Xiping County was lively for three days. Officials and commoners celebrated together, and the merchants who made big profits were also very happy.

Young masters who, like Zhu Chuan, loved excitement and fun also felt very happy—all except some of their fathers and elder brothers.

This Xiping County activity made them directly confront Zhao Hanzhang’s capabilities and prestige. At this moment, they vaguely sensed that even without the Zhao clan as backing, Zhao Hanzhang could still stand firm in Xiping County.

And soon, news from Shangcai also reached Xiping.

Zhao Hanzhang’s prestige in Shangcai also reached a new height.

Ji Yuan followed Zhao Hanzhang’s suggestion and had people grind large amounts of soybean powder. Along with wheat, rice, and other grains, he donated them to Shangcai county yamen. In addition, there was a batch of soybean oil.

Then, to respond to Xiping County’s activities, they also organized an activity within the Shangcai estate, mainly to provide benefits to retainers, hired laborers, and tenant farmers.

Originally, the things Ji Yuan donated together with others, Magistrate Chai hadn’t particularly publicized. Naturally, common people in remote areas didn’t know this was donated by Zhao Hanzhang.

But when the Zhao clan estate organized such an activity, echoing Xiping County’s activities, the common people who knew couldn’t help feeling envious and jealous, then pulled out the matter of this year’s relief supplies being donated by Zhao Hanzhang.

Of course, she wasn’t the only one who donated. Shangcai had quite a few wealthy people who donated, but no one spread word about them. So Zhao Hanzhang stood out.

Zhao Hanzhang’s reputation in Shangcai County shot up, and correspondingly, Magistrate Chai’s reputation plummeted.

When he learned of this matter, he didn’t know what expression to make. He pulled at the corners of his mouth, then finally wiped his face and asked, “Did Ji Yuan deliberately spread this?”

“No,” the chief clerk said with his head lowered. “It spread among the people themselves. Mr. Ji seems to have even explained, but with little effect.”

Magistrate Chai snorted, “A group of foolish people who only want to believe what they think is true and won’t listen to reason. If I hadn’t mediated, would the Zhao clan estate have donated so much?”

“Yes, this is all the magistrate’s merit. The people are ignorant—how could they comprehend the magistrate’s painstaking efforts?”

The chief clerk asked worriedly, “Then what should we do next? With spring approaching, if too many people leave Shangcai for Xiping, what about our Shangcai tax revenue next year?”

What else could be done?

Magistrate Chai could only issue an order forbidding common people from leaving villages at will. Anyone wanting to travel must report to the village chief. He also spread word that next year the county yamen would distribute a batch of seed grain.

Zhao Hanzhang was also worrying about seed grain.

After Minor New Year, Major New Year was imminent. After Major New Year, the weather would gradually warm up, and they’d need to start preparing for spring planting.

Before spring planting, she needed to have the seed grain that would be distributed this year ready.

Of course, not all county yamens distributed seed grain every year, nor could every household receive it. It still depended on the county yamen’s financial situation that year and the county magistrate’s conscience.

Very coincidentally, Zhao Hanzhang not only had a conscience but was also very wealthy. So she entrusted this matter to Chang Ning, “You must select carefully and choose good seed grain.”

Chang Ning agreed.

Compared to the liveliness of Xiping County celebrating Minor New Year, Xiping County’s Major New Year was very solemn and low-key. On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month, survivors went to pay respects to relatives who had died in that chaos.

Yushan Hall was also filled with crying. Zhao Hanzhang specially allocated a sum of money, allowing them to request offerings from the kitchen to pay respects to their relatives.

Some orphans weren’t from Xiping County but had drifted here. They could make offerings along the road. So on the twenty-ninth and thirtieth days of the twelfth month, the streets had many traces of offerings. The atmosphere was somewhat solemn.

Zhao Hanzhang had long since sealed the official documents and returned to the fortress. She led her family to the ancestral graves to pay respects to her grandfather and father, then quietly celebrated the New Year with her family while keeping vigil.

