Chapter 4 Cousin
“Cousin, long time no see.”
When it was time for dinner, Zhan Qiyu came out to eat on his own initiative. A Liu (the servant) no longer found it strange.
After all, the young master treated this girl differently.
Three dishes were cooked, each with plenty of meat slices—this was Shan Cha’s requirement; every meal must have meat slices.
The large piece of pork was also taken from the Mu family; the kitchen wouldn’t notice it missing.
After everyone was seated, Zhan’s mother smiled and said, “Thank you for your arrangements. When Qiyu passes the imperial examinations, we will repay you.”
Zhan Qiyu’s hand trembled, and he lowered his head further, silently pursing his lips.
But Mu Jiaojiao immediately said, “Auntie, what are you saying? Brother Zhan saved my sister’s life. Nothing is more important than life. If you say such things again, I’ll be angry.”
Her red lips curled slightly, feigning displeasure.
Zhan’s mother then said nothing more, just urging them to eat more.
After this, everyone seemed more relaxed. Zhan’s mother kept serving Mu Jiaojiao and Shan Cha food.
However, Mu Jiaojiao didn’t eat much; there was still half a bowl of rice left. She put down her chopsticks, and Shan Cha poured the rest into her own bowl.
Although the Mu family was wealthy, she couldn’t bear to see food wasted.
However, as she poured the rice, Zhan Qiyu glanced over, finished his last mouthful of rice, and left.
After he left, Mu Jiaojiao remembered the watermelon and reminded A Liu, “Later, take the watermelon to Brother Zhan’s room.”
She didn’t even notice she was calling him “Brother Zhan,” feeling it more intimate.
In the end, only Shan Cha and A Liu were still eating.
Both wanted to eat more, hoping to grow taller than the other.
Meanwhile, Mu Jiaojiao, under the guise of taking a walk, checked if the house needed anything.
She was worried that if anything was missing and the Zhan family couldn’t afford it, they would be too embarrassed to ask.
She had already thought of a solution.
According to her instructions, Shan Cha had buried some silver pieces in inconspicuous places in the house.
If anyone asked, she would say it was left behind by the previous landlord, not given by her.
After confirming their arrangements, they reluctantly went back to their rooms.
After they left, Zhan Qiyu instructed A Liu to clear the tall weeds in the yard.
“Turn the soil; I want to plant some vegetables.”
It wasn’t the busy farming season, which is why Zhan’s mother came to stay. Their village house was also habitable.
She was worried about her son’s crucial imperial examination and moved to let him focus.
After the autumn harvest, she would return to the village with A Liu.
But they still needed food, so she had to plant vegetables; the yard’s land was wasted otherwise.
She was certain her son would succeed one day, and then he would be a suitable match for that girl.
A Liu worked hard until evening, finally turning over the yard’s land.
Zhan Qiyu, in a faded blue robe, his black hair simply tied up, rolled up his sleeves and came to help.
“Young master, why are you here?”
His young master had never done manual labor; not that he wouldn’t, but he didn’t need to.
“Hmm, go eat.”
A meal was prepared for A Liu in the main hall; he hadn’t eaten yet.
“I’m not hungry yet, young master. Should I do it?”
The stern young master looked at A Liu, seeming to reproach him. The next second, A Liu dropped his hoe and ran away.
He thought, I’ll work harder and talk less from now on.
After he left, Zhan Qiyu knelt down, looked at the uneven dog hole, and measured the land.
He then looked up at the bright moon; the corners of his peach blossom eyes were slightly red, his long eyelashes casting a shadow.
Then he lowered his head and carefully started working the soil with his strong hands.
At first, he wasn’t skilled, but he gradually improved.
After A Liu had eaten, seeing the blue figure working, he wanted to help but remembered the frightening look and retreated to his room.
After moving here, A Liu no longer shared a room with the young master; he had his own room.
Although this gave him more personal space, he was constantly worried about the young master.
Late at night, he heard someone drawing water and washing their hands at the well, guessing the young master had finished his work.
Before dawn, A Liu got up to boil water and heat the pot. Passing the yard, he rubbed his eyes.
Beside the hidden dog hole, a path bordered with purple wildflowers had been made.
Did the young master do this last night?
He didn’t understand.
The path was incredibly straight, requiring much effort.
