Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 407: Chapter 393 Human Feelings

”Let’s go home and talk!” Yang Zhengxiang grabbed Yang Zhenshan’s sleeve and headed towards his own home.

”Alright, alright, everyone disperse. Tonight, a banquet will be held in front of the ancestral hall to welcome Zhenshan home from the dust, everyone come!”

With that, Yang Zhengxiang took Yang Zhenshan back to his house.

Meanwhile, the entire Yang Family Village was plunged into jubilation due to Yang Zhenshan’s return.

”Uncle Zhengshan!”

Just as they entered the gate of Yang Zhengxiang’s house, they bumped into Yang Minghui.

Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly, smiling and said, ”Minghui, please take care of these brothers accompanying me!”

”No trouble, no trouble at all!” Yang Minghui said with a happy wave of his hand.

”Alright, who in the family would dare mistreat your brothers now that you’re home!” Yang Zhengxiang laughed.

Yang Zhenshan nodded and then followed Yang Zhengxiang into the main hall.

As for his personal followers, Yang Minghui was there to host them.

”Why have you suddenly come back?”

Just as the two sat down, Yang Zhengxiang couldn’t help but ask.

Yang Zhenshan replied, ”I’m about to head to the Capital City, and thought to stop by on the way.”

”Going to the Capital City? Weren’t you promoted as the General of Chongshan Town? Why go to the Capital City?” Yang Zhengxiang said.

Clearly, Yang Zhengxiang was not yet aware of the possibility of Yang Zhenshan being conferred a title.

But it’s also true, although the Yang family has become a prominent local family, they are somewhat isolated and lag in learning about some matters.

Yang Zhanshan revealed, ”The court wishes to confer upon me a title!”

”Confer a title!” Yang Zhengxiang’s eyes widened suddenly, and then he excitedly said, ”Really?”

”Of course!”

”Great, great, haha~~” Yang Zhengxiang got perhaps too excited and burst into laughter, then couldn’t help but start coughing.

Yang Zhenshan quickly patted his back and said, ”You’re not young anymore, take it easy!”

”It’s okay, I’m just happy!” Yang Zhengxiang repeatedly waved his hand.

After the joyous news, the wrinkles on Yang Zhenshan’s face seemed to lessen.

Then the two continued to discuss the matter of the title. Naturally, Yang Zhenshan didn’t tell him the whole truth, just mentioning that the court wanted to confer the title due to his recent military exploits.

Although Yang Zhengxiang had broad experiences over the years, being a countryman, his understanding of the Capital City and the court was very shallow.

So, he did not consider the perils involved, but simply rejoiced for Yang Zhenshan and the Yang family.

The two old brothers, reunited after a long time, naturally had a lot to talk about.

However, they soon couldn’t continue their conversation as many elder clan members who got the news came over.

These elders were also old acquaintances of Yang Zhenshan, if not the elders from the past, then the core strength of the Yang Family Village from the old days.

Returning to Yang Family Village, Yang Zhenshan did not feel unfamiliar, or rather he was equally unfamiliar with both the past and the current village, so he didn’t feel the poignant sense of change.

The evening banquet was very lively; many clan members brought their descendants to pay respects to Yang Zhenshan, making him akin to an ancestor in the clan hall, receiving bows all night.

However, seeing the group of clever children, Yang Zhenshan was still very pleased.

Having been in this world for over a decade, he already had a deep sense of belonging to the Yang family.

Moreover, having many descendants of the Yang family by his side, he had thoroughly integrated himself into the Yang family, truly considering himself an elder of the clan.

After a raucous night, the next day Yang Zhenshan went to the mountain behind the Yang Family Village to pay respects to the graves of his former parents and deceased wife.

Over the years, it was Yang Mingcheng who came back to pay respects, and aside from the first year he came to this world, this was only his second time doing so.

After the rites, Yang Zhenshan bid farewell to the clansmen and left Yang Family Village.

He had only stopped by on his way and had to hasten to the Capital City; naturally, he couldn’t stay long in the village.

Leaving the Yang Family Village, Yang Zhenshan then went to the Lu family in Qinghe Town.

Since Lu Wenquan received his position, the Lu family had also become an official family in Qinghe Town.

After serving as an editor in the Hanlin Academy for three years, Lu Wenquan entered the Ministry of Personnel as a staff member. In just three years, Lu Wenquan was promoted from Secondary Seventh Rank editor to Secondary Fifth Rank staff member, and even in the Ministry of Personnel, a promotion which was even more astonishing than Yang Zhenshan’s initial rise.

Although Lu Wenquan is thriving in the Capital City, the Lu family still resides in Qinghe Town and has not moved to the Capital City or any other place.

Lu Songhe, Lu Zhaoqi, and others still live in Qinghe Town.

