Ch 95: The Regent’s Farmer Husband

“The Regent?!”

Lu Jiu and the others were stunned when they saw Lu Huaizhou. They happily bowed, and seeing the two of them embracing, did not disturb them. Instead, they went to catch up with Chen Feng and the others.

At Jiang Ji’s nose was that familiar cold, crisp scent. Beside his ear echoed that low voice. Against his skin was warmth.

It was real.

Jiang Ji blinked. The corners of his mouth lifted higher and higher. He raised his arms and held tightly around Lu Huaizhou’s waist, while Lu Huaizhou’s black cloak wrapped around both of them.

The two held each other tightly for a while, breathing in the familiar scent of their beloved, feeling the other’s embrace. For a moment, all other sounds faded from their ears.

As if in a dream, Jiang Ji asked happily, “Why did you come back? I only sent you a letter yesterday.”

Lu Huaizhou tilted his head and gently kissed the spot behind Jiang Ji’s ear. “I came back to spend the New Year with you.”

Jiang Ji’s eyes curved with his smile. He let go of Lu Huaizhou and was about to take his hand, but then saw that his own fingers were covered in red from pasting couplets earlier.

Seeing the brown bracelet on Jiang Ji’s wrist, Lu Huaizhou took his hand at once. On his own wrist was a black bracelet of the same style.

Jiang Ji looked at it and smiled, then pulled Lu Huaizhou toward the house. “Come inside quickly.”

He glanced at the others who had returned with Lu Huaizhou. “Chen Feng, Lu Wu, bring the brothers in too!”

“Alright!” Chen Feng took the luggage down from the horse and followed them into the courtyard.

Lu Huaizhou undid his cloak with one hand, and Lu Wen hurriedly took it from him, also carrying Lu Huaizhou’s luggage on his back.

When Jiang Ji returned to the main courtyard, he shouted, “Mother, come see who’s back!”

Jiang Nan and Jiang Bei ran out of the main room. Their eyes lit up, and they immediately rushed over.

“Huaizhou-ge!” Jiang Bei cried in surprise.

“Mother, Second Sister, Huaizhou-ge is back!” Jiang Nan did not forget to turn and tell his mother and second sister.

Jiang Nan and Jiang Bei both ran to Lu Huaizhou’s side. Lu Huaizhou touched the two little fellows’ heads. “Have you been well? Have you been obedient?”

“Yes, I’ve been very obedient,” Jiang Bei declared first.

Not to be outdone, Jiang Nan said, “I’ve been very obedient too.”

Lu Huaizhou nodded in satisfaction. “That’s good.”

When Zhao Ru and Jiang Xia heard this, they immediately put down their scissors and ran out too. The others inside and in the courtyard also gathered over.

“Ah, it really is Huaizhou!” Zhao Ru looked at Lu Huaizhou in surprise and joy, hurrying over to welcome him.

Lu Huaizhou bowed and smiled. “Auntie, happy New Year.”

“Good, good, good.” Zhao Ru’s face was full of smiles. “Did you ride back or take a carriage? You must be exhausted.”

“I rode back. It’s alright.”

Jiang Xia smiled and called, “Huaizhou-ge, happy New Year.”

“Happy New Year, Xia’er.”

The household servants all respectfully called, “Your Highness!”

Lu Huaizhou looked around and nodded lightly. “Happy New Year, everyone.”

“Happy New Year, Your Highness.”

Zhao Ru smiled. “Are you tired? It must have been cold riding on horseback. Come in quickly and sit by the fire.”

The group returned to the main room. Jiang Ji patted Lu Huaizhou. “I’ll go wash my hands first. Do you want to bathe? I’ll have someone heat water?”

They had ridden all the way back on horseback in the cold wind. Though they practiced martial arts, being blown by cold wind for several days still could not feel good.

“Alright.” Lu Huaizhou’s eyes stayed fixed on him. Seeing Jiang Ji about to go out, he could not bear to let go of the hand he was holding.

Jiang Ji squeezed his hand and laughed softly. “I’ll be back soon.”

Lu Huaizhou simply stood. “I’ll go wash my hands too.”

The two held hands and went to the kitchen in the back.

