Grass and mustard reign supreme

Chapter 36 Going down the mountain
Upon seeing this, Qiao She quickly stepped forward with a smile to smooth things over: "Deacon Yang, since that's the case, let our Sister Qingmei go with you."

Our Qingmei sister is very quick-witted; she can calculate accounts faster than the old accountant, and her ability to read people is even more remarkable.

With Sister Qingmei by your side, if you happen to encounter a difficult farmer or a cunning manager, Sister Qingmei will be there to help you, won't she?"

Suo Chanzhi glanced at her indifferently, and said with a half-smile, "You're quite the smooth talker, though you're not very old, you know quite a lot."

Everything here, inside and out, up and down, will be arranged for you to see clearly and understand perfectly.

It seems my household really can't do without someone like you.

The woman's expression changed, and she hurriedly bowed, stammering, "Young Madam, I just... just wanted to say a word for Sister Qingmei, and also... also to please you..."

Suo Chanzhi chuckled lightly: "So it seems I was the one who didn't know what was good for me."

"No, no, oh dear..."

In her haste, Qiaoshe lightly slapped herself and apologized, saying, "This servant knows she was wrong, please forgive me, young mistress."

Suo Chanzhi said coldly, "You've overstepped your bounds, you clever tongue!"

Qingmei said, "The young mistress only established these rules for the mansion the day before yesterday. How can you explain your mistake like this?"

The silver-tongued man stammered, "Twenty slaps to the face."

"Ok!"

Suo Chanzhi's voice was still soft and gentle, with a touch of coquettishness in its coolness, but the words she spoke had a chilling quality that penetrated to the core.

"Remember this: I don't need people who don't know the rules around me."

The silver tongue knelt down, her voice trembling as she said, "Yes, this servant knows she was wrong."

Suo Chanzhi flicked her sleeve lightly: "Kneel in the courtyard and slap yourself twenty times. Qingmei, supervise the punishment!"

Clever tongue dared not disobey, and hurriedly retreated to the courtyard, kneeling there in the sunlight.

Originally, as someone who served the young mistress, she held a fairly high position in the inner quarters.

But at this moment, she could only kneel there, slapping herself hard in front of the maids and servants coming and going.

Qingmei went out to supervise the execution, leaving only Yang Can and Suo Chanzhi in the room.

Although the door was still open, the two spoke in hushed tones without worrying about being overheard.

Suo Chanzhi asked in a low voice, "Why do we need to patrol the manor?"

Yang Can said, "We have to go eventually, and we can't wait until autumn."

Since that's the case, it's better to go sooner rather than later. Besides…”

Yang Can paused for a moment, then said, "The outer quarters are relatively stable, making it difficult to get involved."

Especially since I have a Grand Deacon above me; if I control several estates and ranches, I'll have external support to draw upon.”

Suo Chanzhi nodded: "Let Qingmei go with you. If she goes, I'll have an excuse to send the Suo family's guards to help you."

Moreover, with Qingmei around, you can contact me through her if you have any urgent matters.

Qingmei is my confidante; I will give her my advice.

"Okay, I'll go back and make some preparations first. I'll be coming down the mountain in the next few days."

Suo Chanzhi nodded, slammed her hand on the table, and shouted loudly, "I said Qingmei should go with us, so she must go! Steward Yang, no need to say more!"

"My lord, resign!"

Yang Can also had a loud voice, which contained a hint of resentment.

He flung his sleeves and stormed out of the flower hall.

In the courtyard outside the flower hall, Qiaoshe knelt upright on the ground, slapping herself hard in the face again and again.

Qingmei stood under the eaves, her sweet, small face slightly raised.

Under the covered corridor not far away, several maids and servants were hiding there, whispering among themselves.

They not only witnessed the punishment for Qiao She, but also overheard the heated exchange between the young mistress and Yang Can.

