After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times

Chapter 1153 - 1135: Recommended Candidates

One is the famous scholar Xiahou Yan, one is his deputy Ban Zai, one is his son Fu Xuan, and the last one is Zhao Yong.

Zhao Hanzhang paused slightly when she saw the name Zhao Erlang.

She closed the official document and handed it to Ji Yuan, "What do you think, gentlemen?"

Ji Yuan said, "Governor Fu has a subtle mind."

He recommended a scholar like Xiahou Yan, who is generally dissatisfied with the court but loyal; a deputy Ban Zai, who can continue his political philosophy but lacks capability; Fu Xuan, who has little political ambition yet is quite capable and will be influenced by the Princess; and nominating Zhao Erlang is his way of leaving a path for Zhao Hanzhang, yet directly points at Xie Shi.

Zhao Hanzhang tapped the table and said, "I’ve always wanted Erlang to go to the Four Passes of Guanzhong."

Upon hearing her, Ji Yuan and Ming Yu immediately straightened their backs. Ming Yu said, "The Great General’s concern is not misplaced. The Four Passes of Yongzhou require extremely loyal people to guard, but the Little General, he..."

Zhao Hanzhang smiled and asked, "Mr. Ming doesn’t trust Erlang’s capabilities?"

Both Ming Yu and Ji Yuan remained silent.

Zhao Hanzhang said, "His strengths are not limited to martial skills. His heart is simple, and perhaps because of this, he shows remarkable resilience in certain matters. Great simplicity brings great capability, just like General Beigong. As long as they are placed in the right position and trusted enough, they can unleash a strength greater than others."

Ji Yuan reminded her, "But the role of governor is more focused on governing the people, and while Yongzhou is special, military should not override civil administration, as it would be detrimental to the populace."

Ming Yu nodded, "Yongzhou can emphasize both military and administration, but military should not override political affairs."

Zhao Hanzhang said, "Erlang has Xie Shi by his side."

Ji Yuan frowned slightly, "The Lady General Xie Shi is too closely tied to the Little General; Xie Shi has gained considerable experience over these years and can already handle matters independently."

Zhao Hanzhang nodded slightly, "So, one day, I will let him separate from Erlang and become the Governor of Yongzhou."

What would Zhao Erlang do in Yongzhou then?

Ji Yuan hadn’t grasped the meaning yet, but Ming Yu was already shocked and asked, "Does the Great General want to separate military and administration?"

"Don’t you both feel the governor’s authority is too heavy? Holding both civilian authority and military power, there are only twenty-one provinces across the land, which means if even one of the twenty-one governors harbors rebellious thoughts, they can easily mobilize the wealth, army, and people of a province," Zhao Hanzhang said. "Therefore, military power and civil power should be separated. The governor should only have the power to govern the people, while the national military should be under the command of the central government."

Ji Yuan and Ming Yu couldn’t help but look at each other, and finally, they solemnly saluted and said, "The General’s concerns are indeed profound."

Zhao Hanzhang said, "Let’s start with Yongzhou. Erlang will be the pioneer for this strategy."

Ji Yuan and Ming Yu agreed.

Zhao Hanzhang first summoned Xie Shi. Although today was a rest day, Ji Yuan and Ming Yu are not idle people, so they could be found in the palace, but Xie Shi was found by the guards only after searching through three taverns.

Xie Shi was already half drunk and wanted to go home to change clothes, but the guards directly carried him away.

Grabbing the carriage, Xie Shi said, "It’s so disrespectful, so disrespectful. I smell of alcohol; let me go back and change clothes to refresh my scent."

The guards stuffed him into the carriage and said, "The Great General is already waiting at the General’s Mansion; how dare you keep the Great General waiting?"

Xie Shi leaned out from the carriage door and said, "Just tell me what trouble the Little General has caused?"

"His current main duty is Luoyang County Magistrate, if he has made a mistake, he should go to the Governor of Si Province, his superior. Why look for me as a deputy general?"

The guards ignored him and directly flicked the horsewhip.

All the way, Xie Shi couldn’t find out what mistake Zhao Erlang had made.

