Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 135: Chapter 131 This is really enviable!

Inside City Gate Castle.

The soldiers of the garrison have all assembled.

“Sir, everyone is here!”

Song Dashan walked into the main hall to report.

Yang Zhenshan stroked his beard and nodded, saying: “Go close the gates and watch them; no one is allowed to leave!”

“Yes, sir!” replied Song Dashan.

Soon, the heavy wooden door closed with a piercing squeak, and Song Dashan, along with ten soldiers, stood on horseback behind the door, sweeping their icy gaze over the nearly a thousand soldiers in the drill ground.

The drill ground inside City Gate Castle wasn’t large; the nearly a thousand soldiers standing in it seemed a bit crowded.

However, at this time, no one cared about the congestion. Most of them were looking at the main hall with trepidation, as if waiting for judgment.

No, it was not as if; they were indeed waiting for judgment.

“Please bring Bazong Xu Lu and Bazong Han Cheng in!”

Yang Zhenshan instructed the soldiers beside him.

By now, Xu Wanfu had been brought to the main hall, tied up against a column, a rag stuffed in his mouth.

Different from his previous disdain and madness, Xu Wanfu had completely fallen into decay, as if his entire being’s essence and vitality had dissipated, and he had become dazed.

Soon, Xu Lu and Han Cheng were brought over.

“Your subordinate pays respects to the garrison officer!”

Both clasped their fists in anxious salute.

Yang Zhenshan slightly nodded and then picked up a small booklet lying next to him to peruse.

This booklet was the one delivered by Wei Cen, recording information about all the notable individuals within An Yuan State City, naturally including Xu Lu and Han Cheng.

Though their crimes were not listed, their profiles revealed quite a bit.

“Do you acknowledge your crimes, Xu Lu?”

Yang Zhenshan asked, lifting his eyelids.

hearing this, Xu Lu felt his legs weaken and almost collapsed to the ground.

Just now, Yang Zhenshan had asked Xu Wanfu the same.

“Your subordinate, your subordinate… I’m wronged!” Xu Lu didn’t know what to say and immediately began to plead his innocence.

“Wronged?”

Yang Zhenshan laughed: “You live in a compound with three sets of courtyards, keeping four concubines, with twelve children, tsk tsk, quite the big family!”

“I’m curious how you manage to support this big family!”

“Your ancestors were just ordinary military households. Only in your generation did you manage to get the position of Hundred Households. Don’t tell me the house was passed down by your ancestors.”

The booklet contained plentiful information, such as what Xu Lu’s ancestors did, when he became a martial artist, and when he became a Bazong.

However, regarding the sources of Xu Lu’s income, that was not specified.

But that’s not important. The salary of a Bazong Hundred Households would definitely not suffice for supporting four concubines.

It’s expensive to keep concubines, as their clothing, food, accommodation, and transportation cannot be too shabby.

Why would they become your concubines and suffer with you, when they could be someone else’s wife?

If Xu Lu had only one concubine, Yang Zhenshan wouldn’t find it strange, but this man actually had four.

This really invokes jealousy!

No, it’s contempt.

This corrupt official must have coerced women from the people, forcing them to become concubines.

Xu Lu turned pale and was unable to utter a single word.

He was a close follower of Xu Wanfu; with Xu Wanfu’s downfall, he couldn’t escape either.

He understood well that whatever he said now would be of no help.

As for resistance, what’s the point?

Yang Zhenshan glanced at him and then looked toward Han Cheng, asking: “Bazong Han Cheng, do you think he has committed crimes?”

Han Cheng lowered his head and after a slight silence, said: “He has!”

“What crime?”

“Persecuting his colleagues!” Han Cheng said.

Yang Zhenshan’s brows raised, “Elaborate.”

Han Cheng lifted his head to look at Xu Lu beside him and said: “On April 18th of the nineteenth year of the Chengping era, Xu Lu set up an ambush twenty miles outside the city to kill the former Bazong Ning Chao, in order to ascend to the position of Bazong.”

“This matter also involved Xu Wanfu, who was the one who dispatched Ning Chao.”

“Oh! What relation do you have with this Ning Hundred Households?” asked Yang Zhenshan, with a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.

“Over twenty years ago, Ning Chao once saved my life in the battle at Black Cloud Mountain!” said Han Cheng.

Yang Zhenshan slightly nodded.

He had participated in the Black Cloud Mountain battle in his past life. Han Cheng was older than him, and it was normal for him to have been involved in that battle.

This was like the relationship between the former self and Lu Zhou, brothers in arms who had survived battlefields together; such bonds were not easily formed.

As for why Han Cheng had not avenged his sworn brother before.

Yang Zhenshan glanced at the booklet in his hand.

Han Cheng had his elderly mother and his wife and children to consider; surely, he couldn’t just ignore the life and death of his family for the sake of avenging his sworn brother.

For his mother and his family, not only could he not avenge his brother, he had to betray his own principles and side with Xu Wanfu to ensure the safety of himself and his family.

According to the information in the booklet, Han Cheng’s family was relatively affluent but not as extravagant as Xu Lu, and there were no concubines or such.

“Do you want revenge?” asked Yang Zhenshan.

“I do!” Han Cheng’s eyes showed deep hatred.

Yang Zhenshan nodded. Han Cheng was someone he had already considered bringing over to his side.

Even though Han Cheng had also been colluding with Xu Wanfu over these years, he was likely not involved in anything too heinous.

A family’s situation can reveal a lot about a person.

If a family is harmonious and happy, then that person’s character shouldn’t be too bad.

Han Cheng is very filial, has no concubines, and is extremely affectionate towards his children. These facts can be easily found out with a little inquiry.

