My Husband is a Drama King [Book Transmigration] 64

Chapter 64: On Duty

Song Changxu was at a point where he would only show his dominance and possessiveness. He captured Xu Zhizhou’s lips, his hands moving with some urgency.

They hadn’t been together in a long time, so it was natural to be a little rusty.

Xu Zhizhou reached out and wrapped his arms around Song Changxu’s neck. He looked at this man who made him feel both love and desire, and his heart suddenly softened.

The two of them had been separated for so long, and Xu Zhizhou had been thinking of him all the time.

Now that he saw him, he couldn’t help himself. He pressed his body against him.

The moonlight spread over their bodies. Fine beads of sweat appeared on Song Changxu’s forehead. A drop of sweat trickled from his forehead to his chin and finally disappeared into his chest.

The two of them were now in sync. After a long separation, their feelings were more intense, their hearts clearer.

…

The capital was bustling. Before dawn, the breakfast shops were already open. The fog was thick. Someone was hidden in the fog, working by the faint candlelight, steaming meat buns.

Pedestrians were in a hurry. Those who were up so early were either coming into the city to sell vegetables and go to the market, or were small business owners, or were officials who had to go to court early.

They all took carriages. A few of them walked to the imperial city. The carriages rumbled on the street, and the pedestrians all moved aside, not daring to delay the officials.

Song Changxu woke up early. He went out to buy breakfast, a steamer of meat buns, and some soy milk to take back.

He saw the carriages on the street, looked up a few times, smiled, and went back to his own small courtyard.

He was already thinking about a carriage before he even had his own house. He had to wait for now. He was patient. He just felt that he was still young. A little patience could get him something better. He couldn’t lose his sense of proportion.

Thinking of this, Song Changxu’s heart lightened again. No matter what, there would always be someone by his side.

He returned to the bedroom. Xu Zhizhou was still sleeping. He brought the meat buns and soy milk over and shook him.

“Eat breakfast first and then go back to sleep. Otherwise, it’s not good for your health.”

Xu Zhizhou mumbled a few words, still in a daze. He turned over, sat up in bed, and ate two meat buns with his eyes closed, and drank the soy milk.

Then he hugged Song Changxu’s pillow and continued to sleep.

Song Changxu tidied up the house. He took his sugar and went out to sell it. He had asked around on the streets of the capital. There were a few sugar shops. He would try his luck at the shops first. If he could sell it all in one go, it would be less trouble.

The price of sugar was very high. A catty of sugar could be exchanged for a dou of rice. According to the Zixia Ji, in the Tang Dynasty, a catty of milk sugar cost sixty copper coins. In the Song Dynasty, a catty of sugar frost cost up to two hundred copper coins. In the Qing Dynasty, after the technology had improved, the price of sugar was thirty copper coins a catty.

Now, in the Ningxing Dynasty, the price of sugar fluctuated between seventy and one hundred and fifty copper coins. White sugar was more precious than brown sugar and could be sold for up to three hundred copper coins. Maltose was cheaper, at about eighty, and brown sugar was about one hundred and twenty.

He was confident that the quality of the white sugar he made was extraordinary and should be able to sell for a good price.

He went to a sugar shop. There were many managers and common people in the shop, looking at the sugar.

Today, Song Changxu had brought one catty each of maltose, brown sugar, and white sugar, in small cloth bags.

The assistant in the sugar shop warmly welcomed him. “Sir, what would you like to buy? We have all kinds of sugar here.”

Song Changxu shook his head. “I’m not here to buy sugar. I’m here to sell it.”

The smile on the assistant’s face faded. He sized up Song Changxu and said, “I can’t make the decision on this. Please come in, young master.”

There was an inner room in the shop. He lifted a curtain, and the assistant led him for a while. The view suddenly opened up, and they reached the inner room. A middle-aged man was sitting on a chair, fiddling with a tea set. He looked up at Song Changxu.

The assistant whispered a few words in his ear.

Boss Zhuang waved his hand. “Go and attend to the customers. Please sit down, young master. How should I address you? You can just call me Boss Zhuang.”

Song Changxu sat down. Boss Zhuang poured him a cup of tea. Song Changxu took a sip. It was indeed clear, sweet, and had a lingering taste.

“Boss Zhuang, my surname is Song.”

“You must be the current top scorer. I saw you when you were parading on horseback. Your appearance is not ordinary, so I remembered,” Boss Zhuang said calmly.

A trace of surprise flashed in Song Changxu’s eyes, and then he smiled and nodded. “You have a good memory, Boss Zhuang. I’ve come to see you today because I have a business to discuss with you.”