Yang Can walked to the steps and stopped. Qingmei's pretty eyes darted around at him, with a smug smile on her face.

“Deacon Yang, no matter how unwilling you are, we must travel together.”

Yang Can snorted and flicked his sleeves as he descended the stone steps.

She didn't hold back at all when she slapped herself; if it had been another old woman from the Su family who was carrying out the family discipline, she would have suffered even more.

Her pretty little face was now a purplish-red color, and blood was flowing from the corner of her mouth.

Yang Can sighed, then suddenly tossed a small medicine gourd from her sleeve, which landed on the hem of her skirt, which was spread out like a lotus leaf.

“You are a servant by the young mistress’s side, and your reputation is like the curtain of the master’s house. If you ruin your appearance, what kind of decorum will that be?”
This medicine is most effective at removing blood stasis and stopping bleeding. After you've finished following the family rules, remember to apply it to your face.

Qiao She glanced at Yang Can gratefully; it was clear that Deacon Yang was protecting her.

Deacon Yang and I are, after all, members of the Yu family, our own people. Those Suo family members are all scoundrels!
Yang Can glanced at Qingmei again and said sarcastically, "These days, the ones supervising the executions are more like clowns on a stage than the ones being executed. Isn't that strange?"

After saying this, Yang Can strode away.

Today's fierce confrontation with Suo Chanzhi and her maid will surely reach the ears of those who care, further solidifying the impression that he is at odds with the Suo family.

"His surname is Yang!"

Qingmei stomped her foot angrily at Yang Can's retreating figure!

Now that this scoundrel no longer has a chance to bully my girl, he's become addicted to bullying me, isn't he?
Although Xiao Qingmei knew Yang Can was putting on an act, she still couldn't help but get angry.

……

Li Youcai went down the mountain with eight attendants.

Because this trip would take at least two or three months, all the stewards of the eldest son's family came to see him off.

Yang Can, as the second steward, stood at the front with Madam Pan and Xiao Wan.

"Salt and iron are second only to agriculture in importance to my family. Although I am reluctant to leave my wife, my son has just passed away, and I must go and inspect them to put people at ease."

"My husband is doing this to serve the clan head and fulfill his duty to the eldest branch of the family. How could I dare to interfere with your personal feelings?" Pan Xiaowan said with a look of reluctance, "I will take good care of things at home, my husband, please rest assured."

Li Youcai smiled and nodded, then looked at Yang Can: "Deacon Yang, farming is the foundation of my family's existence. You must put your heart into it and not disappoint the family head and young mistress."

Yang Can said, "Don't worry, Elder Steward, I will also be going down the mountain soon to inspect the various farms."

"At that time, Yang will certainly follow the Grand Deacon's teachings and handle the matter properly."

Li Youcai smiled knowingly, patted Yang Can's arm, chatted with the other managers for a few more minutes, and then mounted his horse.

Li Youcai, holding a riding whip, cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Please return, everyone. I am leaving now!"

Li Youcai rode down the mountain, leading eight followers.

After navigating several bends and crossing two ridges, they arrived at Phoenix Pass.

There is an orchard here that supplies Phoenix Mountain Villa with fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, and poultry.

The orchard manager was Li Youcai's confidant, and he was already waiting there, with a carriage parked behind him.

Li Youcai was overjoyed the moment he saw the carriage.

He immediately dismounted, waved to the orchard manager, and eagerly got into the carriage.

With a "whoosh," the carriage curtain was lifted, and Li Youcai saw a pretty maid in green sitting inside.

She huddled in a corner of a small couch that was about the size of a bed.

As soon as the carriage curtain was lifted, light streamed in, and the girl flinched, like a startled sparrow.

Li Youcai squinted and looked at her; she was a beautiful young woman of sixteen, with a slender waist so delicate it seemed one could grasp it with one hand.

Her hair was as black as a crow's, tied with a red string, revealing a slender, milky-white neck.

