Grass and mustard reign supreme

Chapter 136 Clarifying the Mysteries

Snowflakes drifted gently in the air, and a servant boy walked ahead carrying an oil-paper lantern, its dim light casting tiny, shimmering spots on the snow.

Yang Can and a servant from the Li family were supporting Li Youcai on either side. As expected, this fellow reeked of alcohol and had drunk too much again.

Pan Xiaowan was wrapped in a fur coat, the fur collar making her face appear even whiter, but her pretty face was tense, exuding a coldness that kept people at a distance.

This man, who couldn't get enough of alcohol, really made her lose face.

The maidservant, with her silver tongue, carefully helped her up, her boots crunching softly as they stepped through the snow.

Night had fallen, and the long street was deserted; not even the night watchman could be seen.

Looking from afar, the two red lanterns hanging at the entrance of the Li residence diagonally opposite glowed with a lukewarm light in the snowy night.

Yang Can finally managed to carry the swaying Li Youcai into the Li residence, through the corridor covered with a thin layer of snow, and into the flower hall.

As soon as the two let go, Li Youcai collapsed onto the soft couch like a lump of mud. Luckily, Yang Can reacted quickly and prevented him from hitting his head again.

Looking at her husband's appearance, Pan Xiaowan sighed helplessly and turned to the maid who had come in to greet her, instructing her, "Go to the kitchen and prepare a bowl of hangover soup for the master, with plenty of ginger shreds."

"My dear brother!"

Li Youcai was not about to lie still. Just as Yang Can had pressed him down on the soft couch, he groggily propped himself up and sat up.

He grabbed Yang Can's wrist and pulled him to sit down on the edge of the couch. Before Yang Can could even speak, Li Youcai's nose tingled and his eyes reddened.

"Brother, you're so lucky..." He held Yang Can's hand tightly in his palm and patted it repeatedly, looking deeply moved.

"You're nothing like your brother. My life has been tough!"

As soon as he finished speaking, tears streamed down Li Youcai's face, landing on the back of their clasped hands, and his voice choked with sobs.

Pan Xiaowan frowned slightly, her dark eyebrows furrowing with a hint of helplessness. She waved to Qiaoshe and the other servants.

The group understood and quietly retreated outside the flower hall.

Li Youcai wiped away his tears, his hand covered in tear stains, but he was oblivious, preoccupied with pouring out his heart to Yang Can.

“When I first entered the government, I was only fifteen years old and was a lowly servant. Every day I had to get up before dawn to fetch water. The well was covered with ice, and my hands were as red as carrots from the cold.”

I had to sweep the entire outer yard, chop firewood to fill a whole stack, and do all the dirty and tiring work.

In winter, my hands would crack from the cold, blood seeping out, but I'd still have to keep working even with just a rag wrapped around them…

As he spoke, he wiped his face again, his tears and snot smearing onto Yang Can's hand.

Yang Can... the sticky feeling was really hard to resist, but Li Youcai was crying so sadly... Yang Can was too embarrassed to pull her hand away.

Li Youcai seemed oblivious, still immersed in his memories, his voice hoarse from drinking: "I endured and endured, endured and endured, for a full six years before I finally became a formal servant."

From then on, I learned how not to talk back when scolded by my master, how not to complain when punished, and how to act according to my master's wishes... I dared not make a single mistake!

Pan Xiaowan, who was listening from the side, was both amused and exasperated. She stepped forward to help him up, saying, "Honey, it's so late. Why bring up these old stories now? Go wash up and get some rest."

"Leave me alone!"

Li Youcai rarely showed any backbone in front of his wife, shaking off her hand and then grabbing Yang Can's arm, refusing to let go.

"I've had these words in my heart for decades. If I don't tell them to you today, I'll feel terrible, like a fishbone stuck in my throat!"

He continued rambling on, "I endured it all, and finally I made it through and was transferred to serve the young master."

It took me five years to rise from a servant in the inner quarters to a head servant; and another eight years to rise from head servant to second steward…

At this point, his tongue was already tied in knots, but he still tried to raise his voice, spittle flying out with each word.

Yang Can couldn't bear to look directly at him, so he turned his face slightly away, deliberately keeping a straight expression, and pretending that "what the Master said resonates with me."

