Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 567: Chapter 492, ladies, don’t stop, come on, continue to play the music and dance!_2

Yang Zhenshan waved his hand dismissively, his expression returning to its usual calm as he listened to the melodious sound of the zither.

He had little interest in the three enchanting dancers before him, but the girl playing the zither had caught his attention.

”Old man here, if I were twenty years younger, I’d definitely take the girl home!”

Yang Zhenshan said this with some emotion.

Back in the day, I was the little prince of the nightlife, lost in the whirl of glitz and glamour.

But now, I’m a man with a loving wife and a house full of kids, the little prince has turned into an old fuddy-duddy.

The girl, hearing this, looked up at Yang Zhenshan.

Her deep orchid-like eyes held a sense of curiosity and dignity, completely devoid of the obsequious flattery typically found in ladies of the night.

”Wu Hai, give her a reward!”

Yang Zhenshan gestured grandly.

”Uh, Marquis, how much?” Wu Hai couldn’t help but ask.

Yang Zhenshan was speechless; this old man had no potential to be a sycophant at all.

How much? And he still needed the lord to say it?

Don’t you have any idea?

”A hundred silver notes!” Yang Zhenshan said irritably.

”Marquis, the lady will get angry if she finds out!” Wu Hai took out the silver note, still remembering to remind Yang Zhenshan.

”...”

Yang Zhenshan was truly at a loss for words.

Such a mood killer, bringing up precisely what shouldn’t be brought up.

”Fine! Let’s head back!”

What else could Yang Zhenshan say? To keep the missus from getting angry, let’s just go home early!

Even though the music was good, what a pity – I’m too old to dance to it!

”Prince Ning, I advise you to take your assigned post. Your schemes are still too green!”

He patted Prince Ning on the shoulder, left a remark, and made his departure.

Isn’t that so?

Compared with Emperor Yanping’s brothers, Prince Ning’s strategies were hardly noticeable.

Troubling a merchant, and having to get involved personally? Truly baffling.

Luo Shang lowered his head, scurrying after Yang Zhenshan.

”Oh my, Marquis, won’t you stay and enjoy yourself a bit longer?” The madam saw Yang Zhenshan heading out and hurriedly greeted him with a beaming smile.

Yang Zhenshan smiled and said, ”The wife is waiting for me at home; I must be returning now!”

”By the way, let Prince Ning cover the costs of the private room. Don’t put it on my tab!”

I’ve only listened to a bit of music, watched the dance for a moment, and didn’t even touch the girl; I can’t be paying for this.

Where it’s proper to be generous, be so; but one shouldn’t be a sucker where it isn’t due.

”Haha, Marquis, you jest!” The madam chuckled awkwardly.

Yang Zhenshan didn’t pay her any mind and turned to head downstairs.

Seeing many patrons enjoying the spectacle, he greeted them with a bow and chuckled again, ”Hehe, sorry to interrupt your pleasure. If you don’t mind, feel free to visit my manor for a drink another day!”

”Marquis Yang, are you serious?”

A middle-aged man in a blue robe on the third floor called out, fanning himself with a folding fan.

Glancing over, Yang Zhenshan couldn’t help but laugh, ”Of course, Brother Zhou, if you come to visit, I will surely welcome you warmly!”

The speaker was none other than Zhou Xu.

Just look at him, even past fifty, he’s still a regular at the pleasure quarters!

Tsk tsk, Yang Zhenshan felt a twinge of envy in his heart.

Zhou Xu nodded with a smile.

”I bid you all farewell!”

Yang Zhenshan waved his hand and exited Chunman Building, leaving behind a crowd abuzz with their discussions.

The thing is, Yang Zhenshan is something of a legend in Capital City, especially since he publicly displayed his Innate Realm strength, making him a hot topic in the city for a while.

Many people were curious about this Marquis Jing’an, renowned for his military achievements and immense strength.

Now having seen Yang Zhenshan in the flesh, naturally, there was plenty of discussion.

And as for Prince Ning!

Heh, how many really cared?

Zhou Xu glanced at Prince Ning’s private room, snapped his fan closed, and laughed, ”Let’s go, it’s not every day Marquis Jing’an offers a drink, we must enjoy it to the fullest!”

”My lord, when you visit Marquis Jing’an, could you take me with you?”

”Yeah, me too!”

”I’ve long heard that Marquis Jing’an’s Hundred Herbs Brew is an exceptional wine; my lord, you must let us taste this brew as well!”

Zhou Xu’s several friends started to clamor.

”You guys!” Zhou Xu pointed at them, laughing: ”The Hundred Herbs Brew from Marquis Jing’an is not so easy to come by! If you want to drink it, you’ll have to bring a generous gift!”

”Of course, of course!”

A group of people laughed and made their way back to the private room, continuing to drink and make merry.

