Ye Jinghua and Zhao Baozhu, however, remained in their small corner, unaffected.
As New Year’s Eve approached, the snow in Wuyai County fell ever heavier.
Standing in the wind and snow, Zhao Baozhu wore a thick sapphire-blue cloak embroidered with flying phoenixes. A ring of white fox fur lined his collar, tightly sealing him against the wind and snow. The fox fur was of excellent quality, making his face appear even more jade-like, his eyelashes dark as feathers, lips naturally red without rouge. He stood in the snow with a furrowed brow, watching workers cover the newly completed school with tarps and straw to prevent the heavy winter snow from collapsing it.
Frowning, he saw some workers moving sluggishly and, in urgency, stretched his neck and directed them: “Cover that side too, what if the wooden joints freeze and get damaged?”
The workers hurried to cover the other side as well. They were itinerant laborers from other counties in Qingzhou who had come to Wuyai County after failing to find work locally. After some time, they had become familiar with this county magistrate’s temperament. Other magistrates would simply assign tasks with a few words and leave it at that, but this “Young Master Zhao” was different, extremely hands-on. He had to oversee every detail and would come to inspect frequently. Though demanding, he paid rewards generously, and wages were paid immediately without delay. So despite his strictness, the workers were willing to work here.
As the workers busied themselves, Zhao Baozhu stood nearby watching without blinking.
Suddenly, a pair of hands reached out. Something fluffy touched his ears. He looked up and saw that Ye Jinghua had brought a pair of fur earmuffs and was placing them on him.
“It’s windy. Wear these,” Ye Jinghua said softly.
Zhao Baozhu widened his eyes slightly and quickly tried to stop him: “I’m not wearing them!”
The earmuffs were made of deerskin and rabbit fur. Though warm, they looked like something a child would wear. There were so many workers here, if they saw him wearing them, wouldn’t it damage his dignity as an official?
He firmly refused, so Ye Jinghua helplessly put them away. But then he suddenly reached out and covered both of Zhao Baozhu’s ears with his palms.
“If you won’t wear them, I’ll warm them for you.”
Ye Jinghua’s warm palms pressed against his cold ears. “Look how cold they are.”
Startled by the warmth, Zhao Baozhu quickly turned around: “Stop it! Young master, let’s just go back.”
He truly could not win against Ye Jinghua. In the past, this man had few restraints; now that they understood each other’s feelings and had even “tied their hair together,” he had become even more daring.
“What are we going back for?” Ye Jinghua, taking advantage of his height, wrapped his cloak around him and held his head so he could not move. “Isn’t Magistrate Zhao supposed to supervise the work?”
Zhao Baozhu, thin-skinned and embarrassed, tugged at his sleeve and pleaded softly: “Don’t tease me anymore. It’s cold outside, let’s go back.”
Only then did Ye Jinghua relent, lowering his hands and instead interlacing his fingers with Zhao Baozhu’s: “You know it’s cold too? Just leave it to Lu Tan and the others, they won’t make mistakes.”
Zhao Baozhu smiled a little sheepishly. He was impatient by nature and never felt at ease unless he saw things completed with his own eyes, so he was not used to delegating. These days of wind and snow, whenever he went out, Ye Jinghua would accompany him for as long as he stayed, thinking about it carefully, it seemed he was the one making the young master suffer more.
Before leaving, Zhao Baozhu did not forget to instruct Lu Tan and Tao Zhang: “Today is the last day of work. Everyone is waiting to get paid and go home for New Year’s. Later, distribute both wages and bonuses first, and tell them they don’t need to come to the yamen tomorrow.”
Lu Tan and Tao Zhang both agreed.
Only then did Zhao Baozhu feel reassured, and he walked back hand in hand with Ye Jinghua.
***
On New Year’s Eve, the county was brightly lit and decorated. The harvest had been good that year, so every household slaughtered chickens and pigs, setting up lavish feasts. Some wealthier families even bought fireworks from the prefectural city, and the sound of explosions filled the air.
