After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times
Chapter 160 - 154: Inviting to Come Out

Chapter 160: Chapter 154: Inviting to Come Out

He was left speechless.

After a moment, he found his voice, "Your Xiping doesn’t want to send troops?"

"Not at all. The Inspector is the pillar of Yu State. Yu State exists because he exists; Xiping exists because Yu State exists, and only then does the Zhao Family exist in Xiping," Zhao Hanzhang declared righteously, "Even if it’s for the sake of Xiping and Yu State, the Zhao Family would willingly face death."

"Therefore, I ask the Inspector to permit recruitment. Once we have gathered the troops, we will immediately set off to Yu Yang, risking our lives to save the Inspector and relieve the crisis there."

The envoy was no fool and understood immediately.

Before he came, the Inspector had indeed signed a Recruitment Order as a precaution, but...

The envoy looked at Zhao Hanzhang and hesitantly asked, "Shouldn’t this matter be discussed with County Magistrate Zhao? Can Miss Zhao make the decision?"

Zhao Hanzhang straightened her back and looked down at him with a faint smile, "Yes, I can."

The envoy paused, then took another scroll from his boot and respectfully handed it to Zhao Hanzhang, "This is the Recruitment Order signed by the Magistrate, permitting Xiping County to recruit three thousand troops."

Zhao Hanzhang solemnly accepted it, musing inwardly that Xiping County didn’t currently have three thousand able-bodied men. Was the Inspector trying to empty out Xiping County?

However, she didn’t mind; they hadn’t said the soldiers could only be recruited within the city or even only within Xiping County. And who said the Recruitment Order couldn’t be reused multiple times?

First, get it in hand and then talk.

Zhao Hanzhang said to Zhao Ju, "Please let the two envoys rest. Have the kitchen prepare food for them. Oh, this envoy is still dizzy; quickly check if the doctor has arrived and make sure to take good care of the envoys."

Zhao Ju agreed to do so.

Then Zhao Hanzhang pulled Fu Tinghan away.

Fu Tinghan asked her, "Are you planning to recruit soldiers in the city?"

"Yes, recruit some people, but the main effort will be to recruit outside," she said, "We are too few in number. Building the county city has consumed a lot of human resources; we can take this opportunity to gather a group of people."

Fu Tinghan raised a very practical concern, "The money..."

"I’ll cover the cost."

Zhao Hanzhang was not stingy and didn’t feel that Xiping County was taking advantage of her; after all, Xiping County belonged to her, and the people were hers too!

She just craved the government’s Recruitment Order and didn’t expect the court to pay these soldiers afterward.

Even people like Prince East Sea let their subordinates earn their keep by capturing and selling people to offset military pay, let alone in a small place like Xiping County.

Relying on the government for salary is harder than hoping for a pie to fall from the sky.

The envoy who fainted was brought back but was very weak; he finally saw Zhao Erlang clearly in the sunlight the next day, and his demeanor improved somewhat.

The other envoy wanted to meet Zhao Hanzhang, but she was no longer in the city; she had gone to Wu Castle to find Zhao Ming.

Thus, Fu Tinghan, who was working on the table for tax and tenant rent exchange, took time to see them.

He said just one sentence, "Third Lady Zhao went to recruit soldiers."

"When can they proceed to Yu Yang?"

"Once they’ve recruited enough troops."

The envoy was impatient, "This will take until when?"

Fu Tinghan looked at them curiously and asked, "You don’t allow time for training the troops? Is this any different from sending people to their deaths? She doesn’t even ask for training time, which is already greatly reducing the time."

The subtext being, what more do you want?

The envoy fell silent; he looked at Fu Tinghan for a while, then asked, "Is this gentleman by chance Mr. Fu, the eldest grandson of Fu Zhongshu?"

Fu Tinghan nodded, "I am."

"So, is Mr. Fu actually in charge of Xiping County now?"

Fu Tinghan replied, "No, Zhao Hanzhang is in charge."

He turned away, "If there’s anything, wait for her return to discuss."

The envoy was full of disbelief, only more convinced that Fu Tinghan actually controlled Xiping County, with Third Lady Zhao probably pushed forward as a shield.

Zhao Hanzhang ran back to Wu Castle to find Zhao Ming.

As soon as Zhao Ming saw her, he wanted to turn back to the house.

Zhao Hanzhang happily called out to him, greeting him warmly, "Uncle, what a coincidence, are you going out?"

Zhao Ming turned back to look at her, "What brings you back this early morning?"

Zhao Hanzhang dismounted and stepped forward to show him the Recruitment Order, "Uncle, please take a look."

Zhao Ming opened and glanced at it, sighing, "I didn’t think you would actually obtain it, three thousand men. Hmph, Xiping County can recruit three thousand able-bodied men, but how many will be left once you take them away?"

"Untrained men are sent to the battlefield only to die in vain; how many can you bring back if you take three thousand?" Zhao Ming stated, "Have you thought it through? Taking away these three thousand will lower your prestige in Xiping, and the path for Xiping will be difficult to tread in the future."

After all, you need people for everything in this world.

Zhao Hanzhang said, "I plan to recruit soldiers in Pingyu and Shangcai."

Zhao Ming’s voice became sharp, "Go where?"

"Pingyu and Shangcai."

Zhao Ming’s gaze fell on her, "Are you planning to stir up disputes in three counties with your own strength?"

"I’m not recruiting people who are settled in farming; I’m recruiting the refugees along the way," Zhao Hanzhang said, "Of course, mainly waiting for them to arrive in Xiping County."

"Yu Yang has fought for so long; Pingyu has suffered greatly as well. With the refugees from Yingchuan, many will pass through Pingyu and Shangcai and scatter everywhere, recruiting on the main road is a surefire way."

Looking at her village in Shangcai, you can see, with careful selection, they recruited nearly a thousand people in just three months.

If they didn’t select, laid out heavy rewards, who knows how many they could recruit?

Unfortunately, most still head towards Shangcai, with few going to Xiping; she felt everyone should change this mindset.

Thus, she planned to set up recruitment points on all three sides.

"I’m planning to go to Shangcai while letting Zhao Ju head to Pingyu, and I have to ask Uncle to watch over the county area."

Zhao Ming: "You want me to recruit soldiers for you?"

"Uncle just needs to observe from the side. There’s also Tinghan, though he dislikes dealing with people, and those two envoys are quite cunning; Tinghan is too upright and may be deceived by them. So I have to trouble Uncle."

"Hmph, he is upright; do you mean to say I’m not upright?"

"Of course Uncle is also upright," Zhao Hanzhang swiftly added, "But Uncle has more experience and broader knowledge. Those minor tricks can’t escape Uncle’s discerning eye. Tinghan is far behind you in comparison."

Zhao Ming looked at Zhao Hanzhang and couldn’t help but marvel, "Your grandfather was a straightforward and transparent man, your father was gentle and upright, and your mother was an honest person. I’m very curious how they managed to have a sharp-tongued child like you?"

Zhao Hanzhang said solemnly, "Uncle, I was merely telling the truth; how can you say I’m sharp-tongued?"

Zhao Ming smiled slightly and waved his hand, "Alright, I know. Go ahead, I’ll head to the county soon."

He said, "Relieving the crisis in Yu Yang is the proper path, but you must take care of yourself and your strength, and do not be reckless."

Zhao Hanzhang agreed, assuring him that she would bide her time and not act impulsively.