The southern campaign unified large areas under Great Jin, formally connecting southern and northern politics as one entity. This was a great achievement, worthy of her special treatment.
So Zhao Hanzhang personally led the hundred officials to the city gate to welcome them, and the capital’s common people also came to join the excitement, lining the roads to welcome them.
The generals who followed Zu Ti on the southern expedition and returned to the capital all remained with him at the post station. He was ordered to bring along Gu Rong, He Xun, and others who had come from the capital, who also temporarily resided at the post station. Officials from the Ministry of Rites came to liaise with them, telling them the time they were to enter the capital the next day.
Indeed, this was all predetermined. The time when the hundred officials would arrive at the city gate and when they would appear at the city gate were all calculated according to auspicious times.
He Xun stood nearby listening, his brow constantly furrowing. He couldn’t help asking the chief official from the Ministry of Rites, Shi Hua, “Won’t His Majesty come?”
Shi Hua smiled. “His Majesty’s status is noble. He awaits you all in the palace.”
He Xun said, “Since His Majesty won’t be present, using the princely banner for the General’s reception doesn’t conform to ritual propriety, does it?”
Shi Hua replied, “The General oversees the entire government. A mere princely banner is the banner’s honor, not the General’s honor.”
He Xun said just one sentence: “It doesn’t conform to ritual propriety.”
Shi Hua had to swallow his words and could only return to report to Zhao Hanzhang.
Now, in the Jin state, ritual law was headed by Zhao Cheng in the north and He Xun in the south.
Zhao Hanzhang had specially invited He Xun to the capital, clearly intending to make important use of him. So Shi Hua couldn’t ignore his opinions.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang first looked up at the sky. Seeing it wasn’t yet very dark, she felt relieved. “Then ask Uncle Zhao to think of a solution that’s good for everyone.”
Zhao Cheng said, “Request His Majesty to leave the palace and personally welcome the victorious army’s return.”
Zhao Hanzhang replied, “General Zu won’t be happy with that. Since we’re glorifying General Zu, naturally we should prioritize his preferences.”
Zu Ti didn’t like the Jin Emperor.
And she didn’t want to let the little emperor monopolize this achievement. Times had changed—this was no longer a time when she could be modest.
Seeing through Zhao Hanzhang’s meaning, Zhao Cheng said, “Since the General wants to conform to ritual propriety, she must follow ritual propriety. Either request His Majesty to come welcome them, or remove the princely banner.”
Zhao Hanzhang lowered her eyes and thought for a moment, then said directly, “What if this general obtains a princely title? Uncle Cheng, what do you think of the title Prince of Xia?”
Zhao Cheng’s eyes widened. Ji Yuan, sitting nearby listening to their uncle-nephew conversation, suddenly choked on his saliva and coughed violently.
The great hall contained only Ji Yuan’s coughing. Zhao Hanzhang and Zhao Cheng both silently watched him.
Ji Yuan coughed until his face turned completely red. After a good while, he finally stopped. He calmly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the corners of his eyes and mouth. Meeting Zhao Hanzhang and Zhao Cheng’s gazes, he said flatly, “General, the character ‘Xia’ is too significant, representing China. From ancient times to the present, no one has dared use this character for a princely title. You originate from Yuzhou—you should use Yu as your princely title.”
Zhao Hanzhang said, “The character Hua would also work.”
Ji Yuan refused again. “Hua also means China, taken from the ancestral mother Huaxu. Though the general’s merit is supreme, it’s still inappropriate. You should take the character Yu.”
Huaxu was the mother of Fuxi and Nüwa, called the ancestral mother. Therefore, later generations basically believed that the Hua in Huaxia came from her name.
Prince of Yu sounded quite nice, but the State of Yu didn’t sound good. The State of Hua and State of Xia sounded better.
Ji Yuan felt the young lady was good in every way except lacking sufficient reverence. Such significant characters—how could she possibly manage them?
No matter how gifted she was, it wouldn’t work. No one in this world could take these two characters. “Why doesn’t the General invite Guo Pu to divine a fortune?”
