After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times

Chapter 1276: Chapter 1243: Figured It Out

Most soldiers had met Zhao Hanzhang, and they were both close to and respectful of her. Some were young and lively, and even wanted to invite her to dance with them.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled and declined, letting them enjoy themselves.

She chose a soldier of moderate age and asked, "After repairing the Yellow River and returning to camp, do you still want to go to war?"

The soldier, simple-minded, didn’t think too much and immediately shook his head according to his heart, "No, I want to return to the camp to farm and cultivate the land."

He enjoyed farming.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled and asked, "What after farming?"

The soldier shyly lowered his head and smiled without saying a word.

A fellow soldier beside him spoke for him, "Great General, he wants to get married."

Zhao Hanzhang laughed heartily, "Getting married is a good thing. At that time, acquire a few more acres of land and have two or three children, and life would be considered complete."

The soldier hurriedly said, "I was just idly imagining with them, not daring to truly achieve it. In the army, the youngest retirement age is thirty-five. I don’t know if I can live until then."

Thirty-five years old—the current average life expectancy is not even forty. Previously, when she asked the Imperial Hospital, they reported that the current statistical data showed the national average life expectancy is thirty-seven, so those above thirty-nine can be considered long-lived.

This average life expectancy is mainly due to the continuous wars and natural disasters.

As long as large-scale wars can be avoided in the future and timely disaster relief is provided during natural disasters, preventing man-made disasters like those during the drought and locust plagues of the previous years, which led to destruction and suffering, the average life expectancy can be greatly increased.

Zhao Hanzhang looked at the soldier’s thin, dark face earnestly and said, "You definitely can."

She turned her head to look at the other soldiers and asked, "What about you?"

They also expressed similar wishes.

Nobody wanted to go to war, except for generals eager to achieve merit.

The soldiers’ smallest wish was to farm and cultivate land without going to war; their moderate wish was to receive military pay and provisions in time, to eat their fill, and not to go hungry; their greatest wish was to retire, return home, marry, and have two children.

Over the past two years, Zhao Hanzhang had gradually been discharging veterans; thirty-five was a turning point.

The minimum age for retirement was thirty-five, so a group of seventeen or eighteen-year-old soldiers were already looking forward to the arrival of thirty-five in seventeen or eighteen years, hoping it would come soon.

Zhao Hanzhang walked around with Assistant General Chen, asking several soldiers by the bonfire. Once she had collected enough opinions, she led Assistant General Chen back.

Assistant General Chen remained silent, still somewhat unconvinced. What soldier likes going to war?

This matter should not be asked of the soldiers, but rather the generals and court officials.

Should soldiers be asked if they are willing to fight every time troops are dispatched?

Naturally, soldiers execute orders as commanded by generals.

Zhao Hanzhang glanced at his face and said, "Great generals of the past cared for their soldiers as if they were their own children. If you want to achieve something on the battlefield, you have to learn to think like the soldiers do."

"Some wars are unavoidable, while others are not. If you want the soldiers to risk their lives in battle, you need to tell them the reasons for fighting. Is it for the nation, for the people, for the ruler, or just for your military achievements?" Zhao Hanzhang looked into his eyes and said, "You have to tell them why it is necessary to fight."

Assistant General Chen’s expression changed as he pondered silently.

Zhao Hanzhang retracted her gaze, "First, focus on repairing the river. If you can lead them to repair the Yellow River well, it counts as an achievement. If you still wish to go to the battlefield then, I will fulfill your wish."

Her eyes looked into the distance, gazing towards the northwest stars, and she softly said, "Isn’t it true that our territory has not yet been fully reclaimed?"

Upon hearing this, Assistant General Chen’s blood surged with passion. He was about to respond loudly with a "Yes," but suddenly realized something and lowered his voice, saying, "Yes!"

Zhao Hanzhang returned to the bonfire where Fu Tinghan handed her a roasted lamb leg, "Try it."

