After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 739 - 729: Stay Another Day

"Governor Zhao, Governor Zhao?" Liu Yi almost couldn’t resist waving a hand in front of her eyes.

Zhao Hanzhang returned to her senses, withdrew her gaze from the distance, and turned around with a beaming smile, "Does the King of Beihai have any questions?"

Liu Yi glanced towards the east as well and asked, "What’s over there? It made you lose your focus."

Zhao Hanzhang replied, "There are pigs over there."

"Ah?" Liu Yi looked puzzled.

Zhao Hanzhang said, "I’ve set up a ranch in Yonghe County. Besides cattle and sheep, I’m also raising pigs. Would the King of Beihai like to take a look?"

Liu Yi looked conflicted. He’s been in Yonghe County for two days now, first spending a day eating and playing with the officials and gentry, then visiting the refugees Zhao Hanzhang took in. Today is already the third day, and he wants to go home.

Liu Yi wasn’t too keen on visiting her ranch. What’s there to see in a ranch?

Animal husbandry is a specialty of the Xiongnu; he didn’t care for it at all.

He was about to refuse when Zhao Hanzhang said, "Is the King of Beihai worried about the King of Xiongnu being concerned? Rest assured, I’ve already written to your father, informing him that you’re here with me, and I will take good care of you. I also want you to gain a deeper understanding of the local governance policies of us Han people."

"I heard that there’s strong opposition to Han governance within the Xiongnu. But to be honest, looking at the Han Dynasty, only Han governance can maintain a unified regime for hundreds of years. Although the five Xiongnu tribes openly unify under the King’s command, in secret, each tribe governs itself."

"Your father has prestige, yet he still cannot truly unify them. When you and your brothers rise to power, will you be able to unite the five tribes?" Zhao Hanzhang continued, "It’s evident that using the Xiongnu’s methods to govern the five tribes won’t work; Han governance must be utilized."

She said, "Using the Han people’s system, allowing Han people to participate in governance."

Liu Yi’s heart pounded, and he stared at her with wide eyes, "Governor Zhao, why are you telling me this? Even though we’ve had peace talks, aren’t we still..." enemies.

Liu Yi blushed, feeling he was really being petty. Zhao Hanzhang seemed to treat him as a friend, speaking with such earnestness, while he still regarded her as an enemy.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled at him and said, "My goal is not to make enemies of you, but to unite this world in peace. The world isn’t just for the Huaxia Clan, but also for the Xiongnu, Jiehu, Qiang Clan, Xianbei, and in the south, the Baiyue. If the world is unified, these ethnic groups should be treated like the Huaxia Clan, so I am inquiring with you about methods of governing the people and the state."

Liu Yi stared at her blankly, "But, but we are merely subjects, matters like these should be considered by those who aspire to be emperors..."

Zhao Hanzhang shook her head, "No, during the Spring and Autumn period, the states fought each other, and people at that time pondered ways to save and strengthen the nation, which eventually led to the strong Qin unifying the world. The Han inherited Qin’s system, resulting in over three hundred years of unified governance. The sages and wise men at that time contributed significantly. Was it because they wanted to be emperors that they thought about these issues?"

Liu Yi was filled with shame, "I was shortsighted."

His eyes lit up, and he asked, "Does Governor Zhao intend to emulate the sages and become a sage of this era?"

No, she wanted to gather sages and become an emperor herself.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled at him and then brought the conversation back, "King of Beihai, under my governance, there are Han people, Xiongnu, and even Jiehu, albeit in small numbers and mostly as soldiers, not common folk. I don’t know what governance style suits them best, so I’m hoping you can help me out."

"Since you are a prince of the Xiongnu and a descendant of the Di Clan, you should be very familiar with their ways of life and demands."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yi was not in a hurry to return. After all, Zhao Hanzhang mentioned that she had already written to his father, so staying a few more days wouldn’t be an issue.

