Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 107: Chapter 104: Empty Fort Strategy

Just as Zhao Yuan had said, the Hu Clan’s army was in complete disarray.

Like the battle at Fushan City, where Chongshan Town’s army had previously fallen, defeat was like a collapsing mountain once it started, it became all-encompassing.

Even the notoriously fierce Northern barbarian cavalry could do nothing but get the hell out of dodge amidst the utter chaos of defeat.

However, compared to the previous defeat of Chongshan Town’s forces, the collapse of the Hu Clan’s army was relatively organized.

Yang Zhenshan only had a hundred cavalrymen, so naturally, it was impossible for them to charge into the heart of the battlefield and engage the enemy head-on. They roamed the periphery of the collapsing Hu forces, chasing down those who fell behind.

Although such actions did not earn them significant credit, every little bit counts. Even just a few heads were worth their full day’s effort.

Besides, what they got were not just a few heads but several hundred.

By the time it was fully light, each rider of Yang Zhenshan’s hundred cavalrymen had at least three heads hanging on their horses.

Yang Zhenshan looked at his spirited soldiers, and a deeper smile crept around his eyes.

He loved battles like this, akin to hunters encircling their prey. Not only were they relaxed and safe, but after more than two hours of pursuit, not a single man was lost to death in combat.

Of course, that was also because they only operated on the fringe.

Watching the enemy soldiers vanish into the distance, Yang Zhenshan shook his head with some regret, saying, “It’s a pity!”

“A pity about what?” Zhao Yuan grinned, revealing his grinning teeth.

He had personally taken ten heads, and his subordinates had also reaped a rich harvest. Among these hundred or so cavalrymen, sixty percent were his men, so they had captured at least two hundred heads minimum.

He really had not expected that a mere confirmation of military achievements would enable them to achieve such great feats.

With this military credit, his promotion to leading a thousand households was completely assured.

“It’s a pity we didn’t have more men!” laughed Yang Zhenshan.

Zhao Yuan didn’t feel any regret, as he was already quite satisfied with their haul.

“It’s about time to wrap this up. Let’s head back,” said Yang Zhenshan.

In this battle, they were not the main characters; the main of the action was with the Five Camps of Chongshan Pass.

Speaking of which, Yang Zhenshan was very curious about how Liang Chu achieved this.

The Five Camps were inside Chongshan Pass, how did he manage to slip past the Hu Clan’s camp and get the Five Camps out of the city?

This question did not bother Yang Zhenshan for long because the specific process of the battle began to spread throughout the city the next day.

Zhao Yuan was also curious, so he went to the city specifically. While he couldn’t enter due to strict prohibitions, he struck up a conversation with the Scout patrolling outside and thus learned of the affair.

Zhao Yuan knew, and naturally, Yang Zhenshan would know as well.

After listening to Zhao Yuan’s description, Yang Zhenshan couldn’t help but exclaim, “The Marquis really is a bold and scheming man!”

As it turned out, Liang Chu’s plan was quite simple. He had received news of the impending Hu Clan attack before they reached the city.

So, he had the Five Camps evacuated from the city ahead of time.

That’s right, for the past few days, Liang Chu had been performing an Empty Fort Strategy in Chongshan Pass.

There were less than ten thousand soldiers left inside Chongshan Pass; the real elite troops had been hiding in the eastern forests all along.

“I’ve long heard that our Marquis Changping commands troops like a deity, and only now do I know his reputation is well-deserved!” Zhao Yuan was also full of shock.

The Empty Fort Strategy is not an easy play.

Had the Hu Clan really attacked, it would have certainly revealed the stratagem.

The aspect Yang Zhenshan admired most about Liang Chu was not his daring to use the Empty Fort Strategy but that he actually waited for more than half a month—until the Hu Clan’s camp completely lowered their guard, until they believed that they wouldn’t make sortie attacks from the city.

For over half a month!

Every day must have been torturous, yet Liang Chu still managed to stay calm and steady.

For such courage and composure, Yang Zhenshan truly held immense admiration.

If it had been him, he doubted he would have had the patience of Liang Chu.

“Indeed, one must not underestimate the people of this world!”

Yang Zhenshan inwardly thought.

As a transmigrator, he had a natural sense of superiority, looking at everyone as if they were natives of the land.

Especially since he also possessed the Spiritual Spring Space, which made him feel like the eventual ruler of the world.

Fortunately, he was grounded enough not to let this superiority and pride turn into arrogance and ignorance.

Experiencing Liang Chu’s strategy firsthand allowed his temperament to grow even more steady and refined.

The more experiences one has, the more they can learn, and the more composed they become.

Although Yang Zhenshan was a transmigrator, he was only a young man of less than thirty in his previous life; most of his experiences were from the deluge of online information, and he had rarely personally faced hardship and life-and-death situations.

Compared to the people of this world, he might be more advanced in knowledge and thought, but when it comes to cunning and temperament, he could be far inferior to some exceptional individuals.

This was not self-deprecation, but simply being realistic.

Times make heroes, but only those who truly experience and witness the changing times have the foundation to become heroes.

Without walking the walk and seeing with your own eyes, how can one reach the summit?

Zhao Yuan stayed in Linguan Castle for two more days before leaving. After his departure, Yang Zhenshan dispersed all the cavalry in the garrison fort, and after confirming the complete collapse of the Hu Clan’s army, he returned to Yinghe Castle.

The defense of Linguan Castle left his soldiers suffering heavy casualties; this loss brought sorrow to all garrison forts within the jurisdiction of the defense officer.

