Chapter 72: Unexpected Flames in the Rear Courtyard

The question did not come from Chen Qianli or She Li, but from the “cattle thief” who emerged from behind the temple.

He was originally a performer, invited by Ye Chang to help out—merely playing a role. Yet he hadn't expected the cow to be so fond of the bald-headed man, licking him affectionately and unwilling to part, as if a mother tenderly caring for her calf, making one truly wonder whether the bald man was the cow's offspring.

Jiao Sui, his head freshly shaven, returned with a gloomy expression, sighing all the way. Having once made an inappropriate comment in Chang'an, today Ye Chang had taken full revenge; Ye Chang, indeed, never forgives a slight!

But Jiao Sui could not reproach Ye Chang, for today’s trouble was entirely of his own making.

Everyone’s gaze turned to him, and of course, to the cow he led.

“What did you smear on my head that makes this cow want to lick me so badly?” As soon as he entered the temple, Jiao Sui shouted.

“Very simple—just brine,” Ye Chang replied with a smile.

Indeed, it was simple: brine, fully saturated with salt, had been applied to the monk’s head. Cattle, like humans, need to replenish salt, but ordinary grass is low in salt content. So, when the cow caught the scent of salt on the monk’s head, especially after licking and tasting it, it couldn't resist and became obsessed.

Even now, the robust cow was still gazing longingly at Jiao Sui’s scalp with watery eyes.

Once the mystery was revealed, all sense of intrigue vanished, and everyone burst into laughter—even She Li could not help but smile.

“May I ask your esteemed name, sir? A man such as yourself must be renowned throughout the land; She Li is not at all disgraced by today’s loss,” She Li said.

“He is none other than Ye Chang of Xiuwu!” Chen Qianli interjected.

“Ye Chang, Eleventh Son of Xiuwu?” She Li had apparently heard of Ye Chang, and upon hearing his name, he solemnly saluted. “Indeed, I am not disgraced—Ye Chang, Eleventh Son, is said to have been enlightened by a sage... I shall return and bring you your cow!”

After he left, Chen Qianli bowed again to Ye Chang. “Today, thanks to your help, I have recovered my cow. I am deeply grateful and wish to offer you ten head of cattle as a token...”

Ye Chang shook his head, smiling wryly at these words. Ten cattle were a considerable fortune; to offer them so readily showed generosity, but Ye Chang had no intention of accepting. Nevertheless, his impression of Chen Qianli improved greatly—no wonder he had handed over the cattle to his uncle without any written agreement. This was an honest and open man, easily trusting others and lavish in his dealings.

At this thought, Ye Chang’s heart stirred.

“What use have I for cattle? However, there are many keepers of livestock in Wuzhi... I do have a plan that could provide the people of Wuzhi with an additional livelihood. Yet, as I am not a local, I cannot remain here to oversee it. Qianli, would you be willing to carry it out for me?”

Chen Qianli replied solemnly, “How could I not obey?”

With many large livestock, there was also much manure. Ye Chang’s proposal was to use the manure to produce soil fertilizer, while cultivating earthworms within it, which could then be fed to chickens and ducks, with the soil fertilizer used to enrich the fields.

This plan had been in Ye Chang’s mind for some time—originally intended for Xiuwu, but Xiuwu was mountainous and had little farmland, and lacked large livestock. Wuzhi, by contrast, had plenty of livestock and was situated by the Yellow River, facing Biankou across the river. The river and canal made it convenient to travel upstream to the Eastern Capital or downstream to Bianzhou.

He had previously considered establishing a shipbuilding workshop in Wuzhi, but lacked suitable personnel and an appropriate environment, so had given up. Now, having left good relations in Wuzhi, when the time was ripe, a workshop could be set up here.

The imperial prohibition against private shipbuilding was a hurdle, but Ye Chang had ways to circumvent it.

He lingered in Wuzhi County for seven or eight days, and once everything was arranged, Ye Chang returned to Xiuwu. It was late autumn; the fields along the way had been harvested, and they made no stops, reaching their destination in a single day. Setting out in the morning, they arrived by dusk, with Wu Ze Po already in sight.

Farmers were still in the fields, who, upon spotting Ye Chang from afar, approached to greet him. At first Ye Chang thought nothing of it, but gradually he sensed something amiss: their gazes were strangely complex.

