“Really? Du Heng bought it?”
Qin Xiong saw the strong ox in the yard—its breathing deeper than their own ox. It was grazing, and the brand-new cart stood under the eaves.
He went over and patted its back. The young bull was strong and muscular, with bright, alert eyes.
“Of course! I told you it was his—if I say he bought it, then he bought it!”
“How much did you pay?”
“Ten taels.”
Seeing Qin Xiaoman so delighted, Qin Xiong pulled him aside and asked, “Where did Du Heng get so much money?”
Qin Xiaoman, holding grass for the cows, did not hide it from his second uncle: “His uncle gave it to him.”
He briefly explained the whole situation to Qin Xiong. Tilting his head, Qin Xiong looked utterly incredulous. “Really?”
“Could it be false? Look at Du Heng—does he seem like the type to steal or rob? Besides, I saw his uncle too—broad-shouldered, dignified, with the bearing of a wealthy man. You can tell at a glance he’s from a prominent family; there’s no way he’s faking it.”
Qin Xiong drew a deep breath, but his heart could not quite settle.
Before Du Heng’s family fell on hard times, they had been merchants. Having affluent relatives was not so unusual.
He simply could not believe Du Heng would willingly give up such a comfortable life just to stay with Xiaoman.
“What lucky fortune! Surely your father in heaven couldn’t bear to see you suffer, and sent a good man to be by your side,” Qin Xiong said in a suddenly mystical tone. “You must treat him well.”
“Of course! As long as I have a bite to eat, I won’t let him go hungry either,” Qin Xiaoman replied.
“Your second uncle has arrived.”
Seeing the young, handsome man step forward, Qin Xiong smiled kindly. “Ah, I heard from the neighbors you bought cows, so I came to have a look.”
Du Heng’s brow twitched slightly. Qin Xiong’s warm smile felt strangely eerie. Xiaoman chose the cow, ten taels—though I wonder if the livestock dealer took advantage of him.
“The cow’s quality is excellent, and the price is fair,” Qin Xiong said.
“Xiaoman is good at bargaining,” Du Heng noted.
After chatting for a while, Qin Xiong happily left. Li Wanjun, waiting in the yard, immediately hurried up and asked, “Did you really buy the cow?”
“Of course! It’s even sturdier than ours. Du Heng bought it as a betrothal gift for Xiaoman.”
“How could he afford it? You really believe their boasts?”
Li Wanjun’s heart ached a little. Though their family already had a cow, she could not bear to see others having one too—it made her own situation seem inferior. Moreover, with Xiaoman having a cow, he wouldn’t need to borrow theirs anymore, making her pride sting even more.
Hearing the chatter, Qin Xiaozhu poked his head out. He heard his father say, “Du Heng’s maternal family is a merchant clan from Huizhou. They came to see him, and since he stayed, they left him some money to set up his own household.”
Li Wanjun didn’t believe it. “If that were true, why would Du Heng be wandering here? Nonsense.”
Qin Xiong added, “Our county town is the usual route from Qiuyang County to Huizhou. He simply stopped here and hasn’t gone on. And you mind not whether they exaggerate—anyway, the cow is here. Be polite to Du Heng and don’t insult him with cruel words like calling him a cripple.”
Qin Xiaozhu was captivated. He inhaled sharply, thinking it more fascinating than any storyteller’s script in the city, and felt an uncomfortable pang of envy. He was only a few months older than Xiaoman. Though usually stronger than Xiaoman, he had no good prospects, while Xiaoman’s fortunes were clearly rising.
Fuming, he stomped his foot and retreated to his own room.
By February, the weather warmed slightly, fresh grass sprouted, and the trees, bare through autumn and winter, began to bud. Occasionally, orioles chirped as they flew by—a sure sign of early spring.
Compared to winter’s quiet barrenness, the scene now was vibrant and flourishing.
Though the rains made the village paths muddy, it could not dampen the Qin family’s joy.
Qin Xiaoman was elated. This time, the household prepared a feast inviting many villagers. Originally, Qin Xiong had told Du Heng there would be seven or eight tables, but now it looked like at least ten.
More guests meant more expense, but the hosts were happy; more people made the celebration livelier. Additionally, more guests brought more gifts, so in the end, costs were not significantly higher.
On the fourth day, Qin Xiaoman drove the ox cart into town to collect the pre-ordered chickens, ducks, and fish, adding a few extra, and also bought wine and wedding sweets.
