Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Yang Chengye, who stood stunned behind him, trembled slightly and hurried forward, ”Grandson is here!”

”In the future, you will stay in Chongshan Town, starting as a Bazong at the Camp!” Yang Zhenshan looked at Yang Chengye with full eyes of admiration.

Now at twenty-three, Yang Chengye’s cultivation has reached the Postnatal Fifth Layer, his talent for cultivation could certainly be considered brilliant.

If all goes well, within ten years, Yang Chengye’s cultivation could certainly reach the Postnatal Ninth Layer, and there is a good chance he could step into the threshold of the Innate Realm before the age of forty.

Besides his own cultivation, Yang Chengye is level-headed and insightful; although not exceptionally intelligent, he is considered both wise and brave.

Yang Chengye has accompanied Yang Zhenshan on military campaigns twice, currently crusading against the Star Moon Sect and then traveling four thousand li to launch a surprise attack on Yemi City, and has performed very well in both.

Yang Zhenshan is very satisfied with this successor he has groomed, feeling that he aligns more with his own desires than the three brothers of Yang Mingcheng.

Yang Mingcheng is too naïve, Yang Mingzhi is clever but not wise enough, too fond of using petty cleverness, Yang Minghao indeed has great wisdom, open-minded and clearheaded, but his temperament is not stable enough, sometimes too rash.

By comparison, Yang Chengye is excellent, stable and insightful, without the flaws of his father and uncles.

Of course, Yang Chengye also has his drawbacks; being stable means a lack of ambition, fine for maintaining status quo, but somewhat helpless when it comes to pioneering.

”Yes!” Yang Chengye agreed without hesitation.

Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly, turned to Tang Feihu, and smiled, ”Brother Tang, from now on, I’d really appreciate you taking good care of my grandson!”

Tang Feihu smiled, ”Marquis, rest assured, with the young Marquis in Chongshan Town, he will certainly be safe and sound!”

Yang Zhenshan laughed loudly, ”With Brother Tang’s words, I am relieved!”

Calling him a young Marquis said it all.

Yang Zhenshan’s decision to leave Yang Chengye in Chongshan Town was to prevent the roots of the Yang family in Chongshan Town from dissipating. In reality, Yang Minghao could do the same in Chongshan Town, but Yang Minghao would later be an Assistant General at Fuzhou Guard, far from Chongshan Pass, making it hard to influence the high-level decisions of Chongshan Town.

Although younger and lower in rank, Yang Chengye is the legitimate eldest grandson of the Yang family, the future heir of Marquis Jing’an Mansion.

He represents Marquis Jing’an Mansion more effectively than Yang Minghao.

As long as he is in Chongshan Pass, the descendants of Yang in Chongshan Pass will have a leader.

Tang Feihu clearly understood this, which seemed to restrict his power, as no one likes to see a bunch of subordinates not under their control.

But Tang Feihu understood more clearly that without the support of the Yang family, he could not control Chongshan Town.

In the future, he had two choices: one was to align with the Yang family, leveraging their power to control Chongshan Town; the other was to align with Zhang Zhcheng, the two of them, one a governor and one a General, together suppressing the power of the Yang family in Chongshan Town.

Tang Feihu had already made his choice, he chose to be close to the Yang family.

After all, he and Yang Zhenshan and Zhou Lan were old acquaintances, Zhou Lan was once a Guerrilla General at the Camp, he was also a Guerrilla General at the Camp, now he has taken over Zhou Lan’s position as General, as long as Yang Zhenshan and Zhou Lan both support him, he could be secure in Chongshan Town.

Conversely, if he joined forces with Zhang Zhcheng, that would place him against Yang Zhenshan and Zhou Lan, at which point Yang Zhenshan and Zhou Lan might even kick him and Zhang Zhcheng out of Chongshan Town together.

Do not think Yang Zhenshan and Zhou Lan cannot do it, the Yang family has deep roots in Chongshan Town.

What does deep roots mean?

From the Camp to various Rescue Camps, then to various garrison and garrison offices, the descendants of Yang can be seen everywhere.

Although these descendants of Yang do not hold high positions, it is precisely these low-positioned descendants of Yang that form the base of Chongshan Town.

Wanting to drive the Yang family out of Chongshan Town might be more troublesome than rebuilding Beiyuan Town.

Thus, Tang Feihu almost didn’t hesitate before choosing to stand on the side of the Yang family.

Zhou Lan also smiled at Tang Feihu, who returned it with a very relaxed smile.

Yang Zhenshan looked at Luo Feiyu, and said, ”Feiyu, you will be the Assistant General of the Eastern Route in the future! Mr. Zhang, please accommodate this change and switch with Feiyu!”

Zhang Chengzhi was startled, not expecting his own issue to arise here; he quickly bowed and said, ”Your servant solemnly obeys the Marquis’s command!”

