Chapter 88
“Uncle-in-law!”
After handling the matter of the exiled prisoners, Yang Zhengshan finally had time to meet Lu Wenchun and Lu Wenhua.
In the study, the two brothers stood before Yang Zhengshan, both excited and apprehensive.
Yang Zhengshan poured two bowls of tea for them and said kindly, “Come, have a seat, and let’s talk!”
His demeanor was gentle.
This was because, in the past, both Lu Wenchun and Lu Wenhua had always been respectful toward him as their uncle-in-law.
From the original memories of his predecessor, Yang Zhengshan knew that the Lu family would send many gifts to the Yang family every year, a reflection of Lu Songhe’s love and care for his daughter.
Moreover, neither the two elder brothers-in-law nor these nephews had ever shown dissatisfaction toward the predecessor and his wife.
Especially Lu Wenchun, who was the one to deliver the annual gifts to the Yang family personally.
Whether it was toward his aunt or uncle-in-law, Lu Wenchun was always very close and affectionate.
While Yang Zhengshan did not inherit the emotions of his predecessor, he did inherit the memories and knew who among his relatives and friends were sincere.
Thus, he was willing to offer a bit of support to the younger generation of the Lu family.
Once the brothers were seated, Yang Zhengshan finally spoke. “Wenchun, later on, go and find Minghao. Take over the account ledgers from him, and from now on, you will be responsible for managing the accounts.”
“Wenhua, you go find Old Li and take charge of the sewing workshop and charcoal workshop he’s been managing.”
Due to the lack of administrative aides at Yang Zhengshan’s side, Yang Mingwu and others were shouldering multiple roles. However, Yang Zhengshan had already decided to recruit more aides to lighten the load on Yang Mingwu and the others.
“Take your time to familiarize yourselves with the situation. There’s no need to rush—just handle things steadily and with care,” Yang Zhengshan instructed.
“Yes, Uncle-in-law. We will do our utmost!” Lu Wenchun said solemnly.
Yang Zhengshan smiled and replied, “Naturally, I trust you will do well. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have brought you here!”
Hearing his words, both Lu Wenchun and Lu Wenhua smiled.
After arranging tasks for the two Lu brothers, Yang Zhengshan summoned Yang Mingcheng and handed him two hundred taels of silver, instructing him to accelerate the construction of the horse ranch.
Having money in hand brought peace of mind.
The two thousand taels from Second Master Lu had truly been a lifesaver.
Without that sum, the horse ranch likely wouldn’t reach any significant scale until next year.
But now, Yang Zhengshan could fully commit to the project without hesitation.
After a busy morning, Yang Zhengshan finally had a moment to spare.
“Has Lord Liu expressed any dissatisfaction?”
In the study, Yang Zhengshan asked Yang Minghao.
“No, they’ve been very well-behaved these past two days, staying inside their courtyard and barely stepping out,” Yang Minghao replied.
The Liu family, with more than thirty members, had been allocated four small courtyards for living quarters.
The newly constructed houses in the fort consisted of three main rooms and four side rooms, making them somewhat cramped for a group of ten people in each courtyard.
Yang Zhengshan pondered for a moment and said, “Let’s go pay a visit to this Censor Liu.”
At the entrance of the courtyard where Liu Yuanfu resided, Yang Zhengshan lightly knocked on the wooden gate.
The courtyard gate wasn’t a proper wooden door but rather a makeshift fence crafted from finger-thick branches.
It wasn’t that Yang Zhengshan was unwilling to provide proper wooden doors, but the rapid pace of construction hadn’t allowed for enough time to produce them.
Standing at the gate, Yang Zhengshan could see everything inside the courtyard through the wooden fence.
At that moment, he spotted Liu Yuanfu, an old man, sitting on the threshold of the main room, enjoying a smoke from a copper pipe with a satisfied expression.
Yang Zhengshan was slightly taken aback. Where had this old man gotten the pipe and tobacco?
He was well aware of the Liu family’s condition when they arrived—they had nothing but tattered clothing for decency.
The copper pipe alone was worth at least two or three taels of silver.
Hearing the knock, Liu Yuanfu glanced up but said nothing, lowering his eyelids and continuing to smoke.
“...”
Yang Zhengshan was speechless.
This old man truly lacked decorum!
On his territory, the man showed no respect at all—even after noticing the knock, he didn’t invite him in.
Left with no choice, Yang Zhengshan knocked again.
No response.
He knocked again.
Still no response.
He knocked several more times.
Finally, after seven or eight knocks, Liu Yuanfu couldn’t take it anymore. He glared at Yang Zhengshan and said, “If you want to come in, just come in. Why keep knocking?”
Yang Zhengshan raised an eyebrow. “If the elder doesn’t permit me to enter, I can’t just barge in, can I?”
“This isn’t my residence. Do you think I get to decide?” Liu Yuanfu retorted with disdain.
Yang Zhengshan sighed inwardly.
Knocking was a courtesy, but the old man couldn’t even be bothered to acknowledge it with a word!
“Yang Zhengshan, the Defense Officer of Yinghe Fort, greets the esteemed elder!” Yang Zhengshan said, pushing open the gate and stepping inside with a cupped fist salute.
