After settling both children in their rooms, Du Heng, stiff from sitting in the study, finally felt warmth as he climbed into bed.
He lifted the curtain and saw the person on the bed with closed eyes. He nudged Qin Xiaoman’s leg with his foot. “Sleeping?”
“Or else?”
Du Heng shifted closer, circling around Qin Xiaoman, pushing away the children to have him all to himself.
Qin Xiaoman, feeling warm from being pressed close, opened his eyes. “Didn’t you wake the kids?”
“Cheng Yi slept soundly; he didn’t notice being moved.”
Du Heng pressed his lips together. “But that Dan Ce—he kept staring at me straight out the door.”
He looked at Qin Xiaoman with mock grievance. “And you said I had to fight with you every day, just so I could sleep with you nightly.”
Qin Xiaoman laughed.
“You silly boy, it doesn’t have to be every day to sleep together.”
Qin Xiaoman winked. “If Father remarried another woman, wouldn’t that work too?”
Du Heng pinched Qin Xiaoman’s waist. “I knew you were still thinking about that. Did you put the kids in their rooms just to annoy me?”
Qin Xiaoman grabbed his hands. “Who said I’m trying to annoy you?”
He only felt a little unsettled—like a calm lake disturbed by a small stone, sending ripples across his heart.
He now understood that Du Heng had a cousin he grew up with and even had a previous betrothal. Even though Du Heng had promised he would not take another, Qin Xiaoman couldn’t help letting his mind wander.
He also feared any mishandling of the situation would stir trouble.
Now that the children were older, he could no longer act recklessly like in his youth, doing things only to satisfy himself.
“You make me mad, and yet I’m happy—because it shows you care about me.”
Du Heng watched Qin Xiaoman’s cheeks flush with warmth. Leaning closer, he nuzzled him.
Qin Xiaoman’s neck itched from Du Heng’s furry head. He gently pushed him away, but whether from fatigue or the force applied, Du Heng didn’t budge.
Unable to resist, Qin Xiaoman slid his hand into Du Heng’s loose undergarment.
Youthful, smooth, fair skin was always tempting. After a couple of touches, Qin Xiaoman’s mood brightened immediately.
“Sometimes I think heaven meant to make you a girl, but at the last moment, it made you a boy instead.”
Du Heng looked at Qin Xiaoman’s previously pensive face and, with some playful fondling, saw it brighten.
They say beauty can mislead, but sometimes it can soothe the heart.
“Still, you enjoy it every time, don’t you?”
Qin Xiaoman curled his lips, sliding his hand down Du Heng’s waist and stomach.
Du Heng’s breath hitched, and soon they were entwined together.
The next day, on his day off, Du Heng woke up rather late—the sun had already reached the eaves.
Though he woke later than usual, he had slept less than usual the night before.
He appeared groggy as he went to the servants bringing water to wash.
He dipped his hands into the warm water, waking up a little, and noticed the little maid’s cheeks were slightly red. Du Heng furrowed his brow.
Only when he looked into the bronze mirror while combing his hair did he realize why the maid blushed—his neck bore several obvious red marks from last night, and the new undergarment from the previous night had wrinkled, making it look worn.
He turned his head and glanced at Qin Xiaoman, who sat on the edge of the bed, yawning without any attempt to hide that he hadn’t fully woken.
Catching his gaze, Qin Xiaoman’s mind still foggy, tilted his head slightly and returned a morning greeting with a faint, sleepy smile.
Du Heng chuckled, then walked over slowly. He pointed at his own neck. “The Beginning of Spring has passed, and everyone outside has already lightened their clothing. If I go out without a scarf now, how could you possibly let me off?”
Faced with this early-morning mock scolding, Qin Xiaoman didn’t get angry. “The little dog marks its territory by peeing upward. I’ve already been very courteous according to you bookish folks’ rules.”
Du Heng laughed out loud.
After breakfast, a servant reported that in the side room, Du Youyan was wreaking havoc—throwing and smashing things, insisting on going out.
