Yun Cheng’s eyes lit up. “Then let’s try tomorrow, shall we? You won’t lose anything by trying.”
Ye Cunshan only wanted to sleep, so he answered half-heartedly.
“Sure.”
Yun Cheng, completely oblivious to the perfunctory tone, was brimming with joy.
He began listing out all sorts of materials that could be used to make paper, “Rice stalks, corn stalks, some kinds of grasses and bamboo sheaths can work. If you use mulberry bark it’ll be faster, and bamboo is the best.”
This matter was important to him. After naming the raw materials, he recited the steps almost like memorizing a text, explaining which processes were tricky and what resources were difficult to obtain.
One after another, he spoke them all out. In the background of his muttering, Ye Cunshan had already drifted off into sleep, even starting to snore lightly.
Yun Cheng: …
He huffed, rolled over angrily, and shut his eyes.
The bedboard was still hard, the quilt still coarse, yet that night Yun Cheng slept soundly.
The next morning, both rose early.
Just as Cunshan had said, the family truly was so poor that the pot could barely be uncovered.
The morning porridge was so thin it hardly had a grain or two of rice floating in it, and the coarse grain cakes that had once been four pieces were now reduced to only two.
To make up for it, Yun Cheng cracked an egg into the pot, sliced up some mushrooms and wild greens, and cooked them all together. When served, it was still a full, steaming bowl.
Earlier, he had gone to the chicken coop to search for eggs. Crouching by the entrance, he found himself locked in a staring contest with three hens.
Each time his little hand reached inside, it darted back out again in fright. He was terrified of being pecked.
Cunshan called his name twice with no answer. Curious, he came out and saw this scene, his face couldn’t help but break into laughter.
He strode over, lifted Yun Cheng aside, hooked the door of the coop with one foot, squatted down, and deftly pulled out two eggs.
Yun Cheng flushed until even the tips of his ears turned red, and muttered in a voice barely audible, “They kept staring at me…”
Looking at the thin, fair little figure before him, Cunshan gave only one verdict: delicate.
He honestly didn’t know how this boy had managed to survive the last decade or so.
After breakfast, the two went to the clan head to register in the family genealogy that was equivalent to getting their marriage officially certified, much like going to the Civil Affairs Bureau in modern times.
Yun Cheng changed into his least-patched clothes, fastened up his hair with a wooden hairpin.
He then smoothed down the rebellious strands with water, making himself simple yet properly dignified.
Then, taking the silver with him, he followed Cunshan down the mountain to find the clan head.
The Ye family’s clan head was also the village chief of Jinghe Village.
Later, when Yun Cheng would buy back his family’s land, it would also be handled through him.
“My family originally had seven mu of land, two mu of paddy fields and five mu of dry fields. I sold them for thirteen taels of silver. Together with the money you lent me before, it’s sixteen taels.”
“My father’s funeral was organized by the village chief. I chose a slightly better coffin, and we also had new grave markers made for my parents. That cost four taels.”
It wasn’t enough to buy all the land back.
Cunshan said, “Just buy the paddy fields. That’s enough.”
The dry fields of the Yun family were scattered and fragmented, mostly the unwanted corners left by others. The soil was barren and filled with stones.
Yesterday they had asked Ye Liang to put in a word ahead of time, so today the clan head, Ye Gen, had stayed home.
When the two arrived, his genealogy book was already spread open on the table. Yun Cheng’s sharp eyes caught sight of Cunshan’s name written inside.
This generation’s character was “Cun”—there were Cunyu, Cunxue, Cunjin, and Cunyin as well.
Ye Gen was in his forties, tall and broad-shouldered.
He was an amiable man, and when he saw them arrive, he handed each of them a red egg, “Had Guizhi boil these this morning. Eat, and live your days well.”
Guizhi was his wife.
Clearly, the noisy quarrel outside Yun Cheng’s home yesterday afternoon hadn’t escaped Ye Gen’s notice. He didn’t ask about what the elders of the family thought of the marriage.
Only when Yun Cheng saw Cunshan nod did he accept the egg. It was still warm, burning his palm and heating his cheeks until they flushed pink.
“Thank you, Uncle Ye.”
The registration was simple. Just a routine confirmation, asking if both were willing.
Afterward, Ye Gen especially cautioned Yun Cheng, “Cunshan is capable. Life will be hard for you two at first, but endure it and it will get better. Don’t be tricked by your uncle’s words, promising you new clothes and full meals, those are ghost stories that sell your very life away.”
