That evening, Yan Xiaoyu put on his robe and personally prepared the roe deer meat sent by the kitchen.

He divided the five jin of meat into two portions: one he stewed with angelica root, and the other she made into jerky for her family to snack on.

Yan Xiaoyu had found the recipe for deer meat with angelica in the cookbook Yan Shaoxuan had given him. Angelica root promotes blood circulation and relieves pain, while deer meat relaxes the tendons, unblocks the meridians, strengthens the bones, and lightens the body. When simmered together, the two ingredients complement each other perfectly, making it especially beneficial for someone like Yan Xingmao, who suffers from a chronic leg condition.

He Qiuhua, Xiao Jiu, and A-Shuang each prepared a few dishes as well, rounding out the spread with chicken, duck, fish, and meat.

The servants in the courtyard were stunned to see Yan Xiaoyu and He Qiuhua cooking themselves, and they never expected that there would even be enough food for them to eat.

Yan Xiaoyu and the others prepared three tables of food: one for his family, one for Huo Haowu and his wife along with Ying Dong, and one for Zhiyu, the escort master from the Zhenwu Escort Agency; Xiao Jiu’s table was for him and the servants in the courtyard.

A total of five servants remained in the rear quarters of the county magistrate’s office: among them were two girls, one young boy, and two men. Aside from the gatekeeper, the rest of the staff were all present.

Their table wasn’t set up in the dining hall like the other two tables, but in the kitchen instead.

The dishes on all three tables were identical, though the portion sizes varied slightly. Roe deer meat wasn’t rare in Lingbei, but it wasn’t something ordinary people could afford. These servants had seen some fine fare while serving the previous magistrate’s family, but it was all prepared for the magistrate and the Zhi family—they could look at it, but not eat it. Even when they were allowed to eat, it was only the leftovers from their masters’ meals.

This was the very first time they had eaten the exact same meal as their master.

After they took their seats, they all wore expressions of being both flattered and overwhelmed.

Just then, a young servant whispered to A-Chai, “Brother A-Chai, do we really not have to serve our master his meal?”

A-Chai nodded. “Go ahead and eat. Our master doesn’t need servants to wait on him during meals. When you’re done, have Shunzi take your place—we’ve set aside some food for him.”

Shunzi was the gatekeeper in the back courtyard and was rarely allowed to leave his post.

The servant who had asked the question beamed with joy and hurriedly replied, “Alright, then I’ll eat quickly!”

Xiao Jiu’s eyes darted about as he took the opportunity to give him a stern warning: “Our master has a generous and easygoing nature and isn’t pretentious, but he’s not someone you can fool either. From now on, work hard. Don’t pry into things you shouldn’t, and don’t spread rumors outside the house. The master will certainly treat you well. But if you dare to slack off, cut corners, or do anything to harm the master, he won’t tolerate it—and none of us will let you off the hook either!”

Xiao Jiu and Jiang Xiaowu owed the greatest debt of gratitude to Yan Xiaoyu and his husband. Yan Xiaoyu had saved Jiang Xiaowu’s life, and it was thanks to Yan Xiaoyu that Xiao Jiu had been able to escape his life as a beggar.

Since joining the Yan family, he had always been treated well.

Unlike Jiang Xiaowu, Xiao Jiu hadn’t sold himself into servitude. In any other household, he would have been treated with suspicion, but Yan Xiaoyu taught him the skills he needed to make a living without holding anything back. Before coming to Lingbei, Xiao Jiu had worried that since he wasn’t a household slave, Yan Xiaoyu might be unwilling to bring him along—or might use this as leverage to force him to sign a contract of indentured servitude. He never expected that Yan Xiaoyu’s every word and action was done with his best interests in mind.

“If you come with me on this trip, I’ll pay you your wages just like before. If you’d rather stay behind, that’s fine too—even if the silver you’ve saved isn’t enough to rent a storefront, it’ll be enough to rent a stall at the market. You can start your own food business and support yourself. Be careful out there—don’t let those ill-intentioned people set their sights on you. When the time comes, I’ll let Yu Sanlang know and ask him to keep an eye on you…”

Xiao Jiu went from being a little beggar to the head chef at Yuye Pavilion, while Jiang Xiaowu rose from a lowly inn clerk to become the county magistrate’s personal attendant, taken under Yan Shaoxuan’s wing and personally mentored by him.

To Yan Xiaoyu and Yan Shaoxuan, it was no exaggeration to say they had given him a second chance at life.

Both Xiao Jiu and Jiang Xiaowu had vowed in their hearts never to betray the kindness shown to them by Yan Xiaoyu and Yan Shaoxuan in this lifetime. Although A-Chai, A-Xi, and the others didn’t feel it quite as deeply, they were still grateful to the Yan brothers and Yan Xiaoyu.