Ye Jinghua went even further, he had long ordered fireworks from vendors in the capital, and also had skilled servants in the residence cut window decorations and craft delicate lanterns and palace lights, which were transported all the way from the capital.
The maid skilled in lantern-making was originally from the Ye family’s main residence, so this matter was handled personally by Madam Ye, who prioritized finishing everything needed for Ye Jinghua first before preparing the New Year supplies for the main estate.
The maid Caiyun stood nearby watching servants pack the beautifully crafted lanterns into boxes. She frowned slightly and said to Madam Ye, “Madam, all of these are being sent to the second young master’s place, what about our own residence, ”
Madam Ye stood at the doorway and shot her a look: “What’s the issue? They’re just children’s toys. Your master and I wouldn’t care for them.”
The maid immediately fell silent. This year, the eldest son of the Ye family, Ye Yanzhen, was away on duty, and the eldest daughter-in-law had gone with him. The household, apart from the master and madam, consisted mainly of concubines and illegitimate children, so naturally everything was prioritized for Ye Jinghua.
Madam Ye turned and instructed again: “Pack up that newly acquired fox fur as well. Send word, Qingzhou is cold; tell Qing’er to make a few good sets of clothes.”
The servants complied. Madam Ye stood at the doorway, her beautiful eyes flashing with light. When Ye Jinghua had stubbornly insisted on going to Qingzhou, she had nearly fainted from crying. But recently, after he jointly submitted a memorial with the Liaodong governor and resolved a major case upon just taking office, earning even the emperor’s repeated praise, she began to see things differently.
Perhaps the emperor had been right: although Qingzhou was remote, it might actually be good for him to gain experience there.
Soon, a servant returned empty-handed. “Madam, the master said we are not allowed to take anything. He says there are already enough things.”
Madam Ye’s brows shot up immediately: “What?!”
Ye Zhilun and Ye Jinghua’s father-son relationship had always been rather distant. Previously, Ye Jinghua had been in the Hanlin Academy for less than half a year when he requested an imperial decree allowing him to go to Qingzhou. This had stepped directly on Ye Zhilun’s tail, and he refused to allow it no matter what.
Ye Jinghua had knelt stubbornly outside the door for an entire night before finally persuading his father to relent. He didn’t even take time to rest or make preparations. The moment he got to his feet that night, he immediately set off for Qingzhou.
From then on, Ye Zhilun could hardly look at his second son without finding fault with him.
Madam Ye was furious. Pointing at the servant, she snapped, “What kind of nonsense is that? I had no idea the Ye family couldn’t even spare a single fur pelt! What good things? If he doesn’t care about my son, then I’ll care about him myself. Go back and tell him this: if he wants to drive the two of us out, then he can write a divorce letter today!”
The servant had been inexplicably subjected to a furious scolding and was inwardly miserable. He hurriedly turned around to report back to his master. Before long, he returned carrying the fur pelt.
When Madam Ye saw that he had brought the fiery-red fox fur she had demanded, along with two bolts of fine brocade, her anger finally subsided somewhat.
Just then, the two little girls, Ye Ning and Ye Miao, came running around the corner in brand-new bright-red clothes. Each had a skewer of candied hawthorn in her hand, and they stared curiously at the procession of carriages outside the gate.
“Madam, what are all these things?”
Madam Ye pulled the two girls toward her, placing an arm around each of them and patting their heads. “These are things for your Second Older Brother.”
With strands of sugar still clinging to their mouths, Ye Ning and Ye Miao’s eyes immediately lit up. “Second Older Brother?” They immediately ran toward the line of horses. “I want to go see Second Older Brother too!”
Madam Ye and the maids hurriedly caught one girl each, laughing as they said, “Your Second Older Brother is going away to take up an official post. You aren’t allowed to cause trouble.”
