Family Rise: Beginning with Grandfather

"Uh, it was written by me!" Yang Zhengshan stroked his beard with a guilty conscience.

"You wrote it!" Zhou Lan stood up in a flash, eyes full of disbelief.

She was a little bit unconvinced, staring at Yang Zhengshan without blinking.

Who is Yang Zhengshan?

He was just an ordinary soldier 20 years ago, and now Yang Zhengshan has never really led an army to fight.

How can he write such a military book?

"Did you really write it?"

"Absolutely true!" Yang Zhengshan said affirmatively.

Anyway, no one here can expose him, if he says he wrote it, then he wrote it.

And this is also true, this booklet was written word by word by him.

Zhou Lan retracted her gaze, sat down and opened the booklet in her hand again.

She still couldn't believe it, but she believed that Yang Zhengshan would not lie to her.

Zhou Xu, who was next to them, saw the two of them in this situation, and couldn't help but feel angry and curious.

"Let me see it!"

He was not polite and took the booklet directly from Zhou Lan's hand.

Zhou Lan wanted to stop him, but Zhou Xu had already got it. In the end, she could only look at the book in Zhou Xu's hand reluctantly.

The hall fell into silence again. Zhou Xu soon immersed himself in the contents of the book, while Zhou Lan's eyes wandered back and forth between the book and Yang Zhengshan.

"Great, great!"

Suddenly, Zhou Xu shouted in surprise.

"What a great way to deceive the world!"

Just after reading a few pages, Zhou Xu raised his head suddenly, "This is really written by you!"

"Yeah!" Yang Zhengshan nodded again helplessly.

"Sir, you have great talent!"

Zhou Xu stood up and pulled Yang Zhengshan, asking with admiration and expectation: "How did you come up with it?"

"The sky is full of seas, this strategy is not unused, but no one has ever summarized it in such detail and so specifically!"

Yang Zhengshan thought for a while and said, "I summarized it from the military books of the predecessors."

"This strategy is about avoiding the real and attacking the virtual, and winning by surprise, right?" Zhou Xu asked.

Yang Zhengshan said: "Yes and no, the premise of avoiding the real and attacking the fake is to understand the enemy's real and fake, and the key to winning by surprise is to seize the opportunity."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Zhou Xu nodded repeatedly.

Then, the prince seemed to fall into a state of madness, pulling Yang Zhengshan to ask countless questions, which made Yang Zhengshan feel overwhelmed.

If Yang Zhengshan had not really read the Thirty-Six Stratagems in his previous life and understood the deep meaning of each strategy, he might not be able to answer all of Zhou Xu's questions.

Zhou Lan was also listening happily beside him, but she paid attention to it.

An hour passed, and Zhou Lan had to interrupt Zhou Xu.

"Brother, it's getting late, let's eat first!"

It was past noon, and it was time to eat.

"Eat!"

Zhou Xu came back to his senses, "Yes, eat, Brother Zhengshan, let's have a drink together!"

He still didn't want to let Yang Zhengshan go.

Through the previous conversation, he had already understood Yang Zhengshan's real and fake.

Yang Zhengshan is really capable, and many of his insights on military tactics are things he has never thought of before.

However, he can also see that Yang Zhengshan should not have really led an army in battle. In many things, Yang Zhengshan's insights are very unique, but when it comes to specific things, Yang Zhengshan seems very ignorant.

For example, how should scouts detect the enemy's situation? There is a complete system for this, but Yang Zhengshan is not very clear.

This is normal. Although Yang Zhengshan has read some military books in the past year and has learned about the combat methods and related systems of various arms in the army, after all, the time is still short, and there are some things she has not yet fully understood.

In short, Yang Zhengshan has been influenced by his previous life and has many unique insights and knowledge that have not been summarized in this world, but in actual operation, he is actually not as good as the native generals here.

Others have led the army for more than ten years, or even decades, how can Yang Zhengshan easily surpass them?

Wisdom is important, but experience is also important.

Yang Zhengshan's strategy is not a problem, but he lacks a lot in experience.

However, this did not prevent Zhou Xu from admiring Yang Zhengshan. After knowing Yang Zhengshan's past, Zhou Xu even felt sorry for Yang Zhengshan.

"If you had not left Chongshan Town 20 years ago, you would be a general in the army and a pillar of the court today!"

Yang Zhengshan really didn't know how to respond to this.

With the original martial arts talent, if he had stayed in Chongshan Town, he might have been able to become a general or a lieutenant general.

But that was only the talent in martial arts. As for leading troops in battle, Yang Zhengshan could not estimate it. After all, people's growth is related to experience and encounters.

