HUS Chapter 44: Using the Slope to Get Off the Donkey
HUS Chapter 44: Using the Slope to Get Off the Donkey
Dec 21, 2025
Because her heart felt strange, Xiao Qingmei couldn't help but start explaining.
"Uh, actually... I'm not..."
Qingmei spoke haltingly. Her intention to interrogate Yang Can had already vanished.
"You believe me, I really didn't."
Yang Can immediately interrupted Qingmei's words, grabbed her small hand, and quickly turned toward Sangzhi.
"Miss Sangzhi, help me explain. I didn't summon you to my bed, right?"
"Uh, yes. Miss Qingmei, please don't misunderstand.
This was our estate master's goodwill gesture toward Steward Yang, but... Steward Yang didn't accept..."
Sangzhi, wrapped in the blanket with only her head exposed, explained while forcing an awkward laugh.
This scene was quite embarrassing.
"Yes, yes, we had no idea about Miss Qingmei and Steward Yang. The two of you... well, if we'd known earlier..."
Xiaotan also caught on and quickly stepped forward to help explain.
Xiao Qingmei's brain had been stirred into mush again.
She stammered, "The two of us? No, no, no, you're overthinking. Actually, I... actually, he and I, we have no relationship whatsoever."
How could Sangzhi and Xiaotan believe that?
With the way you just acted, if that wasn't a jealous wife catching adultery, we'd have to believe it anyway. However, this Miss Qingmei's vehement denial was understandable. She was thin-skinned.
Moreover, she was a maid beside young mistress Suo, and Steward Yang was very much at odds with the young mistress yet they'd gotten together? If young mistress Suo found out, would she have good days ahead?
No matter what, our seduction plan today was definitely impossible to continue. However, the fact that Internal Steward Qingmei and External Steward Yang the Second had an illicit relationship was important intelligence.
Thinking of this, Sangzhi quickly said, "Yes, yes, yes, we naturally believe you. This servant takes her leave."
Sangzhi didn't even bother with her clothes. Wrapped in Yang Can's blanket, she ran out barefoot.
"Ha, forgive us, forgive us."
Xiaotan hurriedly ran to the clothes rack, scooped up Madam Sangzhi's clothes in her arms then while bowing and scraping apologetically to Qingmei, she chased after her.
Reaching the door, she thoughtfully closed it behind her.
Qingmei's head was buzzing, "No, I really wasn't... don't leave!"
But Sangzhi wouldn't listen, and Xiaotan wouldn't listen either. The two had already fled, one after the other.
As soon as they left, Yang Can released Qingmei.
Though Qingmei wore men's clothing at this moment, with her hair loose over her shoulders, red lips, white teeth, and graceful appearance, anyone could tell at a glance she was female.
The female began displaying her feminine fury.
She put her hands on her hips and glared at Yang Can, "My innocent reputation is completely ruined, all destroyed by you!"
Yang Can looked innocent, "Those two young ladies are Master Zhang's people. To avoid alerting them, I was pondering how to refuse tactfully then you came. Wasn't that a pretty good way to deflect?"
"So I deserve this?"
"Actually, it's nothing. Do you think they dare go out and talk nonsense? Innocent reputation—isn't that given by others? If no one knows, then it doesn't count as ruining your innocence."
"That seems right!"
Qingmei thought about it. It really did seem to be the case. Her anger immediately turned to joy.
She patted her chest in relief, "I almost got ruined by you. What bad luck. I'm leaving then."
"Don't leave yet." Yang Can quickly stopped her.
"You... what do you want to do now?"
Qingmei immediately crossed her arms, looking at Yang Can warily.
Yang Can didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "Be a good person to the end. Send Buddha all the way west. If you leave now and Sangzhi and Xiaotan see, won't they become suspicious?"
"Then... then what do you want?"
"Keep me company for a while. When enough time passes, won't it look like... that happened?"
Xiao Qingmei's face flushed. She naturally knew what Yang Can meant by "that."
Suddenly, the strange sounds she'd once heard from her young lady echoed in her ears again.
"Right... right, what did I come to see you about?"
Qingmei stammered, then her eyes suddenly brightened.
"Right! I wanted to ask you how you plan to proceed with inspecting Feng'an Estate."
Yang Can smiled, "Perfect. Let's sit down and talk slowly."
"Fine!"
Qingmei glanced warily at Yang Can, slipped past him like a yellow croaker hugging the wall, and sat in a chair.
She only sat with half her bottom, ready to spring up and flee with just a push of her waist.
That Adviser Yang didn't know martial arts was well known.
Though Nanny Tu died at his hands, no one ever knew exactly how but Yang Can's appearance was too deceptive. Qingmei believed he'd schemed Nanny Tu to death, or... found help.
So until now, Qingmei firmly believed he didn't know martial arts.
Qingmei had excellent martial skills, but facing Yang Can, she only thought of escape, completely forgetting she knew martial arts.
...
Early morning, four maids wearing green gauze skirts carried gilt basins, gilt pitchers, gilt bowls, and gilt urns forward to attend Zhang Yunyi's changing and washing.
Zhang Yunyi washed his face, hands, brushed his teeth, rinsed his mouth...
Throughout this process, the four pretty maids all served kneeling.
This was the bearing of a local tyrant. In Feng'an Estate, Master Zhang could do as he pleased.