He frowned, nodding incessantly, his expression unchanged as spittle rained down on half his face.

"It took me another ten years to rise from second-in-command to manager, a full ten years!"

With tears welling up in his eyes, Li Youcai said, "It wasn't until then that I finally became the head steward of the eldest branch... I was already forty-four that year!"

Upon hearing this, Pan Xiaowan suddenly raised her eyebrows, her eyes filled with surprise: "I say, husband, when we got married, didn't you say you were forty-nine?"

But you'd been the head butler for eight years by then!

Li Youcai was stunned for a moment, staring blankly at Pan Xiaowan, before finally stammering, "Is...it? Then...then I must have said my age in the traditional Chinese way! Yes, it's my age in the traditional Chinese way!"

“You…” Pan Xiaowan’s almond-shaped eyes widened and her eyebrows furrowed, ready to argue with him.

Yang Can, watching from the side, found it both funny and exasperating, and quickly gave her a wink.

You've already married him, and so many years have passed. How old was he actually back then? Is there any need to be so particular about it?

Pan Xiaowan received Yang Can's gaze, her chest heaved slightly, but she managed to hold back, letting out a soft snort through her nose, while secretly thinking:

When you're sober tomorrow, I'll ask you how old you really were back then, and see how you'll make up an excuse!
Unaware of his wife's thoughts, Li Youcai turned to Yang Can, his tone full of emotion: "Brother, I've achieved great things far too late..."

Yang Can quickly comforted him, "It's not too late, not at all. Now you are the Foreign Affairs Officer of the Yu Clan, who in Tianshui City doesn't respect you? This is a prestige that others can hardly match."

Upon hearing this, Li Youcai suddenly grabbed Yang Can's hands tightly, shook them vigorously, and his eyes reddened again: "Where did my success come from? It's all thanks to you!"

"If it weren't for you giving me that great credit, I, Li Youcai, would never have even gotten close to becoming an external affairs officer in my entire life!"

His voice trembled with excitement, “My current dignity and honor are all thanks to you! I… I can share everything with you, my dear brother, except for my own wife!”

"Very well, very well, I will remember your kindness, Brother Cai."

Yang Can quickly agreed, and just then saw Qiao She bring in the hangover soup. He waved to her and then coaxed Li Youcai, "Come on, drink the hangover soup first, go back and get some sleep. We can talk about it tomorrow."

After much coaxing and persuasion, they finally managed to coax Li Youcai into gulping down the hangover soup like a horse drinking water.

After finishing the soup, Li Youcai sat on the soft couch, staring blankly for a moment. Suddenly, he swayed and fell backward onto the couch, snoring loudly.

Pan Xiaowan shook her head helplessly and called out, "Someone come here!"

Granny Mu slipped in quietly from the entrance of the flower hall, dressed in a dark blue robe, her expression respectful: "Madam."

Pan Xiaowan's tone was indifferent, revealing no emotion: "Send Steward Yang to his guest room to rest. He is a close friend of the master, so please take good care of him."

"Yes!" Granny Mu replied, then turned to Yang Can and bowed, saying, "Steward Yang, please follow this old servant."

Yang Can nodded, and as he stood up, he gave Pan Xiaowan a deep look.

In the past, her eyes would sparkle with a charming and lively quality, but now her expression was cold, her brows and eyes filled with aloofness, as if separated by a thin layer of ice.

Yang Can's heart stirred slightly, but he didn't think about it too deeply.

The Li family has recently added many servants, and it's impossible for her to make them all her confidants in a short time. So, is this a deliberate attempt to avoid suspicion?
Yang Can straightened up, cupped his hands to Pan Xiaowan, and said, "Sister-in-law, I will take my leave."

When Yang Can arrived at the inn, the first thing he did was to quickly walk to the copper basin to wash his face.

As the alcohol took effect, Li Youcai started spitting a lot of saliva.

Yang Can washed his face three times before he could get rid of the stickiness.

……

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, a piece of news spread like wildfire through the streets and alleys of Tianshui City.

The young mistress of the Yu family is about to give birth, and a midwife and a nurse will be publicly selected. Even if you are not selected, you will receive a silver coin.

