HUS Chapter 56: Ending It All at Once
HUS Chapter 56: Ending It All at Once
Dec 26, 2025
"Did Steward Yang really say that?"
Young Master Zhang asked in a trembling voice, his face extremely ugly. Xiaotan nodded vigorously.
Estate Head Zhang had been detained by Yang Can on the grounds that many of his subordinate managers had committed illegal acts such as embezzlement.
They said it was to assist with the investigation, but everyone knew this was just a euphemistic way of putting it before his crimes were publicly announced.
The tower of Yunyi, which had already been shaken to its foundations by Yang Can's series of brick-pulling actions, had now completely collapsed in the hearts of Feng'an Estate's people.
Young Master Zhang brought a generous gift to request an audience with Yang Can, but unfortunately, Yang Can, who had previously been courteous to him, now refused to see him at all. However, the Zhang family was not subjected to any control because of Zhang Yunyi's detention.
The Zhang family members took the opportunity to quietly begin transferring their movable wealth outside the fortress.
The panic-stricken Young Master Zhang received a message delivered by Xiaotan at precisely this time, a message that filled him with despair.
Young Master Zhang plopped down onto a chair, his face ashen.
For Yang Can to dare do this, he must have already gotten hold of major evidence against my family, right?
If that's the case, even if our family's movable wealth is transferred out of the fortress, what good will it do?
As long as we Zhang family members can't escape from Yu family territory, won't we ultimately still be at their mercy?
But all we can do now in Feng'an Estate is play these little tricks. If we flee now, is there still a chance?
"I... I understand. Xiaotan, you've done very well. The Zhang family won't forget your contribution. This young master will certainly reward you handsomely."
Young Master Zhang casually painted a rosy picture for Xiaotan, then waved his hand to dismiss her.
After Xiaotan left, Young Master Zhang paced back and forth in the room like an ant on a hot pan for quite a while. Finally, he stamped his foot hard and strode out quickly.
...
Zhang Xiaomi was Zhang Yunyi's paternal uncle and the Zhang family member with the highest seniority.
Young Master Zhang normally had little contact with this great-uncle but now with disaster looming, the only family elder he could consult was this great-uncle.
After all, they were grasshoppers tied to the same rope.
"This Yang Can is a ruthless man!"
Zhang Xiaomi coughed twice and murmured, "This old man has finally figured it out! This Steward Yang wants to use the blood of us Zhang family members to paint his reputation and intimidate the six great estates."
Young Master Zhang said irritably, "Great-uncle, is there any use talking about this now? What should we do? What should we do right now? What should our Zhang family do? That's what's most urgent."
Zhang Xiaomi was silent for a long time before slowly saying, "You just said that Steward Yang is staying in the east wing, adjacent to the granaries?"
"Yes, what about it?"
A fierce glint suddenly flashed in Zhang Xiaomi's eyes as he said grimly, "We'll set fire to the east wing and blame it on a natural disaster!"
Young Master Zhang's eyes suddenly widened in shock as he said, "That... that's completely... what use is that? Won't we still die?"
Zhang Xiaomi shook his head and said viciously, "Set fire to the east wing, let it spread to the granaries, and burn all those managers locked inside to death in one blaze!"
Young Master Zhang was horrified and stammered, "Great-uncle, I... my father is also locked in the granary."
Zhang Xiaomi slowly lowered his eyelids, looking utterly decrepit, as if he hadn't heard what he said at all.
Young Master Zhang suddenly understood. Great-uncle wanted to...
Young Master Zhang shrank back into his chair and nervously began biting his fingernails.
This was a habit he had developed since childhood.
Zhang Xiaomi said slowly, "If only Yang Can dies, then we'll find it hard to escape blame. But if so many managers in the estate all die, then it's just dry weather and flammable materials, an accidental natural disaster."
In the Hetao region, the winds in spring blew from the southwest and northwest.
In that case, once fire broke out in the east wing, the granary area outside the east wing would naturally easily be connected by the wind-driven flames.
Zhang Xiaomi said, "If so many people die all at once, how many widows and orphans will there be? Will they not make a fuss? Our Feng'an Estate has been tormented by that surnamed Yang into this state. Don't even think about a good harvest this autumn. What do you think the other five great estates will do when they feel the sorrow of the rabbit at the death of the fox?"
There was another sentence Zhang Xiaomi didn't say explicitly.
If Zhang Yunyi also died in this great fire, without evidence, who would dare accuse the Zhang family of setting the fire?
Once Zhang Yunyi burned to death, the Zhang family members would also become victims and could join forces with the many other victims to make this matter blow up.
Moreover, they could use this fire to burn away much evidence unfavorable to the Zhang family.
With no witnesses, no physical evidence, and no investigators left, what could anyone do?
To maintain peace, the Clan Head would most likely choose to let the matter rest.
After all, to the Clan Head, the death of one steward was nothing. Stabilizing his rule was most important.
Young Master Zhang's face shifted between light and dark as he sat there in a daze, saying nothing.
This not only challenged the Clan Head's bottom line but also violated his own.
At least, he had never thought about patricide.
Zhang Xiaomi tapped his cane and asked in a deep voice, "The situation is already critical. Have you made up your mind?"
Young Master Zhang stammered, "Should I... should I discuss this with Mother and my brothers?"
Zhang Xiaomi sneered, "Can you mobilize the guards in Feng'an Fortress?"
Young Master Zhang straightened his chest slightly, "With my father absent, I'm in charge. Of course I can mobilize them."
Zhang Xiaomi said, "Then isn't that settled? If you insist on making it known to everyone, how can you hide it from the mouths of the masses?"