Steward Wan Tai stood to the side, respectfully reporting to him:
"Master, yesterday three more households of common people fled from the Central Plains to Longshang. The man in one household is a skilled plowman. This old servant has assigned him to the tenant head according to custom. The other two families have been settled on that newly reclaimed wasteland at South Ridge."
Zhang Yunyi rinsed his mouth with green salt. A pretty maid immediately knelt to raise the gilt urn high.
Zhang Yunyi spat the salt water into the urn, took a silk handkerchief from another pretty maid to wipe his mouth, and said nothing.
He needed to know these things, but unless they were important matters, he didn't need to arrange them personally.
Wan Tai continued, "These three families, this old servant had them all sign indenture contracts for twenty years. Following the old rules, the first three years we only collect thirty percent rent from them, gradually increasing year by year. Starting from the seventh year, the master gets seventy percent, they get thirty percent, until the term expires."
Hearing this, Zhang Yunyi nodded with satisfaction.
Longshang's population was much smaller than the Central Plains. They were inclusive and not exclusionary toward refugees and wanderers. However, small landlords under the great clans would also, during this process, both reclaim hidden fields and take in hidden households.
These lands and people became their privately concealed land and population, becoming their wealth.
This phenomenon was very common throughout Longshang.
Therefore, with the Clan Head, Feng'an Estate's acreage was one number, but the actual acreage was another. There were large amounts of hidden fields.
Wan Tai continued reporting, "There's another matter. Wang Mazi, a tenant at West Hollow, took advantage two years ago to occupy two ridges of tenant Li Qi's family's fields. The dispute between them has lasted long and can't be sorted out clearly. Yesterday they fought again over who gets to use our residence's plow ox first. Both families have injured people."
Zhang Yunyi sneered, "Give both household heads twenty lashes each and fine them three months' rations. They're all too idle, worse than animals, these dog things! Just beat them. Why argue right and wrong with them!"
He, as estate master, actually served the role of local official.
Therefore, when common people had disputes, naturally he needed to judge them.
Master Zhang's case rulings were particularly efficient, basically adopting the "beat both sides fifty times" method.
Simple, brutal, but sometimes quite effective.
Anyway, in Feng'an Estate, he was the law. All disputes were decided by his word alone.
Wan Tai quickly acknowledged, "Yes. There's also..."
Seeing his hesitation, Zhang Yunyi looked at him with displeasure.
Wan Tai steeled himself, "Zhen... Zhen Laoshi is crazy and raving, always talking nonsense. Last night he almost broke into the fortress. Should we detain him first? After Steward Yang leaves, we'll release him..."
"Isn't it troublesome to arrest and release?"
Zhang Yunyi glared at him, "Zhen Laoshi is already mad. What's a madman still living for?"
"Yes!"
Zhang Yunyi snorted coldly, stepped out of the bedroom. Wan Tai quickly followed.
At this moment, Zhang Xinran walked over quickly. Seeing Zhang Yunyi, he slowed his pace and called, "Father!"
Young Master Zhang's voice was rather stiff.
When he was born, Master Zhang himself hadn't even reached capping age, still half a child.
Toward this newborn, after brief curiosity, Master Zhang showed little concern.
Later, he gained appreciation from the Yu family and became busy with his career, even less able to look after this eldest son.
Therefore, the father-son relationship always had an awkward quality.
Over time, father and son even developed mutual aversion, unable to be close.
Seeing his son's expression, Zhang Yunyi was slightly startled.
"What, Sangzhi didn't succeed? That Steward Yang wouldn't take the bait?"
Young Master Zhang smiled bitterly, "He wanted to bite, but before he could open his mouth, the wild mandarin ducks got beaten apart."
Young Master Zhang recounted to Master Zhang the news Xiaotan had brought early this morning.
Master Zhang said in surprise, "So he's gotten involved with the young mistress's personal maid!"
Young Master Zhang said helplessly, "Father, with that Qingmei watching, our honey trap won't work."
Master Zhang glared at him irritably and scolded, "Fool, is your head made of elm wood? He got involved with the young mistress's personal maid, isn't this also a handle on him? Compared to sleeping with Sangzhi, I'm afraid he's more afraid of this matter getting out, right?"
Young Master Zhang's eyes brightened, "Right! How didn't I think of that?"
Master Zhang was furious, "What can you think of, you uneducated waste! Your father built up this current fortune from nothing with bare hands. But you? I'm afraid even leaving you to maintain it, you can't do well."
Young Master Zhang's brow furrowed, his face full of disgust.
Seeing this, Zhang Yunyi got even angrier and waved, "You don't need to worry about Yang Can's matter anymore. Get lost!"
Young Master Zhang stuck out his neck and walked away, seven parts unconvinced, eight parts resentful.
Zhang Yunyi shook his head and smiled bitterly at Steward Wan Tai.
"Look at his behavior. That 'mountain goods running' matter is of great importance. How dare I let him handle it?"
Wan Tai smiled bitterly and helplessly, "But Master, you're gradually getting older. If you still handle many matters personally, it's truly too exhausting."
Zhang Yunyi shook his head and sighed.
"Working hard is nothing, but look at his attitude? This whole big household, all eating mine, drinking mine but who knows this old man's hardships? Who can share my worries..."
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