Zhao Ming saw her look of surprise and continued: “I guessed you would choose to return home, but I didn’t expect you would choose to live in Shangcai. Since you had the ability to be self-sufficient in Shangcai, why would you bring Fu Tinghan back to Runan, which you weren’t familiar with? You could have gone to Luoyang, or even Chang’an—anywhere would have worked.”
Zhao Ming looked at her: “The war was just an excuse. With your abilities, you should have been able to see that the court’s departure from Luoyang was only temporary. If you had followed the army, given the Zhao clan’s prestige and the clan leader’s current power, the honor you gained would have been no less than what you have now. Moreover, Chancellor Fu is also with the army.”
Zhao Ming had not thought of these things before because his understanding of Zhao Hanzhang was insufficient, but after yesterday, he realized his niece was more intelligent and capable than he had thought, so he had to consider these possibilities.
“So I suspect you want to use the Zhao clan to accomplish something.” Zhao Ming said: “Since you returned home, the clan leader’s family’s prestige in the clan has gradually declined, while you, though living in Shangcai, have slowly taken over your grandfather’s prestige within the clan. Sanniang, your uncle’s family treated you so badly—have you never thought of revenge?”
Zhao Hanzhang was silent for a moment before giving Zhao Ming a bright smile. She said: “Indeed, someone deliberately lured Erlang outside the city. I remember this grudge, but I know the enemy is not my uncle or eldest brother.”
Zhao Hanzhang lowered her eyes: “Though I was injured, fortunately I did not die. I’m not so extreme as to become mortal enemies with them over this. Moreover, I received my grandfather’s teachings from childhood. Though I cannot be as devoted to the clan as Uncle, I would not disregard family interests for personal grievances either.”
“Uncle’s concerns are not about my original intentions.”
Zhao Ming looked at her seriously, and Zhao Hanzhang looked back just as seriously. “As for my uncle’s family’s declining prestige,” she smiled slightly, “shouldn’t you ask my uncle and eldest brother about that?”
Zhao Ming said nothing.
“Though the clan leader position has always been held by our direct line, there are many clan members and affairs are complex. Managing clan business is like governing a country—clan members’ loyalty and people’s hearts are the same, neither can be obtained through force.”
“If the imperial family cannot win the people’s hearts, the collapse of their dynasty is not far off.” Zhao Ming said: “Similarly, if a clan leader cannot unite the clan, the Zhao clan is also in danger. In such chaotic times, the clan’s survival is already difficult. If hearts are scattered, the disaster of clan extinction is right before our eyes.”
“I share Uncle’s view,” Zhao Hanzhang said, “but even if I left Xiping, or even left Shangcai, could my uncle control the Zhao clan and make everyone united?”
“Would Fifth Great-Uncle truly trust my uncle? And Seventh Great-Uncle and the others—can they completely believe in my uncle?” Zhao Hanzhang asked: “Can my uncle truly preserve the Zhao clan?”
Zhao Ming remained silent.
Zhao Hanzhang said: “Uncle, you only see the threat I pose to my uncle, but you haven’t seen the threat the situation poses to the Zhao clan—or rather, the threat the situation poses to everyone in this world.”
“Yesterday’s siege crisis will happen again in the future, and may even be more severe. Can the Zhao clan survive such chaos?” Zhao Hanzhang asked him: “If not, what’s the point of discussing the prestige contest between my uncle and me?”
Zhao Ming was struck by her questions, jolting to attention. Following her line of questioning, he had inadvertently thought of something extraordinary.
“You…” Zhao Ming paused, taking a while to find appropriate words to ask her: “Then how do you plan to preserve the Zhao clan?”
Zhao Hanzhang looked toward the Xiping county office.
Zhao Ming also looked over, then immediately said: “The clan leader’s family is still in Luoyang. Our Zhao clan descends from loyal and righteous ancestors—we absolutely cannot rebel.”
Zhao Hanzhang: “…Who said I was going to rebel?”
She was not foolish. Rebelling at this time—not to mention the Xiongnu, Prince Donghai would be the first to eliminate her. Anyone claiming to be a righteous army could destroy her.
Why would she put herself in such danger?
She said: “Uncle, when outsiders mention Xiping, they think of our Zhao clan. Even within all of Runan Commandery, our Zhao clan is one of the top powerful families.”
“What does it mean to share weal and woe? It means if Xiping perishes, our Zhao clan loses its foundation. If our Zhao clan perishes, Xiping loses its support.” Zhao Hanzhang said: “You saw today’s crisis in Xiping. When Xiping is in danger, the court cannot rescue us—we can only save ourselves.”
“So I believe we must develop Xiping well. As long as Xiping is strong enough, even if we encounter a crisis like yesterday’s again, we won’t be isolated and helpless, nearly facing clan extinction.”
Zhao Ming: “You want to claim Xiping as your territory?”
No, she wanted to claim Runan Commandery, but saying this made her ambitions seem too great, so she said: “How can this be called claiming territory? We still remain loyal to the Jin dynasty. However, if Xiping were managed by our Zhao clan rather than having another unfamiliar county magistrate, it would be much better. When it develops, it can also better protect the Zhao fortress.”
As for territorial claims, Zhao Ming was not unfamiliar with them. In this era, how many wealthy families claimed territories?
Zhao Ming was torn with indecision. In his mind, he split into two people—one thinking everything Zhao Hanzhang said was correct, the other realizing that Zhao Hanzhang’s purposes were probably not so simple.
So the question was: now that Zhao Hanzhang had pulled the boat over to him, should he jump aboard, or should he kick it away?
Getting on the boat not only meant the Zhao clan would take a different path from what was previously planned, but he would naturally be standing on Zhao Hanzhang’s side, in opposition to the clan leader.
This was something he had always tried to avoid.
Kicking the boat away…
Zhao Ming glanced at Zhao Hanzhang. Rationally, he agreed with Zhao Hanzhang’s views. Emotionally, he also trusted Zhao Hanzhang’s abilities and judgment more.
Clearly, he had come to question Zhao Hanzhang—why had it ended with him being the one in difficulty?
Zhao Hanzhang did not press him, only informing him of the county town’s situation. “The Song and Chen families both suffered huge losses. Song Erlang died, and I heard many clan members were also killed.”
The Song and Chen families were among the larger households in Xiping county town. Of course, they could not compare with the Zhao clan.
But counting them, the three families were related by marriage. Within the Zhao fortress, clan members had married daughters from both families. Hearing that both families had suffered such great losses, Zhao Ming furrowed his brows.
“But they were still among the better off. Because they hid in time, most family members were preserved. Other households of moderate means in town suffered near-total disasters.”
They had neither enough household guards and retainers to protect themselves nor were they without財物, naturally becoming prime targets for the rebel army’s plundering.
Zhao Hanzhang said: “Even those with some財物 live so precariously in this world, let alone ordinary commoners. Uncle, I grew up reading books at my grandfather’s knee and have always believed that the people are the foundation of the state. When we have the ability to protect them for a time, we should protect them for that time. When we have the ability to protect the people of one county, naturally we should protect the people of one county. Don’t you agree?”
The scales in Zhao Ming’s heart tilted completely.