Grass and mustard reign supreme

Chapter 149 Rouge Accidentally Stumbles into the Woodpile

Qingmei led Zhao Chusheng and Luo Meier into the living room of the Yang residence. The pine charcoal in the stove was burning brightly, which softened the snow on their eyebrows.

Qingmei personally poured tea for the two distinguished guests and asked with a smile, "Are you two from Jiangnan?"

Just as Zhao Chusheng was about to speak, Luo Meier took over the conversation.

Luo Meier said in a light tone, "That's right! Our Brother Zhao has just finished his studies and wants to travel around to broaden his horizons."

He happened to hear the name of Deacon Yang when he passed through Shanggui, and only after asking him in detail did he realize that they were from the same sect.

Brother Zhao was overjoyed and immediately said he wanted to pay him a visit. This kind of fate is truly rare and precious.

Zhao Chusheng paused slightly in his teacup, thinking to himself: This explanation, though far-fetched, is still quite plausible.

Actually, I came here because I heard about his skills, so I can only say that I came because of his reputation.

If I have mistaken someone for someone else, there are many people in the world with the same name. I can simply apologize to him, and it won't be too embarrassing.

Qingmei, however, did not think so. How could she possibly have guessed Zhao Chusheng's true intentions?

She also doesn't believe that anyone would come to her door to claim kinship just because they've heard a name.

Since this young master Zhao has come, he must have other methods of identification besides hearing her husband's name, otherwise he wouldn't be so certain.

Having confirmed that the other party's identity was related to her husband, the smile on her face became even more genuine.

Especially when she thought of how Yang Can always humbly referred to himself as a poor scholar from Jiangnan, and how he now had such a great scholar as his fellow student, Qingmei felt even happier.

Qingmei sat down gracefully and smiled at Luo Meier, saying, "My husband always says he is dull-witted, but who would have thought he would be a disciple of a great Confucian scholar."

When he returns, I will certainly ask him all sorts of questions.

Changing her tone, her gaze fell on Zhao Chusheng: "It's freezing cold right now, and you've come all the way from Jiangnan. It must have been very tiring for you."

Even though your purpose is to travel the world and study, there is no reason for you to rush on your journey.

Please, our two distinguished guests, stay at our estate for a few more days so that we may extend our warmest hospitality.

"Ah, well... I think..."

Zhao Chusheng had just brought the teacup to his lips when he heard this, so he quickly put it down. He was about to explain that he still had some doubts about the trip and that there was no need to rush to stay overnight.

"That would be great!"

Luo Meier interrupted him even faster, her eyes crinkling as she bowed and thanked him, "I really feel bad for bothering you like this."

"Fellow disciples have come from afar, so we should treat them with the utmost hospitality."

Qingmei smiled and waved her hand, about to call for a maid to arrange a guest room, when a maid hurriedly entered from outside the door, bowing her head and saying, "Young Madam, Mr. Li Damu requests an audience."

Upon hearing the words "Little Madam," Zhao Chusheng and Luo Meier exchanged a glance simultaneously.

The woman in front of him was dignified and proper in her dealings with people. She could fully represent Yang Can in entertaining guests and had the demeanor of a mistress. It turned out that she was just a concubine.
Upon further reflection, the fact that a concubine could manage the household affairs suggests that this Steward Yang has yet to marry a principal wife.

Upon hearing the name "Li Damu," Qingmei hesitated for a moment.

If it were an ordinary manager, with such an important guest in the room, she could easily find an excuse to decline the visit.

But Li Damu is different; he came by last night, but didn't see him then.

Now, her husband has told her that he intends to recommend Li Damu for the position of the head steward of the eldest branch of the family.

Therefore, it seems that Li Damu is a trusted confidant that the husband should carefully cultivate, and he should not be neglected.

"Invite him in."

Thinking of this, Qingmei gave an order: even though there were guests present, she still needed to give Li Damu an explanation in person.

Li Damu followed the maid into the living room, his eyes quickly scanning the scene.

Two unfamiliar distinguished guests sat upright, but it was Madam Qing who was receiving them. Li Damu immediately understood that Steward Yang was not in the mansion.

