Grass and mustard reign supreme

Chapter 16 Soul Reaches Tianshui
O soul, return!

The scene of Yu Chengye, the eldest son of the Yu family, welcoming the spirit back was quite grand.

After Yang Can and his group crossed the Panshan Mountain and entered Tianshui, they were greeted by the Yu family's men.

They used eight horses to carry a large cart and brought a replacement coffin for Yu Chengye.

The previous coffin was, strictly speaking, just a coffin, and a crude one at that, pieced together from cart planks.

Now this is a real coffin, made of nanmu wood, four inches thick, inlaid with gold leaf, and decorated with cloud patterns.

The outermost coffin was carved from a single piece of bluestone, with auspicious symbols and patterns such as the Four Symbols and other mythical beasts.

The welcoming party also prepared a large amount of funeral supplies, so this group, which was originally a wedding procession, no longer had to awkwardly wear auspicious clothes and carry the coffin.

As we traveled along the road, everything along the way was dressed in white.

In every village, town, manor, and city, people wore mourning clothes and set up offerings along the way.

The village chiefs, estate lords, and city lords all set up incense tables and fine wines, leading the local dignitaries and elders to welcome the return of the coffin of the young master of the Yu family.

The heads, elders, and stewards of the Yu family, scattered throughout Tianshui, along with powerful figures from all directions, literati, eminent monks, Taoist priests, gentry, and merchants...

They are all heading to Phoenix Mountain.

These people encompassed almost all the prestigious and powerful individuals within Yu's territory.

This was because the event happened so suddenly that there wasn't enough time to notify a wider range of people.

Otherwise, if such an important figure in the Yu family were to pass away, other powerful families would also send people to offer their condolences.

This wasn't Yang Can's first time visiting Phoenix Manor; he had come before when he accompanied Yu Chengye.

But upon returning to the foot of Phoenix Mountain and witnessing such a grand scene, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

A lavish display is itself a form of power and influence.

Those who are extremely wealthy certainly have money, but they are not really foolish enough to squander it recklessly.

This kind of extravagant display is actually creating a kind of power, a power that makes people look up to it, a power that makes people submit.

The formation of authority is inseparable from this kind of impressive momentum.

Having lived two lives, Yang Can was a man of great experience and knowledge. If he was still awe-inspiring upon seeing this, how could those illiterate common people not feel fear and reverence?
This was only the weakest of the eight powerful clans in Longshang, yet it had such a grand display of power, rivaling that of kings and nobles.

If it were the upper three valves, what would the scene be like?
What if he were the ruler of the world?
This is what a man should do!
Yang Can was by nature easygoing, not because he was inherently Buddhist, but because in both his past and present lives, he had never had the opportunity to develop ambition.

But this time was different. Granny Tu's sudden idea created a deadly trap for him, but it also brought an opportunity.

If Yang Can was initially forced into this situation, he now wants to seize the opportunity.

Unlike Yang Can, once he entered Yu's territory, Leopard Head Cheng Dakuan was filled with dread.

As long as Yang Can's secret with the young mistress remains unexposed, he will not face any danger.

But now Leopard Head Cheng Dakuan is about to face a major disaster. He did a lot of messy things before, trying his best to make amends, but he doesn't know if it will have any effect.

Anxious and uneasy, Cheng Dakuan leaned close to Yang Can and whispered, "Master Yang, I haven't been able to eat or sleep these past few days. I've just been worrying about how the clan leader will deal with me..."

His eyes were bloodshot, and he asked in a hoarse voice, "Master Yang, you are a scholar and understand many things. Tell me, how will the clan leader deal with me?"

Yang Can said, "Da Kuan, did you see this grand funeral scene?"

Those who are noble are dignified in life and leave behind a lasting legacy after death.

"When one is alive, halberds line the gate; when one dies, clouds rise from the tombstone. This is the order of Heaven and Earth."

Leopard Head looked bewildered: "Master Yang, please say something I can understand."

Yang Can said, "This means that even if a big figure like the eldest son of the Yu family patriarch dies, he cannot die in obscurity."

Someone has to pay the price, otherwise this noble person's death won't have been in vain. Do you understand?

Leopard Head gritted his teeth: "The one who has to pay the price... could it be me?"

Yang Can nodded: "Absolutely, it can only be you."

Leopard Head's face turned deathly pale in an instant: "Master Yang, you said that as long as I did as you said, there would be a glimmer of hope, you said..."

Yang Can quickly reassured him, "Don't worry, the Yu family's welcoming party has arrived, but they didn't arrest you on the spot. Instead, they allowed you to go with the procession."

What does this mean? It means that our previous efforts weren't in vain; you've grasped that glimmer of hope.

Leopard Head nervously licked his lips; several blisters had already formed on them.

"Mr. Yang, what should I do next?"

"Wait!"

"What are you waiting for?"

"Wait for the lord to summon me."

Leopard Head was almost in tears: "Master Yang, I really haven't read any books. Please say something that even a blind person could understand."

Yang Can said, "If the patriarch is willing to summon me, it means that he needs some people who are not on good terms with the Suo family to work for him."

Therefore, as long as the lord is willing to summon me, you will definitely have a chance to live!

……

Not long after entering Phoenix Mountain, there is an orchard on the side of the mountain.

The orchard also raises many poultry, providing Phoenix Mountain Villa with vegetables, fruits, meat, and eggs.

This orchard has now been temporarily used as a funeral parlor, where the body is kept.

