HUS Chapter 41: The King of Feng'an
HUS Chapter 41: The King of Feng'an
Dec 21, 2025
The common people of Feng'an Estate lived on this land.
Many of them had never traveled beyond ten li from their homes in their entire lives.
Under such isolation, their horizons were truly limited.
Therefore, to them, the master of Feng'an Estate was "heaven."
"Heaven" was currently sitting in a pear wood circular chair, with someone holding a sun umbrella behind him.
Master Zhang held a cup of tea in his hand, occasionally taking sips to moisten his throat.
The weather at the end of March and beginning of April, in a place like Longshang, naturally couldn't compare to Jiangnan.
When it was February in Jiangnan, spring flowers were already blazing. Here, even now, the vegetation had only just begun to turn green.
Sitting here, with the gentle spring breeze blowing, wasn't too uncomfortable, though the sunlight was somewhat intense.
Estate Head Lai Gulu cautiously approached Zhang Yunyi and said in a low voice, "Estate Master, we originally belonged to Second Master. Now that our estate has been assigned to the eldest branch, will the eldest branch treat us like their own sons? This Second Steward of the eldest branch coming down to inspect, I'm afraid he comes with ill intentions."
Zhang Yunyi smiled faintly, "And so?"
Lai Gulu grew anxious, "Estate Master, he's clearly come to make trouble for us!"
Zhang Yunyi wasn't panicked at all. He had already made arrangements both above and below.
Just that little adviser Yang Can who had no foundation?
However, his bowing and scraping, networking above and below, naturally wasn't convenient to tell these subordinates who viewed him as heaven.
"Pfft!" Master Zhang carelessly spat out a tea leaf, "Why panic? New emperor, new ministers—isn't that inevitable?"
Lai Gulu said hesitantly, "But, Estate Master, are we just... waiting for our doom?"
Zhang Yunyi, seeing the others all staring at him expectantly, didn't want them too anxious, lest they lose their composure.
After brief consideration, he said, "It's currently spring plowing season. If this Second Steward pushes too hard, what will happen? Never mind what becomes of our Feng'an Estate, the other five major estates are all watching now. Will any of them focus peacefully on spring plowing then? If all six major estates have poor harvests this autumn..."
Zhang Yunyi lifted his eyelids to glance at Lai Gulu, then calmly swept his gaze across the stewards, his manner ineffably composed.
"What does the Clan Head want? Submission, obedience, ensuring these properties transfer smoothly. What does our young mistress want? A good harvest, capital to establish her foothold in the eldest branch. As long as we satisfy the higher-ups on these two points, what do you have to worry about?"
Though Zhang Yunyi only hinted at it, Lai Gulu and the others suddenly understood.
Right! Over ten thousand mu of farmland was in their hands.
This was their bargaining chip, their confidence.
If this Steward Yang pushed too hard, they only needed to make small moves and these ten thousand mu would have poor yields.
If they were even more ruthless, making it completely barren wasn't impossible either.
At that time, they would certainly be finished, but with such great losses, how could the eldest branch compensate?
If over ten thousand mu had poor harvests, thousands of mouths on this land would be waiting to eat. Could the eldest branch bear that responsibility?
More importantly, the estates had just been handed to the eldest branch. If such a thing happened, Second Master would have ample reason to challenge the Clan Head and this was just talking about Feng'an Estate alone.
If the first estate inspected was treated so harshly, how would the other estates and ranches view it?
If all those estates had problems...
Thinking of this, all the stewards' faces showed relaxed smiles.
Zhang Yunyi handed his teacup aside. A blue-clothed servant immediately stepped forward to take it with both hands, then retreated to the side.
Zhang Yunyi leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and said methodically, "However, this is ultimately a plan that harms both sides. We don't want to see it, and the eldest branch even less so. So, don't overthink it. Toward this newly appointed Second Steward, we just need to maintain sufficient courtesy."
The field supervisor, granary overseer, irrigation chief, mill chief, and others all voiced agreement.
The estate master was their heaven. With the estate master so composed, they too felt at ease.
Finally, at the edge of those vast fertile plains, over a dozen fine horses appeared.
Seeing this, Zhang Yunyi immediately changed from sitting to standing.
Those holding the umbrella, serving tea, and carrying the chair immediately cleared everything away.
Zhang Yunyi stepped forward to the main road. It hadn't rained these past days, so the ground was somewhat dry.
In the distance, that group of horses galloped swiftly, horse hooves kicking up light dust on the road.
"Zhang Yunyi, Master of Feng'an Estate, leading all estate stewards great and small, greets Second Steward of the eldest branch, greets Master Li, greets Miss Qingmei. The three of you have had an arduous journey."
Zhang Yunyi not only recognized Accountant Li, but having already paid respects at the mountain gate, he also recognized Yang Can and Qingmei. However, hearing this order of address, Qingmei felt somewhat uncomfortable.
When did Li Damu rank ahead of this young lady?
This young lady is Deputy Second Ste—bah! This young lady is the principal-inside-deputy-outside, deputy-outside-principal-inside Second Steward, okay?
Yang Can leaped down from his horse, feet barely touching the ground, his movements very agile.
"Hahaha, Master Zhang, we meet again."
Yang Can stepped forward with a smile, full of spring cheer, "It's currently spring plowing season. I've come presumptuously, I hope I'm not disrupting the estate's agricultural affairs?"