Li Damu's heart suddenly burned with excitement: Deacon Yang was not here, and there were other distinguished guests in the hall, yet Madam Qing still agreed to see me. Could this mean...?

Sure enough, Qingmei smiled faintly and said, "Mr. Li, I'm really sorry, my husband went down the mountain to the orchard early this morning."

However, my husband told me before that he said Mr. Li is the most meticulous and thoughtful person in doing things.

"When he goes to Shanggui to take up his post, I'll need you, Mr. Li, to take good care of the eldest branch of the family."

This was as if the cards had been revealed, and Li Damu's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.

The wrinkles on his face smoothed out with joy, and he quickly cupped his hands and bowed, saying excitedly, "I, Li, thank you for your appreciation, Steward Yang!"

Li will surely serve the eldest son's family wholeheartedly and be of utmost loyalty, sharing the burdens of Steward Yang!

Qingmei's eyes flickered slightly, she nodded and smiled, gesturing for Li Damu to sit down, then turned to the maid beside her and instructed:
"Take these two distinguished guests to the back courtyard and settle them in the two bedrooms next to the study."

Make sure you have enough charcoal, and don't run out of tea, snacks, and dried fruit..."

Yang Can is the head steward of the main branch in this mountain villa. Logically speaking, he shouldn't have any private guests who need to stay overnight at the villa.

There is only one guesthouse in Phoenix Villa, which is "Jingxianju".

But that was where the Yu family entertained important guests.

In particular, Yang Can is about to leave his post as the head of the Changfang branch and take up a new post in Shanggui.

At this point, it becomes even more inappropriate to send your personal relatives, friends, or guests there to take advantage of the situation.

As a result, Qingmei had to temporarily book two rooms that could be used as guest rooms.

Therefore, this was not a common occurrence, and fearing that the servants might overlook something, the instructions were given with extra care.

Li Damu was overjoyed when he received confirmation from Yang Can that he would be recommended as the chief steward of the eldest branch of the family.

To secure this position, he willingly handed over his weaknesses to Yang Can, leaving him no choice but to serve Yang Can faithfully from then on.

Since he already considers himself Yang Can's lackey, what's wrong with him taking on the role early?

The young maid was brought back from Feng'an Village by Qingmei. She was still inexperienced and was somewhat bewildered by such detailed arrangements.

Upon seeing this, Li Damu immediately stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Young Madam, I am not an outsider."

Since they are Steward Yang's distinguished guest, it would be better if I, Li, personally made the arrangements and ensured their safekeeping.

Qingmei was already busy planning to return all the generous gifts that the stewards had sent yesterday.

It was perfect that Li Damu volunteered, so I immediately nodded and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Mr. Li."

Seeing that she agreed, Li Damu bowed to Zhao Chusheng and Luo Meier and led the way, saying, "Please come this way, gentlemen."

Leaving the living room, I walked along the snow-covered veranda towards the inner courtyard.

The red lanterns under the eaves swayed gently in the wind, reflecting the neatly trimmed plum branches on both sides, making the scenery even more elegant.

Zhao Chusheng remained silent the whole way, but Li Damu took the initiative to start a conversation, talking about everything from the scenery of the village to the local customs and traditions, which kept the conversation from getting awkward.

"Speaking of which, our Deacon Yang is truly a genius with profound knowledge and insight."

The little maid was with him too, so Li Damu flattered her with great force, as if afraid she wouldn't hear him.

"Take the straight-shafted plow for example. Farmers have used it for hundreds of years, and no one ever thought it could be changed."

But our Steward Yang only took over Feng'an Manor a few days ago, and he's already made a new plow, several times more efficient than before!"

Zhao Chusheng paused almost imperceptibly.

He came here specifically because he had heard of Yang Can's remarkable achievements in improving the plow and waterwheel.

The ability to improve two commonly used agricultural tools in such a short period of time is something that no ordinary craftsman could do; it must be backed by a profound foundation in machinery manufacturing.

In today's world, only the people of Qinmo have inherited and specialized in the art of weaponry.

His generation of Mohists were already scattered in all directions, and the previous generation had long since dispersed.

The fact that someone with his personality could take over the position of Grand Master from his master is ultimately because his sect was declining and there was no one else to rely on.