Yun Cheng nodded obediently, his small face serious, “I understand. I won’t listen to them.”
Only then did Ye Gen smile, “And the land? Will you buy it back?”
They had already discussed it on the road, leaving it for Cunshan to decide.
The paddy fields were few but valuable, costing the most. Buying them back took six taels, leaving only another six in their purse. Yun Cheng’s heart ached at the sight.
But he had been sickly since birth and had long learned how to seek joy in hardship.
Holding the warm red egg in his hand, he still grinned brightly, “Today we get a feast!”
Cunshan thought him foolish, yet without noticing, the corners of his lips lifted into a faint smile.
Leaving Ye Gen’s house, they ran into quite a few villagers pretending to bump into them by chance, teasing with questions.
Yun Cheng stayed nestled beneath Cunshan’s protection, quiet and meek like a little quail.
The more people asked, the more irritated Cunshan became. Finally, he grabbed Yun Cheng’s hand.
From then on, whenever someone questioned them, he simply shook their joined hands as an answer.
Yun Cheng’s face stayed red the whole time.
Lowering his gaze, he saw the sharp contrast between Cunshan’s wheat-colored skin and his own pale wrist, white as jade.
He called softly, “Cunshan, look down.”
Cunshan looked, then even squeezed his wrist between his fingers, “Nothing but skin and bones.”
He needed proper nourishment, and plenty of it.
In the farming off-season, idle villagers always made a single bit of gossip stretch for days.
Having already chatted all along the way, now seeing the two so boldly holding hands, whispering in low voices, the show of affection made many break out in gooseflesh.
Eventually, after crossing paths once or twice, people stopped asking questions.
But once the pair walked out of sight, small groups gathered to whisper.
“Back when Ye Cunshan passed the county exam, so many families came with marriage proposals. He refused them all, saying he wanted to secure a proper degree before marriage.”
Aunt Liu, face filled with schadenfreude, said,
“And now, without a title to his name, he marries in such a hush-hush way and takes in that poor boy with such a bad reputation!”
Clan-based villages were always like this, outwardly united against outsiders yet brimming with contradictions within.
Ye Cunshan was a capable man, quick with his hands and shrewd with people. Though like the others he toiled in the fields and could not read, he alone had connections with county officials and had even once sailed to the prefectural city on a trading trip.
At that time, so many matchmakers came knocking on the Ye family’s door that the threshold was nearly worn down. Even from neighboring villages, plenty of go-betweens came to propose matches.
Unfortunately, after that trip to the prefectural city, Cunshan’s heart had grown restless, he insisted on studying.
Others could sit for the licentiate exam at fifteen; he, at fifteen, was only just beginning to learn his characters.
One proposal after another, he refused, always with the excuse that he was still young and lacked the energy.
The Ye household quarreled about it more than once.
Later, when he was separated out to live on his own, plenty of people stood back to watch.
They said: without family support for his studies, sooner or later Ye Cunshan would have to put his head down, return to farming and hunting, and thentlive as an ordinary mud-footed peasant.
But though he looked as though he had settled, no one dared approach him again.
The Ye family had been ruthless.
Not only did they give him no land, they offered no help at all.
No household could live on nothing but cold wind. In just a few short months, Ye Cunshan had become the very image of decline.
Some families with land and money even offered to take him in as a son-in-law, promising to support his studies.
He refused.
Such was the case with Aunt Liu’s son, Ning.
Later, others offered proposals with dowries of land and silver. Still, Ye Cunshan declined.
Some mocked that he meant to remain a lifelong bachelor. Others sneered that he was holding out for a rich official’s daughter after he achieved scholarly honors.
And in the end, Ye Cunshan married Yun Cheng.
At once, the comparisons began.
Aunt Liu in particular had heard people laughing that her Ning had been rejected even when he was “offering himself with money attached.”
Every time she thought of it, she fumed. With a sharp tongue, she muttered, “That Cheng boy never used to utter a word, hid at home all day without stepping out, even came to wash clothes hunched like a turtle. Now he’s grinning sweet as honey. Someone who didn’t know better would think he was glad his father died!”
No one picked up her words.
The silence grew heavy until someone forcefully changed the subject, steering conversation toward Chen Jinhua, the stepmother who had pushed Ye Cunshan out of the main household and whether she would part with a few taels of silver.
