After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 749 - 739: For Your Own Good

Zhao Hanzhang was a bit stunned, "That book... is a copy, not the original manuscript."

"I know, you must keep the original manuscript yourself, I wouldn’t dare to ask for your grandfather’s manuscript. Just getting a handwritten copy is great honor enough." Liu Yi was so moved that his eyes were filled with tears, "How many people in this world can obtain a handwritten copy of your ancestor’s annotations?"

Actually, quite a few.

Zhao Hanzhang had selected many books from the family collection to be sent to the publishing house for printing, not only in the schools of various counties but also in bookstores with good stock coverage. Although the pricing was somewhat high, many people still bought them.

In Yu State, it can’t be said that every reader has a copy, but achieving half is doable. That’s also why the reputation of Zhao Changyu and the Zhao Family has grown even deeper over the past two years, resonating throughout the noble class in the entire Yu State.

However, due to traffic inconvenience and information bias, no one in Pingyang City was aware of it.

Because she wanted Liu Yi to study more of the Confucian classics to support Han governance, and also because of poverty, she chose books as gifts;

Because scouts found that the other party sent more and more scouts, clearly showing a tendency to suspect them, she herself went to deliver the gift, in order to warn and intimidate the other party.

She never expected that Liu Yi would personally come to return the favor; does that count as shooting herself in the foot?

She didn’t know how valuable the book was in Liu Yuan’s eyes, to the point of sending Liu Yi to her camp.

Could it be... Liu Yuan suspected her camp was empty and specially sent Liu Yi to investigate?

Zhao Hanzhang cast an exploratory glance at Liu Yi, then shook her head inwardly, impossible, Liu Yi doesn’t have that intrigue now.

Then it’s these guards who came with him.

Zhao Hanzhang glanced unnoticed around the circle, then smiled at Liu Yi, "I really treat you as a friend, not just my grandfather’s handwritten copy, even if it’s the original manuscript, if you want to see it, I can let you have a look."

She joked, "But gifting it is impossible, or else I’ll send it with the front foot, and then the elders at home will whip me with the back foot."

Liu Yi curiously asked, "Is there anyone in Governor Zhao’s family who dares to whip you?"

"Yes, I have an uncle who is very fierce; if I dare to give you my grandfather’s manuscript, he really would whip me."

Even Fu Tinghan couldn’t help but turn his head to look at her for a moment, Zhao Ming’s reputation was unjustly harmed.

Always talking on horseback isn’t good, so Zhao Hanzhang simply dismounted and invited everyone to come down too and find a patch of grass nearby to sit and chat.

Liu Yi hesitated for a moment but sat opposite her and Fu Tinghan, "What brings Governor Zhao and Mr. Fu here?"

Fu Tinghan looked at Zhao Hanzhang.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Hanzhang said, "We just wandered around and didn’t expect to coincidentally meet the King of Beihai."

If it were Liu Cong opposite, he definitely wouldn’t believe this, but it was Liu Yi, he didn’t think and just believed it. He happily said, "This is our fate."

Hearing this, Fu Tinghan didn’t get jealous at all because it was too simple; he simply couldn’t feel jealous.

Zhao Hanzhang honestly didn’t invite Liu Yi to the camp to avoid further misunderstandings between the Han nation’s ministers and monarchs. Liu Yi also understood, and thus sat on the grass to chat with her.

During this time, many questions had accumulated, but asking different people would yield different answers.

Especially regarding Han governance’s measures, like the issue of converting fields to pastures.

"...Father vehemently detests this issue, yet must turn a blind eye or it would severely arouse resentment among the five tribes and cause chaos; my uncle also opposes this, believing the value brought by farming far exceeds that of pastoralism, but the five tribes don’t listen; Grand Tutor and the others think we Xiongnu are skilled at pastoralism and enjoy beef and mutton, if we don’t graze, then we must rely on Han people and Di Clan for farming."

"And Han people are treacherous, Di Clan..." Liu Yi suppressed saying bad things about the Di Clan and said, "Over time, this land may no longer be their land, it could be tricked away by Han people, so they insist on prioritizing pastoralism. They also need places to practice horseback riding and archery."

Liu Yi asked her, "If you were Governor Zhao, how would you govern?"

Zhao Hanzhang said, "If it were me, I would separate Xiongnu from Han and allow them autonomy."

Liu Yi was stunned, "Autonomy?"

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "Those skilled at pastoralism, provide them a suitable land for grazing where they can live and produce; those skilled at farming, give them a suitable land for cultivation so they can farm."

Liu Yi pursed his lips and said, "How can this be, this is under my Xiongnu governance."

"I haven’t denied that," At this moment, Zhao Hanzhang didn’t deny the Han Kingdom and Liu Yuan and said, "Whether it’s Xiongnu, Han people, Di Clan or Xianbei, living under Han Kingdom governance, they are your citizens, as an emperor, merely assigning lands for governance."

She sighed and said, "It’s you who narrowed the path from the start, dividing the governed people into hierarchies, if Xiongnu lack slaves, they massively capture other tribes as slaves, lacking national law, causing the current deadlock of Han Kingdom."

Liu Yi was still young, with confusion and dissatisfaction in his eyes, "Don’t you Han people also create hierarchies? The noble class has far higher status than other classes."

"This is categorized by social status, but your Han Kingdom categorizes by race; a slave can redeem to become a commoner, a commoner can study to enter a noble class, merchants, craftsmen also have opportunities, a country has laws, even an emperor must find a persuasive reason if he wants something, else he’ll be condemned like the current Jin Dynasty, causing harm for generations."

"Race is innate, nobody can choose their lineage; in Han Kingdom, Xiongnu are naturally noble, Han people and Xianbei, Di Clan, Jiehu are naturally lowly; Xiongnu can slaughter Han people without reason or seize other tribes’ lands to enslave them."

Liu Yi stood up abruptly, face livid, "Governor Zhao must not forget, you Han people did the same, or how did General Shi become a slave?"

Shi Le was captured while walking on the road by soldiers as military rations, turning from a commoner to a slave, circulating in various places.

Zhao Hanzhang’s face showed some sadness, "Yes, that’s why the Jin is wavering in the storm, it’s already aged; does King of Beihai want to compare the newly established Han Kingdom to it?"

Liu Yi opened his mouth but couldn’t speak for a long time.

Zhao Hanzhang patted his shoulder and said, "Han Kingdom has only been established for four years, still having chances to correct itself; King of Beihai might as well go back and ask Han Country Emperor."

Liu Yi stared at her, "Governor Zhao’s words are genuinely meant for me and Han Kingdom?"

Zhao Hanzhang said, "King of Beihai is smart, Han Country Emperor also has great plans, whether my words are beneficial or harmful to Han Kingdom, they can discern it."

Liu Yi hesitated for a moment but couldn’t help asking, "Isn’t Governor Zhao afraid these words will reach the ears of the Jin dynasty ministers and emperor, causing suspicion?"

Zhao Hanzhang then laughed and swept the circle, "Here are you and my confidantes, my people naturally don’t spread, as for you, even if standing firmly before the Jin Emperor, do you think he’ll trust you or me?"

Everyone knows she’s been resisting Xiongnu on the frontline, by then a simple ruse can clear all blame; there’s no audio or video here, just because you say I said it, does it mean I did?