After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times

Chapter 1193 - 1175: Ciphered Telegram

Ji Yuan and Ming Yu were taken aback and quickly stood up, then turned their heads in shock to look at Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang was still seated on the chair, her eyebrows raised high with a look of interest and some surprise on her face.

Alright, understood, it’s not something she initiated, so...

"Did Wang Dun strike first?"

The Secretary looked troubled and said, "The taxes and grain escorted from Jingzhou to Luoyang were intercepted halfway by Yangzhou, causing Governor Wang to become furious and ordered General Wang to lead troops to attack Shayang County in Wuchang County, which has now captured Shayang and Shaxian counties."

Zhao Hanzhang clicked her tongue and said, "Wuchang County belongs to Jingzhou’s jurisdiction, this is Jingzhou reclaiming its territory, what’s the point of fighting?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Yuan sat back down and asked, "So should we not intervene?"

Zhao Hanzhang thought for a moment and said, "Since Yangzhou hasn’t reported, we’ll pretend not to know, let Jingzhou handle it as it sees fit."

She also wants to see if Wang Si Niang and Wang Xuan can reclaim all of Jingzhou.

Wang Si Niang went to Jingzhou late, by then King Langya had already seized most of Jingzhou, and after she went, she managed to reclaim several counties by taking advantage of the opportunity to pacify the disruptive Ba Shu populace;

Besides, her uncle died at the hands of Wang Dun, leading to several skirmishes, barely keeping Wang Dun’s forces at bay outside Yunmeng Marsh.

Wuchang County’s position is unique, Jingzhou managed to seize only half of it, the other half is still under Yangzhou’s control.

Nevertheless, over the past two years, Wang Si Niang has also taken the opportunity to expand south and eastward, similarly seizing some of Yangzhou’s territory.

Jingzhou and Yangzhou are both too large, she decided once the realm is unified, these two states need to be divided further for easier management.

After making up her mind, she said to Ji Yuan, "However, Yangzhou stealing the imperial taxes and grain is a major case that cannot be ignored. Select an Imperial Censor from the Imperial Censorate and send them southward with officials from the Ministry of War, Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Justice to investigate. If confirmed, King Langya owes us an explanation."

Ji Yuan asked, "Who does the Great General think is suitable?"

Zhao Hanzhang thought for a moment and said, "The Imperial Censor, Lu Xing, is quite good. As for the Ministry of War, let Cheng Da and Pingyi handle it. Do Mr. Ji and Mr. Ming have any recommendations for the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Justice?"

Ji Yuan and Ming Yu thought for a while and each recommended two people, with one overlapping.

Zhao Hanzhang immediately selected the candidates and promptly instructed Zhao Yunxin to draft the order, telling them to prepare for departure in three days.

Three days are enough for Lu Xing to mend his backside.

Once all the orders were issued, Zhao Hanzhang looked at the still waiting Secretary, "Inform Jingzhou, just tell them I know."

The Secretary waited for a moment, realizing there were no further instructions, bowed, and immediately left to relay the message.

Zhao Hanzhang glanced at the sky outside, stood up and said, "It’s getting dark, I’m off work and heading home. Are the two gentlemen coming along?"

Ji Yuan and Ming Yu both politely declined. Although there was no official business to handle, the two wanted to chat privately, perhaps about whether she plans to strike Jiangnan.

Zhao Hanzhang looked down at them, wishing to tell them to just ask directly if there were queries, no need to guess. But seeing their enjoyment in guessing her intentions, she refrained from breaking it, and left with her hands behind her back, calling Zeng Yue, who had been waiting since morning, to leave.

As the Deputy Commander of the imperial guard, Zeng Yue mostly managed it; although he rarely trained personally, there were still quite a few matters to attend.

When Zhao Hanzhang was handling affairs inside the palace, he would take care of those matters, sometimes even training with his subordinates, and when Zhao Hanzhang needed to leave the palace, he would follow.

Zhao Hanzhang meandered her way out of the palace; her home was just outside the Imperial City Gate, where she went back to change into casual clothes before taking Zeng Yue to the main street, "Let’s go out to eat."

It was dark, but the street remained lively; most of the lanterns hung during Mid-Autumn Festival hadn’t been taken down, with shopkeepers adding candles or lamp oil, so there were plenty of lights on the street.

The curfew starts at 9 p.m., namely after 9 p.m., usually by 8 o’clock the streets would be clear of people.

It was winter, with nightfall coming early, just past six o’clock, twilight approaching but not yet fully dark, so there were still many people around.

Zhao Hanzhang wandered aimlessly down the street, Zeng Yue had no idea what she wanted to eat. Each time they passed a restaurant he wanted to remind her, but seeing her strides unfaltering, he held back his words, silently following her.

Zhao Hanzhang reached the end of the street; only this main street in all of Luoyang had any guests, other streets were dark and empty, occasionally someone carrying a lantern passed by, yet no businesses were open.

Because, Luoyang people were still too few and too poor.

After a year of renovation, the commoners had only just caught their breath; there’s still a long, long way to go toward stabilization and prosperity.

Zhao Hanzhang turned and walked back from the street’s head, nearing the street’s end, where shops and stalls had begun closing, she randomly selected a noodle shop, sat down, and ordered a bowl of noodles.

With chopsticks in hand, Zhao Hanzhang pondered, looking up only then to see the standing Zeng Yue, she beckoned, "All of you sit down and eat something too, it’s late."

Zeng Yue nodded towards his trusted aides, then chose to sit opposite Zhao Hanzhang and also ordered a bowl of noodles.

"Miss, are you thinking of the gentleman?"

Zhao Hanzhang did not respond; after finishing her noodles, she went home, though Ji Yuan and Ming Yu were guessing if she’s planning to militarily engage Jiangnan, she was considering the same issue.

Returning to the General’s Mansion, Zhao Hanzhang headed straight to the radio room, dismissing everyone else, leaving only a telegrapher.

Zeng Yue, seeing this, stood outside to guard.

Zhao Hanzhang instructed, "Contact Yuan Li and reply using the other set of codes."

Though she was the only one with a radio here, too many people had dispersed, gradually increasing the number of people who know; she trusts them, yet cannot guarantee that all telegraphers wouldn’t leak secrets.

Thus, particularly confidential messages require another set of codebooks.

After a while, the telegrapher said, "Miss, we’ve made contact."

Zhao Hanzhang turned twice on the spot then said, "Tell Yuan Li to sow discord between King Langya and Wang Dun, between Wang Dun and Wang Dao, persuade King Langya to return."

The telegrapher obliged and immediately sent the message.

Zhao Hanzhang contemplated briefly then said, "Tell him to use Liu Kui and Wang Ying."

Far away in Jiankang, Yuan Li looked at the translated telegram in his hand and pondered, his confidant, Xue Hong, was frustrated, couldn’t help lowering his voice to complain, "Isn’t the Great General mistaken? How could Liu Kui and Wang Ying be used together?"

Liu Kui and Wang Ying are archenemies, they can’t even wait to devour each other, drink each other’s blood, that kind of archenemies.

Yuan Li glanced at Xue Hong and said, "You don’t understand, it’s because you’re not smart enough."

At first, he had only a vague understanding, without grasping that detail, because Zhao Hanzhang’s order was to sow discord between King Langya and Wang Dun, not Wang Dao, and also to sow discord between Wang Dao and Wang Dun, Miss intends to divide the Wang family, causing them to collapse.

This time’s target reaches beyond Jiangnan, it includes the Wang family.

The moment Zhao Hanzhang mentioned Liu Kui and Wang Ying, he knew how to utilize them.