HUS Chapter 76: Arriving Without Invitation
HUS Chapter 76: Arriving Without Invitation
January 9
A noble family banquet was also a display of power and capability.
The head of the family only needed to give an order: on a certain month and day, I will host a banquet.
The series of preparations required for this were numerous.
Among the myriad details, the slightest mistake would damage the family's reputation and invite ridicule.
If such a thing really happened, Yang Can's power feast to rally people's hearts would probably not go well.
This was also a feast to demonstrate Qingmei's housekeeping abilities, so the young lady naturally gave it her all.
Yang Can was hosting this gathering in his capacity as Second Steward of the eldest branch's main lineage, summoning his subordinates for a banquet.
Even so, the appropriate bearing still had to be displayed.
Therefore, invitations still needed to be sent. This was basic etiquette.
Fortunately, Qingmei didn't need to repeatedly deliberate over the guest list, because Yang Can's invitation targets were very clear.
Next, she had to consider the making of the invitations.
Should she use high-quality silk or specially made letter paper, and what form would be most appropriate?
The person writing the invitations also couldn't have too poor calligraphy.
With Master Jingyao present, these issues were easily resolved.
The young master told Qingmei that she could take full responsibility for this matter.
She would personally design the invitations and supervise the craftsmen in making them.
As for calligraphy, she wrote a few large characters on the spot for Qingmei to see.
Upon seeing them, Qingmei was greatly impressed and entrusted this matter to Jingyao.
Jingyao had just received her assignment and was about to leave when Qingmei called Rena forward.
"Rena, this is the banquet menu I personally drafted. The procurement of the ingredients listed on it will be your responsibility. Also, have Head Chef Zhu estimate whether he can handle it alone, so I can borrow people from the eldest branch in time if needed."
Upon hearing this, Jingyao didn't want to leave anymore.
You can ask me about food matters. Who understands food better than I do?
Unfortunately, her wild mental cries went completely unheard by Qingmei.
Rena happily agreed.
That evening, right in front of Yang Can, her "hezi" had suddenly snapped.
What was worse, she had been startled, so her reaction was just a tiny bit slow.
Thus, the precious treasures that shouldn't have been seen were viewed completely by Yang Can.
The only solution she could think of at the time was to raise her hands to cover herself, but she couldn't achieve "covering the sky with one hand."
How mortifying!
Even now when thinking about it, she felt she had no face.
Being in charge of the kitchen was good. As long as she didn't have to deal with Yang Can, anything would do.
After instructing Rena, Qingmei continued spinning like a top.
The selection of wine, arrangement of the venue, entertainment arrangements, contingency plans for wind or rain on the day...
All these needed her advance consideration.
As for servant deployment and security matters, those were entirely entrusted to Leopard Head.
Leopard Head had spent over twenty years at Phoenix Mountain. Just from watching, he had learned these things.
...
After many days of tense preparation, the Dragon Boat Festival period was approaching.
On this morning, Master Jingyao gracefully came to Yang Can's side.
"Estate Head Yang, please review the seating arrangement list."
Today she wore a plain-colored shirt and skirt with a lacquered gauze crown on her head, completely dressed as a noble young lady. However, even wearing secular clothes, what showed from her was not noble bearing but an ethereal quality.
Her pretty face was radiant, her spirit clear and bones refined, like an unstained little immortal maiden.
Compared to the sexy and fiery Rena, Jingyao was completely at the other extreme.
If Yang Can hadn't seen her holding a pig's knuckle without any image, he would certainly be fooled by her too.
Yang Can hadn't treated her as a female slave. After buying her, Qingmei had returned her sale contract to her but she hadn't changed into monk's robes because of this.
She said that now living in the Yang residence, wearing monk's robes would be inappropriate and easily invite gossip for the estate head.
Practitioners emphasized that "all appearances are illusory."
Therefore, she very naturally wore ordinary people's clothes and never claimed to be a nun.
Yang Can took the list. The small characters that met his eyes were neat and elegant, pleasing to the eye at first glance.
"Seating order? Do I need to consider seating order?"
Yang Can browsed the list, somewhat puzzled.
Jingyao smiled and reminded, "Estate Head, which guests don't get along with whom, or whose status is higher or lower, these are things you as the host must consider."
Only then did Yang Can understand. He shook his head and smiled, "I see. For these people, Yang doesn't need to consider such things."
Yang Can explained, "They are all my subordinates. This time they're coming to apologize to me.
As long as I have a seat here, that's enough. Do I still need to consider where they sit?"
"I see. This one understands." Jingyao took back the list and nodded gracefully at Yang Can.
The "this one" she used wasn't referring to son or daughter, but meant "this young woman."
"Er" and "nu jia" were both somewhat obedient and humble female self-references. However, "er" was the self-reference of unmarried noble young ladies. Common women didn't use it.
This Master Jingyao was skilled in elegant pursuits like playing the zither and making incense, showing that those she usually associated with were noble women who went to the nunnery to worship Buddha.
Therefore, she was accustomed to referring to herself as "er," which seemed very reasonable.
Jingyao turned to leave. Her pace wasn't fast, but had a flowing quality.
Her head, shoulders, waist, and hips were on one central axis, appearing extremely tranquil and elegant.
When walking, her hands would naturally gather in her sleeves, then cross and fold in front of her abdomen. Right hand on top, left hand below. This was called "lian ren."
This was the bearing that could naturally integrate into daily behavior only after noble young ladies received strict training from childhood. However, Yang Can just found it dignified and elegant, not associating it with that aspect.
Head, shoulders, waist, and hips being on one central axis naturally didn't mean completely motionless.
Even her hands crossed in front of her lower abdomen would naturally sway slightly with her gait.
