After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 919 - 904: Shame and Annoyance

Fu Tinghan is very busy, isn’t he? Oh, at this moment, he isn’t extremely busy; he’s reading Jinyang’s local chronicles.

The county chronicles and state chronicles of a place can reveal many things: road traffic, mountains and rivers, cultural customs, even mineral resources can be glimpsed through these chronicles.

And most local chronicles are not only accessible locally but also exclusively kept within government offices.

Zhao Hanzhang can make people from other places submit local chronicles, but not for Jinyang.

Submitting local chronicles, you can tell for sure that she has ulterior motives even just thinking about it using your toes, not to mention that her relationship with Liu Kun has always been between superior-subordinate and allies; he isn’t entirely subordinate to her.

So Fu Tinghan can only look for himself.

For example, finding an appropriate excuse to go to the county government, and when he sees the county chronicles and state chronicles, casually flipping through them with the excuse of loving books and wanting to understand local customs.

Such things as county chronicles and state chronicles, when you deliberately seek them out, it raises alarms, but when you just casually flip through them, no one pays much attention.

Liu Kun didn’t think much of it at this time and even smiled at Fu Tinghan, who was cradling a book, and said: "Mr. Fu, if there’s anything you want to know, you can ask me, why go through such trouble?"

He then subtly advised: "It’s rare to come to Jinyang, Mr. Fu; why not accompany Hanzhang around to appreciate the scenery and experience our customs?"

"Things seen in books are ultimately superficial, not as profound as personal experience."

Fu Tinghan’s eyes flashed slightly, closing the book in his hand, and he said with a smile: "Alright, then I’ll ask Hanzhang to go outing tomorrow, to look around."

Liu Kun thought he listened to advice and went on to introduce several places he thought suitable for sightseeing, but none of them were where Fu Tinghan wanted to go.

Indeed, places with mineral resources seem to have ordinary landscapes, saving a lot of hesitation.

While Liu Kun and Fu Tinghan talked about Jinyang’s mountains and rivers, Zhao Hanzhang had already escorted Xu Run back to the military camp.

Upon arrival, her gentle smile lessened a bit, and she looked at the carriage with a faint smile.

When Zeng Yue forcefully invited Xu Run to step down from the carriage, she just sat on the horse and watched indifferently.

Xu Run looked up and met her indifferent gaze, knowing that this wasn’t the time to act rashly, otherwise, he would be vulnerable here, with Liu Kun absent—no, he quickly glanced around and found even his servants were nowhere to be seen, his face turned pale immediately.

Wasn’t he just a lamb in a tiger’s den, with his life and death in others’ hands?

Xu Run gingerly stepped down from the carriage.

Zhao Hanzhang dismounted and walked quickly toward the main tent.

Zeng Yue stood aside and said to Xu Run, "Mr. Xu, please."

Xu Run gritted his teeth and followed.

Zhao Hanzhang sat in the main seat and asked someone to call for the military doctor.

Xu Run didn’t expect her to actually call a military doctor to treat him, feeling a bit disoriented; he thought she would directly capture him and interrogate him.

When the military doctor’s rough fingers touched his pulse, he suddenly woke up, turning pale in an instant.

The military doctor glanced at him with some puzzlement, wondering why he suddenly got so scared, but only for a moment as he finished checking his pulse.

The military doctor, due to the numerous patients he sees daily, his greatest trait is speed!

He diagnoses quickly, prescribes quickly, even stitching and cutting are done swiftly!

He’s learned how to quickly capture effective pulse signs.

He said to Zhao Hanzhang: "This gentleman caught a cold, maybe ate something cold, or was stimulated by cold wind and water, but his physique is good; just keep warm and take a couple of medicines, then he’ll be fine."

He added: "His pallor is due to fright."

At this point, he looked at Zhao Hanzhang disapprovingly, subtly said: "Envoy, not every gentleman can handle blood and gore; you should pay attention daily."

Zhao Hanzhang: ...

She immediately looked at Xu Run smilingly, asking: "Mr. Xu, can you handle blood and gore?"

How could Xu Run dare say he could?

This world is quite perverse, especially the nobles, strange things happen one after another; he feared Zhao Hanzhang had some peculiar hobby, so he shook his head repeatedly.

Zhao Hanzhang curled her lips: "As Jinyang County Magistrate, how can you not handle blood and gore? Officials under me, aside from academic ones, must be able to mount a horse with a gun and calm the people, administer matters; Mr. Xu, how can I bestow an official position?"

Xu Run immediately humbled himself: "I, Xu, am of limited talent and learning, unworthy of great use, how can I dare seek an official position?"

"But I see Mr. Xu is quite happy being the Jinyang County Magistrate, aren’t you?"

Cold sweat streamed down Xu Run’s face, not daring to speak for a moment.

He knew Zhao Hanzhang was about to settle scores.

Zhao Hanzhang was indeed going to settle scores, bluntly saying: "Mr. Xu, I, Zhao, am straightforward; you are unfit for officialdom."

Xu Run repeatedly agreed, at a time like this, survival was paramount, how could he dare argue his suitability?

Seeing him like this, Zhao Hanzhang sighed: "With your looks and knowledge, and having had such opportunities with Yue Shi, why engage in such petty behavior with not a shred of backbone?"

Xu Run, ashamed and angry, his face turned red, finally stopped pretending to be meek, he raised his head to look at Zhao Hanzhang, eyes full of resentment, "Lord Zhao acts righteously, but why do this to deceive me and Lord Liu?"

"Oh? Did I deceive you?"

Seeing Zhao Hanzhang smilingly provoking him, Xu Run momentarily blanked out, almost jumping up to point at her and curse.

But at the last moment, his love for life saved his sanity, and he refrained from speaking in anger.

Zhao Hanzhang then slowly said: "I promised Yue Shi we would treat you well, naturally we’d treat you kindly."

Her smile faded, speaking coldly: "Sir, you lack the character and ability for officialdom, but your musical talent is truly exceptional. A talent, only in the right position can it shine, that is the real utilization, so I wish to invite you to teach music at the Imperial College."

"Our Imperial Academy students are bright, humble, eager to learn, loyal to the sovereign and the people, I only hope that once you are at the Imperial College, you can progress with the students, they learn some of your musical talent, and you can learn their character."

At first, Xu Run was stunned, with a sense of surviving a disaster, then felt ashamed, his face turning red from Zhao Hanzhang’s words. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

In her eyes, Xu Run felt exposed, as if he were completely seen through inside and out, not only did this provoke great shame, but it made his hair stand on end.

Thus, he no longer maintained the gentleness and compliance he had before Liu Kun, his whole body seemed to grow with porcupine-like quills wanting to retaliate.

If Xu Run were a normal scholar or ordinary person, after being humiliated by Zhao Hanzhang like this, he would have slashed his throat with a sword long ago, but he wasn’t, so he silently held it in.

Such endurance surprised Zhao Hanzhang, hidden behind the screen, Ming Yu’s hair stood on end; once Xu Run was taken away for recuperation, he immediately stepped out and advised Zhao Hanzhang, "Envoy, this person cannot stay, such endurance under humiliation and adversity, even if he’s a petty person, it demands caution, he should be executed!"

Zhao Hanzhang slowly shook her head: "I promised Yue Shi and him, unless he commits an offense, I won’t settle old scores."

Ming Yu wanted to persuade further, seeing her resolve on her face, after brief consideration, he expressed understanding, immediately bowing in response, "Understood!"