《Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather》 Chapter 1 - 1 1 Children and Grandchildren Filling the Hall ?Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Children and Grandchildren Filling the Hall Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Children and Grandchildren Filling the Hall Yang Zhenshan had a very long dream, where he dreamt he became an ancient person. When he was young, he followed his father in learning martial arts; his father was very strict and often whipped him with a small wooden stick. As a teenager, his father went hunting in the mountains and was fatally wounded by a ferocious beast, and he saw his father covered in blood being carried down by the villagers, as he laid on his father¡¯s body and wept uncontrollably. Then he dreamt he joined the army, and after a year, he was badly wounded in a brutal battle and retired back to his hometown. He got married and took a woman with bright eyes and white teeth as his wife. A year after his marriage, his wife gave birth to a son, and he seemed very happy. The reason why it¡¯s ¡°seemed¡± is because it wasn¡¯t his personal experience in the dream; it was more like watching a documentary. Fragmented dreamscapes kept appearing, and in a blink of an eye, twenty years had passed; the household had more members and became livelier. But suddenly one day, his wife fell ill, never to recover, and watching his increasingly frail wife, he felt very lost and scared. His wife passed away, and the dream turned gloomy. The warmth was gone never to return, replaced by emptiness and confusion. The dreams became more fragmented and blurry, and just when Yang Zhenshan thought the dream was about to end, a clear pond suddenly appeared before him. The stone pond was embedded in the ground, surrounded by endless darkness, with only the water in the pond emitting a faint glow. Suddenly, Yang Zhenshan opened his eyes, staring blankly at the roof beams above. He was very familiar with this roof beam because he had seen it countless times in his dreams, and even personally carried it down from the mountain and installed it on the house. ¡°This isn¡¯t a dream!¡± Yang Zhenshan blinked, his heart suddenly tightening. Then he abruptly sat up, the thick blanket falling off, and everything in the room came into view. The clay kang, the black wooden box at the foot of the kang, two somewhat worn blankets folded on top of the box, the wooden window pasted with window paper letting through dim light, and outside the window, there were sounds of someone clucking, seemingly feeding chickens. Yang Zhenshan shook his head vigorously, then slapped himself hard. ¡°That hurts!¡± It really wasn¡¯t a dream! Yang Zhenshan was stunned. How did a perfectly fine young man from society turn into a widowed old man in the countryside? Yes, a widower. His wife was dead; isn¡¯t that what a widower is? Not just a widower; he seemed to also have sons, daughters, grandsons and granddaughters. Yang Zhenshan clumsily got off the kang, peeked through the door crack, and saw a woman in a coarse cloth long skirt feeding chickens in the courtyard. Daughter-in-law! The corners of Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mouth twitched wildly, and he felt as if he had been struck by lightning. Damn, what is all this! I¡¯ve time-traveled, and even into an old man with a house full of descendants! A house full of descendants! A house full of descendants! Yang Zhenshan¡¯s resentment erupted like a volcano. I haven¡¯t even married yet; where did all these descendants come from? Woo woo woo~~ I want to cry. No, no, I¡¯m not an old wreck! I¡¯m only thirty-eight! Just aged a decade. Yang Zhenshan sat back on the kang and fell deep into thought. In the feudal society, people married early. In his dream, he joined the army at fifteen, retired due to injury at sixteen back to his hometown, and got married at seventeen; now he was only thirty-eight. In modern times, thirty-eight is not considered old at all. But having aged ten years for no reason, Yang Zhenshan still felt awful. A prime young man at twenty-eight turned into a thirty-eight-year-old grandfather, Yang Zhenshan felt his heart was breaking. ¡°Has dad gotten up? It¡¯s time for breakfast!¡± A shout came from outside the door, it was his eldest son. Woo woo, eldest son! A twenty-year-old eldest son! How could I have such an old eldest son! Yang Zhenshan wanted to cry even more. ¡°Dad, Dad~~¡± Not receiving a response, the eldest son entered through the door. ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong? Are you thinking of Mom again?¡± The eldest son, Yang Mingcheng, was bulky and although only twenty years old, was already a father of two children. Thinking of Mom? Yang Zhenshan buried his head in the tattered blanket. A middle-aged man¡¯s three joys: promotion, fortune, and the wife¡¯s death! The original wife was dead, was this considered a joyous event? ¡°No, you guys go ahead and eat!¡± Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t want to go out, he wasn¡¯t prepared to face a house full of descendants. But just as he spoke, his stomach growled noisily. Yang Mingcheng heard the rumble, ¡°Dad, you¡¯re hungry.¡± Yang Zhenshan felt depressed, he really wasn¡¯t prepared to face a house full of descendants, he was resistant. He hadn¡¯t even married yet! Yet, he already had grandsons! Now he wanted to curse, he really wanted to curse. Everyone else¡¯s time travel, even if not reborn as a fetus, was to the generation of grandsons or sons, why did he have to become a grandfather? He would rather be someone¡¯s grandson than a grandfather! Woo woo, I¡¯m so hungry! Forget cursing, I can¡¯t skip meals, I¡¯d be too hungry without eating. ¡°You go out first, I¡¯ll be there shortly!¡± Yang Zhenshan said, head lowered. ¡°Alright, Dad, hurry up!¡± Hearing that he wanted to eat, his eldest son Yang Mingcheng immediately agreed cheerfully. Once he left, Yang Zhenshan finally raised his head from the blanket. There¡¯s no avoiding it! He had to face a house full of descendants. Yang Zhenshan let out a deep sigh. He was no longer alone now; he had three sons, two daughters, two daughters-in-law, two grandsons, and a granddaughter, woo woo, such a big family! Chapter 2 - 2 1 Children and Grandchildren Filling the ?Chapter 2: Chapter 1 Children and Grandchildren Filling the Hall_2 Chapter 2: Chapter 1 Children and Grandchildren Filling the Hall_2 Thinking of home, he thought of his parents, who, although divorced and remarried with their own children, were still quite good to him, never shorting him on alimony and even pooling money to buy him an apartment when he graduated from college. He lived alone comfortably, although sometimes he felt lonely, most of the time he felt quite free. But now he... Talking more would only bring tears! Yang Zhenshan dared not think further, standing up to examine his own body. He was about 1.8 meters tall, somewhat frail, with a long scar stretching from his left shoulder to his abdomen, a result of an injury on the battlefield. That war was nearly fatal, and had he not been so lucky, he would never have been able to return home after his service. Even though he saved his life, his body suffered considerable damage. It was manageable when he was younger, but now that he is older, his body is becoming weaker, especially his shoulder which often aches subtly. Yang Zhenshan frowned as he examined the scar on his body, then he put on a blue cloth shirt and trouser and canvas shoes, vigorously rubbing his face. ¡°I have to face it even if I don¡¯t want to, I cannot let the original identity collapse, I am Yang Zhenshan, Yang Zhenshan is me!¡± The original person did not engage in idle chatter, and neither did Yang Zhenshan. In this respect, the two were somewhat similar. However, as a modern man, many of Yang Zhenshan¡¯s habits were definitely different from the original. He could only recall the habits of the original, trying his best to maintain the same persona as the original. Stepping out of the room, the entire family was already seated at two wooden tables in the hall. Seeing all these family members made Yang Zhenshan¡¯s feet hesitate. It was terrifying! The original¡¯s wife was truly prolific, having five children. The eldest son, Yang Mingcheng, twenty years old, was burly, having practiced some Martial Arts with the original, though not a Martial Artist, he was quite strong. He married early at fifteen to Ms. Wang from the neighboring Wang Family Village, and in five years had two children, a grandson just over three years old and a granddaughter just past a hundred days old. The second son, Yang Mingzhi, eighteen years old, resembled his mother, slightly slimmer and taller than 1.7 meters, quite shorter compared to his elder brother, and was rather reserved, not liking to talk much, also married at fifteen to the Li family from Li Family Village, and had a son last year. The third child was a daughter, Yang Yunyan, sixteen years old, who had just married over a year ago. The fourth child, Yang Minghao, fourteen years old, was apprenticing at a blacksmith shop in the county town and was not at home. The youngest daughter, Yang Yunxue, only ten years old, inheriting her mother¡¯s looks, bright eyed and white-teethed, the treasure of the original¡¯s wife who doted on her, pampered since childhood. Yang Zhenshan felt a headache, in the past he alone was full and the whole family was not hungry, but now with the entire family besides the married daughter, a total of ten people, the mere thought made his scalp tingle. Moreover, the household was not wealthy, owning only twenty acres of land, and the harvests had been poor in recent years, making it hard to ensure everyone was fed. ¡°Dad!¡± ¡°Dad!¡± ¡°Grandpa!¡± As Yang Zhenshan walked out, the whole family called out. ... Yang Zhenshan was speechless, simply nodding his head before walking to the water well outside the hall, washing his face. Looking at his own reflection in the basin, Yang Zhenshan felt an urge to cry again. This isn¡¯t what thirty-eight looks like! To say he was forty-eight would still feel unfair. Dark complexion, rough skin, messy beard, white hair at the temples. I used to be very handsome! Yang Zhenshan pursed his lips, tied up his long hair, and started observing the courtyard of the house. This home was the original¡¯s previous home, rebuilt when the original got married, starting with only three tiled rooms, and as the children grew up, the original added several more rooms. The main house had three rooms: a bedroom, a hall, and a kitchen, with four rooms on each side, the doors facing the southeast and southwest corners of the courtyard, which also had a barn housing a large yellow ox. Speaking of this household, it wasn¡¯t exactly poor in the past. The original occupant had fought battles, and within these ten and eight villages, he was regarded as a capable man, and his wife came from the Lu family, with a father-in-law who was a Scholar, bringing some dowry when marrying in. However, as the number of children grew, the daily expenses of the household also surged, and life became poorer. Still, the family didn¡¯t lack money completely, Yang Zhenshan remembered that the couple had some emergency funds. Thinking of the silver coins in the cashbox, Yang Zhenshan felt slightly relieved. He found it cumbersome to support such a large family. Having some money, he felt a bit more confident. As for leaving this family, he only thought about it briefly before giving it up. Although this household was poor, at the very least it gave him a place to settle down. If he left this household, he wasn¡¯t sure how he would survive in this world. According to the memory of his predecessor, this world wasn¡¯t a specific dynasty in ancient times but a completely unfamiliar one. Feudal dynasty, feudal society, life alone would be more difficult. Therefore, Yang Zhenshan thought it was better to stay in this household, at least he had a large family to rely on. Well, a house full of children and grandchildren wasn¡¯t entirely a bad thing. After washing up, Yang Zhenshan returned to the main hall, sitting in his predecessor¡¯s seat, looking at the food on the table. Two wooden tables were joined together, men inside, women outside, the meal consisted of mixed grain porridge and corn cakes, with only two dishes, salted vegetables, and wild vegetable soup, not a trace of oil to be seen. The meal was prepared by the eldest daughter-in-law, Ms. Wang, a plump woman who apparently snacked on the food often while cooking, or else she wouldn¡¯t have been this plump. The whole family waited eagerly, staring at Yang Zhenshan, who kept a stern face and mimicked his predecessor¡¯s tone, saying, ¡°Eat!¡± He was the head of the household, without his word, no one else could start eating. Feudal society had many rules. But thinking it over, being a grandfather wasn¡¯t so bad; the farm work was done by his sons, and the household chores were handled by his daughters-in-law, he as the head of the household held absolute authority. The food was really hard to swallow, but Yang Zhenshan was genuinely hungry, no matter how unappetizing the food was, he had to eat it. Moreover, they only ate twice a day, if he skipped breakfast, then he had to wait till dinner. Yang Zhenshan braved through and drank a bowl of mixed grain porridge, pushing down the hunger in his stomach, after which he simply couldn¡¯t eat anymore. He could stomach the mixed grain porridge, but he really couldn¡¯t swallow the corn cakes. The corn cakes were very coarse, scratching his throat as he swallowed, even when washed down with wild vegetable soup, it was unpleasant. He took a bite of the corn cake and then put it down. ¡°Grandpa, let me give you my porridge!¡± The eldest grandson Yang Chengye saw that Yang Zhenshan had only one bowl of porridge and pushed his own towards Yang Zhenshan. Yang Zhenshan looked at the child before him with a complicated gaze. The grandson, at just three years old, already knew to show filial respect, oh, I feel, I feel... Go away, you¡¯re not my grandson! ¡°Grandpa is not hungry, Chengye eat!¡± Yang Zhenshan reached out, rubbed his grandson¡¯s head, and sighed softly. He really didn¡¯t want this grandson deep inside, but no matter his reluctance, he couldn¡¯t blame a child. ¡°Finish eating and then go work the fields, I will rest for a while!¡± Yang Zhenshan felt distressed, left those words behind, and walked back to his own room. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Dad?¡± The second son Yang Mingzhi asked quietly while watching Yang Zhenshan¡¯s retreating back. Although Yang Zhenshan deliberately maintained his predecessor¡¯s habits, his children could still sense something different about him today. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s thinking of Mom!¡± The eldest son Yang Mingcheng recalled Yang Zhenshan¡¯s appearance in the room and said. Upon the mention of their mother, the whole family sank into a state of missing her. Chapter 3 - 3 2 Becoming a Widower I Can Also Remarry ?Chapter 3: Chapter 2 Becoming a Widower, I Can Also Remarry Chapter 3: Chapter 2 Becoming a Widower, I Can Also Remarry Yang Zhenshan returned to his room and sat on the edge of the kang, scratching his head vigorously. He really wasn¡¯t used to having a house full of children and grandchildren. Especially when his eldest grandson called him ¡°Grandpa,¡± it made him feel completely numb. Sigh~~ Yang Zhenshan let out a long sigh. Right now, it seemed he had no other choice; even if he was uncomfortable, he would have to slowly get used to it. Instead of sighing here, he was better off thinking about how to get by in the days to come. He opened a wooden chest at the head of the kang and took out a smaller wooden box. Inside the small wooden box were two silver hairpins, two silver bracelets, and thirteen taels of scrap silver. Next, Yang Zhenshan took out a pottery jar from the corner of the kang, which was filled with Copper Coin. After counting, aside from the jewelry, there was about fifteen taels. For such a big family, this little amount of stored silver was really not much. Fortunately, the family still owned twenty acres of farmland, and now that autumn had set in, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the harvest. For the coming year, the family would still be able to get by. As for the future, that would be up to fate. Whether a farmer could have enough to eat all depended on nature; with good wind and rain, there might be enough food, but in the event of a natural disaster, starving was inevitable. Having accepted reality, Yang Zhenshan had to consider how to live in the future. Following the trope of transmigration novels, should he start making glass, soap, firearms, and then rebel to become a king? However, after giving it some thought, he rolled his eyes. Novels were really deceiving. He knew sand could be used to make glass, but how? He was full of question marks. Lard could apparently be used to make soap, and then what? Still, he was full of question marks. As for firearms, he was totally clueless; it would be a struggle for him even to make firecrackers, let alone firearms. Most modern people know a little about gunpowder and firearms, but knowing a little does not mean they can make them. Moreover, this world has Martial Artists who are extraordinary beings, capable of flying across the skies, facing thousands single-handedly. Against Martial Artists, primitive gunpowder weapons are useless, unless one manages to develop black powder and manufacture modern firearms and ammunition. Otherwise, it¡¯s better to be an obedient citizen¡ªat least that way, one won¡¯t be killed. The original host was a Martial Artist, becoming one at the age of fifteen, and would not have joined the military otherwise. But unfortunately, after a great battle, the original host was seriously injured, and the path of Martial Arts for him was completely cut off. ¡°Martial Artist!¡± Thinking of the Martial Arts the original host practiced, Yang Zhenshan clenched his fist. Although this body appeared weak and had many hidden injuries, it was surprisingly strong and should be stronger than an average person. However, to re-cultivate Martial Arts, he would first need to heal the hidden injuries and replenish his vital energy. This was not something that could be resolved with ten or twenty taels of Silver; otherwise, the original host would have sought treatment long ago. Thinking of his hidden injuries, Yang Zhenshan suddenly froze. Spiritual Spring Water: It has the effect of healing injuries, and long-term consumption can improve physique and potential. An inexplicable piece of information appeared in his mind, and then a familiar scene came into view. A rock pool, clear water, endless darkness. This was a scene from his dreams. ¡°Spiritual Spring Water!¡± Yang Zhenshan had a revelation and quickly walked out of the room to get a porcelain bowl. He extended his index finger into the bowl, and with a thought, water flowed along his finger into the bowl. Soon, a bowl of clear water appeared in front of him. Could this water be drunk? Yang Zhenshan looked at the clear water in the bowl with some doubt. The dark rock pool had become empty, but at the bottom of the pool, it seemed like water was slowly seeping out. So, Spiritual Spring Water can regenerate continuously! After hesitating for a moment, Yang Zhenshan picked up the porcelain bowl and poured it down his throat. Crisp and sweet, as the spring water entered his stomach, a warm sensation spread throughout his body. His sore left shoulder felt much more comfortable, and his entire body was filled with an unprecedented sense of comfort. ¡°Does it really work?¡± Yang Zhenshan moved his body, feeling indeed much lighter than before, but there was still some pain when he lifted his left arm. The Spiritual Spring Water worked¡ªit could heal his hidden injuries, but one bowl was not enough. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes lit up sharply. If he could heal his hidden injuries, he could re-cultivate Martial Arts, and with the foundation laid by the original host, he should easily become a Martial Artist. More importantly, his body could recover to its peak condition. Although he was ten years older, as long as his body could return to its peak, he was still a fine young man. At thirty-eight, he was still a young man! Even if he was a grandfather, he was still young and definitely not an old man. Thinking this, Yang Zhenshan not only felt lighter in body but also in spirits. Being ten years older wasn¡¯t a big deal, as long as he wasn¡¯t a weakling and could still be lively and energetic, that was enough. With a slight focus of his mind, the rock pool in the darkness reappeared. Although the spring water at the bottom was seeping out very slowly, Yang Zhenshan saw hope. It¡¯s okay if it¡¯s slow, as long as there¡¯s hope, that¡¯s enough. Putting away the silver, Yang Zhenshan walked out of the room with his hands behind his back. ¡°Grandfather!¡± The eldest grandson, playing in the courtyard, saw him and immediately rushed over with a cheerful shout. Now, looking at his eldest grandson, Yang Zhenshan felt less resistant in his heart. The little fellow was tiger-headed and tiger-brained, quite endearing indeed. Yang Zhenshan deftly picked him up; a bowl of Spiritual Spring Water hadn¡¯t completely healed his hidden injuries but had made it possible for him to lift his grandson. In his memories, the original body seldom held the grandson; not out of unwillingness, but because lifting him would cause a dull pain in his left shoulder. ¡°Grandpa, teach me the Spear Technique!¡± The eldest grandson, held by Yang Zhenshan, had a face full of joy. Yang Zhenshan looked up at his little daughter, Yang Yunxue, in the courtyard. The ten-year-old Yang Yunxue was wielding a long spear. The ancestral Spear Technique of the Yang family. Although it was not a mystical or secret art, it was a Spear Technique derived from battle experience. The moves were sharp and decisive, without any superfluous flair, following a principle of continuity. All five children of the Yang family had practiced Martial Arts and had also learned to read and write. Martial Arts were passed down from the ancestors of the Yang family, while literacy was taught by the original body¡¯s wife. It may sound like they were proficient in both literacy and Martial Arts, but in reality, they were neither accomplished scholars nor adepts in Martial Arts. Practicing Martial Arts hadn¡¯t made any of them true Martial Artists, and their reading was merely at a level sufficient to recognize words; they could not be considered genuine scholars. Usually, the eldest, Yang Mingcheng, and the second oldest, Yang Mingzhi, had to take care of the farm work, so they had fallen behind in their Martial Arts practice. The fourth son, Yang Minghao, had been sent to apprentice at an ironworks shop in the county town and probably had neglected his Martial Arts as well. Now, only the little daughter, Yang Yunxue, maintained the habit of practicing Martial Arts every day. Watching his little daughter brandish the long spear powerfully, Yang Zhenshan felt an itch to join. Every man harbors a dream of becoming a martial hero in his youth. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s dream had been shattered long ago, but in this world, where real Martial Artists existed, his broken dream of martial heroism began to resurface. ¡°Grandpa will perform the Spear Technique for you, is that alright?¡± Yang Zhenshan said with a slight smile at his grandson. ¡°Okay!¡± The eldest grandson clapped his hands in cheer. Yang Zhenshan put down his grandson, turned, and walked into the bedroom, returning moments later with an iron spear. The spear was about one meter eighty in length, with a seven-inch spearhead and a weight of four taels. Its edges were flat like buckwheat. Recalling the memories of the original body, Yang Zhenshan thrust the iron spear out like a snake striking, then moved swiftly, continuously brandishing the spear with its movements wide and full, each move with full force, spinning abruptly as if to shock the soul. The tip of the spear vibrated, shooting dazzling cold glints. Within an area of a fathom, the dense spear light enveloped everything. On the battlefield, one must give their all, never holding back, for any reservation could lead to being killed by the enemy in an instant. As such, the essence of the Yang family¡¯s ancestral Spear Technique was to use each move fully, without reserve. With each thrust of the spear, it was a matter of life and death, without consideration for subsequent moves. Seeing Yang Zhenshan practicing the spear, Yang Yunxue stopped, both surprised and delighted. ¡°Dad is practicing the spear again?¡± Yang Yunxue¡¯s voice, only ten years old, was soft and pleasant to hear. ¡°Grandpa is so amazing!¡± The eldest grandson, Yang Chengye, clapped his hands in cheer. The doors on the east and west sides opened, and the eldest daughter-in-law, Ms. Wang, and the second daughter-in-law, the Li family¡¯s daughter, came out with their children, also looking at Yang Zhenshan in astonishment. The original body hadn¡¯t practiced the spear in a long time. Since his wife¡¯s death, the original body had been in deep mourning, with no interest in practicing the spear. In this respect, the original body was a man of deep feelings. Feeling everyone¡¯s gaze, Yang Zhenshan suddenly felt a sense of accomplishment, his iron spear becoming even more ferocious. But joy often leads to sorrow. Following a powerful lunge, Yang Zhenshan stumbled. Pain, pain, pain~~ The pain in his left shoulder, as if pressing on a nerve, nearly caused Yang Zhenshan to black out and falter. ¡°Dad, are you okay?¡± Yang Yunxue quickly came forward to support Yang Zhenshan, asking with concern. Looking at his little daughter¡¯s worried face, Yang Zhenshan felt a warmth in his heart. Although he had got her easily, his little daughter¡¯s concern was indeed very genuine. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t practice the spear for now!¡± Yang Zhenshan said, regretfully. Practicing the spear felt great, but the hidden injuries in his body were too severe, preventing him from fully indulging in the practice at once. He only hoped that the Spiritual Spring Water would work faster and heal the hidden injuries on his body sooner. ¡°Dad, should we invite a physician to take a look?¡± The eldest daughter-in-law, Ms. Wang, holding the eldest granddaughter, came over to ask. Although Ms. Wang was the mother of two children, she was only twenty years old. After the original body¡¯s wife passed away, Ms. Wang took care of the household. They say the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother, and it wasn¡¯t easy for Ms. Wang to take care of this large family. ¡°No need, I¡¯ll be fine after some rest!¡± Yang Zhenshan felt somewhat embarrassed. His sons and daughters were one thing, but having a daughter-in-law always felt somewhat awkward to him. He had been in a couple of relationships, but had never been married. He didn¡¯t even have a wife, let alone a daughter-in-law. Upon reflection, Yang Zhenshan felt quite miserable. This couldn¡¯t do; he must find himself a wife. Even if he became a widower, he could remarry. Just wait, he would certainly find them a stepmother in the future. Chapter 4 - 4 3 Money Cant Stop Being Spent ?Chapter 4: Chapter 3 Money Can¡¯t Stop Being Spent Chapter 4: Chapter 3 Money Can¡¯t Stop Being Spent After resting for a while, Yang Zhenshan felt much better, but his stomach started growling again. It was almost noon, and he had only had a bowl of mixed grain porridge in the morning, which was not filling at all. Yang Zhenshan looked up at the kitchen; the family only ate two meals a day, and the next meal would be in the evening. He felt he couldn¡¯t last until then. Man is iron, food is steel; skipping a meal leaves one terribly hungry. ¡°Daughter-in-law, start cooking!¡± Yang Zhenshan called out unceremoniously. Ms. Wang, who was sweeping the courtyard, paused, ¡°Dad, cook now?¡± This family only ate two meals a day and did not have the habit of eating at noon. ¡°Yes, from now on we will eat three meals a day,¡± Yang Zhenshan stayed in character, speaking concisely and to the point. ¡°Three meals a day!¡± Ms. Wang was surprised, ¡°Dad, there isn¡¯t much grain left in the house.¡± No one wants to go hungry, but there wasn¡¯t much grain left; without conserving, they probably couldn¡¯t last until the harvest. ¡°I know, this afternoon I¡¯ll go to the county town with eldest son to buy some grain,¡± said Yang Zhenshan indifferently. He wanted to buy not just grain, but also some meat; it had been a long time since the family had eaten meat. The original body was reluctant to eat meat, but he would not shortchange himself. Besides, he needed to restore his body. While Spiritual Spring Water had healing properties, his plan to retrain in Martial Arts also required nutrition. Ms. Wang gave Yang Zhenshan a surprised look but did not question further, as this was the authority of the head of the household, and as a daughter-in-law, she should not question her father-in-law¡¯s decisions. Soon, Ms. Wang prepared a meal consisting primarily of cornbread and mixed grain porridge, with the addition of a dish of stir-fried leeks and eggs. Saying it was stir-fried leeks and eggs, it actually contained only two eggs mixed into two large bowls of leeks. Yang Mingcheng and Yang Mingzhi, who had been working in the fields, returned and looked surprised at the meal on the table, as if wondering what had gotten into Ms. Wang to make lunch today. ¡°Dad asked for it!¡± Ms. Wang whispered to Yang Mingcheng. Yang Mingcheng looked at Yang Zhenshan, who stepped out of the house. He wanted to ask why lunch was made today, but seeing Yang Zhenshan¡¯s expressionless face, he swallowed back his question. ¡°Wash up and eat.¡± Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain; he was their dad now, and could do as he pleased without needing to offer explanations to them. In feudal society, filial piety was paramount; for children to question their parents was unfilial. Yang Zhenshan sat down at the head of the table and began eating the porridge. He was really hungry. The meal Ms. Wang made was really quite plain; if Yang Zhenshan hadn¡¯t been so hungry, he might not have been able to eat it. But Ms. Wang couldn¡¯t be blamed, as it is difficult to cook without rice; just now Yang Zhenshan had checked the kitchen and found nothing but a small jar of lard and coarse salt ¡ª no other seasonings. Given such conditions, how could one expect delicate or delicious dishes? Now Yang Zhenshan had no right to complain; having something to eat was already good enough. ... Yang Family Village is backed by Changqing Mountain. Standing at the entrance of the village, looking north, one can see the continuous stretch of woods, and looking south, endless fertile fields. Most villagers in the village share the Yang surname and come from the same clan; however, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s branch was rather thin, having only one male heir for the past three generations, so he didn¡¯t have many brothers or sisters. In the afternoon, Yang Zhenshan had Yang Mingcheng hitch the ox-cart and they slowly made their way to the county town. The country roads were uneven, and the ox-cart¡¯s wheels had no suspension, causing a bumpy ride. By the time they reached the county town, Yang Zhenshan felt like he was falling apart. Yang Family Village was relatively close to the county town, only about ten miles away, but they had taken half an hour. This ridiculous travel speed made Yang Zhenshan not even want to think about how long it would take if it were several hundred or thousand miles. Upon entering the county town, Yang Zhenshan curiously observed his surroundings; the county town in his memory was different from what he was seeing with his own eyes. The county town was quite prosperous, with shops lined up along the streets and an unending stream of pedestrians. This wasn¡¯t one of those tourist ancient cities but a genuine ancient town, with a row of quaint buildings giving a genuine ancient look, and all the people wore true traditional costumes, adding an authentic old charm. The county town was called Ning County, located in the northeast of the Da Rong Dynasty. Three hundred miles further north lay the northeastern border of the Dynasty, beyond which were the territories of nomadic tribes. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s original body had joined the army to defend against invasions by these nomads at this northeastern border. ¡°Dad, should we go see third brother first?¡± asked Yang Mingcheng, who was driving the cart. Yang Zhenshan blinked, then remembered he had a third son who was apprenticing at a blacksmith¡¯s shop in the county town. It would be improper not to visit his third son while he was here. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the market first!¡± He couldn¡¯t visit his son empty-handed, after all. Recalling the original body¡¯s memories, Yang Zhenshan knew that apprenticing at a blacksmith¡¯s shop was not an easy task. Apprentice, apprentice, is actually just hard labor. The dirty and tiring tasks are all done by apprentices, and whether they can learn the skills depends on whether the master is willing to teach. Moreover, being an apprentice doesn¡¯t come with a wage, it only covers food and lodging. The third son, Yang Minghao, was thirteen years old, and it was just a year ago that he was sent to the blacksmith shop by the original host. Thirteen years old, not even graduated from elementary school, Yang Zhenshan just felt frustrated thinking about it. Arriving at the market, Yang Zhenshan first bought two stones of grain, then some cooking oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and finally, he bought ten pounds of pork and some pork bones. Thinking that he still had to visit his third son, Yang Zhenshan bought an additional twenty meat buns. After a round at the market, the ten taels of silver Yang Zhenshan brought were reduced to less than two taels. When leaving the market, Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t help feeling sentimental about how quickly money is spent. He still had many things he wanted to buy, but seeing the remaining silver, he could only quench his desire to splurge. The ironworks in Anning County have a broad scope of business, not only making various agricultural tools but also forging weapons like knives, spears, swords, and halberds. Martial Arts are prevalent in the Da Rong Dynasty, and although Martial Artists are not many, many people have practiced Martial Arts, much like Yang Family Village, where almost everyone has some Martial Arts skills, which is the tradition of the Yang family. In feudal society, clans are a very important component; big clans are aristocratic families, while smaller clans are local grassroots institutions, and each clan follows its own traditions. Anning County is close to the border and often has to deal with threats from the nomadic tribes in the North, contributing to a higher number of residents who practice Martial Arts. This also results in many families owning weapons such as knives, spears, swords, and halberds. Moreover, with Changqing Mountain close by, there are many hunters at the foot of the mountain, and people skilled with bows and arrows are not few. This ironworks shop in front of themis the largest in Anning County, with five master craftsmen and more than a dozen apprentices, and it is a property of the Lu family of Anning. ¡°Third, why are you here?¡± Upon entering the ironworks, Yang Zhenshan encountered a burly man, who, however, limped as he walked. Lu Zhou, a collateral member of the Lu family, an old comrade of the original host, was the flag officer of the original host when he joined the army. Yang Minghao became an apprentice here through connections facilitated by Lu Zhou. ¡°Brother Lu, I came to see Ming Hao.¡± Yang Zhenshan revealed a faint smile. When he enlisted in the army, the original host was the youngest soldier under Lu Zhou, which is why everyone called him ¡®the youngest¡¯. The two were brothers-in-arms, and Lu Zhou had taken good care of the original host over the years; unfortunately, Lu Zhou suffered a serious injury in that battle, and to this date, he still limps as he walks. ¡°Ming Hao, Ming Hao!¡± Lu Zhou¡¯s voice was particularly loud; his call managed to drown out the continuous clangs of iron forging in the shop. ¡°Dad!¡± A sturdy young man ran over, his shoulders bare, his skin darkened. Yang Zhenshan nodded at his third son, then handed over the three pounds of pork he was holding to Lu Zhou, ¡°Brother Lu, I¡¯ll have a word with Ming Hao.¡± ¡°Why bring something for a chat?¡± Lu Zhou reproached. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t elaborate, simply stuffing the pork into Lu Zhou¡¯s hands, ¡°I have to rush back today, so I won¡¯t talk much with Brother.¡± After that, he turned and walked out of the ironworks. Based on the original host¡¯s memories, he knew Lu Zhou was a generous man who wouldn¡¯t mind the three pounds of pork, but Yang Zhenshan was meticulous about reciprocity; his third son still needed Lu Zhou¡¯s care, and it was fitting to give a gift. Lu Zhou looked at the pork in his hands and then at the departing Yang Zhenshan, thinking that he needed to take good care of Yang Minghao in the future. Sadly, he was just a collateral member of the Lu family, and the ironworks wasn¡¯t within his control, so there wasn¡¯t much he could do to help Yang Minghao. ¡°Big brother!¡± Walking out of the ironworks, Yang Minghao saw his dad and big brother, his face showing a naive smile. ¡°How have you been lately, not too tired?¡± Yang Mingcheng, the big brother, cared deeply for his little brother, and it was hard to come to the county seat even just once, so naturally, he chatted warmly with him. Yang Zhenshan stood on the side quietly watching, he didn¡¯t feel much for these stepsons and couldn¡¯t bring himself to make small talk. Moreover, the original host was not someone who liked talking much, so maintaining silence wasn¡¯t out of character. After the brothers talked for a while, Yang Zhenshan handed five meat buns to his third son and also handed him a hundred copper coins. ¡°Everything at home is fine, don¡¯t worry!¡± Yang Zhenshan patted his third son on the shoulder. ¡°Take care of yourself!¡± Yang Mingcheng, driving the ox cart, left the ironworks, and Yang Minghao stood in front of the ironworks with a reluctant look on his face. Leaving home at a young age, and it was hard to see his family even for a brief moment. Sitting in the ox cart, Yang Zhenshan watched the ironworks growing more distant, sighing deeply in his heart. Life at home is truly tough. He needed to think of ways to improve the family¡¯s situation; at the very least, they should be well-fed and warm. Chapter 5 - 5 4 If we encounter a big beast Dad will run ?Chapter 5: Chapter 4: If we encounter a big beast, Dad will run faster than you. Chapter 5: Chapter 4: If we encounter a big beast, Dad will run faster than you. When he got home, the sky had already turned dark. Yang Mingcheng moved the grains he had bought into the grain storehouse, and Yang Zhenshan gave the pork, pork bones, and condiments to Ms. Wang. ¡°Dad, why did you buy so much meat?¡± Ms. Wang looked at the pork and couldn¡¯t help but swallow her saliva. ¡°Make it delicious!¡± Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t explain further, just said it indifferently. There was no way to explain it. He couldn¡¯t just say he wasn¡¯t used to living in poverty. ¡°Okay.¡± Ms. Wang said cheerfully. In fact, she didn¡¯t care what had gotten into Yang Zhenshan, she just wanted to eat meat. Ms. Wang also had some cooking skills. With the condiments and pork, she quickly prepared a table full of dishes. Pork stewed with cabbage. Alright, a table full of dishes was just a big pot of pork stewed with cabbage. The family looked at the pork stewed with cabbage on the table, their eyes fixed. But respecting the authority of Yang Zhenshan, the head of the family, they just stared without reaching for their chopsticks. ¡°Dad, you serve the food!¡± Ms. Wang couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, although the oil stains around her and her eldest grandson¡¯s mouths had already exposed that they had sneaked some food earlier, but this still didn¡¯t stop them from wanting more. Yang Zhenshan looked around, then brought out the pork buns. He had bought twenty pork buns, gave five to Yang Minghao, leaving fifteen. Now there were nine people at home, excluding the three-month-old granddaughter Yang Qingwan, that was eight. Yang Zhenshan thought for a moment, gave his eldest grandson three, his second grandson three, and his little daughter three. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa! Grandpa is the best!¡± The eldest grandson was the sweetest. Mrs. Li from the Li family saw the pork buns in front of her, her eyes shining brightly, ¡°Quick, thank your Grandpa!¡± Yang Chengmao, the second grandson, was just one year old and not very articulate, ¡°Thank, Grandpa!¡± The little guy, smelling the meat, although thanking his grandpa with his words, his eyes never left the meat buns in front of him. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re so good!¡± The little daughter said adorably. Yang Zhenshan slightly curved the corners of his mouth, gave one bun each to his oldest son, second son, Ms. Wang, and Mrs. Li, keeping two for himself. As for the pork stewed with cabbage, Yang Zhenshan also doled out a large bowl to everyone. ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡± The buns tasted very good, the naturally made pork buns were especially fragrant. The pork stewed with cabbage was also good. After a day in this world, Yang Zhenshan finally had a satisfying meal. ... In a blink of an eye, five days had passed. During these five days, there was meat in almost every meal at the Yang family¡¯s house, though not a lot, but at least Yang Zhenshan could barely eat it. Ms. Wang might have had some small thoughts, always looking after her own small family, but she still put in some effort for the whole household. With meat to eat, the atmosphere at home brightened significantly. Yang Chengye and Yang Chengmao, the two little ones, became more lively, playing wildly in the courtyard all day, and little daughter Yang Yunxue¡¯s spear technique also improved significantly. Relationships grow through interactions, and in three days, Yang Zhenshan integrated into this family and accepted these family members. During these three days, the Spiritual Spring produced a bowl of Spiritual Spring Water daily, which healed the internal injuries Yang Zhenshan had quite well, now he could practice his spear technique without stopping halfway. According to the memories of his original body, he had now regained the strength of a Martial Artist. The levels in the Martial Artist Realm are Body Refining Realm, Postnatal Realm, and Innate Realm. The Body Refining Realm is divided into three stages: Refining Power, Changing Tendons, and Harnessing Strength. Martial practitioners have to repeatedly practice various fundamental cultivation techniques, gradually replacing the clumsy power in their bodies with robust force, a process called ¡®Refining Power¡¯. Simply put, Refining Power allows for more rational use of the body¡¯s strength. Now, Yang Zhenshan was at the stage of Refining Power, with each punch and palm brimming with robust force. With his internal injuries healed, Yang Zhenshan also started thinking about making a fortune. He didn¡¯t have much money left, and the pork and pork bones previously bought were nearly finished. If he couldn¡¯t find a way to make money, this household would return to those days without a trace of oil. As for how to make money, Yang Zhenshan had already figured it out. Just as the saying goes, rely on the mountains when you live near them, and rely on the waters when you live near them, Yang Family Village is backed by Changqing Mountain which is home to numerous fierce birds and beasts. If one could hunt one or two beasts, it would suffice for the household expenses for a while. If it were before, Yang Zhenshan definitely wouldn¡¯t have thought of this, after all, fierce beasts are not easy to handle, but now he is a Martial Artist. As long as he is careful, there should be no danger. At lunch, Yang Zhenshan said to Ms. Wang: ¡°Prepare some dry food this afternoon, I plan to go into the mountains for two days tomorrow!¡± As soon as he said this, everyone around the table, who had been busily eating, looked up at him with faces full of astonishment. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s very dangerous in the mountains,¡± his eldest son, Yang Mingcheng, said worriedly. ¡°I know,¡± Yang Zhenshan said indifferently. ¡°I¡¯ll go with Dad!¡± Yang Mingcheng did not know what Yang Zhenshan intended to do in the mountains, but he thought it would be better to accompany him than to let Yang Zhenshan go alone; at least they could look out for each other. ¡°It¡¯s better for me to go with Dad, and my big brother to take care of the house!¡± the usually quiet Yang Mingzhi said. Ms. Li secretly tugged at the corner of Yang Mingzhi¡¯s clothes; she didn¡¯t want her man venturing into the mountains. There aren¡¯t many wild beasts on the hills behind Yang Family Village, but since Yang Zhenshan mentioned staying in the mountains for a few days, it was clear that he was not planning to stay behind the village but to venture deeper into the forest. Yang Family Village does not have many hunters, but many of the villages to the west do have hunters, and there have often been hunters who enter the mountains and never return. Such news has frequently reached Yang Family Village. ¡°It¡¯s okay, my Martial Arts skills are not much worse than my elder brother¡¯s!¡± Yang Mingzhi reassured Ms. Li. Yang Zhenshan looked at his eldest son, then at his second son; both are good and obedient sons. ¡°Second son will go with me.¡± Thinking he indeed needed some help, Yang Zhenshan decided to take Yang Mingzhi into the mountains. ... The next morning. After breakfast, Yang Zhenshan, carrying two Short Spears, took Yang Mingzhi into the mountains. The undergrowth in the mountains was thick, making it inconvenient to use long spears, so Yang Zhenshan deliberately brought two wooden pole Short Spears and also carried a machete. Yang Mingzhi also brought a machete, as well as pancakes, water bag, and fire stick among other necessities. The two did not enter the mountains from the hills behind Yang Family Village but walked west for an hour before entering the forest. After entering the forest, Yang Mingzhi became tense, his eyes vigilantly watching the surroundings and occasionally looking back, afraid of some beast attacking them from behind. Seeing his overly cautious demeanor made Yang Zhenshan somewhat tired. ¡°There is no danger here!¡± Yang Zhenshan finally said, unable to bear it any longer. Being too nervous is not good; it consumes a great deal of mental and emotional energy, and if Yang Mingzhi continues this way, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he would start feeling weary. ¡°Dad, I heard there are tigers in these mountains, we won¡¯t encounter one, will we?¡± Yang Mingzhi¡¯s head swung like a pendulum, continuously scanning the surroundings. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if we encounter a tiger, Dad will run faster than you,¡± Yang Zhenshan said. ¡°...¡± Yang Mingzhi looked at him with a look of disbelief. You are my own dad! How could you leave me and run away alone? Seeing his reaction, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes twinkled with a faint smile. ¡°Alright, this area is close to the Jiang Family Village, where there are many hunters.¡± Though he isn¡¯t a hunter, he is quite familiar with this part of the forest which is near Jiang Family Village, it is safe with no large wild animals or poisonous snakes. Relieved by his words, Yang Mingzhi finally calmed down, but he couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Dad, what are we doing in the mountains?¡± However, his relief was short-lived as Yang Zhenshan said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there are tigers in this forest? We are here to hunt that tiger.¡± ¡°What!¡± Yang Mingzhi was stunned. Though he is a young adult, in the end, he is only a seventeen-year-old boy. ¡°Alright, your dad won¡¯t really leave you behind. If we encounter a tiger, you can run first!¡± While saying this, Yang Zhenshan continued walking deeper into the mountain. Yang Mingzhi stood still for a moment before snapping back to reality and hurriedly followed closely behind his father. The two walked slowly, and around noon, they stopped to rest for a while; in the afternoon, they continued to go deeper into the forest. On the first day in the forest, they just hurried along. At night, they rested under a cliff, and the next day Yang Zhenshan started to track wild animals. He didn¡¯t intend to hunt a tiger; although he now had the strength of a Martial Artist, a tiger is still the king of the beasts, and he would not risk his life recklessly going up against a tiger. Chapter 6 - 6 5 Short Spear Throwing ?Chapter 6: Chapter 5 Short Spear Throwing Chapter 6: Chapter 5 Short Spear Throwing ¡°Dad, look over there!¡± While Yang Zhengshan was searching for wild animal tracks, Yang Mingzhi suddenly ran up to him, lowering his voice and pointing to the distant bushes. Yang Zhengshan looked up and his eyes instantly lit up. Wild boars! Two large wild boars, and four piglets¡ªthat was a whole family! The piglets were only about two feet long, probably born last year, while the adult boars were over one and a half meters in length and likely to weigh three to four hundred pounds. Yang Zhengshan started calculating in his mind. According to the price of pork in Anning County City, those two large wild boars could fetch at least twenty taels of silver. Wild boar meat should be more expensive than domestic pork; if he was lucky, perhaps he could get thirty taels for them. Yang Zhengshan didn¡¯t expect to be so lucky to encounter a group of wild boars so quickly. However, wild boars were not easy to deal with. There¡¯s an old saying, ¡®first wild boar, second bear, third tiger,¡¯ not because wild boars are more formidable than bears and tigers, but because wild boars have a more volatile temperament. Once they encounter humans, they will furiously charge at them. Moreover, wild boars are more numerous than tigers and bears, making them more dangerous to hunters than the latter two. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the two adult boars; you go for the piglets later,¡± Yang Zhengshan fastened his wood-cutting knife to his waist and pulled out two short spears from his back. ¡°Dad, wild boars are too dangerous!¡± Yang Mingzhi said worriedly. Yang Zhengshan reassured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll be careful.¡± He wasn¡¯t foolish enough to clash head-on with the wild boars. Even if he could overpower two large boars, he wouldn¡¯t take the risk. Carrying the two short spears, Yang Zhengshan quietly approached the location of the wild boar herd. About a quarter of an hour later, he stopped fifty meters away from the wild boar herd. He shook the short spears in his hands and then threw them vigorously at the boars that were nibbling on the grass. Though he wasn¡¯t adept at using a bow and arrow, he had some skill in throwing short spears. Yang Zhengshan inherited the original person¡¯s memories. Although he couldn¡¯t master all of the original¡¯s abilities, he could still grasp seventy to eighty percent of them. For such a large target as a wild boar, grasping seventy to eighty percent of the original person¡¯s throwing techniques was sufficient. With a whoosh, the short spear flew out with a piercing whistling sound. The next moment, Yang Zhengshan suddenly burst forth like a wild beast leaping out of the bushes. The mountain forest was complex, but Yang Zhengshan ran through it as if it were flat ground. This almost made Yang Mingzhi¡¯s eyes pop out from behind. ¡°Dad is a Martial Artist!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not right; Dad¡¯s injury has healed!¡± Yang Mingzhi muttered in both shock and joy. As a son, he knew very well about the original person¡¯s physical condition. He was aware that the original had been tormented by concealed injuries for many years, and his health was deteriorating. Especially after his Mom passed away, the original person appeared increasingly aged. Just as Yang Mingzhi was feeling both surprised and elated, the short spear thrown by Yang Zhengshan hit a large wild boar in the back. The sharpened spearhead penetrated the boar¡¯s body, and the powerful force caused the massive animal to collapse with a painful scream. The piglets scattered in all directions, while the other adult boar, noticing Yang Zhengshan rushing over, charged at him with a roar. Seeing this, Yang Zhengshan¡¯s eyes gleamed; with one hand gripping the wood-cutting knife and the other holding the short spear tightly, he charged forward to meet it. The distance between man and boar closed rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, they collided. Yang Zhengshan naturally wouldn¡¯t try to match the wild boar¡¯s strength, not believing his own to be greater. In the instant of the collision with the boar, Yang Zhengshan swiftly sidestepped, avoiding the boar¡¯s charge, while his short spear thrust fiercely into the boar¡¯s throat. With a swoosh, their figures crossed, and the spear¡¯s blade pierced through the boar¡¯s neck. The next moment, the boar smashed into a large tree. Yang Zhengshan didn¡¯t bother with this boar and, holding his wood-cutting knife, rushed towards the one that had just fallen. The shot just now only hit the wild boar¡¯s back and was not fatal. Now the wild boar had gotten up and was charging toward Yang Zhenshan. The pain made the wild boar even more frenzied, recklessly rushing towards Yang Zhenshan. However, this time Yang Zhenshan did not tangle with the wild boar again. The crazed wild boar was even more dangerous, and he was not in a hurry to kill it but instead started dodging around it in the forest. The boar that had crashed into a tree had already passed out. Now, Yang Zhenshan had time to slowly wear this one down. Several charges by the boar were dodged by Yang Zhenshan, making it more irritated, but the prolonged evasion had significantly drained its energy, and its injury on the back made it much weaker. Yang Zhenshan found an opportunity and landed a cut on the back of its neck. This cut made the wild boar fall heavily to the ground. Seizing the moment of its weakness, Yang Zhenshan swiftly slit its throat, granting it a quick end. Looking at the boar writhing on the ground, Yang Zhenshan pulled out the broken Short Spear and a faint smile appeared on his lips. Without the strength of a Martial Artist, he would not have dared to confront two large wild boars at once. However, this battle also made him fully aware of a Martial Artist¡¯s strength. Even though he was only a Martial Artist of the lowest realm, his strength was still far beyond that of ordinary people. His stamina, strength, speed, and reaction time were all far superior to normal, and even his hearing and eyesight were better than the average person¡¯s. This could not be solely attributed to being a Martial Artist; part of it was thanks to the Spiritual Spring Water, which enhanced the body in every aspect. Afterward, Yang Zhenshan went to check on the boar that had hit the tree. It was already dead, with a spear piercing through its throat and blood spilled all over the ground. ¡°Dad, Dad~~¡± Yang Mingzhi ran over, calling out as he held two small wild boars. ¡°Dad, your wounds are healed!¡± He had only caught two of the four small boars, but compared to wild boars, he was more concerned about Yang Zhenshan¡¯s well-being. ¡°Yep, all healed!¡± Yang Zhenshan replied nonchalantly, frowning. He was troubled about how to get the two large wild boars down the mountain. The two large wild boars probably weighed over seven hundred pounds, and it wouldn¡¯t be easy to take them down the mountain with just the two of them. A Martial Artist may be strong, but that¡¯s explosive strength. Yang Zhenshan could manage carrying two to three hundred pounds, but over seven hundred pounds was simply too much for him to shoulder. Fortunately, it was already autumn, and the temperature was not too hot, so it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to spend a day or two. Yang Zhenshan looked up at the sky and said, ¡°Go to the Jiang family village and have Jiang He bring some people over.¡± There was still some time before noon, and if Yang Mingzhi moved quickly, he could return to the Jiang family village by afternoon and, hopefully, bring people over by tomorrow noon. Jiang He was the son-in-law of his original body, and his first daughter, Yang Yunyan, was married into the Jiang family village. ¡°Dad, will you be okay here by yourself?¡± Yang Mingzhi realized he misspoke as soon as he said these words. His dad was a Martial Artist; there was nothing to worry about. ¡°Hurry back quickly!¡± Yang Zhenshan said. He had grown somewhat fond of his adopted son, as human hearts were made of flesh after all. At home, Yang Mingzhi was quiet and reticent, but these two days in the mountains, he constantly showed his concern and worry for Yang Zhenshan, which made Yang Zhenshan feel somewhat emotional. Having a son seemed to be a rather good thing after all. Yang Zhenshan had never been a father before and didn¡¯t know what it felt like. Now, his feelings for Yang Mingzhi were more like the recognition one has for a friend or a partner. After Yang Mingzhi left, Yang Zhenshan began dragging the boars towards the foot of the mountain, like ants moving their nest. Two large boars and two small ones, Yang Zhenshan would have to make three trips back and forth. Although the process was slow, he managed to drag them for four or five miles by the afternoon. At night, Yang Zhenshan found a relatively secluded spot and lit a fire. He certainly couldn¡¯t sleep this night; he had to watch over the boars to prevent other wild animals from coming over, attracted by the scent of blood. For this, Yang Zhenshan also gathered a lot of firewood to ensure the fire would not go out during the night. Chapter 7 - 7 6 The Jiang Family In-laws ?Chapter 7: Chapter 6 The Jiang Family In-laws Chapter 7: Chapter 6 The Jiang Family In-laws Yang Mingzhi arrived at Jiang Family Village when the sky had already completely dimmed. He went to his brother-in-law¡¯s front door and knocked, but it was not Jiang He who answered the door, but Jiang He¡¯s father, Jiang Cheng. ¡°Mingzhi! What brings you here?¡± Jiang Cheng was nearly fifty, with graying hair. ¡°Uncle Jiang, my dad hunted two big wild boars in the mountains and would like some help to bring them down,¡± Yang Mingzhi said. ¡°Big wild boars!¡± Jiang Cheng was even more surprised. Although there were many hunters in Jiang Family Village, encountering large game was not common. Animals like wild boar were rarely encountered throughout the year. ¡°Yes, two big wild boars, and two smaller ones too!¡± Yang Mingzhi added. At this moment, several more people came out from the Jiang household. ¡°Dad, who¡¯s here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Mingzhi! Mingzhi, come in first and we¡¯ll talk,¡± Jiang Cheng said. The Jiang family was similar to the Yang family, also a large family living together without being divided into separate households. Jiang Cheng had four sons, with Jiang He being the youngest, eighteen years old, a year older than Yang Mingzhi. After entering the Jiang household, Yang Mingzhi briefly recounted Yang Zhengshan¡¯s hunting of the wild boars, which left all the members of the Jiang family astonished. In fact, the living conditions of the Jiang family were somewhat better than those of the Yang family. Not only did the Jiang family have fields, but they could also go hunting in the mountains, even if it was only small game, they were often able to enjoy some meat. If they managed to hunt small animals like foxes or martens, they could even make a small fortune. The fur from foxes and martens was quite valuable; if it was from a red or white fox, one pelt could sell for several tens or hundreds of Silver. Jiang Cheng was an experienced old hunter, and all four of his sons were hunters who frequently went into the mountains for game, often coming across unexpected fortunes. Thus, the Jiang family lived a much better life than the Yang family. After listening to Yang Mingzhi¡¯s story, Jiang Cheng¡¯s cloudy eyes immediately lit up. ¡°Is your father-in-law¡¯s injury healed?¡± The two families were related by marriage and close, so naturally, Jiang Cheng knew that Yang Zhengshan was a Martial Artist and aware of the old injury Yang Zhengshan had. ¡°It¡¯s healed!¡± Yang Mingzhi grinned. ¡°Very good~~¡± Jiang Cheng, overjoyed, immediately instructed the eldest Jiang son, ¡°Eldest, go to your third uncle¡¯s house and let him know to prepare. We¡¯ll head into the mountains first thing tomorrow!¡± ¡°Youngest, have your wife go back to her parents¡¯ home tomorrow morning, and ask Ming Cheng to bring the ox cart over.¡± The Jiang family was very experienced in transporting large game down from the mountains, so without even needing further explanation from Yang Mingzhi, Jiang Cheng had already arranged everything. The next day, as soon as it was slightly light, Jiang Cheng took seven or eight strong men into the mountains. They were more familiar with the mountain environment and before noon, they found Yang Zhengshan. ¡°Father-in-law!¡± From a distance, Jiang Cheng called out warmly. Ah, a Martial Artist. Although many in Anning County practiced martial arts, real Martial Artists were few. There wasn¡¯t a single Martial Artist in Jiang Family Village. Besides Yang Zhengshan, only the Clan Leader, Yang Zhengxiang, was a Martial Artist in Yang Family Village, which shows how rare Martial Artists are. Having a Martial Artist as a relative by marriage was indeed a great thing for the Jiang family. ¡°Old Brother Jiang, sorry for the trouble!¡± Yang Zhengshan, seeing a crowd of strong men, said calmly. In fact, he was quite pleased inside, but the original character of his persona was more of a reserved one. This tied into the original injury he had, but now that the injury was healed, Yang Zhengshan felt he could start changing that reserved persona. However, this change in persona needed to be gradual. ¡°Dad!¡± This was not called out by Yang Mingzhi, but by Jiang He. Hmm, a very spirited young man. Jiang Cheng looked at the side where the wild boars lay and clicked his tongue, ¡°Impressive, a spear through the throat, indeed a Martial Artist is no ordinary person.¡± These hunters had to rely on traps to hunt wild boars; even bows were ineffective. The boars¡¯ skin was thick and unless they used a Strong Bow or hit a vital spot, they could only inflict minor injuries. Achieving a spear thrust through the throat like this was something they simply couldn¡¯t do. ¡°Let¡¯s proceed!¡± With a wave of his hand, the men behind Jiang Cheng immediately brought ropes to tie up the two big wild boars and then carried them down the mountain. Although Yang Zhengshan had not slept all night, thanks to the Spiritual Spring Water, he was still very spirited. Village men like them were very strong, easily carrying wild boars weighing over 300 pounds without much effort. But of course, their speed couldn¡¯t match that of being unburdened. When they returned to Jiang Family Village, it was already past eight in the evening. ¡°Dad!¡± ¡°Dad, you aren¡¯t hurt, are you?¡± As soon as they returned to the Jiang home, Yang Mingcheng and Yang Yunyan came up to greet them. Yang Zhenshan looked at his eldest daughter blankly and commented that his two adopted daughters were both quite beautiful, resembling their mother, who had bright eyes and white teeth. Although the two adopted daughters weren¡¯t great beauties, they were definitely pleasant to look at. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Yang Zhenshan waved his hand. Yang Yunyan kept bringing him towels and water, which made Yang Zhenshan feel a bit embarrassed. These daughters came so easily; he really wasn¡¯t quite used to it. ¡°Father-in-law, the wild boars have already been loaded onto the cart!¡± said Jiang He as he approached. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t linger any longer. He simply thanked them and left the Jiang family with his two sons after leaving behind two young wild boars. The two young wild boars weighed nearly one hundred pounds in total, a token of gratitude for the help from the Jiang family. Jiang He didn¡¯t decline. This was a custom in Jiang Family Village: help in the mountains must be rewarded; otherwise, no one would be willing to help without compensation. If it were only his own family, he could help for free, but this time his third brother¡¯s family also helped, so they couldn¡¯t refuse the reward. Returning to the Yang family home, they were inevitably met with surprises. Both Ms. Wang and the Li family were delighted to see the two large wild boars. After finding out that Yang Zhenshan¡¯s injuries were healed, Ms. Wang¡¯s smile stretched from ear to ear. His youngest daughter, Yang Yunxue, looked at Yang Zhenshan with shining eyes full of admiration, filling him with a sense of accomplishment. ¡°Grandpa is so awesome!¡± ¡°Big wild boars, big wild boars!¡± His two grandsons cheered joyfully. Not just his own family, but even the neighbors were stirred up. ¡°Uncle Zhengshan, did you catch these?¡± ¡°Is Uncle Zhengshan¡¯s body healed?¡± Even in the middle of the night, many people came to see the two large wild boars. There were no hunters in Yang Family Village, and there wasn¡¯t much game in the mountains behind the village, so almost no one went hunting there. Yang Zhenshan hunting the two wild boars was definitely a matter worth talking about excitedly in Yang Family Village. Plus, with Yang Zhenshan¡¯s health restored and the village having an additional Martial Artist, it was truly good news for the Yang Family. The excitement lasted until midnight, and then the neighbors finally left. After staying awake for two days and a night, Yang Zhenshan felt exhausted. The moment he lay on the kang (traditional heated bed) and his head touched the pillow, he fell asleep. The next morning, Yang Zhenshan went with his son Yang Mingcheng to the county town in a cart. As soon as the two large wild boars entered the market, they attracted quite a bit of attention, and soon a middle-aged man in a blue long robe approached the cart. Yang Zhenshan eyed the man before him. The man was dressed in a blue long robe and had a long beard with a well-nourished appearance, which indicated he was likely from a wealthy family. He was identified as being from a wealthy family rather than a rich and noble one because the Da Rong Dynasty had strict regulations regarding the attire of commoners. Commoners were allowed to use silk, gauze, satin, and cloth for their clothes, avoiding dark, purple, green, willow yellow, ginger yellow, and bright yellow colors. They could use ochre, blue, and blue-green. However, merchants and prostitutes were treated the same, only allowed to use satin and cloth. If a family had one member who was a merchant, the whole family was not allowed to wear silk and gauze, nor wear fur coats in winter. This man was either a merchant or a well-off commoner. ¡°How much for these two wild boars?¡± ¡°Thirty silver!¡± replied Yang Zhenshan. He had not considered keeping any of the wild boar meat because wild boar meat has a peculiar taste, and if not cooked well, it would be difficult to eat. Simply put, he did not trust Ms. Wang¡¯s cooking skills. Eating wild boar meat was not as good as buying domestically raised pork, and moreover, domestic pork was cheaper. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take them all. Help me deliver them!¡± The man waved his hand generously, which surprised Yang Zhenshan, who had been ready to haggle. He had encountered a tycoon! He didn¡¯t even bargain; if he had known, he would have asked for more. But since he had already named his price, Yang Zhenshan had no reason to back out, and he instructed Yang Mingcheng to follow the man out of the market with the cart. Only upon arriving at the destination did Yang Zhenshan realize that this man was not a tycoon but the steward of the county magistrate¡¯s house because they had reached the back yard of the county government. A low-ranking official is equivalent to a gatekeeper at the Prime Minister¡¯s, and the steward of the county magistrate¡¯s house being so well-nourished indicated that this county magistrate was quite wealthy. The steward didn¡¯t make things difficult for Yang Zhenshan, paying promptly and even mentioning that if there were any more large game in the future, they could be sent directly here. Yang Zhenshan agreed but whether there would be any more was another question. He was not a professional hunter, and getting the two large wild boars was largely a matter of luck. Moreover, he didn¡¯t plan to become a hunter; he was a Martial Artist and had many other ways to make money. There was no need to be a hunter. After receiving the silver, Yang Zhenshan returned to the market and did some shopping. Pork, pig bones, fabric, cotton, and delicious meat buns, among other things. Winter was approaching, and the household needed to stock up on some cotton clothes. Chapter 8 - 8 7 Clan Leader Yang Zhengxiang ?Chapter 8: Chapter 7 Clan Leader Yang Zhengxiang Chapter 8: Chapter 7 Clan Leader Yang Zhengxiang Upon returning home, Yang Zhenshan handed off all the chores to Ms. Wang. With his wife having passed away, the household tasks were managed entirely by Ms. Wang and the Li family. Both cooking and sewing needed their hands. Yang Zhenshan could barely manage cooking, but he was utterly clueless about sewing. ¡°Grandpa, buns!¡± Just as Yang Zhenshan returned, his second grandson, Yang Chengmao, caught the scent and toddled over. Li, his daughter-in-law, followed closely behind, fearful he might fall. Yang Zhenshan looked down at his grandson clinging to his leg, his eyes sparkling. The little one looked up eagerly, eyes wide and fixed on the bun in his hands, so adorable! In the past, Yang Zhenshan never thought he liked children much; he even found them noisy and bothersome. But now, looking at the three kids at home, his resistance was dwindling more and more. ¡°Grandpa will give Mao bun!¡± Yang Zhenshan picked up the little one and went to the kitchen to grab two bowls, placing them on the dining table in the hall. A pork bun was set before the little guy, who immediately beamed with joy. ¡°Mom, bun!¡± The little one¡¯s speech was still unclear, only managing to pop out a word or two. ¡°Say thank you to grandpa first!¡± Li stepped forward and said. ¡°Thank, Grandpa!¡± The little one was very polite. ¡°Go ahead and eat!¡± Yang Zhenshan said, his lips curving, and placed the bowl in front of Li. Li split the bun and carefully fed the little one. Yang Zhenshan was not biased; after the second grandson ate, the eldest grandson couldn¡¯t be left out either. With Ms. Wang busy in the kitchen, he lifted the eldest grandson and also gave him a bun. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa!¡± Yang Chengye was already three years old and could eat on his own, holding the bun and nibbling at it. ¡°Yunxue~~¡± With both grandsons having buns, naturally, the little daughter needed one too. ¡°Dad!¡± Yang Yunxue¡¯s eyes curved sweetly, looking adorable. As for the others, they didn¡¯t get this special treatment; the buns were available, but they would have to wait until mealtime to eat. With thirty taels of silver at his disposal, Yang Zhenshan felt reassured. Although they could not live lavishly, he could ensure the family wouldn¡¯t worry about food and drink in the coming days. Afternoon. With nothing else to do, Yang Zhenshan began chopping firewood in the courtyard. Winter in Anning County was cold and prolonged, likely lasting about five months, so it was essential to prepare plenty of firewood. Already integrated into the family, Yang Zhenshan was beginning to plan for the winter¡ªwhat to prepare, whether there was enough food in the house, and whether the family could have meat to eat. He wasn¡¯t the only busy one; the eldest and second sons took care of the farm crops, Ms. Wang managed household affairs, and the Li family went with Yunxue to the back mountains to dig wild vegetables, pick wood ear mushrooms, etc. Although the household had many members, the division of labor was very clear. ¡°Zhengshan, Zhengshan!¡± As Yang Zhenshan was chopping wood, an elderly man with white hair and beard walked through the gate. ¡°Clan Leader, what brings you here?¡± Yang Zhenshan set down his axe, surprised to see the old man. Yang Zhengxiang, the clan leader of the Yang family of Yang Family Village, 56 years old and a martial artist. ¡°I heard that your injuries have healed, so I came to check on you!¡± Yang Zhengxiang, carrying a bag of tea leaves, observed Yang Zhenshan warmly. He had clearly seen how adeptly Yang Zhenshan was splitting wood just now; if not for his internal injuries healing, he wouldn¡¯t be able to chop wood so proficiently. ¡°Come inside!¡± Yang Zhenshan ushered Yang Zhengxiang into the hall. Although contemporaries, the two families had distanced themselves to the fifth degree of kinship, and Yang Zhengxiang seldom visited, especially since Yang Zhenshan had been injured, not wanting to bother him even if something came up. Yang Zhengxiang placed the tea bag on the table, and Yang Zhenshan poured him a bowl of water. ¡°We don¡¯t have any tea leaves at home, so please make do!¡± ¡°Hehe, we¡¯re family; no need for such formalities,¡± Yang Zhengxiang chuckled. Though he said they were family, their relationship had actually been quite distant in the past, which involved some old issues. From the age of fifteen, Yang Zhenshan had become a martial artist, exceptionally talented, and had made quite a stir in Yang Family Village back in the day, attracting envy and jealousy. Although Yang Zhengxiang was much older than Yang Zhenshan, he became a Martial Artist much later than him. Facing such a gifted relative and brother, Yang Zhengxiang had once envied and even been jealous of him. Later, when the original body was severely injured and returned to Yang Family Village, he had even felt schadenfreude. However, after he became the Clan Leader, he no longer had the heart for schadenfreude; instead, he thought about whether he could help the original body heal his injuries. As the Clan Leader, he naturally had to shoulder the development and safety of the Yang Family. Having one more Martial Artist meant one more layer of protection for the Yang Family. Unfortunately, the original body was a bit stubborn, still remembering Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s past schadenfreude, and simply refused to accept Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s goodwill. Yang Zhengxiang also felt that the original body did not appreciate his intentions, and as such, the relationship between the two grew increasingly distant and even bore some grudges. Over time, although both families lived in the same village, they barely interacted. In fact, some things that the original body did not understand were very clear to Yang Zhenshan. Although Yang Zhengxiang had grown distant from the original body over the years, the original body was able to live stably in Yang Family Village, largely thanks to Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s care. If Yang Zhengxiang truly bore any resentment towards the original body, he could have completely driven him out of Yang Family Village. It¡¯s just that the original body harbored grievances and never understood why. Of course, the grievances of the original body were not directed at Yang Zhengxiang; being talented at a young age, he was inevitably a bit arrogant, yet he also suffered serious injuries, turning all his ambitions into naught, hence his grievances. The highs and lows destabilized his mentality, which is also why the original body always wore a stern face and was reluctant to speak. ¡°Are your injuries fully healed?¡± Yang Zhengxiang asked, observing Yang Zhenshan¡¯s complexion. ¡°Yes!¡± Yang Zhenshan nodded and said. ¡°How much of your strength has recovered?¡± Yang Zhengxiang continued. Yang Zhenshan thought for a moment and said, ¡°Probably about eighty percent!¡± After all, he¡¯s not the original body; even if his body recovered to its peak condition, he still couldn¡¯t match the original. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good!¡± Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s smile grew even brighter. What made him happy was not only Yang Zhenshan¡¯s recovery but also that Yang Zhenshan no longer held any grievances towards him. He truly feared that Yang Zhenshan would bear resentment against him; if there were hard feelings, it would be worse than not having his strength recovered. ¡°Thank you for your care over the years, Clan Leader!¡± Yang Zhenshan said with a light smile. ¡°Care!¡± Yang Zhengxiang was slightly stunned. Yang Zhenshan said, ¡°I was consumed by my frustrations before. Now that my injuries are healed and my frustrations relieved, I see things more clearly.¡± ¡°Haha~~¡± Yang Zhengxiang burst into laughter, stroking his long beard, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯ve come around!¡± He was genuinely pleased, and Yang Zhenshan¡¯s words comforted him greatly, making him feel not in vain for shielding Yang Zhenshan from some unnecessary troubles over the years. ¡°Now that your injuries are healed, you should take on more responsibilities within the clan,¡± said Yang Zhengxiang. ¡°Whatever you command, Clan Leader!¡± Yang Zhenshan replied. In fact, even if Yang Zhengxiang did not visit Yang Zhenshan, Yang Zhenshan would have sought him out within a couple of days. After understanding the situation in Anning County, Yang Zhenshan realized the importance of the clan. With more people comes greater strength; a clan organization is the most important collective force amongst villages. There¡¯s a significant difference between having a clan¡¯s protection and not. For instance, no one dares to provoke anyone from Yang Family Village within the surrounding villages. With the clan¡¯s protection, even if one is poor outside, they can be spared a lot of oppression. Of course, there may be some issues within the clan, but that¡¯s another story. Overall, the inner unity of the Yang Family is strong, and that is the achievement of Clan Leader Yang Zhengxiang. Although Yang Zhenshan had just arrived in this world, he understood that he needed to integrate into a group, even if the Yang Family was a weak entity, it still provided a good foundation. With Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s support, Yang Zhenshan easily integrated into the upper echelons of the Yang Family. As one of only two Martial Artists in the Yang Family, there wasn¡¯t much resistance to Yang Zhenshan¡¯s rise. In the blink of an eye, more than ten days passed, and under Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s guidance, Yang Zhenshan became one of the elders of the Yang Family. Yes, an elder. Speaking of which, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s seniority in the Yang Family was not low; apart from a few old folks who could hardly walk, his generation had the highest seniority. Most people in Yang Family Village had to call him Uncle Zhengshan, Grandpa Zhengshan, and even some had to call him Great Grandpa. This made Yang Zhenshan feel like he had jumped several generations. This feeling was truly messed-up. Yang Zhenshan felt it was already too much being called grandpa, and now people were calling him great grandpa; he felt like his back was bent. Chapter 9 - 9 8 Dad Youre Going to Have a Grandson ?Chapter 9: Chapter 8 Dad, You¡¯re Going to Have a Grandson Chapter 9: Chapter 8 Dad, You¡¯re Going to Have a Grandson Time quietly passed, and Yang Family Village welcomed the harvest season. This year was still blessed with favorable winds and rain, and every household in Yang Family Village had a good harvest, with a joyful atmosphere lingering throughout the village. ¡°Dad, this year¡¯s harvest is good, look at this rice!¡± Yang Mingcheng, holding a handful of plump rice grains, came before Yang Zhenshan as if presenting a treasure. The family fields were tended by Yang Mingcheng and Yang Mingzhi, and the abundant harvest was their doing. ¡°Good!¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mouth curled slightly into a smile, as he nodded in approval. For farmers, grain is everything. Even though Yang Zhenshan now had some silver, he still felt joy over the abundant harvest. ¡°This year, we are not selling our grain, we¡¯re storing it all!¡± Yang Zhenshan declared. ¡°Storing it all?¡± Yang Mingcheng asked in surprise. Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly, ¡°Yes, store it all. When you have grain in your hands, you have peace in your heart. From now on, we¡¯ll eat rice every day!¡± He certainly didn¡¯t want to eat cornbread or drink coarse grain porridge; he just wanted to eat the clean white rice. ¡°Great!¡± Yang Mingcheng grinned broadly, as he too wanted to eat rice at every meal. Who would want to eat chaff and swallow vegetables when there was rice? The Yang family had twenty acres of land, half of which was planted with rice and the other ten acres were dry fields planted with wheat and corn. The harvest continued for more than ten days, and the Yang family¡¯s granary was brimming with grain, so much that it could not all be stored. Of course, this was also because the Yang family¡¯s granary was relatively small. In previous years, the Yang family would sell some grain after the harvest, but this year Yang Zhenshan did not wish to sell it, so naturally, the granary could not hold it all. It wasn¡¯t a big issue if it couldn¡¯t fit, as the autumn tax was due soon, and the excess grain could be used to pay the tax. While the Yang family seemed to have a rich harvest, in reality, Yang Zhenshan calculated that, even in a good year, the family¡¯s situation was just sufficient to be warm and fed. That would be under the circumstance of having no illnesses or disasters for a year; if any calamity struck, even achieving warmth and fullness would be a challenge. The main issue was the low grain yield per acre. The highest-yielding corn only produced around four to five hundred jin per acre, while the yield for wheat was less than two hundred jin per acre. In a world without chemical fertilizers or high-yielding grain varieties, it was not easy for ordinary folks to have a full meal. Fortunately, Yang Zhenshan had some silver, so there wasn¡¯t too much to worry about. After paying the autumn tax, the temperature kept dropping, and the households in Yang Family Village got busy preparing for winter. Many villagers went to the mountains and forests to dig for wild vegetables and chop firewood, making the mountains behind Yang Family Village lively for a time. Yang Zhenshan wasn¡¯t idle either; he found time to go to the county town to buy more than a dozen spearheads and made more than a dozen wooden short spears. Short spears are suitable for throwing and their power is even greater than that of ordinary bows and crossbows. For Yang Zhenshan, the short spear was more useful than the bow and arrow. Yang Zhenshan did not handle the family affairs; with two sons and their wives to manage things, there was no need for him to worry. Every day, he would wander into the mountains, but not deep into the forest, just around the periphery of Changqing Mountain. Collecting bird eggs, catching wild rabbits, trapping pheasants; although he didn¡¯t catch any large game, it nonetheless provided the family with more meat. Besides these, Yang Zhenshan also had an unexpected find. A thirty-year-old wild ginseng. There were quite a few medicinal herbs in the mountains, but most were common and Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t be bothered to pick them. Today, he stumbled upon a ginseng, and upon digging it out, he discovered it was thirty years old, which delighted him greatly. A thirty-year-old wild ginseng, with wrinkled bark, thick as a cauldron, with an extremely long head, and a beautifully spiritual body, Yang Zhenshan carefully wrapped it in a cloth bag and hurried home. Such an old ginseng was not cheap; it could sell for at least a hundred taels or more. Although it wasn¡¯t considered a heavenly or earthly treasure, it was certainly a rare find. Furthermore, old ginseng has the effects of greatly nourishing the Primordial Qi, replenishing the spleen, benefiting the lungs, producing body fluids, and calming the mind and improving intellect. If his past self had such a ginseng, his chronic injuries could have been largely healed. For martial artists, old ginseng was indeed a rare medicine, as consuming it could enhance strength and replenish deficits. However, now that Yang Zhenshan had Spiritual Spring Water, he didn¡¯t need the old ginseng. Thus, Yang Zhenshan had already planned to sell this ginseng. When he returned home, Yang Zhenshan discovered that his eldest daughter and son-in-law had returned to their maternal home. ¡°Dad!¡± Upon seeing Yang Zhenshan, Yang Yunyan was filled with happiness. ¡°Why have you come back? Is everything at home settled?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked in surprise. With winter approaching, every household was preparing winter supplies, and the Jiang family was no exception. Moreover, the Jiang family had to go hunting in the mountains before heavy snow sealed off the paths, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t be able to hunt in the mountains for at least four months once the snow came. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m pregnant!¡± ¡°Pregnant with what?¡± Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t catch on for a moment. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re going to have a grandchild!¡± Jiang He came over and took the backpack off Yang Zhenshan, which contained seven or eight short spears. Yang Zhenshan stood there in a daze. So, I¡¯m going to be a grandfather. To be a grandfather, to be a grandfather~~ He had become accustomed to being a grandfather during this time, but this would be the first time being a grandfather to a grandchild. What a new life experience! This should be a happy occasion, but Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t bring himself to smile. ¡°How many months along?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked. ¡°Almost three months now,¡± Yang Yunyan said with a curved smile in her eyes. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t know what to say and turned to shout to his eldest daughter-in-law, Ms. Wang: ¡°Make a good meal at noon to nourish Yunyan!¡± ¡°I know, Dad. I bought three jin of beef this morning, and it¡¯s already stewing!¡± Ms. Wang said happily from the kitchen. ¡°Beef! Where did the beef come from?¡± Yang Zhenshan was surprised. Cattle are not to be slaughtered casually. Farm households¡¯ cattle are registered with the government office, and indiscriminate slaughtering of draft cattle is a serious crime. Even if there is a legitimate reason to slaughter cattle, the tendons and hides still have to be turned over to the government office. Therefore, even in the county town, beef is an extremely rare sight. ¡°Just a few days ago, Ming Shan¡¯s cattle broke their legs. They were slaughtered early this morning, and thinking Dad might enjoy it, I bought three jin of beef!¡± Ms. Wang came out of the kitchen, speaking cautiously. She didn¡¯t buy it because she thought Yang Zhenshan liked it; she wanted to try it herself. Having grown up, she had never tasted beef. Her family was poor before, so she never thought about it, but now that her family¡¯s circumstances were better, she wanted to taste the flavor of beef. Yang Zhenshan, of course, wouldn¡¯t care about her little thoughts. In his eyes, these were not a big deal. It¡¯s just wanting to eat beef, isn¡¯t it? Just eat it then. He himself wanted to eat it too. Yang Zhenshan went back inside the house, took out a tael of silver, and handed it to Ms. Wang, saying: ¡°Go buy more. Later, take some back for Yunyan to eat, and keep the rest for eating over the winter.¡± Rare opportunities to eat beef shouldn¡¯t be missed, so Yang Zhenshan naturally wanted to buy more to enjoy slowly later. After all, with the cold weather now, there was no worry of it spoiling. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go right away!¡± Ms. Wang took the silver, her face breaking into a beaming smile. Jiang He and Yang Yunyan looked at Yang Zhenshan with astonishment in their eyes. They were very aware of what kind of life the Yang family used to lead, and Yang Zhenshan¡¯s current generosity was something they were not accustomed to. However, after thinking about the two wild boars from before, the couple let it go. They didn¡¯t know that Yang Zhenshan¡¯s confidence came from the old mountain ginseng hidden on him; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be so extravagant. The price of beef was much more expensive than pork; if he didn¡¯t have enough confidence, he would at most just try a little, definitely not buy a tael¡¯s worth of beef at once. Ms. Wang put down her work and hurried off to buy the beef. ¡°Come in and sit down!¡± Yang Zhenshan called out. ¡°Dad, I made two sets of clothes for you!¡± Yang Yunyan brought over a bundle, which contained two cotton clothes, ¡°Try them on!¡± This is a loving daughter indeed, even thinking of making cotton clothes for her dad. Yang Zhenshan tried them on, and they fit just right. ¡°Where did you get the cotton?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked. ¡°Dad Jiang gave it to me,¡± Yang Yunyan said with a relaxed face. Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly. He had asked because neither the Jiang family nor the Yang family had divided their households, and all household materials had to be distributed by Jiang Cheng and Ms. Wang from the Jiang family. If Jiang Cheng and Ms. Wang did not provide cotton, the young couple Jiang He and Yang Yunyan would not have cotton for making clothes. Yang Zhenshan did not refuse his eldest daughter¡¯s filial piety and happily accepted the cotton clothes. ¡°In a while, I¡¯ll give you some fabric and cotton so that you can make a set for your paternal grandfather and grandmother,¡± Yang Zhenshan put away the cotton clothes and said. His original wife had died of illness, but his original wife¡¯s parents were still alive. When his original wife was alive, she would make clothes for her parents every year. Now, it was up to his eldest daughter. The reason Yang Zhenshan wanted his eldest daughter to make clothes for her maternal grandparents was that they had taken good care of the Yang family in the past. Even though his original wife had passed away, he could not sever this courtesy and relationship. Additionally, her maternal grandfather was a Scholar, and although it¡¯s said that scholars are poor while successful candidates are wealthy, being a Scholar is still an honor. Plus, her uncle Lu Zhaoqi was working as a clerk in the county government office, and these connections might come in handy later on. ¡°Mm,¡± Yang Yunyan nodded, but her eyes began to redden. She was probably reminded of her mother. Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t say much more and turned to walk into the bedroom, found a wooden chest, and stored the old mountain ginseng inside. Chapter 10 - 10 9 Moon Staff Yearly Blade Lifetime Spear ?Chapter 10: Chapter 9: Moon Staff, Yearly Blade, Lifetime Spear Chapter 10: Chapter 9: Moon Staff, Yearly Blade, Lifetime Spear In the afternoon, Jiang He and Yang Yunxue went back with five kilograms of beef and some cotton fabric. The next morning, Yang Zhenshan went to the county town alone. Since the eldest and the second eldest needed the ox cart for hauling firewood, Yang Zhenshan could only walk to the county town. There were only two medical halls in the county town, and Yang Zhenshan went to the better one. Likely due to the change of seasons, the medical hall was crowded with many people in long queues. As Yang Zhenshan was not there for medical treatment, he naturally did not line up but went straight into the medical hall. ¡°What can I do for you, sir?¡± A man in his thirties stood behind the counter and asked Yang Zhenshan. Beside him, an elderly man was taking someone¡¯s pulse. Yang Zhenshan knew this elderly man. Song Yuanbo, the best doctor in Anning County and the man in his thirties was his son, Song Ningfeng. There were also three apprentices in the medical hall, all grandchildren of Song Yuanbo. The original person had once consulted Song Yuanbo for hidden injuries but due to the high cost, he did not receive treatment from Song Yuanbo. This is not to say Song Yuanbo only cared about money, but the treatment for the hidden injuries required many precious herbs, and even kind-hearted Song Yuanbo could not afford to treat people at a loss. ¡°Doctor Song, I have an old mountain ginseng here!¡± Saying this, Yang Zhenshan took out a wooden box and placed it on the counter. Song Ningfeng opened the box, and his eyes brightened, ¡°Is this a thirty-five-year-old mountain ginseng? Excellent, excellent, a good medicine indeed!¡± ¡°Do you intend to sell it?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yang Zhenshan nodded. Song Ningfeng smiled, ¡°Please wait a moment!¡± Then, he showed the wooden box to Song Yuanbo. Song Yuanbo looked up at Yang Zhenshan, his face showing a look of surprise. ¡°Are your injuries healed?¡± Yang Zhenshan was also surprised; he didn¡¯t expect Song Yuanbo to still remember him. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Come here, let me take your pulse!¡± Song Yuanbo gestured. Without hesitation, Yang Zhenshan walked over, sat down, and extended his wrist. Song Yuanbo stroked his beard while checking the pulse, occasionally looking at Yang Zhenshan with a surprised gaze. ¡°How did it heal?¡± He had a deep impression of Yang Zhenshan; after all, there were not many martial artists in Anning County and Yang Zhenshan¡¯s previous hidden injuries were quite special, making them hard to forget. After seeing Yang Zhenshan before, he had regretted for a long time. Seeing Yang Zhenshan again, even after several years had passed, the impression was still vivid. ¡°Cured by a wandering Taoist!