The two little girls finally gave up. Their attention was soon captured instead by the palace lanterns being carried by the servants. Ye Miao pointed at a lantern shaped like a golden fish. “Madam, this lantern is so pretty! Do we have one too?”
Madam Ye looked over and watched the golden fish’s dorsal fin gently sway in the wind. She smiled. “If you want one, you’ll have to ask your Second Older Brother for it. All of these were made according to the drawings he designed.”
Ye Ning and Ye Miao, upon hearing this, were amazed, but they obediently let go and returned to Madam Ye’s side. “Then we’ll be good girls all year, and next year we’ll ask Second Older Brother for one.”
Seeing how well-behaved the two little girls were, Madam Ye affectionately pinched their cheeks. Then she suddenly remembered something and burst into laughter. “Pleasing your Second Older Brother is one thing. I’m afraid you’ll have to be even more eager to please your little sister-in-law—”
Ye Ning and Ye Miao looked at Madam Ye in confusion as she laughed so hard that her whole body shook.
When had they suddenly gotten a little sister-in-law?
***
Meanwhile, Zhao Baozhu had no idea what was happening at the Ye residence. Ye Jinghua had decorated the entire county yamen with all kinds of exquisite palace lanterns, giving the whole place a completely new appearance. Zhao Baozhu invited all the yamen runners and their families, along with Cuiniang’s entire family, to the yamen to celebrate the New Year.
Everyone gathered together, and when they saw the main hall decorated to look like a heavenly palace, they were all stunned.
Zhao Baozhu gazed at the room full of palace lanterns in all sorts of designs, his eyes unable to take everything in. He loved every single one and wished he could grow eight hands so that he could touch them all.
Ye Jinghua accompanied him as they looked at them one by one. Only after Zhao Baozhu had admired them to his heart’s content did they serve the meal.
After eating, Ye Jinghua brought out lantern riddles for everyone to solve, and they played to their hearts’ content. Zhao Baozhu held a palace lantern shaped like a golden fish and carefully read the riddle written on it. Within moments, he had figured it out.
“This one is talking about clouds!” His cheeks were flushed as he turned excitedly toward Ye Jinghua. “This must have been written by Deng Yun!”
Ye Jinghua looked down at him with a smile and nodded. “Indeed. He wrote it.” Knowing that Zhao Baozhu valued personal connections, Ye Jinghua had included riddles written not only by himself, but also by Deng Yun, the Fang brothers, and others. When Zhao Baozhu heard this, he was delighted and proceeded to solve each of their riddles one by one. Then he remarked, “Brother Fang Qin’s are the best.”
Deng Yun’s were the worst. His handwriting was huge and ugly, and the answer could be guessed with barely any thought.
Ye Jinghua put an arm around him and lowered his head. “Surely mine are the best?”
Zhao Baozhu smiled at him and deliberately played coy. “I haven’t seen Young Master’s yet, so I can’t make a judgment.”
Ye Jinghua laughed as well. He reached over and tickled Zhao Baozhu around the waist, teasing him until he giggled. “In that case, guess my lantern riddles one by one. If you can’t guess them all, then you lose.”
Zhao Baozhu laughed so hard that tears gathered at the corners of his eyes. “And what happens if I lose?”
Ye Jinghua lowered his eyes to him. Taking advantage of the moment when no one was looking, he leaned down and quickly kissed the side of the young man’s cheek. “Then I’ll punish you.”
Zhao Baozhu had drunk quite a bit of wine and had become somewhat uninhibited. Hearing this, he happily accepted the challenge. Who would have thought that although most of the lantern riddles Ye Jinghua came up with were simple and easy to understand, one or two were actually quite difficult? Zhao Baozhu racked his brains over them, but even after the night watch had sounded outside, he still couldn’t figure them out.
Ye Jinghua sat to the side holding a wine cup, leisurely watching Zhao Baozhu. Seeing his brows furrowed so tightly they were practically tied in a knot, he turned his head and ordered, “Bring out the firecrackers.”