Du Heng hurried over to take a look.
“Where does Auntie intend to go in such a fuss? We have plenty to eat and drink at home—what is she dissatisfied with? Is she planning to go and report something?”
Seeing Du Heng approach slowly, Du Youyan paused her antics. “Du Heng, where did you put Xiaoxue?”
“In another room. Fortunately, my cousin isn’t in the same room as you. If you made such a racket, wouldn’t you disturb her rest?”
“You actually care about your cousin,” Du Youyan remarked.
“Since that’s the case, why don’t you quickly set a date for the marriage between Xiaoxue and me? How long do you want her to wait?”
“Auntie, do you even know what it means for a son-in-law to join the wife’s household? I’ve already been formally adopted into the Qin family. Without their approval, whom could I possibly marry?”
“You’re already the county magistrate now. You’re an official! Who would dare go against your wishes?”
Du Heng’s voice was stern. “Auntie, aren’t you already going against my wishes?”
“Back when the family fell into ruin, I couldn’t intervene; otherwise, how could you have ended up in a distant land, becoming a son-in-law in someone else’s household? Now that you have what you have today, do you expect me to still be grateful?”
Du Youyan spoke her mind frankly, which surprised Du Heng slightly. Still, she straightened her neck and said, “I also had a hard time back then, which is why I couldn’t support you.”
Du Heng scolded sharply, “No matter how hard life was, couldn’t you at least come to see me off and pay respects to my father?”
He continued, “I’ve reached my position today and have no desire to cling to past grievances. These years, it’s as if I had no living relatives. Auntie, if you are sensible, you will fully explain the purpose of this visit. I can still leave you and your daughter a way out. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
His words were clear and unambiguous. Du Youyan paused for a moment, then said, “You are my nephew. Now that I can’t make ends meet, what choice do I have but to seek refuge with you? You and Xiaoxue had a marriage agreement—don’t think you can deny it!”
Seeing her obstinate, Du Heng threw up his sleeves and left, arranging two people to keep watch.
Two days later, the men he sent out finally returned, bringing news of the family Du Youyan married into—the Duan family.
Back when the Du family conducted business in the county, the original father had sought a suitable match for his unmarried younger sister.
Although the Du family’s clan was small, their appearance left nothing to be desired.
When the original mother had followed her husband from wealthy Huizhou to Qiuyang County, a large part of the reason was Du’s strikingly handsome appearance.
Du Youyan’s youthful beauty was notable, and even now as a middle-aged woman, her charm remained.
When she reached marriageable age, suitors came in droves.
But beauty without a strong family background made it hard to find a suitable household.
Though many suitors came, they were all merchant families or high-ranking households seeking concubines. Even though they were merchants, Du’s father couldn’t bear the thought of his daughter becoming a concubine. But being a businessman himself, he knew merchants valued profit over separation. He wanted his sister to marry into a respectable and stable household.
Among the suitors was the Duan family—of modest means, originally farmers with several dozen acres of land, a respectable rural household. Du’s father was pleased with them.
Du Youyan was initially satisfied, but after marrying and moving to the countryside, she, accustomed to life in the county, found village life too quiet. She also despised her husband as a simple peasant, and life wasn’t smooth.
Occasionally, she brought Duan Xue back to her brother’s home, giving the two girls plenty of time to grow up together—childhood sweethearts formed that way.
The original mother saw her daughter-in-law constantly coming back to the brother’s house and, out of goodwill, tried to advise her. Du Youyan, however, became resentful.
She brought Duan Xue back home, blaming her father for hastily arranging a poor match. She thought it was because, with the parents gone, he wanted to get her out early, and over the years, she grew bitter.
This was past history, which Du Heng could piece together from memory.
After he left Qiuyang County, he no longer knew what happened to the Duan family.
The men he sent returned with reports: after the recent drought, county residents struggled, and many landlords and merchants failed.
The Duan family was among those who fell. Poor harvests and years of losses led local gentry and strongmen to seize their land. They still owed many debts.
For the past two years, the father had held things together. Though times were hard, they managed.
