Feeling the embroidered bamboo leaves on the cotton jacket, Lu Songhe sighed softly, "You all have been very considerate!"
He blamed his former self for not taking good care of his daughter, yet he knew that his former self was powerless, tormented by a concealed injury, with the will but not the strength.
If there was anyone to blame, it was for not having swallowed his pride and called off the marriage back then.
He was dissatisfied with his son-in-law, Yang Zhenshan, but he did not truly resent him.
In fact, even though the original couple lived a life of poverty, their affection for each other was very strong. They had been together for twenty years, and aside from occasional bickering, they never had any major conflicts.
"This is what we ought to do!" Yang Zhenshan helped Lu Songhe put on the cotton jacket.
The size was very fitting, and even though the fabric was just ordinary cotton, it was well made, clearly Yang Yunyan had put her heart into it.
"Have you heard that your injury has healed?" Lu Songhe asked casually.
"Yes, it has healed, but…" Yang Zhenshan showed a face full of sorrow.
This wasn't an act; he genuinely felt sorrow, but not for the former self's late wife.
He had been a fine young man in his prime, and now in this world he was a grandfather, so what if his body was healthy? It was no longer that young body he had.
Thinking of how he had inexplicably aged ten years, he felt as bitter as if he had eaten bitter herbs.
However, it had already been a month and a half since he arrived in this world, and he had actually come to terms with these hardships. Still, faced with his unfortunate father-in-law, he had to show some sorrow for his deceased wife.
"Never mind, it's just that Qing'er was not blessed with fortune. You still have children, and from now on, taking good care of them is what matters!" Seeing him so sorrowful, Lu Songhe's dissatisfaction dissipated quite a bit, and he even started to comfort him.
Yang Zhenshan felt a sigh of relief, but his face still carried a faint sadness.
Ah, how I suffer!
Wailing inwardly, when I think of the carefree days I once had, my heart turns sour.
Back then, I was like a little green dragon in the bars and bathhouses, but now I've got to play the roles of both father and grandfather, wailing, I can't be carefree anymore.
Suddenly recalling the joyful days, tears welled up in Yang Zhenshan's eyes.
He longed for those enchanting figures under the neon lights, those long-legged beauties walking the streets, those tender hands in the bathhouses.
Seeing him like this, Lu Songhe's heart softened further.
Ah, Zhengshan really is a man of deep feelings!
He was mistaken; well, it's not exactly a misunderstanding, Yang Zhenshan indeed is a man of deep feelings, but his affection was for those carefree days.
His affection wasn't for a person, but for an entire ocean of experiences.
Yang Zhenshan sneakily took a glance at Lu Songhe, and seeing his gentle demeanor, he immediately felt that his performance was sufficient. He quickly suppressed the sad expression on his face, but with a sort of forced cheerfulness, he said, "Dad, the day before yesterday, bandits attacked the Jiang family village, and I killed their leader, Scar Liu."
"The county government has a reward of 300 taels of silver for Scar Liu, about this matter…"
He didn't finish his sentence, instead waiting for Lu Songhe's reaction.
His purpose today wasn't just to bond with Lu Songhe but also to ask for his advice.
Even though he deserved the reward silver for killing Scar Liu, he was unsure if there were any hidden traps, and he didn't know if the county government would truly honor their promise.
Whether he could get the reward silver or not, he didn't much care. After all, he wasn't short of money now; his main concern was that it might bring disaster to the Yang family.
Not that he was overly cautious, but this world was not the same as the one he'd come from, nor that previous society with good public order.
Having just arrived, it was always best to err on the side of caution.
"You killed Scar Liu!" Lu Songhe exclaimed in surprise.
"Mm-hmm," Yang Zhenshan nodded.
Lu Songhe's eyes widened slightly, "I heard he was quite formidable."
"He was formidable, but still not quite a match for me," Yang Zhenshan said.
Lu Songhe sized him up, then said thoughtfully, "This is a good thing. The reward silver isn't important, what matters is that this will catch Mr. Luo's attention!"
"Do you have any ideas?"
Yang Zhenshan shook his head, "I know little about the county government; I can't think of any ideas just yet."
Lu Songhe stroked his white-streaked beard and nodded slightly.
"Mr. Luo is a capable person; catching his eye is also your good fortune. However, if you wish to seek an official position, you'll need to strategize!"
Martial Artists could also hold office; in the military, as long as one was a Martial Artist, one could be promoted after about a year of service, to positions like General Flag or Bazong, the grassroots military officers.
In local government, Martial Artists could serve various auxiliary or miscellaneous official roles, such as County Magistrate, Inspection Bureau, Post Station Chief, arrest officer, and so on.
What kind of position one could obtain depended on manipulation; roles like County Magistrate weren't decided by the county government, requiring one to make connections.
The position of County Magistrate was not something Yang Zhenshan could aspire to at the moment. He was actually quite interested in the role of inspector; although the inspector only held a Standard Ninth Rank official position, they had their own government office, command over scores or even hundreds of soldiers, and considerable responsibilities and authority.
Due to its proximity to the Northern Border, Anning County had established three Inspection Bureaus. Compared to the position of County Magistrate, it was easier to obtain the role of inspector.
However, this was just Yang Zhenshan's thought; whether it was feasible depended on if Lu Songhe had a way.
"There's no hurry on this matter. Let me discuss it with my eldest son first!" said Lu Songhe, after a moment's thought.
Naturally, he wanted to help Yang Zhenshan secure some sort of position. After all, Yang Zhenshan was his son-in-law; the children of the Yang family were his grandchildren, and helping Yang Zhenshan was like helping his deceased daughter.
Previously, Yang Zhenshan had neither the ability nor the opportunity, so Lu Songhe hadn't considered this, but now that Yang Zhenshan had the opportunity, he was sure to lend assistance.
Yang Zhenshan was not in a hurry either; he merely harbored such a thought and wasn't determined to secure an official position.
If the opportunity arose, he would strive for it, but if he failed to attain it, he wouldn't be too disappointed.
At noon, Yang Zhenshan stayed at the Lu family's home for a meal.
Lu Songhe had two sons and a daughter; his eldest son, Lu Zhaoqi, served as an Archivist in the county government, while his second son, Lu Zhaoran, managed the family's farmland—a landlord of a sizable estate spanning hundreds of acres, a true rural gentry.
Moreover, Lu Songhe had four grandsons: Lu Wenchun, Lu Wenjie, Lu Wenhua, and Lu Wenquan, with Lu Wenquan being the most scholarly. At sixteen years old, he was already a student scholar and would likely participate in the College Examination next year, barring any accidents.
However, Yang Zhenshan did not see Lu Wenquan today; Lu Wenquan was studying in Ning County's academy and seldom returned to Qinghe Town.
The Lu family took good care of Yang Zhenshan, their son-in-law, and the younger members of the family respected him deeply, showing none of the disdainful complications often seen in dramatic tales.
Thus, the meal was lively and enjoyable, and Yang Zhenshan even drank a few cups with Lu Zhaoran. When he left the Lu family's house, his steps were a bit unsteady.