Chen Jinhua was indeed fretting over the matter.
Back when the family split, Ye Cunshan had taken nothing with him. Out of guilt, Ye Da (Father), urged on by his parents who wanted to force Cunshan into marriage, had written into the division contract that twenty taels would be given for his wedding.
Because of this, Chen Jinhua had always been wary of his marriage prospects.
And now Ye Cunshan had suddenly wed without warning.
She suspected he had done it on purpose.
Yun Cheng was easy to control. In mourning, they could not share a bed, nor host a banquet. And yet he could still claim the silver!
Later, if the union broke apart, she couldn’t even ask for the money back.
Ye Da was weaving baskets when Chen Jinhua’s incessant circling made his head spin. He frowned, “What are you fussing for? Isn’t he just taking a wife?”
When the family was divided, Chen Jinhua had put on a show of generosity.
No matter what outsiders said of her, she knew how to make her words sound good, and when it came to coaxing Ye Da, she never missed her mark.
She said, “I’m happy too! The silver for his marriage has been set aside all this time, waiting for him to bring home a bride. But look who he’s married! That Yun Cheng is still in mourning, and Cunshan dragged him up the mountain last night. They even slept there!”
Ye Da’s brows furrowed deeper. When he recalled why they had split the family in the first place, his eyes dropped, “So what? Two bachelors, now properly registered. What’s wrong with that?”
Chen Jinhua pressed the sore spot unerringly: “And what about his studies, then? How is he supposed to sit the exams now?”
Ye Da stopped weaving altogether.
Though he hadn’t supported his son’s studies with money, a licentiate in the family was still a tremendous honor.
Ye Cunshan had ambition, had said he could save enough to fund his own exams.
Taking three newly woven baskets, Ye Da went straight to the clan head’s house to make his case.
Meanwhile, Ye Cunshan and Yun Cheng returned home to fetch their belongings.
This time, they brought all the bedding.
Yun Cheng thought it was for keeping warm with winter coming, but when they returned to the mountain, Cunshan began preparing a separate bedroom.
Yun Cheng was completely baffled.
They had just registered their marriage, why were they separating rooms already?
He clung to the doorway, peering inside.
Cunshan’s explanation was calm and unassailable, “You’re in mourning. For a hundred days we cannot share a bed.”
Yun Cheng blinked, puzzled, “Is that what ‘no consummation’ means?”
Regardless of his doubts, the bed had already been made.
And then Cunshan deftly shifted his attention to something else he cared about: “The sun’s out today. You can wash your hair, it’ll dry.”
Later, when the weather turned colder, not even sunny days would suffice.
Sure enough, Yun Cheng forgot his complaint. He carefully placed the red egg by his pillow, then scampered over to Cunshan’s room to pack up his own things.
Water had to be heated for a while. Like a little tail, Yun Cheng trailed Cunshan everywhere, until he was finally pressed down onto a low stool and told to add firewood.
As for Cunshan himself, he sat with yesterday’s book open again.
Yun Cheng, still eager, wanted to learn how to read the traditional characters and experiment with papermaking.
So he tried to strike up conversation:
“Could you teach me to read?”
Without lifting his eyes, Cunshan answered,
“I can. But there’s no paper or brush for practice. I’ll make you a sand tray.”
Then, remembering Yun Cheng’s late-night ramblings about papermaking, he met the boy’s bright eyes and knew he hadn’t given up. He still wanted to try.
“How did that papermaking process go again? Tell me.”
Yun Cheng repeated it at once.
He had watched quite a few videos where the main materials were bamboo and paper mulberry.
Bamboo took too long, so for now they could try mulberry.
That was simple enough.
The ingredients he mentioned, Cunshan had seen before. After all, they lived at the mountain’s foot; cutting bamboo or felling trees was easy.
He instructed Yun Cheng to mind the fire, then picked up his hatchet, chopped down five paper mulberry trees, stripped the extra branches, and carried them back to the front yard.
They both are already married! No scheme gonna work now Step-mom! Better focus on your family.
Yun Cheng at least know how to make paper.. If I transmigrated into novel…. I might end up being useless! I can’t scheme or invent anything 😭 I can cook but for opening stall, I need ingredients which won’t be existing at that time period.
Let me know what’s your talent and how are you gonna survive?!
✦ ✧ ✦
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
Somewhere, a translator stares dramatically into an empty coffee cup. ☕
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
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