Grass and mustard reign supreme

Chapter 97 A Man's Mouth
On early summer nights, the wormwood in the open fields grows almost waist-high, its lush green leaves gleaming faintly in the moonlight.

As the night wind blew, the entire field of wormwood rippled into black waves, the rustling sound particularly clear in the open wilderness, even drowning out the distant chirping of insects.

Kang Zhengyi, accompanied by Yu Rui and a group of more than ten followers, finally arrived at the valley where the armor was buried.

Yu Rui ordered his men to rest on the spot at the mouth of the valley, dig some fire-free pits, and cook some dry food for dinner.

He then led three or four trusted followers, following Kang Zhengyi deeper into the valley.

Although Kang Zhengyi had never been to this valley before, he often went hunting outside the village and was very familiar with the terrain near Canglang Gorge.

This area is close to the settlement of the Xianbei Balimo tribe. Other hunters rarely come here for fear of getting into trouble, which has led to a significant increase in the number of prey in the area.

Kang Zhengyi was highly skilled and daring. He not only frequently wandered around this area, but also memorized every mountain valley and every stream.

At this moment, he was even more adept at leading the way, and he didn't even miss a single fork in the road.

Moreover, Yang Can had already told him that there were three large pine trees standing side by side as a marker at the place where the armor was buried.

If you find these three trees, you can find the armor.

The two soon spotted the three large pine trees, their trunks thick and their branches lush, resembling three dark towers in the night.

If you look closely with a torch, you can clearly see the traces of human digging and backfilling on the ground.

The armor was buried quite deep. Yu Rui's men had prepared hoes beforehand, and it took them almost half an hour to dig out the lacquered cloth wrapped around the armor.

Yu Rui drew his sword, slashed it hard on the lacquered cloth, then grabbed both sides of the cloth with both hands and tore it apart forcefully.

With a "rip," the lacquered cloth was torn open, revealing neatly stacked armor.

Those armors were all two-piece suits of fine iron, with plates that gleamed with a cold metallic luster and edges that were polished very smoothly; they were clearly top-quality.

"Good! Good! It really is a two-piece armor made of fine iron!"

Yu Rui's eyes lit up as he looked at the armor. He reached out and stroked the armor, feeling the hardness and coldness of the metal through his fingertips. He didn't even care that the luxurious gold-embroidered sleeves were covered in dirt.

Yu Rui took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and ordered his subordinates, "Everyone, go and eat something first, then rest here! Tomorrow morning, dig out all the armor and load it onto the carts!"

It was too late, and it was pitch black. Even if they dug out all the armor, they couldn't travel through the night with torches.

Leaving when it's light tomorrow morning is the safest option.

Five or six miles from the mountain pass, in the overgrown weeds, the scout sent by Ba Limo knelt on one knee and said in a very low voice: "Chief, the mountain range ahead is where Yu Rui and the others entered."

This area is all barren and flat. It's alright at night, as there are waist-high wormwood bushes to hide in, but during the day, there's nothing left to hide in.

The man dared not get too close, fearing discovery, so he couldn't see which valley they entered, but it was definitely within this area.

With that, he raised his hand and pointed forward. The mountains ahead were hidden in the thick darkness of the night, their outlines blurred, like a lurking beast, exuding a sinister aura.

Ba Limo looked in the direction he pointed, and he was already about 80% sure.

Yu Rui and his group arrived here late at night, their target undoubtedly the mysterious batch of "mountain goods".

After all, apart from that batch of goods, there was nothing else that warranted such a large-scale mobilization.

Since that's the case, he's no longer flustered.

Bald Falcon valued that shipment more than his own life; he wanted to see just what kind of treasure it was.

If the shipment is worth the risk, he'll double-cross it, taking it all for himself. This would both strengthen his own power and teach Bald Falcon a lesson.

If the goods weren't worth it, he would return them to Bald Falcon. This way, not only would the Bald tribe stop causing trouble for the Bald tribe, but the Bald family would also owe him a huge favor. No matter how you looked at it, it wouldn't be a loss.

Ba Limo nodded: "It's alright, they'll come out eventually. Let's rest here and wait for them to walk right into our trap."

After saying this, he ordered his men to hide in the tall grass, leaving only two scouts to take turns on guard duty, while the others took the time to rest and recharge, waiting for tomorrow's "good show".

In the woods on the other side, Bald Falcon sat on a cold boulder, holding a wine flask in his hand, and took a big gulp of strong liquor.

