The steward came to find Liu Kun and said tactfully, “…This year’s crops had a poor harvest. Following your instructions, we exempted the tenant farmers from rent. However, this means the grain in the storehouse will only last until winter. My lord, what shall we do after winter sets in?”
“How can that be? I remember we have two grain storehouses at home…” As Liu Kun spoke, he remembered that Zhao Hanzhang had just borrowed the grain.
Liu Kun sighed, “Go buy some more then. Buy more—the drought is severe, and the later it gets, the higher grain prices will rise.”
The steward said, “Yes, but the money…”
The steward extended his hand toward Liu Kun. Seeing him stunned, he kindly reminded, “There’s no ready money in the accounts.”
Liu Kun asked, “The money in the storehouses?”
“Everything listed in the accounts, you’ve lent out.” So don’t you have a little private stash somewhere that’s not on the books? Otherwise how dare you lend out all your money?
Liu Kun was someone who took money lightly and was generous with gifts. What he cared least about was money. How could he possibly keep a private stash?
So, he had no money left!
The first to notice something amiss was Tuoba Yilu. He had been here for two days, and the treatment this time was much worse compared to before.
At first he thought Liu Kun was angry that he had sworn brotherhood with Zhao Hanzhang and had been getting closer to her lately, and felt he was being too petty, so he was a bit angry too.
But as he observed, Tuoba Yilu discovered something was wrong.
Liu Kun hadn’t held a banquet for two consecutive days.
In the past, this would only happen when Jinyang was in extreme crisis.
He understood this sworn brother of his quite well. When Liu Kun first came to Jinyang, the city was overgrown with weeds, and there were only three or five common people in the entire city—everyone else who could flee had fled.
So he worked hard and suffered alongside the people, and in less than a year’s time he revived Jinyang. Two years later, he was living the good life with wine in his right hand and chicken in his left, and he had even formed a musical troupe according to his preferences. His days were quite carefree.
Having witnessed Liu Kun’s wonderful lifestyle, Tuoba Yilu changed his mind and stayed in Dai Jun with his army, even relocating his relatives and tribesmen.
Oh yes, Dai Jun was particularly close to Jinyang—it was just to the north of Jinyang. A trip by fast horse took a day and a half, round trip three days, so Tuoba Yilu often came to visit Liu Kun.
Each time he came, he received a warm reception.
This time, the music was gone, the fine wine was gone, and even the variety of meats had decreased.
Tuoba Yilu observed carefully and discovered that Liu Kun’s own musical performances were also gone, and his fine wine and meat had greatly decreased as well.
This…
Various thoughts rapidly churned through Tuoba Yilu’s mind, finally settling on his face as nothing but heartache.
He looked at Liu Kun with heartache and said, “Brother, if you have difficulties, just tell your elder brother. Whatever brother can help with, I certainly will.”
What difficulties could Liu Kun have?
His eyes brightened slightly but then dimmed again, “At this moment, younger brother has only one difficulty, and that is the disaster of Wang Jun.”
He sighed, “The court entrusted Jizhou to my governance, and Hanzhang has been working so hard for me because of it, yet I still couldn’t hold Jizhou.”
Liu Kun wanted to ask Tuoba Yilu to send troops to help him reclaim the parts of Jizhou that Wang Jun had occupied.
Tuoba Yilu’s eyes flickered, and he said, “When spring came, brother just fought the Wuhuan. Though we had a small victory, the losses were also enormous. That unfilial son Buxun rebelled, so I split him off, and another group of people left. So for the time being, I can’t gather enough military strength.”
He said, “I see that the crisis in Jinyang has already been resolved, and little sister is here too. Why don’t you take this opportunity to rest and reorganize? When both sister and I have reorganized our armies, we’ll definitely help you.”
Liu Kun said, “Now that the Xiongnu have invaded You, Wang Jun is constrained. This is the best time to send troops to recover lost territory. If we delay further and he extricates himself from the Xiongnu, it will be difficult for us to send troops again.”
Although Liu Kun wasn’t good at actual warfare, that was a tactical issue. Strategically speaking, he still had quite a good head on his shoulders. Each time his understanding of the big picture was correct—he just lost every time he went to battle.
He felt that within ten years, there wouldn’t be as good an opportunity as now.
Liu Kun felt certain that Zhao Hanzhang would send troops, but most of her forces were being held down by the Xiongnu, so what she could lend him was limited. If Tuoba Yilu was willing to help him, then the matter of Jizhou would be a sure thing.
Tuoba Yilu only made excuses and said, “This matter must be discussed with little sister.”
But would he ask?
Not only would he not ask, he had to run away before Liu Kun asked, otherwise it would be difficult to answer when Zhao Hanzhang brought it up.
So he immediately took his leave, saying, “Brother will go back to muster troops and see how many forces can be deployed. You just wait for my good news.”
Liu Kun nodded repeatedly with delight.
When Zhao Hanzhang heard that Tuoba Yilu wanted to take his leave, saying he was going back to muster troops to help Liu Kun, she immediately sneered, “Once he leaves, I’m afraid he won’t visit again for a year. Alliances not written on paper are useless.”
She said to Fan Ying, “Go tell Tuoba Yilu that I’m keeping him for two more days. In two more days, I have a batch of excellent weapons arriving. This time, in becoming sworn siblings with my two brothers, I have no fine gifts, so let this batch of weapons be my gift to my two elder brothers. When they arrive, everyone can divide them up.”
Ming Yu at the side furrowed his brow slightly, then relaxed, asking, “Does the Governor want the Tuoba tribe to use these weapons against Wang Jun?”
Zhao Hanzhang shook her head, “Wang Jun doesn’t need them. I want them to fight the Xiongnu.”
She said, “Liu Cong and I have a mortal enmity. He’s narrow-minded and certainly won’t dare surrender to me. Under desperate circumstances, his combat power is fierce. In terms of cavalry combat strength, our Zhao Family Army is still slightly lacking. General Beigong needs someone to coordinate with him, and the Tuoba tribe is a good choice.”
Ming Yu asked, “Does the Governor plan to entirely hand over Wang Jun’s forces to General Shi?”
“There’s also Zu Ti,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “Zhang Bin is excellent at strategy, and Shi Le is fierce. The lord and minister complement each other perfectly. Zu Ti combines the abilities of both. With the three of them cooperating, coordinating from inside and outside, the mere Wang Jun is nothing to worry about.”
She said, “I’ve already had Master Ji deploy in advance. Now Wang Jun must have developed rebellious intentions, and the gentry of Youzhou won’t let him muddle through.”
Ming Yu said, “Since the Governor values Shi Le so highly, you should use both grace and authority. You’ve already displayed authority before; now you should bestow favor.”
“Although Tuoba is your sworn brother, he’s ultimately not your person. You’re willing to give them superior weapons—how can you leave out Shi Le?”
Only then did Zhao Hanzhang realize her oversight and quickly said, “Thank you for the reminder, Master. I nearly caused great trouble.”
She turned to the guard Zeng Yue at her side, “Ride quickly to meet Hu Zhi and have him separate out half the weapons in advance and quietly deliver them to the main camp for General Shi.”
Zeng Yue acknowledged and personally went to handle this matter.
Although the southern parts of Jinyang had been recovered, the rivers were wide, the mountains high, and forests dense. Bandits and hostile forces hiding within were still numerous, so each logistics transport was very important.