Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 92: Chapter 90 Preparing New Year Gifts

”Dad, when will this year’s New Year’s gifts be sent?”

In the afternoon, Yang Mingcheng came over and asked.

”New Year’s gifts!”

It was already the last month of the year, and it was indeed time to start preparing the New Year’s gifts.

Yang Zhenshan silently calculated that the Yang family had quite a few New Year’s gifts to send this year.

Among the relatives, there were the Wang family, the Li family, the Jiang family, the Liang family, and the Lu family.

For these families, there was no need to send too extravagant gifts, a token of intent would suffice.

The main concern was that they might not be able to reciprocate.

However, a few families needed to receive more substantial gifts.

Zhou Lan, as Yang Zhenshan’s strong supporter, definitely couldn’t be neglected in gift-giving.

Zhao Yuan also needed a gift sent over.

And there were the Lu family and the County Magistrate Luo Jin of Anning County.

”Prepare for it; in a few days, go back to Anning County, bring Wenchun and Wenhua with you, let them go home for the New Year, and return after the New Year!”

”For other families, handle it as you see fit; personally make a trip to the Liang family!”

The Yang family and the Liang family were engaged, but the bride had not yet been brought through the door, so special attention was necessary.

”Send more cotton cloth to your elder sister, and also ask Jiang He if he’s willing to come to Yinghe Castle next year!”

Among the five siblings of the Yang family, Yang Yunyan was undoubtedly the most overlooked.

It was an unavoidable situation as Yang Yunyan was already married, and even if Yang Zhenshan wanted to take more care of her, he couldn’t.

Since she was his own daughter and son-in-law, Yang Zhenshan felt the need to take care of them.

Jiang He was also not old, being only nineteen this year, so starting to train in Martial Arts wasn’t too late.

He couldn’t join the army, but he could help Yang Mingcheng manage the Yang family’s assets.

”For County Magistrate Luo, discuss with the Clan Leader; visit him together. He arranged an inspecting official position for Ming Hui this year, and we must prepare a generous gift, no matter what!”

”As for the Lu family, go to the town and buy some furs and valuable medicinal herbs to send over, the more varieties, the better. Even though they might not value our offerings, we still can’t make it look too disgraceful!”

Compared to the Lu family, the Yang family was too unsophisticated and genuinely had no impressive gifts to offer.

Yang Zhenshan gave instructions one by one and finally handed out a silver note of 500 taels to Yang Mingcheng.

Giving more gifts resulted in receiving more.

Sending gifts to the Lu family definitely wouldn’t result in a loss for the Yang family.

Actually, Yang Zhenshan didn’t want to take this advantage. Giving less and receiving more always felt like a sign of inferiority.

But there was no choice; the Lu family was bigger and wealthier, and the Yang family simply could not compare.

As for Zhou Lan and Zhao Yuan’s gifts, Yang Zhenshan had to prepare them personally.

It wasn’t just for those two; he had to send respectable New Year’s gifts to the officials of Jianning Guard as well.

Although he had Zhou Lan’s support, that didn’t mean he could neglect other superiors.

At the very least, he couldn’t overlook anyone, otherwise, they would feel looked down upon.

Since he needed to prepare New Year’s gifts for Zhou Lan and others, Yang Zhenshan felt it best to personally make a trip to the town.

That very afternoon, Yang Zhenshan and Yang Mingcheng, along with a troop of over ten elite cavalrymen, went to the town.

Yinghe Castle was relatively close to the town, and riding there wouldn’t take even half an hour.

Coincidentally passing by Linguan Castle, Yang Zhenshan took a detour to see Yang Chengze.

”If you miss home, you can go back for a visit this year.”

Inside the government office of Linguan Castle, Yang Zhenshan told Yang Chengze.

Yang Chengze was now the garrison commander of Linguan Castle, but he was still responsible for recruiting refugees. Recently, he had recruited some refugees in numbers sometimes reaching hundreds, sometimes dozens, gradually filling up the military households under Yang Zhenshan.

Meaning that Yang Zhenshan now had over eleven hundred military households, but since some of the refugees had just settled and were not yet fully accustomed, he presently had only more than 600 soldiers, not yet at full strength.

