Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 796: Chapter 601: The Seriously Ill Emperor Yanping_2

Emperor Yanping had thoroughly learned that set of tactics.

“There are two people, your father has always reserved for you, Ping Yuan Governor Lu Wenquan and Ningyuan Prefecture Magistrate Lin Zhan. If one day you cannot control the situation in the court, you can summon them back to the court!”

“As long as they both can return to the court, they will certainly stabilize the situation!”

Emperor Yanping spoke in a weak voice.

This was his contingency plan. Once the court was out of control, he would have Lu Wenquan and Lin Zhan summoned back to the Capital City.

However, he did not end up using this contingency plan; it was left for his son.

As for why he thought Lu Wenquan and Lin Zhan could stabilize the court, the reason is simple: Lu Wenquan and Lin Zhan represented Yang Zhenshan, more accurately, the Liaodong System.

Yang Zhenshan had left Da Rong for over a decade, but the influence he left behind was still present.

Chongshan Town was still the stronghold of the Yang Family, and Tenglong Guard was still firmly controlled by the families of Yu, Wu, Han, Zhang, Xie, and Xue.

Moreover, in recent years, some civil servants had emerged from the Yang Family, although there weren’t many outstanding ones, there were still a few.

However, the officials and scholars in both Chongshan Town and Liao Yuan Province were mostly closely connected to the Yang Family and Tenglong Guard.

Thus, the Liaodong System could also be considered a faction within the court.

However, Liaodong did not have much say in the court; it just gathered under the control of Lu Wenquan, and stayed in its corner in Liaodong.

Over the years, the most stable place in Da Rong was Liaodong. Although there were many problems in the official circles of Liaodong, compared to other places, the situation in Liaodong was considered quite good.

“If you are short of Silver, you can target those Imperial Merchants; they are getting too excessive!” Emperor Yanping continued.

“This son understands!” Chen Zhaojun said.

In the eyes of this father and son, these Imperial Merchants were just fat pigs; whenever they needed meat, they would slaughter them.

Emperor Yanping’s breath weakened a little, but he still insisted, “Also, if you encounter unsolvable problems, you can send someone to Star Moon Island to invite your master back!”

Yang Zhenshan’s residence on Star Moon Island was no secret, and Emperor Yanping was very clear about the situation there.

The power of Star Moon Island made him feel wary, yet he also felt he could rely on it.

This was also why he hadn’t acted against Chongshan Town and Tenglong Guard in these past dozen years.

Yang Zhenshan living abroad eased his mind a lot and made him trust Yang Zhenshan even more, as Yang Zhenshan had given up the glory and riches of Da Rong and did not covet the power of Da Rong.

Yang Mingzhi and Yang Minghao resigning consecutively also made him feel that Yang Zhenshan was reliable.

In his heart, Yang Zhenshan was a wise man who knew when to advance or retreat; therefore, to this day, he still regarded Yang Zhenshan as a reliable subject.

“This son understands!” said Chen Zhaojun with a somewhat somber tone.

He had a mentor-disciple relationship with Yang Zhenshan, but it was very weak. Honestly, he had already put his master Yang Zhenshan out of his mind long ago.

Over the years, he hadn’t had any contact with Yang Zhenshan.

“It’s good that you know. Call Zhang Mingzhong over!” Emperor Yanping ordered.

Moments later, Zhang Mingzhong and a group of eunuchs entered.

Emperor Yanping decreed for Chen Zhaojun to oversee the nation and for Chen Zhaoxuan to establish his fief.

After these two decrees were issued, all the civil and military officials in the court understood that Emperor Yanping’s days were numbered.

Soon, this news spread throughout Da Rong.

Let’s not dwell on the turmoil in the court for now. Emperor Yanping was critically ill, and the transition from the old emperor to the new emperor was bound to stir the situation across the world.

Once the news was out, many people and forces hidden in the shadows could not contain their impulses and were ready to leap out.

In Yun Gui Province, in the western part of Liping Prefecture, within the vast Miao Ridge Mountain.

Miao Ridge Mountain is a part of the Jiujiang Mountain Range, including a vast forest of white limestone peaks. From afar, the majestic ridges rise from the ground; up close, the bizarre peaks are staggered, where the continuous areas blend with the sky, and the precipitous areas are impregnable by thousands.