They had witnessed the coldness and warmth of human nature at the slave market, and had even seen with their own eyes how companions were bought away, only to be beaten until they were covered in wounds and sold back. When they were brought home by Yan Shaocheng, they were filled with anxiety, but fortunately, they were lucky.

At the Yan household, they were treated more like a hired hand than a household servant. They received a generous monthly wage, and when business at the Yuye Pavilion was booming, they even received additional bonuses. Their master never beat or scolded him; in fact, not a single word of disrespect had ever been spoken to them.

Having traveled all this way to follow Yan Shaoxuan to Lingbei, Xiao Jiu, A-Chai, and the other four all knew full well that Yan Shaoxuan and Yan Xiaoyu were now one and the same—their fortunes were intertwined, and they would rise or fall together.

Therefore, he could not tolerate Shunzi and the others trying to undermine Yan Xiaoyu.

As soon as Xiao Jiu finished speaking, A-Chai and the others nodded repeatedly and chimed in with a few words of their own.

“Those who offended my master in the past—some are dead, some have gone mad; not a single one met a good end!” 

“Wen Si, if you behave yourself, my master won’t give you any trouble.”

“My master provides me with good food and drink; I must know my place…”

Because Yan Xingmao and his wife were so amiable, these men had indeed grown a bit complacent. After being given a stern talking-to by Xiao Jiu and the others, they became much more compliant.

“I’ll definitely stick to my duties and never do anything to betray my master.”

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

The home-cooked dishes A-Shuang had prepared for lunch were already quite tasty, and the evening meal was even better. The servants ate with great relish, and the escort agents from the Zhenwu Escort Agency were all beaming with joy as they tucked in heartily.

In the past, when they were out on escort missions, they’d just make do with whatever they could find along the way. By the time they returned from a long journey, they’d all lost several jin of weight.

This time, traveling with Yan Xiaoyu’s family, they hadn’t lost any weight—in fact, they’d gained a few jin. The meals provided by their employer were truly excellent.

The escort agents were now thoroughly satisfied with their employer, Yan Xiaoyu. Some even went so far as to tell Huo Haowu that the next time Yan Xiaoyu’s family hired an escort team, they would definitely count them in.

Even Ruan Yimian and Huo Haowu—who were used to fine dining—were thoroughly impressed by Yan Xiaoyu’s cooking. Everyone was so satisfied with the meal that they didn’t even have time to talk.

Only after they had eaten and drunk their fill did Huo Haowu bring up the matter at hand.

“My fulang mentioned that you’d like me to teach Miss Yan martial arts?”

“That’s right,” Yan Xiaoyu said, looking at Huo Haowu. “The fee is negotiable, but if you have any other requests, Master Huo, feel free to ask.”

“Magistrate Yan has hired me for an extra half-month. Since I’m idle anyway, teaching Miss Yan martial arts is no trouble. There’s no need for payment, but I do have two requests. If Miss Yan can fulfill them, we’ll discuss the rest later.”

Yan Shaocheng laughed heartily: “Leader Huo, please feel free to state your requests.”

Yan Xiaoyue also gazed intently at Huo Haowu, her expression both demure and expectant. Seeing the couple’s attitude, Huo Haowu felt a surge of goodwill toward them.

“First, martial arts training is both tedious and arduous. Especially since Miss Yan has already passed the most suitable age for it, she will find it harder than those who laid a foundation from childhood. But since she has started, she must not give up halfway.”

“Second, when I’m teaching Miss Yan, no one else may interfere.”

As soon as Huo Haowu finished speaking, Yan Xiaoyue replied earnestly, “I’m not afraid of hardship!”

Yan Xiaoyu and Yan Shaocheng were both very supportive. Although Yan Xingmao and He Qiuhua still had reservations, they were accustomed to obeying their son’s wishes. Seeing that Yan Xiaoyu was strongly pushing for this, they did not voice any opposition.

And so, the matter of Yan Xiaoyue learning martial arts was settled.

After telling Yan Xiaoyue the time for their martial arts practice early the next morning, Huo Haowu took his Fulang by the hand and prepared to leave.

Just as he stood up, he caught sight of the oil-paper wrapper containing dried antelope meat in Ruan Yimian’s hand. He paused for a moment, then turned to look at Yan Xiaoyu: “If you’re interested, Young Master Yan, you’re welcome to join us as well.”

Yan Xiaoyue looked over at him with hopeful eyes.

It was true that she wanted to learn martial arts, but Huo Haowu looked intimidating, and since they weren’t close, Yan Xiaoyue still felt a little afraid. Having Yan Xiaoyu by her side would make a big difference—it would put her mind at ease.

Yan Xiaoyu understood his older sister’s thoughts. After a moment’s consideration, he readily agreed.

“All right, then we’ll trouble Head Huo for his kindness.”

Early the next morning, Yan Xiaoyu and his older sister began their martial arts training. Joining them was Ruan Yimian.

