After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 789 - 779: Teaching You How to Increase Income and Reduce Expenditure

Gou Xi sneered as he believed she was tacitly agreeing, and said, "Governor Zhao is indeed generous. Everyone knows that the Zhao Family Army’s weapons are the finest among all armies. I’ve asked you multiple times to purchase weapons, but you never agreed. Zu Ti was able to buy them as soon as he tried. Is he the first outsider to purchase weapons from you?"

You’re mistaken; Zu Ti is not an outsider. How could she sell the weapons that Fu Tinghan and numerous craftsmen researched together to outsiders?

Actually, it’s not impossible, but this outsider certainly cannot be Gou Xi.

Now, even young children in Yu State and Yan State know that she and Gou Xi will eventually battle. Selling weapons to him would be akin to self-destruction in the future.

Why would she be so shortsighted?

Her thoughts whirled, and Zhao Hanzhang smiled at Gou Xi, saying, "That’s because he offered enough money, and he bought only a few, so I sold them."

"Great General also knows that the Zhao Family Army’s weapons are incredibly sharp. The iron ores used must be top-quality and require refining to produce, which is costly. Even within the Zhao Family Army, not many can afford the weapons produced by our artillery workshop, so the price offered by the Great General earlier was not sufficient."

Zhao Hanzhang decided to quote a very high price shortly, directly compelling him to retreat.

She had already planned the price in her mind, but Gou Xi didn’t ask at all, leaving her preparations in vain.

Although they discussed many other important matters afterward, probing each other, her mind was endlessly preoccupied with the price issue.

Until she bid farewell after leaving the General’s Mansion, Gou Xi never again mentioned the weapon trade, making Zhao Hanzhang even more unsettled.

Back at the Zhao Mansion, she couldn’t help but grumble to Ming Yu, "Why hasn’t he brought it up again?" 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Ming Yu poured her a cup of tea to sober up her intoxication, saying, "Isn’t it good that he hasn’t mentioned it? The Governor never intended to sell him weapons."

"I only said the price was a little high. Does the Great General seem like someone who would retreat when faced with difficulties? He hasn’t brought it up now, but he’ll surely send someone later to mention it," Zhao Hanzhang sighed and said, "I wanted today’s affairs resolved today, to make him give up his ideas in person. Unresolved today, my mind remains uneasy."

Ming Yu laughed and said, "Why has the Governor become so impatient? Rest assured, even if Gou Daojiang wishes to buy Zhao Family Army weapons, he won’t be able to mention it for a while. Once you leave Yun City, if they bring it up again, it’ll be with Mr. Ji, so you needn’t worry about it."

Zhao Hanzhang said, "The Great General carries great weight. I thought purchasing weapons would be as simple as a word from him, with the rest handled by his subordinates."

Ming Yu shook his head and said, "Previously, that would indeed be the case because he had the money. Buying anything was a mere matter of giving an order, with the rest naturally handled by his aides and strategists. But he now has no money."

Ming Yu said, "I saw several friends yesterday, and his expenses have been quite large over the past six months. The palace has already begun limiting his expenses. The money he can take from the palace is minimal. His previous savings have been depleted, and there’s even evidence of misappropriating soldiers’ military salaries and rations. At this moment, where would money come from to buy weapons from you?"

"When they consider where to source money and how to allocate the purchased weapons, with resistance from Mr. Ji’s side, his attempt to accomplish this will be challenging."

Zhao Hanzhang lamented, "It’s truly a case of one cent defeating a hero. How heroic the Great General used to be, yet now he’s constrained by money."

Is this the real issue?

Ming Yu intended to caution her with Gou Xi’s example, but before he could speak, she said, "Therefore, Mr. Ming, we must earn and save more money! Only with sufficient savings will we not be so hesitant when we need to accomplish things in the future."

Ming Yu swallowed back his words, nodding, "The Governor is correct, but developing new revenue streams isn’t my forte. This can be entrusted to Mr. Ji, though I have some ideas about cost-saving."

Zhao Hanzhang sat upright, leaned in to listen, "Please speak."

"The Governor’s expenses have been somewhat large these days. I checked, and noticed it’s due to hosting banquets. Some ministers in the court need to be connected with and relationships maintained, but hosting a banquet doesn’t mean high cost is good," Ming Yu said, "The Governor is frugal with herself, but overly generous with outsiders."

Zhao Hanzhang humbly asked for advice, "For example, if I were to host Xiahou Jun and Cao Fu, how should I arrange it?"

Ming Yu said, "Simple. The Governor enjoys tea. I remember you received tea sent from the estate in Shangcai."

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "Those are wild teas picked from the mountains. A farmer in Shangcai knows I love tea, so they transplanted some, and every year Uncle Cheng sends someone to roast and deliver them, and Ting He stores them for me."

She felt tasteless drinking plain water. Though wine is pleasant, it can impair judgment, and since wine is made from grain, she’s imposed restrictions for three consecutive years on issuing liquor brewing licenses in Yu State, and specified the annual amount of grain allocated for brewing.

Leading by example, she refrains from drinking whenever possible.

The Zhao Family already produced a drunkard; as its leader, she can’t also become fond of wine.

Coupled with frequent need for staying up late working, tea helps her stay alert, so she drinks tea often.

Thanks to Zhao Hu’s relentless efforts, Yu State now boasts salted tea, plain tea, milk tea, and even matcha.

Zhao Hanzhang can swear she and Fu Tinghan never mentioned any methods other than plain tea; yet somehow, after seeing them brew plain tea, Zhao Hu seemed to have opened his governor and conception vessels, always coming up with new tea consumption methods each time she saw him again.

As he put it, "While wine is indeed tasty, eating wine can only enrich accompanying dishes, but can’t change its form; tea is different, as tea leaves can be dried, roasted, pressed, cooked, brewed, and ground into powder."

"Since salt can be added, why not vinegar, onions, and garlic?"

Zhao Hu ventured into the realm of eighteen tea consumption methods and never returned, while Zhao Hanzhang also enjoyed many benefits. Her estate planted tea leaves on mountain and dry lands unsuitable for crops, profiting by selling to merchants like Zhao Hu while never lacking tea to drink.

Zhao Hanzhang said, "They’re merely regular tea leaves."

"As long as they’re drunk by the Governor, then they aren’t regular tea leaves," Ming Yu said. "You can present a small tin of tea leaves, then have the kitchen prepare some snacks—simple ones, like osmanthus cake."

"As for teaware, Minister Zhao should have several sets of glass tea sets you gifted, correct?" he said. "Select the most ornate set, have someone pick a few wild peach blossoms to arrange in a vase, and you can discuss matters while sipping tea and eating snacks."

"Rest assured, Governor. They’ll leave genuinely impressed with your hospitality, unlike when you spend lavishly hosting banquets at a restaurant, where they may consider it ordinary and even feel slighted."

Zhao Hanzhang widened her eyes, "I provide them with so many delicious offerings..."