¡± Yang Zhenshan casually fibbed. Song Yuanbo did not ask further, only smiling, ¡°Strong and steady pulse, your breath is calm and sustained, not only are your injuries healed, but your cultivation has also improved.¡± At his old age, he had seen and heard many strange things. Meeting a wandering Taoist who cured his hidden injuries sounded implausible, but it was not impossible. Yang Zhenshan smiled; he had been in this world for nearly a month, using Spiritual Spring Water every day. Although the water could not directly enhance his martial arts cultivation, it gently nourished his body. With his daily exercises, his cultivation was about to break through to an advanced level of the Body Refining Realm, already having surpassed his former self. ¡°Thank you for your concern!¡± Yang Zhenshan said. Song Yuanbo waved his hand, took the wooden box containing the ginseng, and said, ¡°This old mountain ginseng is good. I¡¯ll offer 180 silver taels. Do you agree?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Yang Zhenshan could hardly keep his smile hidden. He thought that selling it for 120 to 130 taels would be good enough, but to get 180 was beyond his expectation. Song Yuanbo nodded slightly, ¡°I¡¯m busy here, so won¡¯t chat more.¡± Yang Zhenshan thanked him and followed Song Ningfeng to get the money. 180 taels¡ªSong Ningfeng gave him three silver notes of fifty taels each and three silver ingots of ten taels. The silver notes were from Datong Bank; there was a Datong Bank in Anning County, and the silver could be exchanged at any time. After getting the money, Yang Zhenshan left the medical hall, beaming with joy. A saying goes: A horse doesn¡¯t get fat without night grazing; a person isn¡¯t wealthy without sudden windfall. Today, he truly experienced the feeling of gaining sudden windfall. Upon leaving the county town, Yang Zhenshan saw a notice at the city gate. The notice addressed matters of banditry, accompanied by several wanted posters of bandit leaders. Anning County was not tranquil at all, with many bandit dens within, especially around Changqing Mountain where many desperate villains proclaimed themselves kings. However, Yang Family Village had never suffered from bandits; after all, the village had martial arts heritage and martial artists in residence. These bandits, always bullying the weak and fearing the strong, only ever targeted easy prey. Yang Zhenshan glanced at the notice and left without much concern. On the way home, Yang Zhenshan was planning for the future days of the Yang family. Now he had over two hundred taels of silver in his hands, the problem of food and clothing for the family had been solved, but this still couldn¡¯t satisfy the life he desired. He had never thought about abandoning the Yang family to live in seclusion. Humans are social animals; in a world without the internet, mobile phones, computers, or various forms of entertainment, Yang Zhenshan already felt extremely bored and dull. If he were to isolate himself from society and live hidden in the mountains, he felt he would go crazy. Although he still felt somewhat uncomfortable with having a house full of children and grandchildren, he had already accepted everything about the Yang family. He didn¡¯t consider himself as a father or grandfather, but as a company boss. The Yang family was his company, his sons and daughters-in-law were his employees. He wanted to lead this company to grow, to provide a better life for the employees within it, and turn them into more capable talents. Thinking this way, Yang Zhenshan felt he bore a great responsibility. So, next, he planned to secure properties for the ¡®company¡¯ to increase income and ensure the sustainable development of the ¡®company¡¯. Having thought all the way, by the time Yang Zhenshan returned home, it was already noon, just as the eldest and the second sons were drawing a cart of firewood back home. Seeing the pile of firewood as tall as a man in the courtyard, Yang Zhenshan nodded in satisfaction. Yang Mingcheng and Yang Mingzhi were both down-to-earth and diligent. The brothers never slacked off in their work, which was also why Yang Zhenshan accepted them so quickly. If these two brothers were cunning sorts, Yang Zhenshan would definitely consider abandoning this family. ¡°The firewood is almost enough; from tomorrow you should also pick up your martial arts again!¡± said Yang Zhenshan to the two unloading the cart. ¡°Dad, aren¡¯t we driving the cart anymore?¡± Yang Mingcheng asked, somewhat puzzled. Previously, during the slack farming season, he would drive the ox-cart back and forth between the Yang Family Village and the county seat, offering rides to people and earning a few dozen copper coins each day. This was a significant income for the Yang family. ¡°Not anymore, in the future you will practice martial arts morning and evening without laziness!¡± Yang Zhenshan said in a definitive tone. Now with over two hundred taels of silver, he naturally did not deem those dozen copper coins significant. Instead of wasting time earning those copper coins, it would be better to have the brothers pick up martial arts and soon become martial artists. Yang Mingcheng was only twenty years old now and Yang Mingzhi was even younger at seventeen; it wasn¡¯t too late for them to start practicing martial arts now. Moreover, Yang Zhenshan had Spiritual Spring Water, helping them become martial artists wasn¡¯t difficult. The greatest effect of the Spiritual Spring Water wasn¡¯t to heal injuries, but to nourish the body and enhance its potential. The effect wasn¡¯t immediate but progressively improved over time. Drinking a bowl of Spiritual Spring Water wouldn¡¯t show much effect, but if drunk long-term, the effects of the Spiritual Spring Water could be magnified indefinitely. Yang Zhenshan was willing to give Spiritual Spring Water to Yang Mingcheng and Yang Mingzhi to drink because he had noticed in this period that the spring¡¯s output had increased. At first, he didn¡¯t notice, but two days ago he discovered that the daily output of the spring had surpassed a bowl, and the same bowl could no longer hold it all. In the future, he would have more Spiritual Spring Water and distributing some to his children and grandchildren wouldn¡¯t be a problem. The next morning at dawn. As the sky began to brighten, the Yang family courtyard echoed with the sound of swift whipping through the air. Yang Mingcheng and Yang Mingzhi had also joined in the practice of spear technique. Along with Yang Yunxue, the three of them practiced spear technique in unison in the courtyard, which looked quite impressive. Yang Zhenshan walked out of the hall, glanced at them, didn¡¯t step forward to disturb them, but carried a metal spear to the mountains behind. Yang Mingcheng and the others needed to practice their spear technique, and Yang Zhenshan also needed to. Practicing martial arts, if not advancing, then declining. Studying martial arts, the demands of the spear required lifelong dedication. Yang Zhenshan, if he wanted to become a stronger Martial Artist, had to continue his relentless training. However, being a Martial Artist, when practicing the spear the destruction was somewhat great, which wasn¡¯t suitable for training at home. Moreover, he also needed to practice the throwing skills of the Short Spear, which required a more open area. Thus, the mountains behind the Yang Family Village were his best training ground. After practicing the spear technique for half an hour, and the Short Spear throwing for another half an hour, by the time Yang Zhenshan returned home, it was already broad daylight. Many villagers went up the mountain to chop firewood or dig for wild vegetables, all warmly greeting Yang Zhenshan. To other people¡¯s greetings, Yang Zhenshan would kindly nod in acknowledgment. During this time, he had always been modifying his personal image, changing from the previously deadpan face to a gentle elder. The change was significant, but no one suspected he was a different person; everyone thought it was because his health had improved, leading to a change in his mindset. Upon returning home, Ms. Wang and the Li family had already prepared the food. Four dishes and one soup with white rice. It included both meat and vegetarian dishes, dry and soup-based, along with pickled vegetables made by Ms. Wang. Although Ms. Wang¡¯s cooking skills were quite ordinary, Yang Zhenshan was still very satisfied with such a meal. After breakfast, Yang Mingcheng and Yang Mingzhi busied themselves with repairing the house; the Yang family¡¯s house was already more than a dozen years old. Although it was repaired every year, there were still many damaged places, especially the roof which needed the most reinforcement. In the meantime, Ms. Wang and the Li family were looking after the children while also making cotton clothes, with even Yang Yunxue helping to make cotton clothes. Suddenly, Yang Zhenshan realized that he himself was the most idle person in this family. Chapter 11 - 11 10 Refugees Taking Disciples ?Chapter 11: Chapter 10 Refugees, Taking Disciples Chapter 11: Chapter 10 Refugees, Taking Disciples Just as Yang Zhenshan was hesitating whether to take a stroll into the mountains, a teenager aged around fourteen or fifteen came to his house. ¡°Grandfather Zhenshan, my grandfather is looking for you!¡± The teenager¡¯s name was Yang Chengze, the eldest grandson of Yang Zhengxiang. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Yang Zhenshan put down the firewood cleaver and asked. Yang Chengze walked up to him quickly and said, ¡°Some refugees have come outside the village; they¡¯re seeking shelter in our Yang Family Village.¡± ¡°Refugees? Where are the refugees from?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked in surprise. It was just after the autumn harvest, a time when ordinary folks ought to be at their wealthiest. To be fleeing as refugees now, there must have been some disaster caused by humans. ¡°From Lin Village. Two nights ago they were struck by bandits, the whole village was burned down! Over a hundred people died, and only a dozen or so escaped. They¡¯ve all run to our Yang Family Village now!¡± Yang Chengze said. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s brows furrowed slightly; the announcement he saw in the county town yesterday was about bandit troubles, and he did not expect to encounter refugees caused by such troubles today. Lin Village was north of the mountains behind Yang Family Village, about a dozen or so miles away. Winter was approaching, and although the villagers of Lin Village had escaped the bandits, without food or housing, facing the cold winter, their survival would be difficult. Among surrounding villages, Yang Family Village might not be the wealthiest, but it was certainly the most powerful in martial strength. It made sense that after Lin Village encountered the bandit disaster, they would seek shelter in Yang Family Village. ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go take a look!¡± Yang Zhenshan did not refuse and walked towards the outskirts of the village with Yang Chengze. He was now a clan elder of the Yang family, and Yang Zhengxiang liked to involve him in everything. In truth, Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s thoughts were simple. He was old and did not know how much longer he would live. If he were to die, then Yang Zhenshan would be the only Martial Artist left in Yang Family Village, and the Yang Family would inevitably rely on Zhenshan. Arriving at the entrance of the village, Yang Zhenshan immediately saw a group of bedraggled villagers standing on the open ground at the village entrance, with many villagers from Yang Family Village watching the excitement. ¡°Clan Leader!¡± Yang Zhenshan walked into the crowd and greeted Yang Zhengxiang. ¡°Zhenshan has arrived.¡± Yang Zhengxiang affectionately pulled Yang Zhenshan to his side; several other clan elders from the Yang family also greeted Yang Zhenshan warmly. In fact, Yang Family Village had experience in harboring refugees; most of the villagers of Yang Family Village belonged to the Yang family, but there were also seven or eight households with different surnames who had fled there in the past. Sheltering a few refugee families was not a difficult task for Yang Family Village. Of course, sheltering refugees was one thing, but Yang Family Village wasn¡¯t providing for free. All expenses were lent to them, and they would have to be repaid in the future. ¡°These two households are simple; there are two dilapidated houses behind the village that can be lent to them. After the winter passes, they can even go back to Lin Village!¡± Yang Zhengxiang pointed to two families standing together and said. Staying in Yang Family Village was not a good choice for these people; the surrounding farmland had already been divided up. Apart from some wasteland that could be reclaimed behind the mountain, there was no other available land. Without their own land, they would not have the means for survival. They could stay temporarily in Yang Family Village, but could not settle down permanently. ¡°The troubling part is those three children!¡± Yang Zhenshan looked in the direction pointed out by Yang Zhengxiang and saw two children, a boy and a girl around ten years old, with the girl holding a crying infant in her arms. ¡°The boy is called Lin Zhan, the girl is called Wang Daya, and the infant in her arms is Wang Daya¡¯s little brother, only three months old. All their family members were harmed by the bandits,¡± Yang Zhengxiang said with some pity. Yang Zhenshan also felt that these three children were pitiful, but he did not say anything. Although Yang Zhengxiang always wanted him to get more involved in clan affairs, he did not want to become a village chief who mediated disputes between neighbors, so he mostly listened rather than spoke during this period. ¡°That Lin Zhan is quite presentable, and your Yunxue is about the same age as he is!¡± Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s tone changed, and he suddenly said. Yang Zhenshan was stunned and took a moment to understand. ¡°What does that have to do with Yunxue?¡± As soon as he spoke, he realized what Yang Zhengxiang meant. Lin Zhan was about ten years old, and so was Yang Yunxue. Although neither of them was of marriageable age yet, it wouldn¡¯t be many years before they would be. Taking a son-in-law? Yang Zhenshan thought about it and felt it was unnecessary. He now had money and grain. The Yang family¡¯s days in the future were sure to be better, so he could definitely find a satisfactory match for Yang Yunxue. There was no need to take on a live-in son-in-law. The status of a live-in son-in-law was too low, and if not handled well, it might even lead to more adversaries. ¡°Let¡¯s forget about taking a son-in-law. Let them come over for a look, and if it turns out suitable, I¡¯ll take on a couple of apprentices!¡± Yang Zhenshan said casually. Apprentices were far better than live-in sons-in-law. Anyway, the Yang family didn¡¯t lack the food for three more people; taking in a few apprentices was not an issue. ¡°Taking on apprentices!¡± Yang Zhengxiang had not expected Yang Zhenshan to take on apprentices, ¡°If you are to take apprentices, it would be better to take them from within the clan.¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s expression stiffened; he had forgotten this point. It would naturally be more appropriate to take apprentices from within the clan. But he wasn¡¯t truly intent on taking apprentices; it was just that he felt pity for the three children, and that had prompted his offer to take them home. But now that he had spoken, it seemed improper not to take apprentices. ¡°There¡¯s no need to take apprentices from within the clan. Just pick a few promising youngsters and send them to me. Let¡¯s say three of them, around the age of fifteen,¡± Yang Zhenshan thought of a compromise. ¡°Very good indeed!¡± Yang Zhengxiang stroked his long beard and smiled. It was naturally a good thing that Yang Zhenshan was willing to help mentor the younger generation within the clan. In fact, Yang Zhengxiang had also tutored the younger clan members before, but he seemed to lack the natural gift for teaching. After instructing more than a dozen people, including his own children and grandchildren, he had not managed to cultivate a single Martial Artist. He didn¡¯t know if Yang Zhenshan could cultivate a Martial Artist, but he was very happy that Yang Zhenshan was willing to put in this effort. Yang Zhenshan did not say much, and said to the three children, ¡°Follow me!¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Zhan didn¡¯t hesitate and directly walked behind Yang Zhenshan, while Wang Daya was somewhat timid, but seeing Lin Zhan moving, she quickly followed with her younger brother in her arms. ¡°Alright, you all can disperse. Come with me!¡± Yang Zhengxiang also led the two families away. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s home was behind Yang Family Village, closer to the back mountain. From the entrance of the village to his home, one had to cross the entire Yang Family Village. Yang Zhenshan did not speak, just walked home with his hands behind his back. Lin Zhan closely followed him, his bright eyes seemingly filled with anticipation. He had not heard the conversation between Yang Zhenshan and Yang Zhengxiang, but he knew he needed someone to rely on, and the elder before him might just be his future support. On the other hand, Wang Daya was much more timid, merely following with her head down. Although Yang Zhenshan was silent, he was observing the two children. Lin Zhan was clearly a decisive child, and as for Wang Daya¡¯s timidity, Yang Zhenshan did not dislike it ¨C after all, she was only a ten-year-old child who had undergone a disaster and lost her family, so it was natural for her to feel timid and panicked. ¡°Dad, who are they?¡± Upon returning home, Yang Mingcheng looked at the three led by Lin Zhan, asking in confusion. ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside the house!¡± Yang Zhenshan walked into the main room. The crying of the child brought out all the members of the Yang family, who looked at the three children with puzzled faces. ¡°How old is this child?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked Wang Daya kindly. Wang Daya, with her head lowered, mumbled softly, ¡°Three months!¡± Yang Zhenshan nodded and said to the curious-looking Ms. Wang, ¡°Ms. Wang, please take care of this child.¡± Three months old, just like his great-granddaughter Qing Wan ¨C Ms. Wang was the only one in the house who could provide for the child¡¯s upkeep. Ms. Wang did not ask further questions and stepped forward to take the child from Wang Daya¡¯s arms. ¡°He is my little brother!¡± Wang Daya seemed bewildered and somewhat scared, holding on tightly to her brother. ¡°He¡¯s hungry,¡± Ms. Wang said gently. Wang Daya looked at her, hesitating for a moment before letting go of her brother. Ms. Wang took the child back into the room, and within moments, the crying ceased. Meanwhile, Yang Zhenshan inquired about Lin Zhan¡¯s and Wang Daya¡¯s situations. Both were nine years old. When they encountered bandits, their family members died protecting them. However, their situations differed; Lin Zhan was the one being protected, whereas Wang Daya was the one protecting her brother. Their responses were led by Lin Zhan, who, although nervous, spoke very coherently. ¡°Have you studied before?¡± Yang Zhenshan looked at Lin Zhan and asked. ¡°My father has begun my education!¡± Lin Zhan said. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s expression changed slightly, ¡°You are Scholar Lin¡¯s son!¡± There was a Scholar Lin in Little Lin Village whom he had never met but had heard of. ¡°Yes!¡± Speaking of his father, Lin Zhan seemed downcast. ¡°Would you like to continue your studies in the future?¡± Yang Zhenshan continued to ask. ¡°The young one will follow Uncle¡¯s arrangements,¡± Lin Zhan replied respectfully. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mouth curled slightly ¨C this was a clever kid, quickly trying to curry favor. ¡°From now on, call me Master. Our Yang family has a Martial Arts heritage. You¡¯ll start by learning Martial Arts with us. As for studying, we can discuss that later.¡± Studying and learning Martial Arts weren¡¯t mutually exclusive. Whether he would support Lin Zhan¡¯s education depended on Lin Zhan¡¯s character; if Lin Zhan was grateful, Yang Zhenshan wouldn¡¯t mind supporting his studies. ¡°Disciple kowtows to Master!¡± Lin Zhan was indeed bright, kowtowing to his Master without hesitation. In comparison, Wang Daya was much slower to react; it was only after Lin Zhan had kowtowed that she followed suit, saying, ¡°Disciple kowtows to Master!¡± ¡°Stand up!¡± Yang Zhenshan nodded with satisfaction, then turned to Yang Mingcheng and said, ¡°Clean up your third brother¡¯s room, and let Lin Zhan settle in.¡± ¡°Yunxue, from now on, Daya will stay with you!¡± Naturally, no one in the family dared to object to Yang Zhenshan¡¯s decision; upon hearing his command, both Yang Mingcheng and Yang Yunxue immediately agreed. Chapter 12 - 12 11 The Bandit Problem in the Jiang Family ?Chapter 12: Chapter 11 The Bandit Problem in the Jiang Family Village Chapter 12: Chapter 11 The Bandit Problem in the Jiang Family Village At noon, Ms. Wang made an additional dish since there were two more people to feed at home. Lin Zhan, being very rule-abiding, sat at the dining table devouring his meal, while Wang Daya was somewhat constrained and nervous. However, Yang Yunxue is a kind-hearted girl and had been comforting Wang Daya throughout. After finishing the meal, both of them relaxed a bit. Right after lunch, Yang Zhengxiang came over with three teenagers around the age of fourteen or fifteen. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t expect him to be so eager, but since they were brought over, it wasn¡¯t good for Yang Zhenshan to decline. Among the three teenagers, one was Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s grandson Yang Chengze, and the other two were talented youngsters within the clan, Yang Chengxu and Yang Qinwu. Yang Zhengxiang had his own motives, but Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t mind this bit of self-interest. Looking after his own grandson was natural, not something to make a fuss about. Accompanying them were the elders of Yang Chengxu and Yang Qinwu, who didn¡¯t come empty-handed but brought many gifts. The gifts were not expensive, but they were considered good items in Yang Family Village, including tea leaves, cloth, and some candies. Yang Zhenshan accepted their gifts and agreed to meet daily at 7 a.m., teaching them for two hours. They were all younger members of the Yang family with some basic foundation, so Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t need to start from scratch but could just impart his experience and point out their flaws. Time flew, and half a month passed. The weather was getting colder, but Yang Family Village was becoming more lively. Every morning, seven or eight figures could be seen practicing martial arts in the Yang family¡¯s courtyard, naturally including Yang Zhenshan himself. Whether it¡¯s herding one sheep or two, following the principle of not wasting time, Yang Zhenshan also guided Yang Mingcheng and Yang Mingzhi. As for Yang Yunxue, Lin Zhan, and Wang Daya, Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t intervene, letting them practice on their own. They were young and unable to endure intensive training; practicing spear technique was just mastering the routines and not yet time for intense practice. And when it came to instructing Yang Mingcheng and the others, Yang Zhenshan was very adept. First, he retained the memory of his original body, and recently he had been practicing the Yang family¡¯s ancestral spear technique. Maybe his understanding of the Yang Family Spear Technique wasn¡¯t as deep as the original host¡¯s, but it wasn¡¯t far off. ¡°The aim of practicing spear technique isn¡¯t just to master it but to feel the changes in bodily strength and to comprehend the technique of harnessing power.¡± ¡°The first level of the Body Refining Realm in Martial Arts is strength conversion, which means the technique of employing bodily strength.¡± ¡°Watch closely!¡± ¡°White Snake Spits Its Tongue!¡± ¡°The arm swings, the long spear thrusts, but the source of the strength comes from the waist and back.¡± ¡°Use the waist as the pivot and the heart as the commander to unleash the most powerful force of the entire body in a split second!¡± In the courtyard, Yang Zhenshan demonstrated and explained at the same time. The onlookers listened intently to his explanations while twisting their waists and backs amusingly, but they were truly taking his words to heart. However, at this moment, from not far away, Yang Yunxue suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Dad!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Yang Zhenshan, hearing something amiss in her voice, stopped explaining and looked towards Yang Yunxue. Yang Yunxue was pale, trembling as she looked westward and stuttered, ¡°The... the Jiang family village.¡± When Yang Zhenshan looked westward, his brows immediately knitted together. Beneath the clear sky were layers upon layers of mountains and forests, but a massive amount of smoke was rising before the mountain shadows, with flickering flames barely visible. The location of the flames should be the Jiang family village. ¡°Dad, something has happened to the Jiang family village! My younger sister, she¡ª¡± Yang Mingcheng said anxiously. Yang Zhenshan took a deep breath and said, ¡°Go notify the Clan Leader; the rest should not act rashly, waiting for the Clan Leader¡¯s decision. I¡¯ll go check it out!¡± With these words, he paid no attention to the rest, shouldered his backpack, and hurried towards the direction of the Jiang family village. The backpack, sewn by Ms. Wang, had ten pockets, each able to fit a meter-long short spear. ¡°Dad!¡± Yang Mingcheng and Yang Mingzhi wanted to stop him, but Yang Zhenshan strode away quickly, disappearing from the village in just a short while. Having no other choice, Yang Mingcheng hurried to find Yang Zhengxiang. There¡¯s no need for him to search; Yang Zhengxiang has already brought several people to the west end of Yang Family Village. Jiang family¡¯s village is only six or seven miles away from Yang Family Village, and at the moment, thick smoke billows above the Jiang family¡¯s village, visible from a great distance. Yang Zhenshan moves swiftly; in just fifteen minutes, he reaches the vicinity of the Jiang family¡¯s village. However, he doesn¡¯t rush into the village but quickly climbs up the rear mountain to observe the situation in the Jiang family¡¯s village. The dense smoke obscures the view of the Jiang family¡¯s village, making everything hazy and indistinct, yet he still sees numerous figures and hears lots of shouting and screams. ¡°Bandits, as expected!¡± Yang Zhenshan watches the shadows in the Jiang family¡¯s village and, touching the cotton clothes on his body, his expression darkens immensely. Yang Yunyan is his eldest daughter. Although he has only met her twice, he is still wearing the cotton clothes she sewed for him. He could disregard others, but he couldn¡¯t fail to save his daughter. With that thought, Yang Zhenshan pulls a short spear from his back and starts moving closer to where Jiang Cheng¡¯s house is located. Meanwhile, utter chaos reigns. Dozens of fierce and brutal men rampage through the village, leaving many villagers¡¯ dead bodies scattered in homes or on the streets. Of course, there are many villagers resisting. Although the Jiang family¡¯s village doesn¡¯t have a martial arts legacy like Yang Family Village, there are many hunters there. Most of the hunters are good with a bow and arrow. Had the bandits not taken the village by surprise, leaving no time to prepare, they would not have entered the village so easily. As soon as Yang Zhenshan enters the Jiang family¡¯s village, he sees a tall and burly figure standing in the barren land behind the village, laughing bloodily and shouting ferociously, ¡°Brothers, kill for me, hahahaha~~¡± This person wields a large saber, with a scar running down his face. When he laughs, the scar contorts like a snake, making him look extremely brutal. Scar Liu! Seeing this scarred brute, Yang Zhenshan immediately recalls the Bounty Order he had seen in the county town. No one knows his real name; he is only known by his nickname, Scar Liu. According to the Bounty Order, Scar Liu is an extremely vicious bandit, infamous for repeatedly raiding villages. He has also been pursued by the government several times but has always managed to escape. Among the several wanted notices posted in the county town, his has the highest bounty ¡ª a full 300 taels of silver. Yang Zhenshan, of course, isn¡¯t tempted by the reward silver, so when he spots Scar Liu, he doesn¡¯t approach him but instead slips past and stealthily enters the village. Jiang Cheng¡¯s house is located on the west side of the Jiang family¡¯s village, while most of the bandits are gathered on the east side. By the time Yang Zhenshan reaches the vicinity of Jiang Cheng¡¯s home, the area is unusually quiet. Bang, bang, bang~~ While vigilantly observing his surroundings, Yang Zhenshan knocks on Jiang Cheng¡¯s door. ¡°Who is it?¡± A voice quickly comes from inside the door. ¡°It¡¯s me! Yang Zhenshan!¡± With a creak, the wooden door opens, and Jiang Cheng looks at Yang Zhenshan with a mixture of shock and joy. ¡°My esteemed in-law!¡± Yang Zhenshan steps inside and asks, ¡°Are you all okay?¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine, we¡¯re fine. The bandits haven¡¯t come here yet!¡± Jiang Cheng hastily responds. Right now, the Jiang family isn¡¯t the only one present. There are about a dozen strong villagers standing in the courtyard, clearly, neighbors who have all run over. ¡°Where¡¯s Yunyan?¡± Yang Zhenshan doesn¡¯t see his eldest daughter and asks again. ¡°She¡¯s in the house!¡± Jiang Cheng promptly leads him into the main house. Inside, there are many women and children, and Yang Yunyan is sitting on the kang bed, looking somewhat pale. ¡°Dad!¡± Upon seeing Yang Zhenshan, Yang Yunyan, overwhelmed by fear, throws herself into his arms without any reservation. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, Dad is here!¡± Yang Zhenshan pats her back, comforting her. Without time for more words, someone in the courtyard whispers urgently, ¡°The bandits are coming!¡± ¡°Stay here, I¡¯ll be right back!¡± Yang Zhenshan can¡¯t stay to comfort Yang Yunyan any longer and rushes out of the main house. At that moment, the young men in the courtyard are taking their positions on the walls and the rooftops, readying themselves for battle. Yet, they are after all only villagers, not true soldiers. When faced with vicious outlaws, fear inevitably creeps into their hearts. Chapter 13 - 13 12 Yang Family Village Yang Zhenshan ?Chapter 13: Chapter 12 Yang Family Village Yang Zhenshan Chapter 13: Chapter 12 Yang Family Village Yang Zhenshan As Yang Zhenshan stepped out of the main house, he heard a scream and saw someone falling from the top of the wall. ¡°Big brother!¡± Jiang Cheng couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. The person who fell from the wall was Jiang Cheng¡¯s eldest son. Seeing his own son injured, Jiang Cheng¡¯s originally calm heart immediately turned into chaos, and the others also started panicking. Seeing this, Yang Zhenshan quickly shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Jiang He, you take people to guard the back, I¡¯ll handle the front gate myself!¡± He wasn¡¯t familiar with the others, only Jiang He, his son-in-law, was well-known to him. The Jiang family¡¯s courtyard was much better than the Yang family¡¯s, with houses made of blue bricks and large tiles, and the courtyard wall was seven feet high made of brick; such a yard still had some defensive capabilities, even setting it on fire would require some effort. ¡°Everyone, come here!¡± Upon receiving the order, Jiang He immediately gathered everyone at the back. ¡°Don¡¯t show your heads, just ignore them unless they climb in!¡± Yang Zhenshan instructed again. The bandits outside were fierce, among them were those skilled in archery, rashly showing one¡¯s head could likely turn them into arrow targets. ¡°There¡¯s someone here!¡± While Yang Zhenshan was making arrangements, the bandits¡¯ voices also sounded from outside the gate. The noise grew louder and in just a moment, someone hit the door. The Jiang family¡¯s door could not withstand the bandits¡¯ banging, and after four or five strikes, the door collapsed with a thunderous crash. At the moment the door fell down, Yang Zhenshan fiercely threw the short spear in his hand. With a swoosh, the short spear flew out with a piercing whoosh. The bandit standing at the forefront, caught off guard, was directly pierced through the chest by the short spear. The short spear, after piercing through one person, did not stop and continued into another bandit. ¡°Charge in!¡± The brutal bandits didn¡¯t care about their injured companions and surged in through the gate. The Jiang family¡¯s gate wasn¡¯t wide, less than two meters, but wide enough to allow four people to enter at once. Facing the rushing bandits, Yang Zhenshan was not afraid, continuously shooting the short spear, its force far beyond arrows, hitting someone would send them flying. In a breath¡¯s time, Yang Zhenshan had thrown three short spears, but still couldn¡¯t stop all the bandits. There was no time to throw another short spear, Yang Zhenshan kicked the iron spear in front of him. The iron spear bounced up, he grabbed the spear shaft, and slammed it down with brutal force. With a bang, the leading bandit was smashed down to the ground. Although these bandits were fierce, none were Martial Artists; compared to Yang Zhenshan, they were far inferior. ¡°Martial Artist, Martial Artist~~¡± At this time, the bandits outside also reacted, realizing there was a Martial Artist inside. For a moment, the fierce bandits retreated, not daring to charge in again. At the gate, six bandits lay, some already breathless, others still painfully moaning. ¡°Quick, go call the boss, there¡¯s a Martial Artist here!¡± A clamor arose outside, Yang Zhenshan looked at the now empty gate, his expression turning grave. Scarred Liu is coming! He didn¡¯t know if Scarred Liu was a Martial Artist, but to be the leader of a gang of fierce bandits, Scarred Liu was certainly not an ordinary person. And listening to the bandits outside, Scarred Liu was highly likely a Martial Artist. Yang Zhenshan took a deep breath; this was his first time facing a Martial Artist, and he was quite nervous. As for rushing out, Yang Zhenshan had no intention to do so. Within the courtyard, he only needed to guard the entrance, but once out, he would face a large number of bandits and also have to be wary of covert attacks. Time passed by seconds, with nobody inside the courtyard daring even to breathe heavily, the atmosphere was extremely tense. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s arrival had given them a significant boost, but facing the fierce bandit leader, their hearts were filled with worry. If Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t defeat the enemy, they had only one path¡ªdeath. Faced with such a situation, they dared not relax for a moment. After about half a quarter of an hour, noisy footsteps sounded outside again, followed by a large figure appearing at the door, it was Scarred Liu. Scarred Liu looked at Yang Zhenshan in the courtyard with a fierce smile and eyes full of extreme viciousness. ¡°Yang Family Village!¡± ¡°Yes, Yang Zhenshan of Yang Family Village!¡± Yang Zhenshan had no intention to hide, nor was there a need to. In the surrounding ten miles, only Yang Family Village had a Martial Artist; just asking around a bit would reveal it was him. As for passing Martial Artists, this place was neither near the main road nor near the county town; how idle would a Martial Artist have to be to come here. ¡°Haha, interesting!¡± Scarred Liu swung his broadsword directly at Yang Zhenshan, laughing somewhat crazily. The next moment, he crossed his feet and strode boldly into the doorway. Stepping forward, swinging the broadsword, the heavy blade, driven by the force of running, chopped down heavily. This slash was extremely ferocious; if it struck, even mountains and rocks would be split apart. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he gripped the iron spear tightly in his hands. The core of the Yang Family Spear Technique was to fight with the resolve to win at all costs, every strike a potential kill shot, using every movement to its fullest without sparing any effort. This meant that Yang Zhenshan had only one chance to strike. If the first strike proved ineffective, he could only abandon the long spear to preserve his own life. Without a moment to think further, as if by instinct, his long spear thrust forward with a sharp sound of tearing through the air. This spear strike was swift to the extreme, the white gleam of the spear turning into a stream of light, directly stabbing towards the chest of Scarred Liu. The mad Scarred Liu saw the sharp edge close at hand, and his ferocious smile suddenly froze. Too fast! The spear gleam reached him before he could even react. This left him utterly shocked. To tell the truth, he hadn¡¯t initially taken Yang Zhenshan too seriously. Although he was also a martial artist of the Refining Power realm, he had been through countless life-and-death battles. Compared to other martial artists at the same level, he was almost invincible. Moreover, he had given his all in this slash, holding nothing back. Caught off guard, Scarred Liu instinctively dodged to avoid the spear gleam. But his evasion turned into his biggest opening; as his body turned, the direction of the long knife in his hands naturally changed, which was exactly what Yang Zhenshan was waiting for. With a plop, the white spearhead pierced into Scarred Liu¡¯s shoulder. He had avoided a lethal blow, but lost the battle. Yang Zhenshan sneered coldly, withdrew his strength, and with a fierce twist of both hands on the pole, the flat spearhead was raised, instantly opening up Scarred Liu¡¯s shoulder. Blood splattered vividly, dripping from the shining spear edge. Scarred Liu might be almost invincible among his peers, but the current Yang Zhenshan was not just a martial artist of the Refining Power level. The Body Refining Realm is divided into three levels, but these levels aren¡¯t strictly delineated. Refining Power involves controlling bodily strength, while Refining Sinews involves stretching and strengthening the sinews and bones; these two aspects can coexist and aren¡¯t strictly sequential. Simply put, Refining Power and Refining Sinews are prerequisites of Refining Vigor; they can be practiced simultaneously, but since Refining Power is comparatively easier, most martial artists tend to first practice Refining Power and then move on to Refining Sinews. Yang Zhenshan had already started on Refining Sinews. Although he hadn¡¯t yet reached the level of Refining Sinews, because he had been drinking Spiritual Spring Water, his physique was already much stronger than a typical martial artist of the Refining Power level. Scarred Liu was invincible among his peers because of his battle-hardened experiences, while Yang Zhenshan exceeded the Refining Power level because of his stronger physique. Overwhelming strength can conquer all, no matter how rich your combat experience, if you can block this fast and fierce spear, then we can talk. But Scarred Liu, fierce as he was, wasn¡¯t fazed or panicked by his severe injury; instead, he let out a beast-like roar, raising his knife to cleave at Yang Zhenshan. ¡°Die!¡± With a furious roar, bloodlust flared in his eyes. Yang Zhenshan felt a sharp pain in his ears and hastily raised his long spear. Clang~~ Blade and spear collided, sparking a shower of sparks. ¡°Such ferocity despite severe injuries!¡± Yang Zhenshan was shocked, and as the blade struck, he was forced back several steps. However, Scarred Liu persistently attacked, the blade whirling, his footsteps hammering like a tiger released from a cage, fierce and merciless. In that instant, all the able-bodied men from the Jiang family inside the courtyard turned pale with fear. Caught up in the moment, Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t pay attention to anything else; as fierce as Scarred Liu¡¯s attack was, his counterattack was just as vicious. The long spear danced, sweeping across in a powerful strike. A longer weapon has an advantage. Before the blade could reach, the spear gleam had already struck at Scarred Liu¡¯s side. With a bang, Scarred Liu was sent flying like a tattered sack. Strike while the enemy is sick, take his life. Not giving Scarred Liu a chance to land and stabilize, an inch-long spear gleam stabbed directly at his waist, as swift as lightning. Piercing through, the spearhead entered his belly and exited out the other side. ¡°Boss!¡± The bandits outside shouted tragically upon seeing this. A group of bandits, frenzied, charged into the courtyard, ready to fight Yang Zhenshan to the death. ¡°Fire!¡± Jiang He, who had been standing by the courtyard wall, quickly shouted. The sound of whooshing arrows flew, but to little effect. Although these hunters were skilled with the bow, they had never faced such a brutal scene before; they could only shoot arrows in panic and confusion. Of the dozen or so bandits who rushed into the courtyard, only one fell to an arrow. Chapter 14 - 14 13 A Pack of Wolf Cubs ?Chapter 14: Chapter 13 A Pack of Wolf Cubs Chapter 14: Chapter 13 A Pack of Wolf Cubs Yang Zhenshan glanced at Scarred Liu lying on the ground, withdrew his long spear, and ferociously confronted the rushing bandits. The Yang family¡¯s ancestral spear technique is rooted in a strong stance; the body follows the legs, the arms follow the body, the wrists follow the arms, all moving as one complete force. Advance with sharpness, retreat with speed, the movements are dangerous, the rhythm is short, still as a mountain, dynamic as thunder. With Yang Zhenshan¡¯s terrifying strength using the Yang Family Spear, its power was fully unleashed, like breaking bamboo, in just a breath¡¯s time, more than a dozen bandits lay on the ground, wailing in agony. At this moment, no one outside the door dared to rush in, even the remaining bandits scattered in terror like startled birds. Scarred Liu¡¯s condition was unknown, and more than a dozen fierce bandits slaughtered, facing such formidable Yang Zhenshan, the bandits who bullied the weak and feared the strong dared not stay here. ¡°Jiang He, finish them off!¡± Yang Zhenshan dropped a remark and sprinted out with his long spear. If not chase the victory now, then when? Driven to eradicate evil, Yang Zhenshan would certainly not stop at this moment. Inside the courtyard, Jiang He, and the other vigorous youths were all stunned. ¡°Too strong!¡± ¡°So terrifying!¡± ¡°Uncle Zhengshan killed the bandit leader!¡± The crowd was astounded by the display of martial prowess by Yang Zhenshan, muttering to themselves in shock. Even Jiang Cheng, who had lived for most of his life, was left breathless in astonishment. However, being an experienced hunter, Jiang Cheng had a greater endurance than the younger ones. His steps somewhat frantic, he walked over to the barely breathing Scarred Liu and harshly chopped his machete on Liu¡¯s neck. Actually, he shouldn¡¯t have approached, even if Scarred Liu was dying, he shouldn¡¯t have gotten close. On the off chance that Scarred Liu still had some strength left, Jiang Cheng might have lost his life. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t come to that, the machete fell, embedding into Scarred Liu¡¯s neck but not severing his head. ¡°Dad!¡± Jiang He snapped out of it and hurriedly pulled Jiang Cheng. ¡°Be careful they might be feigning death!¡± Jiang He cautioned while drawing his bow and shooting arrows at the bandits on the ground. Yang Zhenshan rushed towards the Jiang family¡¯s main gate, only to see previously surrounding bandits now fleeing towards the east of the village. ¡°Thinking of running, too late!¡± He thrust the long spear into the ground and drew two Short Spears from behind, striding boldly into the smoke-filled air. Swoosh swoosh swoosh~~ Short Spears flew one by one, each claiming a life. ¡°Damn, run!¡± ¡°He¡¯s coming!¡± ¡°Brothers, run!¡± The remaining bandits were terrified, frantically trying to escape. The spreading smoke and leaping flames obscured Yang Zhenshan¡¯s vision. Having thrown all ten Short Spears, he reluctantly stopped and picked up two long spears. This pause allowed the remaining bandits to escape towards the Jiang family village. Bandits rushing into the smoke-filled Jiang family village, felt a brief joy of having narrowly escaped, but this joy didn¡¯t last long. ¡°Bandits over there!¡± A shout arose. Immediately followed by a burst of noisy footsteps and shouting. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, don¡¯t rush, stick with me!¡± ¡°Kill!¡± ¡°Kill!¡± Among the murky smoke, vague figures wielding long spears charged at the bandits who had just fled. When Yang Zhenshan came out of the Jiang family village, he saw Yang Zhengxiang leading the young men of Yang Family Village in a fierce slaughter. Armed and eager to kill. Although the young men of Yang Family Village had not been in battle or experienced killing, they all practiced martial arts and had fantasized about a grand slaughter on the battlefield. Thus, facing the current situation, their mentality differed from that of Jiang family village¡¯s strong youths. They were exhilarated and excited, howling wildly, charging forward like young wolves. If not for the restraint of Yang Zhengxiang, they might have rushed to the frontlines already. The escaped bandits were quickly turned into bloody sieves. ¡°I killed one! Haha~~ cough cough~~¡± Yang Chengxu, holding a bloody spear, laughed excitedly, but he seemed to forget the surrounding smoke and started coughing. ¡°Zhengshan!¡± Yang Zhengxiang remained calm, continuously observing the surroundings. Seeing a figure possibly holding two Short Spears emerging from the fire, he uncertainly shouted. ¡°Clan Leader, it¡¯s me!¡± Smoke lingered, visibility was obstructed, and to avoid any misunderstandings, Yang Zhenshan quickly responded. ¡°Uncle Zhengshan!¡± ¡°Grandpa Zhengshan!¡± Seeing Yang Zhenshan, the young men of Yang Family Village grew even more excited. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Yang Zhengxiang quickly approached Yang Zhenshan, sizing him up. ¡°No!¡± Yang Zhenshan shook his head. Seeing his unchanged expression, Yang Zhengxiang finally relaxed. ¡°How¡¯s the situation?¡± Yang Zhenshan said gravely, ¡°Let¡¯s go over there and talk.¡± He had managed to rescue the Jiang family, but many people in Jiang Family Village had died under the bandits¡¯ slaughter. A crowd followed Yang Zhenshan into Jiang Family Village. The fire was still fiercely burning, and the smoke continued to spread everywhere. ¡°In-law father!¡± ¡°Yang Clan Leader!¡± Jiang Cheng¡¯s eyes reddened when he saw Yang Zhenshan and Yang Zhengxiang. ¡°Old brother, let¡¯s put out the fire first!¡± Yang Zhenshan said simply, not elaborating further. Jiang Cheng and Yang Zhengxiang nodded, quickly directing their young men to fight the fire and rescue people. The fire lasted a day and a night, finally being extinguished by dawn the next day. Most of Jiang Family Village had been engulfed by the fire, only the few houses surrounding Jiang Cheng¡¯s home remained intact. As dawn broke anew, the entire Jiang Family Village felt as if it was pressed down by a great mountain, the heaviness suffocating. At the entrance of the village, rows of bodies were laid out on the ground, including white-haired elders, young children with double buns, and many souls buried in the ashes. Beside them, more than thirty bodies of bandits were piled up haphazardly. ¡°It¡¯s too tragic! Ah~~¡± Yang Zhengxiang sighed sorrowfully as he looked at the bodies scattered all around. Yang Zhenshan took a deep breath, unsure of what to say or do in such a moment. Any words of consolation seemed feeble and powerless now. He could only stand quietly beside, watching those villagers immersed in grief. Subsequently, a simple funeral was held in Jiang Family Village, and the villagers¡¯ bodies were moved to the hill behind for burial. As for the bandits¡¯ bodies, Jiang Cheng had already sent people to inform the county government, which would naturally arrange for their handling. Especially Da?o Scar Liu, a person named in the Bounty Order, carrying a bounty of 300 taels of silver; this money should rightfully belong to Yang Zhenshan. However, Yang Zhenshan did not stay in Jiang Family Village to wait for the government officer from the county government. With Yang Zhengxiang and Jiang Cheng there, his reward silver would not be short, unless the county government refused to pay. After briefly speaking with Yang Zhengxiang and Jiang Cheng, Yang Zhenshan took Yang Yunyan back to Yang Family Village. Although the bandits had been eliminated, Jiang Family Village was still a mess and Yang Yunyan was pregnant; Yang Zhenshan could not rest easy about her continuing to stay there, and had to take her back to the Yang family first. With Ms. Wang, the Li family, and his younger daughter to look after her, Yang Yunyan could find some peace at the Yang family. Sitting in the ox cart, Yang Yunyan¡¯s face was somewhat pale; she had been scared and fearful throughout the day and night, and had not yet recovered. Yang Mingcheng steered the ox cart, while Yang Zhenshan followed behind, reassuring: ¡°All right, you¡¯re pregnant, don¡¯t think too much, get a good sleep when we get home.¡± He wasn¡¯t really good at comforting people, and given that the person he was trying to console Williams, his adopted daughter; but seeing Yang Yunyan¡¯s wretched state, he couldn¡¯t help but try to comfort her. In fact, Yang Yunyan was only sixteen now ¨C in his previous life, she would still be a middle school student. At twenty-eight, Yang Zhenshan felt it slightly amiss to be her father, but being an uncle was undoubtedly sufficient. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m all right!¡± Yang Yunyan forced a slight smile. ¡°Uh, by the way, did you finish making the cotton-padded clothes I asked you to make?¡± Yang Zhenshan, not knowing how else to comfort her, changed the subject. ¡°They¡¯re ready, I¡¯ve already packed them!¡± Yang Yunyan indicated the bundle beside her. ¡°That¡¯s good, the weather is getting colder these days; I¡¯ll deliver them to your grandparents tomorrow,¡± Yang Zhenshan said. ¡°Are all the winter clothes at home finished?¡± Yang Yunyan¡¯s attention shifted, worrying about her maiden family¡¯s affairs. Yang Zhenshan smiled, ¡°Your sister-in-law and second sister-in-law have prepared everyone¡¯s winter clothes in our family, but I¡¯ve taken two apprentices recently and they don¡¯t have winter clothes yet.¡± ¡°Let your elder brother go to the county town tomorrow to buy some more cotton and cloth; stay at home for a few more days and make two sets of winter clothes for them.¡± ¡°Dad took apprentices?¡± Yang Yunyan looked surprised. ¡°Yes, two apprentices.¡± The two chatted sporadically about casual matters and soon arrived back at Yang Family Village. Compared to the grief-stricken Jiang Family Village, Yang Family Village was as ever peaceful and calm. Oncehome, Yang Yunyan received care and attention from the family, which helped calm her frightened heart. However, the Yang family¡¯s house was too small, and there were no spare rooms to accommodate Yang Yunyan alone; she had to share with Yang Yunxue and Wang Daya. Looking at his bustling family, Yang Zhenshan felt a sense of ease. However, his two grandsons seemed somewhat afraid of him; the usually lively and active Yang Chengye did not dare to come close to him, as if he were not their grandfather but some fierce beast. Children are the most sensitive, and though Yang Zhenshan¡¯s heart had calmed, a faint aura of bloodlust lingered, not having fully dissipated yet. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t mind; he wasn¡¯t yet able to control the aura of killing, and could only rely on time to gradually erase it. Chapter 15 - 15 14 Cheap Father-in-Law ?Chapter 15: Chapter 14 Cheap Father-in-Law Chapter 15: Chapter 14 Cheap Father-in-Law ¡°Sir, sir~¡± In the county government, a government official hurriedly ran into the rear hall. In the study of the rear hall, Luo Jin, the County Magistrate of Anning County, was frowning as he read the documents. Suddenly hearing someone shouting, he looked up, displeased. ¡°What is it?¡± Luo Jin was around thirty years old, slightly thin with a somewhat scholarly appearance, but he carried an authoritative presence without showing anger, his simple words exerted a substantial pressure. The government official ran in, bowed, and reported: ¡°Sir, Scarface Liu has been murdered!¡± ¡°Scarface Liu!¡± Luo Jin murmured, immediately recalling who the man was. Luo Jin truly despised the bandits causing trouble under his governance, and he longed day and night to eradicate them swiftly. Unfortunately, as a County Magistrate, the number of soldiers and officials he could mobilize was limited; he could not conduct a large-scale crackdown on the roaming bandits. Therefore, he had no choice but to offer a large reward, issuing a bounty in the name of the county government. ¡°How did he die?¡± Luo Jin stood up and asked. ¡°Yesterday, Scarface Liu led dozens of his men in an attack on the Jiang Family Village in Qinghe Town. Martial Artist Yang Zhenshan from Yang Family Village discovered the situation and immediately went to the rescue. Firstly, he killed the bandit leader Scarface Liu, then slew more than twenty of his followers, and afterwards, the Village Chief Yang Zhengxiang of Yang Family Village led twenty able-bodied men to round up and kill most of the fleeing bandits,¡± the Government Official reported. They had already inquired about the situation in the Jiang Family Village. Although they had not witnessed the battle, based on the narratives of villagers from both the Jiang Family Village and the Yang Family Village, they were able to confirm the entire process. Upon hearing this, Luo Jin¡¯s expression immediately improved considerably. He wasn¡¯t one of those officials who only knew how to extract every last penny from the populace. He had only become a Scholar two years prior and had managed to secure an official position through his family¡¯s connections with great difficulty. He had originally thought he could make a difference after taking office, but it was only after arriving in Anning County that he realized he had been too optimistic. Anning County was poor, and if it were merely poverty, that would have been manageable; but the key issue was that Anning County was also in chaos. Anning County was near the Northern Border, with Changqing Mountain within its territory. There were many arrogant soldiers and fierce warriors at the Northern Border, and many bandits and rogues in Changqing Mountain. He couldn¡¯t control the arrogant soldiers and could never fully eliminate the bandits and rogues. How could he make a difference in such a situation? The news of Scarface Liu¡¯s death was probably the best news he had heard in his two years in Anning County. ¡°Who is Yang Zhenshan?¡± Luo Jin suddenly became interested in this person. Surely, anyone who could kill Scarface Liu was not weak. The Government Official grinned and said, ¡°Sir, I know of this man.¡± ¡°Oh? Tell me more!¡± Luo Jin said. The Government Official continued, ¡°Yang Zhenshan, a villager of Yang Family Village, thirty-eight years old this year. Twenty years ago, he served in the border defense camp, and later retired due to severe injuries from the battle at Black Cloud Mountain.¡± ¡°Also, he is the brother-in-law of Lu, the clerk of the military registry.¡± The reason this Government Official was so familiar with Yang Zhenshan was that he knew Lu Zhaoqi well. Lu Zhaoqi was Yang Zhenshan¡¯s uncle by marriage, serving as a clerk in the military registry of the county government¡ªa civil servant of sorts. The county government had six departments: civil, population, rituals, military, justice, and works, each with one clerk and two registrars. The military department was in charge of conscription and training of able-bodied men, city defenses, bandit suppression, as well as post stations, stationing of troops, and the Inspection Bureau matters. The military department was somewhat akin to a Public Security Bureau of a county; the clerk was the director, and the registrar was the deputy director, but they were both merely lowly officials. For a registrar like Lu Zhaoqi, he naturally would not catch the eye of Luo Jin. However, after being mentioned by this Government Official, he recalled that there was such a person as Lu Zhaoqi in the county government. ¡°Go, call Lu Zhaoqi here!¡± Luo Jin ordered. Lu Zhaoqi, now forty-four years old, was conversant with the saying, ¡°Iron-clad clerks and ephemeral officials.¡± He joined the county government as a clerk at the age of thirty and had served for fourteen years, weathering three County Magistrates. However, this was his first time being summoned alone by the County Magistrate. Of course, Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t know that his uncle by marriage had gotten the opportunity to meet with the County Magistrate because of him. At this moment, he was carrying a bundle on his back, heading to Qinghe Town to visit his in-laws by marriage. As for his father-in-law, well, his nominal father-in-law, Yang Zhenshan held him in high respect. Although the original host¡¯s wife had passed away a year ago, he did not neglect this elderly father-in-law. Lu Songhe was an old Scholar, and it was thanks to Lu Songhe¡¯s influence that his eldest nephew, Lu Zhaoqi, was able to work as a clerk in the county government. The reason Yang Zhenshan placed importance on Lu Songhe was not only because he was his nominal father-in-law but also because Lu Songhe was the highest-status individual he could currently interact with. Yang Zhenshan was not someone who was ignorant of worldly affairs; he was very clear on the importance of social interaction. Integrating into the Yang family and associating with Lu Songhe were all part of his planned activities. Since he wanted to live well in this world, he naturally needed to manage these interpersonal relationships well. Lu Songhe lived in Qinghe Town, and his residence was a large compound with two courtyards. Although he was just an old Scholar, he had been operating in Qinghe Town for many years and had accumulated quite a wealth. Upon arriving at the Lu family, Yang Zhenshan was greeted by Lu Wenchun, the eldest grandson of the household. ¡°Uncle-in-law, what brings you here?¡± Upon seeing Yang Zhenshan, Lu Wenchun was somewhat surprised. This was Yang Zhenshan¡¯s first visit to the Lu household since the original host¡¯s wife had passed away. ¡°How¡¯s grandpa and grandma¡¯s health?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked. ¡°Good, grandpa and grandma are doing well! Uncle-in-law, please come in!¡± said Lu Wenchun while leading Yang Zhenshan into the main hall. Lu Wenchun served tea for Yang Zhenshan and went to call Lu Songhe. Before even half a cup of tea was finished, Yang Zhenshan saw a thin little old man with hands clasped behind his back entering the hall. ¡°Dad!¡± Yang Zhenshan quickly stood up and called out. It felt good to call someone ¡°Dad,¡± it made him feel younger. Constantly being addressed as grandpa or great-grandpa, Yang Zhenshan felt as though he himself was in his seventies or eighties. Now, finally having someone to call Dad, he suddenly felt much younger. Lu Songhe was a stern little old man, not one to smile or speak needlessly, merely giving him a brief glance before taking his seat at the head of the hall. ¡°Why have you come?¡± The tone was neither salty nor bland, giving Yang Zhenshan a feeling of being kept at a thousand miles¡¯ distance. However, Yang Zhenshan neither took offense nor got angry because he knew that this was how Lu Songhe had always treated the original host. In fact, Lu Songhe loved his daughter dearly; he often subsidized the Yang family in the past, providing food, clothing, and anything the Lu family had, some of which he would send to the Yang family. Of course, his love was only for his daughter; he harbored plenty of resentment and dissatisfaction toward the original host, his son-in-law. The original host¡¯s marriage had been arranged before he was enlisted in the military. At that time, the original host was an extraordinary young Martial Artist, so Lu Songhe was naturally pleased to have such a son-in-law. But later, when the original host came back to get married, with his health failing and being poor, Lu Songhe became reluctant. It wasn¡¯t that he despised poverty and loved wealth; he simply didn¡¯t want his daughter to suffer. But the marriage agreement had been set, so even though he was unwilling, he had no choice but to marry his daughter off. As time went on, and the Yang family¡¯s life grew harder, Lu Songhe¡¯s dissatisfaction with the original host also increased. His daughter leading a hard life meant that this son-in-law was incompetent, so it would be strange if Lu Songhe would show a good face to the original host. A year ago, when his daughter passed away sickly, Lu Songhe sending off a younger person than himself filled him with even greater resentment; his willingness to meet Yang Zhenshan today was already a display of his magnanimity. ¡°Dad, Yan¡¯er has made a set of cotton clothes for you and Mom. Please try them on first to see if they fit!¡± Yang Zhenshan unfolded his bundle and took out the cotton garments. Lu Songhe looked at the cotton clothes, and his displeased expression eased considerably. Yang Yunyan¡¯s needlework was learned from the original host¡¯s wife, and the stitching style was exactly the same as the original host¡¯s wife, even the bamboo leaves embroidery that she liked to add on clothes was a tradition that Yang Yunyan continued. Chapter 16 - 16 15 Zhengshan Is Also a Passionate Person ?Chapter 16: Chapter 15 Zhengshan Is Also a Passionate Person Chapter 16: Chapter 15 Zhengshan Is Also a Passionate Person Feeling the embroidered bamboo leaves on the cotton jacket, Lu Songhe sighed softly, ¡°You all have been very considerate!¡± He blamed his former self for not taking good care of his daughter, yet he knew that his former self was powerless, tormented by a concealed injury, with the will but not the strength. If there was anyone to blame, it was for not having swallowed his pride and called off the marriage back then. He was dissatisfied with his son-in-law, Yang Zhenshan, but he did not truly resent him. In fact, even though the original couple lived a life of poverty, their affection for each other was very strong. They had been together for twenty years, and aside from occasional bickering, they never had any major conflicts. ¡°This is what we ought to do!¡± Yang Zhenshan helped Lu Songhe put on the cotton jacket. The size was very fitting, and even though the fabric was just ordinary cotton, it was well made, clearly Yang Yunyan had put her heart into it. ¡°Have you heard that your injury has healed?¡± Lu Songhe asked casually. ¡°Yes, it has healed, but...¡± Yang Zhenshan showed a face full of sorrow. This wasn¡¯t an act; he genuinely felt sorrow, but not for the former self¡¯s late wife. He had been a fine young man in his prime, and now in this world he was a grandfather, so what if his body was healthy? It was no longer that young body he had. Thinking of how he had inexplicably aged ten years, he felt as bitter as if he had eaten bitter herbs. However, it had already been a month and a half since he arrived in this world, and he had actually come to terms with these hardships. Still, faced with his unfortunate father-in-law, he had to show some sorrow for his deceased wife. ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s just that Qing¡¯er was not blessed with fortune. You still have children, and from now on, taking good care of them is what matters!¡± Seeing him so sorrowful, Lu Songhe¡¯s dissatisfaction dissipated quite a bit, and he even started to comfort him. Yang Zhenshan felt a sigh of relief, but his face still carried a faint sadness. Ah, how I suffer! Wailing inwardly, when I think of the carefree days I once had, my heart turns sour. Back then, I was like a little green dragon in the bars and bathhouses, but now I¡¯ve got to play the roles of both father and grandfather, wailing, I can¡¯t be carefree anymore. Suddenly recalling the joyful days, tears welled up in Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes. He longed for those enchanting figures under the neon lights, those long-legged beauties walking the streets, those tender hands in the bathhouses. Seeing him like this, Lu Songhe¡¯s heart softened further. Ah, Zhengshan really is a man of deep feelings! He was mistaken; well, it¡¯s not exactly a misunderstanding, Yang Zhenshan indeed is a man of deep feelings, but his affection was for those carefree days. His affection wasn¡¯t for a person, but for an entire ocean of experiences. Yang Zhenshan sneakily took a glance at Lu Songhe, and seeing his gentle demeanor, he immediately felt that his performance was sufficient. He quickly suppressed the sad expression on his face, but with a sort of forced cheerfulness, he said, ¡°Dad, the day before yesterday, bandits attacked the Jiang family village, and I killed their leader, Scar Liu.¡± ¡°The county government has a reward of 300 taels of silver for Scar Liu, about this matter...¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence, instead waiting for Lu Songhe¡¯s reaction. His purpose today wasn¡¯t just to bond with Lu Songhe but also to ask for his advice. Even though he deserved the reward silver for killing Scar Liu, he was unsure if there were any hidden traps, and he didn¡¯t know if the county government would truly honor their promise. Whether he could get the reward silver or not, he didn¡¯t much care. After all, he wasn¡¯t short of money now; his main concern was that it might bring disaster to the Yang family. Not that he was overly cautious, but this world was not the same as the one he¡¯d come from, nor that previous society with good public order. Having just arrived, it was always best to err on the side of caution. ¡°You killed Scar Liu!¡± Lu Songhe exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Yang Zhenshan nodded. Lu Songhe¡¯s eyes widened slightly, ¡°I heard he was quite formidable.¡± ¡°He was formidable, but still not quite a match for me,¡± Yang Zhenshan said. Lu Songhe sized him up, then said thoughtfully, ¡°This is a good thing. The reward silver isn¡¯t important, what matters is that this will catch Mr. Luo¡¯s attention!¡± ¡°Do you have any ideas?¡± Yang Zhenshan shook his head, ¡°I know little about the county government; I can¡¯t think of any ideas just yet.¡± Lu Songhe stroked his white-streaked beard and nodded slightly. ¡°Mr. Luo is a capable person; catching his eye is also your good fortune. However, if you wish to seek an official position, you¡¯ll need to strategize!¡± Martial Artists could also hold office; in the military, as long as one was a Martial Artist, one could be promoted after about a year of service, to positions like General Flag or Bazong, the grassroots military officers. In local government, Martial Artists could serve various auxiliary or miscellaneous official roles, such as County Magistrate, Inspection Bureau, Post Station Chief, arrest officer, and so on. What kind of position one could obtain depended on manipulation; roles like County Magistrate weren¡¯t decided by the county government, requiring one to make connections. The position of County Magistrate was not something Yang Zhenshan could aspire to at the moment. He was actually quite interested in the role of inspector; although the inspector only held a Standard Ninth Rank official position, they had their own government office, command over scores or even hundreds of soldiers, and considerable responsibilities and authority. Due to its proximity to the Northern Border, Anning County had established three Inspection Bureaus. Compared to the position of County Magistrate, it was easier to obtain the role of inspector. However, this was just Yang Zhenshan¡¯s thought; whether it was feasible depended on if Lu Songhe had a way. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry on this matter. Let me discuss it with my eldest son first!¡± said Lu Songhe, after a moment¡¯s thought. Naturally, he wanted to help Yang Zhenshan secure some sort of position. After all, Yang Zhenshan was his son-in-law; the children of the Yang family were his grandchildren, and helping Yang Zhenshan was like helping his deceased daughter. Previously, Yang Zhenshan had neither the ability nor the opportunity, so Lu Songhe hadn¡¯t considered this, but now that Yang Zhenshan had the opportunity, he was sure to lend assistance. Yang Zhenshan was not in a hurry either; he merely harbored such a thought and wasn¡¯t determined to secure an official position. If the opportunity arose, he would strive for it, but if he failed to attain it, he wouldn¡¯t be too disappointed. At noon, Yang Zhenshan stayed at the Lu family¡¯s home for a meal. Lu Songhe had two sons and a daughter; his eldest son, Lu Zhaoqi, served as an Archivist in the county government, while his second son, Lu Zhaoran, managed the family¡¯s farmland¡ªa landlord of a sizable estate spanning hundreds of acres, a true rural gentry. Moreover, Lu Songhe had four grandsons: Lu Wenchun, Lu Wenjie, Lu Wenhua, and Lu Wenquan, with Lu Wenquan being the most scholarly. At sixteen years old, he was already a student scholar and would likely participate in the College Examination next year, barring any accidents. However, Yang Zhenshan did not see Lu Wenquan today; Lu Wenquan was studying in Ning County¡¯s academy and seldom returned to Qinghe Town. The Lu family took good care of Yang Zhenshan, their son-in-law, and the younger members of the family respected him deeply, showing none of the disdainful complications often seen in dramatic tales. Thus, the meal was lively and enjoyable, and Yang Zhenshan even drank a few cups with Lu Zhaoran. When he left the Lu family¡¯s house, his steps were a bit unsteady. Chapter 17 - 17 16 Yes You Were Adopted ?Chapter 17: Chapter 16 Yes, You Were Adopted Chapter 17: Chapter 16 Yes, You Were Adopted Near evening, Yang Zhenshan returned to the Yang family home. The Yang family was still bustling. The matter with the Jiang family village had ended, and all the young lads from Yang Family Village had returned. Yang Chengze, Yang Chengxu, and Yang Qinwu, having nothing else to do, came over to the Yang family to practice their martial arts. But today, there was one more person; Yang Minghao had also come back. ¡°Dad!¡± Yang Minghao saw Yang Zhenshan, pouted, and looked aggrieved. Yang Zhenshan was slightly stunned when he saw him, ¡°Why have you come back?¡± ¡°I missed home!¡± Yang Minghao said, feeling wronged. How could he not feel wronged? It was only upon returning home that he realized the family was living well now, not only was there meat at every meal, but his older brothers had also resumed their martial arts training. And him? He was hammering iron at the blacksmith shop every day, laborious and tired, without any meat to eat. Thinking about the hardships he endured, and then comparing them to the good days at home, he really wanted to ask Yang Zhenshan if he was adopted. If he really did ask that, Yang Zhenshan would definitely say, yes, you were picked up, not just you, this entire house was picked up by me, what about it! Well, Yang Zhenshan really did forget about this youngest son, except for the first trip to the county town where he saw this son, and afterward, he never thought of him. Don¡¯t blame him, with so many people in the family, it¡¯s normal to overlook someone. Yang Mingcheng and Yang Mingzhi were at least nearby, he couldn¡¯t overlook them if he wanted to, but Yang Minghao was always in the county town, out of sight and out of mind. ¡°It¡¯s good that you are back, no need to go to the blacksmith shop anymore!¡± Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t mind Yang Minghao¡¯s grievances, pretending not to see them, and simply said. ¡°Really!¡± Yang Minghao, hearing this, immediately brightened up. ¡°Mhm, practice your martial arts well and strive to become a Martial Artist as soon as possible.¡± Yang Zhenshan said. Driving one sheep is the same effort as driving two, adding Yang Minghao to the lot didn¡¯t make much difference. But the house was getting more crowded, Yang Minghao could only share a room with Lin Zhan, and if there were one more, they would have to move into his main house. It seems that they would need to build a bigger house next year. Yang Zhenshan thought to himself. Before, he didn¡¯t have such thoughts, but after seeing the large courtyard of the Lu family, he was inspired. But whether he could move into a bigger house depended on whether the county government would give him the reward silver. The county government was quite credible, or it should be said that Mr. Luo, the County Magistrate, was very true to his word. Four days after the Jiang family village encountered bandits, Yang Zhenshan received the reward silver from the county government¡ªnot a tael less than 300 taels was handed to Yang Zhenshan. The person who came to deliver the reward silver was none other than Yang Zhenshan¡¯s brother-in-law, Lu Zhaoqi. Inside the main hall of the Yang family, Lu Zhaoqi looked with interest at everyone practicing martial arts in the courtyard. ¡°This place has become much livelier than before.¡± Yang Zhenshan brewed a pot of tea with a newly bought teapot and said, ¡°I¡¯ve recovered from my injury, and the Clan Leader intends to have me get more involved with the clan¡¯s affairs, and those few lads are the ones the Clan Leader sent over!¡± Lu Zhaoqi nodded slightly, then sized up Yang Zhenshan, looking at the white hairs at his temples, and said, ¡°You¡¯ve aged quite a bit since I last saw you!¡± ¡°...¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s lips twitched slightly. Can we not talk about being old, or saying we are good brothers, because brings up an urge to beat someone up. Yang Zhenshan has aged a decade, he admits that now, but being suddenly reminded of it fills his heart with frustration and depression, wanting to grab Lu Zhaoqi¡¯s ear and shout, ¡°I am only twenty-eight years old, still a young man.¡± Unfortunately, he can¡¯t. ¡°We¡¯ve gotten old, our children have grown up!¡± What else could Yang Zhenshan say? He could only change the topic to his children, as he didn¡¯t want to continue racing down the topic of age. ¡°I hear Wenyuan is doing quite well in his studies!¡± When his own younger son was mentioned, Lu Zhaoqi immediately showed a proud expression, ¡°Haha, Wenyuan indeed excels; the teacher at the academy said he has a high chance of passing the College Examination next year!¡± ¡°The College Examination requires traveling to the prefectural city, right?¡± asked Yang Zhenshan as he poured some tea. ¡°Yes! We need to set off in May,¡± Lu Zhaoqi said. Yang Zhenshan smiled and said: ¡°At that time, I¡¯ll let Ming Cheng accompany him, it¡¯s better to have someone looking out for him.¡± Lu Zhaoqi took a sip of his tea, the faint fragrance of the tea circulating in his mouth, ¡°Wenchun accompanying him will be enough!¡± ¡°Haha, since Ming Cheng has practiced Martial Arts, having him for protection will give you peace of mind,¡± Yang Zhenshan remarked. The Yang family and the Lu family are indeed true relatives. Since they are relatives, it¡¯s natural to be closer, exchanging courtesies, and helping each other; that is what relatives are for. From Anning County to Jing¡¯an Prefecture, the journey covers over two hundred miles, not to mention the dangers, even just discussing the transport conditions, a journey of over two hundred miles takes at least three to four days, it¡¯s not easy to travel without someone looking out. Actually, Yang Zhenshan also wanted to follow them to the prefectural city, but thinking that there¡¯s still over half a year until the College Examination, he couldn¡¯t confirm his plans now. If suitable by then, he would personally make the trip, and if he didn¡¯t have the time, he would ask Yang Mingcheng to go with them. ¡°Then I¡¯ll not be polite, and trouble Ming Cheng to make the trip then!¡± Lu Zhaoqi stopped declining and accepted Yang Zhenshan¡¯s kind offer. Then he changed the tone of the conversation, saying: ¡°Regarding seeking an official position, Dad has already spoken to me.¡± ¡°You killed Scarred Liu, and Mr. Luo was very pleased, he even summoned me alone to inquire about your situation.¡± ¡°However, as for obtaining an official position, there¡¯s probably no chance for now. There are only a few ranked positions in the county government, with each filled spot tightly occupied, no one stepping down means no chance for you to step in.¡± ¡°If you just want to work at the county government, it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult, positions like Government Official, Post Station Chief¡¯s Cavalry, I can help you get a good spot!¡± It¡¯s not that he¡¯s unwilling to help Yang Zhenshan, but he simply can¡¯t. He is just a record officer, without any rank, how can he secure an official position for Yang Zhenshan? Yang Zhenshan felt somewhat disappointed upon hearing this, but his disappointment soon dissipated, ¡°If it can¡¯t be done, then let it be. As for roles like Government Official, I¡¯m not interested.¡± What he wanted was a ranked official position, not those insignificant ones. These lower roles, though granting some minor power and income, also confined his freedom. Instead of wasting time on those, he would rather genuinely strengthen his own capabilities in Yang Family Village, nurture the younger generation of his family, and wait for the right opportunity. He believed that as long as his abilities were strong enough, and the younger generation of his family excelled, a future chance to rise would definitely present itself. ¡°Don¡¯t be too disappointed, your name is now listed under Mr. Luo, and you might be summoned and utilized by Mr. Luo at any moment,¡± Lu Zhaoqi consoled. He was right, Mr. Luo did indeed remember Yang Zhenshan, but whether Mr. Luo would help Yang Zhenshan secure a position depended on whether Mr. Luo truly valued him. Judging from the fact Mr. Luo hadn¡¯t summoned Yang Zhenshan, it seemed he didn¡¯t particularly value him, only showing interest due to Scarred Liu¡¯s death. This was within expectations, as Yang Zhenshan, despite being a Martial Artist, was merely considered a commoner in Mr. Luo¡¯s eyes, not someone to keep continuously in mind. Chapter 18 - 18 17 I also like the beautiful ones so you ?Chapter 18: Chapter 17 I also like the beautiful ones, so you need to marry a virtuous one. Chapter 18: Chapter 17 I also like the beautiful ones, so you need to marry a virtuous one. ¡°Dad, there really is reward silver of 300 taels!¡± After sending off Lu Zhaoqi, Ms. Wang and the Li family gathered around. The plump Ms. Wang was silly-smiling at the silver note in Yang Zhenshan¡¯s hand. A silver note! That was a silver note! It was her first time seeing a silver note in her life. The Li family was also staring at the silver note with gleaming eyes, their greed unhidden. Greed is actually quite normal; both Ms. Wang and the Li family came from ordinary farming households and had endured tough times; a sudden sight of a large sum of silver would inevitably evoke their avarice. It wasn¡¯t just them, even Yang Minghao, the little rascal, came running over, ¡°Dad, let me have a look at the silver note.¡± ¡°Go play over there, this silver is mine, it¡¯s got nothing to do with you!¡± Yang Zhenshan said unceremoniously. Damn it, I¡¯m the one who earned the silver, and you ungrateful kids have the gall to covet it. ¡°Dad, just let me have a look. I just want to see, I¡¯ve never seen a silver note before!¡± Yang Minghao said anxiously. He was so eager, yet Yang Zhenshan was deliberately not showing it to him. ¡°Want a look?¡± ¡°Mhm mhm~~¡± Yang Minghao nodded like a pecking chick. ¡°Earn it yourself!¡± Yang Zhenshan tucked the silver note into his chest. Yang Minghao watched as the silver note disappeared into Yang Zhenshan¡¯s chest, his mouth puckered in full disappointment and sulkiness. ¡°Dad, you don¡¯t love me anymore, sob sob...¡± Yang Zhenshan ¡°...¡± Love you my foot! I ain¡¯t your dad. Seeing him almost cry, Yang Zhenshan felt disgust in his heart, but remembering the kid was only fourteen years old and still a child, he took out the silver note and said, ¡°You are only allowed to look, don¡¯t tear it!¡± ¡°Thank you Dad!¡± The very Yang Minghao who was about to cry had a smile that was about to split his face ear to ear when he saw the silver note. He carefully took the silver note as if he was handling a rare treasure. Ms. Wang and the Li family, too, craned their necks to look at the silver note, and even Yang Yunxue came over to join in the excitement. The whole family looked like they had never seen the world before which gave Yang Zhenshan a toothache. ¡°Dad, does this mean I can get married now?¡± Yang Minghao suddenly said. Get married! Yang Zhenshan was taken aback. Then he realized, Yang Minghao really should be considering marriage now. Yang Mingcheng got married at fifteen, Yang Mingzhi got married at fifteen, now Yang Minghao was already fourteen, indeed, it was time to start arranging his marriage. If the original body¡¯s wife was still here, she would probably have already started arranging marriage matters for Yang Minghao. Marry at fifteen? Yang Zhenshan scratched his head; this wasn¡¯t just premature love, damn it, it was criminal. Okay, there was no marriage law from before here, marrying at fifteen or sixteen was normal, and being unmarried past eighteen would be a laughing matter. But I also want to get married, I want to find you kids a stepmother! Yang Zhenshan gave a glance to Yang Minghao. Should I find you a wife, or should I find you a stepmother first? This question was worth thinking about. Yang Minghao felt a bit uneasy under his gaze, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t I get married?¡± ¡°...¡± Yang Zhenshan was somewhat speechless, you¡¯re only fourteen, why the rush. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll arrange it in a few days!¡± Yang Zhenshan took the silver note and said gruffly. Marriage here is about parental orders and matchmakers¡¯ arrangements, in simpler terms, a blind marriage and a mute bride, nothing but an arranged marriage. Getting married is almost like opening a blind box. Before getting married, both parties probably haven¡¯t seen each other, not until the wedding night do they find out what kind of wife they have chosen, or what kind of husband they have married. It¡¯s not a big deal for Yang Zhenshan to arrange a wife for Yang Minghao, after all, such are the customs, but for him to go through a blind marriage himself, that¡¯s something he can¡¯t accept. He still wants to experience free love, to find someone he likes, not some stranger. ¡°What kind of wife do you want?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked. ¡°A beautiful one!¡± Yang Minghao said without hesitation. A slight twitch appeared at the corner of Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mouth, ¡®Don¡¯t you even look in the mirror to see what you look like? And yet you want a beautiful wife. Are you worthy?¡¯ Yang Minghao was not particularly handsome. Among the three brothers, Yang Mingzhi was the most attractive with his double eyelids and big eyes. If it weren¡¯t for his slightly dark skin, he wouldn¡¯t look much different from those creamy-faced young actors. Yang Mingzhi¡¯s looks came from his original wife, while Yang Mingcheng and Yang Minghao resembled Yang Zhenshan somewhat¡ªwith their tall figures and ordinary faces. ¡°You should marry for character, Dad will find you a virtuous wife,¡± Yang Zhenshan said indifferently. I also like beautiful ones, so you should marry a virtuous one. It was illogical, but Yang Zhenshan felt that this was the way it should be. A daughter-in-law is not his own wife, after all. There¡¯s no need for her to be too pretty. ¡°Dad~¡± Yang Minghao looked at him grievously, but Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste words on this informal son and turned to enter the inner room. Sitting on the heated brick bed, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s thoughts moved, and the phantom image of the Spiritual Spring in the stone pond appeared before his eyes. The stone pond, the Spiritual Spring, the boundless darkness¡ªit all seemed to be the same as before, but a careful observation would reveal some changes. Firstly, the spring water in the stone pond, a pool of water clear to the bottom, rippling gently, was no longer just enough to fill a bowl but was now nearly a ladleful. Considering that today Yang Zhenshan had already drunk a bowl of the Spiritual Spring Water, yet there was still so much left, it was evident that the daily outflow of spring water had increased significantly compared to before. By Yang Zhenshan¡¯s estimate, the spring¡¯s daily output from the eye at the bottom of the pond was about two bowls, almost double the previous amount. Secondly, the stone pond itself had grown larger, from originally only about a foot in size to now roughly three feet. The increase in spring water and the expansion of the stone pond were quite apparent changes. Yang Zhenshan took a porcelain bowl, filled it with spring water, and gulped it down. The water was still refreshingly sweet upon entry, but the warm current and the comfortable sensation spreading throughout his body were no longer present. This was not to say that the spring water had lost its previous effects, but rather that Yang Zhenshan¡¯s body was no longer as run-down as it had been before. After swallowing a bowl of the water, Yang Zhenshan took a kettle, filled it with spring water, and set it to boil for making tea. As dusk approached, the sky suddenly began to scatter fine snowflakes. The snowflakes fell whisperingly like granulated sugar, devoid of the lightness of a heavy snowfall, bringing the crisp chill of deep winter. ¡°Elder brother, second brother, youngest brother, come drink some tea!¡± Yang Zhenshan called the three brothers who were tidying the yard into the main house. ¡°Dad!¡± The three brothers entered, brushing the snow frost off their bodies. ¡°It¡¯s cold, have a cup of hot tea to warm up!¡± Yang Zhenshan unobtrusively poured each of them a cup of tea. Yang Zhenshan also sipped his tea. Tea brewed with Spiritual Spring water tasted sweeter. The tea at home was nothing special, just the common tea leaves found in the town. In Anning County, tea leaves are incredibly valuable. Even the most common tea leaves cost four to five hundred copper coins per pound, not something ordinary people could afford. The reason for this is that Anning County does not produce tea. The tea available on the market is all transported from thousands of miles away. Yang Mingcheng and his brothers had grown so big but hardly ever drank tea. They had no clue about the quality of tea, so they simply gulped it down after picking up their cups. ¡°Eh! The tea is actually sweet?¡± Yang Minghao smacked his lips, savoring the taste of the tea. Yang Zhenshan watched him, his cheeks twitching slightly, ¡®What a fool, it¡¯s like casting pearls before swine to give him tea.¡¯ ¡°Dad, another bowl!¡± Yang Minghao, oblivious to Yang Zhenshan¡¯s inner commentary, reached out and asked. ¡°Pour it yourself, fill one for your elder and second brothers too,¡± Yang Zhenshan sipped his tea nonchalantly as the three brothers shared a pot of tea and finished it in no time. All three brothers felt a warm moisture circulating inside them, their bodies filled with a comfortable sensation. However, they did not suspect there was anything unusual about the tea; they simply thought it was a normal reaction to drinking hot tea in the freezing cold. Naturally, Yang Zhenshan did not disclose the matter of the Spiritual Spring Water to them. Seeing that the three brothers had finished the tea, he turned back and returned to the house. Chapter 19 - 19 18 I want to see your wife but I refuse to ?Chapter 19: Chapter 18: I want to see your wife, but I refuse to let you. Chapter 19: Chapter 18: I want to see your wife, but I refuse to let you. Snow beyond the window grew heavier, with Changqing Mountain shrouded in a silvery garment. This was the first snow of the year, and also the heaviest Yang Zhenshan had ever seen. The snow fell for two days and a night, only stopping on the morning of the third day. In the courtyard, Yang Mingcheng and his three brothers, along with Lin Zhan, were clearing the snow within the yard and the roof, while Yang Chengye and Yang Chengmao, the two little fellows, frolicked like joyous puppies in the snow. Standing inside the main hall, Yang Zhenshan watched the bustling and playful scene in the courtyard, the corners of his mouth curling lightly. It seemed this family was also not bad. ¡°Dad!¡± A figure wrapped up like a ball appeared at the courtyard gate, calling out to Yang Zhenshan. ¡°Jiang He! How come you¡¯re here?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked, looking at the face beneath the fur hat. Stepping into the main hall, Jiang He removed his fur hat and said with a silly smile: ¡°I was worried about Yunyan!¡± ¡°With her being here by my side, what¡¯s there to worry about!¡± Yang Zhenshan gave his son-in-law a sideways glance. Jiang He continued to smile naively, his face unknowingly reddening, whether from the cold or embarrassment. He also sneakily glanced toward the western chamber, searching for the figure of Yang Yunyan. Seeing him acting like this, Yang Zhenshan began to internally complain. Can¡¯t you be a bit more reserved? Your father-in-law is still here. Even if you¡¯re missing your wife, you should at least talk to your father-in-law first. Yang Zhenshan felt like a mouthful of dog food was being crammed into his mouth, forced to swallow even though he didn¡¯t want to eat it. Humph, you want to see your wife? I just won¡¯t let you. ¡°Come in and sit down!¡± Jiang He was taken aback but could only follow Yang Zhenshan into the hall. ¡°How¡¯s the situation in your village?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked casually. ¡°Everything is alright; we should be able to make it through this winter without a problem,¡± Jiang He said absently. The Jiang family¡¯s village had encountered bandit trouble; much of the village was burned, and many villagers died or were injured. Fortunately, Yang Zhenshan arrived in time to save Jiang He¡¯s family and a few neighboring villagers. Now, the Jiang family¡¯s village did not lack supplies and silver coin, but after this disaster, there were less than ten households left, their population scarcely reaching fifty or sixty people. Even so, this was still much better than the situation in the small Lin village on Changqing Mountain. At least they had a place to live and food and clothes; unlike the two households in Lin village, who had lost everything and depended entirely on the Yang Family Village for support. ¡°Have the people from the county government left?¡± Yang Zhenshan continued. ¡°No, the county government left two scribes and several constables,¡± Jiang He finally remembered the pressing matters and said, ¡°Also, my dad sent me to ask if you¡¯d like to buy some land!¡± ¡°Buy land!¡± Yang Zhenshan showed a hint of interest. ¡°Mm, many families in the village have been wiped out, and their lands are going to be auctioned off by the county government. If Dad wants to buy, now is a good time,¡± Jiang He explained. Yang Zhenshan became interested. He had been considering whether to acquire some properties, including houses, shops, and land. Although he was not short of silver now, he could not afford idleness. Moreover, for the Yang family to grow and flourish, they needed more money and a stable income. He had thought about going into business and inventing things to make money, such as making glass or distilling spirits. After some thought, however, he decided to abandon the idea. The reason was that the Yang family¡¯s foundation was too weak and their power too limited. He was a martial artist and a notable figure in Yang Family Village, but in the county town, a martial artist like him wasn¡¯t worth much. If he really acquired great wealth, it wouldn¡¯t lead to making a fortune, but to the extermination of his family. Without sufficient power, wealth was nothing more than an illusion. Therefore, he gave up on those pie-in-the-sky ideas and decided to acquire some real estate properties for the Yang family. Although acquiring real estate properties wouldn¡¯t make one rich overnight, the advantage is in its stability and not drawing unwanted attention. Given his Martial Artist identity, buying a few hundred acres of farmland to become a landlord would pose no problem. ¡°What¡¯s the price?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked. ¡°The clerks in the county government set the price at five taels for paddy fields, and four taels for dry fields. Our village currently has over two hundred acres of unclaimed land, all to be sold!¡± Jiang He said. Four taels of Silver per acre, this price was definitely considered cheap. Anning County could only grow one crop per year, so the price of farmland was fairly inexpensive. If it were in the southern regions of the Da Rong Dynasty, the price of farmland could exceed ten taels, even reaching as high as twenty taels. Different regions, different environments, the prices of farmland vary greatly. Yang Zhenshan tapped the table lightly and said, ¡°Can I buy a hundred acres?¡± Jiang He looked at him in astonishment, ¡°Dad, isn¡¯t that too much?¡± ¡°Too much?¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. ¡°A hundred acres of land, Big Brother and the others won¡¯t be able to farm it all!¡± Jiang He said. Yang Zhenshan rolled his eyes; the idea of letting Yang Mingcheng and the others continue farming was out of the question. He had plans for Yang Mingcheng and the others to become Martial Artists. Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t want them to waste their time farming. ¡°Find tenants!