After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 558 - 552 Admonition

Zhao Hanzhang put down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth, and asked Zhao Cheng, "Uncle, was your journey smooth?"

Zhao Cheng replied frankly, "Not smooth. From Yu State to Luoyang, there were refugees everywhere. We were heading upstream, and along the way, we saw refugees robbing each other for money and food, and in some cases, digging corpses to eat them. If Zhao Ju hadn’t sent five hundred men to protect us along the way, we wouldn’t have made it to Xiang City and then to Luoyang smoothly."

Zhao Hanzhang sighed, "It’s always been tough outside."

Zhao Cheng said, "As far as I know, this batch of refugees scattered everywhere are the people who followed Prince East Sea out of Luoyang. Since you repelled Shi Le, why didn’t you properly settle them?"

Zhao Hanzhang said, "Even the most skillful housewife cannot cook without rice. I neither have that much money and food nor have enough troops. How could I keep twenty thousand people?"

In fact, she originally planned that out of twenty thousand people, she could keep seventeen or eighteen thousand, letting five or six thousand go would be about right. Who knew that more than half would run away?

In the end, fewer than a hundred thousand returned.

Zhao Cheng said, "That’s because your reputation isn’t good enough."

He said, "With just one call, Liu Kun can summon ten thousand displaced people to come. A tune of the Hu Jia can drive away ten thousand enemy troops, and neither does he have money or soldiers in hand."

Zhao Hanzhang remained silent.

Zhao Cheng saw that she was quite affected but didn’t stop, continuing, "To have a good reputation, one must do righteous deeds. This time you made a mistake; even if they didn’t want to return to Luoyang, you shouldn’t have let Beigong Chun and Mi Ce force them."

Zhao Hanzhang bowed to acknowledge her mistake, "Hanzhang was wrong."

Seeing her sincerity, Zhao Cheng’s expression slightly improved. He glanced at Zhao Kuan and the others, waving them to leave.

Zhao Kuan then stood up with the clan members, bowed, and left. Zhao Erlang didn’t move, so Zhao Kuan gave him a look.

Zhao Erlang pretended not to see it; he only listened to his sister.

Seeing this, Zhao Cheng said, "Let him stay."

This child doesn’t remember much, and Zhao Cheng wanted him to hear more. Upon arriving in Luoyang, he immediately knew what happened to the clan leader’s lineage. Mrs. Wu could probably only survive until Yun City, as Zhao Yi had already contacted the Zhong Family to discuss Zhao Hewan’s marriage date. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Fu Tinghan looked around, just about to rise, but Zhao Hanzhang reached out to hold him, her eyes filled with emotion, "Can you bear to leave me alone to be reprimanded?"

Fu Tinghan glanced at her hand holding his, hesitated for a moment, and gently let go of her hand, "If I stay, wouldn’t it be embarrassing for you?"

The two were exchanging glances, and Zhao Cheng already said, "Ting Han should stay too."

Fu Tinghan paused, looked at Zhao Hanzhang, and then slowly sat down.

Zhao Cheng looked up at the young unmarried couple sitting side by side at the table, sighed, and said, "We all don’t understand why you are so wary of the aristocratic families?"

Zhao Hanzhang raised her eyebrows, looked at Zhao Cheng, "Why do you say this, Uncle?"

Zhao Cheng, "You prefer spending a lot of money building Yushan Hall, a school, inviting teachers to cultivate talents since childhood, but even the smartest youths take at least five years to become proficient, yet you don’t use people who are ready-made."

Zhao Hanzhang frowned, disagreeing, "Uncle, I issued a Recruitment Order widely. Anyone with talent can pass the exam to enter. The aristocratic families’ children have the highest admission rate; where does the sense of caution come from?"

Zhao Cheng looked at her deeply, "Hanzhang, don’t treat others like fools. After acquiring land, your series of actions show that you are wary of aristocratic families. Currently, it seems fair, but you are focused on cultivating commoners, how can others not see through it?"

"In aristocratic families, there are countless people older than you, surely some have foresight. That’s why you see that after two years, the ones who came to support you and take the recruitment exam, aside from commoners, those from aristocratic families are all from subsidiary branches or people with no prospects..."

Zhao Hanzhang’s expression turned grim, "Uncle, paths differ, and we can’t conspire together. They neglect their duties and trivialize the people; how could they ask me to humble myself and plead with them?"

"Before coming to Luoyang, I had thoughts similar to yours," Zhao Cheng said, "Brother Ming said you were arrogant, but I don’t think so. To live in this world, there are things to do and things not to do. You despise them, and indeed they haven’t contributed the slightest bit to the people or the country; what’s wrong with being arrogant?"

Zhao Hanzhang waited for his "but."

"But, from Yu State to Luoyang, I saw families that once rivaled the Zhao Family, and once untouchable aristocrats were driven by chaotic armies as if they were grass, butchered, and swept away by displaced people. They also die from hunger and cold, dying lonely,"

"Their family heads were taken by Shi Le, and the remaining clan members scattered, with their fine silk garments torn and filthy, indistinguishable from commoners. They too are refugees," Zhao Cheng said, "Are they completely useless, contributing nothing?"

Zhao Cheng said sadly, "They were simply harmed by trends, trapped by worldliness. Speaking of useless people to the country, I too am amongst them. Your Uncle Ming, before you used him, what has he done useful for the people, for the country?"

Zhao Hanzhang pursed her lips, "Uncle Ming and Uncle avoided disaster by retreating from the world, at least not occupying positions or receiving state salaries. But they retreat from the world occupying positions and receiving state salaries yet doing nothing, that leads to such chaotic times..."

"Then would you give them a chance to amend their mistakes?" Zhao Cheng interrupted her, saying, "Before, people followed Wang Yan’s governance, and so they learned from Wang Yan. But now you and Gou Xi govern, neither of you are neglectful; they will naturally learn the governing spirit of you two."

Seeing Zhao Hanzhang remain silent.

Zhao Cheng continued, "Hanzhang, if you only act as the Yu State Governor, then the people you currently have are indeed enough, I wouldn’t persuade you. But you now also occupy Luoyang, and I heard you stationed troops in Guy City, you intend to take over all of Henan County,"

He raised his eyes to look at her, "Will you also strive and compete for Jingzhao County and Bingzhou in the future?"

Zhao Hanzhang looked at him.

Zhao Cheng said, "Since you wish to be a ruler, you cannot act solely based on your preferences. The best people who know how to govern and can be your right-hand men are still within the aristocratic families."

"Having ready-made selections, why do you spend effort cultivating from scratch?"

Zhao Hanzhang squinted slightly, "Uncle, you couldn’t have thought of this, whose suggestion is it?"

Zhao Cheng sighed and said, "From Yu State to Luoyang, I was greatly impacted, and couldn’t help but write to your Uncle Ming. These are his thoughts, and now, they are also mine."

She thought as much, Zhao Cheng always shared similar views with her on the aristocratic family issue, how did he suddenly change.

"Regardless of whose idea it is, you only need to say whether it’s right or wrong, will you follow it?"

Zhao Hanzhang lowered her gaze in contemplation, then turned her head to look at Fu Tinghan.

Fu Tinghan said, "Actually, what they said is correct. The people we cultivate, even though five years are needed, can only perform basic tasks. Full cultivation takes no less than twenty years, and we can’t afford to wait."

He said, "The talents from aristocratic families can be used immediately once selected, though there are many drawbacks, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. We can slowly adjust later."