Yuan Li selected someone to take over the southern covert division, then began selecting an office location for the Investigation Department in the capital.

“Investigation involves secrets and would be inconvenient sharing space with the Six Ministries, so I’d like to select a location in the capital for our office.”

Zhao Hanzhang agreed and had him choose from the court’s properties.

Yuan Li couldn’t decide immediately and decided to treat his facial scar first. He felt the scar had damaged his face’s feng shui, and this might not be an auspicious time to select a location. Besides, the New Year was coming. These matters would all begin after the New Year anyway, so there was no rush.

The next day he entered the palace to find Zhao Hanzhang and request imperial physicians.

Zhao Cheng formally submitted a memorial resigning from office, shocking the entire court. They thought he had quarreled with Zhao Hanzhang and urged him one after another to reconsider.

Zhao Hanzhang had originally wanted to approve it immediately, but seeing so many people trying to dissuade him, she simply suppressed the resignation letter and waited quietly.

Zhao Cheng only said his learning was insufficient and he wanted to travel for scholarly study for several years, insisting on resigning.

He didn’t know if this was a problem with the world or with himself. Zhao Hanzhang was getting closer and closer to that position, yet almost no one was stopping her.

Those who did oppose her weren’t doing so for loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness, but for their own interests.

Zhao Cheng couldn’t understand it. The great Jin had gained its position improperly, but was Zhao Hanzhang’s usurpation of the state any more proper?

Regardless of how Jin obtained the throne, they were now Jin subjects. If the Jin Emperor were incompetent and cruel, that would be one thing—for the sake of righteousness, one should oppose him.

But the current emperor was still young and had committed no evil acts. Although he wasn’t exceptionally intelligent, with diligent study, he might not fail to become a qualified monarch.

Zhao Cheng admitted he had developed teacher-student affection for the young emperor, but even setting aside this emotion, he still felt the young emperor should be given a chance.

But he felt he couldn’t persuade Zhao Hanzhang, nor could he persuade the clan, so with different paths to follow, he could only leave.

During this year of teaching the young emperor, he had continuously written to Zhao Ming, even sending the young emperor’s coursework for Zhao Ming to review.

Among the Zhao clan, if Zhao Ming was willing to stand on his side, he would have the foundation to persuade Zhao Hanzhang.

Unfortunately, Zhao Ming, who had previously strongly opposed Zhao Hanzhang’s actions, now firmly defended her, writing to rebuke him: “You use high virtue to glorify yourself, yet you are the most lacking in virtue.”

Those words were too harsh. Zhao Cheng unilaterally broke off relations with Zhao Ming.

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t know that Zhao Ming had privately defended her. Seeing that everyone’s attempts to dissuade Zhao Cheng were futile and he had submitted his resignation twice more, she approved it.

Zhao Cheng was particularly ruthless with himself. As soon as his resignation was smoothly approved, he immediately packed his things to leave the capital.

Seventh Great-Uncle was furious. Every day when passing by his house, one could hear his vigorous cursing.

At first, he just cursed Zhao Cheng, but later he even cursed Zhao Hanzhang. If Fifth Great-Uncle hadn’t stopped him, he would have stormed into the capital to question Zhao Hanzhang.

He firmly believed: “Zitu only knows how to study. Someone must have bullied him, and Zhao Hanzhang didn’t help him, so he wants to resign.”

Seventh Great-Uncle even became conspiratorial: “Could it be that because of making me Marquis Taozhu, she’s settling scores after autumn?”

Zhao Song said helplessly: “How could Sanniang be so petty? Besides, she was the one who first brought up the matter of enfeoffing you as marquis. Clearly, she genuinely believes you’re qualified for the title.”

“I think so too,” Zhao Hu said, having tired of scolding. He sat down, took a sip of tea, and continued cursing. “Then it must be that she wanted Zitu to do something bad, and Zitu, being an upstanding gentleman, refused, so she forced him to resign.”

