Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 431: Chapter 314 Offering Treasures, Yu Qingyi Enters the Capital_2

Meanwhile, the glass workshop also recruited five hundred artisan apprentices.

As the General Mansion began to take action, Pang Tang became restless too, convening officials from the Governor’s Office for large meetings every day, even braving the cold to make a special trip to Black Cloud Mountain.

Yang Zhenshan was in charge of constructing the official roads and connecting the rivers, while Pang Tang was responsible for building Black Cloud City and opening up the Northern lands.

Both had already divided their work and were striving for a grand and magnificent plan.

Amidst this bustling atmosphere, the Capital City also relayed messages that could not be ignored.

Firstly, on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, the Capital City held the royal succession ceremony, with Emperor Chengping proclaiming Prince Cheng as the Crown Prince, accompanying him to worship Heaven and Earth, the Imperial Temple, and the altars of the land and grain.

From that moment onwards, Prince Cheng became the Crown Prince of Da Rong, and the deposed Crown Prince was completely a thing of the past.

After the royal succession ceremony concluded, the Crown Prince once again became regent, while Emperor Chengping again stayed in the deep palace for recuperation.

This time, the regency of the Crown Prince was markedly different from the previous one.

During the previous regency, both Prince Gong and Prince Cheng were present at the court to observe state affairs, and the Crown Prince held no military power in his hands.

But during this regency, there were no other Princes observing state affairs, and Emperor Chengping had transferred the command of the imperial guard to the Crown Prince.

Clearly, the position of the new Crown Prince was very stable; Emperor Chengping had already prepared for the succession of the throne.

When Yang Zhenshan heard these news, he understood that the current Crown Prince was the future new Emperor of Da Rong.

At the same time, he also understood that Emperor Chengping’s days were probably numbered.

If Emperor Chengping’s health could sustain, he definitely would not have handed over the command of the imperial guard to the Crown Prince.

Inside the study of the General Mansion, Yang Zhenshan set down the letter that had been sent from the Capital City, sighing softly.

He was concerned about Emperor Chengping’s health.

Although he had only met Emperor Chengping once, his charismatic personality had truly won Yang Zhenshan over.

Saying that one would die for an appreciative friend might be an exaggeration, but Emperor Chengping’s trust in him was worth cherishing in his heart.

If Emperor Chengping were to pass away, he would genuinely feel sorrow.

“Then let’s send some novel items to him, to not let down his esteem for me!”

Yang Zhenshan thought thus.

Thereafter, he wrote a memorial to the court, prepared ten telescopes and three jars of Bee King Honey, and dispatched someone to send them to the Capital City.

The telescope could be considered a novel item, and it would also be quite useful to the court; it should be able to pique Emperor Chengping’s interest.

As for the Bee King Honey, while in the Spiritual Spring Space it was not anything special, in the outside world it was considered a decent tonic, which could be of some benefit to Emperor Chengping’s health.

However, Emperor Chengping’s deterioration was due to natural aging; although he was not very old, his body had aged to an extreme degree.

Not to mention Bee King Honey, even if Yang Zhenshan used Spiritual Spring Water for him to bathe in, it would not be possible to defy fate and extend his lifespan.

Emperor Chengping was not short of skilled physicians or various spirit pills and elixirs.

Spiritual Spring Water actually wasn’t of much use to him.

Had it been ten years earlier and Yang Zhenshan given him Spiritual Spring Water, he might have been able to extend his lifespan by a few years; now, giving him Spiritual Spring Water was of little significance.

Nevertheless, Yang Zhenshan had no intention of offering Emperor Chengping Spiritual Spring Water; sending three jars of Bee King Honey was an expression of a subject’s loyalty.

…

On the second day of the second lunar month, outside Chongshan Pass City.

Yang Zhenshan was seeing off Yu Qingyi and Lin Zhan as they prepared to enter the Capital City.

The number of people from the Yang family heading to the Capital City was not small; with Yu Qingyi, Yang Mingcheng, Ms. Wang, Yang Chengze, Yang Wanqing, and Yang Wanyi, except for the still young Yang Chengzhen, everyone from the first house followed Yu Qingyi to the Capital City.

Lin Zhan and Mrs. Zheng would also head to the Capital City together. Apart from participating in the imperial examination, Lin Zhan would also visit the Zheng family’s ancestral home, located in De’an County of Shuntian Prefecture.

The Zheng family is Lin Zhan’s maternal family; should Lin Zhan enter the official ranks in the future, he will inevitably rely on the Zheng family’s support. Therefore, it is necessary for Lin Zhan to pay a visit to the Zheng family.

Accompanying him were more than forty servants and maids, as well as over twenty guards. They would be transporting ten carts of supplies to the Capital City.

