Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 204: Chapter 198 Betting and Seeking Assistance

“If you encounter any trouble on the road, have someone come back and send me a message!” Yang Zhenshan stood in front of Yu Qingyi and spoke softly.

“Mm, Master, don’t worry, we won’t encounter any trouble!” Yu Qingyi looked at him with eyes full of tenderness.

Having been married for two years, this was their first separation. Although it was only for a few days, both still found it hard to part.

Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly and turned to Ding Qiu beside him, “After you leave, don’t hesitate or look back. If anyone dares to cause trouble, don’t consider their status!”

After all, this world is not governed by the rule of law. Sometimes trouble finds you even if you don’t seek it.

Therefore, Yang Zhenshan was somewhat worried that Yu Qingyi and the others might run into trouble.

“Mm, Master, rest assured, as long as this old servant lives, I will ensure the safety of the Lady and the young miss!” Ding Qiu said earnestly.

For Ding Qiu, the Yang family was not only his master’s house, but Yang Zhenshan was also a benefactor to his entire family.

If it hadn’t been for Yang Zhenshan buying him and his family, their household might have fallen apart.

And having lived in the Yang family for several years, he and his family had been very content.

Compared to their previous life in the Zhang family, their days in the Yang family hardly felt like servitude.

Although the Yang family also had many rules, everyone in the Yang family treated their servants with leniency, and there was no random beatings or scolding as long as no mistakes were made.

Although Ding Qiu’s cultivation had reached the Postnatal Fifth Layer, he harbored no ill will towards Yang Zhenshan or the Yang family.

If necessary, he would indeed be willing to die in battle for the Yang family.

Yang Zhenshan looked at the serious Ding Qiu and chuckled, patting his shoulder, “Don’t speak of dying, it’s inauspicious. I am waiting for your safe return!”

“Yes!” Ding Qiu showed a faint smile, responding with determination.

This was why he was willing to serve Yang Zhenshan unto death; Yang Zhenshan never treated him as a servant and never saw their lives as something to be discarded at will.

The group boarded carriages, and the convoy began to depart slowly. Yang Zhenshan watched the departing convoy, and then raised his head to view the clear sky.

The weather had been good for the past few days; they should have a smooth journey.

…

At the same time that Yang Zhenshan was seeing off Yu Qingyi and the others, on the construction site outside of An Yuan City, a group of wretched prisoners were repairing the road under the supervision of constables.

Over the past two years, An Yuan State has refurbished its main government roads extending south and west. Now the roadworks being done were for the roads surrounding An Yuan City that led to villages and towns.

These road repairs were quite simple, requiring only well-compacted earthen construction.

Furthermore, because the task was not urgent, the Prefectural Government only employed some prisoners to do the work.

According to Yang Zhenshan, this was labor reformation.

Lin Shoude was very enthusiastic about using free labor, and now the Prefecture’s large prison was empty, with all prisoners dispatched here to work.

At this busy construction site, several followers in short blue garments were huddled around a richly dressed young man. This youth was none other than a son of the Marquis Jingyuan Mansion, brought here by Yang Zhenshan the day before.

The Marquis Jingyuan’s family name was Su, and this young master’s name was Su Shansi.

At the moment, Su Shansi was very angry, seething with rage.

The fury in his heart was like a fire scorching his insides, making him want to roar and bellow.

He was, after all, the Sixth Young Master Su of Marquis Jingyuan Mansion; even in the Capital City, that was a figure of significance.

Yet in this remote An Yuan City, he was actually caught and forced to work here!

To do such dirty work!

Just looking at these lowly wretches made him want to beat and kill these annoying peasants.

And seeing the constables standing before him, he was incandescent with rage, itching to chop someone with a blade.

“You idiots, do you know who this young master is?”

“Where is your Prefect? Make him come to see me!” Su Shansi bellowed angrily.

He had had enough; he wanted to leave this place, he wanted to tear that ignorant garrison commander to pieces.

The constables supervising the prisoners were genuinely intimidated.

