferred it through a money house, but that would have been troublesome and cost a hefty fee.

“The merchant accepted the second offer,” Tienan reported. “He’ll pay fifteen hundred strings for both the house and the building. In addition, he’ll lease two riverside shops at full price. He didn’t haggle—agreed right away. Altogether, we’ve gained an extra hundred strings from it. The leases on the two shops are for one full year.”

Xiao Yuanbao opened the parcel to find one thousand six hundred and eighty strings’ worth of payment, along with two rental contracts.

He examined the banknotes—three worth five hundred each, three worth fifty each—and a pouch of loose silver totaling thirty taels. Satisfaction warmed his chest.

“Do you know what kind of business this merchant runs, to have such wealth?” he asked.

“I heard he deals in antiques,” Tienan replied. “He needed a large, elegant storefront in a prime spot. The small shops felt too cramped for his taste, but he took a liking to our riverside building.”

“As for the two leased shops, they were taken by his relatives in trade—one for selling food, the other for jewelry.”

Xiao Yuanbao said, “So it really is a family of merchants.”

Tienan nodded. “Indeed. Without a solid fortune, no ordinary trader could afford property in Yunping Ward now.”

He had personally helped Qi Beinan handle the Linzhou property purchases back then, worrying at the time that they might not even rent the shops out and end up losing money. Seeing how much everything had changed, he felt nothing but admiration for Qi Beinan’s foresight.

That afternoon, after resting for a while, Tienan met with Qi Beinan when he returned from his post.

Qi Beinan looked him over. “You’ve grown taller and sturdier—truly looking like someone in charge.”

Tienan scratched his head, embarrassed. “My lord is teasing me. If not for your detailed instructions in your letters, how could I have managed anything properly?”

Qi Beinan smiled faintly. “I know exactly what you’re capable of.”

Hearing that, Tienan felt a swell of pride and gratitude.

He reported on the recent affairs in Linzhou, then added, “Speaking of your foresight, that broker who helped us find the shops back then—he’s still endlessly grateful to you. He followed your advice, bought two shops of his own afterward, sold one for a profit of several dozen strings, and rents the other now. Says life’s been quite comfortable since. I ran into him recently—he kept insisting I join him for a drink.”

Qi Beinan chuckled. “Well, it’s his good fortune that he listened. If he hadn’t, he’d be regretting it now, just watching the prices soar. Still, he did help us negotiate those good deals back then, so it’s only right he gained something in return.”

Tienan nodded. “That’s true.”

Qi Beinan said, “There are still twelve shops left under our name. With the residence sold, you’ll need a place to live. Take one of the shops, renovate it for yourself. As for the others, rent them out slowly, at fair market prices, whenever you meet a good offer.”

Tienan agreed.

Qi Beinan continued, “Stay steady in your work there. Once things settle in the capital, I’ll speak with Yuanbao and have them look for a proper match for you back home—someone your parents will like. Then, when you return to Linzhou, you can start a good life together.”

He added, “Your parents have served diligently at the estate; the master is pleased. The household will not treat such loyal people poorly.”

Tienan, hearing the kindness and thought behind this plan, was deeply moved. He immediately knelt and said, “If not for you, my lord, rescuing me and my parents from hardship, how could we ever have the lives we do now? You’ve already done so much for us—how could I not be grateful? I’ll serve this household faithfully for as long as I live.”

Qi Beinan gave a quiet nod.

Tienan stayed two days in the capital before returning to Linzhou.

When he left, Xiao Yuanbao gave him travel money, an additional ten strings of cash, two bolts of silk, and a fine tea set as a gift.

With the proceeds from selling the house and the riverside building, their finances suddenly loosened.

They immediately paid back the four hundred strings owed to the Ming family for the furniture.

Next, they spent another three hundred strings purchasing farmland on the outskirts of the capital.

Spring was approaching; if the land wasn’t tilled soon, the season would be lost.

In just those two expenses, seven hundred strings were gone—half of the fifteen hundred Tienan had brought.

Eight hundred and eighty strings remained, plus about a hundred more they already had on hand—enough to round up roughly a thousand in total.

Qi Beinan reviewed the accounts and, satisfied, consulted the almanac. He chose April ninth, an auspicious day for marriage.

He sent word home and filed for official leave with the Ministry of Personnel. Weddings required advance notice—only then would a three-day leave be approved. Once entered in the records, the date became fixed; canceling it without cause could bring punishment.

With the date set, they began drafting invitations.

Qi Beinan hadn’t been long in the capital and knew only a few colleagues; most of his relatives were back home, so there wouldn’t be many guests.

After tallying everything, they decided eight banquet tables would suffice, though they prepared for ten to be safe.

“If this were held in the county,” Qi Beinan said, watching Xiao Yuanbao brush the ink across the red paper, “it would be lively—we could have forty or fifty tables easily.”

