What on earth did they just hear?
Xu Huaqian is going to take the imperial exams?
And the method for making charcoal was also thought up by Xu Huaqian?
The villagers, still stunned by how much Xu Huaqian had grown into his looks—now so handsome he didn't look like someone from the countryside at all—were suddenly hit by these two bombshells dropped by Chen Liejiu. Their heads buzzed in disbelief.
How was this possible?
How long had Xu Huaqian been studying at the academy, and now he was already going to take the imperial exams? Could he even pass?
And that method for making charcoal—how could a sickly person like him, who had probably never even stepped into a kitchen, know what charcoal looked like, let alone come up with a way to make it?
They rubbed their ears, wondering if they had misheard, and turned to Chen Liejiu for confirmation: "Brother Liejiu, did you just say that Scholar Xu is going to take the imperial exams? And that the method for making charcoal was also thought up by Scholar Xu, right?"
"We'll be setting off for the prefectural city in a couple of days—why would I lie to everyone?" Seeing their shocked, incredulous, and utterly bewildered expressions, Chen Liejiu couldn't help but smirk proudly. "As for the method for making charcoal, how could a country boy like me have such skills?"
"It had to be my husband's clever, well-read mind to come up with such money-making ideas."
Did they think just because he wasn't often seen around the village, he didn't know what kind of gossip was spreading?
People said his husband was slow-witted and no good at studying; that he had no backbone for marrying into another family and living off his wife; that he was sickly and ugly and would eventually be cast aside…
It was laughable. Xu Huaqian's virtues and intelligence were beyond what Chen Liejiu could ever fully describe. How could he ever disdain him?
If anyone should be disdained, it should be him disdaining others.
But his judgment was simply too excellent—not only had he chosen a man one in ten thousand, but this man also doted on him, a notorious ruffian, wholeheartedly.
If Xu Huaqian hadn't been studying at the academy all this time, Chen Liejiu would have long dragged him out to show off to the villagers.
His man was nothing like what they gossiped about.
Heavens!
The method for making charcoal really was thought up by Xu Huaqian!
The villagers weren't particularly interested in Xu Huaqian taking the imperial exams—matters of studying were too far removed from their lives. What they cared more about was who had come up with the method for making charcoal. Hearing Chen Liejiu personally confirm it was Xu Huaqian left them utterly stunned by the news.
Chen Liejiu had always been away on escort missions, and his experience and courage were unlike anyone else in the village. People might criticize him, but no one ever doubted his capabilities.
But what did Xu Huaqian have?
Aside from having studied at the academy for a few years, he was usually too sick to even leave the house. The only time he had surprised them was when he passed the county-level exams and became a tongsheng. Other than that, he didn't seem to have any other talents.
Now, suddenly, he knew how to hatch chicks and make charcoal? Money-making ideas kept popping up one after another. How could this feel real?
Especially for Ma Cuifen, who had often interacted with Xu Huaqian in the past. She found this utterly unbelievable and couldn't accept that a sickly person like him had such abilities.
Staring at Xu Huaqian's face, which looked completely different from the one in her memory, she said with a complicated expression, "If you had these skills, why didn't you use them when your parents were still alive?"
As the old saying goes, "You can see a person's future from the age of three." Xu Huaqian had been a delicate, sickly child since he was young. Aside from being ill, he was just ill. His family spent money on medicine for him like flowing water, yet he never contributed anything to the household.
How was it that after his parents passed away, he suddenly knew how to do this and that? Wouldn't his parents have died with everlasting regret?
They had seen people get humiliated before, but never someone so eager to ask for it!
As soon as Ma Cuifen spoke, she drew Xu Huaqian's attention. With the last remnants of the original host's memories, he recognized her at once—this was the original host's aunt.
The same sharp-tongued woman who, after the original host was taken by Chen Liejiu, personally went to him and said, "Anyway, your parents are dead, and you're just a burden to us. Since Chen Liejiu has taken a liking to you, why not just go with him? Consider it repaying the ten taels we spent on your parents' funeral—it's a debt paid."
After hearing this, the original host lost all will to live. When the two men guarding him weren't paying attention, he walked to the river and plunged in headfirst.
It was April. Though the weather wasn't cold, the river water was still icy. With his weak constitution, he died almost immediately. Then, Xu Huaqian transmigrated into his body. Chen Liejiu, hearing the news, rushed over, fished him out of the water, performed CPR to resuscitate him, called a doctor to treat him, and, afraid he might still try to kill himself upon waking, invited Matchmaker Hong to persuade him.
