Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 298: Chapter 289 Huaijiang Marquis Passes Away

A few days had passed in the blink of an eye, and Lu Wenquan’s civil service examination ended smoothly.

Perhaps it was because Yang Mingcheng was well-prepared, or maybe because Lu Wenquan was in good health. In any case, the several days of examination did not wear down Lu Wenquan.

When Lu Wenquan came out after the last exam, he was still spirited, showing no signs of fatigue.

”How was it? How did the exam go?”

The moment Lu Wenquan came out, Yang Mingcheng asked eagerly.

He had not dared to ask during the previous two times, and after bringing Lu Wenquan back home, he only asked the servants to take care of him cautiously, keeping quiet in Lu Wenquan’s presence for fear of inadvertently affecting his mental state.

Now that the exams were finally over, Yang Mingcheng couldn’t hold back any longer and finally voiced the questions he had been keeping to himself all this time.

Seeing Yang Mingcheng’s expectant look, Lu Wenquan smiled, ”Big brother, I did my best, but whether I pass depends on fate!”

Even though Lu Wenquan was confident in his scholarship, he really wasn’t sure about this matter.

”Haha, that’s good to hear! My dad always said that though some things depend on human effort, their success is ultimately controlled by fate. But as long as you did your best, fate will surely choose you,” Yang Mingcheng laughed heartily.

Lu Wenquan’s eyes lit up at his words, ”My uncle-in-law’s perspective is astute!”

”Of course, your uncle-in-law is now the Stable National General!”

Speaking of his own father, pride shone unmistakably on Yang Mingcheng’s face.

Lu Wenquan pursed his lips and smiled. He too felt proud of Yang Zhenshan, but his personality was more reserved and he did not show it.

The imperial examination session had come to an end, but the results would not be announced until April. After that, there was still the palace examination; it was uncertain whether Lu Wenquan would manage to enter that stage.

...

In the study of the Central Army Commander’s Mansion, Duke Zhou Mao was reviewing documents sent by Yang Zhenshan.

”Salt fields!”

Zhou Mao frowned slightly, as constructing salt fields was not a trivial matter.

This involved the interests of the Salt Transport Department. Was the reason the Five Army Commandery hadn’t constructed more salt fields because they did not know it could be profitable?

No, it was because they could not afford to provoke the civil servants of the Salt Transport Department.

Despite the lower rank of the Salt Transport Department, civil servants tended to stick together, with complex relationships such as mentor-mentee, alumni, and fellow townspeople.

Moreover, the Salt Transport Department was overseen by an Imperial Censor of Salt, involving the Imperial Examination Hall. Attempts to get involved in the salt business could attract a slew of trouble.

The Five Army Commandery, fearing these civil servant’s actions, had thus refrained from establishing more salt fields.

Zhou Mao was well aware of the vested interests within the salt business and did not want to stir trouble, so after some thought, he ultimately decided to decline Yang Zhenshan’s proposal.

He personally wrote a letter to Yang Zhenshan, detailing the troubles related to the Salt Transport Department to explain his stance thoroughly.

Had it been someone else, he wouldn’t have bothered to be so polite and would have simply returned the documents without providing an explanation.

But Yang Zhenshan was different, not just because he was a Stable National General and commander of the Tenglong Guard, but because he was considered one of their own.

With one’s own people, Zhou Mao was naturally much warmer.

...

A few days later, Yang Zhenshan received Zhou Mao’s letter, sighing softly, ”I knew this wouldn’t be easy!”

He stood by the window in his study with his hands behind his back, looking out at the courtyard.

It was late March, and the temperature in the Liaodong Region had risen above zero degrees, marking the time when all things begin to revive. The sycamore trees in the courtyard were sprouting, the delicate buds curled up, seemingly still unaccustomed to the mild spring.

Yang Zhenshan stroked his long beard while looking at the budding leaves, but his thoughts had already drifted far away.

The court of Da Rong was deep and murky.

Although there were no political factions in the Da Rong Court, it was rife with various cliques.

On the military generals’ side, there were nobles who ascended through ancestral honors, and those who climbed up through military achievements.

The nobles too were divided into different factions including the old guard — representatives like Changping Marquis Mansion, and the new nobility, along with the royal family.

There were also those who fought side by side coming from the same border town, sharing a camaraderie and perhaps intertwined interests, forming a small collective.

Just like Yang Zhenshan and Wang Bin formed such a small group.

And Yang Zhenshan and Zhou Lan were in a mentor relationship, so Yang Zhenshan always bore the mark of the Duke Ning Mansion.

But Yang Zhenshan climbed up by his own military merits.

As Yang Zhenshan’s status and official rank rose, his network expanded further, and any issue involving him could implicate many people.

One should know that it hadn’t been even ten years since Yang Zhenshan’s deployment to Chongshan Town, yet he had accumulated extensive connections in such a short time.

As such, officials who had been in the bureaucratic field for twenty or thirty years must hold vast connections, as did the bureaucratic families cultivated over generations.

The Salt Transport Department was just one government office, but it represented the interests of many people, who due to these interests, formed a special group.

Officials from the Salt Transport Department, large salt merchants, and even some officials from the Ministry of Revenue and the Imperial Examination Hall—many were making silver through the salt industry.

Anyone trying to interfere with their interests would face their resistance.

Zhou Mao wasn’t afraid of them; rather, he felt it was unnecessary to entangle himself with these people over a salt field.

