Zhao Zhongyu said leisurely, “Gentlemen, there isn’t much time before the feast begins. You still haven’t determined the seating arrangement? Surely you can’t wait until both of them arrive to decide?”

Because Fu Zhi and Zhao Zhongyu supported her, Zhao Hanzhang still obtained the left-first position by a narrow vote margin.

The most wonderful aspect was that she learned of this matter not from Fu Zhi or Zhao Zhongyu revealing it, but from a Ministry of Rites official named Chen Fulin who came to find her and told her in detail about the palace seating dispute, saying, “In my view, the General’s illustrious achievements make the left-first seat completely beyond discussion, but precisely because the General is a woman, this has attracted criticism.”

Zhao Hanzhang had already changed into fresh clothes and eaten her fill. At this moment she was just sleepy, so her aggression wasn’t strong. She lazily sat in the seat of honor and asked him, “So what?”

“In this subordinate’s view, the General has absolutely no need to compete with General Gou for this seat, because as long as you wish it, you can sit in an even higher position.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang looked Chen Fulin up and down in surprise. “Well now, so you’ve come to persuade me to rebel? What kind of people has His Majesty kept around him? Someone come, drag him down and…”

“No, no,” Chen Fulin broke out in a cold sweat, hurriedly explaining, “The General misunderstands. This subordinate doesn’t want the General to rebel, but rather thinks the General could sit alongside His Majesty.”

“This suggestion takes even more nerve. A nation with two rulers disrupts the very foundation of the state. You deserve execution even more. Someone…”

Seeing that Zhao Hanzhang kept failing to grasp the point, Chen Fulin couldn’t help crying out “Aiya!” and knelt down. “General, this subordinate means that with your dragon bearing and phoenix appearance, you could completely ascend to the Empress position and share the realm with His Majesty.”

The faint smile that had always graced Zhao Hanzhang’s face completely vanished. She lowered her eyes to look at the kneeling Chen Fulin, staring until he was drenched in cold sweat. Only then did she give a mocking laugh, leaning her body forward and propping herself on her knees to look at his bowed head. “Chen Fulin, you are truly bold. This suggestion not only places His Majesty and me in an unjust position and endangers Empress Liang’s life, but also destroys the friendship between my Zhao family and the Fu family built over generations, and further ruins my Zhao clan’s reputation.”

Zhao Hanzhang’s expression darkened as she heavily slapped the armrest. “Speak! Who sent you to execute this poisonous scheme?”

Chen Fulin’s face stiffened as he hurriedly explained, “The General misunderstands. This subordinate is wholeheartedly thinking of the General and Great Jin! If the General could become Empress and bear a Crown Prince for His Majesty, then Great Jin’s current situation of fragmentation with internal troubles and external threats could all be reversed!”

The current emperor’s greatest weakness was precisely his lack of power and influence, wasn’t it?

Zhao Hanzhang perfectly compensated for this point.

Zhao Hanzhang just stared at his head, hesitating between beheading him or not.

If she beheaded him, it would make her seem too cruel and might frighten future little darlings who wanted to offer her suggestions.

If she didn’t behead him, keeping such a person was useless to the nation and might leave future troubles.

Zhao Hanzhang squeezed her fingers, just about to order someone to drag him away for execution when Fu Tinghan suddenly called her. “Hanzhang.”

The kneeling Chen Fulin could feel the killing intent pressing down on him, making him unable to breathe, pause for a moment before gradually dissipating. He immediately breathed a sigh of relief, raising his sleeve to wipe the sweat from his face.

Zhao Hanzhang looked up smiling at Fu Tinghan who had walked in, asking, “How long were you listening outside?”

Fu Tinghan: “You should have heard me early on.” He hadn’t deliberately softened his footsteps, and with her hearing, it wouldn’t be difficult to detect.

Still, he explained, “From when he said you should become Empress.”

“His words were unpleasant. You don’t need to listen to his suggestion—just drive him out,” Fu Tinghan glanced at the sky outside, saying, “Looking at the time, it’s about right. Let’s prepare to enter the palace.”