As soon as the news spread, women in every household were tempted, especially the midwives who had been doing childbirth for many years; they were eager to try it out.

In the afternoon, the long street, which had just been cleared after the snow, became lively.

The woman walking was wrapped tightly in her cotton-padded coat, trudging along through the remaining snow, her steps uneven. The old woman riding a donkey urged the donkey to trot, its hooves leaving a trail of marks in the snow.

Some families with slightly better financial means hired porters to push carts, carrying their experienced female relatives to Kunlun Huizhan.

Before long, a long, winding queue formed in front of the Huizhan store. The chattering in the queue, mixed with the sound of snowflakes in the cold wind, made it particularly lively.

"I heard that the Yu family is very generous. Even if you don't get elected, the silver coins will be enough to buy rice for half a month!"

"That's right! The young mistress's childbirth is a major event. If she's selected, the reward will be substantial!"

The women rubbed their hands together to warm them, whispering amongst themselves, their eyes full of anticipation.

For ordinary families, even if they return empty-handed after making a trip on a snowy day, they would still receive silver coins, which is a great benefit.

The storehouse had already undergone temporary alterations; the hall where tables and chairs were originally placed was now empty, and the counter had been converted into a long desk.

Yang Can, dressed in a dark brocade robe, sat upright behind the desk, his posture upright and his expression calm.

The shopkeeper, Pi, spread out a thick book and held a brush in his hand, while Aisha volunteered to stand beside him and grind the ink.

She was wearing a light green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with embroidered floral trousers peeking out from under the hem. To make it easier to grind ink, she deliberately stood between the shopkeeper and Yang Can, turning sideways.

Occasionally, when her wrists feel sore and she twists them, the skirt will gently brush against Yang Can's elbows.

Unfortunately, the winter clothes were thick, and she didn't even feel the slight touch. She was so anxious that she bit her lip secretly, but she couldn't make it too obvious.

"Next." Yang Can's voice wasn't loud, but it pierced through the crowd and reached the front of the line.

A kind-looking woman, about forty years old, walked quickly forward, wiping her hands repeatedly on her apron, appearing extremely nervous.

"This young woman, Wang, has been helping people give birth in the city for almost ten years."

She lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly: "In the past ten years, I've delivered more than thirty babies, only two of whom died due to breech presentation..."

Yang Can nodded slightly, tapping the table lightly with his fingertips: "Do you deliver more boys or more girls?"

Wang was taken aback, clearly not expecting this question. She frowned and thought carefully for a long time before answering with certainty, "To answer your question, there are mostly girls, about six out of ten are girls."

"How is your family situation? Are your family members all healthy?" Yang Can asked again.

"My husband is a carpenter, and his skills are decent. We have a son who is sixteen years old and is learning the craft from his father. The whole family is healthy."

As Wang spoke, her tone gradually relaxed.

The shopkeeper listened attentively and wrote in his notebook with a brush: "Wang, ten years in the profession, many women delivered babies, and all her family members are healthy."

Yang Can raised his eyes, his gaze falling on Wang Shi, his tone becoming more serious: "If a woman experiences persistent postpartum bleeding, what methods do you have to deal with it?"

Wang was clearly prepared, and quickly replied, "I will use pre-fried cattail pollen, mix it with warm rice wine, and have the new mother drink it while it's hot."

In addition, a lock of the new mother's hair would be taken, mixed with some hair from healthy women, burned together to ashes, wrapped in clean silk, and applied to the new mother's genitals. This method was used several times and always stopped the bleeding.

After listening, Yang Can remained noncommittal, but said in a gentle tone, "Alright, go to the room in the backyard to avoid the cold. I'll give you an answer after I've asked everyone."

Wang breathed a sigh of relief, quickly thanked them, and followed the inn's staff to the backyard.

Over the next period of time, Yang Can received the midwives and nurses who were waiting in line one by one, asking them detailed questions about everything from their years of experience and success rate in delivering babies to their family members and methods for dealing with emergencies.

The line gradually shortened, and finally, he met the two people the Suo family had arranged beforehand. The midwife, Liu, was about forty years old, wearing a dark blue padded jacket. She was composed and spoke clearly about her experience in childbirth.

