My Husband is a Drama King [Book Transmigration] 76

Chapter 76: The Pei Family Wedding Banquet

“We should look at a few more plots of land. If we can’t get this one, we can still look for others,” Song Changxu said with caution.

Xu Zhizhou agreed. “I know. I just think this one is the most suitable. If it doesn’t work out, there are plenty of others in the outskirts.”

Xu Zhizhou thought, and nestled in Song Changxu’s arms. “When the sugar workshop is ready, I’ll go and look at houses first.”

Song Changxu smiled and nodded. “It’s time to buy a house. It’s still a bit inconvenient to live here.”

“Exactly. If we have our own house, we won’t have to pay rent. It hurts me so much. Buying a house only hurts once, but renting hurts every time you pay,” Xu Zhizhou said, his heart aching.

“I know. When you’ve bought a house, your heart will be at ease,” Song Changxu said with a smile.

“Of course. I want to change the dressing table. The one here is so old. It would be a hassle to move if I changed it. Besides, after living in a house for a long time, you feel that there are small problems everywhere. The most important thing is that it’s too small. If we have children in the future, where will they live?” Xu Zhizhou said, his logic clear, and he held up three fingers.

Song Changxu was on fire. He said, trying to cover it up, “Children won’t come that easily.”

Xu Zhizhou looked at him. “Don’t you like children?”

“It’s not that I don’t like them. I just think it’s very sudden,” Song Changxu said. He still felt that he was very young. It was not good to be a father at such a young age.

If he were this age in the modern era, he would still be in graduate school, and he would be a father.

Xu Zhizhou: “We’re not young anymore. You’re twenty-four, almost twenty-five. Do you still think you’re a seventeen or eighteen-year-old young gentleman? You’re not ashamed.”

Song Changxu couldn’t win against him.

Xu Zhizhou placed Song Changxu’s hand on his own waist. “In short, we also have to be prepared. We’ll see how it goes.”

Song Changxu held him and agreed.

.

When Song Changxu went to work, he was still distracted, thinking of what Xu Zhizhou had said about children.

A clerk brought a stack of documents to his desk. “Sir Song, these all have to be finished today.”

Song Changxu agreed. These were the appointment and dismissal documents decided by the higher-ups. He had to check them first and then send them to His Majesty.

Song Changxu rubbed his eyes. He would go blind if he kept this up. There were few appointment and dismissal documents for the capital officials, but many for the local ones.

It was too difficult to change the capital officials. The local ones were easier to move.

Song Changxu dealt with them for a while and found that only a few exceptional officials had been transferred from local to capital positions, which was very rare.

At noon, Song Changxu got up and went to the dining hall. When he got there, he was with Pei Shengrong.

Pei Shengrong gave him an invitation. “I’m getting married on the holiday. Remember to come.”

“Brother Pei, you’re so secretive. I wonder which family’s young lady it is?” Song Changxu said, taking the invitation and teasing him.

Pei Shengrong cleared his throat, a blush on his face. “It’s the young lady of the Fan family. Her father is the libationer of the Imperial College. We met during a spring outing. After a while, I asked my family’s elders to go to the Fan family to propose. She is a very good girl. When we got engaged, you and Brother Shen were both in Yongzhou. I didn’t have a chance to tell you.”

Pei Shengrong was good-looking, or he wouldn’t have been chosen as the third-place graduate. He had always thought that Pei Shengrong’s marriage would be arranged by his family’s elders. He hadn’t expected him to find someone himself this time.

The two of them had a good match in family background, and they also had feelings for each other. It was a rare good marriage.

“I’ll have to ask you for a cup of wedding wine then,” Song Changxu said with a smile.

“I’ll also need you to block the wine for me. You can’t make me drink,” Pei Shengrong said. When he talked about getting married, his expression was relaxed. It was clear that he was really in love.

The two of them were in different departments and only met during meals. They chatted as they ate.

“The Ministry of Works has been in a tight spot this time. Sir Xie was promoted by His Majesty. Now that the national treasury is empty, he is very serious about money matters. The Ministry of Works has to go through a lot of procedures and is severely stuck. It’s even more difficult to get the Ministry of Revenue to approve the funds.”

Song Changxu: “That’s also good. The silver in the national treasury won’t be leaked. There are currently no major projects that require the Ministry of Works to spend money.”

Pei Shengrong: “Didn’t the court mention the matter of building the imperial mausoleum this morning? His Majesty refused, but the others have not yet given up. Someone even proposed to build a temporary palace for the Empress Dowager, for her to cultivate her nature and practice Buddhism.”