“Please speak, Young Master Song,” the Zhuang family was in the sugar business. They had been rooted in the capital for generations and had become an old, established brand. People from all over the country liked to buy from their shop to sell. The large households in the capital also liked to buy sugar from them.

Their shop was able to establish itself in the capital naturally because of their backer. The Zhuang family was backed by the current Marquis Wen.

Originally, with their family’s financial resources, they could have opened a better shop, but the Zhuang family were all nostalgic people and had always operated the shop their ancestors had opened. The shop was still the same small one.

Although the shop was small, the money it earned was not.

If the assistant hadn’t said it was a sugar business, and if he hadn’t seen that Song Changxu was the new top scorer, he wouldn’t have given him a chance to speak after thinking about it.

Song Changxu got straight to the point. “Boss Zhuang, what do you think of these three bags of sugar?”

He opened the bags and showed the sugar. Boss Zhuang’s gaze was first attracted by the white sugar.

It was as white as snow, crystal clear. It looked much more beautiful than the sugar in his shop.

“Young Master Song, may I have a taste?” Boss Zhuang’s eyes lit up, and his attitude towards Song Changxu became even warmer.

Song Changxu smiled. “Please, Boss Zhuang.”

Boss Zhuang found a small spoon, scooped a little into a teacup, and tasted it. His eyes lit up. The sugar was refreshing and not cloying, with a moderate sweetness, and no sour, salty, or coarse taste. After eating it, there was no other taste lingering on his tongue. It was very clean.

It surpassed all the sugar in his shop.

He then tasted the maltose and brown sugar. The maltose had a slightly grainy texture, while the brown sugar carried a caramelized aroma and a faint bitterness.

These feelings were normal for these two kinds of sugar. Brown sugar contained molasses and minerals, so the taste was more complex.

These three kinds of sugar were all better than the ones in their shop. The Zhuang family had some old customers in the capital, but they were not the only sugar shop. There were seven or eight other large and small shops.

If they had this batch of sugar, they should be able to attract a lot of large households.

The large households did not lack money for food, clothing, housing, and transportation. They were just afraid of eating boring food, of not eating well enough.

Boss Zhuang asked enthusiastically, “What price are you looking for, Young Master Song?”

He was already asking for the price. It seemed that Boss Zhuang was very satisfied. After thinking for a moment, Song Changxu raised the price. Boss Zhuang was not a fool. The two of them haggled for a while.

In the end, they settled on a price of three hundred and fifty copper coins a catty for the white sugar, one hundred and twenty for the brown sugar, and ninety for the maltose.

Boss Zhuang squinted and smiled. “Also, I hope that your sugar, Young Master Song, will only be in cooperation with our Zhuang family.”

The price Boss Zhuang offered was beyond Song Changxu’s expectation. He nodded. “You can be at ease about that, Boss Zhuang.”

The two of them signed a contract, in duplicate.

Boss Zhuang put away the contract. He asked, “How much sugar do you have now, Young Master Song?”

Song Changxu said, “Ten catties of white sugar, eight of brown sugar, and fifteen of maltose.”

Boss Zhuang wanted them all, as well as the one catty of each in the cloth bags. The total came to six taels, three qian, and seventy copper coins.

Boss Zhuang generously gave him six taels and four qian.

After deducting the cost, Song Changxu had earned five taels of silver this time. If he could achieve mass production, he could earn a few more sums. But now was not the time to be greedy.

Song Changxu took the assistant from the Zhuang family’s sugar shop and moved the sugar from his house. The main raw material for making sugar was sugarcane, which was cheap. After being processed into sugar, the price would multiply several times.

It had taken him five days to make this sugar. To earn five taels of silver in five days was already a huge profit.

After the assistant from the Zhuang family’s sugar shop had left, Xu Zhizhou heard the noise outside, washed up, and came out to see.

“Husband, who was it?”

Song Changxu took a step forward and proudly showed the silver to Xu Zhizhou. “This is the money I got from making sugar these past few days. It’s a total of six taels and four qian. After deducting the cost, the net profit is five taels.”

Xu Zhizhou took a handful and left two taels for Song Changxu.

“You’re so amazing, husband.”

Song Changxu didn’t mind. After all, he would have a salary next month, seven taels of silver a month.

Xu Zhizhou: “Teach me how to make sugar, husband. Then you can go to court, and I’ll make money at home. Also, how will your salary be divided?”

That’s right. As a man, Song Changxu still had a bit of male chauvinism.

Song Changxu proposed, “Of the seven taels of silver, I’ll take three, and you’ll take four.”

Xu Zhizhou looked up at him without speaking.