Zhao Ru watched their reluctance to part, a smile lingering on her lips. She did not forget to call after them, “Have the kitchen boil a pot of ginger sugar water for them to drink.”

“I know,” Jiang Ji called back from afar.

In the rear kitchen, Ding Xiaojun was leading people along with Sister Guihua and the others to prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner. Hearing that the Regent had returned with his people, they were all very happy.

It was the New Year, and no one had expected the Regent to come back. He was so busy and had only a few days of leave, yet he still returned. That was enough to show how much he valued this household.

Before long, Jiang Ji and the Regent came in. Everyone hurriedly greeted them.

There was a pot of hot water constantly heating on the stove. Jiang Ji poured out a basin himself, mixed in some cold water, and carried it outside. The two crouched down to wash their hands.

Sister Guihua was preparing steamed pork with rice flour, both hands covered in powder. She asked, “Young Master, should we prepare a few more dishes?”

“Yes! Nine more people, so prepare one more table,” Jiang Ji nodded and instructed. “First boil ginger sugar water for them to dispel the cold, then heat water for their baths.”

“Alright!” Sister Guihua turned and instructed the auntie tending the fire. “Aunt Niu, use the small pot to boil water for ginger sugar water first. Then empty the biggest pot and heat bath water.”

“Alright, I’ll start right away.”

Jiang Ji and Lu Huaizhou washed their hands by the well, then quickly returned to the main room and sat by the table.

After winter began, the weather had grown colder and colder. When charcoal braziers were lit, Jiang Ji saw Zhao Ru and the others doing needlework with bamboo trays resting on their laps, which could easily fall if they were not careful.

So Jiang Ji had several heated tables made for the household. They were square tables covered with a specially made quilt, with another tabletop placed over it. The family could place their legs under the table to warm themselves, covered by the cotton quilt. It was very warm, while the tabletop could still be used normally.

The whole family could sit around the table conveniently.

When many villagers saw this table, they exclaimed over how useful it was and began copying it one after another. Just like when they had built toilets before, within a few days, heated tables became popular in several nearby villages.

After a month, almost half the county knew about this convenient heated table.

Beside the table, Jiang Nan and Jiang Bei ate snacks while chattering and asking Lu Huaizhou questions.

Jiang Ji placed the warm quilt over his legs and slipped his hand under the table. Original translation at HololoNovels dot com. Lu Huaizhou immediately took his hand and held it.

Jiang Ji turned his head and met Lu Huaizhou’s deep gaze. He tightened his grip and smiled sweetly at him, then placed his other hand over Lu Huaizhou’s hand, covering the back of it and pulling his whole hand onto his own lap.

Feeling the warmth of Jiang Ji’s palm and the gentle strokes on the back of his hand, Lu Huaizhou curved his lips.

At this moment, the pretty red window cuttings that had filled the tabletop had already been set aside by Zhao Ru. The table now held snacks, melon seeds, dried fruits, and other treats.

“Huaizhou, eat some snacks,” Zhao Ru said, pushing the snacks toward him.

Lu Shun brought over hot tea. “Your Highness, drink some hot tea to warm yourself.”

“Mm.” Lu Huaizhou picked up the tea and sipped it slowly.

Jiang Ji instructed Lu Shun, “The kitchen is boiling ginger sugar water and heating bath water. Later, have Chen Feng and the others each drink a bowl and take a bath to dispel the cold.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

As they were speaking, Chen Feng and the others finished settling in and came to greet Zhao Ru and the rest.

Zhao Ru knew all of them and quickly stood. “Shun’er, come, light the charcoal brazier for this table too. Everyone sit down and warm yourselves.”

Chen Feng smiled. “Madam, no need. We’ll go help everyone.”

Zhao Ru stood and stopped him. “No need for you. All the other work at home is done. We’re just preparing New Year’s Eve dinner now. You’ve only just arrived, so sit down and rest properly. Warm yourselves and eat something first. Dinner will still take a while.”

Chen Feng and the others knew Zhao Ru’s way of doing things, so they no longer refused and sat at the table nearby.

Seeing Zhao Ru going to move the brazier, Chen Feng hurriedly stopped her. “Madam, we’ll do it. Please sit.”

