My Husband is a Drama King [Book Transmigration] 30

Chapter 30: Winter

A young eunuch came in from outside the hall and said softly, “Your Majesty, this servant has learned some massage techniques from the imperial physician. Would you like this servant to massage you?”

Emperor Pingjing was handsome, with the bearing of a dragon and the grace of a phoenix. There was a hint of gloom in his eyes, the area under them was red, and a vein throbbed on his forehead. The nightclothes he wore were made of the finest celestial silkworm silk. He gestured for Liang Cai to come forward and massage his head.

Liang Cai approached on his knees. Emperor Pingjing was annoyed. He pulled him up with one hand. “I still have a headache, and you’re still worrying about these things. Massage me properly.”

Liang Cai agreed and lowered his head to massage Emperor Pingjing’s head.

The frustration in Emperor Pingjing’s heart dissipated a little. Ever since he was sixteen, he had wanted to take over the government and no longer be a puppet. Now he was twenty-one and of age, but his mother and uncle were still unwilling to return the power to him.

He sneered. Power truly moved the human heart, even between a mother and son. When he was young, he didn’t understand these things. Only after he grew up did he realize that as the ruler of the world, he had no power at all. Even his personal eunuch was from the Xiao family. If he hadn’t used some tricks, he wouldn’t even be able to guarantee the safety of his own bedchamber.

Except for a few particularly loyal ones, the ministers in the court were all fence-sitters. The scholars selected through the imperial examinations were also only loyal to the Xiao family. He had once tried to win over a few scholars, but the result had been very disappointing. Emperor Pingjing’s expression was listless. He waved his hand to dismiss Liang Cai and pulled up the dragon quilt to continue sleeping.

Liang Cai respectfully withdrew. He waited in the side room for Emperor Pingjing’s orders.

.

The undercurrents in the imperial palace had nothing to do with the Song family for the time being. The moon hung high in the sky. There was a rustling sound in the quilt. Song Changxu kissed Xu Zhizhou’s lips and couldn’t help but reach out to touch his leg.

Xu Zhizhou had a pair of fair and slender legs.

“That’s enough…” Xu Zhizhou opened his watery eyes and glared at Song Changxu, but there was no threat in it. His lips were red, and his voice was coquettish.

Song Changxu was bewitched. He said in a low voice, “Just one more touch.”

Xu Zhizhou didn’t stop Song Changxu. They were already married, so some intimate behavior was normal. But Song Changxu’s hand was moving further and further up, and Xu Zhizhou couldn’t take it anymore.

He stepped on Song Changxu’s foot. “Don’t do anything extra.”

Song Changxu agreed with regret. “What’s the book you’re reading like?”

Xu Zhizhou looked away. “Why are you asking?”

Anyway, it’s not possible. The one in the book is so small.

Song Changxu said in a muffled voice, “I’m just asking.”

Song Changxu moved over and wrapped his arms around his waist, trapping him in his embrace. It was a very possessive posture.

It was fine to sleep while holding him. Anyway, they hadn’t taken the final step. He had no desire for that kind of thing.

Xu Zhizhou felt something pressing against him again. He quickly kicked Song Changxu. “Go to sleep!”

Song Changxu reached for Xu Zhizhou’s hand. “Help me.”

…

After the autumn harvest, the atmosphere in the village was much more relaxed. They had earned a lot of money from selling the skewers. Song Changxu counted it. It was enough for him to go to Jinhe County for the exam.

Although he was studying, he hadn’t stopped copying books and had saved another four taels of silver. This time, Scholar Li had given them a five-day long holiday. Song Changxu planned to go to town to sell the books he had copied.

Hearing this, Xu Zhizhou said, “We can take our own ox-cart to town. You can come with us.”

Song Mingyan said, “Right.”

Xu Zhizhou and Song Mingyan’s relationship was getting better and better, which was what the villagers had been worried about. Whether Xu Zhizhou would despise Song Mingyan for bringing a child, or Song Mingyan would despise Xu Zhizhou for being a spoiled and dramatic person.

The Song family’s parents were happy to see their good relationship.

Liang Su said, “Alright, then your father will harness the cart tomorrow and go with you. I have to go to my parents’ house.”

Everyone agreed.

After autumn, the weather grew colder. The leaves floated down the river and were carried away by the current. The squirrels in the mountains took their pine cones and scurried into their holes. Moss grew on the stones, soft and cool to the touch.

