Chapter 297 - 291: Transaction
A thousand stone of grain is not much, but certainly not little either. Even for the Guan family, it would take a whole night to gather.
Therefore, Mr. Guan returned home one night later than the others.
Because Zhao Hanzhang was assertive and had Mr. Guan in her grasp, the Guan family dared not bargain with her.
When Mr. Guan returned to the Guan family, he was thin and exhausted; it had only been three days, but it felt like a lifetime.
He hated Zhao Hanzhang, but hated the County Magistrate more. If it wasn’t for him pointing him out, how would Zhao Hanzhang have targeted him?
He wiped his face, threw the cloth towel into the basin with a vicious toss, and asked, "What’s the County Magistrate Su up to now?"
Guan Dalang whispered, "He’s doing well. With County Magistrate Sun absent and the Chief Clerk dead, he is basically the one running errands for Zhao Hanzhang in the county government now."
He added, "Now, besides Fu Tinghan and Ji Yuan by Zhao Hanzhang’s side, he’s considered the third person."
Mr. Guan clenched his teeth tightly, trying hard to suppress his resentment, and asked, "Any news about County Magistrate Sun?"
"None, but I have sent someone to Chen County, by now... they should have arrived, right?"
The Chief Clerk was killed earlier, Mr. Guan was detained in the grain depot unable to get out, and Guan Dalang sent someone to pursue County Magistrate Sun to Chen County.
At that time, only the return of County Magistrate Sun could solve the Guan family’s predicament, so he sent someone to find him. However, Chen County is not close, and there’s been no news so far.
The County Magistrate Sun they were concerned about had just entered Chen County, having traveled as fast as he could, anxious and uneasy, wishing he could rush to Chen County in a flash.
Alas, his body couldn’t handle it; from anxiety and traveling by night, he fell ill the next day. Nonetheless, he persisted on the road, just moving a bit slower.
Because of this slowness, it took more than half a day longer to reach Chen County.
Once in Chen County, he rushed straight to the Inspector Mansion; with a pale and haggard face, County Magistrate Sun fell before Inspector He, crying out, "Lord, I beg you to deploy troops to Yu Yang, save Yu Yang..."
Inspector He, holding the letter just arrived from Zhao Hanzhang, glanced at County Magistrate Sun and sneered, "County Magistrate Sun, no need for ceremony, the chaos in Yu Yang has already been quelled."
County Magistrate Sun froze, "Ah?"
Inspector He, having just vented his frustrations at Zhao Ming, directed it all at County Magistrate Sun, harshly throwing the letter in his hand at him, "Take a look!"
County Magistrate Sun scrambled to hold the letter that hit his face, scanning it quickly, eyes widening with panic, "This, this..."
"Did you wrong any of them?"
County Magistrate Sun sweating profusely, already sick, the letter’s information causing his mind to become muddled like paste, and upon Inspector He’s question, his vision blurred, leading him to faint.
Inspector He saw him faint and became more furious, breathing fire.
Sipping tea quietly beside, Zhao Ming let out a sigh, calming Inspector He immediately upon hearing it.
He contained his rage, instructed expressionless, "Help County Magistrate Sun to rest."
Instantly, a servant stepped forward dragging County Magistrate Sun away.
Inspector He feigned ignorance of the servant’s roughness, turned to Zhao Ming with a sardonic smile, "Let Zi Nian laugh."
Zhao Ming remained unmoved, straightforwardly asked, "How does the Lord plan to deal with County Magistrate Sun?"
The smile on Inspector He’s face faded slightly, sitting opposite Zhao Ming, gazing at the teacup before him in contemplation, "According to Hanzhang’s letter, she intends to designate this year’s taxes from Yu Yang as relief grain distributed."
Zhao Ming replied, "She acts out of necessity; to stabilize Yu Yang requires steadying the people’s hearts. Lord, chaos in Yu Yang benefits no one now."
"Yu Yang cannot be chaotic, but neither can Chen County," Inspector He said, "Right now, Prince East Sea and Gou Xi are fighting outside Chen County, possibly affecting Chen County anytime. As Yu State Governor, I must prepare early."
Zhao Ming pondered briefly, sighed, and said, "I am willing to persuade Hanzhang to hand over some of the taxes."
Inspector He insisted, "All of them!"
He paused and added, "If she can gather the military grain needed for Yu State this time, I can recommend her for the position of Ru Nan County Governor."
Zhao Ming:... Although he wanted to refuse confidently, considering Zhao Hanzhang’s goal, he swallowed the words about to come out.
He contemplated with downcast eyes for a while, and finally agreed for Zhao Hanzhang, "Alright."
Behind him, Zhao Kuan hesitated but upon seeing Zhao Ming’s resolute expression, he could only suppress his words.
Once outside the Inspector Mansion, he grew anxious, "Uncle, the military grain he needs this time is not small. Yu Yang County rebelled because of the taxes. How can you agree to him on behalf of the Third Lady?"
Zhao Ming replied, "Currently, Ru Nan County has no Prefectural Governor; the County Governor acts as the Prefectural Governor. It’s like using money to buy all of Ru Nan County. If the Third Lady were here, she would have agreed too."
Zhao Kuan: "... But Ru Nan County is the court’s, not solely Inspector He’s; even if he promises, will the court recognize it?"
Zhao Ming glanced at him and asked, "Can the court oversee Yu State now?"
Zhao Kuan fell silent.
If the court could supervise Yu State, would Inspector He oscillate between Prince East Sea and Gou Xi?
Clearly, Inspector He can make this call; as long as he acknowledges Zhao Hanzhang as Ru Nan County’s County Governor, she can be its master.
Of course, whether the counties under Ru Nan County will listen to her depends on her means and capability.
However, he believed that’s not an issue; with money and troops in hand, why fear the counties being disobedient?
Zhao Ming said, "Tomorrow, return to the Inspector Mansion, prepare and then we can go back."
Zhao Kuan asked dumbfounded, "What are we returning for?"
"To get Yu Yang County’s official seal, to pick up your appointment letter as Yu Yang County’s County Magistrate," Zhao Ming replied irritably, "Did you forget why we’re here?"
Zhao Kuan remained silent, still somewhat in a daze, as if in a dream, "Uncle, I’m not yet confirmed; am I taking office now?"
Zhao Ming affirmed, "Listen to the Third Lady properly. Though I haven’t seen her letter to Inspector He, her abilities made him so angry, and she resolutely stated that all taxes were to be used as relief grain, it’s evident she’s already taken Yu Yang County."
Zhao Ming sighed again, "In terms of strategy and courage, she surpasses any of you brothers."
Zhao Kuan agreed, not only strategy and courage, but boldness and ambition also far above them. After all, who would have thought to seize Yu Yang, and then truly marched troops to capture it?
The next day, when Zhao Ming went to find Inspector He again, Inspector He didn’t give him a hard time and promptly handed over the official seal of Yu Yang County to Zhao Kuan, simultaneously issuing the appointment letter, then cheerfully sent them off.
Once the two of them left, the smile on his face vanished.
His aides felt uneasy too, asking, "Lord, did you just give away Ru Nan County? The taxes from Yu Yang aren’t exclusively needed, they could be spread across other counties."