Wang Shi felt like she was dreaming, “A year ago, I never imagined you would become county magistrate.” And that they would be in such circumstances.

Feeling like they were dreaming like Wang Shi was Emperor Yongjia in the imperial palace.

Sitting on the couch, he silently shed tears. Just moments ago, the Prince of Donghai had publicly humiliated him, and among the full court of civil and military officials, aside from Fu Zhi, not a second person spoke up for him.

The Empress silently walked to his side and sat down. After sitting beside him for a long while, she asked, “Your Majesty, what should we do?”

The Emperor grasped her hand. “I have no one to use. Court affairs are controlled by him. You and I are nothing but puppets on strings. What can we do but wait for the executioner’s blade to fall?”

“But I worry in my heart—the Xiongnu’s Liu Yuan is wildly ambitious. Although we repelled him, he has already proclaimed himself emperor. He definitely won’t let Luoyang go.” The Emperor wept, “Luoyang’s northeastern gateway is already lost, and Yongzhou has disasters and chaos. The Xiongnu army could reach Luoyang any day. If we don’t leave, not only will the imperial family not survive, but Luoyang’s common people will also be implicated because of me.”

Empress Liang’s expression changed repeatedly. She couldn’t help saying, “Why doesn’t Your Majesty summon all the officials to discuss and persuade them to relocate the capital?”

The Emperor said, “The court is divided into two factions. Only Fu Zhi and a few others still support my capital relocation. The rest follow the Prince of Donghai. How would they allow me to relocate the capital?”

He sighed, “If I could gain Wang Yan’s support, it would be fine. But usually he doesn’t concern himself with government affairs, and when asked, he only follows the Prince of Donghai.”

The Emperor thought more and felt more heartbroken. He originally didn’t want to be emperor at all—he was completely forced into this position. After becoming emperor, he was still this stifled, leaving him without even the strength to struggle.

A year ago, how could he have imagined it would be like this?

At this time, in the Han Kingdom’s imperial palace nearly a thousand li away, Liu Yuan was celebrating the Spring Festival with his sons and officials.

This was a Han people’s festival, but Liu Yuan had admired Han culture since childhood and always considered himself Han on the surface. After all, he believed he and the Liu Han imperial family came from the same lineage—he was legitimate!

So they also celebrated New Year’s festivals, and very lively ones at that.

Liu Yuan tilted his head back and drank a cup of wine, then slammed down the cup with a bang and spoke grandly, “By next year, I will definitely attack into Luoyang and take back the other half of my Great Han’s territory!”

Liu Yuan, who only occupied most of Bingzhou, was wildly ambitious, feeling he had already taken half of Dajin’s territory.

A group of Xiongnu people listened and immediately expressed, “We are willing to serve Your Majesty!”

There was even a simple-minded one who directly shouted loudly, “When dawn breaks, I’ll immediately lead people to kill our way to Luoyang!”

Liu Yuan was truly afraid he would lead troops there. He hurriedly said, “No need to rush for this moment. Wait until after spring planting!”

Although he truly wanted to take down Luoyang, that didn’t mean he was willing to march out on New Year’s Day. Fighting required choosing the right timing.

Keeping vigil was boring. Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan were holding charcoal sticks used for burning and writing and drawing on the ground. “If I were Liu Yuan, I would definitely choose to attack Luoyang when summer harvest is imminent or just after summer harvest ends.”

Fu Tinghan: “To seize grain?”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded. “Using war to sustain war would reduce consumption somewhat.”

Fu Tinghan looked at the lines on the ground and frowned. “You mentioned last time that Yongzhou had disasters with refugee armies causing chaos?”

“Right.” Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze also fell on the point he indicated. She sighed, “If the Prince of Donghai can’t pacify Yongzhou, the Xiongnu army can directly enter Luoyang. This is a very dangerous thing.”

Fu Tinghan said, “If I were the Emperor, I’d directly relocate the capital.”

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