CHAPTER 686: CHAPTER 548: I’M JUST AFRAID THAT YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO CONTROL YOURSELF THEN!_2

"Greetings to the Marquis!" The other officials finally found an opportunity to chime in, hastily stepping forward to bow and pay their respects.

Yang Zhenshan hastily returned the gesture, "Greetings to the lords, I am grateful for the trouble you’ve taken to meet me outside the city."

Qu Changkong smiled and said, "Let me introduce you, this is Mr. Zhuang Yan, the Town Governor of Southern Border Town, and this is Mr. Wang Fu’an, the inspector of the imperial guard of Southern Border Town..."

Yang Zhenshan greeted the officials once more.

Actually, he was not interested in the officials of Southern Border Town, but since he had come, he had to get to know them after all, he couldn’t just ignore everyone.

After exchanging customary pleasantries, Qu Changkong then led the Yang family into Nanhua City.

Since they had not yet married, the Yang family naturally could not stay at Duke Xing Mansion, so Qu Changkong had prepared a residence in the city for the Yang family, which served as a temporary abode for the family members, as well as the bridal home for Yang Wanqing.

Yang Zhenshan rested for a day, and the next day Qu Changkong held a grand banquet at Duke Mansion, inviting all the members of the Yang family.

Duke Xing Mansion did not have female members to oversee the household, so the duty fell to the young lady Qu Shaoshang to host in the back house, entertaining Yu Qingyi, Ms. Wang, and the wives of officials from Nanhua City.

Yang Wanqing had to wait to get married, and she definitely could not go to Duke Mansion before getting married.

The alliance between the two families was a joyous occasion, and Yang Zhenshan showed much consideration for the faces of the various officials of Southern Border Town, cheerfully handling the toasts from a multitude of officials.

The feast lasted over two hours before it ended, and it was only after the guests had departed that Qu Changkong finally had time to talk with Yang Zhenshan alone.

The two sat in a pavilion in the garden of Duke Mansion, sipping tea and chatting leisurely.

Duke Xing Mansion was very large, much larger than Yang Zhenshan’s Marquis Mansion, and the scenery inside the residence was also very beautiful. However, the Qu family had few members, with a total of only five people living there, and no more than a hundred servants; many places in the grand Duke Mansion had not been maintained for a long time and appeared somewhat desolate.

In fact, this also represented the decline of Duke Xing Mansion. Despite Qu Changkong being an Innate Martial Artist who wielded great influence over the southwestern kingdoms, the rise and fall of Duke Xing Mansion did not depend solely on him.

The few family descendants were the key to the rise and fall of Duke Xing Mansion.

Qu Changkong had two sons; the eldest son had passed away early, the second son was frail, the eldest daughter-in-law had also passed away early, and the second daughter-in-law had been bedridden for many years. Coupled with the fact that Qu Shaogong was still young, a break in succession had already appeared in Duke Xing Mansion.

If Qu Changkong were to die in battle, whether Qu Shaogong could retain Duke Xing Mansion was another question altogether.

The court might not strip them of their title, but they would definitely take back the military power of Duke Xing Mansion to guard the Southern Border.

That’s why Qu Changkong was so eager to see his grandson married.

"The origins of those bandits from a few days ago have been identified; as expected, they came from the Jinlong Dynasty!" Qu Changkong poured a bowl of clear tea for Yang Zhenshan.

Yang Zhenshan took a sip of tea, "Hmm, it seems that the Jinlong Dynasty harbors quite deep enmity for brother!"

Qu Changkong shook his head slightly, "Our enmity is as deep as the sea; Shaogong’s parents died under their assassination!"

Not only did the Jinlong Dynasty hold a profound hatred for Qu Changkong, but Qu Changkong similarly held a profound hatred for the Jinlong Dynasty.

Yang Zhenshan knitted his brows, "Doesn’t that mean Shaogong and Wanqing are also unsafe in Southern Border Town?"

"No, brother, rest assured, I will definitely protect them well!" Qu Changkong repeatedly denied.

Yang Zhenshan looked at him and finally nodded slightly.

Even Qu Changkong’s son and daughter-in-law were killed by the Jinlong Dynasty; it seemed that Qu Shaogong and Yang Wanqing would not be very safe either.

Southern Border Town was different from Chongshan Town. Although the former Chongshan Town had been neglected for a long time, it was difficult for the Hu Clan to infiltrate because the customs and habits of the two clans were very different, making it easy to spot any outsider.

However, the cultural and customary differences between the Jinlong Dynasty and Da Rong were not significant, so with just a bit of disguise, spies from the Jinlong Dynasty could infiltrate Southern Border Town.

Yang Zhenshan was somewhat concerned about the safety of Yang Wanqing in Southern Border Town in the future, but certainly, he could not bring this up.

To bring it up would imply that he did not trust Qu Changkong’s capabilities, leading to a rift between the two.

"Can’t we send troops to annihilate them?" Yang Zhenshan asked.

