Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 282: Chapter 273 Heavy Snow

“You came to Liaodong, did the Old Man have no objections?” Yang Zhenshan asked.

Liu Zhe waved his hand, saying, “He is so busy right now that he won’t bother about me. It’s also a good opportunity for me to travel around these couple of years. I plan to stay here for a year and a half, then after next year’s autumn examinations, I’ll take Lin Zhan out for a period of travel and study.”

“Lin Zhan is very talented, I’m really afraid you might hold him back!”

Yang Zhenshan felt somewhat embarrassed.

Liu Zhe’s words were not mistaken, he truly couldn’t help Lin Zhan much in his studies.

But he hadn’t expected Liu Zhe would hold Lin Zhan in such high regard.

Yang only had to write a letter, and this fellow eagerly rushed over here.

It seemed like this fellow intended to take Lin Zhan as his private disciple.

Not only to teach Lin Zhan but also to take him traveling for study.

“Cough cough, Brother Liu, you’re mocking my lack of learning!” Yang Zhenshan coughed lightly and said embarrassingly.

However, Liu Zhe didn’t give him any face, looking at him with an ’isn’t it obvious’ expression.

Yang Zhenshan couldn’t help but grumble internally.

I’m at least a college graduate, how am I lacking in learning?

I may not compare to you in the classics, but I guarantee I’d crush you in math and science.

Even though I’ve already gone from undergrad to postgrad, I can still crush you.

Despite his internal grumbling, Yang Zhenshan was truly delighted about Liu Zhe’s arrival.

At noon, Yang Zhenshan prepared a feast of good food and wine to entertain Liu Zhe.

But the happiest was Lin Zhan; seeing Liu Zhe made him so joyful he nearly lost his bearings.

That day, Liu Zhe immediately assumed the role of a teacher and began advising Lin Zhan on his studies.

Yang Zhenshan naturally wasn’t interested in these matters, so he arranged a small courtyard for Liu Zhe through Wu Hai and went about his own official duties.

…

“Look, it’s snowing, it’s snowing!”

During the deep winter, the sky above Tenglong Guard was filled with falling snowflakes, and the children of the Yang family courtyard were cheerfully playing in the snow.

Yang Zhenshan walked out from the main courtyard, watching the playful children with a benign smile on his face.

He didn’t interfere with the children’s play, just glanced from afar before heading towards the Front Office.

Although it’s called the Front Office, there was quite a distance from the Yang family’s house to the government office.

The Lan family’s residence occupied almost half of the Guard City, and the former courtyard of the Lan family had been converted into the Guardian Department, almost two miles away from the courtyard where Yang family lived.

Now, the Lin family residence had greatly changed; the once towering walls were demolished, and each courtyard had become its own residence. Many unused or unimportant areas had been cleared to build more residences and shops when spring arrives.

Yang Zhenshan still retained the previous garden of the Lan family, but now this garden was completely open, without any surrounding walls, with only a few exquisite towers around. Anyone from within the city could come here for a wander.

Unfortunately, there weren’t many ordinary citizens in Guard City now, with hardly anyone coming to admire the beautiful snow scene.

Yang Zhenshan indeed wanted to properly enjoy the snow scene today, but there were many matters waiting for him in the government office. Helplessly, he just glanced around as he passed the view, and arrived at the government office.

The heavy snow was both a blessing and a curse.

A bountiful snow promises a fertile year, that was the blessing.

However, for those military households with tumbledown houses, it was a curse.

With the heavy snow, their houses could likely collapse.

Even though a few days ago Yang Zhenshan had already ordered the garrison to anticipate problems caused by the heavy snow.

Now, refurbishing the military households’ homes wasn’t feasible; the most they could do was find a way to reinforce those unstable houses, to help the households get through the winter.

Snow kept falling heavily, and by the time Yang Zhenshan arrived at the government office, snow seemed to fill the air.

“Sir!”

When Yang Zhenshan entered the office, he encountered Xie Yuan.

“Go inspect in person today, I don’t want to hear about any deaths caused by collapsing houses!” Yang Zhenshan directly ordered.

Xie Yuan smiled and said, “I’ve made the preparations and will set out soon!”

He had been working under Yang Zhenshan for many years and naturally understood Yang Zhenshan’s working style.

Thus, he had already made the preparations without needing Yang Zhenshan’s instruction.

Yang Zhenshan nodded without further comment and briskly walked into his study.

In the study, Lu Wenhua was already waiting for him.

“What’s the matter?” Yang Zhenshan sat down and asked.

“Sir, we’re running out of cotton fabric!” Lu Wenhua reported.

Yang Zhenshan frowned and responded, “Didn’t we already distribute a batch of cotton?”

Those poor military households, let alone cotton clothes, did not even have an intact piece of clothing.

That’s why not long ago, Yang Zhenshan contacted Luo Shang to dispatch a large quantity of cotton fabric from Jing’an Prefecture.

Now, the Luo family has many businesses in Jing’an Prefecture, and since Jing’an Prefecture is adjacent to Qinghua Prefecture, transporting supplies to Tenglong Guard is less than two hundred li away.

“The cotton fabric we distributed can only make two cotton garments, so households with fewer people can just manage, but for those with more family members, it’s far from enough!” Lu Wenhua said with some helplessness.

He originally thought the cotton fabric previously distributed was enough, but yesterday, during his visit to several villages and garrisons, he realized that many military households still lacked cotton clothes.

