After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 623 - 617 Pleading

Zhao Hanzhang picked up a copper coin and looked at it carefully. It was designed by her and Fu Tinghan, and it was roughly similar to the current Five Coin Money, but there were many differences in the details.

On the bottom left corner of the back, it had a small character "Zhao." The edges were neatly crafted, and all coins were of the same weight, approximately 2.3 coins, taking the average weight of Xiliang’s new money.

After weighing it, Zhao Hanzhang sighed, "In the future... I must make Five Coin Money truly weigh five coins."

Since the war, although Five Coin Money was still called Five Coin Money, its weight had dropped from five coins to three coins, and further declined significantly.

Fu Tinghan didn’t understand, "Why does it have to weigh five coins? When you truly have the ability to issue new currency nationwide, just change the name and create a new coin."

He said, "Now the new coin we made weighs two coins and three silks, which means ten and a half copper coins weigh one liang. Do you know how much a thousand copper coins weigh?"

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t speak, and Fu Tinghan said, "I already find the current copper coins too heavy. Every time we want to go out to buy some expensive items, Fu An has to carry a pouch outside, and merely a few strings of money inside weigh more than a dozen jin."

He continued, "Currently, commercial activities are scarce. In the future, if the situation stabilizes and commercial activities increase, actually, paper money would be more convenient."

Zhao Hanzhang said, "That requires the nation to have enough credibility. Otherwise, now, Great Jin can’t even consider issuing paper money. If he prints a copper coin lighter than ours, would you dare use it?"

Indeed, one wouldn’t dare.

Shen Ruhui and his companions safely arrived in Luoyang, holding Zhao Zhongyu’s letter. Zhao Hanzhang valued them greatly and not only met them in person but also arranged housing for them.

Judging from the houses arranged for them, Zhao Hanzhang cared about them considerably, as all four of their houses were their former residences in Luoyang.

However, their family’s finances were common at that time, so the houses were rented.

But the landlords had long fled, their fates unknown, so the houses now belonged to Zhao Hanzhang, and she directly decided to gift them to the four.

For those with true talent, Zhao Hanzhang had always been generous in this regard (anyway, it’s not her own money).

Besides housing, Zhao Hanzhang’s Ministry of Industry also quietly formed, with departments like the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Department under it. Shen Ruhui not only took up a position at the Ministry of Agriculture but also served as Assistant of the Ministry of Agriculture, while Cao Ping continued at the Water Department. Together, they assisted Fu Tinghan.

However, Fu Tinghan still felt understaffed, especially with the many things that needed calculating in the Ministry of Industry, so he said, "Next time there’s a Recruitment Order, I want to organize a separate mathematics exam to specifically select talents in this area."

Zhao Hanzhang said, "Then I will announce it now, so those interested can prepare early."

This was considered precise recruitment, but these talents, once recruited, would still need Fu Tinghan to teach them personally. Zhao Hanzhang glanced at him sympathetically, "If you’re urgently in need, you can check the Imperial College."

This year, the Imperial College enrolled more than ninety students, all of whom were quite mature, with good backgrounds. They had learned mathematics since childhood and might have suitable candidates.

Fu Tinghan nodded, "I will go."

Zhao Hanzhang also felt the shortage of personnel. She turned her head to look at the moon outside the window and murmured, "I wonder how Yan Heng is doing."

She didn’t know, though they seemed familiar, but in truth, they had only met a few times—even crossed paths through Gou Xi a few times. If one were to calculate their relationship, they might even have a feud, right?

Yet Zhao Hanzhang was genuinely worried about Yan Heng now; this concern was sincere, "There’s been no news at all..."

Fu Tinghan said, "No news is good news. If Gou Xi killed his closest aides, the news wouldn’t be hidden."

"True," Zhao Hanzhang relaxed.

However, Yan Heng’s situation wasn’t too good at this time.

The memorial he had asked General Pei to submit a few days ago was only handed in today.

General Pei had a good relationship with Yan Heng and knew his tensions with the Great General have been running high lately. Although he hadn’t read the letter, knowing Yan Heng’s temperament, it wouldn’t contain pleasant words.

So he kept looking for opportunities—when the Great General was in a good mood and relaxed—to submit it. The day he planned to submit it, he was accompanying the Great General to enjoy singing and dancing, but midway, a servant of the General Mansion broke a bowl, which put the General in a bad mood. At that moment, General Pei retracted the letter he had already taken out;

Two days later, when he went again, the Great General was also in a bad mood. He heard disturbances at the Yu State border caused by two counties, which even the Emperor knew about, called the Great General to the palace for inquiry;

General Pei could only temporarily abandon his plan, and for three days afterward, the Great General’s mood wasn’t good.

Today was his best mood day in a while. He had newly acquired two beautiful concubines, so he called everyone to drink together.

At the banquet, seeing the Great General in such a good mood, General Pei finally submitted the memorial he had been holding back.

Then Gou Xi’s mood instantly shifted from sunny to gloomy. He didn’t say anything to General Pei, but turned around and ordered Yan Heng to be arrested, intending to kill him.

General Pei and several other generals hurriedly pleaded but were angrily chased out of the General Mansion by Gou Xi. At that time, he was so furious he wanted to kill someone, and everyone dared not challenge his authority, so they temporarily retreated from the General Mansion.

Ming Yu, while still ill, heard the news and disregarded his illness, immediately got up, and hurried to the General Mansion to intervene.

Zhao Zhongyu, already lying down, received the message and immediately got out of bed, anxiously asking, "Has he been killed?"

"He’s in the General Mansion, and we can’t get any news. But it’s already been an hour since he was captured, and it’s probably ominous."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhongyu disregarded the darkness, hastily dressed, and entered the palace.

Since he was Zhao Hanzhang’s uncle-grandfather, although he and Gou Xi were both officials of the same court, their relationship was neither close nor distant, merely superficial peace, with genuinely no friendship.

His pleading might instead solidify Gou Xi’s resolve to kill, so this matter had to be petitioned to the Emperor.

Of course, Zhao Zhongyu couldn’t tell the Emperor he was seeking talent for his grandniece, so pleaded for salvation.

Zhao Zhongyu met the Emperor late at night and quietly informed him of Gou Xi’s intention to execute Yan Heng, saying, "Your Majesty, Gou Xi used to be upright and clean, but now he indulges excessively. His following generals are mostly dissatisfied, and Yan Heng has been with him since his decline, very close with the generals around him. Once he’s killed, these generals might harbor rebellious intentions."

Zhao Zhongyu continued, "Now Your Majesty relies on Gou Xi, his stability means Yun City is stable, which means Your Majesty is stable, so please intervene to stop this disaster."

The Emperor had been getting along fairly well with Gou Xi recently. Although he had been greedy for some things that didn’t align with the Emperor’s understanding of him, he was still focused on his duties, often seeking the Emperor’s opinions on many affairs. He was gradually gaining power; now even the Jiangdong and Jiangnan areas were slowly coming under control. The Emperor believed that if given time, he could consolidate his forces and reclaim lost territories.

Therefore, he didn’t want any disruptions.

After a brief thought about Zhao Zhongyu’s proposal, he agreed and immediately called his most trusted Huang Men, instructing him to take an imperial decree to the General Mansion to save Yan Heng.

Zhao Zhongyu quietly breathed a sigh of relief, hoping it wasn’t too late.

Alas, after receiving Zhao Hanzhang’s letter, he had quietly tried finding Yan Heng to advise him to go to Luoyang. But Yan Heng still held hope for Gou Xi, so before he saw the memorial, he refused to leave.