With those men in the house, Yun Cheng knew it was no longer convenient to stay.
As he packed his things, faint voices drifted in from the backyard, he could vaguely hear Ye Cunshan questioning the troublemakers.
Wu Dali, who lived next door to Yun Renyi’s family, had spent the previous night listening to Yun Cheng’s household arguing until dawn.
Early that morning, when he went to fetch water, he happened to see poor Chen Jinhua being cornered and scolded again.
From her, he learned that the Ye family had given Yun Cheng twenty-five taels of silver. The moment greed took root in his mind, his hands itched for trouble.
Seeing Ye Cunshan heading to town with a basket on his back, he assumed Yun Cheng must have finally found someone powerful to rely on.
But surely, he thought, the frail young man wouldn’t want that newfound backing to be tested.
Besides, Yun Cheng’s temper was soft, he was easily frightened. So, Wu Dali called over two other loafers, the kind who’d often bullied Yun Cheng in the past, intending to “borrow” a few coins for wine money.
Unfortunately for them, Ye Cunshan caught them red-handed.
By the time Yun Cheng finished packing his small bundle and came out, Ye Cunshan had already assigned them work. Wu Dali was to split firewood. Zhang Xiaohei was to cut mulberry branches and Liu Yaozu was to peel the bark from the trees.
Yun Cheng raised an eyebrow. So, this quiet man was already preparing materials for papermaking?
Ye Cunshan showed no mercy toward those who’d bullied Yun Cheng before and still hadn’t learned their lesson, “When you’re done stripping the bark,” he instructed coldly, “remove the green layer and hang it out to dry on the bamboo poles. The firewood must fill the whole courtyard. If any of you slack off, you’ll be back here again tomorrow.”
Among the three, Liu Yaozu was the youngest, only twenty-three and he bristled immediately, “Why should we?” he snapped.
Ye Cunshan’s laugh was cold and sharp, “Do I need a reason?”
Back when they bullied Yun Cheng, did they ever stop to ask why?
On the way down the mountain, Ye Cunshan’s face remained dark. Yun Cheng thought he was still angry and, several times, tried to reach out, either to tug at his sleeve or brush against his hand but the man’s stride was long, and Yun Cheng could only catch the edge of his robe.
Still, he tried to explain himself, “About earlier… I was only trying to calm them down. I wasn’t really planning to give them money…”
Ye Cunshan stopped abruptly. Yun Cheng, caught off guard, walked straight into his back. The impact made his nose sting and his eyes water. He rubbed at his nose, blinking rapidly, and looked up to find Ye Cunshan staring at him with unreadable eyes.
Seeing that, Yun Cheng’s instinct kicked in. Whenever he had done something wrong as a child, he’d always used a bit of soft pleading to get out of trouble.
So now, he reached out and rubbed his fingers against Ye Cunshan’s palm, whispering pitifully that it hurt.
The simple gesture completely disarmed Ye Cunshan. Whatever anger he had felt melted away.
He sighed and clasped Yun Cheng’s hand, giving it a firm squeeze. “I’m not angry,” he said quietly. “I don’t blame you. It’s my fault, I didn’t think things through earlier.”
Hearing that, Yun Cheng immediately fell silent. He always felt like a burden, a nuisance clinging to someone else’s life. So he obediently let Ye Cunshan hold his hand and didn’t try to act spoiled anymore.
He only waited, meekly, for the man to decide what to do with him next. Even if he didn’t want to, he knew he’d agree to whatever Ye Cunshan said.
Ye Cunshan, however, was already deep in thought. He’d begun considering returning to the academy to resume his studies.
No one could guard a house against trouble forever. Today those ruffians had dared to barge in, simply because his family seemed defenseless.
For now, he could rely on the Ye name to scare people off but in the future?
Take Liu Yaozu, for example, his Liu family name held some weight in the neighboring village, yet look how far he’d fallen.
If a man didn’t stand tall, even his own kin would trample him one day.