Chen Liejiu's original words were for Matchmaker Hong to convince him not to seek death—that a bad life was better than a good death. But Matchmaker Hong focused on the wrong part and instead persuaded him that marrying into Chen Liejiu's family was better than dying.
Neither Xu Huaqian nor Chen Liejiu knew about these later details. In any case, the moment Xu Huaqian saw Ma Cuifen, he remembered the original host's desperate decision to jump into the river after hearing her words.
Just now, his wife had gone out of her way to defend his reputation, even calling herself stupid in the process. Now, Ma Cuifen was jumping out to doubt him again. If Xu Huaiqian didn't slap her with the truth now, it would be a disservice to the original host and to his wife.
He gave everyone a bitter smile. "To be honest, before my parents passed away, I truly never thought about finding ways to earn money for the family. My heart was entirely focused on my studies, believing that achieving scholarly honors would bring glory to our ancestors and lighten my parents' burdens."
He paused here, his eyes reddening as if he were about to cry. "But fate plays cruel tricks. I never imagined my parents would leave so suddenly. If I had known earlier, I would rather not have studied or pursued honors at all."
"Yet what could I do after it happened? I could only think day and night: if only our family had money, if we had money, my parents wouldn't have gone up the mountain to gather firewood and encountered that starving wolf…"
As Xu Huaqian spoke, a glistening tear rolled down from his right eye.
They say a man seldom cries unless truly heartbroken. Those easily moved to tears were instantly touched by his words—what a sensible and good child he was! After his parents' death, despite his poor health, he lived in self-blame, coughing up blood while desperately thinking of ways to earn money.
…Just thinking about it made him seem so pitiful.
"Finally, one day, I managed to figure out methods for hatching chicks and making charcoal from books. I brought eggs and charcoal to my uncle's house to discuss, thinking he was my only relative left—who else could I rely on? But unexpectedly…"
Xu Huaqian couldn't continue any further and stopped speaking.
Hearing this, everyone understood completely: these methods were indeed the result of Xu Huaqian's own painstaking efforts. This Ma Cuifen, having done too many evil deeds, always assumed the worst in others.
Now, she had reaped what she sowed.
If she hadn't used her nephew to pay off a debt, wouldn't the methods for hatching chicks and making charcoal have belonged to her family…?
Thinking this, everyone didn't know whether to pity or despise Ma Cuifen.
What others thought, Ma Cuifen didn't know. She repeatedly recalled that day when Xu Huaqian was taken by Chen Liejiu—he did seem to be carrying something when he came to her door. As for what it was, she couldn't remember clearly. At the time, the whole family was busy arguing with Chen Liejiu; who could recall anything else?
If Xu Huaqian really had come to discuss the methods for making charcoal and hatching chicks with his uncle, then her and her son's act of pushing him into becoming a live-in husband to pay off a debt would have been equivalent to shoving the God of Wealth out the door…
Ma Cuifen thought about how the method for hatching chicks alone could earn several taels a month, let alone the charcoal-making method that was like a silver mountain.
All of it had been handed over by her to others.
Instantly, a surge of bitter resentment choked her heart—it wouldn't go down, and she couldn't spit it out. She felt utterly stifled and miserable.
As the saying goes, to kill a man, destroy his heart.
Xu Huaqian was destroying the hearts of the Xu family's eldest branch. That day, the original host did bring some things to the eldest branch to thank his uncle's family for handling his parents' funeral affairs. He had also wanted to gently ask his uncle what he should do next.
He didn't necessarily expect his uncle to support him, but as a seventeen-year-old who had been frail since childhood and had no experience with the outside world, such a sudden great change left him utterly lost. He had hoped his uncle could point him in a direction.
He never expected that his uncle's family would instead use him to pay off a debt to Chen Liejiu…
In truth, what the original host brought wasn't eggs or charcoal, but people's hearts are always prone to suspicion and doubt—especially those with confused memories of that day. With Xu Huaqian reinforcing the memory like this, those who were already suspicious would constantly dwell on that day, becoming even more convinced.
