Zhao Hanzhang looked at him with approval and said, “That’s right, the Ministry of Works. I’ve decided to entrust the Ministry of Works to Tinghan, so currency and the standardization of weights and measures will also fall under the Ministry of Works’ management.”
This authority could be said to place him second only to Zhao Hanzhang herself within her current team.
Although Fu Tinghan already held considerable power, he had lacked an official title.
Ji Yuan’s heart trembled violently with shock. In a flash of understanding, he lowered his voice and asked, “Could it be that Milady intends to contend for supremacy over the Central Plains?”
Zhao Hanzhang’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly glanced outside, then also lowered her voice and said, “Teacher Ji, you mustn’t speak carelessly. What do you mean contend for supremacy over the Central Plains? I am a minister of Jin!”
After saying this, she added, “Besides, am I not already the Central Plains?”
That was true—she currently occupied the most central part of the Central Plains.
But still…
Ji Yuan couldn’t help but harbor suspicions. His face showed conflict, but in the end, he suppressed his thoughts and nodded, saying, “Your excellency’s plan is excellent. Yuzhou is our home, and now Luoyang is also our home. As long as we manage it with dedication, one day Sizhou will also be our home.”
Sizhou—that was the region where Luoyang was located. Besides Henan Commandery, it had eleven other commanderies beneath it. Yingyang, Hongnong, Shangluo, Hedong Commandery, and others were all within its scope. It served as the Central Plains’ protective barrier, and when connected with Yuzhou, well—she would have occupied the entire Central Plains.
Zhao Hanzhang looked at Ji Yuan meaningfully, thinking that Teacher Ji had quite grand ambitions. She cleared her throat lightly and said, “It’s still too early to speak of such things. Let’s first properly manage Henan Commandery and Yuzhou.”
Even now, several counties in Henan Commandery were still not under her jurisdiction.
Oh, she had recently met with the county magistrates of Henan Commandery’s various counties together with Zhao Kuan, and everyone had preliminarily reached a friendly mutual assistance agreement. Zhao Hanzhang was currently staying in Luoyang, patiently and gradually winning them over.
Since they were establishing a Ministry of Works, they needed to provide it with an office location. Moreover, her administrative seat couldn’t remain permanently in the Zhao residence. Unfortunately, the former Governor’s Office of Sizhou had been destroyed by fire.
Zhao Hanzhang pondered for a moment and said, “The buildings in Luoyang that were burned down should also be rebuilt.”
Ji Yuan reminded her, “Right now is the busy summer harvest season.”
“I know,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “Let’s put it on the agenda first. Stone and lumber materials also need to be prepared. We’ll wait until the agricultural slack season to mobilize corvée labor, or hire people to build.”
Ji Yuan reminded her, “The money…”
Zhao Hanzhang’s heart ached painfully. She gritted her teeth and said, “Let’s just build the Governor’s Office and the Ministry of Works first. We don’t need to build them too well—just throw something together that can house people and serve as offices.”
This was impossible, of course. Once construction began, they couldn’t very well tear it down and rebuild it later. So even if they didn’t build it luxuriously, it couldn’t be too shabby either, or it would damage their prestige.
Ji Yuan calculated the funds in Zhao Hanzhang’s public accounts and felt it wasn’t quite enough. Moreover, every autumn and winter, they had to guard against the people of the Han state and the Xianbei moving south, so they needed to reserve a portion for potential warfare.
Therefore, he said, “Otherwise, let’s inconvenience the eldest young master a bit more and have him randomly find a residence in the city to settle in?”
“I’d like to do that too, but which residence do you think would be suitable?”
Ji Yuan thought deeply and said, “Actually, there’s one place that would be most suitable. Not only could it accommodate the Ministry of Works, but no matter how many departments you establish, they could all fit… “
Zhao Hanzhang raised her eyelids to look at him. “You’re not talking about the Imperial Palace, are you?”
Ji Yuan perked up. “You’ve thought of it too?”
“I have, and I thought of it quite early,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “Right after His Majesty left, when this half-burned Zhao residence became our office location, I thought of it. So can you guess why I didn’t use it then?”
