Chapter 32: The Arrival of New Life

A helping hand in times of need is the most touching gesture of all.

Of course, Yang Can’s decision to lock horns with the Suo family had unexpectedly earned him the favor of the Clan Head, which was a significant reason why he was able to win over Leopard-Head. Leopard-Head did not understand why this was the case, but he realized that his lack of understanding was simply due to his own limited intellect. It did not matter that his brain was slow; he had no intention of relying on his rusty mind anyway. From now on, Master Yang would be the one to do the thinking for him. While Leopard-Head’s mind was simple, he possessed his own innate wisdom for survival.

After Yang Can visited Leopard-Head and offered some words of comfort to Sister-in-law Cheng—who had returned to her room clutching her daughter—he told her to seek him out if she ever encountered trouble, and then took his leave.

Upon returning to his quarters, Yang Can found Zhang Yunyi, the Master of Feng’an Manor, already waiting for him. Yang Can did not think much of this Zhang Yunyi; in his mind, he was nothing more than a rustic, small-time landlord. The image Zhang presented was exactly that of a country bumpkin—cunning and calculating, willing to humble himself, but lacking any real vision or stature.

Zhang Yunyi presented Yang Can with a gift: a small box containing four gold biscuits. It was not a light gift, but it was not exceptionally extravagant either. It left Yang Can with the impression that this country landlord was relatively wealthy and quite generous. As the steward in charge of the six major manors, Yang Can was Zhang’s direct superior, so he naturally assumed that this gift was the most valuable one the landlord could offer. After a modest show of refusal, Yang Can accepted the generous gift, saw Master Zhang out, and settled into a period of ease and leisure.

In the inner residence, Suo Chanzhi and her maid Qingmei were conducting a thorough reorganization, striving to firmly grasp control of the household. Meanwhile, in the outer residence, the management remained largely dominated by the "Young Master Ling faction," headed by the Chief Steward, Li Youcai. With Li in charge, Yang Can did not even have the luxury of "following the established rules"; he simply had to "blend in and stay neutral."

As for the account books of the manors and pastures that Li Youcai had passed on to him, Yang Can had followed up with Accountant Li several times. Each time, the accountant would put on a troubled face, claiming he was too busy dealing with the accounts required by the Young Mistress to provide them. Yang Can was not in a hurry. After his daily "reminders" to the accountant, he would stroll around to maintain his presence before returning to his study to "read."

After only seven or eight days of "reading," Yang Can had managed to sort through the accounts of the six manors and three pastures from the past few years. If it were a contest of poetry, chess, or painting, Yang Can would indeed be inferior to the scholars of this era. However, when it came to practical management and industrial oversight, once he was familiar with the basic rules, he was more than capable.

Those records were simple ledgers, the kind most prone to tampering and fraud. One could alter dates through back-filling or retroactively recording expired transactions to cover up deficits. By adding fictitious items or intentionally omitting others, one could mislead others, fabricate expenses, embezzle public funds, and pocket the difference. However, even without the meticulous reconciliation methods Yang Can employed, the books were riddled with loopholes and flaws. This was because Yu Huanhu had handed over the ledgers in such a rush that there had been no time to doctor them. Of course, it was also possible that Yu Huanhu had no intention of hiding anything at all; he was practically hoping the main branch would find the discrepancies. If they did find them, would they dare to act? If they did nothing, how would they explain the missing funds from previous years?

If they did act, it was currently the spring plowing season. To stir up panic in the manors would lead to a massive drop in the autumn harvest, and how would they answer to the entire clan for that? This was the unsolvable dilemma Yu Huanhu had tossed to the main branch.

Yang Can, however, seemed unconcerned. He marked the discrepancies on a statistical chart, locked the chart in a cabinet, and continued his daily "reminders" to the accountant.

Early one morning, Yang Can took Wangcai to the small kitchen for breakfast. As the personal attendant to a steward, Wangcai’s meals were far better than those of ordinary servants. He could find meat in his bowls every day, albeit in small portions. Consequently, Wangcai was very enthusiastic about mealtime; every morning while Yang Can washed up, he would wait by the corridor like a dog waiting to be fed.

Upon entering the dining hall, Yang Can felt the atmosphere was off. The stewards were not chatting and laughing as usual; the room was abnormally quiet. Li Youcai was there today, but he only offered a strained smile when he saw Yang Can. Puzzled, Yang Can sat beside him and whispered, "Chief Steward, what has happened?"

Li Youcai lowered his voice and replied, "Early this morning, the Clan Head and Second Master Suo went to the inner residence."

