After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 664 - 658 Questioning

The summer harvest is over, and Luoyang and other parts of Yu State have begun labor conscriptions, requiring each household to provide a strong laborer for a month’s service.

However, both Yu State and Luoyang have recently experienced wars, especially Luoyang, where there are very few families with strong laborers, mostly the elderly, the young, and women.

Zhao Hanzhang could only issue another notice, offering paid recruitment of temporary workers, while encouraging counties to gather refugees for irrigation works. Additionally, apart from elite soldiers, the rest of the stationed troops were required to assist localities in building water control structures like dams, ponds, and canals.

To avoid local efforts being in vain, wasting both manpower and resources, Zhao Hanzhang decided to return to Chen County to meet Zhao Ming, hold a meeting with everyone, and establish regulations.

After discussing with Fu Tinghan, Ji Yuan, and others, it was agreed that ideally, each village should have a deep well and either an irrigating dam or a large pond, with depth being a crucial factor for better water storage.

The choice of location is particularly important, with deep wells needing to be easily accessible to water and placed in the right spots. For irrigating dams or ponds, not only should the irrigation coverage area be considered, but existing canals should also be integrated and utilized as much as possible.

Therefore, they would need a large number of arithmetically skilled talents at the grassroots level.

Students from schools across Yu State, particularly those from Xiping Academy, were directly recruited. All students who pass the Level 3 arithmetic exams are required to report to the county government.

Of course, this is still just an order, and schools are preparing the exams. The top student will have the opportunity to go to Chen County to meet the magistrate.

So when the order reached the schools, students threw themselves into studying arithmetic like mad, temporarily setting aside other subjects.

To better discuss student management rules, Zhao Hanzhang also called Zhao Cheng to join the meeting in Chen County and meet with the student representatives.

When Zhao Hu was informed, he was still wandering around Luoyang City. Upon hearing from a servant that Zhao Cheng was packing up to return to Chen County, he immediately abandoned the broker who was taking him to see shops and rushed back to Zhao Mansion.

"Zhao Hanzhang, Zhao Hanzhang—" Zhao Hu stormed into the courtyard, but was stopped in front of the study door. No matter how he pressured, the trusted aides didn’t budge an inch. As he moved closer, the aides gripped their sword hilts, gaze cold, ready to draw and strike.

For some reason, Zhao Hu felt they truly would cut him down, so he didn’t dare step further, only yelling furiously at the aides, "Zhao Hanzhang, I know you’re in there, come out and see me!"

Inside the study, Zhao Hanzhang apologized with a smile to the others, asking them to remain seated as she got up to leave, while Zhao Cheng, looking displeased, followed her out.

Other attendees just slightly bowed and remained seated, waiting for her to return and continue.

Ming Yu frowned deeply, clearly displeased, and as Zhao Hanzhang stepped out, he turned to ask Ji Yuan, "Does the magistrate indulge her clansmen so?"

He feared Zhao Hanzhang might become another Gou Xi.

Ji Yuan smiled at him and said, "Mr. Ming need not worry. The magistrate is a principled person, and in the future, please do advise her to be more generous to her clansmen."

Mr. Ming was slightly surprised — even more generous?

Ji Yuan’s gaze swept over the unwavering Beigong Chun and others and said to Mr. Ming, "The Seventh Grandfather is an elder. Despite his loud voice just now, he couldn’t even break into the study?"

Ming Yu thought it was true: if it were Gou Xi, his trusted aides wouldn’t have been able to stop Gou Chun.

But perhaps it’s because Gou Chun is young, while Zhao Hu is older?

No, no, Zhao Hu is still a senior.

Ming Yu couldn’t help but prick up his ears to listen to the commotion outside.

As soon as Zhao Hanzhang stepped out, she quickened her pace, almost jogging down, nodding approvingly to the trusted aides, then turned to Zhao Hu with a tolerant smile, "Seventh Ancestor, why have you come?"

