A Dead End

Chapter 118 A Dead End

Pan Xiaowan walked gracefully toward Yang Can, the silver hairpin at her temple swaying gently with her steps.

Her eyes, like newly brewed spring wine, clung wetly to Yang Can's body.

"You little devil, I've bolted the door, you can't escape now..."

Before her charming voice had even faded from her lips, a series of knocks came at the door.

A quick-witted voice, tinged with anxiety, slipped through the crack in the door: "Madam, Madam!"

Pan Xiaowan's flirtatious expression froze instantly, and she turned around irritably, saying, "What are you shouting for? What is it?"

"Someone from the young mistress's side has arrived!"

The woman lowered her voice, but became even more anxious: "The young mistress heard that the banquet was over, so she sent someone to summon Steward Yang. He's waiting outside the courtyard!"

"Young Madam?" Pan Xiaowan muttered resentfully, yet there was nothing she could do.

Yang Can suppressed a laugh, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Pan Xiaowan, and said in a slightly teasing tone, "Sister-in-law, you should take good care of Brother Youcai. I'll take my leave now."

"Get out! Get out!" Pan Xiaowan stomped her foot angrily and said coquettishly, "Don't make me angry!"

Yang Can couldn't help but laugh and went to open the door.

The silver tongue was waiting outside the door. Seeing that the latch on the door was off, how could he not guess what was happening inside?
She was clever enough not to ask any more questions. She waited for Yang Can to come out, then lowered her eyes and whispered, "Master, the people in the inner quarters are urging us to come in. I told them that you were helping Steward Li sober up, and they kept her outside the courtyard and wouldn't let her in."

"Clever, you deserve a reward." Yang Can took out a silver coin from his pocket and handed it to her.

The silver ingot had fine hammer marks on its edges, a common technique used by silversmiths in Longshang.

The silver tongue quickly accepted, thanked Yang Can with a beaming smile, and bowed as she saw him off to the courtyard.

A young maidservant of about thirteen or fourteen years old was waiting at the gate of the courtyard. Her hair was styled in two buns, and the horn lantern she was carrying made her face glow with a warm light.

Upon seeing Yang Can, she quickly knelt down and curtsied, her voice clear and bright: "Steward Yang, the young mistress is waiting for you at Jingyun Pavilion. This servant will show you the way."

"Go ahead." Yang Can nodded.

The young maidservant carried a lantern in front, its light casting dappled shadows on the blue brick floor.

Passing through the moon gate, they entered the covered corridor, where lanterns hanging on the pillars cast their shadows, making them appear to grow longer and shorter.

Upon arriving at the courtyard of Jingyun Pavilion, the old woman guarding the entrance hurriedly came forward and said softly, "Please come with me, sir. The young mistress is waiting."

The maidservant tactfully withdrew.

Upon entering the main room, the maidservant waiting at the door quickly opened the shoji screen door.

Yang Can took off his boots and walked inside on the cool wooden floor.

The floor of the main room was covered with a woolen carpet from the Western Regions, which felt soft and comfortable underfoot.

Suo Chanzhi was sitting on a soft couch by the window, with an embroidery frame on her lap. The needle had just been threaded with a black silk thread, but she hadn't moved it.

Seeing him come in, Suo Chanzhi put down her embroidery frame and gently gathered the hem of her moon-white satin jacket with her fingertips.

Although the jacket was made to be loose, you could still vaguely see the slight curve at the waist.

She smiled and raised her chin: "The Grand Steward is here, please have a seat."

Yang Can bowed in return and sat down cross-legged behind the low table next to him.

A maid brought over a cup of hot tea, the rim of which emitted thin white steam.

The young maidservant, barefoot and with steps as light as a cat, served the tea and then quietly slipped away.

Yang Can then looked closely at Suo Chanzhi. Her complexion was more radiant than before, and her lips still had a touch of rouge on them, indicating that she had deliberately applied makeup.

He lowered his voice, his tone tinged with concern: "You look well, no morning sickness?"

Suo Chanzhi smiled faintly and gently touched her pregnant belly with her fingertips: "This child is very well-behaved. Others can't stand the smell of meat when they have morning sickness, but I'm the opposite; I crave meat instead."