Zhao Hanzhang ate a bit and then shared it with everyone, standing up and saying, "It’s getting late, we should go rest first."

She had been busy for an entire day and night, only managing to sleep for two hours. Given her youth, she was able to endure, but she needed to travel back overnight the next day.

Returning to the tent with Fu Tinghan, they didn’t immediately rest but took out the drafts in their chest to review.

Zhao Hanzhang yawned, "I’m too tired today, let’s sleep first. Tomorrow, after I leave, you can do the calculations and send me a telegram when you’re done."

Fu Tinghan agreed with a sound but didn’t move, "You sleep first, I’ll take a look for a while longer."

This "while" extended until the rooster crowed.

The chickens in the army camp’s kitchen crowed.

Zhao Hanzhang awoke slightly and, before opening her eyes, heard a rustling sound.

Muddled, she thought it sounded like a pen on paper.

She suddenly opened her eyes, rolled over to look, and saw that Fu Tinghan was still writing and drawing under the lamp.

Zhao Hanzhang sighed, just about to get up, when Fu Tinghan suddenly stiffened for a moment, then put down the pen and silently stared at the draft paper.

Zhao Hanzhang grabbed her clothes, got up and walked over. Only then did Fu Tinghan hear the sound and turn his head to look.

Seeing his expression, Zhao Hanzhang understood, "Did you figure it out?"

"Yes," Fu Tinghan handed her the draft paper, "If Guo Pu’s observational data is correct, then it’s February 1st."

Zhao Hanzhang looked at the draft and asked, "No mistakes?"

Fu Tinghan shook his head, "No."

He emphasized, "The premise is that the observed data is accurate."

Zhao Hanzhang reviewed everything, then blew the draft paper dry, carefully sealed it in an envelope, and said, "Since you’ve derived the formula, I’ll hand it over to Guo Pu and have him continue observing, then calculate it again."

But she trusted him, so she couldn’t help but heave a long sigh of relief at the moment, feeling much more relaxed, "This is good news."

Natural disasters will occur eventually, but if they come at a better time, that is good news indeed.

The heavens indeed did not abandon her, nor did they make things more difficult for her.

Zhao Hanzhang pulled him up, "The sky is about to brighten, take a chance to sleep a bit."

Fu Tinghan nodded and agreed, falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Yet Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t fall asleep, so after lying down for a while, she simply got up and sat in the spot Fu Tinghan had just occupied, picking up a pen to write a disaster relief plan.

Actually, once she realized that there would be heavy rain this spring, she had started preparing, but now with the added event of a solar eclipse, the preparations were not enough, and several additional measures had to be added.

Zhao Hanzhang wrote until daylight; she sealed what she had written in the envelope, then twisted her neck, changed her clothes, and went out to practice drills with her sword.

When Fu Chang and his sons came out, Zhao Hanzhang was already practicing her second round, her every move smoothly and fluidly like a dragon dancing.

Seeing them, Zhao Hanzhang gradually wound down her practice, glanced at the energetic Fu Chang, then at the respectfully standing Fu Yong, and finally at Fu Hong, who a moment ago was still drowsy, now looking at her with wide-eyed admiration. She couldn’t help but ask with a smile, "Did Second Uncle and my two younger brothers sleep well last night?"

Fu Chang stroked his beard and smiled, "Good!"

Simultaneously, Fu Hong said, "Not good!"

Zhao Hanzhang looked at Fu Hong and smiled, "I can see that Third Brother is tired. Why don’t you return to camp first? I’ll be leaving this afternoon, you really don’t have to follow me around."

Fu Chang patted Fu Hong on the head, "Tired for what? He never runs out of energy, General. If you have need of him, just put him to work. Otherwise, let him follow along and see. Even if he learns a fraction of what you and his brother know, he’ll be fine for life."

Seeing that he was insistent, Zhao Hanzhang did not bring up the idea of having them return to camp first.