After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 961 - 946: A Temporary Compromise

Zhao Hanzhang said with a smile, "Ji Ping is a steady person, experienced in many battles, and ever since he has led a troop independently, he has won more than he has lost. Brother, you can rely on him in military matters."

Liu Kun: ... Is this really giving him an army? It’s clearly to divide military power from his hands as an Inspector, leaving him only with territorial management authority.

Coincidentally, Xuzhou is still the domain of King Langya, where the local gentry and nobility mostly take orders from him. This means he even has to vie with King Langya for local management authority.

Liu Kun looked at Zhao Hanzhang with resentment, wanting to ask her if his face seemed like it had "I am stupid" written on it.

Zhao Hanzhang met his gaze, laughed heartily, patted him on the shoulder, then suddenly put away her smile and said seriously, "Brother, I know that this trip to Xuzhou will not only be difficult but also dangerous. Wang Cheng died at the hands of Wang Dun. I’m sending you to Xuzhou not out of distrust of your abilities, quite the opposite. I believe Jinyang is relatively safe at this time. It would be beneath your talents to guard Jinyang any longer. Moreover, as I look around, you are the only one among the entire court who can stand firm in Xuzhou."

Liu Kun felt his emotions surge and after a pause, he asked, "Hanzhang, do you have the intention of replacing the heavens?"

Zhao Hanzhang shook her head solemnly, "I only wish for the world to be at peace and for wars to cease. I have no intention of rebellion."

Liu Kun breathed a long sigh of relief and became serious as well, telling her, "Okay, I will go to Xuzhou and manage it on your behalf."

Zhao Hanzhang was overjoyed and looked at Liu Kun with admiration.

Liu Kun’s vanity was greatly satisfied, and he engaged in a pleasant conversation with Zhao Hanzhang about their respective views on the future development direction of Xuzhou and Jiangnan.

Primarily, Liu Kun was probing to see if Zhao Hanzhang had any intention of consolidating military power and whether she wanted to use him as a vanguard... ahem, although he had come to a deep understanding of his lack of military talent this time, he believed he could improve through learning.

Liu Kun, while not good at actual combat, had a strategic sense. Although eager to achieve merit and build a career, he subtly hinted that it was not the time to use military force. He believed Zhao Hanzhang should wait until their power had infiltrated across the Yangtze River and they gained influence among the Jiangnan aristocratic families before taking action.

The best method is peaceful consolidation of power, winning the hearts of the Jiangnan aristocracy and using the local people to govern Jiangnan to establish prestige, which would garner more support.

Zhao Hanzhang nodded repeatedly, expressing that she did not want to start up arms again in the near future. She sighed, "The Northern Land is suffering from a great drought, with droughts and locust plagues affecting Youzhou, Jizhou, Qingzhou, Bingzhou, and Si Province. Even parts of Yu State and Yan State are impacted. I would not raise arms unless it was absolutely necessary, such as when our nation faces existential calamity, as the people will need much time to recuperate after this war ends."

If the fighting continued, no matter her reputation, the people would rebel against her simply to survive.

In moments of life and death, the reputation of those in power is like a mirage on the horizon—it’s of no practical use and would only incite more hatred when witnessed.

People pushed into desperate corners, starved to the extreme, would wonder why Zhao Hanzhang wouldn’t save them, and if she’s to save the world, aren’t they part of that world?

Thus, she needed a Jiangnan agent, someone noble and ostensibly neutral but with some association with her, someone ideally with a great reputation and immense prestige, to counter King Langya and Wang Dao’s influence, temporarily stabilizing Jiangnan for her.

Central Plains and Northern Land need time for recuperation and revitalization.

There is no one more suitable than Liu Kun.

He was of noble birth, one of the renowned statesmen of the time. Having steadfastly defended Jinyang and several times dispatched troops to support Luoyang and Yun City, his reputation had long spread throughout the world, winning over the aristocracy, and even ordinary people idolized him (otherwise, how did he attract so many migrants to Jinyang?). Moreover, with many families and aristocrats from Northern Land migrating to Jiangnan, they would see their past in Liu Kun and be awed by his moral integrity and elegant demeanor;

The southern aristocracy needs no mention; Liu Kun’s writings were excellent, and his reputation in the Jiangnan literary circles was even stronger than hers, making him absolutely popular.

Even the lavish habits and frivolous qualities despised by Zhao Hanzhang were celebrated as free-spirited and magnanimous in Jiangnan, a region perfectly suited for him.

So, despite his various flaws, hesitancy in taking advice, and lack of keen judgment, Zhao Hanzhang tolerated them all, just to place him in Jiangnan’s vast milieu, having him safeguard Jiangnan for her and curb the power expansion of King Langya and Wang Dao.

There are no purposeless nails in this world—if there are, it’s because they weren’t used in the right place, leading to them being uselessly twisted down.

Therefore, to build Liu Kun’s prestige and elevate his reputation, Zhao Hanzhang didn’t broadly publicize his military losses nor his lost bets. In public, she praised several generals, including Liu Kun, acknowledging that Liu Kun coordinated well with Ji Ping and Li Tian to successfully capture Liu Jie, achieving a significant merit.

Liu Jie was Liu Cong’s eldest son, and capturing him ranked just below capturing Liu Cong.

After the praises, the official decree was issued, appointing Liu Kun as the Xuzhou Governor, overseeing Xuzhou’s political and military affairs, with Ji Ping serving as the Xuzhou Military Captain General, reporting to Liu Kun;

As for Jinyang, Zhao Hanzhang appointed Beigong Chun as the Bingzhou Governor, overseeing Bingzhou’s political and military affairs, with Linghu Sheng and others remaining unchanged.

In other words, Liu Kun’s able generals were transferred to become subordinates of Beigong Chun. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Besides being a talented general, Beigong Chun also had a harmonious personality. The contradictory traits of pride and leniency were perfectly blended in him, making him much more open to advice compared to Liu Kun.

Linghu Sheng communicated with his new supervisor and was very satisfied with him.

Only Ji Dan was dissatisfied, since as an advisor, he was bound to follow Liu Kun, so his master was still Liu Kun.

As a subordinate, he naturally had to proceed from Liu Kun’s interests and ponder future actions aligned with Liu Kun’s thoughts, so he advised Liu Kun, "The lord shouldn’t have left Linghu Sheng and the Jinyang Army in Jinyang. Going to Xuzhou, the lord should have his own people."

Liu Kun sighed, "I made a bet with Hanzhang, agreeing that if I lose, I would follow her wishes."

Ji Dan frowned, knowing Liu Kun was loyal to the Jin Dynasty, he said, "Does the lord thus believe she has no designs on the world?"

Liu Kun said calmly, "Of course, I don’t believe it, she just said so casually. But now, with the people facing great hardship, especially in the Northern Land with corpses stretched as far as a thousand li, only she can save them, and only she can provide a longer period of stability for the people."

Ji Dan: ... So after all this, it’s plastic sibling affection, one just says it while the other doesn’t truly believe it. But for the sake of the people and their current mutual interests, one temporarily holds the Jin Dynasty in esteem, while the other temporarily believes the other has no designs on the empire.

Ji Dan rubbed his forehead and asked Liu Kun, "Has the lord never considered King Langya? He too is of the Jin Dynasty."

Liu Kun sneered, "King Langya, his bloodline is long severed."

King Langya was from a distant branch, the bloodline relations too far removed, and he himself had no remarkable deeds worth mentioning. His current achievements largely depended on Wang Dao’s planning and partly on Wang Dun’s military efforts; he merely holds a title.

Why would Liu Kun think highly of him?