Song Changxu: “The national treasury has no silver. These are all empty words. His Majesty probably hasn’t even considered it.”

After His Majesty had taken over the government, only a fool would stick with the Xiao family. Seeing His Majesty slap the Xiao family’s face in the Jinluan Hall was a warning to them. A new monarch, a new court. They could curry favor with His Highness, but not with the Xiao family.

After all, if His Highness were to give birth to a prince, he would be the legitimate eldest son.

The Pei family and other aristocratic families saw this clearly. It just depended on whether the other ministers in the court could see it.

After lunch, Song Changxu went back to the Ministry of Personnel and took a short nap. When he woke up, he went to the tea room to get some hot water, and then he drank tea while dealing with the documents.

Life was still very comfortable. After he had finished organizing the appointment and dismissal documents, he had a clerk take them away. Song Changxu took out a book from the Ministry of Personnel and started to read.

He still didn’t understand the part about evaluating officials very well and needed to study more to be promoted.

The evaluation looked at three parts: one was political achievements, two was seniority, and three was background. Of course, those with a background would also be included in the evaluation. The Ministry of Personnel was flexible in its appointments and dismissals. It would leave a few openings for those with connections, and the other official positions would be open for fair competition. This way, those with connections would have a position, and the capable officials could also be promoted.

“The Ningxing Dynasty is too big. It’s already a fortune for so many officials to be seen by the court.”

Song Changxu looked at the papers in the file, put them away, and returned them.

With Song Changxu’s help, Assistant Minister Su’s work was much easier, and his impression of him also improved.

An assistant minister was a junior fifth-rank, a director was a junior fifth-rank, and further up was the Vice Minister of Personnel, a junior third-rank, and the Minister of Personnel, a junior second-rank.

His position was half a rank higher than Song Changxu’s, but Song Changxu was the new top scorer and his future was still better than his. As long as he didn’t make a mistake and made some political achievements, his promotion would still be very fast.

Assistant Minister Su murmured to himself, “After all, Sir Song has worked by His Majesty’s side before. What benefits would His Majesty not think of him for? He went to the Ministry of Personnel as soon as he came back from the disaster relief.”

It was better not to offend such a person easily.

The Ministry of Personnel had the function of recommending officials, which was more sought-after than the Ministry of Revenue. The Ministry of Revenue was for when you were short of money, while the Ministry of Personnel was for when you were short of power. If the people in these two departments were to accept bribes, ten thousand taels of silver a year was just the basics. Sometimes, a wave of the hand could let a connection go, squeeze out someone else’s position, and get even more.

After Song Changxu was off duty, a few officials wanted to befriend him.

“Sir Song, would you like to go for a drink after work?”

“That’s right. I’ve just gotten a goat. You can come to my residence for a roasted whole goat, Sir Song.”

“If you’re free, Sir Song, I’ll treat you to a whole fish banquet.”

Song Changxu cupped his hands. “My husband has already made dinner at home and is waiting for me. I’ll visit your residences another day.”

He found an excuse and went back home.

“They’re like a flood or a fierce beast. It’s not good to refuse too many times in the future. I’ll be said to be arrogant. It’s so hard to be a person in the officialdom.”

He walked out of the imperial palace and saw Shen Liang. There were a few students from the Imperial College around him. Song Changxu called out, “Brother Shen.”

The students of the Imperial College were all rich or noble. Shen Liang’s attitude towards them was friendly, but it was the demeanor of a teacher.

“Brother Song, what a coincidence,” Shen Liang said with a smile.

He said a few words to the students and then let them go. The few students who had left kept looking back at Song Changxu.

The two of them walked together for a while. Shen Liang said, “In the past, those with outstanding results in the prefectural school could be recommended to the Imperial College. To be honest, Brother Song, I’ve always been relatively smooth in my studies and exams. A teacher at the prefectural school asked me if I wanted to go to the Imperial College. I was arrogant at that time and said no. I said that I could learn well anywhere. Why would I have to go to the Imperial College?”

“I got a ‘Lesser Triple First’ in the imperial examination, the top scorer in the provincial examination, and the top scorer in the metropolitan examination, but I fell in the palace examination and got the second-place graduate. But I still feel that it’s better to study in a familiar environment. My mind is calmer, and I have more energy.”

Song Changxu felt that something was wrong when he heard “Lesser Triple First.” As expected, he was a little embarrassed when he heard the end.

If it weren’t for him, Brother Shen should have been a “Six Firsts.”

After the two of them had separated, Song Changxu hurried home.

There was no one else at home. Song Changxu changed his official robe and went to boil hot water.