This was a natural, soul-stirring rhythm and style, most conforming to Eastern aesthetics of "restrained allure."
Oh no, conforming to Eastern aesthetics of "silent charm" and "subtle sensuality."
Watching that gracefully moving figure, thinking of her long hair reaching her waist and lightly brushing against her hip tips...
Yang Can suddenly felt she was even more alluring than Rena.
Rena's appeal was visual, direct, and explicit, passionate and intense but this fake little nun was like a beautifully bound book with its pages tightly closed, making one urgently want to glimpse its contents.
Whose beautiful spy is she really, and what is her purpose in approaching me?
No, I can't just let her run free like this. After I deal with the "eight lords," I must proactively probe her depths.
Yang Can stared at Master Jingyao's retreating figure, pondering silently.
At this time, Wangcai hurried over, "Master, a distinguished guest has arrived."
Oh? Had an estate head or pasture head arrived early?
This person was quite perceptive.
Yang Can glanced at Wangcai. He wasn't holding a visiting card.
Yang Can asked curiously, "Who has come?"
Wangcai said, "Master Bao has come. Master Bao asks that you come out of the fortress to greet him."
Master Bao?
Yang Can was first confused, then immediately reacted.
On Yu family territory, someone calling himself Master Bao who also asked him, the Second Steward of the eldest branch's main lineage, to come out of the fortress to greet him...
That could only be Third Master Yu, Yu Xiaobao.
Why had he come?
Was he sent by the Clan Head?
Yang Can knew that once the matter of privately trafficking armor was reported, the Clan Head would certainly send someone to investigate.
He just wasn't clear who the Clan Head would send.
From the current situation, most likely the Clan Head had sent Yu Xiaobao.
Yang Can's expression turned serious as he quickly said, "Quick, open the main gate. I'll go greet him."
...
A luxurious covered carriage stood quietly before Feng'an Fortress.
More than ten guards stood solemnly on either side, holding horses.
From beneath the hanging curtain at the carriage window, a hand extended. The black jade thumb ring lightly tapped the window frame.
This ring was an archer's ring, though in this era, its main function was still for archery.
So the jade ring had a shallow groove for hooking the bowstring.
This was only in Longshang, influenced by the nomadic customs.
If this were in the Central Plains, especially among Southern Dynasty aristocrats, they would disdain using this as decoration.
Yu Xiaobao sat in the carriage, eyes slightly closed in contemplation.
After Second Brother handed over the estates and pastures, he had thought he had an opportunity.
Who would have thought that Eldest Brother would allocate these properties to that little widow in the main lineage?
This made Master Bao very angry.
If Chengye were still alive, that would be one thing, but he was dead!
Eldest Brother, would you rather let outsiders help you manage them than give them to me?
In a fit of anger, Yu Xiaobao had stormed off.
Originally he thought Second Brother wouldn't let this go and would definitely have means to undermine Eldest Brother.
He would just endure his anger for now. When autumn came with poor harvest, he could have a good argument with Eldest Brother.
At that time, if Eldest Brother still wouldn't hand over the properties for him to manage, it would be quite unreasonable.
As a result, before long he successively heard some rumors:
That the Clan Head had appointed Second Steward of the eldest branch's main lineage Yang Can to manage the estates and pastures.
That Second Steward of the eldest branch's main lineage Yang Can had improved the plow and thus became famous throughout the land.
That Second Steward of the eldest branch's main lineage Yang Can had also improved the waterwheel, and Longshang's cultivated land area would break through water conservancy constraints because of this.
These pieces of news gradually made Yu Xiaobao unable to sit still.
This Yang Can seemed to really have some ability!
The two things Yang Can created allowed him to successfully break out of his circle.
His reputation had spread beyond the Yu family and was continuing to spread in all directions.
This reputation became a "golden shield." Yang Can would not be easily shaken.
With these two improved farming implements he created, if the six major estates still wanted to play tricks, it would be very difficult to find a reasonable explanation.
The "Yang Can Plow" already had the effect of more efficient plowing, increased grain yields, and liberation of labor.
Yet you had even worse harvest than previous years?
The easiest excuse to make was to play tricks with water conservancy but that damned dog Yang Can had also improved the waterwheel.
These Yu family estates were originally developed along the Dragon River.
Their irrigation mainly relied on Dragon River water, not rainwater.
Now with this efficient waterwheel, you couldn't claim poor harvest was due to water shortage, could you?
This way, it also blocked the possibility of those estates playing tricks.
This Yang Can seemed to really be able to control these estates and pastures in one stroke.
Yu Xiaobao began to grow anxious.
The Yu family's properties had long been completely divided up.
The properties Second Brother handed over this time were his best, possibly his last opportunity.
If Yang Can established a firm foothold, what would be left for him?
Just at this time, news reached his ears that Estate Head Zhang Yunyi of Feng'an Estate had been completely subdued by Yang Can, and that Yang Can would receive the eight major stewards on the fifth day of the fifth month.
Subsequently, several estate heads who were about to rush to Feng'an Estate for the meeting came to pay their respects to Third Master Bao.
These estate heads worried that even if they were willing to submit, Yang Can wouldn't let matters rest.
What if Steward Yang planned to find someone to make an example of? What then?
So they prepared generous gifts and sought out Yu Xiaobao.
They understood that at this time, only Master Bao was willing to stand up for them.
With this great Buddha Master Bao sitting there, they needn't fear Yang Can turning heaven upside down.
Yu Xiaobao was thinking that if he could disrupt Yang Can's "pacification conference," he would still have a slim chance.
Thus, both sides with their respective needs hit it off, and Master Bao came.
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