Zhao Hanzhang took the box and went directly back to the rear courtyard. She instructed Ting He, “Go find Fifth Young Master Wu and have him ask Master Ji to return to the rear courtyard. I have urgent matters to discuss.”

Ting He said, “Miss, Master Ji is in the rear courtyard now, drinking wine with Master Ming in the garden.”

Zhao Hanzhang: …

Zhao Hanzhang headed straight for the garden. In the pavilion, only Zhao Ming and Ji Yuan sat facing each other. Fu Tinghan was not there.

Ting He explained, “The Young Master is busy. After receiving the tea we brewed, he refused to sit in the garden with Master Ming. Master Ji happened to return from outside, so the Young Master handed Master Ming over to Master Ji to entertain.”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Go invite him here. Tell him I have urgent matters to discuss with all of them together.”

Fu Tinghan arrived quite quickly. Once everyone was present, Zhao Hanzhang placed the box in the center of the low table. “This is Prefect He’s private seal.”

Zhao Ming and Ji Yuan both flinched.

Fu Tinghan asked directly, “What’s the implication of giving it to you?”

Zhao Hanzhang curved her lips in a slight smile. “He said if I deploy troops to rescue him, I’ll be the next Prefect.”

Zhao Ming: “If you die, what use is the Prefect position to you?”

Ji Yuan asked instead, “What’s the situation at the front? How many troops does he currently have? Is this seal only for you, or do other prefectural governors also have one? He should have ordered all prefectures to deploy reinforcement troops. What has he promised the other prefectural governors?”

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t answer their questions but instead turned to Fu Tinghan. “What do you think?”

Fu Tinghan asked, “Do you want to fight?”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, her expression solemn. “Even if not for the Prefect’s position, I must deploy troops.”

She described how the various armies were retreating or slacking in battle. “So now only Prefect He is resisting the Xiongnu army. Once even he can’t hold out, with the Xiongnu driving straight down, how can Runan Prefecture survive alone?”

Zhao Hanzhang continued, “Liu Yuan’s army besieged Luoyang for so long but still couldn’t enter the city. They’ve long accumulated a bellyful of anger. Once they break into Yuzhou, I fear they’ll massacre cities.”

Zhao Ming and Ji Yuan both changed expressions. Fu Tinghan’s face looked even worse.

“At that time, no one will be spared.” She said, “So Prefect He’s policy is correct. We must keep the Xiongnu outside Yuzhou.”

Zhao Ming stood up and paced in circles before turning to ask her, “How confident are you?”

Zhao Hanzhang lowered her eyes. “I have no confidence.”

Zhao Ming pressed his lips tightly. “Without confidence, you dare lead so many people to risk their lives?”

Zhao Hanzhang pulled a slight smile. “Uncle Ming, this is merely the difference between dying early or dying late. If we can’t stop the Xiongnu army, those of us in front will just die a few days earlier. If we happen to stop them, we can live several more years, even decades. Thinking of it this way, isn’t the gamble quite worthwhile?”

Zhao Ming fell silent.

Zhao Hanzhang also became more serious, sitting up straight with a solemn expression. “Uncle Ming, if we can’t stop the Xiongnu, then please listen to Great-Uncle and take the clan south.”

Zhao Ming looked at her sarcastically. “Over a thousand old, weak, women and children—do you think we can outrun the Xiongnu, famed throughout the world for their cavalry?”

Zhao Hanzhang: “Then simplify matters—have them blend into the refugees and each fend for themselves.”

Saying this, she smiled bitterly. “By that time, they’ll be refugees themselves anyway, so they won’t need to deliberately blend in.”

She paused, then still said, “At that time, please Uncle Ming, take care of my mother.”

This time Zhao Ming didn’t speak sarcastically but looked her up and down before asking, “I always thought your ultimate goal was your mother and Second Brother. If you wanted to preserve yourself, there are plenty of methods. You could choose not to deploy troops and preserve your strength. If the Xiongnu truly advance south, you could use your power to escort your family and the clan south…”

“Does Uncle Ming hope I would do that?” Zhao Hanzhang stared at him intently.

Zhao Ming fell silent for a long time without speaking.

Fu Tinghan stood up. “I’ll go calculate how many troops you can deploy and the grain supplies needed.”

He nodded to Zhao Ming before turning to leave.

Zhao Ming watched him leave and suddenly realized that Fu Tinghan never opposed any of Zhao Hanzhang’s decisions. He had previously thought this was because Fu loved and cherished her, so he supported her decisions simply because she made them.

But looking now, could it be that Zhao Hanzhang’s decisions also aligned with his own intentions, which is why he never thought to oppose her?

Ji Yuan also felt Zhao Hanzhang’s action was dangerous, but fortune favors the bold. He suggested, “Miss can send reinforcements but need not personally lead the army. You could have Zhao Ju lead troops to provide aid.”

That way, they could advance or retreat.

But Zhao Hanzhang shook her head. “If I don’t go, morale will be low, and they won’t be able to display even ten or twenty percent of their abilities. Since we’ve decided to do this, we should do our utmost best.”

Seeing her insistence, Ji Yuan knew it would be difficult to persuade her further. He sighed and agreed, also standing up. “I’ll go prepare the grain supplies now.”

With only Zhao Ming and Zhao Hanzhang left in the pavilion.

At this moment, one stood while the other knelt. Clearly Zhao Ming was taller, but Zhao Hanzhang’s presence was no weaker than his, even faintly surpassing him.

Zhao Ming quietly observed this niece of his. He felt he understood her well enough, but looking at her now, all his previous knowledge and impressions seemed completely wrong.

For the first time, he scrutinized her so carefully. Zhao Hanzhang calmly let him look, pouring herself a cup of water. Just as she brought it to her lips, she smiled bitterly. “Uncle, you really do love your wine. Why is even the teapot filled with wine?”

Zhao Ming merely glanced lightly and said, “This isn’t a teapot, it’s a wine jug.”

Fine, if you say it’s a wine jug, then it’s a wine jug.

Zhao Hanzhang set down the cup and tilted her head slightly to look at Zhao Ming, smiling faintly. “Uncle, if you have something to say, please speak directly.”

Zhao Ming thought for a moment, then turned and walked to sit across from her, lifting his robe to kneel down facing her. “I… always thought you were wildly ambitious, too obsessed with power and authority, and would likely bring great disaster upon yourself and the Zhao clan in the future.”

Zhao Hanzhang: “Is Uncle worried I’ll rebel?”

Zhao Ming: …

He couldn’t help but first glance left and right.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled. “Rest assured, there’s no one in this garden now. Even if someone did overhear and spread it, I wouldn’t fear.”

Could the Emperor and the Prince of Donghai still send someone to arrest and behead her?

They were both barely surviving themselves, weren’t they?

Zhao Ming asked, “Are you?”

Zhao Hanzhang shook her head directly. “I am not.”

She spoke frankly, “I do indeed want to control Yuzhou, but that truly is for the sake of Mother, Second Brother, and the clan.”

“Then why are you deploying troops this time? Why aren’t you considering your mother, Second Brother, and the clan?”

Zhao Hanzhang sighed deeply. “Uncle Ming, I am now the Assistant Administrator of Runan Prefecture. I must be responsible to Runan Prefecture. To occupy a position is to fulfill its duties—this has always been the truth I pursue. If I abandon Runan Prefecture to save only myself, then even if I live, I am dead.”