Zhao Hu was very angry, "You tricked me from Xiping to Chen County, then from Chen County to Luoyang, and now that I’m in Luoyang, you want Zhao Cheng to go back to Chen County. What are you up to?"

Zhao Hanzhang looked baffled, not expecting him to be angry over this. She had been worried it was about the new currency exchange issue.

"Seventh Ancestor, Uncle Cheng is just going back to Chen County temporarily for work. He’s not staying away from Luoyang. You can stay in Luoyang with peace of mind; don’t worry, he can’t escape."

Zhao Cheng: ...

Zhao Hu looked at her unbelievingly and glanced at Zhao Cheng, "You say he won’t leave, but who knows if he goes back to Chen County and then somewhere else?"

Zhao Hanzhang was somewhat puzzled, "Seventh Ancestor, in the past, when Uncle Cheng traveled around, you weren’t this angry."

Zhao Hu looked at her resentfully and said, "The past is the past. In the past, I was in Xiping and had no choice but to let him go even if I was angry. But now I’ve chased him all the way to Luoyang. If he leaves again, wouldn’t it be a wasted trip for me?"

He said, "When the mountain won’t come to me, I go to the mountain. But when I reach the foot of the mountain, the mountain grows legs and runs away. How could I not be angry?"

It sounded reasonable, and Zhao Hanzhang was at a loss for words, so she turned to look at Zhao Cheng.

Zhao Cheng silently returned her gaze, wanting to remain motionless, but with Zhao Hanzhang signaling incessantly, Zhao Cheng had no choice but to apologize to Zhao Hu, "Father, don’t worry. I will return to Luoyang."

Zhao Hu was still not convinced, "I heard you’re taking Zheng’er with you this time."

Zhao Cheng nodded, "Though Zheng’er is young, he shows some talent in arithmetic, so I plan to take him back for training."

"Isn’t Luoyang also going to develop water management? Zheng’er can train here without being taken to Chen County."

Zhao Hanzhang nodded slightly on the side, agreeing with Zhao Hu.

Zhao Cheng replied, "Luoyang has Cao Yuanshi and others; it doesn’t lack people skilled in calculation. On the other hand, the counties under Yu State are indeed in need of manpower. By accompanying me, Zheng’er can achieve more."

This was indeed the case, and Zhao Hanzhang nodded, agreeing with Zhao Cheng’s plan.

"Nonsense, you just don’t want Zheng’er to be with me," Zhao Hu huffed, "Luoyang is so large, with so many people coming in every day, Zhao Hanzhang keeps shouting about lacking people. I just don’t believe such a big Luoyang City can’t accommodate one Zhao Zheng," Zhao Hu was so angry his face was flushed, "Yu State has already held three recruitment exams, along with schools established across counties. There are more than enough people who can do arithmetic, why is one Zhao Zheng necessary?"

Zhao Hu’s eyes were also red with anger, "You just don’t want Zheng’er with me, preventing us from being close as grandfather and grandson."

Zhao Cheng’s face was stern, remaining silent.

Zhao Hanzhang hurried to mediate, "Seventh Ancestor misunderstands Uncle Cheng. Luoyang is big, but isn’t Yu State larger? With so many counties below, even after three recruitment exams, manpower is still extremely scarce. Zheng’er is genuinely good at arithmetic; even Tinghan has praised him, saying he could take on ten."

Zhao Hu sneered coldly at her, saying, "In any case, you deceived me. In that case, I won’t exchange the rest of the money."

Zhao Hanzhang: ...

After saying that, he gave Zhao Cheng a cold look, swung his sleeves, and left.

Zhao Cheng frowned tightly and turned to ask Zhao Hanzhang, "The exchange of money is a major issue, shall I..."

"No need," Zhao Hanzhang smiled and said, "Seventh Ancestor is merely speaking out of anger. I’ve already signed a contract with him."