Another few days later, a servant girl from the Mo family arrived at the Li residence.
Li BaoGui went to visit those who were his cheap friends, taking Li Huan, his cheap son, with him.
The Mo residence was also divided into different courtyards, but Mo Zhan did not have one. He, despite his age, was still living jointly with his parents; once he married he could have his own courtyard.
In the center of the courtyard was a stone table accompanied with chairs of the same material, although it was rustic it looked quite nice. Besides, they could sit and talk there while the children played around it.
The Mo family's maid, who accompanied Li BaoGui there, was in charge of serving desserts and tea on the table. Then she was dismissed with a wave of Mo Zhan's hand.
"Tell me, are you going to get divorced before the end of the year?" Mo Zhan asked an awkward question.
Li Yan choked on his saliva and coughed a little, the question was sudden.
"Do you still think he will?" Lu Zhi had a kind tone of voice even when he was inconsiderate. "Mo Zhan, it's more likely that you will get married than our dear didi will get divorced."
In his past life, Li Yan was always calm and quiet. He had just the right number of friends and, despite his pretty face, he had never exactly been 'popular' or obtained the title of the 'prettiest face in school'. Truth be told, everyone was so focused on their studies during that time that they didn't pay much attention to that sort of thing.
This was not the first time he was part of a group, but it was the first time he was in a group where the main qualities were money and beauty.
Mo Zhan, Lu Zhi and Li BaoGui were childhood friends, and they grew up to become the most beautiful men in the county. All three of them had a good social status in the county, a good reputation, and a good face; and they were pampered by their families even after they came of age.
Two of them had already married, and only Mo Zhan was still single at twenty-three. They liked to get together to embroider, paint, or talk about other people's lives.
"On the other hand. "Lu Zhi took a moment to look at the children, then spoke. "My grandfather was talking this morning about capital and palace affairs. According to what he said, a prince was locked up in a temple for several years, and he will be released next year."
"What did he do?" Mo Zhan took the osmanthus jelly in his fingers.
"I don't know, my grandfather saw me and said that a virtuous wife did not eavesdrop. But I do know that this prince in question is the favorite of His Majesty the Emperor, or so they say."
"In that case, I can assume he committed a serious offense." Mo Zhan intuited. "If he is the Emperor's favorite he could get away with small offenses, however, upon committing a truly serious offense that warranted punishment, the Emperor could not let it go and would lock him up instead of executing him."
Li Yan was impressed, this friend of his was a very good thinker when it came to rumors and gossip. Embarrassed by his own silence, Li BaoGui thought and then spoke:
"The one you are talking about is His Highness Prince of Fu, isn't it? When my father attained the position of Senior Scholar in his examination in the capital, he was able to see him. He said he was a very quiet and loyal young man."
"There are always sweet words to describe the nobles." Mo Zhan showed a mocking smile on his handsome face. "Even if they look benevolent and full of charity, many pretend only to be pigs while plotting their plans."
Li Yan was happy, it was like the historical dramas he watched on television. While there were dynasties where there were never any disputes over the throne, the Rong dynasty seemed to be one of those where the life of the princes was kill or be killed.
"My grandfather says that if my grandmother wasn't so stubborn, my father would have sent me to the palace. "Lu Zhi took a rice cake and spoke in an aggrieved voice, he had always been sentimental. "If I had entered the palace, who knows if I would be alive now."
Li BaoGui and Mo Zhan watched him with smiles on their faces, they couldn't help but mock his dramatic ideas. Even if the nobles were cruel or compassionate, they were not totally inhuman; entering the palace, in whatever way it was, could not be an absolute death sentence, could it?
"'Who knows if I'd be alive'. My foot! You'd be so surrounded by children just now."
"Mo Zhan, I doubt the Emperor can have children now. He's a little old for that now." said Lu Zhi.
"When did I mention the Emperor, are you always thinking about old men?" the young man of the Mo family scolded him. "Surely you would be the wife of some prince, and have the imperial grandchildren in your womb."
"But wouldn't that be dangerous too? I would definitely die at the hands of another prince, the main wife or other concubines." Covering his face with the long sleeves of his robes, Lu Zhi pretended to sob. "This humble and beautiful me would have died so young."
Li BaoGui was always reserved, so Li Yan was not to say too much at first. Anyway, listening to Mo Zhan and Lu Zhi's conversation made him feel at ease; the life Li BaoGui left him only needed a few small adjustments, if he made the right changes, he could live a peaceful, long and happy life.As long as he avoided getting involved in political affairs, and war did not rage in the country, he could continue to peel melon seeds with his friends sitting on the wall and watching.
To tell the truth, these three boys had very good fortune. Not only had they been blessed with beauty, but they also came from families with a favorable position. All three families were divided into the capital and the county, and money flowed from both places.
The county relatives were artisans or scholars, and those in the capital were mostly government officials or merchants. Thus, while they were not nobles or infinitely wealthy, they were able to live fully.
