Chapter 48: Can Be a Chess Piece, But Never a Discarded Pawn

Yang Can wanted to invent the curved-shaft plow.

If he actually managed to create this plow, it should rightly be named the "Yang Can Plow."

His name, Yang Can, would spread far and wide alongside this plow.

Yang Can could not claim any deep understanding of the curved-shaft plow.

Yet, while it played a tremendous role in boosting agricultural productivity, it was by no means high technology.

Yang Can only knew the general principles of the curved-shaft plow, but he had Li Yue, a craftsman who had spent his entire life making farming tools.

Working in close cooperation—with one person providing the design concept and general shape, and the other bringing it to physical reality—made the task much easier.

Because of this, Yang Can poured his heart and soul into the endeavor.

The only reason Yang Can had been selected in Matron Tu's scheme was the handsome face bestowed upon him by his parents.

However, his counter-kill against Matron Tu, his forcing Suo Chanzhi into an alliance, and his ability to make Yu Xinglong perceive his value—

This whole series of maneuvers relied entirely on his own wits and intelligence.

Unfortunately, judging from the series of arrangements made for him by the Clan Head Yu, he was not being treated as a chess piece, but rather as an abandoned pawn.

If you treat me as a chess piece, I am naturally more than willing to serve.

Before one has the qualifications to be a chess player, starting out as a chess piece is a necessary path.

Yet, if you treat me as an abandoned pawn, I cannot simply allow myself to be manipulated at will.

What Yang Can had to face now was not merely whether Suo Chanzhi would give birth to a boy or a girl nine months from now.

There was also the crisis originating from Yu Xinglong.

Yu Xinglong had assigned him as the steward of the main branch, handing over six major manors and three major pastures for him to manage.

From the very beginning, this arrangement had already determined his ultimate purpose.

In this game of chess, he was nothing more than a "sacrificial piece" prepared by Clan Head Yu.

Either, when the Clan Head was ready to tear down the bridge after crossing the river, he would be pushed forward to turn against the Suo family, using his death to appease the Suo family's wrath.

Or, if the six major manors suffered a crop failure and the Clan Head faced interrogation from the entire clan, he would be pushed out as a scapegoat.

If Yang Can did not want to become an abandoned pawn, he had to make himself increasingly indispensable.

If he could attain a transcendental status like Yi She, then even as a household servant, the masters would not be able to toy with him at whim.

On the contrary, the various branches of the Yu family would strive to recruit him and vie for his support.

Yet... the positions were limited in number.

If Yang Can wanted to rise above the crowd, following the conventional steps would leave his turn unreached even after decades, and he simply did not have that much time to operate.

Therefore, he had to carve out a new path.

His fixation on Feng'an Manor was actually born of this very scheme; he intended to bring Feng'an Manor firmly into his own grasp.

Only then would his usefulness magnify.

And now, he had discovered another opportunity to elevate his own importance.

As long as he could forge the "Yang Can Plow," his name would resonate throughout the realm.

Renown across the realm was, in itself, a form of momentum.

...

At night, in the study, nine lotus-branch bronze lamps illuminated the room as bright as day.

Young Master Zhang sat in a side chair, silently stifling a yawn.

He turned his face away, stealthily wiping away the tears forced out by the yawn.

It was so late; he had not wanted to come, but as the eldest son of the Zhang family, he had to shoulder greater family responsibilities.

Although Zhang Yunyi was not entirely satisfied with this eldest son, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and groom him.

Agricultural Inspector Peng Jin and Manor Steward Lai Gulu were led into the room by Steward Wan Tai.

Lai Gulu presented a piece of paper covered in scribbled lines with both hands to Zhang Yunyi.

This was what he and Peng Jin had secretly sketched from memory after peeping at Yang Can drawing patterns on the ground.

Zhang Yunyi sat behind the desk, staring at the paper full of messy lines, his brows knitted into a tight knot.

"This... is the contraption Steward Yang has been bustling about to concoct?"

"Yes, Steward Yang said he wants to change the straight shaft of the plow into a curved one. Steward Yang claims that with just this modification according to his design, it will become much lighter, saving both human labor and animal toil."

"Oh? Then do you think this is feasible?"

As he spoke, Zhang Yunyi handed the "blueprint" to Wan Tai, and the head steward passed it on to Young Master Zhang.

Young Master Zhang put on an air of expertise as he examined the blueprint.

Peng Jin said with a troubled expression, "Lord Manor Head, although this humble servant is an agricultural inspector, I do not actually plow the fields. As for whether Steward Yang's pondering over this contraption is truly feasible, even Blacksmith Li cannot say for sure. This humble servant..."

"Hmm~" Zhang Yunyi nodded, the furrowed lines between his brows relaxing slightly.

Being able to greatly save human and animal labor simply by changing a plow shaft from straight to curve belonged to the realm of physics, much like using pulleys during hoisting.

Yet a person ignorant of physics, even if shown such an object, would fail to comprehend the underlying reason.

Therefore, many things that modern people took for granted and could see through at a single glance were not necessarily understood in this era.

Many craftsmen possessed exquisite skills, but as for the things they forged, they only knew how it was done without knowing why, naturally making it difficult for them to innovate.

Since neither the agricultural inspector nor Blacksmith Li was certain whether this improved plow would be useful, Manor Head Zhang temporarily set the matter aside.

Stroking his beard, he asked suspiciously, "Steward Yang made such a grand commotion coming down the mountain, and yet... this is it?"

Peng Jin and Lai Gulu exchanged glances. Lai Gulu ventured, "Lord Manor Head, perhaps this man has no intention of making things difficult for us at all?"

Young Master Zhang crossed his legs and said lazily, "Then what did he come here for? Just to go back like this? If so, he might as well not have come at all. How will he report back to the Clan Head and the Eldest Branch's Young Madam?"

