After court, the Emperor summoned Fu Zhi privately. He took Fu Zhi’s hand and said, “The Prince of Donghai is now focused on competing with Gou Xi. In court he grows increasingly domineering. Court administration is controlled by him. Even if I have the will, I lack the power.”
“Ultimately, it’s because I hold no military authority. If Yuzhou falls, the Central Plains will collapse, and Luoyang will be hard to preserve alone. This is the Great Jin’s crisis.” The Emperor stood and solemnly bowed to Fu Zhi. “I beg Minister Fu to assist me and drive out the Prince of Donghai!”
Fu Zhi hurriedly bent to support the Emperor. He understood in his heart that the Emperor wanted to push him to the forefront to confront the Prince of Donghai. In the past, even if he disliked the Prince of Donghai, he wouldn’t have challenged him over military authority.
But this time, with Yuzhou in mortal danger and the Great Jin in peril, he couldn’t afford to hesitate, even if leaving this palace might mean dying at the Prince of Donghai’s hands.
Fu Zhi gripped the Emperor’s hand tightly and knelt down solemnly. “This subject will not fail Your Majesty’s trust.”
Seeing that he had indeed agreed, the Emperor felt gratified. He immediately helped Fu Zhi up and said quietly, “I’ll have someone escort Secretariat Director Fu out of the capital.”
Fu Zhi didn’t refuse.
The Emperor immediately wrote a secret edict for him, then had someone escort him out of the capital.
The Emperor’s attendants were all the Prince of Donghai’s people. At the time, he had also mentioned recruitment in front of Wang Yan. In the past, the Prince of Donghai would have entered the palace with a blade to question the Emperor about this.
But this year, from when the Prince of Donghai and Gou Xi’s civil war began to when the Xiongnu army later besieged Luoyang, the Emperor had mentioned sending people out to recruit soldiers more than once. He had approached most of the important ministers, including Zhao Zhongyu.
It was just that everyone was intimidated by the Prince of Donghai’s power and no one dared agree. After it happened repeatedly, the Prince of Donghai treated it as a joke.
At first he would still summon those ministers who had been called, even bringing a blade to “visit” the Emperor. Later, the Prince of Donghai just treated it as a joke. At most he’d give those summoned ministers a knife-like glare.
So this time, when the Emperor brought up old matters, everyone dutifully looked shocked, but after leaving court they carried on as usual. Still, some went to the Prince of Donghai to inform on the Emperor, mentioning that he had Fu Zhi recruit soldiers.
Having heard it so many times, the Prince of Donghai paid it no mind, snorting coldly. “Fu Zhi wouldn’t dare.”
The informant also felt Fu Zhi wouldn’t dare. He had no troops. If he dared leave the capital to recruit for the Emperor, the Prince of Donghai could send riders galloping after him to cut him down.
He’d die for nothing. In these years, princes had been killed in strings—who would truly care about a minister’s life or death?
So among the court’s important ministers, though there were those who constantly memorialized against the Prince of Donghai, they actually didn’t dare to seriously offend him. After all, Luoyang was in the Prince of Donghai’s hands—not just their lives, but their families’ lives were in his hands too.
However, because of his actions this past year, many ministers, including those who had always supported him, had developed objections.
Not everyone was as shortsighted and impulsive as him. The Prince of Donghai’s actions that disregarded the Great Jin’s fortunes still made many dissatisfied, though under his authority they dared not express it.
But once cracks appeared in the mirror, it was hard to share the same frame again. Some did notice Fu Zhi leaving the capital, but after consideration they pretended to know nothing.
They thought: with the Prince of Donghai’s power, he would surely find out. Why should they be the villains?
If unlucky, they might even be remembered for eternity—as infamous names, of course.
So everyone tacitly kept silent.
Wang Yan also said nothing. As long as it didn’t affect his interests, he didn’t care about anything.
By the time the Prince of Donghai learned of this, Fu Zhi had already traveled a day and night and was nearly at Yongzhou.
After Chang’an was conquered, it fell under the Prince of Donghai’s control, but his actual control over the Chang’an area was weak.
Though the River Prince’s subordinates had lost the battle and Chang’an had to fall into the Prince of Donghai’s hands, they weren’t entirely convinced. The aristocratic families and gentry around Chang’an also didn’t submit to the Prince of Donghai, let alone the common people who had long been trapped in chaos and burdened by excessive taxation.
So Chang’an remained beyond the Prince of Donghai’s sphere of influence. At least here, he couldn’t kill whoever he wanted.
Fu Zhi arrived in Chang’an with the secret edict. The aristocratic families and wealthy of Chang’an all acknowledged it. Combined with Fu Zhi’s good reputation, many were willing to submit. Moreover, his son and daughter-in-law were here.
His daughter-in-law was even an imperial princess of the Jin.
The couple came forward, gathering considerable wealth and provisions for Fu Zhi. With this wealth and provisions, Fu Zhi began recruiting soldiers.
At this time, Zhao Hanzhang and her forces had also reached outside Chen County.
Inspector He’s old wound had flared up. Combined with the intense recent battles, Gou Xi’s fence-sitting, the reinforcements’ retreat, and the entire burden crashing down on him, he was now both injured and ill. When Zhao Hanzhang saw him, she almost didn’t recognize him.
He had aged more than ten years. His eyes were ringed with dark circles, his hair was graying, his face haggard, and his clothes hung loose on his frame. Zhao Hanzhang felt he might ascend to the heavens at any moment.
She paused, then quickly stepped forward to pay respects. Inspector He, seeing that she had indeed brought troops, also quickly summoned all the military commanders, personally going out to welcome them.
Both sides met with tearful eyes. Inspector He: “Hanzhang, you’ve finally come!”
Zhao Hanzhang: “This subordinate arrived late, causing the Inspector such exhaustion. Hanzhang is ashamed.”
The commanders on both sides stood quietly watching the two perform, though fortunately they weren’t overly clingy. After shedding three drops of tears, Inspector He invited Zhao Hanzhang inside to talk.
Zhao Hanzhang left the main army behind, only bringing Fu Tinghan, Zhao Ju, and Sun Linghui with her. Well, and Ting He attending at her side.
Entering the front hall, Inspector He invited Zhao Hanzhang to sit in the lower seat of honor. The other commanders were all below her.
Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze swept over the people in the room, discovering not one familiar face—meaning the commandery governors and county magistrates from other commanderies hadn’t come.
Zhao Hanzhang asked, “How is the front line situation? How many troops have come to reinforce us?”
Inspector He was deeply worried. Thinking of his physical condition, he didn’t hide anything. “We’ve repelled the Xiongnu army’s attacks three times. As for reinforcements… currently only you from Runan Commandery have sent people.”
Zhao Hanzhang frowned. “The other commanderies and counties haven’t sent anyone yet?”
Inspector He sighed. “Yes. I’m afraid they won’t come.”
Zhao Hanzhang pressed her lips together. “If Chen County falls, the Xiongnu entering Yuzhou will be like entering an undefended land. Can their commanderies and counties really escape unscathed?”
Inspector He said nothing.
The crisis existed, but those holding military authority could simply abandon their commanderies and counties and lead their troops away from Yuzhou.
Mainly, the benefits weren’t enough.
Embarrassingly, when Quyang was besieged earlier, Inspector He couldn’t command the various commanderies and counties, so he spread word that he was gravely injured and dying, and whoever reached Quyang first to rescue him would be the next Inspector…
But afterward, though Inspector He was indeed injured, he was quite alive and kicking, showing no intention of dying and yielding his position.
So this time, no one believed Inspector He.
But this time, he truly was dying!