The wine dripped from the corner of his mouth onto his clothes, soaking the dark fabric, but he didn't care at all, he just wiped his mouth vigorously.

Just then, the attendant who had been sent to keep watch rushed over: "Sir, Balimo and the others... they're not leaving!"

They set up camp in the tall grass ahead, seemingly intending to spend the night in the wilderness!

Bald Falcon slowly stood up and looked up at the mountain range in front of him.

This is clearly near Canglang Gorge. That bastard Balimo really wanted to take advantage of Yang Can's banquet to sneak back to the tribe.

But why did he leave without saying goodbye?
Could it be... that he found out about my plan to have my elder brother take the opportunity to annex the Bali tribe?
That doesn't make sense. How could he possibly have noticed?

After thinking for a long time without being able to figure it out, Bald Falcon simply gave up on thinking about it.

Who cares why he wants to leave? As long as I can keep Balimo here, the Bali tribe will be leaderless, and my elder brother can easily take over the Bali tribe's territory and livestock.

However, the prerequisite for success is that not a single person pulling the final force can escape.

Otherwise, once the news leaks and the Bali tribe becomes prepared, it will be difficult to annex them.

Thinking of this, a cold killing intent flashed in the eyes of the bald-headed Falcon Demon.

He suddenly drew the curved sword from his waist, its blade gleaming coldly in the moonlight, much like an icicle in the dead of winter.

Bald Falcon said in a deep voice, "Get everything ready! Check all the bows and arrows and scimitars carefully!"
"Follow me, we're going to hunt down these wolf cubs. Don't let a single one escape!"

……

"You're too kind, Qingmei. It's getting late, and Rena is just about to take her leave." Rena simply smiled in response to Qingmei's hostile provocation.

Qingmei's eyes looked just like those of a little animal guarding its food.

With her years of experience traveling between the East and the West with her father, Rena has a remarkable ability to recognize people and their true colors.

In fact, when she first arrived at Feng'an Fort, she could tell that the pretty housekeeper had unusual feelings for her master.

Whenever Qingmei, the housekeeper, looked at Yang Can, her eyes always held an undisguised dependence and joy, and even her tone of voice would unconsciously soften.

If any other woman gets close to Yang Can, a look of wariness will immediately appear in her eyes.

The misunderstanding that Yang Can had previously caused by mistakenly having her wait for a bath with Qingmei was like a key that completely revealed Qingmei's true feelings.

Therefore, the clever Rena immediately put up a truce.

Rena gracefully walked out of the flower hall, her skirt swaying gently with each step.

The early summer night still had the unique coolness of Longshang. The night breeze passed through the corridor, swirling up a few petals that had fallen to the ground, and they drifted away.

As Rena walked, the curves of her waist and hips swayed naturally, exuding a unique charm characteristic of women from other lands.

As soon as she entered, Rena tactfully left, which made Qingmei feel like a little lioness who had reclaimed her male lion, and a sense of pride welled up in her heart.

But looking at Rena's curvaceous figure, she still felt a strong urge to pick up a bow.

Hmm... a ruler will do too.

Qingmei glanced at the boxwood ruler next to Yang Can.

Yang Can also had a Persian glass cup beside him, filled with deep red wine.

The glass gleamed under the candlelight, and the wine inside reflected a reddish glow.

Were those two drinking together just now?

And... we're still sharing this one cup?
Qingmei's gaze swept across the table, but she didn't find a second glass cup.

Yang Can picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp. He then said to Qingmei, "It seems those Xianbei people aren't coming back. Let's have the inn cleaned up tomorrow."

"Okay!" Qingmei immediately agreed, her voice carrying a hint of deliberate submissiveness.

A sense of crisis made her start to pay attention to her demeanor. When she walked towards Yang Can, she deliberately walked gracefully, her skirt swaying gently, trying her best to show her gentle side.

She walked to the table, picked up the wine bottle next to her, and refilled Yang Can's glass. She asked casually, "What were you and Miss Rena talking about just now, sir? You seemed to be having a very pleasant conversation."

"It was nothing, we just talked about some business matters."

Yang Can answered casually, his gaze falling on Qingmei's hand as she poured the wine. Seeing that her movements were a little stiff, he added, "Qingmei, you are the head steward of the Yang family and the person I trust the most. That has never changed."

He paused slightly, his tone becoming more serious, with a hint of worry as he admonished, "However, everyone has their strengths. You are good at managing the affairs of the household and keeping the family in good order, that is your skill."

