Grass and mustard reign supreme

Chapter 147 Visiting the Village
The red candles burned brightly, their leaping flames spreading across the gilded and phoenix-embroidered curtains, casting a warm glow that tinted the brocade quilts on the couch with a honey-colored hue.

Yang Can lay on his back on the soft couch, one arm outstretched, steadily encircling the little green plum nestled against his chest.

Qingmei's black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, a few stray strands tickling his neck. The warm fragrance emanating from her body mingled with the candlelight outside the tent, making one's bones feel weak.

Qingmei snuggled closer to him, her nose brushing against his warm skin, her voice still carrying the languid sweetness of their recent tenderness.

“My lord, when I returned from the young mistress’s courtyard, I saw a pile of gifts in the guest room. I casually flipped through two gift lists, and those items were all very valuable.”

Yang Can sighed, reached out and pulled up the brocade quilt that had slipped off her shoulder, and said leisurely, "Isn't it because your man got promoted?"
The position of the head steward of the eldest branch of the family has become vacant. The clan lord has announced that I should recommend a candidate. Which of these stewards wouldn't want to be promoted further?

Yang Can roughly understood why Yu Xinglong had revealed that he would recommend the eldest son's steward.

When the Yu family head appointed him as the second steward of the eldest branch, he did not ask Li Youcai for his opinion.

Yu Xinglong did this to build momentum for himself and to create opportunities for him to cultivate his own team.

Yu Xinglong had a private conversation with him today, frankly acknowledging the troubles the Yu family is currently facing and approving of his solutions. Therefore, he will definitely be given more opportunities to cultivate him in the future.

Suo Chanzhi has already given birth, the eldest son's family already has an heir, and the eight villages and four pastures are still under their own name. The eldest son's family now only has one industrial line in Lingzhou and one in Heishui, which are too far away to be effectively controlled.

For Xinglong, the position of the eldest son's chief steward has become a tasteless burden, no longer important.

In this situation, what's wrong with the clan leader not appointing directly but instead having him recommend someone? Thinking of this, Yang Can couldn't help but smile slightly.

"So that's how it is." Qingmei blinked thoughtfully, then suddenly sat up, the flush on her cheeks still lingering.

She said earnestly, "Husband, I have seen Niu Youde's gift list. That one gift alone is probably going to empty eighty percent of his savings. If you don't plan to recommend him, it's not appropriate to accept this gift."

"How could I not know?"

Yang Can gave a wry smile and said, "I don't want to accept any gifts. Wouldn't it be too much of a rude refusal and offend them?"

Yang Can's eyes suddenly lit up. He patted Qingmei's shoulder and said with a smile, "I'm going to Chicken and Goose Mountain tomorrow. While I'm gone, you can return these gifts one by one according to the gift list."

Qingmei nodded, then lay back on his chest, drawing circles on his chest with her fingers.

"Don't worry, my husband. I'll make sure it's handled perfectly, without hurting the relationship or making them resent you."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a maid's voice came from under the window outside the bedroom: "Master, Mr. Li just arrived..."

Li Damu? Yang Can raised an eyebrow.

Many stewards sent gifts today, but only two did not come: Liu Yu and Li Damu.

If Liu Yu had any self-awareness, he wouldn't have come looking for trouble.

Yang Can was quite surprised that Li Damu didn't come.

I didn't expect him to come, but he delayed until the very end, and I don't know what his motives were.

Yang Can planned to have Qingmei return all the gifts tomorrow, so naturally he was unwilling to accept them now.

Yang Can lazily raised his voice and said, "Just tell him I've already rested and ask Mr. Li to come another day."

As he spoke, Yang Can patted Qingmei's shoulder and gave a mischievous smile.

The maid outside the window didn't leave, and her voice lowered even more: "Master, Mr. Li left only a notebook before he left."

He said...this journal must be handed to the master personally, and no one else is allowed to open it.

"Oh?"

Yang Can's interest was piqued. He threw off the covers, grabbed the outer robe from the bedside, draped it over his shoulders, and hurriedly tied the hem before heading outside.

After leaving the bedroom and going around the screen, Yang Can opened the door to the main room.

The little maid was still waiting by the window. Upon seeing this, she quickly ran over.

As soon as Yang Can opened the door, the red lanterns hanging under the eaves immediately bathed him in warm light.

Yang Can's outer robe was loose and baggy, revealing his well-defined and muscular chest, exuding the heroic spirit of a mature man.

The young maid, only fifteen or sixteen years old, blushed upon seeing this. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment before she hurriedly lowered her eyes and shyly handed over a sealed envelope.

"Sir, this is it."

The night wind was chilly, and Yang Can dared not stand for long. He took the envelope, closed the door, and bolted it back on.

Yang Can returned to his bed and lay down. Little Qingmei seemed to be unable to bear the chill he brought in, so she shrank back and buried herself in the quilt.

Yang Can raised his eyebrows, and using the dim candlelight filtering through the curtains, he tore open the envelope and took out the notes inside.

After turning just two pages, Yang Can's smile gradually widened.

This is no longer a handwritten note; it is clearly Li Damu's confession.

In his notes, Li Damu meticulously recorded every single income he had embezzled since taking over as accountant, including the time, place, person in charge, and amount. He even made no attempt to conceal whose benefits he had received or whose losses he had covered up for.

Each page bears Li Damu's autograph and a bright red fingerprint.

Yang Can snapped the note shut, tossed it casually onto the pillow, then put his arms behind his head and closed his eyes contentedly.

