After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 923 - 908: The Will of the People

Although Zhao Hanzhang didn’t say anything, her relationship with Liu Kun quickly cooled down, with their honeymoon phase ending just as it began.

Even though Zhao Hanzhang still smiled at Liu Kun, her actions became much more assertive. After Liu Kun sent out the letter and arranged to meet Tuoba Yilu, she immediately set to work on the recruitment effort.

Neither Zhao Hanzhang nor Liu Kun expected that as soon as the recruitment announcement was posted, even before they could beat the drums to proclaim it, the young men of Jinyang were rushing to the military camp to enlist.

Not just men, but quite a few women aged sixteen to thirty also rushed to enlist in the army.

Zhao Hanzhang picked two children from the group and placed them next to a wheel for comparison. One was just taller than the wheel, and the other was short by a finger’s width from the wheel.

She reached out and wiped the dirty face of the shortest child, remaining silent for a moment, "You’re still too young. You need to be at least as tall as my ears to join the military."

Saying this, she turned to leave.

The two children immediately reached out and tugged on her clothes, pleading, "Please, Master, take us in. Though we’re young, we’re strong fighters and can wield knives."

The older child, worried Zhao Hanzhang might not believe them, attempted to grab the trusted aide’s knife.

The trusted aide’s eyes narrowed, his hand resting on the hilt without moving.

Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand at him and smiled at the child, saying, "It’s not about strength; it’s that you’re too young. If you want to serve your country, wait a few years till you’re older."

The child didn’t hesitate to reply, "I don’t want to serve the country; I want to follow the Master. If I repay anyone, it will be the Master."

He looked up at Zhao Hanzhang with hopeful eyes, saying, "Master, please take me in. I want to live, and my little brother wants to live too."

Zhao Hanzhang paused and looked down at the smaller child again, who also gazed at her with round, hopeful eyes.

Zhao Hanzhang asked, "Didn’t Governor Liu set up a shelter to take you in?"

The two children lowered their eyes silently, the older one stepping back and pulling the younger one, reluctant to leave but also unwilling to walk away.

Seeing them like this, Zhao Hanzhang softened, turned around, and said, "Follow me."

The two children’s eyes lit up and they immediately followed.

The trusted aide no longer stopped them but didn’t allow them to get too close to Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang led them into the military camp and instructed the following female soldier, Zhao Jiaya, "Take them to wash up and find them two sets of clothing."

Zhao Hanzhang pointed at the shorter child and said, "Find her a girl’s outfit."

The two children knew their disguise had been discovered and lowered their heads in embarrassment, obediently following the female soldier to wash up and change clothes.

Zhao Jiaya, a sixteen-year-old girl, was rescued by Zhao Hanzhang four years ago. She immediately entered Yushan Hall and the school, studying while training martial arts, and was eventually selected for special training.

Now sixteen, she joined the army as Zhao Hanzhang’s trusted aide. Her surname and name were given after her rescue.

She was familiar with the children’s situation. Wasn’t she the same four years ago?

She turned and asked the two, "How old are you?"

The boy said, "I’m eleven; my brother, my sister is nine."

Zhao Jiaya found each of them a set of clothes and said, "Once you return to Luoyang, you’ll be able to attend school."

The little boy was anxious, asking, "Does that mean we have to leave the Master and fend for ourselves?"

"Don’t worry. As long as no one starves in the army, Yushan Hall will provide food. You’re still young, unable to do much around the Master, so you need to learn skills first. Once you’ve learned well, you can repay the Master."

Zhao Jiaya said, "I’m a child from Yushan Hall. When I first entered, I was your age. Four years later, I could serve by the Master’s side."

The little boy’s eyes sparkled as he asked, "Do you get paid?"

"Of course, this is called military pay! A string of coins every month."

The two children exclaimed in amazement, and the previously silent little girl couldn’t help but ask, "Will my brother and I be separated?"

"If you don’t want to be separated, you won’t be," Zhao Jiaya replied. "But at Yushan Hall, you will have separate sleeping quarters; boys with boys, girls with girls, with no exceptions."

"During the day you’ll mostly attend school together, eat in the same place, and work together often."

The little boy asked nervously, "What work will we do? Farming? Digging canals, building walls?"

"Farming," Zhao Jiaya said speechlessly. "You’re too young for canal digging and wall building; those require grown-ups."

"With your build, light tasks like transplanting, sowing, weeding, or harvesting are suitable. Heavy tasks are for adults. If you have talent, you can learn carpentry or weaving. If you master those, you can have lighter work assignments." She added, "I had no talent; eventually, I excelled with the sword and was selected for training to serve in the army."

Both children exclaimed and looked at her in amazement.

Zhao Jiaya proudly raised her chin, seeing them slightly relax their guard, she casually asked, "What can you do? Maybe I can discover your talent and introduce you to some instructors. I know most people at Yushan Hall and the academy; several of my classmates are working and progressing at the academy, teaching newcomers like you to read."

The boy quickly said, "I’m strong and can fight. I think I can also be a trusted aide."

Being a trusted aide means being close to the Inspector and maybe even becoming a General in the future.

The little girl also looked at Zhao Jiaya with bright eyes, yearning to be like her.

Zhao Jiaya smiled and asked, "Have you fought often before?"

Half an hour later, Zhao Jiaya met Zhao Hanzhang and reported, "They migrated here as a family of eight, attracted by Governor Liu’s good name. Their land was claimed by the Xiongnu for pastures, so they came seeking refuge."

"But in just three years, their grandfather, father, and three brothers all died defending the city. This time, as the Xiongnu besieged the city again, one of their mothers starved to death, while the other died outside begging for food in a fight over food," Zhao Jiaya paused and then said, "They are cousins. Someone in the city targets girls under fourteen, choosing the pretty ones to sell elsewhere."

"Their price is no higher than five bushels, and the lowest is exchanged for two buns. Because of this, theft of girls is rampant in the city, but the authorities have not taken effective measures to stop it."

Zhao Hanzhang’s face tensed as she asked, "Is the Jinyang County Magistrate useless?"

Zhao Jiaya didn’t reply, and Zhao Hanzhang remembered that the County Magistrate was indeed useless, currently being held in her military camp.

Zhao Hanzhang asked, "Is Xu Run’s illness cured?"

"The fever has subsided."

"Then send him away first thing in the morning, back directly to Luoyang. Have someone keep a close watch on him. As long as he doesn’t leave Luoyang, abide by the law. If he dares to escape, kill without mercy; if he commits a crime, deal with it according to the law!"

"Understood."