Unfortunately, overwork and anxiety took their toll, and last year, the father fell ill and passed away. With no sons, the Duan family faced extinction, relatives seized their remaining assets, and the mother and daughter were left with debts.
It was clear that Du Youyan and Duan Xue’s life was extremely difficult.
“Have you found out who the Duans owe money to?”
The subordinate quickly produced a list of debts.
“Two women have no income to repay debts. We’ve heard that some villagers have helped the Duans repay part of it, which prevented the mother and daughter from being seized and sold off to settle accounts.”
Du Heng fell silent for a moment.
“By the way, sir, as for outside…”
Du Heng raised an eyebrow. “What else?”
“When I inquired, I heard rumors that you rose to power and now disregard old ties, accused of abandoning your former promises. They also say that the mother and daughter, after coming to the county office, never went out again—it’s unknown whether they are dead or alive.”
Du Heng exhaled a heavy breath. It was nothing more than the usual words from that mother and daughter. The two of them had been confined inside the inner residence for the past couple of days, unable to go out, yet the rumors circulating outside had grown so intense that it was clear someone was deliberately spreading them.
He hadn’t been out much these past few days, so he hadn’t realized how widespread the gossip had already become.
That afternoon, after leaving the county office, Du Heng returned home and saw Qin Xiaoman watering the onion seedlings in the garden.
The garden behind the inner residence was quite large. Behind the main hall, there was a plot of land where ornamental bamboo had once been planted, but the summer sun had dried it out. Du Heng had originally intended to plant some other greenery there, but Qin Xiaoman had suggested planting vegetables instead.
Qin Xiaoman explained that the land behind the house was mostly hidden from visitors’ view. Planting vegetables would not only pass the time but also be enjoyable.
Dan Ce and Cheng Yi liked it too. When they weren’t studying, they would grab small hoes and join Qin Xiaoman in digging, scattering seeds, and checking frequently to see if the sprouts had come up.
Even Feng Xiaohu sometimes came to play, and he no longer just practiced swordplay. Under Dan Ce’s guidance, he would go check on the progress of his planting.
“Have those two caused trouble today?” Du Heng asked.
Qin Xiaoman set down the watering can. “There’s nothing left inside for them to break. With their bellies full and energy spent, they just keep shouting for you to marry my cousin. They shout, they scold—never a moment of peace. I only had the servants bring them tea once. Their throats got dry with nothing to drink, but today they were somewhat quieter.”
Du Heng nodded. “And Duan Xue?”
Qin Xiaoman raised an eyebrow at the mention.
Du Heng shrugged. “I was just asking.”
“She’s quiet. The servants said she just sits by the window, lost in thought.”
Du Heng responded with a nod. “I’ve gone to negotiate with my aunt several times. She clings to a narrative that my father wronged her, full of excuses, but not a word about the real truth. She once held grudges against my parents, so cruel that she wouldn’t even attend her brother’s funeral. Seeing me do well while she suffers like this… she probably doesn’t want me to prosper.”
“There’s no way to pry her mouth open. We have to go through Duan Xue.”
Qin Xiaoman squinted, alert. “What’s your plan?”
“Just ask her a few questions,” Du Heng said.
Seeing Qin Xiaoman like a cautious little dog, Du Heng chuckled and ruffled his hair. “Don’t be too nervous. I’m not going to stoop to plead for anything.”
Qin Xiaoman elbowed him. “Go away. Who cares if you plead or not? I’m watering the garden here.”
Du Heng laughed. “My husband really is magnanimous.”
“Cousin, you’re here! You finally came to see me!”
As soon as Du Heng entered the room, Duan Xue, sitting by the window, got up immediately. Tears filled her eyes, a helpless, pitiful expression that would tug at anyone’s heart.
He said nothing and sat down first.
“You haven’t had it easy all these years, have you, cousin?”
“When someone in your heart is remembered day and night, how could life be easy?”
