Zhao Hanzhang smiled. “But I’m also the Inspector of Sizhou. The inspector position is lower than those, but it doesn’t interfere. This is what’s called a concurrent position.”
Zhao Erlang understood. “So I’m both a general and a county magistrate.”
Zhao Hanzhang nodded and told him, “I’m making you this county magistrate to teach you how to govern a region and manage the people, so you must handle county affairs personally. You can’t be like in the military, leaving everything to Xie Shi.”
Hearing he’d have to be independent, Zhao Erlang immediately panicked. “Can, can I do it?”
“I’m having Zhao Zheng serve as your County Clerk. Once you’ve learned how to govern a region, I’ll send you elsewhere to gain experience,” Zhao Hanzhang looked at him encouragingly. “Our Erlang can charge into battle and has learned to use military strategy, so naturally you can learn to govern a region too. You have a kind heart and can discipline yourself—you’re better than the vast majority of people in this world, so don’t belittle yourself.”
Hearing that Zhao Zheng would be there, Zhao Erlang relaxed a bit. “Then if I don’t understand something, can I ask Cousin Zheng for advice?”
Zhao Hanzhang nodded with a pleased smile. “Of course you can. Although you’re the superior, as an official, you should listen to your subordinates’ suggestions. Remember, what rulers and common people fear most is officials who are stubborn and won’t listen to advice. They also fear officials with weak principles who listen to everything and are indecisive. So after becoming County Magistrate of Luoyang, you need to learn how to hear effective advice, how to choose the most suitable suggestions, and finally how to implement them.”
As Zhao Erlang listened, his eyes became distant, as if his spirit had already wandered to the heavens.
Seeing his sister had stopped talking, he immediately pulled out a small notebook and a small brush from his chest. “Sister, say that again. I’ll write it down.”
Zhao Hanzhang looked at his little notebook. “You can’t write. How will you record it?”
She took his little notebook and flipped through it, discovering many various symbols inside—small circles, triangles, and stick figures of various shapes.
She was somewhat bewildered, randomly pointing and asking, “What does this mean?”
Zhao Erlang glanced at it and said, “This is what Teacher Xie said—that I should take the lead in following military discipline. If I don’t follow military regulations, then all the officers and soldiers will question Sister, and then Sister won’t be able to manage the army well.”
Zhao Hanzhang struggled to connect the various stick figures with these words, so with great learning spirit she asked, “Which character does this correspond to?”
Zhao Erlang looked and said, “This is Gou Chun.”
Zhao Hanzhang looked completely bewildered again. “Gou Chun?” Wasn’t this about following military discipline? What did it have to do with Gou Chun?
“Yes,” Zhao Erlang pointed to the ugliest stick figure he’d drawn. “He’s holding a bow and arrow, so it’s Gou Chun. Didn’t Sister say before that the first reason Gou Xi ultimately suffered great defeat was because he completely lost people’s hearts? And the first turning point in losing people’s hearts was indulging Gou Chun. Gou Chun didn’t follow military discipline, and he didn’t punish him. Later, he simply violated military discipline himself, embezzling military pay and provisions to live luxuriously.”
“So when Teacher Xie said that, I immediately thought of the brothers. To avoid forgetting, I recorded them.”
Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help but exclaim, “Other people’s writing records one passage per line, but you record two passages, two stories in one line of drawings.”
And yet Zhao Hu dared mock Erlang as stupid. Hmph, the stupid one was clearly him!
Zhao Hanzhang lavished praise on him. “Erlang is truly amazing.”
Zhao Erlang grinned, looking extremely proud.
Xie Shi climbed over broken walls and stepped across stones and tiles to get here. Looking up, he met Zhao Erlang’s face laughing so carelessly that he exhaled and raised his hand, calling loudly, “Xie Shi pays respects to the General!”
The siblings, who had been enjoying a warm moment, both looked down to see Xie Shi’s eyes faintly burning with fire. They simultaneously restrained their smiles and became solemn.
Zhao Erlang looked at Zhao Hanzhang with pleading eyes.
Zhao Hanzhang could only lean forward slightly, shielding Zhao Erlang behind her. “Zichen, what brings you here? Come up and sit.”
Xie Shi silently looked at the half-collapsed roof with an open skylight.
Zhao Hanzhang coughed awkwardly. “Let’s go down, let’s go down.”
Saying this, she pulled Zhao Erlang, and the two braced themselves and leaped down.
The siblings both landed steadily before Xie Shi, smiling at him.
Xie Shi took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and asked Zhao Hanzhang, “The General summoned the General to bring troops into the capital just… just to move these stones?”
“No,” she couldn’t admit that even if it were true—couldn’t he see Xie Shi’s eyes were about to shoot flames? Zhao Hanzhang’s mind raced, immediately finding a good excuse—no, good reason. “I’m having him serve as County Magistrate of Luoyang. You know that now so many people have relocated back to Luoyang, including many powerful aristocratic families. To prevent disorder, I had him bring more personal guards.”
Xie Shi was stunned. “You’re making the General the County Magistrate of Luoyang?”
“Yes. Is there anyone more suitable than Erlang for the county magistrate position?”
Xie Shi lowered his eyes in thought. After a long while, he said, “With Minister Fu absent, Erlang is indeed most suitable.”
The court had relocated back to Luoyang, and over the next two or three years, many people would certainly return to Luoyang, including those of noble birth.
When there are many people, disputes easily arise. When disputes arise, conflicts easily follow. The County Magistrate of Luoyang must be someone impartial who can handle various conflicts and disputes according to law. Only then can the court quickly establish prestige and maintain long-term stability.
Zhao Erlang wasn’t impartial, but he was single-minded. As long as he could discipline himself, he could confidently discipline others.
Moreover, with his status, no matter who it was, no one could pull him down or defeat him.
Oh, provided Zhao Hanzhang didn’t fall.
Xie Shi suddenly felt that Zhao Erlang really was the most suitable person for County Magistrate of Luoyang.
He looked at Zhao Hanzhang with admiration and conviction, respectfully bowing. “The General is wise!”
Zhao Hanzhang’s lips curved upward, and she told him, “I’m having Zhao Zheng serve as his County Clerk. I won’t trouble you to follow him to the county office as a minor official, so please take on more of the military affairs. As for county matters, please occasionally give him guidance.”
Xie Shi understood—she was making him Zhao Erlang’s advisor, and a hands-off one at that. She was training Zhao Erlang’s administrative abilities.
Xie Shi didn’t feel slighted at all, only excited. This showed that Zhao Hanzhang would rely more heavily on Zhao Erlang in the future—she was cultivating him into a capable minister.
He had long been bound together with Zhao Erlang. Wang Ni still had the possibility of breaking free—after all, he was now the Governor of Nanyang Jun and hadn’t followed Zhao Erlang for a long time. But he had always followed at Zhao Erlang’s side. Both parties had long been labeled with each other’s marks, probably unable to tear them off for this entire lifetime.
So the more capable Zhao Erlang became, the further Xie Shi’s prospects could reach.
He solemnly agreed, expressing that he would definitely do well as an advisor. He temporarily forgot to question the bizarre behavior of having personal guards scavenge stones and wood.