Yang Can was slightly startled. "Something happened in the inner residence?"

Li Youcai shook his head. "The Clan Head and Second Master Suo brought with them three famous physicians from Longshang."

Yang Can immediately realized the implication. "They are... taking the Young Mistress's pulse?"

Li Youcai nodded and let out a long, melancholy sigh. "I only hope the Young Mistress lives up to our expectations."

Yang Can rubbed his nose. The fact that everyone was so concerned about whether Suo Chanzhi was pregnant added immense pressure to him. After all, he was the one who had "tilled the land." Honestly, after learning this, Yang Can lost his appetite. The others were anxious because the future of the main branch—and by extension, their own futures—depended on it. For Yang Can, the moment was even more critical; it would decide whether he had to walk on the edge of a blade to gamble for a prosperous future.

After breakfast, the stewards headed toward the junction of the outer and inner residences, where there were several auxiliary buildings. The architectural layout of wealthy households emphasized a clear distinction between the inner and outer areas. Thus, the connection was not just a high wall, but a series of buildings constructed against both sides of the wall. This served to separate the areas for privacy while also gathering "fortune and energy" according to feng shui.

On the inner side of the junction, flanking the floral gate, were the inner study and the maid's kitchen. On the outer side were the accounting office and the stewards' hall. Li Youcai, the accountant, and the other stewards had all gathered in this area today. They each had their own excuses to be in various rooms, pretending to work, but their minds were entirely focused on the inner residence. Eventually, they stopped hiding it, gathering in small groups to drink tea, waiting for news from within.

"Steward Niu, our Second Steward is truly composed. Everyone else is here waiting for news, yet he doesn't even come to listen," the accountant remarked to Steward Niu, noting Yang Can’s absence.

Steward Niu shook his head and stroked his beard. "Master Li, our Steward Yang is not exactly in the Young Mistress’s favor. If she isn't pregnant, this main branch will eventually be disbanded, and he will have to find another way. But if she is pregnant, heh! She will hold all the power. And when that happens, she will kick him out anyway. Tell me, why would he come?"

The accountant chuckled. "That is true. Among all of us in the main branch, our Steward Yang is likely the one who cares the least about whether the Young Mistress is pregnant."

Yang Can indeed had not gone to the inner residence to wait for news. For one, everyone knew he was not favored by the Suo family, so it was inappropriate for him to be there. More importantly, he was more nervous than anyone else. It was the anxiety of potentially becoming a father, the anxiety of knowing this moment would dictate the path he would take for the rest of his life. Having lived two lifetimes, this was the first time he faced such a monumental change and choice.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Yang Can sent Wangcai out to wait outside the inner residence and listen for news. He himself opened a book and sat in his study. He tried to calm himself, but despite the doors and windows being wide open, he still felt a burning heat throughout his body.

...

Inside the Orchid Chamber of the inner residence, a seventy-year-old physician with white hair and a white beard was using the "three-part, nine-pulse" method, his fingers resting steadily on Suo Chanzhi’s wrist. Four matrons, Qingmei, the maid Qiaoshe, and the physician's assistant—his fifty-year-old daughter-in-law—all stood by, watching intently.

Suo Chanzhi was nervous, her heart pounding against her ribs, causing her pulse to race. She tried to steady her breathing, but the more she tried, the more rapid it became. The physician sensed her anxiety, but to him, this was natural. The survival of the main branch and the future of the young mistress rested on this; how could she not be nervous? Because of this, the physician became even more cautious. Despite being certain of his diagnosis, he checked her pulse several times.

Finally, the physician withdrew his fingers, smiled, and cupped his hands. "Congratulations, Young Mistress. You are with child."

As these words were spoken, the maids and matrons in the room beamed with joy. The Clan Head and Second Master Suo had each sent for physicians, bringing in three of the most renowned doctors in the Northwest. This physician was the last to diagnose her, and the most famous of the three. Since the first two had already confirmed the pregnancy, and now this venerable doctor had echoed their findings, the heavy stone in their hearts finally fell to the ground.

The physician stood up and bowed. "Young Mistress, I shall go meet my colleagues, and then we will report to the Clan Head together. I shall take my leave."

"Thank you, sir," Suo Chanzhi replied, her mind still in a daze. She had prayed day and night for these past few days, hoping to conceive a child. Now that her wish had been granted, she did not feel the sudden relief she expected; instead, she felt even more nervous. Gently, she placed a hand on her abdomen, as if she could already feel the new life growing within her.