Recaps

Yang Zhengshan rebuilt Linguan Fortress into a disciplined, self-supporting camp and led its soldiers through a costly campaign against the East Sea Hu Tribe. After the defeat reshaped Chongshan Town’s leadership, he helped Luo Shang’s family and received a promotion that placed him over four fortresses.

• Yang Zhengshan organized Linguan Fortress’s refugees into military households, rebuilt their homes, and established a needlework workshop to provide income.
• Yang Zhengshan began training the soldiers, and Zhou Lan declared Linguan Fortress part of the Zhenbiao Left Battalion before appointing him Vice Battalion Commander.
• Yang Zhengshan led a grain convoy through a Hu Cavalry attack, defeated more than two hundred riders, and earned Zhou Lan’s praise for his soldiers’ discipline.
• Yang Zhengshan defended the convoy’s supplies from Cao Han and returned to Linguan Fortress with grain, animals, and carts after the campaign ended in defeat.
• Yang Zhengshan cared for Li Dazhu’s family, supported the fortress households, and treated the wounded Zhao Yuan as drought and military losses unsettled Chongshan Town.
• Yang Zhengshan advised Luo Shang to spread the truth about Zhang Yude’s embezzlement, and Luo Shang later rescued his family from the Zhang Family’s threats.
• Five thousand elite riders arrived, Sun Xincheng was dismissed, and Zhang Shouwang and Zhang Yude were transferred back to the Capital.
• Yang Zhengshan accepted Luo Shang’s gift, then followed Zhou Lan’s transfer by receiving a promotion to Defensive Officer of Yinghe Fortress over four fortresses.

Yang Zhengshan took command of Yinghe Fortress, reorganized its defenses and households, and built up his troops while preparing for a Hu invasion. After defeating an advance force, he led reinforcements to Linguan Fortress, where he launched a cavalry attack behind the besieging army.

• Yang Zhengshan took office at Yinghe Fortress, uncovered missing supplies and stolen funds in its accounts, and arrested the officials responsible.
• Yang Zhengshan secured grain, weapons, horses, and workers, then organized training, refugee settlements, a horse farm, workshops, and a school across the fortresses.
• Yang Zhengshan gave Zhou Lan a revised Thirty-Six Stratagems, accepted her New Year gifts, and celebrated the New Year with his family and the military households.
• Yang Zhengshan held a martial competition to appoint officers and organize his troops, then led them against Hu cavalry approaching Yinghe Fortress.
• Yang Zhengshan lured Jala Ejen and his cavalry onto collapsing ice, killed Jala Ejen, and retreated when he spotted the larger Hu army.
• Yang Zhengshan sent for reinforcements and moved five hundred soldiers to Linguan Fortress as the Hu army advanced toward Chongshan Pass.
• Bo'erha demanded Linguan Fortress surrender, and Yang Zhengshan’s defenders fought the Hu assault while Liang Chu withheld immediate support.
• Yang Zhengshan led two hundred cavalry out of Linguan Fortress and charged into the Hu army from behind, with Red Cloud at his side.

After defeating the Hu Tribe, Yang Zhengshan expanded Yinghe Fortress and strengthened his family and forces before accepting a promotion to Anyuan Prefecture City. There, he uncovered signs of corruption and secret dealings, and learned that the Secret Martial Guard expected him to act against Xu Wanfu.

• Yang Zhengshan helped rout the Hu Tribe army, pursued its fleeing soldiers, and reported the victory before organizing the fallen soldiers’ burial and rebuilding Yinghe Fortress.
• Yang Zhengshan declined Liang Chu’s offer to serve as his strategist, cultivated two martial arts manuals, and expanded Yinghe Fortress while arranging new sources of income for its military households.
• Yang Zhengshan honored the marriage agreement between Yang Minghao and Liang Zhen, established rules for the Yang family, and helped place Yang Mingwu, Yang Mingzhi, and Yang Chengxu in new military posts.
• Zhou Lan promoted Yang Zhengshan to Assistant Commander of the Songzhou Guard and appointed him Garrison Commander of Anyuan Prefecture City, prompting him to leave Yinghe Fortress in Yang Chengze’s care.
• Yang Zhengshan arrived in Anyuan Prefecture City, found the garrison office watched by martial artists, and discovered a hidden underground chamber and signs that its accounts and leadership were troubled.
• Yang Zhengshan persuaded clerk Zhou Ren to describe former commander Cao Han’s embezzlement and suspected secret dealings with the East Sea Hu Tribe, while investigating Xu Wanfu and Tian Gui.
• Liang Rong asked Yang Zhengshan to help the Liang Family move grain, and Yang accepted while remaining suspicious of the request and the family’s gifts.
• Yang Zhengshan caught Wei Cen delivering a booklet of Xu Wanfu’s crimes, learned the Secret Martial Guard wanted him to remove Xu, and agreed to serve while asking Eunuch Lu to clarify his expectations.

Yang Zhengshan seized control of the garrison, used a smuggling offer to draw out its conspirators, and remade the fortresses and battalion. After the New Year purge, he recruited Wang Sheng and faced Wu Chongzhe’s challenge over the Shuiquan Fortress post.

• Yang Zhengshan arrested Xu Wanfu and his allies at Chengguan Fortress, then appointed Han Cheng acting Qianzong and placed Song Dashan in command of troops.
• Wei Cen revealed the smuggling network’s ties to the Jing'an Liang Family and Black Cliff Stronghold, while Hou Jun killed Xu Wanfu and Yang Zhengshan rescued the wounded Yu Qingyi.
• Yang Zhengshan agreed to issue Liang Rong a border-transport order as bait, while Wei Cen and the Town Garrison Camp prepared to intercept shipments.
• Yang Zhengshan trained the Garrison Battalion, distributed supplies, and inspected the fortress settlements, finding most neglected while Xie Yuan’s Shaling Fortress was well run.
• Yang Zhengshan welcomed Yu Qingyi into his household, rejected Yulu’s claim that she was his concubine, and shared an increasingly intimate connection with Yu Qingyi.
• After the Spring Festival, Yang Zhengshan exposed Tian Gui and purged six more fortress officials, then appointed Xie Yuan to oversee the fields and Yang Minghao to command Shaling Fortress.
• Yang Zhengshan recruited Wang Sheng as a Bazong in the Garrison Battalion and challenged Wu Chongzhe after he arrived seeking the Shuiquan Fortress post on his own terms.