“I didn’t used to like to drink tea so much. After I started working, my teacup never leaves my hand,” Song Changxu said with a sigh as he boiled the water.

Xu Zhizhou had had a broker take him to look at houses. He had looked at four or five and was already dazzled.

He was still hesitating and couldn’t choose. The main reason was that these houses were all too expensive!

A thousand taels of silver was for the most remote courtyard house. If he wanted to live in a quiet place and be close to Chang’an Street, the budget would have to be raised. A thousand and five hundred taels could buy a decent courtyard house.

Xu Zhizhou’s vision went black. “How much?!”

The broker said with a smile, “A thousand and five hundred taels. This courtyard is good. A Juren used to live here. He’s moved his whole family back to his hometown, so the courtyard is empty. All the furniture is included. Look, Furen, this is top-grade wood. Even if you were to buy new furniture, it would cost hundreds of silver. This furniture is all a gift.”

Xu Zhizhou: “I don’t want any of this furniture. He can move it out and sell it himself. Can you lower the price a little?”

The broker was choked.

“How much do you want, Furen?”

Xu Zhizhou: “I haven’t decided yet. Buying a house is a big deal. I have to look more. You can just take me to see. My budget is about a thousand and five hundred.”

He followed the broker to look at a few more courtyards. Xu Zhizhou had really taken a liking to the Juren’s courtyard.

“It’s still that Juren Luo’s courtyard. I’ll offer a thousand and three hundred. I don’t want the furniture. You can go and talk to him.”

The broker: “Alright. I’m afraid you’ll have to raise the price, Furen.”

“You can go and ask first. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll think about it again.”

The broker nodded and went.

Buying a sugar workshop and hiring people, and also buying a house. Xu Zhizhou had never spent so much money in his life.

He was very tired when he returned home. Seeing Song Changxu drinking tea and reading, he went over and grabbed his arm.

“Looking at houses is too tiring.”

“Then on the holiday, we’ll go to the wedding banquet together,” Song Changxu said with a smile.

“Brother Pei is getting married. We’ll go and have a wedding wine together.”

Xu Zhizhou’s eyes lit up. He liked to go to feasts and watch the excitement.

“I have nothing to do after work. I’ll go with you to look at houses then.”

Xu Zhizhou: “Reliable.”

When they talked about buying a house, they did not avoid Xiang Lan and Mo Pozi. The two of them were both very happy.

Mo Pozi usually just swept the courtyard and washed the clothes, and cooked three meals a day.

“When we’ve bought a house, we’ll have to find a clever person to work in the residence. After all, Xiang Lan has to go to the shop to help, and Mo Pozi can’t do everything at home.”

Otherwise, Xu Zhizhou would feel quite embarrassed.

“Master’s husband, I know a ge’er who is a clever person, but his appearance is flawed. He is a pitiful person. After his husband died, he lived alone. But then he was kidnapped by bandits and made a bandit’s wife. In a fit of anger, he scratched his own face. He has not sold himself. You can hire him to work, master’s husband. His ancestors were a scholarly family, and he knows a little about writing.”

Xu Zhizhou: “You can take me to see him tomorrow.”

Mo Pozi was overjoyed. “Alright, master’s husband.”

Xu Zhizhou thought that he still had to buy a gift for Pei Shengrong. He would go and have a look with his husband at night.

.

Song Changxu and Xu Zhizhou were preparing to buy a house. On the other side, in Qishan Village, Song Ye and Liang Su had received Song Changxu’s letter. Wang Erlang had gone to study, so they took the letter to the village head to help them read it.

After he had finished, the village head said with envy, “Changxu is asking you to go to the capital to enjoy your old age.”

Song Ye said, “It’s enough that they’re living well in the capital. He said he’s been promoted. We don’t know what kind of official he is, but as long as the child is well, that’s enough. Liang Su and I are still young. If we have children, we can go and have a look.”

They were used to staying in Qishan Village. If anything happened at home, Song Mingyan was there, so they were not afraid.

Song Changxu had sent a bundle. Some of the material was clearly chosen by Xu Zhizhou. There were fifty taels of silver in the bundle.

Fifty taels of silver was so much.

The family was not short of anything. Why worry about them? It was not easy to make a living outside. The silver should be used by them.

The two of them took the letter and returned home. Xu Cheng could help with the family’s work, but he still went with Song Mingyan to make Bobo Chicken.

As long as the family had money, life was good. The old couple did want to go to the capital, but then they thought that it would be a burden to go now.

Song Mingyan had run into someone selling lamb on the street today and had bought three catties.