And Yun Cheng, he couldn’t stay by his side all the time. As for Yun Cheng’s family… Ye Cunshan shook his head, unwilling to even think about it.
No, he would have to make his own name shine, to build a foundation strong enough that no one would dare provoke him again.
When they reached the village, Ye Cunshan left Yun Cheng at Ye Yan’s house. After greeting his cousin’s wife, Liu Yun, with a few polite words, he handed her ten copper coins
“He’ll have lunch here,” he said. “Please keep an eye on him for me.”
Liu Yun waved her hands. “Eat a meal? That’s nothing! We’re only cooking coarse rice porridge and flatbread, how could that be worth ten coins?”
She was in her early twenties but already looked worn thin, her face sallow and tired. She and her husband had only one child, a frail three-year-old daughter.
Her mother-in-law couldn’t leave the room, and her father-in-law had gone to town with Ye Liang’s cart to sell small bamboo crafts, another trade Ye Cunshan had helped them arrange with merchants at the dock.
No matter what he said, Liu Yun wouldn’t take the money. “If I do, my mother-in-law will scold me for being greedy!” she protested.
So Ye Cunshan had to let it go. He still needed to hurry to the county, and the delay had already eaten into his morning. Before leaving, he gave Yun Cheng a few last instructions.
Yun Cheng hesitated for a moment, then asked quickly, “Could you buy me some duck feathers and sheep’s wool on your way back? I need them for something.”
Ye Cunshan nodded without question, “All right.”
After he left, Yun Cheng became rather self-conscious. Seeing the cloth and cotton in his bundle, Liu Yun guessed he was making winter clothes and brought a sturdy-backed chair into the main room for him, setting a teapot and a small plate of melon seeds on the table.
Her husband, Ye Yan, was known as the village scholar, the “bad example” in Ye Da’s eyes. His family had once been one of the wealthier ones, even building a tiled house before anyone else.
But supporting a scholar was expensive. After Ye Yan failed the imperial exam, he rarely left his room, burying himself in study. His family’s savings had long been drained.
The other brothers had already moved out and barely came home for the New Year, bringing only a bowl of meat for their parents.
Those old parents still worked tirelessly for Ye Yan, weaving and crafting to support him, though they never saw a coin for themselves.
It was the slack season now, but Ye Yan’s household remained one of the busiest, spinning silk, weaving cloth, cutting bamboo.
Yun Cheng could see how hard they worked. He didn’t want to trouble Liu Yun, so he quietly kept sewing his cotton robe.
When lunchtime came, mother- and daughter-in-law busied themselves in the kitchen.
Yun Cheng, feeling awkward for not helping, was relieved when Liu Yun smiled kindly and said, “Then could you watch little Chan for me?”
Chan’er, her three-year-old girl, was a small, skinny child, all limbs and bright eyes. Yun Cheng felt a pang of pity for her.
He didn’t have anything to give, so he used some embroidery thread to make a string of flipping flowers, showing her how it worked until the little girl giggled happily.
When the food was finally ready, Ye Yan appeared.
He was tall, nearly as tall as Ye Cunshan, perhaps one meter eighty-five but far thinner. His scholar’s robe hung loosely on his lanky frame, and a gust of wind might have swept him away entirely.
His eyes were shadowed and weary, the same gaunt exhaustion that marked his whole family.
Yun Cheng blinked at him in surprise. “Cousin, what time do you usually stop studying?”
Ye Yan, who hadn’t stepped out of his room all morning, also looked a little stunned. He hadn’t realized someone new was in the house.
Liu Yun handed him a thick stack of papers filled edge to edge with cramped handwriting and explained, “This is Cunshan’s husband . They registered in the family records yesterday, they’re married now.”
Ye Yan’s distant eyes finally focused, “Yun Cheng?” he murmured.
But Yun Cheng’s attention was fixed on the pile of paper. When he saw Liu Yun carry it toward the kitchen, a bad feeling prickled in his chest. “Sister-in-law… you’re not using that to start the fire, are you?”