Ever since the Emperor left, Zhao Hanzhang had kept the palace gates closed.
Ji Yuan smiled at her without stating the reason everyone knew. “Then I’ll go look again to see if there’s a suitable residence to serve as the eldest young master’s Ministry of Works.”
“Since you’re looking anyway, find four more official residences while you’re at it. Um, where did Shen Ruhui and the others live in Luoyang before? Are their homes still there? If they are, have someone clean out the houses,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “They’ve come from thousands of miles away to join me—we can’t very well let them suffer.”
Ji Yuan agreed and decided to have someone investigate immediately.
With business concluded, Ji Yuan rose to leave. Reaching the doorway, he thought of something and turned his head slightly to ask, “Milady, to establish the Ministry of Works, you’ll need to fill quite a few positions, won’t you?”
The corners of Zhao Hanzhang’s mouth lifted slightly as she nodded. “That’s correct, so the people from Yuzhou should start migrating this way.”
Ji Yuan smiled and agreed, only then leaving with peace of mind.
Zhao Hanzhang called for Ting He to grind ink, propped her chin on her hand, and began to contemplate how she could trick Zhao Hu into coming to Luoyang.
After thinking for a while, Zhao Hanzhang began writing appointment letters, naming many people and ordering them to come to Luoyang to take up their posts. They could bring their families and clan members…
After she finished writing the list, only then did she begin writing to Zhao Ming.
Luoyang was still somewhat empty at present. Many merchants traveling north and south headed for the safer Yuzhou instead. Zhao Hanzhang hoped for the mutual development of both places.
Luoyang was the Central Plains’ protective barrier, and they had to value it. So she hoped Zhao Ming could find a way to persuade Zhao Hu to come to Luoyang.
There was no better advertisement than having members of the Zhao family also come to Luoyang to do business and make money, and Zhao Hu was undoubtedly the best signboard.
She believed that as long as he was willing to come to Luoyang, the merchants from Xiping would definitely follow right behind him.
Zhao Hanzhang finished writing the letter, read it over and over, and after confirming there were no omissions, finally sealed it. She handed the list to Ting He, saying, “Give the list to Fan Ying and have her issue appointment letters according to the list and official positions. Deliver them to me before sunset today—they need to be sent out by courier station tomorrow.”
“Yes.” Ting He accepted it and delivered it to Fan Ying in the adjacent courtyard.
The adjacent courtyard had been cleaned out early on. Inside, each room was opened up, furnished with desks and chairs. Zhao Hanzhang’s subordinate officials all worked here, with over twenty people coming and going.
Ting He entered and went straight to the largest room in the center, which was Fan Ying’s office.
Fan Ying received the list, scanned it once, agreed, then went next door to find Wang Huifeng and the others.
“Everyone stop what you’re doing. Write these transfer orders first.”
As soon as Fan Ying spoke, the three people in the room immediately put down their brushes, stood up, and cupped their hands to await instructions.
Ting He turned and returned to the main hall. Zhao Hanzhang was propping up her head thinking about things, the letter in her hand turning this way and that.
“Do you think I should personally write a letter to Seventh Great-Uncle, sincerely inviting him to Luoyang?”
Ting He said, “I actually think Milady could write to Madam, asking her to invite Seventh Great-Uncle. That would show more sincerity.”
“Forget it,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “Why make Mother suffer such indignity?”
Lady Wang couldn’t persuade Zhao Hu, and might even be humiliated. She wouldn’t put Lady Wang in such a difficult position.
However…
“Thinking about it, the person Seventh Great-Uncle fears most is Uncle Ming. Apart from Uncle Ming, it would be Fifth Great-Uncle.”
Zhao Hanzhang perked up and immediately sat up straight. “Come, continue grinding ink. I’ll write another letter to Fifth Great-Uncle.”
Ting He smiled and responded, “Yes.”
After finishing the letter, Zhao Hanzhang felt she had accomplished enough for the day. She rotated her sore and aching neck and went out the door, standing at the main entrance and looking left and right. Finally, she lifted her feet and headed in the direction of the Imperial Palace.
—