On the first day, Huo Haowu taught nothing but basic techniques, which weren’t particularly difficult for Yan Xiaoyu, who had put a lot of effort into learning Sanda. It was just that the weather in Lingbei was cold, and getting up early was truly a bit of a struggle.

Fortunately, Huo Haowu didn’t make them train in the outdoor pavilion as the escort guards did.

When Yan Xiaoyu and Ruan Yimian arrived at the training hall, they both looked groggy and half-asleep. Yan Xiaoyue, on the other hand, was full of energy; she followed Huo Haowu’s “Four Principles” to the letter and practiced with great diligence.

Huo Haowu took a bamboo stick and used it to correct the postures of his three “disciples.”

Ruan Yimian had a congenital weakness and wasn’t as physically robust as others. When Huo Haowu taught him martial arts, he didn’t expect him to master anything; he simply wanted him to improve his physical health.

When dealing with Yan Xiaoyu and Yan Xiaoyue, he was stern and cold as ice, but when facing Ruan Yimian, he seemed afraid of scaring his own Fulang, and his voice softened slightly.

The Yan brothers were just like him.

Yan Xiaoyue was practicing her horse stance and kicking her legs, working up a sweat. Yan Shaocheng eagerly brought her some pastries and tea, watching her from the sidelines with a look of concern, and even tried to persuade Huo Haowu to let them take a break.

Yan Shaoxuan, mindful of his reputation and with official duties to attend to, didn’t stay by his fulang’s side every step of the way as his older brother did. But he’d drop by before the morning court session and again afterward; though he pretended not to care, he was clearly worried sick inside.

Yan Xingmao and his wife weren’t nearly as dramatic as these two.

Yan Xiaoyu finally understood why Huo Haowu had made it clear in advance that his family was not to interfere. Fed up with the situation, he forbade the Yan brothers from coming over that afternoon.

The training hall was finally left in peace.

Yan Xiaoyue truly lived up to her reputation as a prodigy with exceptional natural talent; after just a few days, her basic techniques had taken shape. Huo Haowu was deeply gratified, and whenever he looked at her, his expression held an added touch of admiration.

“It’s a pity I’ll be returning to the capital in a few days. I won’t have much time left to teach you; otherwise, you’d surely achieve even greater mastery. Now that your fundamentals are solid, you mustn’t slack off after I’m gone—you must practice every day.”

Flattered by the praise, Yan Xiaoyue’s heart leapt with joy: “Yes!”

As Huo Haowu looked at the young woman, a thought suddenly crossed his mind—it would be wonderful if someone could continue to guide Yan Xiaoyue after he left. 

While Yan Xiaoyu and his younger brother were busy practicing martial arts, Yan Shaoxuan was not idle either.

Auditing accounts, taking inventory of government-owned farmland, drafting proclamations to exempt melting loss fees and charcoal taxes… Yan Shaoxuan was swamped with work. At the same time, the matter he had instructed Deputy County Magistrate Yu to keep an eye on was also making progress.

“Of the 200 laborers assigned to the Labor Division, 120 have been dismissed, leaving 80—all of whom are hardworking and reliable. It hasn’t snowed in the past few days, so the roads in the city with heavy foot traffic have already been cleared. But if the snow continues to fall, even these 80 men, combined with the local residents along the routes, won’t be enough to handle all this work.”

The Deputy Magistrate of Yu County and the Head of the Public Works Office looked anxious, fearing that Yan Shaoxuan would hold them accountable.

Yan Shaoxuan maintained a neutral expression as he asked, “What work are the prisoners in the jail doing now?” Was he suggesting that the prisoners be put to work clearing the roads?

Deputy County Magistrate Yu paused for a moment before clasping his hands in a bow and replying, “Most of the men are assigned to logging and charcoal burning, while the women and gers are responsible for pounding rice. There’s also a group that arrived a few months ago; they’re currently clearing land outside the city.”

“The ground is frozen solid, and you’re having them clear land?” Yan Shaoxuan tugged at the corner of his mouth and asked the Deputy Magistrate, “Whose idea was that?”

Under the watchful gaze of the Head of the Labor Office, the Deputy Magistrate inwardly groaned in frustration, but dared not turn a deaf ear or a blind eye.

“Prisoner affairs are under the jurisdiction of Clerk Wu.” Deputy County Magistrate Yu glanced at the Head of the Labor Office and offered a nervous laugh as he defended Clerk Wu. “Officer Wu noticed the deficit in the county office’s accounts and thought to have the newly arrived prisoners clear the fields during the winter lull. Once the weather warms up next year, they can plant grain, and the harvest will help subsidize the county office. Officer Wu’s intentions are well-meaning; I implore Your Honor to see this clearly.”

“Well-intentioned?” Yan Shaoxuan’s tone was full of meaning. He looked at the Head of the Labor Office. “You may step out for now. I wish to speak with County Deputy Yu in private.”