Liu Yun smiled, misunderstanding his concern. “Oh, you mean because paper is expensive? Don’t worry, it’s all his discarded drafts, nothing left to write on. It’d be wasteful to just throw it away.”
Her smile carried a faint bitterness.
Yun Cheng stirred his bowl of porridge with a spoon, the gruel thicker than what the two women had. “Let’s keep the paper for now,” he said softly. “I want to see if I can make new paper out of it this afternoon.”
“Make new paper… from old?”
Aside from little Chan’er, who didn’t understand, the other three all turned their eyes to him in amazement.
Yun Cheng felt his cheeks burn under their gazes. “Just trying,” he muttered. “It might not work…”
Ye Yan withdrew his gaze, a flicker of skepticism in his eyes. He’d studied for years and never heard of such a thing. How could a homebound, penniless young man like Yun Cheng possibly know something he didn’t?
But his mother, Madam Zhao, looked at Yun Cheng with hopeful eyes. “Then let Yun-niang help you,” she said eagerly. “If you need anything, just tell her.”
Liu Yun nodded quickly. “Yes, yes! Whatever you need, I’ll help.”
She glanced shyly at Ye Yan. She had, after all, saved those “waste” papers he’d told her to burn.
Paper was precious, one sheet could cost several hundred copper coins, and the price changed all the time. Even if his drafts were covered corner to corner with ink, throwing them into the stove felt like burning money.
Now, with Yun Cheng’s idea, she didn’t dare admit she’d kept them but in her heart, she prayed it might actually work. If they could really turn waste into usable paper, then this year’s New Year might not be so tight after all.
After lunch, Ye Yan went out into the courtyard to stretch his limbs and play with Chan’er. Though he claimed indifference, his gaze often strayed toward the kitchen where Yun Cheng and Liu Yun worked.
He stayed out far longer than usual, not returning to his books even when it was time.
Madam Zhao, meanwhile, kept bustling around the kitchen, cleaning up and even taking out her hidden stash of sugar to brew sweet water for their guest, replacing the coarse tea.
Yun Cheng hadn’t finished his cotton robe yet, but he set it aside, eager to experiment with papermaking.
He had seen countless instructional videos and read detailed materials, but this was his first time attempting it himself. His hands trembled slightly from nervous excitement.
Liu Yun noticed and tried to reassure him. “Don’t worry. It’s just waste paper anyway, let’s give it a try.”
They began by soaking and pulping the old pages, chopping them fine, then beating the mixture into pulp. Soon it was ready for the next stage, paper molding and drying.
Yun Cheng asked if they had any small bamboo mats or woven screens. “I’ll need them for lifting the paper pulp,” he explained.
Her father-in-law, who often wove bamboo crafts, had plenty stored. Liu Yun fetched them out, unsure which type he wanted, and even brought an extra mat woven from reeds.
The mats were all in good condition, clean, sturdy, barely used. Yun Cheng hesitated, reluctant to cut into something so fine.
Liu Yun caught his hesitation and smiled. “It’s nothing. We make these ourselves. The bamboo and reeds grow in the fields. Yhey’re not worth much, just a bit of labor.”
That eased Yun Cheng’s guilt. He chose the reed mat, then used bamboo strips to make a simple frame, adjusting the size carefully.
Once that was ready, he and Liu Yun began cutting the old papers into small pieces.
And that was when Yun Cheng noticed something strange.
The words written on those pages weren’t essays or moral texts. They were stories.
One line mentioned a scholar meeting a fox spirit on his journey to the capital for the exam. Another told of a poor man encountering a divine maiden.
There were celestial omens at the Confucian temple, a miraculous rise to fame, and even a romance with the prime minister’s daughter, the full set of classic story tropes.
The handwriting was tiny and cramped, hard to read, but unmistakably narrative.
Liu Yun noticed him staring at the pages and chuckled. “If you want to learn to read, let Cunshan teach you. He looks fierce, but he’s really easy to talk to.”
Yun Cheng froze for a moment, a strained smile tugging at his lips. “He actually taught me last night,” he replied.
