: The Heaven and Earth Join Forces

Chapter 115: The Heaven and Earth Join Forces

As Wangcai led Chen Wan'er into the living room, the morning light was filtering through the carved window lattice, casting dappled shadows on the blue brick floor.

Chen Wan'er wore a crimson cross-collar short blouse, with the most fashionable intertwined branch pattern in the north embroidered in silver thread on the collar and cuffs.

The pattern swayed gently with her steps, as if vines were quietly unfolding along the curves of her clothes.

The twelve-panel long skirt she wore reached her ankles, and as she walked, the hem of the skirt would peek through her shoes, making her wooden-soled brocade shoes appear even more exquisite.

She was also holding a "veil" in her hand, a bamboo frame covered with a thin gauze, which she had obviously taken off in advance to avoid disrespect when meeting Yang Can.

A single jade hairpin adorned her exposed raven-black hair, and two lustrous pearls on her earlobes trembled gently with each step. There were no other ornaments, which only made her clear, white face appear even more radiant and jade-like.

"Chen Wan'er greets Master Yang."

She slightly bowed, her voice soft and steady. When introducing herself, she did not mention "Chen of the Zhang family" or use terms commonly used by married women, such as "this concubine." Yang Can couldn't help but feel a slight sense of realization.

It seems Chen Wan'er is determined to sever all ties with the Zhang family forever; she has no desire to have any further connection with that unbearable past.

Dugu Jingyao, standing to the side, secretly observed the young mistress of the Zhang family. Seeing that she was beautiful and charming even without makeup, she immediately glanced at Yang Can, already having some misunderstandings about the relationship between the two.

Yang Can sighed and said, "You think you can just leave like that?"

"My heart is set on returning home," Chen Wan'er replied, her eyes lowered.

Without the escort of guards, it would be incredibly difficult for a frail woman like her to return to Pingliang County.

Not to mention retrieving her dowry from the Zhang family; without Yang Can's support, who knows how many complications would arise.

Yang Can nodded slightly and said, "This is what you deserve, no need to thank me. Wangcai, go and call Leopard Head."

Dugu Jingyao still didn't understand the relationship between Yang Can and this young mistress of the Zhang family.

It sounds like there's no illicit relationship, but who knows, that guy's such a good actor.

But... Pingliang Prefecture?

Dugu Jingyao's eyes lit up. She had run away from home because she wanted to escape to Pingliang County.

But once she stepped outside, she realized that without escorts, she would find it impossible to move an inch.

It's hard to get by without money. It's even harder to get by with money. And it's especially hard to get by if you're beautiful but have no money.

But now this young mistress of the Zhang family is going to Pingliang County.

She's a woman. If I travel with her, I'm not afraid of any danger, but...

Dugu Jingyao didn't know what was wrong with her; her desire to rush to her uncle's house in Pingliang County had faded.

However, even though her thoughts had faded, she inexplicably blurted out, "Master Yang just said that if I have any wishes, he is willing to grant them?"

Yang Can was taken aback, then nodded and said, "That's right. May I ask what your wish is, little master?"

Dugu Jingyao said, "I... also want to go to Pingliang County, and it would be good to travel with this young lady. I wonder if Master Yang would agree?"

Yang Can looked deeply at Dugu Jingyao, and suddenly began to waver in his judgment.

Could it be that she wasn't a spy sent to my side? Indeed, I've never seen her spy on anything.

She could see that Li Youcai was faking illness, and she could tell from the guards Zhang Yunyi brought that he was about to make trouble. This... does show some qualities of a cunning spy.

However, she didn't seem to do anything harmful to me, and the fact that she was willing to warn Qingmei helped me even more.

Seeing Yang Can looking somewhat dazed, Dugu Jingyao's lips curved into a subtle, almost imperceptible smile.

Dugu Jingyao pressed further, "Master Yang, is that alright?"

Xiao Qingmei glanced at Yang Can quickly. It was just a casual thing to do. Why are you standing there, sir? Are you reluctant to part with it?
They are monks, so don't cause any trouble like Zhang Yunyi, who ended up ruined.

Little Green Plum quickly said, "Hey? It's good to travel together. It fulfills Little Abbess's wish, and Miss Wan'er will have a companion on the journey. What do you say, Master?"

At this point, Yang Can realized that he might really be being paranoid.

This young nun... may not actually be a nun.

But... not being a nun doesn't mean she's a spy. Perhaps she really did fall into the hands of slave traders by accident.