Sure enough, after he finished speaking, Ma Cuifen's face turned a deep, purplish-red, growing darker and darker…
No one cared about her condition. Some, after hearing Xu Huaqian's words, noticed that he said the methods for hatching chicks and making charcoal came from books. Curiosity led them to ask, "Are books really that amazing? Do they really contain methods for making charcoal and hatching chicks?"
"They do!" Xu Huaqian hadn't expected his performance to attract several people curious about reading. He immediately nodded. "Books aren't just for teaching scholarship. There are books that teach cooking, healing, farming, and all sorts of money-making methods. As long as you've studied and can read, you can buy them and figure things out yourself."
This world isn't limited to books for imperial examinations—there are cookbooks, medical texts, and all kinds of others. If you take the time to browse in bookshops, you'll always find something.
But just look at Xinghua Village: he was the only one who went to study at the academy. This showed how low the level of knowledge was among the masses. It wasn't that they couldn't afford to send their children to study; they simply had no concept of doing so.
Now that he had broken that mindset, the villagers were dumbfounded. They had always known that studying was good, but they had no idea what exactly was good about it.
They talked about achieving honors, but how many in this world could actually achieve them? How could country-born kids like theirs have the cleverness for such things?
But now, hearing Xu Huaqian say this, they suddenly thought: if they sent their own children to school to learn to read, and just bought any of those cookbooks or medical texts Xu Huaqian mentioned to study, couldn't they also come up with some business like hatching chicks or making charcoal, benefiting their families?
No wonder the tuition for studying at the academy was much higher than for village school, yet Chen Liejiu hadn't even blinked before sending Xu Huaqian there.
Now they understood: if their family also had a scholar like Xu Huaqian who could find money-making methods in books, no matter how much silver it cost, they would support him to keep studying.
At this moment, the villagers' envy shifted from Xu Huaqian marrying into Chen Liejiu's family to Chen Liejiu finding a husband like Xu Huaqian.
But fortunately, they also had sons at home. It seemed it wasn't too late to go back and discuss it with the decision-makers now.
When everyone snapped out of their thoughts and wanted to go home to discuss matters, they noticed someone lying on the ground—it was Ma Cuifen, who had fainted at some point. Someone exclaimed:
"Oh heavens, why has the woman from the wealthy family fainted!"
Sitting on the oxcart, which hadn't gone far yet, Xu Huaqian heard this and slightly curled his lips.
Anger from others was one thing, but anger from oneself was the most infuriating! After his words today, as long as he lived better and better in this body that once belonged to the original host, Ma Cuifen would keep recalling his words, and the more she recalled, the more she would suffer.
"A-Qian."
"Hm?" Xu Huaqian was deep in thought when Chen Liejiu suddenly called him. He turned his head and responded.
Chen Liejiu reached out and wiped his right cheek—there wasn't a trace of tears left there.
He said, "Don't cry. You still have me."
Did he think everything he had just said was true?
Xu Huaqian was stunned for a moment, then smiled again. "Hm." He truly only had Chen Liejiu now.
Because charcoal production produced a lot of smoke and dust, and needed to be kept confidential—plus, the kiln's construction was simple enough that others could easily figure it out after a glance—if everyone knew about it in a few days, how would they make any money?
So when choosing the site, Chen Liejiu and the Chen clan elders chose the Western Hills, which were quite far from the village. This was the entrance to the village, and anyone coming or going could be clearly seen from the mountain lookout—very helpful for keeping their method secret.
But there was a downside: it was far from the village, and even from Chen Liejiu's home. But since Xu Huaqian wasn't home anyway, Chen Liejiu rarely went back, directly staying on the mountain. So whether it was far or not didn't really matter.
Because they needed to transport charcoal in and out, the road into the mountain had long been flattened by oxcarts. When Xu Huaqian rode into the mountain on Chen Liejiu's oxcart, he didn't find it too bumpy.
But when he jumped down from the oxcart and saw the entire, massively busy large-scale charcoal kiln complex, he was utterly astonished: "This is the kiln you built? So big? So many?"
"That's right." Chen Liejiu didn't take Xu Huaqian too close, afraid he couldn't handle the heavy smoke and dust. Standing in place, he gazed proudly at the thick smoke rising from the kiln's flue and said to Xu Huaqian, "I found that firing one kiln of charcoal doesn't take very long, but cooling a kiln takes a very long time. So I simply made the kilns bigger and more numerous."
