Zhao Hanzhang entered Yanzhou territory. Since it was still early, and she wanted to observe the situation in Yanzhou, she didn’t travel quickly.

Even so, by the time she reached Yuncheng, only the Prince of Langye, Prince of Wuling, and other nobles had arrived. The governors of Yangzhou, Yizhou, and other provinces who had promised to come hadn’t arrived yet, though they were reportedly on their way.

Liu Kun had the will but not the ability. Wang Jun didn’t want to come, mainly because he feared Gou Xi would settle accounts with him over Qingzhou matters. Conveniently, Youzhou was suffering from severe drought, so he found an excuse to refuse directly.

Governor Wang Dun of Guangzhou had also agreed to come and was reportedly arriving soon.

Zhao Hanzhang really wanted to meet this famous minister of the Eastern Jin in history. She wondered if he would still have the chance to become a famous minister of the Eastern Jin.

As for Prince of Langye Sima Rui, Zhao Hanzhang wasn’t very curious.

Wang Dao hadn’t come, so she had little interest in Sima Rui. The Sima family members were more or less the same, except his son showed some promise. The rest were similar.

Oh, there was also the current Emperor—he was actually somewhat wronged.

Of course, at this moment she hadn’t entered the city yet. This information all came from the Ministry of Rites official who came to meet her.

Zhao Zhongyu was the Minister of Personnel. The Ministry of Rites was also under his jurisdiction, so the officials who came were very courteous to Zhao Hanzhang. After meeting her outside the city, he said, “Originally His Majesty wanted to personally come meet Governor Zhao, but the Heaven Worship Ceremony is approaching and His Majesty has many ritual matters to discuss, so he couldn’t leave the palace. I hope the Governor won’t take offense.”

Zhao Hanzhang quickly said humbly, “How would Hanzhang dare trouble His Majesty? The ceremony is what’s important.”

Learning that she was the first invited governor to arrive, she smiled and asked, “There are less than five days until the summer solstice. Can the others make it in time?”

The Ministry of Rites official said, “Having Governor Zhao and the Great General present is already sufficient. If others are delayed by official duties, His Majesty will be understanding. However, they should make it in time. Guangzhou isn’t far away either. Governor Wang should arrive tomorrow.”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded.

The Ministry of Rites official rode alongside Zhao Hanzhang, approaching the city gate while introducing the arrangements. “His Majesty greatly values Governor Zhao and has arranged quarters for you at the official residence. But I don’t know whether you prefer to stay at the residence or at the Minister’s mansion?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “I’ve always lived in Yuzhou, far from Yuncheng, unable to attend to my Grand-Uncle. Since I have this rare opportunity, naturally I want to serve at his side.”

She asked with a smile, “Is the official residence very far from the Zhao mansion?”

“Not far, not far—just three streets away.”

That was really quite far. Zhao Hanzhang made an instant decision. “Have my people stay at the Zhao mansion as well. Leave the official residence for the other governors. I’ll impose on my Grand-Uncle.”

“Yes, yes, yes.” The Ministry of Rites official wiped the sweat from his forehead. As the city gate drew nearer, he had to speak up. “Governor Zhao, you see, having so many soldiers enter the city might alarm the common people. Why not have them camp outside the city?”

Zhao Hanzhang raised an eyebrow and reined in her horse. “The vast Yuncheng can’t accommodate even a thousand men?”

The Ministry of Rites official gave an awkward, bitter smile. “Well, Governor Zhao, this is the Great General’s intention, so…”

Zhao Hanzhang raised her eyebrows slightly and said magnanimously, “Very well.”

She turned to instruct Zeng Yue, “Have them camp outside the city gate. You bring one squad of personal guards with us into the city.”

“Yes!”

The official quickly asked, “How many men does the Governor plan to bring into the city?”

Zhao Hanzhang smiled at him. “Not many—just two squads.”

