After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 733 - 723: Retaining Guests

Liu Yi came to find Zhao Hanzhang mainly to bid farewell. He had to return home, or his family would worry. Last night Zhao Hanzhang didn’t launch a night attack on Pingyang City, and he had also reached a peace agreement with Zhao Hanzhang. Having settled the major concern of his heart, he needed to return to inform his father.

But before he could open his mouth to say goodbye, Zhao Hanzhang threw the long spear in her hand to a trusted aide and invited him, saying, "King of Beihai, would you be interested in touring my military camp?"

Liu Yi paused his farewell words, his eyes widened as he asked, "Can I really tour it?"

"Naturally." Zhao Hanzhang smiled and said, "Come on, let’s go have breakfast first, and after breakfast, I’ll take you to see it."

To entertain Liu Yi, they had noodles for breakfast, with an egg in the noodles.

Zhao Hanzhang ate with satisfaction. The noodles were made by mixing wheat flour and bean flour in a certain ratio, mostly wheat flour though, so they looked quite white. Zhao Hanzhang asked Liu Yi, "How does the King of Beihai find the taste?"

Liu Yi nodded in satisfaction, "Delicious!"

"As long as the King of Beihai enjoys it, that’s good. This noodle has bean flour mixed in; I thought a noble like you might not be accustomed to it."

Liu Yi replied, "Governor Zhao’s words do embarrass me. In terms of family wealth, my Liu Family is far from comparable to your Zhao Family. Before becoming a prince, I was just a rural child."

Before Liu Yuan claimed the throne, he traveled far and wide, having once been a hostage placed by Xiongnu in Luoyang. After his first wife died, he allied with the Di Clan and married Shan’s daughter, bearing Liu Yi.

But during those years, he was busy striving to return to Xiongnu’s five tribes and had no time to care for his child, leaving Liu Yi with his maternal grandparents.

Unlike the nomadic Xiongnu, the Di Clan were primarily farmers like the Han people.

So Liu Yi claiming to be a rural child was not incorrect. Such noodles were a rare food during his childhood.

Even among landlords, life wasn’t as good as outsiders imagined, although they could fill their bellies compared to commoners.

Noodles made from wheat flour, and being able to add an egg, were already considered very good food in Liu Yi’s memories.

But after becoming a prince, he realized it was a trivial deal.

The Han Kingdom’s Imperial Palace was luxurious, and Liu Yuan was considered a relatively lenient monarch; yet once in power, he couldn’t resist indulgent enjoyment.

Liu Yi, highly favored by Liu Yuan, naturally didn’t lack food or clothing, using only the best for everything.

Thus, Zhao Hanzhang listened to Liu Yi describe his meals in the palace, with breakfast consisting of white porridge, white noodles, roasted lamb, Sanbao chicken, cheese, and so on...

Hearing of so much good food, Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help but ask, "Isn’t it greasy to eat such rich food in the morning?"

"Greasy?" Liu Yi said, "It’s not greasy at all. The lamb is tender with no excess fat, and the oil from the Sanbao chicken is removed and the broth is sipped without eating the chicken meat."

Zhao Hanzhang felt unable to eat, simply putting down her chopsticks and asking, "Since the King of Beihai has lived rural, you should know this is extremely extravagant to eat daily, and it costs a fortune to keep changing the menu, doesn’t it?"

Liu Yi said, "The Imperial Family protects the world, and it feeds back the Imperial Family, which is the rightful duty. We Royals should be nourished by all the people."

Zhao Hanzhang resumed eating her noodles. After finishing, she drank the soup without leaving a drop and said, "But, has your Liu Family protected the world? With the chaos today, and people displaced, how much responsibility does your Liu Family bear?"

Liu Yi was somewhat displeased and said, "The world was already chaotic before my father claimed the throne. That is the Sima Family’s crime; my father acted in accordance with heaven’s command, inheriting the Han realm, to restore order."

