Being able to receive protection from the Zhao Family Army meant this journey wouldn’t be troubled by bandits or robbers, so everyone generously contributed money to the Zhao Family Army, also intending to establish some connection with them.
However, Zhao Song didn’t accept everything. He kept his own accounting. Apart from the provisions the Zhao Family Army would consume on the road, he only calculated two additional months of military pay for each soldier, then divided this amount among each household.
He handed all the money to Qiu Wu, who was escorting Wang Shi to Luoyang, saying, “Apart from provisions, distribute the remaining money among the soldiers. They’ll have worked hard on this journey.”
Qiu Wu hesitated for a moment. Thinking that the army was having hard times too and the soldiers also had families to support, he accepted it.
Qiu Wu was taking the weapons workshop craftsmen to Luoyang. From now on, the Xiping weapons workshop would just be a branch. The main workshop naturally had to follow Zhao Hanzhang, and most importantly, follow Fu Tinghan.
He had returned to Xiping specifically to bring people, documents, and materials.
These people, documents, and materials were all protected in the front section of the procession along with Wang Shi and Zhao Song. The group took ten days to travel from Xiping to Luoyang—the pace could be said to be very slow.
Too many people had come, and the procession hadn’t even entered Luoyang City before it alarmed Zhao Erlang, who served as Luoyang County Magistrate.
At that moment, he was in the fields adjudicating a case—whether the Zhang family had plowed one extra row into the Li family’s land, or whether the Li family had moved stones one step further into the Zhang family’s territory.
He was listening to the two families argue with great interest when he heard that a large group of people was approaching Luoyang City, and they moved in an organized manner as if under command. He immediately took off running, leaped onto his horse shouting with delight, “Let’s go to the city gates!”
During this period, he had been busy excavating usable property from the ruins, mediating conflicts, selling land and registering households, settling refugees—he had dealt with all sorts of trivial matters that seemed like chicken feathers and garlic skins to him.
Finally, something major had happened that required his attention.
Zhao Erlang led his people excitedly out of the city, only to see that Zeng Yue and Ting He were actually at the city gate. He couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Is someone attacking Luoyang? Did Elder Sister send you to command troops?”
“You only brought this few people? Do you need me to send reinforcements?”
Zeng Yue hurried to say, “Erlang, it’s not a battle. Madam has arrived.”
He didn’t dare delay even a moment, afraid that with Zhao Erlang’s way of thinking, he would firmly believe it was a battle and go back to muster troops.
Zhao Erlang’s eyes instantly lit up, somewhat excited. “Mother has come!”
He kicked his horse’s belly, wanting to go meet her, but after the horse had run only a dozen steps, he reined it in sharply, looking conflicted at the same time.
Ting He couldn’t help exchanging a glance with Zeng Yue, her heart lifting. “What’s wrong, Young Master?”
Zhao Erlang said with difficulty, “I both miss Mother and don’t want to see her. What should I do?”
Ting He breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at him. “Young Master needn’t worry. You’re now both a general and a county magistrate, very busy. The time you spend at home each day is very short.”
Zhao Erlang calculated and found this was true. Times were different now. He was very busy these days. Even if Mother wanted to grab him and lecture him, she wouldn’t be able to.
Once he thought this through, he immediately trotted his horse forward happily to greet them. After getting closer, Zhao Erlang discovered that this procession was ridiculously long—he actually couldn’t see the end of it at a glance.
He froze in place, and the excitement in his eyes disappeared.
This endless convoy of vehicles and people automatically converted in Zhao Erlang’s eyes into individual problems. Finally, these problems piled together and crashed down onto his shoulders with a thud.
So many people suddenly flooding into Luoyang City…
Zhao Erlang silently turned his head to Lü Hu and said, “Ride quickly back to find Zhao Zheng and inform him of this matter so he can make early arrangements.”
He also said, “You personally lead the patrol. Starting tonight, increase the night watch to prevent theft.”
Lü Hu accepted the order and left.
In the distance, Wang Shi saw her son and was also very excited. She hadn’t seen him in a long time.
She supported herself on Qinggu’s hand as she got down from the carriage and took a few quick steps, about to rush forward and embrace him. Suddenly someone got down from a carriage beside her. Wang Shi’s steps halted, and she immediately dared not move. She could only look him up and down with tear-filled eyes. “Good, good. You’ve grown taller and stronger. Your elder sister has indeed raised you very well.”
She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and searched around with her gaze, asking, “Where is your elder sister?”
Ting He immediately stepped forward. “Reporting to Madam, there is urgent business in court, so the Young Lady couldn’t get away for the moment. She specially ordered this servant and General Zeng to come welcome Madam together.”
Zeng Yue stepped forward to salute Wang Shi, then turned to face the person who had gotten down from another carriage, bowing and saying, “Great Fifth Master.”
Zhao Song nodded with a stern face and said, “State affairs are important. We’ll arrange things ourselves. Let’s enter the city first.”
“Yes.”
Upon reaching this point, the Zhao Family Army’s mission was complete. Except for the personal guards who protected Wang Shi closely, the rest were led directly to the military camp to be stationed.
They would stay in the capital for two days, replenish provisions, food, and water, then return to Yuzhou.
Zhao Erlang saw Fifth Great-Uncle and became even quieter. He accompanied them walking back for a stretch, and as soon as they entered the city gate, he said, “Mother, Fifth Great-Uncle, so many people suddenly entering the city—food and lodging are both problems, so I’ll handle things here first. You two should go home first.”
Zhao Song frowned. “This is the business of the Luoyang County Office. What does it have to do with you? Although you’re Sanniang’s younger brother, you can’t overstep your authority.”
Zhao Erlang puffed out his chest and said, “Because I am the Luoyang County Magistrate.”
Zhao Song was stunned for a good while before nodding. “Good. Then you do your job well. We’ll go on ahead.”
Wang Shi looked at Zhao Erlang with a face full of gratification, feeling he had become increasingly capable.
However, Zhao Song furrowed his brow tightly. After lowering the carriage curtain, his brow was furrowed so tightly it could crush a mosquito.
Zhao Erlang had already returned to the city gate. Seeing so many people queuing to enter the city, he immediately sent someone back to the military camp to call for reinforcements and add more personnel.
First, to take over the work the Zhao Family Army was currently doing, maintaining order to reassure the people.
Second, to speed up the inspection process and let people into the city.
Zhao Zheng quickly arrived. After learning of Zhao Erlang’s arrangements, he nodded, then reminded him, “County Magistrate, there aren’t many people in the military skilled at calculation. With so many people, just adding manpower isn’t enough. We also need to open more channels to divert the flow.”
Zhao Zheng’s suggestion was to set up inspection channels right outside the city gate. At the gate itself, all door leaves would be opened. Except for leaving one small gate for exiting the city, all the rest would be used for entry.
Those who had passed inspection could enter directly through the city gates without having to crowd at the gate area.
“If they were just travelers passing through with some money on them, the inspection would be quick. But looking at how the convoy stretches on, I’m afraid there are quite a few goods too. All these need to be tallied and city entry taxes collected. The gate officials and county office accountants won’t be enough. Let me send people to the Imperial Academy to call for some help.”
Zhao Erlang agreed. “That’s good. It would be best to invite Uncle Cheng as well.”
He felt that with Uncle Cheng overseeing things, it would be about right.
Zhao Zheng smiled. These were tasks they had done many times before and already had procedures for. They didn’t need his father at all.
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