Tian Yao was stunned. He hadn’t expected such a reason.
Shen Qiao smiled bitterly. “Although living in poverty is one aspect, if it’s just going hungry, where can’t you find something to eat? The hardest part is, once I divorce Song Yao and return to my maiden family, I’d just be another mouth to feed. The result would be either being strangled by a hemp rope, or being married off again. Who knows what kind of situation another marriage would bring?”
Hearing this, Tian Yao understood all of his difficulties.
“What if, what if he wants both?”
Shen Qiao’s expression turned a bit cold. “How is that possible?”
Having reached this point in the conversation, Shen Qiao was unwilling to speak further. Naturally, Tian Yao couldn’t press him. After resting for a while, they went to the next field.
Shen Qiao’s family didn’t have much land. Shen Qiao and Tian Yao were both extremely hardworking and capable, so four days later, they had already finished harvesting Shen Qiao’s grain. Taking advantage of the clear weather, they spread the harvested grain in the courtyard to dry. After helping Shen Qiao, Tian Yao went to help the Chen family, who originally planted a lot of fields.
In the past, the Chen family’s land was managed solely by Chen Xu’s parents. Later, when Chen Xu returned home, the old couple’s burden lessened somewhat. Compared to others in the village, their work was also finished relatively quickly.
Tian Yao simply went to help the Chen family hurry their work along.
By the time the rush harvest ended, Tian Yao had tanned a shade darker. His heart worried about Yu Nian, and simultaneously dwelled on the matter of Shen Qiao and Song Yao, leaving him somewhat restless at night.
Little Gray hadn’t seen Yu Nian lately and seemed to be in consistently low spirits. Tian Yao thought it over and decided to take it to town for a visit. If it didn’t see Yu Nian, Tian Yao feared Little Gray would continue not eating or sleeping well like this.
Early the next morning, Tian Yao put a leash on Little Gray.
Little Gray was clearly unaccustomed to this. It had always been free-range under their care, and because half of its bloodline was wolf, it strongly resisted having a rope around its neck.
After all, the places Little Gray grew up roaming were the village and the mountain; it had never been to town. So Tian Yao feared it might show aggression around crowds. He insisted on putting the leash on it, saying somewhat helplessly: “Put on the leash, and then you can go find Father.”
Little Gray spun in circles on the spot for quite a while, but ultimately let Tian Yao put the rope on its neck.
Tian Yao led Little Gray and hurried quickly toward town.
Perhaps it felt its nature was bound by the rope, as Little Gray was dejected the entire way. It wasn’t until they neared the clinic and it caught Yu Nian’s scent that it became excited.
The clinic had just opened. Yu Nian was already in front of the medicine cabinet, counting the remaining herbs and checking yesterday’s dispensation quantity. He looked up and saw Tian Yao standing at the clinic entrance, and Little Gray, who Tian Yao was desperately holding back, nearly lunging forward immediately.
Seeing Yu Nian’s attention land on them, Tian Yao released the rope in his hand. Like a wild horse breaking free, Little Gray instantly dashed toward Yu Nian. It put both paws on Yu Nian, incessantly rubbing its head against Yu Nian’s neck. Yu Nian’s eyes nearly curved shut from laughter as he continuously stroked its back.
“It’s like I sold you off or something. After days of not seeing you, you don’t eat or sleep.” Tian Yao walked to Yu Nian’s side, watching their interaction with a hint of jealousy.
Yu Nian gently grasped his hand. “These past few days, I’ve missed you very much.”
Tian Yao felt he was just too weak-willed. One “I’ve missed you” from Yu Nian, and pink bubbles floated up in his heart.
“What you miss most is probably it.” Tian Yao spoke insincerely.
“A grown adult, fighting with a dog for sweets.” Old Zhou had returned at some point and was now teasing him from the side.
Tian Yao’s face turned bright red. But he was a bit tanned now, so it didn’t show as much.
Old Zhou was quite taken with Little Gray, however. Little Gray also showed goodwill, not baring its teeth at him like it did to strangers.