From this, it can be seen that Han Cheng is not a heartless and unprincipled person.

“I’ll give you a chance, pick out all of their people, and then I’ll send them to the guillotine!” Yang Zhenshan said softly.

To completely eradicate Xu Wanfu’s influence in the garrison, someone who thoroughly understands Xu Wanfu’s details is necessary.

No doubt, Han Cheng is the most suitable candidate.

“Your subordinate obeys!” Without any hesitation, Han Cheng turned and walked out of the main hall.

“Han Cheng!” Xu Lu panicked.

“Shut up!”

Yang Zhenshan shouted coldly, and at the same time, the teacup in his hand suddenly flew out.

The dull sound of thunder echoed through the main hall, warm tea splashed around, and the small teacup, like a heavy hammer, struck Xu Lu’s chest.

With a spattering sound…

Blood sprayed from Xu Lu’s mouth and nose, and his body was pushed back two to three meters.

Han Cheng, who had just stepped over the threshold, paused, and a look of shock flickered deep in his eyes.

A teacup!

Just throwing a teacup caused Xu Lu to be seriously injured.

How high is his cultivation, how strong is his power?

Han Cheng’s heart trembled, and he quickened his pace to leave.

At this moment, he was not only thinking about taking revenge for his sworn brothers, but he also wanted to survive, to ensure his own family’s survival.

Xu Wanfu and Xu Lu only had a dead-end ahead, and naturally, he could not follow them down a path of no return.

He needed to gain Yang Zhenshan’s forgiveness, and preferably, to earn Yang Zhenshan’s trust.

As for Yang Zhenshan’s strength, it wasn’t actually as exaggerated as it seemed.

His power had always surpassed those at the same level of Martial Artist, and recently he had been continuously practicing Thousand Mechanism Hand, using the Kui Niu Skill to execute Thousand Mechanism Hand, so one could imagine the power of the teacup.

Not to mention Xu Lu, even Xu Wanfu would not be able to withstand this single teacup.

Han Cheng went to the training field, but he did not immediately pick out Xu Wanfu’s cronies. Instead, he found his own subordinates first.

He was already forty-eight this year, originally from the military households around An Yuan State City’s garrison.

He knew every garrison under the jurisdiction of the garrison office, every soldier of the garrison, he knew everything here.

Picking out Xu Wanfu’s cronies was naturally a piece of cake for him.

However, before selecting people, he had to prevent anyone from making a desperate move.

Although Song Dashan was guarding the door, he still had to take precautions just in case, and also to showcase his capabilities and loyalty to Yang Zhenshan.

As someone who knew the ins and outs, Han Cheng quickly identified all of Xu Wanfu’s cronies.

The number wasn’t large, only more than a dozen, and they were basically team officers.

This was normal, neither Xu Wanfu nor Xu Lu would woo ordinary soldiers, and conversely, since they were their confidants, they naturally couldn’t just be ordinary soldiers.

More than a dozen people were escorted by Han Cheng into the main hall, which quickly became crowded.

“Reporting to the lord, these are all Xu Wanfu and Xu Lu’s people!” Han Cheng said with a salute.

Yang Zhenshan glanced at those pale-faced people, nodded slightly, and said, “Take them all down!”

“Yes!”

Without another word, Han Cheng immediately ordered his subordinates to arrest all of these men.

Subsequently, along with Xu Wanfu and Xu Lu, all were taken away and the main hall became spacious again.

“Are you willing to temporarily take up the role of thousand commander?”

Yang Zhenshan asked Han Cheng.

He needed Han Cheng’s support to control the garrison.

“Your subordinate is grateful for Mr. Xie’s consideration!” Han Cheng breathed a sigh of relief and knelt on one knee to give a grand salute.

Yang Zhenshan was pleased with his attitude.

Han Cheng was not a fool, but rather a very smart man who knew how to judge the situation. Otherwise, he would not have chosen to collude with Xu Wanfu in the first place.

And he wasn’t the kind of person who switches sides easily; such people do not speak of loyalty but only know how to chase fortune and avoid misfortune.

Although Han Cheng also pursued fortune and avoided misfortune, he still maintained a sense of loyalty.

“You are only acting temporarily, and you should understand that you, too, are guilty!” Yang Zhenshan said.

“Your subordinate understands!” Han Cheng replied.

“Good that you understand. I will give you a chance to make amends for your merits!”

Yang Zhenshan stood up, “Song Dashan is formally appointed Hundred Households, in charge of the garrison’s Bazong, and as for the missing team officers, my men will fill the gaps.”

“Now you have two tasks to complete. First, ensure that the defense missions of An Yuan State City do not suffer any negligence, and second, ensure that my men take over the garrison smoothly!”

“Can you do it?”

Han Cheng could be used, but Yang Zhenshan could not fully trust him yet.

Therefore, placing his own men in the garrison was necessary.

“I can, your subordinate will surely not disappoint Mr. Xie’s trust!” Han Cheng spoke decisively.

“Very good!”

Yang Zhenshan nodded again with satisfaction, “From now on, this place is entrusted to you!”

After speaking, he patted Han Cheng’s shoulder, “Your eldest son has become a Martial Artist, hasn’t he? Bring him to the government office in a few days and let me meet him!”

Han Cheng’s age was no longer young, all he wanted was stability.

Yang Zhenshan could give him that stability, but to truly secure his loyalty, Yang Zhenshan had to offer more.

Han Cheng quickly grasped Yang Zhenshan’s intention, “Thank you, Mr. Xie, for the promotion!”

At that moment, he finally felt at ease. To him, his own future was no longer important, but he also wished to secure a bright future for his son.