Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 171: Chapter 167: Arriving at Yuanhe County

The eldest elder, Su Kun, was nearly seventy years old. His hair was meticulously combed with strands of silver, and he wore a silver cap adorned with pure white jade. His face was covered with wrinkles as deep as knife cuts, and his cloudy eyes were inscrutable.

“Qingyi wants to get married! Ah~~”

He sighed softly.

It was only natural for a woman to marry, and the Sky Blue Sword Sect had no rules forbidding marriage. However, Yu Qingyi was their chosen Sect Leader, and the idea of the Sect Leader getting married posed a difficult dilemma for him.

“Does she have someone she fancies?”

Hua Jinqiu, seated at the end, asked.

Hua Jinqiu was the youngest of the four elders, having just turned fifty this year. She was also the only female elder of the Sky Blue Sword Sect.

She wore a deep blue robe with wide sleeves and a headpiece made from white fox fur shaped like a resting rabbit. Her features couldn’t be considered delicate, but a trace of charm still lingered.

“Yes, this is the letter she sent; she intends to marry the garrison commander of An Yuan City, Yang Zhenshan.”

Su Kun passed the letter he had received that morning to Hua Jinqiu, who after reading it, passed it on to Cao De and Xue Linfu.

After reading the letter, Cao De spoke, “I have heard of this Master Yang.”

“Oh? You know of him?” Su Kun was somewhat surprised.

After a moment of thought, Cao De replied, “Didn’t I visit Chongshan Pass recently? I heard of him there.”

“Just bits and pieces. It is said that during the battle at Chongshan Pass, he led three hundred cavalrymen and fought through enemy lines three times. In Chongshan Pass, he gained a modest reputation!”

Yang Zhenshan’s most brilliant feat was the battle at Linguan Castle, which was considered a significant victory in Chongshan Town.

Importantly, Linguan Castle was situated near Chongshan Pass, and many of its soldiers had witnessed Yang Zhenshan’s battle.

Therefore, Yang Zhenshan enjoyed some fame at Chongshan Pass.

However, his fame was short-lived; right after the war ended, there were discussions about him, but now, most people probably had already forgotten him.

Cao De had only overheard some information at Chongshan Pass; had it not been for Yu Qingyi’s mention of Yang Zhenshan today, he likely would have forgotten about him as well.

“Then it seems he is a formidable warrior on the battlefield,” said Su Kun as he stroked his sparse beard, adding indifferently, “Do you all have any objections?”

Cao De glanced around and coughed, “Eh, third elder, you’re being asked!”

“Ah!”

Xue Linfu looked up in bewilderment, “Asked what?”

“Qingyi is getting married, what are your thoughts?” said Cao De, his head full of metaphorical black lines.

After tugging at his whiskered jaw, Xue Linfu replied, “Well, with her master not present, can we actually decide on her behalf?”

By ’master,’ he meant Yu Qingyi’s own mentor.

“…”

There was a moment of silence among everyone.

Indeed, he raised a valid point.

Matters of marriage rely on the decree of parents and the words of the matchmaker.

If Yu Qingyi’s master were still alive, it would be equivalent to having parental consent.

But these uncles did not have the same authority.

“Still, Qingyi is, after all, the Sect Leader of our Sky Blue Sword Sect!” said Cao De with a hint of helplessness.

“Then we should simply select another Sect Leader. I think Luo Feiyu, that young man, isn’t bad. He’s talented and has great potential. Although he’s not as skilled as Qingyi right now, he should be able to match her in the future!” Xue Linfu proposed.

“…”

There was another silence.

Was the position of Sect Leader something they could just change so easily?

“Master, I don’t want to be the Sect Leader!”

Just then, a head popped in from outside the door.

It was none other than Luo Feiyu.

Become the Sect Leader?

What a joke!

The Sect Leader wasn’t such an easy role to fulfill.

You’d have to worry about the sect’s daily essentials, run around for the sect’s interests, and invest effort in the disciples.

The Sky Blue Sword Sect’s Sect Leader represented not power or status, but responsibility.

Luo Feiyu thought he shouldn’t have to suffer this burden; it would be better for his senior sister to bear this responsibility.

“You rascal!” exclaimed Xue Linfu, visibly annoyed.

“Alright!” Su Kun felt that neither the Master nor the disciple was reliable.

Xue Linfu dared not oppose Su Kun, so he could only glare at Luo Feiyu through the door and sullenly closed his mouth.

Cao De also remained silent. The matter was truly too troublesome.

It seemed wrong to agree, but also wrong to disagree.

They had all watched Yu Qingyi grow up and naturally wanted her to find a happy union. But Yu Qingyi was, after all, the Sect Leader, and she was responsible for the care of dozens within the Sky Blue Sword Sect.

Su Kun turned to Hua Jinqiu and asked, “Jinqiu, what do you think?”

After thinking for a moment, Hua Jinqiu answered, “Qingyi has already decided; we certainly can’t stop her!”

“However, we don’t really know what kind of person this Yang Zhenshan is or what his true character is like. I think we have a duty to screen him carefully for Qingyi!”

She wasn’t opposed to Yu Qingyi getting married. As a woman herself, she understood the sorrow that accompanied a solitary life.

If Yu Qingyi could find a good husband, she would naturally support her.

But she was also afraid that Yu Qingyi might be deceived.

Su Kun nodded; he felt that Hua Jinqiu’s words were sensible.

“But where is the Sect Leader?”

Hua Jinqiu looked at Su Kun, “Second Senior Brother, you’re not so old that you can’t walk anymore!”

Su Kun was sweating bullets. Little Junior Sister is really giving me a hard time!