He had chosen it carefully. Some of the lamb had heavy bones and only a thin layer of meat, which was not worth it.

Today, they were making lamb soup. They didn’t have to add too many ingredients. After removing the gamey smell of the lamb, it would be delicious with some scallions sprinkled on top.

Song Mingyan was busy in the kitchen, and Xu Cheng helped him.

He was now seven or eight years old and was growing fast. When Song Mingyan bought him new clothes, he would usually buy them a little longer, so that they would be just right when he grew taller.

The leftover clothes were taken apart, and the material was used to make a few more pairs of shoes. Although the family’s life was better, they were still subconsciously frugal.

In terms of food and clothing, Song Mingyan would not wrong Xu Cheng.

“Father, when will my uncle and uncle-in-law be back?” Besides playing with the people in the village, Xu Cheng had also been to the town, but he had not been anywhere else. He missed Song Changxu and Xu Zhizhou a little.

He had heard that the capital was a good place. He had never seen it in his life. If he had been there once, he could brag to Xia Ya when he came back.

“They probably won’t be back this year.”

Xu Cheng finished chopping the scallions. “Why?”

“Your uncle is an official. It takes a month and a half to get from the capital to Qishan Village. A round trip is almost three months. He won’t be given such a long holiday.”

Xu Cheng was dejected.

In the village, everyone was much warmer to him. Even the large households that had disliked his father for being a divorced ge’er and had not played with him before were now fawning over him.

Xu Cheng had also run into Xu Peng a few times on the road. He would turn and run as soon as he saw him. The wind blew around him. He didn’t want to see Xu Peng again.

He did not call him “father.”

“The lamb soup is ready. Go and call your grandparents for dinner.”

Xu Cheng nodded and went outside to call.

Life in Qishan Village was peaceful and without waves. The few members of the Song family lived well here. In their spare time, they would go to town to buy fish and meat to eat. Song Ye would also have a little drink. Life was good.

As for the Xu family, although both of their ge’ers had gone to the capital, their relatives did not dare to be negligent. Besides, they had land and a house, and they lived a good life on their own.

They raised chickens and ducks in the village. When they had nothing to do, they would chat with the villagers and inadvertently talk about their two promising sons-in-law, which made others very envious.

When Cao Qin returned home, she saw that Xu Sunzheng had also come back from outside with a happy look. She said, “I’m planning to get a dog.”

Xu Sunzheng: “Why do you want to get a dog all of a sudden?”

Cao Qin: “I heard that the thieves have been getting more and more rampant recently. The two of us are at home and can’t be on guard all the time. A dog can help to watch the house.”

“The big dogs in the village are all raised by their own families. If you want to train a dog well, you have to raise it from a young age.”

Cao Qin smiled and said, “Then I’ll just raise it from a young age. I’ll go and get a puppy tomorrow.”

Xu Sunzheng agreed.

He said, “Should we go to the capital to have a look? I think you still miss them.”

Cao Qin closed the door and lit the candle on the table. “How can I not? I want to go and see them next year.”

Xu Sunzheng said with hesitation, “The chickens and ducks at home can’t be left unattended. I…”

Cao Qin smiled. “We can ask our relatives to help us watch them. Don’t you want to go to the capital to see how the two ge’ers are doing? After all, the two sons-in-law have official positions and their status is different. Zhici and Zhizhou are both country ge’ers. I don’t know if Huaichuan and Changxu’s hearts are still the same as before. I’ll only be at ease after I’ve seen them.”

Xu Sunzheng: “Then let’s go together.”

After this matter was settled, Cao Qin was visibly more relaxed. She would just go and see if the two ge’ers were doing well. She would be at ease if they were.

The two of them went back to their room and blew out the candle.

.

The plot of land in the outskirts that Xu Zhizhou had taken a liking to, the seller had insisted on five hundred taels and would not sell. Xu Zhizhou had turned around and had bought a plot from another seller, which was cheaper at only four hundred.

This plot of land had been a warehouse before. They didn’t have to build one themselves and just had to change the lock.

“We’ll find a few craftsmen to fix it up, and hire five or six people to try it out first,” Xu Zhizhou still knew that he had to do things one step at a time.

Next to him was the disfigured ge’er. Actually, there was only a scar on the left side of his face. His name was Ran Xingwen.

Ran Xingwen was a hardworking person. Xu Zhizhou liked to have him by his side in his spare time. This time, when he had gone to the outskirts to build the sugar workshop, he had brought him along to help supervise the workers.

Ran Xingwen’s contract with their family was for five years, with a monthly wage of four taels. He was a local of the capital and had a house, so he didn’t have to worry about rent.