“…”

He was hinting at him.

Song Changxu took another step back. “How about I take two, and you take five?”

Xu Zhizhou reluctantly agreed. “The sugar business is also important. Should we buy a residence or a shop first?”

Song Changxu thought for a moment. “Let’s not buy a house first. We’ll find a place to open a sugar workshop, in the outskirts. The land there is cheaper. We’ll hire seven or eight people, make a name for ourselves first, and then buy a house when we have more money.”

Although Xu Zhizhou had an obsession with owning his own house, he had to agree with his husband. His husband’s plan was the most reasonable.

He thought to himself, Maybe we can live in a new house in a year.

Xu Zhizhou now thought of the reward His Majesty had given Song Changxu. It would be so good if His Majesty could suddenly reward them with gold and silver.

Song Changxu had written a letter to the village after he had passed as the top scorer. It should have reached Qishan Village by now. He took Xu Zhizhou to the kitchen to teach him how to make sugar.

.

Qishan Village

Song Ye and Liang Su had finished their farming work and were resting. Song Mingyan was still at his stall in town. This time, he had taken Xu Cheng with him.

In the afternoon, he drove the ox-cart back by himself. Xu Cheng had bought a lot of snacks. Song Mingyan lightly jumped down. He took out a letter.

“It’s a letter from Changxu.”

None of them in the family could read. Song Ye thought of going to find Wang Erlang. Wang Erlang came quickly, took Song Changxu’s letter, and read it out.

Hearing that he had passed as the top scorer and would be an official in the capital, Wang Erlang’s hands trembled. The top scorer, that was the top scorer. It was truly amazing.

He had never thought that Song Changxu, who had been in the same village with him for so many years, would be so amazing as to become the top scorer. Now he was an official in the capital, with a boundless future.

He had originally been quite intelligent, but now he was filled with regret. If he had known that Song Changxu was so accomplished, he would definitely have befriended him.

When he had befriended Song Changxu, he was already a Juren. He had been busy with the imperial examination and hadn’t had a chance to talk to him much.

Wang Erlang had not expected to have missed a top scorer. He was filled with regret.

Song Ye, Liang Su, and Song Mingyan were all still a bit dazed.

Song Ye: “Changxu is an official, and a capital official at that. He’s very promising.”

Their focus was on Song Changxu being an official.

Not to mention being an official in their county, this time he was even an official in the capital. The capital was at the foot of the emperor. Then his son could even see the emperor.

They, the common people, had never thought of seeing the emperor, let alone being an official in the capital.

Wang Erlang: “Being an official is secondary. Do you know what a top scorer is, Uncle Song? A top scorer is the number one scholar in the Ningxing Dynasty. In short, Brother Song has a boundless future. He has surpassed the sons of the aristocratic families.”

Hearing this, Song Ye and Liang Su were shocked again. “The first, and the first in the Ningxing Dynasty?!”

The Song family was filled with joy. The news spread to the Xu family, and they were also happy. Now, the two most promising families in the village were their in-laws.

Who said that having two ge’ers was useless? The Xu family’s ge’ers had all married well. Both of them had gone to the capital.

Maybe the two Xu family ge’ers were lucky for their husbands. Look at Xie Huaichuan, he was unremarkable when he had left home. After a few years, he had come back as an official.

Song Changxu and Xu Zhizhou’s marriage had also been smooth.

The Song family’s son was promising. The villagers were now tempted to send their sons and grandsons to study. What if they got lucky, and their sons and grandsons became promising? They would also benefit.

The Song and Xu families were happy for a long time. Even their relatives were happy. In the future, they would be able to hold their heads high when they went out.

Song Mingyan smiled, happy for Song Changxu and Xu Zhizhou.

Xu Cheng was also happy to have an uncle who was an official. He cheered, “No one will bully me in the future.”

Song Mingyan’s heart tightened. “Has someone been bullying you?”

Xu Cheng: “No, I’m just saying. I have an uncle who is an official in the capital, Father. Doesn’t that sound very impressive?”

Song Mingyan smiled and patted his head.

On the other side, the Xu family was in a miserable state again. Old Madam Xu thought of the Song family’s current situation and became more and more flustered and upset.

If Xu Peng had not divorced Song Mingyan, the Xu family could still have benefited a little from the Song family. Now, there were no benefits, and they had become the laughingstock of the village. Thinking of this, Old Madam Xu was filled with regret.

She had been a bit harsh to Song Mingyan, but which husband was not tormented by his mother-in-law? If he couldn’t even take this little hardship, what was the point of getting married? When she had married into the Xu family, hadn’t she also been beaten and scolded by her husband, and had to serve her in-laws?

