Grass and mustard reign supreme

Chapter 137 The Great Shift of the Universe

The courtyard where Yang Can lives has been completely completed.

The new wing rooms on the east and west sides have neat black tiles, and the side rooms that were expanded next to the main house are also tidy.

The blue tiles were weighed down by the thick snow, and the icicles hanging from the eaves were like crystal curtains, each about half a foot long.

Clearly, this place is already inhabited, and there is a sense of daily life here, which explains the icicles under the eaves.

When Yang Can first returned to the mountain, the servants and maids he brought back could only squeeze into the side courtyard of the eldest son's house with the servants and maids of the eldest son's house. They couldn't even find a complete kang mat.

Now they each have spacious accommodations, and with heated kang beds on winter nights, this winter will be much easier.

Yang Can, wearing a fox fur coat, led Leopard Head Cheng Dakuan on a thorough inspection of his courtyard, finally stopping at the rockery and pond behind the main house in the back courtyard.

A vermilion corridor encircles half of the pond, with the pond view inside and functional buildings such as a study and flower hall outside.

These are all places where the master of this place rests, entertains guests, or relaxes; the servants and maids naturally do not live here.

However, the scene of verdant artificial hills and bridges lying across the water is still just a dream, as the area is currently barren due to the season.

When construction first started in autumn, the entire Phoenix Mountain was still lush with vegetation. By the time the pavilions, terraces, and ditches were all in place, the cold winds brought snow, and the fresh water hadn't been brought in yet.

At this moment, the snow covered the pavilions and stone paths, making them appear much thinner and more desolate.

Cheng Dakuan followed behind Yang Can, wearing only a coarse cloth overcoat over his shorts, showing no sign of being cold.

"Elder, once the ice and snow melt in the spring, we can bring in fresh water. Then we can plant lotus flowers in the pond and release a few fish fry, and the scenery will come alive."

Cheng Dakuan said in a gruff voice, then pointed to the pond under the bridge: "Look, Elder Steward, the brick joints of this small bridge and the canal wall have been carefully smoothed with glutinous rice juice mixed with lime. They will withstand the frost when spring comes and they will never crack."

Yang Can walked along the small bridge to the snow-covered island in the middle of the pond and asked half-jokingly, "Have you settled the craftsmen's wages? Don't delay. If people block the gate demanding payment, I'll lose face."

"Rest assured, Grand Deacon!"

Cheng Dakuan also laughed: "Accountant Li personally oversaw the settlement, and everyone pressed their fingerprints, so there was not a single penny difference."

The first group of craftsmen who planned and designed the project were the first group, and the second group was the craftsmen who were invited from Tianshui in the early stages. All of them were paid in cash.

The craftsmen who finished the final work were all Xianbei men selected from the newly surrendered Bali tribe.

They didn't want money; Li, the accountant, paid them in grain based on their labor.

Everyone was beaming with joy as they carried their sacks of rice, saying they wouldn't go hungry this winter and were extremely grateful to the Grand Steward.

As they spoke, the two had already reached the artificial hill on the small island.

Yang Can glanced around; the corridor was empty, not a soul in sight.

Yang Can glanced back at Cheng Dakuan, then crouched down and slipped into the cave built inside the artificial hill.

Cheng Dakuan was not surprised at all, as if he had expected him to do this.

Cheng Dakuan also turned around and glanced around. He took off his coarse cloth robe and hung it on the jagged corner of the rock. Wearing only a short outfit, he stood firmly in a stance next to the artificial hill.

"drink!"

With a deep shout, Leopard Head exhaled and immediately began to unleash his fists and feet.

He practiced hard-hitting, solid kung fu; his fists flew with the wind, his elbows made a "whooshing" sound as they rose and fell, and every step he took on the snow sent snow flying.

When he unleashed his brute strength, he was truly as fierce and unparalleled as a leopard poised to pounce on its prey.

Inside the artificial cave was a hidden world. Yang Can reached out and pulled a jagged rock outward, revealing the entrance to a secret passage.

There was clearly a stone axle installed under the stone gate, and it was carefully oiled, so it was not only easy to pull, but also made no sound at all.

A torch was stuck in the wall of the secret passage. Yang Can took out a tinderbox from his pocket, lit it with a "whoosh", and the orange-red flame immediately illuminated the dark passage.

Yang Can bent down and crawled inside, and the stone door, which could only accommodate one person at a time, silently closed behind him.