Otherwise, if they could only sell charcoal once every long while, wouldn't they earn very little all year? Better to dig more kilns and stagger the cooling and forming times. That way, they could ensure there was charcoal coming out of the kilns every day.
Anyway, the Chen clan had put down roots here for so many years. They might not have much else, but they had plenty of mountainous land—what was there to fear?
Charcoal was a consumable. It wasn't like people would buy it once and never use it again. No matter how much they produced, it would all sell!
"My A-Jiu is so clever!" Xu Huaqian didn't hesitate to praise his wife, but his eyes swept around the surroundings. He noticed that where the smoke was thickest, the area was bare, with only tree stumps left after logging.
His damned professional habit—paying attention to environmental pollution, reforestation—acted up again. He couldn't help but say to Chen Liejiu, "But you can't just cut down trees without planting new ones. Right now, the trees on this mountain look plentiful, but your kilns aren't small either. If you keep cutting without restraint, in a few years there'll be no trees left to cut."
Without tree roots to stabilize the mountain, there could even be landslides. This place might be far from the mountain, but if a landslide happened, the surrounding villages would be finished.
Chen Liejiu had just begun to smile at being praised by Xu Huaqian again when he heard his words. He thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement: "You're right. I'll go find the clan elders later and have them organize people to replant seedlings in the logged areas."
Seeing that he had taken it to heart, Xu Huaqian said no more. He took two steps forward, wanting to get closer to look at the kilns, but Chen Liejiu stopped him: "The kilns have heavy smoke. Your health is weak—it's better to watch from a distance. Don't get too close."
As he spoke, he remembered that Xu Huaqian was only seventeen this year. Previously, he had always been confined at home and hadn't gone anywhere. Even if he knew many novel methods from books or his own brainstorming, he himself hadn't seen many new things.
He took his hand and led him toward a small path: "No need to suffer near the big kilns. I can still take you to the small kilns to have some fun."
"Sure." Xu Huaqian let Chen Liejiu lead him by the hand along the forest path, smiling happily. It felt like being taken on a date by his wife.
The two held hands all the way to the small kilns. The so-called small kilns weren't actually that small—each could fire about one or two thousand jin at a time. They couldn't compare to the large kilns, but they were still impressive.
When Xu Huaqian and Chen Liejiu arrived, a kiln was just being opened. Several people were removing the charcoal. When they saw Chen Liejiu, they quickly stopped their work and called out, "Boss!"
Even though some of them looked older than Chen Liejiu, that didn't stop them from calling him "Boss."
There was no helping it—Chen Liejiu was too capable. He said he could help them earn money, and he did. Looking at kiln after kiln of charcoal was like looking at bags of silver—it made them happy.
Forget calling Chen Liejiu "Boss"—they'd even be willing to call him "Dad"!
This dad who gave them silver was better than their own biological fathers!
After all, their own fathers hadn't been capable either; otherwise, they wouldn't have been stuck farming generation after generation, remaining poor.
"Hmm." In front of outsiders, Chen Liejiu was not as relaxed as he was with Xu Huaqian. He responded indifferently, pulling Xu Huaqian forward and introducing him without any hesitation: "My husband. You can call him Second Brother!"
"Hello, Second Brother!" Everyone greeted Xu Huaqian obediently, then looked at him with curious eyes.
Everyone knew that Chen Liejiu had snatched a sickly man to be his live-in husband, but what this sickly man actually looked like, no one really knew. After all, the Chen clan was spread over several villages, and not all of them were holed up in Xinghua Village.
They thought, a sickly man must be frail, with a bitter, frowning melon-face full of hardship—nothing much to look at.
But the Xu Huaqian they saw now was vastly different from the one in their imaginations.
Where was the sickly man?
This was clearly a beautiful but frail man!
He was a bit thin, sure, but the aura around him was completely different from that of people like them who came from the fields. Not to mention, his face was truly handsome.
If he were a young woman, who knows how stunningly gorgeous he would be.
No wonder Chen Liejiu went to collect a debt, took one look, and snatched him back. If they were Chen Liejiu, they'd also want to take such a beautiful but frail man home to care for.
Just looking at him was appetizing!
"Hello, everyone!" After being greeted and scrutinized by a group of burly, muscular men, Xu Huaqian didn't feel nervous. They were all men; what did it matter if they looked at him a couple of times?
Besides, he was their Boss's man!
As the Boss's man, he couldn't embarrass the Boss!
