Chapter 32
During the New Year festival period, there were numerous banquets. Fang Yu had never been fond of attending these kinds of social gatherings focused on flattery and sycophancy, which usually involved nothing more than bootlicking, drinking, and dallying with courtesans. Previously, while he was injured and ill, he had a valid excuse to decline many invitations. However, after his body recovered, it became difficult to refuse.
He also had to blame his recent moments in the spotlight. Firstly, he had been an honored guest at the Plum Blossom Gathering at Lingxuan Cave Mountain. Secondly, he had performed exceptionally well in the minir examination and received praise from the master and the academy dean.
He was warming his hands by the stove in his study. Qiao Hezhi had bought some wintersweet from outside; it was the beautiful red plum blossom variety. Placed in a vase in the room, it was not only pleasing to the eye but also, under the warmth of the charcoal fire, filled the entire study with a fragrant scent, creating a rather delightful atmosphere. It had made him particularly fond of staying in his study these past two days.
"These are the banquet invitations that haven't been dealt with yet. I've already separated out the ones that are past their time."
Qiao Hezhi organized the invitations and placed them all on Fang Yu's study desk. A quick glance revealed over a dozen. Formal ones were written invitations, less formal ones were verbal messages.
"I still have to oversee the construction at the Book and Tea House. Where would I find the time to attend so many banquets?" Fang Yu picked through the invitations. "These invites from some Wang Xiucai or Pang Tongsheng... I don't even know these people."
Seeing his demeanor, Qiao Hezhi could tell he truly wasn't very enthusiastic about attending banquets and said with a smile, "Others are eager for invitations to expand their social circles, yet here you are, actually wanting to refuse and not go."
"Many of them are just useless socializing. It's nothing more than getting familiar faces, so later you can ask for favors, or others can ask you for help. But I see many are from people who have little future prospects. It's highly probable that later on, they would be the ones asking you for favors. It isn't about building sincere friendships. Attending a few gatherings for tea, wine, and food simply isn't worth the trouble."
Qiao Hezhi pinched his hand. "Since you don't wish to go, I'll decline them for you again."
"Eh, here are actually invitations from the Education Commissioner's residence and the Assistant Prefect's residence." Qiao Hezhi discovered them while flipping through the pile, feeling quite surprised. Gaining entry to such households was usually very difficult. "Does Ziruo have connections with them, or are these widespread invitations sent to scholars?"
Fang Yu took the invitations and looked. Li Yun sending an invitation wasn't particularly strange, but Ji Yunlu also sending one was somewhat surprising.
"These two invitations cannot be declined. We must attend."
Fang Yu patted Qiao Hezhi's hand in return. "These are for socializing, we should go."
"When did you make these connections? Why didn't I know?"
"Just by chance and circumstance." Seeing Qiao Hezhi was quite interested, Fang Yu found it understandable. The Qiao family were merchants and naturally had no dealings with such scholarly, established families. "Shall I take you along?"
Qiao Hezhi gave a light laugh. "How would it look for me to go? If I were from an ordinary family background it might be acceptable, but I'm specifically from a merchant household. Going might embarrass you."
Fang Yu, feeling heartache, pulled the person before him, making him sit on his lap. "But I have never cared about such things."
"This is the study!" Qiao Hezhi was startled and lightly pushed Fang Yu, his face reddening as he struggled to get up. "How does this look!"
Fang Yu chuckled, burying his head in the crook of Qiao Hezhi's neck and gently sniffing, circling his arms to prevent him from getting up. "The study is still inside the house, isn't it?"
Although Qiao Hezhi had seen him bare-bottomed several times already, such intimate behavior in broad daylight in the important study place was truly somewhat improper. Fang Yu appeared perfectly proper in front of others, but in private, he was really shameless.
Seeing him always so confidently teasing him, Qiao Hezhi couldn't help but turn his head away, pushing Fang Yu's head up from his neck. "I want to ask you something. You must answer me honestly."
Fang Yu's brow twitched. Looking at Xiao Qiao's serious face, he asked curiously, "What is it?"
Just as Qiao Hezhi was about to speak, the study door creaked open. Siyu rushed in excitedly: "Master, young master, the old master's family has delivered..."
Upon entering the study, Siyu saw the two at the desk. Her eyes widened momentarily, her face flushed, and she quickly turned her back. "I'll come back later."
Qiao Hezhi was also startled, scrambling to get up from Fang Yu. Fang Yu, however, laughed at the reactions of master and servant. He called out to stop Siyu. "Just say what you need to."
"Remember to knock before entering next time." Qiao Hezhi said softly to Siyu, head lowered. As a close personal servant, he was used to coming and going like this and hadn't thought it improper before. But now, being intimate with Fang Yu, it naturally felt different.
Siyu, being scolded, didn't feel wronged. Instead, her eyes held a smile as she bowed to her two masters. "Yes. I'll remind Xuezhu later."
"Alright." Fang Yu pulled Qiao Hezhi, who stood before him like a child being punished for some major mistake, and led him to sit on the soft cushion chair beside him. He asked Siyu, "So what is this matter about?"
"The two horses sent by the old master's family have arrived."
Hearing this, Fang Yu's eyes lit up. He turned to Qiao Hezhi with a smile. "The horses are here!"
Seeing his delighted expression, Qiao Hezhi also smiled. "Then let's go take a look quickly."
The horses from the Qiao family were delivered from a horse ranch in a neighboring county. The two horses were tall and sturdy, with glossy coats. Their eyes were as bright as deep pools of water, their tails flicking lightly to brush off insects. It seemed his father-in-law had purposely chosen them, knowing he was still learning to ride and had been thrown off, so he selected horses with gentle temperaments.