¡± Yang Zhenshan said. Tenants were those who specialized in farming for others. There were no tenants in Yang Family Village, but there were quite a few in Qinghe Town. A little over a hundred acres only required two to three tenant families. It shouldn¡¯t be difficult to ask the Lu family for help in finding a few tenant families. ¡°Oh,¡± realized Jiang He, ¡°Dad, if you want to buy, you can go to our village and speak with those two clerk masters.¡± However, Yang Zhenshan looked at him, his eyebrows wrinkling slightly. He had noticed a problem. A serious problem. Whether it was the three brothers Yang Mingcheng, or Jiang He, their knowledge was too limited, and it seemed their way of thinking was also restricted. He wanted to buy land, and Jiang He only thought about farming it himself, not even considering tenants. It was not just a matter of low knowledge but also of constrained thinking and mindset. To put it simply, it was a small-minded mentality. Actually, it wasn¡¯t their fault. After all, they were just ordinary villagers who, aside from a few visits to the county town, had never left the village. And they hadn¡¯t had the chance to read books, so it was understandable for their knowledge and thinking to be limited. But on the other hand, Yang Zhenshan wanted the Yang family to grow and develop, and naturally would not confine them within this small village, let alone confine them to Anning County. In the future, he would surely have to venture out to forge a path for the Yang family. If Yang Mingcheng and the others were not to change, it would be hard for them to keep up with his pace. However, his brow soon eased. It wasn¡¯t hard to change Yang Mingcheng and the others. Yang Mingcheng was still young, and it wasn¡¯t too late for him to change. The oldest, Yang Mingcheng, was only twenty years old, equivalent to the age of a college student, and Yang Mingzhi and Yang Minghao were even younger. It wasn¡¯t too late to start nurturing them now. Most importantly, Yang Mingcheng and the others were dutiful and obedient. As long as it was Yang Zhenshan¡¯s command, they would try their hardest to do it. Being a bit slow wasn¡¯t a problem, the fear was if they were rebellious, disobedient, unwilling to change. ¡°I understand; I¡¯ll go have a look this afternoon!¡± Yang Zhenshan smiled and no longer held Jiang He up, ¡°Go check on Yunyan!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Jiang He grinned broadly, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll head over now!¡± With those words, he quickly ran out of the main hall and towards the west wing rooms. Chapter 20 - 20 19 Yang Familys Mini Classroom ?Chapter 20: Chapter 19 Yang Family¡¯s Mini Classroom Chapter 20: Chapter 19 Yang Family¡¯s Mini Classroom Actually, he shouldn¡¯t have entered the western chamber, because it wasn¡¯t Yang Yunyan¡¯s own room, and Yang Yunxue and Wang Daya were living inside. Men and women must keep their distance. If a brother-in-law runs into his sister-in-law¡¯s room and this gets out, who knows how much gossip there will be. Yang Zhenshan naturally wouldn¡¯t care about these things, but he couldn¡¯t ignore the potential damage to Yang Yunxue¡¯s reputation. ¡°Don¡¯t stay in the room too long; after a while, help your brother clear the snow.¡± A son-in-law is like half a child; there¡¯s no reason not to use this free labor. Since he¡¯s here, he can¡¯t be left idle. It¡¯s fine to visit your daughter-in-law, but chores need to be done too. Hmph, this is the benefit of being a father-in-law. ¡°Understood, Dad!¡± Jiang He responded without turning his head. This guy probably couldn¡¯t wait to see his wife so much that he rushed into the room without thinking; fortunately, Yang Yunxue and the others already knew he was coming and had opened the door before he even entered. ¡°Brother-in-law, big sister is inside. Go ahead and talk,¡± Yang Yunxue said with a smile, bending her eyebrows. At the same time, she also brought Wang Daya out, giving the young couple space to talk. Jiang He and Yang Yunyan, the young couple, talked inside the room, while Yang Yunxue and Wang Daya went to the eastern chamber of the main house. On the warm kang bed, two little ones lay on thick quilts, babbling in baby talk. Ms. Wang and the Li family were already busy cooking in the kitchen, preparing meals for over a dozen people was not an easy task, and the two sisters-in-law poured a lot of heart into the food and clothing of this family every day. However, they didn¡¯t feel even a trace of complaint in their hearts; in fact, they found joy in it. With full bellies and warm clothes, having meat with every meal ¡ª they could only dream of such days before, but now that it¡¯s a reality, they are extremely content. The two prepared a table full of dishes. Jiang He stayed for lunch and went to the Jiang family village with Yang Zhenshan in the afternoon. The two clerks left by the county government were specifically handling the land affairs of the Jiang family village. They had heard of Yang Zhenshan, so they treated him with polite respect, not showing the slightest bit of arrogance. Upon learning that Yang Zhenshan wanted to buy a hundred mu of land, their attitude towards him became even warmer. In the cold of winter, who wouldn¡¯t want to go home and hold their wife? They had been longing to return to the county seat, but as the land in the Jiang family village hadn¡¯t sold, they couldn¡¯t leave. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s purchase of a hundred mu of land was akin to fulfilling half of their duty for them; naturally, they were even more enthusiastic. The process of buying the land went smoothly. Yang Zhenshan acquired a large tract of land close to Yang Family Village, forty mu of paddy fields and sixty mu of dry land, totaling four hundred and forty taels. He got the deeds the same day, and by the time he returned to Yang Family Village, he was already the largest landlord in the village. Upon learning that Yang Zhenshan had bought a hundred mu of land, the Yang family naturally celebrated. To ordinary folks, land is everything, as having the land means having grain, and having grain signifies their ability to survive. Although the Yang family was starting to prosper, Yang Mingcheng and the others still hadn¡¯t changed their mindset and still considered themselves ordinary farmers. Regarding this, Yang Zhenshan felt it was time for the Yang family¡¯s little classroom to begin. Regardless of the age, everyone must come to learn. Practicing martial arts in the morning, attending classes to study in the afternoon. Yang Zhenshan taught personally, from Yang Mingcheng and Ms. Wang to Lin Zhan and Wang Daya, and even little Yang Chengye was caught by Yang Zhenshan to join the class. Of course, Yang Zhenshan wasn¡¯t teaching the Four Books and Five Classics, the Confucian classics. He wouldn¡¯t be able to teach those even if he wanted to, and wouldn¡¯t know how to explain them even if he tried. He was teaching arithmetic. As a college student majoring in engineering cost, it was quite easy for him to teach some simple arithmetic. Besides arithmetic, Yang Zhenshan also taught some other practical subjects, such as bookkeeping, economics, management, and so forth. However, to avoid appearing too unconventional, he would selectively teach certain subjects and sometimes spoke in a rather veiled manner. There was no complete curriculum; he would teach whatever came to mind. Sometimes he even took Yang Mingcheng and the others to observe and study the county town, from taverns to teahouses, cloth shops, grain stores, and even roadside stalls, affluent households, the county government, and more¡ªhe left no stone unturned. Observing others¡¯ clothing, food, shelter, and transportation, he studied the business dealings of various shops. Yang Zhenshan even borrowed some unimportant archival records from the county government through Lu Zhaoqi for Yang Mingcheng and the others to read and study. This process was not just a learning experience for Yang Mingcheng and the others but also for Yang Zhenshan himself. The pace of learning among Yang Mingcheng and his group was diverse; for instance, the three Yang brothers were literate and could directly learn some basic knowledge, while Ms. Wang and the Li family sisters-in-law had to start from recognizing characters. Those mainly joining Yang Zhenshan on trips to study the county town were the three Yang brothers and Lin Zhan. Initially, Yang Zhenshan led the observations and studies personally, but after a few times, he let them go on their own. After a month, all four had made significant progress. One day, on the way back to Yang Family Village from the county town, Yang Zhenshan sat on an ox cart, looking at the three brothers and Lin Zhan beside him. ¡°Come on, tell me about your insights from today!¡± ¡°You go first, big brother!¡± Yang Mingcheng, who was sitting at the front driving the cart, quickly said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve found that running a cloth shop is the best business to be in!¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± asked Yang Zhenshan. ¡°I¡¯ve observed other stores before, like taverns. There are two taverns in the county town, but there aren¡¯t many customers on regular days, maybe due to the cold weather. In short, there are pitifully few customers.¡± ¡°The grain stores have more customers, but grain prices are quite stable, meaning the profit margins are low.¡± ¡°The profit margin of pharmacies and medical clinics is very high, and there have been particularly many patients during this period, but the business of a pharmacy and medical clinic greatly depends on the medical skill of the resident doctors, which is not suitable for our management.¡± ¡°Finally, there¡¯s the cloth shop. The colder it gets, the better the business for cloth shops becomes since people need cotton clothes and thus have to buy cotton fabric and cotton from cloth shops.¡± Yang Mingcheng spoke slowly about his observations and conclusions, frequently glancing back at Yang Zhenshan¡¯s expression. Yang Zhenshan nodded in approval and said, ¡°Your observation is correct, but you¡¯ve overlooked one aspect¡ªthat is, Anning County doesn¡¯t produce cotton, and the fabrics and cotton sold in cloth shops are all transported from other places. The complexity of the business involved is not something the ordinary folk can engage in.¡± Doing business in Anning County is not an easy task. Despite Anning County¡¯s poverty, those shops all have significant backing. Especially industries like cloth shops, which are not owned by local people from Anning County. ¡°For our family, a cloth shop is not the right choice. In contrast, a grain store, despite its lower profits, is more stable and thus the best choice for us.¡± ¡°However, those grain stores are all supported by landlords and big clans behind the scenes, and it is very difficult for our family alone to open a grain store!¡± Yang Zhenshan said. He had considered all these factors, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have bought land. As a modern man, how could he not know that doing business is the fastest way to make money? Yet, without a solid foundation or backing, starting a business was nothing more than wishful thinking. Chapter 21 - 21 20 sends you to observe and learn but youre ?Chapter 21: Chapter 20 sends you to observe and learn, but you¡¯re off looking at young girls? Chapter 21: Chapter 20 sends you to observe and learn, but you¡¯re off looking at young girls? ¡°Second Brother, talk about what you¡¯ve found!¡± Yang Zhenshan turned again to ask Yang Mingzhi. Yang Mingzhi was walking alongside the ox cart, speaking as he went: ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve been observing the Lu family this entire time!¡± ¡°The Lu family!¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°Yes, the Lu family is the largest clan in Anning County. They own numerous businesses. From my observations, the grain store, the blacksmith shop, the restaurant, the tea house, the gold and silver shops on the east street of the town, and so on are all properties of the Lu family!¡± ¡°Moreover, the Lu family has a family school with over fifty students, most of whom are Lu clan descendants, and they all possess quite some talent in their studies!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve also made a friend from the Lu family, Lu Cheng. He is a side branch member of the Lu family, eighteen years old, and studies in their family school.¡± ¡°He mentioned that the Lu family has an elder who is an official in the Capital City, it seems he is a doctor in the Ministry of Revenue.¡± ¡°...¡± Yang Mingzhi said a lot about the Lu family, from how many of them held official posts to the outstanding pupils in their family school. He spoke in fragments, but Yang Zhenshan was utterly engrossed. These aspects were ones he had never encountered before. Although he knew that the Lu family was the largest in Anning County, his understanding of them was limited to just that. As Yang Mingzhi relayed more and more, the look Yang Zhenshan gave him grew increasingly strange. ¡°Dad, why are you looking at me like that?¡± Yang Mingzhi noticed Yang Zhenshan¡¯s gaze and asked somewhat perplexed. Yang Zhenshan shook his head and said: ¡°Nothing, you¡¯re doing very well.¡± Such talent! This kid is definitely talented. In just a few days, he managed to find out so much about the Lu family. He even made friends with someone from the Lu family. I also knew people from the Lu family. Lu Zhou and I were as close as brothers, but my understanding of their family was almost nothing. The disparity is apparent when you compare the two. ¡°Third Brother, now it¡¯s your turn!¡± Yang Zhenshan looked towards Yang Minghao, who was following behind the ox cart. ¡°Ah!¡± Yang Minghao seemed to have been daydreaming, his face full of confusion when suddenly called upon by Yang Zhenshan. ¡°What did you discover today?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked calmly. ¡°Eh, I discovered that the young lady from the cloth store in South City is very pretty!¡± Yang Minghao blurted out. ¡°...¡± Yang Zhenshan felt a sudden urge to slap his silly son. I asked you to observe and learn, and you¡¯re busy looking at the young girls? Damn! Yang Zhenshan wanted to curse. ¡°No, no, what I meant is, that young lady is really capable!¡± Yang Minghao finally noticed Yang Zhenshan¡¯s stern face and quickly corrected himself. The corners of Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. Are you kidding me? ¡°How capable?¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s stern face was terrifying, Yang Minghao shrank his neck and said in a low voice: ¡°I feel like she¡¯s the real Shopkeeper of the cloth store.¡± Yang Zhenshan took a deep breath, silently telling himself not to get angry, not to get angry, who doesn¡¯t have a foolish son. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t say anymore!¡± Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with this rascal any further, turning his attention to Lin Zhan instead. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Disciple has found the business of medicinal herbs and hides in Anning County is very good!¡± Lin Zhan¡¯s tender face was marked with a solemnity and seriousness beyond his years. ¡°Do you have any other thoughts?¡± Yang Zhenshan continued to ask. ¡°The disciple thinks that it¡¯s a good idea to let the villagers cultivate medicinal herbs!¡± Lin Zhan looked at Yang Zhenshan with anticipation. Yang Zhenshan looked at him, his lips slightly curled into a smile. To be honest, although Lin Zhan was young, his intelligence far exceeded that of the three Yang brothers, and with his Scholar dad, he surpassed them in both knowledge and insight. However, his young age meant he viewed things one-sidedly. ¡°Growing medicinal herbs is indeed more profitable than grains, but you¡¯ve overlooked several issues.¡± ¡°First, ordinary farmers don¡¯t know how to cultivate medicinal herbs, and it may take years to promote the cultivation of medicinal herbs in Anning County.¡± ¡°Second, the grain production in Anning County isn¡¯t abundant, which involves supply and demand relations. Compared to medicinal herbs, people need grains more. If the people were to cultivate medicinal herbs on a large scale, Anning County¡¯s grain supply would inevitably fall short, and the price of grain transported from other regions to Anning County would certainly rise.¡± ¡°With this increase and rise, the profit from growing medicinal herbs actually wouldn¡¯t be much different from grains.¡± ¡°Moreover, without grains, the people¡¯s ability to withstand disasters will be lower. Anning County frequently faces natural and man-made calamities, and if the people rely solely on buying grains for survival, the price might skyrocket.¡± ¡°As for the third point, it involves a matter of concept; the people value grains, they won¡¯t easily change and are unwilling to take risks.¡± Yang Zhenshan shared all his thoughts with Lin Zhan, without holding anything back. After two months of interaction, Lin Zhan had already earned his approval. ¡°When looking at anything, you must analyze it from multiple perspectives; don¡¯t just see the benefits, but also be good at spotting flaws.¡± ¡°Only when you can fix all the flaws can you successfully complete a task.¡± Yang Zhenshan taught him patiently and encouragingly. ¡°Thank you, Master, for your teaching. I will keep it in mind!¡± Lin Zhan said. Just as the two were talking, the sound of urgent horse hooves suddenly erupted from the road ahead. ¡°Make way!¡± ¡°Make way!¡± A barrage of horse hooves accompanied by shouts swept towards them and startled Yang Mingcheng who was driving the cart. He quickly pulled on the reins, and the big yellow ox pulling the cart moved to avoid the oncoming traffic. Boom boom boom~~ The sound of the horse hooves rolled like thunder, and in an instant, a group of Cavalry galloped past the ox cart. Sitting in the ox cart, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed. Cavalry! And not just any, these weren¡¯t the border army¡¯s Cavalry! Anning County was close to the northeast border, with military forces stationed within, and he often encountered troop movements. Yang Zhenshan had seen the soldiers from the border army countless times within the county. However, this was his first encounter with a cavalry force like this one. There were about three hundred of them, all clad in Iron Armor, wearing iron helmets, with long sabers at their waists, and an imposing momentum like a force of tigers and wolves. Yang Zhenshan deduced that they were not from the border army because aside from the trusted aides with the officers, most of the cavalry wore leather armor. Especially in winter, it was rare for the border army to wear Iron Armor. The cold froze the ground, and wearing Iron Armor was almost like carrying ice blocks; therefore, the border army in the northeast mainly wore leather and cotton armor during winter. The cavalry before him was wearing Iron Armor, clearly not local soldiers from Anning County, but from the south. Just where they had come from was unknown. Dust filled the air as the cavalry came quickly and left just as quickly, vanishing into the open fields and leaving behind a trail of dust. ¡°My goodness, where did these cavalry come from? That was terrifying!¡± Yang Mingcheng patted his chest, his heart still racing. ¡°They shouldn¡¯t be from Anning County, they were in Iron Armor!¡± Lin Zhan said softly. ¡°Odd, why sudden cavalry? Could there be a conflict in the north?¡± Yang Mingzhi pondered aloud. As they marveled at the power of the cavalry, they speculated on the reasons for this cavalry¡¯s presence in Anning County. Yang Zhenshan thought for a while and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s get the ox cart out and move on!¡± Thankfully, their family¡¯s big yellow ox was steady; although startled by the sudden cavalry, it didn¡¯t panic too much and had merely sought refuge at the edge of the field. The group pushed the ox cart back to the road and continued heading home. Chapter 22 - 22 21 The Spring Festival Naming ?Chapter 22: Chapter 21 The Spring Festival, Naming Chapter 22: Chapter 21 The Spring Festival, Naming The Chinese New Year is drawing near, and the cold winter cannot dampen the enthusiasm of the villagers in Yang Family Village. Many villagers would go to the market town or county city to buy New Year goods, or visit relatives and friends to give New Year gifts. Yang Zhenshan is no exception. This time, his trip to the county city is not only to accompany Yang Mingcheng and the others to study, but also to purchase New Year¡¯s goods. An entire ox cart full of New Year¡¯s goods, including fabrics, fur, tea leaves, meat, and so on. These goods cost Yang Zhanshan more than twenty taels of silver. Once home, Yang Zhenshan immediately sorted out the New Year¡¯s goods. Some were for his own family¡¯s use, while others were for giving away when visiting relatives and friends. The next day, the Yang family began to deliver New Year gifts. Eldest son Yang Mingcheng accompanied Ms. Wang back to her mother¡¯s home, second son Yang Mingzhi accompanied the Li family back to her mother¡¯s home, and Yang Zhenshan took Yang Minghao to visit neighbors in the village. He would present a New Year gift to those who were older or of higher seniority than him. Based on the principle of ¡°one cannot offend with too many gifts,¡± Yang Zhenshan was never stingy when it came to gift-giving. Of course, he also did not pretend to be wealthier than he was, managing affairs according to his means. A bit of pork and some cotton cloth for each household¡ªpractical yet not too cheap. In reality, the gifts that Yang Zhenshan gave out in Yang Family Village only cost him three taels of silver, with the Clan Leader Yang Zhengxiang receiving the larger share. Of course, Yang Zhenshan definitely could not forget to give a New Year gift to his father-in-law, Lu Songhe. Since his original wife has passed away, the responsibility of visiting Lu Songhe fell on Yang Zhenshan. Yang Zhenshan personally took Yang Mingcheng, Yang Minghao, and Yang Yunxue to the Lu family in Qinghe Town. Perhaps due to Yang Zhenshan¡¯s recent changes, or perhaps because the father-in-law¡¯s issues had been resolved, or maybe both, the Lu family¡¯s attitude toward Yang Zhenshan was becoming warmer. Just so happened, Lu Zhaoqi was home, and Yang Zhenshan drank quite a bit with him and his brother Lu Zhaoran. When they returned home, they were lying on the ox cart. Time passed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, New Year¡¯s Eve arrived. This was the first Spring Festival that Yang Zhenshan experienced in this world, naturally giving it a special significance. Speaking of which, he did not enjoy celebrating festivals in his original world because ever since his grandparents passed away, he spent the Spring Festival alone. Although his parents would invite him to celebrate the festival with them, he would feel like an outsider, unable to fit in with anyone¡¯s family. Thus, after graduating from college, he spent the Spring Festival alone, sitting by the window, watching the fireworks bloom across the night sky, watching the children playing downstairs, reminiscing about the joys of his childhood, and feeling the loneliness that the Spring Festival brings. But now, looking at his lively and bustling family, the loneliness in his heart suddenly disappeared. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s time to pay respects to the family shrine!¡± said Yang Mingcheng, coming up beside Yang Zhenshan. ¡°Pay respects to the family shrine!¡± Yang Zhenshan was momentarily stunned before he realized what that meant. According to the customs of Yang Family Village, on New Year¡¯s Eve, they would prepare the family shrine table, arrange various wines and dishes, burn incense and joss paper to invite the ancestors to come home for the New Year. The Yang Family Village was primarily made up of the Yang Family, so each year paying respects to the family shrine was a collective action involving most of the village. ¡°Is everything ready?¡± Yang Zhenshan turned to look at the incense, candles, and dishes prepared by Ms. Wang and the Li family. ¡°Yes, everything is ready, and there are already many people waiting behind the village!¡± replied Yang Mingcheng. Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly, stepped out of the hall, and walked toward the back of the village. ¡°Uncle Zhengshan!¡± ¡°Grandpa Zhengshan!¡± No sooner had he arrived at the back of the village than many villagers greeted him. Yang Zhengxiang had also arrived, and upon seeing Yang Zhenshan, he hurriedly pulled him to go up the mountain together. In Yang Family Village, paying respects to the family shrine meant going to the ancestral graves behind the mountain, where the ancestors of the Yang Family were buried. Reflecting on the past, although the original host had followed the tradition of paying respects each year, he had always been at the back of the group of villagers. Now, Yang Zhengxiang was leading him at the front. This was also a reflection of his changing status in the Yang Family. Burning incense and joss paper went without saying, and Yang Zhenshan did not know how many times he had kowtowed before the family shrine ceremony was over. By the time he returned home, his knees were covered with a thick layer of mud. For the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner, Ms. Wang and the Li family had prepared a large table of dishes¡ªthis time a truly large table, no longer just one pot of boiled cabbage with pork. There was chicken, fish, eggs, and meat, all in abundant quantities to ensure full bellies. The family ate their fill with great delight. Ms. Wang was even moved to tears, piling food onto her children¡¯s plates as she ate. The Li family did the same, selecting tender pieces of fish for her children. ¡°Daya, this is tasty!¡± Yang Yunxue would never forget to take care of Wang Daya; by now, she likely regarded Wang Daya as her own younger sister. Wang Daya was no longer as timid as before, still somewhat soft in temperament, but had become much livelier than before. Yang Zhenshan, sipping his wine, looked at his big family with a smile. Loneliness was still there, but with so many people around, that loneliness was deeply suppressed in his heart. On the first day of the Chinese New Year, Yang Zhenshan got up early, taking out the red envelopes he had prepared in advance. After breakfast, Yang Zhenshan sat in the main hall, watching each family come in to pay their New Year visits. Starting with Yang Mingcheng and Ms. Wang, the latter holding Yang Qingwan in one hand and leading Yang Chengye with the other. ¡°Happy New Year, Dad, wishing you good health and everything going your way!¡± ¡°Good, good!¡± Yang Zhenshan, smiling broadly, handed out the red envelopes, one to each person. There wasn¡¯t much money in the red envelopes, just one qian of silver. However, Yang Zhenshan had specially prepared a silver lock for his granddaughter. As the silver lock was placed on the little girl, she grasped it, her big curious eyes shining, and she started nibbling on it. ¡°Thank you, Dad!¡± Ms. Wang¡¯s eyes curved with her smile, and she rattled off auspicious phrases, ¡°Wishing Dad all the best, health and longevity, peace year after year...¡± After a month of learning, Ms. Wang had picked up a lot, and although she hadn¡¯t learned all the characters yet, her auspicious words were fluent. It was unclear whether this was something Yang Mingcheng had secretly taught her. Next came Yang Mingzhi¡¯s family. Compared to Ms. Wang, the Li family¡¯s temperament was a bit more gentle; she never fought or scrambled for anything and was easily overlooked. But Yang Zhenshan knew that this daughter-in-law was much smarter than the eldest son¡¯s wife. Not fighting or scrambling didn¡¯t mean suffering losses. The original family head always insisted on fairness and justice: what the first wife¡¯s family had, the second wife¡¯s family would not lack. After Yang Zhenshan arrived, it remained the same. As the head of the family could be fair, why should the Li family¡¯s daughter-in-law fight for more? That was where the Li family¡¯s intelligence lay; she had a clear understanding and clear thoughts. Then came Yang Minghao, Yang Yunxue, Lin Zhan, and finally, it was Wang Daya¡¯s turn. Wang Daya held her little brother and knelt on the ground, kowtowing vigorously, startling Yang Zhenshan with the thud. ¡°What are you doing, girl?¡± Yang Zhenshan hurriedly reached out to help her. Kowtowing for New Year¡¯s wishes is alright, but why so vigorously? If you make a hole in the ground, it will need to be filled. When Yang Zhenshan helped her up, he saw her eyes full of tears. ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± Yang Zhenshan knew her heartache, and understood the gratitude she felt even more. ¡°Alright, alright, it¡¯s the New Year, no crying allowed!¡± While speaking, he put a red envelope and a silver lock into the swaddle in Daya¡¯s arms. Although Daya¡¯s little brother was not related to him, Yang Zhenshan treated him with the same regard. What the granddaughter received, this little baby would also have. ¡°Today is a joyous occasion. Master will name you,¡± Yang Zhenshan suddenly thought of Wang Daya¡¯s name. Wang Daya was different from Lin Zhan; Lin Zhan¡¯s father was a scholar, so he had his own name, but Wang Daya, coming from an ordinary farming household, was worse off than the Yang family in the past, and being the eldest daughter, she had always been called Daya. Wang Daya looked up, her face full of expectation, ¡°Master, could you give my little brother a name?¡± The girl placed more importance on her brother than herself. ¡°Both of you will have names!¡± Yang Zhenshan said with a smile. He thought for a moment and said: ¡°From now on, your name is Wang Yunqiao, and this little fellow will be called Wang Mingzhe.¡± Since Daya was his disciple, she should belong to the same generation as Yang Yunxue, so he directly gave Daya the character ¡®Yun,¡¯ and as for ¡®Qiao,¡¯ it was because Daya was skillful with her hands, adept at needlework. Mingzhe as a name was following the pattern of Yang Mingcheng and his brothers. ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± Wang Daya, no, now Wang Yunqiao, was so happy she cried, and again deeply kowtowed to Yang Zhenshan. ¡°Alright, alright, no need for that, you¡¯ve kowtowed till your forehead is red!¡± ¡°Yunxue, help her up quickly!¡± Yang Zhenshan was somewhat helpless. This habit of kowtowing at every turn, he found it hard to bear. Chapter 23 - 23 22 Double Happiness Comes Knocking ?Chapter 23: Chapter 22: Double Happiness Comes Knocking Chapter 23: Chapter 22: Double Happiness Comes Knocking After the family finished exchanging New Year¡¯s greetings, the children of the village began to visit as well. Yang Zhenshan had prepared a basket full of red envelopes and a lot of candy. Each visiting child received a red envelope and a piece of candy. Inside each red envelope were only two coins of copper, but it was enough to send the children into cheers and leaps of joy. The visitors were not only children from within the clan but also those from outside surnames. Yang Zhenshan treated them all the same; every visitor received something. By the end of the morning, Yang Zhenshan felt his cheeks stiff from smiling, and his head woozy from the children¡¯s noise. Lively as it was, it was indeed very noisy. After the second day of the new year, it was time for reciprocal New Year¡¯s visits. The Yang family did not have many relatives, and excluding those related by marriage, Yang Zhenshan had no siblings, so he only needed to visit the Lu family in Qinghe Town and didn¡¯t need to go out again. In the blink of an eye, the fifth day of the new year arrived. The festive atmosphere still lingered, but Yang Zhenshan had already resumed his habitual martial arts practice. Early in the morning, he went to the back mountain. His long spear swung through the air, bringing forth a fierce gust of wind, and the gravel on the ground scattered in all directions. The speed of the spear¡¯s wind grew more and more intense, the brightness of the spear¡¯s blade faster and faster. Suddenly, Yang Zhenshan leaped ten feet high, and the spear¡¯s tip fiercely stabbed into a millstone-sized boulder. With a plunge, the spearhead entered, and the boulder shattered. Seeing this scene, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes suddenly burst with a sharp gleam. Jin Qi! This was the first time he had released Jin Qi. When he killed Scarred Liu, he had already begun the process of stretching his tendons and bones, and nearly two months had passed since then. His cultivation had finally brushed against the threshold of Refining Power. Body Refining Realm is divided into three stages: Strength Exchange, Sinew Transformation, and Refining Power, among which, the Refining Power stage is the most crucial. Strength Exchange and Sinew Transformation are parallel stages, but Refining Power is a transcending stage. If one can freely control Jin Qi, they can enter the Houtian realm. Being able to release Jin Qi meant that Yang Zhenshan had seen the threshold to the Houtian realm. ¡°Again!¡± Yang Zhenshan swung his long spear once more. Although he could not control Jin Qi with ease, he could roughly succeed once with ten attempts. After numerous trials, he started identifying the issue. Jin Qi is about gathering the dispersed energy around the body into the Dantian, reducing crude force, gradually increasing strength. Once the crude force is entirely eliminated and the strong energy is abundant, one can freely control Jin Qi. Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t control it freely mainly for two reasons. One was that his physical strength was insufficient. The foundation of Body Refining Realm is physique, and martial arts¡¯ foundation is the body. Only with a sufficiently strong body can one enter a higher realm. Although Spiritual Spring Water can slowly improve one¡¯s physique and potential, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s training time was still short, and his physical strength was far from the strength required for the Houtian realm. To reach the Refining Power level from the Strength Exchange stage, a common martial artist would need at least several years, while Yang Zhenshan had only taken two to three months. The second reason was his insufficient control over Jin Qi. Having only just come to sense it, he naturally could not perfectly control the Jin Qi within his body. This issue could not be compensated by Spiritual Spring Water; instead, it required Yang Zhenshan to persist in hard training, continuously attempting and summarizing experiences. In this regard, Yang Zhenshan did not feel disappointed but rather joyful. Having a problem isn¡¯t the issue; the scariest thing is not knowing where the problem lies. Now that he had identified the problems, what remained was to overcome these two issues. Yang Zhenshan knew this would not be a difficult task. It was merely a matter of arduous practice, and he possessed ample resilience and perseverance. The thing he feared least was strenuous training. This was related to his upbringing. After his parents¡¯ divorce, he lived with his grandparents. Although his grandparents took good care of him, due to their age, they often lacked the energy to do many things, so Yang Zhenshan had to do them himself. From taking care of himself to looking after his grandparents, he had always done well and never showed any signs of laziness. He was the type who could endure hardship. When he felt he had practiced enough, Yang Zhenshan put away his spear and returned home. Upon his arrival, however, he received more good news. His eldest brother, Yang Mingcheng, had become a Martial Artist! Truly, it was a day of double celebration. But Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t tell anyone else about reaching the Refining Power Level, simply watching as his family celebrated for Yang Mingcheng. Naturally, Yang Mingcheng¡¯s achievement of becoming a Martial Artist would not have been possible without the help of the Spiritual Spring Water. Since the first time they used the Spiritual Spring Water to make tea, Yang Zhenshan secretly gave it to his three brothers every now and then. Not only the three brothers drank it, but other family members did too¡ªthough in lesser quantities than Yang Mingcheng and his brothers. The Spiritual Spring Water had the effect of enhancing physical constitution; even occasional consumption could ensure one¡¯s health without illness. This winter, not a single person in the Yang family fell sick, all thanks to the Spiritual Spring Water. And for Yang Mingcheng to have become a Martial Artist held an extraordinary significance for both the Yang family and the entire Yang clan. It meant that there was a successor for the Yang clan, that the heritage of the Yang clan could be extended for decades. Thus, when this news spread, the whole Yang Family Village was abuzz. Yang Zhengxiang, the Clan Leader, rushed over in a hurry, ¡°Did Ming Cheng really become a Martial Artist?¡± He was both astonished and overjoyed, yet somewhat incredulous. ¡°Yes, he has indeed stepped into the threshold of a Martial Artist!¡± Yang Zhenshan said with a light chuckle. ¡°Good, good, good, hahaha~~¡± Yang Zhengxiang laughed heartily. No one knew of his previous years of urgency and fear. As the Clan Leader of the Yang clan, his greatest fear was that the Martial Arts heritage of the Yang clan would have no successor. For more than ten years, he had failed to cultivate a single Martial Artist, which made him feel like he had let down his ancestors. And after Yang Zhenshan had recovered from his injury, he was somewhat relieved. However, Yang Zhenshan was not young, and could not be counted among the younger generation, so although he felt somewhat settled, he was not completely at ease. Now that Yang Mingcheng had become a Martial Artist, the burden that weighed on his heart was finally lifted. This exhilaration was something others could not comprehend or share. Yang Zhenshan was also very happy, but his happiness could not compare to that of Yang Zhengxiang. After all, it was within his expectations for Yang Mingcheng to become a Martial Artist¡ªit was just a matter of time. Yang Mingcheng, with his foundation in Martial Arts and the aid of the Spiritual Spring Water, would be a real oddity if he still couldn¡¯t achieve the rank of Martial Artist. While the entire Yang Family Village was rejoicing for Yang Mingcheng¡¯s status as a Martial Artist, the study room within the Anning County government office was enveloped in a solemn and profound silence. Luo Jin sat behind the desk, gripping an official document tightly in his hand. Both County Magistrate Li Qing and Chief Clerk Duan Changhe looked exceedingly solemn. ¡°My lord, the Hu Clan is about to invade our northeastern borders; we in Anning County must make preparations in advance!¡± Li Qing could not help but be the first to speak. The Hu Clan¡¯s invasion was like a fuse to a great border war; if the border army could hold back the Hu Clan¡¯s forces, all would be well, but if they couldn¡¯t, Anning County would certainly be unable to escape catastrophe. Although Anning County was not a border town, it was only three hundred miles from the northeastern border. Once the Hu Clan¡¯s army broke through the border army¡¯s defense, it would take only three to four days for the Hu Clan¡¯s vanguard to reach Anning County. Luo Jin¡¯s eyes narrowed as he looked again at the official document in his hand¡ªan order from the prefectural city, instructing the Anning County government to prepare to resist the Hu Clan¡¯s army. Chapter 24 - 24 23 The Battle is About to Begin ?Chapter 24: Chapter 23 The Battle is About to Begin Chapter 24: Chapter 23 The Battle is About to Begin ¡°The northeastern border has been peaceful for over twenty years, why suddenly this year there¡¯s an outbreak of war?¡± Luo Jin said with a deep voice. Duan Changhe thought for a moment, then said, ¡°The subordinate has received some news; it is said that there has been no rain for eight consecutive months outside Chongshan Pass until a heavy snowfall occurred just one month ago!¡± Chongshan Pass is the most important border pass on the northeastern frontier of the Da Rong Dynasty, beyond it lies the territory of the Hu Clan. The Hu Clan outside Chongshan Pass is mainly comprised of the East Sea Hu Clan, who rely on nomadic herding and hunting for their livelihood. To them, the most dreadful disasters are drought and blizzard. Last year, they had experienced both a drought and a blizzard, and the result goes without saying. Luo Jin was not familiar with the situation of the East Sea Hu Clan, being the County Magistrate of Anning County and not a commander of the northeastern border army, he naturally did not concern himself with the affairs of the East Sea Hu Clan. ¡°So this war is inevitable?¡± ¡°The court must have anticipated this!¡± said Duan Changhe. Hearing this, Luo Jin felt considerably reassured. If the court had anticipated this, then the East Sea Hu Clan should not pose a significant threat, yet this doesn¡¯t mean Anning County is entirely worry-free. The situation in war can change in an instant, and no one can guarantee absolute security. Even if the court had made early preparations, there¡¯s no guarantee that the Hu Clan could be completely kept out of Chongshan Pass. ¡°Then let¡¯s make preparations!¡± ¡°Have the Inspection Bureau closely monitor the passersby to prevent spies from entering the county town, summon the Government Officials, constables, and Civilian warriors for round-the-clock vigilance. Mr. Li will be in charge of this matter; is that acceptable?¡± Luo Jin looked at Li Qing. Li Qing rose and bowed, saying, ¡°This subordinate accepts the order!¡± Luo Jin nodded slightly, then turned to Duan Changhe and said, ¡°The granary of the county government is of utmost importance. Mr. Duan, I need you to guard the granary without any mistakes.¡± The soldiers available to the county government were not many, barely a few hundred at most. If a large number of the Hu Clan were to enter the territory of Anning County, the county town would have no choice but to hold a desperate defense. And to hold a town, of course, food supplies are needed. Luo Jin had already made the worst-case scenario preparations, ensuring the county government¡¯s granary was secure first and foremost. ¡°This subordinate follows the order!¡± Duan Changhe also rose and responded, but he then asked, ¡°Lord, should we recruit local Martial Artists?¡± Local Martial Artists are a force that cannot be overlooked. Naturally, the court would not ignore the power of the Martial Artists. Therefore, the government offices and county governments of the Da Rong Dynasty have the authority to temporarily recruit Martial Artists, commonly referred to as the ¡°Call to Arms Decree.¡± However, the Call to Arms Decree cannot be issued casually; it is only in the most critical moments that government offices and county governments are allowed to issue it. Luo Jin shook his head, saying, ¡°Not yet. The Hu Clan has not entered our territory, and thus we have no right to issue a Call to Arms Decree.¡± ¡°However, we can make preparations in advance, arrange for Government Officials to carry the registry of Martial Artists, and stand guard outside the town. Once the order is received, or if a large Hu Clan army is found surrounding the town, the Call to Arms Decree can be immediately issued.¡± ¡°Lord, your considerations are comprehensive!¡± Duan Changhe subtly flattered. Li Qing glanced at Duan Changhe and disdainfully curled his lip. This fellow is always keen to butter up, which is genuinely contemptible. Yet, Duan Changhe paid no heed to Li Qing¡¯s contemptuous gaze, his expression remained calm and undisturbed. ... The news of the imminent border war quickly spread outside the county town, and even before the New Year¡¯s bustle had subsided, Yang Zhenshan received the information. The message was sent by Lu Wenchun, arranged by Lu Zhaoqi. ¡°Uncle, my dad also sent a message.¡± Inside the hall of the Yang family, Lu Wenchun spoke in a hushed tone. ¡°What message?¡± Yang Zhenshan frowned deeply. An invasion by the Hu Clan was certainly not a good thing. A slight misfortune could very possibly bring about the destruction of the entire Yang family. The Hu Clan is not like mountain bandits; at most, bandits number in the tens or at most a hundred people, among whom there won¡¯t be any exceedingly strong Martial Artists. But the Hu Clan possesses thousands of troops and many powerful Martial Artists. With Yang Zhenshan¡¯s current strength, he is nowhere near capable of contending with the Hu Clan¡¯s thousand-strong army. Not to mention facing their entire forces, even a small detachment is more than Yang Zhenshan can handle. ¡°This could be an opportunity!¡± Lu Wenchun said. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes sparkled as he understood the implication of Lu Zhaoqi¡¯s words. Prior to this, he had sought an official position, but the timing was not right; the county government had no suitable vacancies for him, and he had to give up for the time being. However, now that war looms on the border, it could indeed pose a precious opportunity. This truly illustrates how opportunity and danger coexist. ¡°I understand, you may go back first!¡± Yang Zhenshan nodded, then stood up to see Lu Wenchun out the door. It is a time of many troubles; Lu Wenchun cannot afford to stay at the Yang family¡¯s home for a visit. As the eldest grandson of the Lu family, he has many matters to attend to. After seeing off Lu Wenchun, Yang Zhenshan sat in the main hall and pondered for a long time before going over to Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s home. ¡°Is this really happening?¡± Hearing that war is about to break out on the border, Yang Zhengxiang was thrown into a panic. ¡°It¡¯s highly likely. The county government is already making preparations,¡± Yang Zhenshan said. Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s aged face creased with worry as he paced back and forth, hands behind his back, clearly anxious. Having lived for sixty years, he fully understands the horrors of war. In fact, the northeastern border has been very peaceful for the past twenty years, thanks to the great victory at the Black Cloud Mountain battle twenty years ago, where the Da Rong Dynasty annihilated most of the main forces of the East Sea Hu Clan, causing them to be weakened even till now. Before the battle at Black Cloud Mountain, the northeastern border was in a constant state of warfare, with minor skirmishes every two years and major battles every three, often with Hu Clan Cavalry crossing the border into Da Rong territory, slaughtering and pillaging everywhere. Yang Family Village has also suffered the Hu Clan¡¯s pillaging; during the most devastating attack, nearly half of the villagers were killed or injured, forcing the survivors to hide in Changqing Mountain as mountain dwellers. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mother, the original body¡¯s mother, tragically perished in one such raid by the East Sea Hu Clan. Reflecting on those years of suffering clenches Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s heart as if it is being tightly grasped by someone. And now that hostilities on the border are flaring up again, he truly fears the reemergence of those terrible times. ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± Yang Zhengxiang suddenly asked Yang Zhenshan. Yang Zhenshan, unconsciously rubbing the callouses on his palms, said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s too early to say anything now; the fighting hasn¡¯t started, and nothing can be certain.¡± ¡°What we can do is prepare in advance. If the border army can hold off the Hu Clan¡¯s invasion, then it will have nothing to do with us; if they can¡¯t, at the very least we need to have the power to resist and an escape route.¡± With the power of the Yang family incapable of influencing the outcome of the war, all they can do is protect themselves while safeguarding their home, Yang Family Village, as much as possible. Yang Zhengxiang, deep in thought, said, ¡°To resist! That means training soldiers. An escape route! Changqing Mountain!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Yang Zhenshan nodded. ¡°If it¡¯s just a small group of Hu Clan Cavalry, we can look for an opportunity to fight. If it¡¯s an entire army, then we¡¯ll have to retreat into Changqing Mountain.¡± Opportunity and danger coexist, and the Yang family seeks to achieve their feats; this emerging border conflict indeed presents an opportunity. However, if it proves to be impossible, Yang Zhenshan does not wish to risk the extinction of the entire Yang family and himself just for the sake of honors. Therefore, he must prepare for both outcomes. Chapter 25 - 25 24 Training the Troops ?Chapter 25: Chapter 24 Training the Troops Chapter 25: Chapter 24 Training the Troops ¡°Right now, we need to do three things: first, select capable young men for training; second, reinforce the village defenses; and third, find a temporary residence in Changqing Mountain!¡± Yang Zhenshan continued. Yang Zhengxiang lowered his head, pondering for a moment, ¡°You handle the training of the young men; I¡¯ll take care of the rest!¡± He probably guessed Yang Zhenshan¡¯s intention. Yang Zhenshan wanted to train the young men not just for the protection of Yang Family Village but also to seek personal achievements for himself. This was Yang Zhenshan¡¯s selfishness, but he did not oppose Yang Zhenshan¡¯s intentions, even rather supportive of it. Yang Zhenshan was a member of the Yang Family. If Yang Zhenshan indeed paved a prosperous path, it would be beneficial for the entire Yang Family. Perhaps this prosperous path would require much bloodshed to pave; nonetheless, he was still willing to support Yang Zhenshan. Martial Artists are different from scholars. Scholars can achieve official ranks and wealth through examinations, but Martial Artists must step over blood and bones to ascend to glory. With Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s support, the selection of capable young men in Yang Family Village went smoothly. There were a total of seventy-eight households in the village, and a household here was not just a family of three or four; nearly each household had more than a dozen people. The total population of Yang Family Village should be around a thousand people, with about two to three hundred men aged between fifteen to thirty-five. However, Yang Zhenshan only chose a little over a hundred. He chose those around twenty who were daring and aggressive in battle. As for those who were sneaky, cowardly, and incompetent, he naturally would not want them. ... Inside the Yang family¡¯s main hall, the three brothers Yang Mingcheng stood erect in front of Yang Zhenshan. ¡°Dad, every other family has people participating, should we also join the training!¡± Yang Mingcheng asked with sparkling eyes while looking at Yang Zhenshan. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s gaze swept sternly over the three brothers, who were all full of anticipation and excitement. Although they had always been taught by Yang Zhenshan, this training was different from the usual teaching. The previous teachings were just practicing Martial Arts and cultivating Martial Arts, but this time, the training was military training. Men love to arm themselves, especially those who practice Martial Arts. ¡°All of you will participate in the training, but eldest, you need to focus on the home!¡± said Yang Zhenshan. ¡°Ah!¡± Yang Mingcheng was stunned, ¡°Dad, I am a Martial Artist, shouldn¡¯t I be training properly with you?¡± Yang Zhenshan shook his head slightly, ¡°You should understand the purpose of training the young men. It is to defend against the Hu Clan, and once we really encounter the Hu Clan, it will surely be a fight to the death. By then, I definitely won¡¯t be able to take care of home, and you will need to protect our family!¡± In times of war, anything can happen. Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t take all the capable young men of the Yang Family to the battlefield; someone had to stay behind to protect the home. The remaining women and children needed someone to rely on, and Yang Mingcheng, the eldest son, was undoubtedly the most suitable person. He should participate in the training but cannot join him on the battlefield. ¡°This...¡± Yang Mingcheng hesitated. He turned his head and glanced at his wife and son standing outside the door and eventually nodded resignedly, ¡°I understand, son!¡± Yang Zhenshan then turned to Yang Mingzhi and Yang Minghao, ¡°Second, I will arrange a team leader position for you. Whether you can shoulder the responsibility will be up to you!¡± A company of over a hundred men naturally needed a clear structure. Da Rong border army¡¯s structure was five men to a team, two teams to a Centurion, three Centurions to a unit, three units to a patrol. Yang Zhenshan organized the hundred or so capable men into three units based on this structure, with three team leaders ¨C Yang Mingzhi, Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s eldest son Yang Minghui, and Yang Mingwu, who was tall, robust, and innately brave. Yang Minghui needed no further mention. As Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s eldest son, the Yang Family¡¯s affairs always needed Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s support and naturally took care of his descendants as well. As for Yang Mingwu, Yang Zhenshan had specifically chosen him for a very simple reason¡ªbecause he was tall and strong enough. His figure was like that of the Bear Brothers, standing there was enough to startle anyone. Before Yang Mingcheng became a Martial Artist, he was the one most likely to become one in Yang Family Village. ¡°Yes, Dad!¡± Yang Mingzhi was so excited that he nearly jumped up when he heard he would be a team leader. ¡°Dad, what about me? I¡¯m not a team leader, but being a Centurion is fine too!¡± Yang Minghao couldn¡¯t help but speak. Yang Zhenshan glanced at him and said, ¡°You¡¯ll be one of my personal soldiers.¡± ¡°Ah, if not Centurion, then a team leader is fine. I¡¯m not picky!¡± Yang Minghao said dissatisfied. Yang Zhenshan narrowed his eyes and said coldly, ¡°You boy, just follow me closely and behave. If you dare to act rashly, you¡¯ll face family discipline!¡± Among the three brothers, this youngster was the most unrestrained, always coming up with new ideas; if he wasn¡¯t thinking about getting married, he was plotting some scheme. ¡°I!¡± Yang Minghao wanted to argue a bit, but feeling the icy coldness in Yang Zhenshan¡¯s gaze, he shrank his neck and dared not speak another word. The next morning, in the wasteland behind Yang Family Village¡¯s mountain. More than a hundred strong men gathered with long spears, and a large number of villagers came to watch. Although the news of impending border conflicts unsettled the villagers, the fact that Yang Zhenshan wanted to train the young men still made them curious to join the excitement. They were very curious about how Yang Zhenshan would train their own youngsters. Even Yang Zhengxiang and several clan elders came over to watch. Yang Zhenshan stood above, looking down at the disordered crowd, his expression serious. Every able-bodied person in Yang Family Village practiced martial arts; everyone could fight, but being able to fight did not mean they were qualified soldiers. Military discipline is about obedience, following orders without question, with military orders as firm as mountains, while these people before him were, to put it harshly, nothing more than a motley crowd. Even if they had learned martial arts, it could not conceal the fact that they were farmers. As for how to train an army, Yang Zhenshan still had some confidence. His original self had been mixed in the military for a year, and he himself had also participated in military training several times; he had some experience at least. ¡°Silence!¡± Listening to the noisy chatter, Yang Zhenshan shouted coldly. His chilling voice echoed, causing everyone to tremble and fall silent. ¡°From now on, without my command, no one is allowed to speak! If you wish to speak, raise your hand and say ¡®report!''¡± ¡°Understand?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked loudly. ¡°Understood!¡± came a sparse response. ¡°Louder, do you understand?¡± ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°Do you understand?¡± ¡°Understood!¡± The robust voices converged and spread out. Yang Zhenshan nodded in satisfaction; although they were only a motley crowd, it was a victory that these people could listen to him. It was not a waste of his time walking around Yang Family Village recently, building up his authority. ¡°You should all be aware of the border conflict. I need not say more. Now I want to talk about why you need to undergo training!¡± Yang Zhenshan stood with his hands behind his back, his posture straight and demeanor solemn as he spoke loudly: ¡°Training you is not for me, nor for yourselves, but for your parents and children.¡± ¡°Your duty is to protect, to protect our home of Yang Family Village, to protect the parents and children within this home, to protect this land that could be violated by evil invaders!¡± ¡°Turn around and look at them!¡± Yang Zhenshan raised his hand and pointed to the watching villagers and said, ¡°If one day, the Hu Clan comes here to kill them, to violate them, to take away their silver and food, you should know what to do?¡± ¡°Think about the Jiang Family Village, think about the Little Forest Village, think about the cries that were heard beneath the thick smoke, the living examples are right before your eyes!¡± ¡°And that¡¯s just bandits; the Hu Clan is more brutal and terrifying than bandits. The Hu Clan will not only burn, kill, and loot, but also capture your wives, sisters, and daughters to violate, and take away your brothers and sons as slaves.¡± Listening to Yang Zhenshan¡¯s words, the young men below all showed a fierce look, and the surrounding villagers all wore expressions of fear and reluctance. They had all heard and seen what happened to Jiang Family Village and Little Forest Village. No one wanted to watch Yang Family Village also become like that. Chapter 26 - 26 25 Chongshan Pass Chongshan Town ?Chapter 26: Chapter 25 Chongshan Pass, Chongshan Town Chapter 26: Chapter 25 Chongshan Pass, Chongshan Town Yang Zhenshan saw the timing was right and once again shouted fervently, ¡°Faced with the enemies who invade us, there¡¯s only one thing we can do, and that is to kill!¡± ¡°With our long spears, we must carve out a path to life for our parents, wives, and children!¡± He kicked a steel spear standing by his side into the air and pointed at the stalwart young men below, bellowing, ¡°Kill!¡± ¡°Kill, kill, kill!¡± The young men with bloodshot eyes raised their long spears, roaring with hoarse voices. They were both fearful and angry¡ªfearful of the scene where their parents, wives, and children might be slaughtered, angry at the invasion of the enemy. The roaring echoed under the icy cold wind, unceasing for a long time. The surrounding villagers also clenched their fists, eyes reddening as they watched the scene. Yang Zhengxiang stood among the crowd, silently watching with a flicker of distinct emotion in his eyes. ¡°Zhenshan has the makings of a general!¡± Meanwhile, Yang Zhenshan, standing above, listened to the blood-boiling roars and a hint of a smile appeared in the depths of his eyes. What is the most important thing for an army? Yang Zhenshan thought it should be belief. The young men before him were like blank sheets of paper, and the first thing he needed to do was to imbue them with a strong belief. The belief in protection! Belief was the reason and motivation for fighting; it was the foundation for fearlessness. Feeling that the time was nearly at hand, Yang Zhenshan pressed down on the spear in his hand and said, ¡°Stop!¡± When the voices ceased, he took a deep breath and said, ¡°You now understand why you fight, so next you must use your blood and sweat to forge a wall for your parents, wives, and children!¡± ¡°The training to come will be dull and tough¡ªare you all prepared?¡± ¡°We are prepared!¡± ¡°Good! Then let¡¯s start with lining up!¡± Yang Zhenshan commenced formal training. Lining up was basic; it was the beginning of molding military discipline. With a belief established, the next step was to shape military discipline, waiting for these young men to reach a level where commands would be met with immediate action¡ªthat would be the time to train for combat on the battlefield. Actually, for these young men, combat capability was actually the easiest to train¡ªdo not forget, they each had practised the Yang Family Spear Technique. The Yang Family Spear Technique was forged through battles, with the foundation of this technique, training for combat would naturally come easier. There¡¯s no need to go into the specifics of the training. Yang Zhenshan referred to his own military training experience and combined it with his predecessor¡¯s experience in the army to sum up a set of satisfactory training methods. As the young men underwent training, the entire Yang Family Village also fell into busyness. Yang Zhengxiang led the villagers in making caltrops, digging pitfalls, and reinforcing the exterior walls of the village. Meanwhile, he also sent a dozen young men into Changqing Mountain to look for suitable temporary shelter. It would be best to hold Yang Family Village, but if it couldn¡¯t be held, at least they could hide in Changqing Mountain to avoid the Hu Clan¡¯s massacre. As time passed day by day, news regarding the border conflicts grew more prevalent. In the twenty-third year of peace, on the eighteenth day of the first month. The East Sea Hu Clan gathered an army of fifty thousand and approached the city below Chongshan Pass. On the twenty-second. The Hu Clan launched an attack, assaulting the city three times in a single day, all repelled by the defenders within the city walls. Since then, the Hu Clan attacked the city every two to three days, but each attack felt halfhearted. On the third day of the second month. Da Rong¡¯s first-class Duke Dingyuan, Deputy Magistrate of the Central Army Commander¡¯s Mansion, and General of Chongshan Pass Zhang Shouwang stood upon the city walls, overlooking the unending camps of the Hu Clan outside the city. At the same time, several Vice Generals and Assistant Generals from Chongshan Town stood next to him, their expressions grave as they looked outside the pass. Zhang Shouwang was nearing sixty, his long and elegant beard fluttering in the biting cold wind. His eyes were especially profound, as if containing an indelible sorrow. ¡°They are not aiming to take Chongshan Pass!¡± He stroked his long beard, affirming his statement. Vice General Ji Feiyu pondered, ¡°If not for Chongshan Pass, why then would they gather an army of fifty thousand?¡± Although the Hu Clan had frequently attacked Chongshan Pass during this period, every assault seemed like a feigned attempt, withdrawing as soon as they suffered casualties. Zhang Shouwang shook his head; he too couldn¡¯t fathom the Hu Clan¡¯s intentions. Times have changed. Twenty years ago, the Da Rong Dynasty thrived in power, and Chongshan Town¡¯s troops were strong enough to crush the main force of the East Sea Hu Clan in a single battle. But now, after consecutive years of disaster in the heartland of Da Rong, the nation¡¯s strength has waned daily, with the soldiers of the Nine Border Towns having long neglected the battlefield. Especially Chongshan Town, which hasn¡¯t experienced large-scale warfare in twenty years, the soldiers have grown lax and no longer possess the might they once had. What¡¯s more, over these two decades, they¡¯ve considerably relaxed their vigilance towards the East Sea Hu Clan, and now they do not even have an accurate estimation of the enemy¡¯s strength and foundation. In such circumstances, it is impossible for them to grasp the movements and intentions of the East Sea Hu Clan accurately. ¡°These years, we¡¯ve been too slack!¡± Zhang Shouwang¡¯s eyes were filled with worry and helplessness. Born into nobility, he had served in the military for decades, witnessing firsthand Chongshan Town¡¯s fall from its once flourishing state. Recalling the Chongshan Town of old and looking at it now, the mountains and rivers remain, but the once mighty spirit is no more. Faced with a mere fifty thousand Hu Clan, he dare not lead his men out of the pass to meet them in battle, thinking of this fills him with desolation. Sadly, he has no power to change Chongshan Town, nor can Chongshan Town change. The reason Chongshan Town has become what it is today isn¡¯t the town itself, but the court. The battle at Black Cloud Mountain once forged the brilliance of Da Rong¡¯s northern frontier but also exposed many contradictions within Da Rong itself. Consequently, mistrust flourished between the emperor and his subjects, military achievements and penalties became unclear, leading to numerous unjust and mistaken cases, which ultimately brought the once-mighty Chongshan Town to decline. The grievances of the past are too many and complicated to explain in short. Just as Zhang Shouwang¡¯s heart was inundated with feelings of impotence and helplessness, suddenly, an urgent report sounded. ¡°Alert¡ªsmoke signals have been spotted rising from Zhanghe Castle!¡± Zhang Shouwang and several generals¡¯ expressions changed dramatically as they looked toward the west. Beneath the gray white sky, a column of smoke signal rose straight up, conspicuously noticeable. However, this was just the beginning. Zhang Shouwang¡¯s eyes suddenly narrowed, and his brows instantly furrowed into a knot. Column after column of smoke signals arose, and in the blink of an eye, they had spread across the western horizon. Chongshan Town refers not to Chongshan Pass, but spans from the coast of the East Sea to Three Peaks Mountain in the Qianzhong Mountain Range, extending over eight hundred li. With signal beacons spaced every five li, signal towers every ten li, a fort every thirty li, and a city every hundred li, they formed the defensive system along the border. Now, with the western smoke signals connecting, it signifies a massive invasion by the enemy. ¡°General, they are all single smoke signals!¡± Ji Feiyu¡¯s face fluctuated with emotion, growing increasingly somber. Whenever Hu Zei invaded, a single beacon was lit for an incursion of fifty to less than five hundred people. Two beacons were lit for five hundred to less than three thousand Hu Zei. Three beacons for three thousand to ten thousand, and four beacons for more than ten thousand. The current solo beacons at the western garrison indicate not just an invasion of less than five hundred people, but rather the infiltration of numerous small enemy groups. If it were only one enemy force, the smoke signals would form a line, spreading towards the direction of Chongshan Pass, not blooming everywhere as they now are. Zhang Shouwang once again looked down at the enemy encampment beneath the city. The fifty thousand enemy soldiers still remained within their camp. ¡°Their goal is small-scale raiding!¡± At this point, Zhang Shouwang finally understood the East Sea Hu Clan¡¯s objective. The fifty thousand strong enemy army below was merely a ruse to draw attention and tie down the defenders within Chongshan Pass. Of course, if he dared to deploy the city¡¯s defenders to rout the small groups of infiltrating enemies, the enemy army outside the city would attack with full force. ¡°Indeed, they do not dare engage us in full-scale warfare right now; they are merely after plunder,¡± Zhang Shouwang¡¯s eyes drooped slightly as a tide of gloom and despair washed over him. Although this situation could avoid an all-out defeat for Chongshan Town, the civilians near the border were bound to suffer. With numerous small enemy groups penetrating and plundering, even if they sent troops to exterminate them, they wouldn¡¯t be able to eliminate them all. ¡°Orders to the Five Camps: have the Left Camp and Right Camp disperse and launch counterattacks against the enemy forces!¡± Zhang Shouwang gave the command. The Five Camps stood as Chongshan Town¡¯s last elite forces¡ªaltogether, a mere fifteen thousand soldiers and horses, of which the Left and Right Camps were cavalry. Facing the scattered enemy invasions, they also had to disband to pursue and suppress. Infantry cannot catch mounted enemies, so Zhang Shouwang could only deploy the two most elite cavalry camps under his command, hoping to eliminate more enemies. ¡°Acknowledged!¡± Two Assistant Generals stepped forward, cupping their fists to accept the order. Chapter 27 - 27 26 Sob why does Dad make us practice martial ?Chapter 27: Chapter 26 Sob, why does Dad make us practice martial arts? Chapter 27: Chapter 26 Sob, why does Dad make us practice martial arts? Yang Zhenshan was naturally unaware of the situation at Chongshan Pass. At this time, he was still training the young and strong men of Yang Family Village. After nearly a month of training, the young men of Yang Family Village had acquired a certain level of discipline, perhaps not yet to the point of military precision, but they were now capable of obeying orders and maintaining uniformity. On the wasteland behind the mountains of Yang Family Village, over a hundred young men stood motionless, holding long spears. The cold north wind swept over the hills, weaving between the figures, yet the group of young men stood as immovable as boulders. Seeing this, Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s face was filled with satisfaction and joy. He had been coming here almost every day during this period and had personally witnessed the growth of these young descendants of the Yang family. From the initial shock to excitement, now all that remained in his heart was contentment and happiness. ¡°Zhenshan, you have been working hard during this time!¡± Yang Zhengxiang withdrew his gaze and said to Yang Zhenshan beside him. Yang Zhenshan shook his head slightly, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s hard, the ones who are truly enduring hardship are them!¡± He was like a drill instructor. At the beginning, it might have been tough, but now that the training was on track, the squad leaders could handle the training themselves, and he didn¡¯t need to teach personally. So it was the youngsters of the Yang family who were enduring the real hardships, not himself. Yang Zhengxiang clasped his hands behind his back and turned to walk back to the village, ¡°The stronghold in the mountains has been nearly prepared, and the food supplies have also been transported there.¡± Yang Zhenshan followed behind him and after a moment¡¯s thought, said: ¡°I suggest we conduct an evacuation drill for everyone!¡± ¡°Evacuation drill?¡± Yang Zhengxiang asked, puzzled. Yang Zhenshan explained: ¡°Let everyone familiarize themselves with the path into the mountains in advance and organize everyone into teams. When enemy situations arise, we can evacuate in an orderly manner instead of scrambling in panic.¡± This matter concerned the life and death of the entire Yang Family Village, and no amount of preparation would be excessive. Moreover, it was still winter, and people had nothing much to do, so taking some time to conduct drills was beneficial. ¡°From our village to the stronghold is a twenty-mile mountain path, which is not easy to navigate. Those who are unfamiliar with the route and the mountain environment could easily get lost.¡± ¡°Additionally, some of the elderly and weak in the village may not be able to travel that distance. When the time comes, we might need to carry them into the mountains, so we need to arrange this in advance!¡± ¡°And then there are the children, who must be looked after by adults. Who will take care of which child must be arranged beforehand to avoid anyone being left behind.¡± ¡°Lastly, there are the neighboring villages such as the Jiang Family Village, Wang Family Village, and Li Family Village. If possible, it would be best to reach out to them and let them also make some preparations!¡± Yang Zhenshan slowly laid out his thoughts. Retreating into the mountains was Yang Family Village¡¯s last resort, and this pathway must be kept clear and unobstructed. During the evacuation, chaos is likely to occur, resulting in many oversights, so all necessary preparations must be made. As for the neighboring villages, Yang Zhenshan wasn¡¯t the type to be excessively altruistic, but there were things he felt obligated to do. Take for instance the villages surrounding Yang Family Village. Yunyan was in the Jiang Family Village, his eldest daughter-in-law Ms. Wang¡¯s maiden family was in the Wang Family Village, and his second daughter-in-law¡¯s maiden family was in the Li Family Village. Many villagers of Yang Family Village had kinship ties with these villages. While those afar might be beyond help, nearby villages, if they could be aided, deserved that extra assistance. Yang Zhengxiang listened to his suggestions and sighed deeply, ¡°Zhenshan, I think you¡¯re more suited to be the Clan Leader than I am!¡± He felt that Yang Zhenshan¡¯s considerations were extremely thorough, taking all aspects into account. ¡°Heh heh~¡± Yang Zhenshan chuckled softly and glanced at the expression on Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s face. Seeing that it was just a sigh without any other implications, he continued, ¡°Clan Leader, I¡¯m still young. I want to go out and see the world!¡± Yang Zhengxiang was taken aback, then burst into laughter while stroking his beard. ¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯re still young!¡± He harbored no jealousy or wariness towards Yang Zhenshan. In fact, he even entertained the idea of handing over the position of Clan Leader to him. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s words were a refusal to take on the role of Clan Leader. Of course, if Yang Zhengxiang had felt jealous or wary, Yang Zhenshan would also have wanted to dispel these feelings. Despite nearing his sixties, Yang Zhengxiang was still remarkably spirited, striding along briskly and energetically. Having received Yang Zhenshan¡¯s suggestion, he immediately sprang into action and scheduled the evacuation drill. After Yang Zhenshan returned home, he saw that everyone in the family was seriously attending classes in the main hall and nodded in satisfaction. Although the training of the young men had occupied much of Yang Zhenshan¡¯s time, the classes in the Yang Family¡¯s little schoolhouse hadn¡¯t ceased. It was just that Yang Zhenshan was no longer acting as the teacher for the little schoolhouse, with the role now assumed by Lin Zhan. Yang Mingcheng, Yang Mingzhi, and Yang Minghao were all participating in the training, leaving Ms. Wang, the Li family, Yang Yunxue, and others in the early stages of literacy education, for whom Lin Zhan was fully qualified to teach. Seeing Yang Zhenshan return, Ms. Wang and the others did not stop their lesson, as per Yang Zhenshan¡¯s requirement, class discipline was still very strict. Yang Zhenshan also did not disturb them and went into the kitchen on his own to fetch water and start a fire. After boiling two buckets of water, Yang Zhenshan took out two bowls of Spiritual Spring Water and poured them in. The diluted Spiritual Spring Water, although much less effective, still possessed the qualities to strengthen and nurture one¡¯s foundation. In the freezing cold, it was inevitable for the strong and able in training to catch colds, so Yang Zhenshan prepared some diluted Spiritual Spring Water for them to drink every day. Otherwise, who knows how many would have caught colds by now. Having carried the boiled water up to the back mountain, and after everyone had drunk a bowl, Yang Zhenshan also gave some pointers on practicing the Yang Family Spear Technique. In the evening, Yang Zhenshan arranged for people to stand guard at night. Even though he was still unaware of the border conflict situation, he had already arranged for people to guard Yang Family Village at night and set up several sentry points around the village just in case they were caught off-guard. By the time Yang Zhenshan had finished arranging everything and returned home, the Yang family members were already waiting for him at the dining table in the main hall. ¡°Dad!¡± As soon as Yang Zhenshan entered the house, Yang Mingcheng brought him a bowl of hot water to ward off the cold. The winters in Anning County were not only long, but also cold, and now it was February, but Yang Zhenshan estimated that the temperature should still be around minus seven or eight degrees Celsius. Having drunk a bowl of hot water, Yang Zhenshan felt much warmer. ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡± Everyone started their meal. During this period, the Yang family¡¯s meals had become more and more abundant. To the point where the Yang family members were now not very interested in meat, preferring to eat dried vegetables, mushrooms, and black fungus instead. And the changes in the Yang family members during this time were also quite significant. Each one of them was red-cheeked and had grown much sturdier. Especially the eldest daughter-in-law, Ms. Wang, who seemed to be developing a bit horizontally. Watching Ms. Wang eating heartily, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. ¡°Yunxue, starting tomorrow, bring your two sisters-in-law along to learn martial arts!¡± The dinner table suddenly fell into a stillness, especially Ms. Wang and the Li family, who looked at Yang Zhenshan with incredulous, statue-like expressions. ¡°Dad, do we also have to learn martial arts?¡± Ms. Wang shivered slightly, asking with some trepidation. Ms. Wang was full of awe for her father-in-law. Previously, she had been reserved and icy and dared not speak much with him, but now Yang Zhenshan had become much kinder, though with many changes in status, becoming not just a Martial Artist but also one of the foremost figures in Yang Family Village. Faced with such a father-in-law, Ms. Wang dared not show any disrespect. Yang Zhenshan nonchalantly pushed around the food in his bowl, nodding subtly. If you don¡¯t start exercising, you¡¯ll soon become a rice bucket. He wanted Ms. Wang and the Li family to practice martial arts, not to make them Martial Artists, but rather hoping they would maintain healthy bodies, and of course, if they could also have some self-defense abilities, all the better. ¡°Dad, we have lots of things to do!¡± Ms. Wang said carefully. ¡°Let Yunxue and Yun Qiao help you with them,¡± Yang Zhenshan said without looking up. In fact, Yunxue and Yun Qiao often helped Ms. Wang and the Li family with housework, it was just that because they were still young, Ms. Wang and the Li family did not let them do too much. Ms. Wang glanced at Yunxue and was about to say something, but Yunxue preemptively spoke, ¡°Dad, I will teach my two sisters-in-law seriously.¡± Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly. Although Yang Yunxue had been pampered since childhood, she hadn¡¯t developed any spoiled or lazy tendencies, after all, the Yang family used to be just farmers, and no matter how pampered, it was impossible for them to raise a delicate young lady. Ms. Wang and the Li family exchanged glances, both filled with frustration and helplessness in their eyes. Training in martial arts is hard! Whimper, why has Dad asked us to practice martial arts? Chapter 28 - 28 27 Northern Barbarian Cavalry Enters Anning ?Chapter 28: Chapter 27: Northern Barbarian Cavalry Enters Anning County Chapter 28: Chapter 27: Northern Barbarian Cavalry Enters Anning County Tens of thousands of Hu Clan troops scattered into groups, a few more than one hundred, many nearly a thousand, penetrated the gaps between fortified ramparts into Da Rong territory. They did not occupy lands or besiege cities, only plundering resources and slaughtering the citizens. One after another, counties in the north of Liao State fell into chaos. The butchery and panic spread like a tide towards the south, with countless citizens abandoning their homes to flee the turmoil, only to be intercepted and massacred by Hu Clan soldiers. In a flash, five days had passed. Just as Yang Zhenshan was overseeing the training of the young and strong in the back mountain, a piece of bad news arrived at Yang Family Village. Yang Zhengxiang rushed to the training ground, ¡°Zhenshan, it¡¯s not good, the Hu Clan has crossed our border!¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s expression changed slightly as he asked, ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°The county government just sent a message; Hu cavalry have entered Anning County territory,¡± said Yang Zhengxiang, out of breath from running. Yang Zhenshan narrowed his eyes. The Hu Clan had entered Anning County so soon? ¡°Do we know the status of Chongshan Pass? Has it been breached?¡± ¡°No, it is said that Chongshan Pass is still in a standoff with the Hu Clan¡¯s main force. However, the county government isn¡¯t clear on the specifics,¡± Yang Zhengxiang replied. Yang Zhenshan took a deep breath. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good!¡± ¡°As long as Chongshan Pass hasn¡¯t been breached, that means Da Rong has not been defeated!¡± He wasn¡¯t very familiar with the border situation, but he understood the significance of Chongshan Pass. Chongshan Pass is the most important fortress city on the northeastern border of Da Rong. As long as Chongshan Pass holds, Da Rong has room to maneuver on the northeastern front. However, with Hu cavalry already inside Anning County, they were not far from Yang Family Village. ¡°Clan Leader, move the grain to the mountains as soon as possible. As for the rest, we¡¯ll see how things develop!¡± Yang Zhenshan said. ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll arrange it now!¡± Yang Zhengxiang calmed down and ran back to the village in haste. Yang Zhenshan pondered for a moment, then turned and walked to a higher spot on the training ground, shouting, ¡°Assemble!¡± The next moment, a sharp whistle sounded. The trainees quickly formed an orderly line and marched to stand before Yang Zhenshan. Yang Zhenshan regarded the neatly standing crowd, a glint of approval in his eyes. These young men already resembled the image of an army he had in mind; uniform, heads held high and proud. Although dressed in simple linen and holding plain long spears, they exuded an impressive aura. All his painstaking efforts to instruct them and nurture their bodies with Spiritual Spring Water had not been in vain. He swept his gaze over them and spoke bluntly without mincing words, ¡°Hu cavalry have entered Anning County¡¯s territory, and it won¡¯t be long before they appear around Yang Family Village.¡± ¡°Currently, we do not know the specifics of the Hu cavalry. The only thing we can do is prepare for battle and ensure the safety of our parents, wives, and children, facilitating their evacuation to the mountains at a critical moment.¡± ¡°Before that, we must conduct proper scouting and stay vigilant!¡± ¡°Yang Minghui!¡± ¡°Present!¡± Yang Minghui immediately stepped forward in response. ¡°You¡¯re in charge of the village¡¯s defense, patrolling, and standing guard day and night without any slack!¡± Yang Zhenshan commanded. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Yang Mingzhi!¡± ¡°Present!¡± Yang Mingzhi stepped forward, chest out, head held high, his eyes bright and intent. These days, Yang Mingzhi had been training the hardest. Apart from the regular daily practices, he continued to train in Martial Arts for two hours after going home. Probably because he felt that being the son of Yang Zhenshan, he could not afford to lose face for his father. Of course, Yang Zhenshan was also taking care of his own son. People have their close and distant relations; naturally, he would pay more attention to his own son. Others could only drink diluted Spiritual Spring Water, but Yang Mingzhi was able to drink the undiluted Spiritual Spring Water. In just over a month, not only had Yang Mingzhi¡¯s body grown much stronger, but he had even grown taller. ¡°You¡¯re responsible for patrolling the rear mountain, ensuring there are no enemies infiltrating from there,¡± Yang Zhenshan instructed. The rear mountain of Yang Family Village was part of Changqing Mountain, which, although just a few low hills, covered a large area. Most importantly, the evacuation route for Yang Family Village lay through the rear mountain; thus, guarding the rear mountain was ensuring the village¡¯s retreat pathway. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Yang Mingwu!¡± Yang Zhenshan rested his gaze upon the tallest and most robust man in the ranks. This fellow was the strongest in Yang Family Village, without a doubt. Even standing before him, Yang Zhenshan was a head shorter. He was also the fourth Martial Artist of Yang Family Village, a new Martial Artist following Yang Mingcheng. That Yang Mingwu became a Martial Artist was both within and beyond Yang Zhenshan¡¯s expectations. In terms of expectations, because Yang Mingwu¡¯s physique was much stronger than that of an average person and he had always been diligent in his training. Moreover, with the diluted Spiritual Spring Water provided by Yang Zhenshan during this period, it was not surprising for him to become a Martial Artist. But unexpectedly, Yang Zhenshan did not foresee that Yang Mingwu would become a Martial Artist so quickly. He thought it would be Yang Mingzhi who would achieve it earlier, only to find that Yang Mingwu had taken the lead in becoming a Martial Artist. ¡°Present!¡± Yang Mingwu responded with a resonant voice. ¡°You will be responsible for guarding the vicinity of the village. Should you spot any enemy activity, report it immediately!¡± Yang Zhenshan commanded. Yang Mingwu, eyes wide and spirited, responded with a fervent ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Compared to others, the look he gave Yang Zhenshan was filled with fanaticism and admiration. Although the other villagers also revered Yang Zhenshan, their respect was just that, mere respect. But Yang Mingwu¡¯s attitude towards Yang Zhenshan was akin to a die-hard fan meeting their idol. This fanaticism made Yang Zhenshan feel quite uncomfortable. The reason for this was that Yang Zhenshan had enabled him to become a Martial Artist. Indeed, in his heart, it was Yang Zhenshan who made him a Martial Artist. Having faithfully practiced for more than a decade without success, he became a Martial Artist after just training under Yang Zhenshan for a little over half a month. This made him attribute his chance to become a Martial Artist entirely to Yang Zhenshan. In reality, while Yang Zhenshan played a part in his becoming a Martial Artist, the main credit still belonged to his accumulated efforts over those many years. This gratitude and fanaticism were something Yang Zhenshan felt somewhat undeserving of. After all arrangements were made, Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t rest. He returned home to give a few instructions, then joined Yang Mingwu in patrolling around Yang Family Village. ... In the following days, the situation in Anning County became increasingly chaotic. A large number of civilians fleeing the war incessantly arrived from the North, further panicking the already anxious Yang Family Village. At the same time, these refugees brought with them plenty of news. Northern barbarian cavalry rampaged, killing, and pillaging in the North, while the soldiers of Chongshan Town kept intercepting and resisting them. The continuous battles were bitterly fought, and the situation was extremely tense. The growing instability began to waver the villagers of Yang Family Village. Some wanted to protect their homeland, others wished to hide in the mountains in advance, and there were those who wanted to follow the refugees and flee southward. Amidst the panic, chaos was inevitable. Luckily, the elderly and composed Yang Zhengxiang kept things under control, preventing major disorder. However, this also left Yang Zhengxiang exhausted in both body and mind. He seemed to have aged ten years; his hair, once peppered with gray, completely turned silver-white, and the wrinkles on his face deepened considerably. Chapter 29 - 29 28 When the two sides contend it is called ?Chapter 29: Chapter 28: When the two sides contend, it is called martial arts. Chapter 29: Chapter 28: When the two sides contend, it is called martial arts. ¡°Shall we retreat to the mountains ahead of time?¡± In the dilapidated courtyard at the head of Yang Family Village, Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s aged face showed an uncontrollable weariness and anxiety. Yang Zhenshan was wiping the tip of his short spear, slightly shaking his head, and said, ¡°It¡¯s not time yet.¡± He already knew that the Northern barbarian cavalry currently entering Da Rong territory were just small detachments. If it were a large force, they would have no choice but to hide in the mountains. But if it¡¯s just small detachments, Yang Zhenshan believed they could give it a try. It¡¯s not that he wanted to take risks with the lives of Yang Family Village¡¯s residents, but for them, it¡¯s hard to part with their homes. Despite some people wanting to flee south and others wanting to hide in the mountains ahead of time, in reality, the majority of people didn¡¯t want to leave Yang Family Village. Once they left Yang Family Village, if the Northern barbarian cavalry came attacking, the village would surely be set ablaze. Even if the Northern barbarian cavalry retreated in the future, it would be very difficult for the villagers to survive. Furthermore, mountain paths are difficult to traverse. Although Yang Family Village had made early preparations, the food transported to the mountains was still limited; most of the food was stored in each household. Without this food, how could they survive? This is why Yang Zhenshan wanted to do his utmost to defend Yang Family Village. Yang Zhengxiang had the same thought, but his mind was somewhat chaotic, fearing that his decisions might be wrong, therefore he was inevitably worried about this and that. ¡°Zhengshan, if I happen to fall in this battle, the Yang Family will be entrusted to you!¡± Yang Zhengxiang suddenly said in a deep voice. Yang Zhenshan looked up sharply, his eyes glittering, ¡°Clan Leader, the village needs you to stand firm!¡± If he had only wanted to use Yang Zhengxiang to fit into the Yang family before, now he truly recognized Yang Zhengxiang. Yang Zhengxiang was a person with conviction and responsibility, placing the interests of the Yang Family in a significant position. Such a person deserved respect. ¡°I¡¯m already old; for the Yang Family, you are more important than me,¡± Yang Zhengxiang said softly. Yang Zhenshan remained silent. Who is more important than whom? This was not a good topic of conversation. He wasn¡¯t a noble person; his heart was full of selfish emotions. To be frank, giving his life for the Yang Family was something he truly couldn¡¯t do. Not to mention the Yang Family, even for the people of Yang Family Village, it would be very difficult for him to fight to the death for their protection. After all, he was not the original Yang Zhenshan; he had feelings for Yang Family Village and the Yang Family, but those feelings were not deep enough to sacrifice his life for. Yet suddenly, he felt such an impulse. Perhaps it was because of Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s influence, or maybe there was that passion within him to dare to charge ahead. Yang Zhenshan, holding his spear, slowly stood up. With a flick of the iron spear, Jin Qi burst forth, thrusting into the earthen wall beside him. There was no crumbling, no dust; the spearhead entered the earth wall as if piercing into sand. ¡°No matter what, I will do my best in this battle,¡± Yang Zhenshan said lightly. Yang Zhengxiang, however, was staring blankly at the spearhead that had entered the earth wall. ¡°Jin Qi!¡± ¡°Refining Power, or Postnatal?¡± He stiffly turned his neck to look at Yang Zhenshan. ¡°There¡¯s still some distance from reaching the Postnatal Realm,¡± Yang Zhenshan said softly. Yang Zhengxiang trembled all over, suddenly exhaling a long breath, then said with surprise and joy, ¡°Is the Yang Family going to produce a Postnatal Martial Artist?¡± ¡°Hahaha~~¡± He laughed heartily, as if dispelling all the anxiety and fatigue in his heart. Yang Zhenshan also smiled faintly. However, Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s smiling expression soon faded. ¡°You must stay alive; you haven¡¯t become a Postnatal Martial Artist yet!¡± He hoped that the Yang Family would have a Postnatal Martial Artist, whose difference from a Body Refining Realm Martial Artist was like heaven and earth. A Body Refining Realm Martial Artist is just the most basic level of martial artists and although they hold certain status among ordinary folks, they are still commoners. However, a Postnatal Martial Artist is different. If a Body Refining Realm Martial Artist is akin to a Scholar, then a Postnatal Martial Artist is like an Imperial Exam Candidate or an Advanced Scholar, eligible for officialdom. In the military, a Postnatal Martial Artist at the very least starts as Hundred Households, a Standard Sixth-Rank Military Officer. If Yang Zhenshan really could become a Postnatal Martial Artist, it would be a tremendous boon for the entire Yang Family. Therefore, Yang Zhengxiang was very reluctant for Yang Zhenshan to take risks. He wanted Yang Zhenshan to safely and steadily become a Postnatal Martial Artist, to protect and foster the growth of the Yang Family in the future. It must be said that Yang Zhengxiang spared no effort for the sake of the Yang Family, but Yang Zhenshan did not agree with his ideas. ¡°What is Martial Arts? It¡¯s about contention. The practice of Martial Arts lies in the word ¡®struggle¡¯ ¨C to contend with the heavens, the earth, and other people. Life never ceases, and the fight never ends!¡± ¡°Stability might enable me to gradually enter the Postnatal Realm, but it would cut short my future path in Martial Arts!¡± ¡°Clan Leader, do you want a Postnatal Realm martial artist, or do you want a martial artist with unlimited potential in the future!¡± Yang Zhenshan spoke earnestly. This was his realization about Martial Arts during this period. In the end, Martial Arts are all about the path of power. Things like secluded cultivation and quiet meditation are not what a Martial Artist should be doing. Yang Zhengxiang watched Yang Zhenshan in a daze, his thoughts churning ceaselessly. After a long while, he finally let out a long sigh and said, ¡°I was mistaken; I have lost the ambitious heart of a Martial Artist!¡± ¡°You are right, but I still hope you can take good care of yourself.