At the dinner table, Zhou Xu talked a lot with Yang Zhengshan, from military tactics to training, from Jianning Guard to Chongshan Town, from the Hu tribe in the East China Sea to the court.

At first, Yang Zhengshan could still handle it, but when it came to the court, Yang Zhengshan pales in comparison.

Although he is now a fifth-rank officer, he has never been to Kyoto and has never been to the court, so Yang Zhengshan just quietly listened to Zhou Xu and Zhou Lan's discussion of court affairs.

After lunch, Yang Zhengshan staggered out of the General's Mansion.

Zhou Xu poured him a lot of wine, but fortunately he had a good alcohol tolerance and did not get drunk.

After sending all the New Year gifts, Yang Zhengshan said goodbye to Zhao Yuan that afternoon and returned to Yinghe Fort.

The next day, Zhou Lan sent someone to Yinghe Fort to return the gift.

Zhou Lan's gift was naturally not comparable to Yang Zhengshan's gift, as it filled four carriages.

This festival gift is no less than the thank-you gift Zhou Lan gave to Yangjia Village.

What else can Yang Zhengshan say about this? He can only accept it happily.

"Not bad, not bad, General Zhou is not only a big thigh, but also the God of Wealth!"

"Tsk tsk! There is even a set of golden lacquer mountain armor!"

Yang Zhengshan was holding a set of armor weighing more than 30 kilograms, and his beard was curled up with joy.

It's not that he doesn't have armor. As a military officer, the court will naturally provide them with armor.

However, the armor provided by the court is all cloth armor, how can it compare with the golden lacquer mountain armor given by Zhou Lan.

Armor is a life-saving thing on the battlefield, and a good set of armor can be regarded as an heirloom.

Coupled with the gilded flying fish gun that Zhou Lan gave before, Yang Zhengshan's equipment is not worse than those noble lords.

As for other cloth, tea, pen, ink, paper and inkstone, Yang Zhengshan didn't care.

He actually didn't have too many requirements for food, clothing, housing and transportation. As long as they were not so bad that they could not be used, there was no need to pursue too luxurious things.

After receiving Zhou Lan's thank-you gift, the Yang family began to prepare for the New Year.

On the morning of New Year's Eve, everyone in the Yang family was busy in the backyard of the government office.

Yang Mingcheng, who had just returned from Anning County yesterday, was taking Yang Minghao and Lin Zhan to post couplets.

On the other side, Wang was busy in the kitchen with Yang Yunxue and Wang Yunqiao. Li was already nine months pregnant and less than a month away from the due date, so she couldn't help at all now and could only stay in the house.

In front of the government office, Yang Mingwu and Yang Mingzhi were leading a group of people to slaughter pigs and sheep.

More than a dozen pigs and sheep were hung on the pole, and the smell of blood filled the entire Yinghe Fort, but everyone's face was full of happy smiles.

These pigs and sheep were pulled from Linguan Fort. All the pigs and sheep raised in Linguan Fort were killed by Yang Zhengshan in one pot.

Not only that, Yang Zhengshan also bought dozens of pigs and sheep from outside.

His purpose was very simple, that is, he wanted all the military households under Yinghebao to eat meat during the New Year.

"Dad, they are all killed! Can we divide the meat?" Yang Mingzhi washed the blood on his hands and asked Yang Zhengshan who was standing in front of the government office.

"Let's divide it. Each family will get three catties of pork and one catty of mutton!" Yang Zhengshan stroked his beard and said with a smile.

"Thank you for the reward, sir!"

"You are kind!"

The military households watching around shouted when they heard it.

Yang Zhengshan looked around at the people around him and nodded with a smile.

In fact, these pigs and sheep are not worth much. Even if the price of meat in Guancheng has increased a lot this year, a catty of pork is only thirty coins.

It costs more than one hundred coins to divide these meats per household.

Now there are about one thousand military households under the jurisdiction of Yinghebao, which means that Yang Zhengshan has spent more than one hundred taels of silver.

This more than 100 taels of silver was not paid by the government, but by him out of his own pocket.

Purpose?

Of course, it is to win people's hearts!

The former military households were fine. After a series of rectification and operations by Yang Zhengshan, they have recognized Yang Zhengshan as a defense officer.

But the new refugees, they are new here, and their hearts must be full of panic and anxiety.

Now Yang Zhengshan sends them meat, which can not only calm people's hearts, but also win their favor.

"Second brother, cut ten catties of pork and ten catties of mutton and send them to Mr. Liu!"

Everyone began to divide the meat, and Yang Zhengshan ordered Yang Mingzhi.

"Okay!" Yang Mingzhi responded.

Although he had just returned from Jianningwei not long ago, he also knew the situation of the Liu family in Yinghebao.