Qu Changkong shook his head, "Relying on Southern Border Town alone, we cannot annihilate the Jinlong Dynasty. Unless the court can send a large army to assist, but will the court dispatch a large army?"

He looked at Yang Zhenshan, seemingly anticipating an answer that differed from his own expectations.

However, he was disappointed; Yang Zhenshan’s answer was the same as what he had in mind.

"No!"

Dispatching a large army to attack the Jinlong Dynasty?

Clearly, that was impossible.

Da Rong indeed possesses many elite troops, with the nine border towns, twelve camps of imperial guards, and sixteen personal army guards all being considered elite forces. However, none of them can be easily mobilized.

Moreover, the official road leading to the Southern Border Town is extremely treacherous and rugged, presenting significant challenges to both the deployment of soldiers and the transportation of money and provisions.

Unless Emperor Yanping is willing to attack the Jinlong Dynasty with the full might of the nation, but would Emperor Yanping do so?

Clearly not, don’t forget that in the North, the Wuliang Hu Clan is eying us covetously.

Compared to the Jinlong Dynasty, the Wuliang Hu Clan is indeed the more serious threat to Da Rong.

After all, the Jinlong Dynasty’s target is only the Qu family of the Duke Xing Mansion, which poses a relatively small threat to Da Rong.

Qu Changkong was only slightly disappointed for a moment before shifting the topic, "Have there been any changes in the court lately?"

Yang Zhenshan replied, "There haven’t been any major changes. Ah, a Navy Commander’s Mansion has been established, and three new navies have been added!"

Qu Changkong asked, "Are the Song Party and the Zhou Party still fighting incessantly?"

Yang Zhenshan looked at him in surprise, "Even you know about that?"

Qu Changkong smiled, "How could I possibly not know? The Town Governor Zhuang Yan is from the Song Party, and the governor You Yanzhi and Zhou Yunsong are fellow townsmen!"

Yang Zhenshan frowned, "Has their conflict affected the Southern Border Town?"

"Yes," Qu Changkong looked at Yang Zhenshan somewhat oddly.

Yang Zhenshan, feeling a bit perplexed, asked, "What’s the matter?"

Qu Changkong smiled and said, "I’ve heard that there are a few factions within the military, the Beiyuan Party led by the Duke Rong Mansion, the Western Town Party led by the Duke Shou Mansion, the Chongshan Party headed by Marquis Jing’an!"

Yang Zhenshan was bewildered.

What the devil?

He could understand the Beiyuan Party led by Duke Rong, considering that the Duke Rong Mansion was currently the leader of the nobility group.

As for the Western Town Party of the Duke Shou Mansion, that was also understandable. Although the Duke Shou Mansion is usually low-key, the old man from Duke Shou has lived for a century, and several commanders from the three western border towns had been cultivated by him.

But what the devil was this Chongshan Party?

Upon further contemplation, Yang Zhenshan realized that there seemed to be some reasoning behind this claim.

There was no need to mention Chongshan Town—now, the Yang family was deeply rooted there, with Yang Mingzhi and Yang Minghao serving as Assistant Generals on two fronts, Yang Mingwu, Yang Mingzhen, Yang Chengze, Yang Chengxu, among others holding positions in the Camp, and a large number of Yang family offspring serving as middle and low-level Military Officers in Chongshan Town.

In addition, there were the Tenglong Four Guards, as well as a host of the Yang family’s in-laws.

Marquis Changping Liang Chu, Marquis Haichang Xue Chang’an, now joined by Duke Xing Qu Changkong.

"So which party are you with?" Yang Zhenshan asked him, somewhat amused.

Qu Changkong laughed heartily, "I might as well join the Yang Party!"

"..."

Yang Zhenshan, stroking his beard, was somewhat speechless.

He had never thought that he too could become a participant in factional strife; he genuinely did not intentionally create factions, but being someone who remembered past loyalties, he naturally took care of his old subordinates.

"Factional strife is the business of civil servants, what does it have to do with us nobles?"

"I’m afraid that in the end, you won’t have a choice!" Qu Changkong said with a meaningful tone.

Although he resided in the Southern Border, that didn’t mean he was oblivious to the changes within the court.

Especially since his Qu family was about to form a kinship relationship with the Yang family, so he was paying extra attention to matters concerning the Yang family.

If Yang Zhenshan were in a position of authority now, he would certainly be caught up in the strife of rallying allies and attacking dissidents.

Yang Zhenshan fell silent, realizing that some things cannot be avoided simply because one does not wish to participate.

For now, the factional strife remains among the civil servants, but what about the future?

Given Emperor Yanping’s penchant for playing the game of balance, it seems inevitable that later on, some powers will be supported within the military to suppress the old noble factions.

Yang Zhenshan picked up his cup of tea and took a light sip, momentarily setting aside these troubling thoughts.

The matters of the future can be discussed in the future; there is no need to worry about them now.