Chapter 48: The Feeling of Being Kept
Heavy Mountain Fortress was not just a single pass, but a fortress city. The city walls stood four feet tall, nestled between two mountains, connecting to Thousand Heavy Mountain, resembling a giant beast lying between the mountains.
Inside the fortress city, there were three inner, middle, and outer camps of the Prefectural Banner garrison. Outside the city, there were two outer camps of the Prefectural Banner, forming a rectangular shape.
Since the great war at Black Cloud Mountain twenty years ago, Heavy Mountain Fortress had expanded from a single pass to a large city. The city’s population had increased significantly, with more and more people moving in.
Now, Heavy Mountain Fortress was divided into two parts. The north city was the original fortress, serving as the garrison’s headquarters, while the south city was where the civilians resided.
Before, Heavy Mountain Fortress was the most prosperous city in the north, but after the Hu Riders invaded, the city’s prosperity had dwindled. Nevertheless, it was still far superior to a small county town like Anning County.
Yang Zhengshan’s merchant caravan took three days to arrive at Heavy Mountain Fortress, moving at a slow pace. If they had ridden horses, they could have reached the city in one day, or arrived by evening if they had taken a carriage. However, with a long caravan, it took three days.
Yang Zhengshan chose to travel with the caravan because it was his first time heading to Heavy Mountain Fortress. As the caravan entered the city, Yang Mingzhi and the other young villagers from Yang Family Village exclaimed at the towering city walls.
“Wow, such high city walls!”
“This place is even more prosperous than the county town!”
“Look, they’re wearing iron armor!”
Yang Zhengshan glanced at the group of naive villagers, snorting in disdain. However, his gaze soon turned to the surroundings, filled with concealed astonishment.
He, too, was a country bumpkin!
Although he had visited many large cities before, they were fundamentally different from the fortress city before him.
The caravan proceeded through the city gate, where every incoming civilian had to show their travel permit, and their carriages were subject to inspection. Lu’s merchant caravan seemed to have connections here, and their inspection was quite relaxed, with only a cursory glance before they were allowed to pass.
However, when it was Yang Zhengshan’s turn, the inspecting officer examined his travel permit repeatedly. “Is your honor Yang Ba Hu?”
Yang Zhengshan’s expression changed slightly, saying, “I have not yet reported to the Metropolitan Prefecture Office, and I’m not yet a Ba Hu.”
Although Zhou Lan had promised to grant him a trial Ba Hu position, he had not yet registered with the office, so he was still a commoner in name.
“Hehe, I’m Zhao Yuan, and General Zhou sent me to receive Yang Ba Hu. Please follow me, Yang Ba Hu!” Zhao Yuan said.
Yang Zhengshan assessed him with a calm gaze, feeling that he was probably not a swindler, and replied, “Then I’ll trouble you, sir.”
“Hehe, I’m also a Ba Hu, just like Yang Ba Hu!” Zhao Yuan said, leading Yang Zhengshan into the city.
By saying this, Zhao Yuan was flattering Yang Zhengshan, who was only a trial Ba Hu, not a true Ba Hu.
Yang Zhengshan bid farewell to Song An and followed Zhao Yuan into the city. The group of fourteen, with three carriages, followed Zhao Yuan to a mansion in the south city.
“This is the residence prepared for Yang Ba Hu by General Zhou. You can take up residence here, and General Zhou will come to meet you when she has the time!” Zhao Yuan opened the mansion’s gate and welcomed Yang Zhengshan in.
The mansion was a three-courtyard complex, not large but bigger than Yang Family Village. The front courtyard had four rooms, serving as a study, a tea room, and other facilities. The inner courtyard had three main rooms, with two rooms on each side, and the backyard had five rooms, including a rear gate for carriages to enter and exit.
Zhao Yuan led Yang Zhengshan on a tour of the mansion, explaining, “The bedding in the bedrooms is all new, and the woodshed has an ample supply of firewood. The kitchen has all the necessary provisions.”
“If you find anything lacking, please let me know, Yang Ba Hu.”
Yang Zhengshan felt a strange sensation, asking, “Is this really for me?”
“That’s right, this is General Zhou’s gift. She has instructed that once you’re settled, you can go to the Metropolitan Prefecture Office to change the property deed!” Zhao Yuan smiled.
Suddenly, Yang Zhengshan felt like he was being kept.
Giving gifts was one thing, but giving away a mansion was excessive.
Although this mansion was not large, it was still a significant gift. In Anning County, a mansion like this would cost at least six to seven hundred taels, and in Heavy Mountain Fortress, it would likely cost two thousand taels.
New officials coming to take office would always buy or rent a mansion to live in. However, General Zhou shouldn’t be treating him so generously.
“If I’m not mistaken, I’m already an old man in my prime,” Yang Zhengshan thought.
“I’m old, an old man!”
In this era, forty years old was already considered old.
“When can I meet General Zhou?” Yang Zhengshan asked, shaking off his miscellaneous thoughts.
Zhao Yuan shook his head, saying, “I’m not sure, General Zhou is busy with her duties and may not have the time to receive you.”
“But General Zhou has made arrangements for you to take up residence here, and she’ll bring you to the Metropolitan Prefecture Office to report once she has the time.”
Yang Zhengshan nodded slightly, saying, “Then I won’t be polite, I’ll take up residence here. Please convey my thanks to General Zhou, sir.”
“No need to thank me, sir,” Zhao Yuan replied.
After Zhao Yuan left, Yang Zhengshan called out to Yang Mingzhi and the others to bring in the luggage. Zhao Yuan’s preparations were elaborate, but Yang Zhengshan’s preparations were also thorough.
The cart, clothing, bedding, provisions, and other items were all prepared, even including a few tents and some charcoal, in case they couldn’t find a place to live in Heavy Mountain Fortress.
However, now it seemed that his preparations were a bit excessive.
“Father, will we be living here from now on?” Yang Minghao asked, slightly excited.
Yang Zhengshan stood in the courtyard, watching the busy crowd, and said, “What are you thinking? We’re going to Lin Guan Fortress, even if this mansion is ours, we can’t live here.”
As a garrison official, he couldn’t live in the city but had to reside in Lin Guan Fortress. However, General Zhou had said that if Yang Zhengshan achieved something in Lin Guan Fortress, she would transfer him to the Left Vanguard of the Prefectural Banner.
Yang Minghao approached Yang Zhengshan, whispering, “Father, will General Zhou really give us this mansion?”
Yang Zhengshan furrowed his brow, saying, “Don’t be foolish, the sky won’t drop freebies. If it does, there must be poison inside!”
Calmly, he thought that General Zhou seemed to be treating him too well.
Giving gifts was one thing, but giving away a mansion was excessive. He couldn’t think of what made him deserving of such treatment.
If it was because of his military skills, then letting him become a garrison official in Lin Guan Fortress was already sufficient. There was no need for such lavish gifts and a mansion.
“Old Two, Old Two!” Yang Zhengshan called out.
“What is it, Father?” Yang Mingzhi ran over to ask.
“Go out and gather information about the city’s situation over the next two days!” Yang Zhengshan instructed.
“Okay!” Yang Mingzhi readily agreed.
Gathering information was Yang Mingzhi’s specialty. This kid had a bit of a social butterfly personality and could chat with anyone on the street.
Previous Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter