Chapter 36: What’s the Relationship Between Horses and Wives?
“Can I bring some people with me?” Yang Zhengshan asked.
“Yes, two grand flags and ten small flags, you can arrange them yourself. After entering the fortress, don’t change the household registration, and the military registration will be placed in the Left Vanguard of the Prefectural Banner!”
Zhou Lan paused for a moment, feeling that she should explain her arrangements to Yang Zhengshan.
“Letting you be the fortress official is just a trial, if you do well, I’ll invite you to join the Left Vanguard of the Prefectural Banner.”
“The fortress I’ve arranged for you is Lin Guan Bao, located on the west side of Heavy Mountain Fortress, less than ten li from Heavy Mountain Fortress.”
“That’s an abandoned fortress, it’s been abandoned for over ten years, you’ll need to rebuild it. As for the soldiers inside, I’ve already recruited them.”
“This time, the Hu Ride has entered the border, and many civilians near the border have suffered. We’ll compile them into military households to fill the vacancies in the fortress.”
Yang Zhengshan nodded in agreement after listening, thinking this was a good opportunity.
A new fortress meant a new beginning, with fewer benefits and more control.
Moreover, he could bring over a dozen people, which would be even more beneficial for him.
Zhou Lan’s arrangements were quite considerate, especially the part about not changing the household registration.
The villagers in Yang Family Village were all farmers, while the soldiers in the fortress were all military dependents. Compared to farmers, military dependents were much stronger. If they had to change their household registration, the villagers of Yang Family Village would probably be unwilling to go.
“General, your consideration is thorough, and the common people are eternally grateful!” Yang Zhengshan stood up, clasping his hands in gratitude.
Zhou Lan also stood up, “Then it’s settled, it might be a bit tight in half a month, let’s make it a month. I hope to see you in Heavy Mountain Fortress a month later, brother!”
After saying goodbye, Yang Zhengshan sent her off and stood at the entrance of the village, watching until they disappeared from sight.
“What did the general say to you?” Yang Zhengxiang, who had been waiting for a long time, finally asked.
“She invited me to go back to Heavy Mountain Fortress!” Yang Zhengshan smiled, with a hint of excitement.
“Go back to Heavy Mountain Fortress?” Yang Zhengxiang was taken aback, not understanding what he meant.
“Try out as a battalion commander, become a fortress official, I’ll finally have an official position!” Yang Zhengshan said.
Yang Zhengxiang was stunned for a moment before understanding, and his face lit up with excitement.
“Really?”
“Absolutely true!”
Yang Zhengxiang burst into laughter, his voice trembling with excitement.
“I need to report to our ancestors, I’ll go prepare the offerings now!”
As the first official in the Yang family, even if it was just a trial battalion commander, it was still worth celebrating.
In fact, the Yang family had produced a martial officer in the past, even a deputy commander. Otherwise, the Yang family wouldn’t have settled in Anning County and wouldn’t have had a legacy of martial arts.
Unfortunately, the Yang family hadn’t produced anyone worth mentioning since then, until now, when another Yang family member was about to become an official.
Yang Zhengxiang was overjoyed.
“Wait, I need to discuss something with the clan leader!”
Yang Zhengshan hastily pulled him back, telling him about his conversation with Zhou Lan, especially the part about bringing people to Heavy Mountain Fortress.
Yang Zhengxiang listened, his expression growing more and more excited, as if he might faint from joy.
Two grand flags and ten small flags – all official positions, although they were the lowest rank in the military, they were still official positions.
Yang Zhengshan was only a trial battalion commander, but he had already made the Yang family produce over ten low-ranking military officials.
“Do you have someone in mind?” Yang Zhengxiang asked, trying to calm down.
“Mingzhi will be the grand flag, Mingwu will be the deputy flag, and Mingxuan and Mingying will be the small flags. You can choose the rest.”
“Don’t bother Minghui, he’s still needed in the family,” Yang Zhengshan said thoughtfully.
Yang Mingzhi was his son, and naturally, he wanted to look out for him.
Yang Mingwu was a martial artist, with extraordinary strength, and Yang Zhengshan had to bring him along.
As for Yang Minghui, he was Yang Zhengxiang’s eldest son, already over forty years old. Yang Zhengshan couldn’t waste too much Spirit Spring water on him.
In comparison, he was more willing to cultivate Yang Chengze.
Yang Chengze was Yang Zhengxiang’s eldest grandchild and also Yang Minghui’s eldest son. Bringing him along would be a gesture to Yang Zhengxiang and Yang Minghui.
However, Yang Zhengxiang didn’t care about these details, and instead asked, “What about Mingcheng? You’re not bringing him?”
“I need Mingcheng to take care of family matters, I’ll let him come over later,” Yang Zhengshan said.
Yang Zhengxiang thought for a moment and agreed, “Alright then, you decide.”
This was Yang Zhengshan’s family affair, and he didn’t want to interfere.
After parting ways with Yang Zhengxiang, Yang Zhengshan returned home.
As he stepped inside, he heard someone shouting.
“This horse is mine, elder brothers! Don’t fight with me for it!”
Yang Zhengshan followed the sound and saw Yang Minghao protecting a crimson warhorse like a mother hen.
Zhou Lan had left him four warhorses, and this crimson one was the most majestic.
“Dad, can I have this horse?” Yang Minghao asked, looking up at Yang Zhengshan.
Yang Zhengshan gave him a sideways glance, “What’s it got to do with you? Go play elsewhere.”
“Ah!” Yang Minghao didn’t expect Yang Zhengshan to say that, and his excitement immediately turned to disappointment.
Yang Zhengshan ignored him, walking over to the four warhorses, carefully examining them.
He didn’t know how to evaluate horses, but it didn’t matter; he just needed to choose the tallest one.
Yang Zhengshan stroked the crimson warhorse, saying, “From today on, you’ll be called Red Cloud.”
The horse neighed and affectionately nuzzled Yang Zhengshan’s arm.
This was a fearless little fellow.
Yang Zhengshan smiled, and then said, “Older brothers, you can each choose one, and the remaining one will be given to Mingwu.”
“Father!” Yang Minghao protested.
Yang Zhengshan looked at him with a mixture of helplessness and amusement, saying, “I’ll buy you another one later.”
There were only four warhorses in total, and Yang Minghao was still too young, not even fifteen years old. What did he need a horse for?
As he thought about riding horses, Yang Zhengshan suddenly remembered that he should arrange a marriage for Yang Minghao.
No, what did horses have to do with wives?
How did he even think of that?
Yang Zhengshan shook his head, clearing the jumbled thoughts from his mind.
“I’ll talk to you about your marriage first!”
Yang Minghao should get married soon.
Yang Zhengshan had thought about it before, but the arrival of the Hu Ride had delayed it. Now that he was going to Heavy Mountain Fortress, he wouldn’t have the time to deal with it in the short term.
(End of Chapter)
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