Free Web NovelChapter 1250: Chapter 1221: Planning an Auspicious Omen
This southern expedition ended before the New Year. Yuan Li, Zhao Shi, and Zhao Shen captured a large amount of treasure from Wang Dun. Even Zhao Shen, who was accustomed to wealth, couldn’t take his eyes off it, let alone Zhao Shi, Yuan Li, and the others.
If it weren’t for the restraint of the three of them, the soldiers below would have fought over these treasures.
Zhao Shi is an honest and good child; he never thought of keeping these things for himself, nor did he consider handing them over to Zu Ti, the commander. He excitedly told Zhao Shen, "With this money, the Great General will be more relieved and won’t complain to us about an empty national treasury."
Zhao Shen also nodded, "There will be money to manage the Yellow River, and Ting Han should be able to come back for the New Year."
Mentioning Fu Tinghan, Zhao Shen looked sympathetic.
Due to lack of money, to encourage the workers and soldiers, Fu Tinghan has always been at the front line. Originally, he planned to spend the New Year at the Yellow River with the soldiers and workers.
Because Fu Tinghan has always been at the front line, although managing the Yellow River was arduous and the timeline tight, there were no complaints from the people.
And because of Fu Tinghan’s presence, no one has died from managing the Yellow River so far. Many have fallen sick due to exhaustion and cold, but because Fu Tinghan was there, there was always ample medicine. No one dared to shortchange their medicine from top to bottom, and the Imperial Hospital sent two Imperial Physicians who respectively stayed in the upper and lower sections, patrolling along the Yellow River.
With the recruitment and hiring of doctors among the people, fixed medical points were established with the military doctors to ensure that workers could find a doctor whenever they fell ill.
Because of this, the south is at war, the north is repairing the Yellow River, the people’s power is fully mobilized, and more than half of the forces in the Central Plains have been deployed. Only Beigong Chun and Zhao Erlang have intact forces. Even Shi Le’s army has sent 20,000 men to help repair the Yellow River. Yet the nine states north of the Yangtze River remain orderly, and the people eagerly anticipate the New Year.
Occasionally, the common folk pray for Zhao Hanzhang, wishing her good health and longevity.
A large number of prisoners and treasures will first be escorted to Jiankang before being sent to Luoyang.
But before they set off to be sent to the capital, Zhao Hanzhang sent processing orders via telegraph, with all treasures sent back to Luoyang, and, except for those listed by name, military officers above the rank of Colonel must pay 100,000 coins for their ransom, ordered to return to their original hometowns with their families within a month, settling as commoners with equal rights.
Those below the rank of Colonel were to be handled by Zhao Shen, selecting useful personnel to be incorporated into the army, with the rest sent back to their hometowns to settle as commoners.
Zhou Qi and others saw the telegraph station for the first time, over ten people crowded into a room listening to the "滴滴滴" sounds, watching two telegraph operators busily record and translate...
Zhou Qi stood straight, but his gaze kept drifting over, even tiptoeing secretly.
Zhou Yi was more at ease. If he wanted to see, he directly pushed Xie Kun aside, even nudging Wang Dao a bit, staring at the telegraph operator comparing numbers in a notebook for translation.
Zhao Hanzhang’s order was long, the telegraph operator kept "滴滴滴" receiving, passing on completed pages filled with numbers, then inking another.
Zhao Hanzhang listed her orders in categories A, B, C, and D, filling three full pages.
There were not only disposal methods for these rebels but also some requirements for Wang Dao and Zhou Qi to govern Jiangnan, ordering them to handle the reassurance and relief work for the people; the education work in Jiangnan should also match Jiangbei, ordering each county to establish government schools, with at least one in each county, allowing both male and female students to enroll...
She also ordered Zhou Yi, Zhou Fang, Dai Yuan, and Gan Zhuo to accompany the prisoner escort team to the capital, as she wanted to meet them in person.
The last page was translated, and Zhou Yi froze for a moment, asking, "I’m just a young doctor, why does the Great General want to see me?"
Previously, Zhou Yi served as a doctor beside King Langya, but King Langya didn’t just treat him as a doctor, often asking for his political opinions. If it weren’t for his frequent drinking and mishaps, he would have been heavily utilized long ago.
Wang Dao comforted Zhou Yi, "Don’t worry, General Zhao is very kind and approachable."
Zu Ti, standing by, also nodded, "Bo Ren, when the time comes, enter the palace with me. I will recommend you to the Great General, your talents should not be limited to just being a doctor in Yangzhou."
Yuan Li glanced at them, sneered inwardly, but remained expressionless, telling Wang Dao, "Every state must have at least one telegraph station, this one is to remain in Yangzhou, and these two will stay in Yangzhou too."
Now that Jiangnan has also been reclaimed, control over the telegraph station can be moderately relaxed; Zhao Hanzhang will no longer conceal the existence of the telegraph.
Nowadays, everyone knows Zhao Hanzhang possesses the Divine Artifact of speaking across a thousand miles, even ordinary people have heard the rumors.
Everyone says it’s because Zhao Hanzhang is divinely chosen, which is why she can possess such a treasure.
Not to mention the ordinary folks, even people like Lu Yuan have this thought, secretly discussing, "For a hundred years, no one like Zhao Hanzhang has appeared. Not only her abilities, but the things she holds are beyond what ordinary people can obtain. The heavens ordained it for her, destiny lies with her."
"Since Guo Pu went to Luoyang, he has worked diligently for her. It’s said he now holds three positions, even teaching students ’The Book of Changes’ at the Imperial College. With his laziness, unless Zhao Hanzhang had something extraordinary, why would he submit?"
Guo Pu’s reputation is grand, known for his fortune-telling, which is why Wang Dun sought to kidnap him to tell fortunes for King Langya and himself.
Along with his fortune-telling fame is his reputation for laziness and indulgence in beauty.
Because of his laziness, fame and fortune can’t sway him, only beauty can tempt him to pause, yet his standards for beauty are very high, differing from ordinary aesthetics; no one has discerned his preferences so far.
There’s no news of Zhao Hanzhang sending him beauties, nor are there any known beauties around her. If Guo Pu is drawn to Luoyang to work hard, it’s either due to Zhao Hanzhang’s divine destiny or what else?
So Lu Yuan suggested, "I think this New Year’s is a great opportunity. Those in Jiangbei have fought the world with her, battling north and south, forming deep bonds, whereas we in Jiangnan are already behind. If we don’t seize this moment, we might end up truly under Jiangbei’s thumb."
Jiang Feng: "We’ve always been under Jiangbei, never reversing our fortune."
Gu Rong, who was initially displeased, laughed aloud upon hearing this, his displeasure dissipating. He patted his enraged friend He Xun, asking Lu Yuan, "What is your plan?"
"Create an auspicious sign," Lu Yuan said, "I invited you here to discuss what kind of auspicious sign can make people immediately think of her? When the time comes, we will present it to her, and perhaps we can claim some merit too?"
Gu Rong, "Currently, the Yangzhou Governor is Wang Maohong, the presentation must go through him, and he is from Jiangbei."
