Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Among the most important passages, Menghe Mountain Pass stands out as the stronghold of the Chi Ci Tribe, and Wu Tuo has also built a huge walled city there, a fortress no less formidable than Chongshan Pass.

According to Wu Tuo’s estimates, it would take at least three to four months for Chongshan Town to breach Menghe Mountain Pass.

To the northeast of Menghe Mountain Pass lies the Wula Tribe. Although significantly weaker, they could still possibly hold off Chongshan Town for some time.

Even if Menghe Mountain Pass cannot be held, it would buy him half a year’s time.

Half a year, enough for him to take over Beiyuan Town!

Yang Zhenshan does not yet know Wu Tuo’s thoughts, but he is now aware of the existence of Menghe Mountain Pass.

In the main hall of the General Mansion at Chongshan Pass, Yang Zhenshan is studying the map of Wuliang Royal Court.

The map is rudimentary, simply marking mountains, rivers, and the locations of various Wuliang Clan settlements.

The most crucial among them is Menghe Mountain Pass.

Menghe Mountain Pass is a narrow valley, stretching over a hundred miles in length, with the widest part being about thirty miles and the narrowest less than ten miles.

Steep mountains flank both sides, making it a location easy to defend but difficult to attack.

Looking at Menghe Mountain Pass, Yang Zhenshan’s brow furrowed deeply.

Although he had not seen Menghe Mountain Pass with his own eyes, he knew very well that taking this place was virtually impossible.

He cannot launch an attack from Menghe Mountain Pass!

Yang Zhenshan’s first thought was to avoid Menghe Mountain Pass.

To force an attack, not to mention the heavy casualties it would cause the soldiers, just the resources spent on a prolonged siege would be a significant problem.

Moreover, if he were delayed too long at Menghe Mountain Pass, Beiyuan Town might not hold.

At this point, Yang Zhenshan no longer doubts that Duan Qifeng has colluded with the Wuliang Hu Clan, especially since they are fiercely fighting in real life, a desperate fight without regard for the cost.

According to the news from the past few days, the fighting between Beiyuan Town and the Wuliang Royal Court’s cavalry has been fierce, with both sides contesting every inch of ground.

Today you take one of my forts, tomorrow I recapture it; today you kill three hundred of my soldiers, tomorrow I ambush your vanguard.

The fighting spirit demonstrated by Beiyuan Town even forces Yang Zhenshan to express his admiration.

This dispels his doubts about Duan Qifeng and allows him to put Wang Bin’s words behind him.

Yang Zhenshan continues to examine the map of the Wuliang Royal Court. The domain of the Wuliang Royal Court is vast, spanning three thousand miles from east to west and nearly two thousand miles from north to south.

However, its northern region consists of icy snowfields, and the west is a desolate Gobi desert. The main settlements are divided into four parts: the first part is around Mulu Ridge and Su Ge’er Lake near the King City, which has mountains, waters, fertile fields, and pastures, being the largest settlement area of the Wuliang Royal Court and one of the main settlement areas of the Wuliang Tribe.

The second part is on both the east and west sides of Menghe Mountain. With numerous peaks, most of them snowy mountains, during the summer, snow from the mountains melts into streams and forms many rivers and lakes along the mountainsides on both sides of Menghe Mountain, nurturing vast fertile grasslands.

The east side is designated as the territory of the Wula Tribe by the Wuliang Royal Court, while the west side has always been the territory of the Chi Ci Tribe.

The third part is the source rivers of Ru River upstream, like Hu Shan River, Ulu River, Baima River, etc., whose basins are in the southern part of the Wuliang Royal Court. The main settlements of the Kerelie Tribe, Wanggu Tribe, and Tatar Tribe are near these river basins.

The fourth part is in the western part of the Wuliang Royal Court near Geersai River and Ubsu Lake. Ubsu Lake is the largest saltwater lake within the Wuliang Royal Court and an important salt-producing area. Geersai River, although not large, is a long river that flows from the western Gobi desert into Ubsu Lake.

The settlements of the Alaman Tribe and Huiba Tribe are in this area; not only can they graze here, but they also rely on salt production for a living.

Of course, the Wuliang Hu Clan also has a drawback: their lack of armaments.

Especially Iron Armor, only the elite troops of each tribe possess Iron Armor, whereas the ordinary young and strong can only wear leather robes into battle.

It’s leather robes, not leather armor, as the leather armor in Chongshan Town is embedded with iron plates for protection at vital parts like the chest and shoulders.

The ordinary young and strong of the Wuliang Hu Clan don’t have such leather armor.

Perhaps some small tribes also possess Iron Armor, but those are often ancient heirlooms.

In the Wuliang Hu Clan, it is common to have armor passed down from ancestors, with generations wearing the same suit of Iron Armor.

Yang Zhenshan, while looking at the map of the Wuliang Royal Court, was carefully strategizing based on his understanding of the royal court.

Support Beiyuan Town?

Unnecessary. Although Chongshan Town could support Beiyuan Town, its significance is not substantial; it would merely drag the soldiers of Chongshan Town into the meat grinder that is Beiyuan Town.

Moreover, if tens of thousands of soldiers flood into Beiyuan Town, it’s likely that the town’s supplies would not sustain them.

Besides, he isn’t very familiar with Beiyuan Town, nor could he effectively command its soldiers; his presence there would only make the situation awkward.

Instead of supporting Beiyuan Town, Yang Zhenshan believes it would be better to implement the strategy of encircling Wei to save Zhao, which involves attacking the Wuliang Royal Court’s King City, Yemi City.

However, to attack Yemi City, he must first cross the Menghe Mountain Pass, which is a headache for Yang Zhenshan.

While Yang Zhenshan was hesitating on whether or not to attack Menghe Mountain Pass, Yang Minghao hurriedly ran over, saying, ”Dad, Big Brother is here!”

Yang Zhenshan frowned, ”Why is he here?”

Yang Mingzhi had already entered the hall, and upon seeing Yang Zhenshan, he kneeled and said, ”Son gives Dad a kowtow!”

”...”

Just bowing as he comes in, throwing Yang Zhenshan off.

Well, a kowtow is also appropriate; it has been years, isn’t it right for a son to kowtow to his father?

”Get up!”

Yang Zhenshan originally wanted to ask why he wasn’t guarding Fuzhou City and instead came to Chongshan Pass, but seeing him like this, he simply didn’t bother to ask further.

Yang Mingzhi stood up, with a slight smile on his face, ”It’s been years, Dad, you look a bit older!”

Yang Zhenshan glared at him, ”Can’t you speak properly? If not, better not to speak at all!”

After which, Yang Zhenshan looked down at his own beard.

His beard was still glossy black, and not a single white hair on his head; where did he look old?

Yang Zhenshan has indeed aged, but only with a few fine lines on his face, appearing at most like a man in his forties, not at all like a man in his sixties.

Yang Mingzhi, embarrassed, could only change the topic, saying, ”Dad, what’s your plan for the attack?”

”What, you have any ideas?” Yang Zhenshan retorted.

”I don’t; I’m waiting for your command!” Yang Mingzhi said.

Yang Zhenshan glared at him again, ”If you’re waiting for commands, then just wait obediently in Fuzhou City; why run to Chongshan Pass?”

Seeing that Yang Zhenshan seemed really angry, Yang Mingzhi bowed his head and remained silent.

This fellow still craves official rank, eager to distinguish himself and get promoted.

With a great battle impending in Chongshan Town, he naturally rushed to the battlefield.

Thus, when he heard the news that Yang Zhenshan was in Chongshan Pass, he hurried over, fearing that Yang Zhenshan wouldn’t assign him a task.