Half a month after parting, Jiang Huo arrived at Dragon Tooth Mountain again. It was already late February.

This time Jiang Huo brought the official appointment document issued in the name of Provisional Minister of Personnel by Prince of Tan Yang Yuanpu.

Xue Ruogu, Tian Cheng, Zheng Tong, and others also carried the governor’s copper seal that Han Daoxun had left at the prefecture office on the eve of his departure for Jinling. They joined with Jiang Huo at Qianyang before rushing to Dragon Tooth Mountain to see Han Qian.

Han Qian stood with hands in sleeves, gazing at the official appointment document and the palm-sized copper seal with its nose-button threaded with purple ribbon placed on a lacquered tray held by an attendant, remaining silent.

Tian Cheng, Feng Liao, Gao Shao, and others stared at that small copper seal with gleaming eyes. With the title of Xuzhou Governor now confirmed, the worries they had harbored for so long finally settled.

Han Daoxun’s death left Tian Cheng, Gao Shao, and others feeling both grief and extreme disappointment with the current state of the world.

This made their inner desire for Xuzhou to stand independently, in fact, just like Feng Liao, Feng Yi, Kong Xirong, and others who had suffered unprovoked disaster with fathers dead and clans destroyed, stronger than at any moment before.

Whether it was the bloody lesson of the Feng family or these years following Han Qian while often being constrained by the Marquis of Xinchang’sMansion, all made them believe in their hearts that only if Xuzhou could be free from others’ control, in this current chaotic world flowing with blood, could their families and kinsmen be better preserved and continued.

Otherwise, the slightest carelessness would mean irreversible disaster.

Feng Liao, having experienced the Feng clan disaster, felt this pain to his bones. But the lives Tian Cheng and Gao Shao had experienced were even more difficult and tortuous than Feng Liao’s.

However, Xuzhou’s population base was too small. The surrounding prefectures of Chen, Jing, Si, Yun, and Ying had extremely powerful local tribal forces. Because Xuzhou’s local great clans had been ruthlessly suppressed by Han Qian previously, they were now filled with wariness toward Xuzhou. For Xuzhou to rashly declare independence lacked foundation. At that time, they would likely fall into a predicament of enemies on all sides with severed trade.

The cloth and iron produced in Xuzhou had to be shipped out for sale to exchange for other resources and attract more people to migrate over. Once trade was severed, the blow to Xuzhou would be enormous.

Having the Provisional Ministry of Personnel formally grant Han Qian the governorship was undoubtedly the result Tian Cheng, Feng Liao, Gao Shao, and others most wished to see.

Previously, though there were rumors that the late Emperor intended the Han family to hold the Xuzhou Governorship hereditarily, those were after all illusory rumors lacking factual basis, with no formal documentation preserved.

Never mind in Chu—even within Xuzhou itself, such rumors could hardly gain widespread recognition.

But today, with Han Qian formally succeeding his father Han Daoxun as Xuzhou Governor, having the fact of father-son succession, they could truly begin to establish the legitimate claim of the Han family’s hereditary control of Xuzhou.

This way, Xuzhou could essentially form its own system at almost no cost, no longer needing to watch others’ expressions.

At this moment, even though family head Han Daoxun’s torture-death was not long past, Tian Cheng, Feng Liao, Gao Shao, and others felt excited and stirred inside.

If not for Jiang Huo, Xue Ruogu, and others being present, they would have been eager to change how they addressed Han Qian, calling him “Lord.”

Jiang Huo, carrying the official appointment to climb Dragon Tooth Mountain again, had far more complex feelings than Tian Cheng and Feng Liao.

He understood more clearly why the new Xuzhou Governor appointment could be issued so quickly.

His Highness and Shen Yang didn’t want Han Qian to truly remain on Dragon Tooth Mountain observing mourning and ignoring worldly affairs. They even less wanted the mourning period to become an excuse for the Dowager Consort, the Zheng family, and the Marquis of Xinchang’sMansion faction to exclude Han Qian from Yueyang’s core.