Outside the cave, Cheng Dakuan's punches became increasingly fierce, the force of his fists and feet whipping up snowflakes that swirled into a small cloud of white mist beside the artificial hill.

His breathing was steady, and each punch was precise and powerful, but his gaze was not on the fists, but rather swept across the courtyard from time to time, as vigilant as a hawk.

……

In the back courtyard of Suo Chanzhi, the scenery of the artificial hill and pond was more than twice as spacious as the small world in Yang Can's courtyard.

In the depths of winter, the pond was frozen solid, and the snow covering the ice surface looked like a layer of fluffy white velvet.

Dozens of withered lotus leaves leaned precariously in the snow, their stems blackened and brittle, rustling in the biting wind.

On the east side of the pond stood an elegant brick and tile house, its windows covered with thick cotton paper, from which faint whispers could be heard.

This was originally a small study in the inner quarters. Ever since the male owner, Yu Chengye, passed away, the writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones have all been covered in dust and the door has never been opened again.

Now, this study, which is only a few dozen steps away from the main bedroom, has become the delivery room that Yang Can chose.

As Xiao Qingmei led the midwife Liu and the nurse Tao into the study, the three of them shuffled down and carefully looked around the room.

The study was originally divided into two rooms, an inner and an outer one. The outer room was spacious and bright, with a desk and armchairs, and was where the owner would meet with his confidants.

On the boundary between the inside and outside stands a rosewood bookshelf that reaches the ceiling, with ancient books neatly stacked on it, interspersed with a few small bronze tripods and antique porcelain vases.

The center of the bookshelf was carved into the shape of a full moon, forming an exquisite moon gate that connects to the inner room.

"This layout couldn't be better."

Tao reached out and ran his hand along the edge of the bookshelf. His fingertips touched the warm, smooth wood, and he couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

Her gaze swept over the treasures on the shelf, and she said, "New mothers should avoid being exposed to drafts. The windows in the outer room and the windows in the inner room should be covered tightly with thick curtains."

This bookshelf should also be covered with a layer of brocade, which will conveniently block the view of outsiders and prevent it from disturbing the pregnant woman.

Liu nodded and said, "The brocade will be embroidered with the pattern of a hundred children. That way, there will be a reason for it to be hung on the bookshelf, and it won't look out of place."

"A similar one also hangs above the moon gate."

Little Green Plum took two steps back and turned to examine the height of the moon gate: "But the curtain doesn't need to drag on the ground, lest it be too much."

The curtain should be knee-high enough so that anyone moving around inside can be seen from outside, which will reassure the people sent by the lord.

Liu and Tao quickly approached where she was standing and saw that from the outside, the curtain that reached her knees could just cover most of her figure, leaving only a small area of ​​ground. It was indeed appropriate, so they both nodded in agreement.

Xiao Qingmei immediately led the two into the inner room. The desk and chairs in the inner room had long been moved out, making the blue brick floor appear particularly empty.

Tao walked quickly to the center of the room and tapped the ground with her toes: "The birthing bed is placed here. It has good lighting and is close to the fire pit, so it's the most suitable place."

Liu squatted down, touched the cool blue bricks with her palms, and frowned slightly: "The ground needs to be covered with thick cashmere mats."

Firstly, it provides insulation and warmth; secondly, it allows us to walk back and forth quietly, ideally without making any noise at all.

“In the cold winter, braziers had to be placed in all four corners of the room.”

Tao's gaze swept across the corner of the room: "A kettle of hot water is hung above each brazier, so hot water is readily available. Refilling or changing the water will save maids and servants from having to come and go frequently, thus preventing drafts."

Xiao Qingmei memorized every word the two said and planned to ask the embroiderers in the embroidery workshop to make a brocade curtain with the design of a hundred children as soon as possible. She also planned to have the cashmere cushion and copper kettle prepared immediately.

Just then, the wooden screen carved with honeysuckle patterns on the north wall of the inner room suddenly slid aside without a sound.

The screen was perfectly flush with the wall, and the wood grain was aligned neatly, so no one would have guessed that it was a hidden door.

At that moment, the hidden door slid open silently, creating an entrance just large enough for a person to pass through, and Yang Can's figure walked out from inside.

When Liu and Tao were startled to see someone suddenly emerge from the wall, they both cried out "Ah!" and instinctively took half a step back, pressing their hands to their hearts.

