HUS Chapter 36: Descending the Mountain
HUS Chapter 36: Descending the Mountain
Dec 16, 2025
Seeing this, Qiaoshe quickly stepped forward with a smile to mediate, "Steward Yang, since it's like this, just let our Sister Qingmei go with you. Our Sister Qingmei has a very sharp mind. She can calculate accounts three times faster than an old accountant, and her ability to read people's expressions is even more impressive. With Sister Qingmei accompanying you, if you encounter a troublesome tenant household or a slippery steward, Sister Qingmei can help you, right?"
Suo Zhanzhi glanced at her coolly with a half-smile, "Qiaoshe, for someone not that old, you certainly understand quite a lot. Inside and outside, up and down, you arrange everything clearly and plainly. It seems in my household, I truly can't do without people like you."
Qiaoshe's expression changed. She hurriedly bowed and stammered, "Young mistress, this servant only... only wanted to say a word for Sister Qingmei, and also... also to please the young mistress..."
Suo Zhanzhi laughed lightly, "So you're saying I don't appreciate kindness."
"No, no, oh dear..."
In her anxiety, Qiaoshe lightly slapped herself and apologized, "This servant knows she was wrong. I beg the young mistress's forgiveness."
Suo Zhanzhi said coldly, "Qiaoshe, you've overstepped!"
Qingmei said, "The young mistress established rules for the household just the day before yesterday. For an error like yours, what was said?"
Qiaoshe stammered in reply, "Slap... slap one's own mouth twenty times."
"Mm!"
Suo Zhanzhi's voice remained soft, cool yet carrying a few traces of gentle charm, but the words she spoke had a bone-chilling coldness.
"Remember, by my side, I don't need people who don't understand the rules."
Qiaoshe knelt down, trembling as she said, "Yes, this servant knows her error."
Suo Zhanzhi lightly flicked her sleeve, "Kneel in the courtyard and slap your own mouth twenty times. Qingmei, supervise the punishment!"
Qiaoshe dared not disobey. She quickly withdrew to the courtyard and knelt in the sunlight.
Originally, as someone serving close to the young mistress, her status in the inner residence was quite high but at this moment, she could only kneel there and, in front of the maids and old servants coming and going, slap her own mouth without daring to hold back any strength.
Qingmei followed out to supervise the punishment, leaving only Yang Can and Suo Zhanzhi in the room.
Although the doors remained open, if the two spoke quietly, they needn't worry about being overheard.
Suo Zhanzhi said in a low voice, "Why go inspect estates?"
Yang Can said, "I have to go eventually, and it's impossible to delay until autumn. Since that's the case, better to go early than late. Moreover..."
Yang Can paused, then continued, "The outer estate is relatively stable. It's difficult to get involved. Especially with a First Steward above me. If I can control several estates and ranches, I'll have external leverage."
Suo Zhanzhi nodded, "Let Qingmei go with you. By letting her go, I have an excuse to send Suo family guards to help you. Moreover, with Qingmei there, if you have any urgent matters, you can also contact me through her. Qingmei is my confidante. I'll instruct her."
"Good. I'll go back first to make some preparations. Descending the mountain is just a matter of these few days."
Suo Zhanzhi nodded. Her pale hand slapped the table with a "smack," and she called out loudly in a charming voice, "I said to have Qingmei go along, so she must go! Steward Yang, no need for further words!"
"This vassal takes his leave!"
Yang Can's voice was also quite loud, with suppressed indignation in his tone.
He flicked his sleeve and walked out of the flower hall in anger.
In the courtyard outside the flower hall, Qiaoshe knelt straight, viciously slapping her own mouth repeatedly.
Qingmei stood in the corridor, her sweet small face tilted slightly upward.
Not far away, under the connecting corridor, several maids and old servants hid there whispering among themselves.
They not only saw Qiaoshe being punished but also heard the explosive conversation between the young mistress and Yang Can.