¡± ¡°The future of the Yang Family rests on you!¡± A slight smile appeared on the corner of Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mouth as he said, ¡°Clan Leader, rest assured, I was born into the Yang Family and will remain with the Yang Family my whole life!¡± These words were not spoken lightly. The original body was born into the Yang Family, and so was he. It was just that there were different meanings to these two ¡®born into.¡¯ No matter the future, he could not leave the Yang Family. In this place, leaving one¡¯s clan is considered a heinous act, destroying one¡¯s reputation and subjecting one to ridicule. Since Yang Zhenshan had integrated into the Yang Family, naturally he had no thoughts of leaving. ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Yang Zhengxiang nodded in satisfaction. Just at that moment, a figure suddenly burst into the courtyard, shouting loudly: ¡°Grandfather Zhengshan, it¡¯s terrible, there are Northern barbarian cavalry on the back mountain!¡± The two who were talking were shaken to their cores, and Yang Zhenshan¡¯s heart leaped violently. The inevitable had finally arrived. They exchanged glances, and Yang Zhenshan said coldly, ¡°Let¡¯s go and see!¡± With that, he slung the cloth bag carrying his Short Spear over his shoulder, took up his iron spear, and strode out of the dilapidated courtyard gate. Meanwhile, Yang Zhengxiang hurried towards the old locust tree at the center of the village, taking three steps at a time. Moments later, a dinging and clanging of metal resounded through Yang Family Village; the entire village was thrown into a frenzy of busyness and panic. Several middle-aged men hastened to the front of the village, lifting the prepared barricades to block the village entrance. Yang Minghui led the trained young and able-bodied men to prepare for defense, while those who were out patrolling swiftly returned, joining the ranks of the defenders, with only Yang Mingzhi and others remaining on the back mountain. ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked as he arrived at the top of the back mountain. ¡°Dad, over there, look!¡± Yang Mingzhi pointed northward, lowering his voice as he spoke. Yang Zhenshan looked in the direction indicated, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes. Indeed, Northern barbarian cavalry had entered the back mountain, but they weren¡¯t aimed at Yang Family Village. They had come due to a skirmish. From atop the mountain, one could clearly see two armies engaged in battle. The scale wasn¡¯t large; the Northern barbarian side numbered about two or three hundred, while the border army was about a hundred strong. However, the border army¡¯s situation seemed grim; facing an enemy twice their number, the border army soldiers fought while retreating, inadvertently leading the Northern barbarian cavalry to the rear of Yang Family Village. Chapter 30 - 30 29 Damn I got careless ?Chapter 30: Chapter 29: Damn, I got careless. Chapter 30: Chapter 29: Damn, I got careless. Watching the retreating border army, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes involuntarily narrowed. This was a cavalry unit, but since they had entered mountainous terrain, they had abandoned their warhorses. Even though they were fleeing, their advances and retreats were well-coordinated, and they occasionally struck back using the terrain, which indicated they were a well-trained elite force. However, what really caught Yang Zhenshan¡¯s attention was the leader of this border army. The leader wasn¡¯t tall and appeared rather thin, wearing a blackish-brown cotton armor. At first glance, the person didn¡¯t seem remarkable, but all the soldiers were protecting him. Moreover, this person¡¯s strength was not to be underestimated; with every move, Jin Qi burst forth. A Postnatal Realm Martial Artist! ¡°Dad, they are coming over here!¡± While Yang Zhenshan was speculating about the leader¡¯s identity, his son Yang Mingzhi to his side spoke up tensely. Yang Zhenshan stroked his inch-long beard and said, ¡°Gather everyone here, get ready to meet the enemy in battle!¡± According to the enemy¡¯s movement, they would likely soon reach the hilltop, but they probably wouldn¡¯t head for Yang Family Village. For these border soldiers, fleeing into the mountains was undoubtedly the best choice. With the complicated terrain in the mountains, there was a great possibility for them to escape complete annihilation. But once the border army had fled into the mountains, Yang Family Village would suffer. Yang Zhenshan did not believe the Northern barbarians would simply leave after finishing their business. Instead of waiting for these Northern barbarians to come over on their own, it would be better to take advantage of having a force of elite border soldiers present to join forces with them and eliminate these Northern barbarians. Moreover, they could now occupy a terrain advantage. The Northern barbarians had abandoned their horses, so they could absolutely hold the high ground and block the enemy. After receiving Yang Zhenshan¡¯s command, Yang Minghao, while running down the mountain, began blowing a sharp whistle. Yang Zhenshan divided the hundred or so strong men of the village into three groups, with about thirty-five men each. Yang Minghao did not belong to any group and was running errands alongside Yang Zhenshan. He was not considered a trusted aide but at best an errand runner. After all, he was young. As the whistle blew, a series of whistles were also heard from the village. The whistle pattern¡ªtwo short followed by one long¡ªmeant to assemble. Soon, the village¡¯s guards hurried towards the back mountain. In under three minutes, the guards previously dispersed to defend the village were assembled in the training ground at the back mountain. ¡°Ming Hao, what¡¯s the situation?¡± Yang Minghui, after completing the assembly, asked Yang Minghao. ¡°Dad is waiting on top of the mountain. Let¡¯s go up there first!¡± Yang Minghao didn¡¯t have time to explain and took the lead running up to the mountaintop. Yang Minghui quickly waved his hand and shouted, ¡°Follow up, quick!¡± When they reached the top of the mountain, the two fighting sides on the slope were less than two hundred meters away from the mountaintop. ¡°Fall in!¡± Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t have time for talk and gave a direct command. By then, the young men had seen the border army and Northern barbarians fighting on the slope, but they showed no signs of panic or fear; instead, they seemed eager. The young still fearless like newborn calves, and these young men were trained in martial arts from childhood and had long harbored the desire to test their skills. With the hard training they had undergone over the past month, they were all the more eager for a big battle. Even faced with a bloody battlefield, they astonishingly had not a trace of fear. Following Yang Zhenshan¡¯s order, the hundred or so young men immediately formed into two neat columns at the top of the mountain. Their arrival also caught the attention of the fighting border army and Northern barbarians. Seeing a group of commoners in coarse linen suddenly appear, Zhou Lan was first stunned, then a surge of exasperation rose within her. ¡°Move out!¡± She let out an angry bellow with a voice that, perhaps due to exhaustion, sounded unusually hoarse as if tearing up cloth, and utterly unpleasant. ¡°What are you fools doing here? Waiting to die?¡± At this moment, Zhou Lan was truly furious, even more so than when they were surrounded by the Northern barbarians. She simply couldn¡¯t understand why a group of peasants would appear here, standing in line atop the hill waiting for death. Indeed, in her eyes, the able-bodied men of Yang Family Village were nothing more than ordinary peasants, even though each of them was holding a long spear, she still didn¡¯t believe that this group of ordinary peasants had any combat ability. Not just her, the Northern barbarian horsemen behind her thought the same. Seeing a group of peasants clad in common cloth, the Hu Clan soldiers were not the slightest bit panicked, instead they all revealed ferocious smiles. Just when Zhou Lan was about to charge up the hill to disperse these peasants first, a whistling sound tore through the air. A short spear over a meter in length flew over her head, piercing into the chest of a Northern barbarian with a thud. She followed the direction from which the short spear had come and looked up, only to see a burly man poised to throw another short spear. Indeed, this burly man was Yang Zhenshan. Although the original body was somewhat weak, after months of nourishment and recuperation, today¡¯s Yang Zhenshan had become a strong man with a muscular build. His face had filled out, and his complexion no longer looked as pale and ashen as before. In just a few breaths, Yang Zhenshan had thrown all ten short spears from his body. Six of the ten short spears hit their targets, buying a moment of respite for the border army soldiers who were in battle. ¡°Come up!¡± Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t pay attention to Zhou Lan¡¯s roar, and calmly shouted instead. Zhou Lan paused, her dusty face showing a touch of surprise, but she quickly recovered. ¡°Follow me!¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s actions had proved that these people in front of her were not ordinary villagers. Although Zhou Lan was still very worried, there was no time to waste now. Yang Zhenshan clasped a steel spear, his gaze firmly fixed on the area below. At this moment, he was glad that these Northern barbarian horsemen did not carry bows and arrows. Perhaps they had abandoned them when they entered the mountains, or perhaps they were simply not adept at horseback archery, but either way, their lack of bows and arrows was a good thing. The young and strong men of Yang Family Village had no armor to protect themselves and would not dare to face an enemy wielding bows and arrows directly. It was for this reason that Yang Zhenshan dared to gather everyone to meet the enemy head-on, otherwise, he would have preferred to fight a defensive battle in the village. The enemy was getting closer, and Zhou Lan had reached the front of Yang Zhenshan. However, Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t spare her a glance at all, allowing her to walk to the back of the formation. ¡°Kill!¡± Suddenly, Yang Zhenshan let out an angry roar. He took a bold step forward, pouncing down like a fierce beast, his long spear piercing straight toward a Hu Clan soldier who was charging at him. From a higher position, he leaped over ten feet in one jump, which the Hu Clan soldier had not expected at all; the soldier¡¯s face still held a vicious smile. The next moment, a sharp pain pierced his chest as the iron spear entered it, and before he could even react, the spear was withdrawn, quickly followed by a large foot stomping on his face. ¡°Charge!¡± With a thunderous bellow, Yang Zhenshan took the lead, creating a sensation of slaughtering in all directions. Behind him, the young and strong men of Yang Family Village, following their usual training, charged in groups of five, spreading out and launching their assaults. At the same time, the border army soldiers, who had been fleeing, also turned around, weaving through the young men, coordinating with them in attacking. Although there was no communication between the two sides, their cooperation was surprisingly tacit. Of course, this was not because the villagers were well trained, but because the border army soldiers were real elite forces. They knew how to coordinate with each other and recognized that this was the best time to launch a counterattack. Compared to them, the young and strong men were merely relying on their passion and the most basic training, still far from being true elites. Even so, this still gave Zhou Lan pause for thought. She had never imagined that a group of ordinary peasants could possess such fighting power. But soon, she could no longer concern herself with the young men around her, as having gained a brief respite, her slightly thin figure leapt out like a cheetah, her long knife sweeping out with a white sharp edge. It was just when she leapt out that Yang Zhenshan¡¯s figure flew backward like a sack of grain. Damn it, he had been careless! Yang Zhenshan held the long spear across his chest, his face flushed with a surge of red, his body uncontrollably falling backward. He had really been careless, only thinking of boosting the morale of the young men and taking the lead, yet he had neglected the fact that these Hu Clan soldiers were no ordinary enemies. Even Zhou Lan, a Postnatal Martial Artist, had been chased and fled by these Hu Clan soldiers, let alone him, a Body Refining Realm Martial Artist who had not yet stepped into the threshold of the Postnatal Realm. He had just charged forward when a curved blade flew towards him, the crescent-shaped blade aiming straight for his face. Luckily, his reflexes were quick. With his spear held horizontally, he managed just in time to block the incoming blade. Chapter 31 - 31 30 Casualties ?Chapter 31: Chapter 30 Casualties Chapter 31: Chapter 30 Casualties He took more than ten steps back before steadying himself with the butt of his spear. ¡°Dad, are you alright?¡± Yang Minghao, who had his eyes fixed on Yang Zhenshan the whole time, saw him retreat and quickly approached with concern. Yang Zhenshan shook his head slightly, eyes riveted on the bearded Hu brute who had just slashed him with a knife. His hand grasping the spear shaft, his expression growing even grimmer. This iron spear was brought back from the army by the original body, not a standard military weapon nor a divine weapon, but one intricately crafted by a master. Since his arrival in this world, he had been using this spear; while not treated particularly delicately¡ªoften used to stab rocks and earth walls¡ªit had never been damaged. However, today, just one strike had bent it and left a deep notch on the spear shaft, nearly severing it. He had nearly been killed by a single strike! Yang Zhenshan took a deep breath. His gaze shifted to the slightly slender figure. The blade was like a rainbow, fierce and overpowering, actually suppressing that bearded Hu brute. His eyes twinkling, Yang Zhenshan thought to himself: ¡°Indeed, with my current strength, I¡¯m nowhere near qualified to contend with Postnatal Martial Artists!¡± Seeing Zhou Lan dealing with the bearded Hu, Yang Zhenshan breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Give me the spear!¡± With that, he didn¡¯t wait for Yang Minghao to react and snatched the spear from his hand. The bent iron spear was now unusable; he had to resort to using Yang Minghao¡¯s wooden spear. An iron spear was very expensive; in Yang Family Village, only two were to be found¡ªone in Yang Zhenshan¡¯s hands and the other with Yang Zhengxiang. Ordinary villagers couldn¡¯t afford iron spears and had to make do with wooden ones. Accustomed to the iron spear, Yang Zhenshan felt somewhat clumsy using the wooden spear, but thankfully, this did not greatly affect him. Spear dancing, Yang Zhenshan once more charged into the battlefield. By now, the battle had reached its climax, with screams and shouts of killing sounding ceaselessly. Yang Family Village¡¯s strong men, the border army¡¯s soldiers, and the Hu Clan¡¯s warriors, the three forces were locked in fierce combat. The border army¡¯s soldiers were elite, the Hu warriors were savage, and the Yang Family Village¡¯s strong men fought with vigor and awaited their chance. Though the village¡¯s strong men were far less skillful in martial arts than the Hu soldiers, they managed to hold their own through resting strategies and mutual cooperation. For a time, it was difficult to tell which side had the upper hand. After handing over the fight with the bearded Hu to Zhou Lan, Yang Zhenshan started to clear out the other Hu warriors. Below the realm of the Postnatal, he was almost invincible. With a robust physique, terrifying strength, and the occasional burst of Jin Qi, he could handle any Body Refining Realm warrior. The fight didn¡¯t last long, merely a quarter of an hour before the bearded Hu fell back in defeat. ¡°Retreat!¡± The bearded Hu was decisive, seeing that the situation was untenable, he ordered a retreat without hesitation. Seeing the enemy retreat, the strong men from Yang Family Village shouted excitedly, with some even pursuing them. ¡°Don¡¯t chase after a beaten foe, come back!¡± Yang Zhenshan hurriedly stopped those few hot-blooded youths. They were getting a little ahead of themselves. Now the hillside was covered in blood, with corpses strewn everywhere and severed limbs scattered, the stench of blood in the air. After the excitement came despair and silence. Having experienced such a bloody battle for the first time, the young men of Yang Family Village turned ghostly pale as their excitement faded. They stood still, stunned, staring at their fallen comrades. ¡°What are you dawdling for, hurry and carry back the wounded!¡± Yang Zhenshan could not be concerned with anything else and shouted loudly. With his reminder, the strong men snapped out of it and carried the wounded back towards Yang Family Village. Elsewhere, the soldiers of the border army were also cleaning up the battlefield and tending to their wounded. ¡°May I ask the valiant warrior¡¯s name?¡± Zhou Lan approached Yang Zhenshan and asked with a fist salute. Yang Zhenshan returned the salute, ¡°Yang Zhenshan from Yang Family Village, at your service, General!¡± ¡°Yang Family Village!¡± Zhou Lan glanced down at the village and nodded slightly, ¡°Thank you for your aid in battle!¡± The two of them didn¡¯t say much. After exchanging greetings, they both got busy. Although the battle had ended, there were still many matters awaiting their attention. Yang Zhenshan had only participated in the fight at the hilltop, while Zhou Lan and the others had retreated for more than ten li, fighting as they fell back, leaving behind numerous bodies and wounded, which needed to be tended to. Zhou Lan and her group did not enter the village, choosing instead to make a temporary rest stop on the hillside. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t bother with them and hurried back into the village. ¡°How is the situation?¡± He called out in the open space at the entrance of the village to Yang Zhengxiang. ¡°Six dead, twelve seriously injured, twenty-three lightly injured!¡± Yang Zhenshan said with an incredibly solemn expression. Yang Zhenshan trembled all over. He had anticipated casualties in this battle and knew they would be severe, but facing the reality of it, he still found it somewhat hard to bear. But now was not the time for sorrow. He turned and dashed into the kitchen, grabbed a bucket, and took out all the Spiritual Spring Water that was available. Just three bowls in total. ¡°Give them a drink of water first!¡± Yang Zhenshan disregarded everyone else and distributed the three bowls of Spiritual Spring Water among the twelve severely wounded. The Spiritual Spring Water had the effect of healing wounds, but it was not miraculous enough to defy fate; he could only do his best and leave the rest to heaven. However, Yang Family Village was not short of medicinal herbs for treating external injuries. The practice of medicine and martial arts were not separate. Although Yang Family Village lacked skilled doctors, many people knew how to treat bruises, injuries, and wounds. As for inviting a doctor, it was currently impossible. With the Hu Clan crossing into their territory, people were panic-stricken; nobody dared to roam about, and even the county town had been locked down. Even if they wanted to invite a doctor, there were none to be found. Only after Yang Zhenshan was done with the urgent tasks did he notice the sounds of mourning starting to rise around him. The pain of death and separation! The death of six villagers meant six families had lost their loved ones, and twelve seriously injured meant twelve families were in a state of anxiety and grief. Yang Zhenshan looked at the mourning villagers, his heart growing even heavier. Yang Zhengxiang came up to him at some point and patted his shoulder, ¡°This is not your fault!¡± ¡°Of course, I know it¡¯s not my fault. If we hadn¡¯t fought this battle, those Northern barbarians would have attacked our village soon enough!¡± ¡°This battle was fought not for myself, but for everyone!¡± Yang Zhenshan shook his head and said softly. He didn¡¯t feel guilty; perhaps he had some selfish motives, but he believed that everything he did was for the Yang Family Village, for the Yang Family. But not feeling guilty didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t heartbroken. Lives had vanished just like that, and they were all young men he knew well, calling him Uncle Zhengshan or Grandpa Zhengshan on normal days. They were so young. The youngest was only sixteen, yet they had left this world like this. ¡°Clan Leader, they all sacrificed themselves for the Yang Family Village.¡± Yang Zhenshan spoke solemnly. ¡°I understand,¡± replied Yang Zhengxiang. Yang Zhenshan shook his head slightly and said, ¡°Clan Leader, my point is that Yang Family Village should provide compensation to the fallen¡ªoffer filial piety to their parents, support their wives and children.¡± Yang Zhengxiang stroked his grizzled beard, ¡°Indeed we should, it¡¯s just¡ª¡± He did not finish his sentence, but Yang Zhenshan understood his difficulty. The Yang Family did not have a shared clan property, so where would the compensation come from? Should they collect it from the other clan members? Clearly, that was not feasible. Everyone¡¯s lives were already hard; they had no money to give. Moreover, such an act could very well spark unnecessary conflicts, possibly causing other clan members to resent the fallen¡¯s relatives even more. ¡°There¡¯s no way now, but we must not forget their sacrifice. When we have clan property in the future, we¡¯ll make it up to them!¡± ¡°We must also take particular care of their parents, wives, and children, and not allow anyone to bully them!¡± Yang Zhenshan said earnestly. Although the Yang Family was considered united, that didn¡¯t mean there were no vile characters among them. There had been incidents of depriving orphans and bullying the weak and young. Yang Zhenshan could not change what had happened in the past, but from now on, he decided not to allow anyone to do the same. Hearing his words, Yang Zhengxiang took the matter seriously. ¡°I will make sure this is taken care of. You have my word.¡± Chapter 32 - 32 31 Youre not calling someone youre beckoning ?Chapter 32: Chapter 31 You¡¯re not calling someone, you¡¯re beckoning a soul! Chapter 32: Chapter 31 You¡¯re not calling someone, you¡¯re beckoning a soul! Dawn breaks after the night. This night, the entire Yang Family Village was immersed in sorrow. Even the atmosphere in Yang Zhenshan¡¯s home was exceptionally solemn. Although the people of the Yang family were all safe after the battle, many had died or were injured in the village, and everyone¡¯s mood was still very heavy. A night without words, the next morning came. Early in the morning, Yang Mingzhi went to relieve Yang Minghui on patrol. Despite just having been through a battle, the defense duties of Yang Family Village remained as strict as ever, with the necessary vigilance and patrols still essential. Fortunately, these matters no longer required Yang Zhenshan¡¯s personal attention, as Yang Mingcheng, Yang Mingzhi, and Yang Mingwu would discuss and handle these affairs together. After breakfast, just as Yang Zhenshan was about to visit the injured, Yang Mingzhi hurried back. ¡°Dad, the general from yesterday wants to see you!¡± ¡°Does he have something important?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked with a furrowed brow. He had not allowed the border army soldiers into the village last night, only sending them some hot water and food instead. He was a bit more kind to the border army than to the Hu Clan, but that didn¡¯t mean he was without defense. Don¡¯t assume that the army of Da Rong are all one¡¯s own people. In fact, many civilians have been killed by the swords of Da Rong¡¯s own army. Some soldiers are more dreadful than bandits and Northern barbarians. ¡°I don¡¯t know, he¡¯s waiting outside the village!¡± Yang Mingzhi said. Yang Zhenshan thought for a moment and then walked toward the back of the village. When he reached there, he saw Zhou Lan directing a dozen soldiers, moving lots of things. ¡°Commoner Yang Zhenshan pays his respects to the General!¡± Yang Zhenshan greeted with a deep bow. ¡°The brave sir has saved my life, no need for such formalities!¡± Zhou Lan returned the gesture and said. Yang Zhenshan raised his head to look at Zhou Lan. But upon seeing her, he was taken aback. A woman! Although they had fought side by side the day before, he really hadn¡¯t noticed that this general was actually a woman. This couldn¡¯t be blamed on him¡ªfor yesterday, Zhou Lan was in such a disheveled state, and with her dusty face, it was impossible to discern her features. Furthermore, her voice was husky, sounding almost like a man¡¯s, which naturally led Yang Zhenshan to believe she was a male. Seeing Yang Zhenshan¡¯s stunned look, Zhou Lan smiled and said, ¡°The brave sir might not yet know of my standing. I am Zhou Lan, the Guerrilla General of the Left Camp at Chongshan Town!¡± Yang Zhenshan was stunned again. Da Rong¡¯s military system was divided into two types: garrison system and conscription system. The garrison system meant that from the Capital City to the counties, there were garrisons in place, with external governance by commanders and internal governance by the Five Army Commandery. The conscription system involved recruiting soldiers and officers with Silver, using strict standards to recruit soldiers, offering them military pay, and exemption from corve?e labor taxes. The border army had both the garrison and conscription systems. The border defense forts were part of the garrison, meaning that soldiers would farm as well as guard these forts. The Camps were based on conscription. Chongshan Town had five such Camps: forefront, rear, left, right, and center, with each Camp ranging from three to five thousand men, all elites. In previous years, the original body had joined the border army through conscription and, with his Martial Artist cultivation, became a small soldier in the forefront Camp at Chongshan Town. Therefore, Yang Zhenshan was quite familiar with the Camps in Chongshan Town. The woman before him was actually the Guerrilla General of the Left Camp! Such a position is typically held by a Deputy Commander, meaning she was indeed a Standard Third Rank Military Officer. Standard Third Rank! A glint of surprise flashed through Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes. This did not conform with the rules of the Camp! The Camp employed the conscription system, which had always favored the strong. Simply put, holding an important position required corresponding cultivation and strength. A Guerrilla General was the main commander of a camp, and according to the memories of his predecessor, one should at least have cultivation at the Postnatal Fifth Layer or higher. Yet the woman before him seemed only to have the cultivation of the Postnatal Second or Third Layer. Yang Zhenshan could only think of two reasons for this situation: either the current Camps were different from twenty years back, or this woman¡¯s identity and background were exceptional, allowing her to break some of the rules of the border army. Perhaps for both reasons. But none of this matters to Yang Zhenshan. Yang Zhenshan just gave it a thought, then bent down again and paid his respects, ¡°Greetings to General Zhou!¡± ¡°You saved my life; there¡¯s no need for formalities. If you don¡¯t mind, you may call me by my first name, Brother Yang!¡± Zhou Lan said. This address of ¡°Brother Yang¡± from Zhou Lan made Yang Zhenshan shiver involuntarily. What does that mean? Why is she calling me big brother? Even though he had helped Zhou Lan a lot, it wasn¡¯t enough to warrant such intimacy. This is a feudal society after all, where men and women are kept strictly apart like fetters, locking away everyone. Not to mention calling someone brother, even speaking to a stranger of the opposite sex requires extreme caution. It¡¯s that way even in the village, not to mention within the noble clans with their rigid and infuriating rules. As for women joining the military, that¡¯s not unheard of. With the prevalence of martial arts, the military needs powerful fighters, and there are many female martial arts masters. So inevitably, there are some remarkable women in the army. These women might have more flexibility regarding rigid norms, but certain rules still have to be followed. Calling someone big brother right off the bat does disregard the rules to some extent. However, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s shiver wasn¡¯t because Zhou Lan broke the rules; as a person from another time, he didn¡¯t care about all that messy propriety. The reason he shivered was that Zhou Lan¡¯s address of ¡°big brother¡± was too gentle. Yes, gentle. The voice seemed to pierce straight into Yang Zhenshan¡¯s heart like a hook. Just yesterday, this woman¡¯s voice was as unpleasant as tearing cloth, but today this ¡°big brother¡± made Yang Zhenshan¡¯s heart go numb. Damn it! Is this woman sick? It¡¯s not that he found her voice pleasing, but it made him feel uncomfortable, giving him the chills. At the mention of ¡°big brother,¡± Yang Zhenshan involuntarily stepped back and looked at Zhou Lan with eyes full of surprise and doubt. Only then did he notice that Zhou Lan seemed to be quite attractive¡ªoval-faced, with big eyes, double eyelids, and delicate features, although her skin was a bit rough. She was probably around thirty years old. As for her figure, well, it was hard to tell. She was wrapped up tightly in a cotton armor, so it was difficult to discern any details. Ahem! Isn¡¯t my gaze a bit off? Yang Zhenshan quickly averted his gaze and looked at Zhou Lan with an awkward smile, ¡°General Zhou, you should just call me by my name!¡± Calling him big brother was more than he could bear. The goosebumps had not subsided yet. Zhou Lan seemed to realize she had been a bit too melodious with her ¡°big brother,¡± and a touch of blush crept onto her face. ¡°Brother Zhengshan!¡± Feeling embarrassed, she deliberately deepened her voice and called out again. ¡°Uh uh, this is much more comfortable!¡± Yang Zhenshan wiped the sweat from his forehead. So awkward! He¡¯s not someone who hasn¡¯t seen a woman before. But that ¡°big brother¡± of yours, I truly can¡¯t handle it. You¡¯re not calling out to someone; you¡¯re seducing a soul! Zhou Lan¡¯s face turned even redder. ¡°Ahem.¡± She coughed lightly, trying to relieve the awkwardness inside, and then pointed to the large pile of items behind her, ¡°These are the spoils of war; the merits go to us, the loot goes to you!¡± Oh my, that¡¯s too fake, making a fool of myself! It¡¯s all because of that idiot, insisting that I act demure, saying that being gentle could make people feel closer. I¡¯ve already said it, I¡¯m not a demure person! While pointing at the spoils of war on the slope, Zhou Lan mentally criticized. Yang Zhenshan was unaware of her inner rant and looked up toward the slope. He saw the soldiers, like ants moving house, carrying over a large pile of items. There were leather armors, cotton clothes, weapons, bows and arrows, and even a dozen dead horses, all sorts of things forming a huge pile. Chapter 33 - 33 32 Heavy Snow ?Chapter 33: Chapter 32 Heavy Snow Chapter 33: Chapter 32 Heavy Snow ¡°I cannot give you the horses, although they are also spoils of war, but we urgently need the horses right now and can only temporarily occupy them. When I have time, I will compensate you!¡± Zhou Lan said somewhat embarrassedly when she saw Yang Zhenshan¡¯s gaze fall on those dead horses. In the previous battle, Yang Zhenshan could be said to have saved their lives. Perhaps they could have escaped to the mountains, but by the time they reached the mountains, there would probably not be many of them left. So she kept talking about the life-saving grace. Saving her life and still occupying their spoils of war made Zhou Lan feel very embarrassed. Yang Zhenshan looked at those items and did not refuse, he bowed his hands very readily and thanked, ¡°Thank you, General, for your consideration!¡± Yang Family Village indeed needs these items. The young villagers who died or were injured in yesterday¡¯s battle all need financial consolation. Not to mention money can¡¯t replace life, for ordinary people, money is life, food is life. Although those things looked messy and seemed worthless, actually, they were quite valuable. For example, those leather armors, even if worn, could be exchanged for more than a dozen Silver, and those dead horses, if sold, could also bring a lot of Silver, even if not sold, could be divided for everyone to eat. ¡°There are also these!¡± Zhou Lan brought over a cloth bag from behind. The cloth bag fell on the ground, making a clear metallic clanging sound. Yang Zhenshan narrowed his eyes and reached out to take the cloth bag. The full cloth bag was all Silver Coin! ¡°Are all these for us?¡± Yang Zhenshan exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Yes, we need military achievements more than Silver Coin!¡± Zhou Lan said. Yang Zhenshan weighed the cloth bag, which might weigh about seventy or eighty catties! Seventy to eighty catties of Silver Coin, even if most of it were Copper Coin, that would also have a few hundred taels of Silver. Good person! Giving away a few hundred taels of Silver just like that? Could there be more such good people? Yang Zhenshan looked at Zhou Lan with a face full of curiosity. Other items might be explained as being unable to be carried away, thus given as a favor to him, but these Silver Coins proved that the other party really wanted to compensate them. ¡°Then I cannot refuse this generosity!¡± ¡°Um!¡± Zhou Lan naturally didn¡¯t know that Yang Zhenshan gave her a badge of a good person; in fact, with her status, she didn¡¯t care about these few hundred taels of Silver at all. If she wasn¡¯t out of Silver Coin on her, she would have liked to give Yang Zhenshan even more. ¡°I have urgent matters to attend to and shall not stay here any longer. Once we have driven those Hu Zei away, I shall come to visit and express my thanks!¡± After speaking, Zhou Lan bowed to Yang Zhenshan. Then, she turned around and led her soldiers away. Yang Zhenshan watched their backs, deep in thought. Drive the Hu Zei away? Could it be done? ¡°Dad, are all these ours?¡± Just as Yang Zhenshan wondered whether the border army could drive the intruding Hu Clan away, Yang Mingzhi ran over joyfully. ¡°Yes, all ours.¡± Yang Zhenshan glanced at the cloth bag in front of him and the objects in the distance, and said indifferently, ¡°Take all these items to the Clan Leader!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Yang Mingzhi happily arranged for people to start moving the items. In the afternoon, Yang Zhengxiang finished taking an inventory of these supplies. There were eighteen dead horses, twelve sets of intact leather armor, thirty-four sets of damaged leather armor, twenty-four longbows, and seventy-two long sabers. There were four hundred eighty-three taels of Silver Coin. Additionally, there were some miscellaneous items like daggers, shortswords, saddles, dried meat, and provisions. Honestly, the border army was very meticulous in cleaning the battlefield, they didn¡¯t even miss the saddles. Unfortunately, the Hu Clan does not favor spears, and the young men of Yang Family Village are not good at using broadswords. ¡°How should we distribute these things?¡± Yang Zhengxiang asked Yang Zhenshan. Yang Zhenshan thought for a moment and said, ¡°All the dead horses should be slaughtered and distributed according to the population of each household!¡± ¡°See if we can piece together a few more complete sets of those damaged leather armors. I¡¯ll handle the distribution then.¡± ¡°As for the bows and arrows, I¡¯ll check later if there is anyone who can use them. If there is, we¡¯ll distribute them!¡± ¡°Silver!¡± He pondered for a while and said, ¡°Two taels for each participant in the battle, four taels for the slightly injured, ten taels for the severely injured, and twenty taels for the deceased.¡± ¡°Sell the other items later and buy some clan properties. What do you think?¡± Yang Zhengxiang stroked his beard and said, ¡°Whether it¡¯s training or fighting, you¡¯ve put in the most effort. You should take more.¡± ¡°No need. We are not an army. In the army, officers naturally take the lion¡¯s share. We are one clan; we should take care of each other and support each other. Compared to me, they need this silver more!¡± Yang Zhenshan shook his head and said. He was not in great need of silver now. Though he had spent most of the silver he had earned before, earning silver was easier for him than others, so there was no need to argue with the villagers of Yang Family Village over this little amount of silver. ¡°Of course, I will also pick a few items as a reward for my efforts!¡± Yang Zhenshan said with a light laugh. He had spotted a few nice items among those messy things earlier, nothing valuable, just some more practical items. For instance, he liked a dagger very much. Yang Zhengxiang also started laughing, ¡°That¡¯s fine, you decide!¡± Afterwards, Yang Zhenshan picked a few nice little items to take with him. As for the rest, Yang Zhengxiang would handle the distribution; there was no need for him to worry. Now was not the time to relax; although they had repelled an enemy attack yesterday, who knows if there would be more enemies attacking next. Moreover, Yang Zhenshan was also worried that the Northern barbarian from yesterday might come back for revenge. So, after discussing with Yang Zhengxiang, he immediately got involved in the defense work of Yang Family Village. But his worries seemed to be unnecessary, as there were no signs of any Northern barbarian near Yang Family Village in the subsequent days. It has snowed again in Anning County, a heavy snowfall that overnight changed the landscape. When Yang Zhenshan got up in the morning and pushed the door, he couldn¡¯t open it. The snow was already up to his calves. With a bit of effort, he managed to push the door open. ¡°Dad!¡± Seeing Yang Zhenshan come out, the people of the Yang family who were clearing the snow greeted him. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s expression remained calm as he nodded and then turned to look towards the back mountain. The mountain was draped in a cloak of silver, as if the entire world had transformed into a realm of ice and snow. Seeing this, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°This war should be over!¡± The heavy snowfall would prevent the Northern barbarian from raiding everywhere; at this time, they could only withdraw from Da Rong¡¯s borders. The snow would restrict their movements, and of course, it would also restrict the border army¡¯s ability to surround them, but this is still Da Rong¡¯s territory, and the Hu Clan cannot afford to rampage in Da Rong for long. A heavy snowfall could change the course of a war. And this current heavy snow should shorten the time of Hu Clan¡¯s raids. ¡°Dad, the snow in the mountains must be very thick!¡± Yang Mingcheng came to Yang Zhenshan¡¯s side, worried. Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly, ¡°Go into the mountains later and take a look!¡± He knew what Yang Mingcheng was worried about. The Jiang family and Yang Yunyan. Last year, Jiang family¡¯s Village suffered a severe loss due to bandits, and now they faced the predation of the Northern barbarian, so the villagers of Jiang family¡¯s Village had hidden in the mountains early. The conditions in the mountains were harsh, and Yang Yunyan was also pregnant. Counting the days, Yang Yunyan was already seven months pregnant. Childbirth was not easy in ancient times, and now with Yang Yunyan hiding in the mountains, any small mishap could result in a tragedy. ¡°Take Ming Hao with you! Be careful!¡± Yang Zhenshan admonished. The woods would be even more dangerous after the heavy snow, having Yang Mingcheng and Yang Ming Hao together was better for companionship; in case of any accidents, they could take care of each other. ¡°I know, Dad!¡± Yang Mingcheng grinned. Chapter 34 - 34 33 The Northern barbarian retreated tenants ?Chapter 34: Chapter 33 The Northern barbarian retreated, tenants Chapter 34: Chapter 33 The Northern barbarian retreated, tenants Just as Yang Zhenshan had expected, three days later, Yang Family Village received news that the Hu riders within Anning County had all retreated. The entire Yang Family Village was engulfed in cheers. Tension and restlessness were swept away, replaced by a relaxed atmosphere. Even in Yang Zhenshan¡¯s heart, a sigh of relief was breathed. To be honest, he had been under a lot of pressure during this period. The lives of nearly a thousand villagers of Yang Family Village weighed on his shoulders, making it impossible for him to sleep soundly, for fear of Hu riders invading at night. Fortunately, it all passed now. ¡°Finally, it¡¯s over!¡± Yang Zhengxiang arrived at the Yang family, visibly elated as he said. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s finally over!¡± Yang Zhenshan said, deeply relieved, ¡°But we still have a lot of work to do!¡± Many of their preparations had not been needed, such as the supplies transported to the mountains ahead of time, which they now needed to retrieve. Yang Zhenshan did not see this as a waste of time; in fact, he was now glad that Yang Family Village had not been forced to hide in the mountains. Don¡¯t assume that being in the mountains means being free of worries. Escaping into the mountains means abandoning Yang Family Village, and bringing families into the mountains entails great risks. Therefore, Yang Zhenshan would rather have all the previous preparations go to waste than have the villagers of Yang Family Village hide in the mountains. Apart from that, there was another matter that needed to be put on the agenda. That was spring plowing. It was now March, and according to the seasons in Anning County, spring plowing typically takes place between the end of March and April. After the heavy snow, the weather warmed up, and it was time for the people to prepare for spring plowing. Spring plowing here is not the same as it was in the past life; with large machinery available in the past life, dozens of acres could be plowed in an hour, while here, it would be quite an accomplishment to plow one acre a day. Speaking of which, Yang Zhenshan had always been worried that the invasion of the Hu riders would delay the spring plowing. He had just bought a hundred acres of land before the new year, and during the Spring Festival, he had asked the Lu family to help him find a few tenant farmers. If the Hu riders could not retreat before the spring plowing, then the hundred acres of land he bought would likely be wasted for the year. Thankfully, the Hu riders had retreated. Yang Zhengxiang spoke with Yang Zhenshan for a while and then went to prepare the funerals for those who had died in battle. Their bodies had already been lying there for more than ten days, and the funerals had to be arranged as soon as possible. The members of the Yang family were all buried in the cemetery behind the mountains, and after learning that the Hu riders had retreated, it took the Yang Family Village two busy days to complete the burials. Because the bodies had been kept for too long and the situation was still not very clear, the burial ceremony was very simple. With each passing day, the frozen ground gradually thawed, the cold of the north receded, and Yang Family Village emerged from the sorrowful mood. It was as if the whole world had come back to life from the silence. The previously empty countryside saw villagers walking about, peddlers visiting the Yang Family Village, people who had hidden in the mountains returning home, and government officials from the county government stepping out of the county town to encourage farming. It seemed that everything had returned to how it used to be, but Yang Zhenshan knew that this invasion by the Hu Clan was a significant disaster for the people of the north. Anning County was more than three hundred miles from the border, and many villages had been raided by the Hu Clan, not to mention those living closer to the border. Moreover, the trouble was not yet over. If the Hu Clan could invade once, they could do it again, and Da Rong, having suffered such a loss, would likely not let things rest. It could be foreseen that the northeastern border, which had been peaceful for twenty years, would no longer be stable in the coming years. This invasion by the Hu Clan was just a beginning, indicating the resurgence of the East Sea Hu Clan, and representing that the northeastern border of Da Rong would no longer be tranquil. However, none of these matters had anything to do with Yang Zhenshan. He was now just a commoner and fundamentally incapable of changing anything; he could only go with the flow. Today, Yang Zhenshan paid a visit to Jiang Family Village to check on Yang Yunyan. After his makeshift eldest daughter returned from the mountains, her pregnancy seemed unstable. The Jiang family had sought a doctor for her, but Yang Zhenshan, not reassured, personally went to the county town to invite Doctor Song Yuanbo. Doctor Song Yuanbo was the best physician in Anning County, and Yang Zhenshan had to spend a full two taels of silver for his consultation. This was only because Doctor Song considered the favor owed for the wild ginseng Yang Zhenshan had previously sold him; otherwise, the old man would not have made the house call. ¡°The eldest girl has a good foundation. Although her fetus has been slightly disturbed, it is nothing serious. Two doses of fetus-preserving medicine should suffice!¡± After examining Yang Yunyan¡¯s pulse, Doctor Song Yuanbo stated in the Jiang family home. The girls from the Yang family all practiced martial arts, with Yang Yunyan being no exception. Although her martial skills were mediocre, her physique was much stronger than the other girls. Yang Zhenshan was finally at ease, ¡°That¡¯s a relief, Old Brother Jiang, in the afternoon, let Jiang He go to the county town to purchase the medicine.¡± ¡°Sure, sure!¡± Jiang Cheng naturally had no reason to refuse. Jiang Cheng now held a certain reverence towards his in-law, Yang Zhenshan. Even though he was older than Yang Zhenshan, he didn¡¯t have the standing to show off in front of him. Not to mention that Yang Zhenshan had previously saved the Jiang family, this time their escape to the mountains had been facilitated by the opportunity provided by Yang Family Village. The temporary shelter and provisions they had in the mountains were all prepared by Yang Family Village in advance. ¡°Take good care of yourself, there are things I need to handle at home, so I will go back first!¡± Yang Zhenshan spoke softly to Yang Yunyan. Perhaps even Yang Zhenshan himself hadn¡¯t realized how much kinder and more tender he had become towards his children from the Yang family. He was increasingly resembling a doting father. A person¡¯s mindset will change with the environment. In the beginning, looking at his children and grandchildren filled him with discomfort, but now he had truly integrated into the Yang family and regarded everyone as his own kin. Concerned about his children, doting on his grandchildren. A perfectly healthy young man had become a caring father and loving grandfather. The key point was that Yang Zhenshan hadn¡¯t realized the shift in his own mindset. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m fine, you should head back!¡± Yang Yunyan said with a face full of happiness. ¡°Alright, rest well.¡± After that, Yang Zhenshan left the Jiang family with Doctor Song Yuanbo, even refusing Jiang Cheng¡¯s offer to stay for a meal. He wasn¡¯t lying; there really were matters at home waiting for him. Back at the Yang family home, Yang Zhenshan first arranged for Yang Mingzhi to take Doctor Song Yuanbo back to the county town in a bullock cart, then took Yang Mingcheng to the west end of the village. Yesterday, Lu Wenchun brought four families of tenants to him. These four tenant families were to live in Yang Family Village and farm for Yang Zhenshan. Yang Family Village no longer had spare houses available for them, so Yang Zhenshan had Yang Zhengxiang allocate a parcel of wasteland for them to build their own houses. Right now, their houses hadn¡¯t been constructed yet, so they had to live in tents set up on the wasteland. The tenants needed to build the houses themselves, but Yang Zhenshan would pay for the labor, and naturally, the houses built would belong to Yang Zhenshan. Of course, they weren¡¯t constructing anything lavish, just simple mud huts. Yang Zhenshan only allotted them a piece of land and did some basic planning; the rest was up to them to construct. He came over today just to divide up the farmland among these few tenant families. Four households, with a total of twenty-eight people; setting aside the old, weak, young, and infirm, there were sixteen able to work the fields. The life of tenants was even harder. These four families originally farmed in Qinghe Town, and generally, they were unwilling to move to Yang Family Village. Only after Yang Zhenshan offered to reduce the tenancy rent by ten percent did they agree to come. Chapter 35 - 35 34 Zhou Lans Thank You Gift ?Chapter 35: Chapter 34 Zhou Lan¡¯s Thank You Gift Chapter 35: Chapter 34 Zhou Lan¡¯s Thank You Gift Upon arriving at the west end of the village, Yang Zhenshan called over the heads of the household tenants who were busy with soil clod work. ¡°Old Man Fu, from now on, you will manage these four families. I will entrust you with the ox, which will be used for plowing on a rotational basis,¡± Yang Zhenshan said to a hunchbacked old man. ¡°Rest assured, my lord, this old man will certainly take good care of the ox,¡± the old man¡¯s face beamed with a gratifying smile as he spoke. My lord! A twitch flickered in the corner of Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eye; he had also become a lord! He felt somewhat uncomfortable with this address. However, he also understood there were some things he must get used to. Ascending from the peasant class to the exploiting class, he had no choice but to adapt. Currently, he was only facing tenants, but in the future, he would encounter servants as the Yang family grew in strength ¨C it was inevitable that servants would enter the Yang family. ¡°This is my eldest son; he will be responsible for the matters of the fields in the future. If you have any issues, you can seek him out!¡± Yang Zhenshan introduced Yang Mingcheng to the four tenant families. Out of the three brothers, it was Yang Mingcheng who was the best at farming. To tell the truth, having the current Yang Mingcheng in charge of farming was somewhat beneath his abilities, given that he was now a Martial Artist. But Yang Zhenshan had his own considerations. In this world, social hierarchy and proper order are emphasized, as is the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children. Although the Yang family had no such illegitimate offspring, the principle of seniority must be observed. When Yang Zhenshan was present, he naturally led the Yang family, but in his absence, it would be Yang Mingcheng¡¯s role to take on that responsibility. Previously, Yang Zhenshan had Yang Mingzhi join the training and participate in combat, while Yang Mingcheng was assigned to take care of the women and children at home, reflecting this consideration. In the future, if the Yang family were to operate similarly, with Yang Zhenshan traveling outside, he would likely bring along Yang Mingzhi and Yang Minghao, leaving Yang Mingcheng in charge of defending the home. Now that Yang Mingcheng is tasked with the family¡¯s fields, later on, he will be responsible for all of the family¡¯s industries. Beyond these matters, personality is another reason for Yang Zhenshan¡¯s decision. Yang Mingcheng, being honest and sincere, with a down-to-earth personality, is not suited for making a foray into the world. In contrast, Yang Mingzhi is more shrewd and clever, capable of serving as Yang Zhenshan¡¯s right-hand man when away from home. As for Yang Minghao, ha, that good-for-nothing always dreams of getting married; Yang Zhenshan even suspects his head is filled with nothing but water. A foolish son, Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t be bothered with him. ¡°The old man pays his respects to the young master!¡± Old Man Fu bowed to Yang Mingcheng. Yang Mingcheng smiled somewhat sheepishly, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that!¡± However, Old Man Fu kept to his ways, persistently addressing Yang Zhenshan as ¡®my lord¡¯ and Yang Mingcheng as ¡®young master¡¯. Having been a tenant his whole life, he clearly understood the penchant for face-saving among the village gentry and landlords; even though Yang Zhenshan and Yang Mingcheng seemed very affable, he dared not show the slightest disrespect. Because they would continue to depend on the Yang family for their livelihood. Don¡¯t think being a tenant is like being a worker who can simply quit or strike; the tenants¡¯ greatest fear is their landlord encountering troubles, for then they¡¯d need to find a new landlord. Of course, they also dread being driven away by their landlord. They are tenants, and being evicted means losing a year¡¯s harvest, which for them, is a matter of life and death. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t care whether Yang Mingcheng could adapt to the change of status or not; he directly took them to the fields. Even though the one hundred acres of land he purchased were from the Jiang family Village, they were, in fact, very close to Yang Family Village, just a seven or eight-minute walk away. Based on the labor power of the four tenant families, Yang Zhenshan allocated the one hundred acres of land, plus the twenty acres they already had. Each family received between twenty to forty acres. On the way back, before they even entered the village, Yang Zhenshan saw Yang Minghao running over excitedly. ¡°Dad, Dad~~¡± From a distance, Yang Zhenshan could already hear his call. ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± Approaching, Yang Zhenshan inquired. Grinning, Yang Minghao said, ¡°Dad, the female General is here!¡± ¡°Female General!¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyebrows arched. Remembering Zhou Lan, he thought of that hook-laden ¡®Brother Yang¡¯. Damn, that¡¯s too discordant! It was like a burly man with chest hair coquettishly calling you ¡®honey¡¯. Alright. It was a bit unfair to Zhou Lan to say that. Actually, Zhou Lan was quite attractive, it¡¯s simply that Yang Zhenshan¡¯s impression of her was stuck on the image of her wielding a large saber and chopping down her enemies. That wild appearance, that heroic bearing, truly should not have a gentle side. ¡°What is she here for?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked while walking. ¡°She said she¡¯s here to thank Dad for saving her life!¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Yang Zhenshan rubbed his inch-long beard, deep in thought. He originally thought that after their last parting, he would no longer intersect with this female general, or at least not for a while. After all, Zhou Lan had left behind quite a few things, which could be considered a repayment for their assistance. He hadn¡¯t expected that, just as the issue of the northern barbarian entering the territory had ended, Zhou Lan would come looking for him so soon. He was somewhat puzzled by Zhou Lan¡¯s purpose for visiting. Just to express gratitude? ¡°Let¡¯s go see first!¡± Yang Zhenshan quickened his pace towards his home. By the time he reached the front door, he immediately saw nearly a hundred soldiers on horseback stopped in the alley in front of his home. There were also four horse-drawn carriages, loaded with items covered with tarpaulins, and it was unknown what was inside. Zhou Lan stood in front of the group of soldiers, her face calm. The Yang family stood inside the door, their faces filled with curiosity and awe as they watched Zhou Lan and the other soldiers of the border army. The surrounding area was also crowded with villagers from Yang Family Village, who were quietly discussing among themselves. ¡°The humble peasant greets General Zhou!¡± Yang Zhenshan hurried forward with a bow. Zhou Lan stepped aside and waved her hand with a smile, ¡°Mr. Zhengshan need not be so formal. I am here to thank you for saving my life!¡± Yang Zhenshan stood up and glanced at her, a faint smile on his face, ¡°Please, General Zhou!¡± Then he led Zhou Lan into the house, and at the same time said to Ms. Wang, who was both curious and apprehensive, ¡°Elder daughter-in-law, bring some tea!¡± ¡°Our humble abode is simple; please forgive any inadequacies in hospitality, General Zhou!¡± Zhou Lan naturally would not mind the simplicity of the Yang family; she is a border commander, often exposed to the elements, not one of those high-born ladies. She looked around the Yang family home with great interest. The Yang home was indeed simple, but it was very clean. Ms. Wang and the Li family were diligent people who kept the house very tidy. The two entered the main hall, and Ms. Wang¡¯s hands trembled slightly as she brought the tea. Yang Zhenshan saw her trembling hands and was filled with exasperation. Daughter-in-law, can¡¯t you be a little more composed? It¡¯s just serving tea, right? Is there really a need to be this nervous? However, he also understood why Ms. Wang was nervous. Ms. Wang was just a village woman; the highest official she had likely seen in her life was Yang Zhengxiang, the village chief. Suddenly encountering a general today, not being nervous would be the strange thing. Zhou Lan also noticed Ms. Wang¡¯s nervousness, reached out to take the tea, and said with a gentle smile, ¡°Thank you!¡± This gentleness of hers was more fitting of her appearance, full of presence, straightforward, without a hint of weakness. After the tea was served, Zhou Lan took out a list of gifts and handed it to Yang Zhenshan, ¡°These are my gifts of thanks!¡± Yang Zhenshan took the list and read it, his eyebrows slightly raised. There were many items in Zhou Lan¡¯s gifts, including fine silks and fabrics, gold and silver jewelry, furs, medicinal herbs, adding up to more than thirty varieties in total. Among them were four war horses, a long spear, and a thousand taels of decorated silver. Looking at this gift list, Yang Zhenshan felt as though he was hit by a mountain of gold. Damn, that¡¯s extravagant! He estimated that the gift list would be worth at least five thousand taels of silver, maybe even more, as there were many items whose exact prices he didn¡¯t even know. Take that long spear, for instance; the list stated it was a gold-plated Flying Fish Spear. The Da Rong Dynasty was a place where martial arts thrived, and the quality of weapons used by martial artists varied greatly. In Yang Family Village, an iron spear was already an extremely precious object, and in the army, iron spears were one of the standard weapons for martial artists, like the iron spear that Yang Zhenshan previously used, which was specially made by an army craftsman for his original self, and was a decent weapon to him. If that iron spear were sold, it could fetch at least twenty taels of silver. But the value of the gold-plated Flying Fish Spear gifted by Zhou Lan was not just about the money. The flying fish pattern typically took the form of a python, with fish fins, a turtle¡¯s tail, and also a pair of horns. Within the Da Rong Dynasty, the flying fish pattern was second only to the python pattern, and items bearing the flying fish pattern were generally bestowed by the royal family. Anything associated with the royal family was definitely extremely precious. Chapter 36 - 36 35 The Art of Training Soldiers ?Chapter 36: Chapter 35: The Art of Training Soldiers Chapter 36: Chapter 35: The Art of Training Soldiers ¡°Is this too valuable?¡± Yang Zhenshan said with shock after his initial reaction. Zhou Lan smiled and said, ¡°I was born in the Duke Ning Mansion.¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s expression stalled. He did not know what the Duke Ning Mansion represented in Da Rong, but he did understand the meaning of a duke. In Da Rong, the nobility was divided into dukes, marquises, and earls, spanning three levels and nine ranks, from a first-rank duke to a third-rank earl. The titles were also divided into hereditary and non-hereditary, although generally, a duke was always hereditary; the highest non-hereditary title was that of a first-class marquis. Being born in the Duke Ning Mansion meant Zhou Lan might be the daughter or granddaughter of Duke Ning. Whether legitimate or not, such lineage was beyond what Yang Zhenshan could currently aspire to. When Zhou Lan mentioned her background, it wasn¡¯t to elevate her own status, but rather to explain that her gratitude gift wasn¡¯t overly valuable. Yang Zhenshan fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Then, a commoner like myself must not disrespectfully decline.¡± Could he refuse a mountain of gold? The answer was no. A gentleman loves wealth but obtains it through rightful means. Zhou Lan¡¯s gift of gratitude was not ill-gotten, so why should he refuse? Previously, the items Zhou Lan had given were spoils of war, but this time they were truly meant as a gift of gratitude. Seeing Yang Zhenshan accept it, Zhou Lan¡¯s face brightened with a smile. She did not think of Yang Zhenshan as a greedy person, because she had already investigated him before coming, including how he dealt with the previously left spoils of war. From how Yang Zhenshan managed the spoils of war, she knew he was not greedy. That was why she prepared such a generous gift of gratitude; otherwise, even if she would visit, she wouldn¡¯t have brought so much. ¡°This time I came not only to thank Mr. Zhengshan for saving my life but also to discuss another matter with Mr. Zhengshan!¡± Zhou Lan added. ¡°General Zhou, please speak!¡± Yang Zhenshan put down the list of gifts and gently sipped some tea. ¡°I would like to ask Mr. Zhengshan to return to Chongshan Pass!¡± Zhou Lan looked at Yang Zhenshan with clear, earnest eyes. Return! Yang Zhenshan¡¯s thoughts flickered, and he understood that Zhou Lan had thoroughly investigated his background. He lifted his head, and their gazes collided in midair. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The method of training soldiers!¡± Zhou Lan said softly. During the last battle, she had found the young and strong from Yang Family Village very unique; although poorly equipped and not overly strong, they had the potential to become elite troops. Especially after learning that Yang Zhenshan had only trained them for a month, transforming a group of farmers into such a state, she was immensely impressed. Training soldiers wasn¡¯t simple; turning a group of civilians into an elite force entailed substantial knowledge. The Camp in Chongshan Town became elite because the town directed most resources towards the Five Camps, spending years to train up this elite force. But Yang Zhenshan. In merely a month, he trained a group of farmers to such standards. Thus, after discovering Yang Zhenshan¡¯s capabilities, she wanted to form a closer relationship with him, hence she called him Brother Yang, causing Yang Zhenshan to feel a chill. ¡°Training soldiers?¡± Yang Zhenshan frowned slightly. He did not consider himself adept at training troops. His method of training troops was merely a combination of his previous life¡¯s military training experience, nothing extraordinary. According to the original owner¡¯s memories, the border army also had corresponding training. ¡°I think you are mistaken, the descendants of Yang Family Village have all practiced Martial Arts. Although they haven¡¯t become Martial Artists, they inherently possess Martial Arts skills,¡± said Yang Zhenshan. ¡°No, Martial Arts are not the most important. I value their discipline! Uniformity, measured advancement and retreat, orders and prohibitions,¡± Zhou Lan said softly. Yang Zhenshan suddenly understood. Indeed, in terms of discipline, soldiers from his previous life were much better than the soldiers here. In fact, the military training exercises for students were all about discipline, such as standing at attention, formations, and internal affairs, all aimed at improving the team¡¯s discipline. ¡°I cannot guarantee the training of an elite force!¡± declared Yang Zhenshan. He didn¡¯t mind going to Chongshan Pass, after all, he had long harbored thoughts of leaving Yang Family Village. Moreover, to send him to Chongshan Pass, they would surely arrange an official position for him. ¡°As long as you are willing to go!¡± Zhou Lan¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement as she spoke. Actually, Yang Zhenshan misunderstood something. The memories of the border army from his original self were of the border army from twenty years ago, today¡¯s border army no longer carried the same prestige. The Five Camps are elite, but they are just a small part of the Chongshan Town border army. Chongshan Town has a hundred thousand soldiers, whereas the total strength of the Five Camps is just over fifteen thousand. Yang Zhenshan thought that all the soldiers of the border army were like those from the Five Camps, which was a huge mistake. ¡°In the previous battle, you also established military merits and you were once a soldier at Chongshan Pass, so it¡¯s quite easy for you to return to Chongshan Pass.¡± ¡°However, you have been away from Chongshan Pass for twenty years. Now merely being a commoner, returning to Chongshan Pass you can¡¯t occupy any significant position, the best I could secure for you is the position of a Trial Hundred Households¡¯ officer, as a garrison commander,¡± Zhou Lan said somewhat apologetically. Although she was born into Duke Ning Mansion, she was only the Guerrilla General of the Left Camp in Chongshan Pass where many officials ranked above her¡ªVice Generals, Generals, the governor, etc., all of whom came from backgrounds not lesser than hers. Moreover, as a woman in the army, although there are many heroines in the military, truthfully, it is much more difficult for women to deal with military affairs than men, even if she was nobly born, there were many frustrations. ¡°However, rest assured, appointing you as a garrison commander is intended for you to train the soldiers within the garrison. If you can turn them into elites, I will definitely commend you for your achievements!¡± Zhou Lan quickly assured, worried that Yang Zhenshan would be dissatisfied with the position she obtained for him. Actually, she somewhat overestimated Yang Zhenshan, thinking the position of Trial Hundred Households too low, yet in Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes, it was already very high. The Trial Hundred Households is a Secondary Sixth Rank position. Previously, Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t even manage to become a Standard Ninth Rank Inspector, how could he complain about a Secondary Sixth Rank Trial Hundred Households position. Of course, military ranks are somewhat inflated. On a rank level, Trial Hundred Households rank higher than a Standard Seventh Rank County Magistrate, but in terms of power, a Trial Hundred Households cannot compare to a County Magistrate. Not to mention a County Magistrate, even a Standard Ninth Rank Inspector is better than a military Trial Hundred Households. A garrison commander is essentially the chief officer of a fortress, with just over a hundred military households inside, and also just over a hundred soldiers under his command. By comparison, a Standard Ninth Rank Inspector also commands several dozen or even a hundred archers, and the Inspector has many responsibilities and benefits, far better than any garrison commander. Unfortunately, Yang Zhenshan does not have the privilege of choice now; he must accept what is offered, which is still better than remaining confined to the small place of Yang Family Village. ¡°General also mentioned, I am but a mere commoner! To be valued by the General is already an honor for me!¡± Yang Zhenshan flattered. Seeing him not disdaining the position, Zhou Lan smiled broadly and asked, ¡°Great, when can Brother Zhengshan assume his post at Chongshan Pass?¡± Yang Zhenshan pondered for a moment, then replied, ¡°There are still many matters to handle at home, I am afraid it may take half a month!¡± Before going to Chongshan Pass, he must arrange the affairs of his household. It is currently the spring plowing season, and he just found four families of tenants, all of which require meticulous arrangements. Besides, if he were to go to Chongshan Pass, he couldn¡¯t possibly go alone. Chapter 37 - 37 What is the relationship between 36 and the ?Chapter 37: What is the relationship between Chapter 36 and the daughter-in-law? Chapter 37: What is the relationship between Chapter 36 and the daughter-in-law? ¡°I¡¯m wondering if I could bring some people with me?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked. ¡°You can. Two General Flags, ten small flags, you are free to arrange that. After entering the garrison, there will be no change in household registration; military registration will be held at Left Camp.¡± Zhou Lan paused, feeling that she should explain her plans to Yang Zhenshan thoroughly. ¡°Appointing you as garrison commander is just a trial. If you do well, I will invite you to join the Left Camp.¡± ¡°The garrison I¡¯ve arranged for you is Linguan Castle, located on the west side of Chongshan Pass, less than ten miles from the Pass.¡± ¡°That is an abandoned fort, deserted as early as ten years ago. You will need to rebuild it after arrival, and as for the military households in the fort, I have already had people recruited.¡± ¡°The recent incursion by the northern barbarians has brought disaster to many people on the border. We will incorporate them into the military households to fill the vacancies in the garrison.¡± After listening, Yang Zhenshan nodded; this was good news. A new garrison meant a fresh start, with fewer vested interests involved, which was more conducive to his control. Moreover, he could bring a dozen people with him, which was even more advantageous for him. Zhou Lan¡¯s arrangements were very thoughtful, especially the part about not changing the household registration. The villagers of Yang Family Village were all farming households, whereas the soldiers in the garrison were military households. Compared to the two, farming households were much better off than military households. If the villagers from Yang Family Village had to change their registration, it¡¯s likely they wouldn¡¯t want to go. ¡°The General has been very thorough with her consideration; I am deeply grateful!¡± Yang Zhenshan stood up and bowed his thanks. Zhou Lan also stood up, ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Half a month might be a bit rushed, let¡¯s make it a month. I hope to see Mr. Zhengshan at Chongshan Pass in a month!¡± Having said that, she took her leave. Yang Zhenshan escorted her out of Yang Family Village, remaining at the entrance until he could no longer see their figures before withdrawing his gaze. ¡°What did the General talk to you about?¡± Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Yang Zhengxiang asked. ¡°She invited me back to Chongshan Pass!¡± Yang Zhenshan said with a slight smile. ¡°Back to Chongshan Pass?¡± Yang Zhengxiang was puzzled, not understanding what he meant. ¡°A Trial Hundred Households, garrison commander, now I have an official position!¡± said Yang Zhenshan. It took Yang Zhengxiang a while to grasp the situation, before his face beamed with joy. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Absolutely certain!¡± ¡°Ha ha~~ That¡¯s great, that¡¯s fantastic!¡± Yang Zhengxiang, stroking his beard, laughed heartily. ¡°No, this moment calls for paying homage to our ancestors, I must go back and prepare for the ancestral worship!¡± His voice shook with excitement. The Yang family had produced an official, even if just a Trial Hundred Households, it was still an occasion worth celebrating. In fact, ancestors of the Yang family had also held military appointments, including a Deputy Thousand Households, otherwise the Yang family would not have settled in Anning County, nor would there have been a Martial Arts legacy. Unfortunately, the Yang family had since failed to produce any noteworthy individuals, until now when someone from the Yang family had become an official again. Naturally, Yang Zhengxiang was overjoyed. ¡°Wait, I have something to discuss with the Clan Leader!¡± Yang Zhenshan quickly stopped him and broadly relayed his conversation with Zhou Lan, especially about bringing people to Chongshan Pass. He needed to have the support of the Clan Leader, Yang Zhengxiang, if he was to bring people to Chongshan Pass. Upon hearing this, Yang Zhengxiang was even more thrilled, so much so that he nearly fainted with joy. Two General Flags, ten small flags. These were all official positions with ranks, albeit the lowest in the military, but they were still ranked nonetheless. At this moment, he finally understood a saying. ¡°When one man attains the Dao, his poultry and dogs ascend to heaven.¡± Yang Zhenshan, just by becoming a Trial Hundred Households, had led the Yang family to produce over a dozen low-ranking military officers. ¡°Do you have someone in mind?¡± After finally calming his excitement, Yang Zhengxiang asked. ¡°Ming Zhi, Ming Wu will assume the role of General Flag, Chengze, Chengxu, and Qinwu will take the position of small flags. You choose the remaining seven!¡± ¡°Ming Hui should not go, as we will still need to rely on him in the family!¡± Yang Zhenshan spoke with consideration. Yang Mingzhi was his son, so naturally, he cared a little more for him. Yang Mingwu was now a Martial Artist, extremely outstanding in martial prowess. He could leave others behind, but Yang Mingwu was indispensable. Whereas Yang Minghui was Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s eldest son, his age was somewhat advanced, nearing forty years old, and Yang Zhenshan wouldn¡¯t spend too much Spiritual Spring Water to train him. By comparison, he was more willing to cultivate Yang Chengze. Yang Chengze was Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s eldest grandson, as well as Yang Minghui¡¯s eldest son. Bringing him along also served as an explanation to Yang Zhengxiang and Yang Minghui. Yang Zhengxiang, however, didn¡¯t care about these things. Instead, he asked, ¡°What about Ming Cheng? Aren¡¯t you taking Ming Cheng with you?¡± ¡°The family matters still require Ming Cheng to handle. I¡¯m just heading to Chongshan Pass and I presume many things will be inconvenient. After I¡¯ve settled there, I¡¯ll then have him come over,¡± Yang Zhenshan said. Yang Zhengxiang thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Alright then! As long as you know what you¡¯re doing.¡± This was Yang Zhenshan¡¯s family matter, so he refrained from commenting further. After parting with Yang Zhengxiang, Yang Zhenshan returned home. As soon as he stepped through the entrance, he heard someone making a fuss. ¡°This horse is mine, big brother and second brother, don¡¯t fight me for it!¡± Yang Zhenshan followed the noise and saw Yang Minghao protecting a sorrel warhorse as if guarding his own calf. Zhou Lan had left him with four warhorses, and this sorrel warhorse was the tallest and most regal. ¡°Dad! Can I have this horse?¡± Upon seeing Yang Zhenshan return, Yang Minghao eagerly approached to plead. Yang Zhenshan glanced sideways at his foolish son, ¡°Go play on your own, what does this have to do with you?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Yang Minghao hadn¡¯t expected Yang Zhenshan to say such a thing, and his excitement immediately turned into dismay. ¡°Dad, there are four horses, one for each person, wouldn¡¯t that be perfect?¡± However, Yang Zhenshan paid him no heed and approached the warhorses, carefully examining them. Although he wasn¡¯t skilled in horse appraisal, that was fine. He just needed to pick the tallest one. Yang Zhenshan reached out to touch the sorrel warhorse and said softly, ¡°From today on, your name will be Red Cloud.¡± Red Cloud neighed in response and affectionately nuzzled Yang Zhenshan¡¯s arm. This one was certainly not shy of strangers. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s lips curved upwards, then he said, ¡°Eldest and second, pick one each for yourselves. Send the remaining one to Ming Wu!¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Yang Minghao became anxious. Yang Zhenshan looked at him helplessly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll buy you another one later.¡± There were only four warhorses in total, and although Yang Minghao was his son, he still had to give one to Yang Mingwu. Because Yang Mingwu was a Martial Artist, and also the General Flag under his command in the future, he definitely needed to take extra care of him. As for Yang Minghao, the kid wasn¡¯t even fifteen, just a boy, what use did he have for a horse? Thinking of horse-riding! Yang Zhenshan suddenly thought it might be time to arrange a marriage for Yang Minghao. No, what did horses have to do with finding a wife? Why did his thoughts jump to that? Yang Zhenshan shook his head, casting out all those messy thoughts. ¡°I¡¯ll find you a wife first!¡± Indeed, it was time for Yang Minghao to be betrothed. He had considered this matter before the new year, but it was postponed due to the invasion of the northern barbarians. Now that he was heading to Chongshan Pass and likely wouldn¡¯t be able to attend to this matter for a while, it would be better to take the opportunity now, while he had the time, to settle Yang Minghao¡¯s marital affairs. Chapter 38 - 38 37 How Could a Horse be Better than a Wife ?Chapter 38: Chapter 37: How Could a Horse be Better than a Wife? Chapter 38: Chapter 37: How Could a Horse be Better than a Wife? ¡°Really!¡± When Yang Zhenshan mentioned that he would find a bride for his son, Yang Mingcheng, who had been sulking just moments ago, immediately became excited and tossed aside all thoughts of his war horse. A horse is no match for a wife? Compared to a horse, he was more interested in taking a wife. Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t be bothered with his foolish son and shouted towards the kitchen, ¡°Eldest daughter-in-law, eldest daughter-in-law!¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Ms. Wang, wiping her hands, walked out of the kitchen. ¡°Find a matchmaker and see if there is a suitable girl for the third son!¡± Yang Zhenshan instructed. As an elder sister is like a mother, and since Yang Zhenshan had no wife, this task had to fall onto Ms. Wang. Blind marriages, dumb matchmakings; not only the couples getting married, but even the parents are unclear about each other¡¯s character. Of course, before finalizing the engagement, Yang Zhenshan could meet his future daughter-in-law, but that would only be a few times, hardly enough to truly understand her. Well, as the future father-in-law, it¡¯s not appropriate to delve too deeply into understanding his daughter-in-law. Yang Zhenshan found the matter of marriage to be quite vexing. A virtuous wife could prosper a family for three generations, while a wicked one could ruin a life. Naturally, he hoped that Yang Minghao would marry a virtuous wife, but this task was not something he could manage on his own; he had to rely on Ms. Wang. His expectations weren¡¯t high; as long as the girl was somewhat similar to Ms. Wang and the Li family lady. Although Ms. Wang and the Li family lady were uneducated village women, they were gentle and hardworking. Perhaps they couldn¡¯t assist the Yang family in great matters, but they could take care of a large family; such daughters-in-law were already sufficient. ¡°All right, Dad, I¡¯ll go and ask Mrs. Wang this afternoon,¡± Ms. Wang immediately agreed with a smile upon hearing about finding a wife for the third son. As the eldest sister-in-law, she was already mentally prepared for this. Moreover, she also wanted to find a good wife for Yang Minghao, as they would still have to live together in the future, and she did not want to trouble herself. ¡°Alright! First, ask around, and if there is a suitable one, tell me! I¡¯ll personally have a look,¡± Yang Zhenshan said. ¡°Dad, I want to have a word with my elder sister-in-law!¡± Yang Minghao, seeing this, couldn¡¯t resist and rushed over to Ms. Wang to whisper. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t bother about what they were whispering about and turned his attention to other things in the yard. It was fortunate that the Yang family¡¯s courtyard was large enough; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t even accommodate Zhou Lan¡¯s thank-you gifts. He first turned his attention to the gold-plated flying fish spear, giving it a few swings, he laughed and said, ¡°Nice spear!¡± This spear was much heavier than his original one, probably weighing over fifty pounds. However, with his strength, it was not cumbersome to wield; in fact, it felt even more suitable. Nearby, Yang Mingcheng and Yang Mingzhi, who had chosen their warhorses, looked enviously at the spear in his hand. They both wished they could have a nice spear too. Yang Zhenshan swung a few more times, then stopped and began to look at the other items. Silks, and gold and silver jewelry! His eyes gleamed with a strange light as he looked at these items. Zhou Lan had arranged it according to the headcount of his household; like those gold and silver ornaments, they were clearly meant to be four sets. Each set contained headpins, side hairpins, long hairpins, earrings, bracelets, etc., making up a complete set of jewelry. Though they might not seem incredibly valuable, for the Yang family, these were indeed rare treasures. And of the women in the Yang family, there were Ms. Wang, the Li family lady, Yang Yunxue, and the already married Yang Yunyan, exactly four. As for Yang Qingwan, that little one was still just crawling and naturally needed no jewelry. There were also fabrics, prepared according to the number of people in the Yang family. This General Zhou was indeed thoughtful. Yang Zhenshan thought it over and then distributed the items to each household. ¡°Dad, is this for me?¡± Yang Yunxue asked with a bright face. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s for you, take good care of it, keep it for your dowry!¡± Yang Zhenshan smiled as he patted Yang Yunxue¡¯s little head. ¡°Thank you, Dad!¡± Yang Yunxue beamed, her delicate face blooming like a radiant flower. Thereafter, Yang Zhenshan selected some furs and herbs and set them aside separately. As for the remaining thousand taels of silver, Yang Zhenshan pondered for a long time. This gift of gratitude shouldn¡¯t be his alone. At that time, over a hundred young and robust men from Yang Family Village also helped Zhou Lan; he did contribute the most and could take the lion¡¯s share, but he shouldn¡¯t pocket everything by himself. After deliberation, Yang Zhenshan took out two hundred taels and placed them in his cabinet while taking the remaining eight hundred taels to Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s house. At that moment, Yang Zhengxiang was at home discussing ancestral worship with a few clan elders when they saw Yang Zhenshan approaching, they immediately greeted him enthusiastically. ¡°You¡¯ve come at just the right time, we¡¯re discussing the matters of ancestral worship!¡± ¡°Ancestral worship! What¡¯s there to discuss?¡± Yang Zhenshan was puzzled. ¡°There¡¯s not much to discuss about the worship itself, but should we hold a banquet? This is a great joyous event for our Yang family, we should invite some local gentry to celebrate!¡± Yang Zhengxiang explained. The celebration was just one reason, showing off was the main aim. Of course, the intention to show off was not to satisfy their vanity, but rather, through the banquet, to inform the surrounding gentry about Yang Zhenshan¡¯s official appointment, thereby promoting the prosperity and expansion of the Yang family, and to deter those jealous and petty individuals. Yang Zhenshan pondered for a moment, ¡°Then let¡¯s organize a banquet!¡± Organizing a banquet wouldn¡¯t cost much, setting up twenty to thirty tables wouldn¡¯t require spending too much silver. His upcoming trip to Chongshan Pass wasn¡¯t a secret, nor could it be kept as such, it was bound to spread sooner or later. Ascending in rank and amassing wealth naturally called for a celebration with friends and relatives. Before heading to Chongshan Pass, Yang Zhenshan also wanted to invite some people over to his house. ¡°Let¡¯s do it then, the funds will come from the clan, there¡¯s quite some silver left from earlier!¡± Yang Zhengxiang saw his agreement and nodded with satisfaction. Yang Zhenshan waved his hand and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the funds myself; there are many more places where the clan will need money in the future.¡± Saying so, he carried a wooden box into the house. ¡°What is this?¡± Yang Zhengxiang asked. Yang Zhenshan opened the box, showcasing the shimmering silver inside to everyone. ¡°Eight hundred taels of silver, I am thinking of using them to help build a clan school for our family and the village roads need some repairs too!¡± The clan elders, as well as Yang Zhengxiang, nearly had their eyes popping out at the sight of the gleaming silver. To get rich, build roads first. Yang Family Village wasn¡¯t far from the official road, only a four or five li distance, but that stretch was an earthen road which became muddy and impassable in rain or snow. Regarding the clan school, although the Yang family had a Martial Arts heritage, those who could become Martial Artists were, after all, in the minority. With a clan school, the young ones in the Yang family could also elevate their social status through the imperial examinations. Walking on two legs, Martial Arts and imperial examinations, was definitely better than relying on just one. ¡°If there¡¯s any surplus, we could buy some land as family property, the harvests in the future can be used for the clan school and also to care for our clan members,¡± Yang Zhenshan added. Yang Zhengxiang took great effort to shift his gaze from the silver, ¡°This wouldn¡¯t be right, Zhenshan, you¡¯ve already done so much for the clan, letting you pay for the clan school and road repairs, we really can¡¯t accept.¡± ¡°Indeed, we all know you want to take care of our clan members, but we can¡¯t accept your overgenerosity!¡± ¡°The clan still has some silver, we¡¯ll also build a clan school in the future; there¡¯s no need for you to bear the costs.¡± Several clan elders tried to persuade him. They were not against building a clan school, they just felt it was too much to accept. Before, Yang Zhenshan had already helped the clan a lot, and this time he was even taking several clan youths with him to Chongshan Pass; these were great favors for the entire Yang family. Yang Zhenshan smiled, ¡°The clan school needs to be built as soon as possible, I hope that in the future all the young ones from our Yang family will be accomplished in both literature and martial skills!¡± He didn¡¯t mention that part of these presents should belong to the young men from Yang Family Village. Since Zhou Lan gave the items to him, they were his. He was willing to share some with the clan, that was his way of taking care of his own people. This was bestowing benevolence. He wanted to firmly tie the Yang family to himself so that, in the future, wherever he went, the Yang family would be his support. He wanted every young member of the Yang family to remember his kindness and have them all serve him in the future. He believed that the seeds he sowed today would surely bear fruit in the future. In fact, he had already reaped several fruits. Yang Mingwu, Yang Chengze, Yang Chengxu, Yang Qinwu¡ªthese young members of the Yang family greatly admired him. Although they were still weak now, he believed that with continued investment, it wouldn¡¯t take long for them to become his most loyal subordinates. Yang Zhenshan wasn¡¯t just being overly kind; he was doing this merely to win people¡¯s hearts. Chapter 39 - 39 38 My Father is Yang Zhenshan ?Chapter 39: Chapter 38 My Father is Yang Zhenshan Chapter 39: Chapter 38 My Father is Yang Zhenshan ¡°Alright, let¡¯s settle the matter like this. Clan Leader, you should take care of the silver first. The rest of the matters need to be handled by you, as I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be of any help!¡± Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t wait for any objections and decisively settled the issue. Yang Zhengxiang and the others exchanged glances, smiling as they said: ¡°Then we will accept this task on behalf of the clanspeople. Rest assured, every bit of this silver will be used for the benefit of the clanspeople. We won¡¯t embezzle even a fraction of it.¡± ¡°Haha, I believe you!¡± Yang Zhenshan laughed. He still trusted Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s character. By the time he returned from Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s home, it was already noon; the meal at home was ready, and the family joyfully gathered for lunch. In the afternoon, Ms. Wang took a wicker basket and headed over to the neighboring Wang Family Village. The matchmaker she mentioned to Yang Zhenshan before was from Wang Family Village, where her home village was also located. It was a perfect opportunity to also visit her maternal home. The Wang family had three sons and one daughter; the daughter was Ms. Wang, and like the Yang family, they all lived together as a big family. Upon arriving in Wang Family Village, Ms. Wang saw a large crowd gathered in front of her maternal home. There were even bursts of quarreling voices coming from the courtyard. Shrews cursing in the street, spewing whatever foul language they could! Ms. Wang didn¡¯t need to look to know the state of her family home. With a sigh of resignation, she did not go forward but silently stood by the wall, waiting. This was the state of her family home, with three sisters-in-law quarreling every day, and her own mother, being timid by nature, unable to control her daughters-in-law. Compared to her maternal home, she preferred her marital home. Although her predecessor was a tough-minded person, she always had a clear head. Besides being a bit assertive in her actions, she never mistreated the daughters-in-law. After the predecessor¡¯s wife passed away, Ms. Wang suddenly had to take over the household affairs of the large family, which was in disarray for a long time. Fortunately, the predecessor was indifferent to everything and never made life difficult for Ms. Wang. Later, when Yang Zhenshan arrived, life at home gradually improved, and Ms. Wang¡¯s own life became smoother. Although she was busy every day and Yang Zhenshan forced her to practice martial arts, Ms. Wang actually found joy in it. While listening to the continuous quarreling from her family¡¯s courtyard, Ms. Wang couldn¡¯t help but think of her mother-in-law. If her mother-in-law was her birth mother, she would never tolerate such daily quarrels amongst the sisters-in-law. Thinking of her mother-in-law, anger welled up in Ms. Wang¡¯s heart. She suddenly stood up, ¡°Make way, make way!¡± Pushing through the onlookers, Ms. Wang squeezed into her family¡¯s home. Indeed, the yard was in complete chaos ¨C not only were the three sisters-in-law quarreling, but several nephews and nieces were also fighting all over the place. Meanwhile, her father and mother stood in front of the main hall, red-faced with fury. As for her three brothers, they were standing in the courtyard with embarrassed expressions, looking like they wanted to intervene but didn¡¯t know how. Seeing this, Ms. Wang felt a fierce anger rising within her. She knew all too well why her family home was in such a state. It was all because of poverty. Although the Yang family had twenty acres of farmland and lived a meager life, at least they didn¡¯t starve. The Wang family, on the other hand, had only ten acres of farmland, which was not enough to support such a large family. To have enough to eat, it was natural for each household to compete. Failure to fight meant going hungry, and going hungry was one thing but to let the children starve was another. Under such circumstances, even the kindest of women would turn into shrews ¨C they had to be aggressive. ¡°Silence, all of you!¡± Ms. Wang ran into the courtyard and shouted with the loudest voice she had ever used. Her shout was like a thunderclap, instantly quieting down the courtyard. It wasn¡¯t just the courtyard; even the onlookers outside clamped their mouths shut. Everyone stared at Ms. Wang in amazement. Her chubby face was flushed with anger, and her round eyes shone exceptionally bright. After all, Ms. Wang was just a twenty-year-old girl with a somewhat gentle nature. She always spoke softly and gently, so to see her yell angrily like today was unheard of, not only to strangers but even to her parents. ¡°Yaya, why are you back?¡± Ms. Wang¡¯s mother was first astonished, then somewhat flustered, she asked. At that moment, Ms. Wang, watched by everyone, felt somewhat timid and the fierce anger that had surged up just before dissipated without trace, her heart felt like it was filled with ten thousand frolicking deer. She opened her mouth, not knowing what to say. ¡°Ah, the girl is back!¡± At this moment, the eldest sister-in-law of the Wang family spoke up. Despite the fierce quarreling just now, in the blink of an eye, her brash face was suddenly full of affectionate smiles; her change of expression was comparable to the face-changing act in Sichuan opera. ¡°Shut up!¡± Hearing her sister-in-law¡¯s words, Ms. Wang¡¯s internal rage surfaced again. If anyone in this family was the most annoying, it would undoubtedly be her eldest sister-in-law. This woman had a penchant for belittling others, her words always seemed to carry thorns, and she loved gossiping and stirring up trouble everywhere. Without the demeanor of an elder sister-in-law, she even instigated discord among the sisters-in-law. Her eldest sister-in-law bore a great deal of the responsibility for the family becoming what it was. Scolded by Ms. Wang, the eldest sister-in-law¡¯s complexion kept changing, now green, now white. She was about to curse out loud, but seeing the angry eyes of Ms. Wang, she swallowed the words at her lips. Seeing that she finally calmed down, Ms. Wang quickly stepped forward to support her own mother, saying, ¡°Dad, Mom, it¡¯s unbearable with constant quarreling, how can we live like this?