Grass and mustard reign supreme

Chapter 44: Taking advantage of the slope to get off the donkey
Because of a strange feeling in her heart, Xiao Qingmei couldn't help but explain.

"Uh, actually... I'm not..."

Qingmei stammered as she spoke, her desire to confront Yang Can completely vanished.

"Believe me, I really didn't."

Yang Can immediately interrupted Qingmei, took her small hand, and hurriedly turned to Sangzhi.

"Miss Sangzhi, please explain this to me. I did not summon you to my bedchamber, did I?"

"Uh, yes, Qingmei, please don't misunderstand."

This is my master's token of appreciation for Steward Yang, but...

Deacon Yang did not accept it…

Sangzhi, wrapped in a quilt with only her head showing, explained while giving a dry laugh.

This scene was quite awkward.

"Yes, yes, we didn't know about you, Miss Qingmei, and Steward Yang."

You two... well, if only we had known sooner..."

Xiao Tan also realized what was going on and quickly stepped forward to chime in.

Little Green Plum's brain was turned into mush again.

She stammered, "The two of us? No, no, no, you're overthinking it."

Actually, I... I... and him... we don't have any relationship at all.

Sangzhi and Xiaotan refused to believe it.

Judging from your behavior just now, if you said it wasn't out of jealousy and catching your wife cheating, we'd have to believe you.

However, it's understandable that the young girl denied it outright; she's just a delicate girl.

Besides, she was a maidservant to Madam Suo, and Steward Yang and Madam Suo were not on good terms.

But they ended up getting together. If Mrs. Suo finds out, she'll be in big trouble.

Regardless, our attempt to seduce him today is doomed to fail.

However, the fact that Qingmei, the inner steward, and Yang, the outer steward, are having an affair is an important piece of information.

Thinking of this, Sangzhi hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, of course we believe you. This servant will take her leave."

Sangzhi didn't even care about her clothes; she wrapped herself in Yang Can's blanket and ran out barefoot.

"Ha, forgive me, forgive me."

Xiao Tan hurriedly ran to the clothes rack and grabbed Madam Sangzhi's clothes into her arms.

Then, while bowing and apologizing to Qingmei, she chased after her.

When she reached the door, she thoughtfully closed it behind her.

Qingmei's head was buzzing: "No, I really didn't... Please don't go!"

However, neither Sangzhi nor Xiaotan listened, and the two of them had already fled far away.

As soon as they left, Yang Can released Qingmei.

Although Qingmei was dressed as a man at this time, her hair was flowing down her shoulders, her lips were red and her teeth were white, and her appearance was charming. Anyone could tell at a glance that she was a girl.

The female began to display her power.

She put her hands on her hips and glared at Yang Can: "My reputation is completely ruined, you've destroyed it all!"

Yang Can looked completely innocent: "The two young ladies are Zhang Zhuangzhu's people. In order to avoid alerting them, I am thinking of how to politely refuse them."

And then you show up. Isn't this a pretty good way to brush me off?

"So I deserve it?"

"Actually, it's nothing. Do you think they would dare to go out and talk nonsense?"

A clean reputation—wasn't that given to me by others?
If nobody knows, then it doesn't count as ruining her reputation.

"That seems true!"

Qingmei thought about it and realized that it was indeed true, so she immediately turned her anger into joy.

She patted her chest with relief: "You almost ruined it, what bad luck! I'm leaving now."

"Don't go yet," Yang Can quickly stopped her.

"You...what are you going to do again?"

Qingmei immediately crossed her arms and looked at Yang Can warily.

Yang Can was both amused and exasperated: "Since you're being a good person, why not go all the way and help us to the very end?"

"If you leave now, won't Sangzhi and Xiaotan become suspicious?"

"Then...then what do you want?"

"Sit with me for a while, and when the time comes, wouldn't that make sense?"

Xiao Qingmei blushed; of course she knew what Yang Can was talking about.

Suddenly, the strange voice she had heard before, coming from her own daughter, echoed in her ears again.

"Oh...right, what did I come to you for?"

Qingmei stammered, then her eyes suddenly lit up.

"By the way, I wanted to ask you, how do you plan to proceed with this inspection of Feng'an Village?"

Yang Can smiled and said, "That's perfect. Let's sit down and talk slowly."

"it is good!"

Qingmei glanced warily at Yang Can, then slipped over like a yellow croaker and sat down on a chair.

She only sat on half her buttocks; with a little effort from her waist, she could spring up and run away at any moment.

It is common knowledge that Master Yang is not skilled in martial arts.

Although Granny Tu died at his hands, no one ever knew exactly how she died.

But Yang Can's appearance was too deceptive. Qingmei believed that he had tricked and killed Granny Tu, or... had asked someone for help.

So even now, Qingmei firmly believes that he doesn't know martial arts.

Qingmei is skilled in martial arts, but when faced with Yang Can, she only thought of escaping and completely forgot that she knew martial arts.

……

In the early morning, four maids dressed in green silk skirts came forward to serve Zhang Yunyi as he changed clothes and washed up, carrying gilded basins, gilded pots, gilded bowls, and gilded basins.

Zhang Yunyi cleaned her face, washed her hands, brushed her teeth, and rinsed her mouth... During this process, the four pretty maids all knelt down to serve her.

This is the attitude of a local tyrant. In Feng'an Village, Master Zhang can do whatever he wants.

