Grass and mustard reign supreme

Chapter 49 The Pawn's Initiative in Crossing the River
The noodles are finished.

It was delicious; Yang Can even drank the soup.

Chef Zhu walked out of the courtyard with an empty plate, looking arrogant and haughty.

Because eating something clean is the best compliment you can give a chef.

There were guards sent by Master Zhang at the entrance of the courtyard, and eight guards from Yang Can and Qingmei were inside.

But no one doubted Chef Zhu, because he was a real chef.

The next morning, Yang Can went to the blacksmith shop again with great enthusiasm.

Yang Can was able to come up with reasonable ideas, while Li Yue was an old craftsman who was proficient in making various agricultural tools. With the two working together, they made great progress.

On the third day, Li the blacksmith and his apprentice began to forge the curved plow.

On the fifth day, they successfully built one and carried it to the ground for a test run.

The plow still had its flaws, but Li the blacksmith had already realized its advantages.

Even though it's not a perfect product yet, its advantages are already evident.

That evening, after dinner, Yang Can sent a guard to invite Qingmei.

Qingmei was the personal maid of a noble lady from a powerful family, and thus developed the habit of taking a bath every day.

Now that she's in Feng'anzhuang, her lifestyle hasn't changed.

At this moment, she had just finished bathing.

Qingmei changed into a breathable and sweat-absorbent cotton bathrobe and sat in front of the dressing table.

She combed her hair with a cow horn while humming a lullaby in a cheerful mood.

"Miss Qingmei, Deacon Yang requests your presence."

A knock came at the door, and the voice of a maid from the Zhang family came from outside.

In her boudoir, Qingmei's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly felt an irrepressible surge of joy.

"Oh, I know."

Qingmei calmly agreed, but when she heard the clattering sound outside the door fading into the distance, she suddenly became flustered.

She quickly opened the makeup box and used a powder puff to apply some powder to her face.

Her delicate, fair face suddenly became even whiter and more tender.

She glanced at herself in the mirror, then tilted her head back and applied some powder even to the area below her neck.

Then, she used her little finger to pick up a smear of rouge, gently curled it onto her lips, and pursed her lips.

Then, she combed her slightly dry hair into two buns, tied them with a purple ribbon, and went to choose clothes.

Li Damu lived right across from Yang Can, with a pond separating the two buildings.

There are thousands of lotus leaves in the pond, lush and green.

At this moment, Li Damu was standing facing the window, his hands behind his back, his brows slightly furrowed, and his expression troubled.

He has something on his mind.

During the audit, Miss Xiao Tan served her closely.

A pretty and charming young girl would occasionally massage his shoulders, rub his legs, bring him tea, or pour him water...

Faced with Li Damu's increasingly groping hands, Xiao Tan was both shy and hesitant, wanting to refuse but also welcoming.

However, whenever he tried to take things further, Xiao Tan would gently refuse him.

Therefore, Mr. Li was very distressed.

He knew in his heart that this was a bait set for him by Master Zhang.

If he could, he wouldn't mind taking the bait.

He never imagined that he could rise to prominence simply by investigating the accounts of Feng'anzhuang.

No matter how high he flies, he's still just an accountant.

If Master Zhang offers enough, he wouldn't mind "going easy on him".

But receiving money and receiving people are different.

When it comes to collecting money, the prices are clearly marked, and it's done quickly and efficiently.

He was worried that Master Zhang might make some unreasonable demands on him.

His willingness to play dumb doesn't mean he's willing to get involved in muddy waters.

However, the thought of that delicate woman, as beautiful as a fragrant fan pendant, whom he could see but not have, made his heart ache.

He's been agonizing over this for the past few days; it's really bothering him.

Suddenly, he saw Xiao Qingmei through the window.

With a little dressing up, the even more charming little plum blossom sneaked towards Yang Can's residence like a thief.

Just before entering, she glanced around nervously.

Li Damu was immediately filled with envy and jealousy.

Why!
Why is it that you, Deacon Yang, have beauties constantly coming to your door, while I, Old Li, have to just stand there?

Li Damu had heard that Yang Can had been "neglecting his duties" by working on some kind of plow improvement project these past few days.

Since even you, the eldest son's steward, have started to slack off, why should I put in too much effort?

Having found a reason to convince himself, Li Damu immediately jumped for joy.

I'll take the bait!

I'll eat it tomorrow!
……

"Uh, this... why did you call me here so late?"

Qingmei asked cautiously, her heart pounding and her face flushing.

Yang Can's curved plow is about to be unveiled, and Leopard Head has also made a harvest; he's ready to close the net.

For a man, the only thing that can surpass the temptation of beauty is fighting.

Yang Can, full of fighting spirit, completely ignored Qingmei's little feelings of fear and anticipation.

He grabbed Qingmei's arm and said excitedly, "Come here, I have something to tell you."

Qingmei was grabbed by him and thought she was going to be thrown onto the bed.

After all, this seems to be one of his little quirks.

Qingmei gritted her teeth to prevent herself from screaming if she fell onto the bed, but he pressed her down into the armchair.

Hmm? Is this okay too?

Qingmei felt it was a little difficult, but given her petite stature, it didn't seem impossible.

But this is their first time, isn't it a bit too hasty?
As Qingmei was lost in thought, Yang Can pulled up a chair and sat down opposite her.

"Qingmei, you should go back to the manor tomorrow."

Qingmei was stunned for a moment, then asked blankly, "Huh? Back to the manor?" Yang Can nodded, "That's right! Everything is ready here, and we're about to get started."