“What a black heart! Our entire family, from old to young, all work for her. I give her money, Zitu teaches her students, and Zhenger does hard labor for her. Our family of three works so hard—even if we have no achievements, we have efforts. Yet she forces someone to resign over a disagreement. With such pettiness, how can we even survive—”

Zhao Hanzhang came to see him off and could hear him from far away. Fortunately, she had initially suppressed the resignation letter and waited for him to submit it twice before approving it. Otherwise, who knows what the rumors outside would turn into.

Zhao Hanzhang strode into the courtyard. “Seventh Great-Uncle, am I really such a petty person?”

Zhao Hu saw her and humphed, turning his body away with his back to her. After cursing for two days, she finally came.

Zhao Hanzhang handed the two jars of wine she’d brought to a servant. “I came to see Uncle Cheng off.”

Zhao Hu turned back around in anger and glared at her. “Instead of trying to make him stay, you actually came to see him off? Do you know what day it is? It’s the twenty-fifth! In four more days, it’ll be New Year’s!”

“I know,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “Today the court sealed its seals, so I finally have time to see Uncle Cheng. Otherwise, I could only see him off at the city gate tomorrow.”

She looked around and asked: “Where is Uncle Cheng? How is his packing going?”

Zhao Song held back the furious Zhao Hu. “Quickly explain to your Seventh Great-Uncle the reason Zitu resigned. If this continues, all of the capital will be laughing at our Zhao family.”

Zhao Hanzhang fell silent. Zhao Song and Zhao Hu both stared at her intently, because they truly couldn’t think of any reason for Zhao Cheng to resign.

And he wouldn’t say a word, making it impossible for them to find out even if they tried.

Zhao Hanzhang met their bright, piercing eyes, especially Zhao Hu’s—his eyes were so bright they seemed ready to breathe fire. Thinking of the people outside the residence watching the commotion and trying to gather information, she really couldn’t let Zhao Hu continue cursing like this.

So she said: “I’m not a good person.”

Zhao Hu nodded. He’d known this long ago. What good person could sit in her position?

Zhao Hanzhang then said unhurriedly: “Since I’m not a good person, naturally I’ll do some evil deeds. Uncle Cheng is well-read, of noble character, embodying loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness in every way. Among these virtues, loyalty is foremost.”

Zhao Hu: “Hmph, stop putting a high hat on him. Your Uncle Cheng isn’t loyal to the Jin court. He said long ago that for the realm to have peace, the Jin court must perish.”

“But circumstances change. Right now, the young emperor is Uncle Cheng’s student.”

Zhao Hu was about to deny it, then suddenly remembered Zhao Cheng’s excessive paternal love.

He treated his students very well—so well that Zhao Hu couldn’t help but feel jealous.

The students he taught, whether clan children, relatives’ children pushed onto him, or students he accepted after becoming Grand Academician of the Imperial Academy, he taught them all like his own sons.

Why did Zhao Zheng have such a difficult time after becoming Luoyang County Magistrate?

It was because he had Zhao Cheng as a father.

Not only did his father not help him at all, he constantly took Zhao Zheng’s salary to help impoverished students. Zhao Hu had stopped giving him money to try to break him of this bad habit.

He secretly subsidized Zhao Zheng on the side, but couldn’t give cash—he had to convert it into food and supplies, otherwise nothing could be saved.

Zhao Hu immediately thought of it—he must have come to dote on the young emperor like a son-student and empathize with him.

He grew even angrier, suddenly standing up and pacing in circles. His furious state nearly made Zhao Hanzhang drop the tea bowl she was reaching for.

“Idiot, idiot! How did I give birth to such an idiotic son?” Then he began crying in grievance. “Fifth Brother, how is my life so bitter? He can put himself in the young emperor’s shoes and think for him, but why can’t he stand in my position and think for me? Over one thing, he’s held a grudge against me for fifteen years!”

Zhao Hu threw himself into Zhao Song’s embrace and wailed.

Zhao Hanzhang held her tea, watching in stunned amazement.

Zhao Song understood him. He held his head, sighed, and patted it, then glared at Zhao Hanzhang, who was craning her neck to see Zhao Hu’s tears.

Zhao Hanzhang silently withdrew her gaze, set down the tea bowl, stood up and bowed, then silently left.