He closed his eyes before asking: “Will you move your family from Shangcai to Xiping?”

Zhao Hanzhang had not expected him to be so perceptive. After a pause, she said: “Mother is timid and weak. Having finally adapted to Shangcai, I don’t want to trouble her for now.”

Zhao Ming pursed his lips. In his heart, he was already past caring that she still had designs on Shangcai County, and instead asked: “Who do you want to make county magistrate of Xiping?”

He said: “I’ll gather your brothers from the clan for you to choose from, so I can petition the court for the appointment.”

Zhao Hanzhang said: “I don’t want another county magistrate.”

Zhao Ming’s eyes widened: “What do you mean?”

Zhao Hanzhang cleared her throat lightly: “If there’s a county magistrate in the county, should county affairs follow my direction or his in the future?”

“It would just be a nominal position…”

“I think this nominal position is quite unnecessary.” Zhao Hanzhang said: “Just treat all of Xiping like the fortress—each family handles their own affairs, and for public matters, consult the clan elders. Here, consult the county administrator and chief clerk. If they cannot resolve issues, come to me.”

Zhao Ming: …Was her ambition now completely unconcealed?

Did it need to be exposed so thoroughly? Could she at least pretend a little?

Zhao Ming rubbed his forehead: “This won’t work. Without a county magistrate in the county town, I cannot explain it to the court.”

“Having a county administrator and chief clerk is sufficient.” Zhao Hanzhang smiled: “Uncle, just get the appointments for county administrator and chief clerk from the court. As for the county magistrate, just say we temporarily cannot find a suitable person.”

Zhao Ming: “Do you really think Xiping County is our family’s property, that I can do whatever I want?”

Zhao Hanzhang said: “But Xiping is just a small county town—who would pay it special attention? As long as no one brings it up, who will notice that there’s only a county administrator and chief clerk here, without a county magistrate?”

“As for the appointments of county administrator and chief clerk, it depends on how Uncle raises it with my uncle.”

With Zhao Zhongyu’s current prestige, appointing a county administrator and chief clerk for Xiping County was merely a matter of one sentence—quite simple.

But Zhao Ming still felt it was improper. He looked toward Fu Tinghan in the distance. “Why not ask him to be county magistrate? You two are engaged, and he also… listens to you. Having him as county magistrate would be no different from you being in charge.”

Zhao Hanzhang said: “He is my county administrator.”

Zhao Ming: “…What about the chief clerk?”

“What does Uncle think of Ji Yuan?”

Zhao Ming turned and walked away. This was no different from putting Xiping County directly in her pocket.

Though very unhappy, after touring the county town and returning to the county office in darkness, listening to the wailing from various households, Zhao Ming still relented and agreed.

Zhao Hanzhang quickly poured him tea. “Please help me cover up a bit before my uncle, so he won’t get angry knowing I’m causing trouble in Xiping.”

“You know you’re causing trouble?”

Zhao Hanzhang smiled ingratiatingly at him, having someone clean out a side room in the county office’s rear courtyard for Zhao Ming to stay in.

Hearing her directly designate a side room in the rear courtyard as a guest room, Zhao Ming was speechless. So she had long treated the county office as her own home, and asking him was merely to obtain legitimacy.

Zhao Ming pondered: “Tinghan cannot be your county administrator.”

He said: “He cannot even be nominally appointed in the county, otherwise the clan leader will immediately know you’re behind him. As for Ji Yuan, there are reasons that can be found—after all, he is a retainer of the Zhao clan. You need to find someone else, preferably someone from our Zhao clan.”

Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze fell on Zhao Ming.

Zhao Ming’s spine went cold as he immediately said: “Don’t even think about it.”

“Uncle, it’s just a nominal position. The actual work will be done by Tinghan and me. Really, even if you don’t come to the county office for half a year, it won’t matter.”