He didn’t really have much choice, unlike Tang Feihu and Niu Zhuang, Tang Feihu was born in the South City Marquis Mansion, he is the blood brother of the current South City Marquis Tang Feilong, after all, Tang Feihu can also be considered of noble origin.

While Niu Zhuang and Zhao Yuan, like him, are all illegitimate children of nobility, though their noble backgrounds are not strong, there is at least some reliance.

There is also Qin He, Qin He is not of noble origin, but he is a military family descendant, his ancestors served in the border army for three generations, his grandfather once served as an Assistant General on the Southern Route of Chongshan Town thirty years ago.

Ji He recommended Qin He because Qin He’s grandfather had once supported Ji He.

Compared to others, Zhang Chengzhi started from the lowest ranks, born into a typical military household where his father was merely a small flag bearer.

Of course, his rise was not without patronage; Wang Bin was his greatest benefactor.

It was because of Wang Bin’s support that he could ascend step by step and achieve something in Martial Arts.

Now that Wang Bin could no longer support him, Yang Zhenshan was his only hope.

Therefore, he would not and dare not object to any of Yang Zhenshan’s arrangements.

It was just a change of location, still as an Assistant General; he did not feel uncomfortable about it.

Yang Zhenshan transferred Luo Feiyu to the eastern route precisely because he hoped that he could look after the Sky Blue Sword Sect.

Yang Zhenshan looked at the crowd and asked, ”Do you have any other concerns? Speak up, perhaps this old man can be of assistance!”

The crowd exchanged looks with each other, all shaking their heads indicating nothing else was amiss.

”Since there’s nothing else, then let General Tang oversee the affairs of Chongshan Town!”

Yang Zhenshan smiled at Tang Feihu as he said.

Tang Feihu quickly stood up, ”It’s best if Marquis oversees everything, this lower official still has a lot to learn from Marquis!”

Yang Zhenshan waved his hand and vacated the main seat, ”Everything in Chongshan Town can remain as is. However, for other matters, do not relax surveillance against the Wuliang Hu Clan. Although they are currently in internal turmoil, their threat cannot be ignored.”

With these words, he walked over and sat next to Zhou Lan, yielding the main seat to Tang Feihu.

Since the court had already ordered Tang Feihu’s promotion to General, his role as temporary General was also revoked.

From now on, this would be Tang Feihu’s home turf.

Tang Feihu reluctantly took the main seat. He didn’t say much, just implemented the arrangements Yang Zhenshan had just laid out.

Soon after, everyone dispersed.

In the evening, Tang Feihu arranged a banquet at the best restaurant in the city, inviting everyone to attend.

Yang Zhenshan naturally wouldn’t embarrass him and attended the banquet alongside Yang Chengye.

Though it seemed like an ordinary banquet, it held significant meaning.

Yang Zhenshan himself attending the banquet had already made his position clear.

Numerous officials from different levels in Chongshan Pass also came to the banquet, which was also a statement of their stance.

Zhang Zhcheng also attended the banquet.

At the banquet, Zhang Zhcheng, with a spring-like smile, toasted to Yang Zhenshan.

”Lower official congratulates Marquis for achieving another military exploit, haha, I have heard, Marquis traveled four thousand miles, launched a surprise attack on King Wuliang’s City, and burned King Wuliang’s City to the ground!” Zhang Zhcheng praised Yang Zhenshan.

This news had spread, including that Yang Mingzhen and Yang Chengze swept through dozens of tribes deep within Wuliang Royal Court.

After the major defeat of Beiyuan Town and the great victory of Chongshan Town, although Chongshan Town did not assist Beiyuan Town, the breakthrough at Yemi City forced the Wuliang army to retreat. Such results instantly silenced the officials in the court who had been continuously impeaching Yang Zhenshan.

Yang Zhenshan raised his glass to clink with him, smiling, ”Mr. Zhang, I will need you to take good care of my nephews and grandnephews in the future!”

”Yes, yes, haha, Marquis, please, let me drink this toast to your honor first!” Zhang Zhcheng raised his glass.

The two chatted idly for a long time, exchanging all kinds of non-nutritional pleasantries.

At the banquet, everyone merrily toasted each other.

Yang Zhenshan, Zhang Zhcheng, Zhou Lan, Tang Feihu, Niu Zhuang, Yang Mingzhi, Song Ying, Ning Qinghe, and Zhang Cong sat together at one table, laughing and chatting in harmony.

But everyone understood that there was only one outsider there, and that was Zhang Zhcheng.

No need to mention others; Song Ying, Ning Qinghe, and Zhang Cong were old-timers of Chongshan Town, they too naturally leaned towards Tang Feihu and the Yang family when facing Zhang Zhcheng.

Moreover, judging by Tang Feihu’s intentions, he seemed to want to marginalize Zhang Zhcheng somewhat.

Regarding this, Yang Zhenshan did not say much; Tang Feihu was not a simpleton, as long as Tang Feihu remained loyal to the Yang family, other matters did not need Yang Zhenshan’s attention.