The woman in charge of childbirth, Ms. Tao, was 28 years old. She was quick and agile, with clear eyes, and spoke eloquently about the details of caring for a new mother.

Yang Can calmly noted down the two people's names and continued to greet the next person.

After the last woman left, Yang Can took the register from the shopkeeper, pretended to carefully flip through it, and then his finger landed on the names of Liu and Tao.

"Let's just call out the two of them. The others can come out and take their silver coins home."

These two individuals were chosen by the Suo family in advance. Judging from the information provided in the Q&A, there was nothing wrong with their years of experience in childbirth, the ratio of male to female infants, or the harmony of their families. Naturally, no one would suspect anything.

Manager Pi agreed and then told his assistant to go to the backyard to call for someone.

The women filed out, and although those who were not chosen looked disappointed, they couldn't help but smile when they received the silver coins.

This silver coin is more than the reward for delivering babies for poor families, so it wasn't a wasted trip.

Seeing that Yang Can was able to keep Liu and Tao, he couldn't help but feel envious: the Yu family is so generous, he wondered how much reward money the chosen people would receive!
After everyone had left, Yang Can asked someone to invite Madam Liu and Madam Tao over, and said in a gentle tone, "Our young mistress is still more than half a month away from her due date, but we will have to trouble you two to come up the mountain with me in advance."

Firstly, it's to prepare for any unexpected situations, and secondly, it allows us to prepare the necessary items for childbirth, set up the delivery room, and familiarize ourselves with the mountain environment.

"Rest assured, the Yu family will not mistreat you two. You will receive payment for each day you spend on the mountain, and there will be an even greater reward once the young mistress successfully gives birth."

Given the Yu family's renowned reputation, it was only natural for the Liu and Tao families to refuse, and they quickly bowed and expressed their gratitude.

Yang Can then arranged for them to stay at Huizhan Inn and instructed the staff to take good care of them.

That evening, Yang Can made a special trip to the Li residence to explain to Li Youcai that he would be returning to Phoenix Villa the next day.

Now that Li Youcai has become the foreign affairs steward, his mansion has been filled with many more servants, making it much grander than before.

When Pan Xiaowan met Yang Can, she changed her usual charming demeanor and behaved properly. She only exchanged polite greetings with Yang Can and did not show any further intimacy.

It seems that with so many servants in the mansion, there are too many eyes and ears, making people hesitant to act.

The next morning, Yang Can prepared to return home.

He rode a horse down the mountain, but now that he had two women with him, he specially arranged for a carriage.

Before he could even set off, Li Youcai and his wife arrived with their servants and loaded a lot of things onto the carriage, including fine silks, as well as local delicacies and medicinal herbs from Tianshui City.

“Brother, these were all gifts from others, they didn’t cost much, just take them!” Li Youcai whispered in Yang Can’s ear.

Yang Can smiled helplessly and stopped refusing.

He knew in his heart that pushing Li Youcai, whose future was originally bleak, to the position of "Minister of Foreign Affairs" was a great favor, and accepting these gifts was also a way to maintain their relationship.

Neither he nor Li Youcai knew that when Yu Xinglong specifically asked Li Youcai to go to Feng'an Village, he originally wanted him to replace Yang Can to "fill the hole," but unexpectedly, Li Youcai turned misfortune into blessing.

Yang Can helped him with more than just a future.

The carriage slowly started moving, and Yang Can lifted the curtain, bowing to Li Youcai and his wife to say goodbye.

The wheels rolled over the snow, slowly making their way towards Phoenix Mountain Villa...

……

In the flower hall of the inner residence of the Yu family, sandalwood incense rose gently from the bronze incense burner, entwining with the exquisite carvings on the beams, spreading a faint, elegant fragrance in the air.

This place possesses the solemnity and grandeur characteristic of a noble family mansion, yet the few potted camellias placed by the window add a touch of delicate warmth, making even the light seem exceptionally soft.

This was Yang Can's first time stepping into the inner courtyard's flower hall. He stood on the left side of the hall, bowing slightly, his gaze respectfully fixed on the person at the head of the hall, not daring to overstep his bounds in the slightest.

