Grass and mustard reign supreme

Chapter 40 Asking the Young Mistress for Someone

Today, Yang Can is going down the mountain.

He was awakened in the early morning by the cheerful chirping of birds.

As soon as I woke up, before I even opened my eyes, I heard the cheerful chirping of birds outside the window.

Being in the mountains, and in the spring season, the air was filled with the fragrance of green grass.

This journey is like going to war; there might be a major battle to be fought. Thinking of this, Yang Can couldn't help but feel excited.

He straightened his back on the couch, spread his arms, and his joints cracked.

Then, with a somersault, he sat up.

Soon, Yang Can finished dressing and left the bedroom.

Pan Xiaowan had just gotten up and was still lazily lounging on the couch.

The thought of Yang Can leaving the mountain today filled her with resentment.

That little devil is really awful.

But ironically, that makes them even more likable.

She liked Yang Can; she liked him from the very first moment she saw him.

Moreover, she was working as a maid in the Yu family, a job that could cost her her life if exposed.

The immense pressure of not knowing when she would die made her want to possess anything she liked.

Therefore, her motive for approaching this young advisor, Mr. Yang, was pure and without any ulterior motives.

It's simply because she likes it.

But that little devil...

Thinking of this, Madam Xiaowan bit her lip, and her almond-shaped eyes became misty again, like the mist rising from the lotus pond.

……

When Yang Can walked out of the main room, Wangcai was not in the courtyard.

Because his master wasn't strict, the boy would go to play with Lai Xi whenever he had free time, and Yang Can was too lazy to discipline him.

Since Yang Can didn't have much to explain, and not seeing Wangcai, he went straight to the back house.

In the back courtyard, Suo Chanzhi was having breakfast.

A bowl of millet porridge with red dates and lotus seeds.

Millet, also known as yellow millet, is easy to digest and good for the stomach when cooked into porridge, making it especially suitable for pregnant women.

A plate of steamed buns filled with mutton and water chestnuts; the fragrance of the water chestnuts neutralizes the gamey smell of the mutton, making it very delicious.

Served with appetizing pickled cucumbers and scallion tofu drizzled with sesame oil...

It's clear that despite being pregnant, the young mistress doesn't experience morning sickness and has a good appetite.

Suo Chanzhi met with Yang Can while eating breakfast.

Since we were already agreed to patrol down the mountain, there's no need to say anything more.

However, before taking his leave, Yang Can added, "By the way, I found the maidservant to be very eloquent, clever, and hardworking. I would like to ask the young mistress for her."

Suo Chanzhi immediately put down the food in her hand and glanced at Yang Can.

Yang Can said, "My courtyard is short of someone to sweep and do chores. Chief Steward Li gave me a boy, so he is short of people on his side."

Lady Li, née Pan, is ultimately a woman, and being served by a young boy makes many things inconvenient. I wish to obtain this eloquent tongue and bestow it upon Lady Pan.”

The sharp light in Suo Chanzhi's eyes softened, but she still gave a slight smirk: "You're quite the chivalrous one."

Yang Can's desire to hire a maid to serve Madam Li was not a big deal in itself.

But his specific request for the clever tongue that he had demoted to a messenger maid clearly indicated that he wanted to save that girl from her misery.

That's why there's such a saying about entwining branches.

However, the fact that he took the girl not for his own use made Suo Chanzhi feel relatively comfortable.

Besides, there were maids and servants attending to her in the room, so she couldn't show her jealousy too obviously.

Therefore, with only a seemingly sarcastic remark, he said, "Forget it, she's just a little maid, not worth me holding a grudge against. You can keep this favor to yourself."

Yang Can smiled slightly: "Then I shall take my leave."

He looked around but couldn't see Qingmei, so he said, "Please ask the young mistress to urge Miss Qingmei to hurry up. I will wait for her in the outer residence."

Yang Can bowed deeply to Suo Chanzhi and said, "Your subject takes his leave."

Under the flower-covered corridor, a woman dressed in blue with a plain headscarf was struggling to carry a bucket of water.

This bucket is very large; in the inner quarters, it usually takes two maids to carry it on a carrying pole.

Now, the task was left to her alone. She carried the bucket of water, taking two steps and then stopping, her face flushed red, and her fingers marked with red welts, but no one came forward to help her.

The so-called "messenger maid" was essentially a handyman; anyone in the inner quarters could order her around.

"Eloquent tongue!"

As she moved her hands, which were aching from the tight grip, she looked up at the sound and her eyes lit up immediately: "Deacon Yang!"

Yang Can waved and said, "Put the bucket down and come with me. From today onwards, you no longer belong to the inner quarters."

"what?"

The silver tongue was both surprised and delighted, and for a moment it was too slow to react.

After saying this, Yang Can continued walking outside.

After a moment of stunned silence, Qiao She suddenly threw the bucket on the ground with delight and ran after it.

Yang Can didn't walk fast, but because he was tall and had long legs, Qiao She had to walk faster to keep up with him.

Qiao She never expected that Deacon Yang's promise to bring her over would actually come true so early in the morning.

The young mistress was going to use her to establish her authority, so how could she agree to Steward Yang so easily?
No wonder Deacon Yang dared to challenge the Suo family; he's really formidable.

Morning is the busiest time in the house.