Simply put, he considered it troublesome.

Yang Zhenshan understood this, as did Liu Zhe, which was why Liu Zhe suggested that Yang Zhenshan try to negotiate with Zheng Xiao to navigate the relations with the Salt Transport Department.

But approaching Zheng Xiao presupposed the agreement of the Central Army Commander’s Mansion for the Tenglong Guard to build a salt field.

Zhou Mao disagreed, so what could Yang Zhenshan do?

Would he explain the necessity of constructing a salt field by the Tenglong Guard to him?

Yang Zhenshan felt it would be futile.

The key issue for Zhou Mao wasn’t about the specifics but the trouble it might cause.

If Yang Zhenshan wanted to gain Zhou Mao’s agreement, he would first need to eliminate the trouble from the Salt Transport Department.

This solution didn’t mean making the Salt Transport Department consent to his building a salt field but preventing them from causing issues regarding the salt field with him and the Central Army Commander’s Mansion.

”So we need an irrefutable reason from the Salt Transport Department!”

After sorting through his thoughts, Yang Zhenshan reached this conclusion.

He stroked his beard, a slight smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

An irrefutable reason!

It is not for lack of options.

Don’t forget why he came to Tenglong Guard?

Yang Zhenshan turned around to sit back at his desk and began to write earnestly.

It’s hard to impact the interests of the Salt Transport Department alone.

But he can leverage others.

Don’t forget he still has a big banner to wave.

And that is the old Emperor!

It was the old Emperor who sent him to Tenglong Guard.

Yang Zhenshan wrote a detailed memorial to the emperor, recounting all that he had done in the past few months at Tenglong Guard, discussing the difficulties he faced and the solutions he had in mind, only to mention the matter of the salt fields at the end.

Reporting to a boss also requires skill; one needs to highlight their achievements and problems, but simply talking about problems isn’t enough, solutions must also be mentioned.

Thus, the boss will know that you have been working diligently, are striving presently, and still have much to do in the future.

After finishing the memorial, Yang Zhenshan asked Liu Zhe to refine it a bit.

”Brother Yang, you should read more often!” Liu Zhe said with a subtly disparaging tone while editing.

The corners of Yang Zhenshan’s mouth twitched slightly.

Heh, it’s still debatable who reads more between the two of us!

Well, actually no.

In terms of the volume of reading, he is indeed no match for Liu Zhe. Liu Zhe genuinely loves reading, having undergone nine years of compulsory education, three years of high school, and four years of university; he simply couldn’t be compared.

”Cough cough, I’m beyond age for that,” was all Yang Zhenshan could respond.

”Live and learn!”

”There is a specialization in every art!” Yang Zhenshan felt that he was not uneducated; he frequently read military books and travelogues to broaden his understanding of the world.

”Be erudite, be inquisitive, be thoughtful, be discerning, be committed.”

”...”

Yang Zhenshan felt his brain must be waterlogged, as he had thought to argue with Liu Zhe.

He stopped talking, instead focusing on savoring his tea.

It seemed Liu Zhe didn’t truly intend to argue either; he was merely promoting learning.

Hmm, this guy has quite a penchant for mentoring.

After Liu Zhe finished editing, Yang Zhenshan copied the memorial one more time before having it dispatched.

Just as he had sent the memorial off, Wu Hai hurriedly arrived at the government office, ”Sir, an urgent letter from the Capital City!”

”It’s urgent!”

Yang Zhenshan’s expression became serious, and he quickly began to read the letter.

The letter, sent by Wu Zheng, contained only one sentence: ”Huaijiang Marquis has passed away from illness!”

Yang Zhenshan stared at these words, momentarily stunned.

What was Wu Zheng’s intention, hastily sending a letter for just this matter?

”Huaijiang Marquis, who is the Huaijiang Marquis?” Yang Zhenshan murmured under his breath.

”What about Huaijiang Marquis?” Liu Zhe, who hadn’t left yet, suddenly asked.

”Huaijiang Marquis has died from illness, Brother Liu, who is this Huaijiang Marquis?” Yang Zhenshan looked at Liu Zhe.

Liu Zhe looked back at him strangely and said, ”You don’t know?”

”Know what?” Yang Zhenshan became even more perplexed.

”General Zhou and Huaijiang Marquis’s marriage arrangement!” Liu Zhe explained.

Yang Zhenshan was taken aback, and again looked at the letter in his hands, his face turning grim.

Huaijiang Marquis Sui Yian!

Isn’t this the person Zhou Lan was to marry?

But now Huaijiang Marquis has passed away!

What does this imply?

It signifies that Zhou Lan won’t be able to get married again, and her reputation of being jinxed will only intensify; maybe she won’t get married in her lifetime!

Although Yang Zhenshan didn’t care about many of the feudal customs here, he still hoped Zhou Lan would have a happy marriage.

But now~~

”Really died from illness?” Yang Zhenshan couldn’t help but think conspiratorially.

This is too coincidental!

Zhou Lan’s previous two fiancés also died before their weddings, and now the third one as well.

Once could be a coincidence, twice might also be termed as a coincidence.

But this is the third time!

There couldn’t be so many coincidences in the world!

Yang Zhenshan paced back and forth in his study with his hands behind his back, wanting to help Zhou Lan, but after much thinking, he realized he truly couldn’t help in this matter.