Grass and mustard reign supreme

Chapter 146 Ancient Trees and New Branches

Yu Xinglong's fingertips caressed the edge of the teacup, the coolness of the celadon seeping into his skin through his fingertips.

In that moment of silence, the usual warm smile on his face was gradually solidifying, eventually turning into a deep solemnity.

"The Yu family is like an ancient tree rooted in the Guanzhong Plain."

If you wish to seek shelter under its protection, it will shield you from the clash of swords and the harshness of wind and frost.

He paused, then let out a long, drawn-out sigh: "But this tree... it's sick."

The branches and twigs are tangled and disordered..."

Yu Xinglong's voice, tinged with melancholy and resentment, echoed in Yang Can's ears.

"Some branches have become ambitious, relying on their growth to try to squeeze out the main trunk and take over the nest."
Some branches attracted pests that sucked the leaves and marrow to grow fat, but made the whole tree gradually wither and die.

Even more so, wild vines coiled around it, their roots burrowing under the bark, clearly intending to strangle the tree to death.

Yu Xinglong slowly raised his eyes, his gaze fixed intently on Yang Can's face.

There was no trace of a smile in his eyes: "Volcano, if you still want to live under the shade of this tree, tell me, how do you expect it to survive?"

Yang Can initially thought this was just the clan leader's sentimental remark, and that he would probably have to answer it himself, so he lowered his eyelids and stood silently.

But Yu Xinglong just stared straight at him, the tranquility behind the screen almost solidifying into a tangible form.

The sounds of laughter from the New Year celebrations could be faintly heard from the front hall, both indistinct and jarring.

"cough."

A soft cough broke the silence, and Yang Can suddenly realized that the lord was indeed waiting for his answer.

Yang Can coughed lightly, his fist covering his lips, his mind racing:

As the head of the Yu clan, Yu Xinglong summoned him, the eldest son's steward, alone during the New Year's Day celebration; it was certainly not just for casual conversation.

What the valve master really wants is not just a good strategy for "tree management," but rather the stance reflected in his advice.

What Yu Xinglong wanted to see was clearly his attitude, whether his blade was sharp enough and whether he dared to draw it.

Lord, are you going to use him as a weapon?

In the blink of an eye, Yang Can raised his head, his expression calm and composed: "Your Majesty, since I have entrusted myself to this great tree, I naturally hope that it will always be lush and towering."

Now it is plagued by insects and branches fighting inside, and by wild vines entwining it outside. If we want to save it…

Yang Can paused deliberately, his gaze quickly sweeping over Yu Xinglong's slightly furrowed brows, before continuing:

"I first removed the insects. I personally caught the woodworms that were gnawing on the branches and leaves, picked the worm-eaten fruit, and pruned the withered branches."

"I can also bring in some beneficial birds to help. If the insect infestation is too severe, we can burn mugwort under the trees to smoke them out and then eradicate them completely."

"And... what about that branch that's trying to take over the main trunk? How are you going to deal with that?"

Yu Xinglong leaned forward and pressed on relentlessly.

"I will first determine its weight!"

Yang Can answered decisively: "If it is just a weak branch that has become ambitious, there is no need to hesitate. Just cut it off with an axe, so that it will not take away the tree's nutrients."

Yu Xinglong raised an eyebrow, his inquiry deepening: "What if the branches have grown so thick that they are almost as thick as a person's embrace?"

"I don't have the strength to cut it down with one axe, but I can borrow the wild vines that are entwined around the tree."

"Oh? How do you use it?" Yu Xinglong's eyes lit up even more.

"I will have all the wild vines wrapped around that ambitious branch, binding it tightly."

The vine needs sunlight, so it blocks the light from the branches; the vine needs nutrients, so it burrows into the bark of the branches and sucks out their marrow.

Once the branches are entangled and rotten, I can then chop them down with my axe, which will naturally be much more effective.

"But what about the wild vines? What should we do with them?"

Yu Xinglong pressed on, "It strangled the branches, and once the branches were dead, it turned around and strangled the main trunk."

Yu Xinglong's heart was churning with turmoil. He had used the method of using one branch to control another, thus enabling the Suo family to counterbalance the collateral branches.

However, as the Suo family became increasingly aggressive, he gradually became unsure whether this move would bring him fortune or misfortune.

He wanted to see if Yang Can's answer would coincide with his own.

“A vine is still a vine; without the support of this tree, it cannot stand on this land of Tianshui.”