A Liu didn’t dare look any longer and hurried to the kitchen to work.
The young master had said, work harder and talk less.
However, there was no sound from that area by noon.
It turned out that Mu’s mother had returned, and with important guests.
Shan Cha was too busy to tell them.
A Liu was also anxious; the young master’s beautiful path would be wasted if unseen.
But Zhan Qiyu was calm; he still got up early to wash, ate, and started studying diligently.
Seeing that the two girls hadn’t come, Zhan’s mother washed clothes in the yard, many still muddy and unlaundered.
The house was convenient; with the well, there was no need to fetch water from the river.
“A Liu, make some clothes racks.”
A Liu, looking around, could only gather bamboo poles to make clothes racks.
In the Mu residence, separated only by a wall, a woman chatted enthusiastically with the mistress.
“Sister, why isn’t Jiaojiao out? Did she go out?”
Aunt Qin was Mu Zhou’s elder sister; one sister married into an official family, the other into a merchant family.
Although the Qin family was a minor official, the social hierarchy placed merchants below others, and merchant wives even lower.
So Mu’s mistress constantly urged her sons to pass the imperial examinations, but they were both unmotivated and considered failures.
Luckily, her niece’s only son, Qin Feng Hang, was also not promising.
After passing the preliminary examination, he failed all subsequent ones.
This brought much schadenfreude to Mu Zhou.
“Jiaojiao is unwell, resting in bed.”
“Auntie, Jiaojiao is unwell, Mother and I should visit. We brought bird’s nest and motherwort, suitable for Jiaojiao.”
Qin Feng Hang wore a yellow robe of Shu brocade, its exquisite pattern like a peacock’s tail.
Mu Zhou knew her nephew’s intentions; her precious daughter couldn’t be taken by him.
She said, “It’s alright, she’ll be fine in a few days. Don’t go; you’ll catch her illness.”
She then changed the subject, not mentioning her daughter again.
Qin Feng was like an ant on a hot pot, anxious. He had a delicate jade ring in his sleeve, meant for his cousin.
Whenever he saw his cousin, he was captivated, wishing he could be a charming ghost under the peony blossoms.
Unfortunately, his mother controlled him, saying that even if he married her, she couldn’t be the main wife.
Fortunately, his cousin wasn’t too discerning, so Qin Feng Hang planned to use her.
If he could get some help, after he was tired of her, she could help him advance his career.
Such a beautiful woman should be used to her full potential.
He patiently waited for an opportunity to talk to his cousin; if the timing was right, even a handkerchief from her would ease his longing.
In the neighboring Zhan residence, after a simple lunch, Zhan’s mother took A Liu to buy vegetable seeds. A Liu carried the silver found in the house.
He silently noted it down; he would borrow it and repay it later.
After they left, only Zhan Qiyu remained, diligently studying, memorizing every word.
Whenever he felt tired, he would look at the ledger to regain focus.
But today, he felt inexplicably restless. It was cooler than yesterday, yet he was uneasy.
Finally, holding his book, he went near the dog hole, feeling reassured, and began reading again.
On the other side of the wall, Qin Feng Hang finally found an excuse to sneak into his cousin’s yard, his servant distracting Shan Cha.
He always met his cousin like this; although only two or three times, he felt she had fallen for him.
He swung the jade ring, walking towards the house with a confident smile, disregarding propriety.
Or perhaps, he was deliberate, wanting to enter her room.
Mu Jiaojiao happened to come out, intending to tell the Zhans she wouldn’t visit for the next few days.
Seeing her unpleasant cousin, she didn’t bother feigning friendliness and met him with a sullen face.
She knew exactly what kind of person he was.
When she was chosen as a court lady, her cousin, instead of helping, sent her many jewelry and clothes, hoping for advancement if she gained favor.
“Cousin, my heart will never change, but this is an imperial decree. But if one day I go to the capital, you will see me often.”
Later, she entered the palace, and her letters often contained her cousin’s pleas for an official position.
Mu Jiaojiao saw through this insincere man; every time she thought about how he had indirectly caused the death of a promising young man, she regretted it deeply.
Though unsure of Zhan Qiyu’s character, he was certainly more virtuous than Qin Feng.
Meeting him again, Mu Jiaojiao would not give him any face.
Cousin, your calculations are wrong.