HUS Chapter 42: The Local Tyrant's Bait
HUS Chapter 42: The Local Tyrant's Bait
Dec 21, 2025
Yang Can had never visited these estates before, not even after becoming Yu Chengye's adviser.
Therefore, the villages in his imagination were the villages in his memory.
The landlords in his memory were those rural nouveau riche but in reality, he had serious cognitive bias.
The estate masters of this era, even in Central Plains regions, weren't all gentry landlords.
In some parts of the Central Plains, there were also large landlords in the form of local strongmen.
In Longshang, every large estate had such a landlord strongman.
The "villages" here were actually combinations of economic units, administrative units, and military units.
An "independent kingdom" integrating military defense, agricultural production, handicraft industry, and administrative rule, who could view it as a simple village?
The landlords here were somewhat similar to the strongman landlords during the chaos at the end of the Han and Three Kingdoms period. Their power was immense.
At Phoenix Mountain Manor, Zhang Yunyi was just a "country landlord" who went around worshiping at every temple and smiling at everyone but here, he was a deserved local tyrant.
When Yang Can saw that imposing fortress, he felt shock and surprise because his "peaceful era" thinking combined with inherent misconceptions couldn't match this product of a special era and special geographical location.
Yang Can studied the fortress and said to Zhang Yunyi, "Master Zhang, is this fortress built to guard against horse bandits?"
Zhang Yunyi knew that once the stewards from above came down to inspect, he could hardly keep his wealth concealed anymore.
His estate could truly be called isolated. With just one word from him, no news of events here, great or small, would leak out but it could also truly be called not isolated, because to his masters, this fortress was completely undefended territory.
This was also why his gifts to Li Youcai were especially generous.
Li Youcai had been a steward for many years and understood these estates' circumstances. He couldn't cry poverty before First Steward Li.
Now that Yang Can had come to inspect, he knew that next time the gifts for Yang Can would have to be much more valuable than the last. However, he also couldn't let Yang Can think him too wealthy.
Zhang Yunyi said, "Steward Yang, guarding against horse bandits is only secondary. During major disaster years, when refugees roam about, their danger far exceeds that of horse bandits. This fortress is so solid mainly to guard against refugees causing trouble during disaster years."
Yang Can understood. At this moment, the drawbridge had already lowered, the gate wide open. Everyone entered the fortress.
Zhang Yunyi gave introductions all along. The estate's granary, workshops, and such were all built inside the fortress.
Once they encountered an undefeatable large group of refugees, all the village's old and young would retreat into the fortress to resist.
He was telling Yang Can that this fortress was the final stronghold of all Feng'an Estate, not just his residence. However, this wasn't entirely false. Yang Can indeed saw grain storage areas, armories, weaving workshops, wine-making workshops, blacksmith shops, and other agricultural, industrial, and even commercial structures.
Continuing forward, like the inner city of an imperial capital, there was another high wall.
Inside this was the Zhang Residence.
The vermillion-lacquered gate of the Zhang Residence was made of half-foot-thick elm planks, wrapped in tempered iron on the outside, with brass studs as large as rice bowls nailed on top.
This way, even if external enemies broke through the fortress's main gate and entered, they would still need to continue the assault before truly endangering Zhang Yunyi's safety.
Inside the Zhang Residence, blue stone paved the ground. Upon entering was a straight main road with courtyards on both sides, connected to this main road through courtyard gates.
At the end of the road stood a main house of five bays with a hip-and-gable roof. On the flying eaves of the roof crouched bronze-cast xiezhi beasts.
Copper bells hung under the eaves. When wind blew, the bells would ring with pleasant tinkling sounds.
Zhang Yunyi and the estate stewards led Yang Can's group into the main hall.
Zhang Yunyi said with a face full of spring cheer, "Steward Yang, Master Li, Miss Qingmei, I've arranged lodgings for you in the residence. Tonight, I'll host a banquet to welcome and cleanse the dust for the three distinguished guests. Tomorrow I'll accompany you to inspect estate affairs. How does that sound?"
Yang Can nodded, "Guests follow the host's arrangements. We'll follow the estate master's arrangements."
Hearing this, Lai Gulu and the others showed smiles on their faces. They took Yang Can's words as a cooperative response showing goodwill.
It appeared this Steward Yang was a reasonable person.
As long as you weren't too excessive, they naturally wouldn't make things difficult for him.
When you're good, I'm good, and he's good, that's truly good.
Zhang Yunyi said, "It's still early for the banquet. Please sit, everyone. This is a good chance to get to know each other."
As Zhang Yunyi spoke, he gave Lai Gulu a look.
Lai Gulu understood. He immediately cupped his fists toward Yang Can and said heartily, "Steward Yang, Lai presumptuously serves as estate head of Tian'an Estate. Let me tell you about the affairs under my jurisdiction."
As Lai Gulu introduced his responsibilities to Yang Can and the other two, four pretty maids in green clothing came up carrying tea trays, presenting fragrant tea to the hosts and guests in turn.
The four tea-serving maids had obviously been carefully selected. Each had a graceful figure, pretty face, and clear, lively eyes.
Yang Can accepted the teacup, absently stirring the tea leaves while listening to Lai Gulu's self-introduction.
He casually glanced at the several pretty tea-serving maids. Indeed, the saying "deep mountains breed beautiful birds, humble dwellings produce beauties" wasn't false here.
