Grass and mustard reign supreme

Chapter 88 Cicada and Mantis (Bonus Chapter)
Leopard Head is loyal and highly skilled in martial arts; he's perfectly capable of killing or guarding.

But to ask him to manage the warehouse's finances, keep accounts, and inventory goods is simply a pipe dream.

Leopard Head is barely literate and can't even read the simplest ledgers. Putting him in charge of finances is like throwing money into a fire.

As for Li Damu, Yang Can was even more worried.

The only reason he could get Li Damu to obey was by exploiting Li Damu's weaknesses.

If we were to hand over the affairs of the warehouse to Li Damu now, wouldn't that be handing over our weaknesses to him?
If Li Damu ever becomes too powerful and uses the warehouse issue to blackmail me, that would be a real problem.

Yang Can suddenly realized that he didn't have a single confidant he could truly trust and entrust with important matters.

As the morning light gradually rose, it stretched his shadow long, casting it on the bluestone path, making him appear particularly lonely.

He looked down at the moon-white long robe he was wearing, then looked up at the towering eaves of Feng'anzhuang Fortress.

Looking up at the sky above the fortified village, one sees a vermilion gate above the clouds, behind which lies the power and wealth he yearns to reach yet remains unknown.

What he wanted was far more than what he had in front of him. What did a mere warehouse in Tianshui City and a few boxes of gold and silver jewelry amount to?
But he knew in his heart that what he would have in the future might not all be out in the open.

Those shady deals and risky schemes all require someone to stand by him, cover for him, and help him protect himself.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Suo Chanzhi, nor that he didn't cherish the little green plum who always had a touch of naivety.

Now they are all in the same boat. If the boat capsizes, neither Yang Can nor Suo Chanzhi and Xiao Qingmei will have an easy time.

This relationship of shared prosperity and shared loss is something both parties are well aware of and need no further explanation.

However, the enormous Suo family behind Suo Chanzhi was like a hidden thorn coated with deadly poison, making it impossible for him to fully trust the two women.

If one day, Yang Can's interests clash with the foundation of the Suo family, and he has no choice but to confront the Suo family, on which side will the woman who has been intimate with him and whispered sweet nothings in his ear stand?
"Everyone can be a husband, but there is only one father. How can they be compared?"

This ancient phrase, like a ghostly whisper from the underworld, echoed repeatedly in his mind, refusing to leave.

He knew all too well that this statement was no exaggeration in this era.

The weight of family is heavier than Mount Tai, deeply ingrained in everyone's bones and soul, almost becoming an instinct that requires no thought.

Especially for women like Suo Chanzhi, who grew up immersed in a true aristocratic family, they grew up hearing the admonitions of "loyalty and filial piety as the family tradition" and "the clan comes first." Those rules were already engraved in their bones, far more deeply rooted than the love between men and women or the morality between allies.

I must cultivate a group of people.

Even Qin Hui had three good friends, so how could I, Yang Can, be inferior to that infamous villain who has been cursed for all time?
Yang Can pondered to himself, "I need some confidants who share my interests and are willing to entrust their lives to me."

Their honor or disgrace rests solely on my shoulders!
Their future can only be fulfilled by me!
Only in this way can I stand firm in the storms of the future, and have enough confidence to confront behemoths like the Suo or Yu families in the future.

Zhang Yunyi, who was chatting and laughing with several manor owners, never took his eyes off Yang Can out of the corner of his eye.

He was already wary of Yang Can, and seeing Yang Can's lowered eyebrows, solemn expression, and thoughtful look, he couldn't help but feel a chill.

Why is he so preoccupied when Young Master Yu has only been gone for a short time?
Did Young Master Yu say something to him, or is he plotting something new?
A sense of unease crept into Zhang Yunyi's heart, but his smile remained unchanged as he chatted and laughed with Du Pingping, Zhao Shanhe, and others beside him.

They talked about the customs of the Dragon Boat Festival for a while, and praised the current prosperity of Feng'an Village, as if they hadn't noticed anything.

……

The news that Yu Rui visited Feng'an Village and left hastily before the Dragon Boat Festival banquet began spread quickly.

The message was delivered by spies planted by the owners and ranchers of Feng'an Village who had not yet arrived.