Especially the girl's pupils, which were a clear, deep black, filled with a bewildered, watery light.

Li Youcai immediately showed a satisfied expression.

The owner of Feng'an Manor, Zhang Yunyi, is indeed a man of good manners; the pretty little maid he chose is truly charming.

Actually, Zhang Yunyi had sent this pretty little maid to him a couple of days ago.

But Li Youcai didn't let him take him up the mountain; instead, he settled him here.

When Li Dazhi goes on his inspection tour, he will take his pretty maid with him, and someone will warm his bed and serve him along the way.

By the time he returned to the mountain, the uncooked rice had already been cooked into porridge, and even if the lady was unwilling, she had no choice but to accept it.

"Go! Go!"

Li Youcai impatiently gave an order and then plunged into the carriage.

This mountain road is the main passage between Phoenix Mountain Villa and the outside world, so it is naturally often leveled by people.

However, the carriage was still inevitably bumpy when it passed by.

On some sections of the road or at certain times, the ride can be particularly bumpy.

Just like now...

Fortunately, this intense jolt didn't last long.

In ancient times, when a large army was charging, the general would beat a rapid drum as a signal, and the rapid drum would be beaten three times.

It takes about two minutes to complete all three drumbeats.

Today, Steward Li fully demonstrated what it means to "make the most of one's strength, then weaken it, and finally exhaust it."

He only beat one and a half of those three rapid drumbeats before the carriage started moving steadily...

……

After seeing Steward Li off down the mountain, the group of stewards followed Yang Can and Madam Pan back to the manor.

Upon reaching the entrance of Deacon Li's small courtyard, Pan Xiaowan suddenly stopped and smiled at Yang Can:
"Steward Yang, the head steward has a bottle of fine wine to give you. Please come with me to fetch it."

"Uh, thank you for your trouble, Madam."

With all the managers present and Madam Pan looking quite serious, Yang Can couldn't refuse.

Otherwise, the managers would inevitably become suspicious.

The two entered the courtyard. Madam Pan remained dignified, but suddenly chuckled and whispered:
"What, Uncle, are you afraid to enter my house? Is it some kind of dragon's den or tiger's lair?"

Yang Can gave a wry smile. This woman was practically announcing to the world, "I'm going to seduce you." How could he not understand Madam Pan's intentions?
In fact, after confirming that Suo Chanzhi was pregnant, he could only rely on the eldest son's family to begin his struggle.

Even with her status as the young mistress of the eldest son's residence, Suo Chanzhi would find it difficult to thoroughly clean up the outer quarters, let alone Yang Can, the newly appointed second steward.

Pan Xiaowan is Li Youcai's wife, and Li, the chief steward, is afraid of his wife. If he could transform Mrs. Pan into his own shape, it would obviously be of great benefit to him.

Besides, Li Youcai clearly intended to frame him, so he didn't need to feel guilty towards Deacon Li.

However, he didn't want to provoke this enchantress, because he had a feeling that she was uncontrollable.

He worried that if he captured this demon, it would not be a blessing in disguise, but a calamity.

What you think is a boat to cross the river could be a coffin that will bury you in the waves.

"Laixi, Laixi!" At Madam Pan's call, Laixi ran out of the side room.

Pan Xiaowan said, "I just had the kitchen staff stew a bowl of rock sugar bird's nest. It needs to be stewed over a low flame to be ready."

The cooks aren't very attentive; you'll have to keep an eye on it. It'll be simmering for a full hour and a half before you can bring it out.

"Yes!" Lai Xi replied and happily ran outside.

He liked the job of working in the kitchen, where he could always find some good food here and there.

Pan Xiaowan led Yang Can into the main room, glancing at him with seductive eyes, and then slowly closed the door behind her with her back against it.

"Uncle, please sit down. I'll go and get some wine."

Pan Xiaowan gave Yang Can a seductive glance before slowly making her way into the inner room.

(End of this chapter)