“Does Master Wang like Liu Bao’s paintings?” A voice suddenly sounded behind the two. Both Wang Dao and Zhou Yu were startled, turning around sharply to find Zhao Hanzhang standing behind them at some unknown point, hands clasped behind her back, looking at them with an expression of bemusement.

Seeming to realize something, Zhao Hanzhang said with a smile, “I came upstairs just now with heavy footsteps. I thought the masters should have heard me, but I did not expect you were so absorbed. It was my fault to startle you both.”

As Zhao Hanzhang apologized, both men repeatedly said they did not dare accept it. Wang Dao looked as if he wanted to speak but held back. After restraining himself, he still could not hold it in, “General, how did you obtain these paintings?”

“There are too many, I do not remember when I obtained them. Most are probably spoils of war seized from the Xiongnu and Jie barbarians during battles.” Zhao Hanzhang led them to the back of the last shelf, where many large wooden chests were placed, all containing books, paintings, inkstones, brushes, and ink that had not been displayed.

“Whether for ordinary common people or for gentry from established families, war is a disaster that destroys entire households. From the first year of Yuankang to today, dozens of gentry clans have been exterminated, and those whose direct lines were destroyed are countless.” She turned to look at Wang Dao, “Fortunately, I redeemed Erniang and Siniang from Shi Lei back then. Otherwise, your Wang clan would have also lost its direct line.”

Wang Dao’s heart trembled, and he immediately knelt to express gratitude.

Zhao Hanzhang reached out to support him, laughing heartily, “No need to thank me. Being able to receive Erniang and Siniang’s assistance is also Hanzhang’s fortune. They have long since repaid me.”

Seeing that Wang Dao and Zhou Yu kept turning back to look at those two paintings, Zhao Hanzhang thought briefly then gifted the ‘North Wind Diagram’ to Wang Dao and the ‘Milky Way Diagram’ to Zhou Yu. “This ‘North Wind Diagram’ was seized when defeating Liu Cong. When he captured the late emperor, many rare treasures from the palace were all plundered by him.”

After defeating Liu Cong, the seized items naturally became spoils of war. Zhao Hanzhang only put grain, cloth, and most of the gold and silver into the public accounts, distributing the rest to the soldiers.

Zhao Hanzhang did not take gold and silver at that time, mostly taking books and calligraphy. Those under her naturally understood she liked these, so on her birthday, Fu Tinghan’s birthday, even their wedding, and various festivals, gifts were mostly books and calligraphy.

For people like Zeng Yue who did not particularly value books, this gift option was truly the most convenient—just select some items from one’s own pile of spoils, no expense, no worry, and it pleased the recipient. What a good gift option!

Actually, Zhao Hanzhang was not exclusively interested in rare books and calligraphy. Initially, she did this partly because these items were indeed precious, and partly because everyone was poor. Gold and silver were most useful, and other items were also easier to convert to cash. She did not want to compete with her subordinates for these popular items, so she could only choose these less sought-after ones.

She never thought it would become a label stuck to her that could not be removed.

However, she truly did like these two diagrams, otherwise she would not have hung them up for regular appreciation.

But compared to two paintings, she valued Wang Dao and Zhou Yu more.

For people she valued, Zhao Hanzhang was not stingy about catering to their preferences.

Everyone said Diao Xie was not a good person, that he flattered superiors and oppressed inferiors, only seeking power by figuring out and complying with superior intentions, hence calling him a petty man.

But he could see through all confusion to the essence of matters. The power of Jiangnan’s aristocratic families was even greater than that of Central Plains aristocratic families.

Perhaps this was due to over twenty years of continuous warfare in the Central Plains and the North. The aristocratic families’ control over land was not as strong as in Jiangnan.

After all, there was land everywhere, just lacking people due to the chaos of war.

Until now, the Eight Princes, Gou Xi, the Xiongnu Han Kingdom, Shi Lei’s regime, and Zhao Hanzhang had plowed this land over and over again. Currently, in areas north of the Yangtze, except for some extremely small fortified settlements in remote regions, all fortifications had been destroyed.

The aristocratic families that had been deeply rooted in the land had long since been exterminated, fled south, or gone into exile, scattered in all directions.

When they returned, the vast majority could not reclaim what had once been their ancestral property. All land now belonged to the state and was redistributed.

But for Jiangnan, could she reclaim land to state ownership?

Even thinking with one’s toes, one knew it was impossible.

One person could righteously abandon their own interests for the sake of the nation and common people. Ten people, one hundred people, one hundred thousand people, one million people?

Among them, as long as some portion was unwilling, war would arise.

War could break down order and rebuild it. Judging from the current situation north of the Yangtze, rebuilding seemed quite effortless and allowed more freedom to develop. But to destroy a perfectly good city into ruins and then rebuild it, wanting to develop it to its current scale—how difficult that would be!

Not to mention the casualties in war. When people died, they were dead, and everything disappeared.

Zhao Hanzhang did not want deaths.

So that terrible idea Diao Xie proposed definitely could not be used.

