After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times

Chapter 1194 - 1176: The Plan

Yuan Li looked up at the sky full of stars and sighed, "It’s too late tonight, we can only do it tomorrow." Fortunately, he had one night to think about the next steps.

While Yuan Li went back to lie down in contemplation, Zhao Hanzhang was not done. She asked the telegraph operator to contact Zhao Ming, "Order two thousand soldiers from Nanyang and Ru Yang to be stationed near the Huai River, awaiting orders."

The telegraph operator responded affirmatively.

Only then did Zhao Hanzhang leave, but the matter was not over. It was urgent, requiring immediate decisions, and there were also important but not urgent issues.

She planned to inform Ji Yuan and Ming Yu of her decision the next day, so they wouldn’t have to trouble themselves with such matters.

"Prepare Yu State and Yan State for war," the next day, after the morning assembly, Zhao Hanzhang stayed behind with Ji Yuan and a few others to discuss, "Prepare and see if the war will start this winter."

Zhao Shen was absent yesterday and was puzzled upon hearing this, asking, "What did Wang Dun do?"

Ji Yuan laughed and asked, "How does Vice Minister Zhao know it’s Wang Dun?"

Zhao Shen said, "King Langya is weak by nature and would not provoke us in his solitude, while we..."

Glancing at Zhao Hanzhang, he continued, "The Great General seeks stability at this time and desires peace with the people, and thus would not provoke actively."

Zhao Hanzhang’s mouth curved into a smile as she nodded, "Exactly, Wang Dun started it."

However, Wang Si Niang and Wang Xuan were not entirely without thoughts either, Zhao Hanzhang lowered her gaze. The grain and taxes were robbed, and she did not report it immediately but let Wang Xuan deploy troops and capture two cities before reporting. Clearly, the siblings were pushing her to make a decision.

The question was, was this their joint intention or the intention of one of them?

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t plan to ask, at least, not right now.

She glanced at Ji Yuan, who then explained the military report they received yesterday evening and Zhao Hanzhang’s arrangements to Zhao Shen and other ministers.

Zhao Shen: "Doesn’t the Great General worry about the ministers sent to investigate in Jiangnan?"

Zhao Hanzhang said seriously, "They have the Zhao Family Army as backing, I doubt Sima Rui would dare kill them."

Zhao Shen, considering King Langya’s personality, nodded and then said, "But Yan State and Yangzhou have Xuzhou in between, it’s inconvenient. Do you plan to station all troops in Yu State?"

"Xuzhou..." Zhao Hanzhang lightly tapped her finger on the table and said, "I don’t intend to move Xuzhou for now, Liu Kun has a good reputation in Jiangnan. Not only the noble families fleeing from the Northern Land, but also the local clans of Jiangnan and Jiangdong admire him, and King Langya praises him frequently. I want to invite him to go to Yangzhou and personally persuade King Langya to return to the Capital City."

Zhao Shen: No wonder she isn’t worried about the ministers sent to investigate, if Liu Kun goes to Yangzhou, even if it is for Liu Kun’s sake, King Langya wouldn’t kill those ministers.

She had it all planned out. If Yuan Li and Liu Kun could negotiate with King Langya, then preparations for war would just be preparations. If negotiations fail, she would immediately appoint Zhao Ju as General of Pingnan North Road, commanding military forces of Yan and Yu States, and advance southward to attack Yangzhou, while Wang Yifeng would be General of Pingnan South Road...

She could also lead elite troops south at once, since once the decision is made to start, there should be no delay, capturing Jiangnan and Jiangdong in one go to unify the world.

Through her deployment, Zhao Shen saw her ambition to unify the world, which stirred his spirit, even straightening his back, "Then we should start preparing for supplies now?"

Zhao Hanzhang nodded.

Ji Yuan glanced at the expressionless Chang Ning, reminding, "Doesn’t the Great General want to ask Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue about the national treasury situation?"

Zhao Hanzhang immediately looked at Chang Ning.

Chang Ning lowered his gaze, pondering for a moment, then he clenched his fists tightly and said, "After allocating next year’s Yellow River governance expenses, the national treasury will be nearly empty, the officials’ salaries, the military’s pay, and the expenditures for grain seeds, farming tools, and plow oxen for next year, even just counting till the first half of the year, the treasury’s income cannot cover its expenses."

They don’t give out grain seeds and farming tools to every household annually, but every year the court has new tasks, making each locality select and submit grain seeds. After assessment in the Ministry of Agriculture, some choices and allocations are made. Seed No.1 from Northern Land is sent to Eastern Land, Seed No.2 from Southern Land is sent to Western Land, mainly provided to lower-middle class commoners, and not much is given out, perhaps two or three pounds per household.

The goal is to improve disaster resistance, and planting seeds from different regions together or nearby can produce new seeds and also avoid genetic defects caused by planting the same seed type for too long.

After all, some wheat seeds become susceptible to pests, and the plants get shorter, which is when new seed varieties are needed.

Well-off families can go to grain shops to buy new seeds themselves, but many poor civilians don’t have the ability or awareness to do this.

The court then has to step in.

Farming tools are similar, mainly for families in poor conditions.

Currently, most households don’t have enough farming tools. Zhao Hanzhang has always wanted to increase the production of farming tools, for which she even published diagrams of various farming tools in newspapers, allowing every county to open three iron workshops, hoping to enable more people to buy farming tools.

But some still can’t afford farming tools even when they have them, hence the court must support.

Farming tools will wear out, so every year, certain funds must be allocated to each county for farming tool expenditures.

Besides, some funds must be reserved for emergency disaster relief, while officials’ salaries and the military’s pay also cannot be reduced. Zhao Hanzhang was somewhat dazed, thinking about how much money her private treasury held this year.

Zhao Hanzhang was pondering about her private treasury when she heard Chang Ning say, "Though difficult, I will try to arrange it, see if we can squeeze some supplies from other places."

Zhao Hanzhang looked at Chang Ning in surprise, thinking he would oppose her sending troops.

Chang Ning seemed to know what she was thinking and explained, "Recovering the South, of course, would be best done in a few years when the treasury is more abundant, but now that we’ve moved, it’s best to act swiftly. Besides, once the world is unified, the Great General can focus on letting the people rest."

So, although starting the fight now is hard, after enduring it, sweetness will follow with peace. Chang Ning expressed that he could endure it.

Zhao Hanzhang was moved by his understanding, almost shedding tears.

Ji Yuan snorted, as if they hadn’t supported her.

Zhao Hanzhang quickly reassured Ji Yuan, indicating the two needed no more words, everything was understood.

Ming Yu: ...

Zhao Shen shivered, rubbed his arms, feeling goosebumps, seeing Zhao Hanzhang and others turn collectively to look at him, he pointed outside, "It’s cold, could it be snowing soon?"

Zhao Hanzhang withdrew her gaze, also glanced at the sky, "Since Jingzhou is not stable, this year’s grain taxes should be kept in Jingzhou, deposited in the local granary, and not transported to the Capital City for now."

Zhao Yunxin responded, "I’ll write the official document now."

Ji Yuan and Ming Yu being present, reviewing and approving on site, then passing it to Chang Ning, it was very convenient.

Oh, almost forgot, it also needs to be filed.