The main purpose of Yang Zhenshan’s visit was to see Lu Songhe and to offer incense to the Qi family.

Lu Songhe, already well past his seventies, still maintains a robust physique, standing tall and straight.

The development of the Lu family over these years has been quite good; although not comparable to the Yang family, they are considered a major clan in Anning County, but due to fewer family members, it’s hard for the Lu family to become a prominent or wealthy clan like the Lu family or the Yang family.

At least within three generations, the Lu family will not become a prominent clan.

The development of a family is definitely not a matter of one or two generations; it requires the effort of several generations.

Although Yang Zhenshan is the first generation of the Yang family’s rise, in fact, the Yang family originally had a large clan, which is why it became a powerful clan in just over a decade.

If there were only Yang Zhenshan’s branch, there would be no Yang family, just a single Yang household.

Yang Zhenshan only stayed one night in Qinghe Town, catching up with Lu Songhe, and brothers Lu Zhaoqi and Lu Zhaoran.

In fact, over the years, the relationship between the Yang family and Lu family has become even closer. Initially, when Yang Zhenshan married Yu Qingyi, there was an inevitable distance between the Yang and Lu families, but with years of support and assistance, the two families reconciled as if nothing had happened.

Even Lu Songhe no longer shows a displeased face to Yang Zhenshan and speaks in a friendly manner.

After all, over the years, the Yang family has indeed helped the Lu family a lot.

After spending three days delayed in Yang Family Village and Qinghe Town, Yang Zhenshan continued southward and headed straight for Jizhou without any further delays.

The reason he delayed for three days was partly to check on Yang Family Village and Lu’s family, and partly to give those Jianghu forces some time to react.

Indeed, Yang Zhenshan had no intention of hiding; the threats from the Mountain River Tower’s gold list and the Jade Dew Spirit Peach were not enough to make him feel afraid or to keep him away.

He wanted to see how many Jianghu Martial Artists would come to assassinate him over the Jade Dew Spirit Peach.

After entering Ping Yuan Province, Yang Zhenshan clearly felt that more people were watching him, indicating that many Jianghu forces had started to act.

Regarding this, Yang Zhenshan had only one attitude: he would not hide or dodge but travel openly and straightforwardly.

Just as Yang Zhenshan was about to reach the boundaries of Jizhou, Hero Ji Hai from Hengdao Sect came looking for him.

”Young Ji Hai pays his respects to General Yang!”

On the official road between villages, Ji Hai and his two disciples approached Yang Zhenshan.

Yang Zhenshan brought Red Cloud to a halt and looked at him with a smile, ”Ah, it turns out to be Hero Ji. May I know what business Hero Ji has waiting here for this old man?”

”Young guy has something to remind General Yang about!”

”What is it?”

”It’s about the golden list of the Mountain River Tower!” said Ji Hai.

Yang Zhenshan’s expression slightly changed and asked, ”Just for this matter?”

”Only for this matter!” Ji Hai looked at Yang Zhenshan with clear eyes.

Yang Zhenshan stared at him and nodded gently, ”Hero Ji indeed possesses noble righteousness!”

He had originally suspected that Ji Zhen would attack him over the Jade Dew Spirit Peach, but now it seemed Ji Zhen had no such intentions; instead, he sent Ji Hai to warn him.

”My master said that a mere Jade Dew Spirit Peach is not enough to turn him into an Innate Martial Artist!” Ji Hai stated openly, not hiding his thoughts.

Yang Zhenshan nodded, understanding now why Ji Zhen hadn’t made a move.

Not all Jianghu Martial Artists are blinded by greed; there are also those noble ones who act heroically for the country and the people.

Ji Zhen has a good reputation in Liaodong, and so does the Hengdao Sect.

It wasn’t incomprehensible for Hengdao Sect to give up contending for the Jade Dew Spirit Peach.

Indeed, one Jade Dew Spirit Peach wasn’t enough to make Ji Zhen an Innate Martial Artist, but that didn’t mean the Hengdao Sect didn’t need the Jade Dew Spirit Peach.

While it might be useless for Ji Zhen, for Hengdao Sect, it was a rare resource that could elevate a martial artist to nearly Innate level.

Just this fact alone would actually justify Ji Zhen taking action.

Since Ji Zhen chose not to make a move, he was indeed giving face to Yang Zhenshan and offering him a favor.

”This favor will be remembered in my heart!” said Yang Zhenshan.

Ji Hai paused for a bit, then added, ”General Yang, be careful on your journey!”

Clearly, he had realized that Yang Zhenshan was aware of the matter regarding the Mountain River Tower’s gold list and didn’t actually need his reminder.

But since Yang Zhenshan spoke as such, he naturally wouldn’t refuse Yang Zhenshan’s favor.