They were just ordinary constables; handling common prisoners was one thing, but to face the fierce followers surrounding Su Shansi was more than they were capable of.

And they could tell that Su Shansi’s identity was not simple.

If Yang Zhenshan’s Personal Followers were here, these people wouldn’t have the opportunity to bluster; Yang Zhenshan’s followers did not care about these people’s backgrounds. With orders from Yang Zhenshan, they would carry them out unwaveringly to the end.

However, it was clear that these constables lacked the courage to suppress Su Shansi.

“A bunch of lowly creatures, did you not understand this young master’s words? Call your Prefect to me,” Su Shansi demanded with a face bluish with fury.

The constables looked at each other, at a loss for how to handle the situation.

But at that moment, a new group of constables approached, with Lin Shoude among them.

Lin Shoude had come to inspect the site as winter was approaching, to see if the road could be completed before the onset of cold weather.

Hearing Su Shansi’s voice, Lin Shoude approached and looked at Su Shansi with puzzled eyes.

“Who are you?”

Su Shansi also noticed Lin Shoude, “And who might you be?”

“I am the Prefect of An Yuan State!”

“You are the Prefect!” Su Shansi’s expression turned vicious.

“I am the Sixth Young Master Su of Marquis Jingyuan Mansion. Release me at once, or I will ensure you lose your black gauze cap!”

“…”

Lin Shoude looked at Su Shansi as if he were a fool.

Not to mention whether you are a son of Marquis Jingyuan Mansion, but even if you are, by what means do you dictate over my headwear?

Did you consult the Ministry of Personnel?

Or do you think Marquis Jingyuan Mansion has the power to influence the Ministry of Personnel?

Damn it, he had never seen such an absurd buffoon!

That’s right, Lin Shoude thought Su Shansi was a complete buffoon.

The power of Marquis Jingyuan Mansion was not small; the current Marquis Jingyuan was the commander of the Fenwu Camp among the Twelve Camps of the imperial guard in the Capital City. Commanding the Fenwu Camp of the Twelve, Marquis Jingyuan indeed held an esteemed position.

But here was the issue, could a noble meddle in the affairs of the Six Ministries?

Certainly not.

Don’t even mention Marquis Jingyuan, even if it were Duke Ning, would you dare to ask him if he dares to meddle in affairs of the court and the Six Ministries?

If he dares, the old Emperor would dare to have the entire Duke Ning Mansion beheaded.

If the noble military generals could interfere with the political affairs of the court and the Six Ministries, how would the old Emperor feel secure?

That Su Shansi can speak such words only shows that this fellow is an idiot, not even clear on the most obvious rules of the court, yet dares to talk nonsense here, not afraid of bringing disaster upon Marquis Jingyuan Mansion.

If these words reached the old Emperor’s ears, Marquis Jingyuan surely won’t get off lightly.

“What’s going on here?”

Lin Shoude asked a constable standing beside him.

The constable immediately stepped forward and explained the situation in a low voice.

“Did Master Yang say how long he should stay here?”

“Uh, Master Yang’s Personal Followers didn’t specify!” replied the constable.

Lin Shoude glanced at Su Shansi and his followers, then said, “Then let them stay here for three months, no work, no food! I don’t support idlers here!”

“This!!” The constable was somewhat troubled, “Sir, if they resist, what should we do?”

Lin Shoude glared at him and said, “Aren’t there soldiers from the garrison over there? If they dare to resist, have the soldiers from the garrison come over and kill them!”

Yang Zhenshan isn’t afraid of Marquis Jingyuan Mansion, let alone Lin Shoude himself.

At this moment, Lin Shoude didn’t care about Marquis Jingyuan Mansion at all. Since Yang Zhenshan had sent the people over, they should just obediently work.

As for other matters, if he cared about those, he wouldn’t have been squeezed out to An Yuan State in the first place.

However, Su Shansi, having heard his words, was completely flabbergasted.

What’s going on?

Why are the officials here not afraid of their Marquis Jingyuan Mansion?

In the Capital City, he could not act arrogantly, but why can’t he still do as he pleases in this remote little place?

