Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze returned, revealing a smile as she nodded at Zhao Shen before looking back at Xun Xiu and instructing those around her, “Take him into custody in the prison.”

Xun Xiu spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, his heart ash-gray as he said, “If the Commander wishes to kill me, just kill me now. Are you really going to select an auspicious day for it?”

Zhao Hanzhang said coldly, “You must die, but I want to give the Xun family a chance. However, if you don’t want to give them this chance, then pick up the sword now and kill yourself.”

Xun Xiu opened his mouth, but in the end said nothing as he was led away.

Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze swept around. All the soldiers of the Xun family army avoided her eyes, and those still holding weapons quietly lowered them and surrendered.

Zhao Shen directly experienced Zhao Hanzhang’s prestige among the army and the common people. Previously he had only heard of it, but seeing it today, the reputation was well-deserved.

Zhao Hanzhang withdrew her gaze, and seeing Zhao Shen, she immediately dismounted and approached with concern, asking, “Has Cousin Shen been injured?”

Only then did Zhao Shen feel the dampness on his back, which also hurt somewhat. He reached back to touch it, and looking at his palm, it was covered in red. His eyes rolled back and he fell backward.

Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes widened as she quickly reached out to catch him, calling out, “Quick, summon the military physician!”

She still wanted to ask about Uncle Ming and the young emperor.

Fortunately, although Zhao Shen had collapsed, there were still lieutenant generals in the Zhao family army who knew where Zhao Ming had gone.

Hearing that Zhao Ming and the others had already fled the city, she could only summon scouts and have them ride at full speed to chase them back.

When she returned to the villa, seeing the corpses lying on the ground and the blood everywhere, her expression grew even colder.

When Zhao Ming and the young emperor groped their way back in the dark, passing through the bright lamplight, they saw her sitting grimly in the great hall. The corpses in the hall and courtyard had all been carried away, but the bloodstains had not been cleaned. Not only were they on the ground, but the walls were also covered in crimson bloodstains, some not yet dry.

She sat among this crimson blood, making one’s heart involuntarily turn cold.

But the young emperor felt only relief upon seeing her. He ran forward with tears in his eyes. Zhao Hanzhang sighed and smiled as she stepped forward to comfort him, but his foot stepped in a pool of blood that was nearly dry but not quite, and his whole body pitched forward, directly embracing Zhao Hanzhang’s leg.

Whether from pain or from the day’s terror, the young emperor burst into loud sobs.

Zhao Hanzhang sighed and tried to help him up, but the young emperor only wanted to cry at this moment. Through his tear-blurred eyes, sensing she was trying to break free, he hugged her calf even tighter, crying and shouting, “Minister Zhao, Minister Zhao, from now on wherever you go, take me with you. Don’t be a Great General anymore, become one of the Three Excellencies, and stay by my side in the future.”

Hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang gave a mocking smile, reaching out to take a handkerchief from Zhao Ming’s hand and wiping the tears from his face as she said gently, “Your Majesty can rest assured, the Xiongnu have been destroyed and the realm is at peace. For now, I will not leave Your Majesty’s side.”

The young emperor raised his tearful eyes to look at her, “Really?”

“Really.” Seeing that he had calmed down, Zhao Hanzhang helped him up to sit on the couch. “Your Majesty, the six northern provinces have been recovered and new provincial governors need to be selected.”

The emperor immediately said, “The Grand Marshal should decide this matter.”

After speaking, he remembered something and quickly turned to look for Xun Fan, “Uncle, please quickly issue edicts to additionally appoint the Great General as Grand Marshal, Minister of Works, and Minister of Education.”

Xun Fan’s breathing quickened upon hearing this, and he hurriedly looked at Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang’s expression remained calm as she said to the young emperor, “Your Majesty, there is no precedent for appointing one person to all three positions of the Three Excellencies at once. This matter is not urgent. Please first issue edicts appointing the governors of the six provinces.”

The young emperor said sheepishly in a small voice, “I will listen to the Grand Marshal in everything.”

