Liu Hua was already thirty-five years old this year.
Among Zhang Xin's current women, Zhang Ning and Zou were eighteen, Wang Rou was twenty, and Han Shu was twenty-one.
Even the slightly older Wang Jiao was only thirty this year.
Compared to them, Liu Hua could already be said to be past her prime.
The first two years were still good; she was a mature woman with charm, and Zhang Xin could still treat everyone equally.
After returning from this expedition, he rarely went to Liu Hua's place anymore.
Even if he occasionally went, most of the time it was to see his son.
However, Liu Hua had no complaints about this.
If Zhang Xin came, she would serve him.
If he didn't come, she would live her life with her son.
For her, at this age, nothing could be more important than Zhang Ping.
"Ashamed, ashamed..."
Zhang Xin secretly thot "ashamed" as he stepped into Liu Hua's courtyard.
People, after having a little wine, like to start overthinking.
And thinking leads to nostalgia.
Counting from the sixth year of Guanghe when he rescued Liu Hua from the bandits, she had been with him for eight years.
"Tsk, if you count it this way, after the New Year, I will have been transmigrated for a full decade..."
Zhang Xin sighed inwardly and knocked on Liu Hua's door.
"Who is it? "
Liu Hua's voice came from inside the door.
"Sister Hua, it's me." Zhang Xin said.
A sound was heard, and the door opened.
Liu Hua looked at Zhang Xin with a surprised expression.
"Why are you here? "
"Can't I come? "
Zhang Xin poked his head into the room like a thief, looked left and right, and chuckled.
"Is our son asleep? "
Upon hearing this, Liu Hua's face instantly lit up with a smile.
"The maidservant has put him to sleep."
The next day, Zhang Xin emerged from Liu Hua's courtyard refreshed, constantly relishing the taste of last nite.
His Sister Hua was still the best; she knew how to care for him.
For the next few days, Zhang Xin stayed in Liu Hua's courtyard, which could be considered some compensation for the woman who had accompanied him all this way.
He handled government affairs during the day and had fun at nite.
The envoy rested in Pingyuan for a few days before returning to Chang'an.
Xu Kun also played for a few days before coming to bid farewell.
"Kun Kun."
Zhang Xin instructed him, "Wentai directly killing Liu Dai this time, while satisfying, can easily give people an excuse."
"When you go back, tell him that now that he has taken control of a State Prefecture, he must not act impulsively in the future. Remember, remember..."
The large clans of Yanzhou helped Sun Jian open the city gates largely due to the imperial edict and Cai Yong's influence.
They were indeed dissatisfied with Liu Dai, but no matter what, Liu Dai and they were of the same class.
In Eastern Han society, classes were clearly divided.
Above the common people were the powerful families, and above the powerful families were the gentry.
Liu Dai could die, but he had to be killed by Zhang Xin.
It absolutely could not be Sun Jian who killed him!
Zhang Xin, having become Cai Yong's disciple, was considered to have entered the gentry class.
If he killed Liu Dai, it would be an internal issue of the gentry class.
Moreover, Liu Dai was in the wrong first, so the Yanzhou gentry would not say anything.
But Sun Jian, from a powerful family background, killed Liu Dai, who was a renowned scholar from Qingzhou.
In the eyes of the Yanzhou gentry, this was undoubtedly a serious provocation and an act of overstepping.
It was a challenge from the lower class to the upper class.
Just like Cao Cao executing Bian Rang.
It was clearly Bian Rang who looked down on Cao Cao, a descendant of eunuchs and from a powerful family background, and repeatedly slandered and slighted him.
However, not long after Cao Cao killed him, Yanzhou almost fell apart.
Sun Jian's personality, prone to killing people at the slightest provocation, was undoubtedly very dangerous in Yanzhou, where renowned scholars were abundant.
Before stabilizing Hebei, Zhang Xin did not wish for any turmoil in Yanzhou.
He needed a stable Yanzhou to block threats from Yu Province and Sili Province.
"Thank you for the Lord's reminder."
Xu Kun's expression was solemn, "I will tell my uncle when I return."
"Mm."
Zhang Xin nodded and continued, "A Governor is not like an Inspector or Prefect. In the future, when Wentai is in Yanzhou, he must pay attention..."
Xu Kun noted everything down and bowed respectfully in thanks.
Upon returning to Yanzhou, Xu Kun relayed Zhang Xin's words to Sun Jian verbatim.
"How can being a Governor be so troublesome? "
Sun Jian was dismissive and summoned all the State Prefecture officials.
"From now on, all State Prefecture affairs will be entrusted to you. You must remember to treat the common people well and handle matters according to regulations. That's all."
"As for the bandits and military affairs in the State Prefecture, I will handle those."
The Yanzhou State Prefecture offici rich, we're rich..."
With so much money and grain as a backing, stabilizing Jizhou will be no problem then!