“Alright then, you do it yourselves.”

Chen Feng and the others took two pieces of charcoal from the brazier on this side, added two more pieces, and soon got the second brazier burning.

Seeing so many familiar faces, Lu Shun was very happy. He set out tea and snacks for Chen Feng and the others, then brought in a teapot to brew tea. When Chen Feng tried to help, Lu Shun avoided him.

“You all sit properly and warm yourselves first. Don’t fall sick during the New Year.”

One of the men looked at Lu Shun and laughed. “Shun’er looks more and more like a proper steward now.”

Lu Shun smiled. “I already am the steward of the Duke’s residence.”

“Look at you, so impressive now.”

“Of course.” Lu Shun lifted his chin. “Everyone, eat slowly. I’ll go see if the ginger sugar water is ready.”

Everyone laughed and joked, and the main hall was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

Jiang Ji smiled and asked Lu Huaizhou, “How many days did you travel?”

Lu Huaizhou said, “Four days.”

“That fast?!” Jiang Ji frowned. “It must have snowed in the capital, right?”

“Mm. It started snowing at the beginning of the twelfth lunar month. A few days ago, it snowed quite heavily.”

Hearing this, Zhao Ru said worriedly, “Aiya, with such heavy snow, you still rode so fast. You mustn’t do that next time. It’s easy to catch a chill. Better to arrive a couple days late than neglect your health.”

“Alright.” Lu Huaizhou felt warmth in his heart and answered gently.

Jiang Ji smiled and reminded her, “Mother, in the future, we’ll all be in the capital. We won’t have to travel back and forth like this.”

Jiang Nan nodded solemnly. “That’s right. We’ll all be in the capital from now on!”

“Yes, yes, we’ll all be in the capital.” Zhao Ru also laughed. “I didn’t think of that for a moment.”

After a while, the village chief and clan elders heard that Lu Huaizhou had returned and came specially to pay a visit. Since it was New Year’s, they did not stay long. They simply greeted the Regent, then went back.

Once Lu Huaizhou returned to the village, the heavy burden of court matters was temporarily set aside, and he felt very relaxed. Here, he preferred using his identity as Jiang Yan.

After a while, Lu Shun and Sister Guihua brought over the ginger sugar water and had each of them drink a large bowl.

When the hot water was ready, Lu Huaizhou returned to the east wing to bathe. Jiang Ji went with him to find a change of clothes.

Once the door closed, no words were needed. The two embraced each other with perfect understanding and kissed at once, urgent and heated, impatient, like two hungry male beasts gnawing and sucking with the force and momentum of wanting to swallow each other whole.

Jiang Ji could not control his hands and kept wanting to slip them toward Lu Huaizhou’s waist. But Lu Huaizhou was wearing a long robe, so he could only grab at him through the fabric.

Lu Huaizhou laughed softly. Jiang Ji bit him and asked against his lips, “What are you laughing at?”

“Nothing.” Lu Huaizhou turned him around and pressed him against the wall to kiss him. “I just missed you too much.”

Jiang Ji: “!”

It was not easy to make Lu Huaizhou say something so direct. Original translation at HololoNovels dot com. Jiang Ji was so excited that he wrapped his arms around Lu Huaizhou’s head and responded even more passionately.

“I missed you too.”

After quite a while, Jiang Ji accidentally kicked the bathtub and nearly fell in. Only then did the two stop.

Water cooled quickly in winter. Jiang Ji reluctantly let him go. “You should wash first. The water will get cold.”

Lu Huaizhou kissed him hard on the lips. “Mm.”

Jiang Ji found clothes for him and placed them on the folding screen, then went out and sat in the hall, slowly calming himself.

After a little over a quarter hour, the door opened, and Lu Huaizhou came out dressed.

“Why so fast? Why didn’t you soak a little longer?” Jiang Ji turned back and asked in surprise.

Lu Huaizhou came over and hugged him. “I’m warm now.”

His hair was still dripping. Jiang Ji took the towel from his shoulder. “Sit down quickly. I’ll dry your hair.”

Lu Huaizhou obediently sat in the chair. Jiang Ji stood behind him and slowly dried his hair little by little.