Not being able to do as he pleases is one thing, but why are they so blatantly targeting him!

“You, you dog official!”

Su Shansi was so angry that he pointed at Lin Shoude and cursed him as a dog official.

Lin Shoude glared fiercely at him, “Make nonsensical remarks again, and this official will spank you!”

Su Shansi trembled all over, almost crying out.

He really wanted to cry.

Wuwu, the officials in An Yuan City are too bullying!

They’re not afraid of their Marquis Jingyuan Mansion, even daring to make him, a scion of the Marquis Mansion, do such degrading work.

At this moment, his anger seemed to be extinguished by a bucket of cold water, as he fell into a state of muddle-headedness.

His cognitions were shattered, his arrogance crushed, now only fear and dread filled his heart.

Unfortunately, Lin Shoude was completely unaware of these emotions in him. Seeing that he stopped talking, he gave a few orders to the constables and then left.

Once he was gone, those constables, cautious, shouted at Su Shansi, “What are you standing around for? Get to work!”

The followers of Su Shansi felt bitterness inside.

They are guards, all Martial Artists with cultivation, being made to work here was truly humiliating.

They turned back to look at Su Shansi; however, he was still immersed in his daze, completely unresponsive.

Seeing these people not replying, the constables’ expressions turned wary.

“I warn you, there’s a squad of the garrison’s soldiers over there; if you dare to cause trouble and get killed, don’t blame us!” the constable shouted loudly.

“Young Master!” The followers knew they couldn’t continue this standoff; they had no choice but to call out.

Su Shansi came back to his senses, looking blankly around, finally said with a sad face, “Work!”

With tears in his eyes, he walked towards the dusty worksite.

His frail, thin figure at this moment seemed extremely forlorn.

And not far from the worksite, three figures were looking this way.

“Miss, are we really not going to look after Young Master Su?”

A maid said to Ning Qing.

Ning Qing shook her head, “We can’t manage his affairs, didn’t that garrison officer say so? They would not do anything to him! It’s just some hard labor, there should be no issues!”

“Besides, we have our own pressing matters to deal with, tomorrow is Marchioness Changping’s birthday banquet, and we need to hurry to Chongshan Pass!”

Their trip to Chongshan Town was precisely for the purpose of celebrating Marchioness Changping’s birthday.

Originally, they had come on their own, but they happened upon Su Shansi and his group halfway, hence the two parties joined together.

As for why Su Shansi chose to accompany them, Ning Qing could guess his intentions, which was nothing more than to gain her favor, or should say, to curry favor with the family of Count Qing’an, to get them to agree to a marriage with Marquis Jingyuan Mansion.

Currently, Count Qing’an Mansion naturally couldn’t be compared to Marquis Jingyuan Mansion, but don’t forget that Count Qing’an Mansion is the maternal family of the Empress, and the current Crown Prince is the Empress’s firstborn.

Once the Crown Prince becomes Emperor, Count Qing’an Mansion would be the mother’s family of the Emperor.

Although Count Qing’an Mansion currently has no power, once the Crown Prince ascends to the throne, they would surely elevate Count Qing’an Mansion, being granted the title of Duke is unlikely, but being conferred as Marquis is perfectly possible.

If by that time Count Qing’an Mansion can demonstrate some capabilities, they might even be heavily relied upon by the current Crown Prince.

Therefore, many nobles in the Capital City want to make early bets with Count Qing’an Mansion.

This, Ning Qing saw very clearly.

Count Qing’an also saw very clearly.

Others wanted to bet on them, and they also sought support from other places.

And the support they were seeking was from Changping Marquis Mansion.

Ning Qing glanced at Su Shansi who vanished into the dust and slightly shook her head.

Actually, Marquis Jingyuan Mansion wasn’t bad, it’s just that this Sixth Young Master Su was too incompetent.

“Let’s go, it’s time to depart!”

With that said, she turned and walked toward the carriage parked behind.

In a moment, the carriage, under the escort of a dozen Personal Followers, moved off towards the east.