Grass and mustard reign supreme

Chapter 48: Can be a chess piece, not a discarded one.

Yang Can wanted to develop the curved plow.

If he actually manages to develop this plow, it should be named "Yang Can Plow".

His name, Yang Can, will become famous throughout the world along with this plow.

Yang Can didn't say he knew much about the curved plow.

However, although it plays a huge role in improving productivity, it is not a high-tech product.

Yang Can had a general understanding of the principles of the curved plow, and he also had Li Yue, a craftsman who had spent his life making farm tools.

When two people work together, one provides the design ideas and general style, and the other brings it to life, it becomes much easier.

Therefore, Yang Can went all out.

Yang Can was chosen in Tu Mama's plan because of his appearance, which was given to him by his parents.

But he killed Granny Tu in return, forced Chan Zhi to cooperate, and made Yu Xinglong realize his value...

This series of actions, however, relied on his own intelligence and ingenuity.

Unfortunately, judging from the series of arrangements made for him by the patriarch, he was not treated as a pawn, but as a discarded piece.

If you use me as a pawn, I will do so willingly.

Before you're qualified to be a player, becoming a piece is a necessary path.

But if you treat me like a pawn, then I can't let myself be manipulated.

Yang Can now faces not only the question of whether Suo Chanzhi will give birth to a boy or a girl nine months from now.

There is also a crisis from Xinglong.

Yu Xinglong assigned him to the eldest branch of the family as a steward, entrusting him with the management of six large estates and three large ranches.

This arrangement determined its ultimate purpose from the very beginning.

In this game of chess, he was a "piece" prepared by the patriarch.

Alternatively, when the patriarch was about to betray the family, he could step forward and turn against the Suo family, then use his death to quell their anger.

Alternatively, when the six major estates suffered a poor harvest and the clan head was questioned by the entire clan, he would be pushed out as a scapegoat.

Yang Can doesn't want to be abandoned, so he has to make himself more and more important.

If one could attain a position of such extraordinary status as Yi She, then even as a retainer, one would not be subject to the whims of one's masters.

On the contrary, the various branches of the Yu family had to work hard to recruit him and win his support.

But... there are only so many seats available.

Yang Can wanted to make a name for himself, but following the conventional path would never get him anywhere in decades, and he didn't have that much time to scheme for himself.

Therefore, he had no choice but to find another way.

His eye on Feng'an Village was actually for this purpose: he wanted to make Feng'an Village his own.

Then his role will become more significant.

And now, he has discovered another opportunity that will make him important.

As long as he can create "Yang Canli", he will become famous throughout the world.

Becoming famous is also a kind of "momentum".

……

At night, the study was brightly lit by nine copper lamps with lotus branches.

Young Master Zhang sat on the side chair and yawned silently.

He turned his face away and quietly wiped away the tears that had welled up from his forced yawn.

It was so late, and he didn't want to come, but as the eldest son of the Zhang family, he should shoulder more of the family's responsibilities.

Although Zhang Yunyi was not very satisfied with his eldest son, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and cultivate him.

Field supervisor Peng Jin and village head Lai Gulu were led in by steward Wan Tai.

Lai Gulu presented Zhang Yunyi with a piece of paper covered in messy lines.

This is a pattern that he and Peng Jin secretly observed Yang Can drawing on the ground, and then drew it from memory after returning home.

Zhang Yunyi sat behind his desk, looking at the drawing in his hand covered with messy lines, his brows furrowed in worry.

"This... is this the thing that Deacon Yang spent half a day tinkering with?"

"Yes, Deacon Yang said he wants to change the straight shaft of the plow into a curved shaft."

Deacon Yang said that if the modifications were made as he suggested, it would be much easier, saving both manpower and animal power.

"Oh? So, do you think this is feasible?"

As Zhang Yunyi spoke, he handed the "blueprints" to Wan Tai, who then passed them to Zhang Dashao.

Young Master Zhang pretended to examine the blueprints.

Peng Jin said with difficulty, "Master, although I am a field supervisor, I do not farm."

Even the blacksmith Li wasn't sure whether Deacon Yang's idea was feasible. "Young man..."

"Hmm~" Zhang Yunyi nodded, his furrowed brows relaxing slightly.

Changing the shaft from straight to curved can greatly save the effort of humans and animals. This is similar to using pulleys during hoisting, and it falls under the category of physics.

But even if you show this thing to someone who doesn't understand physics, they won't understand why it's like this.

Therefore, many things that modern people take for granted and can see through at a glance may not be understood by people in this era.

Many artisans, despite their superb skills, only know the appearance of what they make but not the underlying principles, making it difficult for them to improve.

Since even the field supervisor and blacksmith Li weren't sure if the improved plow would be effective, Master Zhang decided to put the matter aside for the time being. He stroked his beard and asked suspiciously, "Deacon Yang went down the mountain with great fanfare, and in the end... this is it?"

Peng Jin and Lai Gulu exchanged a glance. Lai Gulu said, "Master, perhaps this person has no intention of making things difficult for us at all?"

Young Master Zhang crossed his legs and said lazily, "Then why did he come here? Why did he just go back like that?"

He might as well not have come at all. How is he going to explain this to the clan head and the eldest daughter-in-law?