Once they recognized Yang Can's familiar face, their tense bodies relaxed.

Only Xiao Qingmei remained calm, but when she turned to look at her man, a gentle smile appeared on her lips, clearly indicating that she had known all along that he would emerge from here.

Yang Can closed the hidden door behind him, raised his hand and made two gesturing gestures towards Liu and Tao, his voice very low: "No need for formalities."

His gaze swept across the study, inside and out, lingering for a moment on the moon gate and the brazier in the corner before he joined their discussion.

"You've all seen it? This is the place I'm most familiar with in the inner quarters. That's why this was the first place I thought of when choosing a delivery room; I felt it was the most suitable place for the delivery."

"Sister Liu and Sister Tao are both satisfied."

Xiao Qingmei stepped forward and stood next to Yang Can, explaining in detail the cotton curtain, brazier, cashmere mat, and other items they had just discussed.

Finally, she added, "There are still some issues regarding personnel. The clan leader will definitely send an old woman to keep an eye on things, and the Suo family will also send someone over."

Yang Can tapped the bookshelf beside him with his fingertips and said in a deep voice, "The people in the delivery room need to be decided: Liu Shi, Tao Shi, Qingmei, plus my trusted maid Yanzhi."

Yang Can paused, then added the people sent by the two families: "In that case, there are seven people including the woman in labor."

"If you include the baby in her belly, that makes eight." Tao covered her mouth and chuckled, and the atmosphere in the room relaxed a bit because of this joke.

Little Green Plum said, "There are already quite a few people. No matter who wants to add more, they can't. What we need to guard against is that old woman sent by the clan leader."

"That old woman is the easiest to deal with; just let her guard the outer room."

Liu Shi interjected, "To put it bluntly, it's to avoid suspicion for the new mother. If she dares to disobey, it will only give others something to gossip about."

"That being said, we cannot afford to take any chances."

Yang Can cautiously said, "We must consider all the worst-case scenarios. What if she insists on staying in the inner room?"

Liu said, "Unless she is a living god who can predict the future and knew we would have to change people, it's unlikely."

Tao said, "The Grand Steward is right. We can't be prepared for the worst, otherwise it will become a real problem if we encounter trouble."

"Master, have the matron sent by the Su family find a way to keep her in the outer room. Unless she comes here intending to offend the Su family and the young mistress, she won't insist on staying."

“That’s one idea.” Little Green Plum nodded. “Besides, I’m here too. If all else fails, I’ll create some trouble outside, which should be enough to lure her out for a while.”

“It’s not hard to lure them out, the hard part is how long to lure them out.” Yang Can walked to the moon gate and stared at the curtain in a daze: “The key is this time difference. We have to calculate every moment accurately.”

Although Liu and Tao had never heard of the term "time difference," they understood his meaning by considering the context.

Yang Can turned to look at Liu Shi and said in a serious tone, "Tell the truth, if that old woman is in the inner room, how much space can she leave for us after she is lured away?"

Also, how long does the most crucial step, from the moment the child arrives until the exchange is completed, take?

Liu closed her eyes and went through the delivery process in her mind. Of course, the normal delivery process is very slow, but now the plan is to switch immediately once a girl is born, so some steps can be omitted.

After considering the matter, Madam Liu opened her eyes and said, "As long as we can lure her out, and someone else stalls her with conversation, we can at least buy three breaths of time."

One breath is about three or four seconds, so three breaths is about ten seconds.

"We are very familiar with the birthing process."

Tao stretched out his fingers and counted: "The umbilical cord is cut as soon as the child is born, which is no faster than the snap of a finger."

"A snap of the fingers isn't enough."

In the blink of an eye, about ten seconds later, Liu immediately retorted: "The umbilical cord must be tied tightly with cotton thread soaked in strong liquor, and then cut with silver scissors. The bloodstains on the child's body must also be wiped off. How can it be done in such a hurry?"

"This is not a normal delivery; it's a baby swap."

Yang Can interrupted their argument: "We only need to do two things: deliver the baby and cut the umbilical cord. Everything else can be omitted."

After a moment of contemplation, Madam Liu finally nodded: "If we only consider these two steps, half a snap of the fingers would be enough."

"That's enough."

Tao added, "The umbilical cord of the newborn was smeared with some blood beforehand, so it looked exactly like it had just been cut."

We took the baby, tied the umbilical cord, and immediately switched the babies. The rest of the washing and wrapping was left to the people waiting in the secret passage.