The autumn wind rustled, and the back mountain was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees.

Before dawn, a gentle breeze blew through the leaves, and the flower branches were desolate and cold. The sound of wheels was heard, startling the birds resting on the branches. They flapped their wings and flew away with a cry.

The distant mountains were not clear, and the clouds in the sky were gathering.

Song Ye drove the ox-cart with ease. In the past, the family had an old ox, which had trained him. Now, driving this young ox was a piece of cake. Song Changxu held the three books he had copied, with a purse embroidered by Xu Zhizhou hanging from his waist.

The road was bumpy, but sitting on their own ox-cart, they didn’t have to worry about anyone deliberately squeezing in, and Song Changxu would hold him.

When they arrived at Shuibo Town, they split into three groups. Song Ye went to buy the things the family needed, while Song Mingyan and Xu Zhizhou went to set up their stall.

Song Changxu sold his copied books and passed by a pastry shop. He thought for a moment and bought a package of mung bean cakes, as well as some dried fruits.

He was carrying the oil-paper package and was about to go and find his family’s stall when he heard someone hawking, “Come and buy rouge, buy fragrant balm, the young ladies and ge’ers all love it!”

There were also vendors selling food and groceries on the road, but Song Changxu only heard the sound of the rouge shop. He walked in.

“Young master, have a look, pick and choose what you like. I can introduce a few to you…”

After a while, Song Changxu bought a box of rouge and a box of fragrant balm. He went to find the stall, put the oil-paper package in the basket, and rolled up his sleeves to help.

With the three of them selling the skewers together, the speed was much faster. As soon as Song Changxu arrived, many of the ge’ers and girls liked to gather around him to buy, just to get a better look at him.

Xu Zhizhou’s eyes lit up, and he gave his conspicuous spot to Song Changxu. When Song Changxu’s face was covered in sweat, Xu Zhizhou took a cloth to wipe it for him.

“There’s only a little left. We’ll go and buy some flour and pork later. I’ve already talked to Elder Brother. We’ll make dumplings for lunch when we get back.”

Song Changxu smiled. “Alright.”

A group of scholars came to eat the skewers. Song Changxu wrapped them for them. They often came here to eat, but this was the first time they had seen a young man helping, and he was also very intimate with Xu Zhizhou.

All the scholars remembered that the elegant handwriting on the stall’s sign had been written by Xu Zhizhou’s husband. At this moment, a scholar asked, “Brother, did you write the characters on this board?”

Song Changxu nodded. “I did.”

Another scholar smiled. “It’s truly good handwriting. Will you be taking the exam next year, brother?”

Song Changxu looked at the group of people. They were all young. He couldn’t give a perfunctory answer. He said frankly, “I plan to take it next year.”

So we’ll be competing. But Jinhe County was so big, they probably wouldn’t even run into each other. And there was no need to know Song Changxu’s name, because someone from the countryside couldn’t possibly be better at studying than them.

After the scholars left, Song Changxu continued to sell the skewers until they were sold out, and then went with Xu Zhizhou to buy meat.

“Do you know how to choose meat?” Xu Zhizhou said, pulling on Song Changxu. He proudly chose a few good pieces and even bargained with the butcher.

“I’m in charge of bargaining and buying things. You can just help carry them.”

Song Changxu did as he was told without complaint.

After buying everything, they took the ox-cart home. Seeing that there were still people waiting for the village’s ox-cart, but they could already take their own, Xu Zhizhou swung his legs happily.

In the past, he had to squeeze onto the ox-cart. Now, their own ox-cart could leave whenever they wanted.

Back at home, Xu Zhizhou was in a very good mood. He rolled out the dough to make dumpling wrappers, while Song Mingyan washed and minced the meat. The two of them were busy in the kitchen.

Song Ye and Song Changxu put away the things they had bought. The mung bean cakes were put in the cabinet. As for the rouge and fragrant balm, he would give them to him personally.

The dumpling filling today was chives and pork. The wrappers were also well-kneaded. The dipping sauce was drizzled with hot oil and sprinkled with freshly picked scallions from the fields. It smelled very fragrant.

One steamer of dumplings had thirteen. The family only had two steamers. After plating the two steamers, they put the new dumplings on to steam.

Boiled dumplings were also delicious, but compared to them, Xu Zhizhou preferred steamed dumplings with dipping sauce.

The few of them finished the dumplings in a few quick movements. After they were done, they still wanted more.