If she were not someone who came from the later era, she might truly sink into the quagmire of struggling with Jiangnan’s aristocratic families. But she knew that Jiangnan’s current development potential was great, and should not be limited to only the existing land.

To seize land from aristocratic families, there was not just the one path of forcible seizure.

Zhao Hanzhang asked Wang Dao, “What is Jiangnan’s current population?”

Wang Dao said, “Every year there are people fleeing here. Not counting unregistered refugees, there are four hundred eleven thousand four hundred households, with a population of over one million six hundred eighty-seven thousand.”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, “Yangzhou is one of the ancient nine provinces with an extremely large area, governing eighteen commanderies and one hundred seventy-three counties. This population is still too small.”

Wang Dao: “This is still the result of large-scale northern migration southward. If we subtract the northern people who migrated south in recent years, we would need to remove eighty thousand households. All of Yangzhou might have only about one million two hundred thousand people.”

Zhao Hanzhang: “So there is absolutely no need to use Diao Xie’s proposal. Jiangnan currently has vast land and sparse population. Besides existing farmland, there are still large tracts of wild land that have not been cultivated.”

She turned to Zhou Yu and said, “The relationship between state and people is like that between parents and children. Children must support their parents, while parents must protect their children, hoping they can be prosperous, harmonious as a family, and live well.”

“You are the children living best under the parents’ care. You are strong and contribute the most to the parents, so the parents inevitably favor you. But they also hope other children can live well, so they want you to help support those children who are not doing as well. What does Master Zhou think?”

Zhou Yu lowered his eyes to think, then asked, “What does the General want us to do?”

“Although the parents want you to help support your impoverished siblings, they will not forcibly seize things from the prosperous children, lest the family become disharmonious.” Zhao Hanzhang said, “The state treasury will allocate a portion of funds to redeem land, then distribute this land to impoverished households for cultivation. I ask Master Zhou to return and discuss with each family, allowing the state to redeem land.”

Zhou Yu respectfully agreed.

Zhao Hanzhang said, “After the war, Jiangnan’s military needs people to garrison. Master Zhou is a native of Jiangnan, most familiar with Jiangnan’s terrain. Having you defend it is most suitable.”

Zhao Hanzhang wanted to appoint Zhou Yu as Yangzhou Military Commissioner and Militant威 General, concurrently serving as Wuxing Commandery Governor, commanding Yangzhou’s military affairs.

Zhou Yu was stunned and asked, “Then who will be Yangzhou Governor?”

Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze turned to Wang Dao.

Zhou Yu followed her gaze to Wang Dao, and their eyes fell on his face. He could not help but laugh heartily, “No one is more suitable than Maohong.”

Zhao Hanzhang smiled faintly. Yes, she feared that if she sent someone else, those Jiangnan aristocratic families would devour them alive.

Prince Langya went there so legitimately, bringing large numbers of troops and officials, yet they still did not take him seriously. Who could she send to govern Jiangnan?

And entrusting it to local Jiangnan aristocratic families—what difference would that be from Jiangnan’s previous semi-autonomous state?

So it still had to be Wang Dao.

He had already opened up the situation in Jiangnan, was a northerner, and with his talent and ideals, he was most suitable.

“Is Master Wang willing to answer my summons?”

Wang Dao suppressed the excitement in his heart and bowed, “How dare I not comply?”

He still had deep feelings for Jiangnan, and he had long had plans for the south. He thought that after leaving, all those plans in his heart would be useless, but he did not expect Zhao Hanzhang would still be willing to entrust Jiangnan to his governance.

The matter was thus settled.

On the first day after the rest period, returning to court, edicts continuously emerged from the palace.

Zhao Hanzhang appointed Wang Dao as Yangzhou Governor, Zhou Yu as Yangzhou Military Commissioner and Militant Valor General, concurrently Wuxing Commandery Governor, commanding Yangzhou military affairs, ordering both to assume their posts within half a month.

That is to say, the two could stay in the capital at most seven more days before hastening to take up their posts.

Besides these two, Zhao Hanzhang also appointed many talented individuals from Jiangnan, but mostly placed them in positions north of the Yangtze or kept them in Luoyang, not allowing them to return to Jiangnan.

On the contrary, she selected many officials from the court to go to Jiangnan.

Jiangnan’s victory reports continuously arrived. Many officials at various levels—commandery governors, county magistrates—who followed Wang Dun in rebellion had perished. Even if they did not die, Zhao Hanzhang would not allow them to remain in Jiangnan. These positions could all be replaced with new governors and magistrates.

Besides this, there were also some who exploited the countryside, were corrupt and bent the law, whose reputations were so bad that even she had heard of them—these officials were also questioned and replaced one by one.

For example, Wuxing Commandery Governor Lu Jing. He was Lu Yuan’s cousin. His name contained the character for “tranquil,” yet he was not at all tranquil.

He was like a huge black umbrella held over Wuxing Commandery. As long as one pleased him, powerful gentry could do anything in Wuxing Commandery under his protection.

Prince Langya had tried several times to replace him without success.

Lu Jing loved pearls. Sea pearls were in very deep parts of the ocean, so he forced fishermen—every village had to submit a certain quantity of sea pearls, otherwise all would be tattooed and imprisoned.