Yang Can said firmly: "Once those ambitious branches are cut off, the worm-eaten leaves are replaced with new green, and the main trunk regains its vitality, this tree will be able to withstand the turmoil."

At that time, I will dig up the roots of this wild vine, cut off the old tendrils that are twining around the tree, and throw them under the tree to decompose into fertilizer, which will then nourish this great tree.”

Yu Xinglong slowly leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and unconsciously tapped the armrest with his knuckles, the tapping sound particularly clear in the quiet room.

After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes, his gaze flickering with excitement and anticipation like scattered starlight.

"The volcano, the Yu family, this sick tree, is about to be dragged down by internal and external troubles."

"Would you...be willing to be the one to tame the trees?"

Yang Can stood up abruptly, his back ramrod straight, all his composure vanished, leaving only an undeniable determination.

"I'm still relying on this great tree for shelter from the wind and rain. Now that it's sick, I will do my utmost to help!"

"Okay!" Yu Xinglong slapped the armrest and stood up as well.

This lord, who was usually reserved and unassuming, now had a hint of triumph on his face.

"Everything must be done step by step. The branches and the trunk share the same root, so they cannot be cut off in one stroke."
Diseased branches and leaves must be removed from the pests gradually; they cannot be cut down all at once, otherwise the tree will be severely damaged.

Volcano, I want you to leave the eldest branch and become the ruler of Shanggui.

All military, political, and civil affairs there are entrusted to you. Can you shoulder this heavy responsibility?

Yang Can's heart skipped a beat. This clan leader, who was always indecisive, was now so decisive?
Shanggui is the core city of Tianshui and the heartland of the Yu family.

In the Guanzhong Plain, there were no dynasties; powerful clans held sway over the land. The lord of Shanggui City was a true local lord.

He had complete control over governance, military power, and his subjects.

Its power was comparable to that of the feudal lords of the pre-Qin period and the military governors of the Tang Dynasty.

Not to mention that Tianshui is the Yu family's home, and Phoenix Mountain is located here.

This position was even more valuable than that of a typical regional governor, comparable to the Governor-General of Zhili in the Qing Dynasty, who held the lifeline of the capital region.

This usually indecisive lord was surprisingly decisive this time!

"What, you don't dare to accept?" Yu Xinglong looked at Yang Can's slightly changed expression, a knowing look flashing in his eyes. This kid had completely understood his meaning.

Yang Can took a deep breath, took two steps back, and bowed deeply to Yu Xinglong.

His voice trembled slightly with excitement, yet every word carried immense weight: "With such trust from the clan leader, how could I not repay him with my life, even unto death!"

"That's the kind of adventurous spirit I need in you."

Yu Xinglong was completely relieved and clapped his hands and laughed: "The current owner of Shanggui is Li Lingxiao. You have no foundation there. It will probably take too long to make a breakthrough."

To allow you to take control of Shanggui as quickly as possible, the personnel of the Eight Villages and Four Shepherds will remain under your command.

Yang Can was overjoyed. With the Eight Villages and Four Shepherds, he no longer controlled just Shanggui City; he now had half of Tianshui under his control.

That's a great start!

"Your subject obeys!" Yang Can bowed deeply once more.

"You just need to hand over the miscellaneous affairs of the eldest son's family and the salt and iron workshops."

Yu Xinglong added, "If you have a suitable candidate for the position of Chief Steward of the Eldest Branch, you can also recommend him to me."

"Your subject understands," Yang Can replied respectfully.

He went to great lengths to remain in the eldest son's family, only to use his position to carry out the secret "switching of the dragon for the phoenix".

Now that the matter is settled, there is nothing wrong with handing over the authority of the eldest son's family.

However, since he was going to leave, he had to deal with the secret passage connecting the inner and outer residences as soon as possible.

Fortunately, he had taken this into consideration when building the secret passage, as the dome of the passage was not strong enough to support the weight of the pool water.

Simply seal off both ends of the outlet completely and remove the reinforcing support in the middle. When fresh water is introduced for irrigation in the spring, it will collapse and rot, disappearing without a trace.

As Yang Can walked out of the main hall, the winter sun shone through the sparse branches, warming his fingertips until they trembled.

He refused to admit that the trembling was due to excitement.

He had just quietly sent his daughter away early this morning, and now a thought unexpectedly surfaced in his mind:
If I were to take up my post in Shanggui, would my daughter be able to rightfully return to my side as my childhood sweetheart?
This thought made his steps lighter.

If Chanzhi heard this news, she would be overjoyed.

But Suo Chanzhi was not the only one who was happy.