¡± Ms. Wang was also resolute, ¡°You can follow my second brother, not the eldest!¡± Saying this, she glared fiercely at her own elder brother. If Yang Mingcheng, the eldest of the Yang family, was honest and down-to-earth, then Wang Dalang was a dull and silent sort, the type who could not produce a sound even when kicked. Not to mention having no opinions of his own, he couldn¡¯t even control his own wife, allowing her to make trouble at home all day long. ¡°How can this be done? One should not split the family while the parents are still around!¡± Wang Dalang finally spoke up. ¡°Then divorce your eldest sister-in-law!¡± Ms. Wang fiercely glared at her own eldest sister-in-law again. Upon hearing this, the eldest sister-in-law of the Wang family immediately became nervous. ¡°You, what right do you have to speak here? A married daughter is like spilled water, you little harlot, don¡¯t talk nonsense here!¡± she cursed angrily. ¡°You dare call me a harlot, do you know who my father-in-law is? My father-in-law is Yang Zhenshan, my husband is Yang Mingcheng! And you still dare to curse me?¡± ¡°Just wait, I¡¯m going to have my husband send you back to your mother¡¯s home!¡± Ms. Wang was truly angered. It¡¯s said that a woman¡¯s family is her backbone after marriage. But for her, it was the other way around; her confidence came from her husband¡¯s family. With a formidable father-in-law and a martial artist husband, she strutted around not just her own family, but even around the surrounding villages and towns. Saying this, Ms. Wang was about to head outside. The eldest sister-in-law of the Wang family panicked at once, ¡°Yaya, no, I mean, little sister-in-law, I was wrong, look at this foul mouth of mine, it deserves to be beaten, beaten!¡± She said pleadingly, continuously slapping her own mouth. ¡°Yaya!¡± Ms. Wang¡¯s mother also hurriedly pulled on Ms. Wang. Nowadays, the fame of Yang Zhenshan had spread throughout much of Anning County, his feats of defeating mountain bandits and fighting northern barbarians added to the renown of Yang Zhenshan and Yang Family Village. Besides, it¡¯s not good to air one¡¯s dirty linen in public. If this matter were to reach the Yang Family Village, their Wang family would likely lose all face. Ms. Wang in her anger had overreacted; being pulled by her mother, she came back to her senses. She wasn¡¯t afraid of the Wang family losing face; she was afraid of shaming herself in front of Yang Zhenshan. She had great respect for her father-in-law and feared leaving a bad impression on him. ¡°Dad, Mom, let¡¯s talk inside the house!¡± Ms. Wang, not wanting to deal with her sisters-in-law, pulled her parents into the hall. Seated in the hall, her parents were still not at ease, peering into the yard. However, due to Ms. Wang¡¯s outburst, the household finally quieted down. The sisters-in-law looked at each other with dislike, all with sullen faces and not willing to speak, but they pricked up their ears, listening to the commotion inside the hall. Chapter 40 - 40 39 has someone chosen ?Chapter 40: Chapter 39 has someone chosen? Chapter 40: Chapter 39 has someone chosen? ¡°Dad, Mom, I¡¯m serious, you might as well split up the family!¡± ¡°They argue all the time, this is no solution!¡± ¡°After the split, you can stay with my second brother. Although he has a tough personality, he knows how to respect and take care of you. My second sister-in-law is reasonable but a bit fiery, luckily she knows how to look after you.¡± In the Yang family, Ms. Wang seldom spoke to Yang Zhenshan, but at her parent¡¯s home, facing her own parents, she couldn¡¯t stop talking smoothly. Mr. Wang sighed deeply and said, ¡°Let¡¯s follow our daughter¡¯s advice and separate the family!¡± His personality was rather firm, but he found it inappropriate to intervene in the affairs of the women. He couldn¡¯t possibly break up the fights between his daughters-in-law. What an improper situation! Ms. Wang¡¯s mother wiped her tears and said nothing. They were all still here, and very young; splitting the family now would really look bad. But if they didn¡¯t split, life would continue to be distressing. ¡°Mom, after we split up, I will support my second brother. Don¡¯t be sad, with my help, you will definitely live a good life!¡± Ms. Wang comforted, ¡°Look what I have brought for you!¡± She placed her wicker basket on the table, lifted the cloth covering it, revealing the eggs and meat inside. Mr. Wang stood up swiftly when he saw this. ¡°How could you bring back so much stuff?¡± ¡°What will we do if your father-in-law finds out!¡± He said somewhat panicking. A married daughter is like spilled water, as the saying goes. If a married daughter takes things from her husband¡¯s family to assist her parents, it is considered despicable. It can even tarnish her family¡¯s reputation and affect the marriage prospects of her siblings. No family would want to marry a daughter-in-law who steals from one home to benefit another. ¡°Dad, father-in-law allowed me to bring these!¡± Ms. Wang cheerfully replied. She was telling the truth; Yang Zhenshan knew she was visiting Wang Family Village and allowed her to bring some things for her parents. In Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes, it was only natural for a daughter-in-law to bring gifts to her parents¡¯ home. However, his original intention was for Ms. Wang to bring some fabrics. Zhou Lan¡¯s thank-you gifts included a lot of fabric, which the Yang family couldn¡¯t use in the short term, so Yang Zhenshan thought to distribute some to relatives. This was just a part of social exchange; Yang Zhenshan was never stingy. But he hadn¡¯t specified clearly, so Ms. Wang did not dare to touch the fabrics and only brought some pork and eggs. Now, the Yang family really did not lack these. Hearing it was agreed by Yang Zhenshan, Mr. Wang finally relaxed. ¡°By the way, Father-in-law is going to Chongshan Pass, he¡¯s going to take an official position, I think it¡¯s Trial Hundred Households!¡± Ms. Wang continued smiling cheerfully. At this news, Mr. Wang was first surprised, then delighted. His father-in-law becoming an official was a great fortune. However, he quickly became concerned again, ¡°You must be very respectful to your father-in-law, don¡¯t ever anger him.¡± Marriage is about matching social status. Previously, both the Yang family and the Wang family were commoners, perfectly matched, but now with the Yang family¡¯s rise, Mr. Wang feared they might look down on his daughter. Ms. Wang also harbored such worries, but thinking of Yang Zhenshan¡¯s temperament, she felt reassured. The three of them chatted for a while longer. Ms. Wang did not forget her errand and after placing down the goods, picked up her basket to find the matchmaker, Mrs. Wang. Mrs. Wang was a woman over fifty, with a head full of silver hair, kind facial features, dressed simply but neatly, resembling a loving grandmother. ¡°Auntie!¡± Upon reaching Mrs. Wang¡¯s home, Ms. Wang warmly called out to her. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this the madam of the Yang family? Please come in, come in!¡± Mrs. Wang, seeing it was Ms. Wang, beamed a radiant smile. The marriage between the Yang family and the Wang family was mediated by her, this marriage was the most commendable match of her decades-long career as a matchmaker. Not to mention, being a daughter-in-law in the Yang family was the envy of every young woman for miles around. Even before Yang Zhenshan crossed over, the Yang family was already a desirable matchmaker prospect, not to mention now. As soon as they entered, the old lady immediately brought Ms. Wang a bowl of boiled water. ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you here to discuss a marriage for your younger brother-in-law?¡± Before Ms. Wang could respond, the old lady spoke first. ¡°Auntie guessed it?¡± Ms. Wang exclaimed in surprise. The old lady said with a smile, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know, but recently, lots of people have come to my door, all for the third son of the Yang family!¡± Her words weren¡¯t nonsense. It had been over half a year since Yang Zhenshan crossed over, and during this time, the Yang family¡¯s life had been getting better and better, which was well-known around several neighboring villages. Who wouldn¡¯t want their daughter to marry into a good household, or to have a powerful in-law family? Thus, since the beginning of the year, many people had visited, asking the old lady to propose to the Yang family on their behalf. If it hadn¡¯t been for the Northern barbarians invading, the old lady would have already worn out the Yang family¡¯s doorstep. ¡°I have many eligible young ladies here; would you like to choose first?¡± The old lady seemed eager. Now that the Yang family was thriving, if she could help arrange a marriage for them, the reward and wedding money would definitely be substantial. She had long been looking forward to making big earnings from the Yang family. ¡°No, Auntie~~¡± Ms. Wang said somewhat awkwardly, waving her hand, ¡°I have a suitable candidate in mind, perhaps you could learn a bit more about the situation!¡± ¡°You already have a candidate?¡± The old lady was taken aback. ¡°Yes, the young lady from the Liang Family cloth shop in the county town!¡± Ms. Wang said, with a blush on her cheeks. She didn¡¯t actually know the young lady from the Liang Family cloth shop; it wasn¡¯t her choice but rather that of Yang Minghao. ¡°The young lady from the Liang Family cloth shop!¡± The old lady thought for a moment. She knew of the Liang Family cloth shop, but she wasn¡¯t aware if they had any suitable girls for marriage. The county town was not part of her business area; her territory was limited to the villages surrounding Wang Family Village. Nevertheless, finding out about the Liang Family cloth shop wouldn¡¯t be difficult as she had colleagues in the county town who she could inquire with. ¡°I recall that the owners and shopkeeper of the Liang Family cloth shop are not from Anning County,¡± said the old lady. ¡°That, I¡¯m not very clear about either; you will need to investigate first!¡± Ms. Wang said. She was just relaying what Yang Minghao had mentioned, without knowing the specifics herself. The old lady pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go inquire about it!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you, Auntie.¡± Ms. Wang quickly took out a purse and handed it to the old lady. Feeling the weight of the purse, the old lady¡¯s smile grew even brighter, ¡°Oh, how could I accept this?¡± Although she said this, she had no intention of returning the purse to Ms. Wang. ¡°Please take the effort, Auntie!¡± Ms. Wang smiled, then got up and took her leave. No sooner had she left, the old lady headed to the county town. Yang Zhenshan had no idea that Yang Minghao fancied the young lady of the Liang Family cloth shop, and even if he did know, he wouldn¡¯t have been concerned about it. Although he was Yang Minghao¡¯s father, arranging marriages was a matter to be handled by the matchmaker and the women in the family. The only thing he could do was to screen the proposal before confirming the match. As for anything else, even if he wanted to intervene, he couldn¡¯t. Over the next two days, Yang Zhenshan was busy with ancestor worship and preparing feasts. Since there was a feast to prepare, he naturally needed to invite some relatives and friends. Lu Zhou from the county town blacksmith shop, the Lu family from Qinghe Town, the Jiang family from Jiang Family Village, the Wang family from Wang Family Village, and the Li family from Li Family Village. He was inviting all these friends and in-laws. Besides, he also needed to hire several chefs and buy ingredients needed for the banquet. For these matters, Yang Zhenshan was incredibly busy these two days. That day, just as he returned from buying ingredients in the county town, he saw Yang Mingcheng walking out of the east wing looking glum, followed by Ms. Wang, her eyes slightly red. Seeing them in such a state, Yang Zhenshan was a bit startled. What happened to this couple? Did they have a quarrel? Chapter 41 - 41 40 The Stone Pool Space ?Chapter 41: Chapter 40 The Stone Pool Space Chapter 41: Chapter 40 The Stone Pool Space ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Yang Zhenshan felt that as the head of the family, he must understand everything that was happening at home, so he asked directly. ¡°Dad!¡± Yang Mingcheng and Ms. Wang clearly hadn¡¯t expected Yang Zhenshan to return at this time. Both of them stiffened upon seeing Yang Zhenshan. Yang Mingcheng appeared uncomfortable, while Ms. Wang seemed somewhat panicked. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Yang Mingcheng said with his head lowered, speaking haltingly. Yang Zhenshan looked at him with a strange expression in his eyes. His eldest son had always been honest and had never lied to his father before. Was he actually lying today? There was definitely something! He just didn¡¯t know what it was! Yang Zhenshan turned his gaze to Ms. Wang, and she shivered under his stare. Then, Ms. Wang knelt down with a thud. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have meddled in my parental home¡¯s affairs!¡± ¡°Uh!¡± Yang Zhenshan was completely confused. What¡¯s this all about? Why did she kneel down? Others in the family also came out, looking at Ms. Wang with puzzled expressions. Except for the Li family, who knew what Ms. Wang had been up to these past few days. Encouraging her parental home to split up! Just yesterday, the Wang family had divided, and Ms. Wang played an important role in it. The news had already spread and reached Yang Family Village. As a member of the village¡¯s intelligence network, the Li family had naturally heard about these matters. ¡°What did you do with your parental home?¡± Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t have time to gossip with the village women, so he hadn¡¯t heard anything about the Wang family¡¯s affairs. ¡°I urged my parents to split up!¡± Ms. Wang said, her head lowered, sounding anxious. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t understand, ¡°Why split up?¡± ¡°The sisters-in-law were often fighting, and it was distressing my parents¡ª¡± Ms. Wang¡¯s voice grew even softer. Parents are alive; do not divide the household. This was both custom and filial piety. If one¡¯s parents were still alive, wishing to split the family was seen as unfilial. And a daughter who is married off is like water that¡¯s been poured away. Ms. Wang¡¯s interference in her parental home¡¯s affairs, especially instigating her parents to split up, was something that would invite criticism here. Yang Zhenshan suddenly understood. Although there were many concepts and customs here he didn¡¯t agree with, being here meant he had to adapt to the local mindset and traditions. But adaptation aside, in his bones, his mindset was modern. As for splitting the family, if it should be done, then do it. If the children are not filial, why keep them around? It¡¯s better to split early to save future troubles. If Yang Mingcheng¡¯s three were not filial, Yang Zhenshan would definitely drive them out of the house without hesitation. However, he started to see Ms. Wang in a new light. This daughter-in-law has grown capable! He used to think Ms. Wang was weak and indecisive, but now she dared to go to her parental home and help her parents split up; her personality had changed a lot. Yang Zhenshan thought it was a good thing. The people of the Yang family all needed to grow and become stronger. This strength isn¡¯t about martial force, but about character and psychological fortitude. ¡°Get up, it¡¯s just a small matter, no need for this!¡± Yang Zhenshan said lightly. ¡°Small matter?¡± Yang Mingcheng looked at him in shock. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a small matter?¡± ¡°But everyone outside is saying...¡± Yang Mingcheng glanced at Ms. Wang. Yang Zhenshan curled his lips. He naturally knew what the outsiders would say; the village¡¯s intelligence network was full of gossip, constantly chattering about this family and that. He did not care about such matters in the slightest. ¡°What does it matter what they say outside? Hurry back and coax your wife, and if I ever see you bullying her again, I¡¯ll beat you up!¡± Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain to Yang Mingcheng. Actually, it was hard to explain. Yang Mingcheng was a native here, and some concepts were ingrained in his bones; even if Yang Zhenshan wanted to change them, it would be difficult. In Ms. Wang¡¯s eyes, what Yang Mingcheng did was definitely wrong. Feudal society, male superiority over female, all those rules about ¡®the three obediences and four virtues,¡¯ ¡®the seven reasons for divorce¡¯ were restrictions placed upon women. Yang Zhenshan was well aware of these but neither could nor wished to change them. Upon hearing Yang Zhenshan¡¯s words, Yang Mingcheng immediately shrank his neck. Was Dad going to beat him up? How bad had things gotten? Don¡¯t look at him now as a Martial Artist; he really wouldn¡¯t dare to start a fight with Yang Zhenshan. Not to mention fighting, he couldn¡¯t even backtalk. Yang Mingcheng hurriedly helped Ms. Wang to her feet and half dragged, half carried her back to their room. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t bother with what the young couple did in their room during the day; they probably couldn¡¯t do much anyways. Well, even if they wanted to do something, it was none of Yang Zhenshan¡¯s business. ¡°Ahem, Mrs. Li, where¡¯s the second son?¡± ¡°The second lad went to the back hill with Lin Zhan early this morning!¡± Mrs. Li replied. Yang Zhenshan nodded his head. Although the young and strong-men of Yang Family Village had disbanded and no longer trained daily, the training ground in the back hill was still there. Anyone from the family or the village who wanted to practice Martial Arts would go there. ¡°When they return later, have him come to find me!¡± Yang Zhenshan ordered and then returned to his own room. Sitting on the edge of the kang, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mind stirred slightly, and the scene of the Stone Slot Spirit Spring appeared before his eyes. He had been in this world for half a year now, and the Stone Slot Spirit Spring had also existed for the same duration. Compared with the original stone slot, the current one had transformed into a stone pool about a zhang wide. However, there was only a shallow pool of Spiritual Spring Water, probably about a bucket¡¯s amount. Although no spring water emerged from the center of the pool, ripples were present, indicating that the output of the Spiritual Spring was now visible to the naked eye. According to Yang Zhenshan¡¯s estimates, the Spiritual Spring was currently producing about six or seven bowls of water each day. With such a significant amount of water, Yang Zhenshan naturally wouldn¡¯t leave it untouched. During this period, the Yang family had been using diluted Spiritual Spring Water. As the water quantity had increased, Yang Zhenshan was no longer as frugal as before; every day, he would add a bowl or two of spring water to the buckets used for cooking and boiling water. But even so, the spring water in the pool continued to increase. Based on Yang Zhenshan¡¯s observations, he also noticed some patterns with the expansion of the stone pool space. The expansion of the stone pool space was not in relation to his physical condition or cultivation level, but it slowly expanded over time. Perhaps time wasn¡¯t the sole reason for the expansion of the pool, but there seemed to be a significant correlation between the two. Although Yang Zhenshan had not figured out the main reason for the pool¡¯s expansion, he had discovered other changes within it. The first change was that after expanding to a width of a zhang, dark, fertile soil had been exposed instead of rocks. Although the soil was only as wide as a gap between fingers, it implied that if the stone pool space continued to expand, a vast amount of land might appear. The second change or discovery, rather. He found that he could enter the stone pool, not just himself, but he could also place objects from the outside world into the stone pool space. With just a slight thought, he could put items into the space, or take them out. This discovery had excited Yang Zhenshan for quite some time. The legendary storage space! Not just a storage space, but possibly a Planting Space? Or it could be an immortal¡¯s cave dwelling or a land of fortune. Yang Zhenshan had many speculations, but for now, he couldn¡¯t confirm any of them. He would need to wait until the space expanded sufficiently to verify them. Maybe there were other treasures within this space. Yang Zhenshan was eagerly looking forward to this. Chapter 42 - 42 41 Chicken Soup ?Chapter 42: Chapter 41 Chicken Soup Chapter 42: Chapter 41 Chicken Soup After checking the stone pool space and finding no changes today, Yang Zhenshan took a pot of Spiritual Spring Water and turned to leave the room to boil water. Before the water had even boiled, he heard a clamor from the courtyard. ¡°Dad, Dad~~¡± Yang Mingzhi ran into the hall while calling out. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Yang Zhenshan did not bother to lift his head and kept looking at his water. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve become a Martial Artist!¡± Yang Mingzhi stood in front of him, putting on a look that begged for compliments. However, Yang Zhenshan merely glanced at him and just uttered two words. ¡°Not bad!¡± ¡°...¡± Yang Mingzhi looked at him dumbfounded. Not bad! Just two words? So perfunctory? ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve become a Martial Artist!¡± Yang Mingzhi felt that Yang Zhenshan might not have understood and repeated himself. Yang Zhenshan waved his hand impatiently and said, ¡°I know! Now that you are a Martial Artist, you mustn¡¯t slack off, strive harder in your cultivation from now on!¡± Is it a happy occasion for Yang Mingzhi to become a Martial Artist? Of course, it is. But here comes the issue, the Yang family already has two Martial Artists, and Yang Family Village even has four. When Yang Mingcheng first became a Martial Artist, he was hailed as the top among the young generation of the Yang Family, so both Yang Zhengxiang and the ordinary clan members were extremely happy and celebrated wildly. Next was Yang Mingwu. When Yang Mingwu became a Martial Artist, the reaction within the family was quite subdued, first because the Hu Clan had invaded, and everyone was not in the mood to celebrate. Secondly, with Yang Mingcheng before him, Yang Mingwu becoming a Martial Artist seemed less significant. Now it was Yang Mingzhi¡¯s turn, and that mattered even less. It¡¯s not quite right to say it didn¡¯t matter, but as the Yang Family gained more and more Martial Artists, someone becoming a Martial Artist became increasingly ordinary. That¡¯s within the family; however, in Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes Yang Mingzhi becoming a Martial Artist was expected. Yang Mingzhi drank diluted Spiritual Spring Water every day, and sometimes Yang Zhenshan even brewed tea for him with normal Spiritual Spring Water; if he still couldn¡¯t become a Martial Artist, then he might as well not practice martial arts at all. So Yang Zhenshan felt no surprise at Yang Mingzhi becoming a Martial Artist. But Yang Mingzhi still looked crestfallen and said, ¡°Dad, aren¡¯t you happy that I became a Martial Artist?¡± ¡°Happy, of course! When did I say I wasn¡¯t happy?¡± Yang Zhenshan raised his head, puzzled. ¡°But, but, your reaction is so indifferent!¡± Yang Mingzhi felt neglected. Seeing his pitiful state, Yang Zhenshan helplessly shook his head. Alright. Of the three Yang brothers, only his pitiful look wasn¡¯t irksome. If Yang Mingcheng or Yang Minghao made such faces, he would definitely slap them. There was no helping it; Yang Mingzhi was the best-looking among the brothers. ¡°Dad has confidence in you and believes you will definitely become a Martial Artist!¡± ¡°Not only that, Dad also believes you will become a Postnatal Martial Artist, becoming an even stronger Martial Artist!¡± Yang Zhenshan reassuringly said. ¡°Really!¡± Yang Mingzhi¡¯s eyes shone brightly. ¡°Of course, as long as you persist in hard training, Dad believes you will become a world-renowned powerful fighter!¡± Yang Zhenshan unabashedly ladled out the motivational speech to Yang Mingzhi. He didn¡¯t care if this motivational speech was poisonous, just pour it out first. Yang Mingzhi wasn¡¯t like those people from his previous life who were tortured by toxic motivational speeches, nearly devoid of any immunity. So when Yang Zhenshan expressed these expectant and weighty words, Yang Mingzhi¡¯s spirit soared as if injected with adrenaline. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry, I will definitely become a world-renowned powerful fighter!¡± Yang Mingzhi, usually sharp, was floating on cloud nine. He walked as if his head was heavy and his feet were light, all airy and buoyant. But once he picked up the spear, he was grounded again. But why did he choose to practice spear in the courtyard? Now, except for Yang Yunxue training in the courtyard with Ms. Wang, Ms. Li, and Wang Yunqiao using the spear, everyone else went to the training ground behind the mountain. Watching Yang Mingzhi practice the spear, everyone in the family was baffled. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s lips curled up slightly. It seems that the chicken soup was delicious! He should feed them more of it in the future. After finishing a set of Spear Technique, the fervor in his heart finally calmed down a bit. The water Yang Zhenshan had put on was just boiling; he brewed some tea and called everyone over to drink. Now with more Spiritual Spring Water, Yang Zhenshan was less stingy than before. Not just for the three brothers of Yang Mingcheng, but also for Ms. Wang, Ms. Li, Lin Zhan, and others to have a cup of tea. Of course, Yang Zhenshan wouldn¡¯t say what good the tea brought; he just asked them to try if it was delicious. ¡°Grandpa, I want more!¡± His eldest grandson, Yang Chengye, after finishing a cup, smacked his lips and lifted his cup for more. The tea had the fragrance of tea leaves and the sweetness of the spring water, making a delightful taste that naturally children loved to drink. ¡°Little children shouldn¡¯t drink too much tea, or else they won¡¯t be able to sleep.¡± Yang Zhenshan gently touched the little fellow¡¯s head and kindly smiled, ¡°Grandpa will give you candy instead!¡± Saying this, he took a piece of malt candy from the basket nearby and stuffed it into his eldest grandson¡¯s mouth. His grandson, after getting a taste of the sweetness, forgot about the tea and a joyful smile crossed his little face. Yang Zhenshan was fair, what the eldest grandson got, the second grandson and the eldest granddaughter got as well, and even the little Wang Mingzhe wasn¡¯t left out. While Ms. Wang and the others cooked, Yang Zhenshan had Yang Yunxue take the babies into his room to secretly feed them Spiritual Spring Water. The little ones couldn¡¯t drink much, a few spoonfuls were enough. ¡°Grandpa, it tastes good! I want to drink more!¡± Yang Chengmao, at a year and a half, already spoke very clearly. The little guy was chubby like a dumpling, and very active; if not watched carefully, he would waddle off somewhere with his short legs. While Yang Qingwan and Wang Mingzhe still couldn¡¯t walk, they were crawling all over the place. Now, it was much more tiresome to watch them. Yang Zhenshan found it a bit overwhelming to care for them all by himself. ¡°The rest is all yours!¡± Yang Zhenshan gave all the water left in the tea bowl to Yang Chengmao. Yang Chengmao held the bowl and drank all with gulp after gulp. ¡°Grandpa, hug!¡± Yang Zhenshan was a bit speechless; this little one was awfully clingy. ¡°Go and play with your brother!¡± He still needed to watch over the two little ones on the Kang bed, ensuring they didn¡¯t crawl off the edge; he could not keep holding Yang Chengmao all the time. Thank goodness for the many people in the family; otherwise, watching over the children would be a hassle. ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go and play!¡± Yang Chengye, now sensible, realizing Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t manage alone, quickly took his brother outside. The two little ones squatted in a corner of the yard and started digging an anthill. With spring in bloom, ants finally could breathe some fresh air, but just as they emerged, they fell prey to the little hands of mischief. Yang Zhenshan silently mourned for the ants for a second, then holding one chubby baby in each arm, sat on the Kang bed, playing with them. Actually, he didn¡¯t watch the children often; most of the time, it was Yang Yunxue, Lin Zhan, and Wang Yunqiao ¨C the three older children who took care of them. He occasionally took care of them to bond with the children. After all, he was a grandfather, not a nanny. Chapter 43 - 43 42 Banquet Unexpected Guest ?Chapter 43: Chapter 42 Banquet, Unexpected Guest Chapter 43: Chapter 42 Banquet, Unexpected Guest Two days passed by in a flash. In the early morning, Yang Zhenshan rode around Yang Family Village. He had never seen a horse before, and thus, had no previous riding skills, so he had to start from scratch. Fortunately, Red Cloud was gentle and, coupled with Yang Zhenshan¡¯s superior physical condition, riding wasn¡¯t too difficult. However, mastering riding skills required more practice. Without any guidance, Yang Zhenshan learned through trial and error. Every day, he spent an hour riding Red Cloud around the Yang Family Village, not galloping, just leisurely controlling the horse¡¯s slow pace. This not only fostered a bond between him and Red Cloud but also built understanding. Not just him; Yang Mingcheng, Yang Mingzhi, and Yang Mingwu also rode around daily. Today was the day of the Yang family¡¯s banquet. After his ride, Yang Zhenshan went straight home to prepare. Ms. Wang and the Li family had brought out the ingredients prepared the previous day. In the yard, Yang Mingcheng and Yang Mingzhi set up two large pots while Yang Minghao and Yang Yunxue washed the ingredients near the well. A bit after Nine in the morning, the head chef from the county¡¯s restaurant arrived with four apprentices. Soon after, the Yang family¡¯s courtyard was filled with the aroma of cooking food. The neighbors also came to help, setting up tables and chairs from the entrance of the Yang family all the way to the big locust tree in the center of the village. Yang Zhenshan, Yang Zhengxiang, and a few elders stood at the entrance of the village waiting for the guests. This time, Yang Zhenshan was not only hosting the entire Yang Family Village but also many others including landlords, scholars, and martial Artists. Everyone in Anning County who held a bit of status and had some connection with the Yang family was invited following Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s recommendation. Around a quarter past Nine, Mr. Wang from Wang Family Village led several sons, coming from Ms. Wang¡¯s maternal home. Being close relatives, they were naturally invited. However, Mr. Wang felt somewhat embarrassed and apologized profusely to Yang Zhenshan upon meeting him. The incident involving Ms. Wang had spawned many idle gossip affecting both the Yang and Wang families. Yang Zhenshan, of course, paid no heed to such matters, comforting Mr. Wang before welcoming him into the home. Then came the maternal family of the Li family, who were simple farmers. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t put on airs when facing them and warmly welcomed them into his home. Shortly after, the Jiang family also arrived. However, Yang Yunyan didn¡¯t come as her due date was approaching, and it was not suitable for her to be out. Following them was the Lu family, with Lu Songhe himself coming with a large group. When his father-in-law and mother-in-law came, Yang Zhenshan naturally went to greet them well. ¡°Seeing your family like this, your mother and I can rest assured!¡± Lu Songhe said with relief, looking at the bustling Yang family. Although he felt a pang of regret that his daughter hadn¡¯t enjoyed such blessings, he was still comforted. When he looked at the group of children, his mood greatly improved. ¡°Dad, you rest for a bit. I¡¯ll check on you in a while!¡± ¡°Oldest son, come greet your grandfather and uncles!¡± Today brought many guests, and Yang Zhenshan could not stay solely with Lu Songhe, so he called Yang Mingcheng to assist. ¡°You go on; don¡¯t mind us!¡± Lu Songhe knew Yang Zhenshan was busy and didn¡¯t keep him. Yang Zhenshan greeted Lu Zhaoran and several nephews, then hurried back to the village entrance. At this time, many guests were arriving, and Yang Zhengxiang and some elders were busy ushering waves of guests to their seats. These included the village chief from the neighboring village, surrounding landlords and gentry, and some invited scholars and martial artists. ¡°Brother Zhengshan, congratulations, congratulations!¡± ¡°Senior, congratulations!¡± One unfamiliar person after another approached to congratulate; Yang Zhenshan felt like he was a robot, continuously returning gestures. Truthfully, he didn¡¯t recognize any of these people; since his original self didn¡¯t, neither did he. But guests should be respected, and their presence honored the Yang family, so he had to be a warm host. Actually, after some small talk, he got to know quite a few martial artists and scholars. In just two hours, the twenty tables he prepared were filled. Luckily, today the weather was clear with bright sunshine. Although the temperature was slightly low, with so many people gathered, it didn¡¯t feel cold. Approaching noon, Yang Zhenshan welcomed some unexpected guests. Several carriages were slowly coming down the dirt road. ¡°Ah youngest brother, haha~~¡± The first to alight from the carriage was Lu Zhou; his presence did not surprise Yang Zhenshan, but the few people behind him were unexpected guests. Yang Zhenshan advanced to embrace Lu Zhou, ¡°Brother Lu!¡± However, his gaze shifted to the elder and the youth behind Lu Zhou. The elder was dressed in a brocade robe, his silver hair meticulously groomed, and his face bore a kind smile. The youth had red lips and white teeth, somewhat frail like a scholar, but his eyes carried a hint of arrogance. Noticing his gaze, Lu Zhou quickly introduced, ¡°This is our Second Young Master Lu from the Lu family, and this is our Seventh Young Master!¡± Yang Zhenshan was slightly taken aback, quickly stepping forward and bowing, ¡°Zhenshan greets Second Young Master Lu, greets Seventh Young Master!¡± The Lu family was the most prominent gentry family in Anning County. Though not very significant in the greater realm of Da Rong, in Anning County, they were like the land emperors. To put it bluntly, even the county magistrate had to bow low in front of the Lu family. It was an honor for the Yang family to catch the eye of the Lu family. It was not self-deprecation; it was the truth. Although the Yang family boasted several Martial Artists, they were nothing in front of the Lu family. A glance at the guards beside the carriage told Yang Zhenshan that these seven or eight guards were all Martial Artists. In front of others, a Martial Artist could only serve as a guard. Such was the disparity. ¡°Haha, Lu Zhou is my nephew, so I take the liberty of calling you Zhengshan; you wouldn¡¯t mind, right?¡± Second Young Master Lu laughed heartily. ¡°How could I? It¡¯s my honor!¡± Yang Zhenshan smiled. It was normal for a man in his sixties or seventies to call him by his name. If it was possible, Yang Zhenshan wouldn¡¯t mind lowering himself a generation; he much preferred being considered a ¡®younger¡¯ member of the family. But only in the social sense, and not actually being seen as lesser. Being called a ¡®grandchild¡¯ made one seem youthful; being treated as a ¡®grandchild¡¯ felt demeaning, and there was a difference between the two. ¡°Haha, very good! Qi!¡± Second Young Master Lu turning to the Seventh Young Master Lu. Lu Qi stepped forward, bowed and said, ¡°Lu Qi greets Uncle Yang!¡± Yang Zhenshan was taken aback again, ¡°Seventh Young Master, this is too much honor; I dare not accept!¡± ¡°Haha, why not dare! It is his honor to call you uncle!¡± Second Young Master Lu said. Now, Yang Zhenshan was somewhat confused. To be honest, it was already a sign of great respect that the Lu family visited. But Second Young Master Lu¡¯s overtures seemed to overly elevate the Yang family. Originally, the Yang family had very limited interactions with the Lu family, tied only through Lu Zhou, and had absolutely no direct relations with the wider Lu family. Previously, the Yang family wasn¡¯t even qualified to serve the Lu family; now, the Yang family had gained a bit of thin face, but at most, it was just enough to catch the Lu family¡¯s notice. Now, with Second Young Master Lu¡¯s behavior, it appeared to consider lineage with the Yang family, suggesting a much closer relationship between the two families. Yang Zhanshan looked at Lu Qi and then back at Second Young Master Lu, yet his face wore an eager smile. ¡°Then I will take the liberty, Seventh Young Master!¡± He reached out to support Lu Qi¡¯s arm. Though unclear of the Lu family¡¯s intentions, Yang Zhenshan naturally had no reason to turn away those who sought closeness with his own. ¡°Uncle Yang can just call me Qi Lang!¡± Lu Qi said, genteel and cultured. Yang Zhenshan nodded, still smiling. The Lu family truly was a family of high standing; their manners and mindset were not something smaller families could compare with. Though Lu Qi had a touch of arrogance in his eyes, his actions were polite and well-mannered. While they spoke, two more carriages arrived. Yang Zhenshan turned his head and saw that there were also government officials in tow. Second Young Master Lu also looked back and smiled, ¡°Mr. Luo has also come!¡± Chapter 44 - 44 43 Very Thick Thighs ?Chapter 44: Chapter 43 Very Thick Thighs Chapter 44: Chapter 43 Very Thick Thighs Mr. Luo! Luo Jin? Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Something¡¯s not right! Since when did he have such prestige that Mr. Lu and the County Magistrate himself would pay a personal visit? Although he was going to Chongshan Pass to hold the trial post of Hundred Households and be a garrison commander, it didn¡¯t seem to warrant such attention from the Lu family and Luo Jin. The ranks of military officers were inflated; a Trial Hundred Households of the Secondary Sixth Rank was actually inferior to those Eighth- or Ninth-Rank officials in the county government. Even if he was a Hundred Households, it shouldn¡¯t cause the Lu family and Luo Jin to take the initiative to cozy up to him. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration crossed Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mind. Was it not for him? Then what for? What did he have that was worth their attention? The Yang family had nothing, but Chongshan Pass did! Zhou Lan! The only possibility Yang Zhenshan could think of was Zhou Lan. Who was Zhou Lan? The Guerrilla General of the Left Camp at Chongshan Pass. Merely this should not have been enough for the Lu family and Luo Jin to be so eager, but don¡¯t forget that Zhou Lan came from Duke Ning Mansion. Having any ties to Duke Ning Mansion, even indirectly, was not to be underestimated in Anning County. All of a sudden, Yang Zhenshan felt as if there was a very thick and sturdy leg in front of him. Holding onto a thigh for support! Yang Zhenshan felt he should give it a try. Unfortunately, he did not know if Zhou Lan¡¯s thigh was available for him to grab onto. Tsk. Not that kind of thigh at all, not the same thing. Coming back to his senses, Yang Zhenshan smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Lu, let us go forward to greet them!¡± ¡°Certainly!¡± Mr. Lu replied. Although the Lu family was a prominent family in Anning County and need not fear a Seventh-Rank County Magistrate, Mr. Lu was still a commoner. In terms of his own standing, he was not qualified to pose in front of Luo Jin. The two of them stepped forward just as Luo Jin was getting out of the carriage. ¡°Mr. Zhengshan, I have come uninvited, please forgive me!¡± Luo Jin looked at Yang Zhenshan with a smiling gaze, then turned to Mr. Lu, ¡°Mr. Lu is also here?¡± ¡°I, the humble one, pay my respects to the esteemed County Magistrate!¡± Yang Zhenshan gave a bow of greeting. ¡°The elderly has seen Mr. Luo!¡± Mr. Lu also bowed. ¡°Mr. Zhengshan, this isn¡¯t right; you are no longer a commoner, you are now the Trial Hundred Households of Chongshan Pass!¡± Luo Jin cupped his hands as a return gesture, then reached out to help Yang Zhenshan and Mr. Lu to their feet. ¡°I and Mr. Lu have not met for some time, we should have a good chat today!¡± Clearly, Luo Jin knew about Yang Zhenshan¡¯s assignment to Chongshan Pass and naturally knew of Zhou Lan¡¯s visit to Yang Family Village. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t bother with whatever he had in mind, exchanging pleasantries before inviting them all into the village. However, he did not arrange for Luo Jin and Mr. Lu on the street in front of his own home, but had Yang Zhengxiang set up a table of wine and dishes in the house. No special arrangement from Yang Zhenshan was needed; upon noticing Mr. Lu¡¯s arrival, Yang Zhengxiang had already made arrangements. Though Yang Zhengxiang was elderly, he wasn¡¯t senile and naturally knew that the Lu family, unlike others, could not be seated in an outdoor setting. The purpose of Luo Jin¡¯s visit was the same as Mr. Lu¡¯s ¨C they both wanted to make Yang Zhenshan¡¯s acquaintance. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s guess was correct; they had come because of Zhou Lan. However, there was one thing Yang Zhenshan got wrong; they were not looking to connect with Zhou Lan. To put it unpleasantly, they were not qualified to form ties with Zhou Lan. Their goal was simply to foster good relations with Yang Zhenshan alone. Yang Zhenshan felt that the Yang family was not qualified to be friends with the Lu family or Luo Jin, and Luo Jin and the Lu family also had self-awareness; they were not qualified to associate with Duke Ning Mansion. And Zhou Lan¡¯s personal visit to Yang Family Village to look for Yang Zhenshan was a sign of great respect for him. With this respect, Yang Zhenshan now had the qualifications to become friends with Luo Jin and the Lu family. Due to the deliberate friendliness of Luo Jin and Mr. Lu, the banquet was a very enjoyable affair, a true delight for both the guests and the host. The banquet lasted two hours, and it was only after that time that the two men got up to take their leave. Yang Zhenshan and Yang Zhengxiang together saw them off from Yang Family Village, watching them leave before they could finally breathe a sigh of relief. However, this breath was short-lived, as they had to summon their energy once again to attend to the other guests. The arrival of Mr. Lu and Luo Jin brought much liveliness to the banquet. The invited guests were extremely surprised by this and looked at the Yang family with newfound respect, their attitudes even warmer when they left. Today¡¯s banquet was truly exhausting to hold. Welcoming guests took over two hours, partaking in the feast took another hour, and seeing off guests took yet another hour. After an entire day, Yang Zhenshan felt his mouth parched and his voice hoarse from talking. Yang Zhengxiang felt even dizzier; after all, he was of an older age and his energy was not as abundant. By the time Yang Zhenshan had sent off the Li and Wang families, who were related by marriage, it was nearing dusk. Dragging his tired body, he returned home. Once the banquet was over, the villagers helped clean up everything inside and out. When Yang Zhenshan got home, only his own family members were left, sorting through the gifts brought by the guests. Those coming to the feast naturally couldn¡¯t come empty-handed. Today, the Yang family received a courtyard full of gifts. Looking at the gifts filling the yard, Yang Zhenshan said with a look of astonishment on his face: ¡°Why are there so many?¡± The gifts in the yard were clearly divided, with the left side filled with agricultural products such as chickens, ducks, eggs, and meat, while the gifts on the right were much more neatly organized, packaged in exquisite boxes or covered with oilcloth. ¡°Dad, these are from the Lu family and Mr. Luo, those are from the other guests!¡± Yang Mingcheng ran over and pointed out the gifts on each side. Yang Zhenshan had already guessed as much but was still surprised. ¡°Wow, did we make a huge profit from this banquet?¡± ¡°Not just a huge profit, we made a killing!¡± Yang Mingzhi also ran over, saying excitedly. To hold this banquet, Yang Zhenshan had actually spent quite a bit. He had hired the best chefs from the city, generously providing all kinds of poultry and meats, preparing over twenty tables with an average cost of more than one Silver per table. Originally, he thought hosting a banquet would be a loss, which is why he told Yang Zhengxiang that he would cover the banquet¡¯s expenses himself. But as it turned out, the banquet was not only not a loss but made them a tidy sum. However, the profit was mainly from the gifts of the Lu family and Luo Jin. Even if the banquet expenses came from within the clan, the gifts from the Lu family and Luo Jin were for Yang Zhenshan. Yang Zhenshan stepped forward to inspect the gifts from the Lu family and Luo Jin. Ink, paper, brushes, inkstones, gold and silver jewelry, silk fabrics, pelts, and medicinal materials, the quantity was no less than what Zhou Lan had previously sent. However, in terms of value, certainly, the gifts from Zhou Lan were more precious, and in terms of sincerity, Zhou Lan¡¯s were delivered with greater intent. Looking at these items, Yang Zhenshan thought for a moment and said, ¡°Let¡¯s store them for now, we will have to reciprocate later.¡± Now that they had received gifts from Luo Jin and the Lu family, if Luo Jin and the Lu family needed something in the future, they would need to send gifts in return. Since they came to the banquet, naturally, there must be a reciprocal exchange of courtesies. If their relationship became even closer, then during festivals they would also need to send holiday gifts. For prestigious families, this reciprocal exchange of gifts was very important and represented the willingness to maintain a friendly relationship. And for the Yang family to develop and grow stronger, they could not avoid interacting with some of the established prestigious families. Even more, the Yang family had to take the initiative to make friends with these established families. Yang Zhenshan had not considered so much before, but with Luo Jin¡¯s and Mr. Lu¡¯s visits this time, he had to think about these matters. The Yang family was busy once more, finally arranging all the gifts properly. But looking at the pile of gifts atop the Kang bed, Yang Zhenshan felt a headache coming on. Their home was running out of space to even keep the gifts, truly a ¡°happy problem¡±. Yang Zhenshan began to entertain the idea of building a new house. Chapter 45 - 45 44 s of Liang Family Fabric Store ?Chapter 45: 44 Chapters of Liang Family Fabric Store Chapter 45: 44 Chapters of Liang Family Fabric Store ¡°After the next few days, Yang Zhenshan was still busy. Though the feast had been held, there were still many matters within the clan that needed dealing with. Repairing roads, building clan schools, and managing clan property¡ªall these required a statement from Yang Zhenshan, as the eight hundred Silver was nominally provided by him. Several days later, Ms. Wang came to seek him out. Inside the main hall of the Yang family, Ms. Wang said with a beaming smile to Yang Zhenshan: ¡°Mr. Yang, I have inquired about the young lady from the Liang Family Fabric Store, and she is indeed a good girl!¡± Since their family had taken in tenants, Yang Zhenshan had been addressed as lord. Initially, it was just the tenants who called him this, later the villagers with different surnames followed, and now the villagers from the neighboring villages also called him by this title. ¡°The Liang Family Fabric Store?¡± Yang Zhenshan looked at her puzzled. Ms. Wang hurriedly explained: ¡°Dad, your third brother likes the young lady from the Liang Family Fabric Store!¡± Yang Minghao watched Yang Zhenshan eagerly. Yang Zhenshan glanced at him. No wonder this youngster had seemed a bit distracted these days; it was because of this! ¡°Tell me more!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Ms. Wang responded cheerily, then began to introduce the young lady from the Liang Family Fabric Store. Indeed, the young lady was the daughter of the store¡¯s shopkeeper, fourteen years old, with a pretty appearance, usually helping out in the fabric store. In terms of personality, according to Ms. Wang, she was gentle and virtuous, educated and reasonable, and friendly to others and so forth. ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense; to learn about the young lady, I have visited the Liang Family Fabric Store several times over the past few days and even bought quite a bit of fabric there.¡± Ms. Wang was aware of the reputation of her own tongue in public, and she took care to prove the believability of her words. Yang Zhenshan did not doubt Ms. Wang¡¯s words. Perhaps Ms. Wang exaggerated somewhat, but he believed Ms. Wang wouldn¡¯t dare deceive him. Fourteen years old! A little girl only fourteen years old! There was always an uncomfortable feeling in his heart about making a fourteen-year-old girl get married. ¡°The Liang Family Fabric Store isn¡¯t from Anning County, is it?¡± ¡°This old woman has also inquired about that; the Liang Family Fabric Store belongs to the Liang family of Jing¡¯an Prefecture, which is a wealthy merchant family in Jing¡¯an,¡± Ms. Wang said somewhat nervously. Wealthy merchant sounds quite affluent. But in reality, the status of merchants isn¡¯t high. Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, with the scholars and warriors ranked the same. If someone else had come to her with such a marital proposal, she probably would have scoffed at it. Ordinary farmers can¡¯t reach the threshold of wealthy merchants. But the Yang family wasn¡¯t just any ordinary farming family anymore, she knew that Yang Zhenshan was going to be an official, and she also knew about the recent visits by Luo Jin and the Second Young Master of the Lu family to the feast. So she was worried that Yang Zhenshan might look down on merchants. Her worry was clearly superfluous as Yang Zhenshan certainly wouldn¡¯t disdain merchants; he felt that it was they who might look down on the Yang family. Although the social standing of merchants is low, when wealth reaches a certain level, it can influence power. And since the Liang family could become a wealthy merchant family in a prefecture, there certainly must be someone supporting them from behind, otherwise how could the Liang family maintain so much wealth? ¡°What relation is she to the Liang family?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked. ¡°It¡¯s said that she is the legitimate daughter of the Third Branch of the Liang family! The storekeeper of the fabric store is the Third Master of the Liang family,¡± Ms. Wang replied. Yang Zhenshan pondered thoughtfully. Something seemed a bit off. The Liang family was a wealthy merchant family of Jing¡¯an Prefecture; logically, the descendants of the Liang family shouldn¡¯t come to a small place like Anning County to run a store, nor should an unmarried woman be put in such a public position. Why then would the Third Master Liang bring his family to Anning County? Could it be that the Liang family had split? If it was due to a family division and the Third Branch had inherited the properties in Anning County, forcing the Third Master Liang to come here, that explanation made sense. But if this was indeed the case, then it implied that the Third Branch held a low status within the Liang family and that the properties they received in the division were quite limited. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t covet the Liang family¡¯s properties; he merely wanted to find a trouble-free marriage for the Yang family. Just like the Wang family and the Li family, who were both honest and simple farming folk¡ªit was much better this way. But for a wealthy merchant family like the Liang family, there were many complex power dynamics involved. If the Liang family really did undergo a division, and the Third Master Liang had separated from the Liang family, then it might be possible. Yang Zhenshan looked up at Yang Minghao. ¡°You have seen that young lady a few times!¡± ¡°Twice!¡± Yang Minghao¡¯s face flushed with color, the boy actually felt shy. ¡°Have you spoken to her?¡± ¡°No!¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s lips twitched slightly. Does that mean you took a liking to her just by seeing her? Seeing her twice and you want to marry her, Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t know whether to call the boy naive or ignorant. Yang Zhenshan felt that he should personally go and see the young girl, and if she was as he imagined, then taking her back home wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Thinking this, Yang Zhenshan allowed Ms. Wang to go back first and said that if suitable, he would seek her help as a matchmaker, and of course, the appropriate reward must not be less; Yang Zhenshan took out two silvers as a reward for Ms. Wang¡¯s several trips to the county town. With the silver in hand, Ms. Wang¡¯s smile became even kinder, and she left contentedly. The next morning. After finishing his morning exercises, Yang Zhenshan rode Red Cloud to the county town. Red Cloud is a Hu horse from outside Chongshan Pass, a fine breed from the Northern, superior in cold resistance and stamina than other breeds of horses, but its speed and burst power are somewhat inferior to the fine steeds of Western Da Rong. But for Yang Zhenshan, Red Cloud¡¯s existence brought him a lot of conveniences. Originally, riding a cart to the county town would take half an hour, now riding a horse only takes a quarter of an hour. And this is considering Yang Zhenshan¡¯s unskilled horsemanship, if Yang Zhenshan was proficient in horsemanship, probably just over a quarter of an hour would be enough to reach the county town. Riding on the horse, feeling the breeze coming towards him, Yang Zhenshan was in a very good mood. Now I am also among those who ¡®own a ride¡¯. This treasure (horse) is hardly inferior to that treasure (car). Riding the horse into the town, even the constables guarding the city gates took an extra glance at him. After entering the town, Yang Zhenshan found an inn and left Red Cloud there. The inn in the town also serves as a parking lot, where horses and carriages can be parked, of course, there is a fee, and if you want to feed hay, there is an additional cost. Naturally, Yang Zhenshan wasn¡¯t stingy, directly ordered a lavish meal mixed with beans for Red Cloud. After arranging for Red Cloud, Yang Zhenshan leisurely walked towards Liang Family Fabric Shop. In fact, he had visited Liang Family Fabric Shop before; the cotton cloth and cotton he bought last year before winter came from here. It was just that at that time he didn¡¯t expect Yang Minghao would take a fancy to the girl there, so he bought the things and left without chatting more with the shopkeeper. At this time, it was still early, and the shops had just opened for business, not many customers around. The Liang Family Fabric Shop was even more deserted, other than a middle-aged man in his thirties fiddling with an abacus, there were no other sounds. Yang Zhenshan walked into the Liang Family Fabric Shop, and the middle-aged man didn¡¯t even notice him. ¡°Cough, cough!!¡± Yang Zhenshan gently coughed. Mister Liang looked up, ¡°What does the guest need?¡± ¡°I want to buy some cotton cloth, I wonder how much you have here?¡± Yang Zhenshan tried to appear more amiable. Perhaps in the future, he would be related by marriage to Mr. Liang, naturally, it¡¯s better to leave a good impression. ¡°Cotton cloth!¡± Mr. Liang said in surprise: ¡°We have a lot of cotton cloth, these are all cotton cloths, which kind do you want?¡± Yang Zhenshan followed his pointing finger and then stepped forward to inspect the fabric. He really intended to buy some fabric. Spring had already arrived, and the house also needed some clothes for spring and summer. Besides, he was about to lead people to Chongshan Pass, planning to make several sets of clothes for those young men. The other villagers of Yang Family Village weren¡¯t as wealthy as the Yang family; their clothes almost always had patches, even during the New Year they were reluctant to buy a new outfit. Since these people were going to follow him through life and death, naturally he had to take care of their food, clothing, shelter, and transport, solving their worries. Yang Zhenshan chose three types of fabric among a pile, saying: ¡°Give me three bolts of this kind, five bolts of this kind, and three bolts of this kind, do you have them?¡± Actually, the Yang family still had a lot of fabric, but those were quite expensive, not suitable for a group of soldiers to wear. Mr. Liang clearly did not expect Yang Zhenshan to buy so much fabric, and said in a mix of shock and joy: ¡°Guest, please come to the back hall and sit for a while, I will prepare it for you right away.¡± Eleven bolts of fabric wasn¡¯t a small deal. Generally, customers who come to the fabric shop to buy fabric only get a few meters, enough to make one or two outfits. But one bolt of fabric is thirteen meters, and Yang Zhenshan buying eleven bolts was already considered a big sale for the Liang Family Fabric Shop. Watching Mr. Liang lift the curtain, Yang Zhenshan walked in with a smile in his eyes. His aim was to go to the back hall to look around, and also to meet that young lady. Chapter 46 - 46 45 Talking About Kinship ?Chapter 46: Chapter 45: Talking About Kinship Chapter 46: Chapter 45: Talking About Kinship ¡°Zhen¡¯er, Zhen¡¯er, serve tea to the guests!¡± Mr. Liang San had just ushered Yang Zhenshan into the back hall and called for someone to serve tea. ¡°Coming!¡± A crisp voice came from the backyard. Yang Zhenshan was only seated for a moment when a young girl dressed in a green cloth skirt came in, carrying tea. ¡°Please have some tea, dear guest!¡± The girl said with a gentle smile. Yang Zhenshan sized her up. The young miss was quite attractive, with clear and delicate features, and her dark eyes appeared quite spirited. Her rounded cheeks had a hint of baby fat. Not flamboyant or vulgar, neither arrogant nor impetuous, she actually seemed quite adorable. ¡°Is this your daughter?¡± Yang Zhenshan saw Mr. Liang San coming in with two bolts of cloth, and it seemed like he asked in passing. ¡°Hehe, yes, she¡¯s my eldest daughter,¡± Mr. Liang San replied casually. ¡°She¡¯s a diligent and good girl!¡± Yang Zhenshan added. He noticed when the young miss was serving tea that her fingers were not those of someone whose hands had never touched spring water ¨C soft and untarnished, but rather had some small calluses. For a young lady like her, she naturally wouldn¡¯t work in the fields, so the calluses on her hands must have come from doing needlework. As soon as these words came out, Mr. Liang San, who had been indifferent, suddenly changed his expression, his gaze towards Yang Zhenshan becoming more guarded. Meanwhile, the young miss quietly left the back hall. Commenting rashly on someone else¡¯s daughter is a very taboo matter. Especially for an unwed maiden, it is already not easy for her to appear in public, let alone being appraised face-to-face by a strange man. However, Mr. Liang San did not immediately erupt but instead said indifferently, ¡°Dear guest, please wait a moment.¡± Yang Zhenshan also stopped talking and simply continued to quietly drink his tea. The tea was average, which indicated that the life of Mr. Liang San¡¯s family was not very affluent. His daughter coming out to serve guests also proved this; otherwise, hiring a helper would suffice, and there would be no need to let his own daughter appear in public like this. He was a bit rude just now, but Mr. Liang San endured it, which suggested that he really needed this business. And Mr. Liang San¡¯s wariness in his eyes indicated that he valued his daughter greatly, and it was only because of the pressures of life that he had to tolerate Yang Zhenshan¡¯s rudeness. Caring for his own daughter also showed that Mr. Liang San was not a shallow man. There are too many families here that favor sons over daughters, with many treating their daughters as commodities, sold at will. There are also many merchants who use their daughters as chips to climb the social ladder and curry favor with the powerful. From just that brief exchange, Yang Zhenshan felt that Mr. Liang San and Liang Zhen probably did not have a poor character. How good they were could not be determined, but they probably weren¡¯t those without a bottom line. ¡°I hear the shopkeeper comes from the provincial city?¡± Mr. Liang San walked in again with two bolts of cloth, and Yang Zhenshan started the conversation offhandedly. ¡°Mm!¡± Mr. Liang San responded with a low, muffled voice. ¡°You don¡¯t seem like a merchant, more like a learned man!¡± said Yang Zhenshan again. Mr. Liang San raised his head, ¡°Are you not here to buy cloth?¡± Yang Zhenshan said with a warm smile, ¡°I am indeed here to buy cloth.¡± ¡°I come from the Liang family of the provincial city, and just got separated from the family last year!¡± Mr. Liang San stopped moving the cloth and sat in front of Yang Zhenshan, his eyes clearly showing even more caution. ¡°Separated? You only got this one shop after the division?¡± Yang Zhenshan, unfazed by the caution in his eyes, still spoke with a smiling face. ¡°That¡¯s correct!¡± Mr. Liang San said. Yang Zhenshan nodded; this was in line with his guess. ¡°Do you have other children?¡± ¡°Yes, I have one more son, he¡¯s six years old this year!¡± ¡°So why did you only get one shop?¡± ¡°I am a concubine-born son!¡± Mr. Liang San replied to every question. He was suspicious of Yang Zhenshan¡¯s intentions but did not take any action. After leaving the Liang family, he was merely a small cloth shop¡¯s shopkeeper. In fact, during his time in the Liang family, he was also someone insignificant; otherwise, in the grand division of the Liang family, he would not have ended up with just a small county town shop. He didn¡¯t feel there was anything about him worth anybody¡¯s concern. Of course, if someone did take notice, he seemed to have no power to resist. The Liang family wouldn¡¯t help him, a son relegated to the sidelines, nor did he have any solid foundation in Ning County. ¡°Have you had no contact with the Liang family since the separation?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked. ¡°None!¡± Third Master Liang gazed steadily at him. Yang Zhenshan nodded again, acknowledging the understanding in the other man. Though he was driven out of his home, he showed no signs of decadence or resentment. Indeed, the lives of illegitimate sons and daughters within many large families were quite difficult. Perhaps for Third Master Liang, being separated from the family was actually a blessing, allowing him to live his days in peace. ¡°I am Yang Zhenshan, residing in Yang Family Village, Qinghe Town,¡± said Yang Zhenshan as he introduced himself. Third Master Liang was taken aback, ¡°You¡¯re not here to cause trouble?¡± Yang Zhenshan grinned, ¡°I¡¯m here to buy cloth!¡± ¡°Ah, right, I¡¯ll prepare the cloth for the customer!¡± Third Master Liang, still somewhat in shock, awkwardly got up to continue moving the cloth. Seeing him like this, Yang Zhenshan suddenly felt a touch of concern. Such an in-law seemed too honest; what if he were to be deceived by others in the future? When Third Master Liang had brought out the cloth, Yang Zhenshan found a bull cart to take it to the inn, then mounted Red Cloud to return home. Back at home, Yang Zhenshan had Ms. Wang distribute the cotton cloth that he had bought. The selections for those accompanying him to Chongshan Pass had been finalized, all exemplary young men from Yang Family Village. Apart from Yang Mingzhi and Yang Mingwu, there were a total of ten people, each with three sets of clothes to change into, with cloth provided by Yang Zhenshan, but the tailoring would have to be done by their own families. Calculating the time, there were still more than ten days before he headed to Chongshan Pass. Yang Zhenshan decided to finalize Yang Minghao¡¯s marriage before going to Chongshan Pass. Since he found the Liang family to be a good match, there was no need for hesitation. The next day, Yang Zhenshan summoned the matchmaker Ms. Wang to start discussing the marriage arrangements. ... ¡°Who did you say?¡± In the back yard of the Liang¡¯s cloth shop, Third Master Liang looked at his wife Ms. Lin, eyes wide and incredulous. Just now, the matchmaker Ms. Wang had come seeking a marriage for their daughter. The matter of matchmaking was not surprising to them. Liang Zhen was of marriageable age, and there had been a few suitors in recent months, all of whom they had turned away. Being new to Ning County, they weren¡¯t familiar with the local families, and neither Third Master Liang nor Ms. Lin wanted to rashly marry off their daughter, preferring to wait until they knew the county better before securing a good marriage for her. Initially, Ms. Lin hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the matchmaker Ms. Wang, intending to handle the matter perfunctorily and send her away. But Ms. Wang praised the Yang family greatly, making her believe that the Yang family was indeed an ideal match. ¡°Have you heard of the Yang family¡¯s third son from Qinghe Town?¡± Ms. Lin asked, seeing Third Master Liang so astonished. Third Master Liang furrowed his brow and pondered. Previously, he didn¡¯t know of the Yang family, but just yesterday Yang Zhenshan had come to buy cloth and mentioned he was from Qinghe Town¡¯s Yang family. He paced back and forth in the hall. Yesterday, he felt that Yang Zhenshan was unusual, and now, reflecting on it, he realized Yang Zhenshan had set his sights on his daughter. If Yang Zhenshan knew what he was thinking, he would surely retort: It¡¯s not I who have my eyes on your daughter, but my son who fancies her, do not falsely accuse me. ¡°The matchmaker said that the Yang family from Qinghe Town passes on martial traditions, with several martial artists in the family, among them the family head Yang Zhenshan is a formidable martial artist, who has slain bandits and northern barbarians!¡± ¡°Some time ago, the Yang family held a banquet, and the County Magistrate Mr. Luo personally attended, as did Second Young Master Lu from Ning County¡¯s Lu family!¡± ¡°Although the Yang family resides in a rural area and isn¡¯t extremely wealthy, they have been rising to prominence lately.¡± ¡°Moreover, Yang Zhenshan has obtained an official position, the Trial Hundred Households garrison commander of Chongshan Pass!¡± ¡°My lord, though we originate from the Jing¡¯an Liang family, we both know we cannot rely on the Liang family now.¡± ¡°For us at present, a family like the Yangs would be a fine choice indeed.¡± Ms. Lin tried to persuade her husband earnestly. She truly believed that the Yang family was an excellent choice. Chapter 47 - 47 46 Betrothal Reception ?Chapter 47: Chapter 46 Betrothal Reception Chapter 47: Chapter 46 Betrothal Reception Mr. Liang was born into the Liang family of Jing¡¯an, while Ms. Lin came from the Lin family of Jing¡¯an. However, the Lin family, compared to the Liang family, is insignificant, which is why she understands the hardships of small merchants even better than Mr. Liang. Previously, they lived under the protection of the Liang family, and although they were not highly regarded, at least they did not have to worry about food and drink. But now, they have separated from the Liang family of Jing¡¯an and started their own establishment. For illegitimate children like them, once they leave the clan, they can only fend for themselves. Perhaps they could still rely a bit on the Liang family, but at best, they would only have a relatively stable livelihood. For instance, with the backing of the Liang family, they have stable supply channels for their cloth business. But that is all the Liang family can provide; to live better, they have to rely on themselves. If in the future they can achieve great success and catch the eye of the Liang family, they might be able to rejoin the Liang family; otherwise, they would remain just a small merchant. ¡°But we don¡¯t know the Yang family!¡± Mr. Liang expressed his concern. It¡¯s not that he thinks the Yang family is bad, nor did he find Yang Zhenshan disrespectful yesterday, he is simply worried about the unfamiliar Yang family. It¡¯s his daughter he¡¯s concerned about; he fears that she might marry into a bad family and suffer in the years to come. ¡°Why not go and find out then?¡± ¡°Yang Family Village isn¡¯t far from the town. If needed, just go visit the Yang Family Village!¡± Ms. Lin said discontentedly. Her husband is good in many ways, but he lacks decisiveness. He always panics and can¡¯t make decisions when something happens. ¡°Should I go find out?¡± Mr. Liang hesitated. ¡°Go quickly and come back quickly!¡± Ms. Lin promptly urged him. Without wasting any more words, Mr. Liang immediately left for Yang Family Village. After Mr. Liang left, Ms. Lin glanced humorously toward the inside of the room. ¡°Your dad has left, why are you still hiding?¡± Hearing this, Liang Zhen came out from the inner room, her face flushed with shyness. ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°Come here!¡± Ms. Lin beckoned, called her over, and straightened the double buns on her head. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want to get married yet!¡± Liang Zhen said shyly, her head bowed. Ms. Lin shook her head gently and smiled tenderly, ¡°You¡¯re not a little girl anymore; it¡¯s time to talk about marriage.¡± ¡°But I want to stay with you and dad for a few more years!¡± Liang Zhen looked up, her bright eyes filled with worry and reluctance. ¡°It¡¯s not about getting married right now. Even if we arrange a marriage, I will keep you for another two years,¡± Ms. Lin chuckled as she poked her forehead. Liang Zhen is only fourteen years old this year; although she¡¯s at an age to discuss marriage, there¡¯s no rush to marry her off. ¡°But!¡± Liang Zhen was still uneasy. The young girl felt anxious about marriage; having grown up in the Liang family, she knew many of the family¡¯s dark secrets ¨C she had also heard numerous tragic stories about married women. Ms. Lin guessed her thoughts, yet she said lightly with ease, ¡°Although your dad is a bit muddleheaded, he loves you deeply; he wouldn¡¯t let you be a concubine.¡± Mr. Liang was a child born out of wedlock, and was therefore particularly sensitive about the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate offspring. He didn¡¯t want his daughter to be a concubine, nor did he want his descendants to be illegitimate. That was one of the reasons he willingly left the Liang family. In the Liang family, he couldn¡¯t even decide on his daughter¡¯s marital matters, let alone anything else. ... It is unclear how Mr. Liang inquired about the Yang family, but a few days later, Mrs. Wang brought back a reply. Mr. Liang preliminarily agreed to an alliance through marriage between the two families, but an official meeting between both families had to occur first. The very next day after receiving Mrs. Wang¡¯s reply, Yang Zhenshan, accompanied by Yang Mingzhi, officially visited Mr. Liang. The visit was nominally about friendship, but in reality, it was for matchmaking. The pretense of friendship was to preserve both families¡¯ dignity; if the marriage proposal fell through, it wouldn¡¯t harm the reputations of both families. This was an idea proposed by Mrs. Wang. According to her, that¡¯s how talks of marriage are conducted ¨C they find reasons for the families to meet several times, and if suitable, the marriage is settled. During this visit, Yang Zhenshan not only met Mr. Liang but also encountered Ms. Lin. Although Ms. Lin is a woman, she is much shrewder than Mr. Liang. At noon, Yang Zhenshan stayed at the Liang family¡¯s house and shared a drink with Mr. Liang. After three rounds of drinks, the two men became more familiar with each other. ¡°Brother Yang, although I¡¯m a bit slow, I know I can¡¯t return to the Liang family now!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care much about the Liang family, but I have a grievance that I can¡¯t swallow!¡± ¡°They look down on me, just drove me out like that, I feel so unwilling!¡± Mr. Liang, not being a heavy drinker, after a few cups of alcohol began to speak his mind. ¡°Haha, just the Liang family, if you can¡¯t go back then so be it. I believe as long as Brother Liang puts in effort, you will surely achieve great success in the future!¡± ¡°When the time comes, even if the Liang family wants Brother Liang to return, it will depend on whether Brother Liang wants to!¡± Yang Zhenshan said agreeably. ¡°You¡¯re right, if the Liang family wants me back, unless my eldest brother comes himself, I will absolutely not return,¡± Mr. Liang said, his face flushed and tongue heavy. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s drink!¡± Yang Zhenshan gestured to him to drink. This fellow, he¡¯s seen right through him. Just a simple-minded person. Such a person may seem a bit foolish, but they are the best to associate with. Because they do not play tricks with you. Compared to those who say one thing to your face and another behind your back, Yang Zhenshan much prefers to be on good terms with Mr. Liang. After a few more drinks, Mr. Liang completely collapsed onto the table. But his son, Liang Xiu, still sat at the table, a six-year-old child acting like a little adult, entertaining Yang Minghao. ¡°If you dare to bully my sister, I will fight at the cost of my life to bite you!¡± Yang Minghao, watching his future little brother-in-law, awkwardly scratched his head. This little brother-in-law is quite fierce! What to do? His face turned red, and after a long while, he managed to squeeze out his words, ¡°I won¡¯t bully your sister!¡± ¡°That¡¯s good! Don¡¯t think that just because I¡¯m young I can¡¯t stand up for my sister. Remember, my sister has brothers too,¡± Liang Xiu said with a seriousness and gravity on his rounded face that didn¡¯t match his age. Next to him, Yang Zhenshan listened to these words, a slight smile lifting the corners of his mouth, then lifted his cup and took a drink. ¡°Brother Xiu, rest assured, I can guarantee that your sister will not be mistreated in the Yang family. If anyone bullies her, I will stand up for her!¡± Yang Zhanshan said with utmost seriousness, not underestimating this child. Liang Xiu looked up at him and then nodded, saying, ¡°I believe in you, Uncle!¡± Mr. Liang as a father seemed somewhat unreliable, but his son seemed to be very clear-headed. At such a young age, he already knew how to support his sister. Moreover, his actions, although very naive, made Yang Zhenshan believe that this boy had the potential to grow up successfully. Having had their fill of wine and food, Yang Zhenshan stood up to take his leave. A few days later, Mr. Liang brought his wife and children to visit the Yang family, and Yang Zhenshan again hosted them warmly. Then, Yang Zhenshan began preparing gifts for the betrothal. The betrothal, also known as engagement, according to local customs, involves the man¡¯s family sending matchmakers to propose to the woman¡¯s family with gifts. Once consent is obtained, they formally invite matchmakers to present the ¡°betrothal gifts.¡± In the countryside, some of these ceremonies are simplified since life is tough for everyone and extravagance is impractical. But now that the Yang family had prospered, Yang Zhenshan felt that the necessary rituals should not be neglected. Since the banquet last time, the Yang family had gained reputation in Anning County as one of the leading households, perhaps not comparable to the prominent clans, but definitely among the wealthiest families within a ten-mile radius. Thus, Yang Zhenshan prepared over thirty different gifts for the proposal, including several valuables, giving ample face to the Liang family. Outside the Liang family¡¯s cloth shop, Mr. Liang, looking at the gifts being carried in and with a flush on his face, was excited and exhilarated. ¡°This marital engagement is splendid!¡± He complimented to Mrs. Liang. Mrs. Liang also breathed a sigh of relief; although they had met with the Yang family several times, things hadn¡¯t been finalised and they had been uneasy. Now seeing the Yang family¡¯s great regard for their daughter, they felt completely reassured. After the betrothal was concluded, the next step was matching the horoscopes, something Yang Zhenshan no longer needed to worry about, as Mrs. Wang and the Li family would manage it. As for the wedding, both families had agreed to hold it in two years, by which time Yang Mingzhi and Liang Zhen would be only sixteen, and getting married at that age wasn¡¯t considered late. Once the marriage was arranged, Yang Zhenshan began to pack up, preparing to head to Chongshan Pass. Chapter 48 - 48 47 Heading to Chongshan Pass ?Chapter 48: Chapter 47 Heading to Chongshan Pass Chapter 48: Chapter 47 Heading to Chongshan Pass ¡°The affairs at home will be left in your hands, until we settle down there, then you all can come over!¡± Inside the Yang family¡¯s main hall, Yang Zhenshan instructed Yang Mingcheng. The journey to Chongshan Pass was still uncertain. Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t bring the entire family with him. Besides Yang Mingzhi and Yang Minghao, the other members of the Yang family would stay in Yang Family Village. If they could settle down in Chongshan Pass, he would then bring everyone over; if not, Yang Zhenshan wouldn¡¯t stay in Chongshan Pass. The path to Chongshan Pass was one that had to be forged; the Yang family had no foundation there. The only reliance they could have was Zhou Lan, whom Yang Zhenshan had met only twice, and he wasn¡¯t sure if he could really rely on her support. If he could, the Yang family might be able to leverage that to grow and strengthen; if not, Yang Zhenshan felt it was better to return. Though Yang Family Village was small, it was still the root of the Yang family. Even before heading to Chongshan Town, Yang Zhenshan had already planned a retreat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad, I will take good care of the home!¡± Yang Mingcheng said solemnly. Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the room. He didn¡¯t need to worry too much about the others. However, he had other plans for Lin Zhan. ¡°Lin Zhan!¡± ¡°Disciple is here!¡± ¡°Once the clan school is built, you should go study there!¡± Lin Zhan¡¯s eyes brightened as he asked, ¡°Master, I¡ª¡± Yang Zhenshan knew what he was going to ask and waved his hand, saying, ¡°While studying, you must not neglect your martial arts, and don¡¯t worry about the rest!¡± Lin Zhan had lived with the Yang family for half a year, and although they treated him as one of their own, he still felt unease and insecurity. Being overly intelligent wasn¡¯t always a good thing because smart people tend to be extra sensitive. Lin Zhan was very smart, so he was very grateful for the protection and nurturing from the Yang family, but it was this gratitude that prevented him from seeing the Yang family as his own home, from truly integrating into the Yang family, fearing that he might do something wrong and cause Yang Zhenshan and the Yang family to dislike him. Thus, during this period, he was extremely cautious, masking his sharp edges, and trying not to draw attention to himself. In contrast, Wang Yunqiao was much simpler; she was thankful to the Yang family, so she woke up earlier than Yunxue, slept later than Yunxue, doing what she could, and taking meticulous care of the children in the home. She might seem somewhat humble, but she always tried hard to integrate into the family. Because of this, the Yang family liked and loved Wang Yunqiao even more. ¡°Once a teacher, a lifetime a father! Remember this saying!¡± Yang Zhenshan looked at Lin Zhan with a deep gaze. Lin Zhan shuddered, tears suddenly welling up in his eyes, he bowed and said, ¡°Disciple thanks the master for his grace!¡± ¡°Get up!¡± Yang Zhenshan helped him up and then said to Yang Mingcheng, ¡°From now on, you will teach Lin Zhan martial arts, and must not slack off.¡± After that, he gave some more instructions. Chattering like an old father. Which made the mood of the family somewhat heavy. Yang Zhenshan felt helpless, he was now, after all, an old father. Old father, ah! Yang Zhenshan sighed deeply toward the sky. It wasn¡¯t just age, but his heart seemed old as well. The night passed without words. The next morning. At the entrance of Yang Family Village, Yang Zhenshan with twelve others bid a lingering farewell to the villagers. Heading to Chongshan which was three hundred miles away, it was unknown when they would return. Yang Zhengxiang, along with the family, escorted them all the way to the imperial road. ¡°Gentlemen, please return!¡± Yang Zhenshan bowed to the family members behind him, jumped onto the carriage, and signaled Yang Mingzhi to drive the horses forward. Clip-clop, clip-clop~~ Three horses pulled the carriage, slowly moving along the imperial road. People followed, occasionally turning their heads to look back. Yang Zhenshan sat in the carriage, gazing at the increasingly distant Yang Family Village, and those familiar figures. ... Anning County station, ten miles north of the town. A caravan of over thirty horse-drawn wagons was waiting on the official road, with a middle-aged man with a large beard at the back constantly scouting the road behind. About a quarter of an hour later, he saw a small convoy slowly approaching. ¡°Master Yang!¡± Upon seeing the newcomers, the middle-aged man hurried forward to greet them. Yang Zhenshan jumped down from the horse carriage, ¡°Sorry, we are late!¡± The middle-aged man before him was a manager of the Lu family named Song An. The Lu family had many businesses at Chongshan Pass and frequently arranged for caravans to travel back and forth between Anning County and Chongshan Pass. This time, as Yang Zhenshan was heading to Chongshan Pass, Mr. Lu specially invited them to travel with the caravan. ¡°Not late, not late!¡± Song An, although rugged in appearance, was a perceptive man. He was able to lead the caravan precisely because he was meticulous in his dealings. ¡°Just in time, we should get going now!¡± Yang Zhenshan looked up at the sky and smiled, ¡°Then let¡¯s set off!¡± Song An first waved to the front of the caravan, signaling for them to set out. Then he turned to Yang Zhenshan and said, ¡°Master Yang, we have carriages over there, how about we ride in one?¡± Yang Zhenshan looked ahead and indeed saw three horse-drawn carriages. There were thirteen of them, with three horses. However, none of the horses could be ridden, they were meant to pull carts. After all, they were heading to Chongshan Pass and needed to carry quite a few things, so Yang Zhenshan had specifically arranged for three carts, pulled by the three horses named Red Cloud. ¡°Never mind, I¡¯m a mere rough man, a cart will do!¡± Yang Zhenshan declined. He seemed to notice some females by the carriages, and as a man himself, there was no need to vie with women for a ride. ¡°Well...¡± Song An hesitated. Yang Zhenshan hopped onto the cart and nonchalantly said, ¡°Manager Song, it¡¯s getting late, let¡¯s hurry on our way!¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine then!¡± Seeing Yang¡¯s firm attitude, Song An did not persist further. The caravan, like a long dragon, proceeded along the official road, with Yang Zhenshan sitting on a cart chit-chatting with Song An. ¡°Is the road safe?¡± He had heard that roads in the Northern lands were not safe, with many bandits and rogue soldiers around, but he wasn¡¯t entirely sure about the details. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly safe, but we have many people, so few dare to provoke us!¡± Song An was also a talkative person. Furthermore, since Yang Zhenshan knew Mr. Lu, he was responsive to all his questions. ¡°Then you guys must earn quite a bit from a single trip!¡± Yang Zhenshan casually asked while watching the caravan ahead. Song An replied, ¡°Ah, not much, there are too many annoyances along the way, we just make some hard-earned money!¡± ¡°Annoyances?¡± Yang Zhenshan was surprised. ¡°Yes, we have to pass through three counties along the way. We need to deal with the Inspection Bureau in each county. Once we enter Chongshan Town, there are even more annoyances, with many rogue soldiers who specifically come to beg!¡± It¡¯s easy to deal with King Yan, but the devils are troublesome. Their merchant groups all had significant backing, and generally, military leaders of border towns wouldn¡¯t target them, only occasionally taking some bribes under the principle of making money together. But some disreputable soldiers didn¡¯t have such scruples. Since the merchant relations didn¡¯t extend to them, and they had no other means to gather wealth, they would deliberately seek out caravans to make trouble. This kind of harassment had become a norm over time. Near the official roads, some forts had turned into something akin to toll stations. All passing caravans were supposed to give them some bribes in return for safe passage. Without the bribes, they would cause trouble. Murder and robbery they dared not commit, but finding an excuse to search the caravans was feasible. No matter how deep your connections are, you can¡¯t reason with these soldiers, because they don¡¯t listen to your nonsense. I¡¯m just a low-rank soldier, could you actually get rid of me? Even better, I¡¯d go back to farming. As for low-ranking military officers like the General Flag and Hundred Households, they wouldn¡¯t show up; they just needed to turn a blind eye to reap the benefits. ¡°This route isn¡¯t easy!¡± Yang Zhenshan, seeing the caravan of over three hundred people, knew there was some exaggeration in Song An¡¯s words. There were many devils along the road, and quite a few Kings Yan needed to be appeased, but the caravan was still profitable, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have bothered to travel so tirelessly back and forth. In Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes, Chongshan Town was a stable market predominantly driven by military consumption. The border army soldiers and civilians had a great demand for goods, which kept numerous caravans continually traveling between the border towns and the inland. Even when they had just faced the threat of the Northern barbarians, they had not given up, showing the immense interests involved. Besides, there was smuggling. There was no official market exchange at the northeastern border; all trade with foreign tribes was considered smuggling. Yang Zhenshan did not think that there was no smuggling in Chongshan Pass; perhaps the Lu family was involved. His eyes deepened as he watched the endless line of carriages, then he shook his head with a smile. Whether there was smuggling or not, what did it matter to him? He was just a garrison commander who had not yet assumed office, and even if he had, probably no one would take him seriously. Chapter 49 - 49 Feeling of Being Kept in 48 ?Chapter 49: Feeling of Being Kept in Chapter 48 Chapter 49: Feeling of Being Kept in Chapter 48 Chongshan Pass was not merely a simple gate pass, but a fortressed city. The city walls stood four zhang high, wedged between two mountain peaks, and connected to the Thousand Layered Mountain, looking like a terrifying behemoth lying in wait among the ranges. Within the fortress city, the Forward, Middle, and Rear Camps of the stationed Five Camps guarded the interior, while outside the fortress city, the Left and Right Camps¡¯ sites covered each other¡¯s flanks. Since the great battle at Black Cloud Mountain twenty years ago, Chongshan Pass has continually expanded from its original gate pass, and the number of civilians living inside and outside the city walls has been on the rise. Now, Chongshan City is divided into two parts; the North City is the original fortress, safeguarded by the Camp, while the South City is where the civilians reside. The old Chongshan City was once the most prosperous in the Northern regions, but now, due to the recent incursions of the Northern barbarians, Chongshan City has become considerably more desolate. Even so, Chongshan City is still incomparable to the small county town of Anning County. The caravan traveled slow; it took Yang Zhenshan and the others three days to reach the foot of Chongshan City. If on horseback, one could arrive in a day, while traveling by carriage would also allow one to reach by dusk if departing at dawn. However, traveling with the lengthy caravan required three days since the carriages were laden with goods and could not travel fast, moving at a pace not much quicker than walking. Yang Zhenshan chose to travel with the caravan as this was their first trip to Chongshan Pass. The convoy slowly entered the fortress city, and a group of young lads from Yang Family Village, including Yang Mingzhi, looked at the towering city walls and excitedly exclaimed in awe. ¡°Wow, such high walls!¡± ¡°This place is even more bustling than the county town!¡± ¡°Look, they are wearing iron armor!¡± Yang Zhanshan cast a glance at these unsophisticated bumpkins, snorting in disdain. However, his gaze also swept around, filled with an unabashed wonder. Alright, he was a bumpkin too! While he had visited quite a few large cities before, those cities were completely different from the city before him. The convoy slowly moved through the city gates. All citizens entering the city had to show their permits, and carriages were to be inspected. The Lu family¡¯s caravan apparently had acquaintances here, so their inspection was lax, simply checked and then let through. However, when it came to Yang Zhenshan, the inspecting soldiers took several glances at his permit. ¡°Are you Mr. Yang Hundred Households?¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s expression subtly changed as he replied, ¡°I have not yet registered at the Governor¡¯s Office; I am not officially Hundred Households at the moment!¡± Though Zhou Lan had promised him a Trial Hundred Households position, he had not yet enlisted in the military registry at the Governor¡¯s Office, nor received an official rank, thus nominally he was still a commoner. ¡°Hehe, my name is Zhao Yuan, General Zhou has sent me to welcome Mr. Yang Hundred Households, please follow me!¡± said Zhao Yuan. Yang Zhenshan discreetly looked him over, feeling that he was likely not a fraud, and replied, ¡°Then I shall trouble Mr. Zhao!¡± ¡°Hehe, I, like Mr. Yang, am also a Hundred Households!¡± Zhao Yuan laughed as he led Yang Zhenshan into the city. By saying so, he was elevating Yang Zhenshan¡¯s status; Yang Zhenshan was merely a Trial Hundred Households, and not a true Hundred Households yet. After speaking to Song An, Yang Zhenshan followed Zhao Yuan into the city. A group of fourteen people, driving three horse-drawn carriages, followed Zhao Yuan to a residence in South City. ¡°This is the residence General Zhou has prepared for Mr. Yang Hundred Households. You may settle in first, and when General Zhou finds time, he shall come to meet with Mr. Yang Hundred Households!¡± Zhao Yuan opened the large doors to the residence and welcomed Yang Zhenshan in. It was a three-section courtyard, not very large, but still much more spacious than the Yang family¡¯s home. The front yard had four rooms sitting backwards, designated as a study, tea room, etc., the inner yard featured a main house with three rooms, east and west wing rooms each with two rooms, and the back yard had five additional rooms, also including a back door for carriage access. Zhao Yuan led Yang Zhenshan around for a tour of the residence, ¡°The bedding in the sleeping room is all new, there is ample firewood in the woodshed, and I have prepared rice, flour, and oil in the kitchen.¡± ¡°If Mr. Yang Hundred Households finds anything lacking, please let me know.¡± Yang Zhenshan felt that something was strange, and asked, ¡°Is this for me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct, this is General Zhou¡¯s way of expressing gratitude. General Zhou has instructed that once Mr. Yang Hundred Households is settled in, there will be time to go to the government office to change the deeds for the house!¡± Zhao Yuan said smiling. Suddenly, Yang Zhenshan felt as if he was being kept. It was one thing to receive a gift, but Zhou Lan was actually offering to give him a residence. Although the house was not particularly large, it was not small either. Purchasing such a residence in Anning County would cost at least six or seven hundred taels, and inside Chongshan Pass City, it might be around two thousand taels. Despite Chongshan Pass City being just a border town, there were many government offices from Chongshan Town. The more government offices there are, the more officials there will be, and the more officials there are, the more their families will be as well. New officials upon taking office always have to buy or rent a residence to live in. However, even if Zhou Lan wanted to keep someone, why would she choose to keep him? If it were in his past life, he felt that he might have been kept by someone since he was a handsome young man. But now, he was nothing more than an old man of grandparent age. Yes, an old man. Here, at forty years old, one was already considered elderly. ¡°When can I meet General Zhou?¡± Yang Zhenshan shook those cluttered thoughts from his mind and asked. Zhao Yuan shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯m not clear about that; General Zhou has a lot on her plate and may not find time to spare.¡± ¡°However, General Zhou has already arranged everything. Trial Hundred Households Yang is to stay here first, and when she has time, she will take Trial Hundred Households Yang to the Governor¡¯s Office to register.¡± Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly, ¡°Then I won¡¯t stand on ceremony and will stay here first. Please convey my regards to General Zhou for me, Mr. Zhao!