As she spoke, she rubbed her lower back and frowned slightly: "It's just that my lower back gets heavy after sitting for a long time, and I always feel like stretching."

Yang Can's gaze swept over the brocade cushions behind her, and he thought of getting up to take them, but then stopped.

Although there were only the two of them inside, there was no guarantee that there might be an old woman listening outside.

Suo Chanzhi saw through his thoughts, and a warm feeling welled up in her eyes. She reached over and took a cushion, put it on the armchair behind her, and her shoulders relaxed a little when she leaned back.

"You're even more cautious than I am," Suo Chanzhi teased with a smile.

"It's always good to be cautious."

Yang Can picked up his teacup and blew away the foam: "Don't always stay in the house. Have your mother accompany you for a walk in the yard. Don't eat too much nourishing food, otherwise the baby might be too big and you'll suffer during childbirth."

"I know, it's like you've had a child." Suo Chanzhi rolled her eyes at him, but there was no blame in her eyes, only a hint of coquettishness.

"By the way, after today, you will be the head steward of the main branch. Are you confident about the affairs of the front residence?"

Yang Can nodded, his tone tinged with emotion: "At first, I didn't intend to take this step. I was just dealing with things as they came, but it turned out as if I had divine help."

"And what about after that?"

Suo Chanzhi pressed on, her fingers unconsciously clenching: "Will there be any accidents when I give birth?"

Yang Can put down his teacup, his gaze darkening for a moment before softening again: "Nothing in this world is absolute."

Don't worry, with you in charge of the inner quarters and me overseeing the outer quarters, we can weather any unexpected events."

The unease in Suo Chanzhi's eyes gradually faded, and a smile appeared on her lips: "That's right. Now the entire eldest branch is in our hands. If something really happens and we can't handle it, it would make us seem useless."

After a moment of silence, Yang Can finally spoke: "You must have something important to tell me about this so late, right?"

Suo Chanzhi smiled and said, "Qingmei came back today and told me that this girl has finally been won over by you."

Yang Can's ears felt slightly hot, and he touched his nose somewhat awkwardly.

He had planned to tell Suo Chanzhi about his relationship with Qingmei slowly, but Qingmei told him first.

"Qingmei is mine. Now that you've taken her, you can't let her follow you around without any official status, can you?"

Suo Chanzhi's tone was slightly reproachful, but without a trace of anger; instead, she sounded like an older sister standing up for her younger sister.

"Of course I won't wrong her."

Yang Can quickly explained, "I've just been too busy lately, so I put this matter aside."

"By the time you have free time, it might be next year."

Suo Chanzhi interrupted him: "Now that I know, I'll take charge for you. I'll hold a ceremony and publicly bestow her upon you as your concubine."

Yang Can suddenly realized why he hadn't seen Qingmei since he came in. He had thought she was deliberately avoiding him so that the two of them could have a private conversation, but it turned out that she was shy because it concerned her own future.

Yang Can hesitated for a moment, then said frankly, "That's how it should be. But I've never handled anything like this before, and I don't know what I need to do. Why don't you send an old woman to teach me?"

"You don't need to worry about it."

Suo Chanzhi waved her hand: "You just need to nod in agreement. I'll take care of the purchasing, setup, and hiring."

What she didn't say was that, although she couldn't truly become Yang Can's wife due to her status, she was now arranging for him to take a concubine, which could be considered as fulfilling her wish to be the "first wife of the Yang family".

In a traditional Chinese household, the decision to take a concubine is ultimately made by the principal wife, who also manages everything.

The two chatted about everyday things for a while, and Suo Chanzhi looked tired and yawned softly.

Seeing this, Yang Can quickly stood up and said, "You should rest early. I'll go back first."

Suo Chanzhi nodded, but did not get up to see him off. She simply had her maid open the door for him.

As soon as Yang Can left, light footsteps came from behind the screen, and Qingmei walked out with a blush on her face.

Suo Chanzhi chuckled and teased, "Satisfied now? You were hiding behind the screen, your ears practically perked up, weren't you?"

Qingmei rushed to her side, knelt on the wool blanket, hugged her arm, pressed her face against her sleeve, and said coquettishly, "Miss is so good to me. I will follow you for the rest of my life and never have any other thoughts."

