Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

"What is this?" Qingyi Yu took over the Jade Box.

"Jade Dew Spirit Peach!"

Qingyi Yu looked at the pink peach in the Jade Box, and said with surprise and joy, "Where did it come from?"

"Of course, it came from Star Moon Sect! Eat it, your husband will protect you during your cultivation!" Yang Zhenshan said.

"Okay!"

Qingyi Yu nodded and immediately took out the Jade Dew Spirit Peach and started nibbling on it.

The fist-sized peach was fresh and juicy, its sweet fruity scent could be smelled from afar, and as for the taste, Yang Zhenshan didn't know, but judging by Qingyi Yu's expression, it seemed delicious.

Soon, the peach had been nibbled down to just the pit by Qingyi Yu. Yang Zhenshan took the pit while Qingyi Yu closed her eyes and entered a state of cultivation.

"You all may go and rest, there's no need to keep watch tonight!" Yang Zhenshan said to Qingxia.

Qingxia bowed and then withdrew from the hall.

Time ticked away second by second, and Yang Zhenshan sat beside Qingyi Yu with his eyes closed, feigning sleep.

After about two hours, Qingyi Yu suddenly opened her eyes, filled with surprise and joy.

"Did you break through?" Yang Zhenshan also opened his eyes and asked.

Qingyi Yu nodded repeatedly, both excited and elated.

She threw herself into Yang Zhenshan's arms, "I am now an Innate Martial Artist, too!"

Yang Zhenshan smiled and said, "It was bound to happen sooner or later, what's there to be so excited about?"

"How can I not be excited? I've been looking forward to reaching the Innate Realm every day!" Qingyi Yu said somewhat coquettishly.

She was indeed overjoyed, so much so that she showed a girlish demeanor in front of Yang Zhenshan.

In her forties, and still acting girlish, causing Yang Zhenshan's heart to flutter.

Yang Zhenshan caressed her, and asked, "How do you feel?"

Qingyi Yu apparently did not notice Yang Zhenshan's roguish thoughts, still closing her eyes to feel the changes in her body.

"I feel~hmm~"

Yang Zhenshan touched her sensitive spot, making her let out an involuntary moan.

"What are you doing?" Qingyi Yu caught Yang Zhenshan's misbehaving hand and asked.

Yang Zhenshan laughed, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder, haha~~"

What ensued between them was indescribable.

...

As Yang Zhenshan had expected, in the following days, various departments and Yamen within Da Rong Court quarreled endlessly over the distribution of war spoils.

Initially, it was only the Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of War arguing. The Ministry of Revenue felt that all seized goods should be turned over to the national treasury, while the Ministry of War argued that after such a great victory, it was an opportunity to expand the Navy, and these goods could be used for that purpose.

Soon, the Ministry of Industry joined the quarrel, as they needed to build warships. Previously, they had converted eighteen large-sized Fuchuan ships, which were conscripted from the sea merchants. Now that the war ended, the converted warships obviously couldn't be returned to the sea merchants, but the Ministry of Industry needed funds to build new Fuchuan ships to return to the sea merchants.

The Ministry of Industry's involvement incited other departments to join the fray, even the Five Army Commandery joined in.

The rationale of the Five Army Commandery was even more justified; the garrisons of the Four Seas Navy were under their jurisdiction, and they too had contributed to the great victory.

Having seized so much wealth, it was only natural they wanted a share for rebuilding the garrisons or rewarding soldiers.

Everyone had a sound reason, seemingly each had a legitimate need for money. What they truly thought, no one knew.

The truth was that corruption in Da Rong Court was becoming increasingly severe, reaching a point where it could no longer be ignored.

However, Emperor Yanping enjoyed watching his ministers fight. He liked to play the game of balance, supporting competing factions such as Zhou Yunsong and Song Yuange in the Cabinet for power, arranging opposing Vice Ministers to counterbalance the Chief of Staff in various departments, and even in the Five Army Commandery, Emperor Yanping liked to maintain a balance.

Liang Chu as the Left Governor of the Central Army Commander's Mansion, but the two Commanders under him, Zhengyang Marquis and the other, were not aligned with Liang Chu at all.

None of this concerned Yang Zhenshan, though. He was only focused on Emperor Yanping's arrangement for Deng Yuehe and the others and whether three major naval forces would be established.

Emperor Yanping was quite open to advice and ultimately agreed to Yang Zhenshan's suggestion to establish the Beihai Navy, the East Sea Navy, and the South Sea Navy.

Establishing the Navy Commander's Mansion, overseeing the three major naval forces, and appointing left and right Vice Admirals, two Deputy Magistrates, and four commissioner affairs officers.

The Tenglong Four Guards were designated as the Beihai Navy; Yu Tonghai was made Deputy Magistrate, commanding Beihai Navy, Xue Ping was promoted to the Commander of the Tenglong Advanced Guard, and a eunuch was appointed to supervise the military.

Hai State Left Guard, Hai State Guard, Song River Advanced Guard, and Jiujiang Rear Guard were designated as the East Sea Navy; Bai Yuanxi was made Deputy Magistrate, with Wang Mingjian appointed as commissioner affairs officer, assisting Bai Yuanxi and acting as the Vice Admiral of the East Sea Navy.

Leizhou Guard, Quanhai Guard, Zhao Wu Guard, and the newly converted Newhe Guard were designated as the South Sea Navy; Zhang Man was appointed commissioner affairs officer, commanding the South Sea Navy, with Li Chengzhang also made commissioner affairs officer, serving as the Vice Admiral of South Sea Navy.

Additionally, Deng Yuehe was appointed as Vice Admiral of the Navy Commander's Mansion; the Li family, Wang family, and thousands from other clans were all dispersed and assigned to the East Sea Navy and South Sea Navy.

As for why they weren't assigned to the Beihai Navy, it was because the Tenglong Guard did not lack manpower. The Tenglong Four Guards were already at full strength and could not accommodate any more without court intervention to split Tenglong Four Guards.

However, the various court departments did not wish to incur Yang Zhenshan's wrath at this time, so they abandoned the idea of intervening in the Tenglong Four Guards' affairs.

In the end, the Five Army Commandery became the Six Army Commandery, and the Navy Commander's Mansion was only lacking a main commanding Left Governor.

Emperor Yanping intended for Yang Zhenshan to take on this role but Yang Zhenshan declined.

"Your Majesty, my granddaughter will soon be married, I wish to escort her myself."