After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 791 - 781: Being an Unkind Official

Zhao Hanzhang was filled with emotions, but she held back her anger and looked at Zheng Xiao, "And what about you?" 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Zheng Xiao’s tears fell before he even spoke, and after kowtowing, he said, "I am from Gaowan County, Luo’an County. Our family has lived in Gaowan for generations. Due to rampant bandits, our family joined forces with two nearby villages to build the Zheng Family Village Wu Castle many years ago. For over a decade, there has been constant fighting between the county and the state. Whenever there are refugees, we offer assistance and shelter to the townsfolk in the castle to avoid disaster."

"Therefore, we have always maintained a harmonious relationship with the County Magistrate and never had any conflicts," Zheng Xiao continued, "A year ago, Little General Gou was appointed as Qingzhou Governor, though he did not take office. He sent someone to purchase beauties to offer to the Great General."

"I have one daughter, just sixteen, and quite beautiful. Somehow, someone informed the officials tasked with purchasing beauties who wanted to buy her," Zheng Xiao said, "I have four sons and only this one daughter, who grew up as the apple of my eye. Naturally, I was unwilling, so I refused."

"Afraid they would forcefully recruit her later, I went to the County Magistrate immediately after they left, and arranged a marriage between my daughter and the magistrate’s son, Zhou Tong, planning to complete it soon," Zheng Xiao said, tears falling, "Who knew that just before their wedding, the Inspector arrived and began to recklessly acquire beauties within Qingzhou."

"I was truly frightened and discussed with the County Magistrate to advance the wedding date and complete the marriage early. But on the wedding day, the Inspector sent soldiers to surround the Zheng Family Village Wu Castle, accusing us of being bandits, and arrested the magistrate for collusion with bandits. With no other choice, my daughter had to shed her wedding gown and sold herself to the Inspector."

"My daughter was sent to Yun City to serve the Great General, and our marriage with the magistrate’s family was annulled. We thought we could rest easy, but after the Inspector visited once, he somehow became convinced our castle had treasures, intermittently sending soldiers over."

"They didn’t do much, just barged into villagers’ homes as guests, eating and drinking, also occasionally ruining the crops with their horses," Zheng Xiao said, "We could only pay for safety; every time they came, we’d send money once."

"This endless life, even a mountain of gold and silver in our Zheng Family Wu Castle wouldn’t endure such exactions. Helplessly, I dispatched two sons and Zhou Tong to Yun City to file a complaint. Though the memorial was submitted, Your Majesty personally commanded the Great General to restrain the Inspector from disturbing the people, and the Great General agreed. However, before my two sons and Zhou Tong returned home, they encountered mountain bandits on the official road in Gaowan and were all killed, including their five escorts and three government officials."

Zheng Xiao prostrated himself and cried, "The Inspector personally blamed the County Magistrate for poor management of Gaowan, stripping him of his position. My Lord, although Gaowan can’t exactly be called stable, our Zheng family still has some prestige and can speak with some authority in the county. Even if there are bandits, they wouldn’t dare kill my sons, especially since the Magistrate’s son was with them."

"After that, news from Yun City came that my daughter made a mistake at the General Mansion and was punished to work as a servant girl, only washing clothes at the Laundry Bureau," he said, "When the Inspector recruited grain in Luo’an County to resist Youzhou a official troops, the Zheng Family Village Wu Castle was conscripted as a military camp, and our family was forced to follow the Inspector to Yun City."

Actually, he hadn’t revealed everything. When the Youzhou official troops attacked, he planned to stab Gou Chun from behind with the Zheng Family Village Wu Castle. Back then, he and County Magistrate Zhou secretly sent a letter to Wang Jun’s subordinate and even provided them with some grain.

The two sides even agreed to collaborate from inside and out during the attack on Gaowan. Who knew peace talks would occur before Wang Jun’s assault, partitioning zones for governance.

With no outside help, raising troops again would be sending them to death. He had no choice but to bring his whole clan, old and young, to Yun City.

"Today, I came hoping for the Great General’s mercy, to allow me to meet my daughter..." and then find a way to support her. If she could be favored again, life would be better for the whole family. If not, at least meet her, and perhaps redeem her.

Zhao Hanzhang asked, "Then what do you seek from me?"

Zheng Xiao gritted his teeth and kowtowed, saying, "I... I also wish to move my whole clan to Yu State. Although my family doesn’t have trade routes like the Tan Family, nor teams of horses, we have some savings, and most clan members are literate. We are willing to become the Inspector’s household servants, subject to his life-or-death decisions."

Zhao Hanzhang asked, "What about your daughter?"

Zheng Xiao choked up, "I can no longer save her. If she resents me, I’ll beg her forgiveness when I reach Hell."

He couldn’t disregard the life and death of his entire clan just for his daughter.

Zhao Hanzhang clenched her fist and nodded, "You should leave now; I’ll send someone to find you later."

Zheng Xiao and Tan Shen were overjoyed at her words, realizing Zhao Hanzhang accepted them.

The two of them repeatedly kowtowed before they bowed out, withdrawing with care.

After they left, Zhao Hanzhang slammed her hand onto the low table in anger, causing the cups and pots to roll off. Thankfully, the mat cushioned them, and nothing broke.

Ming Yu bent to pick them up, "My lord was already impoverished, how can you not cherish these things?"

He said, "You are both an Inspector and a General, it’s more imperative for you to control your emotions. Getting angry only harms yourself, not Gou Chun, it’s not worth it."

Zhao Hanzhang’s expression was grim, "How did the world come to this? All high-ranking officials are responsible."

Zhao Hanzhang merely expressed her anger in one sentence and suppressed it, starting to ponder how to take people out, "We can’t leave together. Taking advantage of the upcoming Heaven Worship Ceremony when no one is paying attention to them, we should let them quietly leave now. As long as they get out of Yan State, neither Gou Xi nor Gou Chun will have any means."

Ming Yu also nodded, "Gou Daojiang doesn’t even handle court matters now, let alone these small affairs. Gou Chun is always haughty and won’t notice these, so as long as we settle the matters below and prevent anyone from informing, they can leave."

Then how do you prevent anyone from informing?

Zhao Hanzhang looked at Ming Yu.

Ming Yu nodded slightly, "I know a few people. Though they each serve different masters now, I still have some influence, but I’ll need money."

Zhao Hanzhang immediately said, "I’ll find a way to get the money."

Zhao Hanzhang’s method was to seek Zhao Zhongyu.

Zhao Zhongyu didn’t even ask what she needed it for, and instructed Zhao Dian to get her the money.

However, Zhao Zhongyu brought very few riches when he came to Yun City initially. The income in the past two years not only needed to support himself and his son but also the advisors, guards, and servants under him. After calculating, there actually wasn’t much money in the accounts.

When had Zhao Zhongyu ever worried about money before?

He was born into wealth, and as he grew slightly older, his brother already showed a knack for earning money. Though his brother was stingy, he never skimmed on family in terms of food and clothing. He also prized social face outside - whenever he needed money for legitimate purposes, Zhao Changyu would provide it.

The family was supported by his brother, so he could save what he himself earned for personal use, thus Zhao Zhongyu never worried about money before.

Now Zhao Dian told him there wasn’t that much money in the accounts; Zhao Zhongyu was stunned, "How can I have no money? Where did all of it go?"