After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times
Chapter 165 - 159: News

Chapter 165: Chapter 159: News

"Not yet. We’ve been waiting, saying we should wait for all the reinforcements to arrive before attacking. These days, quite a few people have arrived one after another."

Zhao Hanzhang asked, "Are you able to eat your fill each day?"

"Eat our fill? Only on the first day of battle can we eat a full meal. During waiting times like this, being half full is good enough."

So they would definitely sit if they could, and lie down if they could sit, conserving energy!

Zhao Hanzhang asked some more questions and sighed in distress with her back to the tents two quarters of an hour later.

Ji Yuan finished exchanging pleasantries with others and found his way over, "Lady, the allied army has about twenty thousand, including your three thousand, it’s around twenty-five thousand."

Zhao Hanzhang: "Sounds like a lot. How many do the Xiongnu army have?"

"As of now, they have about five thousand left."

Zhao Hanzhang: "Five to one, yet the odds of winning are still not great."

"Correct," Ji Yuan nodded, "Liu Jing has a cavalry unit. They might not be good at siege, but in battle and breaking through, they’re unrivaled."

"And his soldiers, if not battle-hardened, have at least faced life and death, much stronger than our newly assembled troops."

Fighting one against five is like slicing through vegetables; they have no fear.

"These troops are already the maximum combined from each prefecture and county," Ji Yuan said, "so Governor Zhang and the others hesitate, not daring to advance."

"Have they not communicated with those inside Yu Yang City?"

Ji Yuan sneered, "Inspector He has failed. He sent orders twice to attack, but couldn’t provide a good strategy, and Governor Zhang is reluctant to risk his troops, so he hasn’t issued any orders."

Zhao Hanzhang rubbed her chin and said, "If we don’t fight soon, supply won’t hold. If we run out of supplies here, what then?"

"I asked around; someone suggested levying grain locally, and Governor Zhang has agreed," Ji Yuan said, "besides villages and towns under Yu Yang, the nearest is Shangcai County, which might have to pay another layer of military tax."

Zhao Hanzhang’s face immediately darkened upon hearing this.

No matter if this military tax is calculated based on land or population, she has the largest share to bear, as she is the largest landholder in Shangcai County.

It turns out that after all the back and forth, she not only has to support the three thousand troops she brought but also other reinforcements?

No way!

Zhao Hanzhang turned to Ji Yuan and said, "Do you know why the Jin Dynasty can never win battles?"

Ji Yuan: ... Is such an important question asked so suddenly?

"First, because of these selfish and incompetent officials; second, because they treat human lives as insignificant. Shangcai County has already had one tax increment. If it increases again, how many people will remain in Shangcai County next year?"

Ji Yuan lowered his voice and said, "For now, only Shangcai County is being taxed. I’m afraid next year Xiping won’t escape either."

Zhao Hanzhang snorted coldly, "Dream on if they think they can take Xiping’s taxes from me!"

If she couldn’t control Shangcai County, she wouldn’t even want to pay its taxes.

The current taxes are so heavy that even a big landlord like her is struggling to breathe, let alone ordinary people.

Ji Yuan thought of County Magistrate Chai and lowered his voice, saying, "Lady, although County Magistrate Chai is stupid, he’s adaptable and might help us control Shangcai County."

"But he’s too stupid and can’t refuse unreasonable demands from the Governor and Inspector Mansion," Zhao Hanzhang said, "Relying solely on him is too energy-consuming, and I’m afraid it might even shorten my lifespan."

Ji Yuan was puzzled, "Hm?"

"Too much anger leads to short life."

Ji Yuan: ... Like him?

Wondering if too much silence leads to a short life?

Ji Yuan swallowed his words and asked, "Then how does the lady plan to handle Shangcai affairs? Should I stay in Shangcai to manage them?"

"No. Now that Xiping is under my control, developing Xiping and using it as our foundation is paramount. The county affairs are numerous, and I need your help, sir. As for Shangcai..." Zhao Hanzhang paused and then said, "Sir, what do you think of Chang Ning next to County Magistrate Chai?"

Ji Yuan thought for a moment and shook his head, "The lady wants Chang Ning to replace County Magistrate Chai? He can’t. Chang Ning is of commoner origin and doesn’t even have the opportunity to be evaluated; without a rank, how can he hold the position of County Magistrate?"

Zhao Hanzhang smiled, "Although I don’t intend for Chang Ning to replace County Magistrate Chai, I still want to say, I don’t judge by rank but by talent and virtue."

"The Central Justice Officer determines rank based on talent and virtue."

"Sir, these words can only deceive someone like the Second Son," Zhao Hanzhang said, "I’m not a child. If talent and virtue truly determined the rank, wouldn’t you, with your talent and character, be of the highest rank? But you haven’t been judged by rank. Why is that?"

Ji Yuan fell silent.

Because he was from a humble background, even if he went for evaluation, he would be given a lower rank. Regardless of his talent, his family background would result in a low rank. Achieving something like the lower ninth rank would be considered good.

But at the lower ninth rank, County Magistrate was the ceiling. Instead of wasting time, he gambled, choosing to be an advisor for Zhao Changyu, which he has been for over a decade.

Through Zhao Changyu, he could fulfill his aspirations and do many things he wanted but couldn’t achieve otherwise.

But an advisor is just an advisor; one can offer strategies, but one’s name won’t be inscribed in history books.

To say he feels no regrets is impossible.

Ji Yuan silently looked at Zhao Hanzhang, yet internally, there was a great turmoil, "The lady means, upon reevaluation, only talent and virtue should factor, regardless of family background? Even commoners can participate?"

If even commoners could, then surely he, from a humble background, could as well.

Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand, "I don’t care about status, high or low, noble or common, only talent and virtue matter."

Ji Yuan’s heart was in intense conflict, and after a while, he asked with difficulty, "How does the lady plan to arrange for Chang Ning?"

"If he is willing to submit, I offer him two paths. First, continue as County Magistrate Chai’s advisor, guiding him to lean towards us. In the future, when I control Shangcai County, I’ll make him the County Magistrate; second, I directly make him the County Deputy or Chief Clerk of Shangcai, overshadowing County Magistrate Chai, and eventually have him become County Magistrate."

Ji Yuan asked, "How does the lady plan to take control of Shangcai County?"

Zhao Hanzhang said with deep meaning, "That depends on whose hand Yu Yang will fall into."

Shangcai County is very close to Yu Yang. Previously, Inspector He often stayed in Yu Yang when he was the Governor, making Shangcai County’s actions inconvenient.

But after this time, Inspector He shouldn’t want to stay in Yu Yang anymore.

Ji Yuan: "The lady has great confidence in herself."

Zhao Hanzhang: "Not really."

Can she say it? It’s because she has no confidence in the Great Jin?

Historically, after Liu Yuan declared himself emperor, the Great Jin slowly went into decline. The emperor had no prestige or power, always trying to escape the control of Prince East Sea, paying no mind to local people;

While Prince East Sea struggled to deal with rebellions across regions, outside Luoyang, not even one prefecture or county, but even a village could govern itself. Many driven to despair rallied and easily formed an uprising.

She doesn’t find splitting off a few counties to be very difficult. As long as she has money and people, and is bold enough, taking the whole of Yu State would just be a matter of time.

Of course, she couldn’t tell Mr. Ji all this, lest she frighten him.