"Not at all, not at all. Our Longshang weather isn't like the Central Plains. Though it's already April, it's still not planting time in Longshang."
Zhang Yunyi was also all smiles, "Apart from a few hundred mu planted with winter wheat just now turning green, the remaining fields are just being plowed. What could be delayed?"
As Zhang Yunyi spoke, he grasped Yang Can's arm and turned toward the estate stewards.
"Ever since our estate was transferred from Second Master to the eldest branch, the eldest branch hasn't sent anyone down. Those of us working below have felt uncertain. Now that Steward Yang has come, we have a leader. Everyone's delighted beyond measure."
"Yes, yes!" The estate stewards responded in unison. Yang Can smiled but naturally didn't take it seriously.
After exchanging pleasantries, Zhang Yunyi introduced the main personnel from both sides.
Yang Can said to Zhang Yunyi, "Thank you for the trouble, Master Zhang and everyone. I think we needn't ride horses. Let's walk into the estate together."
Zhang Yunyi naturally had no objection. The group walked toward the village.
Upon entering the estate, Yang Can carefully observed.
Though Longshang villages couldn't compare to the prosperity of the Central Plains, as an important estate of the Yu family, it still appeared quite substantial.
The houses in the village, high and low, included both blue-brick mansions and thatched earth houses interspersed.
From the common people's clothing, some dressed respectably, others wore worn garments, though extremely few were emaciated.
In the harsh cold lands of the northwest, life was harder than in the Central Plains. People who could endure such environments naturally wouldn't be too frail.
Such people had long been eliminated by nature.
Therefore, the village residents, especially the able-bodied, mostly looked fierce.
Some were tall and burly, others lean and wiry.
These were excellent laborers. Put a blade in their hands, and they'd also make fine soldiers. However, seeing Zhang Yunyi with his modest, smiling face, they all showed awe, obediently retreating to the roadside, slightly bowing, not daring to raise their heads until Yang Can's group passed.
Like Leopard Head Cheng Dakuan, with his formidable martial skills, in Longshang he could become a renowned fighter dominating a region. Even in the Central Plains, he'd be a regional hero yet he willingly served the Yu family. When he made mistakes, he felt anxious. When punished, he harbored no rebellious thoughts.
Like wolves to the alpha wolf, except this estate's alpha relied not on physical strength but on the power and wealth he controlled.
As Yang Can casually observed the estate's appearance, he asked, "Master Zhang, how many people currently live in Feng'an Estate?"
Zhang Yunyi had done his homework in advance and naturally answered readily.
"Steward Yang, Feng'an Estate currently has 9,400 mu of farmland and a total of 273 ding households. The agricultural population totals 1,478 people. Additionally, there are 121 households of blacksmiths, weavers, wine-makers, and such, totaling 530 people. These small shops and workshops serve both internal and external needs. The estate also has 218 slaves. Add myself, Zhang, and the various steward households, and the entire estate totals 2,331 people."
Yang Can's eyes flashed. He asked again, "In case of war, how many dependents can Feng'an Estate mobilize?"
Dependents combined soldier and farmer. They could be mobilized for war, received military training during agricultural off-seasons, but still engaged in agricultural production daily.
Zhang Yunyi said proudly, "To be honest with Steward, Longshang folk customs are fierce. Men, women, old and young can all be soldiers If only counting dependent troops, Feng'an Estate maintains 300 standing dependent soldiers. If necessary, we can muster 400 dependents."
Lai Gulu added, "Steward Yang, the 300 people our estate master mentioned are all comparable to elite troops from the Central Plains' northern and southern dynasties."
Yang Can nodded slightly upon hearing this.
A large estate able to mobilize three to four hundred dependents at any time was quite significant.
Those claims of hundreds of thousands or millions of soldiers were always exaggerations in storytelling fiction.
When Western Jin destroyed Wu, the combined water and land forces at the front totaled less than 100,000.
During Eastern Jin's Battle of Fei River, total mobilized forces were less than 100,000.
During the Sixteen Kingdoms period, small states like Western Liang had peak total military forces of only 20,000.
A single Yu family, if they mobilized all dependents, could match that small Western Liang state.
Most importantly, because of harsh environments, Longshang people cultivated martial traditions.
Estate residents frequently hunted, and estates would organize regular collective hunts to kill wild boars that destroyed crops and wolf packs that harmed people.
Therefore, individual soldier quality was extremely high. Even with fewer numbers, this force couldn't be underestimated.
Though the Central Plains' two great empires confronted each other and had no time for other concerns, they had never attempted to conquer Longshang's Eight Clans, probably aware this wasn't an easy bone to chew.
The group continued forward, gradually reaching the estate's center.
A massive fortified compound stood imposingly here.
Feng'an Estate, Feng'an Fortress—this was a square fortress built with rammed earth wrapped in brick.
The walls stood a full two zhang high, with watchtowers at the four corners and a "moat" surrounding the perimeter.
They had diverted water from the Dragon River to flow around the fortress before continuing onward.
This was the upper reaches of the Dragon River. The water source hadn't been affected by the Loess Plateau, so the water quality was extremely clear, a brilliant blue.
Yang Can was shocked. This was completely different from his impression of villages and landlord estates.
This... was simply a castle!
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