Zhao Hanzhang: "...Young one, do you really believe your Liu Family is a descendant of the Han Dynasty? You are Xiongnu!"

Liu Yi’s face flushed red with some embarrassment. He said indignantly, "My father says it is, so it is!"

"Alright," Zhao Hanzhang reached out and patted him on the shoulder, "Although we stand on different grounds, as we are acquainted, I still need to remind you to treat the people under your governance well. Don’t forget that a nation is composed of its citizens; since you are fed by them, you need to fulfill the responsibility of protecting them."

Liu Yi proudly said, "In this respect, my father is more competent than your Emperor of Jin State."

Zhao Hanzhang made no comment. The Emperor Jin couldn’t make decisions; truthfully, he had compassion for his people. As for Liu Yuan, these years, to fund the military and his pleasures, he heavily exploited Bingzhou’s people.

Not only Han people, but also the Jiehu and other barbarians, even Xiongnu civilians, often had to enlist leading their own horses in the military due to insufficient quota.

However, Zhao Hanzhang wouldn’t speak out such words. Actually, if they stay chaotic like this, it might be beneficial; she’ll be able to incite chaos within the Han Kingdom at an opportune moment.

By mentioning this, it was already Zhao Hanzhang’s greatest goodwill towards the young prince Liu Yi. There was another greater goodwill she could offer, but now wasn’t the time; she decided to give it to him when he would depart.

After breakfast, Zhao Hanzhang took him to see her soldiers in training.

Although young prince Liu Yi participated in political affairs, he only had a listening role, having not truly worked on anything, let alone held military power.

But he often went to the military, seeing how their Xiongnu troops operated.

Among the Han Kingdom’s troops, besides those led by Wang Mi and Shi Le, Liu Cong’s army was the most formidable.

Yet when he visited, he remembered how they sat scattered around, occasionally forming circles for wrestling games. Such disciplined and orderly training was rarely seen by young prince Liu Yi.

As the soldiers’ hums and ha-has echoed, their spears transformed in their hands with stabs, plunges, lifts, and sweeps... a fierce aura emanated, causing Liu Yi’s heart to surge with passion while his spine shivered slightly...

Zhao Hanzhang took him around the military camp, discussing the methods of training troops, and after lunch, they went to see the Zhao Family Army’s cavalry.

Zhao Hanzhang said, "In terms of cavalry, we cannot compare to you. I would humbly request guidance from the King of Beihai."

As they discussed, it was almost dark, and Liu Yi couldn’t leave, staying another night.

Liu Yi’s guard commander wasn’t anxious because except for the area of baggage and provisions, they could go wherever they wanted, feeling free and not as if detained.

Since they were free to come and go as they pleased, there was nothing to worry about.

The next day, Liu Yi wanted to say goodbye again, but Zhao Hanzhang invited him to stroll around the neighboring county. She said, "Yonghe County was seized from your hands; there are many Xiongnu and Jiehu inside the city. Since the King of Beihai has negotiated peace with me, why not go together to placate them so they won’t act impulsively and needlessly lose their lives."

Firstly, Liu Yi didn’t want to ruin the pact newly established with Zhao Hanzhang. Secondly, he indeed didn’t want his former citizens to lose their lives rashly, so he went with Zhao Hanzhang.

Thus, Zhao Hanzhang selected a squad of her personal soldiers, heading grandly towards Yonghe County.

Ji Yuan watched as Zhao Hanzhang managed to mollify the foolish young prince away. He stood with his hands gathered in front of the camp for quite a while, catching sight of Fu Tinghan passing nearby, hurriedly calling out to him, "Ting Han, what are you up to?"

Fu Tinghan brought a team and, hearing the call, replied, "I found water and am now leading a team to dig a well. Why isn’t Mr. Ji going to Yonghe County together?"

"I won’t be going, waiting here for the Han Kingdom’s envoy. With King of Beihai, Hanzhang alone is enough."

More than enough, indeed she’s exceedingly capable.