After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 914 - 900: Extravagance

Returning to the Inspector Mansion, it was already past noon. Liu Kun had just woken up, while Xu Run had been waiting early in the Inspector Mansion.

However, he did not dare to see Zhao Hanzhang, and instead continued to wait in Liu Kun’s room.

Knowing he had offended Zhao Hanzhang, Liu Kun said indifferently, "Don’t worry, Governor Zhao is a magnanimous person and won’t mind such trivial matters."

Xu Run didn’t have Liu Kun’s confidence. He had risen from the bottom, and his feelings towards this Zhao Governor were completely different from Liu Kun’s.

In Liu Kun’s eyes, Zhao Hanzhang’s series of deeds seemed benevolent and generous. Since they were generous and kind, naturally, they applied to everyone, including Xu Run;

But in the eyes of ordinary citizens like Xu Run, Zhao Hanzhang’s series of deeds demonstrated her love for the people, fairness, and strictness.

Xu Run was aware that he had done something wrong, so he was worried and fearful. He was the harm that needed to be removed, not the people.

Liu Kun saw his worry and laughed heartily, pulling him to visit Zhao Hanzhang after changing into fine clothes.

Zhao Hanzhang was speaking softly with Ming Yu and others. Seeing Liu Kun pulling a fair-faced, handsome young man over, she stopped talking and looked on smilingly.

Liu Kun jovially asked, "Lord Zhao rises so early; is it because the setup of my mansion displeases you?"

Zhao Hanzhang smiled and said, "I am not accustomed to resting during the day, so I only close my eyes for a short while. The setup of the mansion is very good."

Liu Kun was relieved and introduced the young man beside him, "Lord Zhao, this is my Jinyang County Magistrate."

Zhao Hanzhang’s smile remained unchanged, and she nodded to the young man, smiling, "I’ve long heard that County Magistrate Xu is very skilled in music. I wonder when I might have the chance to witness it?"

Liu Kun immediately said, "Tonight is possible."

He laughed heartily, "I consider you my confidant, and Ruanlang is also my confidant. He plays the piece ’Union of Heaven and Earth,’ which you gifted me, the best. Once you’ve listened, you will surely regard him as a confidant."

Zhao Hanzhang became interested, smiling, "That’s wonderful."

She looked at Xu Run, her expression gentle, "So tonight, we shall appreciate County Magistrate Xu’s talent."

Although she was very warm, Xu Run couldn’t help but shiver, giving him a sense of danger. His face turned slightly pale, and he forced a smile and nodded.

Liu Kun, unaware of this, laughed heartily at the situation, patting Xu Run’s shoulder, saying, "See, I told you that Governor Zhao is a magnanimous and generous person, and wouldn’t mind."

Zhao Hanzhang’s eyebrows didn’t move. She lightly glanced at Xu Run and then looked at Liu Kun with puzzlement.

Liu Kun replied, "His subordinate acted recklessly, and today, collided with Governor Zhao. He is apprehensive and specifically came to apologize. I said Governor Zhao is magnanimous and wouldn’t bother with such a minor matter, yet he is still afraid of neglecting you."

"Oh?" Zhao Hanzhang smiled and asked, "I’ve encountered many things today. I wonder which one County Magistrate Xu is referring to?"

Xu Run was drenched in cold sweat, pondering how to respond when Liu Kun waved his hand indifferently, saying, "All trivial matters. Governor Zhao, since you and I are confidants, we shouldn’t be so distant. You should call me by my courtesy name."

They had been pen pals for four years, but in their letters, except when excited and calling each other by their courtesy names, they mostly used titles or honorifics.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled and agreed, calling him "Yue Shi" and indicating he could also call her by her courtesy name.

Thus, they warmly addressed each other by their courtesy names. Liu Kun declared that to entertain Zhao Hanzhang, he must host her well in the evening.

Though he said evening, it started at 3:00 PM, precisely when this era began to have dinner.

Zhao Hanzhang’s people were very busy and accustomed to three meals a day. Usually, they wouldn’t stop until around 7 p.m., and Zhao Hanzhang would stop at 9 p.m. at the earliest, sometimes even later.

Therefore, returning to the normal routine of the aristocracy in this era, they were not quite accustomed to starting a banquet in the mid-afternoon.

Fan Ying was silent for a while and then went to prepare Zhao Hanzhang’s attire for the banquet with Ting He, but after searching through all three of their bags, they couldn’t find a single set of fine clothing.

They were here to fight and had made a swift march, so they wouldn’t have brought such items.

Ting He did pack a box, but it was left with the rear army, which wouldn’t arrive for at least two more days.

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t mind, directly wearing her simplest attire, and said to the two, "I don’t need to rely on fine clothing now."

Ting He was still troubled, but Fan Ying had already realized and promptly said, "Indeed, the lady relies on her martial and literary prowess, not fine clothing and adornments."

Zhao Hanzhang laughed heartily, "It’s still premature to talk about martial and literary prowess at this time. It’s alright, don’t worry about what I wear. Go and have Zeng Yue bring up more trusted aides, tell them to drink less and be particularly vigilant about Mr. Fu’s safety."

Fan Ying bowed her head in response, "Yes."

Zhao Hanzhang attended the banquet in simple attire, but no one dared to underestimate her.

Liu Kun invited her to sit on the main seat together.

Zhao Hanzhang walked forward and took a seat, with Fu Tinghan seated below her, sharing the seat with Shi Le, while Mr. Ming and others sat one seat lower still, facing Jinyang’s generals and officials.

Xu Run sat below Liu Kun, even above Linghu sheng.

Zhao Hanzhang slightly raised her brows, and after sitting, asked, "Is it the Jinyang County Magistrate performing tonight?"

Liu Kun smiled and confirmed, seeing Zhao Hanzhang’s eagerness, he assumed she also deeply loved music, and immediately had people prepare to serve dishes and music dance performances.

Servants entered in an orderly flow, serving the delicacies.

Zhao Hanzhang certainly didn’t expect them to be as frugal as she was, but Jinyang had been under siege for more than a month, and there had been constant warfare before, so supplies would naturally be scarce, and thus not too indulgent.

Yet she was mistaken. Human potential is limitless; the dishes served not only included beef, lamb, chicken, and duck but also river seafood. She even saw tender seedlings among them.

Cooked to perfection, beautifully plated, yet Zhao Hanzhang, who had been concerned with agriculture in recent years, including vegetables, knew these tender seedlings were only used by the nobility. From sowing seeds to harvesting the seedlings would be only within ten to fifteen days, and beyond fifteen days, the nobility believed the seedlings would be old, impacting taste.

Thus, in Chen County and Luoyang, a considerable area was dedicated to growing these seedlings, requiring a large workforce daily for maintenance.

After Zhao Hanzhang found out, she no longer allowed such seedlings to appear in her mansion and barred them from banquets.

As the upper echelon preferred, the lower would enhance it; as the upper echelon disliked, the lower would follow suit.

Knowing Zhao Hanzhang detested such extravagant use of manpower and land resources, the officials and generals below followed suit, no longer consuming such seedlings, and restrained their households. The officials and generals then influenced other gentry and tycoons, so in most counties under Zhao Hanzhang’s jurisdiction, such tender seedlings were absent from tables.

Even Zhang Bin, a newly arrived strategist, was aware of Zhao Hanzhang’s taboo, so everyone silently stared at the seedlings on the table without daring to touch their chopsticks.