The recommended candidates are practically delivered to our doorstep.
Since He Youzhen's betrayal, the head of the Yu family has been filled with hatred for internal traitors, and once they are found guilty, they will be severely punished.

By voluntarily handing over his weaknesses, Li Damu was essentially handing over his lifeline, clearly indicating his intention to become his loyal "one of his own." Who else could be used but such a shrewd and pragmatic person?

……

The second day of the Lunar New Year is a good time to visit relatives and friends.

After finishing breakfast early in the morning, Yang Can headed to Chicken and Goose Mountain.

Little Green Plum wasn't in a hurry to return the gift. Instead, she sat in the flower hall, slowly making plans.

This gift cannot be returned in a grand manner; being too ostentatious would be disrespectful. A discreet approach is needed.

At the Tianshui Inn in Shanggui City, Luo Meier urged Zhao Chusheng to set off early in the morning, sword in hand.

Her mount had been fed with fine feed and was in high spirits.

Miss Luo planned to go up the mountain, cut out the little thief's tongue on the spot, and then, imitating the ancient heroes who "killed one person every ten steps and left no trace for a thousand miles," she whipped her horse and rode away in a cloud of dust.

Zhao Chusheng didn't feel the need to get up so early. His main purpose in going to Phoenix Manor was to confirm whether Yang Can was a fellow disciple of his Mo family.

If so, he would have to find an excuse to stay, so that he could carefully observe Yang Can's character and abilities and see if he was a person worthy of being entrusted with important responsibilities.

If Yang Can wasn't his fellow disciple, that's quite possible.

Being skilled in mechanical manufacturing was not a unique skill of the Mohists. Gongshu Ban (Lu Ban)'s skills back then were not necessarily inferior to those of Mozi (Mo Di).

If Yang Can wasn't his fellow disciple, he would have to go back to the inn to stay, and by then it would be late, so he couldn't just return to Guanzhong that same day.

So no matter how you calculate it, there's no need to rush for this short period of time.

Unfortunately, this was the first time Miss Luo had done something like this, and she felt a sense of excitement, like she was roaming the martial arts world with a sword.

Zhao Chusheng was an introverted and shy person, and when she urged him on, he had no choice but to eat a quick breakfast and then go to Phoenix Manor with her.

As a result, although they got up very early, it still took them more than two hours to get from Shanggui City to Phoenix Manor. By the time they arrived, Yang Can had already gone to Chicken and Goose Mountain.

"Your Deacon Yang has gone down the mountain?" Zhao Chusheng frowned upon hearing this.

He had a difficult journey up the mountain, so why should he turn back and make the trip again?
The guards sized up the two men, unsure of their identities, and dared not reveal Yang Can's whereabouts.

But since Deacon Yang is about to be promoted to Lord of Shanggui City, it would be a shame to neglect these two if they were truly his honored guests.

The servant then carefully began, "May I ask who you two are and who our Steward Yang is...?"

"Perhaps we are from the same school," Zhao Chusheng said after thinking for a moment.

Zhuang Ding was taken aback. Fellow disciples? Yes or no, what do you mean by "perhaps"?

Mei'er couldn't stop him in time, and the honest man still blurted out the truth.

Luo Meier didn't want to go through all that back and forth, so she had no choice but to make amends for him.

"My brother is clumsy with words, but to be honest, this Brother Zhao and your Steward Yang both studied at Xuanxing Academy in Wuzhou. Although they were born in different years, they studied under the same great Confucian scholar and are true fellow students!"

The farmhand couldn't understand what "mysterious nature" or "thatched cottage" meant, but that didn't diminish his respect.

If it were a fellow disciple of Deacon Yang, who had come all the way up the mountain, it wouldn't be appropriate to stop them so easily, lest Deacon Yang find out and become displeased...

The servant hesitated for a moment, then said politely, "Please wait a moment, both of you. Although Steward Yang is not here, I will go and inform Madam Qing."

After saying this, the guard gave instructions to the other guards and then hurried into the manor.

Zhao Chusheng was very uneasy and lowered his voice, saying, "Brother Luo, I am not sure if he is my fellow disciple. How can we deceive him?"

Besides, what is this Xuanxing Lodge in Wuzhou? I am not it!

He actually understood, but he was originally a disciple of the Mohist school, and a prominent figure in the Qin school among the three schools of Qi, Chu, and Qin. Being called a student of some great Confucian scholar made him feel really uncomfortable.

However, he was a soft-hearted person, and even though he was unhappy, he couldn't bring himself to complain.

Luo Meier made a face at him and laughed, "Brother Zhao, you really are a stubborn person!"

Yang Can is now the chief steward of the Yu clan. What if he feels that his background as a craftsman is not respectable and deliberately concealed it before? Wouldn't it embarrass him if we exposed it in public like this?

Since he's not here, let's go inside and have a cup of hot tea to rest. You can figure out who we are when he comes back.

If we are indeed from the same sect, that would be ideal. But if we're not, who does my fabricated identity bother?

Zhao Chusheng opened his mouth, but in the face of her sharp tongue, he was ultimately speechless.

At this moment, Qiu Che and Qin Taiguang, two Mohists from Qi, arrived in a pine forest on the left side of the road.

The task of these two Mohists from Qi was to warn the Mohists from Qin to leave Guanzhong.

The two moved as lightly as cats, quietly sneaking under the pine trees without disturbing the snow on them.

The two, cloaks the same color as the snow, squatted on the snow and looked ahead.

At the entrance of the manor, Zhao Chusheng's honest and simple face came into view!

(End of this chapter)