Zhao Hanzhang was someone who heeded advice. Although she thought herself capable, she didn’t think she could be invincible under heaven. So she summoned Guo Pu.
Zhao Cheng beside them sighed and reminded, “Isn’t it too late to enfeoff as prince now? People are entering the city tomorrow.”
Zhao Hanzhang replied, “It’s just a matter of one decree.”
Zhao Cheng was speechless.
When Guo Pu was summoned and had only heard the beginning, he immediately stated, “Take the character Yu. Hua and Xia? Hah! When establishing a new dynastic title, they might be considered. Otherwise, using these two characters as a princely title, I fear the enfeoffed person won’t live long.”
Only Ji Yuan, Zhao Cheng, and Zhao Yunxin were in this great hall. Guo Pu was straightforward and spoke plainly. “The General’s name contains water and fire, originally mutually destructive elements. But your fate is noble, your eight characters heavy with fire. Therefore, water cannot overcome fire but instead moderates its intensity, bringing balance. At this time, taking the character Yu—Yu has earth nature—fire generates earth, earth generates metal, metal generates water. Just taking this one character Yu will greatly benefit your future.”
Ji Yuan reminded again, “The General originates from Yuzhou—even more suitable.”
This reasoning made Guo Pu scoff. What did one’s birthplace have to do with it?
Speaking truly of birthplace, she could take Hua or Xia. Yuzhou was the central province, also ancient Huaxia territory.
Princely titles should be determined based on the eight characters and five elements.
Zhao Hanzhang was persuaded. After thinking for a moment, she said, “Then let’s take the character Yu.”
Zhao Hanzhang looked toward Zhao Yunxin.
Zhao Yunxin immediately went to draft the decree.
After the imperial edict was drafted and Ji Yuan reviewed it without issue, he personally wrote it out on the edict. Zhao Hanzhang looked it over and immediately stamped the imperial seal with a clang, then handed it to Zhao Cheng. “Is this acceptable now?”
Zhao Cheng said, “A hundred years from now, the historical records will note this incident.”
Hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang immediately turned her head left and right, asking, “Where is Historiographer Wang Hao?”
Zhao Cheng’s brow furrowed as he reminded her, “If you harm court historians, it won’t just be a matter of leaving a foul name for ten thousand years—it will provoke the opposition of the aristocratic clans.”
Zhao Hanzhang replied, “Uncle Cheng misunderstands me. I wanted Wang Hao present to record this in detail. Historical records should be thorough to prevent future generations from wildly speculating without knowing the true circumstances.”
She wasn’t afraid of future generations knowing the real her. She feared future generations randomly adding things about her! As a former library manager from later times, she had encountered too many bizarre historical records, most of which were proven false after archaeological investigation.
But rumor-mongering takes just one mouth, while refuting rumors exhausts one’s legs. Historical refutation was even more difficult.
So Zhao Hanzhang didn’t mind the historiographer recording their current conversation. In any case, these daily records would be sealed and only opened after her death.
By then she would already be dead. Merit and fault would be judged by posterity.
As long as the judgments were about the real her, whether praise or criticism, she would accept. But if they were false…
Just thinking about it made Zhao Hanzhang unhappy.
Seeing Wang Hao had been excluded, Zhao Hanzhang felt quite regretful. Calling him in now would be useless—they couldn’t possibly re-enact the scene for him, could they?
Zhao Hanzhang sighed and said to Zhao Yunxin, “Next time, don’t block people outside.”
Zhao Yunxin acknowledged.
“This matter is settled,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “Please, Uncle Cheng, have Shi Hua make another trip. Tomorrow they’ll enter the city as planned.”
Zhao Cheng was silent for a moment, then bowed and withdrew.
Hearing that Zhao Hanzhang had been promoted to Prince of Yu in just this short time, Shi Hua also fell silent for a long while, then wordlessly bowed to his superior and withdrew.
When the news reached the post station, everyone there—whether Zhao Shen, Zhao Shi, and others from Zhao Hanzhang’s faction, or Gu Rong, He Xun, and other southerners—all fell silent.
Only Zu Ti, upon hearing the news, burst into hearty laughter, saying cheerfully, “Exactly as it should be!”