How come it was not okay for him, Song Mingyan? He was not a precious person. Even if he were, when you marry a chicken, you follow the chicken, when you marry a dog, you follow the dog. When he married into their Xu family, he was one of them.

He had such a strong personality, and yet he had a good end.

Old Madam Xu was unlucky in everything. She was not happy with Xu Peng, and even less so with his husband.

Not to mention Old Madam Xu, the others were also not happy.

At night, Xu Peng tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The thought of the wealth that had been within his grasp slipping away made him feel very bad.

His husband said, “Why are you tossing and turning? Are you still thinking of your ex-husband? He’s soared to the sky now. How could he have anything to do with you? If you want to be with Song Mingyan, go and have your spring and autumn dream.”

His thoughts exposed, Xu Peng was embarrassed and angry. He was about to slap him, but he thought of something and stopped, turning his back to endure it.

Song Mingyan was good-looking and had a good personality. Xu Peng liked him very much. But he couldn’t control his temper every time they argued. Like his father, he liked to hit his husband.

After Song Mingyan couldn’t take it anymore and divorced him, it was too late for him to regret it.

He would not hit anyone again. Every time he wanted to, as soon as he thought of Song Mingyan’s resolute gaze, he couldn’t do it.

His husband was still talking, but Xu Peng didn’t want to listen anymore. He pulled the quilt over his head.

…

Capital City

Xu Zhizhou had learned how to make sugar from Song Changxu. It was indeed a bit of a waste of firewood, but it was still worth it.

The two of them had gone to see Xu Zhici and Xie Huaichuan once.

They had already settled down. Xie Huaichuan had hired a maid to do the chores. Xu Zhici was reading the Thousand Character Classic.

“Zhizhou, Changxu, come and sit,” Xu Zhici was a bit uncomfortable in the capital. Especially since Xie Huaichuan had even hired a maid, which he felt was too extravagant.

“Elder Brother, we’ve come to see you. Is my brother-in-law not here?” Song Changxu asked.

Xu Zhici: “He’s already gone to work.”

Song Changxu also had to go to work in a few days. Xu Zhizhou said, “Elder Brother, I’ll come and find you for a walk in the future.”

Xu Zhici nodded. “I’ve made some tea. You can take some back to drink.”

The two of them did not stay at the Xie family’s for dinner. Song Changxu and Xu Zhizhou went back together to sell the sugar they had made, and got ten taels and five qian of silver.

“In the future, I also want a maid. We’re both officials. Why is my husband so poor?” Xu Zhizhou said, pulling on Song Changxu’s sleeve and shaking it.

Song Changxu cleared his throat. “My brother-in-law has military merits, and His Majesty has rewarded him.”

If it were an ordinary person’s reward, it would be skimmed off, but Xie Huaichuan was backed by the Xiao family. Those people would have to have the guts of a bear and a leopard to dare to do so.

Xu Zhizhou pulled on Song Changxu’s sleeve and was sad.

When it was time for Song Changxu to go to work, he put on his official robe and hat. Just as he was about to leave, Xu Zhizhou took out a jade pendant from a drawer.

“You’re an official. You should still wear some accessories. A jade pendant is too expensive. This jade pendant has a nice color and looks very light. It’s just right for you,” Xu Zhizhou said, and lowered his head to put it on for Song Changxu.

Song Changxu’s heart warmed. “You’re so thoughtful, Zhizhou.”

“Clothes make the man. You have to dress up a bit more when you go out. When we have more money in the future, it’ll be enough to just buy a jade pendant. After all, my husband is good-looking. A single jade pendant is enough to show it off.”

Song Changxu kissed Xu Zhizhou’s forehead.

Xu Zhizhou shooed him away like a sparrow. “What are you doing? Hurry and go to work. If you’re late on your first day, what will your superior think of you? It will also affect your family.”

Song Changxu was both soft-hearted and amused.

“Alright, alright. I’m going.”

Song Changxu flew away like a sparrow.

Xu Zhizhou had also gotten up early to have breakfast and start making sugar. Actually, he already had two hundred taels of silver in his hand, all earned from the Bobo Chicken.

They had been in Jinhe County for about a year and a half. Besides the rent, there were no other major expenses. His parents had land and did not have to pay taxes. The family did not need their help now, so they had saved up all the money.

He had worked hard from morning till night to save up two hundred taels of silver. Xu Zhizhou treasured it. In the future, he would only spend the loose change. He would not touch this two hundred taels no matter what.

