Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 314: Chapter 304: The Old Zhang Maosheng Meets the General

Just as Yang Zhenshan entered the Zheng Mansion, the Zhang family received news from the West City Gate.

The Tenglong Guard entered the city fortress, Luo Fu and Xu Huazhen were captured, and the Tenglong Guard subsequently took over the city defenses and sealed off the Salt Transport Department’s government office.

One piece of news after another was relayed back to the Zhang family, where family head Zhang Maosheng stood under the eaves, looking up at the beautiful sky.

Zhang Maosheng, already of advanced age this year, had a slightly hunched back, white hair and beard, a face full of wrinkles, yet his murky but profound eyes were like deep pools that one could not see through.

Behind Zhang Maosheng, in the hall, Zhang family’s eldest son Zhang Qingsong and his second son Zhang Qingyun both wore expressions of urgency.

”Dad, Lord Luo has been captured, should we do something?” asked Zhang Qingsong.

Zhang Maosheng didn’t speak but instead walked into the hall, picked up the tobacco pipe set on the table, methodically pinched a bit of tobacco into the pipe, and then lit it with a tinder.

He took a fierce puff and then breathed out a long stream of smoke.

”Our Zhang family has been in commerce for generations, and it has been more than three hundred years to this day. Over these three hundred years, we have encountered countless crises, but we have always weathered them safely. Do you know why?”

Zhang Maosheng softly inquired.

Zhang Qingsong and Zhang Qingyun looked at each other, anxiety in their eyes, yet they patiently asked: ”Why?”

”Why?” Zhang Maosheng smiled, still holding the pipe as he stepped back under the eaves, ”Because we never involve ourselves in the power struggles of officialdom!”

”Go and bring out all the silver from the treasury, also fetch the account books of the various officials, especially Lord Luo’s account book!”

What do merchants fear the most?

Pressure from the officialdom.

Yet, for merchants to grow and expand, they cannot do without the support of officials; without the officials, business cannot be secure, and without business, officials cannot prosper.

Officials and merchants are two intertwined threads, like a vast net that tightly links them together.

The Zhang family’s current wealth could not have been achieved without support from the official circles.

However, the Zhang family never aligns itself with a particular official or a power in the officialdom.

This is the Zhang family’s strategy for continuation.

Zhang Qingsong and Zhang Qingyun’s expressions changed—All the silver in the treasury!

How much silver did the Zhang family possess?

To tell the truth, neither of the two brothers had an accurate concept.

Because it was too much!

”Hurry up! It’ll be too late if you don’t do it now!” Zhang Maosheng’s voice was hoarse with urgency.

”Yes, yes!!” Zhang Qingsong quickly responded, and then the two brothers trotted out of the main hall, calling the family servants to go to the treasury to carry the silver.

Soon, chests of hefty silver were carried to the front courtyard, crowding the open space in front of the hall.

But before they had finished moving it all, Song Dashan arrived with a group of soldiers rushing into the Zhang family compound.

After a moment of panic and commotion, Song Dashan strode into the forecourt of the Zhang family like a dragon and a tiger.

Seeing the chests before him, Song Dashan was first stunned, then looked at the Zhang family members in confusion.

”This old man, Zhang Maosheng, pays respects to the General!”

Zhang Maosheng had anticipated this, and faced with Song Dashan and a group of aggressive soldiers, there was not a hint of panic on his aged face, and he came forward with composure, bowing with a fist.

Song Dashan glanced at him and said, ”I am not a General, I am Song Dashan, the Deputy Magistrate of the Tenglong Guard, carrying out the orders of the Tenglong Guard Commander to seize all of Zhang family’s properties, and those who resist will be killed without exception!”

”Seizure!”

Song Dashan was an honest man, even though he was puzzled by the many chests here, he still did not forget the orders of Yang Zhenshan, and executed them resolutely.

If Yang Zhenshan said to seize, then it meant to seize; any further talk would not be in Song Dashan’s frank nature.

With a wave of his hand, the soldiers behind him immediately surged into the Zhang family, beginning to seal off the premises everywhere.

”Wait, Mr. Song, this elder has something to say!” Zhang Maosheng quickly spoke upon seeing the soldiers heading towards the back courtyard of the Zhang family.

”What is there to say? Whatever you have to say can wait until you see my superior. It’s no use telling me!” Song Dashan’s gaze swept over the members of the Zhang family.

He didn’t care what Zhang Maosheng had to say; what he was concerned about was whether there were Martial Artists in the Zhang family, and whether they posed any threat. If there were any, they would warrant close attention, and if they dared to resist, they would be executed on the spot.

Zhang Maosheng was somewhat panicked at this moment; he was willing to show a contrite attitude, which would surely soften the incoming people somewhat, at least enough to allow a conversation.

But Song Dashan in front of him didn’t give him a chance to admit his wrongs, leaving him feeling like a Scholar encountering soldiers, unable to make his reasoned argument understood.

”You’re old, so don’t make trouble, or else my blade won’t care about your age!”

Song Dashan thought this old man was bothersome and lifted the blade in his hand, hoping to get the old man to back off a little.

”My lord!” Zhang Maosheng saw the blade in his hand, his expression changed slightly, and he took a few steps back.

He was also a Martial Artist, once with no low level of cultivation, but now that he was past his prime, only less than thirty percent of his cultivation remained.

Moreover, he was a merchant, valuing peaceful commerce, and had always disliked life-and-death struggles, so his cultivation was solely for the sake of strengthening his body and he had no combat prowess.

Simply put, when he was young, he was just a Martial Artist in name without much substance, and now he didn’t even pass for that.

”Open the chests!” Seeing that Song Dashan was intransigent, Zhang Maosheng hurriedly instructed his servants to open the chests.

