The matter of Zeng Jingui had caused quite a stir in the village. Following the village headman’s ruling, Song Fengsui accepted the apology and compensation, then watched Zeng Jingui receive his beating in the village ancestral hall. With that, the matter could be considered settled.
Unexpectedly, less than two days later, Ye Xingzhi came to seek him out and apologize as well.
After receiving inspiration from Song Fengsui that day, Ye Xingzhi had gone home and thrown himself into researching the medicinal solution. Once he became absorbed in it, he forgot not only to pay attention to the gossip outside, but even to eat.
He shut himself in his room for several days, looking just like an old Daoist brewing gunpowder. His family did not disturb him. Only after he had successfully formulated a solution for treating aphids did he emerge, once again looking like a normal person.
He picked up the solution and hurriedly set out to share the good news with Song Fengsui. Before he could leave, however, his little father pulled him back and told him not to go to the estate to look for Song Fengsui anymore.
Puzzled, Ye Xingzhi questioned him carefully and only then learned what his cousin Zeng Jingui had done.
Ye Xingzhi was both furious and shocked. His relationship with Song Fengsui had always been perfectly innocent, yet someone had twisted it into something sordid. Not only had their reputations been damaged, Song Fengsui had nearly lost his life because of it.
His little father wanted him to avoid suspicion and stop meeting Song Fengsui, but Ye Xingzhi was not the sort of person who could not distinguish right from wrong. Since the matter had arisen because of him, how could he hide away without offering an apology and an explanation? Besides, how could he possibly never see Song Fengsui again? The Ye family was currently working for the Duan family, after all, and he still wanted to discuss the preparation of the medicinal solution with Song Fengsui!
“Cousin Jingui was spoiled by his family from childhood, treated like the center of the world. His temper is far worse than most people’s. For ordinary little matters, no one ever bothered to hold him accountable. I simply never imagined his heart could be so vicious.”
“It is my fault. Doctor Song suffered this calamity because of me, and I truly feel ashamed.”
Song Fengsui said, “You cannot really be blamed. You have done nothing from beginning to end. When people commit evil, they always like to use someone else’s name as a pretext, satisfying their own selfish desires in the process.”
“The other matters are unimportant, but Brother Ye should still go to the Zeng family and make things clear.”
Ye Xingzhi agreed. His family would naturally have to pay the Zeng family a visit.
“Oh, right. Doctor Song, about the medicinal solution we discussed last time—I’ve nearly finished formulating it. I’d like to ask you to take another look…”
Duan Yan had sharp ears. Once he heard that Ye Xingzhi had come specifically to see Song Fengsui, his eyes remained fixed on the room where the two of them were talking.
Although he trusted that there was nothing between them, he still could not help paying attention.
The two of them only spoke a few sentences about Zeng Jingui before changing the subject to the medicinal solution. From there, the discussion became utterly engrossing. Had Ye Xingzhi not begun with a few words of apology, anyone might have thought the two had arranged this meeting solely to discuss the solution.
Duan Yan’s chest rose and fell deeply. Then he slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air~
After leaving the estate, Ye Xingzhi went straight to the Zeng family.
He visited Zeng Jingui, who was lying in bed, unable to get up after his beating. He then explained that he and Song Fengsui had no improper relationship. As for the marriage between their two families, Ye Xingzhi rejected it outright before the Zeng family elders could come to discuss it again.
He truly could not bear the thought of living with someone so malicious, no matter that they were relatives or that they had once been close.
When Zeng Jingui saw that Ye Xingzhi intended to sever ties with him, he wept bitterly and complained aggrievedly, “Cousin, I did it because I love you too much. I couldn’t stand seeing you get close to someone else, so I lost my head and did such a thing. I already regret it terribly.
“Now I’ve been beaten and punished, and I’ve become the laughingstock of the entire village. But when all is said and done, I did it for you, Cousin!”
Ye Xingzhi was unmoved.
“You say you did it for me today, but you were already capable of attempting to take someone’s life. Who knows what you might do in the future, claiming once again that it was for my sake?
“Were you truly doing it for me, or were you using me as a shield for your own selfish desires? You know the answer better than anyone.”
When Zeng Jingui saw that his tears and pleas were useless and that Ye Xingzhi had made up his mind, he flew into a rage and began cursing him as heartless and ungrateful.
“You used to treat me so well, but the moment something happened, you ran away faster than anyone! This whole affair finally showed me what kind of person you are. Now that you’ve cast me aside, don’t think you can climb onto some lofty branch instead. Once people learn that you’re a man who can’t take responsibility, no one will want you either!”
“Our families are related. Even if we cannot marry, we can still remain relatives. Since you refuse to part amicably, I have nothing more to say to you.”
Seeing that Zeng Jingui was being completely unreasonable, Ye Xingzhi angrily flicked his sleeve and left.
