Zhao Ming had always worried that Zhao Hanzhang and Zhao Zhongyu would clash, which would consume the Zhao clan internally. So he had been uneasy, not only hiding Zhao Hanzhang’s movements from Zhao Zhongyu, but also keeping some clan matters from Zhao Hanzhang.
Once Zhao Hanzhang issued her recruitment notice, Zhao Ming knew they couldn’t hide it from Zhao Zhongyu anymore.
He had been waiting, waiting for Zhao Zhongyu’s reaction.
He never expected that Zhao Zhongyu’s response wouldn’t go to the clan but directly to Zhao Hanzhang.
After reading the letter, Zhao Ming frowned in thought. “Has the situation become this critical?”
The clan leader was even considering southern migration.
This concerned the clan, so Zhao Ming had to seek out Zhao Hanzhang. “What do you think?”
Zhao Hanzhang knew history. If Luoyang fell, the aristocratic families from the north would indeed migrate south to seek refuge and survival.
But the price to pay would be steep. Even aristocratic families would suffer such losses, let alone common people.
After the Rebellion of the Eight Princes came the Uprising of the Five Barbarians. The Han people north of the Yangtze River were nearly wiped out. The common people of the Xiongnu, Jie, Xianbei, Qiang, and Di tribes also suffered heavy casualties. Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze grew profound as she clenched her fists. “Taking refuge south of the Yangtze is not the best strategy.”
Zhao Ming nodded as well. “Migration, especially for our clan of over a thousand people, plus servants, tenant farmers, and retainers—nearly ten thousand people in total—such a large migration would be extremely difficult and dangerous.”
“Moreover, it’s hard to leave one’s homeland,” Zhao Ming sighed. “Not everyone is willing to leave their native place.”
Then branches would have to split from the main clan. Those who remained would be weak and would find it even harder to survive.
Zhao Ming’s gaze settled on Zhao Hanzhang as he said solemnly, “Therefore, Hanzhang, you must hold Runan. Preserving Runan means preserving the Zhao clan.”
Fire blazed in Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes as she revealed her ambition openly before Zhao Ming for the first time. “Runan’s strength is still too small. If we could occupy the power of an entire province, even if the Xiongnu army moved south, we would have room to maneuver.”
Zhao Ming knew what she said was right, but the suspicions he’d harbored all along still unconsciously surfaced in his heart. However, this time he didn’t voice his warning but instead said, “You must proceed gradually.”
The corners of Zhao Hanzhang’s mouth lifted as she agreed.
She knew it—as long as it was for the Zhao clan, Zhao Ming would yield.
Having gained Zhao Ming’s support, Zhao Hanzhang began to act with complete freedom. Not only did she set up a Recruitment Hall beside the county office to specifically interview those who came to pledge allegiance, she also established recruitment points on the official roads leading in and out of Xiping County.
Watching this, Ji Yuan found Zhao Ming and together with people they knew, they began purchasing grain in large quantities.
Previously, Zhao Ming had never participated in such matters, but this time he didn’t refuse. Not only did he make the decision to have many clan members sell grain to Zhao Hanzhang at low prices, he also actively contacted grain merchants and wealthy families he knew, purchasing quite a bit of grain for Zhao Hanzhang.
Of course, they couldn’t say they needed grain to raise troops. Instead, they found an excuse.
The excuse was ready-made—they said it was to gather the military grain and grain taxes owed to Prefect He.
Prefect He, who had already sent troops against the Xiongnu and was already caught up in fierce battle, had no idea that people in the rear were using his name to engage in subversive activities.
The Prince of Donghai commanded his great army in desperate resistance. Gou Xi attacked the Xiongnu from the rear, and with Prefect He and other allied forces coordinating, the Xiongnu army, which had already reached Luoyang’s city walls and seemed about to break through, had no choice but to retreat…
From the current perspective, the situation looked entirely favorable.
It was just that everyone felt uneasy, because the Xiongnu were also reinforcing their troops and were extremely fierce, with an attitude of being willing to tear off a piece of their flesh even if they had to retreat.
Sure enough, after withdrawing from Luoyang, they turned and fiercely attacked Yuzhou.
At this time, Zhao Hanzhang still knew nothing of this. Today was the fifteenth, the day of the Recruitment Hall’s first talent examination.
Because examination papers could only be used once and there weren’t many examinees, Zhao Hanzhang decided to transcribe the questions on the spot.
Fu Tinghan had only given her the drafted questions last night. After reviewing them and finding no problems, she finalized them. She and Ji Yuan had also each produced two questions.
Runan Jun’s first talent recruitment examination was just this simple and rudimentary.
When the time came, Zhao Hanzhang entered the Recruitment Hall holding the questions.
The examinees were already waiting.
Thirty-six people had applied for this examination, including eight students from her academy. Apart from two youths who had only been learning characters for a year and a half, the other six were squad leaders and team leaders from the army. They had come to take the exam because Zhao Hanzhang said that anyone from the army who studied at the academy, as long as they could answer three questions, would not only have a merit recorded by Zhao Hanzhang, but would also be allowed to stop attending the academy.
The six immediately signed up for the examination.
As for the others, they were talented individuals… and beautiful people who had traveled from various places to take the exam.
That’s right—among those taking the exam this time were also two young women. Although there were only two, Zhao Hanzhang was very pleased and gave them extra attention.
One of them was even her acquaintance and relative—Zhao Yunxin of the Zhao clan.
The other was also someone she had recruited—her cousin Sun Linghui. The two young ladies sat in the very front. Seeing Zhao Hanzhang emerge, they rose along with all the examinees and respectfully saluted her.
Zhao Hanzhang nodded and raised her hand. “You may dispense with courtesy. Before coming, you should all have read the notice outside the county office and understand the examination rules, correct?”
Everyone responded affirmatively.
“Although you understand them, I must repeat them once more. My examination hall has very simple rules: first, no cheating; second, no disturbing other examinees while they answer; third, submit papers on time.” Zhao Hanzhang smiled as she looked at them and asked, “Can everyone do this?”
Everyone responded in unison that they could.
Only then did Zhao Hanzhang nod with satisfaction. She then took out the examination paper. “Now I will present the questions. This morning there are only two questions.”
“First is a policy discussion on ‘When in office, fulfill your duties.’ Second, based on your observations, write an official report and attach suggestions for solutions.”
The vast majority showed pained expressions. Such difficult questions—why start with something so hard?
Zhao Hanzhang hung up the examination paper where they could see it with just a glance, then sat in a chair, propping up her chin to watch them scratch their heads in frustration.
When she was a teacher before, because she taught piano, examinations meant listening to students play. She never had the opportunity to “watch” them take tests. Later, because of fighting—oh no, because she was involved in allegedly assaulting a colleague—she was transferred to the library, giving her even less opportunity to proctor exams.
Now being able to personally proctor an exam felt quite nice.
Zhao Hanzhang swept her bright gaze over each person. No one dared make any moves under her watchful eyes.
This was actually the prototype of the imperial examination system. She wanted to make examination-based talent selection the norm, but there was still much to do. Most importantly, the current system wasn’t perfect.
But she didn’t need it to be that complex right now. At present, she’d be pleased just to have people come pledge their allegiance to her.
Zhao Hanzhang didn’t ask about family background. She was even willing to lower the bar on talent a bit—as long as they had the ability to enter the county office as a clerk, that was fine.
She was truly short on people everywhere now, especially in the military.
Thinking of this, she lightly glanced at those six rough soldiers from the army and let out a soft snort. Truly blessed yet unaware of their fortune—if they could study well, they’d be able to read military treatises in the future.