Most of the maids and servants were in the courtyard at this time. They just watched as Steward Yang walked leisurely ahead.

Her silver tongue followed closely behind, occasionally taking a couple of steps, her small chest puffed out high.

A bunch of snobs, do they really think I have no future?
I have people protecting me, hmph!

The little girl looked around, her face beaming.

……

Accountant Li and four guards were waiting outside the front gate early in the morning, leading their horses.

Not long after, Qingmei arrived with eight guards.

Today, Qingmei wore a collared, front-opening, narrow-sleeved short robe, a leather belt around her waist, and ankle boots, looking clean, neat, and dashing.

Although she had changed into men's clothing, her red lips, white teeth, and beautiful features made her clearly a woman.

Of course, she never intended to disguise herself; she wore men's clothing simply for convenience when traveling.

When Qingmei suddenly saw Yang Can, she raised an eyebrow and curled the corner of her lips, and the word "Nike" was formed.

He seemed quite pleased with his outfit.

"Everyone's here? Shall we set off then?"

As Yang Can spoke, he placed his hand on the saddle, leaped up, and gracefully mounted the horse.

He also showed off his skills.

Outside the front gate, a group of stewards from the outer residence stood there with their hands clasped in front of them, just as they had done when they saw off Steward Li.

Madam Pan was also standing in the crowd, with her newly appointed personal maid, Qiaoshe, standing behind her.

Pan Xiaowan, in front of so many people, naturally wouldn't show the slightest bit of reluctance.

For her, disguise is like a chameleon's ability to change color; it has become an instinct.

Qiaoshe stood behind Pan Xiaowan, but her eyes held a resentful look.

She never expected that Deacon Yang would actually give her to Madam Pan.

Heaven knows how long she mentally prepared herself last night so that she could serve Deacon Yang well in the future.
As a result, all the construction was in vain.

Little did she know, Pan Xiaowan was even more resentful than she was.

I was going to give her to you, but you didn't want her.

And now you're sending someone over to me? Are you trying to show off your supposed chastity and self-control?

Why do I suddenly feel like I'm not so confident about winning him over anymore...?

……

When the world was unified last time, the ancestors of the Yu family were ordered by the emperor to guard the Hetao region.

When the behemoth that was the empire disintegrated, the Central Plains were plunged into a century-long civil war.

However, those in remote and isolated areas were fortunate enough to escape the calamity.

However, in this process, those regional officials, after losing control of the central empire, gradually evolved into various local warlords.

This is how valves evolved.

Therefore, although the Yu family was not the most powerful among the eight powerful families in Longshang, they possessed the most arable land.

The other factions, however, would not stand idly by and allow others to occupy this land and grow strong enough to pose a threat to them.

Therefore, the Yu valve has been passed down to this day and has almost never suffered a fatal blow.

Yu Huanhu returned six estates to the eldest son's family this time, totaling more than 50,000 mu of land.

This alone wouldn't be enough to cripple Yu Huanhu of the Second Branch, but it was still a vast territory.

The more than 50,000 mu of land was divided among six farms, each of which managed nearly 10,000 mu of fertile land.
The free people, retainers, tenants, artisans, and merchants who lived on these lands numbered no fewer than three or four thousand on each estate.
These so-called farms are already the size of a large town or a small county.

Because at this time, a village typically has only forty or fifty households, with about two hundred people.

Therefore, although Feng'anzhuang is a farm, it would be more appropriate to call it Feng'an Town or Feng'an County.

The head of Feng'an Manor was essentially equivalent to a Marquis of a hundred li in the Central Plains Dynasty, comparable to the supreme ruler of a county.

In fact, because of the extremely low population mobility here, the lord of this manor wields more power than a county magistrate in the Central Plains.

Feng'anzhuang is a fortified town named after a farm.

Five or six villages are scattered around it, surrounding it.

The entire estate resembled a small town, though the outer city was rather rudimentary, with the so-called city wall being nothing more than an earthen enclosure.

However, the center of the small town, which is the manor of the estate owner Zhang Yunyi, is surrounded by high walls and thick ramparts, and even has a "moat".

Once Zhang Yunyi arrived at Phoenix Manor, in the eyes of those stewards, he was just a nouveau riche from the countryside.

But here, he is the "king".

Zhang Yunyi controls tens of thousands of acres of fertile land, owns a well-defended castle, and has thousands of subjects under his command.

Military defense, agricultural production, and administrative governance within a radius of a hundred miles were all decided by his word.

He is the supreme ruler of Feng'anzhuang!

He could decide the life, death, and future of the people here with a single word.

But today, the people of Feng'an Village discovered that their "Heavenly Lord" was dressed in a brand-new brocade robe and had his many subordinates waiting for them at the east end of the village.

Following behind Zhang Yunyi were the various managers of Feng'an Manor.

Accountant, estate manager, field supervisor, granary supervisor, canal chief, head craftsman, millstone chief, sergeant chief, tenant farmer, household head...

There are corresponding officials in charge of various aspects such as personnel, household affairs, rites, military affairs, justice, and public works.

Calling it Zhuangzi really makes it resemble a small county town.

These stewards, like Zhang Yunyi, stood at the east end of the village dressed in brand-new clothes, their faces beaming with smiles, as if they were about to marry off a new bride.

The people were all wondering, who is coming?

(End of this chapter)