Two squads meant twenty men, but this was the number of personal guards. There were also servants attending to her, soldiers escorting the gifts, and the subordinates of the officials Zhao Hanzhang had brought. The people entering the city numbered around a hundred.

The official’s gaze swept over those people. For a governor to bring a hundred people into the city wasn’t unreasonable. He quickly rode forward to guide Zhao Hanzhang.

With him present, the city gate didn’t need to be inspected. Everyone knew he represented the Emperor in receiving the Yuzhou Governor. The city gate had been cleared early, waiting only for the procession to enter.

The official rode at the front. As he approached the city gate, a raggedly dressed person came stumbling out from inside the city. An arrow whooshed from behind, but it flew high over that person, heading straight for the Ministry of Rites official.

Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes sharpened. The smile on her face faded slightly, her gaze turning toward where the arrow came from. But her hands moved quickly—she grabbed the official’s collar and yanked. He fell backward uncontrollably as the arrow flew past three inches from his face. A personal guard behind him drew his sword and cut down the flying arrow. At the same time, Zeng Yue had already nocked an arrow and shot it straight toward the opposite side.

The scene erupted in chaos. The soldiers at the city gate all drew their swords in panic. They glanced inside, then looked outside at Zhao Hanzhang. Their faces turned pale with fright.

Zhao Hanzhang’s thousand personal guards were not far away, still watching them.

The common people watching the excitement on both sides of the city gate also started in alarm, their faces turning white. Some had already turned to flee, afraid of being caught up in the situation.

Zhao Hanzhang only glanced at those fleeing, paying them no mind. Instead, she reached out to support the Ministry of Rites official and said with a smile, “Official, do be careful not to wrench your back.”

The Ministry of Rites official trembled all over, his face pale. Just a little more—just that much—and he would have been struck by the flying arrow.

His hand shaking, he grasped the reins and forced a smile at Zhao Hanzhang, saying in a small voice, “Thank, thank you, Governor Zhao.”

Zhao Hanzhang smiled and nodded, looking toward the city gate tunnel.

A rider emerged from inside the city. The person on the horse held a broken arrow—precisely the one Zeng Yue had shot in retaliation.

When the two sides met face to face, their eyes blazed with hostility. Zeng Yue was so angry his fists clenched tight. Unconsciously, one hand moved to his sword hilt, waiting only for Zhao Hanzhang to give the word and he could charge forward to kill the other party.

But Zhao Hanzhang wasn’t angry. Instead, she smiled. “Young General Gou, long time no see. Have you been well?”

Gou Chun looked at her with a dark expression, raising the arrow in his hand. “Zhao Hanzhang, this is an arrow from your Zhao Family Army. What’s this about? Do you think Yuncheng is Chen County and Yanzhou is Yuzhou? Your subordinate shot an arrow here and injured someone. Such audacity!”

With a roar, a troop of soldiers rushed out from behind Gou Chun, drawing their weapons and pointing them at Zhao Hanzhang.

The city gate commander’s head throbbed. He called over a soldier and quietly whispered a few words, sending him to fetch help immediately. Then he forced himself to smile and stepped between them. “Both generals, let’s talk this out calmly, calmly…”

Gou Chun stared at the gate commander with vicious eyes. “What are you? How dare you try to stop me?”

“As the city gate commander, you failed to guard the gate properly and allowed outsiders to shoot arrows into the city, yet you showed no defensive reaction at all. You deserve execution!”

With that, he drew his long blade and slashed directly at the gate commander’s head. Zhao Hanzhang’s expression darkened. Her spear spun and thrust forward, blocking Gou Chun’s blade with a clang.

Though his face was pale, the gate commander still stood in place without moving, urging Gou Chun, “General, this is Governor Zhao. Please think twice before acting.”

“Killing her requires thinking twice, but killing you requires thinking twice too?” Gou Chun said, “Someone come! He violated military orders and couldn’t even guard a city gate properly. Drag him out and behead him!”