Then, seeing the remaining pile of pages dwindling fast, he put down the scissors. “Sister-in-law, you keep cutting. I need to speak with Cousin for a moment.”
Out in the courtyard, Ye Yan was crouched beside the vegetable patch, showing little Chan’er how to recognize each plant.
Yun Cheng stood there, conflicted, unsure how to begin.
Ye Yan, seeing his expression, assumed the papermaking experiment had failed. He waved his hand generously, “It’s all right. Those papers were useless anyway, we all know that.”
But as he said the words, a faint disappointment clouded his face.
The child beside him was sharp for her age and had already learned to mimic adult tones.
Looking at the weary family, Yun Cheng realized, they must all think Ye Yan was still studying for the imperial exam. They had no idea he’d been writing stories.
A tight, uneasy feeling rose in Yun Cheng’s chest. What if Ye Yan was like him, hoping to write tales and earn some money?
So he tested carefully, his voice low. “That line you wrote… ‘At the Confucian temple, the heavens showed a strange omen’…”
Ye Yan stiffened instantly. The change in his face was obvious. He set down his daughter and said, almost too quickly, “Cunshan’s going to the Confucian temple to pray”
✦ ✧ ✦
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
A little coffee for the person who made these words happen? (｡•́‿•̀｡)
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · I Shall Go With YouChapter 2 · You Are ResponsibleChapter 3 · Just make A DoChapter 4 · You Have To Hold MeChapter 5 · Live A Good LifeChapter 6 · Meet The ParentsChapter 7 · Lucky for My husbandChapter 8 · ThreatenChapter 9 · Turning Waste paper into NewChapter 10 · New Paper!Chapter 11 · He will look good in thisChapter 12 · Too HonestChapter 13 · Make Him HappyChapter 14 · WorshipChapter 15 · Feeling Sorry for moneyChapter 16 · I’m so reluctant to leave you.Chapter 17 · My feelings for him are no longer pure.Chapter 18 · Thinking about helping him in some wayChapter 19 · Buy one for my husbandChapter 20 · Cause troubleChapter 21 · Aftermath of the incidentChapter 22 · He led him home obediently.Chapter 23 · Why are you hugging me?Chapter 24 Part 1 · Sweet TalkingChapter 24 Part 2 · Sweet TalkingChapter 25 · You are my drean ManChapter 26 · I don’t fall for flirtingChapter 27 Part 1 · Teaching You How to Like MeChapter 27 Part 2 · Teaching You How to Like MeChapter 28 Part 1 · Picking up kid from schoolChapter 28 Part 2 · Picking up kid from schoolChapter 29 Part 1 · I Have a FriendChapter 29 Part 2 · I Have a FriendChapter 30 Part 1 · Pampering My HusbandChapter 30 Part 2 · Pampering My HusbandChapter 31 Part 1 · Don’t compare yourself with othersChapter 31 Part 2 · Don’t compare yourself with othersChapter 32 Part 1 · Come here and kiss me yourselfChapter 32 Part 2 · Come here and kiss me yourselfChapter 33 Part 1 · Let me explainChapter 33 Part 2 · Let me explainChapter 34 Part 1 · Little SecretChapter 34 Part 2 · Little SecretChapter 35 Part 1 · Going to the New Year MarketChapter 35 Part 2 · Going to the New Year MarketChapter 36 Part 1 · Please coax his little husbandChapter 36 Part 2 · Please coax his little husbandChapter 37 Part 1 · I want you to pamper meChapter 37 Part 2 · I want you to pamper meChapter 38 Part 1 · He wants to marry into the family!Chapter 38 Part 2 · He wants to marry into the family!Chapter 39 Part 1 · This is a separate priceChapter 39 Part 2 · This is a separate priceChapter 40 Part 1 · Husband, children, and