He then called Zhao Baozhu over, pulled him onto his lap, and held him there as they watched the servants set off the firecrackers and fireworks.
Naturally, the fireworks Ye Jinghua had specially sought out were extraordinary. As one beautiful firework after another exploded across the night sky, the county yamen suddenly seemed as bright as daytime. Everyone was so dazzled that they could hardly close their mouths in amazement.
Afterward, they set off firecrackers as well, making an enormous racket. Along was frightened into shrieking, and several women who had come with their husbands hurriedly pulled him into their arms to protect him.
With Ye Jinghua doting on him, Zhao Baozhu wasn’t even allowed to cover his ears. The louder the firecrackers exploded, the happier he laughed.
Once the entire boxes of firecrackers and fireworks had been used up, Zhao Baozhu was still reluctant for it to end. He wrapped his arms around Ye Jinghua’s shoulders and said, “Where did Young Master find such wonderful firecrackers? Can we set off even better ones next year?”
Ye Jinghua held him close. Hearing him mention “next year,” his heart filled with delight, and his voice became as gentle as water. “Next year, I’ll find even better ones for you.”
Zhao Baozhu was extremely happy. However, once his excitement faded, he suddenly remembered that he still hadn’t solved the lantern riddle. When he tried to think about it again, he’d even forgotten what he had been considering moments earlier. He blinked in confusion, then suddenly came to his senses and glared at Ye Jinghua.
“You did that on purpose!”
Ye Jinghua only smiled without saying anything. By this time, everyone else had returned to the main hall to drink and play drinking games. Ye Jinghua exerted some force and scooped Zhao Baozhu up horizontally. “I told you earlier that I was going to punish you.”
Zhao Baozhu was left speechless. Poor gentlemen were often bullied by villains; he could only let Ye Jinghua carry him into the back room, where he received quite a thorough “punishment.”
***
During the New Year holiday, the imperial court granted ten days of leave. The Emperor did not hold court, and all the officials returned to their respective homes to rest.
On New Year’s Eve, Zhao Baozhu had been thoroughly “punished” by Ye Jinghua, and the next day he couldn’t even get out of bed. His head hurt from drinking too much, and his entire body, especially his waist, was incredibly sore. He spent the whole day lying on the bed, groaning.
Ye Jinghua fussed over him affectionately, calling him his darling and precious one, massaging his temples and rubbing his waist. He waited on him attentively from beginning to end before finally earning a favorable look from him.
There was nothing to do during the New Year holiday, and there was no need to get up early. Zhao Baozhu rarely had such free time. With fruit and fresh tea placed beside the bed, he and Ye Jinghua nestled together on the couch, talking about intimate matters.
Zhao Baozhu leaned against the headboard eating fruit, while Ye Jinghua held both of his feet in his arms to warm them. At the same time, he picked up a storybook and began reading.
The story was about a scholar traveling to the capital to take the imperial examinations. Read aloud in Ye Jinghua’s beautiful voice, the story sounded deep and melodious. Zhao Baozhu listened carefully and discovered that the story itself was rather ordinary, a common, formulaic tale. The scholar had originally been betrothed to his cousin in his hometown. But after going to the capital, he became greedy for the wealth of the Prime Minister’s family and instead married the Prime Minister’s daughter. When his cousin back home heard the terrible news, she traveled thousands of miles to the capital to confront her lover, only to be refused entry by the scholar. Completely heartbroken and despairing, she eventually threw herself against the Prime Minister’s courtyard wall and died. Afterward, the Prime Minister heard about what had happened and was moved by the cousin’s loyalty. He ordered his daughter to divorce the scholar. The scholar was also dismissed from office by the imperial court. On his way home, he was intercepted by the cousin’s father and thrown into the Xiang River.