For safety's sake, I need more help.

You should return to the mountain tomorrow. When you see the young mistress, you should tell her…

Yang Can explained his carefully considered plan to Qingmei in detail.

The romantic thoughts in Qingmei's heart were completely replaced by shock.

"Are you...are you sure? If something goes wrong, you won't be able to explain yourself..."

"It's not a big problem. I'll use the advent of the curved plow as a cover, and also use the advent of the curved plow as a safety net."

Yang Can said, "As for the rest, let's leave it to fate."

Qingmei is not just a maid who only knows how to serve others; she can distinguish between the pros and cons.

After a moment's hesitation, Qingmei nodded: "Okay, I'll go back to the mountain first thing tomorrow morning."

But if I leave, the guards will take you with them, and you're all alone and weak...

"Don't do anything rash before I get back."

Yang Can laughed and said, "Don't worry, without you by my side to protect me, what can a scholar who can't even kill a chicken do?"

After discussing the matter in detail, Qingmei got up to take her leave.

By the time she came downstairs, it was already late at night, and the moonlight was like water.

Li Damu, who lives in the building across the street, has finished showering and changed into a set of pajamas.

For some reason, perhaps because he had just taken a bath, he looked somewhat listless.

Through the slightly ajar window, he saw Qingmei again.

At this moment, the mist in the pool is silently rising onto the stone steps, flower branches, and blue bricks under the corridor.

The green plum blossoms stroll among them, like a fairy.

"Tsk, Deacon Yang is eating really well, that's fine rice and wheat flour!"

"Sigh, youth is truly wonderful; it took her so long to finally come out!"

Li Damu exclaimed in admiration, his slender fingers stroking his beard with an elegance akin to playing a zither.

……

The same moon hung in the sky above Dailai City, on the upper reaches of the Wuding River.

Dailai City was an important transportation route between the Hetao region and the Central Plains.

This is also the main base that Yu Huanhu, the eldest son of the Yu family, has been operating for many years.

The population of Dailai City, including the surrounding residents, numbered over 17,000 households, with a total population of nearly 100,000.

Of course, this population only includes those registered in the household register.

This does not include the local nomadic tribes, the people attached to monasteries, the hidden population of powerful families, and some transient people engaged in commerce and industry.

This is also why Yu Xinglong dared not easily kill Yu Huanhu.

The place where the lord of the clan lived was named "Phoenix Manor".

The place where Huan Hu lived was named "Bei Que Villa".

The character 阙 has the meaning of palace, while 别业 refers to an informal residence.

The fact that Yu Huanhu chose such a name for his residence clearly reveals his restless nature.

The "Black Water Pavilion" at Beique Villa is decorated in a style reminiscent of the Hu (non-Han) region.

What hung on the wall were not calligraphy and paintings, but swords, bows, and arrows.

A huge, brightly colored velvet carpet was laid on the ground.

The carpet features relief-style patterns, all artistic transformations of lightning and mountains.

The night was deep, but Yu Huanhu was full of energy and showed no signs of fatigue.

Behind a small table on the side, his eldest son, Yu Rui, was also sitting.

"Father, the eldest branch has already sent people to inspect the estates. Their first stop was Feng'an Estate."

Yu Huanhu narrowed his eyes: "Feng'an Village is closest to Phoenix Mountain, so it's only natural that they investigate Feng'an Village first."

Yu Rui said, "Father, are we just going to sit idly by and do nothing?"

Yu Huanhu chuckled and said, "It's already been handed over, so how can we openly interfere?"

Yu Rui understood Yu Huanhu's implied meaning, his eyes darted around, and he said:

"Zhang Yunyi is always shrewd; they might not be able to find any fault with Master Zhang, right?"

Yu Huanhu shook his head and said calmly, "When others want to cause trouble for you, you're bound to have trouble."

Moreover, the six estates were acquired by his father in a great hurry, leaving Zhang Yunyi little time to do anything shady.

"So... we're just going to watch like this?"

"so what?"

Yu Huanhu said dismissively, "Don't even mention Feng'an Village, even if it were the six major estates and the three major ranches, they would all be chips that I would throw onto the table."

"Killing a thousand people will result in losing eight hundred of your own. I can afford to lose, but your uncle can't."

Moreover, I have already publicly declared that I will henceforth live in seclusion in Dailai City.

The words are still ringing in our ears; if we go back on our word now, how can we ever gain people's trust again?

Yu Rui nodded and smiled, "Father, do you know who Uncle sent to inspect the estate?"

Yu Huanhu frowned: "This is a job where it's hard to make any contributions, and every step is fraught with pitfalls."

He wouldn't send someone close to him; if it weren't someone close to him, I wouldn't have guessed.

"Yang Can, it's Yang Can!"

Yu Rui said with a smile, "It seems that this person has offended my uncle for trying to exonerate my father."

Yu Huanhu was stunned. It was him?

The Yu family is investigating Chengye's death, as is Yu Huanhu, who was unjustly blamed for it.

The truth is shrouded in mystery, and he has yet to uncover any clues.

However, he did not forget Yang Can.

Previously, he had asked his second son, Yu Ming, to investigate Yang Can's background and learned that he was a poor scholar who had offended powerful figures in the Central Plains and fled to Longxi.

Yu Huanhu pondered and said, "Your uncle is planning to make Yang Can take the blame when I make trouble this autumn."

Yu Rui asked, "Father, is this person worth recruiting?"

"Hmm..." Yu Huanhu stroked his beard and pondered.

(End of this chapter)