Indeed, his calm and unflustered demeanor made those examining him nod inwardly in approval. He did have a manly air about him.
Xu Huaqian took a look at the charcoal kilns they were operating. Seeing carts coming and going, all loaded with black charcoal, he casually asked, "Don't you make white charcoal?"
He remembered that white charcoal burned longer than black charcoal and was also more valuable.
Hearing this, Chen Liejiu turned his head and looked at him blankly. "What's white charcoal?"
"It's a type of charcoal that's somewhat grayer and whiter than black charcoal. It burns longer and doesn't produce smoke," Xu Huaqian explained.
Chen Liejiu shook his head. "Never heard of it."
Actually, it wasn't that he hadn't heard of it, but rather that this type of charcoal was usually supplied only to the imperial palace or wealthy households in the capital. It rarely circulated on the open market; only some apothecaries kept a little for medicinal purposes. A small place like Mishan County naturally wouldn't have it, and even if they did, no one could afford it.
"Then, how about we try making some of this charcoal?" Xu Huaqian suggested to Chen Liejiu.
His understanding of this world was even less than Chen Liejiu's. He didn't know whether this type of charcoal didn't exist in this world, or if it did but just didn't circulate in small places.
Thinking that they would need charcoal for winter anyway, it might be better to fire a kiln of this charcoal for their own use.
Using high-quality charcoal was safer than using inferior charcoal. Now that the family wasn't short of money, why should he scrimp and save?
Moreover, he had just told the villagers that the method for making charcoal was his idea. Although Chen Liejiu also said it was his idea, Xu Huaqian felt he had only made a suggestion—the credit still belonged to Chen Liejiu. He felt compelled to follow through on what he had said.
"Alright," Chen Liejiu agreed without hesitation as soon as he heard that white charcoal was even better than black charcoal. Since this charcoal was superior, even if it didn't sell, they could keep it for Xu Huaqian to use in winter.
Chen Liejiu, who held Xu Huaqian every night as they slept, knew that Xu Huaqian's body was very cold. In summer, perhaps because of the heat, he didn't notice it much, but come winter, he could only imagine how much that sickly constitution would torment him.
At this thought, his eyes briefly dimmed.
But it was only for a moment before he lifted his gaze again and called over the person tending the kiln. "Start another kiln according to your Second Brother's new method."
Chen Liejiu and Xu Huaqian hadn't been secretive about their conversation, but these men had never heard of white charcoal before—they hadn't even seen it.
Could they actually produce it?
"Just do as you're told," Chen Liejiu said impatiently, giving one of them a light kick. "This kiln will be on my account. Even if it doesn't work out, it won't affect your earnings."
"Besides, the method for making charcoal was given by your Second Brother," Chen Liejiu added, firmly establishing Xu Huaqian's credibility. "Are you worried he can't produce this new charcoal?"
Chen Liejiu trusted Xu Huaqian completely. He knew Xu Huaqian wasn't the type to boast or, like himself, boldly attempt things without certainty.
If Xu Huaqian said it, he must be confident they could produce it.
Chen Liejiu guessed correctly—Xu Huaqian was indeed confident. His years in poverty alleviation work hadn't been in vain. During his time in the countryside, he had seen all sorts of methods for getting rich.
He had even been sent by his unit on business trips across the country to observe and learn from characteristic poverty-alleviation counties.
One such characteristic poverty-alleviation county had become wealthy by producing charcoal, building their reputation on the gimmick of using ancient methods to make white charcoal.
When they went to observe and learn, the local leaders enthusiastically invited them to personally participate in the charcoal-making process.
Xu Huaqian couldn't remember all the principles clearly, but the steps for producing white charcoal were still vivid in his mind.
So he patiently explained it to the men tending the kiln.
"What?" Many of them thought they had misheard. "You want us to open the kiln when the charcoal is at its hottest?"
"But if we do that, the charcoal will all burn up, and what's left will be worthless scraps, just like ashes from a stove."
Having made charcoal for so long, they knew that the charcoal had to cool slowly in a sealed kiln to retain its weight and durability.
If they opened the kiln at the hottest moment, the wind would cause the charcoal to burn to ash, leaving nothing behind, or perhaps some remnants that would crumble to dust with a touch.
"That's exactly the kind of charcoal I want—the kind that crumbles easily," Xu Huaqian stated decisively when someone mentioned the key point. That was precisely what he was after.