The ruggedness of the mountain made many Innate Martial Artists merely sigh in admiration.

Yang Zhenshan had once visited Miao Ridge Mountain. He and Yu Qingyi could move unhindered in Yunwu Mountain and within Wanshan Ridge, but in Miao Ridge Mountain, there were many places that caused them trouble.

Because many peaks in Miao Ridge Mountain were sheer cliffs, hundreds of zhang high. Although Yang Zhenshan and Yu Qingyi could also climb them, it undoubtedly required much more effort.

So, after strolling around the edges of Miao Ridge Mountain for a few days, the two left.

This shows the perilous nature of Miao Ridge Mountain.

Yet, within this perilous Miao Ridge Mountain, tens of thousands of people are hidden.

Divine Sun Valley, Divine Sun Sect.

The Secret Martial Guards have been searching for the Divine Sun Sect for twenty years yet they’re hidden in the Divine Sun Valley at the heart of Miao Ridge Mountain.

In the eyes of the world, deep inside Miao Ridge Mountain is thought to be uninhabited, but in reality, it holds a paradise on earth.

Surrounded by towering forests reaching into the clouds, the valley itself is fertile soil.

However, this paradise on earth, having fallen into the hands of the Divine Sun Sect, has transformed into a living hell.

In the valley, there are thousands of Sect followers and tens of thousands of blood slaves.

What are blood slaves?

Simply put, they are blood nourishments cultivated by the Divine Sun Sect themselves.

Not only do they need to work the land and provide food for the Divine Sun Sect, but there’s also a high likelihood that they’ll become blood slaves of the Sect.

Ordinarily, these people live in Divine Sun Valley, where the Sect not only provides various living materials but also various cultivation resources.

From a young age, they practice cultivation; if their aptitude is poor and their cultivation low, they can only be farmers for their whole life, tending to the fields for the Divine Sun Sect.

If their aptitude is better and they become Postnatal Martial Artists, then they have a choice.

If they are willing to consume others’ vital blood, they become followers of the Divine Sun Sect; if they are unwilling, they become the Sect’s blood nourishments.

The whole valley is divided into two parts: one part is the living and farming area of the blood slaves, who live carefree lives, proud to become followers of the Divine Sun Sect, unaware that most of those who leave mostly end up as blood nourishments for the Sect.

The other part is hidden underground in caverns; the inhabitants are Sect followers, the prisoners are the Sect’s blood nourishments.

The dim caverns, in their cells, hold emaciated individuals. More accurately, they should not be considered people but animals, animals to be slaughtered at will.

Apart from the animals, there are also figures in black cloaks, followers of the Divine Sun Sect, their eyes bloodshot, looking like the eyes of wild beasts in the dim caves.

The caverns are vast and long, stretching through many mountains.

They are like demons that never see the daylight.

Some, however, prefer the blue skies and white clouds, green forests and fields.

Outside the exit of one cavern, there’s a simple fenced courtyard.

In the courtyard, an old man with white hair is carefully weeding the vegetable garden with a hoe.

The old man appears to be in his seventies or eighties, with youthful features and a saintly aura, like a hermit from the mountains.

If Yang Zhenshan were here, he might recognize this old man.

He is Lin Fuan, known as Mountain Lord, also a famed Innate Martial Artist within Da Rong.

When the Star Origin Fruit Tree appeared in Cui Xia Valley, he had shown his face, and he had participated in the Innate Martial Arts Feast hosted by the temple, but this man is very low-key, easily overlooked even in public.

It’s unclear whether Yang Zhenshan still remembers him.

But Lin Fuan might be a pseudonym, his real identity is the Hierarch of the Divine Sun Sect, and perhaps only he knows his real name.

“Subordinate greets the Hierarch!” A middle-aged man in black stands outside the fence gate and bows deeply.

“Hmm, what is it?” Lin Fuan continues swinging his hoe, clearing weeds from the vegetable garden.

“Mr. Li sent a message; Emperor Yanping is seriously ill, the Crown Prince has taken over the state affairs, asking how to proceed next!” said the middle-aged man.

Lin Fuan raised his head, revealing a pair of profound eyes.

“Any movements in the court?”

“Not yet!”

“Then let’s wait some more, we’ve waited a hundred years, a few more years won’t make a difference!” Lin Fuan said softly.