After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 928 - 913: Laying the Groundwork

"Feigning surrender?" Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes brightened as she looked from Shi Le to Zhang Bin, praising, "This is an excellent plan. Let’s discuss it in detail."

Feigning surrender and using stratagems is not something that can be employed at will; it requires laying a lot of groundwork.

The purpose of laying this groundwork is to gain Wang Jun’s trust. Only when Wang Jun truly believes in Shi Le’s sincere surrender can Shi Le take action.

Currently, Shi Le is doing well under Zhao Hanzhang, and their situation is very favorable. In contrast, Youzhou is in a state of crisis due to the Xiongnu’s encroachment, so why would Shi Le surrender to him?

Unless he couldn’t survive under Zhao Hanzhang anymore.

Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes shifted as she said, "Given the current situation with the human traffickers, General Shi will have to endure some grievances."

She looked at him intently, "I would like you to return all the valuables. Shall I have Fan Ying retrieve them?"

Shi Le, who had already decided where that batch of valuables would go: ...

He wasn’t keen on handing them over, but how else could he show that he was aggrieved if he didn’t?

Shi Le had to agree.

Zhao Hanzhang then called Ming Yu. When it comes to stratagems, Ming Yu has a lot of experience.

The four of them discussed the next steps and ultimately decided to inconvenience Shi Le and Liu Kun a bit.

Shi Le was fine because he was aware of the plan. As for Liu Kun, Zhao Hanzhang could only apologize silently to this confidant, and then everyone began to take action.

Zhao Hanzhang insisted on thoroughly investigating the human trafficking case. Liu Kun originally agreed because it was difficult to find conclusive evidence against Shi Le. Zhao Hanzhang required evidence for cases, so they would have to release the people in the end.

Of course, this does not imply that Liu Kun was involved in or knew about human trafficking. As an Inspector with aspirations and achievements, he would not engage in such self-destructive actions.

It’s just that Shi Le submitted some confessions and bits and pieces. Although there was no conclusive evidence, reasoning could deduce that those people were involved in these sordid matters, only to varying degrees.

Liu Kun was displeased, but some of these individuals were implicated in other matters. Compared to those, the human trafficking case seemed minor to him. To avoid escalating the situation, he reluctantly chose to protect a few individuals despite his distaste.

Originally, if everything had been handled according to Zhao Hanzhang’s instructions, Shi Le wouldn’t have found any solid evidence, and they would have had to release them.

However, unexpectedly, Shi Le acted ruthlessly and publicly flogged the suspects in the market, questioning them repeatedly.

Being stripped and flogged in front of the public was such a humiliation that any scholar could not bear it, leading many to confess publicly, turning circumstantial evidence into concrete proof.

Liu Kun watched as they confessed more and more, even nearly reciting his annual list of goods sent to the Xianbei. Unable to bear it any longer, he gathered his soldiers to surround the market and drove away the crowds, confronting Shi Le.

He regretted his initial thought of trying to assimilate Shi Le; such a barbarian was suited for the likes of the Xiongnu, not among civilized people who reasoned.

This incident eventually alarmed Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang and Ming Yu arrived, and Liu Kun immediately complained to her, "This is an extorted confession from torture. When have our scholars suffered such indignity?"

He shouted, "Executing punishment in public, such malicious intent, such vicious actions, are comparable to the atrocities of Shang Zhou. Lord Zhao, won’t you intervene in this matter?"

Zhao Hanzhang’s face was dark, and her eyes were burning with anger. She glared at Shi Le, as this was not what they had planned. They had agreed to start from the seized valuables to escalate the conflict. Who allowed him to execute punishment in the street?

Shi Le slightly raised his chin with a defiant look.

Zhao Hanzhang’s face grew even darker, and she immediately ordered, "Someone, take General Shi back to cool down, cool down."

Then she looked at the stripped and tortured individuals tied to the stake, her eyes nearly flaming. She immediately ordered her guards to untie them, dress them, and take them back to the camp.

Liu Kun blocked her, his expression softening slightly, "Hanzhang, I want to take these people with me."

Zhao Hanzhang’s expression was icy, "This is no longer a matter just concerning Jinyang. I am determined to get to the bottom of this. Yue Shi is involved and may show bias, so let’s have both regions jointly supervise the investigation."

Liu Kun was annoyed, "They just endured torture; this is an extorted confession, and the testimony is invalid."

Zhao Hanzhang snapped at him, "Even if I don’t use this testimony, I can still uncover the truth!"

Liu Kun: "Given all they suffered, they should receive some compensation..."

"Yue Shi!" Zhao Hanzhang looked at him sternly, "What Shi Le did wrong is one thing, but private abductions and human trafficking are another."

Liu Kun was intimidated by her demeanor, pausing for a moment before shaking off the oppressive feeling of being subdued by a superior. His face darkened, and he couldn’t help but question, "In these chaotic times, lives are as fragile as grass. Human trafficking is rampant, even involving noble families. Why, Hanzhang, do you single out Jinyang for punishment?"

"They treat people as weeds; and what about you, Yue Shi?" Zhao Hanzhang retorted, "Do you also regard human life as insignificant?"

Liu Kun opened his mouth but could not speak, for he could not treat human life as worthless, however...

Liu Kun replied despondently, "I know they are involved, though to varying degrees, but I believe they can accomplish more while living, saving more lives."

Unable to abandon the populace and lacking the power to change the situation dramatically, he could only lay everything bare and place the burden on Zhao Hanzhang’s shoulders, saying, "You don’t know, some of these people have deep interactions with the Xianbei. Why can the Xianbei be used by me to help defend the city? They have credit in this. Of the silk and exquisite porcelain sent annually to the Tuoba Xianbei, they contribute thirty percent."

It was for this reason that Liu Kun wanted to protect them, as they had contributed to the city’s welfare.

He said, "Hanzhang, I cannot let meritorious individuals be disheartened."

Zhao Hanzhang’s heart was as hard as iron, and she mocked, "Those thirty percent of goods are nothing but meager benefits they extracted from the citizens of this city. They use the blood and flesh squeezed from the people to claim credit with you, making it seem like this city can’t survive without them. Don’t forget, Yue Shi, those captured and sold were also citizens of Jinyang; they too have contributed to this city!"

She stated, "For a city, people are the most important! They are undermining the foundation of Jinyang, the foundation of Great Jin, even the foundation of humanity!"

She grabbed his shoulder and said, "Conviction comes from morality. If they destroy morality so blatantly, and we do not set it right, it will lead to endless harm!"

"After the Ganlu Incident, the world’s propriety crumbled, and morality decayed. The order built by the Han over four hundred years was destroyed by Sima overnight. Is this repetition of history what you intend, Yue Shi?"

Liu Yueshi’s expression drastically changed, and he was speechless for a long while.

As a descendant of the Han dynasty, he was proud of his ancestors’ achievements but deeply pained as a Jin Minister.