After a couple of jokes, they returned to serious business. Zhao Hanzhang said solemnly: “We’ll soon have money, but we still need to purchase grain. Now only Jiangnan and Shu can sell us grain.”

Ji Yuan said: “Is Your Excellency worried the Prince of Langya will obstruct us and we won’t be able to buy grain from Jiangnan?”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded.

Ming Yu said: “We can find a way through Jingzhou. Inspector Wang has been managing Jingzhou for a year and should have connections.”

Ji Yuan also said: “Jiangnan isn’t a monolithic bloc either. The Prince of Langya previously managed Xuzhou. He brought large groups to Jiangnan, occupying the interests of Jiangnan clans. Not many truly submit to him.”

In recent years, large numbers of northern clans migrated south. Upon reaching Jiangnan, they scattered everywhere, each acting independently, never able to compete with local clans.

After the Prince of Langya fled to Jianye, Wang Dao suggested he unite all the migrated northern clans while maintaining good relations with local Jiangnan gentry, combining the two.

Through Wang Dao’s efforts, they indeed formed an organization, uniting the scattered northern clans. Simultaneously, leveraging the northern clans’ prestige, he held various banquets to befriend southern clans. While Zhao Hanzhang and Shi Le’s Xiongnu forces were fighting, southern clans had already begun favoring the Prince of Langya. Wang Dao seemed on the verge of success.

Then Shi Le surrendered. Zhao Hanzhang took control of Shi’s army. Jiangnan clans immediately began watching and waiting again, their attitude toward the Prince of Langya neither warm nor cold. The agreement to jointly expel Zhao Hu’s merchant caravans and new coins also ceased. Everyone again tacitly accepted Zhao Hu’s caravans traveling through Jiangnan.

After Zhao Hanzhang defeated the Xiongnu and returned triumphant, when her “Letter to the People” spread throughout the realm, half of Jiangnan’s clans showed aloofness toward the Prince of Langya. The half willing to befriend him mostly did so out of respect for Wang Dao. But after discovering Wang Dao and the Prince of Langya were also estranged, those willing to gather around him became extremely few.

So Ji Yuan believed Jiangnan held great potential.

He said: “Besides Wang Yifeng, Seventh Great-Uncle’s merchant caravan can also be used. His caravans have traveled to Jiangnan several times. Many Jiangnan clans know of them. If they have interest, they might reach out through Seventh Great-Uncle’s caravan.”

Zhao Hanzhang pondered: “There’s also Yuan Li. He’s also in Jiangnan.”

Ming Yu: “Three approaches simultaneously. We must urge them. Never mind Youzhou, Jizhou, and Bingzhou needing disaster relief with people starving daily—even the army’s provisions aren’t plentiful.”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded. Just as she was about to speak, Ji Yuan had already said first: “I’ll contact Yuan Li.”

The intelligence division had always been managed by Ji Yuan. Yuan Li now worked under Ji Yuan. Besides Ji Yuan, only Zhao Hanzhang knew these matters, so he could directly contact Yuan Li.

Hearing this, Ming Yu immediately said: “I’ll draft the documents and send the tallied money to Jingzhou together.”

Ji Yuan smiled at Zhao Hanzhang: “Then Seventh Great-Uncle’s side will trouble Your Excellency.”

Zhao Hanzhang: … So her relationship with Seventh Uncle-Granduncle was always this mix of conflict and… affection.

Zhao Hanzhang pulled at the corners of her mouth, deciding that at this moment she loved Seventh Uncle-Granduncle.

Since the money left the warehouse, Zhao Hu’s chest had been aching. He lay at home recuperating.

So-called recuperation meant lying on a soft couch in the pavilion with a maid gently fanning a plantain-leaf fan beside him, two other maids serving him melons, fruits, tea, and water, while performers entertained on a nearby platform.

When Zhao Hanzhang arrived carrying a package of pastries to visit the sick, this was the scene she saw. She couldn’t help pausing, her eyes revealing envious emotion.

Seeing her arrive, Zhao Hu frowned: “Didn’t I pay the Suanmin money? What are you here for?”

Zhao Hanzhang raised the pastries in her hand: “I came to visit the sick.”

She stepped forward: “Seventh Uncle-Granduncle, rest assured. I’m not here to press for the remaining Suanmin money.”