After drying it, Jiang Ji combed his hair straight, opened the east wing door, and called someone to carry out the bathwater. Then he pulled Lu Huaizhou toward the main room.

“Come warm yourself by the fire.”

Chen Feng and the others had also taken turns washing up. Once they were finished, the kitchen announced that dinner was ready.

The main hall of Jiang Ji’s home was very large. Five big round tables were set there, each with a charcoal brazier underneath. The charcoal burned brightly, making everything very warm.

After the dishes were served, Lu Jiu and the others went to the courtyard gate to set off firecrackers.

Jiang Ji and Zhao Ru brought Jiang Nan, Jiang Bei, and Jiang Xia to honor the ancestors. On the offering table were dishes, wine, pastries, and fruit. Jiang Ji and the others paid respects one by one.

Jiang Ji also specially introduced Lu Huaizhou to the ancestors and had Lu Huaizhou offer incense as Jiang Ji’s fiancé.

After the incense was offered, everyone took their seats. Lu Shun and the others all made a fuss, asking Jiang Ji to say a few words.

As the head of the household, Jiang Ji took a cup of wine and walked to the front.

“Everyone, today is New Year’s Eve, and the Regent has also returned to celebrate with us. I’m very happy. This year, our family has gone through great changes. Thanks to everyone’s help and care, our days have grown better and better. Here, I thank you all!”

Jiang Ji continued, “This may be our last New Year’s Eve in the village. For a long time after this, we probably won’t celebrate the New Year here. It is rare fate that brought us all together to spend this New Year. With this cup, I toast all of you, and thank all of you. I wish everyone a happy New Year, great fortune in the coming year, and may all your wishes come true! Drink!”

“Good, good, good! Drink!”

“Drink!”

Everyone rose one after another. The adults held cups of wine, while the children held fruit juice, excitedly shouting “Drink!” as they clinked cups with everyone and downed them in one go.

The New Year’s Eve dinner officially began. Twelve major dishes filled the tables, an abundant feast.

Everyone ate, drank, chatted, and laughed, their faces full of New Year joy.

Outside, firecrackers sounded from time to time. Many households had begun eating their New Year’s Eve dinners.

“Ah, it seems to be snowing.” Sister Guihua, seated at the table near the door, cried out in surprise.

Everyone immediately looked outside. Snowflakes were drifting through the air.

“Wow, it really is snowing!”

Jiang Nan exclaimed, slipped down from his chair, still chewing meat with chopsticks in one hand, and ran outside. He reached out with his other hand to catch the snowflakes.

“It’s cotton snow!”

“A timely snow promises a good harvest. A good omen!” Jiang Ji held Lu Huaizhou’s hand and laughed.

“Yes, yes, Young Master is right. This snow came at just the right time!”

“Hahaha, everyone will have good luck next year!”

“Come, come, come, Chen Feng, drink!”

“Drink!”

The meal continued on and off, taking an entire hour.

The snow grew heavier. A thin layer had already settled over the rooftops, trees, and ground, wrapping the whole village in silver.

Jiang Nan, Jiang Bei, Xiao Yi, and the others had long since eaten their fill and were playing in the courtyard.

Jiang Ji and Lu Huaizhou had also finished eating. Holding hands, they stood beneath the corridor watching the snow.

Jiang Ji looked at Lu Huaizhou and said, “This is the first New Year’s Eve we’ve spent together.”

Lu Huaizhou tightened his hold on his hand. “From now on, we’ll spend them all together.”

“Good.” Jiang Ji pulled Lu Huaizhou down the steps and into the snow. “Come on, I’ll show you something romantic.”

Lu Huaizhou raised a brow. “Romantic?”

The two walked to the center of the courtyard, surrounded by whiteness.

Jiang Ji looked at the snowflakes caught in Lu Huaizhou’s hair and smiled. “Growing white-haired together. Isn’t that romantic?”

Lu Huaizhou’s heart trembled. He looked at the bright white snow on Jiang Ji’s hair, and his gaze instantly deepened.

He pulled Jiang Ji close, pressing his forehead to Jiang Ji’s, and said hoarsely,

“Mm. Together, we’ll grow white-haired.”

🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