Moreover, he was very interested in this topic. As she said, his father had always wanted to implement Han governance, but the five Xiongnu tribes always opposed it. He also wanted to help alleviate his father’s worries; perhaps he could find a good method from her.

So, Liu Yi followed Zhao Hanzhang to see the ranch.

What they called a ranch was basically Zhao Hanzhang pointing randomly at a large area, saying, "Look, that’s my ranch."

Liu Yi didn’t think anything was amiss either and looked at the endless dry land, asking, "Where are the animals?"

Zhao Hanzhang smiled and said, "They’re coming soon; let’s check out the layout of the ranch first."

"Ah?" Liu Yi followed in a daze, "What do you mean ’coming soon’?"

Zhao Hanzhang said, "King of Beihai, I only took over Yonghe County twelve days ago. Whether it’s lambs, calves, or piglets, they all need to be carefully selected and transported here slowly, so the ranch is still empty, with no livestock for now."

Liu Yi sighed helplessly and asked, "Since there’s no livestock, what are we here to see?"

"To see how I’ve arranged the ranch." Zhao Hanzhang kicked her horse’s belly to speed up, leading Liu Yi to a large puddle. She pointed to the buildings under construction and said, "Look, this is where I plan to raise pigs. Currently, pigsties are being built, that area is for the sheep pen, and over there is the cattle barn. They form a triangle, enclosing the entire area, providing a large space for movement."

Liu Yi frowned, "Building earthen houses? Why not use tents? Do the cattle and sheep not migrate?"

"No migration," Zhao Hanzhang said. "Look at the land in that direction; can the King of Beihai see anything?"

Liu Yi stared for a long time and uncertainly replied, "It’s flat?"

Zhao Hanzhang paused for a moment, then burst into laughter and said joyfully, "In a sense, you’re not wrong. It is indeed flat."

Her smile gradually faded, and she said, "That land was good farmland two years ago, but after the Xiongnu’s left division took over Yonghe County, they fenced it in as pastureland, forbidding people from farming. The good farmland gradually became barren, only used for grazing."

Liu Yi, whose body carried half Di blood...

His face turned red again, this time with embarrassment.

As a member of the Di Clan skilled in crop cultivation, he sometimes couldn’t understand why some Xiongnu would turn good farmland into pasture.

Even though growing food yields higher returns, why turn good fields into grasslands?

Liu Yi cleared his throat and quietly asked, "So, Governor Zhao intends to turn it back into farmland?"

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "It’s only been two years; it shouldn’t be difficult. So the grazing area is reduced, making it unsuitable for migratory grazing. I plan to plant some grass for grazing and grow the grains and vegetables needed for raising pigs and cattle, adopting a more refined approach."

Liu Yi asked, "Will that work? People are barely getting enough to eat."

"Don’t the Xiongnu feed beans to their horses and cattle?"

Naturally, they do, not just beans but also highland barley and wheat, even more carefully than raising people; raising horses is much more costly than raising people.

Liu Yi instantly understood and nodded, "It’s worth a try."

"Other things aside, I’m just missing one thing."

Liu Yi asked, "What are you missing?"

"Good pasture grass," Zhao Hanzhang said. "I heard the Di Clan helped the Xiongnu plant fields and raise horses, and there are two types of grass that cattle and sheep love, isn’t one called alfalfa?"

"Purple alfalfa?"

Zhao Hanzhang nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, that’s the one. Do you have it?"

"Yes," Liu Yi generously replied, "Once I return, I’ll send Governor Zhao a few bags of seeds. Besides purple alfalfa, we also plant peas, which cattle and sheep love, too. After eating them, they grow plump and healthy, with smooth, shiny fur."

Zhao Hanzhang immediately looked at him eagerly.

Liu Yi was instantly flattered and proudly puffed out his chest, "Once I return to Pingyang City, I’ll have someone deliver some to Governor Zhao."

"Thank you, King of Beihai."

Liu Yi grinned broadly, "No need to be so polite."