Yang Zhenshan, with Luo Shang and a group of Personal Followers and guards, exited the Chunman Building.

”Let’s go back. Just stay at home in the next few days, and wait patiently!”

Yang Zhenshan said to Luo Shang.

Luo Shang gave a bitter smile, ”This old one thanks Marquis Yang for coming to rescue!”

Yang Zhenshan smiled and boarded the carriage. After Luo Shang bowed deeply, he too got into his own carriage.

As they left, another carriage approached from not too far away.

The incoming carriage crossed paths with Yang Zhenshan’s carriage, the two carriages brushing past each other.

The curtain of the carriage lifted, revealing a square-jawed face.

Yang Zhenshan saw this face, nodded slightly as a greeting.

The other party saluted with a clasped hand gesture.

”Duke Shou’s mansion! Heh, interesting,” Yang Zhenshan, sitting inside the carriage, chuckled.

Indeed, the Chunman Building belonged to Duke Shou’s mansion, and the person they had just encountered was none other than Wang Zheng, the eldest son of the main branch of Duke Shou’s mansion.

Inside the carriage, Wang Zheng pondered for a moment before speaking: ”Let’s go back!”

”Master, aren’t we going to check in at Chunman Building?” the carriage driver asked.

”Why bother when Marquis Jing’an has left?” Wang Zheng said with a calm demeanor.

”What about Prince Ning?” the follower inquired.

Wang Zheng shook his head, ”He won’t create trouble at Chunman Building.”

The Chunman Building is a known property of Duke Shou’s mansion among the nobles of the Capital City.

Even someone as noble as Prince Ning can’t afford to disrespect Duke Shou’s mansion.

Thus, Wang Zheng paid no mind to what Prince Ning would do.

And as for the rest, there was no need for him to personally intervene.

After Yang Zhenshan returned to the Marquis Mansion, he wrote another memorial, requesting that Prince Ning be assigned a fief.

He truly wished to have Prince Ning be assigned a fief. Although Prince Ning’s tactics were somewhat naive, it was clear he was an ambitious sort.

If he continued to stay in the Capital City, who knows what kind of trouble he could stir up.

If it had been any other time, Yang Zhenshan would not have submitted such a memorial.

However, previously Emperor Yanping had mentioned making Prince An the Crown Prince, so his submission to assign Prince Ning a fief was only logical.

Of course, he briefly recounted the day’s events at Chunman Building in the memorial.

After completing the memorial, he had it sent to the Imperial City together with the earlier one.

Submitting a memorial in the Capital City was convenient; once written, it could be directly delivered to the department at the Imperial City in charge of such matters and without surprise, it would be presented before the emperor within two hours.

...

Night fell, and Emperor Yanping was still handling state affairs in the Imperial Study Room.

It wasn’t long before he saw Yang Zhenshan’s memorial.

He just glanced at the first one and readily wrote the word ”approved” on it.

He was well-acquainted with the situation in Chongshan Town and knew about the debts Yang Yang had incurred there, so he did not hesitate to grant Yang Zhenshan’s request.

However, upon viewing Yang Zhenshan’s second memorial, his brow furrowed slightly.

He actually didn’t have many thoughts regarding Prince Ning.

The saying ”There is no affection in the imperial family” is not entirely true; everyone has emotions, even the Emperor, but imperial family matters are state matters. In the face of state affairs, even familial affairs must give way.

Thus, when conflicts arise between state and family affairs, the Emperor must first consider state affairs.

Emperor Yanping hasn’t sent Prince Ning to a fiefdom merely because, as a father, he couldn’t bear to have his child leave his side.

But now it seemed unavoidable to send Prince Ning to a fiefdom.

Keeping Prince Ning in the Capital City might only lead him to harbor different thoughts. It would be better to have him take a fiefdom early, to extinguish such notions.

After contemplating for a moment, Emperor Yanping looked towards Chen Zhongshu at his side.

”What is your opinion?”

Chen Zhongshu shook his head, ”This is Your Majesty’s family affair; this old servant wouldn’t dare to comment excessively.”

”Speak if I ask you to,” Emperor Yanping said dissatisfied.

Chen Zhongshu was all good, with just one flaw – his excessive caution.

But it was precisely because of his caution that he had gained Emperor Chengping’s trust and now could be relied upon by Emperor Yanping to serve by his side.

Chen Zhongshu considered for a moment and then said, ”If Your Majesty has no intention of sparking a rivalry between the princes, then it would be best to have Prince Ning leave the capital to take a fief.”

Emperor Yanping let out a long sigh, ”Then let him be assigned a fief.”

”Convey my decree, due to Prince Ning’s unbecoming conduct, he is to be confined for three months to reflect upon his actions. After three months, he will leave the capital to take up his fiefdom!”

”Yes, Your Majesty!” Chen Zhongshu complied.