Yang Can then asked, "Does the little nun have anyone she can rely on in Pingliang County?"

“I have a senior monk who is practicing in Pingliang County.”

"In that case, little nun, go back and pack your things. You can travel with Miss Wan'er then."

As soon as Yang Can finished speaking, Dugu Jingyao's upturned lips turned into a straight line, and her previously playful and lively eyes darkened.

A sudden surge of inexplicable irritation welled up inside her. If Yang Can tried to find a reason to keep her here, she would definitely despise him for having ill intentions towards her.

Yang Can's quick agreement only made her more unhappy, as if her fate was irrelevant to him.

"Thank you for your kindness, Master Yang. I will take my leave now," Dugu Jingyao said somewhat resentfully, turning to leave.

Seeing this, Qingmei quickly said, "This servant will go and help her tidy up!" With that, she followed after him in a flash.

Yang Can shook his head. Regardless of whether Abbess Jingyao was a spy or not, now that she was gone, there was no need to be on guard.

He gestured for Chen Wan'er to sit down and said to her, "I'll have Leopard Head arrange for men to escort you back to Pingliang later."

"Have him accompany you back to the Zhang residence today to check and pack your dowry. We'll set off first thing tomorrow morning."

Chen Wan'er bowed gratefully to him, finally feeling relieved.

……

Yang Can is back, Master Zhang is dead, and Feng'an Village is more stable than before.

Old Xin, the woodcutter, naturally returned to his woodcutter, where his only task each day was chopping wood.

He placed the tree stump, and with a single, clean stroke of his axe, cleaved it in two.

He stood the split log upright, then with another axe stroke, he cleaved it in two again, the two halves almost identical.

It looks like an ordinary action, but anyone who has chopped wood knows that it's not easy to do it as effortlessly as he does.

Especially the piece of firewood he had just chopped; the trunk was tangled, with a large lump inside, and the grain was twisted into a mess. This kind of wood is even harder to cut in half.

But he did it as easily as cutting tofu.

Old Xin seemed to have gotten used to chopping wood; he laid out the firewood and chopped it mechanically, doing it with great enjoyment.

Suddenly, he noticed someone at the entrance to the woodshed courtyard. His ears twitched, and he slowly turned his head.

Yang Can was standing at the gate of the courtyard.

He had just seen Chen Wan'er off, leaving Leopard Head to accompany her back to prepare her dowry. Watching the carriages and horses leave the fortified village, he went to the woodshed.

Qingmei had already told him that this woodcutter was no ordinary man, and he himself had already noticed the old man's unusual behavior.

I've been too busy these past few days to ask in detail.

"Master?" When Old Xin saw that it was Yang Can, he quickly dropped his axe, limped forward two steps with his right leg, wiped his hands on his clothes, and nodded and bowed in response.

Yang Can smiled and slowly walked into the courtyard, his gaze first falling on the dark, heavy anvil.

There wasn't a single axe mark on the chopping block; Old Xin's control over force had reached a level where he could lift heavy objects with ease.

"Sit down." Yang Can sat down on the chopping block, pointed to the pile of firewood next to him, and spoke casually as if chatting with an old friend.

Old Xin wondered to himself: Why would a manor owner be interested in a lame woodcutter like me?
But he dared not ask any more questions. He could only sit down carefully on the woodpile, half of his buttocks dangling, ready to get up and reply at any moment.

Yang Can looked him up and down a few times, his gaze lingering on his slightly limping right leg for a moment before he spoke: "Old Xin, I haven't asked your name yet, what's your name?"

Old Xin was silent for a moment, then suddenly grinned: "Xin Xian, formerly the second garrison commander of Beimu Stone Town, once served as a military officer in charge of scouts."

Junhou is a low-ranking military officer in Beimu, in charge of about thirty people.

Scouts are specializing in reconnaissance, investigation, and even assassination and capture of prisoners.

In other words, this Xin Xian is equivalent to a reconnaissance platoon leader.

Yang Can raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.

He had assumed that someone with such hidden talents would be very secretive about their background, and that it would take a lot of effort to find out. He was surprised that the other party answered so readily.

Xin Xian seemed to see through his doubts and smiled again: "Which of the people who fled to Longshang did not come here because they committed a crime?"
I spent some time in Feng'an Village. Although I rarely saw the village head, the villagers talked about him a lot, so I naturally gained some understanding of his character and conduct.