Previously, Yang Zhenshan’s journeys to the Capital City were modest in scale, but this time, Yu Qingyi’s trip seemed to carry a bit more fanfare.

The intention was clear—it was to signal that the Yang family, a rising power, was about to enter the heart of Da Rong’s power center.

“After arriving in the Capital, you might first visit General Zhou Lan and Marchioness Changping! They will surely take good care of you. If you’re attending a banquet, try to bring Yunxue along. She’s familiar with the Capital and knows the ins and outs of the noble circles. Having her with you can save you a lot of trouble.”

Yang Zhenshan stood before Yu Qingyi, speaking with some concern.

The Capital was different from other places. In the Capital, being elevated or degraded was the most minor of schemes; not to mention the dark plots and ploys of the officialdom. Yu Qingyi’s interaction would surely be centered around the inner courtyard as she came from a household of women.

And within the backyards of official and noble families, a myriad of sinister tricks abounded, fiercer and more ruthless than those on the political stage—and sometimes even more so.

It is often said: Nothing is as venomous as a woman’s heart. When women get ruthless, even men feel a chill.

Although Yu Qingyi hailed from the worldly society and was accustomed to its disputes, she might not necessarily handle the secret maneuvers of the back courtyards of officials’ families well.

Yang Zhenshan was also somewhat worried that Yu Qingyi might encounter some mishap in the Capital, not out of concern for losing face, but for fear that Yu Qingyi might be outmaneuvered.

“Rest assured, my lord, I am not a child. I will certainly take good care of myself and the family!” Yu Qingyi enjoyed the care shown by Yang Zhenshan.

“However, after I leave, Lord, do look after Ming Zhao a bit more.”

“Mm!” Yang Zhenshan nodded, then turned to Yang Mingcheng and said, “Don’t forget to visit Mr. Liu in Anzhou State, and extend my greetings to him.”

Mr. Liu is Liu Yuanfu. Since Liu Yuanfu left the Capital, the Liu family returned to their ancestral land in Anzhou State and lived by farming and scholarship.

Although there was a proposal on the court before the new year to restore Liu Yuanfu to his position, it was refused by him.

Having experienced ups and downs in his official career, now that he was of advanced age, Liu Yuanfu was content to relinquish his ambitions in governance.

Before the new year, Liu Yuanfu had sent a letter to Yang Zhenshan, expressing his desire to send a grandson to Chongshan Town for a few years of training. There was, of course, no reason for Yang Zhenshan to decline. Counting the time, Liu Yuanfu’s grandson should be arriving at Chongshan Pass soon.

This time, Yang Mingcheng’s purpose for entering the Capital was to pay a visit to Liu Yuanfu on behalf of Yang Zhenshan.

“The child will not forget!” Yang Mingcheng said in a deep, resolute voice.

Yang Zhenshan then looked towards Chengye and patted his shoulder, “After you enter the Capital, learn and observe as much as you can. Your father is a simple man; in the future, it’s up to you to be the head of the Marquis Mansion!”

“…” Hearing this, Yang Mingcheng lowered his head with some depression, unsure if he harbored any silent reproach towards Yang Zhenshan.

Human nature is hard to change, and Yang Zhenshan had lost hope in Yang Mingcheng, who, being already in his thirties, was as simple-minded as before.

While he had made progress, he was still not particularly clever.

Compared to this elder son, Yang Chengye, his eldest grandson, was undoubtedly more suitable to lead the family. Yang Chengye had a steady and mature personality and, though not yet sixteen, already held significant authority within the family.

Yang Chengxian, Yang Chengyou, and Yang Chengzhang, those mischievous monkeys, were most afraid of their elder brother, Yang Chengye.

“Grandfather, I am still young!” Yang Chengye said somewhat bashfully.

After all, Yang Zhenshan was criticizing his own son; Chengye could neither refute Yang Zhenshan nor speak ill of his own father following Yang Zhenshan’s words.

“Ha ha ha, just be confident in yourself!” Yang Zhenshan didn’t mind and, after giving some instructions to everyone, watched the caravan set off.

Almost a hundred people in the caravan moved southward along the official road in a grand procession. Yang Zhenshan smiled lightly as he watched Yang Chengye riding on Wanjun, stroking his beard.

Wanjun, the little red colt, was the most outstanding among the offspring of Red Cloud. Yang Chengye had named it Wanjun, meaning “thunderous might,” implying an unstoppable force.

Now fully grown, Wanjun was the spitting image of Red Cloud in size and strength, as ferocious as a beast, and nearly as smart as Red Cloud, full of spirit and life.

Together, Yang Chengye and Wanjun represented the new generation of the Yang family.

When Yang Chengye returned from the Capital, Yang Zhenshan planned to have him join the military for training.