Yang Can walked to the front of the steps and stopped. Qingmei's pretty eyes rolled toward him with somewhat triumphant laughter.
"Steward Yang, no matter how unwilling you are, you and I must travel together after all."
Yang Can snorted and swept his sleeve as he descended the stone steps.
Qiaoshe's self-slapping dared not hold back any strength. If it were a Suo family matron executing the family law, she would suffer even more.
Her delicate and lovely little face was now purple-red all over, with blood at the corners of her mouth.
Yang Can sighed and suddenly tossed a small medicine gourd from his sleeve. It landed on Qiaoshe's skirt spread out like a lotus leaf.
"You walk close to the young mistress. Your face is the doorway to the master's household. If it's scarred, how would that look? This medicine reduces bruising and stops bleeding. It's most effective. After completing your family punishment, remember to apply it to your face yourself."
Qiaoshe looked at Yang Can gratefully. Steward Yang was clearly looking out for her.
After all, Steward Yang and I are Yu family people, our own people. Those Suo family people are all no good!
Yang Can glanced at Qingmei sideways and said sarcastically, "These days, the one supervising punishment looks more like a clown on stage than the one receiving punishment. Don't you find that strange?"
Having said this, Yang Can strode away.
Today's fierce confrontation with Suo Zhanzhi and her maid would surely reach interested parties' ears, further solidifying the impression that he didn't get along with the Suo family.
"Sur-named-Yang!"
Qingmei stamped her foot resentfully toward Yang Can's retreating back!
This dog of a man has no opportunity to bully my young lady now, so he's become addicted to bullying me, is that it?
Although Xiao Qingmei knew Yang Can was acting, she couldn't help but feel angry.
...
Li Youcai descended the mountain with eight attendants.
Because this trip required at least two or three months, stewards from all parts of the eldest branch came to see him off.
Yang Can, as Second Steward, stood at the very front with Lady Pan Xiaowan.
"The importance of salt and iron to our Yu family is second only to agriculture. Though I'm reluctant to leave my wife, with the young master having just passed, I must go inspect to set people's minds at ease."
"Husband goes to fulfill loyalty to the Clan Head and duties to the eldest branch. How would this wife dare to interfere with personal feelings?"
Pan Xiaowan looked completely reluctant to part, "This wife will manage the household well. Husband can rest assured."
Li Youcai smiled and nodded, then looked at Yang Can, "Steward Yang, agriculture is the foundation of our Yu clan. You must put in great effort. Don't disappoint the Clan Head and young mistress."
Yang Can said, "First Steward can rest assured. I will also descend the mountain soon to inspect the various estates. When that time comes, I will certainly use the First Steward's teachings as my basis and handle things properly."
Li Youcai smiled knowingly and patted Yang Can's arm. After chatting and laughing with several other stewards, he mounted his horse.
Li Youcai held his riding crop and cupped his hands to them, "Everyone, please return. Li departs!"
Li Youcai rode down the mountain, leading eight attendants.
They rounded several bends and crossed two ridges, arriving at the Phoenix Mountain pass.
Here was an orchard specifically supplying Phoenix Mountain Manor with fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, and poultry.
The orchard steward was Li Youcai's confidant. He was already waiting here, with a carriage stopped behind him.
Seeing that carriage, Li Youcai's heart bloomed with joy.
He immediately dismounted. Just waving at the orchard steward, he eagerly boarded the carriage.
"Swish!" The carriage curtain lifted. Li Youcai saw a pretty maid in green sitting inside.
A couch the size of a small bed, yet she huddled in just one corner.
When the curtain lifted and light entered, the young girl's body shrank back, like a startled bird.
Li Youcai squinted to look. She was sixteen years old, with a slender waist so delicate it could barely be grasped.
Her hair was black as a crow, tied with a red cord, and the exposed section of neck was slender and milk-white.