Had his imperial seal not been borrowed by Zhao Hanzhang all along? The previous edicts had all gone out through her hands, so why bother asking him now?

When the emperor was not present, she naturally need not ask, but since he was here, Zhao Hanzhang of course had to ask—this was also done for the world and the court officials to see.

With the emperor’s permission, Zhao Hanzhang immediately issued nine consecutive imperial edicts. She formally appointed Shi Le as Governor of Youzhou, Zu Ti as Governor of Jizhou, Beigong Chun as Governor of Bingzhou, Zhao Kuan as Governor of Qingzhou, Sun Linghui as Governor of Guangzhou, Zhao Ju as Governor of Yanzhou, Liu Kun as Governor of Xuzhou, Fu Zhi as Governor of Yongzhou, and Zhao Ming was formally promoted to Governor of Yuzhou.

As for Zhao Hanzhang, she personally assumed the position of Governor of Sizhou, which did not require an edict.

Among these, most had previously received appointment letters stamped with the imperial seal. These edicts were not for them, but for the whole world to see.

One edict after another issued from Zhao Hanzhang’s hands. The court officials standing in two rows in the hall were all trembling with fear. That night, few could sleep. Those of the Zhao faction were excited, while the old officials on the Jin imperial side feared that Zhao Hanzhang would take advantage of the situation to find an excuse to deal with the young emperor, completely controlling the nine provinces in name as well as in reality.

As it turned out, they were overthinking. Zhao Hanzhang did not touch the young emperor. She even feared he might fall ill from shock and summoned a physician to check his pulse and prepare a bowl of calming soup for him to drink.

She had said the people needed stability, so she devoted herself to stability and would absolutely not do something like killing the emperor at this time, which could potentially trigger war.

Moreover, the Sima family had already set a sufficiently bad example. Even if she wanted to change dynasties, she had no intention of killing the young emperor to replace him.

From ancient times to the present, regardless of whether in secret the last emperors of various dynasties were forced to abdicate, superficially the necessary formalities still had to be observed. Since China has had historical records, whenever changing the Son of Heaven or ruler, a bloodline would always be left for the other party, because exterminating a bloodline greatly damages one’s karmic merit.

Therefore, the Shang dynasty had the state of Qi to maintain the ancestral temples of the Xia dynasty, while the Zhou dynasty had the state of Song to maintain the ancestral temples of the Shang dynasty…

As for the Sima family…

Forget it, let’s not mention them. In any case, Zhao Hanzhang did not want customs to deteriorate further. To this end, she was willing to restrain her temper somewhat and take things slowly.

Of course, this was regarding the young emperor and domestic policy. For external matters, she would do as she saw fit.

Wang Han was captured and brought in. Zhao Hanzhang did not even see him. After confirming he was truly Wang Han, she had someone cut off his head, then had it placed in a box to be sent to the Prince of Langya. She told the messenger who was to deliver the head, “Tell the Prince of Langya that the court has selected a new Governor of Xuzhou. This time, I will let him off, but if there is a next time, never mind plotting to murder the emperor—even if the emperor merely hears that he is not obeying court orders, I will absolutely not show mercy.”

That’s right, the reason Zhao Hanzhang gave for killing Wang Han was that he had plotted to assassinate the emperor.

“Tell Wang Dao to properly restrain the Wang family. This time I am sparing the Wang family for the sake of Siniang and her siblings, but next time, the Wang family will not have such good fortune.”

The messenger acknowledged this and headed south to Yangzhou with Wang Han’s head.

When the Prince of Langya received the box and opened it to meet Wang Han’s wide-open eyes, he was so frightened that he stumbled backward, retreating several steps in succession.

Wang Dao’s face turned deathly pale upon seeing Wang Han’s severed head. He glared sharply at the Prince of Langya, then turned to look at Wang Dun. Seeing that his face showed little expression but his eyes seemed to contain flames, he knew that Wang Dun had been fully aware of Wang Han’s movements, and could not help but feel deep anger.