Chapter 28
Fang Yu was stunned by these words. He lowered his head to look at Qiao Hezhi's hand holding his, and a wave of sour bitterness welled up in his heart.
Even though he had difficulties he couldn't voice aloud, dilemmas he didn't know how to explain to him, he never expected it would cause Qiao Hezhi to become so cautious. He would much rather Qiao Hezhi sulked or vented his anger at him like before, rather than this – clearly upset himself, yet trying to comfort him instead.
It was also because the original owner had left behind the impression of being deeply infatuated with another person.
He ignored the crowds coming and going on the street, reached out and pulled Qiao Hezhi intovan embrace. He gently cradled the back of his head. "It has nothing to do with any of that. She and I are already impossible."
"Why... why?"
Being openly held in the street, all Qiao Hezhi's senses became intensely acute, but nothing shocked him more than Fang Yu's words.
"When I passed the Xiucai exam, I was granted ten mu of land. The Yin family has been using it all these years. Recently, when I was buying land, I went to the Yin family to reclaim it. They were unwilling at first."
Hearing this, Qiao Hezhi frowned. "Farmland is the lifeblood of farming families. Losing ten mu of good land so suddenly, Cousin's family would naturally resist. Did the disagreement arise because of this?"
Fang Yu slowly released his hold. "Yes."
Qiao Hezhi was confused. Ten mu of fertile land was not a small amount. Although it was only worth a little over a hundred taels of silver—a sum not considered significant for a merchant family like theirs—merchants were prohibited from owning land. Regardless of how inexpensive the land might be, it was something they simply could not hold. Land was certainly valuable, but if he had been willing to let the Yin family farm it before, why take it back so suddenly now?
Even if the land was farmed by the Yin family, the deed was still held by Fang Yu; it couldn't be considered the Yin family's land. If he really cared about the land, he could simply take some silver from the family to buy more. Why go to such lengths, even to the point of severing ties with the Yin family?
Though his mind was thick with unanswered questions, the streets were packed for the New Year festivities and too many eyes kept turning their way. This was no place for a proper conversation. Taking Fang Yu by the arm, he said, "Let's go home to talk."
Fang Yu's gaze grew more intense. If this wasn't thoroughly talked out and made clear, this matter might forever remain a hurdle between them. "Alright."
They walked home in silence. Qiao Hezhi took the initiative, leading Fang Yu straight to Xiaotong Courtyard. Along the way, he had already formulated a plan.
"I saw Cousin today. It's not that she has truly become heartless or holds no feelings for you anymore, Master. It's truly because of her family's obstruction. Since you, Master, said it was because of the land issue, it all comes down to trouble caused by money in the end."
"There might be other things I can't help with, but money is something I can provide."
Qiao Hezhi retrieved a brocade box from the cabinet beneath his dressing table. He brought it before Fang Yu. "Sending two hundred taels to the Yin family should make them change their minds. Furthermore, as for how much silver is needed to take a concubine, you, Master, can decide the amount. Take some to use."
Fang Yu frowned, looking at the box full of silver notes. He had no mind to count how much was there, but he knew this was Qiao Hezhi's private savings.
His heart was in turmoil. After a long moment, he spoke. "What do you mean by this, Hezhi?"
Qiao Hezhi sat down close to Fang Yu. "I know marrying the Yin family girl has always been your wish. Originally, it was also me being willful and narrow-minded. My parents only have me, one ger. Since childhood, whatever I asked for, they never refused. I was angry that you called out Cousin's name on our wedding night, so I had my parents make the demand that the Fang family could only take a concubine after three months. That's what led to all this happening."
"Now we've been married for almost three months. Whether out of keeping the promise or otherwise, it's only right to let Cousin enter the family." Qiao Hezhi lowered his eyes, hiding the emotions in his heart. "Anyway, taking a concubine will happen sooner or later. Since you, Master, treat me with sincerity, I also hope you can marry someone you like."
Fang Yu looked at Qiao Hezhi beside him. His proper manners and considerate understanding only wrenched Fang Yu's heart into greater turmoil. In this moment, Fang Yu felt that making a scene would be a minor issue, while this understanding and self-sacrifice were what truly caused heartache and left one at a loss.
He straightened Qiao Hezhi's shoulders, making him look directly at him. "Hezhi, I'll ask you one question. Answer me honestly."
Qiao Hezhi looked at Fang Yu. He originally thought his act of arranging this would make Fang Yu happy, but seeing him now, he didn't seem pleased. So he asked cautiously, "What question?"
"Your considerateness and compliance in every way, is it because you believe it's the duty every fulang or wife in the world should fulfill, or is it... simply because the person is me that you act this way?"
"Why... why ask such a thing all of a sudden? I..." Qiao Hezhi was momentarily speechless. He had never really thought about this matter. Back when he first married into the Fang family, he naturally aimed to be a virtuous fulang, hence being considerate to the Fang family in every way. Later... later, when Fang Yu sided with him and protected him, he was willing, and carefully thought about being even more attentive and thorough in caring for him.
Thinking it over, it seemed: "Both... both."
Both was still much better than only the former. Fang Yu had gotten the answer he wanted. He let out a barely perceptible sigh, closed the brocade box, and pushed it back. "Calling off the marriage with the Yin family was indeed because of the land issue. But I knew from the start that the Yin family treasured those ten mu of good land. If I reclaimed it entirely, the Yin family would certainly be unwilling to send their daughter to be a concubine. That is to say, I did it deliberately."
Qiao Hezhi stared at him in shock. "Why would you do such a thing!"
"I have no feelings for the Yin family's young girl. Marrying her would only mean holding each other back. Moreover, what's good about a good young girl becoming someone's concubine?"
Hearing this answer, Qiao Hezhi couldn't feel happy. How could there be no feelings at all? Was everything he had witnessed before merely an act? He wasn’t naive enough to believe that. Steeling his heart, he asked, "Is... is it because of me that you changed your mind?"
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