After eating, the weather was good, and the children came to find Xu Cheng to play. Xu Cheng said a word and then happily went out.

Setting up a stall in Shuibo Town could cover the family’s expenses. It was estimated that they would have a good New Year this year.

After the autumn harvest, they didn’t have to rush to find work. They would loosen the soil in the fields in preparation for spring planting next year.

It would be very good to live like this for a lifetime.

Liang Su really felt that life had been good these past few years, but when she thought of the years of drought, she knew she had to save more money to have a safety net in the future.

Song Ye and Liang Su were both honest and hardworking people. They had made a good life for themselves with the land they had, and had built a blue-tiled house, which was one of the best in Qishan Village.

The two of them were still able to work and always wanted to earn more money to save. The two children lived at home, and the food was also good. If it were just the two of them, they might not have eaten so well.

They were always willing to spend on their children. Life was like this, built up day by day. Sometimes, after several months had passed, Liang Su would think that only a day or two had gone by, because she had no memory of the days, only of farming.

After having children, she became particularly mindful of the days. The two children were both sensible and made no mistakes, which made Liang Su very happy.

Xu Zhizhou fed the chickens and ducks and took out seven or eight chicken eggs and two duck eggs. He saw Liang Su and said, “Mother, the duck eggs are so hard to come by. There are only two this time.”

Liang Su said, “Duck eggs are rarer, but the price is also higher.”

Xu Zhizhou nodded and put away the eggs. They had already saved up thirty chicken eggs and ten duck eggs.

“Mother, we can take the eggs to town to sell.”

Liang Su nodded in agreement. She went to her room to get some scraps of cloth and colored thread to do some needlework, intending to make a pair of shoes for Song Ye.

The material for the shoes was Song Changxu’s old long robe. Xu Zhizhou took some bamboo strips to weave a bamboo basket. The baskets they had woven at home had all been sold in town. He wanted to weave two for his own use.

The old bamboo baskets were worn out. It was better to use new ones.

Song Changxu came out after reading for a while. He had originally intended to take his nephew to the back mountain for a walk, as it was a bit stuffy at home. But his nephew had gone out to play with his friends. He saw Xu Zhizhou still weaving a bamboo basket and came over to ask, “Do you want to go to the back mountain to see if there are any mushrooms?”

Xu Zhizhou went with him to the back mountain. The two of them walked and stopped. The weather was good. They ran into a few familiar people on the road and chatted for a few words. When they reached the back mountain, Xu Zhizhou found a patch of grass and lay down.

“You go and look. And pick some wild fruits and soapberries while you’re at it. I’ll take a nap first,” he said, lying down in a star shape.

Song Changxu: “…”

I knew it.

Song Changxu went to wash a few wild fruits and picked some soapberries, placing them next to Xu Zhizhou. He really did go to look for mushrooms and found a few clusters of butter mushrooms, enough for a plate tonight.

All but one of the wild fruits had been eaten by Xu Zhizhou. Seeing him come back, Xu Zhizhou handed him the fruit. “You can have it. I saved it for you.”

Song Changxu sat down and ate the wild fruit. The autumn wind was very comfortable. His tense nerves also relaxed.

He lay down and saw Xu Zhizhou stretching his body freely, squinting his eyes to enjoy the autumn wind and scenery.

He couldn’t help but feel a sense of doubt. A person like Xu Zhizhou could find his own comfort wherever he was and be happy. He always made himself the most comfortable.

“Why do you keep looking at me?” Xu Zhizhou sensed Song Changxu’s gaze.

Song Changxu looked away. “I’m not looking at you.”

Xu Zhizhou turned over and pinched Song Changxu’s handsome face. “You’re lying.”

He pinched it and found it was nice to pinch, so he reluctantly pinched it a few more times. “You’re a man, and you don’t even use fragrant balm, but your skin is very good.”

“I know. Anyway, you don’t have to be exposed to the wind and sun. You just have to study hard,” Xu Zhizhou snorted coldly. “So you have to study hard, so you won’t let me down in the future. And don’t take advantage of your good looks to fool around and find women outside.”

Song Changxu gritted his teeth and said, “In your eyes, do you not trust me that much?” Is that the kind of person I am?

Xu Zhizhou said as a matter of course, “You’re young and handsome, with a good temperament, a slender figure, and you can read and write. Your temper is also not bad. It’s normal for me not to trust you.”

Song Changxu cleared his throat. “…”

Such a chatterbox. I really want to shut him up.

