Gao Cheng sent off Zhao Hanzhang with great joy. Returning to the county office, he let out a long breath and beckoned to a subordinate. “I’m too tired today. I’m going to rest in the back courtyard first. If anything comes up, send someone to find me.”

“Yes.”

Gao Cheng lifted his foot to head toward the back courtyard, but had only gone halfway when a clerk rushed in. “County Magistrate, a document has arrived from Luyang.”

Gao Cheng frowned. “The New Year seal is about to be affixed. What document could there be?”

The clerk had no idea. He was from the courier station and only responsible for delivering documents.

He bowed and presented the document.

Gao Cheng opened it and his heart immediately skipped a beat. His vision swam.

Seeing this, his subordinates exchanged glances and hurried forward to ask, “County Magistrate, what’s wrong?”

Gao Cheng reached out to steady himself on the nearest registrar. The little color that had returned to his face vanished, becoming even paler than before. “Administrator Pei has resigned his seal…”

His subordinates froze, looking bewildered. “Ah, why?”

Gao Cheng suddenly became angry. “You’re asking me? How would I know? I’ve been spinning like a top these past few days. How would I know why?”

His subordinates fell silent.

Gao Cheng muttered to himself, “Why indeed? Why? I thought that with her going to Luyang and Administrator Pei there, she wouldn’t notice what was happening on my end…”

After all, Nanyang Principality was so large, with so many counties below. Xi’e County was just one of them. He could guarantee that Xi’e County’s situation was definitely not the worst. When the time came…

But… why did the administrator suddenly resign?

Gao Cheng thought of something and his whole body stiffened. He grabbed the registrar’s hand tightly, his eyes wide. “Yesterday, yesterday she returned from outside the city!”

“That’s right. Many people saw it. She brought about a hundred cavalry back from outside the city.”

“Didn’t they say she was ill? Then where did she quietly go these past few days? How is it such a coincidence that she said she was going to Luyang, and immediately news of Administrator Pei’s resignation arrived, just clearing a position for her… and she even said she would meet with me there…”

The county clerks said nothing.

Gao Cheng suffered alone for a moment, then slowly adjusted to the sword that had returned to the base of his neck. He released his grip on the registrar’s arm and regained his composure. “Come, let’s discuss preventing frost disasters again.”

A short-sighted clerk asked, “County Magistrate, aren’t you going to rest?”

“No,” Gao Cheng said weakly. “I’m not tired anymore. Not tired at all.”

Inside, Gao Cheng’s heart wept like the sea. At this moment, he too wanted very much to resign his seal and leave. He just didn’t know if Zhao Hanzhang would allow him to resign and live.

The thought flashed through his mind, and a tear truly fell from his eye. It was too hard. It was really too hard. For six consecutive days, he had slept no more than three hours each day. Several days he had slept less than two hours.

This was the first time in his ten-plus years as an official that he had worked so hard. If being an official was this exhausting, why did he become one in the first place?

Gao Cheng truly wanted to resign. As long as he could resign and live, he would genuinely be willing to step aside. But…

Would Zhao Hanzhang let him resign and live?

After all, he wasn’t a prominent official like Pei He. He didn’t dare test it, so could only continue working diligently. At least when he next saw her, he could avoid making her too angry.

Gao Cheng ordered, “The disaster this year is severe. The office will not be sealed. Have everyone go to the countryside more, compile disaster statistics, and provide relief to disaster victims.”

The county clerks didn’t dare object either, silently bowing their heads in acknowledgment.

Zhao Hanzhang’s sword hung not only at Gao Cheng’s neck, but at theirs as well.

At this moment in Luyang City, the administrator’s mansion was in complete chaos.

With the year’s end approaching and the office about to be sealed for the New Year, Pei He had left just like that, with many things not yet transferred.

The county vice-administrator could only inventory the treasury on one hand, verify the accounts, and on the other hand issue orders to each county, notifying them of this news and commanding them to manage their own counties well. Don’t cause trouble for the administrator’s mansion recently, or else if he had a hard time, they could forget about having an easy time either.

