HUS Chapter 49: The Proactive Attack of a Pawn That Has Crossed the River
HUS Chapter 49: The Proactive Attack of a Pawn That Has Crossed the River
Dec 21, 2025
The noodles were finished.
Very delicious, Yang Can even drank all the soup.
When Chef Zhu walked out of the small courtyard carrying the empty tray, he held his head high because eating everything clean was the best praise for a cook.
At the courtyard gate were guards sent by Estate Head Zhang, and inside the courtyard were Yang Can and Qingmei's eight guards as well but no one suspected Chef Zhu, because he was a genuine cook.
The next morning, Yang Can enthusiastically rushed to the blacksmith's shop again.
Yang Can could propose reasonable concepts, while Li Yue was an old craftsman proficient in making all kinds of farming tools. With the two of them working together in full cooperation, progress was advancing by leaps and bounds.
On the third day, Blacksmith Li led his young apprentice and began forging the curved-shaft plow.
On the fifth day, they successfully created one and carried it to the fields to test it out.
This plow still had flaws, but by this time, Blacksmith Li had already realized its advantages.
Even though this wasn't yet a perfect product, its advantages were already evident.
That evening, after dinner, Yang Can had a guard go invite Miss Qingmei.
Qingmei was the personal maid of the Suo clan's noble young lady, and thus had developed the habit of bathing once a day.
Now that she had arrived at Feng'an Estate, her living habits hadn't changed.
At this moment, she had just finished bathing.
Qingmei changed into a breathable, sweat-absorbing cotton sleeping robe and sat before her vanity.
While combing her hair with a horn comb, she hummed a song cheerfully.
"Miss Qingmei, Steward Yang requests that you come over."
The door knocker sounded, and outside came the voice of a Zhang household maid.
In her boudoir, Qingmei's heart immediately trembled, suddenly sprouting an irrepressible excitement.
"Oh, I understand."
Qingmei answered calmly, and hearing the patter of footsteps fading outside the door, she suddenly became flustered.
She first hurriedly opened her makeup box, used a "powder puff" to dab some face powder and apply it to her face.
On her delicate little face that could break at a blow, it immediately became even more fair and tender.
After admiring herself in the mirror for a moment, she raised her graceful neck and applied some powder below her neck as well.
Next, she used her little finger to pick up a touch of rouge, gently traced it on her lips, and pressed them together then she combed her slightly dry hair into twin buns, tied them with purple silk ribbons, and only then went to select clothes.
Li Damu lived directly across from Yang Can, with a pond between the two buildings.
In the pond were thousands of lotus leaves, lush and green.
At this moment, Li Damu stood facing the window, hands clasped behind his back, brow slightly furrowed, expression conflicted.
He had something on his mind.
When checking the accounts, Miss Xiaotan had been attending closely by his side.
The charming and lovely young girl would occasionally give him a shoulder massage, pound his legs, serve him tea, pour him water...
Facing Li Damu's gradually extending wandering hands, Xiaotan was also bashful and timid, refusing yet welcoming. However, whenever he wanted to go further, he would be gently refused by Xiaotan.
Therefore, Mr. Li was very distressed.
In his heart, he actually knew clearly that this was bait Estate Head Zhang had set for him.
If possible, he didn't mind taking this bait either.
He had never thought that by thoroughly investigating Feng'an Estate's accounts, he could rise to success.
No matter how high he flew, he would still be an accountant.
If Estate Head Zhang gave enough, he didn't mind "showing mercy." However, accepting money and accepting a person were different things.
Accepting money meant a clear price, straightforward and simple.
Accepting a person, he worried that Estate Head Zhang would make some excessive demands of him.
He was willing to play dumb, but that didn't mean he was willing to wade into murky waters. However, thinking of that young woman like a fragrant fan pendant, able to see but not touch, his heart itched.
These past few days he had been conflicted about this matter, he was itching.
Suddenly, he saw Xiao Qingmei through the window.
Having made herself up a bit and looking even more charming, Xiao Qingmei was sneaking toward Yang Can's residence like a thief.
Before entering the door, she even guiltily looked around.
Li Damu immediately felt both envious and jealous.
Why!
Why do you, Steward Yang, have beauties constantly delivering themselves to your door, while I, Old Li, have to hold out?
Yang Can had been "neglecting his proper duties" these past days to work on some plow improvement, and Li Damu had heard about it.
Since you, the eldest branch's steward, have started "slacking off," why should I work too hard?
Having found a reason to convince himself, Li Damu immediately became excited.
This bait, I'll take it!
I'll take it tomorrow!
...
"Ahem, this... it's so late, why did you ask me to come?"
Qingmei asked cautiously, her heart beating a bit, her face feeling a bit hot.
Yang Can's curved-shaft plow was about to be completed, and Leopard Head's side also had results. He was ready to close the net.
For a man, the only thing that could surpass the temptation of beauty was probably going into battle.
Yang Can, who was full of fighting spirit, completely overlooked Qingmei's careful feelings of both fear and anticipation.
He grabbed Qingmei's hand and said excitedly, "Come here, I have something to tell you."
When he grabbed her, Qingmei thought she was about to be tossed onto the bed.
After all, this seemed to be a little quirk of his.
Qingmei bit her teeth to prevent herself from crying out when she fell on the bed, but he pressed her down into an armchair.
Hmm? Here works too?
Qingmei felt this was a bit difficult, but with her petite figure, it didn't seem impossible either. However, this was her first time, wouldn't it be too hasty?
While Qingmei was letting her thoughts run wild, Yang Can had already pulled over a chair and sat down across from her.
"Qingmei, you should return to the manor tomorrow."
Qingmei was stunned and said blankly, "Ah? Return to the manor?"
