After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 572 - 566 Seeking Allegiance

Honest Fu An began to accept posts from outside on behalf of Fu Tinghan.

Fu Tinghan was well-known for his talent and had the status of Zhao Hanzhang’s fiancé. When refugees realized they couldn’t leave Luoyang, people started delivering posts to him.

Xie Shi had been visiting each household during this time, smoothing the sadness in the hearts of the refugees to make them willingly stay in Luoyang.

Since Zhao Hanzhang issued an apology to the public and retrieved the bodies of their relatives from Shi Le, few people in Luoyang wanted to leave.

The vast majority had resigned themselves to staying.

Since they were staying, naturally, they wanted to live well.

Fu An brought in two posts, "Master, these are new visitation cards."

Fu Tinghan merely glanced up and said, "Hand them over to Mr. Ji and Zhao Kuan."

Since Fu Tinghan started receiving posts, those who couldn’t appeal directly to Zhao Hanzhang came to him instead, some openly seeking positions, others seeking financial help to make ends meet.

This was normal operation; Fu Tinghan handed everything over to Ji Yuan and Zhao Kuan. In the past, he wouldn’t even receive these posts, just focusing on his backend work.

"But these two posts are a bit different."

Fu Tinghan stopped writing and looked up, "How are they different?"

Fu An said, "This one is from someone named Sima Hou, a member of the royal family, but his ancestors were already a collateral branch during the reign of the first emperor. However, in terms of seniority, you should call him uncle."

Fu Tinghan frowned slightly, "What does he want with me?"

"He wants you to appeal to Miss Zhao on his behalf to let him leave the city," Fu An paused and said, "It’s heard that he was separated from his wife and children, who were captured by Shi Le’s men. But among those whom Miss Zhao redeemed, his family was not included. He believes they are still alive and wants to go look for them."

Fu Tinghan paused in his refusal and asked, "Has he always wanted to leave the city?"

"Yes, he’s sought out several people recently, including Xie Shi, Zhao Kuan, and Ji Yuan, but none agreed," Fu An said, "Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come to you, using the title ’uncle’. "

Fu Tinghan’s mother was a princess, but the kinship between Sima Hou and the princess was quite distant and was just family with the same Sima surname.

After a moment of thought, Fu Tinghan asked, "And the other visitation card?"

Fu An showed it to him, "It’s from someone named Gao Hui. I inquired a bit; he is a Ranger."

Fu Tinghan was surprised, "A Ranger?"

What did a Ranger want with him?

Besides, the name didn’t seem very ranger-like.

Fu An was also puzzled, "He’s not seeking a position, nor money, just requesting to meet you."

Fu Tinghan thought for a moment and nodded, "Then meet Gao Hui first. Invite him in."

Fu An agreed and immediately went to invite him.

Gao Hui strolled in with a long sword, as freely as a fish returning to water.

Upon entering the study and seeing Fu Tinghan immersed in writing, his eyes discreetly scanned the pile of documents on the desk, his lips slightly curled, and he raised his hand in salute, "Mr. Fu."

Fu Tinghan looked at him, put down his pen, "Please, have a seat."

Fu An stepped forward to serve tea, and Gao Hui noticed the tea was clear, only seeing slightly curled tea leaves in the cup, and was surprised, what kind of consumption was this?

Fu Tinghan had already straightforwardly asked, "What brings Ranger Gao to see me?"

Gao Hui immediately composed himself, looking steadily at Fu Tinghan, "Young Master, with your reputation and family background as well as talent and prestige, why lower yourself under Zhao Hanzhang?"

He came because Zhao Hanzhang said the person he needed to find appeared.

Fu Tinghan scrutinized him seriously and after a moment said, "She and I are husband and wife, a unity. How can there be talk of being beneath?"

"Not to mention that you and Zhao Hanzhang aren’t yet husband and wife; even if you were, there are times of separation," he said, "Someone of your virtue, surely destined for great achievements in the future, why act like a woman, hiding in the back courtyard?"

Fu Tinghan wanted to nod and deal with him, but couldn’t help asking with a frown, "When have I ever been hiding in the back courtyard?"

If he did something, wasn’t it always openly and straightforwardly?

He glanced down at the documents on the desk, frowning, "You can’t expect me to issue documents outside under the blazing sun, can you?"

Gao Hui: "... You misunderstand, Sir, that’s not what I meant. What I mean is you’ve accomplished so much, yet outside, only the names of Ji Yuan, Zhao Ming, and Beigong Chun are heard. Your fame has not increased much, why is that?"

Fu Tinghan replied, "Hanzhang is protecting me."

Looking at Fu Tinghan, who seemed naive and innocent, Gao Hui said, "No, Sir, she is limiting you, afraid you will vie for power with her."

Seeing Fu Tinghan’s expression turn unusual, Gao Hui quickly added, "Of course, this may not be Zhao Hanzhang’s intention, perhaps it’s the Zhao Family’s idea, but undeniably, her actions do harm your interests."

Reputation is very important; some scholars spend their entire lives pursuing it, so in Gao Hui’s view, Zhao Hanzhang limiting Fu Tinghan’s rise to fame was depriving him of his rightful interests.

Seeing Fu Tinghan remain silent, Gao Hui felt he was receptive to persuasion and said, "Young Master should have his own influence; just look at the previous emperor’s and the current difficult situation, one only has a say when power is in one’s own hands."

Fu Tinghan stretched out his fair hands, "Look."

Gao Hui looked, puzzled, "Look at what?"

"Do you think these hands could wield a knife and kill on the battlefield?"

Gao Hui was silent; Fu Tinghan’s fingers bore calluses, likely from writing and archery, particularly thick on the side of his index finger, indicating he wrote more than he practiced archery.

Gao Hui paused and said, "Master need not worry; even the emperor may not be able to ride and kill; as long as Master has good generals, why worry about having no troops?"

He said, "Zhao Hanzhang is formidable, yet she is only one person. In her territorial expansions, she still has to rely on Beigong Chun and Xun Xiu."

Fu Tinghan said expressionlessly, "She has people and money. I have neither people I can use nor money."

Standing beside them, Fu An secretly remarked, if Miss Zhao had money, why else would they need their master to manage this?

"People can always be trained, and as for money," he paused and said, "I heard that the workshops Zhao Hanzhang has are all from Master; even the glass was initially made by you."

Fu Tinghan paused, thinking himself discreet, yet it was quite direct, "The products from Glass Workshop go directly into Treasure Pavilion and to merchants, with all the managers selected by Mr. Ji."

"If Master could provide the formula, I am willing to set up a private workshop for you, and the revenue could be used to support followers."

Fu Tinghan directly refused, "The world knows that glass only comes from the Zhao Family. If we privately set up a workshop, it won’t escape Ji Yuan’s notice."

"I can set up a workshop deep in the mountains, and then let the goods enter the market under the Zhao Family name."

Fu Tinghan looked at him with a ’you are too naive’ expression and said, "Each place has only one to three merchants. If glass not imported by them appears, it would be easy to trace it back as foreign goods. To sell a large number of glass products south of the Central Plains without being discovered is basically impossible."

Gao Hui: "... Why is Young Master blocking his own path?"

Fu Tinghan nonchalantly said, "I do know of a place where no matter how much they investigate, they can’t find out."