Young Master Zhang lowered his head and weighed his options repeatedly.
He indeed had no feelings for his father, but the thought of patricide, even just thinking about it, made his heart pound with fear.
Zhang Xiaomi said, "I'll have your three cousins help you."
Zhang Xiaomi had three grandsons in total. This meant he wanted to completely bind himself together with him.
The brick-pulling style of mounting pressure, the constantly transferred movable wealth that had already bred a desire to flee,
Plus Zhang Xiaomi's current instigation, Young Master Zhang finally made up his mind.
He slapped his thigh hard and said through gritted teeth, "Yang Can, you forced me to do this!"
...
The night of the eighteenth day of the fourth month.
Tonight there was wind.
Northwest wind.
Young Master Zhang mobilized more than ten Zhang family guards whom he believed he could completely trust.
Everyone carried fire oil and quietly approached the east wing guest rooms where Yang Can and his party were staying.
This was Zhang family territory. Every blade of grass, every tree, every brick and tile, they naturally knew best.
So they approached quietly without attracting the attention of the guards in the courtyard.
The Zhang family originally kept vicious guard dogs, but since it was Zhang family members coming, the dogs naturally wouldn't bark.
In this era, even in Longshang, the buildings of wealthy households mostly used timber.
Tonight there was wind, and they had fire oil in hand. Setting fire to a building mainly made of wood was naturally very easy.
...
Yang Can stood on the high granite foundation of the granary area, gazing at the small building where he should have been sleeping.
This was the granary in the storage area farthest from the east wing. This granary still had half a warehouse of old grain.
Yang Can had just come up. Having left in haste, he was still wearing his nightgown.
The wind blew his nightgown, the fabric constantly fluttering.
When Young Master Zhang assembled the guards to prepare for action, Yang Can received a warning and then quietly left.
He knew the Zhang family would certainly make a move. Under his constant pressure, people's hearts would collapse.
He just wasn't sure in what manner the Zhang family would act.
Now, he knew.
"Whoosh!"
Wind fueled the fire, oil poured on flames, the result was obvious.
A giant torch quickly appeared in the night sky.
The evening wind in Longshang was very strong.
From here, one could clearly see the flames striving to lick toward the sky.
The flames, affected by the strong airflow at high altitude, were forcefully bent at the waist and rolled toward the storage area.
The power of the flames was great. Yang Can was standing downwind, so even though he was quite far away, he could still feel the scorching power of the fierce blaze.
Zhang Yunyi, his two thumbs bound together with cooked ox tendon, stood beside Yang Can.
His expression was very ugly, ugly to the extreme.
The fire was so large that even steel would probably melt.
The flames had already licked the first granary.
That granary, above its foundation, was all flammable material and immediately caught fire.
If there were people inside, by the time this great fire finished burning, probably not even ashes would remain.
Zhang Yunyi was someone with a strong sense of family. In the first half of his life, relying on his own life and sword, he had fought his way to a great future.
In the second half of his life, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to strengthening the Zhang family, only to let the Zhang family flourish and firmly establish the Zhang family's roots in this land of Longshang.
Therefore, as long as he could preserve the Zhang family that he had single-handedly built up, when necessary, he would not begrudge giving his life but his willingly going to his death and being killed by the family members he had devoted himself to protecting were two entirely different things.
This was the greatest betrayal. All his dedication and sacrifice had become a great joke in this fire.
As soon as the fire started, the Zhang family members raised a commotion.
Those Zhang family members who didn't know the truth shouted in panic for servants and guards to quickly go to the east wing to fight the fire but the fire was raging and it was already impossible to approach.
Deep in the granary area, on the granite foundation, Yang Can sat down, his legs naturally dangling.
The firelight in the distance, following the wind, flickered bright and dim on his face.
Yang Can looked at the firelight and said to the ashen-faced Zhang Yunyi, "Estate Head Zhang, do you see? This... is the Zhang family you devoted yourself wholeheartedly to protecting!"
Yang Can shook his head and sighed, "Over all these years, you probably only cultivated their comfortable enjoyment of wealth and glory, right? Every one of them has a crooked heart."
"Crash..." The small building hadn't collapsed yet, but the upper part of the first granary to catch fire had already begun collapsing.
The collapsing burning debris splashed up countless sparks, lifted by the strong wind, scattered like stars, incomparably brilliant.
"Estate Head Zhang, I have a very good suggestion here. Would you like to hear it?"
Yang Can suddenly turned his head and, amid the "starlight" dancing all over the sky, looked at Zhang Yunyi with a smile.
His smile was incomparably brilliant in the "starlight."
Below the granite foundation more than ten feet high, the many managers of Feng'an Estate were being guarded by two managers, two matrons, and guards.
The managers were dumbstruck.
The granary that had originally been used to detain them had just collapsed and transformed into stars filling the sky.
Qingmei looked with lingering fear at the granary that had collapsed with a roar, then suddenly turned her head to look at the tall stone foundation.
Yang Can sat on the edge of that stone foundation, the firelight reflecting on his face as if he were carved from granite.
"Thud!" Zhang Yunyi, with his hands bound, suddenly knelt down before Yang Can.
Because his hands were bound and he couldn't kneel slowly, both knees hit the hard granite.
His knees hurt badly, but his heart hurt even more.
Yang Can looked at the graying head bowed deeply before him.
Zhang Yunyi's shoulders were shaking violently. He was sobbing silently.
Yang Can said leisurely, "Estate Head Zhang, I guarantee you won't regret today's choice!"
Xiao Qingmei raised her small face and stared fixedly at this scene, her eyes full of admiration.
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