Song Changxu’s tone softened. “I won’t do such a thing. Since we’re already married, I won’t look for anyone else.”

Besides, if he were so weak-willed, he would also look down on himself.

Xu Zhizhou turned around and held Song Changxu’s face. “You said it yourself. Then if you become successful in the future, you can’t divorce me either?”

Song Changxu nodded. “I promise you.”

As long as you don’t want to divorce me, I won’t take the initiative to.

In the evening, they had a plate of stir-fried butter mushrooms. Song Ye had a few extra mouthfuls.

After everyone had washed up and returned to their rooms, Song Changxu stuffed the rouge and fragrant balm he had bought into Xu Zhizhou’s hands. He pretended to be reserved and said, “I don’t know what you like. I just bought them randomly. If you don’t like them, you don’t have to use them. Just put them away.”

Xu Zhizhou took the rouge and fragrant balm and sat by the dressing table. “Who said I don’t like them? I like everything you give me.”

“This color is very pretty, and the fragrant balm smells good. I was just about to run out of mine, and you gave me some. I’m so lucky,” Xu Zhizhou said, applying the balm to his wrist and sniffing it gently.

Hearing this, Song Changxu couldn’t help but smile. “I’m glad you like it.”

“Of course I like it. You gave it to me, and it’s free… no, I mean, it’s your thought that counts. Your thought is more important than anything.”

In the past, when Song Changxu lived in the room by himself, he would read and write every day after washing up, and then go to sleep. Day after day. Before he got married, he would occasionally think of Xu Zhizhou at night.

Now that he was married, there were more things in the room, and another person had been added. The wardrobe was full, and it felt more like a home.

Xu Zhizhou also talked a lot. The room, which should have been quiet and silent, had become lively.

Xu Zhizhou happily applied the fragrant balm and lay down on the bed.

Song Changxu blew out the candle and got into bed. He asked, “Why do you always seem so happy?”

The moon hung high in the sky. The distant green mountains covered half of its shadow. The moon passed through the clouds, revealing a faint shadow.

Xu Zhizhou: “Because I have something to look forward to.”

Song Changxu repeated the words “look forward to.”

Xu Zhizhou smiled and said, “Because I look forward to the days with you.”

“You are what I look forward to.”

“…”

Such a chatterbox. I really want to shut him up.

Song Changxu turned to his side, put his arm around Xu Zhizhou’s waist, and kissed him. Their lips and teeth were intertwined, their noses touching.

Xu Zhizhou was suddenly kissed. He widened his eyes, then closed them, clutching Song Changxu’s clothes. Song Changxu’s eyes were dark. He met Xu Zhizhou’s closed eyes, released his lips, and gently kissed his eyes.

Kisses landed on his eyes, his nose, his cheeks, his lips, his collarbone, wet and moist. Xu Zhizhou felt his sash being untied.

In the end, he only used his legs.

…

The autumn wind gradually grew colder. The floating leaves on the river were gone, and the trees were bare. Sun Luzhen would sometimes ask Xu Zhizhou to go and catch fish with him. The weather was cold, and the fish didn’t like to come out. It was even colder by the river, so they didn’t like to go there anymore.

Sun Luzhen had taken Xu Zhizhou to see Bai Yuan. Bai Yuan was handsome and seemed to be very good to Sun Luzhen. At least, there was affection in his eyes.

Thinking that his friend would be marrying into another village the following spring, Xu Zhizhou felt a bit reluctant.

Sun Luzhen asked, “What do you think of him?”

Xu Zhizhou: “As long as he’s good to you, he’s good.”

Sun Luzhen smiled and nodded. He said, “He’s not bad.”

Since Sun Luzhen was satisfied, Xu Zhizhou couldn’t say any more. Now he understood that in the future, the two of them had to be satisfied with their own lives.

While there was still time, he slipped over to the Xu family’s. Xu Zhici was sitting on the side, embroidering a purse.

“Zhizhou, why are you here?” Xu Zhici said with pleasant surprise.

“I came back when I had time,” Xu Zhizhou said, his hands on his hips.

.

Song Changxu had been studying from spring to winter. The weather had suddenly turned cold. Every day, he had to go to Lingshui Village early, wearing thick cotton clothes and thick insoles in his shoes. He wore a scarf to keep his neck from getting cold, and also a hat. The river he usually walked on was frozen. There was no bridge, only a few large stones.

