Duke Chengguo’s subjects were all dumbfounded. They never expected their Great King would suddenly hand over Duke Chengguo’s authority. This, this, this…
Those unaware were momentarily speechless.
That evening, Zhao Hanzhang kept Duke Chengguo’s lord and ministers camping at her main camp. The next day, Zhao Hanzhang followed Li Xiong to his main camp to meet the subjects and people below Mount Ba.
Xun Fan and Fan Ying, who came along, both advised, “Your Majesty, a child of a thousand gold pieces doesn’t sit beneath a leaning hall. Though Li Xiong is sincere, those under his command may not truly submit. If there’s an accident…”
Zhao Hanzhang said meaningfully, “I acknowledge that a gentleman doesn’t stand beneath a dangerous wall, but when a gentleman clearly knows the wall will collapse, why can’t he first stand over there and step aside at the moment of collapse?”
Xun Fan frowned, “Too dangerous—not the action of a gentleman.”
Zhao Hanzhang insisted, “I trust Zeng Yue.”
Xun Fan was somewhat frustrated. Emperors from military backgrounds had this one flaw—too reckless.
He reminded, “Your Majesty, the Crown Princess isn’t even seven years old yet. If the ruler is weak, ministers doubt…”
Zhao Hanzhang chuckled, “Minister Xun, rest assured. My sword is still sharp, and Duke Cheng is also in his prime.”
Having said this, she led her subjects down to meet the Shu subjects and people.
Li Xiong publicly announced Duke Chengguo’s reduction of fiefdom, requesting Zhao Hanzhang to re-bestow prefecture governance on Shu.
Zhao Hanzhang then said, “Duke Chengguo was formerly Liang and Yi. Today I restore the administrative structure. Duke Cheng understands great righteousness. All he has done is for me and for the people of Shu. I think the people of Shu will forever remember this kindness. I wish to form a sworn brotherhood with Duke Cheng. Brother will still be Duke Cheng, bestowed with a cinnabar book and iron certificate, enfeoffed territory of Yi Province, hereditary without replacement.”
This meant Duke Cheng’s noble rank wouldn’t be reduced with succession.
Hearing this, Li Xiong was deeply moved and quickly knelt to express thanks.
Besides some ministers and generals who remained silent, the vast majority of soldiers and people all joyfully knelt down, loudly cheering.
Zhu Chuan, kneeling in the crowd, was most excited. He was one of the landowner gentry who provided money and grain for Li Xiong’s travels. He had long been dissatisfied with Duke Chengguo’s generals and ministers.
No law, no rules—relying on having power and troops in hand, they could casually barge into their homes to forcibly requisition money and grain.
The chaotic implementation once made him want to relocate his entire clan from Shu. If not for the difficulty of migration and his clan being large, he would have left long ago.
Even when he was a stranger in Yu Province, the Zhao clan’s business dealings emphasized mutual consent. Though there was deception and testing, it belonged to business being business. Who came up and just robbed by force?
These years, because of cooperation with the Zhao clan on glass workshops and other businesses, the Zhu family earned more and more money in Shu, their influence grew greater, but the grievances they suffered also grew. Finally tallying accounts, he discovered the money and grain saved in his own hands hadn’t increased much.
After all that fuss, several years of hard work all benefited Duke Chengguo’s generals and ministers.
For this matter, Zhu Chuan made many efforts, twice having people speak to Li Xiong’s face, but Li Xiong simply couldn’t control those people.
Finally his gaze shifted, choosing the heir Li Ban.
Li Ban did enforce law impartially and was very firm, but that way, he offended all those ministers and generals on Zhu Chuan’s behalf.
The Zhu family’s days in Shu became even worse.
The matter of reducing the fiefdom—Zhu Chuan had obliquely conveyed the voice to Fan Changsheng’s ears.
If anyone in this world could still persuade Li Xiong, it must be Fan Changsheng.
He was also lucky. Fan Changsheng, his oil lamp exhausted and wick burnt out, on the verge of death still planned for Li Xiong and Shu, making this clear. Otherwise, Zhu Chuan really was considering relocating his entire clan.
Although he had some friendship with Zhao Hanzhang, leaving one’s homeland still made one uneasy and unhappy.