Since the opening of the school, several gentlemen of the Liu family have gained a lot of fame in Yinghebao.

Although everyone knows that they are exiled prisoners, knowledge is respected everywhere.

In addition to Yang Zhengshan's attention, everyone respects the Liu family.

Yang Mingzhi picked two pieces of good meat and cut them off, and walked towards the Liu family happily.

At this time, the Liu family was also busy preparing for the New Year.

Perhaps because of the three ups and downs, the Liu family accepted the fact of exile very well, and they were not dead, but felt at ease.

There were many people in the Liu family, but the Liu family lived a pretty good life.

After all, the Liu family could get seven salaries in the school, and with these incomes alone, they would not live too badly.

"Mr. Liu, this is what my father asked me to send!"

When he arrived at the door of the Liu family, Yang Mingzhi happened to see Liu Zhe pasting couplets.

"Here, Mr. Yang, we have meat to eat, you should take it back!" Liu Zhe refused.

Yang Mingzhi didn't care about his refusal, just carried two large pieces of meat into the yard and put them on the stove in the kitchen.

"Every household in the garrison has it, Mr. Liu should not refuse it!"

After saying that, Yang Mingzhi ran away without waiting for Liu Zhe to speak again.

Liu Zhe shook his head helplessly and could only shout: "Thank Lord Yang for me!"

At this time, Liu Yuanfu walked out of the main house, followed by his old wife Zhang.

Liu Yuanfu glanced at the meat in the kitchen, listened to the cheerful sounds outside, and smacked his pipe.

"This Yang Zhengshan is really scheming!"

"Dad, what are you talking about?" Liu Zhe looked at his father with dissatisfaction.

It's not that he didn't hear what Liu Yuanfu said, but he didn't agree with Liu Yuanfu's words.

"Humph, am I wrong?" Liu Yuanfu snorted coldly, "Look at what he is doing? Just a few pounds of meat bought everyone's hearts!"

Liu Yuanfu's temper is indeed bad and stubborn, but he has been in the officialdom for forty years, how can he not see Yang Zhengshan's mind?

Of course, Liu Zhe is not a fool, "Isn't this good?"

In Liu Zhe's view, Yang Zhengshan's winning people's hearts is the most appropriate thing.

Yang Zhengshan is the defense officer of Yinghebao. There are soldiers under his command among the military households in Yinghebao. As a military officer, he naturally has to win the hearts of his soldiers, otherwise who is willing to fight for his superiors on the battlefield?

"Nothing is bad, but he also sent meat to our family!" Liu Yuanfu said with a glare.

Liu Zhe was silent for a while, and then he looked up at the meat in the kitchen.

"We have already owed this favor!"

"Dad, you can't deny it even if you don't want to!"

They are in Yinghebao, and Yang Zhengshan has taken care of too many things. Strictly speaking, this is no longer a favor, but a favor.

"That's right, why are you saying these things, old man? Lord Yang takes care of us, and we just accept it."

"If our family can get up in the future, we will repay Lord Yang for his care. If we can only die in poverty, let Zhe'er and others repay us!"

Liu Zhang was very dissatisfied with her own stinky and stubborn old man.

"Don't you see how thin your grandchildren are!"

"You don't want to owe favors to others. If you don't owe favors to others, how can we support this family!"

"Lord Yang is willing to take care of us, that means he thinks highly of us. Do you still think you are in the Censorate?"

"Heartless old thing, you only know how to smoke all day long, and you can't smoke you to death!"

Liu Zhang didn't give Liu Yuanfu any face, and hammered Liu Yuanfu and scolded him.

She was really angry. If it weren't for Liu Yuanfu's nonsense, why would their family be exiled?

Exile is exile, but Liu Yuanfu didn't want to owe favors to others and asked someone to help take care of his family.

If other families were exiled, they might experience the warmth and coldness of human feelings, but the Liu family has experienced three ups and downs, and has experienced the warmth and coldness of human feelings several times.

Even if the Liu family is exiled now, there are still people willing to sell favors to the Liu family, because some people will bet that the Liu family will rise again.

But even if someone is willing to sell favors, Liu Yuanfu is unwilling to owe favors, because he knows that the debt of favor is the most difficult to repay.

Listening to his old wife's complaints, Liu Yuanfu squatted in front of the main hall and fell into silence.

"Big brother, cook more meat at noon to supplement the children!" Liu Zhang said.

From an official family to an exiled prisoner, the most suffering are not adults, but children.

Especially those little guys, they were born with a golden spoon in their mouths, but now they have to follow this old man to eat bran and vegetables.

When Liu Zhang thought of this, she couldn't help but complain about Liu Yuanfu again.