¡± ¡°No trouble at all, no trouble!¡± said Zhao Yuan. After Zhao Yuan left, Yang Zhenshan hurriedly called Yang Mingzhi and the others to put the stuff they brought into the courtyard. The preparations Zhao Yuan made were comprehensive, but the ones Yang Zhenshan made were also thorough. Carriages, clothes, bedding, grains, salt, and oil, etc., Yang Zhenshan had it all prepared, and he even got several tents and some charcoal, fearing that they would find nowhere to live upon arriving at Chongshan Pass. Now, it seemed that his preparations were somewhat superfluous. ¡°Dad, are we going to live here from now on?¡± Yang Minghao asked with a touch of excitement. Standing with his hands clasped behind his back in the courtyard, Yang Zhenshan looked at everyone busy around him and said, ¡°What are you thinking about? We are going to Linguan Castle. Even if this residence is ours, we cannot live here.¡± His appointment was as a garrison commander, not to serve in the Five Camps, so he could only live within Linguan Castle and not in the Pass City. However, Zhou Lan once said that if Yang Zhenshan could achieve some success in training troops at Linguan Castle, she would arrange for his transfer into Left Camp. Yang Minghao approached Yang Zhenshan and whispered, ¡°Dad, will General Zhou really give us this residence?¡± They had been following close behind Yang Zhenshan the entire time, so they heard everything Zhao Yuan said. Yang Zhenshan furrowed his brow, ¡°Pies don¡¯t just fall from the sky, and if one does, it¡¯s surely poisoned!¡± Upon reflection, he felt Zhou Lan was being too generous with him. Gifts were one thing, but giving a residence was a bit much. Even though the value of the residence wasn¡¯t as high as the other gifts Zhou Lan had given, a residence wasn¡¯t something you could just give away so easily. He always felt there was something fishy about this, yet he couldn¡¯t think of anything on him that Zhou Lan would care about enough to do this. If it was because he could train troops, then having him come to Chongshan Pass as a garrison commander was sufficient. There was no need for such grand gestures of giving gifts and a residence. ¡°Second, Second!¡± Yang Zhenshan called out. ¡°Dad, what is it?¡± Yang Mingzhi ran over and asked. ¡°In the next few days, go out and gather some intelligence about the situation inside the Pass City!¡± Yang Zhenshan instructed. ¡°Okay!¡± Yang Mingzhi agreed unhesitatingly. For gathering information, Yang Mingzhi was the most skilled. The lad had the trait of a social butterfly, capable of striking up a conversation with just about anyone on the street. Chapter 50 - 50 49 Fourth Young Master of the Zhang Family ?Chapter 50: Chapter 49: Fourth Young Master of the Zhang Family Chapter 50: Chapter 49: Fourth Young Master of the Zhang Family It was nearing dusk, and after everyone packed up their belongings, they started to make a fire to cook. The one in charge of cooking was Yang Chengche, also a relative of Yang Zhenshan¡¯s grandchildren. Yang Chengche lost his mother at a young age and depended on his father. He took over the kitchen at home when he was very little. Even after he got married, he remained the chief cook in the family. However, his family was not wealthy, and a skilled wife is helpless without rice; despite his good culinary skills, there was no place to showcase them. But today, Yang Chengche finally had the opportunity to show off his cooking skills. A dish of stir-fried chicken was brought to the table, and Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t help but sniff. ¡°This aroma!¡± He couldn¡¯t resist and grabbed a piece of chicken with his chopsticks first. The meat was tender, stewed perfectly, slightly salty, and very much to his taste. How should I put it? Although Yang Chengche¡¯s cooking skills are not amazing, probably not even comparable to the chefs in Anning County, Yang Zhenshan was still extremely delighted. Don¡¯t forget, Yang Chengche¡¯s family previously couldn¡¯t afford chicken, and they would not eat meat several times in a year. The stir-fried chicken he cooked today might even be his first attempt. For a first attempt, it was already very good. ¡°Very good, very good, from today onwards, you are the cook!¡± This cooking skill surpassed Ms. Wang¡¯s from home, and Yang Zhenshan gave high praise. ¡°Cook? Uncle grandpa, what¡¯s a cook?¡± Yang Chengche was not tall and was rather thin, standing next to Yang Mingwu, he seemed like a little child. The reason he passed Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s selection and followed Yang Zhenshan to Chongshan Pass was because he had a fierce tenacity, a reckless fierceness. Of course, his martial arts were not bad either, wielding the Yang Family Spear with unmatched ferocity. ¡°A cook is like a military chef, you¡¯ll take care of our meals from now on, and as a reward, you¡¯ll get a chicken leg every day!¡± Yang Zhenshan put a chicken leg in Yang Chengche¡¯s bowl. ¡°Really, thank you, uncle grandpa!¡± Yang Chengche looked at the chicken leg in his bowl with joy. And the others looked on with envy. Really envious! They previously had hard times, and unless it was a festive occasion, they seldom ate meat. It was only after the battle against the Northern barbarian that they had a period when they ate horse meat every meal. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat!¡± Yang Zhenshan looked at the young fellows at the table, picked up his bowl and chopsticks, and started to eat. What followed was a whirlwind of consumption. Half-grown boys starve their fathers. The fourteen people here, Yang Mingwu was the oldest, only twenty-five years old. Yang Qinwu was the youngest, only fourteen. You can imagine what it was like with such a group eating. A large ceramic bowl of wheat rice was polished off in a few moments. Yang Zhenshan felt that he needed to save more money in the future, otherwise, he couldn¡¯t afford to feed these young lads. Of course, Yang Zhenshan wouldn¡¯t be stingy and let these young boys go hungry. Practicing martial arts requires a lot of energy and nutrition, not eating enough won¡¯t do. These dozen or so people are his backbone; naturally, he needs to train them well. ... Yang Zhenshan thought he would meet Zhou Lan soon, but to his surprise, he stayed at the mansion for three days without seeing her. If it wasn¡¯t for Zhao Yuan occasionally coming to check, he would have thought Zhou Lan had forgotten about him. Zhao Yuan kept saying Zhou Lan was busy, Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t know if she was really busy or what she was busy with. At first, Yang Zhenshan was somewhat worried, but as time passed, his worries faded. Since he¡¯s here, might as well settle down. Whatever Zhou Lan wanted to do, since he was here, he might as well wait patiently. After settling his mind, Yang Zhenshan stopped staying inside the house and began to wander outside. ¡°Dad, look, that¡¯s the Hundred Medicine Pavilion, I heard there are many treasure medicines inside!¡± Over these three days, Yang Mingzhi had already familiarized himself with the streets and alleys of the Pass City. He had a good understanding of the unique shops on the streets. Yang Zhenshan stood on the busy street, looking up at the signboard of the Hundred Medicine Pavilion. Three gold-embossed characters, written powerfully and dynamically, catch the eye, while the three-story building boasts intricately complex eaves, carved beams, and painted rafters, and arching flying corners¡ªit is exquisite and splendid. Yang Zhenshan scrutinized it carefully, then turned his head to look at the shops they had passed along the way, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. This Hundred Medicine Pavilion seemed to have an extraordinary background. Throughout the street, all the shops were either one or two stories, only this Hundred Medicine Pavilion was three stories, and its decorations were so lavish. Without a significant backing, how could it stand out from the crowd? ¡°Dad, wouldn¡¯t it be great if we could also acquire a Treasure Medicine!¡± Yang Mingzhi said with some longing. Treasure Medicine refers to herbal medicines that are old, rare, and highly beneficial to Martial Artists. For example, hundred-year-old ginseng is considered a Treasure Medicine. For lower-tier Martial Artists, Treasure Medicines are as precious as natural treasures; obtaining one is like receiving divine assistance. However, Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t really care much about Treasure Medicine since he had Spiritual Spring Water; there was no need to pine for the unattainable. ¡°Alright, stop daydreaming; let¡¯s go!¡± Yang Zhenshan interrupted Yang Mingzhi¡¯s unrealistic thoughts and continued to stroll along the street. But they had only wandered for a short while when they found the road ahead was blocked. The street, three Zhang wide, was tightly packed with people, three layers inside and three layers outside. Yang Zhenshan stood on tiptoes, trying to see what was happening ahead, but unfortunately, it was too crowded to see through to the middle. Very cleverly, Yang Mingzhi stepped forward and pulled over a bystander, asking, ¡°Brother, what happened ahead?¡± The spectator, who was busy enjoying the commotion, responded reluctantly: ¡°Can¡¯t you see for yourself?¡± ¡°Ah, but I can¡¯t see, brother. Please be kind and tell me about it!¡± Yang Mingzhi pleaded with a flattering expression. Perhaps finding him agreeable, or simply being free with nothing else to do, the bystander started to explain, ¡°No need to look, just by hearing the voices, you can tell it¡¯s the Fourth Young Master Zhang family causing trouble!¡± ¡°The Fourth Young Master Zhang! Who is he?¡± Yang Mingzhi continued to inquire. ¡°Who else could it be, it¡¯s that one from the Zhang family!¡± ¡°The Zhang family!¡± Yang Mingzhi¡¯s eyes swiveled, and he lowered his voice to say, ¡°That eunuch¡¯s family!¡± These past few days he had not been idle, always gathering information about the city. He knew which major figures, which families had power, and which interesting places existed, although he hadn¡¯t uncovered any secretive news, he had still gathered quite a bit of overt information. The bystander also lowered his voice: ¡°Exactly, this Fourth Young Master Zhang is notoriously brutal. Just recently, a relative from my uncle¡¯s maternal grandmother¡¯s family got whipped by him merely for walking too close.¡± ¡°And last month, a young lady from the Song family was taken by him while shopping and ended up as the eighteenth concubine in his household!¡± Their voices got softer and softer, but their expressions became more and more animated. Especially Yang Mingzhi, showing an utterly shocked expression one moment, and an exaggerated expression of astonishment the next, sometimes even flattering shamelessly. Seeing this from not too far behind, the corners of Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. This kid even has a talent for acting! Look at his changing expressions, without a hint of pause, albeit a bit exaggerated, but to bystanders, it seemed all the more genuine. The Fourth Young Master Zhang! Yang Zhenshan mulled over thoughtfully. Yang Mingzhi had discussed with him about the power dynamics within the city. He was aware of the Zhang family. Although the Zhang family wasn¡¯t an ancient noble family, they held a top-tier status within Chongshan Pass City. They had a significant figure backing them. The garrison eunuch Zhang Yude of Chongshan Pass. Normally eunuchs shouldn¡¯t have children, but this garrison eunuch not only had a son but also four grandsons. It is said that after gaining power, Zhang Yude adopted a son from his clan. Having a son led to having several grandsons. Now, Zhang Yude not only had grandsons but also various great-grandchildren. Being an eunuch yet enjoying the happiness of a full family, Zhang Yude loved these descendants dearly. A garrison eunuch represents the Emperor, and in the entirety of Chongshan Pass, nobody dares to provoke such a presence. With his support, the Zhang family¡¯s status naturally soared. Unfortunately, Zhang Yude was just an eunuch, and his son was previously a mere farmer¡¯s child. Such a background made the Zhang family resemble upstarts, completely devoid of deep heritage. Combined with Zhang Yude¡¯s protection, it led to a group of brutal and unruly scions. Among them, the most notorious was Zhang Chen, the Fourth Young Master Zhang. Listening to the yelling and screaming from the crowd, Yang Zhenshan gently shook his head. The waters of Chongshan Pass were deep, not something he could casually wade into at this moment. Just as he was about to call Yang Mingzhi to leave, a rebuking voice suddenly erupted from behind. Chapter 51 - 51 50 Rules Changes ?Chapter 51: Chapter 50 Rules, Changes Chapter 51: Chapter 50 Rules, Changes ¡°Make way, make way!¡± The scolding voice grew closer and closer, and Yang Zhenshan quickly pulled Yang Mingzhi aside to avoid the road. He then saw a group of soldiers rushing over, dispersing the onlookers who were watching the commotion. At the same time, he caught sight of the scene amidst the crowd. A young man dressed in dark purple brocade was lashing two people with a whip. The two being beaten were a male and a female. The male seemed to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, while the girl appeared to be only about ten. The boy had the little girl protected in his arms, allowing Young Master Zhang Si to whip his back, emitting one muffled scream after another. Around them, seven or eight Qingyi-clad house servants were menacingly glaring at the bystanders. Quite a fine spectacle of power abuse! Yang Zhenshan shook his head and averted his gaze. But as he looked away, he suddenly felt someone staring at him. Following the sensation, he revealed a look of surprise. Zhou Lan! Amidst the crowd of soldiers, Zhou Lan rode on horseback. The person he had been waiting for three days and had not found, he had now unexpectedly encountered. Zhou Lan nodded slightly at him as she passed by solemnly on her horse. ¡°Make way!¡± the soldiers shouted. ¡°Where did this idiot come from? Daring to disturb this young master¡¯s business?¡± Zhang Chen stopped whipping and glowered viciously at the approaching soldiers. However, as soon as his words fell, a whooshing sound of something cutting through the air followed. Snap! A black whip harshly struck his body. The dark purple brocade tore open, revealing a bloody wound. Zhang Chen let out a piercing shriek, tumbling heavily onto the cobblestone street. ¡°Young Master, Young Master!¡± For a moment, the previously menacing house servants all changed their expressions, rushing forward in panic to lift Zhang Chen. Taking a while to stop his wailing, Zhang Chen finally stood up. He looked at Zhou Lan on the horse with eyes full of viciousness. ¡°You bitch, you dare to hit me?¡± Whoosh, the familiar sound of a whip cutting the air sounded again. Zhang Chen shuddered violently and stumbled backwards. But this whip did not land on him, instead, it was caught by a house servant standing beside him. Zhou Lan looked sternly at the house servant holding the whip. Yang Zhenshan, in the distance, was also sizing up that house servant. To be able to catch Zhou Lan¡¯s whip, he must be a Postnatal Martial Artist. ¡°Let go!¡± Zhou Lan said indifferently. The house servant hurriedly released the whip, bowing and saying, ¡°My young master is young and ignorant, I beg the General¡¯s pardon!¡± But as he spoke, the sound of the whip whooshing through the air came again. This time he couldn¡¯t block it, and the whip landed once more on Zhang Chen¡¯s chest. His clothes were torn to shreds, exposing the bloody wound underneath. Zhang Chen let out another agonized scream. ¡°If you spout nonsense again, I will whip you to death!¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Zhou Lan said coldly. The seven or eight house servants, no longer caring for anything else, dragged and pulled Zhang Chen to the side of the road to clear the path. Zhou Lan, without giving Zhang Chen another glance, rode off with a group of soldiers. Behind them, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s gaze lingered back and forth between Zhang Chen and Zhou Lan. Duke Ning Mansion, the garrison eunuch! Tsk tsk~~ The waters of Chongshan Pass City are indeed deep! We small fry had better not get involved! ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Yang Zhenshan said in a low voice to Yang Mingzhi. Afterwards, the two quickly left. When gods wage war, mortals suffer. In such a situation, it¡¯s better to leave first. Lest the Zhang family vent their anger on innocent bystanders later. Whether the Zhang family took their anger out on bystanders or not, Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t know; after they returned home, they shut themselves in. As dusk neared, Zhou Lan came over as Yang Zhenshan had expected. ¡°Greetings, General Zhou!¡± ¡°Greetings, General Zhou!¡± In the front courtyard of their residence, Yang Zhenshan led the others in a respectful welcome. ¡°No need for such formalities!¡± Zhou Lan said with a light smile, waving her hand. ¡°General Zhou, please come in,¡± Yang Zhenshan invited her into the main house in the inner courtyard. Zhou Lan observed the residence as she followed Yang Zhenshan into the inner courtyard. ¡°This estate was purchased by me four years ago when I first arrived and urgently needed a place to live, so I bought this house.¡± ¡°However, later on I bought another larger estate, so I¡¯m giving this one to you!¡± She said casually. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s expression paused slightly, as he said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this too valuable?¡± Zhou Lan waved her hand nonchalently, ¡°It¡¯s not that valuable, rest assured and accept it!¡± The two entered the main house, and two soldiers carrying food boxes also followed. After a moment, a lavish spread of food and drink was laid out in front of Yang Zhenshan. ¡°Let¡¯s eat and talk!¡± Zhou Lan said, turning to look at the group of young men around. ¡°Yang Hundred Households, things are different now, it¡¯s time to establish some rules around you!¡± Yang Zhenshan was stunned for a moment, then realized what she meant, and said, ¡°You may all leave now.¡± The group of young men, having grasped the hint from Zhou Lan¡¯s words, bowed and retreated. ¡°These are the juniors from our clan, they are a bit more familiar with me on regular days, General Zhou must find it amusing!¡± Yang Zhenshan said with a smile. Rules. For many noble families, rules are an insurmountable chasm. Even though Zhou Lan had always been approachable, she was, after all, born into the Duke Ning Mansion. The presence of soldiers and attendants around her made it clear that she maintained significant decorum. Compared to them, the young men from the Yang Family seemed to lack the awareness of such etiquette. Yang Zhenshan hadn¡¯t minded these things before, but now, with Zhou Lan¡¯s reminder, he understood. As a superior, one naturally needs to possess their own prestige. The so-called rules are established to uphold the authority of the superior. Zhou Lan didn¡¯t mind much; she was merely reminding Yang Zhenshan and did not intend to blame. She held up her wine glass and drank heartily with Yang Zhenshan. ¡°Tomorrow let Zhao Yuan take you to the Governor¡¯s Office to report duty, and by the way, have the deed to this house changed!¡± ¡°When should I go to Linguan Castle?¡± asked Yang Zhenshan. Zhou Lan pondered for a moment and said: ¡°As soon as possible, let Zhao Yuan take you there!¡± ¡°I have told you before, training troops at Linguan Castle is a test for you, but now the situation has slightly changed!¡± Yang Zhenshan frowned, ¡°What changes?¡± Zhou Lan lifted her drink and drank it down in one gulp, her hearty manner without a single trace of feminine frailty. ¡°The court intends to launch a campaign against the East Sea Hu Clan!¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s glass shook slightly, he raised his head in astonishment. A campaign against the East Sea Hu Clan? This wasn¡¯t hard to comprehend. With the Northern barbarians invading, Da Rong naturally wouldn¡¯t just let it be. ¡°When?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± Zhou Lan shook her head. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes lowered slightly. It was now April, the time when all things in the Northern regions revive. Logically, this should be the best time for Da Rong to campaign against the Hu Clan. If it drags on until June or July, the war could carry into the winter season. Winters in the Northern regions are both cold and long, making large-scale warfare extremely challenging. Don¡¯t assume that just because the Hu Clan invaded during the winter, they prefer fighting in it; in reality, they were forced by lack of food, otherwise they would definitely not choose to invade in the winter season. If it isn¡¯t decided yet, that means an April campaign is impossible. Even if it gets decided now, mobilizing troops and supplies takes time, and probably the campaign won¡¯t start until the end of May or beginning of June. So calculated like this, the time remaining for him is indeed very little. ¡°Do I need to join the military campaign?¡± Yang Zhenshan inquired. ¡°Not necessarily, it depends on the court¡¯s decision!¡± Zhou Lan shook her head, then added, ¡°You just focus on training the troops! Even if you are needed for battle, I will arrange for you to be in the rear.¡± She had only received some information, but she was still unsure about the court¡¯s specific intentions. However, based on her estimation, the court was very likely to make a decision to launch a campaign against the Hu Clan. Yang Zhenshan thought for a moment, feeling that he did not need to worry about this matter. He was now just a Trial Hundred Households of no importance, whatever he did, he had to follow Zhou Lan¡¯s arrangements. As for the rest, even if he wanted to manage, he wouldn¡¯t be able to. To put it unpleasantly, he was now just a low-ranking soldier under Zhou Lan¡¯s command; whatever Zhou Lan asked of him, that¡¯s what he should do. As for leaving or breaking away from Zhou Lan, Yang Zhenshan just pondered the thought and immediately dismissed it. Unless he wanted to continue staying in Yang Family Village, he could only follow Zhou Lan¡¯s lead. To stand out, one must take risks. And now, as a Martial Artist, going into battle was an inevitable path. Success in war comes at the cost of thousands of lives. If the Yang Family wanted to grow and strengthen, it would have to step over countless corpses. Those corpses included the enemy¡¯s, those from the Yang Family, and even possibly his own. ¡°I¡¯m willing to train troops, but I have one request!¡± Yang Zhenshan said. ¡°What request?¡± ¡°Food, enough food! If the soldiers can¡¯t even eat their fill, how can we talk about training troops?¡± Yang Zhenshan said. Previously, Zhou Lan had said that Linguan Castle was a newly established garrison, and being new meant there was no food in storage. Furthermore, the military households within Linguan Castle were all newly recruited refugees; without going into detail, one could guess the state these refugees were in. ¡°No problem! I will have Zhao Yuan transport a batch of food over to you!¡± Zhou Lan agreed without hesitation. Chapter 52 - 52 51 Entering Linguan Castle ?Chapter 52: Chapter 51 Entering Linguan Castle Chapter 52: Chapter 51 Entering Linguan Castle The next morning, Zhao Yuan led Yang Zhenshan and others to report to the Governor¡¯s Office. In less than an hour, Yang Zhenshan and the others were enlisted in the Left Camp of the soldiers at Chongshan Pass. Indeed, it was the Left Camp, not the garrison soldiers within the garrison. Afterward, Zhao Yuan accompanied Yang Zhenshan to change the property deed of his house. But before Yang Zhenshan had the chance to properly enjoy the pleasure of being a homeowner, Zhao Yuan took them to Linguan Castle on the third day. Accompanying them were over fifty soldiers under Zhao Yuan¡¯s command, escorting ten carts of food. Linguan Castle was located on the west side of Chongshan Pass, passing two mountains on the west side of the pass led to Linguan Castle¡¯s territory. Perched atop a small hill, the castle was more accurately situated on a mound of earth. The gentle slopes were covered with yellow-brown fields, where distant figures in shabby clothes could be seen toiling. Walking by, Yang Zhenshan observed the toiling figures with a slight frown. He squatted down by the roadside, grasped a handful of the yellow soil, and his brows knitted even deeper. Such poor soil was not suitable for farming which explained why Linguan Castle had previously been abandoned. He looked up at the figures working the fields and sighed softly. ¡°Dad!¡± Yang Mingzhi called out in concern. Being a genuine farmer¡¯s son, he naturally recognized the quality of the fields. ¡°Yang Hundred Households, it¡¯s getting late. Let¡¯s hurry on!¡± said Zhao Yuan, walking over to them. Yang Zhenshan got up and walked forward slowly, ¡°Zhao Hundred Households must come from an extraordinary background!¡± ¡°Not really extraordinary. Although I am from the Suiyang Marquis Mansion, I am merely an illegitimate child!¡± Zhao Yuan replied. A noble¡¯s offspring, no wonder he was indifferent to such fields. What about being an illegitimate child? He was still born in the Suiyang Marquis Mansion, certainly not someone the hard-pressed military households could compare to. Yang Zhenshan nodded quietly, without saying much more. Talking about farming with the likes of a noble¡¯s child like Zhao Yuan was like playing the lute to a cow. Perhaps even Zhou Lan was unaware of the situation here. Relocating a group of refugees here was simply setting them up for failure. Following the gentle mountain path, they soon arrived at the entrance of Linguan Castle. From the outside, the castle¡¯s wall appeared to be newly built of stone, over ten feet tall, with the south-facing gate inscribed with the large characters ¡°Linguan Castle.¡± Above the gate was a watchtower, equipped with a drawbridge that spanned over a dry trench about three meters wide. The castle residents noticed their arrival, many hiding within the fort, watching their party warily. ¡°Old Li! Old Li!¡± Zhao Yuan entered the gate first, shouting loudly. Then a limping old man came over. ¡°Hundred Households, you¡¯ve arrived!¡± Zhao Yuan nodded at him and then introduced Old Li to Yang Zhenshan, ¡°This is Old Li, who was responsible for the reconstruction of Linguan Castle and the recruitment of refugees. If Yang Hundred Households has any questions, he may ask him.¡± ¡°Old Li, this is Yang Hundred Households, the future garrison commander of Linguan Castle. You will follow his orders from now on!¡± ¡°Old man Li Shanshi pays his respects to the master!¡± Old Li quickly bowed to Yang Zhenshan. Yang Zhenshan gave a slight nod in acknowledgment. ¡°Old Li, please show Yang Hundred Households around! Oh, and these supplies, have a look at where they should be stored,¡± Zhao Yuan added. ¡°Supplies!¡± Old Li¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of the carts behind them, ¡°Hundred Households, please follow me!¡± As soon as they entered the fort, Yang Zhenshan was met with an unpleasant sour stench. He then witnessed a grimy, dilapidated sight. The ground was littered with all sorts of messes, piles and puddles of refuse. Along the walls were rows of shabby dwellings that hardly resembled proper houses. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s brows furrowed as he swept his gaze across the area. Why had only the outer walls been rebuilt in Linguan Castle? Although the houses had been repaired, it was evident that the repairs were haphazard. They must have been built by the refugees living here. ¡°Sir, this is your mansion!¡± Old Li said, pointing to a somewhat decent-looking house. Yang Zhenshan remained silent, merely nodding his head. Mansion? Damn it, it wasn¡¯t even as good as the farmhouse in Yang Family Village. ¡°Sir, this here is the cattle pen!¡± ¡°This is the storehouse!¡± ¡°This is the granary!¡± Soon, Old Li had taken Yang Zhenshan on a tour around Linguan Castle. In fact, the interior of Linguan Castle was quite spacious, and could easily accommodate a hundred families. However, due to long-term neglect, the houses had become dilapidated. ¡°How long have they been here?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked, looking at the group of ragged military households. ¡°It¡¯s been a little over a month now, they have all been busy tilling the land this month, so there hasn¡¯t been time to clean up the houses inside the fort,¡± Old Li said somewhat embarrassedly, aware of the poor condition inside the fort. ¡°Has the farming ended yet?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked. ¡°It¡¯s almost all done; now each family can spare some hands!¡± Old Li replied. Yang Zhenshan slightly nodded, not minding those emaciated military households, and quickly walked to the front of the granary. By this time, Yang Mingzhi had already led the group to move the grains from the cart into the granary. Although the living quarters were in ruins, the granary, storehouse, and cattle pen facilities were relatively intact and seemed to have been carefully repaired. In addition, there were several swords, spears, bows and arrows, and cotton armors in the storehouse; the cattle pen had ten horses and three draft cattle. ¡°Mr. Zhao, things are busy today, so I won¡¯t keep you any longer!¡± Yang Zhenshan issued a dismissal. This place was his turf now, and he had many things to do next; he had no time to entertain Zhao Yuan. Zhao Yuan also did not say much and took his leave directly. After watching them go, Yang Zhenshan turned to Old Li and said, ¡°Gather the household soldiers!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Old Li bowed his head in response and then limped off towards the interior of the fort. After about half an hour, one hundred young men with yellowed faces and emaciated bodies gathered in the central clearing of the garrison. These one hundred young men were Yang Zhenshan¡¯s soldiers. Looking at this group of refugees, Yang Zhenshan shook his head helplessly. Training troops? He felt that poverty alleviation was more important than training troops. These people had lost their homes due to the invasion of northern barbarians; their homes were burned by the invaders, and all their savings were taken away. Having no other recourse, they were forced to bring their families to the fortress city. The Governor¡¯s Office and the Governor¡¯s Office inside the fortress city discussed and directly classified them as military households, allocating them to various garrisons. The hundred households intercepted by Zhou Lan were all families with able-bodied men arranged to stay in Linguan Castle. However, they had first been through a flight and then endured over two months of poverty and hunger, which had reduced them to their current state. ¡°Split up! Choose for yourselves!¡± Yang Zhenshan said to Yang Chengze and the others, turning his head. Yang Mingzhi and Yang Mingwu were the General Flags, while Yang Chengze, Yang Chengxu, Yang Chengche, Yang Qinwu and others were small flags. Yang Zhenshan had already assigned ten small flags to Yang Mingzhi and Yang Mingwu; now it was time for small flags like Yang Chengze to select their subordinates. In truth, there wasn¡¯t much to choose from; the main goal was to recognize who was who, so they would know who their subordinates were and the soldiers would know their flag officer. As for training, it could not begin straight away. Chapter 53 - 53 Focus on poverty alleviation first then on military ?Chapter 53: Focus on poverty alleviation first, then on military training Chapter 53: Focus on poverty alleviation first, then on military training Upon receiving Yang Zhenshan¡¯s orders, Yang Chengze and others immediately began selecting people. ¡°Stand in line!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± The scene was chaotic for a moment. These new recruits were both scared and panicked, having no idea what to do. Fortunately, Yang Chengze and the others had been trained by Yang Zhenshan and were not daunted by the situation. Another two hours passed before a hundred soldiers were arranged into a ragged formation in front of Yang Zhenshan. ¡°My name is Yang Zhenshan, starting from today, I am your Hundred Households!¡± ¡°Take a good look at my face, and don¡¯t get the wrong person in the future!¡± Yang Zhenshan, with his hands behind his back, walked among the ranks, his eyes sweeping over pale, waxen faces. ¡°I¡¯m giving you three tasks now!¡± ¡°First, eat until you¡¯re full!¡± ¡°Second, clean yourselves up a bit!¡± ¡°Third, clean every corner inside and outside Linguan Castle; I don¡¯t want to stay in a pigsty, nor do you make this place dirtier than a pigsty!¡± ¡°Understood?¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Yang Chengze and others shouted in unison. However, the others all hung their heads, and not a single one spoke up. ¡°Are you all mute?¡± Before Yang Zhenshan could speak, Yang Mingzhi took the lead in scolding. ¡°Understood?¡± ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°Louder! Understood?¡± ¡°Understood!¡± As Yang Mingzhi kept questioning them, the voices gradually grew louder, but still, they were not uniform and lacked any imposing presence. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t mind and simply waved his hand, saying, ¡°Distribute the provisions, three dou per person!¡± These soldiers were previously refugees, with not a single penny saved. Although Linguan Castle had been deserted for many years and had been rebuilt, there was no surplus food inside the castle. According to Zhao Yuan, when this group of refugees arrived, he had Old Li distribute a batch of grain, but Yang Zhenshan guessed that the grain they previously received was almost consumed by now, otherwise, they would not all look so skinny and haggard. Hearing that Yang Zhenshan was going to distribute grain, the originally listless troop suddenly became noisy. Everyone stared with wide eyes, both surprised and overjoyed at Yang Zhenshan. Meanwhile, Yang Mingwu had already taken people to fetch the grain. ¡°Many thanks for Mr. Xie¡¯s generous reward!¡± Old Li was the first to react, promptly shouting out loud. With him leading, the soldiers began kneeling down to thank Yang Zhenshan. Yang Zhenshan looked at Old Li with approval. Old Li was also a man of Linguan Castle, but he was not an ordinary military household; he was an old soldier from the Camp, who, due to a disability in his left leg, followed Zhao Yuan doing miscellaneous chores. He was in charge of the reconstruction of Linguan Castle and the settlement of the refugees. ¡°Distribute the grain!¡± Yang Zhenshan called out. Yang Mingzhi and Yang Mingwu immediately beckoned the soldiers to come forward to receive their grain. After the grain was distributed and the crowd dispersed, Yang Zhenshan walked into the garrison commander¡¯s office. The office was simply made up of four mud-brick rooms, with a small courtyard at the back, and seven or eight mud-brick cottages. The front was where the garrison commandant worked, and the back was where he lived. ¡°Do we have a Fish Scale Book?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked Old Li. ¡°Follow me, sir!¡± Old Li said and led Yang Zhenshan into a study. The study was simply furnished with a desk, two chairs, a bookcase, and a warm kang bed-stove. Old Li took out two volumes from the bookcase and handed them to Yang Zhenshan, saying, ¡°Sir, these are the Yellow Register and the Fish Scale Book.¡± The Fish Scale Book focuses on land, while the Yellow Register focuses on households. Yang Zhenshan opened the Yellow Register and began to read. There were one hundred households in the garrison, but only four hundred and thirty-two people. This was obviously not normal; Yang Family Village had more than eighty households, but the total population was over seven hundred, averaging eight or nine people per household. However, considering these people had experienced fleeing, losing family members, or becoming separated from them, Yang Zhenshan no longer found it strange. Yang Zhenshan quickly browsed through the Yellow Register and then called Yang Mingzhi, Yang Mingwu, and others over. ¡°Tomorrow, you all will gather detailed information about each household¡ªhow many people there are, their ages, whether they¡¯ve had education, martial training, or other skills such as sewing, cooking, weaving, etc.¡± ¡°The more detailed, the better!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Yang Mingzhi and Yang Mingwu, along with the others, responded in unison. Arriving at Linguan Castle, Yang Zhenshan realized that his job was not military training, but poverty relief. He initially thought the ten carts of grain given by Zhou Lan would be enough, but now it seemed his previous thoughts were too simple. The group given to him by Zhou Lan were refugees, not recruited soldiers. Recruited soldiers, even if they might be a ragtag bunch, were at least a group of able-bodied young adults. But refugees are just refugees; for them, the priority is to ensure they and their families are well-fed and clothed. This is not just about providing them with enough food and clothing but also about finding a sustainable livelihood for them. They need a foundation to live on steadily, a life where they no longer have to worry about their family¡¯s food and clothing, freeing them from distractions. Only then can they undergo training and go to battle. If they were military households from other places, perhaps they could sustain themselves through farming, but the land here is too barren. Yang Zhenshan was certain that, relying solely on agriculture, Linguan Castle would not be able to be self-sufficient. The night passed without further discussion. The next morning, Yang Mingzhi and Yang Mingwu began to conduct household surveys. Meanwhile, Yang Zhenshan, accompanied by Old Li and Yang Minghao, circled inside and outside Linguan Castle several times. After the tour, Yang Zhenshan stayed in the study and began to draft and sketch. The first thing he sketched was a planning map for Linguan Castle. The outer walls of Linguan Castle were built very solidly, but the houses inside had been repaired by the refugees themselves. They were crude, dilapidated, and in complete disarray, utterly worthless. Yang Zhenshan felt that aside from the government offices, warehouses, granaries, and horse stables, everything else within the castle should be demolished and rebuilt. Of course, the structures he intended to build were not brick houses with tiled roofs but simple earthen ones. The foundations could be constructed from stone, the walls from mud, and the roofs from wood and thatch. He had already seen that these common materials could be readily sourced from around Linguan Castle without the need to spend silver. Yang Zhenshan spent two hours drawing up the planning map for Linguan Castle. According to his idea, the open space in front of the government office should be enlarged as a training ground for the soldiers. The living quarters for the military households should be built behind the government office, three main rooms and four wing rooms each, forming a small courtyard. In front of the government office, aside from the training ground, it would also be possible to build some functional buildings, such as a kitchen, dining hall, workshop, blacksmith shop, etc. First, get the houses built, and what to do with them later, plan for that when the time comes. On the third day, Yang Zhenshan handed his planning map over to Yang Mingzhi and Yang Mingwu, instructing them to lead others in building the houses. Building earthen houses was not difficult; he had seen people in Yang Family Village building houses before. No need to hire skilled masons; just find some strong laborers from the village, and in two or three days, they could complete three rooms. Yang Zhenshan estimated that it would take about ten days to rebuild Linguan Castle entirely. Ten days were worth the wait. Chapter 54 - 54 53 Building a House Making a Living ?Chapter 54: Chapter 53 Building a House, Making a Living Chapter 54: Chapter 53 Building a House, Making a Living ¡°Master, are you planning to build new houses for everyone?¡± In the study, Old Li¡¯s eyes bulged as he looked at the planning map drawn by Yang Zhenshan. ¡°Exactly, a complete rebuild!¡± Yang Zhenshan casually nodded his head, then turned to Yang Chengche and others, saying, ¡°Build by units of small flags, tell your subordinates, the first to finish will be rewarded with three dou of food per household, the second will receive two dou, and the third one dou. The last one will be penalized one month¡¯s food allowance!¡± Competition fosters motivation, and rewards lead to greater enthusiasm. Taking advantage of this house-building opportunity, it was perfect to boost everyone¡¯s enthusiasm, to prevent these people from being lifeless all the time. ¡°As for you, the first place will be rewarded with three taels of silver, the second with two taels, and the third with one tael. And the very last one...¡± Yang Zhenshan turned to Yang Chengche, Yang Chengxu and others with a grin, ¡°The very last will do my laundry for a month!¡± Before Yang Chengche and the others could react, Young Minghao behind them cried out in excitement. ¡°That¡¯s great, that¡¯s great, doing laundry for a month, hahaha~~¡± Yang Minghao had no position here, nor was he a soldier at Linguan Castle. He was Yang Zhenshan¡¯s son, responsible for taking care of Yang Zhenshan. All the daily washing and cleaning chores were done by Yang Minghao for Yang Zhenshan. Now hearing that someone would be doing Yang Zhenshan¡¯s laundry for a month, he naturally cheered. ¡°Bring it on, who¡¯s afraid? The first place is surely mine!¡± ¡°It¡¯s too early to talk now, let¡¯s just wait and see.¡± ¡°Hmph, it¡¯s definitely going to be you guys who¡¯ll end up washing clothes!¡± ¡°Let me tell you, my dad¡¯s socks really stink! Hahaha~~¡± A group of young men rolled up their sleeves, ready to get to work. Yang Zhenshan glared at Yang Minghao; this kid actually said my socks stink, let¡¯s see how I sort him out later. ¡°Old Li, go and select ten women who can cook. During the construction period, the government will provide all the meals,¡± Yang Zhenshan ordered. A little grain was no concern to Yang Zhenshan. But for those military households, it mattered a great deal, they had very little grain to begin with and could hardly afford to eat their fill on a regular basis. Building houses required great effort, and you can¡¯t do that on an empty stomach, so Yang Zhenshan decided to provide uniform meals to everyone in the garrison. Moreover, centralizing meal preparation made it easier for him to incorporate Spiritual Spring Water. The refugees¡¯ health was poor, and Yang Zhenshan wanted to take the opportunity to enhance their constitution to prevent illness. Once the houses were built and the soldiers began training, Yang Zhenshan would no longer provide Spiritual Spring Water to everyone, just to the training soldiers. ¡°Do we have enough food?¡± Old Li was somewhat worried. At this moment, he thought that the Hundred Households Master Yang was a bit unreliable, showing no concern for economizing, building houses was one thing, but also providing meals for everyone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the food issue will be taken care of,¡± Yang Zhenshan said. Not to mention the ten carts of food he brought, even if there was not enough, he could ask Zhou Lan for more. Zhou Lan had promised him she would provide sufficient food. And so, under Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mobilization, the once subdued Linguan Castle came to life. Hearing that Yang Zhenshan was going to build them new houses, everyone grew fonder of Yang Zhenshan. Furthermore, learning that meals would be provided by the government during the construction, each of them became greatly excited. For these refugees, nothing was more important than filling their bellies. Finally, upon hearing about the reward and punishment system, their eagerness increased manifold. Yang Chengze, Yang Chengche, and the others just had to give a shout, and everyone in the garrison got moving, with men and women, young and old, all pitching in. Even children of seven or eight years old ran out to move stones and dig earth. At first, Yang Zhenshan was a bit worried, fearing these people might resist authority and create chaos, but after observing for a day, he found that the group was really compliant. ¡°Perhaps it was because they needed Linguan Castle as a place to settle down, or perhaps it was Yang Zhenshan¡¯s decision that gave them new hope. In any case, they were all very enthusiastic about their work, and Yang Chengche and the others were also very responsible. Soon, one house after another sprang up from the ground. Meanwhile, Yang Zhenshan focused his energy elsewhere. It is said that one should rely on local resources for a living. Linguan Castle is nestled among the Qianchong Mountains, surrounded by low hills, and there is also an unnamed small river flowing below, blessed with both mountain and water. However, in reality, there are scarcely any tall trees on the hills around Linguan Castle, mostly shrubs and weeds, and the small river below lacks fish and shrimp to catch. The land is barren, with no other natural resources to exploit, which sums up the current situation of Linguan Castle. To change the situation of Linguan Castle, one cannot limit their vision to within the garrison itself. After several days of consideration, Yang Zhenshan took Yang Minghao back to Chongshan Pass City. When it comes to who is most numerous within the city, it¡¯s definitely the soldiers. Not to mention the soldiers from the Five Camps, the military households in the surrounding garrison towns also come to the city when they need to buy things. Although military households are poor, they do have some money. And what Yang Zhenshan intended to do was to earn their money. It¡¯s not that Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t want to do more upscale business, but he currently neither dared nor could afford to engage in such trade. For instance, industries like salt, iron, medicinal herbs, and fur were beyond what Yang Zhenshan could meddle with. The waters of the city were too deep, and he didn¡¯t even have the qualification to fish in murky waters, let alone stir up trouble. Therefore, Yang Zhenshan set his sights on those businesses that had low profit margins but did not attract much attention. He wasn¡¯t doing this for himself; he wanted to find a source of income for the military households within Linguan Castle, so that they didn¡¯t have to solely rely on that barren land. The two of them walked down the street and arrived at the entrance of a shop named Bai Fu Grain Store. Inside the shop was a shopkeeper in his forties and three helpers in their twenties. ¡°What can I do for you two guests?¡± Seeing Yang Zhenshan and Yang Minghao enter, a helper immediately came forward to serve them. ¡°We¡¯re not here to buy things; I¡¯m here to see Manager Lu!¡± Yang Zhenshan said. The helper sized up Yang Zhenshan and asked, ¡°May I know the name of the esteemed sir, and what business do you have with our shopkeeper?¡± ¡°Yang Zhenshan from Anning County, I am acquainted with Mr. Lu!¡± Yang Zhenshan replied. This grain store belonged to the Lu family. Previously, when parting ways with Song An, Song An told him that if he needed help with anything, he could seek out Manager Lu at Bai Fu Grain Store. Manager Lu behind the counter, upon hearing Yang Zhenshan¡¯s words, quickly came out to greet them. ¡°So, it¡¯s Master Yang, my apologies for not recognizing you sooner!¡± After a bit of courteous exchange, Manager Lu invited Yang Zhenshan into the back parlor. ¡°I have a favor to ask of Manager Lu, I wonder if you know any shopkeepers of fabric stores or embroidery workshops,¡± Yang Zhenshan got straight to the point. Manager Lu thought for a moment and said, ¡°I do know some shopkeepers of fabric stores, but they are all small fabric stores!¡± Having operated the grain store in the city for over ten years, he naturally knew some shopkeepers. However, he wasn¡¯t sure if these small fabric stores would meet Yang Zhenshan¡¯s requirements. ¡°There¡¯s no need for a large fabric store; a small one actually suits my purposes better!¡± Yang Zhenshan smiled. ¡°The Luo Family Fabric Store across the street is acquainted with me, why don¡¯t we go have a look!¡± Manager Lu said, pointing to a shop diagonally opposite. Yang Zhenshan looked over and indeed saw a shop with a signboard that read ¡®Luo Family Fabric Store.¡¯ It seemed similar to Mr. Liang¡¯s Liang Family Fabric Store, what a pity that Mr. Liang was in Ning County, otherwise, he could have completely sought out Mr. Liang for this business deal. Afterward, the two made their way to the Luo Family Fabric Store.¡± Chapter 55 - 55 54 Sewing Workshop ?Chapter 55: Chapter 54 Sewing Workshop Chapter 55: Chapter 54 Sewing Workshop The shopkeeper of Luo Family Cloth Shop, who is also the owner, is named Luo Shang, a slightly thin man in his thirties. After Manager Lu¡¯s introduction, Yang Zhenshan got to know Luo Shang. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t bother with pleasantries and directly talked about the business he wanted to do. ¡°Luo shopkeeper, I want to ask if I provide a batch of cloth shoes, would you be able to sell them here?¡± That¡¯s right, he intended to set up a sewing workshop in Linguan Castle. The first product to be released would be cloth shoes. The women within Linguan Castle all had some sewing skills, so getting them to make cloth shoes or simple garments was no issue at all. And within Linguan Castle, there were soldiers from the Five Camps, who were all recruited. They had no families of their own, so most of their clothing was either issued by the military or bought by themselves. Ordinary civilians mostly made their own cloth shoes, but these soldiers needed to buy them, which meant there was a market for cloth shoes in the garrison castle. ¡°They can be sold, but the profit might not be high!¡± Luo Shang hesitated a bit before responding. ¡°If I sell them to you for twenty copper coins a pair, would you be willing to help me sell them?¡± asked Yang Zhenshan. ¡°That¡¯s possible to try, but I can¡¯t guarantee they will be sold!¡± Luo Shang didn¡¯t refuse. One reason was that Manager Lu introduced Yang Zhenshan, and the other was that Yang Zhenshan was a Hundred Households. Although he wasn¡¯t optimistic about this business, he was still willing to give it a try, not to make money, just to avoid offending Manager Lu and Yang Zhenshan. After all, helping sell was not a troublesome matter. His shop was already selling ready-made clothing and would take some orders to make garments; it was just that the profit from cloth shoes was too low for his liking. ¡°Mm!¡± Yang Zhenshan nodded, then added, ¡°I would also like to ask Luo shopkeeper to help collect old and worn clothes, buying them by the pound, three copper coins per pound!¡± Ordinary people usually made cloth shoes from old clothes at home, and Yang Zhenshan, for the sake of saving on material costs, also planned to use old clothes. Since he didn¡¯t have enough old clothes, he would buy them. This was considered recycling as well. ¡°This~~¡± Luo Shang¡¯s eyes flickered, and he immediately understood Yang Zhenshan¡¯s idea. After a brief contemplation, he said, ¡°Master Yang, there¡¯s no problem with buying old clothes, but there¡¯s something I¡¯m not sure if I should say.¡± ¡°Please speak, Luo shopkeeper, don¡¯t hold back!¡± said Yang Zhenshan. ¡°I¡¯ll just say it then, buying old clothes is easy, making cloth shoes is also easy, and selling cloth shoes is not difficult either. This counts as a business, but the profit involved will probably be very low.¡± ¡°Master Yang might be busy for a month and not even make a few taels of silver!¡± Luo Shang spoke very sincerely. He had understood Yang Zhenshan¡¯s idea, but he still didn¡¯t agree with him doing such business. The profit was too low; even he disdained it, and he didn¡¯t think Yang Zhenshan would value it. For ordinary people, earning a few taels of silver in a month was already a lot, but for shopkeepers like them, such a business was too much of an energy drain. With that effort, he¡¯d rather take on more garment-making orders. Some wealthy families would purchase clothing for their servants and house servants. Such clothing didn¡¯t need to be too high-end and was relatively simple to make, but the profit was not low. So small cloth shops like theirs would rather take on such orders than engage in the troublesome business of making cloth shoes. But Yang Zhenshan saw the value in this. Low profits meant little competition. Others might disdain it, but he valued it. ¡°I¡¯m doing this business not for the sake of making money, but to help the military households in Linguan Castle find a way to earn a living!¡± Yang Zhenshan explained. For the women of Linguan Castle, earning a dozen or twenty copper coins a day was already considered a decent income. Such an income could help them get through the toughest part of the coming year. And this was just the beginning; if this business venture could be maintained in the future, Yang Zhenshan could also extend it to other trades. Such as making ready-to-wear apparel, handkerchiefs, silk flowers, embroideries, and so on. Of course, the latter required certain craftsmanship, and it remained to be seen if the women¡¯s skills were up to the mark. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, Master Yang is truly dedicated and meticulous!¡± Luo Shang looked at Yang Zhenshan with some admiration. He had seen many low-ranking Military Officers in the military, but to be honest, none had ever thought to help their military households make a living like Yang Zhenshan did. A low-ranking Military Officer who didn¡¯t oppress their military households was already considered good enough, let alone going to great lengths to aid those impoverished military households. ¡°This matter will require Manager Luo¡¯s assistance; if it can be accomplished, I will owe both you and Manager Lu a favor,¡± said Yang Zhenshan graciously. Hearing him say this, both Luo Shang and Manager Lu took the matter to heart. Favors were far more valuable than silver. Luo Shang had already decided that as long as it would not result in a loss, he would carry on with this business. Although Master Yang was only a Trial Hundred Households, to someone of humble origins like him, having one more friend meant more security. Afterwards, Yang Zhenshan made an appointment with Luo Shang to collect the old clothes in five days and to deliver the first batch of cloth shoes in ten days. Before leaving, Yang Zhenshan also gave Luo Shang three taels of silver as the capital for collecting the old clothes. ... The rebuilt garrison at Linguan Castle in Chongshan Pass did not attract much attention; it could even be said that it didn¡¯t attract any attention at all. Even Zhou Lan seemed to have forgotten about the existence of Linguan Castle. For several days in a row, Yang Zhenshan did not receive any news from Zhou Lan. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t mind this and just honestly stayed at Linguan Castle, building houses and setting up a sewing workshop. Time flew by quickly, and before long, it was already the beginning of May. After half a month of construction, everything inside Linguan Castle was completely rejuvenated. Behind the government office, rows of earthen and thatched houses were neatly arranged, and the training field in front of the office had been repaired, becoming remarkably level. And the sewing workshop to the left of the garrison gate was also built. In front of the workshop sat a dozen women, each guarding a wooden basin, washing old clothes. The workshop consisted of five rooms, and within each room, six or seven women were bent over, sewing cloth shoes. Today, the first batch of cloth shoes had been delivered to the Luo Family Cloth Store. Whether this business would be successful depended on the following few days. However, Yang Zhenshan left these matters to Old Li and Yang Minghao to manage, as he was busy training soldiers. He had been at Linguan Castle for over half a month, so it was time to start training the troops. ¡°Form up!¡± ¡°Stand up properly for me!¡± ¡°Chin up, chest out, feet together!¡± ¡°Number off!¡± ¡°One, two, three...¡± On the training field, Yang Chengze, Yang Chengxu, and other ten small flag officers were leading the soldiers to form up. The disordered counting echoed from all around, with no lack of harsh reprimands. The first time forming up took a whole quarter of an hour to complete. ¡°Reporting, Linguan Left Banner called for fifty-six people, fifty-six present, all accounted for!¡± In front of the government office, Yang Zhenshan stood with his hands behind his back as Yang Mingzhi approached him with precise steps and stood to attention to report. ¡°Reporting, Linguan Right Banner called for fifty-six people, fifty-six present, all accounted for!¡± Shortly after, Yang Mingwu also came forward to report. Chapter 56 - 56 Became a grandfather at 55 ?Chapter 56: Became a grandfather at 55 Chapter 56: Became a grandfather at 55 Yang Zhenshan gave a slight nod, his eyes sweeping over the hundred soldiers in front of him. ¡°How have you been during this time?¡± He stepped forward, his voice ringing out with authority. ¡°You, speak!¡± He pointed at a lean young man. ¡°Sir is kind. We have been well-fed and well-rested during this time!¡± The man responded with a full and loud voice. Indeed, well-fed and well-rested. With sufficient food provided, how could they be hungry? After a whole day of strenuous labor, they fell onto their pillows and slept like logs¡ªhow could their sleep be anything but sound? Compared to half a month ago, although these men still wore ragged clothes, their spirits and physical conditions had seen a complete turnaround. Their originally sallow complexions had become rosy, their previously listless demeanor now filled with vitality and vigor. Even though their bodies remained thin, they no longer appeared frail and weak, skin and bones as before. ¡°Do you wish to continue being well-fed and well-rested in the future?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked again. ¡°Yes!¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s lips curved slightly, ¡°Then train hard for me!¡± ¡°Starting today, a one-month foundational training officially begins!¡± ¡°I have only one requirement of you: obey the orders!¡± ¡°When I say lie down, you must not stand; when I say run, you must not stop!¡± ¡°When I say move forward, even if it¡¯s through a mountain of blades or a sea of fire, you must wade through for me!¡± ¡°Obeying orders is a bottom line you absolutely cannot cross!¡± ¡°Do you understand?¡± ¡°Understood!¡± The group roared with all their might. In truth, they didn¡¯t understand why they had to follow orders. They shouted ¡®understood¡¯ simply as a habit formed over recent times because Yang Chengze and others would always ask if they understood after explaining something, and they always had to answer loudly; if not loud enough, Yang Chengze would ask several times. Yang Zhenshan nodded with satisfaction, then walked back to the front of the government office and said to Yang Mingzhi and Yang Mingwu, ¡°Start the training.¡± These soldiers were different from the able-bodied men of Yang Family Village at the beginning. Back then, Yang Family Village had faced the threat of Northern barbarian cavalries, and Yang Zhenshan inspired their martial spirit with the conviction of protecting parents, wives, and children. But these soldiers, for the time being, did not need to face any threats, and they had little sense of belonging to Linguan Castle. Therefore, Yang Zhenshan had to force-feed them the idea of obedience. To engrave obedience deep in their bones, so that upon hearing an order, they would have no second thoughts, no hesitation, and would instinctively carry out the task. Training began, with Yang Mingzhi and Yang Mingwu leading them in units marked by small flags. Yang Zhenshan had laid out a rigorous training schedule for them. Every day had a clear timetable. From dawn till dusk, keeping them busy through and through, with even plans for night training set by Yang Zhenshan, though this was to be started later on. Of course, the day¡¯s activities weren¡¯t all physical training; every day, they would carve out two hours for literacy and half that time for household chores. Yes, household chores. Students in military training had to sort out their internal affairs. This wasn¡¯t a school, and the trainees were not students. They had families here, so Yang Zhenshan mandated them to manage household chores. He wanted the entire Linguan Castle to be neat and tidy, not permitting even a bit of disorder in these military households. By May, the weather had gotten hot, especially around noon, when the blazing sun hung in the sky, wielding heatwaves indiscriminately and dousing all soldiers in sweat. But they stood still, unmoving, like wooden stakes. Around the training grounds, many elderly, women, and children watched, puzzled and discontented with this sort of training. Perhaps, in their eyes, this training was nothing but torture. But intimidated by Yang Zhenshan¡¯s authority, they did not dare voice their dissatisfaction. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t bother explaining. They might not understand now, but given some time, he believed they would see his point. Moreover, he had ensured they had plenty to eat. Just on this point alone, he believed they would not dare to object. Yang Zhenshan seemingly casually approached the place where the soldiers drank water and poured a bowl of Spiritual Spring Water into the bucket. Then he slowly walked back to the study. With the sun so fierce, he didn¡¯t need to be out roasting in the sun. Fishing time calls for fishing; after all, he¡¯s the garrison commander. Hidden in the study, sipping tea, Yang Zhenshan picked up a travelogue to read. But before he finished a pot of tea, Yang Minghao rushed in, flustered. ¡°Dad, Dad~~¡± The shrill voice startled Yang Zhenshan, causing him to spill tea all over his pants. Luckily, the tea wasn¡¯t hot enough to scald anywhere too sensitive. ¡°What¡¯s with the shouting!¡± Yang Zhenshan scolded irritably. The intruding Yang Minghao stiffened upon seeing his father¡¯s angry expression. ¡°Dad, there¡¯s great news!¡± ¡°What great news?¡± Yang Zhenshan wiped the tea off his pants and asked. ¡°You¡¯re going to be a grandfather!¡± ¡°A grandfather?¡± Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t react at first. ¡°Your eldest daughter has given birth!¡± Yang Minghao reminded him again. Yang Zhenshan came back to his senses, ¡°When did she give birth?¡± ¡°Five days ago!¡± Yang Minghao grinned, handing over the letter in his hands to Yang Zhenshan. Yang Zhenshan began to read the letter. It was written by Yang Mingcheng, brought over by the Lu family¡¯s merchant caravan. The letter mainly spoke of four matters. First, everything at home is fine, so there¡¯s no need for Yang Zhenshan to worry. Second, Yang Yunyan has given birth to a big fat boy; Yang Zhenshan is officially a grandfather now. Third, Yang Mingcheng will accompany Lu Wenquan to Jing¡¯an Prefecture to participate in this year¡¯s prefectural examination. Fourth, the Li family is pregnant again, already more than two months along; the Yang family is set to welcome another new member. Yang Zhenshan, reading the content of the letter, found his mind couldn¡¯t quite keep up. Not only had he become a grandfather, but he was also about to be a granddad once more? The Li family is pregnant again? Since Yang Chengmao is nearly two years old, it was quite normal for the Li family to be expecting once more. But at this rate, he feared it wouldn¡¯t take many years before he¡¯d have a full set of seven Calabash Brothers. By then, he¡¯d have a crowd of little radishes calling him grandpa. Seven Calabash Brothers might be too few, it seemed like assembling a football team wasn¡¯t too difficult either. Thinking about having a group of little ones surrounding him calling him grandpa, Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Should he consider family planning? It seemed somewhat difficult to handle. This world didn¡¯t have condoms! However, it seemed there were contraceptives, but those pills seemed to harm one¡¯s health. He certainly couldn¡¯t, for the sake of family planning, harm his daughter-in-law¡¯s health, could he? Yang Zhenshan stroked his inch-long beard, feeling this was somewhat troublesome. There¡¯s a saying that goes, ¡°Give me a woman, and I can create a race.¡± But he didn¡¯t have a woman, and it seemed he could still create a race! This feeling was truly amazing! ¡°Write a letter to your eldest brother, send him your well-wishes, and tell your eldest sister-in-law to take good care of your second sister-in-law!¡± ¡°Right, go tell your second brother that he¡¯s going to be a father again!¡± Yang Zhenshan threw aside these messy thoughts and said to Yang Minghao. ¡°Got it!¡± Yang Minghao responded cheerily. Writing a letter! Hmm, and perhaps write one to his future wife as well! He now also counted as a man with a wife, even though she hasn¡¯t been brought home yet, but considering himself half a husband shouldn¡¯t be too much, right? Isn¡¯t having a wife great? Yang Minghao felt delightfully happy inside. He sneakily glanced at Yang Zhenshan, ¡°Could Dad also want a wife? If the old man gets younger, what if he brings me a stepmother?¡± ¡°To accept or not to accept?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t accept, Dad will probably be angry.¡± ¡°This needs to be discussed with the eldest brother!¡± With that thought, Yang Minghao dashed out of the study room, off to write a letter to Yang Mingcheng. Yang Zhenshan, of course, was unaware of Yang Minghao¡¯s thoughts about a stepmother. He was considering whether or not to send a gift to his great-grandson. But then he thought against it, as he didn¡¯t have any suitable gifts for a great-grandson, plus he wasn¡¯t adept at choosing baby items. With the great-grandson¡¯s birth, his eldest son and daughter-in-law should probably tend to it; it likely wasn¡¯t something for him to worry about. As for Yang Mingcheng accompanying Lu Wenquan to the city for the examination, Yang Zhenshan had agreed to this with Lu Zhaoqi last year, and he had already explained everything to Yang Mingcheng before heading to Chongshan Pass. Judging by the timing, they should be departing these days. He wondered if Lu Wenquan could pass and become a Scholar. If so, he¡¯d be able to participate in the provincial examination the year after next. Yang Zhenshan wanted to bask in the glory of his successful nephew, but for the short term, he definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to. As for someone from the Yang family being able to pass the imperial examinations and become an official, it was certain that the Yang Zhenshan¡¯s three brothers weren¡¯t up to the task; perhaps Lin Zhan could be cultivated. As for Yang Chengye¡¯s generation, it was still too early to tell if they had any talent for scholarship. Chapter 57 - 57 56 s of sweating more bleeding less ?Chapter 57: 56 chapters of sweating more, bleeding less! Chapter 57: 56 chapters of sweating more, bleeding less! ¡°Start running!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stop!¡± At the riverside below Linguan Castle, a hundred soldiers were running under the drive of Yang Zhenshan and others. They wore thin short shirts, each sweating profusely and gasping heavily. ¡°You are soldiers, and you are meant for the battlefield!¡± ¡°On the battlefield, every bit of strength gives you a better chance to survive!¡± ¡°Sweat more, bleed less!¡± ¡°Sweating now is always better than bleeding on the battlefield!¡± Yang Zhenshan followed behind the team, running and shouting loudly. He held a short stick in his hand, ruthlessly swinging it at anyone who fell behind. There were no exceptions, even Yang Chengze and others faced his stick. After an hour of morning running, the soldiers returned to the garrison for breakfast. After breakfast, at exactly 7 a.m., a hundred soldiers were neatly standing in the training field. ¡°Very good, compared to half a month ago, you can now be considered a real team!¡± ¡°Your bodies have grown stronger, your strength has increased!¡± Yang Zhenshan casually walked among the rows, occasionally patting the shoulders of soldiers nearby. ¡°You must understand, the real training has just begun, harder days are yet to come!¡± He grinned, ¡°Let me take you through a hellish training, are you ready?¡± The basic training was over, and next was the devilish training regiment devised by Yang Zhenshan. Regarding the training content, think special forces. Ever heard the phrase, even if you¡¯ve never eaten pork, you¡¯ve seen a pig run? ¡°Ming Wu, Ming Zhi! Distribute the weapons and gear!¡± Until now, these soldiers hadn¡¯t even touched a weapon. ¡°Yes!¡± The armory was fully stocked with weapons and cotton armor. There were many more training modules to come. Physical training would not be reduced but rather increased, and it would also include battle formations, night training, and practice with various types of weapons. Training these soldiers was different from training the young and strong from Yang Family Village, as the latter already knew spear techniques, so initially, Yang Zhenshan merely trained them with spears. However, training these soldiers required a combination of various weapons and battle formations. Each small flag needed to have sword and shield bearers, spearmen, and archers. On the battlefield, the small flag was the smallest combat unit, with the flag officer leading ten soldiers. Yang Zhenshan chose weapons for the soldiers based on their individual skills. Spear technique training was the easiest, as Yang Zhenshan, Yang Mingzhi, and Yang Mingwu were all proficient with spears. As for the martial arts for swords and shields, Yang Zhenshan was not very familiar; the predecessor had not left him with corresponding skills, and he had not practiced them before. But no matter, this was Chongshan Pass, where military martial arts were commonplace. His study had many books on basic military martial arts and some on battle formations. These were all prepared by Old Li. While the soldiers trained, Yang Zhenshan was also learning. Martial Arts, battle formations, military strategies, and more were all content that Yang Zhenshan needed to master. ... ¡°Sir, this is the income from making cloth shoes during this period!¡± In the study, Old Li handed over a few taels of broken silver to Yang Zhenshan. ¡°Bring me the accounts, let me take a look,¡± said Yang Zhenshan as he took the silver. Old Li handed the account book to him again. Looking at the numbers in the account book, Yang Zhenshan nodded satisfactorily. As he expected, the business of sewing cloth shoes was still viable. In almost fifteen days, the women in the garrison had sewn nearly a thousand pairs of cloth shoes, most of which had been sold. The profit from each pair of cloth shoes was about fifteen copper coins, not including the cost of labor; Yang Zhenshan only took three coins, and the women sewing the cloth shoes took twelve coins. With a thousand pairs of cloth shoes, Yang Zhenshan earned about three taels of silver, while the hundred or so women earned twelve taels, averaging over a hundred copper coins each. Less than ten copper coins per day per person, such earnings could be considered very low, but for those women, it was already quite impressive. And they were not sewing cloth shoes all the time; they also had to take care of the farm work, the elderly, and children at home. Sewing cloth shoes was something they did in their spare time. With this kind of income, they had some extra money, so they were not without a single copper coin. Actually, the biggest earner was Shopkeeper Luo; for every pair of cloth shoes sold, he made eight copper coins. In half a month, he earned seven or eight taels of silver. The demand for cloth shoes among the soldiers was even greater than Yang Zhenshan and Shopkeeper Luo had anticipated. Now, Shopkeeper Luo was more enthusiastic about this business; he no longer needed Yang Zhenshan to deliver the goods, as he arranged for people to come and pick them up himself. The first phase of poverty alleviation was perfectly successful; now it was time to enter the second phase. ¡°Are the pigsty and chicken coop ready?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked. ¡°They¡¯re ready!¡± Old Li responded. Yang Zhenshan handed over some silver coins, saying, ¡°Go buy some chicks and piglets, then hire some teenagers to raise them!¡± ¡°Once they¡¯ve grown, we won¡¯t have to buy meat anymore!¡± During this time, he often supplemented the soldiers¡¯ meals, having Old Li buy some pork every two to three days. Although it didn¡¯t cost much silver, it was still his own money. As the garrison commander, he did not make money from the military households, and even spent his own money to subsidize them; probably in the whole Chongshan Town, he was the only one doing so. ¡°Yes, I understand!¡± Old Li replied. Yang Zhenshan then said, ¡°When you have time, go find Zhao Yuan again and let him arrange another shipment of grain for us.¡± Although there was still some grain left from the ten carts previously transported, it was almost time to distribute the grain rations to the soldiers, and the remaining grain would definitely not be enough. ¡°Will Mr. Zhao give it to us?¡± Old Li was a bit worried. ¡°He will,¡± Yang Zhenshan said affirmatively. Old Li was somewhat reassured by this. In the afternoon, Old Li brought back ten piglets and over a hundred chicks from the castle, making the pigsty and chicken coop next to the cowshed immediately lively, with noisy chirping and grunting sounds. Yang Zhenshan looked at these piglets and chicks, nodding with satisfaction. ¡°Build another goat enclosure, keep a dozen goats!¡± He thought of lamb skewers, lamb soup, stir-fried lamb with onions, lamb stew in bread, and couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva. Although he had already solved the problem of food and clothing, he had not yet achieved good, satisfying meals. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange it right away!¡± Old Li responded. Yang Zhenshan nodded, turned, and went to the stables to lead out Red Cloud. Currently, they had thirteen horses at Linguan Castle, three of which they had brought themselves, and the other ten were arranged by Zhou Lan, all good Northern warhorses. Zhou Lan had arranged for these ten warhorses probably for training the soldiers¡¯ riding skills. However, up to now, the soldiers had yet to touch a warhorse. Riding on Red Cloud, Yang Zhenshan rode unhurriedly out of Linguan Castle. The fields around Linguan Castle were sprouting green wheat seedlings, vibrant from afar, but upon closer inspection, it was evident that these seedlings were not thriving. Even though the military households took great care of these fields, they still could not compensate for the barrenness of the land. Yang Zhenshan had given up on saving these wheat seedlings, or rather, he had no way to save them, since he could not yet produce fertilizer. As for farmyard manure, well, the castle was not lacking old farmers who had farmed all their lives, and they knew how to use farmyard manure much better than Yang Zhenshan. With his limited agricultural knowledge, even Yang Mingcheng and Yang Mingzhi knew more, not to mention comparing him with those old farmers. Chapter 58 - 58 57 Ownership of Linguan Castle ?Chapter 58: Chapter 57: Ownership of Linguan Castle Chapter 58: Chapter 57: Ownership of Linguan Castle Red Cloud took small, quick steps, running unhurried along the river at the foot of the hill. When tired, Yang Zhenshan would let it stop to drink water and eat grass, while also taking the opportunity to add a little Spiritual Spring Water. To Red Cloud, Yang Zhenshan showed more affection and care than even for his adopted sons, meticulous in every way. ¡°Little Red! When you¡¯re on the battlefield, you must not desert!¡± ¡°If I¡¯m seriously injured, you must carry me back!¡± While brushing Red Cloud¡¯s coat, Yang Zhenshan prattled on. Having joined the military, he was bound to face the battlefield eventually. Once on the battlefield, it would be a matter of life and death. Yang Zhenshan, being mortal, felt some concern and fear facing the blood-drenched battlefield. He was well aware that Red Cloud was his most important partner; a man and his horse truly fought shoulder to shoulder, sharing fate together. Red Cloud neighed softly, as if responding to Yang Zhenshan. After grooming, just as Yang Zhenshan was preparing to take Red Cloud back, suddenly the sound of hooves came from afar. Looking up, he saw across the river in the barren land dust swirling with a group of Cavalry speeding towards them. Narrowing his eyes, Yang Zhenshan mounted, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go back!¡± The Cavalry was headed for Linguan Castle, likely led by Zhou Lan. The Left Camp was located directly south of Linguan Castle, about twenty miles away; if Zhou Lan was coming, he would probably approach from the south. Though he had been at Linguan Castle for a month now, it was about time for Zhou Lan to visit. Riding back to the gates of Linguan Castle, Yang Zhenshan dismounted and waited quietly. Shortly thereafter, the cavalry arrived in front of him, and as expected, it was Zhou Lan leading. But it was not only Zhou Lan, accompanying him were Yinghe Castle¡¯s defense officer Zhang Zhongxiang, Deputy Thousand Households Xu Zhen, and several other military officers from Yinghe Castle. Yang Zhenshan was not surprised by Zhou Lan¡¯s arrival, but the presence of Zhang Zhongxiang and others puzzled him. Upon meeting, Yang Zhenshan respectfully greeted each of the officers before ushering the group into the garrison. At that moment, the soldiers inside the garrison were still training; on the training grounds, the soldiers practiced martial arts divided by their types of arms. The training was not organized by small flags at this time, but rather divided into Sword and Shield Soldiers, spearmen, and archers each practicing separately. Once they could proficiently handle their weapons, they would then train together by small flag groups in battle formations. Under Yang Zhenshan¡¯s lead, Zhou Lan and the others toured the interiors and exteriors of the garrison, and seeing how well Yang Zhenshan had managed Linguan Castle in such a short time, Zhou Lan nodded approvingly. ¡°Household Yang, you have done very well,¡± Zhou Lan praised. Yang Zhenshan smiled and replied, ¡°It¡¯s still not enough; though it looks passable on the outside, the inside is far from sufficient.¡± ¡°The lands around Linguan Castle are infertile with low grain yields; military households relying solely on farming can hardly be self-sufficient.¡± ¡°The combat effectiveness of a garrison¡¯s soldiers and their ability to become elite troops primarily hinge on solving their families¡¯ livelihood issues, relieving their concerns about their well-being!¡± Since Zhou Lan had come, it was natural for Yang Zhenshan to lament their poverty. He wasn¡¯t feigning poverty; Linguan Castle genuinely was impoverished. The military households in the castle were already refugees, and being placed in such a barren area without Zhou Lan¡¯s support and assistance would simply be unbearable. Speaking so, Yang Zhenshan led them to a sewing workshop. ¡°I¡¯ve found them a way to make a living, although the income is meager, it¡¯s still better than nothing!¡± Upon seeing them, the women in the workshop stopped their work and stood by stiffly. Yang Zhenshan picked up a pair of newly sewn cloth shoes and handed them to Zhou Lan, ¡°For sewing a pair of shoes, they can earn a few copper coins!¡± ¡°I plan to find more sewing work for them; if General Zhou¡¯s household has such tasks, please don¡¯t forget them!¡± Indeed, Yang Zhenshan was drumming up business for the sewing workshop. Zhou Lan was not alone in Chongshan Pass; she had a large mansion within the fortress, with over a hundred house servants and dozens of other servants. These servants and house servants needed to change their clothes multiple times a year, and if these tasks could be secured by Linguan Castle, it would certainly be more profitable than sewing cloth shoes. ¡°Who would have thought Baihu Yang to be so thoughtful! Ha ha~~¡± Zhou Lan laughed heartily. ¡°General Zhou should take care of our Linguan Castle, right!¡± Yang Zhenshan unabashedly seized the opportunity, eager to secure the business from Zhou Lan¡¯s mansion first. ¡°Of course, when I return, I¡¯ll give the instructions. From now on, all the clothes for my mansion will be sewn by you!¡± Zhou Lan didn¡¯t mind at all and agreed without a second thought. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, they can only sew some coarse clothes, they¡¯re not ready to make anything too delicate or valuable!¡± Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t dare to overpromise and take on everything. Zhou Lan hailed from Duke Mansion, which was the pinnacle among the noble families of Da Rong; although her own mansion wasn¡¯t the Duke Mansion, it was a subsidiary, representing wealth and luxury. Luxury was something that the women of Linguan Castle dared not touch. Just looking at the clothes Zhou Lan wore was enough to know they were out of reach. Zhou Lan nodded, accepting the agreement on this matter. Afterward, they watched the soldiers¡¯ training on the training grounds. Seeing the soldiers¡¯ healthy complexion and robust figures, Zhou Lan felt increasingly satisfied. She knew well the kind of people she had entrusted to Yang Zhenshan. Before Yang Zhenshan came to Chongshan Pass, she had visited Linguan Castle briefly en route, getting a general idea of its situation. In just one month, Yang Zhenshan had organized Linguan Castle so well, turning these emaciated refugees into robust figures; naturally, she was extremely pleased. ¡°How much longer do they need to train?¡± asked Zhou Lan. Yang Zhenshan pondered a moment before responding, ¡°If they were to go to battle, another month would suffice, but to become elite troops, they need to truly see blood.¡± ¡°Training alone cannot produce elites; real elites are forged through blood and fire.¡± Hearing this, Zhou Lan was even more satisfied with Yang Zhenshan and held him in higher regard. Although she had personally invited Yang Zhenshan to Chongshan Pass, she had not been sure whether he could meet her expectations. Now, it seemed, her decision had been absolutely correct. ¡°Very well, from today onward, they are all soldiers of Left Camp!¡± Zhou Lan looked at Zhang Zhongxiang behind her and said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Zhang has no objections, right?¡± Zhang Zhongxiang¡¯s gaze wandered as he said, ¡°General, technically, Linguan Castle should fall under the jurisdiction of Yinghe Castle!¡± At this moment, Yang Zhenshan realized why Zhang Zhongxiang and his group had come. To snatch people? To seize territory? Left Camp recruited soldiers, while garrisons like Linguan Castle were part of a garrison system. Linguan Castle could be seen as a Hundred Households. Yinghe Castle, on the other hand, was a thousand households. Zhang Zhongxiang was a thousand households officer and the defense officer of Yinghe Castle, having several garrisons under his jurisdiction. If following the garrison system, Linguan Castle indeed should be under the control of Yinghe Castle. However, the problem arose again; Linguan Castle was built by Zhou Lan to accommodate Yang Zhenshan, whose military registration was with Left Camp, not as military households. Thus, the affiliation of Linguan Castle became problematic. Should it belong to Yinghe Castle or to Left Camp? Chapter 59 - 59 58 Kui Niu Skill ?Chapter 59: Chapter 58 Kui Niu Skill Chapter 59: Chapter 58 Kui Niu Skill Zhou Lan laughed and said, ¡°Who says this is Linguan Castle? This is our Left Camp military camp!¡± ¡°Linguan Castle was abandoned long ago, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Zhang Zhongxiang was stunned, looking at Zhou Lan in disbelief. ¡°General, this is Linguan Castle!¡± ¡°No, this used to be Linguan Castle, now it is our military camp!¡± Zhou Lan asserted forcefully. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, go check at the Governor¡¯s Office, there¡¯s no Linguan Castle inside the Governor¡¯s Office!¡± Saying this, she also showed a cunning smile. Thinking of taking advantage of me? No way! Humph! Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you are up to. It was Zhou Lan who initially proposed the reconstruction of Linguan Castle, and the Governor¡¯s Office agreed. The Governor¡¯s Office¡¯s idea was simple¡ªif you want to rebuild, go ahead, as it was the Left Camp funding and doing the work, another garrison would not bother them. Thus, from start to finish, the reconstruction of Linguan Castle was organized by Zhou Lan, with money and resources from the Left Camp. Now they want Zhou Lan to hand over Linguan Castle to the Governor¡¯s Office, why would she agree? ¡°Zhao Yuan, take some men and tear down the plaque for me!¡± Zhou Lan couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with Zhang Zhongxiang and directly ordered Zhao Yuan to dismantle the plaque. Yang Zhenshan stood by, watching this scene with a calm expression. He was not clear about the tangle between Zhou Lan and the Governor¡¯s Office, but he understood that it was not his place to intervene. Although he was the garrison commander of Linguan Castle, he was just a Trial Hundred Households and had no right to meddle in the disputes between Camp and the Governor¡¯s Office. Yang Zhenshan saw this very clearly. I am just a minor character! All I do is follow orders. I only need to do my job well; as for the rest, I have Zhou Lan to handle it, don¡¯t come to me. Zhao Yuan, being a straightforward person, actually did as told by Zhou Lan¡ªwith the plaque carved from stone slab demolished in less than half an hour. ¡°This is our Left Camp military camp, cough cough, I, the general, have military matters to attend to, so I won¡¯t entertain you all anymore!¡± Zhou Lan looked at the shattered stones of the plaque before the garrison gate and started to grin. Zhang Zhongxiang and the others looked at each other¡ªnone of them had expected Zhou Lan to act so shamelessly. ¡°General Zhou!!¡± Zhang Zhongxiang wanted to say something, but Zhou Lan directly interrupted him and waved her hand saying, ¡°See the guests out!¡± ¡°Mr. Zhang, please!¡± Zhao Yuan stepped forward and made a gesture of invitation. Zhang Zhongxiang and the others were extremely annoyed internally, but they dared not show the slightest dissatisfaction on their faces. Compared to Zhou Lan, they were just minions. Although they had the backing of the Governor¡¯s Office, Zhou Lan had the support of Duke Ning Mansion. Let alone them, even the Governor¡¯s Office could not do anything to Zhou Lan. Facing the unscrupulous Zhou Lan, they could only leave Linguan Castle dejectedly, without even daring to utter a harsh word. After they left, Zhou Lan and Yang Zhenshan returned to the government office. ¡°You did very well, even better than I expected!¡± Zhou Lan looked at Yang Zhenshan with sparkling eyes. Yang Zhenshan smiled and cupped his hands, saying, ¡°All thanks to General Zhou¡¯s support!¡± His statement wasn¡¯t entirely flattery. Without Zhou Lan¡¯s protection, even if he could become the garrison commander of Linguan Castle, he wouldn¡¯t be able to devote all his energy and time to the garrison. Are there no competent low-ranking officers in Chongshan Town? No! There are, and quite a few. But why can¡¯t they achieve results? Because they lack a strong supporter. Without the support of Zhou Lan, Yang Zhenshan alone could achieve nothing. This is not self-deprecation, but a fact. Zhou Lan smiled and then called in a follower from outside the door, taking a wooden case from the follower¡¯s hands. ¡°You must have entered the Postnatal Realm by now!¡± Yang Zhenshan was startled, then responded, ¡°I just broke through not long ago!¡± Indeed, he had broken through to the Postnatal Realm a month ago, but he had not mentioned this to anyone, and he wondered how Zhou Lan had realized it. ¡°Hmm!¡± Zhou Lan nodded, handed the case to Yang Zhenshan, and said, ¡°This Cultivation Technique is for you!¡± ¡°Cultivation Technique!¡± Yang Zhenshan opened the wooden case, which contained a small booklet. The dusty cover was inscribed with the three large characters ¡°Kui Niu Skill¡±. Body Refining Realm Martial Artists do not need any specific Cultivation Techniques; they only need to practice common Martial Arts like the spear technique passed down by the Yang family. Once in the Postnatal Realm, one also might not practice any specific Cultivation Techniques until reaching the peak of the Postnatal Realm, where one requires the techniques for entering the Innate Realm. Those divine techniques and secret manuals are exclusive to practitioners of the Innate Realm. Of course, anything called a Cultivation Technique is an extremely precious existence. Yang Zhenshan opened the ¡°Kui Niu Skill¡± and quickly flipped through it. It only had over a dozen pages, but after reading it, his eyes shone frighteningly bright. ¡°Many thanks for General Zhou¡¯s generous gift!¡± Yang Zhenshan express his gratitude with clasped hands. Cultivation in the Postnatal Realm does not necessarily require a Cultivation Technique since the method involves clear body refining and cultivation of Jin Qi, split into nine levels based on the richness of Jin Qi. Thus, even without a Cultivation Technique, Postnatal Martial Artists can still progressively cultivate. However, having a Cultivation Technique would make the process much more efficient and would allow the martial artist to have unique characteristics in their Jin Qi. Kui, shaped like an ox, with a bleak body without horns, one foot, and creating wind and rain when visiting water; its light like the sun and moon, its voice like thunder, hence named Kui. The feature of the ¡°Kui Niu Skill¡± is that when releasing Jin Qi, it carries a dull thunderous sound. With Jin Qi thrust and thunder rolling, the momentum is majestic and intimidating to the petty. The dozen pages of ¡°Kui Niu Skill¡± elaborate on controlling and nurturing Postnatal Jin Qi and how to control the release of Jin Qi with thunderous sound. Such a Cultivation Technique, to Yang Zhenshan, and to the Yang family, represented a rare opportunity. Calling it a generous gift wasn¡¯t an exaggeration at all. ¡°There¡¯s no need for such formality between us!¡± Zhou Lan said with a light smile and then added, ¡°I came here because there¡¯s something I want to discuss with you!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°We are scheduled for a military expedition in June!¡± Zhou Lan¡¯s expression turned solemn. June! It was already mid-May. Yang Zhenshan solemnly bowed and said, ¡°This subordinate will follow General¡¯s command!¡± As a subordinate, one must maintain the proper attitude. Since Linguan Castle had become the Left Camp, his position as garrison commander should be adjusted accordingly. Without Linguan Castle, there¡¯s no basis for a garrison commander. ¡°You will serve temporarily as the deputy Bazong, responsible for our Left Camp logistics with Zhao Yuan!¡± Zhou Lan didn¡¯t mince words and directly assigned the task. With Chongshan Town preparing for an expedition, the training of troops naturally couldn¡¯t proceed. And as a member of Left Camp, Yang Zhenshan naturally had to join the military expedition. ¡°This subordinate accepts the command!¡± Yang Zhenshan had no objections. He and Zhao Yuan were acquainted, and although Zhao Yuan was somewhat carefree as a noble¡¯s son, he was serious about his duties, making working with him rather easy. Zhou Lan didn¡¯t linger in Linguan Castle; however, Zhao Yuan stayed. Once Zhou Lan was gone, Zhao Yuan said with a grin, ¡°Zhengshan, who would have thought we¡¯d end up sharing a pot!¡± Yang Zhenshan invited Zhao Yuan into the government office, saying, ¡°I will have to ask Mr. Zhao for more guidance in the future!¡± ¡°What need is there for guidance, you know I¡¯ve never been on the battlefield!¡± Zhao Yuan responded nonchalantly. Despite always being by Zhou Lan¡¯s side, he really had never been on the battlefield. In fact, he was more like a retainer to Zhou Lan, handling miscellaneous tasks and mundane duties. For generations, the descendants of Suiyang Marquis Mansion had followed Duke Ning Mansion, and Zhao Yuan being able to follow Zhou Lan was not without significant cost. Chapter 60 - 60 59 Destiny Dominates Husband ?Chapter 60: Chapter 59: Destiny Dominates Husband Chapter 60: Chapter 59: Destiny Dominates Husband The two men took their seats, and Yang Minghao offered tea while Yang Zhenshan and Zhao Yuan made small talk. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been very curious about?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Has General Zhou never been married?¡± This question had been weighing on Yang Zhenshan¡¯s heart for quite a while, the gossip-fueled fire nearly bursting from the top of his head. Unfortunately, he really did not know who to discuss this matter with, so he had kept it to himself all this time. Today, with a chance to have a casual chat with Zhao Yuan, he couldn¡¯t resist asking. Hearing this question, Zhao Yuan¡¯s body jolted, and he quickly looked around in all directions to make sure there was nobody else in the study. Only then did he let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Mr. Zhengshan, this matter must not be discussed carelessly in front of others.¡± Seeing his intensity, Yang Zhenshan quickly nodded in understanding. ¡°General Zhou has never been married, but she has been engaged twice!¡± Zhao Yuan let out a long sigh and continued, ¡°General Zhou is also a person with a difficult fate. Both betrothals ended with her fiance?s dying before the wedding.¡± ¡°It is widely rumored in the Capital City that General Zhou is a jinx to her husbands, and this matter has become a taboo in the Duke Mansion. Mr. Zhengshan, be sure not to mention this in front of General Zhou!