Xiao Qingmei picked up the conversation and went into more detail: "The old woman was in the outer room. She could see the legs moving around inside and hear the noises through the curtain, so she wouldn't be too suspicious."

By the time she was led out and returned, we had already washed and wrapped the 'newborn' and placed it directly into the young mistress's arms. She wouldn't even be able to touch the child, so naturally she wouldn't notice anything amiss.

"There's another important point."

Tao suddenly stopped laughing and her expression became serious. "Most newborns cry when they are born. If two babies cry at the same time, or if the one that was switched is crying when it is taken away, it will be immediately obvious that the baby was switched."

Liu smiled confidently, took out a small package wrapped in oil paper from her clothes, and opened it to find some grayish-green hay.

“I already knew. This is ‘sleeping herb’ from the Western Regions, its scent is so faint that it’s almost undetectable.”

"I'll grind it into powder, wrap a little in a soft silk cloth, and bring it close to the child's mouth and nose; that will allow her to sleep peacefully for a quarter of an hour or two."

Yang Can asked nervously, "Babies cry when they are born, right? Won't forcing them not to cry hurt them?"

"Don't worry, Grand Deacon."

Liu quickly explained, "It's very common for newborns not to cry. When we deliver babies, we pat their feet to make them cry, just in case they have amniotic fluid stuck in their throats."

In our situation, we can take the baby into the secret passage as soon as he's born, and then make him cry in the secret room inside. It won't take more than half a cup of tea's time, and it won't harm the baby in the slightest."

Hearing that "it won't hurt the child," Yang Can finally relaxed.

If it comes at the cost of the child's health, he would rather accept the outcome of having a daughter. The eldest son's family is dissolved, so be it; he'll figure out the child's future later.

Hearing that the method was feasible, he finally felt relieved. Yang Can said, "In that case, I will add another layer of felt to the hidden door to absorb sound, and hang several more layers in the secret passage to ensure that no noise from inside can be heard."

"Then there will be no chance of anything going wrong!" Tao said with delight.

"I'll add another method."

Xiao Qingmei said, "I'll have two musicians play the zither in the next room, playing the young mistress's favorite tune. The music will drown out any slight noise from the inner room."

Yang Can clapped his hands approvingly and said, "Good! It's settled then. From today onwards, you will all practice here once a day, and you must time each step precisely."

Every conceivable contingency must be prepared in advance. There is absolutely no room for error in this matter.

……

The leaden-gray night enveloped Chicken and Goose Mountain completely.

There is no snow tonight, but the wind is strong in the mountain valley.

The wind whipped up snowflakes and swept across the bare treetops, making a whooshing sound.

Yang Can pulled the earmuffs of his thick felt hat tighter, leaving only his eyes exposed. His boots crunched on the frozen snow.

Leopard Head followed closely beside him, his right hand always resting on the hilt of his knife.

No living creature can hide within thirty paces of this place, unless it is buried under three feet of snow.

But the more this happened, the more vigilant he became.

Finally, a dark mass of houses came into view ahead.

Just then, a burst of goose calls suddenly erupted from the orchard, shattering the deathly silence of the night.

The geese in the pen flapped their wings, stretched their necks, and called out energetically.

"Shh...don't make a sound." A clear, childlike voice rang out, and two small figures wrapped in bulky, thick coats ran over.

Their little hands, red from the cold, gently stroked the goose's neck. The goose recognized its little owners who fed it, so it gradually folded its flapping wings, tilted its head, rubbed against their palms, and curled back into the haystack.

Leopard Head stopped in front of the third row of houses. These houses were all made of thick adobe bricks, with cracks in the walls. They were so ugly that they were not presentable, but they were better at keeping out the wind and cold than brick houses.

Of these three rows of houses, the last row was inhabited by homeless widows and pregnant women, and the orchard gardener was not allowed to approach. Only the orphans living in the first two rows were allowed to come and go freely.

Two little girls were huddled in the corner, their sleeves pulled up tightly, their necks almost tucked into their collars, their round faces turning purple from the cold.

Finally seeing Yang Can, Yang He hurriedly wiped her snot on her sleeve, afraid that her godfather would see her disheveled appearance.

Yang Xiao wasn't much better off. She hastily wiped away the snot that had gotten from her nose, then strode over to meet her with her short legs.

"Godfather!" The two little girls' voices were crisp and clear.