The steward, Wan Tai, stood to the side, reporting to him respectfully:

"Master, yesterday three more families fled from the Central Plains to Longshang."

One of the men in the household was a skilled plowman, and the old servant had already handed him over to the tenant farmer as was customary.

The other two families were settled on the newly reclaimed wasteland in the Nanling Mountains.

Zhang Yunyi rinsed his mouth with salt, and a pretty maid immediately knelt down and held up the gilded bowl.

Zhang Yunyi spat the salt water into the bowl, took a silk handkerchief from another pretty maid to wipe her mouth, and said nothing.

He needs to know these things, but unless it's something very important, he doesn't need to arrange them personally.

Wan Tai continued, "These three families, this old servant made them all sign indentures for a period of twenty years."

According to the old rules, we only charge them 30% of the rent for the first three years, and then increase it year by year thereafter.

Starting from the seventh year, the estate owner will receive 70% and they will receive 30%, until the term expires.

Zhang Yunyi listened and nodded in satisfaction.

The population of Longshang was much smaller than that of the Central Plains, and it embraced refugees and exiles without prejudice.

However, the smaller landowners under the powerful clans would also cultivate hidden land and take in hidden households during this process.

These lands and people then became their private, hidden lands and people, their wealth.

This phenomenon is widespread throughout Longshang.

Therefore, the number of acres of land in Feng'an Village, as claimed by the lord, is one thing, but the actual number of acres is another, as there is a large amount of hidden land.

Wan Tai continued to report: "There is another matter. Wang Mazi, a tenant farmer in Xiwazi, seized two plots of land belonging to Li Qi, another tenant farmer, by taking advantage of his power the year before last."

The two sides have been arguing about this for a long time, and it has never been resolved.

They fought again yesterday over who got to use our household's oxen first, and people from both families were injured.

Zhang Yunyi sneered: "Each of the two heads of households will be given twenty lashes and fined three months' worth of rations."

They're all so idle, they're even more worthless than animals!
"Just beat them up and argue with them about right and wrong!"

As the head of the estate, he effectively acted as a local official.

Therefore, when ordinary people have lawsuits, they naturally need him to adjudicate them.

Master Zhang was particularly efficient in solving cases, basically employing a "fairly equal punishment" approach.

Simple and direct, but sometimes quite effective.

In Feng'an Village, he was the law, and he could resolve all disputes with a single word.

Wan Tai hurriedly agreed, "Yes, and also..."

Seeing his hesitation, Zhang Yunyi gave him an unpleasant look.

Wan Tai forced himself to say, "Zhen...Zhen is honest but crazy and always talking nonsense."

He almost broke into the fort last night. Do you think we should detain him first?

"Let him go after Deacon Yang leaves..."

"Isn't it troublesome to catch and release them at the same time?"

Zhang Yunyi glared at him: "Zhen Laoshi has gone mad. What's the point of a madman being alive?"

"Yes!"

Zhang Yunyi snorted coldly and stepped out of the dormitory, with Wan Tai quickly following behind.

At this moment, Zhang Xinran walked over quickly, but upon seeing Zhang Yunyi, she slowed down and called out, "Father!"

Young Master Zhang's voice was rather stiff.

When he was born, Master Zhang himself was not yet of legal age and was considered a half-grown child.

After a brief moment of curiosity, Master Zhang paid little attention to the newborn.

Later, he gained the appreciation of the Yu family and became busy with his career, so he could pay even less attention to his eldest son.

Therefore, the relationship between the father and son always seemed awkward.

Over time, the father and son even grew to the point of loathing each other and were no longer able to get close.

Zhang Yunyi was slightly taken aback when he saw his son's expression.

"What, you didn't get the mulberry branch? Didn't Deacon Yang want to take the bait?"

Young Master Zhang said with a wry smile, "He wanted to bite, but before he could even open his mouth, the illicit lovers were thwarted."

Young Master Zhang relayed the message Tan had sent that morning to Master Zhang.

Master Zhang exclaimed in surprise, "So he's having an affair with the young mistress's personal maid!"

Young Master Zhang said helplessly, "Father, with that Qingmei keeping an eye on things, our honey trap won't work anymore."

Master Zhang glared at him angrily and scolded, "Idiot, is your head made of elm wood?"
He seduced the young mistress's personal maid; isn't that a handle against him?
More than sleeping with Sangzhi, he's probably afraid of this getting out, isn't he?

Young Master Zhang's eyes lit up: "That's right, how come I didn't think of that?"

Master Zhang was furious: "What can you possibly think of? You good-for-nothing who has no knowledge!"
Your father built this fortune from scratch back then.

But you? I'm afraid even if you were asked to maintain the status quo, you wouldn't be able to do it well.

Young Master Zhang frowned, his face showing obvious annoyance.

Zhang Yunyi got even angrier and waved his hand, saying, "You don't need to worry about Yang Can's affairs, get lost!"

Young Master Zhang, with his neck stiff and full of resentment, left.

Zhang Yunyi shook his head and gave the butler, Wan Tai, a wry smile.

“Look at his character. The business of ‘trading mountain goods’ is of great importance. How could I dare to entrust it to him?”

Wan Tai smiled wryly and said, "But you are getting older, sir. It would be too tiring for you to do everything yourself."

Zhang Yunyi shook his head and sighed.

“It’s not a big deal if he’s having a hard time, but look at the way he looks?”

This whole family eats and drinks from me.

But who knows the hardships I endure, and who can share my burdens…

(End of this chapter)