In the end, it could be said that the great vengeance had been accomplished. Listening to this, Zhao Baozhu suddenly thought of something else.
“Young Master.” He leaned over and fed Ye Jinghua a piece of fruit. “Do you think that if everyone in the imperial court eventually has a spouse except you, it might seem rather strange?”
Zhao Baozhu was thinking that, just as the storybook had said, when a man married, his father-in-law could also serve as a source of support.
Moreover, if Ye Jinghua remained unmarried for too long, it might appear somewhat improper in the imperial court.
Ye Jinghua frowned upon hearing this. “What does that matter?”
Zhao Baozhu moved a little closer and rested against Ye Jinghua’s chest as he looked at him. “Even if Young Master doesn’t think it’s a problem, there are so many people and so much gossip in the capital. I’m afraid those idle people will talk, and it could also make Madam and the Prime Minister lose face.”
He paused, becoming increasingly worried. “Never mind ordinary people. What if someone with ulterior motives submits a memorial accusing you of something, and the Emperor dismisses you from office? What would we do then?”
Ye Jinghua listened to him ramble on for a long while before finally losing patience. He closed the book in his hand and tossed it aside. “That would be just fine. I never wanted to be some official in the first place.”
Zhao Baozhu was startled, suddenly feeling that something was wrong. Sure enough, in the next instant Ye Jinghua pulled him into his arms and tipped him backward onto the couch. “Why don’t you and I just stay here? We don’t have to go back to the capital anymore.”
Ye Jinghua spoke in a low voice.
Zhao Baozhu’s eyes widened immediately. He lifted his head from Ye Jinghua’s arms. “How could we?”
Young Master would surely return to the capital and rise through the ranks.
Ye Jinghua held him close and closed his eyes. “What is wrong with staying here? It’s peaceful.”
Seeing that he was genuinely saying such crazy things, Zhao Baozhu found it even more amusing. He leaned forward and kissed the corner of the man’s lips. “Now I understand. Young Master is simply lazy!”
Ye Jinghua didn’t deny it. He lazily lifted his eyes and smiled as he kissed him in return. “Yes. Baozhu is truly my confidant.”
With that, the hand beneath the blankets slid down along the curve of his waist. Zhao Baozhu felt the hand and glared at Ye Jinghua, but after so many days of intimacy, his eyes held a soft, shimmering warmth. Ye Jinghua took it as an invitation and immediately turned over, pressing him beneath him.
***
As winter deepened, Wuyai County became completely frozen over, yet the yamen itself was warm and cozy.
Ye Jinghua was unwilling to waste this rare period of leisure and constantly found new ways to entice Zhao Baozhu. Although Zhao Baozhu had no official business to attend to, he was still exhausted day after day, often falling asleep halfway through their activities.
One day, he woke from his sleep once again and found the room dim. A faint light filtered in through the window, indicating that it was still early.
Half-asleep, Zhao Baozhu rolled over and habitually reached toward the other side of the bed, only to touch a patch of cold bedding.
Strange.
Zhao Baozhu’s heart jolted, and most of his sleepiness immediately disappeared. Just as he was about to sit up, a hand suddenly reached over and pressed down on his shoulder.
“It’s nothing. Go back to sleep.”
Someone sat down beside the bed. Zhao Baozhu opened his eyes and saw that Ye Jinghua was already fully dressed, the jade crown atop his head gleaming.
“There is something going on at the prefectural government office. I have to go back for a while.”
He pulled up the blanket and tucked it around Zhao Baozhu. “I’ll be back within a day.”
Zhao Baozhu nodded. Hearing that it was nothing serious, he nodded again and went back to sleep. It wasn’t until the sun was already high in the sky that Zhao Baozhu woke again.
He sat on the edge of the bed, rubbed his aching waist, and took a moment to clear his head before belatedly realizing that something was wrong.
They were currently on holiday. What business could possibly have arisen at the prefectural government office that required Ye Jinghua to go there?
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