Zeng Jingui’s reputation had been utterly ruined by this incident. Not only would no respectable family consider a match with him, people wished only to keep as far away from him as possible.
Normally, no one dared associate with him when he went out. Even the Zeng family suffered the villagers’ cold shoulder. No one came to Madam Zeng’s home to chat anymore, and whenever Zeng Erlang sought paid work, no one was willing to recommend him.
The Zeng Family Patriarch and the eldest son received the news while they were away and hurried back to the village. Furious, they seized Zeng Jingui and gave him a thorough beating.
In the past, they had doted on him and could neither bear to hit nor scold him. This time, however, they swore they would never indulge him again and confined him at home to teach him how to conduct himself properly.
When the villagers saw that the Zeng family was disciplining Zeng Jingui severely, they gradually began to change their opinion of the family. They no longer avoided them as completely as they had when the incident first broke…
Naturally, that was all something that would happen later.
During this period, Song Fengsui and Duan Yan were both busy with their own affairs. After Ye Xingzhi developed the aphid-killing solution, the two of them continued discussing it and made further adjustments and improvements.
They then had the tenant farmers spray it on medicinal plants infested with aphids. The results were truly remarkable.
Song Fengsui and Ye Xingzhi carefully observed and recorded the plants’ growth afterward. If the medicinal plants treated with the solution showed no signs of damage, they could begin preparing the formula and producing packets of the medicine. That way, they could use it not only on their own fields but eventually sell it elsewhere as well.
Duan Yan was no less occupied. Seeing that the autumn harvest was already more than halfway complete and that farmers were entering and leaving the town every day to buy and sell grain, he not only ordered the grain shop to stock up on grain but also arranged for Gou San’er and Second Son Lin to prepare for another journey beyond the pass to make purchases.
“Grain is selling well outside the pass during the autumn months too. While prices are favorable, buy up as much as possible at low prices. Besides rice, you can also collect millet if it is inexpensive.”
“Buy beans as well. Soybeans, black beans, green beans, spotted beans—take whatever is available. Don’t overlook the smaller beans either: mung beans, red beans, cowpeas, broad beans, and the like.”
Duan Yan had already listed the general types of grain they needed to purchase. The list would be handed to the traveling party before they set out, but since many of them could not read, everyone gathered together for a meeting before departure.
“Remember this: although you should buy cheaply, the grain must first be properly dried and of good quality. Anything infested with insects or growing mold must not be bought, no matter how tempting the price. It will be difficult to store.”
“The tenant farmers Cui and Liu are both experienced farmers. That is why I’m sending them with you—to make sure you select good grain and beans. The entire party is one unit, so every one of you needs to stay sharp. Don’t assume that choosing the goods is only one person’s responsibility.”
Everyone nodded and agreed that they would remember.
Duan Yan went over a few more precautions. When he felt he had said everything that needed saying, he waved a hand and dismissed them, telling everyone to go back and prepare. They would set out in two days.
Gou San’er and Lin Er exchanged a glance but hesitated to leave.
Duan Yan looked at them. “Is there something you still don’t understand?”
“Big brother…”
After a moment’s hesitation, Gou San’er finally said, “Our grain shop hasn’t had much business since the day it opened. I went to check the accounts yesterday… It isn’t losing money, exactly, but it isn’t making any profit either.”
“The grain produced by the estate is already enough to supply the shop, and now we’re buying grain from all over as well. Two of the shop’s three enormous granaries are already full…”
Gou San’er spoke with great trepidation. Duan Yan had invested a great deal of effort in the grain shop, and he was afraid that saying this would anger him.
But he had endured it for a long time for the sake of the business. If he did not speak up now, he truly could not go on.
Duan Yan remained calm. “I know the situation at the shop. I have it under control.
“You two are both trusted men close to me. I don’t want you worrying yourselves sick, so I’ll be honest with you: the grain shop was never established purely to do business. Its real purpose is to stockpile grain.”
Not only Gou San’er, but Lin Er, who was chiefly responsible for the grain shop, had also noticed that something was amiss. The two of them could not understand Duan Yan’s arrangements.
“Big brother has three estates under his command. Stockpiling grain wouldn’t be difficult. Why go to all this trouble to buy grain from outside as well?”
It cost both manpower and effort, and this time alone, Duan Yan had taken out a thousand taels in banknotes to fund the purchases.
Duan Yan shook his head. “It isn’t enough.”
Gou San’er and Lin Er’s hearts tightened. They asked cautiously, “Big brother, has something happened? Or do you have some other arrangement in mind?”
Seeing their concern, Duan Yan realized that he was always ordering his men to do things that seemed difficult and unrewarding. Over time, that could easily erode their trust and make them wonder whether the leader they had chosen to follow was truly reliable. That would not do.
