Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

"Why can Xue'er visit though?" Yang Wanqing asked.

Yang Zhenshan stretched his hand and gently tousled her hair bun, smiling, "Although you call her sister, you must not really treat her as one. She might even be older than your mother!"

Yang Wanqing stared blankly at Yang Zhenshan, somewhat doubting whether he was talking nonsense.

"She is the Palace Master of Snow Spirit Palace! Her cultivation technique is quite special. Though she appears young, she is actually much older than you," Yang Zhenshan explained.

The first time he met Xue Qiaoer, he really thought she was a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, but now having met her again, he understood that Xue Qiaoer was not a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl at all.

Yang Zhenshan guessed that Xue Qiaoer might be in her twenties or thirties, and the possibility of her being any older was not very likely.

Even if the cultivation techniques of Snow Spirit Palace were special, they wouldn't make one eternally young.

"Moreover, her strength, she probably possesses a strength similar to your grandmother!" Yang Zhenshan added.

"That powerful?" Yang Wanqing gasped in disbelief, her mouth agape.

Her grandmother was Qingyi Yu, who possessed the cultivation of a Half-step Innate.

And Xue Qiaoer, who looked just like a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, also possessed the strength of a Half-step Innate, which she found unbelievable.

Yang Zhenshan chuckled, "You underestimate your sister Xue'er too much."

"Have you noticed those four maidservants by her side?"

Yang Wanqing shook her head.

"Those four maidservants, they all look like they are in their twenties, but each one of them has a cultivation of Postnatal Sixth Layer or higher!" explained Yang Zhenshan.

These were the obervations Yang Zhenshan had made over time.

That Granny Xue was unfathomable, and Xue Qiaoer, as well as the maidservants beside her, were all formidable martial artists.

The only one somewhat normal was Xue Zhongjin, who had a cultivation around the Postnatal Eighth Layer.

Yang Wanqing was still in shock, and Yang Zhenshan smiled, "That's why she can go to the Jinlong Dynasty and you cannot!"

"Although Grandpa could ask them to look after you, you would only become a burden to them, and that wouldn't be beneficial for you at all!"

"Oh!" Yang Wanqing responded, somewhat disheartened.

Yang Zhenshan thought for a moment, "Well then, after a while, your Aunt Yun Qiao will come to the Capital City, and you can go out and have fun with her then!"

Wang Yunqiao's visit to the Capital City was due to Wang Mingzhe's marriage affair. While Yang Zhenshan and Qingyi Yu could decide on this matter, Yang Zhenshan felt it was better to have Wang Yunqiao come to the Capital City to help make decisions.

"Go out and have fun with Aunt Yun Qiao?" Yang Wanqing first felt delight, then quickly realized something, "After Aunt Yun Qiao finishes her business, doesn't she plan to return to Chongshan Town?"

"Yes, you can go with her to Chongshan Town!" said Yang Zhenshan with a beaming smile.

Yang Wanqing deflated, "Oh, never mind then, I'd rather stay in the Capital City!"

"Ha ha ha~" Yang Zhenshan laughed, amused by her pouty expression.

Dissuading Yang Wanqing from wanting to travel, Yang Zhenshan resumed studying the elixir recipe for Jade Bone Ice Heart Pill.

This Jade Bone Ice Heart Pill was much more difficult to refine than the Bone Strengthening Pill.

And he had only one Ice Heart Fruit available, so he must be cautious.

...

Years drift by like flowing water, and the leaves fall in a flurry.

Though Yang Zhenshan was in the Capital City, he had already distanced himself from the power center of the court.

Whether it was the Cabinet Six Ministries or the Five Army Commandery, he really couldn't interfere.

Even though Emperor Yanping highly trusted him, it couldn't change this fact.

And Yang Zhenshan didn't feel disappointed or lost about this, as this was a deliberately maintained result.

Since he had let go of Chongshan Town, there was no need to burden himself further.

Already being an Innate Martial Artist, he had no need to involve himself in the court's strife for power.

Thus, Yang Zhenshan was contented and enjoyed this carefree life without burdens.

Cultivating, refining medicine, socializing, doting on his grandchildren, his life was leisurely but not dull.

The noisy household, bustling court, the worldly society where one finishes performing and another takes the stage, family affairs, state affairs, world affairs, everything reached his ears, but all were taken casually.

Time swiftly passed, and another three years went by.

In the fifth year of Yanping, late spring in April.