Rena is skilled in business and familiar with the trade routes and market conditions in the Western Regions, which is her advantage.

You just need to do your job well. The business affairs that Rena is in charge of are very important to me, to you, and even to the future of the entire Yang family.

You absolutely must not interfere with her.

Yang Can's words were made in concern that a situation of "a layman directing a professional" would arise, affecting the progress of the business plan.

But to Qingmei, it sounded completely different.

Men and women think differently, and all she could glean from those words was the disappointment and resentment that "you value her but not me."

"Where can I have it..."

Qingmei gritted her teeth, suppressing the bitterness in her heart, and forced a smile, but her voice trembled slightly.

"Aren't they well-behaved? They've been treating you like their own master for a long time."

"It's full."

Yang Can suddenly spoke up to remind him, his gaze falling on the glass, where the wine was spilling out.

"ah!"

Qingmei snapped out of her daze, quickly put down the wine bottle, and hurriedly grabbed a clean rag from the side to wipe the wine that had spilled onto the table. As she wiped with her head down, a hot tear suddenly fell onto the table with a "plop," leaving a small wet patch.

Then, more tears rolled down, landing on the table and the back of my hand.

Qingmei could no longer hold back; her shoulders trembled slightly, and she let out a suppressed sob.

Yang Can's eyes widened in surprise, his face blank.

I haven't even started giving you any instructions yet, I just gave you a few simple words, and I was tactful enough with my words, so why are you crying?

"Qingmei, what's wrong with you? Why are you crying all of a sudden?"

"This servant doesn't know... doesn't know why the master doesn't like me anymore..."

Qingmei sobbed as she spoke, her shoulders trembling even more violently, her voice filled with grievance.

"Since I came to Feng'an Fort with you, what's inside this fort?"

With dozens of new people suddenly added, have you ever worried about who should do what every day, or what rules should be established in the mansion?
Do you think that the food, clothing, daily necessities, and other necessities of dozens of people can be kept in good order without anyone managing them?
You get upset just because I asked you to look at the account books, sir.

But setting up accounts, purchasing, repairing, and spending—which of these wasn't my responsibility?

"You're the boss; you casually mention wanting to hold a Dragon Boat Festival banquet and then you don't care about anything else."

Qingmei's voice was choked with sobs, carrying a hint of accusation.

Do you know how many things need to be taken care of inside and outside this Dragon Boat Festival banquet, from top to bottom?

From ingredient procurement to banquet setup, from guest reception to servant arrangement,
If any small detail goes wrong, you, Deacon Yang, will lose all face!

I'm busy from morning till night, I don't even have time to eat or drink.

Lying in bed at night, I was still thinking about what I had accomplished and what I hadn't yet explained.

"I work so hard, when have I ever complained to you?"

Little Qingmei sobbed, her tears flowing even more fiercely.

"Oh, now that you have someone new, you look down on me."

What did I say about her that made you feel sorry for her and start criticizing me?

Qingmei rolled up her sleeves, wiped away her tears fiercely, and sobbed uncontrollably.

"Alright, I won't get in your way. I'll go back to Phoenix Manor first thing tomorrow morning!"

If you think I'm leaving too late, I'll pack my things right now and get out tonight!

Yang Can had never experienced anything like this before. When he saw Qingmei crying so pitifully, his heart softened immediately.

After listening to her heartfelt confession, I realized that I had indeed neglected her feelings.

Yang Can quickly pulled her into his arms and coaxed her gently.

"Oh dear, look at you! What are you doing!"

I didn't say anything harsh, I was just giving a casual reminder.

I was afraid you'd overthink it, but it just made you overthink it instead.

He patted Qingmei on the back, his tone becoming increasingly gentle.

"I don't know much about business, and you don't know much about it either, right?"

Let's let someone who knows how do it do it.

I know you haven't done anything outrageous, and I know you wouldn't deliberately target Rena.

My philosophy is 'If you doubt someone, don't use them; if you use someone, don't doubt them,' so that people don't feel like we're constantly on guard against her.

Yang Can paused for a moment, then chuckled and said, "If we're talking about trust, who in the manor can compare to you?"

The accounts and keys of the mansion are all under your management, and you arrange my three meals a day.

"You could poison me with just a word; don't I trust you enough?"

Qingmei couldn't help but burst out laughing, but then felt a little embarrassed and quickly straightened her face.

"You deserve to be poisoned. If you provoke me again, I'll poison you tomorrow."

