After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 750 - 740: Generous Gift

Liu Yi came with excitement, but ended up returning full of questions and schemes.

As soon as he returned to the city, he entered the palace to find his father, leaving Liu Cong, who wanted to inquire about the Zhao Family Army Camp from him, in vain.

Liu Yuan also wanted to ask him about the situation at the Zhao Family Army Camp, but before he could speak, Liu Yi poured out Zhao Hanzhang’s opinions and his own queries.

Liu Yuan instantly forgot about the Zhao Family Army Camp.

Zhao Hanzhang’s words struck him right at his heart and simultaneously conveyed another signal to him.

"Zhao Hanzhang says the Jin State is in its twilight years. Is this a wish to choose a new master, or wanting to start anew?" Liu Yuan’s heart burned with enthusiasm, feeling it was more likely the first, though the second was also possible.

But regardless of which it is, this was an opportunity for him.

Liu Yuan’s eyes shone brightly, though he was also troubled internally, "She was right; although the Han Kingdom was only established four years ago, it was already seriously ill. Without remedies, in the long term, it would become a chronic illness difficult to cure, following down the path of Jin State."

Liu Yuan clenched his fist, sitting on the dragon throne deep in thought, "If only she were my minister, the Han Kingdom would have a bit more vitality."

For the past two years, Liu Yuan felt overwhelmed, the five Xiongnu tribes being disobedient in their support. He couldn’t strictly punish them, and frustrated, he immersed himself in debauchery.

Zhao Hanzhang’s words reignited the passion in his chest, clearing his muddled gaze, looking at Liu Yi with stirred emotions once more.

Liu Yi didn’t notice the peculiar look in his father’s eyes; he was still caught up in his question, "Father, you said that Han rule also needs to establish ranks based on class, not distinguish based on race? How is that to be changed?"

Liu Yuan said, "Govern the country with Han ministers. As long as there are enough Han ministers in court, they can turn the path we are currently on."

But although there are Han ministers in the court now, the Xiongnu still predominate. The Han ministers couldn’t even evenly share power, let alone lead.

Although Liu Yuan used Han ministers, he was also wary of them, yet weighing the national interest, governing with Han ministers for Han rule would make the country strong more quickly, and then they could destroy the Jin State and unify the realm.

Unfortunately, except for a few who shared this vision with him, others held great distrust of the Han people and opposed Han rule, acting recklessly, causing serious conflicts among the Xiongnu and other ethnicities internally.

Liu Yuan pondered for a long time and decided to give it a try; what if he could actually win Zhao Hanzhang over?

He immediately had someone prepare a generous gift, to be sent to the Zhao Family Army Camp in Liu Yi’s name.

Zhao Hanzhang was opening the gifts sent by Liu Yi. Since she had sent books, Liu Yi thought he couldn’t send mundane things, so in return, he sent some writings and books as well.

Gold has a price, while knowledge is priceless. Zhao Hanzhang was genuinely interested in the governance strategies and thoughts of the current Han monarch and ministers. She couldn’t just attend their court sessions to listen, so besides public opinions, her only option was to read the books and articles compiled by Han officials.

Zhao Hanzhang read with great interest, even lighting an oil lamp for it.

She read until late at night, sleepy, holding her quilt as she fell asleep, and resumed reading as soon as dawn broke, neglecting even her training.

Then she received yet another gift sent from Pingyang City.

Zeng Yue brought the boxes into Zhao Hanzhang’s tent, having Zhao Hanzhang step aside while he cautiously inspected them first. Not finding any hidden contraptions, he uncovered them all at once.

Inside were gold, silver, jewelry, fine jade, and silks.

Zeng Yue was taken aback, turning to look at Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang stepped forward, raising her eyebrow, "Sent by Liu Yi?"

"That’s what the delivery people claimed, but I found them unfamiliar, not being guards around the King of Beihai, so I acted with caution."

Zhao Hanzhang stepped forward to grab a few strings of pearls, these pearls were round and of similar sizes, with roughly eighty or ninety per string.

At this time, pearls came from the wild, with extremely low yields, making them more valuable than gold.

She examined them under the sunlight; they had few blemishes and were top-quality pearls.

This one box of gold and jewelry alone could feed her army of ten thousand for half a month. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

She suddenly tightened her grip on the pearls, stating, "This isn’t from Liu Yi. Didn’t the people who delivered the gifts leave any messages?"

"They said the King of Beihai honored him. Knowing the inspector was stationed here far from Luoyang, enduring hardships, they sent gifts to comfort the inspector and wished to meet her. But I dared not let them stay long here at the camp, fearing detection of abnormalities, so I boldly refused."

To meet Zhao Hanzhang would mean coming to the main tent, evoking risk of exposure of the camp’s emptiness, a risk Zeng Yue didn’t want to take.

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, asking, "No letter?"

"None, only that if the inspector is willing to befriend the Han Kingdom, we would have everything in abundance, never lacking anything."

Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help but smile, "These words don’t sound like they would come from Liu Yi. This gift is likely sent by Liu Yuan, or perhaps other Han ministers or princes."

Zeng Yue frowned, "Should the general return it to Pingyang City?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang glanced at him, "Why think so closed-mindedly? This is money, after all!"

Zeng Yue stammered, "But they say the inspector should make friends with them..."

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "We are indeed friends. I wanted to make friends with them long ago. Why else would I take so much time and effort to interact with Liu Yi?"

This was somewhat beyond Zeng Yue’s understanding, his eyes widened in disbelief, "But, but they are Xiongnu, aren’t we in a death feud with them?"

Zhao Hanzhang slightly raised her chin, "When they invaded our Si Province and Yu State, naturally it was a life and death struggle, but during peace times, we have to selectively alienate some people, selectively unite others, and best inwords divide them internally, then unifies them externally."

Zeng Yue was left speechless, turning at the sound behind him to pay attention to Fu Tinghan standing at the doorway, earnestly asking, "Master Fu, did you understand?"

Fu Tinghan glanced at him lightly, finding it not particularly complicated to grasp.

"You need not clarify; I understand." It was his dullness at fault for not grasping it; he decided to note it down and ponder over it carefully, "What about these things then..."

"Put them away," Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand, her gaze shifting to Fu Tinghan. Thinking of the empty private treasury, she changed her tone, "Since they were given to me, they shall go to my private treasury, Ting He, Ting He—"

Upon hearing her call outside the tent, Ting He immediately responded, running in to await orders.

Zhao Hanzhang pointed at the two boxes on the ground, "Record them into account, and put them away securely."

Ting He happily agreed.

An effective woman can’t cook without rice, and now she managed Zhao Hanzhang’s private treasury, her method stifled by the empty funds, ever cautious of needing to sell things to maintain Zhao Hanzhang’s necessities.

Ting He pulled out the ledger, prepared her pen and paper, and began accounting onsite.

Waiting for them to finish speaking, Fu Tinghan handed Zhao Hanzhang the letters in his hand, "Just arrived, news from Jizhou, and letters from Yun City, Yu State, and Luoyang."

A whole stack of them.

Zhao Hanzhang received it, flipping through, and picking out the letter from Jizhou to read cross-legged on the mat.

Fu Tinghan sat across from her, casually picking up a letter to open.

The two silently read the letters, Zeng Yue glancing between them and the busy Ting He, eventually retreating quietly.