These farm owners and ranchers had already prepared carefully selected gifts and had been waiting near Feng'an Village for a long time.

They wanted to find out Yang Can's background and also see Yu Rui's attitude, so they remained inactive.

Upon receiving news from their trusted confidants that Yu Rui had left, they all rose and, with their servants and gifts, headed towards Feng'an Village.

As soon as they arrived outside Feng'an Village, they saw the newly erected stone tablet by the roadside.

The stone tablet had a hard black stone base, and the large vermilion characters carved on it were particularly eye-catching. Under the setting sun, they gleamed with a dazzling red light, as if silently proclaiming something.

"A Monument to Encourage Farmers!"

Someone squeezed out those three words through gritted teeth, their voice filled with barely concealed disgust and resentment.

This damn monument!
Although Yang Can, the newly appointed steward of Feng'an Village, has not yet personally visited their village for "inspection," the "Encouraging Farmers Stele" engraved with his name has already been forcibly erected in the most conspicuous position at the entrance and exit of each village.

Every morning, as the farmers leave the village with their hoes to work in the fields, the first thing they see is this cold stone.

When farmers returned home at dusk, the stone still stood there, like a pair of invisible yet omnipresent eyes, constantly reminding them:
Above them, besides the manor lord they had obeyed for generations, was a steward named Yang who could control their manor lord.

This means that they can no longer do whatever they want on their estates as they used to.

The amount of land must not be concealed too much, the number of people must not be hidden too blatantly, and not a penny of taxes should be missed. Those underhanded tricks and irregular methods must be curbed.

"How infuriating! How hateful!"

The manor lords cursed Yang Can a thousand times in their hearts, but on the surface they had to put on a solemn and respectful appearance, and they all stopped and stood there as if they were admiring some sacred object.

They knew in their hearts that Yang Can's men were definitely watching them.

After walking a hundred paces into the manor, servants from Feng'an Fort came forward to greet you.

These servants were neatly dressed and behaved properly. The process of receiving them was strictly regulated and meticulous, without the slightest negligence.

Everyone quickly composed themselves, suppressed their discontent, and followed the lead servants into the manor.

Although Zhang Yunyi was the head of a manor, his family also owned a lot of hidden fields and households, which were not easy to show to others. Furthermore, he partnered with the elusive "Mountain Master" to do business selling mountain goods. Over the years, they made a fortune and could be considered a wealthy household in the area.

But in the end, he was still a nobody, and he carried an indelible air of nouveau riche.

The young Qingmei, who was in charge of the Dragon Boat Festival banquet, was completely different from Zhang Yunyi. Qingmei grew up in a true aristocratic family. Even though these powerful families in Longshang did not adhere to the elaborate rituals and ancient etiquette as strictly as the gentry in the Central Plains, many rules and customs that had been passed down for hundreds of years had long been integrated into their blood.

Just like Dugu Jingyao, whom we've met before, her walking posture and tone of voice reveal her extraordinary family background to those who truly understand the world.

Xiao Qingmei could actually see that Dugu Jingyao was extraordinary, but she was initially overwhelmed by Dugu Jingyao's otherworldly and ethereal temperament, and assumed that she was a hermit cultivator, without considering that she was a noble lady from a prominent family.

Now, with Xiao Qingmei handling the entire Dragon Boat Festival feast, the many details showcase the family's refined style.

Even the smallest details, like the placement of utensils at a banquet, such as aligning celadon bowls with bamboo chopsticks and ensuring the spout of a wine pot faces outwards;
The servants should stand three feet behind the guests, and should not move around or speak casually.
The order in which guests are welcomed should be based on their status and rank, and they should be introduced in sequence without being confused.

All of this followed the unwritten rules within the powerful families, proceeding in an orderly manner.

These plantation owners and ranchers may not be able to pinpoint the exact origins of these rules or explain their intricacies, but they can keenly perceive the distinct "flavor" within them.

That kind of luxurious atmosphere is not something that can be built up by money alone. Rather, it is an invisible barrier that requires time to accumulate, family heritage, and generations of cultivation to cultivate. It is a height that ordinary wealthy families can never reach.

The crowd felt an indescribable sense of apprehension and awe towards Deacon Yang, whom they had long heard of but never met.