“You’ve raised this dog well.” Old Zhou said. “It should have wolf blood in it, right?”
Tian Yao nodded. “Yu Nian said so too.”
Old Zhou also knew they hadn’t seen each other in a while and now had private things to say. “Go to the market and buy some breakfast. I want the big steamed buns from the Zhang family’s shop.”
Tian Yao pushed Yu Nian, Yu Nian holding Little Gray’s leash. The silhouette of the family of three was very harmonious.
Tian Yao couldn’t wait to know Yu Nian’s condition. Yu Nian then said, “The acupuncture has already started.”
He only asked with concern: “Does it hurt?”
Yu Nian shook his head. “It doesn’t hurt. But my leg now has much more sensation than before.”
Before, pain only came when Tian Yao massaged his key acupoints. That level of pain wasn’t hard to bear; he even liked it, since having feeling was proof his leg wasn’t useless.
“Then it’s starting to take effect, right?” Tian Yao didn’t understand medicine, only thinking that not long from now, Yu Nian would have to endure that unbearable pain.
“I looked into Song Yao’s situation recently.” Yu Nian didn’t want to see Tian Yao unhappy, so he changed the subject.
Tian Yao was indeed led astray. “Did you find anything out?”
It was quite a coincidence. The day after Tian Yao went back, a Ger came to the clinic for a pulse diagnosis.
Old Zhou intended to train Yu Nian, so he didn’t take the case himself but let Yu Nian take his pulse. Yu Nian’s memory was excellent. At a glance, he recognized that the Ger here for a diagnosis was the very Ger with Song Yao that day.
As soon as Yu Nian placed his hand on the Ger’s wrist, he had an idea in his heart. The pulse was smooth and round, like pearls rolling on a jade plate. It was a slippery pulse. This Ger before him was already pregnant. According to the pulse, it was over two months along.
Yu Nian truthfully informed him. The Ger’s face showed joy, but then his brows furrowed deeply.
Because his pulse was very good and his constitution was healthy, he didn’t need any miscarriage-prevention medicine. He paid the consultation fee and left.
Tian Yao’s brow furrowed tightly. “Pregnant? Song Yao’s? Then what about Brother Qiao?”
Yu Nian knew his heart was all for Shen Qiao’s good. “You spoke with Shen Qiao. What did he say?”
Tian Yao relayed Shen Qiao’s words. Yu Nian nodded. “It’s enough that he’s willing to divorce.”
“But what if Song Yao doesn’t want to divorce Brother Qiao?”
Yu Nian thought for a moment. The current reigning Emperor was Emperor Chengqing. In over a decade on the throne, besides the Empress, the Emperor had no one else in the harem. The two had known each other since childhood, their bond as firm as metal. That was why, when Emperor Chengqing issued laws, he originally wanted to abolish the system of multiple wives and concubines. But he was opposed by the court officials and could only settle for second best, establishing a new law.
“The law of our Dynasty stipulates: only if after three years of marriage there are no children can a Concubine be taken. But illicit unions without formal matchmaking are forbidden.” Yu Nian was very calm. “We can only use this to plan for Shen Qiao. How many years has Shen Qiao been married to him?”
Tian Yao counted on his fingers. “It should be over two years.”
“So the prerequisite of three years without children hasn’t been met yet.” Yu Nian said in a deep voice. “If Shen Qiao reports him to the authorities now…”
“Then can they divorce?”
Yu Nian, however, shook his head. “No. The Lord judging the case would only order that Ger to abort the child. He wouldn’t grant them a divorce either. And Song Yao would be flogged fifty times. After all, it’s better to tear down ten temples than ruin one marriage.”
Tian Yao deflated. But soon, he remembered something else. “Also, Song Yao’s mother passed away only a year ago. Isn’t he still within the Mourning Period? If he conceived a child during the Mourning Period, wouldn’t the authorities also punish him?”
“Ethics of the Mourning Period are also merely moral issues. As long as he denies it to the death, we have no recourse.” Yu Nian was very composed.