How poor can a family be?

It isn’t the ones with patches of fabric piled on their clothes that are the poorest, but those who have absolutely no clothes to wear.

It’s alright in summer, just find a piece of torn cloth to cover up, but in winter~~

“Not just cotton garments, but also cotton blankets!” Lu Wenhua said with a gloomy face, the poverty of Tenglong Guard’s military households far exceeded his expectations.

Yang Zhenshan rubbed his brow with a headache.

He too was aware of the poverty of the military households, seeing even a chief from a thousand households wearing clothes full of patches, not to mention the other ordinary military households.

The Lan family exploited the Tenglong Guard’s military households too harshly, making their lives almost unsustainable.

If he hadn’t come, it is likely that in a few years, Tenglong Guard would only have the Lan family and Tenglong Advanced Guard left, with all other thousand households turning into ruins.

“I will contact the Luo family to send another batch of cotton fabric!” Yang Zhenshan had no other choice but to have Luo Shang send more cotton fabric.

However, the cotton fabric sent by the Luo family is purchased by the government office using silver, so the Luo family couldn’t possibly give it to the government office for free, and neither would Yang Zhenshan.

This means that the Guardian Department has to spend a large sum of silver again.

Previously, he was happy to retain the money and grain confiscated from the Lan family, but as time passed, he found that confiscated money and grain barely lasted.

Tenglong Guard needed far too much money.

The urgency of the lack of cotton fabric loomed, and after Lu Wenhua’s departure, Yang Zhenshan immediately called Wu Zhan over.

Ding Qiu had not yet returned to the Yang family but went to Qinghua Prefecture City, and now the guards of the Yang family were managed by Wu Zhan.

“You take some men to Jing’an Prefecture and have Luo Shang transport another batch of cotton fabric!”

Yang Zhenshan instructed.

“One batch? Old man, how much is one batch?” Wu Zhan asked.

“As much as there is, bring as much as possible!” Yang Zhenshan took a deep breath.

The winter in Liaodong can freeze people to death, naturally, the more cotton fabric the better.

Yang Zhenshan now wasn’t worried about having too much cotton fabric brought over, but feared that the Luo family might no longer have any cotton fabric in Jing’an Prefecture.

Though the Luo family’s business has grown a lot in recent years, their main business focus is in Chongshan Town, and they only have a few shops in Jing’an Prefecture, presumably not storing a great amount of goods.

“Right, ask Luo Shang to make a trip over here when he can!” Yang Zhenshan added.

If Tenglong Guard wants to develop, commercial development is essential, so next, Yang Zhenshan needs the cooperation of the Luo family to discuss and see what business can be carried out in Tenglong Guard.

Wu Zhan acknowledged and went to prepare.

…

A day later, Wu Zhan arrived at Jing’an Prefecture with four Yang Family Guards.

Jing’an Prefecture is an essential route to Chongshan Pass on the way to the Liaodong region, and all caravans heading to Chongshan Pass must pass through Jing’an Prefecture City.

Furthermore, the official road in Jing’an Prefecture City also connects several prefecture cities in the northern area of Liaodong, such as Qinghua Prefecture, typically, larger caravans headed to Qinghua Prefecture also need to pass through Jing’an Prefecture City first.

Of course, if it’s just two or three people riding horses, there’s no need to take the official road and take a longer route, they can directly enter Qinghua Prefecture from the eastern area of Jing’an Prefecture.

Simply put, Jing’an Prefecture City is an important transport hub leading to Chongshan Town and several prefecture cities in the northern area of Liaodong, making its commerce very prosperous.

In recent years, the Luo family has purchased many shops in Jing’an Prefecture City, mainly dealing in silk fabrics and embroidered jewelry.

Besides cloth shops and the Jinxiu Workshop, Luo Shang established a jewelry workshop, selling various gold and silver jewelry.

However, the business of the Luo family in Jing’an Prefecture is relatively minor and cannot be considered a major merchant.

Luo Shang generally does not stay in Jing’an Prefecture. In recent years, Luo Shang has been busy, handing the business at Chongshan Pass to his wife, Mrs. Luo Zhang, and Luo Zhen is in charge of An Yuan City, while he himself frequently travels between Jiangnan and Jiangbei to secure goods and manage relationships.

By now, the Luo_family can be regardedarsimp as wealthy merchants, at least in Chongshan Town they are one of the top wealthy merchants.

Wu Zhan, familiar with the way, found Luo An, the shopkeeper of the Luo family cloth shop in Jing’an Prefecture.

Luo An is Luo Shang’s clansman, which is to say, from the Luo family of Jizhou.

As Luo Shang’s business grew larger, he naturally needed more helpers, so over the past few years, Luo Shang has brought over many clansmen from the Luo family of Jizhou.

Luo An appears to be just over forty years old, tall with a somewhat sharp and narrow mouth, giving an impression of cunning.

Of course, he wouldn’t dare to be the slightest bit shady in front of Wu Zhan.

But when Luo An heard that Wu Zhan was here again for cotton fabric, he said with a bitter expression: “Mr. Wu, it’s not that I don’t want to send the cotton fabric to Tenglong Guard, but I really don’t have any cotton fabric left!”

“The last batch sent to Tenglong Guard was the entire stock from several of our shops!”

Wu Zhan frowned deeply and asked, “Is there any way to obtain cotton fabric from other places?”

This was a task assigned by Yang Zhenshan, and he definitely couldn’t return empty-handed.