Although this charcoal wasn't as heavy as black charcoal and looked like ash from burnt black charcoal, its temperature was twice as high. Just a small amount could heat an entire room, making it much more effective than black charcoal.
Seeing that they couldn't persuade Xu Huaqian, and with Chen Liejiu's support, the men had no choice but to fire the kiln.
After all, there was plenty of firewood in the mountains. If it didn't work out, it didn't matter—they could just consider it humoring their Boss while he indulged his husband.
There were tales of rulers setting beacon fires to amuse their nobles; so what if their Boss wanted to burn charcoal to amuse his husband!
Charcoal burning wasn't something that could be accomplished in just a day or two. After arranging for the charcoal production, Xu Huaqian began preparing for the imperial exams in the prefectural city.
Originally, the five who had formed a mutual guarantee group should have gone to the prefectural city together for the exams. However, although they were from the same academy, they actually lived in different counties.
Each had their own family responsibilities. They couldn't just wait for one another or take turns picking each other up. With only three days until the exams, how long would that take?
It was better for each family to prepare on their own and then gather in the prefectural city.
Chen Liejiu had been to the prefectural city most often during his escort days—he knew the route well.
He first went to the county carriage house to hire a carriage, then packed up the entire family to head to the prefectural city!
Yes, he planned to bring his younger sister and Wanwan along to enjoy the city.
He had recently earned quite a bit of money, his sister's chicks had just been sold, and she hadn't started collecting eggs to hatch a new batch yet. Their family didn't have much land, so the autumn harvest didn't concern them.
Why not ask their neighbor, Chen Zhushi, to keep an eye on their home while the whole family went to the city to support Xu Huaqian?
After all, this was Xu Huaqian's first imperial exam since joining their family. Making it a grand occasion would not only show how much they valued him but also help reduce his pressure.
He shouldn't think of himself as going to take an exam but rather as accompanying his family on a trip and顺便 (incidentally) taking the exam.
The journey was long, and Chen Liejiu worried that Xu Huaqian's health might not hold up. He laid two layers of padding in the carriage and drove straight into Yong'an Prefecture without delay.
Yong'an Prefecture was located in the southern part of the Changnan Provincial Administration Commission. It had a well-connected canal, and thanks to this waterway, Yong'an was relatively prosperous.
As their carriage entered the prefectural city, they were met with crowds of merchants from north and south jostling shoulder to shoulder, and shops lining the streets were filled with customers.
Street vendors hawked their goods everywhere.
Xu Huaqian, who had been sleeping in the carriage for a full day and night, felt unwell but endured it. He lifted the carriage curtain to glance at the bustling scene outside, then took out ten taels of silver from the money bag he had brought and handed it to Wang Wanwan: "The prefectural city is much more prosperous than Mishan County. Once we get to the inn, take little sister out to explore. Don't worry about saving money."
Recently, with the family's finances more comfortable, Xu Huaqian had become more generous.
Wang Wanwan looked at him in surprise—usually so careful with money, now he was being so lavish. She was about to say that it was too much and that one tael would be enough.
But Xu Huaqian added, looking at her: "Visit several cosmetic shops. See if there's better rouge, powder, or face cream. Buy plenty." Now that they had money, why use cheap products?
Besides, girls should dress up and pamper themselves more.
Chen Xiaomei was a tomboy who applied face cream haphazardly. Chen Liejiu didn't use any at all—he dealt with men all day and certainly didn't want his wife dressing up for other men to see.
In the family, only he and Wang Wanwere a bit more refined, but he felt Wang Wanwan had too few skincare products.
In his previous life, his female colleagues would恨不得 (wish they could) bring a whole suitcase of bottles and jars every time they traveled on business. But she only had one nearly finished box of face cream—that wasn't very girly.
His intention was to encourage Wang Wanwan to buy more for herself and not hesitate to spend. Little did he expect that upon hearing this, Wang Wanwan instantly understood and accepted the money.
So that was why Second Brother had suddenly given her such a large sum—it was to buy rouge and cosmetics!
Then she had to choose carefully for Second Brother.
She must buy good quality products. Otherwise, if she bought inferior items and Second Brother got a pimple or something, he might have to wear a veil again.
She wondered if Second Brother used rouge and powder?
If he liked wearing makeup, she would have to buy some rouge and powder for him too.
