Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 203: Chapter 197: Marriage and Childbirth

Yu Qingyi frowned, ”So, what do we need to do to attend the birthday feast?”

Yang Zhenshan chuckled, ”You don’t need to worry about these things, just make sure to wish the Marchioness a happy birthday, and ah, by the way, find a suitable husband for Xue’er!”

Yang Yunxue is already fifteen this year and will turn sixteen after another year.

That’s considered an age to be married off already.

Hearing this, Yang Yunxue’s cheeks instantly turned bright red.

”Dad!”

”Ha ha, a man should marry when he comes of age, and so should a woman; what’s there to be embarrassed about!”

Yang Zhenshan laughed heartily, ”You go along and have a look. There should be many gentlemen from different families present. Take a good look, and if you find someone you like, come back and tell me, and I’ll help you propose the marriage!”

A daughter will eventually have to marry and leave home.

At this moment, Yang Zhenshan, as a father, was feeling quite complicated.

Although Yang Yunxue was only his adopted daughter, he had raised her for several years.

The thought of marrying off the young girl all of a sudden made him feel very reluctant, but it was something that had to be done.

”Don’t worry, my husband, I will help Xue’er choose a suitable husband!” Yu Qingyi also chimed in with support.

Yu Qingyi was truly invested in Yang Yunxue’s marriage matters.

It’s difficult being a stepmother.

Though she got along well with the Yang family’s children after marrying into the family for over two years, they were not her biological children, so there were some barriers.

Yang Yunxue’s marriage would be the first major event she handled since marrying into the Yang family. If she could not manage it well, Yang Mingcheng and the other siblings would undoubtedly hold a grudge against her.

Thus, for her to better integrate into the Yang family and for Yang Yunxue’s future happiness, she must help find a good marriage for Yang Yunxue.

Teased by both Yang Zhenshan and Yu Qingyi, Yang Yunxue couldn’t sit still anymore and hurriedly ran out of the main hall with an adorably bashful glare at Yang Zhenshan.

After all, she was still young, with quite a thin skin. Merely mentioning marriage made it unbearable for her.

Yang Yunyan watched her leave and sighed softly, ”Ah, in the blink of an eye, my little sister also needs to be married off!”

Yang Zhenshan glanced at her; her words sounded rather mature, which made him feel somewhat smitten.

”You’re young, what sigh are you heaving!”

Yang Yunyan did not feel embarrassed by Yang Zhenshan’s comment but covered her mouth and giggled, ”Dad is right, if Dad isn’t old yet, then it’s still early for me!”

Now, who in the Yang family wouldn’t know about Yang Zhenshan’s refusal to grow old? Whoever dares to call him old, he’ll get irritated with them.

Yang Zhenshan gave his eldest daughter a sideward glance, then kissed the little Jiang Miao in his arms, ”Miao’er is obedient. Your mom is becoming bolder, daring to mock your grandpa!”

Little Jiang Miao’s giggles were elicited by his coarse beard.

Just then, Yang Mingcheng’s voice came from outside.

”Dad!”

”What is it?” Yang Zhenshan turned to look at the sweaty Yang Mingcheng.

”The second brother has sent a letter.” Yang Mingcheng wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled with his mouth wide open.

Yang Zhenshan handed little Jiang Miao over to Yang Yunyan and unfolded the letter.

After reading the letter, his eyebrows furrowed slightly.

”Let’s talk about this in the study!”

He promptly led Yang Mingcheng to the next-door study.

”Where’s the messenger?” asked Yang Zhenshan.

”He’s resting in the front courtyard!” Yang Mingcheng asked with a puzzled expression, ”Dad, what’s happened?”

Yang Zhenshan opened the letter again and read it once more before saying thoughtfully, ”It’s nothing serious. The Li family will also be going to Chongshan Pass to wish the Marchioness a birthday. They’ll bring the kids back with them when they return. Have Wu Hai make arrangements.”

Yang Mingzhi hadn’t received an invitation from the Changping Marquis Mansion, but he still asked the Li family to take the children to Chongshan Pass for the birthday celebration. His purpose wasn’t just to wish the Marchioness well; he wanted the Li family to bring the children back with them.

In the past two years, Yang Mingzhi and the Li family rarely visited home. One reason was the distance, which required at least seven to eight days for a round trip, and another was because the Li family had given birth to another baby girl named Yang Wanting two years ago, who was too young and not suitable for frequent travel.

Yang Mingzhi wanted to take this opportunity to have the Li family bring all three children back, guessing that there might be a campaign next year.

Next year, if there was a campaign, Yang Mingzhi would naturally follow Zhou Lan, and with no one to take care of the Li family at Jianning Guard, Yang Mingzhi intended to send them back.

The reason Yang Zhenshan frowned was that Yang Mingzhi mentioned recent activities at Jianning Guard in his letter.

Clearly, Zhou Lan had already received news or instructions from Liang Chu, and Jianning Guard had begun preparations for the campaign.

That’s normal, as when Zhang Shouwang led troops to fight the East Sea Hu Clan, the hasty and inadequate preparations led to a disastrous defeat.

Now that Liang Chu was going to campaign against the East Sea Hu Clan again, he would surely make thorough preparations.

Thus, informing all the Assistant Generals in advance was only proper.

Previously, it was just Yang Zhenshan’s speculation, but now it was almost certain that there would be a campaign next year.

”What’s the current situation with the horse breeding farm? How many warhorses can be sold by the end of this year?” Yang Zhenshan asked, changing the subject.

