The Second Young Master’s Obedient Husband : Chapter 85

With all the goods sold, Su Qingyu and Liang Yu went to the bank the next day to exchange their silver for easier to carry silver notes. They were thinking about what goods to buy to take back north to sell. Since they had finally made the trip, they naturally couldn’t return with empty carts. The more silver they earned, the better.

Southern cloth, tea, porcelain, sugar… were all things the north lacked, and if the market was good they could turn several times the profit.

What goods to buy, how much, from which shop, and what price was suitable, neither Liang Yu nor the men had any idea. But Su Qingyu had grown up in Suzhou Prefecture since childhood. Although he had forgotten much over the years, he still knew the general market conditions much better than Liang Yu and the others.

Don’t be fooled by how soft the little husband was in front of Liang Yu. When he negotiated with people outside, he was not the least bit vague. He could also let the men they had brought out practice their skills. With Su Qingyu watching over them, nothing too major would go wrong.

He negotiated good prices for tea, sugar, and cloth. Especially cloth, since Su Qingyu’s own family had sold cloth before, he knew the business inside out. He bargained so hard the shopkeeper kept slapping his thigh in distress. When Su Qingyu finally settled the bill, he smiled slyly, his face full of pride. Porcelain was the last thing they bought. These items were precious and easily broken from the jolting on the road, so they couldn’t buy too much. Su Qingyu selected a small batch, tied them tightly with straw, separated them with grass and packed them in boxes, placing them at the very back of the cart, surrounded by soft grass for padding.

With the purchasing mostly settled, Liang Yu was not in a hurry to get back on the road. He gave each of the twenty some men some silver and let them enjoy a few days in Suzhou Prefecture. The men cheered and scattered early the next morning, some strolling the streets, some drinking… Liang Yu didn’t bother with them, only telling Qin Cheng to keep an eye on them and make sure they didn’t cause trouble. Then he took Su Qingyu out.

Liang Yu drove the carriage, adjusting direction as he listened to Su Qingyu talk. When they arrived, Liang Yu found an inn, gave some money to have the staff watch the carriage, and left the inn to see Su Qingyu’s old home.

Su Qingyu took Liang Yu to the alley where he used to live, full of relaxed and lively energy. He even stopped at the big tree at the alley entrance to point it out to Liang Yu: “Husband, I was so short back then, I couldn’t even reach the counter, but I was very bold. One time my mother was up front greeting customers, and I snuck out to buy candied hawthorn skewers. I got separated from the crowd and squatted under that tree crying. Later my father came looking for me. I hugged my father’s leg crying and said I would never dare again, but the next time I still snuck out, and when I got back I got my bottom spanked.”

Liang Yu comforted him by rubbing Su Qingyu’s head, but a smile formed on his lips without any conscience.

Holding the beautiful little husband in his arms, Liang Yu seemed to see that carefree little fellow in the Suzhou alley all those years ago, whose biggest worry every day was hugging his father’s leg and acting spoiled to get money to buy sweet rice cakes.

As they walked, Su Qingyu’s steps stopped. Seeing the lively and bustling street, his expression was somewhat stunned. This area was supposed to be the old alley, but the houses were all very new. He looked left and right, and couldn’t find a single familiar shop from before. As he looked, Su Qingyu’s eyes turned red, laughing and crying at the same time, and Liang Yu’s heart ached at the sight.

The old tree knows not the sorrows of the world,

Its canopy covering the sky for many years.

It grows lush with branches and leaves in full,

While the old ones return with tears streaming down.

Things remaining the same but people changed is already enough to break one’s heart. But when both things and people are gone, only empty, hollow pain and confusion remain.

Liang Yu held Su Qingyu and wiped his tears. Su Qingyu turned and buried his face in Liang Yu’s chest. Liang Yu held him quietly, letting him process his complicated feelings on his own.

Su Qingyu recovered his composure, leaned against Liang Yu’s chest, and recalled the past: “This used to be home. The front was the shop, the back was where we lived. My mother greeted customers in the shop, and my father went out to run the business. I played in the courtyard, sewing little pouches from scraps of cloth. When mother had free time she taught me embroidery, and I learned from her. I didn’t cry when the embroidery needle pricked my finger, because mother would buy sweet rice cakes to coax me into smiling.”

“That year there was a big flood. The water rose very high. I was short, so my father put me on his shoulders to walk, and my mother carried our belongings behind us. That’s how we fled our hometown. The water was muddy, with wood, basins, dead chickens floating on top… The streets were full of crying. A group of people supported each other as they walked north, wandering destitute for a long time before they could find a place to settle. I never thought I would be able to come back.”

Su Qingyu let out a breath, and gave Liang Yu a kiss on the face: “Being able to meet such a good husband, the suffering I went through before doesn’t seem to matter anymore. This street is so lively, let’s go buy things for the family.”

Liang Yu kissed him back, looking at the little fellow who had regained his energy, a smile also forming on his face. Su Qingyu pulled Liang Yu from shop to shop, comparing and selecting. He bought a roll of dark purple silk for Liang’s mother, top grade Biluochun tea for Liang’s father, a complete set of silver jewelry with Suzhou characteristics for Su’s mother, a set of the four treasures of the study for his older brother, several different styles of Suzhou style sachets for his sister in law, and trendy toys for the children… At noon the two of them found a restaurant and had a good meal of Suzhou cuisine. In the afternoon they went to a teahouse to listen to storytelling.

After coming out from listening to the stories, Su Qingyu was in high spirits, pulling Liang Yu to chat. As they talked, they happened to pass by a shop, and he stared blankly at the pipas being sold inside.

Liang Yu noticed the silence beside him and looked at him with questioning eyes: “What’s wrong?”

Su Qingyu only came back to his senses when he heard Liang Yu’s voice. He smiled: “It’s nothing, I just remembered when I was little my parents took me to the pleasure quarters to play, and when we came out I made a fuss wanting to learn the pipa. But I was too small and the pipa was too big to hold, so my father had someone search for materials and found a carpenter to custom make a small one for me, and even hired someone to teach me. Unfortunately it was lost during the escape.”

Liang Yu rubbed his head, sighed softly, and pulled him into the shop. He picked out a good pipa, paid the silver, and stuffed it into Su Qingyu’s arms. The shopkeeper smiled as he took the silver. Su Qingyu held the pipa in a daze. When they left the shop and reached a less crowded place, he hooked one arm around Liang Yu’s neck and gave him several fierce kisses.

…

That evening the two of them returned to the inn. With everything settled, Su Qingyu was in a very good mood. He not only ordered a large table of dishes but also wine. After eating and drinking their fill, although it was only fruit wine, Su Qingyu was somewhat drunk. He took the pipa out of its case, and of his own accord sat on Liang Yu’s lap, his fair face flushed pink, his watery eyes alluring, his voice soft: “Husband, I learned so many songs when I was little. Shall I sing them for you?”

Liang Yu smiled and pinched his face, looking at the beauty holding the pipa in his arms, his eyes full of interest: “Yes.”

“Drunk, I let my light boat drift, following the current to the depths of flowers.

Worldly ties have led me astray, I have no way to dwell among the flowers.

The misty waters stretch boundless, the setting sun glows for a thousand miles.

Mountains beyond count, fallen red petals like rain, I no longer remember the road I came by.

…”