People, when they see something beautiful, always look a few more times.
Though it was just a momentary thing, Zhang Yunyi happened to notice.
He immediately gave the steward a look. The steward understood and quietly withdrew with the tea-serving maids.
In Yang Can's original world, a contemporary "hundred-li supreme" once said:
Do you know how great my power is? Even if I have a dream, someone immediately makes it reality!
Zhang Yunyi clearly possessed the power to realize dreams but Yang Can, who now held the "imperial sword," possessed the power to make Zhang Yunyi realize dreams for him.
The welcome banquet was very sumptuous, but Zhang Yunyi was a person with good sense. The banquet's standard was just right.
The level made Yang Can's group fully feel respected and well-treated, yet wasn't so excessive as to make them think this "country landlord" Zhang Yunyi was as extravagant as the master's family.
After the welcome feast, Yang Can's group was sent to the central courtyard to settle in.
This was a relatively independent courtyard, separated from the entire compound by high courtyard walls.
Two buildings facing north and south were built in the courtyard. Between them was a pool full of lotus flowers, with a stone bridge connecting the middle.
As the main person responsible for this trip, Yang Can lived alone in the south building.
Upon entering the building, two pretty maids came forward, curtsying gracefully with melodious voices.
"Steward Yang, please have some tea first to sober up. The bath water will be ready soon."
Yang Can looked closely. The two women seemed somewhat familiar.
Thinking carefully, weren't they the pretty maids who served tea earlier?
Yang Can couldn't help but laugh inwardly. Was this Master Zhang originally a fruit seller?
Did he pick out the most presentable girls in the residence to use for every occasion?
They served water and tea, and they also attended to daily needs.
Yang Can smiled and asked, "What are your names?"
"This servant is Sangzhi."
"This servant is Xiaotan."
Sangzhi had a taller figure, wearing a moon-white gauze dress.
The hem was embroidered with pale blue cloud patterns, with a silk ribbon trimmed with rolled edges at the waist, making her slender waist barely a handful.
Compared to Xiaotan, she was more graceful, her beauty more outstanding but compared to Sangzhi, Xiaotan appeared somewhat more petite.
She wore an apricot-red jacket and skirt. Her youthful face already showed some prettiness.
Compared to Sangzhi, she had a different flavor.
With different appearances and figures, Yang Can could distinguish them.
At today's welcome banquet, he naturally wouldn't get very drunk, only slightly tipsy.
Now sitting down and drinking two cups of tea to sober up, Yang Can stood to bathe.
In the bathhouse, warm mist steamed from a cypress wood tub. A few petals of freshly picked fragrant flowers floated on the water's surface.
Yang Can removed his robes and stepped into the tub. The perfectly warm water made him involuntarily let out a satisfied sigh.
At this moment, Xiaotan, wearing only undergarments, walked in barefoot carrying a red lacquer tray.
On the tray were bathing beans, fragrant balm, fine kudzu cloth towels, and such.
Xiaotan lightly walked before Yang Can, curtseyed, and said softly, "This servant will attend Steward Yang's bath."
Yang Can instinctively wanted to send her away. He had never enjoyed such extravagant service but the words reached his lips, and he swallowed them back.
Where was this? This was Feng'an Estate!
The person with the highest status here was merely a "village head."
If he made a big fuss even over a village head's household manner, how embarrassing.
Therefore, Yang Can acted as if he'd long been accustomed to such things, quite calm.
He closed his eyes and reclined against the tub's edge.
Seeing he didn't object, Xiaotan's eyes showed a trace of "as expected" amusement. She placed the wooden tray on a low table beside.
She wore only undergarments, revealing two pale forearms.
She then used a ladle to draw water, slowly pouring it over Yang Can's shoulders and back.
Next, she took bathing beans and first rubbed them in her palms.
When the beans foamed and a faint herbal fragrance spread, her palms settled on Yang Can's shoulders and neck, kneading with moderate pressure.
Yang Can still kept his eyes closed, looking as if this steward was very familiar with this process. Composed, extremely composed.
Above the water's surface, calm and undisturbed.
Outside Yang Can's second-floor bedroom was a "projecting corridor," commonly called a balcony.
Sangzhi waited for Xiaotan to enter the bathroom. Seeing she hadn't been driven out for a long time, she smiled charmingly and walked onto the bedroom's "projecting corridor."
She hung an orange-red lantern on the "projecting corridor," leaned on the "balustrade" to gaze into the distance then she gracefully returned to the inner room and pulled the partition door shut.
Zhang Yunyi's rear residence was located behind the main hall where he'd received Yang Can.
This formed a large independent courtyard, essentially a "courtyard within a courtyard."
Behind the main hall was actually a high wall. One had to walk to the left or right sides of this wall to discover the entrances into the rear residence from the sides.
Otherwise, people seeing this wall would think the back of this main hall was the outermost courtyard wall of this fortress. Such highly deceptive design was of course not to guard against refugee bandits attacking the fortress.
Entering this courtyard within a courtyard, with carved beams and painted rafters, its exquisite magnificence surpassed even the most luxurious buildings at the front.
After Sangzhi hung the lantern from the projecting corridor, a watching servant in the distance hurried into this "courtyard within a courtyard."
He needed to report that Steward Yang had taken the estate master's "bait."
[NEXT CHAPTER]