A pair of sparrows chirped on the writing desk, bits of willow flowers dropped into the inkstone basin. Casually sitting by the small window reading I Ching, unknowingly letting spring slip away.

At the Marquis Jing'an Mansion, inside the main court house.

Yang Zhenshan sat under the eaves, leisurely reading a letter.

Inside the hall, Qingyi Yu was embroidering a robe on the recliner, while Qingxia and Red Cloud, the two senior maidservants, assisted her by her side.

After finishing the letter, Yang Zhenshan gently exhaled.

"The debt owed by Chongshan Town has finally been paid off!"

Four years, a whole four years, Zhou Lan had finally settled all the debts he left behind in Chongshan Town.

Whether it was the debt notes issued by the General Mansion or the loans borrowed from Chongshan Bank, they were all finally cleared.

"It's good that they're cleared, so you stop worrying about it every day!" said Qingyi Yu as she continued embroidering the robe.

These three years, Yang Zhenshan seldom interfered with the matters of the court, other than the Martial Arts Pavilion, and he mostly just paid attention to the situation in Chongshan Town.

Yang Zhenshan stood up, put away the letter in his hands, and smiled, "Zhou Lan plans to appoint Luo Feiyu as an Assistant General for West Road Dinghu Guard, what do you think?"

Now Chongshan Town was no longer supervised by Six Assistant Generals but had expanded to eight.

They added an Assistant General for Northern Road Black Cloud Guard and an Assistant General for West Road Dinghu Guard.

The headquarters of West Road Dinghu Guard was situated in the western part of the Northern region near Chongshan Town, close to Wuliang Hu Clan's area.

Yang Zhenshan's plan back then was to gradually encroach on the living space of Wuliang Hu Clan, and now Zhou Lan was carrying out this plan.

She intended to use the Dinghu Guard like a nail, first hammering it into the vast grasslands, then slowly building garrisons to gradually encroach upon the grasslands of Wuliang Hu Clan.

"What objection could I have?" Zhou Lan questioned, lifting her head in confusion.

Though Luo Feiyu was her junior fellow disciple, he had been serving in the military as a general for years and was no longer the rash youth he had once been.

Yang Zhenshan sat on the arhat bed and said, "The Dinghu Guard is not a good place. Once the Dinghu Guard is established, it will become a thorn in the side of the Wuliang Hu Clan."

"I estimate it won't be long before the Wuliang Hu Clan launches a major attack on the Dinghu Guard!"

In the past three years, although the Wuliang Hu Clan has reduced their incursions into Beiyuan Town, it does not mean they have weakened.

The reduction in their incursions towards Beiyuan Town is because the Wuliang Hu Clan is undergoing a power transition internally.

Wu Tuo, the little prince, has successfully taken the throne of King Wuliang, and he has managed to streamline the internal forces of the Wuliang Hu Clan.

Moreover, with three years of good fortune and no disasters, the Wuliang Hu Clan is now considered to have regained its primordial strength, possibly even stronger than when they initially invaded Liaoxi.

Therefore, the situation at the Dinghu Guard next will be extremely dangerous, and any slight carelessness could even lead to the annihilation of the entire force.

The appointment of Luo Feiyu as the Assistant General of the West Road Dinghu Guard at this time is still very risky.

Yu Qingyi thought for a moment and then said, "I have no objections to this matter. Feiyu is under General Zhou's command, thus he is General Zhou's soldier and will be used as General Zhou wishes. For me and the Sky Blue Sword Sect, we have no right to interfere in military affairs!"

Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly, "Then I will reply to Zhou Lan and let her decide on her own!"

The Sky Blue Sword Sect has developed quite well over the years, with Luo Feiyu looking after things in the military and both Yang Zhenshan and Yu Qingyi's influences in the Martial Arts Department, the disciples of the Sky Blue Sword Sect still find it easy to seek positions or official posts.

"Um!" Yu Qingyi nodded, then bowed her head and resumed embroidering the clothes in her hands.

Yang Zhenshan went to the study, thought for a while, and then replied to Zhou Lan's letter.

He mainly wanted to remind Zhou Lan to be cautious of the sudden attacks from the Wuliang Hu Clan.

As for other matters, he has been away from Chongshan Town for four years and would rather not engage in undue interference.

"Marquis!"

Right when Yang Zhenshan finished the letter, Red Cloud entered the study.

"Um! What is it?" Yang Zhenshan asked casually while putting the letter into an envelope.