Especially the girl's pair of pupils, which were clear and black, filled with bewildered watery light.
Li Youcai immediately showed a satisfied expression.
This Master Zhang Yunyi of Feng'an Estate truly knew how to handle people. The little pretty maid he selected was truly delightful.
Actually, Zhang Yunyi had sent this little pretty maid to him two days ago but Li Youcai didn't have him send her up the mountain. Instead, he had her placed here.
First Steward Li wanted to bring the little pretty maid along during his inspection tour, having someone to warm his bed along the way.
By the time he returned to the mountain, the rice would long since be cooked into porridge. Even if his wife was unwilling, she'd be helpless.
"Go! Go quickly!"
Li Youcai impatiently gave an order and dove headfirst into the carriage.
This mountain road was the main route between Phoenix Mountain Manor and the outside. Naturally, it was frequently smoothed but when the carriage traveled over it, inevitably there would still be some bumps.
Some sections or sometimes, the carriage would bump especially violently.
Like now...
Fortunately, this intense bumping didn't last too long.
In ancient times when armies charged, generals had to beat urgent drums as a signal. Urgent drums had to be beaten three rounds.
After three rounds of drums, it took about two minutes total.
First Steward Li today fully demonstrated what's called "one burst of energy, then decline, then exhaustion."
Those three rounds of urgent drums, he only beat one and a half rounds, then the carriage traveled smoothly...
...
After seeing First Steward Li descend the mountain, the stewards returned to the manor with Yang Can and Lady Pan.
Seeing they'd reached First Steward Li's small courtyard entrance, Pan Xiaowan suddenly stopped and smiled at Yang Can, "Steward Yang, the First Steward has a bottle of fine wine to give you. Please come with this servant to get it."
"Uh, thank you for the trouble, Madam."
All the stewards were present, and Lady Pan had a completely serious manner. Yang Can couldn't refuse.
Otherwise, the stewards would surely become suspicious.
The two entered the courtyard. Lady Pan still maintained a dignified appearance, yet suddenly giggled and said in a low voice, "What, uncle doesn't dare enter this servant's residence? Could it be some dragon's pool or tiger's den?"
Yang Can smiled bitterly. This woman was practically beating drums and announcing to the world "this old lady wants to seduce you." How could he not understand Lady Pan's intentions?
Actually, after confirming Suo Zhanzhi was pregnant, he could only use the eldest branch as his base to begin his struggle.
As for the eldest branch's outer estate, even with Suo Zhanzhi's status as young mistress of the eldest branch, it was difficult to complete a purge there, let alone Yang Can, this parachuted-in Second Steward.
Pan Xiaowan was Li Youcai's wife, and First Steward Li feared his wife. If he could mold Lady Pan into his own shape, it would obviously be greatly beneficial to him.
Moreover, Li Youcai clearly intended to destroy him. He needn't have any psychological burden toward First Steward Li. However, he didn't want to provoke this temptress because his heart always had an intuition that this woman was uncontrollable.
He worried that if he accepted this temptress, the result wouldn't be an opportunity but a calamity.
What you think is a raft to cross the river might also be a coffin to bury you beneath the waves.
"Laixi, Laixi." Following Lady Pan's call, Laixi ran out from the side room.
Pan Xiaowan said, "Earlier I had the kitchen stew a bowl of rock sugar bird's nest. It needs to be stewed over low heat to be done properly. The kitchen people aren't very attentive. Go watch over it. It must stew for a full hour and a half before you can bring it here."
"Right!" Laixi acknowledged and happily ran out.
Staying in the kitchen, he could always scrounge bits of good food here and there. He liked this errand.
Pan Xiaowan invited Yang Can into the main hall. Her seductive eyes glanced at Yang Can as she used her back to close the door slowly.
"Uncle, please sit. This servant will go get the wine."
Pan Xiaowan cast Yang Can a spring-filled alluring glance, then walked gracefully toward the inner room.
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