¡± Jinx! Yang Zhenshan was stunned. He had considered some possibilities, such as Zhou Lan being a widow, or that she was already married with her family residing in the Capital City. But he had never imagined that Zhou Lan might be a jinx to her husbands. Naturally, he did not believe in such superstitious sayings; it was just that Zhou Lan was unfortunate to have met two short-lived fiance?s. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is!¡± For a moment, Yang Zhenshan did not know what to say, and could only show a look of sudden realization, avoiding the continuation of this topic. ¡°Mr. Zhao, our garrison¡¯s stock of military provisions is running very low, and we need your help to sort this matter out!¡± Yang Zhenshan clumsily changed the subject. Zhao Yuan waved his hand nonchalantly and said, ¡°Old Li mentioned it to me yesterday, and I have already ordered the preparations. If everything goes well, they should arrive by tomorrow!¡± ¡°In addition, now that you are Camp Soldiers, you will also receive a salary. Tomorrow, I will bring you three months¡¯ salary in advance.¡± The mention of salary made Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes light up. Furthermore, they were not only not defaulting but also paying three months¡¯ salary in advance. ¡°Do we have ample soldiers¡¯ pay?¡± Zhao Yuan curled his lips and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that we have ample salary, but the Left Camp¡¯s salary is well provided!¡± ¡°With General Zhou here, nobody in Chongshan Town dares to embezzle the Left Camp¡¯s salary!¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes sparkled even brighter. The importance of backing the right superior. He was no longer the newbie who had just arrived at Chongshan Pass. The nature of the soldiers and officers in Chongshan Pass was now crystal clear to him. Theft of pay and provision by military officers was rather common, and it was often a collective crime, with officials high and low colluding with each other. Not to mention officers exploiting the soldiers unfettered, skimming off military salaries, encroaching on garrison lands, ordering arbitrary labor, and treating the soldiers as personal servants, enslaving them at will. It was only because Linguan Castle was newly established and the surrounding farmland was barren and infertile that these things did not fall upon Yang Zhenshan¡¯s head. Of course, this was also because Zhou Lan supported Yang Zhenshan, which deterred some petty villains from running amok in Linguan Castle. Therefore, backing Zhou Lan was undoubtedly the most correct choice for Yang Zhenshan at present. ... Zhao Yuan left, and the next day, ten carts of provisions were delivered to Linguan Castle, along with three months¡¯ worth of their salary. This included not only the soldiers¡¯ pay but also that of Yang Zhenshan and his group. Receiving a salary for the first time, Yang Zhenshan was very happy. He had been at Chongshan Pass for nearly two months and finally saw his earnings returned. Of course, the happiest were not him, but Yang Mingwu and his group of young men. After all, Yang Zhenshan had some family wealth and did not lack this bit of salary, but it was different for these youngsters. They came from poor families and followed Yang Zhenshan to Chongshan Pass with the hope of advancing their careers and fortunes. Although they¡¯d been well-fed and warmly clothed over the past month, they had not received any income and were becoming somewhat anxious. After all, they had families back home waiting for their support. Though he was happy about his salary, what pleased Yang Zhenshan even more was the Kui Niu Skill that Zhou Lan had given him. In the early morning, on an open ground outside the garrison. Under the morning light, the tip of the spear was like a dragon, stirring up muffled sounds of thunder as it moved, condensing streaks of glinting Jin Qi. The Jin Qi twined around the tip of the spear, surging out like a spirit snake emerging from its hole, carrying immense power and seemingly capable of tearing apart anything in its way. Suddenly, Yang Zhenshan leaped up, crossing a distance of ten feet in mid-air, then with a tap of his toes on the outer wall of the garrison, he sprung up another dozen feet, his spear slicing through the air with a thunderous roar as the flashing silver light pierced straight towards the rising sun. As the light from his spear receded, Yang Zhenshan landed firmly on the ground; he looked at the Gold-plated Flying Fish Spear in his hand with shining eyes and a slight smirk on his lips, feeling the vigorous Jin Qi within his body. At this moment, Yang Zhenshan felt a sense of boundless pride with his spear in hand. Having reached the Acquired Realm in his cultivation, and with the boost from the Kui Niu Skill, his strength had improved by leaps and bounds. However, all of this was due to his physique far surpassing that of his peers. Long-term consumption of Spiritual Spring Water had endowed him with recovery, explosive, and endurance abilities far beyond those of his peers, even his speed, reaction, and all the senses were superior. The enhancement to his physique from the Spiritual Spring Water was comprehensive, and both realm and cultivation techniques were built on top of one¡¯s physical condition; meaning the stronger the physique, the greater the enhancement to one¡¯s strength by the realm and cultivation techniques. Of course, Spiritual Spring Water is not an unparalleled existence in this world; there are many Treasure Medicines and all sorts of rare natural treasures. Those from noble families and prestigious clans had resources far exceeding those of lowborn martial artists. Take the Kui Niu Skill as an example; in Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes, it was an exceptional Cultivation Technique, but to Zhou Lan, it was just an ordinary one. Perhaps Zhou Lan had casually copied it from Duke Ning Mansion, or maybe she had acquired it unintentionally. Since she gave the Kui Niu Skill to Yang Zhenshan so effortlessly, it showed that she didn¡¯t place much value on it. After feeling the power of the Kui Niu Skill once more, Yang Zhenshan turned around and returned to the garrison. ... In the fifteenth year of peace, on May fifteenth, at the training ground in front of Linguan Castle¡¯s government office. ¡°Form up, form up!¡± ¡°No talking!¡± Yang Mingwu stood in front of the ranks, shouting loudly. Yang Zhenshan sat on a chair, with shiny pieces of silver on the table before him, while Old Li beside him grinned from ear to ear as he ground the ink. The distribution of salary! The entire sky above Linguan Castle was filled with an atmosphere of joy. ¡°Li Dazhu!¡± ¡°Present!¡± A man with an honest face stepped forward, eyes unable to hide his anticipation as he looked towards Yang Zhenshan. Yang Zhenshan stood up, handed him the prepared silver, and said, ¡°Today you¡¯ve received your salary, but soon you¡¯ll have to fight on the battlefield. Are you ready?¡± ¡°Responding to your excellency, I am ready!¡± Li Dazhu shouted loudly. Yang Zhenshan patted his shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your performance!¡± ¡°Song Sanshi!¡± ¡°Present!¡± ... Yang Zhenshan distributed salary to each soldier, saying a word or two to each. He wanted every soldier to know who had given them their salary, and also wanted them to understand that by taking this salary, they would soon have to risk their lives on the battlefield. The soldiers receiving the salary were visibly joyful, immensely grateful to Yang Zhenshan. The military households secretly watching were also elated. Now they were not afraid of going to the battlefield; they were afraid of hunger and poverty. They hadn¡¯t forgotten those days of fleeing for their lives, always in a state of anxiety, hungry and cold, unable to sleep, constantly at risk of slaughter by the Northern barbarians. Compared to that time, their current lives were more stable and affluent. Even better than the life they had before fleeing. After the salaries were distributed, the soldiers¡¯ enthusiasm for training increased even more. And the training shifted from basic to actual combat training, including night-time drills, live combat, patrols and inspections, and everything else Yang Zhenshan could think of was arranged for them. At the same time, Yang Zhenshan had Yang Minghao record the details of the training process. He wanted to summarize a complete strategy of military training so that if he had the opportunity to train troops on a larger scale in the future, he could use this as a reference. Chapter 61 - 61 60 s of the army set out on a campaign ?Chapter 61: 60 chapters of the army set out on a campaign Chapter 61: 60 chapters of the army set out on a campaign In the twenty-third year of the Chengping era, on the third day of the sixth month. A hundred thousand troops from Chongshan Town marched out of Chongshan Pass, claiming to have an army of two hundred thousand. General Zhang Shouwang was appointed as the Great General of the Northern Expedition, with Vice General Ji Feiyu serving as the Great General Yang Wei, dividing the forces into two routes to campaign against the East Sea Hu Clan. The garrison eunuch Zhang Yude accompanied the troops on the campaign, while governor Sun Xincheng was specially assigned to supervise military affairs in Chongshan Town, and Wu Mingzhen, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, oversaw the management of provisions and salaries for all routes. In the twenty-third year of the Chengping era, on the sixth day of the sixth month. Zhang Shouwang led the Five Camps, supported by four other camps, and seven guerrilla camps, totaling an army of sixty thousand, marching straight ahead to the foot of Black Cloud Mountain. Black Cloud Mountain, the battle that took place there twenty years ago, was Chongshan Town¡¯s most glorious battle. With just this one battle, peace prevailed on the northeastern border of Da Rong for twenty years. Now, the army of Chongshan Town has come to Black Cloud Mountain again, and it is uncertain whether they can recreate the glory of twenty years ago. Yang Zhenshan followed the Left Camp into the campaign, with the Left Camp having the strength of three thousand commanders, in addition to a Bazong in charge of the Supply Team, four hundred encampment guards, and two hundred elite cavalry who rode day and night, totaling about four thousand three hundred men. In addition to this, the Left Camp also temporally conscripted a thousand civilians to help the Supply Team transport grains, forage, and other materials. Yang Zhenshan served as the deputy Bazong of the Supply Team and was currently leading a hundred soldiers from Linguan Castle and three hundred civilians, escorting more than a hundred carts pulled by mules, horses, and oxen, following behind the Left Camp¡¯s great army. Escorting provisions was a grueling task, especially since the terrain outside Chongshan Pass was nothing but endless hills and grasslands with no proper roads at all. The only path to follow was the one trampled by the preceding army, full of uneven ground, making it extremely difficult to travel. The crucial matter was that military orders were as inflexible as mountains; they had to deliver the provisions to the designated location within the specified time. Any failure would lead to severe punishment for everyone involved. Even though Yang Zhenshan had the support of Zhou Lan, he didn¡¯t dare to slack off in the slightest. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t rain in the past few days, and despite the hardship, they managed to keep up with the main force. Standing at the foot of Black Cloud Mountain, Yang Zhenshan looked up at the not-so-tall summit, scenes of vicious battles from the original owner of the body surfacing in his mind. In that battle twenty years ago, the original owner was just a common soldier, unaware of the overall situation, only fighting desperately on the chaotic battlefield. The gruesome images of the battlefield appeared in Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mind, causing him to shudder. Although it was just a memory as if one were watching a movie, he still felt its brutal reality. It was a genuine battlefield, where expressions like ¡®rivers of blood¡¯ and ¡®bodies strewn everywhere¡¯ could not adequately describe the carnage. The fact that the original owner survived that battle was an incredible stroke of luck. Now Yang Zhenshan himself was here, uncertain if he was also about to experience such a horrific battle. ... The East Sea Hu Clan was a nomadic tribe that lived off herding and hunting, occupying two thousand li of hills and grasslands on the northeast side of Da Rong. Most of their clans led a nomadic life, with only a few residing in Fushan City. If the East Sea Hu Clan were a kingdom, then Fushan City would be its royal capital. And Fushan City lay five hundred li northeast of Black Cloud Mountain. It was the threat posed to Fushan City by the Chongshan Town army twenty years ago during the battle at Black Cloud Mountain that compelled the entire East Sea Hu Clan to come forward and engage in battle. Unfortunately, Chongshan Town also suffered heavy losses in that battle and had no strength to continue the attack on Fushan City. Add to this the division in the Da Rong Court, and otherwise, the East Sea Hu Clan would have been history. The strategy used by Chongshan Town in this campaign against the East Sea Hu Clan was the same as twenty years ago, still splitting forces in two directions and facing Black Cloud Mountain, aiming to force the East Sea Hu Clan into a decisive battle again. If the East Sea Hu Clan couldn¡¯t be forced into active battle, Chongshan Town¡¯s army would need to spend tens of times more time and resources to locate those migrating clans in the vast northern territories. However, the East Sea Hu Clan was not foolish. Having learned from their failure, they had already suffered a significant loss at Black Cloud Mountain twenty years ago; why would they make the same mistake again? Beneath Black Cloud Mountain, tents stretched for miles, with an atmosphere of solemnity reaching the overcast horizon. The army had encamped here for more than ten days, but the main force of the East Sea Hu Clan still had not appeared, with only some scouts and elite cavalry constantly harassing the surroundings. In the main camp of the commanding officers. Chongshan Town¡¯s General Zhang Shouwang, also the Great General tasked with conquest in the north, frowned intently as he looked at the map hanging on the screen. By his side sat a eunuch with a pale, beardless face and eyes wrinkled with crow¡¯s feet¡ªnone other than the garrison eunuch Zhang Yude. Additionally, over a dozen Assistant Generals and Guerrilla Generals clad in iron armor gathered behind Zhang Shouwang, concentrating on the map. Zhou Lan was naturally among them. ¡°It seems they will not take the initiative to engage us in battle!¡± Zhang Shouwang said with some difficulty. To tell the truth, he did support the campaign against the East Sea Hu Clan, as he was very clear about the current state of Chongshan Town. The Chongshan Town of today was no longer that of twenty years ago. Chongshan Town boasted of a standing army of two hundred thousand men, but only the elite could be found in the Five Camps. As for combat-ready troops, the count was estimated to be around fifty thousand; the remainder were merely filling the ranks. Perhaps the current East Sea Hu Clan was also not as strong as it had once been, but in the past twenty years, Chongshan Town had declined severely. If the East Sea Hu Clan chose to engage them proactively, he would have some confidence. But now that the East Sea Hu Clan avoided conflict, he felt utterly uncertain. ¡°Great General, why don¡¯t we just attack Fushan City directly!¡± Assistant General Liu Nanbo from the northern route of Chongshan Town couldn¡¯t help but speak out. ¡°Fushan City¡¯s walls are three zhang high, not much less fortified than Chongshan Pass. If we forcefully attack, our forces must be ten times that of the enemy¡¯s, and if we were to besiege, we do not have such time!¡± Assistant General Wang Bin from the eastern route of Songzhou Guard in Chongshan Town shook his head slightly. They set out for war in June, missing the right seasonal timing. If they tried besieging Fushan City at this time, just a two-month delay by the enemy would force them to retreat. Otherwise, when winter comes, without the need for battle, the soldiers would simply freeze to death. ¡°What should be done about this? Neither advancing nor retreating is the right choice!¡± ¡°I say, a forceful attack might be better, better than just staying put right here!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t a forceful attack equivalent to sending lives away for nothing? Better to retreat first and devise plans at length!¡± ... For a time, low murmurs and discussions among the people inside the tent were incessant. Hearing their conversations, Zhang Shouwang¡¯s expression turned increasingly grim, ¡°Alright, if you have something to say, speak up, don¡¯t mutter among yourselves in secret!¡± However, with his speaking up, everyone immediately fell silent, and not another sound was heard. Zhang Shouwang saw this and could hardly conceal the disappointment in his eyes. These useless wretches, usually so overbearing and arrogant, as if they feared neither heaven nor earth, yet on the battlefield they are all like quails, necks tight in fear. His gaze swept over everyone, causing them all to lower their heads, not daring to meet his eyes. Finally, his gaze landed on Zhang Yude, ¡°Mr. Zhang, do you have any brilliant thoughts?¡± Zhang Yude, who was engrossed in cleaning his fingernails, was suddenly asked by Zhang Shouwang. Without raising his head, he said, ¡°I am merely a supervisor of the army, and I dare not make rash statements about national military affairs. However, there is something I must remind the Great General!¡± ¡°Mr. Zhang, please speak!¡± ¡°The Emperor awaits your triumphant news back in the Capital City! This military operation should not be delayed for too long!¡± The first sentence claimed no daring to make rash discussion on national military affairs, but the next sentence pressured Zhang Shouwang to hasten into battle. Zhang Shouwang took a deep breath, fully aware of this damn eunuch¡¯s thoughts. The damn eunuch didn¡¯t care about their victory or defeat, nor did he care for the lives or deaths of the soldiers. What he cared about was seizing the opportunity to rake in more money. Money could be skimmed each time the army provisions were moved, and the eunuch could profit from the soldiers¡¯ living and dying. As for the rest, weren¡¯t there they, the military generals, standing in the forefront? ¡°Then we shall proceed with the siege!¡± Zhang Shouwang said, also very helplessly. He very much disliked the damn eunuch Zhang Yude, but Zhang Yude had not spoken wrongly about one thing¡ªthe Emperor was waiting for their triumphant news back in the Capital City. Thinking of the Emperor, known for his impatient temperament, Zhang Shouwang also knew he could not delay. ¡°Three days from now, we march on Fushan City!¡± Chapter 62 - 62 61 Strong Unease ?Chapter 62: Chapter 61 Strong Unease Chapter 62: Chapter 61 Strong Unease Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t know what was happening in the main general¡¯s tent; at this moment, he was worrying about the grain and fodder for the Left Camp. The army¡¯s advance depended on rations being dispatched first. However, the mobilization from Chongshan Town had been too rushed, and both the Governor¡¯s Office and the Governor¡¯s Office were underprepared. This time, the Left Camp only carried a month¡¯s worth of grain and fodder. It wasn¡¯t that he and Zhao Yuan didn¡¯t want to bring more, but that was all the Governor¡¯s Office provided them with. Now, they had been away from Chongshan Pass for over half a month, meaning the remaining grain and fodder would only last for about ten more days. ¡°Mr. Zhao, we must return to the city to transport grain as soon as possible!¡± In the camp of the Left Camp, Yang Zhenshan and Zhao Yuan walked side by side around the granary, assessing the remaining supplies. Zhao Yuan¡¯s complexion was somewhat pale, his brows laden with unmistakable exhaustion. Matters in the military were complicated, and logistical affairs were even more disorderly and numerous. The Supply Team was responsible not only for transporting food and fodder but also various equipment. If it was a field battle, they also had to take care of the soldiers¡¯ weapons, armor maintenance, and replacements. If it was a siege, they needed to handle wood logging, stone gathering, and the making of siege equipment, and so on. Since the campaign started, Zhao Yuan had not had a good sleep, perpetually busy and overextended. Similarly, Yang Zhenshan was also constantly busy, even busier than Zhao Yuan in many aspects, even though Zhao Yuan had been in the military for four years, he was not as capable as Yang Zhenshan in many areas. Zhao Yuan rubbed his brow and said helplessly, ¡°The task of transporting grain depends on Mr. Zhengshan, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t leave the camp!¡± ¡°I understand, your subordinate can handle this matter!¡± Yang Zhenshan naturally understood that Zhao Yuan couldn¡¯t go back. ¡°Desuccess!¡± Zhao Yuan wasted no words, immediately calling over his capable subordinate. ¡°Sir! You called for me!¡± Soon, a youthful man in his twenties with a slim face and sharp features hurried over. ¡°Take two teams and five hundred civilians, follow Yang Hundred Households back to the city to transport the grain from the granary!¡± Zhao Yuan said wearily. ¡°As you command!¡± Zhao Desheng glanced at Yang Zhenshan and quickly agreed. With Zhao Yuan¡¯s order, Yang Zhenshan did not delay further and left the camp the same day with his soldiers and civilians. However, once out of the camp, Yang Zhenshan felt an unsettling feeling, as if some significant event was about to happen. He rode his horse alongside the group of civilians, looking back towards the fluttering flags of the camp, his brow tightly furrowed. The feeling of unease was intense, but he did not know where it stemmed from. Was it from the main army¡¯s camp, or was it from themselves? ¡°Dad! What are you looking at?¡± Yang Mingzhi rode over and asked softly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Yang Zhenshan shook his head and spurred his horse forward. The procession moved on, civilians in the middle driving carts, soldiers around them providing escort, with Yang Mingwu and others riding as scouts. ¡°Dad, do you think we can win?¡± Yang Mingzhi followed beside Yang Zhenshan, asking in a lowered voice. It was everyone¡¯s first time being dispatched with the army, and they were all very nervous. Yang Zhenshan, holding the reins, gave him a glance and said calmly, ¡°If we encounter the enemy, stay close to me, and never leave my side!¡± He did not offer words of encouragement because he also did not know if they could win this battle. Instead of giving Yang Mingzhi unrealistic expectations, it was better for Yang Mingzhi to focus on preserving his life. For them, simply surviving on the battlefield was already a victory; whether they could win the war was not something these minor figures needed to worry about. ¡°Will we encounter the enemy?¡± Yang Mingzhi¡¯s figure jolted, vigilantly scanning the surroundings. The rolling hills connected to the grey sky, and looking around, all was a verdant green without a single person in sight. ¡°I don¡¯t know, just be careful. Go and inform Ming Wu and the others!¡± Yang Zhenshan instructed earnestly. ¡°Okay!¡± Yang Mingzhi responded and hurriedly rode his horse to find Yang Mingwu and others. The troop advanced, but Yang Zhenshan¡¯s worries seemed unnecessary, as they didn¡¯t encounter a single enemy until they reached Chongshan Pass. However, even as Yang Zhenshan entered Chongshan Pass, the unease in his heart did not subside. When Yang Zhenshan returned to Chongshan Pass, the Eastern Army set off again, leaving Black Cloud Mountain and heading towards Fushan City. By the time Yang Zhenshan left Chongshan Pass with the provisions, the Eastern Army had already reached the outskirts of Fushan City. At the same time, Yang Zhenshan also received news that Left Camp had already headed to Fushan City. Left with no choice, Yang Zhenshan could only follow the orders and lead the provisions towards Fushan City. The road from Chongshan Pass to Fushan City differs from the one to Black Cloud Mountain; heading to Black Cloud Mountain requires going straight north, but it¡¯s best to go to Fushan City by circling the rolling hills from the east along the north of Songyuan River. Although this requires a detour, the route is relatively flat and faster. Of course, the route of the army¡¯s provisions is not for Yang Zhenshan to decide on his own; which path to take is arranged by the subordinates under the command of the main general. As rear troops are also needed along the way, Yang Zhenshan and his group are just the Supply Team, with the task of protecting the provisions left to the rear camp of Left Camp. Although the change of the provision route made the journey much smoother, transporting provisions remains a strenuous task, and both the oxen, mules, and porters were extremely tired after days of continuous travel. At noon that day, under the scorching sun, Yang Zhenshan allowed the troop to stop for a rest on a riverside. In fact, Yang Zhenshan already treated the porters quite well, at least not allowing the soldiers to whip them nor letting them go hungry. During the rest, porters took out their dry food and started eating while the soldiers gathered in small groups eating their cold mixed-grain pancakes. ¡°Sir, according to our journey, we should be able to catch up with the main army by tomorrow!¡± Zhao Desheng, sitting next to Yang Zhenshan, spoke while biting into a pancake. Despite Zhao Desheng¡¯s sly appearance, after getting to know him, Yang Zhenshan found him to be a sincere person. Although Zhao Desheng is a flag officer under Zhao Yuan, in truth he is Zhao Yuan¡¯s servant. Having followed Zhao Yuan since childhood, he is one of Zhao Yuan¡¯s most trusted people. This time, Zhao Yuan let him accompany Yang Zhenshan to transport provisions was also to provide some support to Yang Zhenshan. Although in terms of capabilities and strength, Yang Zhenshan far surpasses Zhao Desheng, in understanding Chongshan Pass, Zhao Desheng is far more knowledgeable than Yang Zhenshan. The swiftness in obtaining provisions from the Ministry of Revenue this time was all due to Zhao Desheng¡¯s efforts. Yang Zhenshan handed Zhao Desheng a piece of dried meat, saying, ¡°Eat more, later you¡¯ll need to be responsible for looking after these porters!¡± Zhao Desheng took the dried meat, looking at Yang Zhenshan in surprise, ¡°Sir, are you worried that we might encounter enemies?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yang Zhenshan nodded subtly, ¡°The closer we get to Fushan City, the more cautious we must be!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it said that the main army has already surrounded Fushan City?¡± asked Zhao Desheng. Yang Zhenshan drank a gulp of cold water, his brow creased with unconcealable worry. The closer to Fushan City, the stronger the unease in his heart. This feeling was strange, almost like a constant premonition alerting him. Sixth sense! Always without proof, yet its existence cannot be denied. Especially since Yang Zhenshan had been drinking Spiritual Spring Water for almost a year, enhancing all his senses, perhaps this sixth sense was also enhanced? Yang Zhenshan wasn¡¯t sure whether this unease was accurate or not, but that didn¡¯t stop him from being cautious. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be!¡± Zhao Desheng showed a nervous expression. After all, he was just over twenty, about the same age as Yang Mingwu, still a young man, facing his first battlefield with a heart full of fear and anxiety. However, no sooner had Zhao Desheng finished speaking than several urgent hoofbeats came from the west. Chapter 63 - 63 62 Ambushed ?Chapter 63: Chapter 62: Ambushed Chapter 63: Chapter 62: Ambushed ¡°Report, sir, cavalry on the left are charging at us!¡± Yang Mingwu hadn¡¯t even tightened his reins when he hurriedly shouted. ¡°How many cavalry?¡± Yang Zhenshan stood up swiftly and asked. ¡°About two hundred cavalry!¡± Yang Mingwu replied. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s expression grew solemn, and he immediately shouted: ¡°Call everyone back, prepare for battle, prepare for battle!¡± During breaks, Yang Mingwu and Yang Mingzhi would take turns scouting the surroundings. In fact, without Yang Zhenshan¡¯s orders, the scouts around them had already started to retreat. With shouts rising one after another, the coolies who were resting immediately became flustered. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, place the carts on the periphery as barriers, soldiers in front, coolies behind, form a Round Formation and prepare for battle!¡± The coolies were in disarray, but the soldier from Linguan Castle did not falter; nearly two months of training had ingrained obedience to commands in their minds. No sooner had Yang Zhenshan given the command than the soldiers began to busily take action. Despite the urgency, they quickly completed a semi-circular Round Formation with the carts. Yang Zhenshan stood on his horseback, scanning his surroundings. They were on the river beach, with the Songyuan River to their back, and a cloud of dust to the west, the sound of galloping hooves growing louder as they approached. Their numbers were not small, close to a thousand people, but among them, eight hundred were coolies, and only about a hundred soldiers under Yang Zhenshan¡¯s command and two squads led by Zhao Desheng were viable fighters. ¡°Backed into a final stand!¡± Yang Zhenshan looked at the shimmering Songyuan River behind him, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes. With Northern barbarian cavalry attacking from the front and the river tens of feet wide behind them, they had no route for retreat, leaving only the option to fight desperately. Soon the Northern barbarian cavalry rolled in, stopping at a distance of about one mile from the river beach. Upon seeing the Northern barbarian cavalry, both the soldiers and coolies behind Yang Zhenshan began to breathe heavily. Faced with the ferocious Northern barbarian cavalry, everyone felt immense pressure. The soldiers from Linguan Castle were originally refugees; they had been chased around by the Northern barbarian cavalry. As for Zhao Desheng¡¯s soldiers, they were not refugees, but neither were they elite troops; elite troops wouldn¡¯t be left with the Supply Team. Regarding the coolies, they were the remaining able men from various garrison fort military households, as regulated, military households provided one able man for army service as a small flag soldier. Another was to follow with the main army as support. At this moment, these coolies were the selected remaining able men from military households across Chongshan Town. Although they came from military families, they had not undergone military training and were no different from ordinary peasants. Yang Zhenshan watched the opposing Northern barbarian cavalry calmly; the basic military unit of the East Sea Hu Clan was the Niu Lu, which typically comprised around three hundred able-bodied men and was led by an officer called Niu Lu E¡¯zhen. And before them now was a cavalry unit of the Niu Lu, numbering between two hundred to three hundred. Turning his gaze from the enemy, Yang Zhenshan then focused on his own side. The soldiers from Linguan Castle had made their preparations for battle; using carts as barricades and small flags as units, they stood in formation solemnly in front of the coolies, creating a quiet vacuum-like buffer zone. Perhaps their hearts harbored panic and unease but after two months of training, they had become accustomed to standing silently and erect. The distant Northern barbarian cavalry paused briefly, seemingly discussing something, but they soon charged again. Without any exchange of words, both sides brutally collided amidst the heavy and solemn atmosphere. Hooves thundered, arrows flew, and the Round Formation was soon filled with screams. The Hu Clan excelled at mounted archery; before the riders could reach, their arrows struck first. The coolies, without any armor, were unable to fend off the arrows and could only shiver behind the carts and supplies. At the same time, the soldiers from Linguan Castle also counterattacked, but their response was sparsely delivered. Linguan Castle has ten small flags; each has only two archers, meaning there are no more than twenty archers in total. Faced against two hundred Northern barbarian cavalry, the twenty archers were naturally suppressed to the point where they couldn¡¯t even lift their heads. Fortunately, the soldiers were clad in fine cotton armor; although suppressed, there were no significant casualties. Yang Zhenshan had no time to pay attention to the civilians behind him; when the Hu cavalry approached the cart, his two short spears already furiously shot out from his hands. The terrifying power sparked two sharp whooshing sounds, the short spears like thunder, viciously piercing the chests of two Hu cavalry. The gleaming spear tips carrying crystal clear droplets of blood came out the other side, and then stabbed into the shoulders of two other Hu cavalry. This was the terrifying aspect of throwing short spears. The stronger Yang Zhenshan¡¯s strength, the greater the power of his thrown short spears. The power of a thrown short spear was not limited by bows and crossbows, which is why Yang Zhenshan had always been unwilling to practice archery. The Hu cavalry was blocked outside by the carts, but carts are not castle walls. They could block charging warhorses, but not the Hu Clan riders on the horses. Many Hu Clan riders jumped straight from the horses onto the carts, engaging in combat with the soldiers. However, they seemed to have underestimated their enemy. As soon as they jumped onto the carts, they were met with glinting, cold spear lights. ¡°Kill!¡± With the roar, several bloody holes appeared on the bodies of the Hu riders. ¡°Dad!¡± Just as Yang Zhenshan had thrown all the short spears behind him, suddenly a tragic scream came from not far away. Yang Zhenshan looked towards the sound, his pupils suddenly dilating. He saw Yang Mingzhi being flung out like a sack, followed by soldiers who had been fighting behind the cart flying out with the cart. It was a burly man about 8 feet tall, wielding a long halberd, who had actually flipped over a cart loaded with grain and fodder. Seeing the burly man rushing towards the formation, Yang Zhenshan quickly went to block him, but before he could get there, Yang Mingwu stepped in front of the burly man first. ¡°Die!¡± The long spear thrust forward, like a rainbow piercing the sun, aiming straight for the man¡¯s throat. The Hu man dodged to the side and raised his long halberd to block Yang Mingwu¡¯s long spear. Bang! The two collided fiercely. The Hu man was tall and sturdy, and Yang Mingwu was built like a bull, the two together in combat looked like two giant beasts fighting. After three exchanges, neither had gotten the better of the other. Seeing this, Yang Zhenshan stopped moving forward and turned to charge outside the formation. In this situation where the enemy is strong and we are weak, he can¡¯t just hide within the formation. Their only advantage might be himself. Because he is a Postnatal Martial Artist, and it seems the enemy does not have one. That tall and sturdy Hu man should be about the same as Yang Mingwu, both are Body Refining Realm Martial Artists. However, Yang Zhenshan was not at all worried about Yang Mingwu, as Yang Mingwu¡¯s strength was truly astonishing, and his abilities were also above Yang Mingzhi¡¯s. Yang Zhenshan leapt up, stepping on carts and jumping out of the Round Formation. The long spear danced like a dragon, within three meters, everything became a death zone. Chapter 64 - 64 64 The determination to break through the ?Chapter 64: Chapter 64: The determination to break through the enemy ranks, prepared to die with no thought of survival! Chapter 64: Chapter 64: The determination to break through the enemy ranks, prepared to die with no thought of survival! ¡°Stop him, stop him!¡± The Northern barbarians clearly did not expect Yang Zhenshan to charge out and engage in combat with them outside their formation. Seeing Yang Zhenshan slaughtering left and right, they instantly became panicked. But as they tried to stop Yang Zhenshan, he was not about to sit and wait for death. He charged into the midst of the enemy troops, not indulging in the killing, but instead quickly breaking out of the enemy encirclement. Although he was a Postnatal Martial Artist and supposedly without rivals here, Postnatal Martial Artists were not invincible. In the chaos of battle, blades and spears do not distinguish, and Postnatal Martial Artists cannot ensure complete safety amidst the chaos. Forget about ants being able to kill an elephant; these Northern barbarian cavalry were no ants, and Postnatal Martial Artists were not elephants. Once Yang Zhenshan was entangled deep within enemy lines, it would be difficult to extricate himself. Thus, he did not engage deeply but sped out of the enemy lines as swiftly as possible. His goal wasn¡¯t to slay enemies but to disrupt their formation, thereby alleviating the pressure on the soldiers within the Round Formation. After breaking out of the enemy lines, Yang Zhenshan quickly grabbed a horse and galloped far away. This act left the pursuing Northern barbarians completely baffled. ¡°He¡¯s running away!¡± For a moment, a dozen Northern barbarians looked at each other, unsure whether to pursue or not. Of course, Yang Zhenshan wasn¡¯t really fleeing; he merely wanted to create some distance to prepare for another charge. Red Cloud was within the Round Formation, and since he could not bring it, he had to borrow an enemy horse temporarily. Since it wasn¡¯t his own horse, Yang Zhenshan did not care to be gentle, clamping his legs tightly around the horse and fiercely smacking its rear with his spear. The dark blue horse let out a painful neigh and crazily charged towards the enemy¡¯s battle lines. The rushing wind sliced past his ears, and with eyes sharp as blades, Yang Zhenshan tucked the Gold-plated Flying Fish Spear under his arm and, alone with his spear, charged resolutely back into the enemy lines. ¡°On the battlefield, it¡¯s either your death or mine!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die, so I must kill you all!¡± ¡°Kill you!¡± ¡°Kill you!¡± Yang Zhenshan murmured to himself softly. In this way, he released the fear and pressure within his heart, using mantra-like phrases to suppress his impulses to flee. On the bloody battlefield, it would be false to claim he was not afraid. Even though Yang Zhenshan had already experienced two battles, he was still not a veteran warrior. Originally, he was just an ordinary young man from a peaceful era. Luckily, he had always been mentally preparing himself, constantly thinking about how to act on the battlefield, always reminding himself that on the battlefield, one must fight desperately. While comforting people like Yang Mingzhi, he was also comforting himself. Alone with a horse and a long spear, he charged into battle. This was his belief and his perseverance. ¡°A resolve to charge into the enemy lines, accepting death without seeking life!¡± Suddenly, Yang Zhenshan remembered this phrase, and at this moment, he truly understood what this resolve meant! It was a determination, a resolve to disregard life and death. With a surge of ardor in his heart and his blood boiling inside, Yang Zhenshan let out a furious roar, ¡°A resolve to charge into the enemy lines, accepting death without seeking life!¡± His spear thrust forward like a dragon, piercing through the enemy lines with tremendous force. It was merely an enemy formation of less than two hundred men. Within moments of catching his breath, Yang Zhenshan had charged back outside the Round Formation. Two charges, back and forth, had already thrown the enemy lines into disarray. These Northern barbarians had underestimated their enemy, despite attacking a troop of nearly a thousand. They had not considered those common soldiers worthy of their regard. At this moment, Yang Zhenshan was drenched in blood, resembling a ghoul that had crawled out of hell. His warhorse beneath him was still going mad, and Yang Zhenshan directly struck its head with the butt of his spear, knocking it unconscious. ¡°Red Cloud!¡± ¡± Neigh~~¡± A neighing sound rang out, as Red Cloud leapt forward and steadily landed behind Yang Zhenshan. Yang Zhenshan rode on Red Cloud¡¯s back, sweeping his gaze over the surroundings. At this moment, the battle was at its most fierce, with many of the Northern barbarian cavalry still outside the Round Formation, but even more had already charged into the formation. Zhao Desheng was leading his soldiers, staunchly defending the southern part of the Round Formation. Yang Mingzhi was fighting mixed in amidst the soldiers against the Northern barbarian cavalry, while Yang Mingwu was still dueling with a powerful man from the Hu Clan. The two were evenly matched, and no victor had emerged yet. Several bolder civilians also joined the fight, unarmed, they picked up stones from the riverbed to use as weapons, throwing them chaotically at the enemy. The situation was still manageable, and Yang Zhenshan felt relieved. ¡°Ming Wu, move aside!¡± Capture the leader to defeat the foe, strike the snake at its vital spot. The stalwart man fighting Yang Mingwu was the enemy¡¯s commander. Yang Zhenshan felt it would be better to take him down first. Regardless of whether Yang Mingwu heard his shout, Yang Zhenshan clamped his legs on the horse¡¯s belly. Red Cloud, as if knowing his intention, charged towards where Yang Mingwu was. This was the understanding that Yang Zhenshan and Red Cloud had developed. Red Cloud, having regularly consumed Spiritual Spring Water, not only had a physicality surpassing other warhorses but also possessed an intelligence unmatched by ordinary beasts. It could be said that now, Red Cloud was a paragon amongst horses, a scholar amongst horses, a dragon and phoenix amongst horses! As Red Cloud¡¯s hooves thundered forward, Yang Zhenshan raised his long spear, aiming it straight at the stalwart man. Yang Mingwu, of course, heard Yang Zhenshan¡¯s shout. After forcing the stalwart man back with a spear, he dodged behind a vehicle frame. The stalwart man did not understand what was happening; he still wanted to continue fighting Yang Mingwu. In what seemed like a slow instance, yet happened swiftly, the spear¡¯s gleam shot out like lightning, piercing through. The stalwart man hadn¡¯t even had the chance to react before his head was cleaved off by Yang Zhenshan. A bloody spectacle, terrifyingly extreme. Bright red blood flowed down from the golden spearshaft, sliding across the snow-white spearhead before dripping down. The golden flying fish patterns at this moment appeared otherworldly and bloody. ¡°Form ranks!¡± Yang Zhenshan waved his spear, shouting loudly. Upon hearing this command, the soldiers, as if instinctively, gathered around their flag officer. Yang Chengze, Yang Chengxu, and others, eyes bloodshot, spear in hand, always stood at the forefront. As Yang Zhenshan¡¯s core unit, they had received a lot of special care. In terms of clothing, food, shelter, and transport, Yang Zhenshan never shortchanged them. And regarding the Spiritual Spring Water, besides Yang Mingzhi and Yang Minghao, they were among those who drank it most. Now, out of Yang Chengze¡¯s ten men, six had become Martial Artists. The remaining four, due to being younger with a weaker foundation, had yet to become Martial Artists. However, it was foreseeable that before long, all ten would become Martial Artists. At this moment, they were Yang Zhenshan¡¯s most loyal supporters. ¡°Charge!¡± Yang Zhenshan once again spearheaded the attack. And the soldiers who had been defending inside the Round Formation, under the leadership of Yang Chengze and others, switched from defense to offense. ¡°Kill!¡± ¡°Break through!¡± ¡°Kill!¡± The leading Sword and Shield Soldiers jumped onto a cart laden with grain first, followed closely by the Long Spear Soldiers who stabbed at any enemy they saw, and the archers at the back, having exhausted their arrows, now held long knives, vigilantly watching their surroundings to fill any gaps. In just a breath, they charged out of the Round Formation like a pack of ferocious wolves, plunging into the enemy ranks. Chapter 65 - 65 64 s of Battle Achievements and Captures ?Chapter 65: 64 Chapters of Battle Achievements and Captures Chapter 65: 64 Chapters of Battle Achievements and Captures Outside Fushan City. The eastern army under Zhang Shouwang had already approached the city, with the troops encamped ten miles south of the city. In the main tent of the army, Zhang Shouwang and several Assistant Generals sat with grave expressions, while the faces of Guerrilla Generals like Zhou Lan also looked extremely troubled. Ever since the army had moved towards Fushan City, their supply lines had been continuously harassed by Northern barbarian cavalry. To date, several Supply Teams had suffered heavy casualties and all the food and fodder they were transporting had been either seized or burned. ¡°Great General, we can¡¯t wait any longer. If we do, the soldiers will have to go into battle on empty stomachs!¡± the anxious Assistant General from the Left Camp of the Chongshan Town¡¯s Northern Guangning Vanguard, Liu Nanbo, blurted out. The two Supply Teams under his command had nearly been completely wiped out and all the food and fodder they were carrying had been lost. If there were no additional supplies, in at most ten days, all the soldiers under his command would be starving. Furthermore, the lack of food and fodder could also impact morale; with not enough food to eat, how could they continue the fight? ¡°Yes, Great General, we must first ensure the security of our supply line. If we cannot ensure its safety, we only have one path here, and that is death!¡± Wang Bin, the Assistant General of the Songzhou Guard, said. Without food and fodder reinforcements, it would be difficult for them to continue to fight, and it would also take more than a day or two to conquer Fushan City. Although Fushan City was small, it was indeed a strong fortress, and even if they exerted all their might, it was estimated that it would take a month to conquer. Standing behind Zhang Shouwang, Zhou Lan¡¯s eyes were full of concern; she naturally knew that Yang Zhenshan was transporting supplies. She was worried about Yang Zhenshan, but even more worried about the supplies he was transporting. If Yang Zhenshan also lost the supplies, then their Left Camp might have an even harder time than other units. Because their Left Camp consisted of Cavalry, which consumed two to three times more forage than other units due to both men and horses feeding. Zhang Shouwang was naturally also aware of the importance of the supply lines, but he had not anticipated that the East Sea Hu Clan would be so cunning; not only did they choose to avoid a frontal battle, but they also continuously harassed their rear. The land beyond the pass was vast and sparsely populated, with plenty of hills where small forces could easily conceal their movements. Finding and eliminating all the Northern barbarian cavalry who were harassing them everywhere was not an easy task. Thinking of this, Zhang Shouwang suddenly recalled the previous incursion by the Hu cavalry. Likewise, they carried out small-scale raids and avoided a direct confrontation with them. Such tactics were clearly from the hand of one person. It seemed they had always been led by the nose by the opponent. A flash of worry crossed Zhang Shouwang¡¯s eyes, but he still ordered, ¡°Zhou Lan, Tang Feihu!¡± ¡°Your subordinates are here!¡± ¡°You two will lead the Left and Right Camps of our base, protect the supply line, and eliminate the harassing Northern barbarian cavalry!¡± Zhang Shouwang commanded. ¡°Your subordinates obey!¡± Zhou Lan and Tang Feihu exchanged a glance and bowed to accept the order. ... Along the Songyuan River. The battle lasted for a quarter of an hour before coming to an end. All two hundred plus attacking Northern barbarian cavalry were annihilated, not a single one escaped. Yang Zhenshan, riding on Red Cloud, circled the battlefield cutting down all Northern barbarian cavalry attempting to flee; on his own, he killed dozens of the enemy, even he was not immune to fatigue. He was panting heavily, and Red Cloud was also breathing heavily. Seeing no standing enemies left on the battlefield, Yang Zhenshan finally dismounted from Red Cloud. He pulled out his water bag, tipped his head back, and took several gulps of Spiritual Spring Water, then cupped the water to feed a few mouthfuls to Red Cloud as well. Thus, some of the exhaustion on his body dissipated. Slowly walking back to the battlefield, the soldiers had already started cleaning up the battlefield. Regardless of whether an enemy was breathing or not, they would deliver an additional stab to avoid anyone feigning death to later ambush them. ¡°Dad! You¡¯re not injured, are you?¡± Yang Mingzhi approached clutching his chest, examining Yang Zhenshan with some concern. Seeing that Yang Zhenshan was behaving normally, he finally felt relieved. ¡°I¡¯m fine. How about you? Where are you injured?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked. Yang Mingzhi moved his hand away, revealing a bloody wound on his chest, and said, ¡°It¡¯s alright, the wound is quite shallow. A few days of rest should do it. I¡¯m just a bit drained of strength!¡± Yang Zhenshan stepped forward to check his wound, nodded slightly, and said, ¡°You go and rest first. Leave the rest to Ming Wu.¡± After that, Yang Zhenshan also began to clean up the battlefield. The casualties in this battle were not small, but mainly among the peasant conscripts; over a hundred were killed, more than eighty were severely wounded, and as many as three hundred sustained minor injuries. By comparison, only one of Linguan Castle¡¯s soldiers died, two were severely injured, and among Zhao Desheng¡¯s two units of soldiers, only three died. The reason for such disparities in casualties was due to whether or not they wore cotton armor. With a volley of arrows, if a conscript was hit, it would mean grave injuries or death. But for a soldier clad in cotton armor, unless they were hit in the neck, at most they would only suffer minor injuries. The conscripts¡¯ losses mainly came from the initial rain of arrows from the Hu Cavalry, while the soldiers¡¯ casualties mainly occurred in the latter parts of the chaotic melee. This is the importance of armor. After tallying the casualties, Yang Zhenshan hurriedly mixed several bowls of Spiritual Spring Water into just boiled river water, allowing all the wounded to take a few sips. Spiritual Spring Water could not defy fate, but it was the best medicine available for injuries at the moment. As long as the injuries were not too fatal, after drinking the diluted Spiritual Spring Water, the severity of the wounds would be alleviated. ¡°My Lord, the cleanup has been completed!¡± Yang Mingwu approached Yang Zhenshan and reported. ¡°Give me the details!¡± Yang Zhenshan squatted by the river, removed his cotton armor, and washed the bloodstains from his body. ¡°In this battle, we beheaded two hundred and eighty-three enemies, captured one hundred and ninety-six horses, found one hundred and forty-two horse carcasses, one hundred and forty-two sets of worn leather armor, two hundred and forty-eight longbows, and two hundred and eighty-three swords. We found approximately fifty-eight taels of Silver Coin!¡± Yang Mingwu reported item by item. ¡°Fifty-eight taels of Silver Coin? That poor?¡± Yang Zhenshan was a bit disappointed. ¡°Uh, they didn¡¯t bring much Silver Coin on them!¡± Yang Mingwu explained helplessly. Yang Zhenshan thought about it and understood the situation. The Hu Cavalry they had killed behind the mountain of Yang Family Village were there for looting, naturally carrying a lot of Silver Coin with them. But these Hu Cavalry were out for battle, hence it was natural they didn¡¯t carry much Silver Coin. Not much Silver Coin, but plenty of horses! One hundred and ninety-six war horses, if brought back and sold, could fetch at least three to five thousand taels of Silver. However, it seemed he couldn¡¯t deal with these war horses himself. Although they were their spoils of war, they belonged to the Left Camp of Chongshan Town and he would need Zhou Lan¡¯s approval to deal with them. Yang Zhenshan looked up at the sky; it was already afternoon, probably less than two hours until dusk. ¡°Let¡¯s move ten miles north first, then rest and reorganise.¡± The area was permeated with the smell of blood and there were a lot of corpses; it was not good to stay here overnight. It would be better to find a clean place to spend the night. Everyone packed up and hurriedly headed north. Fortunately, they had captured a large number of war horses. Even with over a hundred severely wounded, they could still continue marching. Otherwise, they would have been forced to abandon some of the severely injured. Chapter 66 - 66 65 Recording Merits ?Chapter 66: Chapter 65 Recording Merits Chapter 66: Chapter 65 Recording Merits As dusk neared, the troop stopped again at a river beach. To avoid another surprise attack, Yang Zhenshan directly ordered the carts to be arranged on the perimeter, forming a temporary camp. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t know that the Northern barbarians were wreaking havoc along the supply route, but having encountered one attack, they naturally prepared to prevent another. After nightfall, Yang Zhenshan forbid the soldiers and laborers to light fires; everyone drank the cold water prepared during the day and gnawed on hard, dry rations. Fortunately, it was late June, and the nighttime temperature was relatively high, so even if they had to sleep in the open, everyone could endure it. The night passed without incident, and at dawn the next day, the troop set out once more. Had they not been ambushed the day before, they would have reached Fushan City today. But now they had wounded to care for, and it was certain they could not make it to Fushan City today. The unease in Yang Zhenshan¡¯s heart still hadn¡¯t subsided, but intensified instead. He originally thought his unease stemmed from that group of Northern barbarians, but now that they had wiped out those barbarians, the strong feeling of unease still remained. Thus, Yang Zhenshan proceeded with extreme caution on their journey. The Scouts, such as Yang Chengze, were dispatched ten-plus miles ahead. Around noon, just as Yang Zhenshan was preparing to let everyone rest for a moment, Yang Chengze surprisingly galloped back. ¡°Sir, a large number of Cavalry appeared ahead!¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s whole body shook, and his eyes instantly became sharp. ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Too far to see clearly, but they seem not to be Northern barbarians!¡± Yang Chengze said gravely. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t hesitate, hurriedly giving the command: ¡°Stop, prepare for battle!¡± Whether they were Northern barbarians or not, it was certainly right to prepare for battle. With the order given, soldiers and laborers efficiently began to set up the Round Formation. The laborers, already experienced, did not need the direction of Yang Mingwu and Yang Mingzhi and parked the supply wagons on the perimeter. Yang Zhenshan spurred his horse toward the front, and just as he rode out two miles, he saw a cloud of dust rising over a small earth mound in the distance. ¡°Not Northern barbarians, it¡¯s the Left Camp!¡± He looked at the flying banners and immediately felt a sense of relief. The Cavalry thundered toward him, and Yang Zhenshan spotted Zhou Lan at the forefront at first glance. At that moment, Zhou Lan was clad in a shiny gold-lacquered armor with a red tassel atop his helmet and a fiery red cape draped over his shoulders, charging on his horse, his slender frame exuding a warrior¡¯s aura. ¡°Yang Hundred Households!¡± Zhou Lan pulled on the reins, stopping quickly in front of Yang Zhenshan; the hundreds of Cavalry behind her halted, a bit disorderly but clearly displaying their excellent riding skills. ¡°My lord, I pay my respects to General Zhou!¡± Yang Zhenshan promptly dismounted and bowed with his fists clasped. Zhou Lan also dismounted, reached out a hand in a gesture of aid, and asked, ¡°The supply route has suffered the Northern barbarians¡¯ harassment. Have you encountered them?¡± ¡°We did, but luckily the attackers weren¡¯t numerous, and we managed to hold them off!¡± said Yang Zhenshan. Upon hearing this, Zhou Lan¡¯s face showed a touch of surprise. No wonder she was surprised; the news she had received these past few days were all of Supply Teams being attacked and wiped out; she hadn¡¯t received word of anyone capable of holding off the Northern barbarians. Not only the Supply Teams but even the Five Camps tasked with guarding the supply route had suffered significant casualties due to the Northern barbarians¡¯ attacks. At that moment, to suddenly hear that Yang Zhenshan¡¯s group had repelled the Northern barbarians¡¯ attack caused her considerable surprise. ¡°Where is the grain convoy?¡± Zhou Lan asked. ¡°Over there!¡± Yang Zhenshan pointed toward the distant river beach. ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look first!¡± Zhou Lan got back on her horse and sped toward the river beach. By the time they reached the river beach, the surprise on Zhou Lan¡¯s face had intensified. She looked at the groups of war horses, at the heads hanging from their backs, and her surprise turned to shock. ¡°How many heads did you take?¡± ¡°Two hundred eighty-three heads!¡± ¡°Did all of you kill them?¡± Zhou Lan looked at the soldiers and civilians within the Round Formation, somewhat incredulous. It wasn¡¯t that she underestimated Yang Zhenshan, but such battle achievements were too rare. The East Sea Hu Clan were universally armed, every member was a formidable hunter from the mountains, raised to hunt and accustomed to blood and life-and-death situations. In the face of such enemies, even the soldiers of the Five Camps dared not claim they could defeat more with less. And Zhou Lan knew all too well how many men and Supply Team soldiers were under Yang Zhenshan¡¯s command. To behead two hundred eighty-three with less than two hundred soldiers was indeed defeating the many with the few. The civilians were directly ignored by her, not because she didn¡¯t notice them, but based on past experience, the combat capability of civilians could almost be disregarded. Not to mention combat capability, it would be good enough if they didn¡¯t cause trouble for the soldiers. But there¡¯s a saying that goes well, a pack of sheep led by a wolf can defeat a pack of wolves led by a sheep. If the soldiers at the front couldn¡¯t withstand the Northern barbarian cavalry¡¯s onslaught, the civilians behind would naturally become a flock of lambs. But if the soldiers at the front could hold their ground and also display a fearless courage to fight to the death, then these civilians too would have the spirit and could become a fierce mob. In that previous battle, the civilians didn¡¯t achieve much, but they had helped Yang Zhenshan and his men a great deal. Zhou Lan ignored the civilians, but after observing the temporarily arranged Round Formation, she immediately understood how Yang Zhenshan¡¯s men managed to withstand the Northern barbarian¡¯s attack. Using the supply wagons as obstacles blocked the first wave of the Northern barbarian cavalry¡¯s charge, making the remaining fight relatively easier. Taking away the speed advantage of the Northern barbarian cavalry, and fighting them dismounted, was indeed a very good strategy. But didn¡¯t the other Supply Teams know this? No! They knew. But they couldn¡¯t accomplish it. Because they couldn¡¯t arrange the Round Formation in a short period of time. This was thanks to the well-trained soldiers of Linguan Castle, who executed commands without hesitation upon a single order. That was the key. Otherwise, once chaos ensued, a charge by the Northern barbarian cavalry would scatter the troops, and all that was left would be slaughter. Zhou Lan¡¯s eyes shone with admiration as she gazed at each spirited soldier. ¡°Your soldiers here can be called elite troops!¡± Yang Zhenshan shook his head slightly, ¡°They are still some distance away from being elite troops!¡± Previously, they had never seen blood, so naturally, they couldn¡¯t be considered elite troops. Now they have seen blood, but they still fall short of the elite and brave soldiers Yang Zhenshan envisions in his mind. The resolve to plunge into battle, to face death without fear! They have a long way to go. ¡°Summon someone to record their merit!¡± Zhou Lan didn¡¯t argue with Yang Zhenshan, but instead summoned a civil servant from the army to record merit for Yang Zhenshan and his men. Beheading nearly three hundred heads can be counted as a great achievement. Defending the supply line could also be accredited. With just these two contributions, Yang Zhenshan has done enough to merit a promotion. Zhou Lan had already decided that after this battle, she would promote Yang Zhenshan immediately. As for what position to promote Yang Zhenshan to, she needed to give it some thought. She thought of finding an opportunity to mention Yang Zhenshan¡¯s capabilities to Zhang Shouwang, to let Zhang Shouwang also appreciate Yang Zhenshan. Hearing that Zhou Lan was going to record merit for him, Yang Zhenshan stroked his inch-long goatskin beard and smiled faintly. Yang Mingwu and the others around him were even more overjoyed, each one wishing they could jump up and cheer. Fortunately, they still knew that now was not the time to celebrate and suppressed their joy and excitement in their hearts. Chapter 67 - 67 66 The Rout of the Troops ?Chapter 67: Chapter 66: The Rout of the Troops Chapter 67: Chapter 66: The Rout of the Troops Zhou Lan did not linger at the riverside for long. After the scribes had recorded Yang Zhenshan¡¯s merits, she hastily led her people away. After a short rest at noon, Yang Zhenshan also led his troop to continue their journey, and it was not until the next morning that they found the main army¡¯s campsite, delivering the grains and supplies to the Left Camp at Chongshan Town. Back at the camp, Yang Zhenshan first handed over the grains to Zhao Yuan, and then delivered the severed heads of the Northern barbarians to the camp¡¯s scribes. They would tally them up and report to the main commander¡¯s camp later on. Rewards would be given after the war ended. As for the spoils of war, Yang Zhenshan kept the Silver for himself, and handed over things like the warhorses and armaments to Zhao Yuan. There was no way he could take these spoils with him. Perhaps after the war, when it came time for reward and recognition, Zhou Lan would give him some extra Silver Coin, considering the significant value of so many warhorses. Having dealt with all matters, Yang Zhenshan intended to rest for a couple of days, but to his surprise, he received an order the next morning to return to Chongshan Pass with supplies. This time, the order didn¡¯t come from Zhou Lan, but from the main commander¡¯s camp. Despite the protection of the Left and Right Camps sweeping away Northern barbarians harassing the supply routes, the main army had suffered heavy losses to their Supply Teams and lost much grain. The main commander¡¯s camp had no choice but to consolidate the Supply Teams from different camps to return to Chongshan Pass for supplies together. Thus, Yang Zhenshan became a dedicated logistics officer, once again leading his troop to Chongshan Pass. In the 23rd year of stable rule, in the middle of July. Yang Zhenshan led his troop once again to the riverside where they had withstood attacks from the Northern barbarians. The long supply line snaked along the river bank like a dragon, slowly advancing. The originally flat riverside was now marked with a road carved by the cartwheels. This was Yang Zhenshan¡¯s fourth time returning to Chongshan Pass with supplies. Except for the first encounter with the Northern barbarians, the subsequent trips were relatively safe. Although the Northern barbarians still harassed the supply routes, they didn¡¯t dare to attack the supply line as recklessly as before with the Left and Right Camps on guard. The weather, however, was getting hotter and hotter, making the task more exhausting for the soldiers and civilian laborers. Under the scorching sun. Yang Zhenshan rode on Red Cloud, unable to stop the sweat from streaming down. One of the ancient customs had its downsides; since one¡¯s body and hair was a gift from one¡¯s parents, even cutting the hair was taboo. With thick long hair weighing down on the head, it felt like wearing a cotton hat, unbearably hot. Moreover, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s beard had grown three inches long. Before, when his original self was frail, his sparse beard was only an inch or so. But ever since he began drinking Spiritual Spring Water, his hair and beard had grown rapidly. The white strands turned dark and thick, which made him appear younger, but the inconvenience of long hair and beard followed suit. At that moment, he truly wished to have a clean shave to feel cooler. Sigh~~ Exhaling a heavy breath, Yang Zhenshan listlessly watched the glistening river water. He wondered when this war would end. The army had been besieging Fushan City for half a month now, attacking the city vigorously every day. However, they still had not managed to take the city. Siege warfare was tough in ancient times, especially for cities with high walls. It was an extraordinarily difficult challenge. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that people¡¯s lives were being used to fill the moats. Just as he was recalling the scene of the siege he had witnessed, his pupils suddenly contracted. ¡°Desheng, how long has it been since it last rained?¡± Zhao Desheng, who was following beside him, looked up at the clear sky and said listlessly, ¡°It seems like there was a light rain last month!¡± Yang Zhenshan narrowed his eyes, gazing at the surface of the Songyuan River. Indeed, there was a light rain last month, but it didn¡¯t even wet the ground. This meant that not a single proper rain had fallen since they left the pass. How long had they been outside the pass? Almost a month and a half! Logically, June and July should be the months with the most rainfall outside the pass, but there had hardly been any rain for the past month and a half. The water levels of the Songyuan River had dropped significantly; even the shallow banks had dried up completely. Now, one could actually see the riverbed, which was once of unknown depth. Last year, a long drought forced the Hu Clan to invade for loot. And this year! Yang Zhenshan¡¯s expression grew heavier. If it¡¯s as he feared, this battle would not end so easily. War has already rendered the East Sea Hu Clan incapable of normal production, and should they also face a drought, the East Sea Hu Clan would inevitably be driven to desperation. Would the East Sea Hu Clan be afraid? No! Once they were on the brink of starvation, they would have only one choice, which was to raid within the borders. Even if Fushan City were to fall and the main forces of the East Sea Hu Clan were annihilated, the remnants would still choose to raid within the borders. Natural disasters and man-made calamities would follow one after another. It¡¯s just unknown whether it has rained within the passes, and if it has not, the disaster could be even greater. Thinking of this, Yang Zhenshan felt a surge of intense unease. Damn it! He seemed to know where his unease was coming from! Natural disasters! Disasters more terrifying than war. He sat rigidly on his horse, his gaze vacant as he looked towards Songyuan River. What if there is a severe drought within the passes? What kind of outcome would that bring? Yang Zhenshan could not predict it, and it was difficult to predict. Thinking of the eight hundred li of garrison in Chongshan Town, thinking of the common people in Yang Family Village of Anning County. Yang Zhenshan suddenly shivered. ¡°It won¡¯t happen! It won¡¯t!¡± ¡°Even if there is a severe drought for a year, they should be able to get through it!¡± He murmured softly to himself. And at this moment, a piercing cry came. ¡°Report~¡± Yang Zhenshan abruptly looked up to see Yang Qinwu riding his horse, sprinting from the dry riverbed ahead. A man and his horse kicked up dust, but it could not conceal the panic in his eyes. Yang Qinwu was the youngest among the ten descendants of the Yang family around Yang Zhenshan, with the lowest seniority. He was only fifteen this year and would call Yang Zhenshan ¡°great-grandfather.¡± However, Yang Zhenshan had high hopes for this youngster, who not only had good talent in martial arts but was also exceedingly clever. Since entering Linguan Castle, although young, Yang Zhenshan still let him serve as a small flag officer, and he did not disappoint. Today, it should have been Yang Qinwu, the kid, acting as the Scout ahead. His frantic return¡ªcould it be that there were Northern barbarian cavalry ahead? Yang Zhenshan¡¯s heart tightened. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Sir, it¡¯s bad, the camp has been attacked by Northern barbarian cavalry!¡± panted Yang Qinwu. ¡°What?¡± Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mind went numb. ¡°The main camp was attacked by Northern barbarian cavalry, now chaos reigns inside the camp!¡± Yang Qinwu said again. ¡°How do you know?¡± Yang Zhenshan looked towards the North. At this moment, they were nearly a hundred li away from the main camp, and even if Yang Qinwu was scouting ahead, he should not have been able to learn of the situation at the main camp. ¡°There are fleeing soldiers!¡± Panic etched over the youthful face of Yang Qinwu. Yang Zhenshan took a deep breath, with no time to think further, he spurred his horse to race ahead. After traveling around two or three li, he indeed saw a group of soldiers, shucking their helmets and armor, running in a fluster. Chapter 68 - 68 67 A Defeated Army Collapses Like a Toppling ?Chapter 68: Chapter 67: A Defeated Army Collapses Like a Toppling Mountain Chapter 68: Chapter 67: A Defeated Army Collapses Like a Toppling Mountain ¡°What happened?¡± Yang Zhenshan stepped forward and demanded. Those soldiers were suddenly frightened upon seeing Yang Zhenshan. At that moment, Yang Zhenshan was clad in cloth armor; although it wasn¡¯t as splendid as Zhou Lan¡¯s gold lacquered armor with embossed patterns, his arrival on horseback accompanied by more than a dozen cavalrymen made it clear he was an official. ¡°Your Excellency~ We are not deserters!¡± a soldier stammered. ¡°What has happened to the main camp?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked again with a stern voice. He didn¡¯t care if these were deserters or not; he simply wanted to know what had occurred in the main camp. ¡°We¡ªwe¡¯re not sure, suddenly many Northern cavalry charged into the main camp, and then we just...¡± Although the soldier didn¡¯t make it clear, Yang Zhenshan could guess the gist of it. The main camp had suffered a surprise attack and, caught off guard, descended into chaos, which had led these soldiers to flee. Defeat was like a collapsing mountain! In the past half month, the army had failed to breach the city, and coupled with the shortage of military provisions, the morale of the soldiers had sunk to rock bottom. The entire camp was like a tightly wound string, tense and heavy with atmosphere; now that string had been cut, leading to complete collapse. Still, Yang Zhenshan found it hard to believe. He was unaware of the high command¡¯s resolution, nor understood what considerations they had, but he did know that the army under Zhang Shouwang¡¯s command was the cream of Chongshan Camp, with the Five Camps among them; they should not have succumbed so quickly. The Five Camps! No, that¡¯s not right! The Left and Right Camps were not in the army¡¯s fortifications. Currently, Zhou Lan was leading the soldiers of the Left Camp to eradicate the Northern barbarian harassing their supply routes. However, these barbarian cavalry had instead launched an attack on the main camp! Was this a tactic to lure the tiger away from the mountain? No, that¡¯s not right, even without the Left and Right Camps, the main camp should not have been defeated so swiftly. The East Sea Hu Clan did not have substantial forces; at most, they had seventy or eighty thousand cavalry, and that number included those dispersed among various tribes. If we consider only the Northern cavalry near Fushan City, at best they would number one or two thousand. How come there were suddenly so many more? Yang Zhenshan¡¯s brain was working frantically. Had the East Sea Hu Clan summoned all of their cavalry in advance? What was the army led by the Western route under the Vice General Ji Feiyu doing? Weren¡¯t they clearing out those tribes? Yang Zhenshan felt his brain wasn¡¯t quite up to the task. There were many things he didn¡¯t understand. It wasn¡¯t that he wasn¡¯t smart enough; rather, he was sorely lacking substantial intelligence information. He was just a supply officer, without any access to high-level intelligence. How the high command decided, what movements either side had, he wasn¡¯t very clear on any of that. He only knew that the army was short of supplies and that he was continuously transporting provisions. Beyond that, he had no accurate information. Watching troops flee in disarray, two or three here, a pair there, a shadow of gloom passed over Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes. Regardless of the reason, one thing was certain¡ªthe main camp had fallen! At a single glance, at least a thousand soldiers were fleeing in haste, with even more behind them. ¡°Go back!¡± Yang Zhenshan could afford no other thought. He had no authority to rally these fleeing soldiers; his rank was too low, being merely a deputy Bazong of the Left Camp. Besides, even if he did manage to gather these fleeing troops, it would be in vain. Did he expect to lead these deserters to defeat the Northern cavalry? What a joke! Probably, before he even encountered the Northern cavalry, he would be overturned by these fleeing soldiers. Certainly, among these fleeing soldiers, there were those with higher ranks than his. Yang Zhenshan, riding back at full speed, stood in front of the grain convoy, looking around. Now they definitely couldn¡¯t continue moving forward, but retreating didn¡¯t seem to work either. He needed to find Zhou Lan first; however, before finding Zhou Lan, he had to make sure that the grain convoy was properly arranged. The grain convoy had already stopped, and news of the main camp being breached had spread among the troops. The soldiers and civilian workers appeared very panicked. Fortunately, during this time Yang Zhenshan had established his authority within the team, and although they were panicked, they had not done anything irrational. ¡°My lord, my family¡¯s lord is still in the main camp!¡± Before Yang Zhenshan could figure out what to do next, Zhao Desheng ran up to him in tears. Zhao Yuan! Yang Zhenshan felt an even bigger headache. Zhao Yuan was not only his immediate superior but also could be considered his friend. He had gotten along well with Zhao Yuan lately, and although Zhao Yuan exhibited some of the bad habits of noble descendants, he had never troubled or slighted Yang Zhenshan. He didn¡¯t want to abandon Zhao Yuan, but it looked like he couldn¡¯t find Zhao Yuan right now. ¡°Let¡¯s wait and talk later!¡± Yang Zhenshan stopped Zhao Desheng¡¯s pleading and turned to say to Yang Mingwu and Yang Mingzhi, ¡°You two, lead the men across the river!¡± The former Songyuan River could not be traversed, but the Songyuan River now was quite shallow, and in some places, even carts could pass through. On the western bank of the river, they were definitely going to encounter more routed soldiers, whereas on the eastern bank, they should be able to avoid a lot of trouble. ¡°Yes!¡± After Yang Mingwu and Yang Mingzhi acknowledged his command, they immediately led the people to find a shallow place to cross the river. They crossed the river quickly, but the tide of routed soldiers arrived even more quickly. They had just crossed the Songyuan River when tens of thousands of routed soldiers came flooding in. Such a situation once again confirmed that the main camp had been completely crushed; otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be so many routed soldiers. Yang Zhenshan ignored those fleeing soldiers and gave orders to Yang Chengze, Yang Qinwu, and others: ¡°The three of you go along the river to check the front, remember not to engage in conversation with anyone. If someone tries to take the horses, return immediately!¡± ¡°The three of you, go downstream to find Zhou Lan; she should not be far from us!¡± ¡°The rest, follow me and guard the grain convoy!¡± Yang Zhenshan instructed one by one. Right now, their first priority was to ensure the safety of the grains, and then to understand the specific situation. If the Northern barbarian cavalry were to pursue the victory, they might have to abandon the grain and save their lives first; however, if the Northern barbarian cavalry did not pursue, he would wait for Zhou Lan to come over. Yang Chengze and the others rode away, and Yang Zhenshan immediately had the grain convoy encamp on the spot, placing the supply carts on the perimeter. This time, he did not order the disassembly of the carts, ready to leave at any moment. However, just as Yang Zhenshan had just arranged the round formation, a squad of cavalry came galloping towards them. The horses¡¯ hooves trampled directly over the shallow water of the river and came to a hasty stop in front of the grain convoy¡¯s formation. The leader, a bearded Hu man wearing waist-length armor, sat on horseback, his body straight as a pencil, and he called out loudly, ¡°Which Camp do you belong to?¡± Yang Zhenshan, who was calming Zhao Desheng, followed the voice and his eyebrows slightly furrowed. What was expected had still come! ¡°Deputy Bazong of the left Camp¡¯s supply team, Yang Zhenshan at your service. May I ask which Camp¡¯s Lord you are?¡± Given his attire, he surely wasn¡¯t a common soldier, and behind him followed hundreds of cavalry who, despite looking somewhat disheveled, were clearly a well-equipped force. To equip such a cadre of a hundred cavalry in Chongshan Town, one must at least be a thousand commander. ¡°I am Cao Han, the garrison of An Yuan State City. From now on, I order you to follow my commands!¡± Cao Han looked at Yang Zhenshan with a piercing gaze. A thought crossed Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mind. An Yuan State City was located to the east of Chongshan Pass City, falling under the jurisdiction of the East Road Songzhou Guard of Chongshan Town. It was an important pass city in the eastern part of Chongshan Town. A garrison was a military officer position of the Standard Fifth Rank, mainly in charge of the general affairs, pay, and grain supplies of the military. He was essentially the chief military officer of a garrison or a region. His position naturally ranked above Yang Zhenshan, but you, a garrison of An Yuan State City, cannot command over our Camp. ¡°This subordinate pays his respects to Lord Cao!¡± ¡°But I beg Lord Cao¡¯s pardon, as I am currently executing a task and cannot obey Lord Cao¡¯s orders!¡± Yang Zhenshan refused outright without a second thought. He knew that such things would happen since he was transporting grains, which could bring attention from any of the routed soldiers with the slightest intention. Chapter 69 - 69 68 The things from my Left Camp are not for ?Chapter 69: Chapter 68: The things from my Left Camp are not for everyone to meddle with! Chapter 69: Chapter 68: The things from my Left Camp are not for everyone to meddle with! Cao Han¡¯s eyes, sharp like swords, firmly stared at Yang Zhenshan, his intention to kill unrestrainedly released. The camp was attacked, tens of thousands of soldiers suffered defeat and scattered, and he had no idea when the Northern barbarian cavalry would come chasing; Cao Han had no intention to waste his time here spouting nonsense with Yang Zhenshan. Had they not fled too hurriedly, even failing to carry basic provisions, he would not have bothered with Yang Zhenshan¡¯s supply convoy. Yang Zhenshan too stared back at him, their gazes clashing in the air, instantly rendering the atmosphere tense, very much like swords drawn and bows bent. ¡°Damn it, it¡¯s your good fortune that the garrison General is willing to accept you, yet you dare to refuse!¡± ¡°Drop your weapons and stand aside obediently!¡± Cao Han himself did not speak, but one of his men, whether a trusted aide or a house servant, spoke up first. Bullying by relying on power, his tone and demeanor extremely arrogant, not placing Yang Zhenshan and the others in his eyes at all. As he spoke, it was like they should feel fortunate that Cao Han was willing to accept them. ¡°Do you know who the garrison General is? The garrison General is the Second Young Master of Marquis Qingyang Mansion, the grandson-in-law of Mr. Zhang!¡± ¡°How dare you show such disrespect, you deserve a beating!¡± The man kept yelling. Upon hearing this, Yang Mingzhi and Yang Mingwu¡¯s faces couldn¡¯t help but show frightened and worried expressions. Marquis Qingyang, that¡¯s a noble! And Mr. Zhang, that is Zhang Yude, the garrison eunuch of Chongshan Town. To them, such a background represented an extremely noble existence. Though they have been following Yang Zhenshan in the military for several months now, their hearts were still truly those of ordinary civilians. Some concepts cannot be changed in a short period of time. Everyone¡¯s eyes fell on Yang Zhenshan. And Yang Zhenshan was still looking at Cao Han. As for things like Marquis Qingyang, Yang Zhenshan did not take them to heart. Though he didn¡¯t know much about Marquis Qingyang, in front of Duke Ning Mansion, Marquis Qingyang was definitely insignificant. But the garrison eunuch Zhang Yude, he could not ignore. A county official is not as good as the current one managing. Marquis Qingyang Mansion is not in Chongshan Pass, but the garrison eunuch Zhang Yude holds massive power in Chongshan Pass. However, on the other hand, when the sky falls, there¡¯s a tall one to support it. We are also not without strong support, there¡¯s no need to be overly cautious. ¡°Shut up!¡± Yang Zhenshan coldly shouted, suddenly holding a Short Spear in his hand, with a swoosh, a fierce cold light shot directly at the yelling man. The speed of the Short Spear was extremely fast, while the man was still yelling, the cold light had already reached his face. ¡°How dare you!¡± Cao Han was also quick to react, the moment Yang Zhenshan made his move, he instantly unsheathed the sword at his waist, blocking it in front of the Short Spear. Clang! A three-foot-long Yan Ling Saber chopped down the Short Spear. Only then did the yelling man realize he had almost lost his life, his face turning extremely pale. Naturally, Yang Zhenshan ignored the yelling man, placed the Gold-plated Flying Fish Spear in front of him, and drew two more Short Spears from behind, his gaze firmly on Cao Han. ¡°Things belonging to Left Camp are not for just anyone to covet!¡± Now he belonged to Left Camp, and everything behind him belonged to Left Camp. No matter what Cao Han intended to do, it would mean encroaching on possessions of Left Camp. Though he was just a minor military provisions officer in Left Camp, behind him stood Left Camp, and also Zhou Lan, a Guerrilla General from Duke Ning Mansion. In essence, Yang Zhenshan was flaunting his connections. First, he brought up Left Camp. Putting on a frosty face, Cao Han looked at Yang Zhenshan; he truly did not expect Yang Zhenshan to be so uncompromising. He originally thought that even if Yang Zhenshan was reluctant, upon knowing his own identity and background, he should naturally act according to his orders. Then, whether it be food or warhorses, he could easily take his pick from the supply convoy. But now, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s firm refusal was not just about what he wanted, but it was also a matter of his own dignity. If today he retreats like this, when he returns to Chongshan Pass, he will likely become the laughingstock of many. Even a mere grain transport officer he couldn¡¯t handle, what face does Mr. Cao of Marquis Qingyang Mansion have left to maintain. Indeed, Cao Han is angry precisely because of this. If Yang Zhenshan knew he was still concerned about face, he would definitely scold him for being brainless. At a time like this, he¡¯s still concerned about face. Chongshan Town suffered a great defeat, and a storm is inevitably approaching Chongshan Pass next. Not to mention whether they could continue fighting, they should also think about what to do after returning to Chongshan Pass. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t blame this official for enforcing military law!¡± Cao Han raised his long saber, aiming at Yang Zhenshan. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s heart tightened, this blockhead really wanted to make a move. He was indeed a bit worried. The northern barbarian¡¯s pursuers could arrive at any moment, if they really ended up fighting, wouldn¡¯t they just be handing victory to the northern barbarians on a silver platter. At this moment, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s heart was also filled with annoyance. When facing the northern barbarians, they all acted like timid brides, not daring to move. But when dealing with their own people, they were as arrogant and domineering as can be. No wonder Chongshan Town was defeated so swiftly; if the officials of Chongshan Town were all like this, it would be strange if they didn¡¯t lose. Just as Yang Zhenshan was preparing to face off, a thunderous rumble like rolling thunder of horse hooves came from behind. ¡°Sir, General Zhou has arrived!¡± ¡°General Zhou has arrived!¡± Shouts of cheer rose from behind. Yang Zhenshan heard this and also breathed a sigh of relief. He discreetly looked back, only to see the flag of Left Camp fluttering amidst the swirling dust. But Cao Han¡¯s expression turned sour. Zhou Lan! That was someone he couldn¡¯t afford to provoke. As a noble, he understood the power of Duke Ning Mansion better than others, as well as Zhou Lan¡¯s status within Duke Ning Mansion. Although Zhou Lan was a woman, and had a notorious reputation in the Capital City for being tough on men, she was the precious gem of the old Duke of the Duke Ning Mansion. The third young mistress of Duke Ning Mansion, who had been pampered since childhood, saying she was adored was no exaggeration. Flags flying, Zhou Lan led nearly a thousand cavalry across the river in mere moments. Rustle-rustle~~ The dark horses neighed, Zhou Lan coolly stopped outside the grain transport. Her sharp eyes swept around, finally landing on Cao Han. ¡°Cao Han, what are you doing here?¡± At these words, Cao Han, like a cat whose tail was stepped on, angrily yelled, ¡°Zhou Lan, how many times have I told you, don¡¯t call me by my nickname!¡± In ancient society, the infant mortality rate was very high, and many people were superstitious that lesser names helped in raising them. Not just ordinary folk, even nobles and distinguished families were no exception. The current Marquis Qingyang¡¯s nickname was Big Head, thus Mr. Cao naturally became Cao Han. ¡°Get lost if there¡¯s nothing! You¡¯re a sore sight here!¡± Zhou Lan said with utter disdain, as if looking at a fly. ¡°You!¡± Cao Han was furious, lifting his saber towards Zhou Lan. He was just annoyed and didn¡¯t really intend to do anything to Zhou Lan, but his action of raising the saber, in the eyes of others, seemed like a challenge to Zhou Lan. Swish-swish~~ Zhou Lan wasn¡¯t alone, behind her were nearly a thousand cavalry of the Left Camp. Seeing Cao Han raise his saber, the cavalrymen immediately took out bows and arrows from their saddles, drew bows and aimed arrows straight at Cao Han. Under the brilliant sun, the arrow light glittered, twinkling like spikes, shimmering like the light on the waves. Cao Han was instantly deflated. Silently put away the long saber, not daring to speak another word, he quickly spurred his horse and left. Damn it, with hundreds of arrows aimed at him, how could he dare to say another word? That twinkling arrow light thoroughly extinguished the rage in his heart. Chapter 70 - 70 69 Return to Linguan Castle ?Chapter 70: Chapter 69 Return to Linguan Castle Chapter 70: Chapter 69 Return to Linguan Castle Yang Zhenshan watched silently, and as Cao Han left, he immediately stepped forward, cupping his fists and bowing: ¡°Greetings, General!¡± ¡°No need for formalities.¡± Zhou Lan dismounted, looked up toward the north, and her brows furrowed with worry, unlike her previously brisk and carefree demeanor. ¡°How is the situation?¡± ¡°I have already ordered people to investigate, but the details are unknown yet,¡± replied Yang Zhenshan. Zhou Lan gazed into the distance pensively, ultimately shaking her head helplessly. ¡°We¡¯ve lost!¡± This defeat came too hastily, too absolutely, and was too hard to accept, yet it seemed inevitable. She knew better than Yang Zhenshan why this battle was lost. There were many reasons, but three main ones: first, insufficient preparation, the hasty dispatch resulted in many vulnerabilities within the army. Second, the court¡¯s internal strife affected the front-line commander¡¯s decisions; Zhang Shouwang always wanted to play it safe, but the court pressured him to hasten his actions. Third, Chongshan Town had long been in decay, the morale and combat capabilities of its soldiers were far from what they once were. As for the schemes of the East Sea Hu Clan, although they were a reason for the defeat, they were not the main reason. The present East Sea Hu Clan was cunning, but the past East Sea Hu Clan was also cunning, which cannot be an excuse for the defeat. ¡°General, what should we do next?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked quietly. Zhou Lan paused for a moment, then said, ¡°Let¡¯s head back to Chongshan Pass first.¡± ¡°What about the Great General?¡± Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t help but remind her. He could head back to Chongshan Pass without a care, but Zhou Lan was the Guerrilla General of the Left Camp, and the Five Camps were directly loyal to the Commanding General of Chongshan Town, Zhang Shouwang. Saying Zhou Lan was a confidant of Zhang Shouwang might be an overstatement, but she certainly had a close relationship with him. ¡°I have received news that although the main camp was breached, the commander¡¯s tent didn¡¯t suffer much damage. The Marquis has already led the remaining forces to retreat westward; they do not need our support!¡± Zhou Lan said. Since Zhou Lan said so, Yang Zhenshan naturally had no objections. After making some quick preparations, Yang Zhenshan followed Zhou Lan and led the supply convoy back to Chongshan Pass. By the time they arrived at Chongshan Pass, it was two days later. The entire Chongshan Pass was in chaos. Zhou Lan was immediately caught up in the busyness upon returning, while Yang Zhenshan brought the supplies back to Linguan Castle. Yes, he brought back the supplies. Because at that time no one was managing him, nor did anyone care about the supplies he transported. Of course, his ability to bring the supplies back to Linguan Castle was also approved by Zhou Lan, as these supplies originally belonged to the Left Camp. Although the Left Camp had already withdrawn to Chongshan Pass, since the supplies had been distributed, it was natural not to transport them back to the city. Not just supplies, Yang Zhenshan also brought back three hundred oxen, mules, and supply carts. As for the civilians, after reaching Linguan Castle, Yang Zhenshan handed them over to the Governor¡¯s Office. He could keep the materials, but not the people. Inside the office at Linguan Castle. ¡°Dad, you weren¡¯t injured, were you?¡± Seeing Yang Zhenshan, Yang Minghao looked him over thoroughly from front to back, top to bottom; seeing no injuries, Yang Minghao finally felt relieved. This time when they left the castle, Yang Zhenshan did not bring Yang Minghao with him, as Yang Minghao had no official military position. In the study, Yang Zhenshan took off his heavy cloth armor and asked, ¡°Is everything okay at the castle?¡± ¡°Everything here is fine, but within the city, the people are panicking!¡± ¡°Everyone says we have been defeated, Dad, is it true?¡± Yang Minghao hurriedly served up some tea, asking anxiously. Yang Zhenshan, feeling thirsty, took the tea and had a sip, then replied, ¡°Indeed, we were defeated!¡± ¡°Will we be in trouble?¡± Yang Minghao asked. Yang Zhenshan thought for a moment, ¡°I don¡¯t know, let¡¯s wait and see!¡± He couldn¡¯t interfere in this matter, nor could he get involved. As for the outcome, it would depend on Zhou Lan¡¯s actions. However, he estimated that it shouldn¡¯t have much to do with him. He was just an official in charge of transporting provisions, and after the battle, not only did they behead nearly three hundred enemies, but they also delivered food supplies four times. They had both merits and had endured hardships, so even if the court decided to condemn, his contributions should not be erased. ¡°By the way, have there been any letters from home?¡± Yang Zhenshan then asked. ¡°Yes!¡± Yang Mingzhi¡¯s face showed a bright smile, hastily took out two letters from the nearby bookcase, and handed them to Yang Zhenshan. ¡°Wenyuan, our cousin, has passed the Scholar examination and even ranked first on the list!¡± Yang Zhenshan raised his brow, opened the letter, and began reading. It was now the end of July, and the College Examination had ended more than a month ago; both Yang Mingcheng and Lu Wenyuan had long returned to Anning County from the city of Jing¡¯an Prefecture. Reading the content of the letters, Yang Zhenshan was quite pleased. Lu Wenyuan, only seventeen years old, managed to rank first, showing he had significant talent in his studies. He genuinely hoped that Lu Wenyuan could be successful, ideally topping the list and becoming an official. In that case, the Yang family would also have a representative in the officialdom. ¡°Write a letter back home to report your safety!