Thud, thud, thud~~

Upon opening the chests, ingots of silver shone through.

The silver that the Zhang family stored in the treasury was newly minted, all molded into fifty-tael silver ingots.

Pristine silver ingots neatly lined the chests, shimmering dazzlingly under the bright sunlight, particularly eye-catching.

The soldiers following Song Dashan couldn’t believe their eyes at the sight.

So much Silver!

This was the only thought in their minds!

There really is a lot of Silver.

A chest contains a thousand taels, and right now there are easily over a hundred chests laid out before us. The key is that these chests have just been carried out, and there are many more still on their way out. Due to the soldiers’ sudden intrusion, the Zhang family’s servants casually placed the chests on the ground.

So, the glittering Silver spread from the open space in front of the hall deep into the Zhang family’s residence, like an endless dragon.

With so much Silver in front of them, few people could remain unmoved.

Of course, there are those who are not tempted in the slightest.

Song Dashan glanced at the gleaming Silver and called out with clear eyes, ”What are you standing around for? Get out there and find every single person from the Zhang family!”

Upon hearing this, the soldiers immediately snapped back to their senses and continued to carry out their proper duties.

Yet, there still were quite a few soldiers who couldn’t help but sneak glances at the Silver.

They were all from poor backgrounds and had never seen so much Silver. Seeing so much now, it was inevitable that greed would arise in their hearts.

But among the troops were soldiers from the An Yuan City garrison, who could tell at a glance the greed in the eyes of their subordinates. They sternly warned, ”Keep yourselves in line, anyone who dares to pocket any will be dealt with by military law!”

”Hurry up!”

With these reprimands, the soldiers suppressed the greed in their hearts.

As for the soldiers from the An Yuan City garrison, they wouldn’t be tempted.

Did people really think they had never seen Silver before?

Back in their days in the Northern territories, the possessions of the Hu Clan tribes were far more than the Silver before their eyes.

They had seen big scenes before and weren’t shaken in the slightest by the situation before them.

The soldiers continued to seal off the Zhang family’s property, searching from room to room and herding all members of the Zhang family to the front courtyard.

Meanwhile, Zhang Maosheng was in utter panic!

What did this mean?

Even the Silver was of no use anymore?

Watching as every member of his household was rounded up, he started to lose his composure, ”Don’t lay hands!”

Fortunately, he was still composed enough to stop those among his household who were disgruntled and angry, ready to lash out.

The Zhang family, a legacy of more than three hundred years, had no lack of family members—dozens of them. There were even more servants—hundreds—and not to mention a significant number of house servants and guards.

If it really came to a fight, Song Dashan’s troops might not be able to subdue them.

At this moment, Yang Zhenshan and Zheng Xiao arrived.

Seeing the Silver laid out in front of the hall and the docile Zhang family members, Yang Zhenshan stopped in surprise.

The Zhang family was wealthy, with plenty of Silver, which could compel many Jianghu Martial Artists to risk their lives in service.

Even Postnatal Martial Artists of the Eighth or Ninth Layer might bow their heads for Silver, let alone those of lower cultivation.

With the Zhang family’s wealth, recruiting dozens or hundreds of Postnatal Martial Artists would be no difficult task.

Yang Zhenshan had rushed over, fearing that the Zhang family, unwilling to be captured without a fight, would resist with force.

It seemed Zhang family was being rational.

”Sir!”

Seeing Yang Zhenshan arrive, Song Dashan quickly saluted with a fist.

”Hmm.”

Yang Zhenshan walked forward expressionlessly and looked at the chests full of Silver, asking, ”What is going on here?”

”They brought them out themselves, no idea why,” Song Dashan honestly replied.

”Esteemed General, Zhang Maosheng greets you!” Zhang Maosheng found an opportunity and immediately stepped forward to bow, his attitude extremely humble.

Yang Zhenshan looked at the old man, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

”Are you the Family Head of the Zhang family?”

”Yes, unworthy as I am, I am indeed the head of the Zhang family!” said Zhang Maosheng.

”So, what is this about?” Yang Zhenshan gestured towards the chests filled with Silver.

Zhang Maosheng waved his hand toward the back, and Zhang Qingsong stepped forward carrying a stack of account books. Zhang Maosheng passed the account books to Yang Zhenshan, saying, ”General, this is the Silver stored with our family by various officials from the Salt Transport Department over the years, including both principal and interest from loans.”

Yang Zhenshan casually flipped through one of the account books, his eyes showing even more surprise.

Interesting!

The Zhang family had recorded all transactions with the Salt Transport Department officials over the years, in great detail.

”If the General requires, my family can provide even more account books for inspection. However, some are just normal business records, which might not be of use to the General!” Zhang Maosheng, finally finding someone he could communicate with properly, promptly voiced his request.

His thinking was simple: there’s always a price to pay when mixing in worldly affairs, and when it comes time to pay up, one must stand tall and take it.

No resistance, no defiance, just honestly confessing everything.

Whatever amount of Silver needs to be compensated, that’s what will be paid, even if it’s an overpayment.

This was the essence of the Zhang family’s three-hundred-year legacy. The family’s survival to this day had its ups and downs, sometimes flourishing for decades, other times sinking to the bottom. Yet the Zhang lineage had never been cut off.

It rested on their willingness to let go.

When it’s time to spend wealth to avert disaster, they don’t skimp. They hand over all their assets just to survive.

Land without people is lost, both land and people are lost; people without land, both land and people can be preserved.

This saying also applies to wealth: As long as the Zhang lineage continues, there will come a day for the Zhang family to rise again from East Mountain.

In fact, even if the Zhang family hits rock bottom, they are not comparable to an ordinary merchant.

The foundation built over more than three hundred years is not to be underestimated.