Therefore, I thought that even if I told you the truth, it wouldn't be a big deal.

Yang Can asked, "Since you are a military commander in the Northern Mu Army, why did you flee to Longshang?"

Xin Xian said, "Several of my brothers were killed in an attack while spying on the Southern Dynasty's military affairs, and my superior embezzled their compensation money."

I went to argue with him many times, but not only did he refuse to give me the money, he also resented me for embarrassing him and deliberately sent me into danger, intending to use the enemy to take my life.

Upon hearing this, Yang Can understood and said, "But you didn't die, so he died?"

Xin Xian said hatefully, "That's right! My lame leg was caused by an arrow when I was trying to escape after killing him."

Hey, otherwise I wouldn't have been captured and enslaved.

But they wouldn't treat my wounds. They festered, and I became a cripple, so I could never sell my goods until I met you, Master.

Judging from his tone, Yang Can didn't think he was praising Yang Can's good judgment; it sounded more like he was mocking Yang Can for being a sucker.

So Yang Can emphasized, "I didn't buy you. Manager Qian gave you to me as a bonus."

This time, Xin Xian lost his smile and seemed a bit sullen.

Yang Can thought for a moment and said, "When you first came, I noticed that you were unusual, but I never had a chance to ask you about it."

Now that I know you have such abilities, are you willing to work for me?

Old Xin raised an eyebrow: "Master, I'm a cripple."

Yang Can laughed and said, "I'm not going to marry you."

Old Xin said, "I killed my boss."

Yang Can shrugged and said, "I wouldn't embezzle the benefits that my subordinates deserve."

Upon hearing this, Lao Xin was intrigued.

In a fit of rage, he sneaked back into his own camp from the enemy camp, killed his unscrupulous superior, and then fled.

During his escape, he was shot in the ankle by pursuers. Due to infection, he became increasingly unable to move and was eventually captured and enslaved.

As a result, his injury was not treated in time, and he became lame. He could no longer sell his goods, so he ended up working as a coachman for the shopkeeper.

With his abilities, he could have escaped, but where could a cripple like him escape to, and what could he do?
He was also confused, and just drifted along under the slave trader's wing until he was given to Yang Can as a bonus by Manager Qian.

People strive for better things, and it's not that he didn't want to change his situation, but his experience of being picked and chosen and no one wanted him made him feel inferior.

He lacked the courage to recommend himself to Yang Can, fearing that Yang Can also judge people by their appearance and he would be humiliated for no reason.

Now that Yang Can has taken the initiative to come to him, Lao Xin couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope and half-jokingly probed Yang Can's feelings.

Now, Yang Can has actually recruited him.

Seeing him hesitate, Yang Can continued, "You will help me train the guards in my manor. In addition, I will also talk to Chief Kang Qu and ask you to help him train his troops."

"As for your compensation, it'll be the same as Leopard Head's, how about that?"

Kang Zhengyang is now on Yang Can's side, but Yang Can still wants to stir up some trouble for him.

Of course, this old Xin is a military commander in charge of scouts, so he must have many unique skills.

That's precisely what Kang Zhengyang lacks, which is one of the reasons why Yang Can values ​​Lao Xin.

In addition, once he truly has "uniformity" in Feng'an Village, he will use the same method to gradually and thoroughly control the other five major estates and three major ranches.

At that time, we will still need to rely on Xin Xian.

Xin Xian is lame, which is actually an advantage for Yang Can.

Given Xin Xian's circumstances, it would be difficult for him to rise to power. Sending him to assist Kang Zhengyang would make Kang Zhengyang aware of this, and he would be less resistant to him.

Upon hearing Yang Can's offer, Xin Xian no longer hesitated.

He's a cripple, yet they treat him with such courtesy; what more could he ask for?

Old Xin knelt on one knee, his left fist over his right, and solemnly said, "Your humble servant Xin Xian greets the Master."

Although he was kneeling, his back was straight, and his voice carried a long-lost strength.

He no longer had to be a woodcutter, but instead rediscovered the backbone he had when he was a military commander.

Yang Can smiled and stood up, helping him to his feet: "Work hard, and I won't treat you unfairly."

……

The following day, a large convoy was slowly gathering in front of Feng'an Fort.

Amidst the rumble of carriages and horses, people of all kinds shuttled back and forth, creating a lively scene.