Li Xiong also knew Zhu Chuan. He had invited him to serve in office several times, but Zhu Chuan never agreed. But he was very generous, frequently donating money and goods to Duke Chengguo’s court, and even sponsoring money for some large activities.
Li Xiong’s sons were all very extravagant, but Li Xiong himself lived very frugally. Both the state treasury and inner treasury weren’t very wealthy, so New Year travels and such things still needed to find sponsors.
He immediately thought of Zhu Chuan.
He didn’t expect Zhu Chuan to be so generous—he had just mentioned it and he produced money and grain.
He was so good, Li Xiong naturally wanted to recommend him to Zhao Hanzhang. “This minor king heard that Master Zhu is an old acquaintance of Your Majesty’s. This time being able to smoothly meet with Your Majesty, we owe much to Master Zhu’s money and grain.”
Zhao Hanzhang smiled as she looked at Zhu Chuan and nodded, “Master Zhu has the manner of a chivalrous knight. When I fought the Battle of Wei, I also relied on his support of money and grain.”
However, he also truly didn’t love serving in office. Otherwise, recruiting him into the Finance Ministry, he should be able to help Zhao Ming.
His specific methods of revitalizing the economy were stronger than Zhao Ming’s, comparable to Zhao Hu’s.
But thinking about it now, having such talent remain among the people wasn’t bad either.
There were so many talented people in the world. Her court obtaining two or three-tenths was already very good. The rest, if they could shine and give off heat among the people, how was that not contributing to the people and the nation?
Zhao Hanzhang invited Zhu Chuan to participate in tonight’s banquet.
That’s right—after the announcement, tonight was a grand celebration of lord and ministers, determined not to return until drunk.
Li Xiong’s eldest son Li Yue was very dissatisfied. He couldn’t help but find his brother Li Qi and General Li Huan. “Father is confused. Giving the heir position to our cousin is one thing, but how can he proactively request to reduce the fiefdom? Once the court’s military is stationed, will we still be able to serve as generals and officials?”
Li Yue currently guarded Jiangyang. Li Qi was also a general. Although they were unwilling to admit it verbally, they were very clear in their hearts.
Zhao Hanzhang previously used people based only on talent, but these recent years the recruitment exams no longer only emphasized talent but required both talent and virtue.
Their brothers walked sideways in Shu, naturally arrogant and willful, but they also knew that if placed outside, whether discussing talent or discussing virtue, they didn’t meet Zhao Hanzhang’s employment standards.
But without relying on their own talent and virtue, they could only rely on hereditary privilege.
Yet their father gave the heir position to Li Ban, making them lose even the possibility of competing.
Ever since Duke Chengguo submitted to the court and requested Zhao Hanzhang to establish an heir, they knew that even if they killed Li Ban after their father’s death, they would find it very difficult to seize the throne.
Because it wouldn’t be legal, the court definitely wouldn’t agree. At that time they’d send troops to attack Duke Chengguo. Unless their ability and power reached the point of being able to occupy one region and negotiate with the court.
To be honest, Li Yue had never accepted this, so he’d been preparing for this all along.
But this time, with his father’s kneeling, he directly blocked his escape route too.
Cutting off someone’s future was like killing their parents. Even if that person was his biological father, he still felt it was no different from killing him.
Li Yue said viciously, “The bold die of fullness while the timid die of hunger. That Zhao Hanzhang was just a commandery governor before, wasn’t she? A mere woman—if she can be emperor, why can’t we?”
He lowered his voice, “This is Duke Chengguo. Kill her, then fight across Mount Ba, take Hanzhong, and we can point our swords at the Central Plains. The world will all be in our hands.”
Li Qi wasn’t stupid. “Elder brother, Zu Ti is Minister of War. Prince Qin Jun, Zhao Yong, is in Yong Province. Beigong Chun in Bing Province can also come south for urgent aid. Which of these three can we defeat?”
“Then seize Hanzhong Commandery. As long as we hold Hanzhong Commandery, we can advance or retreat. Shu has natural barriers—they definitely can’t break in. At worst we hide in the mountains and fight them for eighty or a hundred years. Better than living miserably, right?” Li Yue said viciously. “I don’t want to look at Li Ban’s and an outsider’s faces to get by in the future.”
He had always most despised Li Ban’s sanctimonious face. Looking today, Zhao Hanzhang was very much like Li Ban. She spoke so nicely just to win people’s hearts. Only their father would believe it.