The news that Yang Can was about to be promoted to the position of Lord of Shanggui spread like wildfire throughout the eldest branch of the family in just half a day, thanks to the tacit approval of Xinglong and the words of Steward Deng.

The excitement of the managers was even greater than that of staying up late for the Lunar New Year.

If Deacon Yang gets promoted, does that mean I'll have a chance?
Deacon Yang once held the position of the eldest son's chief deacon, and has now been promoted.
The previous Deacon Li held this position and was promoted.

This location is absolutely a geomantically auspicious place!

Whoever takes it on, wouldn't they also share in the good fortune and have a bright future?

The afternoon sun had just begun to set when the first person to "get it" arrived at the door.

Niu Youde, the steward of the eldest son's residence, carried a thick list of gifts and blushed, saying he had come to offer congratulations, but he never mentioned the matter of making a recommendation.

Yang Can originally intended to refuse the gift, but the other party made a good use of the pretext of "congratulations," which left him with no reason to refuse.

No sooner had Niu Youde left than Zhao Hongyu, the purchasing agent, entered the courtyard carrying a gilded box, his face beaming with a smile like a pink chrysanthemum.

What's even more incredible is that Ma Sanyuan, the granary manager, brought his fourteen-year-old granddaughter with him when he delivered the gift.

The pretty little girl stared timidly at Yang Can, making him uneasy.

After Ma Sanyuan slipped out under some pretext, Yang Can could no longer sit still. He rushed into the courtyard, grabbed a servant, and ordered:

"Quickly, go to the inner quarters and fetch my wife back immediately!"

Although Yang Can's recommendation is not a sure thing, it would greatly increase the chances of success.

Even for this slim chance, the stewards of the eldest son's family were willing to give everything.

But while some are happy, others are sad. The one who is most distressed at this moment is Liu Yu, the commander of the eldest branch of the guards.

He knew better than anyone that Leopard Head Cheng Dakuan was already Yang Can's confidant, and that he and Cheng Dakuan had a long-standing feud. No matter how generous the gift, it might not be enough to win Yang Can's favor.

Moreover, he had only been in office for a short time and his family was poor. He couldn't even afford a generous gift that could rival those of the other stewards, so he could only pace back and forth in the room, sighing deeply.

Accountant Li also sighed deeply.

Li Damu didn't show his face in front of Yang Can until it was dark.

Previously, he had secretly helped Zhang Yunyi, but Yang Can exposed him on the spot. Later, when Yang Can took the lead in opening Huizhan, he invested almost all of his money to show his remorse.

Although he wasn't exactly broke, he simply couldn't come up with a gift that would impress Yang Can, so he could only slump in his chair and sigh at the empty room.

"Oh, what a pity...such a good opportunity."

Li Damu's brows were furrowed into a deep knot, and his tone was full of frustration.

Xiao Tan nestled gently into his arms and said softly, "Even if you give gifts, Master, you may not be able to get a recommendation."

Anyway, the master now owns shares in Kunlun Huizhan, and we're living a stable life, so why hold a grudge like this?

Li Damu slapped her on the bottom in annoyance, the force of which was quite strong:
"What do you know? But given the chance, who wouldn't want to climb the ladder? You followed a good-for-nothing like me, don't you regret it now?"

Xiao Tan rolled her eyes at him, annoyed: "I'm already yours, Master. What good will it do to regret it? Do you think I can just run away?"

"Look at what you're saying. If you could run away, you really would..."

Just as Li Damu was about to make a joke, he suddenly froze in place as if he had been frozen in place, his mouth agape and his eyes wide open, without uttering a word.

Xiao Tan panicked and quickly reached out to support him: "Master? Master, what's wrong? Have you had a stroke?"

She gripped Li Damu's clothes tightly, her voice trembling with fear.

After a long while, Li Damu's eyes finally moved, and he suddenly came to his senses.

His gaze at Xiao Tan grew brighter and brighter, his old face flushed red, and the flesh on his cheeks trembled with excitement.

Xiao Tan felt flustered under his gaze and instinctively shrank back: "Master... Master, what's wrong with you?"

"Hahahaha!"

Li Damu suddenly burst into laughter, picked up the petite Xiao Tan, and kissed her hard on the lips.

"Little Tan, Little Tan, you are truly my lucky star! My great lucky star!"

He turned around and slammed Xiao Tan down on the desk, excitedly saying, "Quick, quick, grind the ink for the master! We might just get this opportunity recommended by Steward Yang!"

(End of this chapter)