After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times

Chapter 1171 - 1153: Escorted to the County Government

The government official had much to say, determined to keep them in the county, but the County Magistrate returned...

The official could only regretfully hold back his words, looking at them with affectionate eyes, "If you want to settle down, make sure to come find me."

It was all part of his achievements, after all.

Zhang Ce, the Liang County Magistrate, was a student from the early academy, having both parents and receiving education, yet he was a fervent admirer of Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan. He was fortunate enough to have attended their classes, especially Fu Tinghan’s mathematics, of which he took eighteen sessions!

Therefore, he was quite familiar with Fu Tinghan and considered himself his disciple. Upon seeing Fu Yong, he noticed the resemblance in their features.

However, he did not trust the other party, because there are always some evildoers in the world who wish to tear apart his two teachers, cause conflicts, and divide the country. It was said that in one county, a handsome man emerged, who bore a five-point resemblance to Mr. Fu, claiming to be Mr. Fu’s half-brother, and sought to be sent to Luoyang to join his relatives.

Fortunately, the county magistrate there was also from the academy. Hmph, who doesn’t know such a trick? They are not so easily fooled.

At this moment, Zhang Ce scrutinized Fu Yong with sharp eyes, trying to see any signs of guilt on his face. "What is your relation to Minister Fu?"

Fu Yong replied, "Cousins. My grandfather is from the Northern Fu Family, his name is Zhi, and my father’s name is Chang, ranking second in the family."

Zhang Ce was slightly surprised; he mentioned it in such detail, which made him a bit convinced, what to do?

Zhang Ce’s expression softened slightly and asked, "How did you get here?"

Fu Yong explained, "My father was the He Yin County Magistrate. In the second year of Yongjia, February, the Xiongnu came south, He Yin City fell, my father and the city’s people fled, encountered the Xiongnu army along the way, and had no choice but to hide in the mountains, and only emerged now."

Zhang Ce was astonished, "You haven’t come out of the mountain all this time?"

"Yes," Fu Yong asked, "so it’s the fifth year of Yongjia now, right?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ce became three times as convinced, because, who among the people of Great Jin would still want to use the Yongjia era name now?

The Emperor of Yongjia made no major errors, but during Yongjia, life was truly hard for them, no one wanted to continue living in the Yongjia era.

Zhang Ce said, "This year is the First Year of Jianxing, the late emperor was... captured by the Xiongnu last year, harmed by Liu Cong of the Xiongnu, and the current emperor is the successor of King Wu."

Fu Yong and Fu Hong gaped.

Fu Yong swallowed, carefully asking, "I heard the officials mention the national policy, the current sovereign could be considered a wise ruler."

Zhang Ce was slightly pleased, and said, "The policies were all set by the Great General, the emperor is young but obedient."

He scrutinized Fu Yong again, believing them more, and said, "Do you know who the Great General is?"

Fu Yong and Fu Hong had guessed upon seeing the portrait, "Is it Zhao Hanzhang of Xiping?"

Zhang Ce raised the corners of his mouth, "Indeed, it is Mr. Zhao, she is also my teacher. Sigh, if only you came out earlier, Governor Fu just recently passed away."

At this, Zhang Ce withdrew his smile and asked, "I wonder where Mr. Fu is now? Doctor Shen from the Capital City is nearby, I can ask him to escort a few of you back to the Capital."

They already received information from Fu Tinghan, asking them to find those skilled in water management. It was said that several young lords from the Fu Family were proficient in water control, especially Mr. Fu.

Whether this Fu Chang is truly Fu Chang can be discerned through a conversation with Doctor Shen. People can fake things, but knowledge cannot be faked.

First, lure the person out, then talk.

Fu Yong said, "My father is still in the mountains, we ventured out due to a lack of farming tools, after all, the Xiongnu army was aggressive back then, and we have been in the mountains for a long time, unaware of the changes in the outside world."

Zhang Ce understood and decided to send people with them to retrieve the person from the mountains. "Life in the mountains cannot compare to the outside. With difficult access, it takes two days just to buy salt, it’s too hard. It’s better to have them migrate out; don’t worry about farming issues, I will allot enough land for them to cultivate."

Fu Yong did not respond immediately, merely smiled and said, "Please allow me to discuss this with my family."

Fu Yong still did not fully trust Zhang Ce and this new regime; even though it still bore the name "Jin," he felt it was no longer Jin.

Moreover, people in the mountains have become self-sufficient, they might not want to come out, forcing them out may lead to bad things.

Fu Yong went out, discussed with his companions, and finally decided to temporarily reside in Liang County to better understand this new world and to purchase farming tools and salt.

Zhang Ce was generous and helped them settle in.

The next day, Fu Yong went to inquire about grain prices.

The beans had already been harvested, and the wheat was being reaped, so the grain prices had dropped, much lower than during the turbulent times three years ago.

However, the wheat Fu Yong and his group brought was of good quality, and they sold it for a good price. He then took people to the medicine shop where they sold the medicinal herbs they had brought, and then began purchasing farming tools.

He discovered that the farming tools had also changed.

As he didn’t farm often before, this time when buying tools, he brought five of the best farming young men who had been farming since a young age. Standing in the tool shop, they opened their eyes wide.

"This plow is different, the one I used before wasn’t like this. Here, here, it should be straight."

The shop assistant glanced and said, "The plow has long changed, this one is more labor-saving, the straight plow is no longer used."

"What is this?" one youth asked, raising a tool.

The shop assistant said, "It’s a weeding claw, it can weed and hoe, and it’s more labor-saving than a hoe. It just arrived, the Ministry of Agriculture in the Capital City commissioned it recently, and our county made it right away; even the neighboring county doesn’t have it yet."

Another youth lifted a hoe and said, "This hasn’t changed, but this iron... is really beautiful."

"That’s right, it’s iron from Luoyang iron mines, using a special iron-refining method. This hoe is of excellent quality, better than those from other places." The shop assistant was proud, but also noted that the price was slightly high. He asked, "How much do you want to buy?"

Fu Yong asked the price, then quietly asked the youths, "Is this price high or low?"

The youths’ eyes lit up and they immediately whispered, "Low, low, much lower than it used to be."

Upon hearing this, Fu Yong immediately waved his hand, "We’ll take five sets of plows, twenty hoes, twenty weeding claws..."

The shop assistant’s eyes nearly disappeared from smiling; he took out the abacus, calculated the price skillfully, and then reached out, saying, "May I see your family register and village-issued proof?"

Fu Yong was stunned, asking, "Why do we need the family register and proof?"

The shop assistant, hearing this, looked at them suspiciously, "How could you not need the family register and proof? You’re buying so many farming tools, it’s definitely for collective use, right? You couldn’t possibly need so many tools for just one family, could you? If it’s for collective use, there would be proof. Without seeing the family register, who knows who you are? What if you’re bad people buying tools to forge weapons and rebel?"

Not only do you need a family register to buy farming tools, but also for iron cookware like iron pots!

Seeing they couldn’t produce it, the shop assistant immediately stepped back, yelled loudly as he exited the shop, and ten or more residents immediately gathered, escorting them to the county government.