The first three carriages were exquisitely decorated, followed by four carts covered with black cloth, with more than ten guards with long swords at their waists surrounding them.

Li Youcai and his wife stood side by side beside the first carriage. Pan Xiaowan, dressed in a light green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), glanced towards the manor from time to time, her brows furrowed with a hint of disappointment.

Qingmei was busy checking the accompanying packages, reminding Laixi to put away the account books and asking Wangcai to check the water bags on the carriage. She kept moving and her forehead was covered in sweat.

Leopard Head, along with his guards, stood watch beside the four black cloth-covered wagons, which contained the armor seized from Zhang Yunyi's residence.

In addition, He Youzhen's three attendants and guards were also under his close watch, as they were important witnesses and could not be allowed to get into trouble.

He Youzhen's body was placed in the brocade-curtained carriage he had ridden down the mountain, with bald-headed Junxie and Zhang Yunyi squeezed beside him.

It was indeed a bit crowded for the three of them to ride together in one car, but I suppose they wouldn't have any objections.

Two elders from the Xianbei Bali tribe rode horses alongside the caravan.

They wore robes made of animal skins, with scimitars hanging at their waists, and occasionally spoke in hushed tones.

Because they were unsure what conditions the patriarch would propose, they were still somewhat apprehensive.

Yang Can took care of some things at the manor, and only after he finished did he come out from the back courtyard and head straight to the stables.

The morning light was just right, and in the open space outside the stables, several grooms were busy chopping hay, the air filled with the scent of hay and horses.

"Where's my horse? Bring me my horse!" Yang Can shouted as soon as he entered the stable.

The stable master, who was squatting on the ground nailing iron shoes onto a black horse, quickly stood up upon hearing this, clapped the sawdust off his hands, and greeted him with a broad smile.

"The master is here! The chestnut horse that the master usually rides is being washed, and I wonder if its mane is dry yet."

Why don't you take a look at the other horses, Master? We've recently added some fine horses to our stables; would you like to pick one and give it a try?

Yang Can followed the stable master to the stable, his gaze immediately falling on two pure white horses.

The two horses were very well groomed, with smooth, silky manes and long, slender limbs.

They were leisurely swishing their tails; one look and you could tell they were fine horses.

Yang Can casually pointed to one: "This one will do. This horse... was it the one Cheng Dong gave me?"

Yang Can stepped forward and reached out to touch the horse's neck; it felt warm and smooth.

Just as Yang Can was about to pry open the horse's mouth to see how old it was, he heard someone shout, "Don't ride it!"

The voice was clear and urgent. Yang Can paused and looked in the direction of the sound.

Two young girls dressed in light blue, narrow-sleeved Hu-style clothes were seen walking briskly towards them, carrying buckets of water. Because they were walking so fast, the buckets swayed and splashed water.

Although the two girls looked anxious, their bright eyes and white teeth could not hide their beauty.

These are twins, still very young, their bodies not yet fully developed, so they appear petite and delicate, their waists so thin they seem as if they would break at the slightest touch.

Their hair was styled into playful double buns, each adorned with a dried purple flower, adding a touch of naive charm.

The older sister, Rouge, who was walking ahead, quickly reached us, put down the bucket, and said angrily:

"Who are you? How dare you be so rude! Don't you know this is a three-year-old colt?"

Zhu Sha also rushed over: "That's right, horses are trained at two years old and can be ridden at three."

But each ride can only last half an hour at most, and you still have to walk or jog slowly. The rider also can't be too heavy; they have to be light and agile.

She pointed to the tip of her nose: "Just like me, you have to be light!"

Rouge walked over, snatched the reins from Yang Can's hand, and lovingly stroked the horse's mane.

"You don't know the rules. Horses can only be ridden by adults when they are four years old. This 'Frostbite' and that 'Snowflake' are only three years old, they are foals. Riding them now will ruin them!"

"Exactly, they don't understand anything!"

Zhu Sha wrinkled his nose, sounding a bit like a horse snorting.

The stable master was shocked and rushed forward, saying in a panic, "Are you two girls crazy? This is our master! Quickly apologize to him!"

Owner of the estate?

The handsome and composed young man before me is actually the manor lord?

Rouge and cinnabar were immediately stunned.

They had always thought the manor lord was an old man with a face full of wrinkles.

I remembered that the head steward, Qingmei, had said that his master was violent and would beat people to death if he was unhappy!

The two sisters' legs went weak and they collapsed to their knees with a thud.