“Very well.” Zhao Hanzhang descended from her seat. Fu Tinghan saw her feet wriggling about, apparently intending to slip into her shoes just like that, so he helplessly crouched down to help her put them on properly.

Zhao Hanzhang’s mood improved somewhat. Looking at Chen Fulin slumped on the ground, she wasn’t as intent on killing him anymore. She waved her hand, “Please escort Minister Chen out.”

Someone immediately came forward to help Chen Fulin up. Seeing him trembling uncontrollably and barely able to stand, they simply carried him out and tossed him. Zeng Yue spat at him, “Treacherous sycophant!”

Chen Fulin’s face flushed crimson, but under the watchful eyes of the Zhao family guards, he dared not make any rash moves.

Though Luoyang’s crisis was resolved, whether because their residences had been burned down or because there were too many soldiers stationed in the city, the court ministers and noble descendants hadn’t left the palace to return home but rather still clung to staying in the palace.

Half of the Zhao residence’s buildings had been dismantled, and next to it was a street burned black. Because the fire had started in the north city, and this area was close to the imperial palace, it was mostly inhabited by officials and noble clans.

As Zhao Hanzhang was about to leave, she looked at the half-burned Zhao residence, clicked her tongue twice, and shook her head. “Building this house back up will cost quite a bit of money. Never mind, I’ll leave it for Zhao Kuan to figure out. In the future this residence can also be lent to him to live in.”

Fu Tinghan: “Your calculations are quite precise.”

Zhao Hanzhang raised her head to smile at him with extreme pride. She took his hand, “Let’s go, enter the palace!”

Today both Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan were formally dressed, wearing wide-sleeved ceremonial robes. These garments were both warm and lacked the rigidity of armor—quite comfortable to wear.

Fu Tinghan helped her into the carriage before bending to board himself. The two sat facing each other, and Fu Tinghan then said, “You’re already sufficiently forceful in military matters, so in other matters you should show some flexibility. Otherwise, being constantly forceful will only make people fear you. With only fear and little respect, you will certainly become too rigid and break.”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded obediently in acceptance of the teaching, “I’ll remember. Just now I simply couldn’t control my temper for a moment.”

She stared curiously at Fu Tinghan, “You’re not angry at him?”

Fu Tinghan nodded, “He’s just an outsider, and a petty person at that. Why should I be angry with a petty person?”

“What if I had actually listened to his suggestion?”

“Then I should be angry at you. What does it have to do with him?”

Zhao Hanzhang paused before saying, “I think you could transfer some of the anger you’d give me onto him. Of course, I’m not saying I would make that choice. I’m just following the conversation to make that suggestion.”

Fu Tinghan looked at her gently. The carriage suddenly stopped, and Zeng Yue reported from outside, “Miss, Mr. Ji has arrived.”

Zhao Hanzhang immediately lifted the curtain, “Quickly, invite him in.”

Ji Yuan boarded the carriage and, after exchanging brief courtesies with Fu Tinghan, sat in the lower seat and said in a low voice, “I’ve already arranged some people in the palace and selected some soldiers to fill vacancies in the guard. I just don’t know if they’ll be replaced later.”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, also lowering her voice, “The seeds have already been sown. What they ultimately grow into will depend on opportunity.”

Ji Yuan lowered his voice further, “However, there is an inner attendant by the Emperor’s side who is willing to devote himself completely to the young lady.”

Zhao Hanzhang looked at him in surprise.

Ji Yuan whispered, “He’s someone the young lady rescued from Wang Mi’s hands last night, named Cai Hou. Unfortunately he’s too young, only fourteen years old, and his position is low. Normally he just runs errands and delivers messages in the Hall of Diligent Government…”

Zhao Hanzhang tapped her knee, “This is already sufficient. Have someone prepare some loose gold, silver, and pearls to send to him, and instruct him to first do his assigned duties well and grow up before anything else.”