“How would we ever fit that many in the capital?” Xiao Yuanbao smiled, glancing up. “We’d have to rent another house just for the banquet. Too much trouble. Ten tables here in our own home will do nicely.”

From where he was packing chests, Master Jiang chimed in, “Exactly. Fewer guests mean less fuss. The important thing isn’t the crowd—it’s your union. A few close tables of family and friends make for the best kind of celebration.”

Qi Beinan nodded and said no more.

Looking over the preparations, he saw that Master Jiang and Xiao Yuanbao had already packed twenty chests’ worth of goods.

Two were filled with grooming items—wooden combs, bamboo combs, makeup boxes, wash basins, toothbrushes, tooth powder, hair oil, and such.

Six more contained bedding—embroidered mandarin-duck quilts for spring and summer, matching pillows, bed curtains and gauze canopies, thick cotton quilts for autumn and winter, rabbit-fur mats—eight full sets in all.

There were also seasonal garments, fabrics, medicinal herbs, and fragrant sachets—too many small things to list, costing modestly but requiring great care and patience.

By tradition, it should have been the Xiao family who prepared Xiao Yuanbao’s dowry, but given the circumstances back home, there was no way they could have arranged such things in advance.

Now that they were putting everything together, it was partly for appearance’s sake, but mostly because the items would truly be needed after the wedding.

“Have you not prepared any jewelry?” Qi Beinan asked, noticing that everything was daily necessities and not a single major ornament among them.

Xiao Yuanbao replied, “I didn’t think it was necessary. There’s already plenty here.”

He felt a little embarrassed that even his dowry had to be purchased under Qi Beinan’s supervision. With so many goods already, he found it more than enough.

Gold and silver jewelry could easily cost over a hundred strings of cash, and besides, he wasn’t much fond of wearing such things.

“For a young man, it’s not like with a maiden,” he added. “I already have a few jade hairpins and pendants from before—they’re quite enough.”

Qi Beinan understood his hesitation and said, “Even if a young man doesn’t wear as many adornments, he should still have some. We’re preparing both the betrothal and the dowry—it shouldn’t seem lacking.

“The other day, I saw a noble’s son wearing a filigree pendant collar—it was exquisite. You don’t have to like it, but buy a few to keep. It’s better to have them when you want them than to have none at all.”

Then he turned to Master Jiang. “You go with him to help choose. If I buy them myself, I doubt they’d suit his taste.”

Master Jiang smiled. “The lord is right. Jewelry doesn’t spoil—later, the children can even wear them.”

Persuaded by the two, Xiao Yuanbao reluctantly agreed.

They went out and bought a gold filigree necklace in the shape of a ruyi gourd, a silver one with auspicious cloud motifs, and pairs of jade and pearl sash ornaments—green jade, white jade, and pearl, two of each.

Altogether, eight jewelry boxes—three hundred strings of cash gone.

With that, nearly everything was ready. The only matter left was the banquet.

In the capital, arranging a banquet was easy enough. They simply went to one of the Four Divisions and Six Bureaus, entrusted the details, and everything would be handled perfectly.

There were endless options.

For tables and chairs: rosewood and huanghuali for grandeur, elm or walnut for simplicity.

For dishes and serving ware: official kilns, private kilns, even gold or silver sets if one desired.

For food and drink: countless choices of dishes, fruits, pastries, and wines.

The variety dazzled Xiao Yuanbao’s eyes. Even Master Jiang, who had spent half a lifetime catering banquets, had never seen such meticulous organization.

He couldn’t help but click his tongue—truly, the capital was no ordinary place.

After a long time of browsing, the two of them were still overwhelmed by the options. Fortunately, the officials at the bureau were experienced.

They asked what kind of banquet it would be—official, common, or merchant household.

Xiao Yuanbao explained everything clearly, and they quickly understood the tone.

Then they asked what rank the host held, and whether he wanted something grand or modest.

Xiao Yuanbao said only that the host was a newly appointed official—not seeking ostentation, but not wanting to seem too humble either. Something refined and respectable in between.

The staff recommended walnut tables and benches for a modest but decent appearance, and blue-and-white porcelain for the tableware—elegant, restrained, and befitting of an official household.

As for the dishes, with only ten tables, they proposed a refined and tasteful menu: five strings of cash per table, with lamb wine and cherry fruit wine as the drinks.

Fresh fruit would include pears and grapes, while pastries would feature seasonal flower cakes and wedding cakes.

Xiao Yuanbao saw that it was a mid-range selection—neither extravagant nor cheap. He and Master Jiang agreed it was fair and confirmed the order.

Back home, he told Qi Beinan everything. Hearing no objection, Qi Beinan sent word to finalize the deposit and fix the date.

Once the day arrived, the bureau would send their people to manage the event—veterans who had served both noble officials and wealthy commoners alike.

The total came to about eighty strings of cash—sixty for the ten banquet tables and another twenty for the hired staff.