She remembered that in the previous dynasty, some scholars enjoyed drawing their eyebrows, applying makeup, wearing flowers, and coloring their lips. Perhaps Second Brother had similar tastes.
Seeing that Wang Wanwan immediately understood and took the money when he mentioned buying cosmetics, Xu Huaqian was very satisfied. See, he knew all girls loved to beautify themselves.
Chen Xiaomei, seeing that Xu Huaqian had given money to Wang Wanwan, sat in the corner wide-eyed, looking at Xu Huaqian expectantly, waiting for him to give her money too.
But she waited until Xu Huaqian had tightened his money bag again without receiving anything. She stared at him in disbelief: "Second Brother, what about me?"
"What about you?" Xu Huaqian hadn't noticed her thoughts at all.
Chen Xiaomei pointed at his money bag: "I want some too!"
"You have your own money, don't you?" He remembered they had earned sixteen taels from the chicks. Chen Xiaomei had even given him an eight-tael share, and she still had eight taels left to herself.
That was enough for her to spend for a long time.
"That's different," Chen Xiaome insisted. "You gave some to sister-in-law, so you can't skip me."
In Chen Xiaomei's view, the money she earned herself was her own, but money given by Second Brother was a gift—that was different. Since Xu Huaqian had given to Wang Wanwan, he should give to her too.
"Alright." Xu Huaqian thought about it and agreed she had a point. He took out a string of copper coins from his money bag and handed it to her. "Here, for you."
Chen Xiaomei was furious when she saw the string of copper coins. "Why did you give sister-in-law ten taels of silver, but only one hundred copper coins for me?!"
Now that she could count more smoothly, Chen Xiaomei could tell the difference between ten thousand copper coins and one hundred copper coins.
"Rouge and cosmetics are expensive, so she needs more," Xu Huaqian said without hesitation. "You're just a child—you don't wear makeup, and you don't need to buy anything else. What do you need so much money for?"
When they left, he had noticed Chen Xiaomei carrying all her savings on her. She already had eight taels on her. Giving her another ten would be like putting a golden doll on display, just waiting for someone to rob her.
But Chen Xiaomei didn't understand his concern. Thinking Xu Huaqian was playing favorites, she complained to Chen Liejiu, who was driving the carriage: "Big Brother, big brother! Second Brother is being unfair! He gave sister-in-law ten taels of silver but only gave me a hundred coins!"
The prefectural city wasn't like the county town. Driving required keen attention to everything around them, and Chen Liejiu couldn't spare the effort to mediate. He brushed her off: "He gave you something, didn't he? It's not like he gave you nothing. How is that unfair?"
Wow!
Chen Xiaomei couldn't believe what she was hearing! Big Brother had actually said that to her again!
Instantly angry, she retorted: "You're taking his side too!" She yelled, then huffed and squatted in the corner of the carriage, glaring eye-to-eye at Xu Huaqian.
"Alright, don't be angry anymore." Xu Huaqian knew Chen Liejiu would take his side. He gently tugged her little hair bun and coaxed, "Later, I'll buy you two sticks of sugar-coated hawthorns. None of us will eat any—only you. How about that?"
Having spent so much time together, Xu Huaqian knew she was actually very easy to placate.
Sure enough.
Hearing this, Chen Xiaomei immediately puffed out her cheeks and held up three fingers: "Three sticks!"
"Fine," Xu Huaqian agreed readily, "three sticks it is!"
"That's more like it," Chen Xiaomei mumbled, pouting slightly. "I'll barely consider forgiving you."
Then she held out her hand to Xu Huaqian: "Hand it over."
Xu Huaqian hurriedly placed the string of coins in her palm.
"Hehehe." Once she had the money, Chen Xiaomei instantly broke into a grin and lowered her head to count the copper coins.
Coins strung on hemp rope were supposed to be one hundred per string, but sometimes there might be a miscount, with one or two extra.
She had to count them—if there was one extra, she'd be one coin richer.
Xu Huaqian found Chen Xiaomei's behavior utterly amusing. He had strung the coins himself—how could there possibly be any extra?
Sure enough, after she finished counting and found only one hundred, she deflated. Why was it that whenever she got money from Second Brother, there was never any extra?
When Big Brother gave her money, there was sometimes extra!
Before she could figure it out, they arrived at their destination.
The Xiangyunju Inn where they would be staying.