Entering the village, this feeling intensified—as if everyone was secretly watching Ye Chang, but when he looked back, they would hurriedly avert their eyes. A sense of unease welled up within him, and he was about to ask someone when he spotted Cui Xiujing and others carrying firewood, struggling along the road.

“Hm?” Ye Chang’s heart stirred. These six newly purchased servants each had their strengths; Ye Chang had chosen them not merely as laborers. He had specifically assigned Cui Xiujing to remain in Wolong Valley, working with the hired carpenters to study shipbuilding techniques—the chief purpose being for this Silla man to impart the secrets of shipbuilding to the carpenters. So why was he now carrying firewood?

“Cui Xiujing, what’s this?” Ye Chang called out.

Cui Xiujing turned to see Ye Chang and his face was full of bitterness. “Young master has returned.”

“Didn’t I instruct you to stay in Wolong Valley? Why are you fetching firewood—is it your mistress who sent you to help?” Ye Chang asked calmly.

“No, no... it’s the master's order.”

“Master’s order?” Ye Chang’s brow furrowed.

In Tang custom, servants address their master as 'master,' and Cui Xiujing was Ye Chang's servant, so he ought to be referring to Ye Chang. Yet Ye Chang had given no such order, especially having spent the past days in Wuzhi.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“The master and mistress have returned...” Cui Xiujing spoke haltingly, and Ye Chang was perplexed. Master and mistress—servants’ terms for the male and female heads of household. In his own home, when had there ever been a mistress?

Just then, Xiang’er struggled out with a wooden bucket, likely going to fetch water from the village well. Upon seeing Ye Chang, she cried out, dropped the bucket, and rushed over, tears streaming down her face—much like when Ye Chang had returned from months away in Chang'an.

“Xiang’er, your face... what happened?” Noticing a purple mark on her face, Ye Chang’s anger flared; this was not an accident, but a pinch!

“The young master was naughty—he pinched me. I’m fine, but Chunming has suffered much these past days!” Xiang’er, quick of tongue, chattered on. “Master, the master has returned, bringing a mistress and a young master!”

“Which master?”

“Your father!”

At this, Ye Chang suddenly realized—he still had a father in this identity!

This father had reportedly been managing affairs in Bianzhou, and had not returned even when major events occurred at home. Ye Chang had no impression of him at all, not even knowing what he looked like. From bits of information, Ye Chang judged that his relationship with this adoptive father was not particularly harmonious; at the very least, the man had no special affection for him.

“Why has he come back?” Ye Chang murmured.

He was wholly unprepared to face this nominal father, and he was content in Wu Ze, not wishing for a father to suddenly appear.

Then he noticed something else: mistress, young master!

“You mean my father married while away and has a son?” Ye Chang asked.

Xiang’er pouted and nodded. “Exactly. As soon as they arrived, they took over the main house, then Wolong Valley—everything is in a mess!”

“When did they arrive?”

“The day before yesterday.”

“Why did no one come to Wuzhi to inform me?”

“Master said it wasn’t necessary—you’d know when you returned.”

Ye Chang’s brow was tightly knit. Xiang’er and the others, limited by their status, could not have gone to notify him, but sister-in-law Fang should have sent someone, and clan leader Ye Dan likewise should not have ignored it.

But then he understood: nominally, Ye Si was his father; this was a family matter, and others could hardly intervene.

No wonder everyone’s gaze had been strange—it was because something had happened at home!

“How is the mistress?” Ye Chang asked quietly.

“She’s very kind, but the young master is a bit spoiled,” Xiang’er replied.

Though reluctant, Ye Chang had no choice but to meet his nominal father. Arriving at his own door, he saw the gate freshly cleaned, guarded by a servant he didn’t recognize, who smiled at his arrival.

“Young master has returned!”

Ye Chang frowned, staring at the man, feeling his smile was insincere, and he did not recognize him. Xiang’er, knowing Ye Chang had lost some memories due to a “dream of immortality,” whispered, “That’s Ye Quan, our steward.”

With this, Ye Chang recalled that when Ye Si left, he took the only adult servant, leaving only young Xiang’er behind.