That Zheng Yu and others acquiesced to this matter—on one hand, Xuzhou was already actually controlled by Han Qian. On the other hand, unable to fathom Han Qian’s intentions, they deliberately went with the flow to tie Han Qian to Xuzhou, making it difficult for him to directly interfere in Yueyang affairs.

Jiang Huo couldn’t fathom Han Qian’s intentions. He didn’t know what choice Han Qian would make after receiving this official appointment—whether he would feel His Highness and Shen Yang’s urgent need for him and temporarily set aside his grief over losing his father to plan for His Highness, or whether he would go with the flow according to the Zheng clan’s wishes, and after occupying Xuzhou separately, truly hide in this remote mountainous land, watching from the sidelines the rights and wrongs beyond Xuzhou.

Xue Ruogu’s feelings were even more complex.

Since the Qin and Han dynasties, the Central Plains dynasties had never stopped conquering and assimilating the Southwest. It took a thousand years to form the situation in Chen, Xu, and other prefectures where Han people lived mixed with locals, and both mobile officials and hereditary local officials coexisted.

During Han Daoxun’s governance of Xuzhou, he had even seen the hopeful dawn of Chen and Xu prefectures being completely assimilated into Great Chu’s territory.

However, with Han Qian now inheriting his father’s position and accepting the Xuzhou Governorship, forming the fact of hereditary control of Xuzhou, Xue Ruogu couldn’t say this was regression.

After all, before Han Daoxun governed Xuzhou, besides the governorship itself, many core positions were hereditarily controlled by local great clan forces. The previous governor’s death was so suspicious, yet the court had absolutely no intention or ability to investigate.

Never mind Si Prefecture, Jing Prefecture, Ying Prefecture, Yun Prefecture, and the loosely controlled prefectures and counties in the Qianzhong heartland—even Chen Prefecture, closer to the Dongting Lake plains heartland, saw the Chen Prefecture Xi clan led by Xi Ying have their hereditary power further strengthened compared to before the campaign to reduce the vassal states.

It was precisely because Chen, Xu, and other prefectures had the tradition and foundation of hereditary succession that Han Qian inheriting his father Han Daoxun’s control of Xuzhou and forming the fact of Han family hereditary control of Xuzhou encountered no strong obstacles or opposition.

This was even to a certain extent viewed as natural. Many people deep down believed this was how to stabilize the Southwest situation, preventing the fierce and warlike tribal people and soldiers of the Southwest from becoming a threat and hidden danger to the Great Chu dynasty.

“His Highness deliberated with all the ministers and said that with Administrator Han’s capabilities, governing Xuzhou is but a minor skill. To facilitate Xuzhou contributing more strength to quelling the rebel Empress’s chaos, all appointments from the Xuzhou Governor down to county and department functionaries will be at Administrator Han’s recommendation.” Jiang Huo also spoke of the powers attached to Han Qian assuming the Xuzhou Governorship. This point wouldn’t be confirmed in formal documentation for now, but Jiang Huo conveying this message on behalf of Yang Yuanpu and Shen Yang meant Han Qian would receive their full support when recommending Xuzhou officials and officers.

Han Qian controlling the right to recommend Xuzhou’s officials and officers was actually further establishing the power base of the Han family’s hereditary control of Xuzhou.

Xue Ruogu wondered inwardly what measures Han Qian would take next to consolidate his power in Xuzhou. But then Han Qian slowly turned around, looked at him, and asked: “Does Administrator Xue no longer have any intention of remaining in Xuzhou to serve?”

Xue Ruogu stared at Han Qian in disbelief. He never imagined Han Qian would so quickly burn bridges and directly drive him out of Xuzhou.

Han Qian paid no attention to Xue Ruogu’s shock and said to Jiang Huo: “As for how to adjust Xuzhou’s officials and officers, remaining in Dragon Tooth City to observe mourning, I truly have no mind to think carefully. But Administrators Xue Ruogu, Li Tang, and Qin Wen all have great talents and could be useful to His Highness. I recommend them to serve at His Highness’s side—they may be able to resolve His Highness’s worries and difficulties!”