Due to the upcoming exams, all the nearby inns were fully booked. Fortunately, Xu Huaqian had decided two months ago to take the exams, and the five of them had sent someone early to book rooms at the Xiangyunju, which was very close to the examination hall.
One qian of silver per night—money was indeed easy to earn here.
After Chen Liejiu finished speaking with the innkeeper, he led the carriage to the back gate to park. Xu Huaqian took Chen Xiaomei and the others to settle in at the inn first.
Once everyone was settled, he found the other four who were also staying at the same inn.
Pei Wangshu looked left and right but didn't see anyone with Xu Huaqian. He asked, "Where's your husband?"
He remembered when booking the rooms, Xu Huaqian had said his husband was coming. They had even teased him to book an extra room so he wouldn't be tempted by his husband and miss the exams.
It was precisely because of these two extra rooms that Wang Wanwan and Chen Xiaomei had a place to stay.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to get rooms for them at this time. Leaving the two girls at another inn would have made everyone uneasy.
"Hidden away, not for you to see." Xu Huaqian knew Pei Wangshu was extremely curious about his Chen Liejiu, but he just didn't want to show him.
"Fine, don't show him. Maybe he's as plain as salt." Pei Wangshu just wanted to see what this 'most beautiful man he had ever seen in the world' that Xu Huaqian always talked about looked like.
Seeing Xu Huaqian being so secretive, he felt sure his guess was right—love blinds a man to faults, but now that blindness was fading.
"Alright, alright, stop bickering over such a small thing." Duan Youyan saw them arguing and immediately stepped in to stop it. "The exams are tomorrow. Let's go to the examination hall to register first. The teacher might already be waiting for us."
Usually, exam candidates came early. Duan Youyan and the others had arrived a few days ago, but Xu Huaqian was unhurried, arriving on the last day before the exams. No one knew how his body, without coming early to rest, would endure three days of exams.
Xu Huaqian noticed that Duan Youyan also didn't have anyone with him and asked curiously, "Where's your husband? Didn't you bring him?"
Pei Wangshu and Zhang Bingwen simultaneously looked at Duan Youyan with curiosity: "You also married a man?"
How come they had never heard him mention it?
Duan Youyan didn't expect Xu Huaqian to suddenly bring him up. His usually serious face instantly became somewhat uncomfortable, and he awkwardly muttered, "Hmm."
"Why are you all marrying men?" Pei Wangshu looked strangely at Xu Huaqian and Duan Youyan.
What was most surprising was Duan Youyan. Xu Huaqian liked men himself, but he never imagined someone as serious as Duan Youyan would also marry a man?
"Just married because I wanted to." Seeing Duan Youyan's discomfort, Xu Huaqian felt he had misspoken and quickly tried to cover for him.
"Alright, let's go to the examination hall." Seeing that the previously harmonious atmosphere had become awkward because of Duan Youyan, Meng Fangxun, who was solely focused on the exams, promptly herded everyone to the examination hall.
After going with the teacher waiting for them at the examination hall to verify their mutual guarantee with the exam officials, they returned. Meng Fangxun didn't let anyone joke around further, shooing them all back to their rooms to study.
With the exams imminent, it was better to be serious.
Even when someone suggested going out to explore, Meng Fangxun sternly refused. He felt that at a time like this, it was best not to invite unnecessary trouble.
Couldn't whatever it wait until after the exams?
And so, they smoothly reached the next day.
Xu Huaqian got up, freshened up, and prepared to go to the examination hall with his small satchel.
Chen Liejiu stopped him: "Do you want me to walk you there?"
Thinking of that annoying Pei Wangshu—who knew how he would carry on if he saw Chen Liejiu—Xu Huaqian handed him the money bag he had brought. "No need. You take Wanwan and the others shopping. I'll go on my own."
As he was about to leave, he turned back after a moment's thought, took Chen Liejiu's hand, and said, "I'll be in the exam for three days. I'll teach you three characters. I'll test you when I return."
Lately, Xu Huaqian had been teaching Chen Xiaomei and the others to read. He noticed that Chen Liejiu's literacy wasn't high either—he didn't recognize many polyphonic characters or those with more strokes—so he took the opportunity to teach him as well.
Chen Liejiu was curious: "Which three characters?"
Then he watched as Xu Huaqian seriously wrote three characters on his palm: Chen Lie Jiu. His lips immediately curved into a smile.
He always knew his little husband couldn't bear to be apart from him.