Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

"However, many ministers in the court do not understand this, they attribute some of the responsibility for the devastation of Beiyuan Town and Longyuan by the Northern barbarians onto you!"

Emperor Yanping looked somewhat apologetic at Yang Zhenshan.

Yang Zhenshan muttered in his heart: "As expected, no Emperor is a good thing, hypocritical, cunning!"

This is not to say that Emperor Yanping wanted Yang Zhenshan to take the blame, this was just an excuse of Emperor Yanping.

"This humble official understands, with the fall of Beiyuan Town, this official cannot shirk the responsibility. If this official had not gone to attack the Wuliang Royal Court, but instead went to support Beiyuan Town, it certainly would not have been so easily breached by the Wuliang forces!"

Yang Zhenshan said, following the intent of Emperor Yanping.

Emperor Yanping looked at Yang Zhenshan with approval; he still had a lot of faith in Yang Zhenshan.

He has always felt that Yang Zhenshan was a sensible person.

Not greedy for merit, nor clinging to power.

But the rapid development of the Yang family has forced him to start being vigilant towards them.

In fact, as an Emperor, suppressing the Yang family is not at fault.

The trend of the Yang family becoming more powerful is too obvious, to put it rudely, the former Yang family was almost becoming a warlord.

From Chongshan Town to the Tenglong Guard, Yang Zhenshan could easily raise tens of thousands of elite soldiers.

If Yang Zhenshan wanted to rebel, the destructive power would definitely far surpass that of the previous Prince Qing and the Wuliang Royal Court.

If Yang Zhenshan were in Emperor Yanping's position, Yang Zhenshan would definitely do things more excessively than Emperor Yanping.

Emperor Yanping is very smart, but he has a major flaw, and that is he is too proud.

His pride makes him believe he can control everything, which is evident from his fondness for playing the game of balance.

And in dealing with Yang Zhenshan, he both believes he can suppress the Yang family and control them.

Perhaps Yang Zhenshan's compliance was causing an illusion, but right now, he didn't dislike Yang Zhenshan; on the contrary, he was increasingly satisfied with him.

"This humble official, after the recent expedition against the Wuliang Hu Clan, has improved in cultivation and may need a lengthy period of seclusion to deepen my practice, hence unable to serve Your Majesty. I hereby recommend my eldest son, Ming Cheng, to inherit the title and continue to serve Your Majesty and the court. Please grant your permission!"

Yang Zhenshan said softly.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yanping was not surprised but delighted.

Among the nobles of Da Rong, there were no lacks of powerful Innate Martial Artists or those who led troops, but why did they all choose to retire?

Isn't it to avoid the Emperor's suspicion and withdraw from the court in advance?

Now wasn't Yang Zhenshan's intention to leave the court?

For Emperor Yanping, this was definitely good news.

As long as Yang Zhenshan no longer holds official duties, after a decade or two, his influence on the court would diminish or even vanish.

By then, no matter how high Yang Zhenshan's prestige is now, it would have no influence on the court.

Just like the current Duke Ning Mansion and Marquis Changping's ancestors, how many people in the court know of their existence, and how many still remember them.

"Haha, a tiger father does not beget a dog son, I have long heard of Ming Cheng's exemplary cultivation, haha, for Ming Cheng to inherit your title is a blessing to the court!"

"This matter, I grant permission!"

Emperor Yanping said with a laugh.

Yang Zhenshan responded: "This subject thanks Your Majesty for your magnanimous grace!"

"Thank Your Majesty for your magnanimous grace!" Yang Mingcheng also followed with a bow.

Afterward, Yang Zhenshan chatted casually with Emperor Yanping for a few more moments, and then took his leave from the Imperial City.

Once they walked out of the Imperial City and boarded the carriage, Yang Zhenshan lifted the curtain and took a look at the Wumen Gate of the Imperial City.

Loyal to the Emperor?

Submissive?

He possesses all of that!

Yang Zhenshan is still loyal to Da Rong, as he has lived for twenty years as a subject of Da Rong.

In these twenty years, he has made many military achievements for Da Rong, and Da Rong has also rewarded him with wealth and rank.

Especially towards Emperor Chengping, Yang Zhenshan has always been grateful.

Emperor Chengping had a great trust in him, and for him, Emperor Chengping broke the baseline of not granting nobility, even though the bestowal of the title was operated by the former Crown Prince, if Emperor Chengping did not agree at that time, he would not have received the title.

