CHAPTER 335: CHAPTER 329: RUINING THE NATION

Initially, because Zhao Hanzhang had many things to handle and a multitude of documents to manage, Sun Linghui deliberated and decided to keep Zhao Yunxin by her side as well.

The candidates who were taking the exams together felt quite uneasy, "I didn’t expect Zhao County Governor to employ people based on nepotism."

At first, they didn’t know the relationship between Zhao Yunxin, Sun Linghui, and Zhao Hanzhang, but once the admission list was published with names and places of origin, they found out.

Moreover, they worked together, so family backgrounds and such were obvious.

Therefore, they were very dissatisfied with Zhao Yunxin and Sun Linghui, who could be closer to Zhao Hanzhang, especially Zhao Yunxin.

As for Sun Linghui, she was the first in the ranks. Although there was suspicion that her first-place rank might be boosted, she was at least stronger than Zhao Yunxin.

She was clearly in the eighth place; why could she leap over the six others ahead of her to work beside Zhao Hanzhang?

The two were vaguely isolated in the county government.

Zhao Yunxin was quite discontented and said to Sun Linghui, "The County Governor clearly mentioned they appointed me by their side because I write well."

Sun Linghui didn’t care for the remarks and said indifferently, "Why bother? Look at the County Governor, she is a woman, yet she is a County Governor of the whole county, and hasn’t she been criticized? As long as our skills are strong enough, they will shut up by themselves in the future."

Zhao Hanzhang also noticed Zhao Yunxin’s mood and, since she was young and a cousin, she deliberately stayed to talk and advised her, "If I speak on your behalf, there might be even more criticism, so this matter must be handled by yourselves."

Zhao Hanzhang patted the young girl’s shoulder and said, "They criticize you, look down on you, so you must show your talents to them. Everyone is under the same roof, working for Ru Nan County, there will be intersecting tasks, and as you interact more, naturally they will realize your abilities and shut up."

Zhao Yunxin asked, "Third Sister, why do you use them when they are so jealous of virtuous talents?"

Very well, she had learned to complain.

Zhao Hanzhang laughed, "There aren’t many people in this world who don’t envy talents; I can’t demand saintly virtue from subordinates."

Zhao Yunxin began to think deeply.

She listened and planned to use her abilities to silence them, becoming more diligent and hardworking, handling the tasks Zhao Hanzhang assigned and also learning from Ji Yuan and Chang Ning on how to manage county affairs.

Ji Yuan and Chang Ning, following Zhao Hanzhang’s instructions, would instruct anyone who came wanting to learn skills.

So Chang Ning unreservedly instructed those who came to learn.

Unexpectedly, the ones who first came were the two young ladies, Sun Linghui and Zhao Yunxin.

This made him exclaim, "Women have more ambition than men; the men of Great Jin are weak!"

Ji Yuan happened to be next to him, and upon hearing this, he smirked, "It’s the trend. When they find themselves under a group of women, they will naturally change."

Chang Ning asked spontaneously, "What if they don’t change?"

Ji Yuan then sneered. If they don’t change, then things would truly need to change.

Chang Ning shivered and dared not ask further.

Ji Yuan, with a bemused look, said, "There are many men under heaven, not all are like Wang Yan."

Indeed, in this era, although Wang Yan was highly esteemed, many in both the court and among the people were dissatisfied with him, and criticized him for ruining the ethos, calling him self-serving and family-oriented rather than serving the nation and the people.

Wang Yan, hearing this, continued to act in his own way. You can’t even control Prince East Sea, so what’s the use of reprimanding me?

Am I the one who is causing turmoil in the nation?

If you have the capability, approach Prince East Sea!

Indeed, some went to Prince East Sea, to advise him and propose that he eliminate people like Wang Yan.

For someone as talented as Wang Yan, who has talent but does not serve the country, occupying a position while allowing disorder for personal gain, killing such a person would be insufficient to calm public anger.

The key point why they emphasized this was because they advised Prince East Sea to prioritize the country, send troops alongside Gou Xi to save Yu State, and ideally drive Xiongnu Army out of Bingzhou to restore peace to Northern Land.

True, when the Xiongnu Army withdrew from Luoyang and headed for Yu State, Prince East Sea stopped the pursuit. Now, there were three forces fighting on the frontline: Liu Kun from Bingzhou with his Xianbei allies, Gou Xi, and He Ci Shi from Yu State along with reinforcements who came to aid Luoyang.

But without Prince East Sea’s two hundred thousand troops, the Xiongnu cavalry was formidable, causing He Ci Shi to see signs of defeat.

While Gou Xi was resisting the Xiongnu Army on the front, he also feared Prince East Sea might make a sudden move, so he kept some strength in reserve.

Under such circumstances, He Ci Shi retreated into Yu State, with the Xiongnu Army pressing the attack.

The reinforcements, seeing this, felt they would surely lose. Most importantly, with Prince East Sea not deploying troops and Gou Xi holding back, staying there meant death.

Since they came to save Luoyang and now Luoyang was safe, they casually found excuses and fled.

He Ci Shi woke up to find the reinforcements who were supposed to support him had all fled, causing his old wounds to flare up, and he fainted.

Upon waking, he pulled his confidant and said, "Notify all counties to come for rescue, quickly!"

"Yes!" The confidant agreed but was still afraid and asked, "What if they don’t come?"

He Ci Shi replied with a grim face, "If I lose, Yu State will have no defense; the Xiongnu Army can then advance south, and at that time, not only Yu State’s counties but the Central Plains will be no more."

He Ci Shi angrily said, "Prince East Sea ruins the nation, Wang Yan as Minister of Supervision and Administrator, yet does not advise or admonish, truly detestable."

His eyes were red, like a knife hanging over his head, sweat drenching his back, "Gou Xi thinks he can control the situation, but doesn’t realize playing with fire will burn himself. I shall see if he can control the situation; you immediately return to Chen County and send my entire family to Xiping."

The confidant was shocked, "Inspector!"

He Ci Shi clenched his fist, "Once the news of the retreating reinforcements spreads, morale will definitely drop. We’re already terrified facing the Xiongnu Army, and at this time..."

He closed his eyes hard and said, "In battles, sometimes it’s all about morale! Keep the news of the retreating reinforcements from the soldiers; urgently call for reinforcements from all counties."

He gritted his teeth and said, "Inform all counties, saying that if I don’t survive, whoever comes to aid may control my troops and could become a State Governor."

Confidant: ... Last time, when surrounded at Yu Yang, you said the same thing.

Oh, last time, it was just spreading rumors secretly, but this time you’re planning to officially inform them. Will they really believe?

The confidant wasn’t foolish, so he raised the concern quietly, "They might recall the previous incident and be unwilling to come."

He Ci Shi was so angry his teeth itched, ultimately he didn’t dare allow the Xiongnu Army to march south.

Liu Yuan’s forces besieged Luoyang for so long, and though they didn’t attack Luoyang, they held a lot of pent-up anger, letting them into Yu State, the citizens of Yu State might perish.

He Ci Shi felt conflicted internally, sensing a fiery pain from his old wound. He gritted his teeth, turned, took out a seal, placed it in a box, and handed it to his confidant, whispering, "Send it to Xiping, give it to Zhao Ming, no, to Zhao Hanzhang, tell her that if she can bring reinforcements to save me, the next Inspector would be her!"

Confidant: ... But Zhao Hanzhang is a woman!

Yet thinking again, now she is also a County Governor, and since she’s a woman too, the confidant took the box, bowed to He Ci Shi, and left.