Xu Zhizhou was a little envious.

When he returned home, Song Changxu was still wearing his official robe and was working at the stone table. He hadn’t even had a sip of tea.

Xu Zhizhou tiptoed and did not disturb him.

Song Changxu was checking the documents. By the time he came back to his senses, it was already dark.

He rubbed the space between his eyebrows and put the documents in his room, locking them. This was a state secret and could not be seen by others.

There were not just him and Zhizhou at home. Now there were more people, and they had to go in and out to clean.

Song Changxu had always been relatively easygoing about his living conditions. He paid attention to the news in the officialdom. This time, he had the same thought as Xu Zhizhou. The house was too small. He also wanted a study, so that he could have a separate room to work in when he was busy.

After dinner, Xu Zhizhou mentioned his purchase of land in the outskirts. “I’m so angry. The seller wouldn’t sell to me, so I bought from another one.”

“The seller may have had his own considerations. You’ve bought a better piece of land and have saved some silver. It’s fate.”

Xu Zhizhou hummed.

“Tomorrow, we’ll go to the Pei family’s for the wedding feast. I haven’t been to one in a long time. Have you seen the bride?” Xu Zhizhou asked curiously.

“Where would I have seen her? I’m at the palace all day and come back as soon as I’m off duty. I only go for a drink with Brother Xie, Brother Luo, and Brother Cheng occasionally,” Song Changxu said.

“I’m not doubting you. I’m just asking.”

The next day, Song Changxu was still asleep when he heard a rustling sound. He turned over and continued to sleep.

When he woke up, he reached out and there was no one next to him.

It was so strange. Xu Zhizhou usually slept like a little pig. Now he was not by his side.

Song Changxu sat up in bed. A pile of folded clothes fell from the quilt.

The bed was already full of clothes. He turned his head and saw Xu Zhizhou fiddling with the things on the dressing table.

He got up so early just for this?

Song Changxu didn’t understand.

He got up to wash up. Xu Zhizhou said, “I’ve already found your clothes for you.”

Song Changxu: “You’re not so meticulous when you go out with me.”

Xu Zhizhou rolled his eyes. “How can that be the same? You’re already used to seeing me, and I’m used to seeing you. When we go to a new place, we have to dress up.”

Breakfast was already ready. It was century egg and lean pork congee with meat buns. Besides the meat filling, there was also red bean paste filling. Song Changxu liked both.

“Zhizhou, if you don’t come and eat, I’ll finish it all.”

Xu Zhizhou: “Don’t rush me. I’m coming.”

Xu Zhizhou looked at himself in the bronze mirror with satisfaction and came out for breakfast.

Song Changxu couldn’t take his eyes off him.

“Why are you dressed so nicely?” Song Changxu was a bit uncomfortable.

“I’m naturally beautiful. I just dressed up a little,” Xu Zhizhou said proudly.

The two of them went to the Pei residence together. They showed their invitation and were invited in. Song Changxu talked with his colleagues, while Xu Zhizhou found a place to sit down.

Xie Cang was talking with a ge’er in fine clothes on the side. Xu Zhizhou sat over, and Xie Cang introduced him.

“This is Yue Bai, Brother Cheng’s fiancé. They’re getting married at the end of the ninth month. He’s here in the capital with his granduncle to play.”

Yue Bai smiled demurely.

Xu Zhizhou was still composed in front of strangers.

They talked for a few words and gradually became familiar. Yue Bai said, “My father asked me to come to the capital to see if there are any good shops to buy as a dowry. After all, our family has no property in the capital. It’s not good if it’s all in Jiangzhou.”

Xie Cang said, “That’s true. What kind of shop are you planning to buy?”

Yue Bai: “I don’t know yet. I’m still looking. My father gave me fifty thousand taels of silver in bank notes to choose slowly.”

Xu Zhizhou’s eyes widened. “How much?!”

Yue Bai was afraid that Xu Zhizhou would look down on his merchant status and was a little at a loss. “Fifty thousand taels. Is that too little?”

Xu Zhizhou: “…It’s a lot.”

Xie Cang smiled. “The Yue family is the richest in Jiangzhou, so Brother Yue has a lot of silver on him.”

The son of the richest man. Xu Zhizhou couldn’t help but look at him a few more times.

At this moment, Pei Shengrong arrived at the door with the bride. They all went to watch the excitement.

***

Author’s Note:

Little Xu: The richest man. [Pity]

Little Song: The ge’er’s desire to dress up. [Dog with a rose in its mouth]