He had to step on the stones carefully, or he would slip and fall into the icy river.

The harsh winter wind howled. When Song Changxu arrived at Lingshui Village, he let out a puff of white air. He sat down and took out a book from his book box to read.

The classmates also huddled their heads, hiding from the wind and rain. Scholar Li’s main hall was large enough for them to move their desks and chairs in, which was warmer. There were two charcoal braziers placed at two opposite corners of the hall, but they only provided a little warmth.

Scholar Li was still lecturing.

Lin Pu was actually more energetic than in the summer. The summer made one dizzy and sleepy.

Feng Xin’ou and Song Changxu were the same as always. The class time always passed quickly. At noon, when the food was hot, they opened their lunchboxes. In Song Changxu’s bowl were stir-fried cabbage with shredded meat, dry-fried green beans, pickled vegetables, and dried vegetables.

They still ate together.

“After this winter is over, we won’t be able to see each other anymore, and we won’t be able to eat the food in your bowls.”

“We’ll exchange our names and villages. If we meet again one day, I’ll invite you to my house for a meal. I can’t say for anything else, but I can still afford a meal,” a classmate said cheerfully.

“Me too. If you come to our village, I’ll also treat you to a meal. My wife is a great cook.”

Everyone expressed their opinions. Although the winter was cold, at this moment, it was harmonious and happy. They ate heartily, chatted, and when they got excited, they would gesture wildly.

Hearing their innocent words, Scholar Li couldn’t help but shake his head and laugh. Song Changxu was suddenly pulled by the shoulder by Lin Pu. He laughed along with him.

The mountain window was covered with falling snowflakes, each one dripping with water. There were no more birds on the branches. The snow bent the branches, and with a shake, the snowflakes fell to the ground.

The sound of snow falling on the bamboo forest was soft and rustling.

Song Changxu listened to Scholar Li’s lecture and quickly took notes with his brush. When he returned home from Lingshui Village, his fingers were still a bit stiff and cold. The courtyard gate was closed. He pushed it open, and the whole family was by the brazier in the main hall.

Their family burned firewood. When there was a lot of firewood burned, there would be charcoal, which they would collect to use later.

As soon as Song Changxu came in, he brought a gust of cold wind. Xu Zhizhou and the others were still talking and laughing. They subconsciously looked over.

Song Changxu quickly closed the door. He looked around and saw that the windows in the room were open, which was good.

Xu Zhizhou patted the long bench next to him. “Come and warm yourself by the fire.”

Song Changxu put down his book box and came over to warm himself. It was indeed very cold outside. Xu Zhizhou was concentrating on embroidering a hand warmer. It was black. He had stuffed a lot of cotton inside, and it felt soft and warm.

He finished the last stitch, bit off the thread with his teeth, and smoothed out the wrinkles.

Xu Zhizhou: “Try it on. See if it fits.”

Song Changxu hadn’t expected it to be for him. In front of his parents and elder brother, he took the hand warmer. It was very warm, and it was made quite long, so it could cover his hands completely.

Song Mingyan said, “Originally, Zhizhou and I saw someone selling hand warmers in town, but when we tried them, we found that they weren’t very warm, so Zhizhou wanted to embroider one for you.”

Hearing this, Song Changxu looked at Xu Zhizhou. His palms were warm, and his heart also softened.

“Thank you, Zhizhou,” Song Changxu said.

“You’re my husband. Why are you being so formal?” Xu Zhizhou snorted softly. “I’m glad you’re satisfied. My embroidery is not as good as the ones outside, but the cotton is real.”

Song Changxu touched the hand warmer. “I think it’s very good.”

Xu Zhizhou was more restrained in front of his parents. He secretly gave Song Changxu a proud look.

Song Changxu went to the kitchen to get some hot water. When he was done, Xu Zhizhou pulled him to their room.

He took out a bed warmer from the quilt. “It’s harder for you to study in the winter. You can take this to Lingshui Village to warm your hands. Study hard, and you’ll have a great future.”

Song Changxu met Xu Zhizhou’s serious expression. His heart beat faster. He said, “You just want me to study hard.”

“I’m doing this for your own good,” Xu Zhizhou said, stuffing the bed warmer into Song Changxu’s hands. “Studying is still very hard. I see that your hands are a bit red and swollen from writing.”

Author’s Note:

Little Song: Study hard and improve every day.

Little Xu: Protect your body so you can study well. [Pats head]