With tears welling up in her eyes, Rouge said, "Master, please spare us! We didn't mean to talk back to you."

Zhu Sha nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes, we were blind and ignorant. Please forgive us, sir."

As they spoke, the two sisters began to kowtow.

Is this really necessary? If you don't want to ride, you don't have to. Why are you crying?

Seeing the two girls with tears in their eyes and trembling all over, Yang Can felt both annoyed and amused.

He quickly stepped forward to help the two women up, and said gently, "Get up. You've taken such good care of the horse, how could I blame you?"

"Alright, stop crying. Go and fetch my chestnut horse; I'll ride that one."

Seeing that Yang Can didn't seem angry, Rouge and Vermilion got up, wiped away their tears, and ran to fetch the chestnut horse.

They had already washed it early in the morning; the chestnut horse's coat was glossy, the water droplets on its body had been dried, its mane was neatly combed, and even its hooves were beautifully trimmed.

The two sisters skillfully saddled the chestnut horse, their movements swift and meticulous.

However, they would occasionally steal glances at Yang Can, their eyes showing less fear and more curiosity.

After the two girls finished tidying up, Yang Can stood up from the stool, nodded, and praised, "You two little girls are not bad, your technique is swift."

Yang Can mounted his horse, smiled and nodded at the two men, and then rode off.

Watching his figure disappear through the stable gate, Zhu Sha muttered to herself, "Our manor owner is quite nice, not fierce at all..."

Rouge nodded and said, "Yes, I thought he was going to beat me to death."

The stable master chuckled and said, "Our manor lord isn't that cruel."
Besides, you two are so beautiful, the master of the manor would be too happy to hit you.

"Huh?" Rouge and Vermilion blushed instantly upon hearing this.

They looked at each other, and in each other's eyes, they saw a hint of shyness and flattery.

……

The convoy in front of the fort was ready, and as soon as Yang Can's chestnut horse arrived, the convoy drove out.

Chen Wan'er's convoy and Yang Can's convoy left the village at the same time.

Yang Can ordered Leopard Head to send ten guards to escort Chen Wan'er and her maid, along with Master Jingyao. Headman Shi Jiuyue was also with them.

Shi Jiuyue is no longer the head of the household. When Yang Can dealt with Zhang Yunyi, he was the first one to be arrested, and also the only one Yang Can personally participated in the interrogation of.

Yang Can discovered that this head of household, Shi, was eloquent and quick-witted. He was not suitable to be a head of household, but he was more than capable of being a shrewd businessman.

So now, by making use of waste, they've put him to good use as well.

Yang Can is preparing to do business, and he will definitely need to deal with Pingliang County in the future.

The Chen family is a prominent family in Pingliang County. Escorting Chen Wan'er back will also allow us to establish contact with the Chen family along the way.

Yang Can even made arrangements for Shi Jiuyue regarding Abbess Jingyao.

He was still curious, wondering what kind of person this Abbess Jingyao would be if she weren't a nun.

If she were a nun, that would be even better.

The major temples and monasteries were all incredibly wealthy, almost all of them involved in usury, and the Western Regions were predominantly Buddhist.

If Jingyao could establish connections with these temples and their influence, not only would she have more funds, but she could also leverage their influence in the Western Regions.

These things require a clever person to handle; the brutes under Leopard Head who only know how to fight and kill won't do. This Shi Jiuyue is someone worth training.

Upon seeing Yang Can's convoy, Chen Wan'er ordered the procession to stop and dismounted from the carriage.

She wore a plain-colored long dress and a veil on her head, the curtain of which was lifted as she walked to Yang Can's horse and gracefully bowed.
"Master Yang, the journey to Pingliang County is long and arduous, and it may be difficult to meet again in this life. Please accept Wan'er's bow in gratitude for your kindness!"

Yang Can nodded on horseback and said, "Take care on your journey. With the Leopard Head Sect men escorting you, they will surely get you safely to Pingliang County."

Chen Wan'er thanked her again before returning to her car.

When Chen Wan'er got out of the car to thank Yang Can, there was no response from Abbess Jingyao.

Unbeknownst to Yang Can, the girl had been secretly watching him from behind the carriage curtain.

Only after he and Chen Wan'er finished exchanging pleasantries and mounted their horses to leave did Dugu Jingyao lower the carriage curtain.

The little girl felt empty inside and remained depressed for a full half day.

(End of this chapter)