Suo Chanzhi rolled her eyes and deliberately said sarcastically, "Didn't I treat you well before? I never saw you being so loyal to me."

He said that, but gently patted Qingmei's back with his hand, his eyes full of tenderness.

……

After receiving Yu Xinglong's approval, the two elders of the Bali tribe made the arrangements that very night.

One of them went down the mountain overnight; he had to rush back to inform Balimo so that the whole tribe could feel at ease.

The other stayed on the mountain, waiting for Yang Can to discuss the various matters concerning the settlement of the tribe.

At this time, Yang Can had just been promoted to the position of Chief Steward of the First Branch, and was very busy both inside and outside the household.

The personnel in the outer quarters need to be slightly adjusted, and the old rules and regulations also need to be reorganized and marked with his mark.

These matters cannot be taken lightly, and he must do them all personally. He needs to sort things out as soon as possible so he can rush back to Feng'an Village.

The resettlement of the Bali tribe cannot be delayed any longer. They lost most of their supplies when they migrated eastward, and now they can't even gather enough tents. If they wait until it gets cold, who knows what trouble might arise.

Meanwhile, in Jingyun Pavilion, Suo Chanzhi was taking advantage of this brief break to prepare for Qingmei's marriage to a concubine.

She knew in her heart that Yang Can wouldn't be staying for more than a few days, and she had to get everything done before he left.

The next day, just as dawn broke, Suo Chanzhi sent Qingmei to the storeroom to select silk.

The needle-making lady at the mountain villa was already waiting, ready to take her measurements and tailor clothes.

Suo Chanzhi specifically instructed, "Take whichever material in the warehouse you like, don't hold back." She also asked her to pick out a few sets of jewelry as personal adornments.

Qingmei is a sensible person. She knows that she owes her success to the young lady's help, so she dares not be arrogant because of her favor.

Among the piles of Jiangnan brocade, Western Persian brocade, and Sichuan brocade in the warehouse, she only picked out two pieces of light blue brocade, which were simple and flattering to her skin tone.

As for the gold, silver, jade, and pearl jewelry, she only chose a gold and kingfisher feather hairpin, a pair of pearl earrings, and a white jade bracelet, which constituted a set.

These three pieces of jewelry are all exquisite and understated, perfectly suited to her status.

But Suo Chanzhi frowned when she saw this: "This is not enough. You are the person I personally chose. How can you be so shabby?"

As she spoke, she took Qingmei to the storeroom and personally selected items for her. She added two bolts of pomegranate-red Shu brocade and one bolt of moon-white Persian brocade for her. For jewelry, she chose a gold hairpin inlaid with gemstones, a silver bracelet with filigree, and even a jade ruyi. The gifts were so generous that they were almost as extravagant as those given to a wealthy family for their daughter's wedding.

Qingmei hugged Suo Chanzhi's arm, her eyes brimming with tears: "You've been so good to me, I... I don't know how to repay you."

……

The fourth day arrived in the blink of an eye, the day before Yang Can was to return to Feng'an Village.

Suo Chanzhi finally got everything arranged, and since it happened to be an auspicious day, the ceremony of bestowing a concubine was held as scheduled.

Although the ceremony was simple, it was also solemn.

In the main hall of Jingyunxuan, Suo Chanzhi sat in the main seat, wearing a crimson purple ruqun with a dark lotus pattern embroidered on the collar, which made her face look dignified.

Yang Can, dressed in a bright red brocade robe, sat on the left.

Qingmei, dressed in a light blue dress, stood on the right.

She wore a red-gold hairpin given to her by Suo Chanzhi, pearl earrings, and a white jade bracelet on her wrist. Her brows and eyes were full of shyness, like a newly blossoming plum, fresh and lovely.

"Yang Can," Suo Chanzhi called out to him, her gaze sweeping over the two of them, a pang of regret rising in her heart.

If only she could sit in the main seat as Yang Can's legal wife right now, and personally arrange for him to take Qingmei as a concubine, how wonderful that would be?

But now, she could only preside over this ceremony, which had nothing to do with her, in the name of the head wife of the eldest son's family. She suppressed the sigh in her heart and said, "I hereby bestow Qingmei upon you as my concubine. I hope you will treat her well in the future and not betray her good intentions."