……

Yu Rui's convoy left Feng'anzhuang and traveled no more than ten miles northeast along the dusty official road.

As a dark, dense forest came into view ahead, that was the infamous Iron Forest Ridge.

Yu Rui suddenly gently pulled on the reins, and the horse beneath him let out a loud snort and came to a stop.

His sharp gaze swept towards the dense forest to the side, where he saw a rider emerge silently from the woods.

The man sitting on the horse was lean and capable, with his lips pressed into a straight line. A gleaming ring-pommel sword hung at his waist. He was Kang Zhengyi, the third brother of Kang Zhengyang.

"I have met Young Master Yu."

Kang Zhengyi dismounted from his horse and clasped his hands in a salute.

Yu Rui's gaze swept carefully over Kang Zhengyi, and he asked, "Did Master Yang send you?"

"Yes!" Kang Zhengyi's answer was so concise it was almost stingy; he wouldn't say a single extra word.

Yu Rui's lips curved upwards almost imperceptibly, revealing a satisfied smile.

This person is sparing with words and decisive in his actions, which suits his tastes.

Throughout history, those who are reserved in their speech have often been better at keeping secrets and have inspired greater confidence in others.

It seems that Yang Can acted as he expected, cautious and meticulous, disliking leaving any traces, and even choosing such a suitable person to guide him.

Yu Rui nodded slightly, his tone softening: "Thank you for leading the way."

Kang Zhengyi nodded, still without saying anything more, and deftly turned his horse around. His movements were clean and efficient, without the slightest hesitation.

Yu Rui turned his head and instructed the men behind him: "The caravan will continue along the original route and hand over the goods at the warehouse in Tianshui City. There must be no mistakes. Leave one team of guards with me, and the rest of you will travel with the caravan."

The camel caravan continued onward, gradually disappearing at the end of the official road. Yu Rui, accompanied by only a dozen or so elite guards, followed Kang Zhengyi and plunged into the dark, dense forest beside the road.

The forest was lush with trees and intertwined branches, making it difficult for sunlight to penetrate. The light suddenly dimmed, and the air was filled with the smell of damp earth and decaying leaves.

No one dared to be careless; they all drew their weapons and cautiously observed the surrounding movements.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a wide-open space suddenly appeared in front of them.

In the open space, four inconspicuous black-awning carriages were parked. Some dry leaves were on the carriage shafts, the curtains were tightly closed, and there were neither drivers nor guards.

One of Yu Rui's entourage immediately dismounted, silently walked to the carriage, carefully inspected it, and after confirming that there was nothing wrong, acted as a temporary driver and pulled the reins.

The group drove the four seemingly empty carriages westward, meandering along a more secluded path through the woods.

Not long after the convoy left, two cute little braids peeked out from behind a huge pine tree not far from where they had stopped.

Immediately afterwards, a round, disc-shaped face appeared, covered with a thick, bushy beard that almost completely obscured most of the face.

His hair was loose over his shoulders, except for the hair at his temples, which was carefully braided into small braids and hung down on his unusually broad shoulders.

This typical "suotou" hairstyle clearly indicates that he is a Xianbei.

"They're acting suspiciously; something's definitely up!"

The girl with the round face and pigtails lowered her voice, her tone filled with barely suppressed excitement.

Another person emerged from the shadow of another tree nearby.

This person had a thin face, long, narrow single eyelids, a cunning look, and a sparse beard. He looked much more clever than the round-faced man with the pigtail.

He gently patted the round-faced boy with the braid on the shoulder and whispered, "Yang Can, that rascal, really can't hold his temper."

We only kidnapped two of his servants to test him, and he panicked and made such a fuss to search the estate.

Today, they suddenly drove these four empty carts away from the village; they're probably just using them to move those 'mountain goods'."

The round-faced boy with the pigtail chuckled and said smugly, "Sir, your 'knocking on the mountain to scare the tiger' move is truly brilliant! With just a light tap, this 'tiger' can't sit still anymore."

"Keep a close eye on them and leave marks along the way. I'll go report to the magistrate," the long-faced man solemnly instructed.

"Don't worry! I guarantee there won't be any problems!" The round-faced girl with braids patted her chest confidently.

Soon, the two led their horses out from deeper in the woods and galloped off in different directions.

(End of this chapter)