Yang Mingcheng didn’t expect Yang Zhenshan to suddenly steer the conversation to the horse breeding farm, and after a pause, he replied, ”Two months ago, we just sold thirty warhorses. By the end of this year, we should have fifty more that can be sold!”

Yang Zhenshan nodded, leaned back in his chair, and stroked his beard as he fell into deep thought.

Next year, when it’s time to set out on a campaign, would Wang Bin allow him to join?

He probably would.

Though he was not a leader in the Rescue Camp, he only had one garrison under his command, but after all, he was a battle-seasoned general, and there was no reason for Wang Bin not to take him along.

If the garrison was to campaign, what else needed to be prepared?

For the past two years, training at the garrison had been ongoing, and although there was no prolonged concentrated training, every three months the garrison’s soldiers would undergo ten days of intensive drill.

Aside from the garrison, the soldiers at the outpost outside the city underwent short-term concentrated drills every six months.

In two years’ time, a large number of martial artists had emerged amongst the soldiers under Yang Zhenshan’s command.

Especially within the garrison, Yang Zhenshan dared to say that the proportion of martial artists in his garrison was the highest in the whole Chongshan Town.

The garrison had one thousand one hundred and twelve men, and martial artists already made up sixty percent of that number.

As for the remaining forty percent of soldiers, they basically had no talent for martial arts; even the Spiritual Spring Water could not save them.

In fact, Yang Zhenshan was not dissatisfied with this.

If all members of the garrison became martial artists, Yang Zhenshan would probably find it troublesome.

That would be too conspicuous.

Sixty percent martial artists was just right; although it was still quite conspicuous, it was not beyond reason.

Even if outsiders learned of it, they would only think that Yang Zhenshan knew how to train troops and cultivate martial artists.

The garrison now was definitely the cream of the crop among elite forces.

In terms of military equipment, there was no need for extra preparations; the garrison office currently had all kinds of military supplies and lacked nothing.

As for the provisions, no extra preparations were needed either, that was Wang Bin’s matter, not something Yang Zhenshan had to worry about. When the time came, just ask Wang Bin for provisions.

What the garrison currently needed most were war horses!

The garrison was responsible for city defense and naturally did not require any war horses.

Over the past two years, although Yang Zhenshan had been constantly requesting war horses from Wang Bin and Tan Jingtai, he had only managed to acquire over a hundred war horses.

These horses were always used to train the soldiers’ riding skills, and Yang Zhenshan did not separately form any cavalry units.

However, if there was to be a campaign, he felt it would be better to have a cavalry unit close at hand.

The number did not need to be too large, three hundred cavalry would suffice.

”Is it possible to gather a hundred war horses?” Yang Zhenshan looked toward Yang Mingcheng.

The scale of the Yang family horse farm was not small by now, with a total of over five hundred horses, including mares and foals.

Last year alone, the horse farm sold over a hundred quality horses, bringing in an income of more than ten thousand silver for the Yang family.

It could be said that now the Yang family could live comfortably with just this one horse farm.

Yang Zhenshan now had no intent to keep expanding the scale of the horse farm. He felt that the current scale of the horse farm was most suitable, just maintaining an annual yield of a hundred quality horses was enough.

Yang Mingcheng pondered for a moment, then said, ”It won’t be possible by the end of the year, but by March next year, we should be able to gather a hundred.”

”March next year, that works too!”

Yang Zhenshan nodded his head.

He estimated that even if they were to set out next year, it would not be until after April. Although March was a bit late, it would still be in time.

”When the time comes, these hundred war horses are to be sold to the garrison office. Talk to Ma San about this and tell him not to sell the horses.”

The horses of the Yang family naturally couldn’t just be given to the garrison for free. Yang Zhenshan hadn’t reached the point where he would just give away a hundred war horses; at most, he’d give the garrison a ten percent discount, but the necessary money still had to be paid.

With these hundred war horses, by then Yang Zhenshan could ask Wang Bin for another hundred, and he would be able to assemble three hundred cavalry.

Afterward, Yang Zhenshan discussed the horse farm business with Yang Mingcheng and then let him go home.

The next morning, Yang Zhenshan sent Yu Qingyi and others outside the city.

There were quite a few people from the Yang family heading to Chongshan Pass this time, including Yu Qingyi, Yang Yunyan, and Yang Yunxue, along with over ten maids and nannies, and twenty guards.

As for Ms. Wang and the Li family, Ms. Wang was in confinement; just over half a month ago she had just given birth to a baby girl, to whom Yang Zhenshan gave the name Wanyi.

As for the Li family, having been married for nearly three years and only diagnosed as pregnant three months ago, she was now staying at home nurturing her pregnancy.

Speaking of the Li family, these past two years she had been very anxious, having hoped to have a son after the marriage, the wait had been for more than two years. Now, finally getting her wish, the Li family was extremely cautious, focusing all her thoughts on her belly.

It wasn’t just the Li family who wanted a child; Yu Qingyi felt the same.

After two years of marriage, Yu Qingyi’s belly had always been quiet, leaving her quite disheartened and frequently despondent.

Regarding this, Yang Zhenshan also had a headache. When it came to having children, he was willing to help, but he was not the one who could decide.

Both he and Yu Qingyi were physically healthy; whether or not they could conceive was entirely up to fate.

The key was that he couldn’t console Yu Qingyi, given that he already had numerous offspring, it didn’t matter if he had no more children.

If he were to persuade Yu Qingyi, it would seem a bit insensitive.

So this matter could only be borne by Yu Qingyi herself.

Actually, he also wanted a child, but if it wasn’t happening, he couldn’t rush it, only take it slowly.