"Why are you waiting here? Don't you feel cold?" Yang Can quickly went up to them and pinched their cheeks. Wow, they were as cold as ice cubes.

"We're afraid our godfather won't be able to find his way."

Yang Xiao tilted her little face up, pursed her lips which were red from the cold, and hurriedly boasted, "I only told Xiao San and Xiao Si to help watch the geese. The younger ones are all asleep, they don't know that Godfather is coming."

"Xiaoxiao is so clever." Yang Can smiled and ruffled her hat. "Come on, let's go inside and warm up, or your ears will freeze off."

The light was still on in the last room of the house. Yang He rushed forward and pushed open the door, and a warm feeling mixed with charcoal fire and herbs instantly rushed out.

Inside the house, a pit was burning, and the flickering flames bathed the walls in a warm orange glow.

Zhu Sha was standing by the table, gesturing at a small figure made of straw wrapped in rags. Beside her sat an old woman with gray hair, who was teaching her how to change the swaddling clothes of a newborn baby.

The sound of the door opening startled the people inside. Zhu Sha looked up first and immediately saw Yang Can. Her originally calm eyes lit up instantly.

She hurriedly put down the doll in her hand, quickly stepped forward, curtsied, and said happily, "Master."

"How's your learning going?" Yang Can asked with a smile as he approached, his gaze sweeping over the cloth figure on the table before returning to her slightly flushed face.

Seeing this, the old midwife grinned from ear to ear: "Master Yang is here! Zhu Sha is a really good child. Don't let his quiet nature fool you, he's very thoughtful."

Of the four people who studied with me, she learned the fastest and most thoroughly.

Everyone else had gone to sleep, but she kept pestering me to practice repeatedly. She was so diligent and obedient—a truly rare find!

Zhu Sha's cheeks flushed from the praise. She quickly glanced at Yang Can and saw him looking at her with a smile. She quickly lowered her head, her ear tips turning bright red.

Yang Can sent Yang Xiao and Yang He to warm themselves by the fire on the heated brick bed, then sat down at the table and looked at Zhu Sha: "Are the skills you've learned now enough?"

Zhu Sha pursed her lips, wanting to say that she had learned it all, but afraid of appearing arrogant. Just as she hesitated, the old midwife spoke first.

"That's enough, that's enough! The skills of assisting with childbirth may seem complicated, but once you've mastered them, they're not that difficult. The other three, on the other hand, aren't as clever as Zhu Sha, and their hands and feet aren't as nimble as hers."

The three who followed suit were all pregnant women who were still in the early stages of pregnancy, so naturally they couldn't compare to Zhu Sha.

"It's good that you've learned it."

Yang Can nodded, his tone becoming lighter: "You'll come back to the mountain with me later, and we'll start teaching Rouge tomorrow. From now on, you'll not only have to take care of me, but you'll also have to learn how to take care of children, understand?"

"Mmm! Mmm!" Zhu Sha was introverted and didn't like to talk much. She just nodded her head quickly, like a chick pecking at rice.

She used to take care of the master, then she had to take care of the master's children, and perhaps in the future she will be able to take care of both the master and her own children...

Thinking about it, her fingertips felt warm, and her heart was so happy it felt like it was about to jump out of her chest.

Yang Xiao and Yang He added some new firewood, and the fire in the heated brick bed crackled and popped, sparks jumping up and making the room even brighter.

Yang Can turned to the old midwife and asked, "Are the ladies who are about to give birth still feeling stable?"

The old midwife had been staying here for almost half a month and knew the condition of each pregnant woman very well. She told them everything in detail, even who was prone to leg cramps at night and who had a poor appetite.

"Okay." Yang Can breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this. "I'll arrange for a doctor to stay nearby tomorrow, so we can call him over whenever there's any trouble. We'll have to trouble you with these women in labor, Auntie."

The old midwife had no children and had been a midwife her whole life. Now that she was old and her hands and feet were getting slower, fewer and fewer people were willing to hire her.

Living here now, I don't have to spend a penny on food, clothing, or daily necessities, and I even get paid every day. It's like a windfall.

Besides, these pregnant women won't give birth until six months later at the latest, so she couldn't wait to keep doing this job.

The old midwife waved her hand and said with a smile, "No trouble at all, Mr. Yang, don't worry, I will take good care of them!"

P.S.: During the meeting, I'll only be updating once a day, but each update will be at least 6,000 words long, so don't worry!
(End of this chapter)