Meanwhile, he also had to write documents to Chenliu and report to the governor and the court, requesting that they send another administrator.

The vice-administrator had some unrealistic ideas. He actually thought he could do it.

However, people in the Wei-Jin era didn’t favor self-recommendation. What they favored was showing disdain for worldly things, then declining, declining, and declining again before accepting.

So the vice-administrator hesitated for a moment but still didn’t recommend himself.

He decided to have someone recommend him. That way, even if it didn’t work out, he could save face.

Quite a few people had the same idea as him. Although their official ranks weren’t as high as the vice-administrator’s, this didn’t prevent them from wanting to advance beyond their level. So Luyang City became quite lively. Today one family held a banquet, tomorrow another entertained guests at a restaurant.

When Zhao Hanzhang’s group entered Luyang City again, the atmosphere inside was completely different.

The air faintly carried the fragrance of wine. Some beggar children glanced back at them while running toward an alley.

Zhao Hanzhang reined in her horse and quite directly called over a street vendor who was hiding nearby to ask, “Why are these beggar children running?”

The vendor bowed his head, trembling as he replied, “They should, should be going to Willow Street to wait for food.”

“There’s food on Willow Street?”

The vendor nervously responded with a “yes” and said quietly, “The vice-administrator is holding a grand banquet for guests. Some leftover food will be thrown out, and they go to rummage through it. They can find quite a bit to eat.”

Zhao Hanzhang took a deep breath, smelling the faint wine fragrance in the air, and asked, “Then this wine scent throughout the city…”

“I heard today they’re having a drinking contest. The vice-administrator and several high officials have all brought out their treasured wines for the contest.”

Hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang’s lips curved slightly. She said to Fu Tinghan, “I also love drinking. It would be a shame if we didn’t join such festivities. Come, we’re all going!”

The city gate soldier leading them broke out in a sweat and hurriedly asked, “Governor, Governor, what about all these people behind us…”

Zhao Hanzhang smiled. “Bring them all along. The more people, the livelier it is. Everyone go congratulate the vice-administrator. I’m sure he’ll be even happier seeing so many people congratulating him.”

Zhao Hanzhang turned back to the elderly, weak, women, and children. “Don’t be polite with the vice-administrator, everyone. Eat your fill!”

Everyone responded in unison. They wouldn’t be polite.

Zhao Hanzhang rode toward there with a smile on her lips.

The vice-administrator, who was in the middle of a drinking contest, had just received news that Zhao Hanzhang had entered the city with people. Before he could change clothes to go greet her, Zhao Hanzhang had already arrived at his door with her group.

The vice-administrator couldn’t worry about changing out of his wine-soaked clothes. He hurried out to welcome her.

Upon exiting, he saw a young man and woman holding horses’ reins standing not far from his door. The two wore cloaks over armor, looking up to examine his courtyard walls. From their bearing and appearance, they were clearly Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan, who was inseparable from her.

The vice-administrator hurried forward to pay his respects. “This official greets the governor. Not knowing the governor was arriving, this official failed to welcome you properly.”

Many officials from the administrator’s mansion came out with the vice-administrator. Each had a flushed face and reeked of alcohol.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled and nodded, excusing them from the formalities, then asked with a laugh, “I heard the vice-administrator is holding a feast at home. Do you have seats for us?”

The vice-administrator hurried to reply, “Of course there are. Governor, please come inside.”

Zhao Hanzhang tossed the reins to Ting He and gestured behind her to the vice-administrator. “Good, then arrange seats for all of us.”

The vice-administrator quickly agreed. He looked up toward the back and was dumbfounded.

Behind dozens of cavalry were nearly a thousand people dressed as refugees, and behind them were several hundred more cavalry. This had to be… nearly two thousand people, right?

Ten people per table would be two hundred tables…

The vice-administrator opened his mouth about to say something, but Zhao Hanzhang had already led Fu Tinghan, Zhao Erlang, and several others striding inside.

He swallowed and quickly summoned his steward. “Go make arrangements immediately.”

Then he hurried to catch up with Zhao Hanzhang.