At the head of the table, the clan lord Yu Xinglong wore a dark-patterned brocade robe, the flowing cloud patterns on the fabric appearing and disappearing in the light.

His fingers rested lightly on the edge of the armrest, his gaze steady.

Beside him sat Madam Li, the wife of the powerful clan leader whom Yang Can had only met once with Yu Chengye.

Today, Madam Li wore a moon-white brocade jacket embroidered with orchid patterns, with light blue velvet trim on the collar and cuffs, and held a string of warm sandalwood prayer beads in her hand.

Her fingertips gently turned the prayer beads, her eyes and brows full of gentle kindness, making people feel close to her at first sight.

Standing in the front of the hall were Liu, the midwife, and Tao, the midwife, who had been selected from Tianshui City.

"You are the best midwives and nurses that my Yu family specially selected from Tianshui City. From now on, you must take good care of the young mistress."

Yu Xinglong spoke, his voice not loud, but carrying the authority of someone long accustomed to a position of power.

Madam Li smiled slightly and said gently, "You don't need to be nervous. Our Yu family is not a domineering and unreasonable family."

"We chose you because we heard you have extensive experience in midwifery in Tianshui City; in terms of skill, you are among the best."

As she spoke, she raised her hand and gently pushed a notebook next to her onto a small table.

That was prepared in advance by Yang Can, which detailed Liu and Tao's addresses in Tianshui, their family circumstances, their past birth records, and even the reputations of the women they had delivered.

Madam Li said, "As long as you put your heart into protecting the young mistress and the child, our Yu family will remember your kindness."

Before he finished speaking, two maids dressed in green robes stepped forward, each carrying a vermilion tray.

On the tray, a piece of fine, light green silk was neatly folded, and next to it were a pair of gleaming silver bracelets. Sunlight streamed through the window lattice and shone on them, giving them a soft glow.

"This is a small gift for our meeting; please accept it."

Madam Li smiled and nodded: "If you need anything during your stay at the Yu family home, or if you have any food you don't like, just tell Steward Yang, and he will make arrangements for you."

Liu and Tao, looking like country women who had never seen such a scene before, quickly knelt down to express their gratitude, their voices filled with a sense of overwhelming joy and surprise.

"Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Madam! I will do my utmost to live up to your expectations!"

Upon seeing this, Yu Xinglong instructed Yang Can, "Alright, Steward Yang, take them down and settle them properly."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I take my leave," Yang Can replied with a bow.

Liu and Tao hurriedly followed suit, bowing and saying, "This humble woman takes her leave."

Although Liu and Tao were sent by the Suo family and were aware of their secret mission, they acted with the complete respect of hired women to their steward when facing Yang Can.

There wasn't a single strange look in her eyes, not a single superfluous word; her demeanor was that of an ordinary woman, reserved and dutiful.

This made Yang Can secretly breathe a sigh of relief. He led the two through the corridor to the back of the main house to settle down.

During the journey, he also specially invited Qingmei to get acquainted with Liu and Tao.

From then on, the selection and arrangement of the delivery room, as well as the preparation of the necessary items for childbirth, were all handled by Qingmei in cooperation with the two of them.

Yang Can left with Liu and Tao for a long time, but Yu Xinglong was still sitting in the main seat, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the armrest, his face full of a thoughtful expression.

Having witnessed all of this, Madam Li slowly put down the prayer beads in her hand and said calmly, "At this point, what is Master still hesitating about?"

Yu Xinglong gave a wry smile and shook his head.

Madam Li said, "So what if you have some doubts? Our daughter-in-law is a daughter of the Suo family. Just based on that, there are some things we can't afford to investigate too closely."

She stood up and slowly walked to Yu Xinglong's side, her voice slightly lowered: "Unless you can produce irrefutable evidence that the child's parentage is questionable, our Yu family must acknowledge this child!"

Otherwise, it would be a tremendous humiliation for the Suo family. If the two powerful clans were to clash, how could the Yu family possibly bear the consequences?

After a pause, Madam Li's tone softened further: "Besides, our eldest branch of the family is already small in number. Having another child will give the various retainers more confidence in our eldest branch. Moreover..."