“You have worked hard these years,” Ye Chang said, matching the steward’s false smile with an even brighter one. “It’s good to have you back.”

Ye Quan was a bit embarrassed and bowed. “Since you’ve returned, you should pay your respects to the master and mistress.”

“Of course,” Ye Chang replied, curious to see what kind of man this “father” was. He had a vague notion, but needed to probe further before deciding how to proceed.

Upon entering the courtyard, Ye Chang’s brow furrowed again, for he noticed something was off. Though he had spent more time in Wolong Valley, he occasionally stayed here, and the arrangement of the courtyard had always been according to his preferences. Now, however, everything had been changed.

In the main hall, Ye Quan hurried ahead to announce him, and Ye Chang entered to find a middle-aged man seated in the hall, with a woman standing beside him.

The man, with three wisps of beard and a resemblance to Ye Dan, was surely his nominal father.

Ye Chang bowed deeply. “Greetings, sir.”

“Ah, you have returned. Not tending to the family, always roaming about—what kind of conduct is that?” Ye Si sternly admonished him, then turned to the woman at his side. “Pay your respects to your mother, Lady Lu.”

Ye Chang straightened and turned to the woman.

She appeared to be twenty-six or twenty-seven—only a few years older than sister-in-law Fang. Her looks suited the era’s aesthetic: round face, delicate brows, a plum blossom mark on her forehead, smiling lips, lively eyes. Ye Chang glanced at her, then bowed again. “Greetings, madam.”

In Tang etiquette, one addresses father and grandfather as “sir” or “elder,” but rarely calls a mother “madam.” This woman was not Ye Chang’s birth mother, so he merely called her “madam”—a bit distant, but not disrespectful.

“Xiang’er, bring the young master out to greet his elder brother,” Ye Si instructed.

Xiang’er quickly ran off, soon returning with a young boy. Upon seeing the child, Ye Chang was startled.

His nominal father had adopted him only four years ago, after returning home due to the division of the family. After adopting Ye Chang, he went back to Bianzhou. Based on this timeline, the young master should be at most three years old, yet this child was clearly seven or eight!

Older even than the household slaves!

Ye Chang, keeping his composure, took a small box from his breast. After the young master, at his mother’s command, had paid his respects, Ye Chang reciprocated and handed the box over.

“Meeting my younger brother for the first time, and unprepared, this box of pastries I brought from Xiuwu will serve as a small gift,” Ye Chang said with a smile.

Hearing it was pastries, the young master cheered and took the box. His mother scolded him, and he remembered to thank Ye Chang, after which she took the box from him. “I’ll keep the pastries for him—thank you, elder brother.”

Her voice was gentle, even when scolding, as soft as could be—no wonder Xiang’er said she was a good person. Yet Ye Chang felt uneasy; the woman’s behavior was too exemplary, so much so that it unsettled him.

If reacting normally, she should feel some displeasure toward this adopted son. Yet she was overly courteous—so much so it was uncomfortable.

This was not Ye Chang seeking neglect or suffering, but because he had many people close to him; if anyone harbored ill intent, he could defend himself, but what of Xiang’er, Chunming, or the six youths he had brought from Chang’an?

“Elder brother, I have been back two days now—I know all you’ve done,” Ye Si said after greetings were exchanged, stroking his beard and speaking slowly. “But you are still young; you ought to focus on your studies. I will not leave again for the time being and will supervise your reading here. All other household affairs will be handled by your mother—you need not concern yourself.”

Ye Chang’s brows drew together.

What was this—an attempt to seize control?

“Will you stay here to study, or return to Wolong Valley?” Ye Si asked.

“I’d rather return to Wolong Valley—it’s quieter there.”

“Very well. The valley is far; you needn’t come daily to pay respects. If you need anything, send someone to fetch it,” Ye Si said as if casually, then smiled. “You have had a wondrous encounter with the immortals; now that there are no outsiders, tell me—apart from the rainbow canal, what other marvels have you seen?”

“Nothing much—just that bit of skill, and I lost much memory in acquiring it,” Ye Chang replied with a smile.

Hearing this, Ye Si gazed at him intently, then smiled again. “Good, good. You’ve had a tiring journey; go rest in Wolong Valley, and I’ll visit you tomorrow.”