Duan Xue looked at him sitting at the table, quietly watching her. “Xiaoxue knows you’re married now and living smoothly. Xiaoxue didn’t want to disturb you, but couldn’t suppress the worry in her heart.”
Her voice trembled as she began to cry.
Her words were full of grievance and sorrow, and combined with her delicate beauty, they would move any man to believe in her sincere devotion.
But Du Heng remained clear-headed. Those accustomed to beauty are rarely swayed by it alone.
Though they had played together as children, at that age, feelings could only be of friendship—simply liking a companion and wanting to continue playing. As they grew up and rarely met, he didn’t believe that she had been the only person he had encountered in all those years and that he had still been pining for childhood.
Du Heng cut through her performance bluntly. “Do you really want to marry me?”
Duan Xue didn’t understand why he asked so directly but immediately said, “Xiaoxue knows she is lowly and unworthy of her cousin. As long as you keep me by your side, even if it’s just to serve tea or tend the fire, it would be enough. Xiaoxue doesn’t need a title, nothing at all.”
Du Heng chuckled. “You really mean you need nothing? Just to rely on my devotion alone? If a certain young man named He Weisheng were to hear this, I wonder how he would feel. Shall I have him come in and listen to your heartfelt words?”
At the mention of that name, Duan Xue’s face turned pale, and she immediately stopped her tearful act, alarmed. “He’s here? What did you do to him?”
Seeing her reaction, Du Heng had an understanding. “I am the magistrate of Qiuyang County. What could I possibly do to a simple, honest man?”
“I already know about your dealings with him. My aunt would never listen—most of her life she has lived in resentment and doesn’t seek any happiness. But you are still young, cousin. You haven’t married or had children. Life is only beginning. Don’t you want to plan a future with someone you care about?”
“After your father’s passing, He Weisheng has been helping you and your mother repay debts. True devotion like this is rare in the world.”
Duan Xue clenched her hands tightly at these words.
Du Heng continued, “If you explain everything clearly, I can help remove the obstacles, which benefits both you and me. Why continue this chaotic entanglement that harms no one but ourselves? When I was teaching you to read as a child, I also taught you discernment. You should be wiser than your illiterate aunt in matters like this.”
Duan Xue furrowed her elegant brows.
After a moment, she bit her lip. “Just as cousin suspected, my mother and I were indeed sent by someone to come to the county office and cause a scene.”
“These past years, the county has been in poor condition. The land yields were low, and father suffered consecutive losses. The Wei family, reputable local gentry, generously lent some money to tide him over. Once he had repaid what he owed, he went to settle accounts. But the Wei family, contrary to the agreement, increased the interest. Father went to the county office to complain, only to find the officials in collusion with the Wei family. Even with evidence in black and white, the verdict still favored the Wei family.”
The Duan family had fallen into the Wei family’s trap. They refused to collect the debt in full at once, prolonging the principal with interest. Oppressed, they had no way to appeal and could only endure the injustice.
The Wei family used this pretext to take money whenever they pleased and seize people whenever they wanted. Those who resisted were often beaten until their limbs were crippled.
After Duan Father fell gravely ill from pent‑up resentment and passed away, the debts were transferred onto Du Youyan and her daughter.
Although Du Youyan had a bad temper, she had been indulged by Duan Father for years. Since marrying out, she had never done heavy labor. After her husband’s death, she had no ability at all to repay the debts.
Fortunately, while Duan Father was still alive, he had been on good terms with the He family, who secretly helped them. Whenever the Wei family came to press for repayment, He Weisheng would send money in advance to help them get by, allowing the mother and daughter to survive for a while longer.
However, the two Wei brothers were both lecherous and lustful. Once they learned of the appearance of the Duan mother and daughter, they no longer cared about the small amount of silver. Every few days they would deliberately come knocking, trying to take Duan Xue to settle the debt.
Wei Hongming intended to take Duan Xue as a concubine, writing off all debts in exchange.
Leaving aside the fact that Duan Xue and He Weisheng were already deeply in love, the Wei family had practically driven Duan Father to his death and forced the family into its current state. Duan Xue would rather smash her head against a wall than agree.