Besides, he was the only one carrying the weight of his plans and preparations. Although he was confident in his own calculations, the others knew nothing about them. If their hearts were not united, carrying out their tasks would inevitably become more difficult.
Thus, Duan Yan let a little of the truth slip. “I’ve received some news. There may be unrest outside, and the political situation could change drastically.”
“Rock Town is a remote place with difficult terrain. Even if chaos breaks out elsewhere, it would be hard for this place to become the center of the storm. But once the roads are sealed and people can only remain here, the importance of food and provisions will go without saying.”
Gou San’er and Lin Er’s hearts both gave a hard jolt. Who could hear that war might break out without feeling panicked? The realm looked peaceful on the surface, but anyone who made a point of keeping informed knew that things outside had already been unstable for the past few years.
The two men were deeply uneasy, their nerves tightening at once. This was a matter of grave importance, and they dared not treat it carelessly.
“We understand, big brother. We’ll be on full alert when handling the purchases.”
Gou San’er and Lin Er both swore an oath. “This is a serious matter. We’ll keep our mouths shut.”
Duan Yan acknowledged them. “Don’t panic. Just do your work properly. Be careful when you go outside the pass, and if you can gather any information, don’t let a single detail slip by.”
“Yes.”
After the secret discussion, Gou San’er and Lin Er left with unusually heavy hearts.
Song Fengsui happened to return from outside just as the two men were leaving. He hurried back into the room and asked Duan Yan, “I saw Gou San’er and Lin Er leaving with such grim expressions. Did you scold them?”
Duan Yan poured him a cup of tea and handed it over. “What an unjust accusation. Why would I scold them for no reason? I merely assigned them to leave the pass and purchase supplies.”
Song Fengsui naturally knew that Duan Yan had recently been stockpiling grain. He said, “Autumn is indeed the best season for buying grain. There’s plenty of it, and prices are low, but…”
He looked at Duan Yan. “The taxes at the pass and the labor costs aren’t insignificant either. Is it really worth stockpiling so much grain?”
Duan Yan nodded at him seriously, but he did not know what to say that would put Song Fengsui at ease. It was one thing to explain matters to the men under his command—he could tell them he had heard some rumors—but Song’s family had once possessed eyes and ears everywhere. If he casually fabricated a story like this, they would surely take an unusual interest in it.
Then, out of concern for the state of affairs—or for him—they might question him in detail about where he had received the information and offer to help him judge whether it was true. That would only make things more difficult to explain, and the more he tried to clarify, the messier it would become.
Fortunately, Song Fengsui took one look at him and, seeing his hesitation, let the matter drop. He gave Duan Yan’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Since you’ve made up your mind, I’ll support you.”
The palm of his hand was soft and yielding. Duan Yan instinctively closed his fingers around it. Though they had been discussing serious matters, his mind wandered for a moment all the same.
Books often described Song Fengsui as having a graceful, delicate build. He looked slender, too, but Duan Yan had never understood how his hands could be so soft. The first time he had heard someone say it, he had broken out in gooseflesh. But now that Song Fengsui’s hand was actually resting in his palm, he finally understood in full: a person’s hands really could be that soft.
When Song Fengsui noticed that he had been silent for quite a while, he tilted his head slightly to look at him. Those eyes, usually so clear and steady, were now blinking in confusion.
He raised his brows. “What are you thinking about?”
Duan Yan was caught red-handed in his wandering thoughts. His face grew a little hot, and after a light cough, he answered with some embarrassment, “I was thinking… that your hands are very soft.”
Song Fengsui could not help smiling at the answer. It certainly did not sound like a lie.
He replied earnestly, “I used to be a lazy person. I never did anything, so my skin experienced very little friction. I never developed calluses, and it remained delicate. Naturally, it’s a little softer.”
Duan Yan thought for a moment before saying, “From now on, I’ll handle everything inside and outside the home. You should just take good care of yourself.”
Song Fengsui was quite pleased by the sweet words. He lightly pinched Duan Yan. “Would you be able to finish all that by yourself? I actually like having something to do every day now—and being able to see you, too. My days feel full, and I like them that way.”
Duan Yan’s palm began to itch. That sensation seemed to travel along his flesh and blood until it reached the very center of his heart, where it swelled into a warm, restless fullness. Without realizing it, his gaze settled on Song Fengsui’s lips as they moved. Their pale, rosy color was like peach blossoms beneath the spring moon.
He guiltily looked away. He was afraid that if he watched Song Fengsui for even a few moments longer, he might lose control and do something more intimate.
Nothing like that had happened yet, but the thought had already arisen whenever they were alone together.
Duan Yan was not the sort of person who acted without considering the consequences, especially when it came to matters of the heart. He did not want to betray the teachings his grandfather had given him since childhood. Thus, on a subconscious level, he remained cautious and careful, doing his best to restrain himself.