Fang Yu patted a horse's head, he couldn't be more satisfied.
Immediately, having forgotten the pain once the scar healed, he took a couple of laps around the small empty area behind the residence. "Hezhi, these horses are really good. I'll ride one to the banquet soon."
"Practice a bit more before riding out. If you kick someone on the street, there'll be trouble." Qiao Hezhi's heart jumped with every toss of the horse's head, fearing Fang Yu might be thrown again. "If you've tested it enough, come down first. Let me check the saddle and girth again, make sure the stitches are tight."
"I already checked earlier, they're quite tight." Fang Yu was full of enthusiasm. "Once I ride smoothly, I'll take you for a ride. It's so exhilarating."
Siyu, standing to the side, covered her mouth, unable to suppress a laugh. "Master, our young master knows how to ride a horse."
Qiao Hezhi frowned and glared at Siyu.
Hearing this, Fang Yu pulled on the reins and looked down at the person whose face was written with worry. "You can ride? Why didn't you tell me?"
Qiao Hezhi said innocently, "I was afraid you'd feel bad if you knew. Besides... you never asked me."
Fang Yu stroked his chin, contemplating. He had assumed a gentle ger like Qiao Hezhi wouldn't touch such dirty and wild things, usually staying home to read or do needlework. This was quite unexpected.
But indeed, for a husband who couldn't ride and had been kicked by a horse, to have a fulang who could ride... wouldn't that invert the natural order? An ordinary man's pride would surely be wounded.
But who was Fang Yu...
"Perfect! Then you get on and take me for a ride!"
Qiao Hezhi: …..
"No... that's not appropriate." Qiao Hezhi felt his husband truly was different from normal people. "The streets are crowded. What if someone sees? It wouldn't look good."
"The laws of our dynasty haven't stipulated that merchants or gers cannot ride horses, have they? What's wrong with it? What's more, there's a lane up ahead that's usually empty; all you ever hear there is the sound of hoofbeats. We can ride through there and just slow to a walk when we hit the main market streets. It's perfect, really."
Siyu and Xuezhu were already laughing uncontrollably but still spoke up for their master, encouraging Qiao Hezhi. "Zhengfu, please take Master for a couple of laps. If he falls again, it's you who'll be heartbroken. Seeing Master so eager, if you don't take him, he definitely won't get down either."
Qiao Hezhi deeply experienced what it meant to feel helpless.
Utterly unable to win the argument, Qiao Hezhi had no choice but to reluctantly agree.
Since Fang Yu was much taller than Qiao Hezhi, sitting in front would be strange and would block the rider's view. So Fang Yu dismounted first, letting Qiao Hezhi ride in front while he sat behind. This way, it was no issue.
He saw the person usually appearing frail due to lingering illness step on the stirrup and swing onto the horse in one fluid motion, his robe hem cutting a vigorous arc in the wind. Qiao Hezhi took the reins, his eyes holding a spirited quality rarely seen in daily life. He extended a hand to Fang Yu. "Come up."
Fang Yu almost applauded right there on the spot. Thinking about how he needed a stool and struggled for a while just to climb onto a horse, this was rather face-slapping.
Worried Fang Yu might overthink it, Qiao Hezhi added, "I learned to ride since I was little. I rode small ponies back then, it wasn't something learned in a day. Ziruo has only ridden a couple of times and can already do this, you're quite talented. Just spend more time around horses regularly, and you'll definitely ride well."
With Qiao Hezhi's assistance, Fang Yu settled onto the horse behind him. Leaning in close, his eyes crinkled with a smile. "Now I feel like not knowing how to ride isn't so bad after all."
Qiao Hezhi looked at him, puzzled. "Why?"
Fang Yu naturally wrapped his arms around Qiao Hezhi's waist. "What do you think?"
Qiao Hezhi's face flushed. Without a word, he sharply flicked the reins. "Giddy up!"
A gust of wind rushed past his face as the steed galloped away. This exhilarating feeling of riding freely against the wind—the last time he felt it was at the riding grounds. But he had only enjoyed it for a moment before ending up on the ground.
One arm circled Qiao Hezhi's waist, cinched by the sash to a particularly slender shape. He even freed his other hand to wave at the two personal servants, looking utterly pleased with himself.
Unfortunately, this galloping didn't last long. The horse charged out of Changping Alley, and outside was the bustling market street. Qiao Hezhi reined in the horse. "Shall we head back?"
"The horse hasn't even run to its heart's content yet. Why go back? Let's take a slow stroll on the street. Yesterday I saw someone selling sugar-fried chestnuts, but I went too late and they were sold out. Today is perfect for buying some."
Qiao Hezhi, helpless yet indulgent, said, "Then you hold the reins loosely. That way, others will think you're the one riding. Then no one will laugh."
Fang Yu did as Qiao Hezhi suggested. In his previous world, a wife who could ride would have been a bragging right. But in this place, with all its social rules, he had no choice but to go along with the local customs.
Indeed, with him holding the reins, there were no strange looks, though a few people still glanced their way. After all, not many took their own gers out riding.
On the third floor of Baoxing Teahouse, two men sat by an open window, sipping tea and taking in the lively New Year's street view. Their eyes drifted over the two riders passing by below. Suddenly, Ji Yunlu pointed and cried out, "Isn't that Brother Fang?!"
Li Yun followed the sound and looked. "It certainly is."
"Brother Fang! What fine leisure!"
Li Yun leaned out of the window and shouted down, his words slightly slurred from drink.
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