Red Cloud said, "Housekeeper Lu mentioned that Mr. Lin Zhan has arrived and is waiting in the front courtyard for the Marquis, apparently on urgent business."

Wu Hai retired at the end of last year, and now Housekeeper Lu Shou is the chief steward of the Marquis Jing'an Mansion.

"Lin Zhan, what urgent matter could he have?"

Yang Zhenshan was somewhat surprised, but still got up and headed to the front courtyard.

In the past three years, Lin Zhan has been serving as the principal officer in the Ministry of War, and although he has not been promoted, he has been doing quite well there.

Upon reaching the back hall of the front courtyard, Yang Zhenshan saw Lin Zhan sitting in the tea room.

"Disciple pays respects to Teacher!"

Yang Zhenshan entered the tea room and waved his hand, "Sit down, what happened?"

Lin Zhan hurriedly served tea to Yang Zhenshan, then said, "Half a month ago, Yu State in Jiangnan was attacked by pirates, the city was breached, more than ten thousand civilians were killed or injured, and even the Prefectural Government was burned down by the pirates!"

Yang Zhenshan frowned upon hearing this.

Da Rong's southeastern coast often suffers pirate attacks, but large-scale assaults are generally rare since those pirates come from the forces of the East South Sea Domain of Da Rong.

Da Rong still possesses a deterrence, and those forces from the East South Sea Domain wouldn't dare to provoke Da Rong lightly.

Therefore, the pirates who harass the coastal areas are mostly desperados; their numbers aren't very large and their strength isn't considered strong, merely capable of attacking coastal villages.

An assault like this on a state city hasn't occurred in Da Rong for a long time.

"What does this have to do with you?" Yang Zhenshan asked.

Lin Zhan said, "A disciple has just received a transfer order from the Ministry of Personnel, promoting me to the position of Prefect of Yu State!"

Yang Zhenshan asked with a furrowed brow, "Why are they sending you to Yu State?"

"Mr. Chen Tonghui recommended me. This morning in court, the Ministry of Personnel wanted to select an official skilled in military matters for Yu State, and Mr. Chen took the opportunity to recommend me!" Lin Zhan explained.

Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly. Yu State has just suffered from a pirate attack, and at this time, it indeed needs a Prefect skilled in military affairs to take charge.

And Lin Zhan is indeed a suitable candidate. A disciple of the distinguished Marquis Jing'an, who has served for several years in the Ministry of War - albeit without experience in ruling, he is nonetheless not short on military and administrative experience.

However, Yang Zhenshan still harbored some doubts.

The struggle on the court is now becoming more apparent, almost forming a scenario of two factions confronting each other.

Party conflicts!

Indeed, this is the current situation of the Da Rong Court.

The balance strategy of Emperor Yanping created the current scenario of party conflicts.

For such matters, Yang Zhenshan is reluctant to get involved, but it's hard to ensure that no one would scheme against him.

Although Yang Zhenshan has paid little attention to court politics over the years, this does not mean that the civil and military officials of the court would ignore him.

For many people, he, the Marquis Jing'an, still holds significant utilitarian value.

Of course, no one would come to court him because he is a noble, and nobles naturally don't see eye to eye with those civil servants.

Yang Zhenshan thought for a while and then said, "Since the matter was discussed at the morning court, it's too late for you not to go now!"

"It's not that the disciple doesn't want to go, just feeling uncertain!" Lin Zhan sighed softly.

Yang Zhenshan smiled, "What are you afraid of? Do what you think is right; if something happens, your teacher will support you!"

"As long as you remain loyal to His Majesty and responsible to the people, your teacher will ensure your peace of mind!"

He still has that confidence.

Lin Zhan felt much relieved upon hearing this.

"Disciple thanks the benevolent teacher!" Lin Zhan bowed.

Yang Zhenshan helped him up, "Alright, we teacher and disciple need not indulge in such formalities."

"When are you leaving?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow! The situation in Yu State is urgent, the Ministry of Personnel is urging, so the disciple must depart as soon as possible!"

"Let Ding Qiu pick a team of guards to accompany you!" Yang Zhenshan said.

Lin Zhan hesitated for a moment, "Isn't that inappropriate?"

"What's inappropriate? If I tell you to bring them, then bring them. With them, you'll have a few helpers in Yu State!" Yang Zhenshan said.

Lin Zhan also felt that he needed some helpers and therefore did not refuse again.

Yang Zhenshan then took out a wooden box from the cabinet behind him, opened the box, inside which were many small blue porcelain bottles.