The Yu family sent their members to welcome the spirit, dressed in white mourning clothes, to escort it up the mountain.

The person who came to preside over the welcoming of the coffin was Yu Chengye's second uncle, Yu Huanhu. Yu Huanhu was Yu Chengye's uncle and the head of the second branch of the eldest son's family in this generation.

As an elder, he shouldn't have been the one to go down the mountain to fetch the spirit.

However, Yu Chengye was the eldest son of the Yu clan, which was like the Crown Prince, while Yu Huanhu was equivalent to a prince.

Although the two were uncle and nephew, they were also ruler and subject, so it was not unreasonable for his own uncle to come and welcome the coffin.

As Yu Chengye's widow, Suo Chanzhi cut off a lock of her hair in front of everyone and placed it in the coffin.

With this ceremony, her status as the eldest daughter-in-law of the Yu family was confirmed, and no one could change it.

A nine-foot-long banner was erected over the hearse, and the large characters "The eldest son of the Yu family inherits the family business" covered the entire coffin.

When Yu Huanhu saw the coffin, his face turned very pale.

Although the "truth" about Yu Chengye's death has not yet been revealed, there are many rumors about it.

And in all these rumors, he is portrayed as the mastermind behind the murder.

He certainly wished Yu Chengye were dead, but assassinating him during Yu Chengye's wedding procession would have had far-reaching consequences.

After much deliberation, Yu Huanhu still didn't dare to make a move, but who knew that Yu Chengye would still die.

He didn't do anything, yet he has to take the blame for someone else's mistake. How could he possibly be in a good mood?

"Yu Mensuo greets Uncle!"

My uncle came to receive the coffin in person, and as the widow, Suo Chanzhi naturally had to step forward to pay her respects.

The widow, dressed in mourning clothes and looking quite pretty, bowed gracefully to Huan Hu, tears welling up in her eyes, her beautiful face filled with sorrow, looking utterly pitiful.

Yu Huanhu was unfazed, but the young people in the Yu family who were of the same generation as Yu Chengye or even a generation younger were utterly amazed.

The widow before me, with her slender waist and fragrant bones, was clearly a fairy in white robes.

Look at her, her white dress as white as snow, her hair half-loose, her face pale and sorrowful, tears welling in her eyes…

It really hurts like hell.

Chengye is really lucky...

Hey! You are blessed, but your blessings are a little thin!

It's such a pity that such a beautiful place with good mountains, good water, and good fields has been abandoned and is going to become barren. Just thinking about it makes my heart ache so much that I can't breathe!
"Please rise, niece-in-law. Please accept my condolences."

Yu Huanhu sighed deeply, mustered his strength, and raised his hand to offer a helping hand.

After comforting Suo Chanzhi, Yu Huanhu began arranging the ceremony to welcome the spirit up the mountain.

The hearse was replaced with a six-stringed chariot, led by Yu Chengye's younger brother, Yu Chenglin, who was carrying a "merit cloth".

Subsequently, members of the Yu family within five degrees of kinship, both peers and juniors, dressed in mourning clothes, supported the hearse and wept bitterly as they ascended the mountain.

Throughout this process, Yang Can was completely invisible and had no chance to stand out.

Since entering Tianshui territory, Suo Chanzhi has been surrounded by more people, and Yang Can no longer has the opportunity to get close to her.

In their busyness, it seemed that no one remembered this Master Yang.

Therefore, Yang Can was not handed over back to the Yu family. Since Suo Chanzhi herself couldn't get away, she entrusted him to Qingmei for arrangements.

"Hey, you'll stay here for the next few days. Don't wander around, okay?"

Qingmei led Yang Can into the first courtyard of Yu Chengye's residence and into a side room.

As the eldest son of the Yu family, Yu Chengye owns a large, independent courtyard in Phoenix Villa.

This courtyard is located on the east side of the villa. Although it is part of the villa as a whole, it is also relatively independent.

It is a three-courtyard complex with its own high walls and separate entrances.

Even if you separate it from the whole Phoenix Manor, it is still a complete three-courtyard manor.

This side room is quite spacious, with a layout of three rooms in one entrance, and two side rooms on the left and right sides of the main room.

"Thank you for your care, Miss Qingmei." Yang Can nodded to Qingmei, quite satisfied with this "cell".

This treatment is no worse than when he was Yu Chengye's advisor.

"Hey, what are you saying? I didn't tell you anything."

Anyway, someone will bring you three meals a day, so just stay here and don't go out for walks unless necessary.

Qingmei felt uncomfortable as soon as he became polite to her.

Qingmei's feelings for Yang Can are now very complicated.

On one hand, she was Suo Chanzhi's personal maid, and the two were like sisters.

Therefore, whenever she heard Suo Chanzhi being bullied by Yang Can, she felt a sense of shared hatred and indignation.

According to her logic, if you bully my daughter, isn't that the same as bullying me?

However, on the other hand, precisely because she was Suo Chanzhi's personal maid, it was easy for her to empathize with her.

Once she put herself in that position, her feelings for Yang Can became strange.

So now, when she's alone with Yang Can, she feels inexplicably anxious.

As soon as Yang Can mentioned taking care of her, Qingmei, as if afraid of being misunderstood, hurriedly clarified, "Alright, alright, you...you should rest well. I...I have to go serve my young lady."

Qingmei hurriedly made up an excuse and ran away, as if a heart-stealing ghost was hiding in the room.

(End of this chapter)