I’m sorry. You’re too beautiful, and for a moment I couldn’t hold myself back.
You smell too good, and I couldn’t push you away, so I made a mistake…
He sincerely hoped that words like those would never come out of his mouth in this lifetime.
Your hands really are soft.
Duan Yan abruptly closed his eyes. That sentence sounded hardly any different from the others.
Song Fengsui had no idea what he was thinking about. All he knew was that Duan Yan’s expression looked rather strange. His eyes shifted, and his voice seemed to slowly crawl up Duan Yan’s back.
“Duan Yan, why do you keep spacing out? You wouldn’t happen to be thinking about something while looking at me…”
“No!”
Song Fengsui had only meant to tease the honest man. Seeing how strongly he reacted, he immediately narrowed his eyes. “It’s nothing? You know what I was going to say?”
Duan Yan stiffened his neck. “In any case, there’s nothing.”
Song Fengsui blinked and raised a hand to touch his own face. “Could it be that I’ve become ugly? Have I already lost my charm?”
As he spoke, he made to look for a bronze mirror.
Duan Yan hurriedly grabbed him. “A little. I did think about it a little, at least.”
Song Fengsui stopped and slowly turned back, looking Duan Yan over from head to toe.
When Duan Yan saw that he said nothing and merely stared at him, he hurriedly begged for mercy. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“I just think you’re gentle and considerate, and especially good-looking. My head got a little hot, and I couldn’t help but…”
Before Duan Yan could finish, he suddenly realized what he was saying and fell silent at once.
…Sorry. In the end, I still became the kind of person I despised most.
Seeing how flustered and frustrated he looked, Song Fengsui found him amusing no matter how he looked at him.
“I’m not such a petty person, though. Others may not be allowed to think such things, but for you, I’ll permit a little of it.”
Duan Yan let out a slight breath of relief and leaned a little closer. “You’re not angry?”
Song Fengsui gave a soft hum. Then, as ever, he said something startling. “Food and sex are human nature.”
“If you’ve never had any improper thoughts at all, then that would be something to worry about.”
Duan Yan’s face tightened slightly. “Worry about what?”
Song Fengsui blinked. “What if, the first time we met, I kicked you a little too hard, and that…”
“Rest assured, absolutely not.”
Duan Yan immediately cleared him of any suspicion.
Song Fengsui mischievously went on, “If there is anything wrong, don’t hide it because you’re embarrassed to speak of it. It’s a matter for a lifetime, after all. Though I’ve never treated men’s intimate ailments, for the sake of our friendship, I can make an exception.”
Duan Yan caught Song Fengsui’s hand and nearly pulled him up beneath his chin. In a low voice, he said, “Then I must properly thank Young Doctor Song for making an exception for me.”
Song Fengsui lifted his eyes to look at the man, clearly angry but unable to vent it. Then he buried his face in Duan Yan’s chest, laughing so hard that his shoulders shook.
Only after quite a while did he finally stop. “All right, no more of this. I need to talk to you about something serious.”
Duan Yan held Song Fengsui in his arms, lowering his eyes to look at him. “Can anything that comes out of your mouth be serious?”
Song Fengsui raised his head from his solid chest. “Are you going to listen or not?”
“Whether it’s serious or not, if it’s from you, I’ll listen.”
Song Fengsui gave a soft laugh before continuing.
“You’ve made up your mind to purchase grain from outside. As your men travel back and forth, they’ll gain experience in the process. We can take the opportunity to properly train up a merchant caravan. Then it will be easier to procure goods from outside, and I’ll also be able to sell my medicinal solution.
“So we need to come up with ways to save more money. Look—this time, you allocated one thousand taels of silver to purchase goods. If we could avoid paying duties, we’d save at least fifty taels, perhaps close to a hundred. And that’s only on goods worth one thousand taels. If it were ten thousand taels’ worth, how much tax would that be?”
Song Fengsui was thinking in the long term, though Duan Yan had not actually considered running a merchant caravan for the long haul. Still, when it came to saving money, their goals were entirely aligned.
They had to stockpile supplies, and money was never abundant enough. If they could save on customs duties, the silver they saved could buy a great deal more supplies.
“Trade is flourishing in the autumn months. I’ve heard that the authorities have many policies intended to encourage merchant caravans, such as reductions or exemptions on customs duties. But every region is different, and so are their regulations.”
“I’ve noticed that you’ve been getting close to Tax Officer Qin lately. You might as well sound him out and see whether we can gain some advantage. When handling affairs and getting things done, one can never avoid dealing with the government offices. So long as things are smoothed over on that end, many matters will become much easier to manage.”
Duan Yan listened intently and agreed completely with the suggestion. Saving on customs duties was one thing; he also did not want another incident like the one with Third Son Qian. For that reason, they had to properly cultivate relations with the government offices.
“We’ll do as you say.”
