Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 188: Chapter 184: Only the Dead May Rest Upon Joining the Secret Martial Guards!

”Has the person delivering the letter left?”

”Yes!” the elderly servant replied.

Tan Jingtai stood up and paced back and forth in the yard for quite some time.

The letter was naturally sent by Yang Zhenshan.

Yang Zhenshan didn’t have a habit of doing good deeds anonymously; since he wanted to help Tan Jingtai, he made sure Tan Jingtai knew that it was his doing.

After all, Tan Jingtai would soon be his immediate superior, and Yang Zhenshan needed his help in many aspects.

”Grandpa, what’s wrong? Are we continuing the game of chess or not?”

Tan Jingtai’s doubt and hesitation dissatisfied the grandson who was playing chess with him.

Hearing the voice of his grandson, Tan Jingtai stopped pacing and gazed at the little boy.

The little one was clever and agile, charming and adorable.

This grandson was his most beloved, what a pity that he came into his life so late.

”Grandpa~~” the grandson called out again.

Tan Jingtai snapped back into reality, his face showing a gentle smile: ”Xiaocheng, you play by yourself for now, Grandpa has some matters to attend to.”

For the future of his grandson, for the future of the family, he should fight for it.

If he doesn’t, his grandson would have to start from scratch; if he fights, even if he can only help his grandson a little, it would be worth it.

Thinking of this, Tan Jingtai straightened his back quite a bit, the leisure in his eyes all but disappeared, replaced by a sharp glint.

”Prepare the horse, to the Assistant General’s mansion!”

...

An Yuan City, garrison office.

Yang Zhenshan walked from the backyard to the study in the main hall. Zhou Ren, who had been waiting for some time, immediately stepped forward and said: ”Master Yang, Mr. Han sent someone to inform us that the first batch of soldiers has completed their basic training, and the second batch will start their training the day after tomorrow. Mr. Han would like to know if you wish to visit then!”

Yang Zhenshan replied as he walked into the study: ”Mm, I will be there!”

It was essential for Yang Zhenshan to show his face at the garrison where the town soldiers came for training.

They needed to know who provided them with food and drink, and who had gone to great lengths to train them.

”Lord Wu sent someone to say that Shuiquan Castle has started repairs, but there’s a shortage of funds and grain. He wants our office to allocate some!”

Zhou Ren added.

Yang Zhenshan felt a headache whenever he heard about funds and grain.

Although Xu Jin had previously secured some supplies for him, the garrison office’s current consumption of funds and grain was now enormous.

Group after group of soldiers received training funded by the garrison office, and despite the garrisons outside the city supposedly being self-sufficient, Yang Zhenshan had already subsidized them quite a bit.

In addition to the garrison’s food allowances and salary, Yang Zhenshan could not sustain such a large operation without some thought.

No wonder Chongshan Town had declined before; without support from higher-ups and competent officials, the garrison office could only blindly shout orders and fail to accomplish anything concrete.

”Let him continue for now. We should have funds and grain soon!” was all Yang Zhenshan could say.

The position for the Commander of the Songzhou Guard was still vacant, and he would not know who to approach for more funding.

It was not feasible to ask Wang Bin; Wang Sheng had already delivered a batch of supplies before the year’s end, and that was only a few months ago.

Afterward, Zhou Ren mentioned several other matters, but fundamentally, all issues revolved around funds and grain.

Armaments, vehicles, training, civilian livelihood, etc., all required funds and grain.

After Zhou Ren left, Ding Qiu came to the study.

”My lord!” Ding Qiu gave a fist-and-palm salute.

Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly, ”What’s the situation?”

He had not seen Ding Qiu for a couple of days since he had been out.

”Li Chunhui and his associates are staying in the back courtyard of the Prefectural Government. Due to strict security, we haven’t found much,” Ding Qiu said somewhat apologetically.

They had been watching Li Chunhui for two days, and it had been fruitless.

”No discoveries at all?”

”Hasn’t anyone been in contact with him?” Yang Zhenshan asked with furrowed brows.

”We probably haven’t, as we can’t penetrate the back courtyard of the Prefectural Government,” Ding Qiu said hesitantly.

Yang Zhenshan sighed softly.

Everyone has their specialty.

Though Ding Qiu was skilled, he was not cut out for this type of surveillance work.

At this moment, Yang Zhenshan felt envious of Wei Cen whose subordinates were experts in such matters.

As for developing talents like Ding San and Ding Si, that definitely was not a quick process.

Moreover, he himself was not capable of it. Despite writing about various training methods for intelligence agents and scouts in his military training records, those were merely theoretical. When it came to cultivating spies and secret agents, he did not have much confidence in himself.

”Please have Ding San come here!” Yang Zhenshan pondered for a moment before instructing.

”Yes!”

Ding San and the others were cooperating with Li Chunhui’s house raiding, which was more like a form of supervision to prevent others from taking advantage during the chaos.

However, Ding Qiu quickly summoned Ding San.

”Greetings, Master Yang!” Ding San showed the usual reverence towards Yang Zhenshan.

”Mm, I have something to ask you!” Yang Zhenshan said with a chuckle: ”Does the Secret Martial Guards have any retired scouts?”

”Retired?” Ding San was perplexed.

Yang Zhenshan nodded, ”Yes, those who are injured or have to leave the Secret Martial Guards for other reasons.”