“How can you be so bold?” Zhao Ming was puzzled. “How did your grandfather teach you in the past? Do you really think Xiping County is the Zhao clan’s domain where you can say whatever goes?”

“Concealing one county magistrate is one thing, but now you even want a fake county administrator. You, you…”

Zhao Hanzhang said seriously: “Uncle, trust me. Even if someone writes a letter or even submits a memorial exposing this matter, the court will not intervene.”

Zhao Ming: “Why? Such a major matter…”

“In the current state of national affairs, this really doesn’t count as a major matter.” Zhao Hanzhang said: “Didn’t Shi Lei say this morning that he killed Sima Teng? Jizhou must be in chaos now.”

Zhao Ming: “Prince Chengdu Sima Ying is in Yanzhou—he only needs to move north to stabilize Jizhou.”

“But Gou Xi has gone to the capital.”

Zhao Ming paused: “What do you mean?”

“The late emperor’s death is suspicious. Prince Donghai installed a new emperor but then led the court in retreat from Luoyang, giving up the capital to Xiongnu troops and rebel forces. The ready-made grounds for condemnation are right here. If Sima Ying can persuade Gou Xi to come to the capital, do you think they won’t fight?”

This maneuver was all too familiar. The previous princes had done the same—I kill you, then he kills me, and another comes to kill him, cycling endlessly, until finally even the emperor was killed.

Now to do it again…

“This is the east. Looking west, the rebel army from Chang’an has retreated. After all, Prince Hejian truly is dead. Without a leader, they merely entered Luoyang to plunder and vent their anger. Now that their anger is vented, how much fighting spirit do they have left?” Zhao Hanzhang said: “If I were Prince Donghai, I would seize this opportunity to subjugate Chang’an, even push westward to bring Jingzhao Commandery under control.”

“All these matters, piece by piece, plus the continuous rebellions everywhere—I don’t believe the court will have the energy to keep watch over a small Xiping County.” Zhao Hanzhang encouraged him: “Uncle, be bolder. Taking ten thousand steps back, even if we’re discovered, isn’t there still my uncle? Just find any excuse about being overwhelmed by national affairs and forgetting to find a county magistrate for Xiping County, and it can be brushed aside. As for you, just resign your post directly. You might even gain a reputation as a romantic gentleman.”

Zhao Ming said irritably: “Occupying a position without doing the work—what kind of good reputation is that?”

“How is it not good?” Zhao Hanzhang said: “Wang Yan has always occupied positions without doing the work. When asked, he just says national affairs are vulgar. You could do the same.”

Zhao Ming, like Zhao Changyu, disliked Wang Yan’s attitude. Hearing this, he pointed toward the door: “Get out.”

Zhao Hanzhang stood up while bowing and backing away. “Uncle, I’ll leave the matter of legitimacy to you then.”

As soon as Zhao Hanzhang left, she ran to find Fu Tinghan.

Fu Tinghan was still bent over his desk writing. Seeing her arrive, he said: “You came at just the right time. Today I roughly tallied the casualties and estimated the current surviving population in town.”

Zhao Hanzhang: “Is it accurate?”

“About eighty or ninety percent. Many households haven’t reported their casualty lists yet, but I had a simple discussion with the people who came here, plus information the ward chiefs have, it should be about right.” Fu Tinghan said: “I calculated the grain in the warehouse. If everyone collects grain from here, it will only last half a month.”

Zhao Hanzhang: “So short? Didn’t the summer harvest just finish?”

“Yes, so I checked the summer tax payment records and found many households still owe unpaid taxes.” He looked at Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang leaned back, asking somewhat hesitantly: “Is there one from me?”

She remembered there was this entry in the account books—clearly she had already paid.

“Not you. It’s your relatives. I roughly calculated—haven’t finished yet—but quite a lot. The biggest defaulter among them is Zhao Hu.”

Zhao Hanzhang shook her head: “I really didn’t expect he would become the chicken I kill to warn the monkeys.”