At that moment, a middle-aged man in his forties stepped out from the east wing.
“Sinner Liu Zhe greets Lord Yang!”
Liu Zhe was dressed in a simple, wrinkled cloth robe. Despite its worn appearance, it carried an air of dignity when worn by him.
His demeanor was calm and unyielding.
“Ah, so it’s Brother Liu. I’ve heard much about you, haha!” Yang Zhengshan was pleased to finally receive a response and didn’t bother with the grumpy old Liu Yuanfu anymore.
“Much about me?” Liu Zhe looked surprised. He was Liu Yuanfu’s eldest son and prided himself on his education. However, he wasn’t well-known, especially not in this remote, desolate region.
If someone in the capital had heard of him, it would be reasonable, but hearing it here sounded more like flattery.
“Does Lord Yang have any instructions?” Liu Zhe lowered his tone and asked respectfully.
Yang Zhengshan glanced at the old man still puffing away on his pipe before turning back to Liu Zhe. “I have a request for you.”
“Please, Lord Yang, just give your orders!”
“I’ve established a school in the fort and would like to invite Brother Liu to preside over it,” Yang Zhengshan said.
His original intention had been to invite Liu Yuanfu, but seeing how uncooperative the old man was, he had no choice but to settle for Liu Zhe.
While Liu Zhe had never held office, he had earned the title of a scholar, making him a qualified candidate.
“A school? This...” Liu Zhe looked toward Liu Yuanfu, but the old man seemed oblivious, not saying a word.
Yang Zhengshan smiled and explained, “The school serves two purposes. One is to teach soldiers basic literacy and arithmetic. The other is for the children in the fort. Military households have a hard life, and I hope to give their children a path forward.”
“Even if they can’t pursue higher studies, some basic education can make a difference.”
“Of course, if there are promising talents, I would like to support them in further studies as well.”
Hearing this, Liu Zhe felt moved.
As an exiled criminal, he and his family were entirely at Yang Zhengshan’s disposal. Whatever tasks Yang Zhengshan assigned, they couldn’t refuse.
Compared to backbreaking labor, being a schoolteacher was far more comfortable and dignified.
“Am I really suited for this?” Liu Zhe asked hesitantly, feeling his status might make him unfit to teach.
“With your knowledge, teaching basic literacy to children is an overqualification. As long as you’re willing, there’s no issue,” Yang Zhengshan replied with a smile.
“Then I must thank Lord Yang for the opportunity!” Liu Zhe hesitated only briefly before agreeing.
As for Liu Yuanfu, the old man continued puffing away, uninterested in the conversation.
“Ahem...” Yang Zhengshan cleared his throat and said awkwardly, “The school is free for the children, so the teachers’ salaries will be modest.”
“Free schooling?” Liu Zhe was more surprised by the idea of free education than by the modest salary.
“Yes. Military households are impoverished. Asking them to pay would be too burdensome,” Yang Zhengshan explained.
“How many students will there be?” Liu Zhe inquired.
“The first batch will have about forty children, aged eight to ten,” Yang Zhengshan replied.
The school was still in its infancy, and many details remained to be finalized. For now, it was more of an experimental opening.
“That’s very generous of Lord Yang!” Liu Zhe admired Yang Zhengshan’s intentions.
Free schooling for children from military households was unheard of. While some wealthy families offered free education within their clans, this level of generosity from a fort commander was extraordinary.
Yang Zhengshan smiled but did not elaborate.
To him, education was a basic necessity. Coming from a time where illiteracy was almost non-existent, he found it natural to encourage education.
However, adapting to this world, he knew not to act too out of place.
His decision to build the school wasn’t purely out of goodwill. It was also a strategic move for the future.
He needed to cultivate a group of educated, capable, and disciplined soldiers who could form the backbone of his plans in this world.
“Your salary will be three taels of silver per month. Is that acceptable?” Yang Zhengshan asked.
“This... I don’t need a salary,” Liu Zhe replied, feeling it was inappropriate for an exiled criminal to demand payment.
Yang Zhengshan chuckled and said, “You still have a family to support, so you’ll need the money.”
“In addition, I hope you can recruit other qualified members of your family to join the school as teachers.”
Finding an opportunity to make the most of the Liu family’s talents, Yang Zhengshan was eager to maximize their contributions.
“Of course, Lord Yang. How many teachers do you need? I can recommend some suitable candidates,” Liu Zhe agreed readily.
“Six more teachers will suffice for now,” Yang Zhengshan said.
In his plan, the Yinghe Fort school would eventually accommodate around two hundred students. Schools would also be established in the nearby forts—Sanshan Fort, Xiangyuan Fort, and Lin’guan Fort—though those plans would have to wait until after the new year.
“Thank you for your support, Lord Yang!” Liu Zhe bowed deeply in gratitude.
“Haha, it’s I who should thank you for your assistance!” Yang Zhengshan quickly returned the gesture.
After exchanging courtesies, Yang Zhengshan prepared to leave. Before departing, he glanced at Liu Yuanfu one last time, but the old man remained indifferent. Shaking his head, Yang Zhengshan decided not to waste any more effort on him.