After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 612 - 606 Centrifugal

Yan Heng was deeply disappointed and said, "But, General, Gou Chun has indeed allowed his soldiers to seize the people’s grain. Local nobles tried to come to Yun City to complain but were killed by Gou Chun, who fabricated charges against them. Although the Zhao Family Army has not invaded the border, it is already littered with bones. If the General doesn’t punish Gou Chun severely, Yan State might descend into chaos even before the Zhao Family Army arrives."

"How dare you!" Gou Xi was furious, "With His Majesty present here, how could Yan State fall into chaos? Enough with your scaremongering."

Yan Heng wanted to persuade further, but a consultant beside him quickly pulled him back and said to Gou Xi, "General, Mr. Yan is drunk and speaking nonsense. I’ll take him away right now."

With that, he forcefully dragged him away.

Outside the courtyard, Yan Heng shook off his hand with all his might, still seething with anger, "Why did you drag me away? Was anything I said wrong?"

"You weren’t wrong, but the General is in a bad mood now. Why should you confront him directly? Have you forgotten that the General just killed someone the other day?"

Yan Heng stomped his foot and said, "Precisely because of that, it’s even more necessary to advise the General. Knowing that the road ahead is an abyss, should we just watch as the General steps into it?"

Yan Heng was both sorrowful and angry, tears dampening his clothes, "Think about the past; the General was upright and honest, but now, but now..."

The consultant quickly covered his mouth, preventing him from speaking further, whispering, "You’re being reckless, speaking this way in the mansion. Are you trying to emulate the maid who got killed the other day for speaking disrespectfully when heard by the General?"

Yan Heng tried to pull his hand away, but the consultant didn’t release his grip this time, pushing him a distance away from the study before letting him go, "This is for your own good. We’ve followed the General for over ten years; I don’t want you to meet a bad end."

Just as he finished speaking, they heard orderly footsteps coming their way. The two immediately fell silent and looked over. They saw the steward leading more than twenty people towards them. Most of them were women, dressed in cool and colorful clothes, holding either zithers, pipa, or flutes in their arms.

Clearly, they were women from the music hall.

Yan Heng’s face turned even darker.

The consultant tightly grasped his arm for fear that he’d rush forward again.

The steward saw them and immediately approached them to greet them.

The consultant asked, "Where did these people come from?"

The steward replied, "They are music hall women sent from Qingzhou."

Yan Heng asked with a stern face, "Since it’s a local contribution, why weren’t they sent to the palace but brought here instead?"

"This..." the steward said softly, "These were a gift from the Second Son to the General."

Only at this moment did Yan Heng recall that upon arriving at Yun City, Gou Xi had requested for Gou Chun the position of Qingzhou Governor, but Gou Chun did not take up the post. Instead, he went to the border to lead troops in defense against the Yu State Army.

He thought it was just a title, but who knew Gou Chun was at the Yu State border, yet his influence still affected Qingzhou.

Yan Heng was both angry and helpless. In the end, he didn’t speak further with the consultant, just turned and left in a huff.

The consultant watched his departing figure, shaking his head with a sigh. Looking again at the direction the performers went, he sighed deeply once more before shaking his head and walking away.

Zhao Zhongyu read Zhao Hanzhang’s letter over and over. Although he did not understand why she urgently sought officials proficient in the watermill engineering, he decided to make another trip regardless.

He set the letter alight and threw it into the brazier, watching it burn to ashes before rising and walking out, "Prepare the carriage; we’re going to Shen Garden."

Shen Garden was located in a corner of Yun City, with only a single brick house which was quite modest, surrounded by developed vegetable gardens and farmland.

In the field were beans and millet, and a middle-aged man dressed in cloth was pulling weeds. Only when reminded by the young servant beside him did he turn around.

Seeing Zhao Zhongyu, he quickly put down the small hoe and hurried forward to salute, "Greetings, Minister Zhao."

"Stand up, there’s no need for formalities," Zhao Zhongyu extended his hand to help him, then turned to look at the millet growing in the field, asking, "We arrived in Yun City having missed the farming season. Can this millet still be harvested in time?"

The man replied, "With meticulous cultivation and ensured watering, it can naturally be harvested. However, for ordinary people, this method is too inefficient, so it’s best to plant according to the farming season."

"Spring farming in Luoyang was also delayed this year; I wonder how their harvest will be."

Shen Ruhui sighed when he heard this, "Yes, hopefully, the heavens will be kind, delaying rain a few days and giving two more days of rain, so that Luoyang will have a chance."

Zhao Zhongyu glanced at the already sprouted millet in his field and at the beans slowly filling out, showing a smile and saying, "Luoyang’s spring farming was about ten days earlier than yours, so calculating now, beans should be nearly harvestable."

Shen Ruhui nodded, inviting Zhao Zhongyu to sit in the nearby straw pavilion.

It was a pavilion built to the left front of the stone house, right by the field, meant for resting and sitting.

The servant immediately spread out a straw mat, and Zhao Zhongyu took an upper seat kneeling down, with Shen Ruhui kneeling opposite him.

The servant brought a low table between the two and then knelt beside them to boil water and prepare tea.

The breeze passed through, blowing away the sweat newly formed on Zhao Zhongyu’s forehead and soothing his agitated heart as he smiled, "This is really restful; no wonder you prefer staying here and not returning to the official residence."

Yun City isn’t very big, with the emperor relocating here. Where would so many officials live?

Couldn’t simply seize the locals’ houses, well, some did seize, but couldn’t be too harsh. Most officials half-seize, half-buy in cooperation with local nobility;

Another group temporarily lodged at the official residence, waiting for the court to build houses and allocate them.

However, constructing palaces had already exhausted all available finances and manpower. How could there be any resources left to build houses for officials?

Shen Ruhui, being straightforward, found a piece of land with water in the city and directly built a brick house to live in.

Yet having farmland was far from the bustling main city. This place was very remote.

Shen Ruhui shook his head with a bitter smile, "Without official duties now, why should I invite disdain staying in the official residence?"

Zhao Zhongyu then asked, "Have you considered the matter I mentioned to Shen Siqing last time?"

Shen Ruhui furrowed his brows and said, "I am a Siqing of the court. With His Majesty in Yun City, naturally, I must remain here in Yun City. What significance is there in returning to Luoyang now?"

Zhao Zhongyu said, "I’ve heard that Luoyang is gradually stabilizing; the Yu State Army and Xiliang Army together cleared the internal bandits, and merchants from all over are starting to venture to Luoyang, spreading news from Luoyang."

"Many people who left Luoyang are starting to return," Zhao Zhongyu sighed, "Life outside is tough; Shen Siqing should have felt it. If there’s a chance of survival in Luoyang, it is naturally better to be in one’s homeland."

Shen Ruhui did not respond; he pushed the brewed tea towards Zhao Zhongyu and invited him to drink.

Zhao Zhongyu simply glanced at the tea in the bowl and said, "Shen Siqing has been long in the fields, perhaps you haven’t heard that although Yan State’s wheat harvest was bountiful, on Yu State’s border, Gou Chun has allowed soldiers to seize the people’s grain."

"It was the people’s annual ration, and after being seized, they still have to pay taxes as usual. This year, with His Majesty relocating to Yun City, there is an additional tax," Zhao Zhongyu said softly, "I heard the local village elders were dissatisfied and sent family members to the Capital City to file a complaint, but they were murdered before leaving the county."

"Gou Chun also jailed the entire family under the false charge of colluding with bandits. Over a month later, the news finally reached here at the Capital City."

Shen Ruhui widened his eyes and asked, "Over a month, does the General not know?"