Yang Can stood up and bowed to express his gratitude. Then Qingmei stepped forward and bowed deeply to Suo Chanzhi. This bow was to thank her for her guidance and support.

Then she turned to Yang Can, curtsied, and softly called out, "Husband."

Although the ceremony was simple and brief, it attracted the attention of the head stewards.

Yang Can had just been promoted to Grand Steward when the young mistress bestowed upon him a concubine. It's likely that the clan head and the young mistress were vying to win him over.

The managers, not wanting to offend either side, didn't make a big fuss. They waited until Yang Can returned to his residence with Qingmei, and then each of them prepared generous gifts and delivered them to his door. Some brought silk, some brought silver ingots, and some brought jade ornaments. It was quite a lively affair.

In fact, Yu Xinglong already knew that Yang Can was going to do business and had pulled Suo Chanzhi into the business; this was no secret.

However, in Yu Xinglong's view, this was nothing.

Yang Can had offended the Suo family in the past, but now that he works for the eldest branch, his willingness to humble himself shows that he knows when to advance and when to retreat.

If Yang Can continues to talk back to the young mistress as before, causing chaos in the eldest branch of the family, then he is no longer worth cultivating.

However, since he had decided to give Yang Can an important position, Yu Xinglong still instructed Deng Xun to send someone to the Central Plains to investigate Yang Can's background.

When Yang Can returned to his residence at Phoenix Manor with Qingmei, Wangcai was already waiting at the door.

Upon seeing Qingmei, he immediately bowed and greeted his mistress.

As long as the master does not marry a principal wife, this concubine bestowed by the young mistress is the rightful mistress of the Yang family.

Pan Xiaowan next door was seething with hatred. She had always wanted to steal Yang Can but couldn't. Now that Yang Can had a concubine, she probably wouldn't have a chance in the future. How infuriating!

Yang Can's bedroom was also tidied up simply: a newly changed lake-blue brocade quilt was spread on the tatami, a plum jewelry box was placed on the dressing table, and two fresh flowers were inserted on the table, finally giving it a bit of the look of welcoming a new bride.

After seeing off the last group of guests, Yang Can turned to Qingmei and asked in a very gentle voice, "Are you tired?"

As for the gifts that were sent, he had no interest in looking at them. In any case, these "blind boxes" were meant for Qingmei to open slowly; that was a unique pleasure for her.

Qingmei's cheeks flushed, and she gently shook her head: "It's not hard work. To become my husband, Qingmei... is so happy."

Yang Can gently held her hand and said softly, "Since you've come with me, I will never let you suffer any injustice."

Qingmei happily threw herself into his arms, her ear pressed against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. She thought about all the twists and turns they had gone through since they first met, and it all felt like a dream.

……

The next morning, Yang Can set off to return to Feng'an Fort.

During his trip to Phoenix Manor, Yang Can received a promotion and a concubine, and the gifts he received filled a carriage, leaving no room for anyone to sit.

Seeing this, Xiao Qingmei simply pulled a horse out of the eldest son's stable and rode it down the mountain.

As they descended the mountain, the morning light bathed the cobblestone streets of Tianshui City, and the Kunlun Huizhan Inn on one corner of the long street was preparing to open.

Inside the shop, Rena, dressed in Persian attire, was giving instructions to a burly man.

"Ah Da, the row of empty rooms that were just cleared out in the backyard, first scrape off the mold in the corners, then plaster a new layer of mud, and finally paint it with lime, and then it will be used as a warehouse."

As she spoke, the small abacus hanging from her slender waist swayed gently with her movements, and the silver beads made a crisp "tap-tap" sound when they collided.

This abacus was only the size of a palm, with a silver frame and jade beads, so exquisite it resembled an ornament. It was usually hung on the waist as an accessory, and could be easily taken off when needed for accounting.

Her fingers were long and nimble, and even though the abacus was a bit small, she could handle it with ease and skill.

Ah Da rubbed his rough hands together and said with some difficulty, "Master, we need a lot of manpower to renovate the warehouse. We don't have enough staff at our warehouse, so I'm afraid we can't spare any people."

Actually, there were quite a few people in the inn, but six of them were Hu women who couldn't do this heavy work.