Actually, it wasn’t unreasonable for Hua Jinqiu to pick on him.

When Qingyi’s master passed away, she was only twenty-one years old.

At that time, it seemed logical that Su Kun should have taken over as Sect Leader, but Su Kun refused the position on the grounds of aging and declined vitality, and against many objections, he supported Qingyi’s ascension to the Sect Leader’s position.

Hua Jinqiu’s point was that once Qingyi got married, he could step in as Sect Leader for a few years and then train a new one.

Su Kun thought it over and it seemed he had no other choice.

Hua Jinqiu’s tone shifted and added, “However, marrying Qingyi won’t be easy. They’ll have to get past our challenge first!”

“And we have to let him know that Qingyi has family to back her up!”

Su Kun and the other two nodded, “What do you plan to do?”

“First, let him break through the Sky Blue Sword Array. If he doesn’t even have that capability, he’s not qualified to marry Qingyi!” Hua Jinqiu said with a stern expression.

The Sky Blue Sword Array is the most secret and core technique of the Sky Blue Sword Sect, a variation of the Triadic Sword Array. The formation is composed of three people, capable of attacking or defending, highly flexible and extraordinarily powerful.

The three must be of one mind, in perfect harmony, and all must be masters of the Sky Blue Sword Sect swordsmanship.

Each generation of Sky Blue Sword Sect disciples is trained in the Sky Blue Sword Array to ensure its lineage is never lost.

It could be said that the Sky Blue Sword Array is the ultimate martial power of the Sky Blue Sword Sect.

Hearing that Hua Jinqiu intended to use the Sky Blue Sword Array, a hint of surprise flickered in the eyes of Su Kun and the others.

“Who do you want to take action?” Su Kun inquired.

“Of course, the three of us!” Hua Jinqiu looked towards her peers—Cao De and Xue Linfu.

There was a Sky Blue Sword Array in every generation of the Sky Blue Sword Sect, and in their generation, it was none other than Cao De, Xue Linfu, and Hua Jinqiu.

Cao De and Xue Linfu exchanged a look. “Let’s give it a try then! Heh, it’s not like we’ll get many chances to use the Sky Blue Sword Array in our lifetimes!”

As the pinnacle of the Sky Blue Sword Sect’s martial power, they rarely took action.

Now there was an opportunity, and Cao De was somewhat eager.

“Then it’s decided!”

Su Kun didn’t stop them.

He also wanted to test Yang Zhenshan.

In the worldly society, strength is the most important thing.

Even though Yang Zhenshan is the garrison commander of An Yuan City, if he wants to marry Qingyi, he must earn their approval with his strength.

…

Two days later, Yang Zhenshan led a convoy out of An Yuan City.

The convoy had six carriages loaded with gifts for the proposal and three for passengers, accompanied by a hundred personal followers and servants.

The convoy left An Yuan City through the South Gate, traveled a hundred miles south along the imperial road, and arrived first at Yuanhe County.

They needed to stay one night in Yuanhe County and head to the Sky Blue Sword Sect early the next morning.

However, Qingyi had to return first.

If Qingyi went back with Yang Zhenshan, it would not be a marriage proposal; it would be a return to her family home.

“Perhaps I should send someone to take you back!”

Outside Yuanhe County, Yang Zhenshan looked at Qingyi reluctantly.

At that moment, Qingyi was mounted on a horse, draped in a sky blue cloak, less demure and more heroic.

Even though Qingyi would only be away for one night and Yang Zhenshan could see her again tomorrow, he still felt reluctant to part.

The strong desire to be with someone was something Yang Zhenshan was experiencing for the first time.

He found it inconceivable even to himself.

“No need. I’m more familiar with this place than you, and don’t forget, I’m not just a weak woman!” Qingyi’s eyes smiled gently while she gazed softly at Yang Zhenshan.

From the initial fear, to the later attempts at befriending, to the awakening of romance.

Months of companionship resulted in deep-rooted affections.

Yang Zhenshan gazed at Qingyi’s face, “Alright then, it’s getting late; you should head back. Tomorrow morning, I’ll head up the mountain!”

“Mm!”

Qingyi responded softly, then pulled on the reins, turning her horse around.

“Giddy up!”

The horse sped off, with Qingyi leaning forward, glancing back at Yang Zhenshan.

As the figure and horse gradually disappeared into the distance, Yang Zhenshan lingered for a long while before turning back to the convoy.

“Dad, the inn has been contacted; let’s go into the city first!” Yang Mingcheng came up with a jog.

“Mm!” Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly and mounted his horse.

“By the way, Mr. Lin, the County Magistrate of Yuanhe County, is over by the city gate. Do you want to meet him first?” Yang Mingcheng added.

Yang Zhenshan frowned and after a bit of thought said, “There’s no point in meeting. Go tell him that the affairs of An Yuan City have nothing to do with him; just let him rest easy!”

The whole Prefectural Government of An Yuan City was almost overthrown, so it was normal for the County Magistrate of Yuanhe County to worry.

But this matter was no longer Yang Zhenshan’s concern; without official or personal ties to the County Magistrate of Yuanhe County, there was no need for a meeting.

As for social niceties, did he need to exchange courtesies with a County Magistrate?

If Luo Jin were here, perhaps he would need to meet him. Although he had never met Luo Jin, Luo Jin was related by marriage to the Yang Family, and the two had many interactions; not meeting him would be improper.

Following Yang Zhenshan’s orders, Yang Mingcheng immediately ran back to the city gate, while the convoy slowly entered the town.

Yang Zhenshan rode into the city and saw Yang Mingcheng talking to a middle-aged man. He did not dismount but simply nodded to the man.

After entering the city, they directly checked into the inn.