Sigh, Zhao Erlang clearly has two teachers, so why is it always him, this Teacher Xie, who gets hurt? Where is the one with the surname Wang?

Getting off the carriage, Xie Shi tidied his robes and no longer showed the drunkenness from before. He walked leisurely into the General’s Mansion.

Then in the courtyard of the study, he saw Zhao Erlang and Fu Tinghan.

Zhao Erlang was circling around Fu Tinghan, clearly asking questions, but his tone was extremely flattering, completely unlike his usual demeanor.

Xie Shi couldn’t help but glare at him. What sort of mistake had been made that even the normally affable Minister Fu showed a cold face and ignored him?

Seeing his teacher, Zhao Erlang was about to go up to greet him, but received a glare instead. He looked confused, not knowing what he had done wrong. With the delay, Xie Shi followed Ting He into the study.

Zhao Erlang couldn’t help but turn to Fu Tinghan for confirmation, "Brother-in-law, I didn’t make any trouble today, right?"

Immersed in his own thoughts, Fu Tinghan snapped back, "No."

He instantly understood and got up to go to the study, Zhao Erlang hurriedly said, "Brother-in-law, Mr. Xie just went in."

Fu Tinghan knew he was afraid of Xie Shi’s nagging, so he waved his hand, "You go play for now, I’ll teach you later. I have some matters to discuss with your sister shortly."

So Zhao Erlang ran off, "Then I’ll go check what’s for dinner in the kitchen."

Fu Tinghan sat in the corridor to wait for them to finish their conversation.

In the study, Zhao Hanzhang was standing in front of a map, studying it, and when Xie Shi arrived, she beckoned him over to take a look.

Xie Shi was puzzled as he walked over to see the map of Yongzhou, and immediately his expression turned serious, pushing Zhao Erlang out of his mind as he focused, "What happened in Yongzhou?"

Fu Zhi is a loyal minister; he absolutely wouldn’t rebel. Did Xiliang rebel? Did Zhang Gui die? Or did the Qiang barbarians ambitiously invade?

Zhao Hanzhang said, "Governor Fu is gravely ill and has resigned from his position as the Governor of Yongzhou. I wish to send Erlang and you to Yongzhou together."

Xie Shi considered, "Erlang has enough military merit; however, he... has such a reputation. Outsiders all know he is not literate, and during his tenure as Luoyang County Magistrate, there were many criticisms. To become a governor..."

"Erlang won’t hear those criticisms; he can act as he pleases," Zhao Hanzhang nodded at the map hanging on the wall and said, "The Four Passes of Yongzhou, I can’t think of anyone better suited than Erlang at the moment."

Xie Shi also looked at those four passes.

Tong Pass, the critical pass from Chang’an to Luoyang, with its steep terrain, where one man can hold against ten thousand; as long as this pass is guarded, it can shield Luoyang from attacks coming from the west.

Xiliang, Northern Xianbei, and Qiang barbarians all can’t handle Luoyang.

Beigong Chun is stuck in the Central Plains; he has troops and horses, so why can’t he return? It’s because returning to Xiliang requires passing two gates: one is Tong Pass, and the other is Xiao Pass. To go beyond the frontier, one must pass Xiao Pass, which is unavoidable on the Silk Road.

Additionally to these two passes, there is San Pass, which is currently under Zhao Hanzhang’s control. San Pass is the throat between Guanzhong and Han Zhong, Ba Shu; it is a strategically important location that every army contends for, and she uses it as a base to dispatch troops to Shu.

As the saying goes, without San Pass, one cannot attempt Han Zhong.

Li Xiong was quickly persuaded to submit to Great Jin by Zhao Xin, and Zhao Hanzhang’s preemptive occupation of San Pass was also a key factor.

Aside from San Pass, there is Wuguan, which ranks equally with Han Valley Pass, highlighting the importance of Yongzhou.

This is also why, after the chaos, despite the severe famine in Yongzhou, Fu Zhi insisted on guarding Yongzhou.

As long as Yongzhou is defended, Great Jin still has hope. Once Yongzhou falls, everything north of the Yangtze River will be exposed to the iron hoofs of the barbarians, and that hope will dissipate.