Therefore, Yang Zhenshan is very grateful to Emperor Chengping and even had the feeling that one should be willing to die for a confidant.

Even now, he still thinks that Emperor Chengping was a good emperor!

But that was it.

For Emperor Yanping, Yang Zhenshan did not have such deep feelings.

Though he had more interactions with Emperor Yanping, the Emperor never truly touched his heart.

Resigning his noble title today also meant that his own karmic relationship with Da Rong had ended.

He did not feel he owed anything to Da Rong, having cultivated many martial artists for the nation, raised over a hundred thousand elite soldiers, and established formidable military achievements.

These should be enough to repay the wealth and honor Da Rong had bestowed upon him.

He looked at the meridian gate, somewhat lost in thought.

Emperor Yanping had not misjudged Yang Zhenshan; Yang Zhenshan indeed had no ambition towards Da Rong, but he had made one big mistake.

He only saw Emperor Yanping but ignored the descendants of the Yang family.

Yang Zhenshan was very clear that the power of the Yang family would inevitably breed some ambitions that had never existed before.

Yang Zhenshan himself might not have such complex ambitions, but would all the descendants of the Yang family be devoid of them as well?

Perhaps not now, but who can say for the future?

"Each generation has its own luck!"

Yang Zhenshan slowly closed the carriage curtain and let out a soft sigh.

The ambitions of the Yang family's descendants were already beginning to sprout; the first to show them was Yang Mingzhi, but unfortunately, Yang Mingzhi's ambition was not big enough, his mind only focused on establishing a career and his thinking limited within the court of Da Rong.

As for the second?

Yang Zhenshan did not know who it would be.

The Yang family's third generation had seven boys; how many children would the fourth generation have?

Twenty or thirty?

So many talented youth, backed by a powerful family, would they not birth ambitions to conquer or become kings?

The answer is definitely yes!

Maybe by then, the grandchildren would even involve him, their old ancestor, in their schemes.

Thinking of this, Yang Zhenshan chuckled and shook his head.

"Dad, is His Majesty dissatisfied with our family?"

Suddenly, Yang Mingcheng spoke up.

Yang Zhenshan looked at him in surprise, "Why do you think that?"

Yang Mingcheng's expression was somewhat gloomy, "Dad is passing on the title to his son, yet His Majesty did not try to retain Dad!"

Yang Zhenshan looked at him, his smile growing.

"Perhaps!"

A father passing on the title to his son seemed to be a very common event but in reality, it had a significant impact on the Yang family.

Because from then on, Yang Zhenshan would hold neither official position nor noble title.

He was now just the old master of Marquis Jing'an Mansion, no longer the renowned Marquis Jing'an.

Even Yang Mingcheng felt somewhat dissatisfied; not to mention other members of the Yang family.

"After Wan Ting gets married, your mother and I will move to Star Moon Island. You just be a proper Marquis. If you don't like staying in the Capital City, you can go wherever you want!" said Yang Zhenshan.

Wan Ting's wedding date was set for the twelfth of September, which was just a little over half a month away.

"So Dad won't come back?" asked Yang Mingcheng.

Yang Zhenshan replied, "It's not that I won't come back. In the future, you can also visit Star Moon Island. Once your cultivation reaches the Innate Realm, pass on the title to Chengye and then move to Star Moon Island!"

Yang Mingcheng nodded and said, "That's good; my breakthrough is only a matter of a year or two!"

He still liked following Yang Zhenshan. If Yang Zhenshan were not to be in the Capital City, he would feel immense pressure, fearing that he might cause some trouble.

Now it was Yang Zhenshan's turn to be surprised, "That confident?"

Yang Mingcheng grinned sheepishly, "It seems I've found the trick to a breakthrough, but I'm always just a little short."

Stroking his beard, Yang Zhenshan laughed loudly, "It seems you'll break through to the Innate Realm even earlier than I had anticipated!"

Yang Mingcheng's cultivation speed was definitely the fastest among the three Yang brothers. While Yang Mingzhi and Yang Minghao had just barely broken through to Half-step Innate, Yang Mingcheng had already touched the threshold of the Innate Realm.

Even Luo Jingsong, Ding Qiu, and others had been surpassed by Yang Mingcheng.