”Sir, is that possible?” Yang Chengze said, somewhat hopeful.

After all, he was only a seventeen-year-old boy, away from home for such a long time for the first time, he truly missed home.

”It’s possible. When the time comes, Ming Wu can look after the garrison for you!” Yang Zhenshan smiled.

Yang Mingwu had already gone home once and had also brought his wife and children over, so he definitely couldn’t go back for the New Year.

As for the rest of the Yang descendants, Yang Zhenshan would also cycle them to take leaves to go home.

Nearly a year since he last visited, it was time for him to go home and see his relatives.

”However, I can only give you five days; too long would be inappropriate!” Yang Zhenshan added.

”Thank you, sir!”

The usually composed Yang Chengze broke into a grin, looking like a sunny young man.

Yang Zhenshan patted his shoulder, then took a look around Linguan Castle.

Despite his young age, Yang Chengze’s management ability was not weak; he had managed Linguan Castle remarkably well.

Yang Zhenshan encouraged him a few more times before finally leaving Linguan Castle.

Approximately at dusk, they entered Chongshan Pass City. They definitely couldn’t return home that day and stayed over in Yang Zhenshan’s small courtyard.

A quiet night passed, and the next morning, Yang Zhenshan and Yang Mingcheng split up.

Yang Zhenshan first went to a pastry shop to buy some snacks, then to a butcher to buy half a lamb, and then with his men, visited the Luo family.

This was also considered delivering the New Year’s gift to them.

After sitting for a while at Luo’s place, he then visited the Lu family’s grain shop, also presenting a New Year’s gift to Manager Lu.

Although these two individuals were not very important, they had helped Yang Zhenshan a lot over the year, worth a personal visit by him.

After finishing with these two families, Yang Zhenshan was then ready to prepare New Year’s gifts for Zhou Lan.

What to give Zhou Lan?

Yang Zhenshan was truly troubled.

Generally, women like gold and silver jewelry, but Zhou Lan is no ordinary woman, and Yang Zhenshan seldom sees her wearing any jewelry.

Moreover, even if Yang Zhenshan prepared gold and silver jewelry, Zhou Lan might not appreciate it.

”Zhengshan, what do you think we should give General Zhou?”

Yang Zhenshan had walked along the street for a long time, looked at more than a dozen shops, and had not found a gift he liked.

Song Dashan, originally a small flag officer at a Fire Road Pile, is over thirty this year, tall and burly, standing with Yang Mingwu like two door gods.

Previously, when Yang Zhenshan inspected various defense points and signal towers, he discovered that Song Dashan was not only a Martial Artist with Refining Power Level but also skilled in mounted archery, so he recruited him to serve as the captain of his Personal Guard.

Well, this Personal Guard was privately established by Yang Zhenshan, consisting of the ten scouts he initially selected.

Strictly speaking, as a households officer, he was not entitled to have a Personal Guard.

As for the value Yang Zhenshan placed on him, Song Dashan was naturally immensely grateful.

Although Song Dashan is a Martial Artist, he is quiet and reserved, and his family is impoverished.

He has been a Martial Artist for more than ten years, yet he has been a minor flag officer for over a decade, which shows that he really isn’t skilled in scheming; otherwise, he could at least have become a General Flag, or entered a battle troops battalion to hold a position like team leader.

Hearing Yang Zhenshan’s question, Song Dashan scratched his head, ”My lord, I don’t know!”

”...”

Yang Zhenshan sweat profusely, he had forgotten what kind of character this guy was, discussing this matter with him was like playing the lute to a cow.

Suddenly, his gaze inadvertently caught a shop.

”Bookstore!”

There are few scholars in Chongshan Town, and bookstores are rare within the pass city.

Yang Zhenshan had browsed bookstores before, but he only bought stationery like pens, ink, paper, and inkstones, rarely books.

”Buy some books for General Zhou?”

”Some rare books or solitary copies also seem suitable for gifts!”

”It’s just that I don’t know whether General Zhou likes reading or not!”

Thinking thus, Yang Zhenshan walked into the bookstore, since he had no specific target in mind, he might as well take a look inside.