“Why is this so troublesome? Is there really no way for Brother Qiao to get a peaceful divorce?”
“Start with that Ger. As long as he insists Song Yao must repudiate his wife, Song Yao will do it, for the sake of the child.”
Only after talking for quite a while did Tian Yao remember they were supposed to be buying breakfast for Old Zhou. After half an hour, they still hadn’t brought it back. They’d certainly be scolded by him later.
When they returned, they were indeed scolded. Tian Yao simply stuck out his tongue and finally led Little Gray into the back courtyard.
Old Zhou performed acupuncture on Yu Nian every day at the end of the Si hour (around 11 AM). Today, Tian Yao happened to be there.
He watched helplessly as Old Zhou took out the Silver Needles he always treasured. Tian Yao’s fingers trembled slightly, watching the coldly gleaming needles pierce into Yu Nian’s leg. At this moment, he wished Yu Nian’s leg had no sensation, so it wouldn’t be so painful right now.
He watched Yu Nian’s face intently. When all the needles were inserted into his leg, Yu Nian merely frowned slightly.
Old Zhou packed up his things. “Talk with him for a while. I’ll be outside.”
Tian Yao pouted, crouching beside Yu Nian, somewhat at a loss. Yu Nian reached out and touched his face. “I’m not in pain.”
“Your leg is full of holes from the needles, and you say it doesn’t hurt?” Tian Yao didn’t dare touch him rashly, fearing he might accidentally bump the needles in his leg and push them all the way in with his carelessness.
“Let’s discuss Shen Qiao’s situation?” Yu Nian said. “Later, that Ger came looking for Old Zhou, asking Old Zhou to prescribe medicine to prevent the child from growing too fast.”
Tian Yao’s mouth dropped open. “Why? Wouldn’t that be harmful to the child?”
He remembered when Liu Zhi was pregnant, even when he caught a cold, he endured it himself, absolutely not daring to take medicine, for fear of harming his child. Why would this Ger want to use medicine on himself?
“Is he afraid the child will grow too big and harm his own body?” That was the only possibility Tian Yao could think of.
“No, it’s possible that if the child is too big, it won’t match the supposed month of conception.”
Tian Yao gasped. “What do you mean?”
“In other words, the child might not be Song Yao’s.”
Tian Yao’s mind couldn’t quite keep up with this chain of events. “You’re saying, the child this Ger is carrying isn’t Song Yao’s, but he wants Song Yao to believe the child is his!”
Yu Nian nodded. “That’s exactly what I mean.”
“Then wouldn’t he be a living cuckold?” Tian Yao couldn’t help it; he laughed out loud. “The first time he hit Brother Qiao was because he thought Brother Qiao had something going on with that neighbor. Just let him be a living cuckold!”
So the two of them put their heads together and discussed how they could help Shen Qiao.
“The second crop of fruit in the vegetable patch is about to ripen. I plan to pick it all and sell it at the market, as a bit of income. Also, the chili peppers. The chili peppers have ripened too, green and vibrant, very pretty. I plan to sell them together.”
Yu Nian, however, shook his head. “Not everyone can accept the spicy taste of chili peppers. If they buy them, they also won’t know how to cook them.”
“Then should I sell the chili peppers and the recipes both to Kechanglai?” Tian Yao asked.
“If we want to make a long-term livelihood from this, that method isn’t good either.” Yu Nian said. “Once you give the recipe away, Kechanglai would only need the chili peppers from you. Once they figure out the cultivation method, it won’t be profitable anymore. It’s not a sustainable plan.”
Tian Yao looked at him. “Then what should we do?”
“Didn’t you want to set up a stall outside before? Just sell pre-cooked dishes made with chili peppers. Build it up slowly.”
Tian Yao nodded. “Alright, we’ll do as you say. Then today I need to head back, take Little Gray home, and go up the mountain again tomorrow to catch some rabbits and such.”
“Prepare to set up the stall in the next couple of days.”
“Alright.”