He had no authority to order around Ding San and his group, nor could he always turn to Wei Cen for everything, especially since Wei Cen would be leaving Chongshan Town after a while. Hence, he considered whether he could cultivate a group like the Secret Martial Guards himself.

Ten or so would be enough.

If he encountered situations involving tailing and surveillance in the future, he wouldn’t be left with no one at his disposal.

”Master, those who join the Secret Martial Guards can only rest in death!” Ding San said with a placid expression.

Yang Zhenshan was stunned, ”Damn, the Secret Martial Guards actually don’t allow retirement!”

But on second thought, it made sense. Who were the people in the Secret Martial Guards?

They were the dead-end fighters, the old Emperor’s dead-end fighters.

No one knew how many shady deeds they had done for the old Emperor behind the scenes.

If someone were to leave the Secret Martial Guards and speak of their deeds, the old Emperor’s reputation would be in jeopardy.

”That’s how it is. I just wanted to train some Scouts in the military, but unfortunately, I haven’t found a suitable instructor!” Yang Zhenshan lamented.

Training Scouts was just a pretext; his real goal was to grow his own power.

When Ding San heard this, he didn’t suspect anything.

He had read the military training documentation that Yang Zhenshan wrote and knew it contained a lot of details about spies and Scouts, much of which was also very useful to them.

”Regarding this, Master, I do have a candidate, but I’m not sure if it would be appropriate?” Ding San suddenly spoke up.

”Oh? Who?” Yang Zhenshan became interested.

Ding San hesitated but still said, ”My father!”

Yang Zhenshan looked at him in astonishment.

Most members within the Secret Martial Guards were hereditary, meaning generations upon generations would serve the Secret Martial Guards. However, some were also recruited or selected from outside.

Like Wei Cen, who joined the Secret Martial Guards from a selection process, but after him, his descendants would all be Secret Martial Guards.

His wife and children lived within the quarters of the Secret Martial Guards, and his offspring would receive the Secret Martial Guards’ training and grooming from a young age.

”Your father is?”

Ding San said, ”My father was once a Scout in Hai State Guard, he lost an arm in the battle of Black Cloud Mountain over twenty years ago. The skills I possess were all taught by my father!”

Yang Zhenshan was even more astounded. He didn’t expect that Ding San’s father would also be his comrade-in-arms.

Ah, they were all wounded soldiers retired from the battle of Black Cloud Mountain.

Hai State is to the east of An Yuan State, bordering it and is the easternmost garrison near Chongshan Town.

”Is he willing to come over?” Yang Zhenshan had no qualms about taking in a wounded soldier, for injured soldiers had their own strengths too.

Those who survived the battle of Black Cloud Mountain as wounded soldiers were skilled in their own right.

”Of course!” Ding San grinned.

He was the only son in his family, but since he had joined the Secret Martial Guards, he could forget about fulfilling his filial duties in front of his parents in this lifetime.

Although the treatment in the Secret Martial Guards was good and his parents wouldn’t have to live in poverty or suffer humiliation, deep down he still hoped to provide his parents with a stable home.

He trusted Yang Zhenshan’s character and thus was willing to entrust his parents to him.

”Alright, rest assured, as long as your father comes, the Yang family will support him for his lifetime!” Although Yang Zhenshan didn’t know the specifics of Ding San’s family situation, Ding San’s invitation for his father meant there must be difficulties at home.

Since he was serving him, it was only natural for him to take care of his parents’ latter years.

In fact, regardless of whether Ding San’s father could help him, he was willing to do Ding San this favor.

Even though the Secret Martial Guards were generally avoided by everyone in the bureaucratic world, it was very beneficial to have a good relationship with several members of the Secret Martial Guards.

This was the case with Wei Cen, and so it was with Ding San.

”I thank you, Master!” Ding San bowed deeply in thanks.

Yang Zhenshan quickly rose to help him up and said with a smile, ”It is I who should thank you. You know what I’m trying to do.”

Training Scouts was just a ruse; how could Ding San be unaware of that?

However, he didn’t take it to heart.

Which century-old family didn’t keep a group of house servants as guards?

It was not unusual for Yang Zhenshan to want to cultivate some capable house servants.

”My family name is Zhu, my father’s name is Zhu Shanghe, and he should be able to come over within the month!” Ding San said.

Ding San was not his real name; it was his code number within the Secret Martial Guards.

”Don’t worry, I’ll prepare a place to stay in advance!” Yang Zhenshan promised.

Ding San thanked him once again.

After seeing Ding San off, Yang Zhenshan couldn’t help but pity the Secret Martial Guards.

In public, the Secret Martial Guards were gloriously untouchable, and even ordinary soldiers wouldn’t easily provoke them.

But behind the scenes, the Secret Martial Guards were pitiful people shackled by numerous chains.

While Yang Zhenshan was reflecting, Han Fei entered the study.

”Master, there is a Mr. Wang outside the government office asking to see you!”

”Mr. Wang? Did he declare his family name?”

Yang Zhenshan asked in surprise.

He was the garrison officer of An Yuan City, and not just any young noble could see him.

”No, but he has several guards with him, and he looks quite extraordinary!” Han Fei said.

Extraordinary!

If Han Fei said someone was extraordinary, then he must be no ordinary noble’s son.

Yang Zhenshan thought for a moment and then said, ”Then let him in!”