He had searched through the incomplete genealogy of his clan and remembered that two of his lost fellow disciples were surnamed Yang.

Therefore, Yang Can is most likely a descendant of a certain martial uncle surnamed Yang.

“In the past, even strong men struggled to pull those straight-shaft plows, and they could only plow two acres of land in a day.”

Li Damu became more and more excited as he spoke, gesturing unconsciously with his hands: "The new plow that Deacon Yang modified can be pulled by not only strong men, but even half-grown boys!"
If each family can save at least one able-bodied laborer, that would be a tremendous merit!
And that waterwheel—before, it could only irrigate the nearby fields; the higher ground was entirely dependent on rainfall. Now, thanks to the tall waterwheel built by Steward Yang, those dry lands have become fertile fields capable of producing grain!

"Industry revitalizes the nation, and benefiting the people is fundamental!" Zhao Chusheng's eyes lit up upon hearing this; this was precisely the core principle passed down through generations of the Qin Mo lineage!
For many years, the disciples of the Mohist school traveled among the feudal lords, trying to promote their ideas from the top down, but they repeatedly encountered setbacks, which led to their gradual decline.

But Yang Can managed to find a different path, taking root in the countryside and practicing the Mohist way from the bottom up.

Now that he is going to take up a post in Shanggui, the role he can play in the future is even more limitless.

If he is truly a fellow disciple of Qin Mo, he might be able to single-handedly reunite the scattered Qin Mo practitioners across the land.

Zhao Chusheng became more and more excited as he thought about it, while Luo Meier remained calm.

Farm work such as plowing and waterwheels was not something she cared about.

Although Yang Can's reputation has spread to Jiangnan with the improvement of agricultural tools, it is currently only known among farmers and agricultural officials.

Even her father, General Luo, had never heard of it, let alone her.

However, after listening to Li Damu's description, her opinion of Yang Can subtly changed a bit.

The Central Plains at that time was still an agrarian society, and given the general productivity of society at that time, it could only be an agrarian society.

Regardless of social class, even if someone doesn't understand agriculture, who would dare not value agriculture?
Luo Meier thought to herself, "Although this person spreads rumors about me and ruins my reputation, and his character is extremely despicable, his skillful hands can actually do some things to benefit the people."

Luo Meier pulled the collar of her fox fur coat tighter and made a decision in her heart: Since that's the case, once I catch him, I'll just cut out his tongue!

His hands will be kept so that he can continue to do good deeds that benefit the world.

Without his long tongue of slander, he might be able to concentrate more and do more things that benefit the world.

Luo Meier thought to herself with delight.

……

The cold wind in the shady hollow of Chicken and Goose Mountain was like fine needles, making people's cheeks sting.

Qin Taiguang and Qiu Che slid silently down the cool mountain wall, their feet crunching through the remaining snow, to the top of the third row of earthen houses nestled against the mountain.

The faint sound of the boot soles rubbing against the frozen ground was instantly swallowed up by the mountain wind.

Two neatly stacked piles of firewood stood at the top of Fangshan Mountain, with unmelted snow still embedded in the branches, forming a natural barrier.

The two crouched down and leaned close to the woodpile, quietly peering around.

The sun had already passed the western peak, but due to the heavy snow covering the mountains, the sky was still dazzlingly bright.

Fortunately, it was the dead of winter, and most people stayed indoors by the fire, with no one willing to go out and wander around.

Otherwise, given their short-sleeved clothes and furtive appearance, they would have been spotted long ago.

They had already seen the situation below while they were on the mountain ridge.

The group of children were practicing martial arts in the open space in front of the row of houses.

The two exchanged a glance and were about to explore further when they suddenly heard soft whispers carried on the wind.

Qin Taiguang reacted quickly, grabbing Qiu Che who was about to get up. The two of them crouched down and shrank deeper into the woodpile, even their breathing became soft.

A woman in an indigo cotton jacket was carefully helping a heavily pregnant woman walk down the path.

The pregnant woman held her lower abdomen tightly with both hands, and cautiously placed her feet on the ground before taking each step.

She muttered a soft complaint: "The snow is even more slippery when you step on it, and the outhouse is so far away that my legs are numb from squatting."

“When spring comes and it gets warmer, we’ll ask the people from the front hill to build a small one in the corner of the yard.”