Lai Gulu whispered, "Master, young master, I heard that when the clan leader was discussing the succession in Mingde Hall, the Suo family insisted that the second master killed the successor."

At that time, it was this same Deacon Yang who was the heir's advisor. He insisted that the Suo family had harmed the heir.

Otherwise, the Second Master might not have been able to escape unscathed that day.

Do you think... this Deacon Yang...?

Zhang Yunyi understood, his eyes flashing as he said, "You mean, this person intended to serve Second Master, so he deliberately stirred up trouble that day to exonerate Second Master."

Now, during his inspection of Feng'an Village, he deliberately raised his head high and then lowered it gently—is he also trying to curry favor with our Second Master?

Peng Jin said, "Master, it's not impossible."

Young Master Zhang curled his lip and snorted coldly: "If that's the case, why did the patriarch arrange for him to be the steward of the six major estates?"

You say he's loyal to the Second Master? Oh! So the lord of the clan gives the property that the Second Master handed back to him to someone who's loyal to the Second Master? Is that reasonable?

Lai Gulu said, "Young Master, do you think it's possible that the clan head made him this steward because he knew he was unreliable and that it was impossible for the six major estates to be taken back peacefully?"

Young Master Zhang glared at him: "Why? Is the tycoon out of his mind?"

Zhang Yunyi got annoyed, slammed his hand on the table, and scolded, "Why, why, why do you ask so many questions every day!"
You have so many whys, why don't you think about why it really is?
"Of course, if the six major estates suffer severe crop failures, each branch of the family will rebel and use Yang Can to fill the gaps!"

Young Master Zhang blushed deeply after being scolded, and said awkwardly, "Then why..."

"shut up!"

Master Zhang was so angry his head ached, and Young Master Zhang shut his mouth in a huff.

Although he was resentful, he dared not provoke his father any further.

Zhang Yunyi turned to Peng Jin and Lai Gulu and said in a deep voice, "Since Steward Yang is determined to improve agricultural tools, then let him do it!"
He needs manpower, we'll provide manpower. He needs supplies, we'll provide supplies. He needs money, we'll provide money—whatever he needs, we'll give him.

Lai Gulu and Peng Jin quickly agreed, secretly delighted.

Since the owner is so generous, we can profit from it.

I thought this would be a tough job, but I was wrong... hehe.

Zhang Yunyi added, "Of course, you still need to keep a close eye on him to prevent any accidents."

Zhang Yunyi thought for a moment, then said to Wan Tai, "Steward, have Xiao Tan seduce Accountant Li into bed."

If Steward Yang harbors ill intentions towards me, then his methods will certainly target this Accountant Li.

……

Wheat irrigated by the Yinlong River is ground into powder using the finest stone mill. The flour mixed with water is then kneaded into a dough in an earthenware urn and repeatedly rolled on a cutting board.

Finally, place it back into the earthenware steamer and let it slowly awaken in the steam. At this point, with just a pair of skillful hands, you can stretch it into strands as thin as silver threads.

When it is scooped out of the boiling pot and placed into a large celadon bowl, a spoonful of sesame oil is poured over it, and the soup will shimmer with an amber glow.

Chop up the freshly brewed black bean sauce and spring chives and sprinkle them on top of the broth. Then, top it with slices of succulent, roasted mutton. That's it!

Chef Zhu placed the large bowl of noodles, along with the pepper jar, dogwood jar, and salt jar, onto a serving plate, lifted it with one hand, and gracefully left the kitchen.

"Deacon Yang, here is the noodles you ordered."

Chef Zhu placed the noodles in front of Yang Can, grabbed his apron, and habitually rubbed his hands together.

As Yang Can sat down, the aroma of the noodles and the freshness of the soup immediately wafted towards him.

"Good, excellent craftsmanship."

Yang Can never imagined that a late-night snack could be made so delicious.

He added salt, pepper, and dogwood according to his own taste, then gently stirred it with chopsticks.

As he methodically carried out these steps, Chef Zhu stood to the side, slightly bowing, with his back to the outside.

And his mouth was making a soft sound: "Sir, Da Kuan said that as you instructed, he has arranged for people to take action and will soon get the information you want."

Yang Can calmly picked up a strand of noodles with his chopsticks.

The aroma of wheat flour from the Loess Plateau and the aroma of mutton from the Longhe River mudflats.

In addition, there's the pepper flavor from the Western Regions and the dogwood flavor from the Helan Mountains.

It whets the appetite.

Yang Can listened to Chef Zhu's words calmly and ate his noodles slowly.

Chef Zhu is not his real name, of course. It's just that he has been a chef for so long that no one has called him by his real name for a long time.

His name is Zhu Weipeng, a very impressive and powerful name.

Perhaps his father hoped that this child would grow up to kill bandits and enemies, achieve great deeds, and become a majestic general.

However, many years later, his blade sliced ​​through not the enemy's armor, but the spines of pigs and sheep.

His arms weren't pulling back a bowstring, but rather stretching out a trembling dough.

What illuminated his face was not the beacon fire on the fire, but the leaping flames in the hearth.

But isn't this also a different kind of military review?
When his spoon hits the edge of the pot, the clanging sound is like the cook's "general's command."

He is Cheng Dakuan's brother-in-law and the head chef at Feng'an Fort. His name is Zhu Weipeng.

(End of this chapter)