When Han Daoxun and Han Qian initially used the posture of occupying Xuzhou separately to deceive the Ma family, Xue Ruogu, Li Tang, and Qin Wen had nearly broken with the Han father and son. Jiang Huo knew these matters clearly. He hadn’t expected that upon being granted the Xuzhou Governorship, Han Qian’s first step would be to drive these three from Xuzhou?

“This, this, this.” Jiang Huo was over fifty years old and had experienced half a lifetime of storms and waves, yet at this moment his speech became somewhat stuttered. Surging waves rose in his heart. If Han Qian took advantage of this to claim Xuzhou for himself, henceforth focused on managing Xuzhou and no longer concerned himself with Yueyang’s rights and wrongs, how would His Highness manage?

Could it be that Han Qian sending Princess Qingyang to Yueyang was merely using her as a chess piece and bargaining chip to force the Zheng clan and the Dowager Consort to concede on this matter?

“His Highness entrusting Administrator Han with the Xuzhou Governorship is the greatest trust in Administrator Han, hoping Administrator Han will plan and strategize for suppressing the rebels,” Xue Ruogu’s face flushed red as he couldn’t help arguing. “The Old Administrator in life devoted himself to diligent governance and loving the people, and suffered cruel torture for fighting for a thread of hope for Great Chu’s state and altars. Ruogu doesn’t ask Administrator Han to inherit the Old Administrator’s aspirations, but please don’t burn bridges so quickly!”

“What do you mean ‘burn bridges’? Is my determination to remain on Dragon Tooth Mountain guarding the grave and observing mourning not clear enough? His Highness treats me sincerely. With filial duties binding me, unable to serve loyally at His Highness’s side, I request that you administrators serve in my stead. How is that burning bridges?” Han Qian stared into Xue Ruogu’s eyes and asked. “Furthermore, my father had his way of conducting himself in the world, I have mine. Just because my father couldn’t walk out of a dead end his entire life, must I plunge headlong into it?”

Seeing Han Qian speak to this degree, Xue Ruogu had no words in response. Dejectedly he thought that this world owed Han Daoxun too much. With Han Qian disheartened and determined to defend Xuzhou, who could say he was wrong?

“If Administrator Han insists on this, Xue has nothing more to say. Then I won’t disturb Administrator Han further. Tomorrow I’ll naturally have someone send my resignation up the mountain.” Xue Ruogu cupped his hands toward Han Qian, then with a dejected expression led two attendants down the mountain first.

“I must also hurry back to Yueyang to report to His Highness.” Jiang Huo originally had a bellyful of words, wanting to tell Han Qian of Yueyang’s intricate and complex situation this past month, asking him to plan and strategize for His Highness. But now his bellyful of words couldn’t come out. He could only dejectedly take his leave first.

“Go back and tell His Highness that His Highness has granted Xuzhou to Han Qian, and Han Qian will certainly not disappoint His Highness,” Han Qian said to Jiang Huo. “The Jinling situation should change within a month. Chu Prefecture forces are strong and will surely defeat the rebel forces of Anning Palace. At that time the attitudes of the Dowager Consort, Marquis Li, and the Zheng family will transform. Please ask His Highness to remain calm for now. Additionally, Xue Ruogu, Li Tang, and Qin Wen are upright by nature. With proper tempering, they can be confidently employed at his side.”

Jiang Huo paused slightly, then bowed joyfully to Han Qian. He thought to himself that His Highness had already magnanimously granted the Han family hereditary control of Xuzhou. How to manage it, how to claim it as his own—these were Han Qian’s own affairs. The Zheng family and Han Daoming thinking this way would only relax their vigilance toward Han Qian. His own reluctance on His Highness’s behalf—wasn’t that falling into delusion?

Currently, seeing Han Qian drive Xue Ruogu and others out of Xuzhou to occupy it separately and consolidate power appeared somewhat hasty and unfeeling. But from another angle, with Han Qian temporarily unable to leave the mountain, didn’t His Highness urgently need upright ministers like Xue Ruogu to assist at his side?

Otherwise, keeping Xue Ruogu and the others in Xuzhou to constrain Han Qian—wouldn’t that be pointless meddling?