a warm bedChapter 40 Part 2 · Husband, children, and a warm bedChapter 41 Part 1 · Biting SpringChapter 41 Part 2 · Biting SpringChapter 42 Part 1 · Isn’t managing you the important thing?Chapter 42 Part 2 · Isn’t managing you the important thing?Chapter 43 · Shameless!Chapter 44 Part 1 · Head of the HouseholdChapter 44 Part 2 · Head of the HouseholdChapter 45 · DatingChapter 45 Part 2 · DatingChapter 46 · You Were the One Who Got HookedChapter 47 · I Like Being Looked AfterChapter 48 · A Weighty AffectionChapter 49 · Go On, Say It AgainChapter 50 · There’s plenty of time in the futureChapter 51 · Karma and RetributionChapter 52 · Playing the “Villain”Chapter 53 · I’ll Be Very Gentle!Chapter 54 · Rural RomanceChapter 55 · Don’t CryChapter 56 · Unable to Afford TuitionChapter 57 · Coax MeChapter 58 · Do You Want Me to Keep You Company?Chapter 59 · You’re Not Good EnoughChapter 60 · WoofChapter 61 Part 1 · Are the Words “I Love You” Too Hot for Your Mouth?Chapter 61 Part 2 · Are the Words “I Love You” Too Hot for Your Mouth?Chapter 62 · My skin gets itchy if I don’t take care of it for a day.Chapter 63 · ClingyChapter 64 · Night TalkChapter 65 · Top Scholar TransmigrationChapter 66 · Imperial examinationsChapter 67 · Exams Over!Chapter 68 · You’re making fun of me as soon as you get back?Chapter 69 · Shameless!Chapter 70 · Truly unbelievableChapter 71 · One taelChapter 72 · Did you draw one for my brother?Chapter 73 · Bad LuckChapter 74 · Look like youChapter 75 · You’re so clingyChapter 76 · Careful your elder brother doesn’t beat you upChapter 77 · If you’re going to hit me, then just hit meChapter 78 · Cheng GegeChapter 79 · Thank you, DidiChapter 80 · Poor scholars from humble backgrounds usually have strong prideChapter 81 · Twenty two?Chapter 82 · Have you started preparing a new book yet?Chapter 83 · We’re PoorChapter 84 · I Still can’t believeChapter 85 Part 1 · But What happened in the end?Chapter 85 Part 2 · But What happened in the End?Chapter 86 · I’m a little kidChapter 87 · The person in this painting is my younger brotherChapter 88 · Yun Xiaocheng Even Has This SkillChapter 89 Part 1 · Preparations Before DepartureChapter 89 Part 2 · Preparations Before DepartureChapter 90 Part 1 · On the Road, a Transitional ChapterChapter 90 Part 2 · On the Road, a Transitional ChapterChapter 91 Part 1 · NarrativeChapter 91 Part 2 · NarrativeChapter 92 · Narrative, transitional chapterChapter 93 · Make you happyChapter 94 Part 1 · Burial and AdmonitionChapter 94 Part 2 · Burial and AdmonitionChapter 95 · Song Jin said she was very good to Cheng HuilanChapter 96 · She has a good older brother.Chapter 97 · Simplicity is the bestChapter 98 · HomecomingChapter 99 Part 1 · Going homeChapter 99 Part 2 · Going HomeChapter 100 Part 1 · AugustChapter 100 Part 2 · AugustChapter 101 Part 1 · How come you’re pregnant but still have such a slim waist?Chapter 101 Part 2 · How come you’re pregnant but still have such a slim waist?Chapter 102 · This is the love you have for me.Chapter 103 Part 1 · SeptemberChapter 103 Part 2 · SeptemberChapter 103 Part 3 · SeptemberChapter 104 Part 1 · Ye Xiaoshan, you’re so shamelessChapter 104 Part 2 · Ye Xiaoshan, you’re so shamelessChapter 105 · Ye Xiaoshan, what are you doing?Chapter 106 Part 1 · Daily lifeChapter 106 Part 2 · Daily lifeChapter 107 · The novel has many plotsChapter 108 Part 1 · Daily life + novel plotChapter 108 Part 2 · Daily life + novel plotChapter 109 · Monthly Exams and Daily RoutineChapter 110 · Mainly exams