¡± Yang Zhenshan instructed. His departure for the campaign had surely worried his family, and now that he was back safely, it was naturally important to let them know. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll write it now!¡± Yang Minghao responded. With Yang Zhenshan¡¯s return, the whole Linguan Castle was filled with a joyful atmosphere; of course, the military households were not rejoicing for Yang Zhenshan, but rather experiencing joy that their loved ones had returned safely. Yet, this joy was mixed with sorrow, for out of a hundred soldiers who left Linguan Castle, ninety-nine returned, with one fallen in battle. In the ninety-nine joys, this sorrow was especially poignant. After settling down a bit, Yang Zhenshan personally led Yang Mingzhi, Yang Mingwu, and others to the residential area behind the government office. In the square courtyard, a family of four were holding the ashes of the deceased and wailing. Standing outside the yard, Yang Zhenshan looked at the family, feeling somewhat pained. A comrade had fallen in battle, and they couldn¡¯t bring his body home, only his ashes. The fallen soldier was someone he knew well, named Li Dazhu, an honest-looking villager. The Li family, like the Yang family, used to live together, but last year their village was attacked when the Northern barbarians invaded. Out of a family of more than ten, only five survived the disaster. Now, the remaining four were Li Dazhu¡¯s mother, wife, and a pair of children. Yang Zhenshan felt fortunate that Li Dazhu had children; otherwise, the family would have completely fallen apart. ¡°Please restrain your grief!¡± Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t know how to console them properly, or perhaps any consoling words at that moment would seem pale and feeble. He took a tray from Yang Mingwu¡¯s hands, which held four small silver ingots, each weighing five taels. ¡°Li Dazhu was a hero of Linguan Castle, a hero of Chongshan Town, a hero of Da Rong. His family deserves to enjoy the honor he earned with his life!¡± Yang Zhenshan said solemnly. These words were not so much for the Li family as they were for the others in Linguan Castle. Now that the Li family was left with only a widow and orphans, they could easily be neglected and bullied, and Yang Zhenshan wouldn¡¯t stand to see such things happen, so he had to make his statement clear. Of course, just a few words were not enough to ensure that the Li family would have a secure future; he would continue to look out for them. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t stay long at the Li household, he left after placing the silver. ¡°You should keep an eye on the Li family in the future; don¡¯t let them be bullied!¡± After leaving the Li household, Yang Zhenshan instructed Old Li. ¡°Understood, sir!¡± Old Li quickly responded. Chapter 71 - 71 70 Vegetable Planting Experiment ?Chapter 71: Chapter 70 Vegetable Planting Experiment Chapter 71: Chapter 70 Vegetable Planting Experiment ¡°How are the revenues of the needlework workshop lately?¡± Returning to the study in the government office, Yang Zhenshan continued to inquire. ¡°The income has declined, especially after the news of defeat beyond the wall came, and the walled city closed its gates. The cloth shoes we made haven¡¯t even been sold yet!¡± Old Li said while pulling out the accounts book and the silver chest to hand over to Yang Zhenshan. Before heading beyond the wall, Yang Zhenshan had taken on several orders for the needlework workshop to sew clothing. Although the profits were not very high, it was still a decent source of revenue. As for cloth shoes, with the army setting off on a campaign, nearly all the soldiers from the city had followed the troops, greatly impacting the business of selling shoes. Yang Zhenshan casually flipped through the accounts book and then put it down. ¡°Don¡¯t stop the needlework workshop; it doesn¡¯t matter if the shoes can¡¯t be sold right now, store them and sell them later!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do this, change the pattern in the future. No longer wait until the shoes are sold before settling the silver with everyone. Settle and distribute silver to everyone on a regular monthly basis!¡± Yang Zhenshan thought for a moment and then said. The needlework workshop still had some silver, which could be considered entirely his, but also belonged to the whole workshop. However, Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t care much about this amount of money, so he did not put it in his own purse, always using it to subsidize military households. After giving a few simple orders, Yang Zhenshan went back to rest in his room. During their time beyond the wall, they lived in constant fear and trepidation, never sleeping well through the night. Now finally back, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mind and spirit had relaxed, allowing him to have a restful sleep. An early night meant an early rise. The next day at dawn, the sky was still not bright when Yang Zhenshan woke up. Lying on a kang covered with a grass mat, he turned his head to look at the dimly lit sky outside the window, his mind stirred, he immersed himself in the Spiritual Spring Space. Since returning from the expedition, aside from using the spring water, he had rarely paid attention to the changes in the Spiritual Spring Space. Counting the days, it had been more than a month since he last entered the Spiritual Spring Space. In a month¡¯s time, the Spiritual Spring Space had expanded significantly, the originally finger-wide black-brown soil now spanned more than a meter in width. The black-brown soil surrounded the stone pool, covering an area of about a dozen square meters. Yang Zhenshan crouched down, pinching the dark soil, lost in thought. Could this soil be used for planting? He had suspected as much before but had no time to verify this while staying beyond the wall. Now finally having some free time, he was determined to experiment. Since it was an experiment, he needed a baseline for comparison. With that thought, Yang Zhenshan immediately set out to act. After getting up and dressed, and performing a simple wash, Yang Zhenshan took some vegetable seeds from the storage room in the government office. Previously, to have military households plant vegetables, the government office specially purchased a batch of vegetable seeds from the walled city, including Chinese cabbage, radishes, leeks, green beans, and gourds. Yang Zhenshan took some of each and planted them in the Spiritual Spring Space. For the sake of comparison, he divided the land in the Spiritual Spring Space into two parts: one part was watered with river water from outside, and the other part with spring water from the pool. Spiritual Spring Water had nourishing effects on both humans and animals, but he had never used it on plants. Previously, because there was not much Spiritual Spring Water, he had to use it sparingly. Now that there was more of it, he could afford to be a bit extravagant. After a busy morning, Yang Zhenshan finally got all the vegetable seeds planted. At this time, everyone had also returned from their morning exercises, and a few women had already prepared breakfast. Yang Mingwu, Yang Chengche, and others without families at Linguan Castle did not have separate residences arranged for them by Yang Zhenshan, but instead, they lived in a communal dormitory. The communal dormitory was located behind the government office. It was a large courtyard with a room for each person. Although it was a bit basic, it was still their own private space. Everyone shared communal meals and training, to avoid wasting time on daily chores, Yang Zhenshan also hired a few women to take care of the meals. Of course, Yang Zhenshan shared meals with them as well. Breakfast was simple: each person had a bowl of millet porridge, an egg, several plates of pickles and salted meat, and cornbread to fill them up. All of them were young lads, not picky eaters at all. In no time, they had wiped clean the table of food. After breakfast, everyone plunged into a flurry of activity. They had just returned, and there were many matters awaiting their attention. Stepping out of the government office, Yang Zhenshan was hit with a foul, sour stench. It was truly horrendous, almost making him vomit out his recently consumed breakfast. Yesterday, they had brought back over three hundred head of cattle and mules. The garrison¡¯s stables and cowsheds couldn¡¯t accommodate them all, so for the time being, they were tied up in the training ground. A night had passed, and those creatures were wholly unabashed in relieving themselves everywhere, as one might imagine. Looking at the orderly rows of grain carts in the training ground and the busy-busy cattle and mules, Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache coming on. When they had been hauled back yesterday, he was filled with joy. So many cattle and mules, so much grain and fodder, this was definitely a tidy sum of money. But looking at it today, this was a damn hassle. The stuff was in his possession, and he could use it as he pleased, but the problem was, none of it was his. The grain and fodder belonged to the Left Camp, consuming it was no issue, but selling it was out of the question. The cattle, mules, and grain carts were all property of the Governor¡¯s Office. Temporarily keeping them was not an issue, but sooner or later, he had to give the Governor¡¯s Office an explanation. When the time came, he could overstate some numbers, but he certainly couldn¡¯t keep everything at the garrison. ¡°Old Li, Old Li!¡± Yang Zhenshan stood in front of the government office, shouting at the top of his lungs. ¡°Sir!¡± Very promptly, Old Li briskly walked out of the government office. ¡°Are all the granaries filled up?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked. ¡°Sir, they are all filled!¡± Old Li, looking at the line of grain carts, was so happy that his mouth almost split to his ears. So much grain that their granaries could not contain it all. Not just full, but in fact, only a fraction had been stored. ¡°Go, distribute three dan of grain to each household, as a reward for their service in battle!¡± ¡°Also, get some people to build more stables and cowsheds!¡± Yang Zhenshan generously ordered. With so much grain and so many cattle and mules, naturally, he intended to keep some for himself. He had already decided, he would give half of the grain to Zhou Lan and keep half for himself. As for the cattle and mules, he would retain twenty head, and the rest were to be handed over to Zhou Lan. These cattle and mules can¡¯t be slaughtered or sold, they¡¯re a burden to keep, so it¡¯s better to leave them to Zhou Lan to deal with. In fact, Linguan Castle had quite a large area. One hundred military households lived there very comfortably. Not only was there ample space for a large training ground, but also a lot of spare land. If more stables and cowsheds were built, it would not be a problem to accommodate so many cattle and mules. But keeping so many cattle and mules would require people to tend to their daily needs and consume a great deal of fodder. The truth was, Linguan Castle really couldn¡¯t afford to keep them. ¡°Alright, old man will get on it right away!¡± Old Li joyfully responded. Though he held no official position at Linguan Castle, Yang Zhenshan always relied on him as the chief steward. Even Yang Minghao ran errands under his watch. Old Li was actually quite capable, with considerable experience in managing various affairs, it was just that he had bad legs, limping as he walked. Chapter 72 - 72 71 The Importance of Medicinal Materials ?Chapter 72: Chapter 71 The Importance of Medicinal Materials Chapter 72: Chapter 71 The Importance of Medicinal Materials ¡°Ming Zhi!¡± Yang Zhenshan called Yang Mingzhi again. ¡°You will send these grain carts to the Left Camp¡¯s campsite later, and ask if Zhao Yuan has returned!¡± The Left Camp¡¯s campsite is located to the south of Linguan Castle, and it¡¯s only a dozen miles away. Since he didn¡¯t plan to leave all the oxen, mules, and provisions behind, it was naturally best to send them off sooner. However, there probably weren¡¯t many soldiers at the Left Camp¡¯s campsite now. Although Zhou Lan had returned, the Left Camp had not regrouped yet. They still needed to assist Zhang Shouwang in blocking the pursuing Northern barbarian cavalry. Yang Zhenshan was still worried about the situation beyond the pass. Although they had already lost the battle, he hoped that the Five Camps wouldn¡¯t suffer too much loss. As long as the losses of the Five Camps were not severe, the main force of Chongshan Town would still be intact, and the East Sea Hu Clan wouldn¡¯t be able to act too arrogantly. Once the Five Camps suffered heavy losses, the entire Chongshan Town would be in danger. Following Yang Zhenshan¡¯s instructions, by noon, the training ground had been completely cleared. But Zhao Yuan still hadn¡¯t returned, and Zhao Desheng had already led men out of the pass to inquire about Zhao Yuan¡¯s situation. However, the situation outside the pass was extremely chaotic, with defeated troops fleeing everywhere, Northern barbarian cavalry continually pursuing, and soldiers blocking the barbarians, making looking for Zhao Yuan akin to finding a needle in a haystack. In the following days, Chongshan Pass City remained in complete turmoil, with the returned defeated troops bringing a multitude of false information to the whole city. Some said that Zhang Shouwang had been captured alive by the barbarian cavalry. Some said that Zhang Yude had defected to the Hu Clan. Others said that the West Road army had been completely wiped out, and barbarian cavalry would soon strike at the city. Rumors spread everywhere, causing widespread panic. Many citizens of the city, bringing their families, fled from Chongshan Pass. The number of those escaping now exceeded even what had been seen when the Hu Clan army had approached the city. Initially, when the Hu Clan army gathered below Chongshan Pass, the people felt more confused and lost because they hadn¡¯t experienced large-scale war for twenty years, and didn¡¯t believe the Hu Clan could breach the city. But now, with the army returning in defeat, it instantly shattered the confidence of the people in Chongshan Town, and worry arose within them. Many civilians felt that there might be a risk of Chongshan Pass being overrun, prompting numerous people to consider fleeing. However, Yang Zhenshan felt such worries were premature. Though Chongshan Town had been defeated this time, Da Rong¡¯s national strength had not decayed to the point of being unable to defend Chongshan Pass. The East Sea Hu Clan seemed ferocious, but they were only a small tribe with a population of just twenty to thirty thousand¡ªnot enough to sustain attacks on a fortified city like Chongshan Pass. As long as the East Sea Hu Clan wasn¡¯t foolish, they wouldn¡¯t risk heavy losses to assault Chongshan Pass. Moreover, as far as he knew, Zhang Shouwang had not been captured or met with complete defeat; he was outside the pass, gathering scattered troops to stabilize the situation. Zhou Lan had already joined forces with Zhang Shouwang to counter the Hu Clan cavalry. The Left and Right Camps, when unleashed, still possessed formidable combat strength. With equal forces, in head-to-head confrontations, the Five Camps had the capability to decisively defeat the barbarian cavalry. On the fourth day after Yang Zhenshan returned to Linguan Castle, Zhao Yuan also returned to the city with the last of the fleeing troops. Despite the camp being overrun, Zhao Yuan did not flee with the routed troops but went to the commander¡¯s tent, following the retreat of the front, rear, and middle camps of the Five Camps. However, they encountered an attack by the barbarian cavalry on their retreat, and Zhao Yuan was unfortunately wounded. He returned so quickly because Zhao Desheng had risked finding the retreating main force and carried him back. In the campsite of the Left Camp, Yang Zhenshan looked at Zhao Yuan lying unconscious on the bed. ¡°Did the doctor say when he could wake up?¡± Next to him, Zhao Desheng, looking exhausted, said: ¡°Sir, his wound is infected, and he¡¯s been feverish for three days. The doctor said that if he can hold on for another two days, he should be able to wake up.¡± By now, Zhao Yuan¡¯s chest had been bandaged. Just now, Yang Zhenshan had examined him; Zhao Yuan¡¯s injury was a knife wound, stretching from his left shoulder to his lower abdomen¡ªsimilar to his own wounds. Unfortunately for Zhao Yuan, his wound had become inflamed. In this medically backward society, an inflamed wound was fatal, and whether he could survive depended entirely on how resilient Zhao Yuan was. Yang Zhenshan did know of some medicines for treating inflammation, such as sulfonamides, penicillin, erythromycin, etc., but he did not know how to make them. And the Spiritual Spring Water doesn¡¯t have the effect of treating inflammation; it can only nourish the body and enhance physical condition. Following the principle of doing no harm, Yang Zhenshan still fed Zhao Yuan a bowl of Spiritual Spring Water. ¡°Let me know when he awakens!¡± After giving these instructions to Zhao Desheng, Yang Zhenshan left, as there was no use for him to stay; he was not a doctor. Inside Linguan Castle, during the quiet of the night, Yang Zhenshan once again entered the Spiritual Spring Space. In five days, the vegetable seeds he had planted had all sprouted. Especially those watered with the Spiritual Spring, which astonishingly grew over an inch tall. ¡°Spiritual Spring Water aids in the growth of plants and seems to have significant benefits for plant growth!¡± Yang Zhenshan stroked the growing gourd seedlings, his eyes sparkling with joy, then he looked at the vegetables watered with river water, which also had tender buds emerging from the soil. ¡°Even without the Spiritual Spring Water, they grow faster than those outside!¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then this land has great potential!¡± Yang Zhenshan thought secretly. Naturally, growing vegetables couldn¡¯t make one rich, but what if he planted medicinal herbs? Though the Spiritual Spring Space wasn¡¯t miraculous enough to mass-produce Treasure Medicines, even planting ordinary medicinal herbs could bring Yang Zhenshan considerable profit. Martial Arts cultivation requires a lot of medicinal herbs for support, Body Refining Realm Martial Artists could use medicinal baths to enhance their physical constitution, and Postnatal Martial Artists could consume elixirs to increase Jin Qi. Previously, Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t use medicinal herbs partly because he had Spiritual Spring Water, and partly because he was penniless. The saying ¡°poor scholars and rich soldiers¡± isn¡¯t baseless. The Yang Family has a Martial Arts lineage, why isn¡¯t it producing any Martial Artists? Because they are poor. For those Martial Arts Families and noble families, every one of their children can become Martial Artists, perhaps not achieving very high, but becoming Martial Artists is still pretty easy for them. Because they have silver to buy various medicinal herbs for their cultivation. However, to start planting medicinal herbs, he needs to prepare well; presently, Yang Zhenshan doesn¡¯t have the seeds for medicinal herbs, and he lacks understanding of the medicinal herb industry, uncertain which herbs have a higher cost-performance. ... On the ninth of August, Zhang Shouwang finally returned to Chongshan Pass with the Five Camps. After the main camp was breached, the army from the eastern road of Chongshan Town suffered heavy losses, although the Five Camps were not greatly affected. Still, during these past dozen days, Zhang Shouwang had a few battles with the Northern barbarian cavalry while gathering the scattered fleeing soldiers outside the pass. Both sides had their victories and defeats, inflicting considerable losses on the East Sea Hu Clan, but the Five Camps also suffered heavy casualties. Zhang Shouwang came back, and naturally Zhou Lan returned with him. Upon receiving the news, Yang Zhenshan took a familiar path to the campsite of the Left Camp. Zhao Yuan had already woken up; though he had survived, his physical condition was not great, and it was estimated he would need about two months to recover. Upon seeing Zhou Lan again, Yang Zhenshan noticed an unshakeable gloom in her eyes and knew where this gloom stemmed from. Once again, the Left Camp had suffered serious losses. Of the more than three thousand cavalry, less than sixty percent had returned. Not just the Left Camp, the Right Camp had almost the same losses, as the cavalry of Left and Right Camps always acted together. This time, to ensure Zhang Shouwang¡¯s safe retreat, they fiercely battled the Northern barbarian cavalry, with both Left and Right Camps suffering heavy casualties, but their battle achievements were also remarkable. It was said that they had routed as many as eight thousand Northern barbarian cavalry, which was considered a major victory. However, this time the Left Camp was deeply wounded, and even a great victory could not compensate for the price they paid in this battle. Chapter 73 - 73 72 The Calm Before the Storm ?Chapter 73: Chapter 72: The Calm Before the Storm Chapter 73: Chapter 72: The Calm Before the Storm In the spacious hall, Zhou Lan was dressed in a light blue, tightly-fitting attire, which made her appear less valorous and bracing than when she wore armor, but somewhat more gentle and soft. ¡°I¡¯m already aware of the matter with the supplies; you handled it very well!¡± Sitting at the head of the room, Zhou Lan tiredly massaged her temples as she spoke. She thought Yang Zhenshan had come to explain the situation with the supplies. It was a minor issue to her, so she mentioned it offhandedly. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t say much, but simply asked, ¡°Does the General have any other orders?¡± He just felt that since Zhou Lan had returned, he, as her subordinate, should come to see her and check if there was anything he needed to do. Relying on someone else¡¯s grain and eating their food, one naturally should take the initiative. ¡°Nothing at the moment?¡± Zhou Lan waved her hand, but then added, ¡°There¡¯s been some disorder in the city recently. Try to avoid going there if you can!¡± Yang Zhanshan¡¯s heart grew cold, recognizing this as Zhou Lan¡¯s kind warning. Why would the city be in disorder? It was naturally because of defeat. Now that both Zhang Shouwang and Zhang Yude had returned, the court has presumably been informed of the defeat already. What reaction the court might have was still unknown, but it was foreseeable that there would be changes among the high ranks of Chongshan Town. Zhou Lan was probably troubled by this issue. ¡°Your subordinate understands!¡± Yang Zhanshan replied and then got up to take his leave. After leaving the hall, Yang Zhenshan went to check on Zhao Yuan. Zhao Yuan also had a face full of worries. Although he was merely a Bazong, he was, after all, the son of a noble and had his own sources of information, giving him a broader understanding of the court and the high ranks of Chongshan Town. ¡°Cough cough, it seems Marquis Zhang may not be able to stay in Chongshan Town any longer!¡± said Zhao Yuan gloomily. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s hand paused as it stroked his beard; somehow, he seemed to have grown increasingly fond of doing so. As he aged, his heart aged too, and even his behavior gradually aligned with that of an elderly person. Marquis Zhang was also known as Zhang Shouwang. Someone had to take responsibility for the debacle at Fushan City, and Zhang Shouwang, as the Great General who led the troops, was the prime candidate. ¡°General Zhou won¡¯t have any trouble, right?¡± asked Yang Zhenshan. Compared to Zhang Shouwang, he was more concerned about Zhou Lan. Zhou Lan was his support; if she were gone, his life in Chongshan Town would certainly become difficult. Zhao Yuan shook his head, ¡°General Zhou will be fine, but with Marquis Zhang leaving, it definitely won¡¯t be as easy for her as before.¡± Yang Zhenshan understood. Zhou Lan was not the main commander of this expedition, so she didn¡¯t have to bear the primary responsibility. Moreover, the Left Camp had made significant achievements in this battle; even if there were to be any blame, it wouldn¡¯t fall on Zhou Lan. Besides, Zhou Lan had the backing of the Duke Ning Mansion; as long as it stood firm, Zhou Lan would not be wronged. ¡°As long as General Zhou is fine!¡± Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t know what else to say and could only offer such words of comfort. Zhao Yuan was very downcast, becoming drowsy after only a few words. Yang Zhenshan helped him lie down on the bed and waited for him to fall asleep before leaving. ... In the following days, the chaos in Chongshan Pass City gradually subsided. Although Chongshan Town had been defeated, the East Sea Hu Clan had also suffered losses, and both sides had entered a temporary truce. For a time, the city was unusually calm, yet everyone knew that this calmness was the lull before the approaching storm. However, more than the impending storm, Yang Zhenshan was worried about the drought in Chongshan Town. It hadn¡¯t rained for months in the lands beyond the pass, and the situation was nearly the same within. The wheat seedlings in the fields around Linguan Castle were turning a withered yellow, and the streams at the foot of the hills were nearly dried up. If it didn¡¯t rain soon, not to mention irrigating the fields, even drinking water would become a problem. ¡°Where does this river originate from?¡± Beside the stream, Yang Zhenshan looked at the riverbed, now reduced to a few shallow puddles, and asked Old Li. Old Li pondered for a moment before replying, ¡°It seems that on the mountains near Yingshan Castle, there are a few springs that serve as the source.¡± Yingshan Castle is situated about a hundred miles west of Chongshan Pass; the mountains there are somewhat more substantial and forested, a stark contrast to the low mounds of soil around Linguan Castle. Yang Zhenshan squatted down, digging through the parched mud of the riverbank. After digging down about a foot, astonishingly, no water emerged. ¡°Let¡¯s dig a well!¡± The river was crucial not just for irrigating the fields but also for the drinking water supply of Linguan Castle. There were still a few small puddles to use for now, but in a few more days, it was anticipated that even these puddles would be gone. He stood up and surveyed the surroundings, then pointed to a somewhat flat area of the riverbank nearby and said, ¡°Let¡¯s dig a deep well right there!¡± Digging a well on the riverbank would be a hassle, but it was expected that the area¡¯s underground water reserves would be much larger. Yang Zhenshan did not harbor hopes of ensuring a good harvest; the fields around Linguan Castle were poor, and yields were always meager to begin with. His only wish was to make sure that the military households within Linguan Castle would not run out of water to drink. Old Li wiped the sweat rolling down his forehead, breathing somewhat laboriously. It was far too hot today; even after spending over a decade in Chongshan Town, this was his first encounter with such scorching weather. Yang Zhenshan looked up at the blazing sun and turned towards Linguan Castle to return. When he arrived back at Linguan Castle, Yang Minghao was just about to set out in search of him. ¡°Dad, Shopkeeper Luo is looking for you!¡± ¡°Shopkeeper Luo? What does he want with me?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked with confusion. Shopkeeper Luo, also known as Luo Shang, was the owner of the Luo Family Fabric Store in Chongshan Pass City; he had previously helped with selling cloth shoes on behalf of Linguan Castle. ¡°I have no idea; he seemed very anxious!¡± Yang Minghao also felt it was quite peculiar, as aside from their business partnership, they hardly had any other interactions with Luo Shang. This sudden visit from Luo Shang gave him a sense of unease. Luo Shang was indeed in a hurry; before Yang Zhenshan could reach the government office, Luo Shang had already stepped out to meet him. ¡°Master Yang!¡± ¡°What is it that Shopkeeper Luo wishes to discuss with me?¡± Yang Zhenshan did not bother with formalities and asked directly. Luo Shang hesitated and followed Yang Zhenshan back into the government office. Upon entering the study, Yang Zhenshan washed his face first and then looked at Luo Shang somewhat curiously, ¡°Shopkeeper Luo?¡± That fellow seemed lost in thought, zoning out. He was so eager just a moment ago, yet now he wasn¡¯t speaking. ¡°Ah, Master Yang.¡± Luo Shang snapped back to reality, bowed, and said, ¡°I would like to ask for Master Yang¡¯s assistance!¡± ¡°My inferior self!¡± Yang Zhenshan found it even more peculiar now. ¡®My inferior self¡¯ is a self-deprecating form of address. However, it is rarely used since it greatly diminishes one¡¯s self-worth. Typically, only servants or individuals of very low status adopt such self-referential terms. Although Luo Shang was a merchant, and even though such tradesmen have money, and their social status is low, they would not willingly belittle themselves. ¡°Just speak plainly, Shopkeeper Luo. If I am able to provide assistance, I most definitely will not refuse,¡± Yang Zhenshan said. Whether he could help, wanted to help, or was willing to help¡ªthese were secondary considerations; he first wanted to hear what trouble Luo Shang was facing. Luo Shang hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°I wish to gift my fabric store to Master Yang!¡± ¡°Gift!¡± Yang Zhenshan looked at him in astonishment. Although Luo Shang¡¯s fabric store was neither large nor situated in an excellent location, it was still a fairly decent shop that could sell for about 400 to 500 taels of silver. And Luo Shang was no rich merchant; he was merely a petty tradesman. To him, the fabric store should have been his most valuable asset. How could he possibly give it away so readily? Chapter 74 - 74 Minor characters can also accomplish great things in ?Chapter 74: Minor characters can also accomplish great things in Chapter 73. Chapter 74: Minor characters can also accomplish great things in Chapter 73. ¡°I just beg Master Yang to let my family out of the city!¡± Luo Shang added. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly; Shopkeeper Luo seemed to have encountered a considerable amount of trouble, with even his family being held hostage. ¡°Shopkeeper Luo, explain the situation in detail!¡± Yang Zhenshan did not immediately refuse. With a face full of misery, Luo Shang said, ¡°My unfilial son caused trouble, offending the fourth young master of the Zhang family and has been imprisoned!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even seek Master Yang¡¯s help to save my unfilial son; I only ask Master Yang to help my wife, child, and elderly mother leave the city!¡± The fourth young master of the Zhang family is none other than the wastrel, Zhang Chen, the cheap grandson of Zhang Yude, who was whipped by Zhou Lan in the street that one time. Given Zhang Chen¡¯s temper, offending him is tantamount to courting disaster, and it¡¯s no wonder Luo Shang is frantic. Luo Shang has already given up hope of rescuing his eldest son and only wishes to leave Chongshan Pass City with his family. Compared to his whole family, he would rather sacrifice his eldest son. Even though this decision would cause him unbearable pain, it is nonetheless the wisest choice he can make at the moment. ¡°Is someone keeping watch over you?¡± asked Yang Zhenshan. Luo Shang nodded his head bitterly. Yang Zhenshan thought for a moment. ¡°If it was just an altercation with Zhang Chen, he shouldn¡¯t be holding a grudge against your whole family!¡± Zhang Chen is notoriously ruthless¡ªthere is no doubt about that. But what status does Zhang Chen hold? At most, if it were his son, Zhang Chen would have killed him, but it wouldn¡¯t be enough for him to relentlessly pursue the Luo family. Frankly speaking, the Luo family isn¡¯t worth Zhang Chen¡¯s attention. ¡°My son broke one of Zhang Chen¡¯s arms!¡± Luo Shang said, his head bowed low. Truth be told, one couldn¡¯t say that Luo Shang¡¯s son was in the wrong¡ªit was merely that he was too impulsive. Who is Zhang Chen? He bullies men and women alike, committing all sorts of evil deeds. Luo Shang¡¯s young son, hot-blooded and impetuous, couldn¡¯t tolerate being humiliated. In a fury, he resisted a few lashes from Zhang Chen, then charged at him. This charge took Zhang Chen¡¯s guard and entourage by surprise, and as a result, Zhang Chen¡¯s arm was broken. If Luo Shang¡¯s son had restrained himself, at worst he would¡¯ve been beaten and suffered some indignity. But he fought back and even managed to break Zhang Chen¡¯s arm. This was akin to stirring up a hornet¡¯s nest; the Zhang family was sure to retaliate. The Zhang family would not only refuse to forgive his son, but they would also implicate his entire family. In desperation, Luo Shang sought out Yang Zhenshan. But could Yang Zhenshan help? That was the Zhang family, and with Yang Zhenshan¡¯s position, how could he possibly confront the Zhang family. It¡¯s not just about confrontation; even if Yang Zhenshan wanted to cause some trouble for the Zhang family, he couldn¡¯t do it. He is the Bazong of the Left Camp and also in charge of Linguan Castle, so his authority is restricted to Linguan Castle and the Left Camp. Within Chongshan Pass City, he has absolutely no power. Of course, the Zhang family also couldn¡¯t touch him because he belonged to General Zhou. He could borrow General Zhou¡¯s influence, but first, he would need the consent of General Zhou. With Zhou Lan¡¯s background and status, she naturally didn¡¯t fear the Zhang family. Previously, Zhou Lan had whipped Zhang Chen in broad daylight, and the Zhang family didn¡¯t even dare to utter a word, illustrating the power and influence of General Zhou. But would Zhou Lan help the Luo family? Was the Luo family worth Zhou Lan¡¯s intervention? Yang Zhenshan inwardly shook his head. To Zhou Lan, the Luo family¡¯s small cloth shop was simply beneath notice. Moreover, at this time, Zhou Lan probably had no intention of dealing with such insignificant matters. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help with this matter!¡± Yang Zhenshan refused. Upon hearing these words, Luo Shang¡¯s face involuntarily showed a look of despair. ¡°Master Yang, Master Yang! Please, I implore you to help me!¡± he begged. ¡°I¡¯m willing to offer all my family wealth, as long as Master Yang can help get my family out of the city!¡± Luo Shang knelt down, pleading. He truly had no other options left; although the Zhang family hadn¡¯t laid hands on him yet, he was well aware that they would never let him and his family off the hook. Before coming to Linguan Castle, he had sought help from many people, but all of them refused, and some even kicked him out the door upon hearing hi Yang Minghao, who had been silently posing as part of the background, couldn¡¯t help but speak up when he saw his brother¡¯s exaggerated antics: ¡°Second Brother, what¡¯s wrong with your eye? Got sand in it?¡± This blockhead! Yang Zhenshan was somewhat speechless; he knew his second brother was scheming something, trying to convey a covert message. But the younger third brother clearly didn¡¯t grasp the second brother¡¯s intention, even asking if there was sand in his eyes. ¡°Dad, General Zhou sent someone over!¡± Yang Mingzhi had no choice but to concoct an excuse to get Yang Zhenshan out. Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly, ¡°Shopkeeper Luo, please rest here for a moment, I have some official business to attend to!¡± Luo Shang did not persist in his pleas, perhaps he also guessed that Yang Zhenshan and Yang Mingzhi had matters to discuss. After Yang Zhenshan left the study, Yang Mingzhi whispered, ¡°Dad, if we can¡¯t openly take them out of the city, we can sneak people out in the dark!¡± ¡°How?¡± Yang Zhenshan frowned. His familiarity with the city was not as good as Yang Mingzhi¡¯s. Yang Mingzhi often went to the city to purchase various items and, coupled with his affable nature, he made many friends within the city. Although they were all friends of little significance, it couldn¡¯t be denied that Yang Mingzhi had a gift for socializing. ¡°Heh, Shopkeeper Luo¡¯s family still has four people. As long as we control those watching them, getting them out would be easy!¡± Yang Mingzhi said with a chuckle. After pondering for a moment, Yang Zhenshan shook his head, ¡°The risk is too great, it¡¯s not worth it!¡± ¡°A store is not worth it?¡± Yang Mingzhi obviously had his eyes on the Luo family¡¯s fabric shop. Indeed, that was a shop worth several hundred Silver, and if you count the fabric in the shop, it might exceed a thousand taels. ¡°Idiot, do you think the Zhang family wouldn¡¯t know if we took the shop?¡± Yang Zhenshan looked at Yang Mingzhi as if he were looking at a foolish son. Yang Mingzhi was still too young. Although he had some cleverness, his considerations were not thorough enough. If the Luo family managed to escape, whoever took over the Luo family¡¯s shop would definitely be suspected of aiding them. Additionally, with people watching Luo Shang, it¡¯d likely be impossible to conceal his arrival at Linguan Castle from the Chen family. Stealthily smuggling the Luo family out of Chongshan Pass City was no easy feat. Yang Mingzhi was baffled, ¡°Then we should take Silver!¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± Yang Zhenshan sighed, feeling his son was nearly comparable to an imbecile. ¡°This was supposed to be an act of grace, how could we extort them for Silver in their time of need?¡± ¡°Not only would this risk offending the Zhang family, but we would also incur the enmity of the Luo family!¡± ¡°Is it worth provoking both sides just for a few hundred Silver?¡± How much cash could the Luo family have? At most several hundred taels. Once they leave the city, the Luo family would embark on a fugitive journey. If Yang Zhenshan took all their Silver at this juncture, it would be no surprise if Luo Shang hated him to death. This matter should either not be done at all, or if done, should be executed in a way that would leave the Luo family grateful and indebted. Otherwise, once exposed, the Luo family would certainly betray him. ¡°What should we do then?¡± Yang Mingzhi had completely run out of ideas. Yang Zhenshan patted his shoulder and said, ¡°In the future, act with more caution and thorough consideration.¡± Yang Mingzhi also realized that he had not been thorough enough and felt somewhat embarrassed. ¡°Dad, I was too greedy!¡± Actually, Yang Zhenshan was quite satisfied with Yang Mingzhi. Yang Mingzhi was intelligent, sociable, courageous and daring in battle, fearless of life and death, and most importantly, he was dutiful and obedient. Among the three adopted sons, Yang Mingzhi was undoubtedly the most promising one. Of course, Yang Mingzhi also had his shortcomings ¡ª born of a peasant family, with insufficient experience, even after nearly a year of Yang Zhenshan¡¯s tutoring, his knowledge still did not match those from the large family clans. Yang Zhenshan reflected a bit. Although Yang Mingzhi¡¯s methods were unreliable, they did give him an idea. If not overtly, then covertly it must be. Of course, his idea of a covert operation was not about smuggling the Luo family out of the city. Even a small character can have a significant impact. Under normal circumstances, the Luo family could not cause the slightest obstruction to the Zhang family. But now was different. At this moment, Chongshan Town was undergoing a tumultuous phase, and the garrison eunuch, Zhang Yude, was also mired in trouble. If judged by the facts, Zhang Yude would bear the primary responsibility for the defeat. At this juncture, even a tiny spark could burn Zhang Yude to death without a complete corpse. With this in mind, Yang Zhenshan turned and walked back into the study. Chapter 75 - 75 74 Rumors Abound ?Chapter 75: Chapter 74 Rumors Abound Chapter 75: Chapter 74 Rumors Abound ¡°You, go out first!¡± Yang Zhenshan first sent Yang Mingzhi out of the study. ¡°Sir!¡± After Yang Mingzhi left, Luo Shang looked anxiously at Yang Zhenshan. Yang Zhenshan smiled faintly and said, ¡°Shopkeeper Luo, let¡¯s sit down and have a chat!¡± ¡°Oh oh~~¡± Luo Shang sat somewhat awkwardly in front of the desk. Yang Zhenshan poured him a cup of tea and asked, ¡°Does Shopkeeper Luo not have a few trustable friends within the castle?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Luo Shang didn¡¯t understand what Yang Zhenshan intended to do but still honestly replied, ¡°It¡¯s just that they can¡¯t help!¡± He had been running his business in the castle for over a decade, and although he didn¡¯t belong to any clan force, he had some friends. Compared to the officials he tried to ingratiate himself with, his civilian friends were more trustworthy. But such a matter could hardly be helped by an ordinary person. Yang Zhenshan picked up the tea and took a light sip, ¡°I can¡¯t help you with this matter, as you know I¡¯ve only recently arrived in the castle and hardly have any foundation here!¡± ¡°But, Sir~¡± Luo Shang couldn¡¯t help but plead again. Yang Zhenshan raised his hand to stop him, saying, ¡°Let me finish speaking.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help you personally, but I can offer you some advice.¡± ¡°This time when Chongshan Town marched to war, Zhang Yude embezzled a lot of provisions!¡± Yang Zhenshan might not be clear about other matters. But he knew something about Zhang Yude embezzling provisions because he was the grain transport official. During his time returning to the castle with the grain, he had frequent dealings with people from the Governor¡¯s Office, the Ministry of Revenue, and subordinates of Zhang Yude. He didn¡¯t know how many people were involved, but he was aware that each time he received provisions, there would be a shortage of thirty percent. Zhou Lan was aware, and Zhang Shouwang probably knew as well, but neither of them said anything. Thus, Yang Zhenshan also didn¡¯t interfere further; after all, as a minor grain transport official, he couldn¡¯t manage such matters. Whatever amount was given, he transported, and what happened next was not for him to concern himself with. Perhaps it was something everyone knew but no one dared to speak about. ¡°What does this have to do with me?¡± asked Luo Shang, puzzled. ¡°Our army has been defeated, the court will surely assign blame, and as the garrison eunuch, Zhang Yude certainly doesn¡¯t want to attract the attention of the court!¡± ¡°If the scandal of Zhang Yude¡¯s embezzlement spreads throughout the entire castle, do you think the court will deal with Zhang Yude?¡± Yang Zhenshan spoke slowly. At this time, Zhang Yude would naturally have to behave himself. ¡°Are you implying that, Sir?¡± Luo Shang seemed to grasp the idea. Yang Zhenshan continued to remind him, ¡°If Zhang Yude falls, what would the Zhang family amount to?¡± ¡°Even if Zhang Yude doesn¡¯t fall, causing him some trouble so he has no time for other matters, the Zhang family probably won¡¯t be able to bother you for a while, and maybe you can even take the opportunity to rescue your son!¡± Upon hearing this, Luo Shang¡¯s eyes lit up. If he could rescue his eldest son, he was naturally willing to try. ¡°Does Sir mean to spread rumors?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not a rumor; it¡¯s the truth!¡± Yang Zhenshan said with a smile. Luo Shang wasn¡¯t foolish; his many years of doing business in the castle proved he had his principles of conduct. Seeing Luo Shang¡¯s understanding, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s expression became serious and he said, ¡°Once you leave this room, remember I haven¡¯t helped you with anything, nor have I said anything extra to you. Do you understand?¡± Luo Shang was startled, then stood up, bowed deeply, and said, ¡°I understand, I shall forever remember Sir¡¯s kindness in my heart!¡± By now, he had calmed down and also understood Yang Zhenshan¡¯s difficulties and considerations. Yang Zhenshan giving him advice was already more than enough to earn his gratitude. If he had any conscience at all, he shouldn¡¯t implicate Yang Zhenshan. He could put himself at risk for his own salvation, for the rescue of his son, but Yang Zhenshan should not take the risk for his sake. ¡°Goodbye, I won¡¯t see you out!¡± Yang Zhenshan played the host with his tea. Luo Shang took a deep breath, his expression once again turned to despair. He left the study in a daze, and the corners of Yang Zhenshan¡¯s mouth slightly lifted. Fortunately, this man was smart. ... Yang Zhenshan did not pay much attention to what happened with the Luo family afterwards, since he had already refused Luo Shang. Whatever Luo Shang did had nothing to do with him. Of course, even if he did not pay attention, many rumors within Linguan Castle still reached his ears. On the third day after Luo Shang left Linguan Castle, some rumors began to spread within the castle. Some said the defeat in this battle was due to the inadequacy of military supplies. The shortage of military supplies was because someone embezzled the army provisions. The rumors became more and more widespread, with various versions implicating Zhang Yude, Zhang Shouwang, and even the governor Sun Xincheng. With various rumors flying around, some were mere gossip while others held truth. Luo Shang was just a nobody; he couldn¡¯t possibly have created all these rumors, nor did he need to. He just needed to start the rumor mill, and the rest would naturally be amplified by countless others. Perhaps some among them also had agendas of their own. But those matters were no longer related to Luo Shang. Amidst these rumors, the Zhang family indeed kept a low profile. Perhaps Zhang Yude had warned them to stay discreet during this time, or maybe they felt the pressure and sensed the crisis themselves. In any case, they now had no time to focus on a nobody like Luo Shang. However, Luo Shang¡¯s son was still locked up in prison. Time quietly moved into late July, the weather was still scorching hot, and the river at the foot of Linguan Castle¡¯s hill had completely dried up. But the deep well Yang Zhenshan wanted had been dug. The well water was plentiful, allowing Linguan Castle not only to have drinking water but also to irrigate some fields. The matter of the drought also caught the attention of many. The Governor¡¯s Office and the Governor¡¯s Office had issued orders for each military camp and garrison to dig wells for water, to ensure the harvest of this year¡¯s farming. But such measures were merely a drop in the bucket. This year¡¯s harvest in Chongshan Town would definitely be affected, and though it wouldn¡¯t result in total crop failure, the output would significantly decrease. Concerning this, Yang Zhenshan felt somewhat relieved. With this, even though Chongshan Town would be affected by the drought, it should avoid descending into chaos because of it. ¡°Dad, the Clan Leader has sent a letter!¡± In the government office study, Yang Minghao came back with two letters. He had just gone to the castle city with Old Li to purchase goods and happened to encounter the Lu family¡¯s caravan. Taking the letters, Yang Zhenshan began reading. There were two letters, one was written by Yang Mingcheng. Thanks to the Lu family¡¯s caravan, Yang Mingcheng wrote to him every month, sharing trivial family matters. Yang Mingcheng¡¯s letter held nothing of interest; it was just his concern over their well-being at Linguan Castle, updates about family affairs, and what he had been doing recently. Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s letter, however, contained much news. Firstly, the Yang family¡¯s private school had been completed, and Yang Zhengxiang had invited a Scholar and two students from the county city to teach, with many children from Yang Family Village already enrolled. Enrolling in the Yang family school was not free; tuition fee was required. Descendants of the Yang family could pay less, while children of other surnames attending the school had to pay more. Besides the private school, the roads in Yang Family Village had been repaired, with the lanes paved with greenstones from the mountains, and the path connecting to the official road was built with compacted earth, not as durable as the official road but much more solid and level than before. Then Yang Zhengxiang talked about the balance of the silver. Eight hundred taels of silver, along with miscellaneous war spoils added up to almost nine hundred taels. Four hundred taels were spent on constructing the private school and repairing roads. The remaining five hundred taels were all used by Yang Zhengxiang to purchase farmland as ancestral property for the Yang Family. This land would be leased to impoverished families within the clan; they only had to pay thirty percent of the rent annually. The collected rent would be used to finance the private school and provide subsidies to those who had served the Yang Family meritoriously. Yang Zhenshan was very satisfied with this. In fact, all these had been discussed with Yang Zhengxiang before. Yang Zhengxiang had done mostly as he had suggested. Chapter 76 - 76 75 The Changes of the Yang Family ?Chapter 76: Chapter 75 The Changes of the Yang Family Chapter 76: Chapter 75 The Changes of the Yang Family Additionally, Yang Zhengxiang also mentioned a piece of joyous news¡ªthe Yang Family produced three more Martial Artists. They were all young adults who trained with Yang Zhenshan initially. These youngsters had all consumed diluted Spiritual Spring Water; even though it was diluted, they drank it for over a month. It was not surprising that some of them became Martial Artists. Yang Zhenshan did the math; currently, of the ten young men following him, six had become Martial Artists. Together with Yang Mingcheng, Yang Mingzhi, and Yang Mingwu, plus himself, that made ten Martial Artists. In other words, the Yang Family now boasted fourteen Martial Artists. In just one year, the Yang Family saw more than ten new Martial Artists emerge, which probably had Yang Zhengxiang ecstatic. But this also indirectly proved the importance of resources. Spiritual Spring Water was not a defiance of the natural order; its greatest effect was merely to enhance physical constitution and increase potential. By comparison, many treasures in the world had effects surpassing those of Spiritual Spring Water. Those major families with hundreds of years of heritage possessed resources that could not be compared to the Spiritual Spring Water. Of course, the Spiritual Spring Water also had its advantages. Its efficacy lay in boosting potential¡ªlong-term consumption could transform even a useless person into a genius Martial Artist. This was where the Spiritual Spring Water truly defied nature. Now that the Yang Family had so many Martial Artists, they counted as a significant clan in Anning County. Although they were still not the Lu family, they could not be underestimated in Anning County. It was no wonder that Luo Jin, the County Magistrate of Anning County, was already courting the Yang Family. Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s letter mentioned that Luo Jin intended to offer Yang Mingcheng the position of Inspector. Inspector, a Standard Ninth Rank government role. Initially, Yang Zhenshan had aimed for an Inspector position, but due to insufficient strength and foundation, he had to give up that ambition. Now, Luo Jin was offering the position to Yang Mingcheng on his own initiative, a sign of respect for Yang Zhenshan and acknowledgement of the Yang Family¡¯s rising potential. After reading the letter, Yang Zhenshan pondered for a while and then began to write a response. Regarding Yang Mingcheng taking the position of Inspector, Yang Zhenshan felt it was better to decline. He had his own plans for Yang Mingcheng. Yang Mingcheng was his eldest son, and in this feudal society, the firstborn son had inherent advantages and significance. Despite Yang Mingcheng¡¯s overly honest character, Yang Zhenshan still valued this eldest son greatly. Therefore, he would not let Yang Mingcheng stay in Anning County indefinitely; once his own situation improved, he certainly planned to bring Yang Mingcheng over. As for the Inspector position, since Luo Jin was inclined to offer it, Yang Zhenshan would naturally not refuse. He had Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s eldest son, Yang Minghui, in mind for the role. Yang Minghui was already a Martial Artist and qualified for the Inspector position. Plus, Yang Zhengxiang was getting on in years, and the Yang Family needed a young Clan Leader for the future¡ªYang Minghui was undeniably the best choice. Beyond these matters, Yang Zhenshan also detailed the situation in Chongshan Town and beyond the pass, especially regarding the drought. Anning County had been affected by the drought, with this year¡¯s rainfall being less than usual, albeit not severely so. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s main intention was for the Yang Family to save this year¡¯s harvested grains for future needs or to possibly make some profit. Chongshan Town was impacted by the drought, leading to reduced yields in the fields; the price of grain was sure to rise after the spring of the following year. He was not aiming to make a large profit out of this situation, merely to increase the income of the Yang Family members. If he had wanted to enrich himself, he could have simply bought up some grain. Such unscrupulous actions were beyond what he could bring himself to do. ¡°Pass this letter to the Lu family¡¯s caravan and have them bring it back!¡± After writing the letter, Yang Zhenshan sealed it and handed it to Yang Minghao. Once Yang Minghao had left, Yang Zhenshan got up and returned to his bedroom, sinking his mind into the Spiritual Spring Space. At this moment, the vegetables in the Spiritual Spring Space had grown, and Yang Zhenshan wondered how to deal with these vegetables. Bring them out? It didn¡¯t seem like a good idea. He couldn¡¯t find an appropriate reason. Pulling them all out wouldn¡¯t be too good either, it would be too wasteful. He had already prepared the medicinal herb seeds, and up next, he needed to plant herbs, so the vegetables definitely couldn¡¯t stay. The medicinal herb seeds he prepared came in many varieties, each in small quantities, but the diversity was a strength. To collect these medicinal herb seeds, he had spent quite a lot of effort. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just the seeds; he also collected some books on cultivating medicinal herbs. For his first cultivation of medicinal herbs, his goal wasn¡¯t to make money, but to reserve seeds. As the Spiritual Spring Space would continue to expand, with more and more land available for cultivation, he couldn¡¯t always be collecting seeds from the outside world; self-sufficiency was the best way. Looking at the lush expanse of vegetables, Yang Zhenshan pondered for a moment before starting to harvest them. After spending half an hour, he finally cleared all the vegetables, then hitched a cart to an ox and set off from Linguan Castle alone. The fresh vegetables definitely shouldn¡¯t go to waste, especially since many were irrigated with Spiritual Spring Water ¨C he simply couldn¡¯t bear to waste them. After wandering outside Linguan Castle for two hours, Yang Zhenshan put all the vegetables on the ox cart, and then pulled them all back to Linguan Castle. He would consider these vegetables as his purchase. As for how to explain it. ¡°Dad, why did you buy so many vegetables?¡± Yang Mingzhi, seeing him pulling a cart of vegetables back, asked curiously. ¡°Picked them up along the road!¡± Explain my ass. I¡¯m your dad, do I need to explain to you? As for others, at most they would just find it strange, could they come and question him about it? Yang Mingzhi blinked, looking at Yang Zhenshan, he always felt his old man had secrets, but since dad wouldn¡¯t say, he didn¡¯t dare to ask more. ¡°Hand these vegetables to the kitchen and we¡¯ll eat them gradually!¡± Yang Zhenshan handed the ox cart to Yang Mingzhi and swaggered back to his study. In the Yang family, he was the head of the household; in Linguan Castle, he was the boss. Why should he explain himself to anyone? Besides, he would only do this once, and would not engage in such activities again. Even if someone found it strange, they would forget about it in a few days. The vegetables harvested from the Spiritual Spring Space were truly delicious, even those not irrigated with Spiritual Spring Water were somewhat tastier than ordinary vegetables. At noon, Yang Mingwu and the others were especially enthusiastic about their meal, each eating two more bowls of rice than usual. ... Another two days passed, and rumors within the pass city intensified. And at this critical juncture, people from the Capital City arrived. It wasn¡¯t just a few people, nor several dozen or a hundred, but a force of five thousand elite cavalry. A full five thousand elite cavalry, all clad in Iron Armor, even more elite than the Cavalry from the Left Camp. When the five thousand elite cavalry appeared at the foot of Chongshan Pass City, the entire city fell silent. Yang Zhenshan didn¡¯t know who the visitors were, but from the looks of it, Chongshan Town was surely on the brink of momentous change. Just as he expected, in the following days, the officialdom of the pass city was shaken up in quick succession. First, governor Sun Xincheng was removed from his post, toppled for charges of corruption and dereliction of duty. Speaking of which, Sun Xincheng had been as good as invisible in Chongshan Town; in theory, he was the highest official of the town, yet he always kept a low profile and was often overlooked. However, this time he was indeed the first high-ranking official to be dismissed, which indicated that he had done much in the shadows. The second one dealt with was Zhang Shouwang, but instead of being dismissed, he was transferred back to the Capital City. The third one dealt with was Zhang Yude, also transferred back to the Capital City. As for the specifics, Yang Zhenshan was not clear about them; after all, even if he wanted to know, he had no way of finding out. Chapter 77 - 77 76 Promotion ?Chapter 77: Chapter 76: Promotion Chapter 77: Chapter 76: Promotion Within a few days, the entire Chongshan Town had changed drastically. The new governor, Lu Chongde, also holds the title of Vice Minister of War, and the new General is Marquis Changping, Liang Chu. It is said the new garrison eunuch is a young one, known as Mr. Lv. The 5,000 elite cavalry brought by Marquis Changping, Liang Chu, come from the Yunlong Dragon Guard in the northwest of Da Rong, truly seasoned warriors. ¡°One has to admit, the court does have some boldness!¡± In the study of Linguan Castle, Yang Zhenshan listened to Yang Mingzhi¡¯s recount and could not help but exclaim. All this information was gathered by Yang Mingzhi, who frequently visited the garrison city to collect news during this time. He liked to make friends from all walks of life, such as government officials, stewards of estates, soldiers guarding city gates, and more. Don¡¯t underestimate these seemingly insignificant characters; their information is usually very accurate. ¡°Dad, does this affect us?¡± Yang Mingzhi asked with some concern. Yang Zhenshan smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. What are we, for someone to pay us heed?¡± It¡¯s not that he underestimated himself, but with his status and position, no one would take notice. Not just him, even Zhao Yuan wouldn¡¯t be considered significant. Of course, when the upper echelons tremble, the lower levels feel it too, but since he¡¯s in the Left Camp with Zhou Lan overseeing, these lowly followers naturally could live peacefully. ¡°By the way, how is Luo Shang?¡± He suddenly remembered Luo Shang. Zhang Yude had already returned to the capital, and the Zhang family at Chongshan Pass should be falling from power. Although Zhang Yude was not charged, the fall of the Zhang family was inevitable. Zhang Yude was not charged because he is a servant of the Emperor; even if punishments were to be meted, they should come from the Emperor, the court can¡¯t adjudicate him. As for the Zhang family, once the wall falls, everyone pushes; just watch, it won¡¯t be long before the Zhang family disappears from Chongshan Pass. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him; he seems to have gone to the garrison office!¡± Yang Mingzhi said. Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly; Luo Shang¡¯s son was imprisoned in the garrison office jail, he must have gone to salvage. ¡°This afternoon, see if there¡¯s anywhere you can lend a hand, since the Zhang family has already collapsed, we don¡¯t need to hide anymore!¡± Previously, he worried about the Zhang family¡¯s influence, so he dared not openly help Luo Shang, but now that the Zhang family was just a spent force, he no longer had reservations. But just as he finished speaking, Old Li came in. ¡°Sir, Shopkeeper Luo seeks an audience!¡± Yang Zhenshan raised his brows; he was fast? It seems the fall of the Zhang family was faster than he expected. ¡°Please let him in!¡± Moments later, Luo Shang, accompanied by a sixteen or seventeen-year-old young man, entered the study. ¡°This humble one thanks the great sir for the life-saving grace!¡± Just as he entered the study, Luo Shang knelt down with a thump. Yang Zhenshan stepped forward to help him up, ¡°Alright, I didn¡¯t save you!¡± ¡°Sir!¡± Luo Shang¡¯s eyes slightly red, ¡°Not only did you save me, but you also saved my entire family!¡± He was genuinely grateful to Yang Zhenshan. If it hadn¡¯t been for Yang Zhenshan¡¯s advice, his entire family might have been driven to death by the Zhang family. Those rumors were started by him, and precisely because of those rumors, the Zhang family was restrained. The crucial point was those few days the Zhang family held back; otherwise, they couldn¡¯t have lasted until the Zhang family¡¯s downfall. As for why the Zhang family fell, it actually had nothing to do with the rumors. Before they spread the rumors, Zhang Yude¡¯s fate had already been sealed. ¡°It¡¯s all past now!¡± Yang Zhenshan patted his shoulder, looking at the young man by his side, ¡°Is this your son?¡± ¡°Young Luo Zhen thanks the great sir for saving his life!¡± Luo Zhen said respectfully. Having suffered a significant loss, Luo Zhen was no longer as reckless as before. He now knew the magnitude of his mistake. Yang Zhenshan, with a gentle smile, said, ¡°In the future, do not act recklessly. Think carefully before doing anything and consider your family!¡± ¡°The young one is taught!¡± Luo Zhen lowered his head, ashamed. ¡°Sir, this is a humble token of my gratitude!¡± Luo Shang took out a list of gifts. Yang Zhenshan received the list and glanced at it casually, his smile widening. The token of gratitude was substantial, including precious medicinal herbs and costly fabrics, likely worth over a hundred Silver. However, it did not include Luo family¡¯s textile shop. It was precisely because he did not have it, that Yang Zhenshan was pleased. This represented that Luo Shang just wanted to express her gratitude, rather than using it to repay Yang Zhenshan for saving her life. If the favor remained unreturned, it meant that Luo Shang still owed him that favor. Without the cloth shop, a gift of thanks was just a gift of thanks, and the favor remained a favor. If there had been a cloth shop, it would have meant that the favor was repaid. ¡°Then I shall not refuse!¡± Yang Zhenshan accepted the gift of thanks. ¡°If in the future you have any orders, I will not hesitate!¡± Luo Shang also showed a smile on her face. At noon, Yang Zhenshan invited Luo Shang for a meal, deepening the bond between them a bit more. In the following days, the upper echelons of Chongshan Town acted continuously. The new officials ignited three fires upon taking office, and with three heavyweights of Chongshan Town assuming their positions together, the fires naturally burned even brighter. The first fire involved discussing merits and giving rewards. Although the battle at Fushan City ended in a desperate defeat, in this battle many soldiers made notable achievements. Such as Zhou Lan, such as Yang Zhenshan. On the third of August, several months later, Zhou Lan once again visited Linguan Castle. Different from the last time when Yang Zhenshan went to meet her, the gloom in her eyes had dissipated, replaced by her usual heroic and vigorous spirit. ¡°Do you have good news, General?¡± In the study, Yang Zhenshan saw smiles in Zhou Lan¡¯s eyes and couldn¡¯t help but ask. Zhou Lan held her tea and took a light sip, saying, ¡°It¡¯s not exactly good news, but it¡¯s not bad news either!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Yang Zhenshan poured tea for her and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I have been transferred, appointed as the Jianning Guard General!¡± Zhou Lan said with a smile in her eyes. Yang Zhenshan was startled. Assistant General! Jianning Guard! Jianning Guard, located over a hundred ¡®li¡¯ west of Jianzhou City. Promoted from Guerrilla General to Assistant General was indeed a promotion, but it also meant that Zhou Lan would leave the Left Camp. The Five Camps were under the direct lineage of the General; previously, when Zhang Shouwang was General, Zhou Lan was considered one of his confidants. Now, with Marquis Changping Liang Chu taking over as General, it was natural for Zhou Lan not to continue in the Five Camps. Such an arrangement was reasonable. Zhou Lan came from Duke Ning Mansion, and Liang Chu was a noble. Although he couldn¡¯t regard Zhou Lan as a confidant, he should still assign a suitable position for her. ¡°What about Linguan Castle then?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked, frowning. If the big leg was running, what should he do? Stay in the Left Camp? Don¡¯t joke, without Zhou Lan¡¯s recruitment, what could he achieve in the Left Camp? It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t do anything, but now he wasn¡¯t favored by Liang Chu. Zhou Lan pursed her lips and smiled, ¡°What are your plans?¡± Yang Zhenshan stroked his beard and said, ¡°I would like to follow the General to Jianning Guard!¡± He must cling tightly to his support, he could not let it run away! Zhou Lan seemed to be very satisfied with his reply, and then she took out a document from her sleeve and handed it to Yang Zhenshan. ¡°This is for you!¡± Yang Zhenshan opened the document, and after reading it, was completely stunned. ¡°Defense Officer of Yinghe Castle!¡± He had also been promoted. Appointed as ¡®households¡¯ under Jianning Guard, serving as the Defense Officer of Yinghe Castle, overseeing Yinghe Castle, Sanshan Castle, Xiangyuan Fortress, and also Linguan Castle! Yes, Yinghe Castle belonged to Jianning Guard. He just needed to include Linguan Castle in the jurisdiction of Yinghe Castle, and then Linguan Castle would also belong to Jianning Guard. Suddenly, Yang Zhenshan felt it was very amusing. Previously, Zhou Lan had taken down the placard of Linguan Castle, and now Zhou Lan was about to hang it up again. Now, Linguan Castle was no longer a military camp of the Left Camp but belonged to the garrison of Jianning Guard. Chapter 78 - 78 I believe you will do well in 77 ?Chapter 78: I believe you will do well in Chapter 77 Chapter 78: I believe you will do well in Chapter 77 ¡°The defense officer at Yinghe Castle is Zhang Zhongxiang, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve relieved him of his duties!¡± Zhou Lan said nonchalantly. Authority! Yang Zhenshan silently gave Zhou Lan a thumbs up. ¡°I will take up my post at Jianning Guard tomorrow, and in two or three days, I¡¯ll send you your official uniform and seal. Then, you can take up your post at Yinghe Castle!¡± ¡°By the way, let me borrow some of your young fellows!¡± Zhou Lan said. Yang Zhenshan blinked, borrow young fellows! General, young fellows really can¡¯t be borrowed! ¡°What does the General need them for?¡± Zhou Lan noticed the strange look in his eyes and said irritably, ¡°What else? To train soldiers!¡± ¡°They are all soldiers you have trained, so they should have learned some skills from you! I want to use them to train the troops at Jianning Guard!¡± Originally, she valued Yang Zhenshan because he could train soldiers. And Yang Zhenshan did not let her down, turning a group of refugees into a fierce and combat-ready force in just over two months. In fact, she would rather have Yang Zhenshan train the soldiers at Jianning Guard, but that was not realistic. Jianning Guard is not the same as Left Camp; the soldiers at Jianning Guard are spread out among various garrisons, responsible for defending the fortresses and staying on alert, and cannot be gathered in one place for training. Since Yang Zhenshan was about to become the defense officer of Yinghe Castle, he naturally needed to train the soldiers at Yinghe Castle, Sanshan Castle, and Xiangyuan Fortress, so she could only borrow personnel from Yang Zhenshan to train soldiers at other garrisons. ¡°Their official positions!¡± Yang Zhenshan wanted to strive for positions for Yang Mingwu and Yang Mingzhi. ¡°The official positions in Yinghe Castle are for you to arrange. I¡¯m only borrowing people; it¡¯s not like I won¡¯t return them to you!¡± Zhou Lan said. She had already decided to leave Yinghe Castle, Sanshan Castle, Xiangyuan Fortress, and Linguan Castle entirely to Yang Zhenshan to manage. As for other positions, she had her own people to place, and naturally could not let Yang Zhenshan occupy too many official positions. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll arrange for some people to go with the General right away!¡± Yang Zhenshan was naturally pleased with Zhou Lan¡¯s arrangement. There were no small number of official positions at Yinghe Castle, including two Deputy Thousand Households, two Zhenfu, and ten Hundred Households, enough to arrange positions for Yang Mingwu and others. As for the original officials at Yinghe Castle, it depended on whether they knew their place or not. If they did, they could stay; if not, they would all be handed over to Zhou Lan. He believed Zhou Lan would be willing to get rid of a batch of useless people. No, Zhou Lan must have already gotten rid of some useless ones, otherwise, he would not have been able to become the defense officer of Yinghe Castle. Afterward, Yang Zhenshan pondered who he should send to help Zhou Lan. He could choose between Yang Mingzhi and Yang Mingwu. After thinking it over, he decided to send Yang Mingzhi. It wasn¡¯t because he was looking after his own son, but because Yang Mingwu¡¯s nature was too straightforward, which was not suitable to be around Zhou Lan. By contrast, Yang Mingzhi was clever enough, and if he encountered trouble, he would not be at too much of a disadvantage. For the others, he would choose the five who were older. It is said, ¡°Without hair on the lip, the work is not solid¡±; to be an instructor, naturally, it would be better to appear more mature. After seeing off Zhou Lan, a burst of jubilant cheers immediately rang out in the government office. ¡°Dad, promotion!¡± ¡°Ha ha, my Lord is mighty!¡± ¡°Congratulations, my Lord, felicitations!¡± In the courtyard of the government office, Yang Minghao, Yang Mingwu, Yang Chengze, Yang Chengxu, Old Li and others were all beaming with joy and spirit. With Yang Zhenshan¡¯s promotion, they naturally would rise with the tide. Especially the descendants of the Yang Family, they followed Yang Zhenshan to Chongshan Pass precisely to make a name for themselves. Not to mention them, even Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of eagerness in his heart. Promotion! He was still a Standard Fifth Rank defense officer. Although it wasn¡¯t a meteoric rise, it was certainly stepping onto the stage. Previously, he was only a Trial Hundred Households, serving as a deputy leader within Left Camp, at most considered a minor player; but now, he had become a major player, or perhaps one might call him a junior leader. After the excitement passed, Yang Zhenshan quickly composed himself and said, ¡°Chengze, after I take up my post at Yinghe Castle, you will be the garrison commander at Linguan Castle. Take some time these next few days to get acquainted with the affairs there so that you won¡¯t be flustered when the time comes!¡± Yang Chengze was momentarily stunned, unsure as he said, ¡°My lord, am I capable?¡± Previously, he was but a small flag, commanding only ten soldiers. Now, Yang Zhenshan was assigning him as garrison commander, and he felt somewhat lacking in confidence. ¡°I believe you will do well!¡± Yang Zhenshan said with a smile. Yang Chengze was only sixteen this year, still a youth, but Yang Zhenshan believed he was capable of being a good garrison commander. This was because Yang Chengze was mature beyond his years, perhaps due to Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s high expectations of him, as after all, he was Yang Zhengxiang¡¯s eldest grandson. Previously, Yang Zhengxiang thought his son was of no significant use and pinned all his hopes on his grandson. Expectations and pressures coexisted, which made Yang Chengze¡¯s demeanor much more composed than his peers. ¡°My lord, I will definitely do well!¡± Encouraged by Yang Zhenshan, Yang Chengze couldn¡¯t help expressing his gratitude with emotion. Yang Zhenshan patted his shoulder and then turned to Old Li saying, ¡°You stay at Linguan Castle for now to help Chengze; after some time, you can move to Yinghe Castle!¡± Old Li wasn¡¯t a soldier from Linguan Castle, but Yang Zhenshan still chose to keep Old Li by his side because he felt Old Li was very suitable for the role of a steward. With Old Li present, he could be much more at ease. ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Old Li chuckled so happily his eyes disappeared. Yang Zhenshan then looked at Yang Mingwu, ¡°Ming Wu will be the Deputy Thousand Households at Yinghe Castle, and Ming Zhi will take the role of fortress administrator at Yinghe Castle; as for the others, we¡¯ll make arrangements when we get to Yinghe Castle.¡± One deputy leader, one fortress administrator¡ªthese two positions he had to keep in his own hands. The reason for appointing Yang Mingwu as Deputy Thousand Households was because Yang Mingwu had greater capabilities than Yang Mingzhi. Moreover, he did not want to overly favor Yang Mingzhi by letting Yang Mingwu rank above him, also aiming to put some pressure on Yang Mingzhi so as not to let him think that with his father around, he could lead a carefree life. After arranging the affairs of Linguan Castle, Yang Zhenshan¡¯s thoughts drifted towards Yinghe Castle. Yinghe Castle was different from Linguan Castle; Linguan Castle was a rebuilt garrison and not actually a fully-fledged garrison. Chongshan Town¡¯s border defense line consisted of a signal tower every five li, a Fire Road Pile every ten li, a castle every thirty li, a city every hundred li; each garrison was in charge of several Fire Road Piles and signal towers. Strictly speaking, as a defense officer, Yang Zhenshan should have ten Hundred Households under his command, but in reality, due to the neglect of many garrisons in Chongshan Town, Yinghe Castle only had jurisdiction over three Hundred Households, amounting to no more than five hundred soldiers. Furthermore, a castle every thirty li didn¡¯t mean there was a garrison precisely every thirty li; the garrisons weren¡¯t arranged in a straight line, but rather built according to the strategic importance of each location. For example, Sanshan Castle was situated southwest of Yinghe Castle, less than twenty li away, whereas Xiangyuan Fortress was located southeast of Yinghe Castle at a greater distance. There were also signal towers and Fire Road Piles between the garrisons, and each garrison was responsible for a varying number of them, generally between three to five. Each signal tower and Fire Road Pile was manned by five to ten guards, who were responsible for both farming and alert guard duties. Within each signal tower and Fire Road Pile, there also lived the families of the guards. Taking office as the defense officer of Yinghe Castle essentially meant being in charge of the garrison piles and platforms within thirty li around Yinghe Castle. He had command of over four hundred soldiers and households of military families, totaling approximately two to three thousand people. If he could fully staff all the garrison soldiers, the number could reach more than one thousand one hundred soldiers, a population of over five thousand. This also meant he had to provide for these people, ensure they had a good life, and keep them united with him. Yang Zhenshan had some idea of the military households¡¯ living conditions within the garrisons. Nowhere near as well-off as the agricultural households. Thus, one of his first tasks after taking office was poverty alleviation. Fortunately, he had some grain at hand now, so he didn¡¯t need to worry about food and fodder in the short term. The immediate concern, however, was the drought problem. He wondered whether those garrisons had wells; if not, that would be troublesome. With these thoughts in mind, Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t wait to take up his post at Yinghe Castle. Sadly, his official seal and robes had yet to arrive, preventing him from assuming his duties. Chapter 79 - 79 78 Taking Office ?Chapter 79: Chapter 78 Taking Office Chapter 79: Chapter 78 Taking Office Time slowly passed in Yang Zhenshan¡¯s urgency, and three days later, Zhou Lan sent someone over with the official robe and seal. August 7th. Yang Zhenshan, accompanied by Yang Mingwu, Yang Chengxu, Yang Minghao, and fifty soldiers, left Linguan Castle. The soldiers of Linguan Castle were all trained by him, providing a solid foundation for his own authority. With over fifty people, Yang Zhenshan and others mounted on warhorses, the soldiers fully armed, escorting the grain carts, marched out of Linguan Castle in a mighty procession. The military households within Linguan Castle came out to send them off one after another, watching Yang Zhenshan leave with admiring and joyful eyes. Yinghe Castle was located by the banks of the Ying River, which was much wider than the nameless small river at the foot of Linguan Castle, although it was now so dry that only a few small puddles remained. The entire Yinghe Castle was also much larger than Linguan Castle, stretching over four hundred meters from east to west and two hundred meters from north to south, with walls about ten meters high, fortified with bluestone. As the residence of a defense officer, the scale of Yinghe Castle far surpassed other garrisons, and its sturdiness exceeded that of others as well. When Yang Zhenshan arrived at the east gate of Yinghe Castle with his troops, officials who had come to welcome him had already filled the front of the gate. Among them were a few who had met Yang Zhenshan briefly before. Deputy Thousand Households Xu Zhen, registrar Qian Wanshu, and others had all visited Linguan Castle before. At this moment, Xu Zhen¡¯s face was ashen as he watched Yang Zhenshan approach on horseback, and the reason his face was so ugly was that Yang Zhenshan had taken his position. Originally, when he heard that Zhang Zhongxiang was to be dismissed, he thought he could take over the position of the defense officer of Yinghe Castle. For this reason, he had gone out of his way to Jianning Guard and spent a great deal of Silver, only to return to Yinghe Castle and receive the news that Yang Zhenshan was to be the new defense officer. In his eyes, this was simply a usurpation of his official position. Actually, he misunderstood. Zhou Lan dismissed Zhang Zhongxiang to make room for Yang Zhenshan. Xu Zhen believed he could secure the position of the defense officer, but little did he know that all his efforts were in vain. Of course, he was unaware of this; he only knew that Yang Zhenshan had snatched his official position, so it was odd for him to show a pleasant face. Xu Zhen remained silent with a grim expression, the others also kept silent, not knowing what to say, all stood at the front of the gate, silently watching Yang Zhenshan approach. ¡°Greetings, Lord Thousand Households!¡± Everyone knelt and greeted in unison. Yang Zhenshan scanned the crowd and nodded slightly, ¡°Gentlemen, please rise.¡± Currently under his command as the defense officer was one Deputy Thousand Households, one Fort Commander, four Hundred Households, and two Trial Hundred Households, clearly insufficient for the officials that a thousand households should have. However, considering he had only a little over four hundred soldiers under his command as the defense officer, it became clear why there were so few officials. Although Xu Zhen felt bitter inside, he now had to compose himself, stepped forward and said: ¡°The government office has been cleaned up, the Lord please!¡± Although he looked down on Yang Zhenshan the country bumpkin in his heart, he couldn¡¯t show it too openly. Indeed, in his eyes, Yang Zhenshan was nothing but a country bumpkin. They had already inquired about Yang Zhenshan and knew that he used to be a farmer. Although Yang Zhenshan joined the border army twenty years ago, at that time he was merely a common soldier. Yang Zhenshan glanced at him; all the dissatisfaction was written on his face, and how could Yang Zhenshan fail to see it. Of course, he wasn¡¯t bothered by Xu Zhen¡¯s discontent. Before coming here, he had not intended to speak kindly to these officials who were only warming their chairs. Chongshan Town had neglected military affairs, mostly due to the inaction from the higher-ups, but the neglect of military affairs in Yinghe Castle was the responsibility of the officials present here. The previous defense officer, Zhang Zhongxiang, bore the main responsibility, but Deputy Thousand Households Xu Zhen was also inescapably culpable. As far as he knew, this Deputy Thousand Households had committed numerous misdeeds in Yinghe Castle, enslaving military households, misusing public property for personal gain, claiming salaries for non-existent personnel, and so forth, all with Xu Zhen¡¯s participation. Especially the claiming of salaries for non-existent personnel, all the officials in Yinghe Castle were implicated. One must realize that within the Governor¡¯s Office, Yinghe Castle was supposed to have over eight hundred soldiers, but in reality, there were only a little over four hundred. This means that four hundred soldiers were like invisible men, and their provisions and wages all went into the pockets of those officials. Yang Zhenshan did not pay any attention to Xu Zhen at all, but turned around and said to Yang Mingwu behind him: ¡°Ming Wu!¡± ¡°Your subordinate is here!¡± Yang Mingwu immediately responded with a clasped fist. ¡°Go!¡± Yang Zhenshan said indifferently. Subsequently, Yang Mingwu led two soldiers carrying small flags into Yinghe Castle. The layout of Yinghe Castle was similar to that of Linguan Castle; the government office was located in the center, with the residences of military households behind the government buildings, and a spacious training ground in front of the government office. However, unlike Linguan Castle, the government office of Yinghe Castle was much more refined. The entire government office was constructed of blue bricks, and there were two crossed courtyards behind it, east and west, with more than thirty rooms, which were even more spacious than the residence Yang Zhenshan had in the fortified city. This was obviously built by Zhang Zhongxiang, or rather, it could have been built by the defense officer before the last. Regardless of who built it, now it was all to Yang Zhenshan¡¯s benefit. Yang Mingwu did not care about the expressions on the other officials¡¯ faces at all and led the soldiers directly into the government office, immediately taking control of the key facilities such as the study, accounting room, warehouse, and grain store. A new official is expected to kindle three fires upon taking office, but Yang Zhenshan indicated that he did not need three fires; one was enough for him. First to burn all these parasites to death. Seeing Yang Zhenshan¡¯s actions, the complexions of all the officials changed. What did this mean? Was it a show of power to intimidate upon arrival? Or was it a signal of an impending shake-up? They did not know what Yang Zhenshan was thinking. In their eyes, whoever became the defense officer was the same; it was just a matter of changing who to pay respects to. Inside the castle, quite a few soldiers and military households were stealthily watching Yang Zhenshan and his entourage enter. Their gazes were very complex, with expectations, disgust, and numbness. Yang Zhenshan walked into the government office with a straight face, but he did observe those military households. Their sallow complexions and ragged clothes showed that their lives were not easy. Their numb or disgusted expressions indicated their dissatisfaction and even hostility towards the officials. With this condition, hoping to win a war was pure fantasy. Yang Zhenshan did not go to the study or council hall first but to the accounting room instead. ¡°Check it!¡± He said indifferently, and Yang Chengxu and several others immediately took out the ledgers and started reviewing. Every government office has its own ledgers, which record the inflow and outflow of silver and grain. Of course, there were bound to be falsified entries. But false accounts have flaws and cannot withstand scrutiny. In the past, everyone held the mindset of mutual benefit, and even when audits were conducted from above, a little gratification was sufficient to get through. Thus, the accounts of Yinghe Castle were not very meticulously made. Yang Chengxu and a few others took one look through them, and without the need for Yang Zhenshan to act personally, they spotted many issues. Chapter 80 - 80 79 Do you dare to lay a hand on me an ?Chapter 80: Chapter 79: Do you dare to lay a hand on me, an official? Are you looking down on me? Chapter 80: Chapter 79: Do you dare to lay a hand on me, an official? Are you looking down on me? In the accounting room, Yang Zhenshan sat decisively at the desk, while Xu Zhen and others outside exchanged puzzled looks. ¡°Lord, there was a shortage of thirty bushels of grain last month!¡± ¡°Lord, there was an issue with the disbursement of silver coin in May, they actually purchased thirty bolts of silk!¡± ¡°Lord, there are twenty fewer tendons bows in the storeroom!¡± As Yang Chengxu and a few others audited the accounts, one problem after another was laid before Yang Zhenshan, causing the officials waiting outside to break into a cold sweat on their foreheads. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°Tendon bows?¡± ¡°Yes, in March of this year, a hundred tendon bows entered the warehouse, but now only eighty remain with no records of them being checked out!¡± Yang Chengxu said. The outflow of military equipment was a serious matter. If found out, it could lead to losing one¡¯s head. Yang Zhenshan glanced at Xu Zhen and the others outside, nodding nonchalantly. Xu Zhen couldn¡¯t sit still any longer, ¡°Lord Thousand Households, may I have a moment to speak with you?¡± ¡°What is there to speak about? Just say it here!¡± Yang Zhenshan looked at him with a smirk. ¡°This~~¡± Xu Zhen hesitated for a while before finally gritting his teeth and moving closer to Yang Zhenshan, whispering, ¡°Lord, this was Mr. Zhang¡¯s doing.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t participate?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked. ¡°No, definitely not!¡± Xu Zhen¡¯s head shook like a bobblehead. Yang Zhenshan couldn¡¯t be bothered with him, waiting quietly for Yang Chengxu and the others to continue the audit. About two hours passed, and Yang Chengxu and the rest finally finished auditing the accounts. There were numerous issues, and many of them were quite severe. If all were exposed, they would be enough to sever the heads of the corrupt officials before him. ¡°Do you have anything to explain?¡± Yang Zhenshan asked indifferently. Xu Zhen and the others all remained silent, as if they had all turned mute. ¡°Since there are no explanations, I shall take it that you have acknowledged your guilt!¡± Yang Zhenshan continued. Xu Zhen suddenly looked up, his eyes full of disbelief. Acknowledge guilt? Why acknowledge guilt? Isn¡¯t this a common matter? What guilt is there? He didn¡¯t think he was guilty because this was the way they all did it. Perhaps in his eyes, these matters were very normal. Instead, it was Yang Zhenshan¡¯s insistence on using these issues to make them acknowledge guilt that seemed abnormal. ¡°Does the lord wish for our lives?¡± Xu Zhen finally came to his senses. Yang Zhenshan shook his head slightly, ¡°It is not I who wants your lives, but it is you who have breached national and military laws!¡± He was not someone who liked to stir up trouble; if there were useful officials, he wouldn¡¯t mind accepting them. But he could not tolerate a bunch of corrupt officials doing things under his watch. There was much he needed to do later, and he couldn¡¯t afford to have corrupt officials dragging him down. So, adhering to the principle of preferring a shortage to an abundance of such people, he intended to cleanse the ranks of all the corrupt officials first. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of offending the masses, my lord?¡± Xu Zhen, annoyed, glared with murderous intent. ¡°The masses? Are you the masses, or are those poor soldiers out there the masses?¡± ¡°You ask me if I¡¯m afraid of opposing the masses. I¡¯d like to ask you, aren¡¯t you afraid of the soldiers under your command rebelling?¡± Yang Zhenshan laughed dismissively; the practice of officials protecting one another seemed the norm in Chongshan Town. If this had been in a fortress city, Yang Zhenshan would certainly not have been so rash as to expose these matters, but this was Yinghe Castle, where he was the commanding official, and his superior was an official of Yinghe Castle. This matter could be managed not only by him but by Zhou Lan as well. This is the importance of clinging to powerful legs. ¡°Take them!¡± Yang Zhenshan had already decided to hand these people over to Zhou Lan. ¡°Who dares!¡± At the brink of life and death, Xu Zhen couldn¡¯t help but go crazy. Before the surrounding soldiers could make their move, he actually took the initiative to attack Yang Zhenshan. The long fist swung, carrying a fierce wind, and struck straight at Yang Zhenshan¡¯s face. Yang Zhenshan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and he abruptly raised his hand, delivering a heavy slap across Xu Zhen¡¯s face. This slap was truly resounding to the extreme. It smacked with a noise like thunder, spreading far and wide, making everyone who was itching to move stiffen up. The next moment, Xu Zhen fell heavily to the ground like a torn sack. ¡°How dare you lay a hand on a court official, do you look down upon me?¡± Yang Zhenshan truly did not expect Xu Zhen to make a move, but upon further thought, Xu Zhen¡¯s action seemed understandable. The crimes they committed, if truly accounted for, would either be punishable by death or skinning. Under such circumstances, it would be better for them to escalate the situation and start a mutiny. If they could kill Yang Zhenshan first, they might have some room to maneuver. However, he seemed to have underestimated Yang Zhenshan¡¯s strength and overestimated his own. Xu Zhen was also a Postnatal Martial Artist; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to sit in the position of Deputy Thousand Households. But he was only at the Postnatal First Layer. Yang Zhenshan was also at the Postnatal First Layer, yet the gap between them was quite evident. ¡°Do you all want to make a move as well?¡± Yang Zhenshan looked at the officials beside him. They trembled all over, shrinking their heads like quails. Make a move? Don¡¯t be joking. A wise man knows better than to fight when the odds are against him. To make a move against Yang Zhenshan was no different from seeking death; they would rather be imprisoned and handed over to the Guardian Department. In that way, they might still find connections to seek absolution. Seeing them like that, Yang Zhenshan sneered, ¡°Lock them all up in the dungeon!¡± Yang Mingwu and the others, without a word, unceremoniously captured all the officials. Xu Zhen was slapped till he fainted by Yang Zhenshan, and Yang Mingwu dragged him away like dragging a dead dog. However, having taken down all the officials of Yinghe Castle at once, how to manage Yinghe Castle and the other garrisons remained a troublesome issue. After Yang Mingwu locked Xu Zhen and the others in the dungeon, Yang Zhenshan immediately ordered Yang Mingwu and Yang Chengxu to lead teams to Xiangyuan Fortress and Sanshan Castle. Today, to welcome Yang Zhenshan¡¯s appointment, the garrison commanders of Xiangyuan Fortress and Sanshan Castle had also arrived and were now jailed in the dungeon. Thus, taking over these two garrisons was unimpeded for Yang Mingwu and Yang Chengxu. In the following two days, while Yang Zhenshan was stabilizing his garrison and signal towers, he gained a comprehensive understanding of the situation of all garrisons and signal towers. As he had anticipated, residents of the three garrisons and over twenty Fire Road Piles and signal towers led a hard life. Especially under severe drought, the three garrisons managed well since they had deep wells, so drinking water was not an issue, but for those piles and signal towers, getting water was a problem. Therefore, the second thing Yang Zhenshan did after taking office was to arrange ox carts and mule carts to deliver water to every pile and signal tower. As for training soldiers, when drinking water was an issue for the troops, how could they possibly train? Not just Yang Zhenshan, but Zhou Lan was in the same situation. After following Zhou Lan to Jianning Guard, Yang Mingzhi and the others were not put into training but instead dug wells with the soldiers. At this time, Zhou Lan faced a more troubling situation than Yang Zhenshan; Yang Zhenshan only managed three garrisons, while Zhou Lan had to confront over a dozen garrisons and more than a hundred thousand military households. At this time, Zhou Lan could not afford to be concerned about Yang Zhenshan, and Yang Zhenshan also had no time to pay attention to the situation of Jianning Guard and Chongshan Pass.