“In the future, we still have to buy a house and a shop, and maybe have children. There’s so much money to be spent. I’m already the husband of an official. Why am I still troubled by money?”

Xu Zhizhou lay down.

“But my husband should just do his job honestly. He can’t extort the common people. The money he earns has to be clean.”

Many people were at the court in the capital. Song Changxu was a new official. He didn’t know the Jinluan Hall, but seeing so many people walking this way, he followed along.

When they reached the Jinluan Hall, Song Changxu saw Shen Liang, Pei Shengrong, and Scholar Xie with his sharp eyes. He first went to greet Scholar Xie, and then retreated behind him.

Pei Shengrong: “I haven’t congratulated you yet, Brother Shen, on becoming Sir Liu’s in-law.”

Shen Liang’s eyes showed a gentle smile. “I’m indebted to the prime minister for his favor.”

Song Changxu was not envious. He was not a person who lived off a woman. Besides, he had a loved one. Nothing could compare.

After a while, the Jinluan Hall was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Song Changxu heard a voice from above.

Then he knelt down with the officials. “We pay our respects to Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty, long live, long live.”

“Rise, my dear ministers.”

Emperor Pingjing’s voice was very young. An official in a crimson robe in front of him stepped forward to present a memorial.

Song Changxu secretly glanced at the emperor and immediately looked away.

He also saw Xie Huaichuan.

At the very front were General Xiao and Liu Wangsheng. They were too far away. Song Changxu could only see the backs of their heads.

After the court session was over, he went to the Hanlin Academy with Shen Liang and Pei Shengrong. The three of them walked together, all breathing a sigh of relief.

Pei Shengrong said, “His Majesty’s pressure in the Jinluan Hall is very heavy, and the court ministers also have their own opinions. I’ve never seen such a scene. My legs are still trembling.”

Shen Liang laughed heartily. “Brother Pei, we’ll have to experience much more in the future. You must not show any fear.”

Pei Shengrong gave a bitter smile.

Song Changxu stood behind Scholar Xie, and he was so far away that he didn’t feel anything.

It was just like a meeting. He was not a particularly lively person in meetings.

The group of them arrived at the Hanlin Academy and were led to their respective workstations.

“Sir Song, you’ll be working here in the future. There’s a roster that you need to transcribe.”

“Alright,” Song Changxu answered and started to do the chores.

Newcomers all started with chores, even the new top scorer, the prime minister’s son-in-law, and the Pei clan of Hedong.

Song Changxu and the others were doing chores in the Hanlin Academy. They only rested when they went to the dining hall.

Song Changxu happily went to get his food.

Pei Shengrong said, “So many trivial matters, so small and tedious.”

Shen Liang agreed in his heart, but he still said, “Let’s endure it for now. When we get the hang of it, we’ll naturally have proper work to do.”

Song Changxu started to eat.

Shen Liang: “…”

As expected of the imperial kitchen.

In the afternoon, they were still doing chores. Song Changxu did them slowly. Someone couldn’t stand it, saw that Shen Liang was working too fast, and then gave Song Changxu’s work to him with a look of disappointment.

Shen Liang: “…”

“Sir Song, you have to get the hang of it soon,” the Hanlin academician said.

“Alright,” Song Changxu answered.

After work, the three of them dragged their tired bodies home. Shen Liang was the most tired, and Song Changxu was the least.

The three of them thought at the same time: It seems that the officialdom is not as spirited as they had thought.

The three of them had all passed the first class and were in high spirits, but in the Hanlin Academy, they were just doing chores.

Throughout history, there have been as many first-class graduates as fish in a river. Those who could reach high positions were not just the first class. It was just that their path was easier.

Emperor Pingjing had placed them in the Hanlin Academy to train them. He was currently in a struggle with Empress Dowager Xiao. The young ministers were fresh blood for him, but they had not yet grasped real power, so they were temporarily ignored.

He had to win the support of the old ministers and the aristocratic families in the court.

Laifu brought in some bird’s nest.

“Your Majesty, this was made by the imperial kitchen at the request of the Phoenix Lord. Have some to nourish your body.”

Emperor Pingjing was annoyed at the thought of the Xiao family. He didn’t want to eat the bird’s nest. “Alright, you can leave.”

“Wait. Are there any interesting stories about the top scorer, the second-place graduate, and the third-place graduate in the Hanlin Academy?”

Laifu said, “What interesting stories could there be, Your Majesty? The three young sirs have all been assigned to do chores. They’re all listless. What a pity.”

***

Author’s Note:

Little Song: Chores are chores. Anyway, I have to eat. [Pity]

Little Xu: A little money-saving expert. [Pats head]