“Then let’s hire people!” Rena said decisively. “Go and pick a few clean-cut, strong, and reliable people to get the warehouse ready as soon as possible.”

During this period, Rena is making comprehensive adjustments to the Kunlun Warehouse, streamlining everything from the scope of business to personnel arrangements.

After the transformation, Kunlun Goods Warehouse will officially become Kunlun Exchange Warehouse.

The original Kunlun Warehouse was a long-established merchant house in Tianshui City, dealing only in daily necessities with the local people, and its goods were all sourced from merchants from the north and south.

Yang Can, however, was interested in the lucrative profits from trading in the Western Regions, so he planned to completely transform the warehouse that Yu Rui had given him into a trading post that could operate along the Silk Road.

Rena has been working tirelessly on this matter for days, and she has also settled the several beautiful Hu women that Yu Rui sent in at the warehouse.

Although we will no longer focus on retail as our main business, we still need internal management personnel for traveling merchants, and we can still accommodate them.

At the front gate, two men dressed in blue robes and straight jackets were removing the door panels. The heavy wooden door made a "rumbling" sound as it was removed from the stone slab.

As the doors were removed one by one, the morning light poured into the shop, illuminating the tables, chairs, and counters inside, instantly brightening the space.

These two men looked like ordinary shop assistants, but in reality, they were skilled men sent by Xiao Qingmei; they were Suo Chanzhi's "dowry."

Yang Can forbade Xiao Qingmei from interfering with Rena's management of Huizhan, but he tacitly allowed Xiao Qingmei to send people to "protect" Rena.

Just as the last door panel was placed on the ground, a series of footsteps suddenly came from the doorway, and a large group of people arrived in front of the conservatory.

Three exquisite sedan chairs stood in the middle, flanked by seven or eight finely dressed servants, making quite a grand spectacle.

The palanquin had a frame made of nan bamboo and was covered with a silk curtain embroidered with lotus flowers, which exuded both leisure and nobility.

Upon lifting his head, he saw a man sitting in the sedan chair. He was about thirty years old, tall and slender, with a mustache.

He was dressed in a wide-sleeved robe and wore a tall crown. His face was filled with arrogance, as if no one could catch his eye.

In the two sedan chairs behind, sat two beautiful young women, dressed in bright colors, with gold hairpins tucked into their hair, their faces charming and alluring.

The queue stopped at the entrance of Kunlun Huizhan.

The man stepped down from the sedan chair, slowly looked up at the "Kunlun Huizhan" sign above the door, and curled his lip in disdain.

Two beautiful young women walked over gracefully, one on each side of him.

The two women each held a silk fan embroidered with golden peonies, half-covering their pretty faces, their eyes sparkling with a touch of coquettish charm.

The man had a fine white jade pendant hanging from his waist, which swayed gently with his movements.

He stretched out his arms and embraced the two beauties' soft waists, looking up disdainfully at the golden signboard of Kunlun Huizhan.

"Is this the shop that's going to be changed from Kunlun Goods Store to Kunlun Exchange Store? Call their manager out here!"

Several servants immediately responded, rolled up their sleeves, and rushed in, shouting at the top of their lungs, "Where is your manager? My master wants to see him, get out here right now!"

Upon hearing this, the two men who had just removed the door panels had a glint in their eyes. Their relaxed bodies tensed up instantly, and their hands quietly reached for the short knives at their waists.

Rena was instructing the staff when she heard the commotion. She frowned, strode forward, and said coldly, "I am the manager of Kunlun Inn. Who wants to see me?"

The servants were taken aback when they saw Rena. They hadn't expected the manager of Kunlun Inn to be a young and beautiful Hu woman.

They paused for a moment, then immediately shouted excitedly outside, "Master, master, their manager is here! Master, come quickly!"

"Such arrogance! You want me to come in? Who do you think you are, daring to stand shoulder to shoulder with me?"

Manager Chen of Xichi Huizhan, with two beauties in his arms, the three of them swaying into the shop like conjoined twins.

Manager Chen thought sullenly, "What kind of class do you think you are, daring to do business with me? And you even dare to put on airs with me? I, Chen..."

Suddenly, he saw Rena Bair, and his eyes lit up as if sunlight had suddenly pierced through the clouds.

