Chapter 1149: Chapter 1131: A Bit More Capable
At this time, Zhao Xin, having obtained Zhao Hanzhang’s permission, began arranging for people to receive messages. Over the past six months, whenever he left a place, he would quietly leave some people behind, of course, not selected from those he brought with him, but rather from the local forces.
He wasn’t sure how long they could work or remain loyal, but... it didn’t matter, even if just one stayed, he would have gained something.
Knowing Zhao Xin was coming back, Zhao Hanzhang walked towards the main hall with a spring in her step, a smile on her face that she couldn’t suppress. She suddenly entered the hall happily, startling the group who were studying tea with their heads down, who hurriedly looked up.
As they saw, a young woman was dressed in a dark golden round-collared dress, without any embroidery or dark patterns, very simple, with a one-finger-wide black belt on her waist, and only a pouch hanging from her waist, without any other accessories. Apart from the fabric and color being of decent quality, her clothes were even less elaborate than those of Ting He who was waiting on them.
However, her sleeves were arrow sleeves.
It was rumored that Zhao Hanzhang rarely wore wide sleeves, and most of the time, if not wearing arrow sleeves, she would wear straight or drooping sleeves.
This style of dressing had already spread to Jiangnan, with many women secretly imitating it, wearing arrow-sleeved riding attire to go out for excursions and play.
So, is this... Zhao Hanzhang?
Just as the thought crossed their minds, Zhao Hanzhang had already smiled and greeted them, "Sorry to keep you waiting."
Mr. Zhu and the others didn’t expect this was really Zhao Hanzhang, and she turned out to be so gracefully beautiful. Although they didn’t believe the rumors that she was seven feet tall and burly, to have made a name on the battlefield, she couldn’t be... too beautiful.
Mr. Zhu and the others hurriedly stood up to salute, and as Zhao Hanzhang walked past them, they realized that Zhao Hanzhang was... very tall, seemingly on par with them, her figure slender, her steps light, and they didn’t even need to look up to know, just by the sound of her steps, that her martial skills were good.
Zhao Hanzhang walked to the main seat, pressed her hand down and said, "No need for excessive courtesy, please be seated."
The seats had been arranged beforehand, so Zhao Hanzhang only needed a glance to match faces to names, sparing everyone the awkwardness of a self-introduction.
Zhao Hanzhang turned her head to ask Yang Yi, "How are your uncles and aunts in Jiangnan?"
Yang Yi paused for a moment and replied, "Jiangnan is good, but the dietary habits are different, some are not accustomed to it."
Zhao Hanzhang said, "Now that the Central Plains are stable, those exiled returning to their homeland may not find familiar people either. If your family is willing to return, maybe those living in exile could also find a place to belong."
Upon hearing this, Yang Yi felt a pang in his heart. Weren’t those who migrated with the whole family like exiles too?
When the Yang Family moved south, they were divided into two groups—a precursor and a main group. His group was the latter, and along the way, some family members left or stopped, unable to go on, and only three or four made it to Jiangnan, while the rest either died or drifted elsewhere.
Now that the Central Plains are stable, it’s uncertain if they would return home.
If they return and find not a single relative in their hometown, how heart-wrenching that would be.
The others could relate deeply, and Zhao Hanzhang turned to Ting He, raised her hand and said, "I had the kitchen prepare some hometown dishes. I don’t know if they taste right, so try them for me."
Ting He bowed and retreated, and before long, came in with a group of people, placing two traditional dishes from each gentleman’s hometown on each table.
It was all common items like cakes, steamed buns, dumplings, noodles with a home-cooked dish, but the preparation varied slightly between regions.
Yang Yi encountered a bowl of sweet water noodles, which only his family’s county could produce.
The sweet water noodles from his home always used mountain spring water. These noodles weren’t as good, but were far better than what he ate in Jiangnan.
No, in Jiangnan, sweet water noodles couldn’t be found in restaurants or taverns, he could only go home for family cooks to make it.
In the past two years, southern dietary habits changed as more northerners arrived, but niche items like sweet water noodles still hadn’t caught on.
Yang Yi ate, and as he ate, tears unknowingly fell.
The other gentlemen also had reddened eyes.
Zhao Hanzhang was eating Xiping’s specialty—flour soup.
Seeing them like that, she put down her spoon, wiped her mouth, and asked, "What’s wrong, does it not suit your taste?"
The group had reddened eyes, and Yang Yi put down his chopsticks, got up and knelt in the hall, "Great General, if we come back, will there really be a place for us in the Central Plains?"
Zhao Hanzhang leaned forward and seriously replied, "The Great Jin is the Great Jin of its people. You all are also citizens of Great Jin. No matter where you are, there will be a place for you, especially where once was your homeland."
Upon hearing this, Yang Yi knew the purpose of his journey was half achieved, and immediately offered a deep bow, "I, on behalf of my family, on behalf of the exiled Jiangnan aristocrats, thank you, General."
Zhao Hanzhang got up, went down to lift him up, and said to the equally emotional gentlemen, "As long as you are willing to return, your homeland will always have open doors waiting for you."
The group then got up one after another, thanking her, "Thank you, General!"
"Just as well, since you’re here, why not test your learning today," Zhao Hanzhang smiled, "Even if you went to Jiangnan, you shouldn’t neglect your studies."
Yang Yi and the others were excited; this was exactly what they wanted, as their elders had given them another task.
The six arts of the gentleman—Zhao Hanzhang wasn’t only testing them on literacy alone, and her questions weren’t typical exam ones. She directly asked, "The national treasury has a hundred thousand coins. It’s spring plowing; a place is short of grain seeds requiring forty thousand coins. Floods easily occur, and repairing embankments is estimated to cost eighty thousand coins. However, due to vast differences in terrain and lack of rain, drought easily occurs, needing irrigation while constructing a waterwheel costs two thousand coins each. If you were local officials, what would you do?"
Yang Yi and the others were dumbfounded, how did it become a math problem?
Lu Wen, however, lowered his eyes in thought, having roughly figured out the answer.
Seeing most of them bewildered, Zhao Hanzhang laughed, "No need to give me the answer now, you can think about it, write it down and send it to my residence afterwards. Come, let’s test your martial arts today."
Zhao Hanzhang looked towards Xie Pi and said, "I’ve heard General Xie’s martial skills are exceptional. Shall we spar today?"
Xie Pi quickly said, "I have resigned from office, and in terms of martial skills, how can I compare to the Great General?"
Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand, "Come on, you can work here if you’re not serving in Jiangnan. After all, serving as an official, no matter where, is the same, all for the Great Jin and its people, right?"
Xie Pi was silent for a moment. What she said was not wrong, but her enthusiasm made him a bit uneasy.
Zhao Hanzhang invited everyone to the martial training field; these were aristocratic children, their archery and riding skills practiced since childhood. She wanted to use them as an example and naturally had to test them thoroughly.
Although she intended to express her stance towards the exiled Jiangnan aristocrats, regardless of their conditions, she would find them suitable positions. However... she hoped they could be somewhat competent.