Their meeting was interrupted for a brief moment when, after half a sichen, Lu Zhi's little daughter began to cry.
Li Yan took the opportunity to observe how Lu Zhi treated his daughter, and how Mo Zhan treated his nephew. He didn't have much idea how to take care of children and that was disadvantageous, Li BaoGui was a man who could conceive and surely, he must have children sooner or later.
Li Yan sighed, that was one of the things he appreciated about the modern era; having children was an option. In the Rong Dynasty, as in ancient times, it was almost an obligation.
One way of not being filial to one's parents was not to have children.
And it wasn't as if Li Yan was bothered by the idea of having Su Jian's children.
Once Lu Zhi managed to calm his daughter down, they sat back down in the same place. Li Yan had taken the moment to eat half of the things on the table, and Mo Zhan noticed it immediately.
He looked at him for a second and reached out his hands to touch the other's chest, feeling him all over. His eyebrows raised a little, and he retracted his hand after checking what he wanted. Li Yan didn't understand, but he supposed there was nothing wrong with physical contact between friends.
"With the thick clothes your chest looks like it's grown." explained Mo Zhan. "I thought you had done something foolish. You certainly look healthier now, but it would be better to wait."
"The medicine doesn't taste good, but it's effective. I don't like bitter tastes." Li Yan looked at his own chest.
Lu Zhi also looked at Li BaoGui from across the table, then said:
"If it is bitter it is medicine, if it is sweet it is poison." He stuffed his mouth with osmanthus jelly and rice cakes. "I'd like to see didi with a round stomach someday."
Li Yan covered his chest with both hands, finally realizing everything.
"It's not going to happen for a good while. My husband and I..." His voice died there. His face wasn't thick enough to say it.
There was silence, however, Li BaoGui saw Mo Zhan pursed his lips. Lu Zhi tapped Mo Zhan's shoulder, but his mouth was still full and he couldn't speak.
"What? I can still laugh at other people's misfortune." Mo Zhan hit him back, laughing without restraint this time.
Li BaoGui's face lit up in pretty red, which made young Mo even funnier. Lu Zhi hurriedly swallowed everything and then asked Li BaoGui in a worried voice:
"Dear didi, after two years of marriage, haven't you tasted the meat yet?"
"Was there consummation?" Mo Zhan, who had been single for twenty-three years, was still laughing.
Li Yan had some memories of Li BaoGui about previous years, so he was able to answer.
"Y-yes there was, our marriage was consummated. It's just that..."
"It's just that...?" Mo Zhan questioned.
"After that no longer..."
Lu Zhi placed his own hand on his forehead, looking dismayed by such statements. Question:
"My poor didi, my poor didi? Did he at least get it right that time?"
Li BaoGui went from covering his chest to covering his face, he did not want to remember that night, Li Yan could not deal with the image of Su WuLi, who was identical to Su Jian, on their wedding night.
His friends teased him for a while longer, until Mo Zhan stood up.
"Our dear didi can't give up easily, I'll bring a gift for didi to take advantage of!"
Mo Zhan went to the room that belonged to him, and returned in a short time holding a jug of liquor in his hands. He put the jug on the table in front of Li BaoGui.
Li Yan never knew much about drink liquor, and knew even less about the drinks of ancient times. Nevertheless, he opened the decanter to inhale the strong, sweet aroma. Li BaoGui's body recognized the smell.
"Chrysanthemum liquor."
"In a few days Hanlu is going to start. My bobo has sent them from the capital, there's a lot." He sat quietly, but seemed to remember something and tapped the jug twice gently. "Have you bled yet? Remember you can't drink in those days."
"I already did. Just finished it yesterday."
Li Yan managed to experience what it was like to 'bleed' on his own, he didn't need to rely on original Li BaoGui's memories. Li Yan didn't know if the term 'menstruation' already existed at that time, but most likely not.
When he took over Li BaoGui's body and knew that he would have something similar, he was afraid. Che XuDan suffered from terrible cramps, sometimes even getting irritable and sending everyone to hell; Li Yan didn't want to go through the same thing.
But that period of Li BaoGui's bleeding turned out to be smooth, so much so that he was able to hide it from Su Jian perfectly.
"We hope didi can use this to improve your relationship."
"If you're really not going to listen to Aunt Mo, then you can try to improve your marriage." Lu Zhi clasped his hands together; his expression was cheerful and wise. "Since I have more experience than you, I could enlighten you on the path of seduction."
Li Yan thought it was a bad idea. But, to tell the truth, he needed an idea to get closer to Su Jian, and perhaps he could get it from his dear friends.
• • • • • • • • • • •
1. Hanlu.
Also called cold dew. It is the seventeenth in the twenty-four solar terms, as well as the fifth in autumn.
2. Bobo.
Older uncle. Older brother of the father.