Yang Can nodded, "That's right! Everything is ready here, I'm preparing to make my move. For safety's sake, I still need more helpers. You go back up the mountain tomorrow, and when you see the young mistress, you tell her..."
Yang Can told Qingmei in detail the plan he had repeatedly deliberated over.
The trace of romantic thoughts in Qingmei's heart was completely replaced by shock.
"You... are you certain? If there's any mistake, you won't be able to explain..."
"The problem isn't major. I'll use the debut of the curved-shaft plow as cover, and also use the debut of the curved-shaft plow as a safety net."
Yang Can said, "As for the rest, I'll leave it to fate."
Qingmei wasn't just a little maid who only knew how to serve people, she could distinguish the stakes involved.
After pondering for a moment, Qingmei still nodded, "Alright, I'll return to the mountain first thing tomorrow morning. But when I leave, I'll have to take the guards with me. With you being weak and alone... before I return, you must not act rashly."
Yang Can smiled, "Don't worry, without you by my side for protection, what can a scholar without the strength to truss a chicken do?"
The two discussed the details again, and only then did Qingmei rise to take her leave.
When she went downstairs, the night was deep, the moonlight like water.
In the building across, Li Damu had finished bathing and even changed into sleepwear.
He didn't know why, perhaps it was because he had just bathed, but his expression seemed somewhat listless.
Through the slightly open window, he saw Qingmei again.
At this moment, the mist from the pond was silently spreading over the stone steps, flower branches, and green bricks under the corridor.
Qingmei strolled through it, like a fairy.
"Tsk, Steward Yang eats really well, that's fine skin... fine rice and white flour!"
"Ah, being young is truly good, she's only just coming out after so long!"
Li Damu sighed in admiration, his slender fingers stroking the beard beneath his chin, as elegant as playing a lute.
...
The same moon hung in the sky above Dailai City in the upper reaches of the Wuding River.
Dailai City was a very important transportation line between the Hetao region and the Central Plains.
This was also the headquarters where Yu Huanhu of the Yu family's eldest branch's second line had operated for many years.
The population within Dailai City plus the common households in the surrounding areas totaled over seventeen thousand households, with a total population of nearly one hundred thousand.
Of course, this population count only included those registered in the household records.
The local nomadic tribes, dependent populations of temples, hidden populations of powerful clans, as well as some transient populations engaged in industry and commerce, were not included.
This was also why Yu Xinglong couldn't easily move to kill Yu Huanhu.
Where the Clan Head resided was called "Phoenix Mountain Manor" and where Yu Huanhu resided was called "Northern Palace Separate Estate."
The character "palace" had the meaning of imperial prohibition, while "separate estate" referred to an informal residence.
With Yu Huanhu naming his residence this way, his restless ambitions were already clearly revealed.
The "Black Water Pavilion" of the Northern Palace Separate Estate was decorated with quite a nomadic style.
What hung on the walls were not calligraphy and paintings, but swords and bows and arrows.
The floor was covered with a huge piece of pile carpet in brilliant colors.
The carpet had relief-style patterns, all artistic transformations of lightning and mountain ranges.
The night was deep, but Yu Huanhu was full of spirit, without any fatigue.
Behind the side table, his eldest son Yu Rui also sat there.
"Father, the eldest branch has already sent people to inspect the estates. Their first stop was Feng'an Estate."
Yu Huanhu narrowed his eyes, "Feng'an Estate is closest to Phoenix Mountain, so it's proper that they inspect Feng'an Estate first."
Yu Rui said, "Father, are we just going to sit by and watch?"
Yu Huanhu chuckled lightly, "It's already been handed over, how can I openly interfere?"
Yu Rui understood the subtext in Yu Huanhu's words. His eyes rolled and he said, "Zhang Yunyi has always been alert. They may not be able to catch Estate Head Zhang's handle, right?"
Yu Huanhu shook his head and said flatly, "When others want to find fault with you, you will definitely have faults. Moreover, I handed over the six estates very hastily, Zhang Yunyi didn't have time to cover too many tracks."
"Then... we'll just watch like this?"
"So what?"
Yu Huanhu said nonchalantly, "Not to mention just one Feng'an Estate, even the six major estates and three major pastures are all chips I've thrown on the table. Kill a thousand enemies, lose eight hundred of your own. I can afford to lose, but your uncle, he can't afford to lose. Moreover, I've already publicly declared that I would henceforth seclude myself in Dailai City. With my words still ringing in the air, if I go back on them now, how can I gain people's trust in the future?"
Yu Rui nodded and smiled, "Does Father know who Uncle sent to inspect the estates?"
Yu Huanhu's brow furrowed, "This is a task where it's very difficult to gain merit but has pitfalls at every step. His close associates, he wouldn't send them. If they're not close associates, I can't guess."
"Yang Can, it's Yang Can!"
Yu Rui said with a smile, "It seems that this person's exoneration of Father indeed offended Uncle."
Yu Huanhu was startled, it's actually him?
Regarding Yu Chengye's death, the Yu family was investigating, and Yu Huanhu, who had inexplicably taken the blame, was also investigating. However, the truth was like being shrouded in a fog, and up to now he still hadn't discovered any leads.
However, he hadn't forgotten about Yang Can.
Previously, he had his second son Yu Ming investigate Yang Can's background and learned that he was a poor scholar who had offended powerful people in the Central Plains and fled to Longshang.
Yu Huanhu said thoughtfully, "Your uncle is planning to have this Yang Can take the blame when I make trouble this autumn."
Yu Rui said, "Father, regarding this person, is he worth recruiting?"
"Hmm..." Yu Huanhu stroked his beard and pondered.
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