To complete the task, every village had to select pearl divers to dive into the sea for pearls each year. Those who went into the sea did not live long. Not to mention those who died in the sea, some who already brought up oysters and surfaced would bleed from all seven orifices and die soon after.

Zhao Hanzhang knew this was due to pressure changes, but along the coast, fishermen believed this was an offense against the Dragon King.

They believed they were stealing the Dragon King’s sea pearls, so this was the Dragon King’s punishment.

To escape this task, many fishermen chose to leave their homes and become refugees. When coastal fishermen were insufficient, the task was distributed to villages in other settlements. One could say that in Wuxing Commandery, popular resentment was boiling.

Prince Langya therefore deeply detested him and tried several times to prosecute Lu Jing, but was blocked by the Lu clan each time.

This time, Zhao Hanzhang was more direct. After appointing Zhou Yu as Wuxing Commandery Governor, she immediately telegraphed Yuan Li, ordering him to arrest Lu Jing and execute him publicly to appease popular anger.

Yuan Li held grudges deeply. He had just broken free and threw himself into military action suppressing Wang Dun. Even though he was still wounded, he had to be carried there even by stretcher. Wang Siniang could not dissuade him no matter how hard she tried.

He discovered that Wang Dun’s fortune was all heading east, wanting to bypass Yuzhang Commandery and go south. He immediately led a large army in pursuit.

At this time, Zu Ti also led a large army southward, joining with Wang Siniang to block Wang Dun’s northern and eastern breakout routes while coordinating with Yuan Li.

That is to say, at this time, the large armies of both enemy and our sides were all clustered together in the five commanderies of Wuchang, Xuancheng, Xin’an, Poyang, and Yuzhang.

Yuan Li and Zu Ti’s main forces were closest to Wuxing Commandery—heading northeast would reach it.

Therefore, after Yuan Li received the telegram, he immediately selected troops. After informing Zu Ti, he led five thousand men into Wuxing Commandery.

He sent someone to inform Lu Jing in advance, “Tell him the army is short on provisions. I’ve come to procure grain and want to meet with the Wuxing Commandery Governor.”

The messenger departed on his errand.

Lu Jing came to see Yuan Li without any precaution. The Lu clan had sent Lu Yuan to Luoyang, and the feedback along the way was quite good. Zhao Hanzhang was more tolerant of them than Prince Langya and valued them more.

So Lu Jing came to befriend Yuan Li with the mindset of making friends. Although he looked down on officials of servant origin like Yuan Li from the bottom of his heart, who told him to be Zhao Hanzhang’s trusted confidant?

As soon as he arrived, Yuan Li had him detained, then sent troops to surround the Governor’s Office and arrested everyone who needed to be arrested.

Yuan Li specialized in intelligence work. Searching for evidence and interrogating criminals was his forte. Moreover, the Shadow Department was everywhere. Having operated in Jiangnan for two years, he had heard plenty about this Wuxing Commandery Governor’s deeds.

He was not a good person himself. When interrogating other officials, he still had to consider Zhao Hanzhang’s opinion, but with Lu Jing, he could let loose.

He believed that even if Zhao Hanzhang got angry about torturing Lu Jing, she would not stay angry long.

Yuan Li personally went to conduct the torture.

Not even a whole night had passed. They had not even found much evidence yet, but Lu Jing confessed everything himself.

Not only did he reveal all the hiding places for the wealth he had accumulated over the years, he also disclosed many other things. What made Yuan Li happiest was his correspondence with Lu Yuan and with Wang Dun.

This was an even greater crime than exploiting the countryside!

Yuan Li opened the letters retrieved from the hidden compartment, read through them once, then laughed heartily. He leaned forward to gaze gently at Lu Jing, “So your Lu clan wanted to rebel together with Wang Dun.”

Lu Jing shuddered under his gentle touch. Realizing he had confessed something terrible, he hastily shook his head, “No, no, we had no such thing. Our Lu clan was dealing falsely with Wang Dun, wanting to collect evidence to submit to the court. We had no intention of participating.”

Yuan Li reached out to pinch his face, saying coldly, “Do you take me for a fool? These letters were written successively over this past year. The last letter was twenty-three days ago. At that time, Wang Dun had already rebelled, and the court received no confession from you.”

Yuan Li’s eyes were full of excitement. He smiled happily, “I know. Your Lu clan, like the Zhou clan, has been constantly suppressed since Prince Langya began relying heavily on Liu Kui and Diao Xie.”

“The Zhou clan’s military strength was reduced, squeezed from the Yangtze River area to around Wu Commandery. Several of your Lu clan’s good fields were ceded to families from the north. You wanted to arrange marriages with the Wang and Lu clans, but both families kept putting you off and refusing. Lu clan descendants were restricted everywhere under Prince Langya. Last time Lu Yuan entered the palace to see Prince Langya and encountered Diao Xie, because his position was lower than Diao Xie’s, he was forced by Diao Xie to bow and was publicly scolded by Diao Xie. Hahaha… Was it from that moment that your Lu clan decided to rebel against Prince Langya and join Wang Dun?”

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