They also bought half a pig. Since Li Wanjun refused to provide money to help Xiaoman prepare the feast, Qin Xiong handled most of it at home. After a chaotic day of scolding and fussing, Qin Xiong took half of the newly slaughtered pig from town for Xiaoman—much to Li Wanjun’s frustration—yet she could not overrule her husband.
By the sixth day, preparations for the dishes began. Borrowing tables, benches, utensils, and stoves fell to Qin Xiong and Du Heng. Qin Xiaoman, having limited connections, did not handle this himself. Meeting the villagers in advance also made future interactions easier.
Out of respect for Qin Xiong and Du Heng’s polite demeanor, no one refused to lend supplies.
Overall, everything proceeded smoothly. Over a dozen villagers helped run errands. Du Heng even prepared new aprons and rough cloth handkerchiefs for them—a custom he had learned from previous workplaces, which proved very useful here.
Those helping worked diligently.
According to custom, weddings were held at dusk, so the feast would be served for dinner. Yet by midday, the Qin household was already lively.
On makeshift stoves, meat boiled and steamed, filling the air with fragrance.
Unlike other weddings, the bride and groom remained outside. One attended guests at the door, handing out sweets, dried longans, and peanuts, practically wearing out his mouth; the other managed the kitchen, cooking and directing women and men in plating the dishes, the wok and spatula moving so quickly steam rose.
Those who came just to eat sat at tables, chatting joyfully.
“The Qin family is interesting! The groom is outside entertaining guests, while the man is cooking inside. Who would believe that?”
“Honestly, that husband of Xiaoman’s is truly handsome. My goodness! I’ve never seen such a handsome man in our village!”
“This ancestral grave is smoking green! How did something like this happen to Xiaoman?”
A group of people gathered around the tethered yellow ox in the livestock pen, eyeing the red wedding ribbon tied to it. They whistled in admiration. “What a sturdy ox! If I had one like this at home, I wouldn’t worry about plowing this year.”
“I heard the groom gave it as a betrothal gift. So generous! Why give so much? Later, the families of other girls will have something to boast about. I haven’t even arranged a match yet—will they have to give me an ox or a donkey too?”
“Exactly! Outsiders don’t understand local customs. They’ve spoiled our region’s tradition of betrothal gifts.”
“Hahaha! Who cares about customs when the person can cook well?”
By evening, the feast was ready, and dishes were brought out one after another amid the bustling crowd.
Qin Xiaoman’s plan for ten tables had even exceeded that by two, but fortunately, there was enough food; the extra tables posed no problem at all.
After a brief ceremony, the banquet began, with the couple stepping out together to greet guests.
Though they weren’t wearing wedding robes, their custom-made clothes were matching. The fabric was finer than what villagers usually wore, giving them an elegant appearance at first glance.
Du Heng had been in the village for a few months. Previously, his leg had been inconvenient, and during the winter, he rarely went out. Curious villagers who wanted to see him were turned away by Qin Xiaoman. Though people knew of him, few had actually seen him in detail.
Now, attending the banquet, everyone could see clearly.
Wearing a cross-collared, deep blue long coat, broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, standing straight—unlike the usual villagers bent from farm labor—Du Heng’s already handsome face now radiated scholarly elegance.
As the saying goes, clothes make the man. Even Qin Xiaoman, usually rough like a wild monkey, looked refined, though whether it was Du Heng’s presence or something else, people now thought Xiaoman had some delicate charm as well.
“I’ve long heard Xiaoman’s husband is a remarkable man. Today we finally see him—truly, not just village gossip. On this grand day, we must drink a few more cups with you!”
Qin Xiaoman had Du Heng move from table to table, offering wine. This was customary: the hosts toast each guest, and since Du Heng was from outside, it was a chance for him to meet the Qin family’s relatives and friends.
Xiaoman kept an eye on Du Heng, taking each cup of wine offered without hesitation, pretending to become tipsy after a few drinks and leaning against Du Heng.
“Come, fill your cup—no shirking allowed!”
Du Heng quickly ran into a wall of resistance, coincidentally running into Qin Xiaoman’s cousins, all young, strong farmers, known for their drinking.
He was grabbed and handed a cup, which he drank immediately, then it was refilled.
Du Heng could handle some wine, though not much. The wine had been diluted, so it wasn’t overpowering. Still, with so many guests and repeated toasts, he wondered anxiously whether he would even get to his bridal chamber tonight.
He laughed and pushed the cup away. “Cousins, enjoy yourselves! Leave some space for your husband today. We can all drink together another day.”