Zhao Hu’s eyebrow twitched as he felt somewhat guilty. He didn’t continue blocking her but directly leaned against the couch and turned to watch the performers play music.

Zhao Hanzhang handed the pastries to a maid serving him fruit, having her arrange them, then lifted her robe hem and knelt on the mat, watching him.

Zhao Hu grew somewhat uncomfortable. He endured and endured but under her gaze finally sat up, irritably waving his hand to dismiss the performers and servants.

Just as the maid brought out the pastries, Zhao Hu glanced at them with slight disdain: “You’re too stingy. Coming to visit the sick, you only brought one package of osmanthus cakes?”

Zhao Hanzhang: “Fifth Uncle-Granduncle said you like osmanthus cakes.”

Zhao Hu: “You actually believed your Fifth Uncle-Granduncle’s memory. Osmanthus cakes are something I liked as a child. Since adulthood, I no longer enjoy these cloying sweet things.”

Zhao Hanzhang: …

She pushed the plate toward him, smiling: “Is that so? But I think a person’s tastes are hard to change. Why doesn’t Seventh Uncle-Granduncle try? You might rediscover childhood feelings.”

Now it was Zhao Hu’s turn to be speechless. He directly asked: “Just tell me what you want.”

Zhao Hanzhang raised her eyelids to look at him. Zhao Hu felt his heart pounding like when he was young, playing truant and running straight into his teacher.

This made Zhao Hu’s expression very unpleasant. Before she could speak, he raised his hand to stop her, first rattling off a long speech himself: “Do you know how much Suanmin money I paid yesterday? Twelve million eight hundred seventy-eight thousand and four hundred. If you think that’s still not enough, then today just have people arrest me. Anyway, if you want money there is none, but there’s one life available.”

Zhao Hanzhang: “… Seventh Uncle-Granduncle, you’re not someone who values money over life. Alright, I know you didn’t report the real amount. I’m not here today about the remaining Suanmin money to find you. I have other matters.”

Hearing this, Zhao Hu exhaled. His pounding heart calmed. He lazily lay back on the couch, asking: “What matter? Right now my chest hurts. I don’t want to worry about anything.”

Zhao Hanzhang asked: “Don’t you even want to hear about making money?”

Zhao Hu snorted: “That’s not money I’m making. It’s money for you. I already have to pay taxes. After the money enters the treasury, I have to pay Suanmin money again—double taxation. Where in the world is there such logic?”

“The Suanmin money became regular practice during Han times. Even during Cao Wei times it still existed. Even if Seventh Uncle-Granduncle didn’t experience it, you should have heard the family mention it, right?”

“My family isn’t merchants and doesn’t make usurious loans. What does this money have to do with me?” Zhao Hu said: “Only you refuse nothing, collecting money from everyone.”

Quite resentful.

Zhao Hanzhang just smiled and didn’t take it to heart. Instead she asked: “Since you’re not interested in making money, you must be interested in losing it? Your merchant caravans and shops in Jiangnan add up to nearly ten million coins, right?”

Zhao Hu jumped in alarm, immediately sitting up: “What are you doing? Threatening me?”

Zhao Hanzhang sighed: “Seventh Uncle-Granduncle, after all these years, how do you still not understand me? Am I the type to threaten people?”

Zhao Hu snorted coldly in his heart. Two days ago for the Suanmin money, she threatened him right in front of Zhao Song. Just a few days later, she turned around and forgot?

“You also know Jiangnan is now in the Prince of Langya’s hands. He’s currently targeting me. Many Jiangnan clans support him. At this time, aren’t your merchant caravans and shops in Jiangnan just targets?”

Zhao Hu froze: “This is an undeserved disaster for me?”

Zhao Hanzhang sneered coldly: “Then don’t forget—whom do you rely on to have a foothold in Jiangnan? You can’t only remember me when bad things happen, forgetting about me when I benefit you, right?”

Zhao Hu paused, then asked: “So your meaning is, you want me to withdraw from Jiangnan to preserve assets?”

“Withdraw what withdraw,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “The more they want to suppress you, the more I want to support you. With so many clans in Jiangnan, can there not be even one who favors me?”

Zhao Hu slapped his thigh: “Exactly! We’ll fight them!”

He would crush and grind into the dirt all obstacles on his money-making path.