This bookstore is not small, decorated very simply, apparently an old establishment.

There is a shopkeeper and two apprentices in the shop, and one of the young apprentices, aged sixteen or seventeen, hurried forward to serve when he saw Yang Zhenshan and his group enter, ”What would the guest like?”

”I’ll just take a look!” Yang Zhenshan gestured with his hand and walked to a row of bookshelves.

His gaze swept over each book.

There were many books, including classics on Confucianism, storybooks, travelogues, miscellaneous books about medical arts, and even some Martial Arts Cultivation Techniques.

These were some low-level Martial Arts techniques, just like the spear technique traditionally passed down in the Yang family.

Yang Zhenshan’s eyes suddenly lit up seeing these techniques; although he already had the Kui Niu Skill, a Postnatal Skill, he also needed other techniques.

Such as Saber Skill, Swordsmanship, footwork, movement techniques; some he could practice, and some he could learn about without practicing them, so that if he encountered enemies who had learned these techniques in the future, he could predict their moves.

Actually, there were some techniques in Yinghe Castle, such as the Saber Skill practiced by the Sword and Shield Soldiers, and the Iron Arm Fist practiced by the archers, all considered low-level Martial Arts inheritances.

As the defense officer of Jianning Guard, he could also obtain some techniques from Jianning Guard.

Simply put, he was not short of low-level techniques to cultivate.

However, he felt overlearning was inefficient, so he had always just practiced the Yang family’s inherited spear technique and Kui Niu Skill.

Yang Zhenshan casually flipped through a Swordsmanship book.

Swordsmanship is not suitable for battlefield melee; because the sword is too short, too light, it is instead favored by many worldly society martial artists.

The Swordsmanship Yang Zhenshan was looking at was called Sui Feng Swordsmanship, consisting of thirty-two forms, each form emphasizing subtlety and spontaneity.

Such Swordsmanship is well-suited for individual duels among Martial Artists but somewhat useless on a battlefield.

On the battlefield, subtlety and spontaneity are not valued; once combat begins, it’s about fighting to the death, and many soldiers only have one chance to strike, making spontaneity impractical.

However, Yang Zhenshan still liked this Swordsmanship; thinking it over, he decided to take this Swordsmanship and ask about the price later; if it’s not expensive, he would buy it.

Actually, such low-level techniques were very cheap, usually costing only around ten to twenty taels of silver.

Then, Yang Zhenshan selected another Spear Technique, very similar to the traditional Yang family Spear Technique, but with some differences, which could be used for reference.

After picking two forms consecutively, Yang Zhenshan started browsing through the miscellaneous books.

He felt Zhou Lan definitely wouldn’t like books on Confucian classics; perhaps Zhou Lan would prefer some miscellaneous books, or perhaps military strategy books.

”Wait, military strategy books?”

A spark of inspiration flashed through Yang Zhenshan’s mind.

”Shopkeeper, do you have The Thirty-Six Stratagems?”

”The Thirty-Six Stratagems? What is that?” The shopkeeper looked confused.

”No?” Yang Zhenshan’s eyes suddenly brightened.

Others may transcribe poetry or songs after transmigrating; I’ll copy military strategies!

This stature, this prestige, this level, seemed to have risen all at once.

Yang Zhenshan’s eyes shone brilliantly.

As for ancient military texts like The Art of War by Sun Tzu or Tai Gong’s Six Secret Teachings, he certainly hadn’t read them.

But The Thirty-Six Stratagems, well, he didn’t remember it completely either, but The Thirty-Six Stratagems could be turned into Twenty-Four Stratagems; missing a few didn’t matter.

Besides, he also knew Qi Jiguang’s ”Minutes New Book” and ”Training Soldiers in Reality,” he didn’t know the details, but this did not stop him from compiling it himself.

Maybe I’ll also write a ”Training Soldiers in Reality”, combining modern military strategies with some from this world, plus The Thirty-Six Stratagems.

Perhaps I could become a master of military strategy.

Thinking this, Yang Zhenshan no longer hesitated and swept all the military stategist books in the bookstore.

Actually, there weren’t many, with just a total of six books on military strategies.