After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times

The grain and treasures were all escorted back to Guan City, along with prisoners!

Beigong Chun’s two thousand infantry came in handy at this time, as they escorted the prisoners back.

Zhao Hanzhang leaned lazily against a pillar watching, her eyelids slightly drooping, making it unclear what she was pondering.

Fu Tinghan passed by her, only to think she was sleeping.

Lacking sleep, he was a bit short-tempered now, showing a stern face to the soldiers, and couldn’t help but get angry if anyone made a mistake in counting items.

But seeing her sneak in a break amid the busyness, his expression softened immediately. He glanced back at the soldiers loading the carts, reached out and held Zhao Hanzhang’s hand, "Want to ride a cart back to the city?"

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "Alright."

So, Zhao Hanzhang nestled among sacks of grain, half asleep, and entered the city.

Beigong Chun left his soldiers to come over and saw her half-hidden among the sacks of grain, clearly exhausted, so he didn’t disturb her.

Fu Tinghan noticed him, slowed his horse, and after Beigong Chun caught up, he bowed slightly, "General Beigong, a portion of our soldiers escorting a group of prisoners and citizens were left behind. By my calculations, they should be arriving soon."

Beigong Chun understood immediately and said, "I’ll send someone to receive them."

Fu Tinghan turned and instructed Zhao Erlang, "Erlang, you go too."

Thɪs chapter is updated by NoveI-Fire.ɴet

Zhao Erlang, feeling down, instantly perked up upon hearing this, and hurriedly took his men to follow Huang An.

Beigong Chun glanced at Zhao Erlang and sighed, "Young people really are full of energy."

Fu Tinghan agreed with a nod.

Seeing this, Beigong Chun raised his eyebrows and, looking Fu Tinghan up and down, laughed, "Mr. Fu is also a young man, why so mature?"

Fu Tinghan replied, "My heart is old."

Beigong Chun didn’t believe him; his gaze fell on Zhao Hanzhang sleeping by the sacks and then on Fu Tinghan, he smiled lightly, "Someone with an old heart wouldn’t come to aid Guan City, and Mr. Fu, being able to follow Governor Zhao here, shows his heart is not old."

In Beigong Chun’s view, Fu Tinghan, even if not considered otherwise, simply because he’s willing to be subordinate to Zhao Hanzhang and follow her in battles everywhere, is a rare enlightened person in the world.

And enlightened people never have old hearts.

Once they entered Guan City, Zhao Hanzhang opened her eyes when she heard the cheering voices of the citizens.

Upon opening her eyes, she saw Fu Tinghan riding closely behind the cart. Looking to the sides, the citizens lining the road were happily waving at them, so she immediately beamed a smile and waved as well.

Fu Tinghan couldn’t help but laugh seeing this, he chased up two steps, "Want to ride a horse?"

Having been on horseback for a while, now reclining on the sacks of grain, able to stretch out comfortably with padding on her lower back, why would she go back to the hardships of horseback riding?

Thus, she shook her head to refuse immediately.

The citizens of Guan City were very enthusiastic for Zhao Family Army’s support, so even though Zhao Hanzhang was sitting in a grain cart with most of her body nestled among the sacks, she still attracted everyone’s attention.

Although Guan City was besieged, the citizens were not isolated from outside news, thanks in part to Beigong Chun.

He was trapped in Guan City, yet he was not a local official there, but rather appointed by the court to aid Guan City.

The Prefectural Governor in charge of Guan City’s stationed military assistant general, upon arrival, ran off with his men, leaving no trace; the Guan City County Magistrate died in battle, so he directly took over the whole city upon arrival.

However, he was unfamiliar with Guan City, and the citizens were even more unfamiliar with him.

As the siege lasted longer, the citizens’ moods grew increasingly restless, so he had to publicly share more information to soothe the citizens and hoped to gain public approval to unite against the Xiongnu.

For instance, when the court was slow to send reinforcements, he’d say the court was diligently recruiting soldiers and would surely come to rescue them once the soldiers were recruited.

Or when Inspector He retreated again and again, retreating to Chen County, he’d say Guan City was the last holdout of the entire northern Yu State because of united efforts, merely waiting for Inspector He’s organized large army, then Guan City could flank them with a southern assault and defeat the Xiongnu, every citizen in the city was a hero.

Also, when Inspector He announced nationally that Ru Nan County Governor Zhao Hanzhang was appointed as deputy general and promoted to Ru Nan County Governor, making her the nation’s first female official, he’d say Zhao Hanzhang of Xiping was brave and skillful, a master of military tactics, who once defeated the Xiongnu’s Liu Jing, her appointment as deputy general meant the Xiongnu wouldn’t have good days for long...

One could say Beigong Chun suffered greatly. Knowing they were abandoned in the rear, he still had to sweet-talk about the court and Yu State, fearing the citizens would riot.

Now, even Beigong Chun himself didn’t expect reinforcements to come to Guan City, especially with Zhao Hanzhang leading them personally.

But the citizens expected it. Under Beigong Chun’s persuasion, they firmly believed reinforcements would arrive; it was just a matter of time.

Look, haven’t the reinforcements come now?

And they’re led by the particularly formidable, said by General Beigong, the only female official in Great Jin, Zhao Hanzhang, so despite her being in a grain cart, she was still warmly welcomed by everyone.

However..."Why is General Zhao sitting in a grain cart instead of riding a horse?"

"Oh no, is she injured?"

"Is the injury severe?"

"Seems like her leg is hurt, she looks immobile."

The crowd was deeply moved hearing this, with someone directly shedding tears, "General Zhao has sacrificed so much for us."

"Looks like General Beigong didn’t lie to us; Yu State indeed hasn’t abandoned us. You must know General Zhao is now Yu State’s deputy general, second only to Inspector He."

"I wonder if General Zhao’s injury is serious? Should she have some good nourishment?"

"My family has eggs."

"My family has sheep!"

So, just as Zhao Hanzhang and her team reached the county government for a rest and before they had time to discuss the future situation, a group of citizens arrived outside the county government, all bringing grain, vegetables, and meat to her.

Upon hearing the rumors outside, although Zhao Hanzhang didn’t understand how she ended up critically injured, she was still moved by the citizens’ sentiments and instructed Qiu Wu to return everything, "The city lacks grain; how can we compete with the citizens for food?"

Beigong Chun was hearing such words for the first time.

He considered himself more loving to the citizens than most court ministers in Great Jin, but in his heart, soldiers still ranked above citizens, and if one day he had to choose only one, he’d definitely choose to preserve his soldiers over citizens.

So, there was no saying about competing with citizens for food.

After finishing, Zhao Hanzhang especially instructed, "Tell them I’m perfectly fine, bouncing back lively, without a scratch."

Fu Tinghan said, "Walking a circle outside would have more convincing power than him saying ten sentences; why trouble him?"

But Zhao Hanzhang was feeling lazy and didn’t want to move at all.

Just as she was about to respond, Ting He came jogging in to report, "Lady, Erlang has returned with others."

Hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang immediately stood up, "Alright, I’ll take a walk outside. General Beigong, will you join me? I encountered a squad of Xiongnu along the way and captured quite a few."

She added, "You know, my Zhao Family Army doesn’t have many people, so we couldn’t capture too many prisoners."

As soon as Beigong Chun heard this, he immediately rose, "Okay, I’ll go with you to see."