After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times

Thus, the next day, Tuoba Liuxiu took his entourage out to enjoy the sights of Luoyang.

Due to Zhao Hanzhang’s ascension, there were many inspectors and generals attending the ceremony. Furthermore, because of the long intervals, various wealthy merchants and scholars came for the excitement, making Luoyang more bustling than usual by more than twice.

The citizens of Luoyang and its surroundings were ecstatic. It was autumn, the time for harvest of fruits and vegetables, even chickens were laying more eggs than before. These agricultural products were continuously sent to Luoyang, earning a good sum of copper coins in return.

Even those in Yushan Hall couldn’t help but occupy a piece of wasteland nearby, cleared the weeds, fertilized, watered, and scattered seeds...

At this time, planting vegetables would allow seedlings to be picked in about half a month, the seedlings of vegetables were very popular, and prices were slightly higher.

Additionally, they particularly enjoyed sprouting beans.

Soybean sprouts and mung bean sprouts, from the sixty-year-old women to the three-year-old children in Yushan Hall, could sprout them. It was currently a required course in Yushan Hall.

Because winter lacked vegetables and beans were cheap, bean sprouts were the essential dish in Yushan Hall during winter.

Initially worried by Zhao Hanzhang choosing to ascend on August fifth, fearing for the autumn harvest, the ministers observed the situation and quietly dispelled their concerns.

"Due to the flood, the replanting harvest was postponed until September, and since Your Majesty requested everything to be simplified, no labor was dispatched from outside regions. So far, the total manpower spent has been less than ten thousand, most of whom were drafted from the Six Ministries and military camps, hence not burdening the people, yet attracting so many to create wealth, truly the will of heaven."

"Indeed, Your Majesty is frugal, hopefully always so."

"Your Majesty seems fond of Grandmaster Zhao Qi and never obstructs his extravagance, which truly worries me."

"Ah, hopefully heaven protects such that Your Majesty resembles his grandfather in this regard rather than his great uncle."

"This... isn’t great. Mr. Zhao... our salaries... I’ve heard that Your Majesty wants to amend the salary distribution method, including the annual salary silver and rice allowance for various levels of officials..."

If as stingy as Mr. Zhao, wouldn’t they be quite miserable?

Other colleagues deeply agreed upon hearing, thus changed their wishes, "May heaven protect, Your Majesty internally act like Mr. Zhao financially and externally like Grandmaster Zhao Qi."

Though believing it’s difficult for one person to have such dual faces, they wished so nonetheless.

Oh, they were currently inspecting the sacrificial platform for Zhao Hanzhang’s ascension ceremony to offer sacrifices to heaven.

Once finally confirmed correct, these Ministry of Rites officials left together and happened to see a procession carrying items lining up to enter palace road, thus had to stand aside.

After the people passed, they couldn’t help but mutter, "So many silks, I glanced and the colors were extremely bright, from which province?"

"Seems like Shu brocades and Shu silks, probably sent by Prince Li of Cheng Country?"

"This year’s best gift probably is from Jiangnan, Yangzhou is wealthy, aside from last year’s warfare, for decades they’ve been pacific and amassed unknown wealth."

"Indeed, I heard Yangzhou also produced an auspicious sign."

"Auspicious sign?"

"Yes, brought into the capital today, though Imperial Attendant Ji didn’t seem happy. I passed his office this morning and heard him scolding Governor Wang."

"This auspicious sign appeared quite late, with Your Majesty’s ascension and everyone already adjusted, it truly would have been auspicious had it appeared half a year earlier."

"Who produced the auspicious sign? Governor Wang doesn’t seem like that kind of person."

Someone chuckled lightly, "Heard it was Zhou Qi."

"Zhou Qi?" The officials cried out, "Surely not, when did he become so astute?"

Zhou Qi also felt wronged.

On July eighth, startled by the Little Emperor’s decision to abdicate to Zhao Hanzhang, Zhou Qi intended to take soldiers and clear river channels blocked by flood, using labor to ease his mind during the agricultural lull.

A soldier dredging the silt discovered a giant natural stone turtle from the river.

Indeed natural, uniquely shaped, resembling a turtle whether seen close or from afar, the most marvelous were numerous holes on the turtle’s body and abdomen.

The abdomen holes were dense and large, whereas the stone surface had only five small holes of different positions and sizes, surprisingly corresponding to the Five Stars of the North Pole, with the central Emperor Star hole the largest and roundest.

The most shocking to Zhou Qi was the old inscription under the Emperor Star, "Hexagram of Kun six three, heavenly mandate returns."

Zhou Qi: ...

The whole world knew Zhao Hanzhang’s name and style being Hanzhang and Hezhen, whether the name or style, both were chosen from "The Book of Changes" with the Hexagram of Kun six three.