It was a steep sum; ordinary families could hardly afford to have the Four Divisions and Six Bureaus run a banquet for them.

Master Jiang sighed in wonder at how convenient the capital was. “They even have people who handle the entire banquet for you. If you don’t want to cook, you can just sit at home and order whatever you like—they’ll deliver it right to your door. Amazing.”

“And ever since the night markets began,” he added, “the city never sleeps. It’s lively everywhere, with people coming and going. Folks here live freely, finding fun instead of gossip. Not like back in the countryside, where everyone’s eyes are always on someone else’s private matters.”

In early March, a letter arrived from their home county—Xiao Hu would be setting out for the capital this month.

Xiao Yuanbao was overjoyed.

He hadn’t seen Xiao Hu in quite some time and missed him dearly. Knowing he was already preparing to come, the days suddenly felt full of anticipation.

In his cheerful mood, he picked up a basket and decided to go to the market to buy a cut of lamb—to roast it for Master Jiang and Qi Beinan.

By March, the afternoons were warm, the market stalls lively, vendors’ cries rising and falling through the air.

The city was awakening, green spreading across the earth beyond the walls.

When joy fills the heart, everything seems beautiful—and to Xiao Yuanbao, that day, everything did.

“What’s that young fellow selling?”

Xiao Yuanbao hadn’t taken the carriage that day. He always found it strange to ride just to buy groceries, so he preferred walking.

As he strolled down the busy market street, he noticed a man ahead cloaked in black, standing with his arms drawn in like a giant bat folding its wings.

The man darted left and right, stopping to whisper to passersby—each waved him off impatiently.

Before Wen Ge’er beside him could speak, the young man spotted Xiao Yuanbao watching him and swooped over like a hawk that had locked onto a chick.

“Brother, care to read a new storybook? I’ve got every new title from Master Liu Xin of the Spring Sun Pavilion! His latest one’s a marvel—the noble lady and the poor scholar eloping in secret!”

Xiao Yuanbao blinked, realizing the man was selling popular storybooks.

Seeing that he didn’t immediately refuse, the bookseller threw open his cloak—inside were over a dozen sewn pockets, each stuffed with booklets.

Xiao Yuanbao had been in the capital nearly half a year, yet this was his first time seeing anyone sell books this way.

“Selling storybooks is an honest trade,” he said. “Why dress it up like this?”

The young man paused, then quickly answered, “Well, shouting in the street brings better business! Leave them in a bookstore, and who’ll bother to go inside? Out here, more eyes, more buyers!”

“Brother, take a few home. A way to pass the time—and you’d be helping me out, too. My poor father’s sick in bed, waiting for me to earn enough to buy him medicine.”

Xiao Yuanbao doubted the tale, likely a performance to draw pity. But buying a couple of stories cost next to nothing, so he picked two from the cloak.

The man beamed, thanking him profusely. “You’ll see, brother—once you read these, you’ll come find me again. I’m always under the Yang Bridge, same place every day!”

With that, he vanished into the crowd.

Wen Ge’er said, “That Liu Xin’s quite famous. I’ve heard his stories are touching and tangled—people can’t stop reading. I can’t read much myself, but I’ve heard the storytellers tell his tales twice now—captivating, truly.”

Xiao Yuanbao didn’t open the book right away, just tossed it into his basket. “So it’s that good? I’ll have a look at home when there’s time.”

That evening, Qi Beinan returned later than usual from the Hanlin Academy.

The court had begun assigning duties for the new year. Across the provinces, spring examinations were approaching, and the Hanlin scholars were to be sent out with the Ministry of Rites as regional examiners.

There were also many vacant official posts in the provinces, so the Ministry of Personnel wanted to hold a special examination to select capable scholars for appointments—another task requiring coordination between the Rites Ministry and the Hanlin.

Because of these discussions, everyone left late that day.

Qi Beinan didn’t mind; the position of provincial examiner was a lucrative one. The travel stipends from the Ministry of Revenue were generous—more than enough to cover expenses, with plenty left over. Such assignments were highly coveted.

But with his wedding scheduled for April, even though Senior Scholar Li had wanted to recommend him, Qi Beinan could only decline.

Since he couldn’t be sent out to the provinces, he’d instead help organize the selection exams in the capital.

The mention of examiners reminded him of Zhao Guangzong back in the county.

After supper, Qi Beinan went to his study and wrote him a letter.

He knew Zhao Guangzong had spoken of taking the metropolitan examination again, but now that examiner positions were opening, he wanted to inform him of the opportunity.

The metropolitan exam came only once every three years. Failing once or twice was normal—but each “normal” failure cost six years of life. How many sets of six years could a man afford to lose?

Qi Beinan didn’t urge him to quit, nor did he push him to persist blindly. He simply laid out both paths—the pros and cons clearly—and left the choice to him.

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