Chapter 55: Becoming a Grandfather
Yang Zhengshan nodded slightly, scanning the hundred soldiers in front of him. “How have you all been doing lately?” he asked, his voice firm and powerful.
He pointed to a young man with a lean build. “You, tell me!”
The young man replied with a full stomach, “Sir, we’ve been doing well, eating our fill and sleeping soundly!”
It wasn’t like they hadn’t eaten their fill or slept well. They had enough food, and after a day of intense labor, they would collapse onto their beds as if dead.
Compared to half a month ago, the soldiers before him were still shabbily dressed, but their spirits and physical condition had undergone a complete transformation. Their originally sallow complexions had turned rosy, and their lifeless expressions were now filled with energy and vitality.
Although they were still skinny, they no longer looked weak and feeble like before.
“Do you all want to continue eating your fill and sleeping soundly?” Yang Zhengshan asked again.
“Yes!” they chorused in unison.
Yang Zhengshan smiled, a hint of amusement on his lips. “Then let’s start training!”
“From today on, we’ll begin a month of basic training. I have only one requirement: obey orders!” he declared.
“If I tell you to stand, you must stand; if I tell you to run, you must run without stopping. Even if you’re facing a mountain of knives and a sea of fire, you must push forward!”
“Obeying orders is your absolute bottom line!”
“Do you all understand?” he asked.
“Yes!” they shouted in unison.
In reality, they didn’t know why they had to obey orders, but they had developed the habit of responding loudly during this time. Whenever Yang Zhengshan or others asked them if they understood, they would shout their answers loudly. If their voices weren’t loud enough, they would be asked repeatedly.
Yang Zhengshan nodded in satisfaction, then walked back to the government office and told Yang Mingzhi and Yang Mingwu, “Let’s start training!”
These soldiers were different from the young men of Yang Family Village back then. At that time, Yang Family Village was facing the threat of the Hu Tribe’s cavalry, and Yang Zhengshan had rallied the young men with the promise of protecting their families.
However, these soldiers didn’t need to face any threats at the moment, and they didn’t have a strong sense of belonging to the Mountain Fortress. Therefore, Yang Zhengshan could only force-feed them the idea of obeying orders.
Let them engrave the concept of obeying orders into their bones, so they wouldn’t hesitate when given an order, and would react instinctively to execute their tasks.
With training underway, Yang Mingzhi and Yang Mingwu led the soldiers in small units. Yang Zhengshan had drawn up a strict training plan, with a clear schedule for every day. From dawn to dusk, they would be occupied with training, and even at night, there would be additional training sessions.
Of course, not all of the training focused on physical exercises. Every day, they would set aside an hour to study and recognize characters, and half an hour to tidy up their living quarters.
The weather in May was already scorching hot, especially during the midday sun. The soldiers stood motionless, sweating profusely, like wooden stakes.
The old, weak, women, and children surrounding the training grounds looked on with skepticism and discontent. Perhaps in their eyes, this training was a form of torture. However, intimidated by Yang Zhengshan’s authority, they didn’t dare express their dissatisfaction.
Yang Zhengshan walked nonchalantly to the soldiers’ water station, poured a bowl of Spirit Spring water into the bucket, and then walked back to his study.
The sun was shining brightly, but he didn’t need to bask in it. As the official of the Mountain Fortress, he could take a break whenever he wanted.
As he sat in his study, drinking tea and reading a travelogue, Yang Minghao burst in.
“Father, Father!”
Yang Zhengshan was startled, and the tea in his hand spilled onto his trousers.
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Yang Minghao said hastily.
“What’s the matter?” Yang Zhengshan asked, wiping his trousers.
“You’re going to be a grandfather!”
Yang Zhengshan was taken aback. “A grandfather?”
Yang Minghao smiled and handed him a letter. “Eldest Sister has given birth to a big, chubby boy! You’re a grandfather now!”
Yang Zhengshan’s expression changed as he read the letter. “What’s the date of the birth?”
“Five days ago!”
Yang Zhengshan’s eyes widened as he read on. The letter was from Yang Mingcheng, and it mentioned that he would be accompanying Lu Wenyuan to Jing’an Prefecture to participate in the Imperial Examinations this year. It also mentioned that Liang’s wife was pregnant again, and that Yang Zhengshan would soon become a grandfather again.
Yang Zhengshan felt his brain spinning as he processed the news. He was not only a grandfather but would soon become one again? Liang’s wife was pregnant again?
It seemed that with this pace, he would soon have a whole bunch of little rascals calling him Grandfather! Perhaps he should implement family planning?
But how could he do that in this world without contraception?
Yang Zhengshan stroked his short beard, feeling that this was a difficult problem. There was a saying that with one woman, he could create a whole tribe. But even without a woman, he seemed to be able to create a whole tribe!
This feeling was truly strange!
“Write a letter to Eldest Brother, reporting that all is well. Tell him to take care of his sister-in-law!”
Yang Zhengshan said, dismissing the chaotic thoughts in his mind.
Yang Minghao nodded, beaming with excitement. “I’ll write a letter to my future wife too!”
Yang Zhengshan didn’t know that Yang Minghao was thinking about his future wife, but he was considering whether to send gifts to his newborn grandson.
However, he gave up on the idea, thinking that he didn’t have anything suitable to give, and he wouldn’t know what to choose for a baby.
Yang Minghao ran out of the study, leaving Yang Zhengshan to ponder about Yang Mingcheng’s trip to participate in the Imperial Examinations.
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