The young men, seeing Du Heng’s pale complexion and handsome looks, were taken aback. Even the young women in attendance kept stealing glances. Everyone admired how refined a scholar looked, while also envying the generosity of his betrothal gifts.
The village men, feeling overshadowed, tried to embarrass him.
“Today is today. On such a happy day, you can’t even drink to your heart’s content—who knows about the future? Come, my elder cousin watched Xiaoman grow up. Now that he’s married, the groom must drink three cups with me.”
Du Heng was pulled into the circle, the large cup almost overflowing. He hadn’t agreed yet, but the drink was being brought to his lips.
Knowing he couldn’t refuse today, he resolved to endure. Just as he reached to take the cup, it was suddenly empty. Another hand had drunk it clean, and the cup inverted between two fingers, not a drop remaining.
“Well, if anyone dares to bully my husband, step forward! I’ll drink with him to the end!”
Seeing Qin Xiaoman spring up and grab Du Heng’s waist, the table of men immediately hesitated.
“Xiaoman, why barge in on a man drinking? We were going to drink with Du Heng!”
“We’re husband and wife—does it matter with whom we drink? If my elder cousin insists on drinking with my husband, fine—let me drink him down first, then he can drink with you!”
Du Heng stood behind Xiaoman, a smile playing on his lips.
“Xiaoman, don’t think your good tolerance will intimidate us—there are plenty of people here today.”
Xiaoman placed his hands on his hips: “Even if you try to overpower us, my second uncle and elder brothers are here. If my elder cousins are in high spirits, I’ll bring them over to join the fun.”
Hearing this, the men wilted. Everyone in the village knew how formidable Qin Xiong was with wine, and Qin Tuszi had been notorious in his youth. The sons had inherited the family’s drinking prowess—leaders among men their age.
Xiaoman had often secretly drunk with his cousins as a boy, surpassing ordinary men.
By calling them all over, not just one table but the entire banquet, he ensured the competition was overwhelming.
The elder cousin waved his hands: “I see the Qin family has a soft spot for people to pinch, but there’s an iron ring around the soft ones!”
Everyone laughed. Qin Xiaoman grinned, pouring for his cousins and handling each toast smoothly, then successfully led Du Heng to a lower table.
After three rounds of wine and attending to the guests, by the time everyone had left and the place was tidied, it was already the proper hour.
Unlike wealthy city families, these village households had no servants or helpers. The newlyweds could retire to the bridal chamber early, without worrying about trivial arrangements.
But without servants to help or parents and siblings around to handle things, they could only rely on themselves. After the guests left, they still had to oversee the helpers cleaning up leftover dishes, washing bowls, and scrubbing pots.
During the banquet, Qin Xiaoman had shielded Du Heng from much of the drinking, so the alcohol’s effects only left him a bit dizzy. Qin Xiaoman, on the other hand, remained vibrant and energetic.
“If you’re uncomfortable, just go rest in the room for a bit. There are others helping; I can just keep an eye on things.”
Seeing the redness at the corners of Du Heng’s eyes, Qin Xiaoman steadied him as he leaned against her. It made her feel a little pleased, but noticing the discomfort from the wine, she also felt a twinge of sympathy. She scolded his cousins and the others who had forced him to drink.
Du Heng couldn’t let Qin Xiaoman handle everything alone, but after a moment’s thought, he nodded in agreement.
As Qin Xiaoman guided him into the room, he said, “I see there’s still quite a bit of food left. For the rest, let’s give the extra meat and dishes to the villagers who helped. Otherwise, the two of us would be eating leftovers for days. If it goes to waste, that would be a pity.”
“Alright.”
Qin Xiaoman thought Du Heng’s plan was sensible. Even leftover dishes of meat and vegetables were prized by farmers—no one would turn their nose up at them.
He went into the kitchen and distributed chicken, duck, and pork to the villagers who had helped. Everyone was delighted and praised Qin Xiaoman, saying the feast was exceptional, almost like one held by a wealthy landlord.
Qin Xiaoman knew they were flattering him, but it still warmed his heart. Without their help, the banquet would have been impossible to organize properly, and he sincerely thanked everyone.
After all the villagers who had helped departed, the night grew deep.
Qin Xiaoman did a quick wash and went to the room. Though tired, the thought that he would now sleep in the same room as Du Heng lifted his spirits. His mind wandered, imagining whether tonight they would be intimate, and he wondered how Du Heng would react.