Lai Gulu lowered his voice. "Lord Manor Head, Young Master, I heard that when the Clan Head was discussing the succession in the Mingde Hall, the Suo family insisted that the Second Master killed the heir. At that time, it was precisely this Steward Yang—who was then the heir's private secretary—who insisted that the Suo family harmed the heir. If not for that, the Second Master might not have escaped unscathed that day. Could it be that... this Steward Yang..."

Dawn breaking in his mind, Zhang Yunyi's eyes flashed as he muttered, "You mean to say this man intends to pledge allegiance to the Second Master, and therefore deliberately muddied the waters that day to absolve him? And now, during his inspection of Feng'an Manor, he raises his hand high only to let it fall softly, also as a gesture of goodwill toward our Second Master?"

Peng Jin chimed in, "Lord Manor Head, that is entirely possible."

Young Master Zhang curled his lip and let out a cold snort. "If you put it that way, why did the Clan Head arrange for him to be the steward of the six major manors? You claim his heart lies with the Second Master, and yet—oh! The Clan Head hands the industries returned by the Second Master right back to someone whose heart belongs to the Second Master? Does that make any sense?"

Lai Gulu reasoned, "Young Master, is it possible the Clan Head appointed him precisely because he knew he was untrustworthy, and knowing that taking back the six major manors peacefully was impossible?"

Young Master Zhang glared, "Why? Is the Clan Head's brain diseased?"

Infuriated, Zhang Yunyi slammed the table and scolded, "Why, why! Why do you have so many 'whys' every single day! With all these 'whys' of yours, why don't you ever stop to think about the reason behind it? Naturally, it's so that if the six major manors suffer severe crop failures and the various branches raise hell, Yang Can can be used as a scapegoat to plug the hole!"

Young Master Zhang flushed beet red under the reprimand and stammered, "Then why..."

"Shut your mouth!"

The Manor Head felt a throbbing headache of rage, and Young Master Zhang reluctantly clamped his mouth shut.

Though unconvinced, he dared not provoke his old man any further.

Turning to Peng Jin and Lai Gulu, Zhang Yunyi said in a deep voice, "Since Steward Yang has the ambition to improve farming tools, let him be! If he lacks people, we give him people. If he lacks supplies, we give him supplies. If he lacks money, we give him money—give him whatever he asks for."

Lai Gulu and Peng Jin hastily agreed, secretly rejoicing in their hearts.

We thought this would be a bitter chore, but who would have thought... Hehe.

Zhang Yunyi instructed further, "Of course, you must still keep a close, unblinking watch on him to guard against any accidents."

Pondering for a moment, Zhang Yunyi said to Wan Tai, "Steward, have Xiao Tan lure Accountant Li into her bed. If Steward Yang harbors malicious intent toward this old man, his methods will surely land on this Accountant Li."

...

Wheat irrigated by the waters of the Yinlong River was ground into the finest powder by the finest stone mill, then kneaded into dough with water inside a pottery urn, repeatedly pushed and rolled upon the wooden board.

Finally, it was returned to the earthen steamer to slowly rise amidst the steam. At this point, a pair of deft hands could stretch and pull it into threads as fine as silver silk.

When scooped from the boiling pot and served into a large celadon bowl, a single spoonful of flaxseed oil poured over it caused the broth to shimmer with an amber halo.

Newly brewed fermented bean sauce and finely chopped spring leeks were sprinkled atop the fresh broth, followed by slices of tender, roasted mutton layered across the top, completing the masterpiece.

Chef Zhu placed the large bowl of noodles, along with jars of pepper, zanthoxylum, and salt, onto a food tray, lifted it with one hand, and glided out of the kitchen.

"Steward Yang, here are the noodles you requested."

Chef Zhu set the noodles down before Yang Can, grabbed his apron, and habitually rubbed his hands together.

As Yang Can sat, the aroma of the noodles and the freshness of the broth immediately assailed his senses.

"Good, fine craftsmanship."

Yang Can had not expected even a midnight snack to be prepared with such culinary excellence.

He added salt, pepper, and zanthoxylum to suit his palate, then gently stirred them in with his chopsticks.

While he methodically performed these steps, Chef Zhu stood slightly bowed to the side, his back turned to the open space.

In a low, murmuring voice, he spoke: "Lord Steward, Da Kuan says that, obeying your instructions, he has already arranged manpower for the operation. Very soon, you will receive the intelligence you desire, My Lord."

Calmly, Yang Can picked up a strand of noodles with his chopsticks.

The fragrance of wheat flour from the yellow earth mingled with the aroma of mutton from the Long River wetlands,

Combined with the spiciness of Western Region peppers and the pungency of Helan Mountain zanthoxylum,

It was enough to stimulate anyone's appetite.

Without changing expression, Yang Can listened to Chef Zhu while leisurely eating his noodles.

Chef Zhu was naturally not his given name, but he had worked as a cook for so long that his real name had long since fallen into disuse.

His name was Zhu Weipeng—a resounding and imposing name.

Perhaps his father had hoped that one day this child would grow up to slaughter bandits and enemies, achieve great military exploits, and become a majestic, awe-inspiring general.

Yet, after many years, the blade he wielded did not cleave enemy armor, but rather the spines of pigs and sheep.

His outstretched arms did not pull bowstrings, but rather stretched trembling strands of pulled noodles.

The glow illuminating his face was not the beacon fires of war, but the leaping flames within the stove.

And yet, was this not simply another form of military muster on a different battlefield?

When his ladle struck the rim of the wok, the ringing sound was nothing less than a cook's "General's Command."

He was Cheng Dakuan's brother-in-law, the head chef of Feng'an Fortress, and his name was Zhu Weipeng.