The matter escalated badly, until Du Youyan, in desperation, revealed that her nephew was the county magistrate, hoping to intimidate the Wei family.
“He told me and my mother to go make a scene at the county office when the prefectural deputy came. Not only was it to let the visiting official see it, but he also demanded that we disturb Cousin’s inner household, ruin his reputation outside, and damage his official standing.”
“I know Cousin hasn’t had it easy all these years, and reaching this point wasn’t simple. I didn’t want to come, but he threatened us. He said if we didn’t go, he would sell my mother into a brothel and go after the He family as well—he would have someone beat Weisheng to death. The Wei family are cruel and inhumane. He truly would do such things. I didn’t dare not come.”
This time, Duan Xue truly broke down and cried.
“Shameless!”
Du Heng was usually mild‑tempered, but hearing the full story, he couldn’t help slamming his palm onto the table in anger.
His chest heaved violently, and it took a long while before he steadied himself.
“I understand everything now. Don’t worry—I’ll send people to keep watch over the He family and won’t let the Wei family seize any opportunity. You should record everything and gather the evidence.”
Duan Xue said anxiously, “But I can’t get out. How am I supposed to collect evidence? And even if I do go out, what if the Wei family questions me?”
“You’ll say that after speaking with me, I thought of old ties and agreed to marry you. Tell your mother the same. Do not let her know about this conversation between us.”
Duan Xue nodded repeatedly.
“I’ll allow you and Auntie free movement starting today, saying it’s to prepare things for the wedding. Whether this succeeds or not will depend on you.”
Duan Xue grew solemn. “I understand.”
After giving his instructions, Du Heng prepared to head out. He wanted to invite Yi Yan back for a couple of days. The mother and daughter still needed capable people to keep watch over them and ensure their safety—if anything went wrong, it would be impossible to explain.
As soon as Du Heng opened the door, a figure toppled straight into his chest.
“Xiaoman?”
Qin Xiaoman hurriedly stood upright, awkwardly rubbing his sore nose from the collision.
He cleared his throat. “I figured you’d been talking for quite a while, so I came to bring you something to drink.”
Du Heng raised an eyebrow, first reaching out to touch the tip of Qin Xiaoman’s nose, then glancing down the corridor outside the door. “Is that so? Then where’s the drink?”
“I—I came to ask if you were thirsty before preparing it. If you weren’t thirsty and I made it anyway, wouldn’t that be a waste?”
Duan Xue watched the two of them from behind and smiled. She stepped forward and bowed to Qin Xiaoman. “Sister‑in‑law.”
Qin Xiaoman scratched the back of his head. He had heard most of their conversation earlier, and knowing she hadn’t been coveting Du Heng at all, his attitude softened considerably. “Just call me Cousin‑in‑law.”
“…Mm.”
Du Heng tipped his chin. “Go find Auntie.”
Duan Xue responded and left.
After watching her go, Du Heng took Qin Xiaoman’s hand and led him back into the room.
“Can we bring Wei Hongming down relying only on that mother and daughter?”
Du Heng let out a heavy breath. “Even if the evidence is solid, the Wei family wouldn’t receive a severe sentence. One blow won’t kill them. Afterward, they’d surely resort to even darker methods. My plan is to maneuver things so more people come forward to accuse the Wei family. With multiple crimes added together, that’s the best strategy.”
Qin Xiaoman rubbed his chin. “We really do need the strongest evidence possible.”
Du Heng patted Qin Xiaoman’s hand. “You heard my arrangement with Duan Xue earlier. I’ll have to trouble my husband to put on a fierce, dissatisfied act.”
“I think you should stop calling me Xiaoman and just rename me Qin Dissatisfied instead.”
After saying that, he raised an eyebrow sideways. “That said, this kind of acting for outsiders—once you’ve done it once, you get the hang of it. Didn’t you say before that I don’t even need to act, that it comes naturally?”
Du Heng guiltily lifted his eyes. “Did I say that? I don’t remember.”