Xiao Qingmei playfully shook off Yang Can's hand and picked up the full glass of red wine on the table.

She tilted her head back, drank it down without hesitation, and coughed a few times because she choked.

Yang Can gently patted her back and said with a smile, "Are you not angry anymore? Of course I know how hard you've worked. I've seen it all and I remember it all."

Seeing Qingmei's complexion gradually ease, Yang Can's eyes darted around, and he let out a long sigh, his tone carrying a hint of deliberate weariness.

"I know you have a lot on your shoulders and you are very tired, but I am just as tired."

Yang Can walked to the chair and sat down, resting his hands on his forehead, looking utterly exhausted.

"I originally thought that with my past relationship with Yu Chengye, even if I couldn't become a secretary, the Yu family could still give me a stable place to live, and I could live a peaceful life without any troubles."

But who knew... ever since I got involved in the conflict between the Yu and Su families, it's been like a knife to my throat. Do you understand that kind of heart-pounding fear of losing my head at any moment?

He shook his head, his face full of melancholy: "To outsiders, I seem to have a very leisurely life every day, nothing more than welcoming guests, drinking and having fun."

But little did they know how many people were plotting against me in secret, trying to kill me. I couldn't even sleep peacefully.

"You know how big the project we're planning is."

If things go wrong, the vine might still have a chance to survive, but I will certainly not.

Do you think I'm having an easy time right now?

Yang Can's voice carried a hint of weariness and bitterness, as if he had finally found an opportunity to vent his pent-up grievances.

"The reason I value Rena so much is that I want to use business to tie the stewards of the eldest son's family to us."

They wanted to strengthen themselves so that they would be able to cope with future crises.

Otherwise, if this business fails, and we don't have enough resources, what will happen in six months...?

Have you thought about what awaits us six months from now?

Yang Can raised his head, his eyes filled with "pain".

Do you know what it feels like to constantly think about the possibility of dying in six months?

Qingmei was moved; the grievances in her heart were instantly replaced by heartache, and she even felt a little guilty.

If it weren't for them, Yang Can wouldn't have been involved in this conflict, and he wouldn't be facing the crisis he's in now.

Ultimately, it was they who dragged him into this mess.

Because she had just gulped down a glass of wine, her fair face was flushed, and her eyes had become somewhat hazy.

She couldn't help but walk up to Yang Can, gently tug at his sleeve, her voice soft and tender, tinged with guilt and dependence.

"Master, please don't be sad... It's my fault, I shouldn't have thought of you that way, I shouldn't have misunderstood you..."

Yang Can sensed Qingmei's softening attitude, and a subtle, almost imperceptible smile appeared on his lips, so quick that it was impossible to catch.

He quickly regained his pained expression, stood up, gently embraced Qingmei, and stroked her shoulders and back, his tone becoming increasingly tender.

"I know you mean well, but you sometimes tend to overthink things."

Don't do this again. Who does Rena think she is?

In my heart, you are the most important person, and of course I trust you the most.

"Ok!"

Qingmei's heart was completely melted by these sweet words, and all her grievances and dissatisfaction vanished.

She looked up at Yang Can, her eyes filled with dependence and shyness, her cheek pressed against his chest, where she could clearly feel his heartbeat.

Looking at her charming appearance, Yang Can couldn't help but feel a surge of desire. He could no longer suppress the excitement in his heart and suddenly lowered his head to kiss her lips, which were as tender and sweet as apricots.

Qingmei froze, her hands instinctively pushing against Yang Can's chest, trying to break free, but the force was as soft as cotton.

A moment later, she completely gave up resisting. She slowly closed her eyes, then slowly raised her chin to meet his kiss.

Then, a pair of arms gently wrapped around Yang Can's neck, allowing him to take whatever he wanted.

In a moment of passion and confusion, Yang Can swept her up in his arms, and Qingmei nestled obediently against him, feeling the strength of his arms.

Yang Can carried her through the small door of the flower hall and into his bedroom.

It wasn't until she was placed on the soft couch that Qingmei suddenly realized something was wrong. Her cheeks flushed red, and she tried to struggle to sit up.

But Yang Can had already casually lowered the curtain from the golden hook. The pale purple curtain slowly fell, isolating the two of them from the outside world.

The curtain seemed to possess a strange magic; once it fell, Qingmei's struggles ceased.

An ambiguous atmosphere permeated the space within the curtains.

The curtains trembled slightly, making this early summer night seem especially tender...

(End of this chapter)