Manager Chen of Xichi Huizhan is named Chen Yinjie. He is a local resident in the trading and trading industry in Tianshui City.

The original Kunlun Goods Store purchased a considerable amount of goods from his Xichi Hui Store every month, making it one of his major clients.

But now, things have taken a turn for the worse. Kunlun Goods Store has not only suddenly stopped purchasing goods, but there are also rumors that it is going to transform itself and start doing business as a Western Regions merchant, just like him.

Chen Yinjie was furious. He had also heard that the warehouse was changing ownership and was therefore transforming itself. So he wanted to come and see for himself who was so bold as to dare to steal his business.

Do you think it's so easy to be a merchant in the Western Regions?
This isn't something that can be accomplished simply by being willing to work hard and risk your life; this shop owner is too naive!
Unexpectedly, upon seeing Rena, he discovered she was a beautiful orchid.

He had seen many Hu women; he even kept several beautiful Hu women in his household.

But compared to this Ms. Hu in front of them, the others in their family are far inferior.

The woman before me was quite different from the typical Hu women. She had dazzling red hair and deep blue eyes, clearly indicating that she came from the more distant West.

He had seen many people from the far west, including many women, but he had never seen such a beautiful and hot woman before.

Chen Yinjie's greedy gaze lingered on Rena, and he clicked his tongue, saying, "Miss, you're the new owner of Kunlun Huizhan?"

"My name is Rena, and I am the manager of Kunlun Huizhan. May I ask who you are?"

Chen Yinjie released his arms from his two concubines and laughed heartily: "My surname is Chen, my given name is Yinjie, and I am the owner of Xichi Warehouse."

His Adam's apple bobbed a few times, and his voice softened: "Miss Rena looks unfamiliar. Where are you from?"

“I come from Persia,” Rena replied calmly.

Chen Yinjie raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh, so you came from Parthia. That's quite far."

Although "Persia" has become the mainstream name today, many people still prefer to use its older name: "Parthia".

Chen Yinjie smiled and became even more enthusiastic: "Young lady, it is truly admirable that you have come all the way from the far west to Tianshui to open a trading post."

What a coincidence! Mr. Chen has lived in Tianshui for generations and also runs a trading post. It's truly fate that we've met from afar..."

His two concubines couldn't help but secretly roll their eyes. Didn't they know what kind of man their master was?

He clearly saw that the Persian woman was beautiful and forgot his original purpose of coming to confront her.

Chen Yinjie and his group barged into the inn, looking like they were about to cause trouble, which attracted all the inn's staff.

The front hall was suddenly packed with people, while the backyard became deserted. Just then, a figure climbed over the backyard wall.

This man was extremely tall, with deep-set eyes, a hooked nose, a clean-shaven chin, and an indigo tattoo on his egg-shaped face, making him look particularly ferocious.

Even more frightening was that a broken knife was stuck in his shoulder, and blood was seeping out, soaking his long robe.

This man was none other than Qian Yuan, the slave trader who had gone to Feng'an Village a few days ago and made a big deal with Yang Can.

Qian Yuan felt wronged.

Because he still doesn't understand which deity he offended.

He felt his power was great enough, but his rival was clearly much stronger and more mysterious than him.

Even now, he still doesn't know the origins of those mysterious people.

The mysterious men found him and interrogated him about the whereabouts of a young girl, claiming that she had once been in his hands.

But those mysterious people refused to reveal the girl's name, only describing her to him as pure and flawless like newly melted snowmelt spring water, and as lustrous and translucent as a piece of Kunlun jade.

Qian Yuan has sold at least five hundred, if not eight hundred, young girls. With such an abstract description, how could you expect him to remember?

Fortunately, those mysterious people were only focused on getting the girl's whereabouts and didn't intend to kill her for the time being, which allowed him to escape.

However, he's not safe now; those people are still hunting him down.

Qian Yuan forced himself to stay alert and observed the courtyard.

Several warehouses were being cleaned up, and the yard was piled with wooden crates, straw, and other miscellaneous items.

Qian Yuan's eyes darted around. Instead of hiding in those rooms, he staggered toward the pile of junk.

Qian Yuan rummaged around without a care, dug out a gap big enough for him to squeeze through, and then crawled inside.

(End of this chapter)