The woman said, "It's just that it's too close, I'm afraid the smell will be too strong."

"Forget it, don't bother fixing it."

The pregnant woman sighed, gently stroking her belly with her palm, her tone softening.

"We weren't going to stay here permanently anyway. We'll wait until the baby is born and we can leave..."

She swallowed her words halfway through, a hint of melancholy flashing in her eyes.

Seeing that she was a little sad, the woman quickly changed the subject and gestured towards the houses in front: "Listen to the shouts of battle, these little guys are really going all out today."

They've been practicing for almost half an hour now, haven't they? Aren't they getting cold practicing with those spears and staffs?

The pregnant woman was amused by her words, and the worry in her eyes lessened a bit: "Why do you think that is?"
"Isn't it because Deacon Yang is here? These kids are going to do everything they can to curry favor with him!"

The two talked as they slowly walked past the woodpile.

The words "Deacon Yang" drifted into the ears of Qin Taiguang and Qiu Che.

The two of them suddenly widened their eyes. What? Yang Can is here?
The two exchanged a quick glance, Qiu Che's eyes filled with barely suppressed joy, and the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile.

I never expected that the original destination of this trip would be here.

Qin Taiguang, however, thought a step deeper than him, his brows furrowing slightly into a deep frown.

Yang Can wasn't at Phoenix Manor, but Qin Mojuzi could still come and go as he pleased...

What does this mean?
This shows that Qin Mojuzi was already a regular at Phoenix Manor!
It's even possible that he's one of the Yu family's people!

Wow, that's terrifying to think about!

Qin Taiguang gasped. Qin Mo's people, indeed, were like vines, already deeply entangled in the Yu family's roots.

They not only have a deep understanding of valves, but they are also secretly training successors in this desolate wilderness.

Back then, when I, Qi Mo Juzi, gathered my fellow disciples to discuss how to manage Guanzhong and select someone to support the Yu clan, we unanimously chose "The Tiger of Dailai"!

No one thought highly of Yu Xinglong because he was indecisive, short-sighted, and unfit for important tasks.

The most fatal flaw is that he is sickly and weak, not destined for longevity, and this person is unlikely to amount to anything.

But who could have imagined that Qin Mo would do the opposite and place such a huge bet on Yu Xinglong!
"This must be Qin Mo's secret place!"

Qiu Che leaned close to Qin Taiguang's ear and whispered, "Let's retreat first and quickly report to the Grand Master."

Qin Taiguang shook his head, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

"No rush, let's meet this Steward Yang."

Qiu Che was taken aback and asked in surprise, "We've already met Qin Mo Juzi, why would we want to meet one of his disciples?"

"Try to trick him."

Qin Taiguang smiled slightly: "We know that Qin Moju has moved into Phoenix Manor, but he doesn't know that we do!"
If we mix this information together and speak vaguely, Yang Can will surely think that we know a lot about them.

That way, we might be able to extract more information from him.

Qiu Che's eyes lit up, and he gave him a big thumbs up.

Qiu Che asked, "How should we meet him? Should we go straight out to see him?"

"No need."

Qin Taiguang said confidently, "Let's meet at a later time. There's no need to let too many people know about our existence."

In a mud house in the back row, Yang Can's daughter, having finished her milk, was fast asleep in the arms of the woman who had nursed her.

Rouge tugged at her younger sister Zhu Sha's sleeve and whispered, "I'm going to the restroom."

"Fine, I'll go. Why are you calling me?" Zhu Sha rolled her eyes at her and moved closer to the brazier.

It's so cold, and the outhouse is far away, no one's going to go with her.

Her delicate face flushed red, and she whispered, "I just needed to pee. The outhouse is too far away, and my buttocks are freezing."

I'll just take care of myself by the woodpile at Fangshantou. You keep an eye on things for me.

"Alright." Upon hearing that it was just in Fangshantou, not far away, Zhu Sha nodded.

Afraid of waking the little maid on the kang (heated brick bed), the two girls tiptoed out of the door like two kittens.

A moment later, a high-pitched scream that could lift the roof off exploded in Fangshantou.

"Catch the bad guy! Catch the lecherous man!"

(End of this chapter)