But the dead have passed, and those living must continue to survive.

On the third day of the third lunar month, Yinghe Castle held a grand funeral.

Yang Zhenshan led all officials from the government office to personally attend the burial of the fallen soldiers.

The cemetery of Yinghe Castle was located on the hillside to the west of the garrison, with its back against the green mountains and facing the vast landscape of Da Rong, a place with excellent Feng Shui.

However, the cemetery was somewhat massive, spreading from one side of the mountain to the other.

Looking at the countless graves, Yang Zhenshan felt a heavy heart.

It is said that for one general’s success, thousands of bones lay dry, but how many soldiers were buried in this small garrison?

The funeral ended amidst sobs, and Yinghe Castle rejuvenated with new vitality amidst the sorrow.

With the main army of the Hu Clan defeated, the Five Camps inside Chongshan Pass could turn their attention to clearing out the Northern barbarian cavalry that had entered the region.

In just a short half a month, there were successive reports of victory within the city walls; the invading Northern barbarian cavalry were either being encircled or driven out of the borders.

After more than a year of conflict, the residents of Chongshan Town finally regained their long-lost peace.

In this war, the Hu Clan has been seriously damaged. Although they still retained some strength, they would not be able to harass the borders of Da Rong for at least three years.

With the end of the war, the busy season of spring farming followed.

The civilians and military households, still immersed in the grief of losing their loved ones, had no choice but to pick up their farming tools and start cultivating the land.

Yang Zhenshan also became busy, organizing the military households for spring farming while planning to recruit anew from them.

This was an unavoidable matter; the depleted ranks of soldiers had to be replenished, and the new recruits would need to undergo training.

They still had to continue to guard the borders of Da Rong and make sacrifices for the safety of its people.

Days passed by and before long, spring farming came to an end.

Chongshan Town also welcomed its best season: the warmth of spring, flowers blooming, life reviving, and green mountains and waters covering the desolate land.

Today, after Yang Zhenshan had dealt with the official duties of the government office, he made his way to the horse farm.

The horse farm was the Yang family’s most important asset; whether the Yang family could become prosperous in the future depended entirely on the horse farm.

“Young servant greets the official, greets the young master, greets Mr. Jiang!”

They had just entered the horse farm when Ma San came up to greet them.

“Official” naturally referred to Yang Zhenshan, “young master” meant Yang Mingcheng, and Mr. Jiang referred to Jiang He.

Indeed, Jiang He had also been promoted to “Mr. Jiang”!

After the war, Jiang He had been assisting Yang Mingcheng in managing the Yang family’s businesses, and he had visited the horse farm many times before, becoming very familiar to Ma San.

“Come, lead me to see the newborn foals!” Yang Zhenshan headed straight for the stables.

With the arrival of warm spring, Ma San no longer kept the horses in the stables, and the farmhands would take the horses out for walks.

At this moment, the horses in the stables were all foals, one of which had been born just two days ago.

When purchasing horses last year, Yang Mingcheng had followed Ma San’s advice and bought a pregnant mare.

Now the horse farm had ten mares, six three-year-old foals, eight two-year-old foals, and ten recently matured inferior horses.

Entering the stable, Yang Zhenshan approached the newborn foal and asked, “How is it doing?”

The foal stayed close to its mother, and upon seeing Yang Zhenshan enter the paddock, it seemed a little unsettled and pressed closer to her.

“Very healthy. If no accidents occur, it can become an excellent warhorse!” Ma San looked at the foal with a very gentle gaze, as tenderly as an old mother looks at her child.

As a horse groom, Ma San truly loved horses.

His care for the horses was impeccable, even more attentive than to his own children.

Yang Zhenshan glanced sideways at the foal, and seeing that it was indeed lively, he was reassured.

This was the first foal born on the farm, so naturally, he hoped it would grow up healthy and then earn him Silver.

Compared to Ma San, Yang Zhenshan’s attitude towards horses was somewhat less benevolent.

He raised horses for profit, and apart from Red Cloud, he didn’t have much affection for the others.

Yang Zhenshan then looked at the other foals and also took a stroll around the horse farm.

Of course, he wasn’t idly wandering without purpose; he took the opportunity to sprinkle some Spiritual Spring Water.

He even sprinkled some Spiritual Spring Water on the grass of the farm, ensuring that the grass, once imbued with the water, would grow exceptionally lush and also have some of the Spiritual Spring Water’s effects.

Horses that ate this grass would also receive nourishment from the Spiritual Spring Water.

However, the horse farm was not small, and Yang Zhenshan only casually sprinkled two or three bowls worth of Spiritual Spring Water.

“Take these three foals back with me!”

Before leaving, Yang Zhenshan decided to take three three-year-old foals.

These were for Yang Yunxue, Wang Yunqiao, and Lin Zhan.

This year Yang Yunxue was already twelve years old, Wang Yunqiao and Lin Zhan were eleven, and they could start learning riding skills.

“Teach Yunxue and them riding skills when you have time!”

On the way back, Yang Zhenshan said to Yang Mingcheng.

“Dad, don’t worry, I will teach them well!” replied Yang Mingcheng earnestly.

Yang Zhenshan nodded, then turned to Jiang He and said, “Yunyan also needs to learn how to ride, you will teach her when the time comes!”

Jiang He had just learned his riding skills, which were taught by Yang Mingcheng,

“Alright, Dad!” Jiang He replied shyly.

Although the young man was already married with children, he still retained the timidity of a young man.

Especially in front of Yang Zhenshan, he was almost excessively honest.