The bandits of Mount Hai’er were quite wealthy. Even splitting everything in half, Zhao Erlang received quite a lot of war trophies.

When Xie Shi arrived at the military camp and saw what they had brought back, he couldn’t help saying, “How many aristocratic families and wealthy merchants did they rob?”

These were not things ordinary common people could afford.

“It’s a pity their boss escaped,” Zhao Erlang still obsessed over the three rabbit burrows. “They must have hidden treasure elsewhere.”

Xie Shi thought the same. He said, “Where are the prisoners? Have them draw portraits. Issue wanted posters. Once we catch them, we’ll know where the other treasures are hidden. Besides, even if we can’t catch them, we should frighten them enough that they don’t dare return to cause trouble.”

Zhao Erlang waved his hand and called to those behind him, “Bring up the prisoners!”

No one behind him moved. Lu Hu stepped forward and said quietly, “General, you forgot—we didn’t take any prisoners.”

Zhao Erlang was stunned and asked, “Why didn’t we take any?”

Lu Hu said, “You didn’t say to take any either. The Western Liang Army took them all, and we… we just came back.”

Having divided so many war trophies, when day broke they had happily returned to camp. How could they still think about prisoners?

Xie Shi rubbed his forehead and asked, “How many prisoners were there?”

Lu Hu glanced at Zhao Erlang and said in a small, guilty voice, “About seventy or eighty, I think?”

Xie Shi looked at him coldly. “Was it seventy or eighty?”

Zhao Erlang’s voice also dropped. “We never counted them. It should be seventy-some, eighty-some like that…”

Zhao Erlang’s voice gradually became inaudible.

Xie Shi beckoned to a logistics clerk and said, “Draft a document. Detail two squads to go personally to Luoyang and have the Western Liang Army give us half the prisoners.”

He said to Zhao Erlang, “County Magistrate, prisoners are also property—very important property. To say nothing of distant matters, the beans in the fields will soon be harvested. Even with only forty people, how much more work could they do in a day?”

Xie Shi said earnestly, “This is all money.”

Beigong Chun had already called for an artist to have portraits drawn of Qiao Sheng and several other escaped bandits.

He called Zuo Du and had him distribute the portraits. “Have the soldiers all memorize these. When going out to drill, keep your eyes sharp. This group has been entrenched on Mount Hai’er for two or three years, so they naturally know this area isn’t peaceful. They couldn’t possibly have put all their treasure in the bandit lair. They must have hidden more elsewhere.”

Zuo Du immediately agreed.

“After you’ve all memorized them, give the portraits to County Magistrate Zhao and have him issue wanted posters.”

Zuo Du agreed and was about to withdraw when Beigong Chun stopped him. “Have all the junior commanders come. The soldiers’ families have just arrived in Luoyang. Distribute the war trophies so everyone can feel at ease.”

Zuo Du happily agreed.

Beigong Chun also divided out a portion of the war trophies. After rewarding people according to merit, he took what was divided out and entered the city to find Zhao Hanzhang.

Even Zhao Erlang knew to turn over a portion to Zhao Hanzhang. Beigong Chun naturally knew as well. So Zhao Hanzhang received two portions of war trophies in one day and actually… had money.

Zhao Hanzhang circled around the two boxes, then after a moment smiled and said, “Go summon Fan Ying.”

Ting He immediately went to fetch Fan Ying.

When Fan Ying arrived, Zhao Hanzhang was still holding a brush. She had spent most of today outside and only now had time to handle official documents. She pointed with her brush at the two large boxes in the hall below. “These are war trophies seized from Mount Hai’er. Go record them in the accounts. Select some that are hard to sell and keep them. For the rest, sell everything you can, whether exchanging them for gold and silver, cloth, or grain.”

Fan Ying opened the boxes to look, then said after pondering, “Magistrate, these items are all precious and won’t be easy to sell.”

Zhao Hanzhang finished processing the last official document, set down her brush, stood up and walked down. She sighed, “Who says otherwise? However, we’re about to have the summer harvest. We can take our time. Put them in storage for now. When more merchants from Shu and Gan arrive in Luoyang later, these items will have value.”

“Speaking of which, it’s such a pity. Qingzhou is also a good place. If not for Gou Xi blocking our traffic and commerce, giving these items to merchants from Qingzhou to take back would surely earn us quite a bit of money.”

Fan Ying thought the same and said quietly, “How about we go conquer a route?”

Zhao Hanzhang glanced at her. Though her heart also thought this way, she still suppressed her restlessness. “Now isn’t the time. Right now we should unite and face external enemies together.”

Fan Ying frowned. “But they’re not of one heart with us.”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “What does that matter? As long as they don’t think to harm me, I’m willing to coexist with them. Drive out the external threat first.”

She lowered her eyes with cold detachment. “If we truly cannot coexist, it won’t be too late to make a choice then.”

Choices could be made at the last minute, but preparations couldn’t be temporary. So the Zhao Family Army under Zhao Ju’s command was crucial. Military preparations, oh military preparations. Money, oh money.

Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help herself. Seeing Fan Ying begin having people record the items in registers, she wrote another letter to Zhao Zhongyu.

If the hydraulic forging press could be built, the efficiency of iron-smelting technology would increase significantly.

Runan now had two iron mines. They could find nearby water sources to build hydraulic forging presses…

Fighting depended not only on a general’s strategic deployment and soldiers’ bravery, but also on provisions and military equipment.

And most of the Central Plains was now in her hands. In this land, there were more than just three iron mines, and not only iron mines.

Communications between Luoyang and Yuncheng were especially smooth. After all, the Emperor was still the lord of all under heaven. Now he relied on communications to command Zhao Hanzhang and others.

So Zhao Hanzhang’s letter was quickly delivered to Zhao Zhongyu.

Gou Xi knew that Zhao Hanzhang had written to Zhao Zhongyu again, but the letter’s contents were unknown.

His thumb rubbed against his index finger. After pondering for a moment, he asked, “Has Minister Zhao mentioned anything to His Majesty recently?”

“He’s mentioned many things. I don’t know which matter the general is asking about.”

Gou Xi frowned and asked, “What are they all?”

“Minister Zhao opposes recalling Liu Kun, saying that once he returns, Jin will completely lose Jinyang and lose Bingzhou.”

Gou Xi nodded. He had known about this matter early on. He asked, “What else?”

Yan Heng then raised his head to look at him before saying, “He also submitted a memorial impeaching Gou Chun, saying Gou Chun was harsh on soldiers, embezzled provisions, and also allowed soldiers to forcibly harvest commoners’ wheat.”

Gou Xi frowned slightly. “When did this happen?”

“Just these past two days. I reported to the general about Gou Chun allowing soldiers to plunder commoners’ grain…”

“I’m asking when Minister Zhao submitted the memorial impeaching Gou Chun.”

Yan Heng heard this and looked dejected. “This morning.”

Zhao Hanzhang’s letter arrived last night. Gou Xi lowered his eyes. What was she trying to do—attack him by attacking Gou Chun?

Yan Heng gave Gou Xi time to think. After a good while, he said, “General, Gou Chun’s embezzlement of soldiers’ provisions is real, and his allowing soldiers to forcibly harvest commoners’ grain is also real. Please severely punish Gou Chun, General.”

Gou Xi frowned. “This is Zhao Hanzhang’s divisive scheme. Mister Yan, right now Gou Chun is guarding the border. How can we unsettle his heart instead of reassuring him?”