Madam Li's expression also revealed a hint of helplessness and bitterness: "If the eldest branch has another child, our Chenglin will be safer, won't he?"

After saying this, Madam Li said no more, turned around and walked behind the screen.

Yu Xinglong watched his wife's retreating figure, sighed deeply, and muttered to himself, "You're right. It's good that our eldest son's family has another child, which will help relieve some of the pressure on Chenglin."

Those who are eyeing the eldest son's family should probably reconsider their plans unless they're confident they can eliminate both children.

Just then, a messenger maid walked lightly into the hall, curtsied, and whispered, "Master, Steward Deng asked me to deliver a message that the people you sent to Jiangnan have returned."

"Oh?"

A glint flashed in Yu Xinglong's eyes, and his previously furrowed brows relaxed slightly.

He put down his teacup, stood up, and said, "Let's go to the study."

Inside the study, Deng Xun was keeping Yuan Yi company while she waited.

Upon seeing Yu Xinglong enter, Yuan Yiyi immediately knelt on one knee and bowed in a deep voice: "Your subordinate greets the clan leader!"

Yu Xinglong waved his hand, his tone urgent: "Get up and answer! What were the results of your investigation in Jiangnan? Is there anything wrong with Yang Can's identity?"

Deng Xun, who was standing to the side, also turned his concerned gaze to Yuan Yiyi.

Although he met Yuan Yiyi earlier, he did not inquire about the results of his investigation.

As Yu Xinglong's trusted steward, he knew best what to ask and what not to ask, and he handled things with perfect tact.

Yuan Yi stood up and respectfully replied, "Reporting to the clan leader, according to my investigation, Steward Yang Can's real name is indeed Ding Hao, a poor scholar from Wuzhou in Jiangnan."

Furthermore, my subordinates have confirmed that Steward Yang did indeed have an affair with the eldest daughter of the Luo family in Wuzhou. This matter is not a secret in Wuzhou; many people know about it.

Yuan Yi paused for a moment, then added, "The Luo family originally planned to form a marriage alliance with the local powerful Zhao family. However, because this affair was exposed, the Zhao family's reputation was damaged, and they publicly declared that they would never form a marriage alliance with the Luo family again."

At this point, Yuan Yi subconsciously touched his shoulder, where he had been injured during the investigation.

"My subordinates went to Wuzhou with Li Qingyun to investigate. This matter offended the Luo and Zhao families, which angered them."

Upon learning that someone was secretly inquiring, both families mobilized their forces to investigate. His subordinates fought desperately to escape, but Li Qingyun… did not return; he died in Wuzhou.

After listening, Yu Xinglong did not show any regret on his face, but nodded with satisfaction.

For him, Li Qingyun's death was irrelevant; what mattered was that Yang Can's identity had finally been confirmed.

The recent scandals involving He Youzhen have already severely damaged his reputation, and he simply cannot afford another one.

"You did well."

Yu Xinglong said with delight, "Go down to the accounting office and collect double the reward money. As for Li Qingyun, triple the reward money and make good use of it to support his family."

"Thank you, Lord!" Yuan Yiyi bowed gratefully and turned to leave the study.

After Yuan Yiyi left, Yu Xinglong smiled with relief and said to Deng Xun, "It seems that Yang Can can finally be trusted to be employed."

Deng Xun quickly bowed and echoed, his tone respectful: "He Youzhen has failed to live up to the master's expectations; he is simply ungrateful."

Yang Can is young and promising, and his abilities surpass those of He Youzhen. Now that he is at your service, Master, this is truly a blessing for you!
It's clear that destiny and fortune are still on the master's side.

"Hehehe..." Upon hearing this, Yu Xinglong was overjoyed. He stroked his beard and chuckled, and the last trace of worry in his eyes completely vanished.

P.S.: Dear friends, I've successfully turned down so many meetings this year, holding back until the end of the year. But there are a few I can't keep up with, two this month alone. I have a meeting to attend tomorrow, so I won't be able to post 10,000 words a day for the next few days. I'll have to reduce the update frequency a bit, but still aim for at least 6,000 words a day. Just letting you all know!
(End of this chapter)