Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 931: Chapter 664: Who Could They Be

Jianxing Year Five, Early February.

Yang Zhenshan and Yu Qingyi traveled light and once again arrived in Da Rong’s Capital City.

This was their first return to the capital after leaving Da Rong. Standing outside the city, looking at the tall and majestic city walls, Yang Zhenshan couldn’t help but sigh.

The city was still the same city, the walls were still the same walls, but their feeling was completely different.

The area in front of the city gate was still bustling, but the current bustle was different from before.

The previous bustle came from prosperity, but now it came from decay and desolation.

Previously, the inside and outside of the city gates were filled with luxurious carriages and long lines of merchant caravans. Ordinary citizens were present too, but they did not account for much.

Now, however, the inside and outside of the city gates were filled almost entirely with ordinary citizens, each with a gloomy look and a worried face.

Outside the city walls gathered a large number of refugees who looked sallow and emaciated.

Da Rong’s prosperity was no more, leaving only desolation and decay.

Arriving outside Capital City, Yang Zhenshan and Yu Qingyi did not immediately enter the city, considering their identities were not to be exposed; it was better to be stealthy.

So, in the evening, they quietly sneaked into the city and didn’t go anywhere else, instead hiding in the Marquis Jing’an Mansion for the night.

The Marquis Jing’an Mansion naturally still stood, but inside this vast mansion were only a few old servants, as it had been a long time since the mansion had real occupants, so it appeared rather dilapidated.

In the stillness of night, the few old servants had long since fallen asleep, and Yang Zhenshan and Yu Qingyi roamed the Marquis Jing’an Mansion as if they owned the place.

Standing under the ginkgo tree in the front yard, Yang Zhenshan gazed at the full moon peeking through the dappled branches and leaves, feeling nostalgic.

This ginkgo tree was a treasured possession of the mansion, and children used to love practicing martial arts under it.

"The back courtyard hasn’t been cleaned in a long time; even moss is growing in the rooms!" Yu Qingyi said, walking over.

Yang Zhenshan smiled, "Just a few old servants can’t possibly take care of such a vast mansion!"

"Hmm, should we take these old servants with us too?" Yu Qingyi asked.

The Yang family’s servants were many, but most had gone to Divine Wood Island, with a few staying by Yang Chengye or the married daughters of the Yang family.

The few old servants in the mansion were actually hired in recent years and not previous slaves of the Yang family.

"Let’s see, if not, then send them to Yunxue’s place!" Yang Zhenshan said.

The old servants were not particularly important, but since they were people of the Yang family, the Yang family naturally needed to take care of them.

For the moment, the capital was still stable, but soon enough, there might be rebel forces outside the city gates.

Once the city falls, the capital would likely not escape a military disaster.

As the two spoke, Yang Zhenshan’s expression changed slightly, casting a glance at Yu Qingyi, who met his gaze, and they both fell silent.

They heard a faint noise, the source of which was from the rear mountain of the mansion, quite a distance away, yet still unable to escape their ears.

The two exchanged a look and silently moved towards the rear mountain.

Under the bright moonlight, their figures moved like phantoms through the shadows, and in the blink of an eye, they were under the eaves at the foot of the rear mountain.

Quickly, they discovered the people talking.

Two figures cloaked entirely in black robes were conversing in a pavilion at the edge of the rear mountain.

That pavilion was one Yang Zhenshan was most familiar with, as he often brought Wang Mingzhe there for alchemy practice in the old days.

The figures were indiscernible, but their words reached Yang Zhenshan and Yu Qingyi’s ears clearly.

"My master has agreed. As long as you can bring troops to the gates of Capital City, the master can help you open the city gates!"

"However, the terms need to be amended; besides the previous conditions, my master also requires a fief, an actual one!"

"Alright, you can assure your master that we can accept this condition!"

"Hmm! Were you too quick to agree on this?"

"Hehe, the fief can be given to your master, but naturally, the fief needs to be on the frontier. How about Chongshan Town?"

"Chongshan Town! No way, we want Southern Border Town!"

The two paused briefly in their conversation and then continued, "Alright, but you must realize, if we can’t secure Chongshan Town, even taking Southern Border Town means nothing!"

"Rest assured, since my master has made a choice, he will naturally assist you!"

"Good, it’s settled then!"

The two quickly reached an agreement, and Yang Zhenshan and Yu Qingyi stood quietly under the eaves, listening.

In fact, Yang Zhenshan and Yu Qingyi did not make much effort to conceal themselves, but those two were entirely unaware of their presence.

Firstly, because Yang Zhenshan and Yu Qingyi stood in the shadow of the eaves. Secondly, both had practiced the Concealing Breath Skill, taught to Yang Zhenshan by Ji Zhen.

After restraining their auras, Yang Zhenshan and Yu Qingyi became like inanimate objects. Standing in the shadows, unless someone came close and looked directly at them, they wouldn’t be noticed.

Yang Zhenshan and Yu Qingyi did not show themselves; not until the two cloaked figures disappeared did they exchange a glance once more.

"Have they taken our mansion as a secret meeting place?" Yu Qingyi said.

Yang Zhenshan stroked his beard, looking towards the pavilion, "It’s understandable, who in the capital doesn’t know Marquis Jing’an Mansion is just an empty shell? Never mind martial arts masters, even small-time thieves can come in and take a tour."