Zhao Hanzhang stroked her chin thoughtfully. Ji Yuan interrupted her wild thoughts. “My lady, you just gained legitimacy before Governor He. It’s best to be obedient and follow the rules. Things like seizing people or poaching talent—don’t do them if you can avoid it. If you anger people and the lawsuit reaches the imperial court, Governor He won’t protect you.”
He paused before adding, “Your grandfather and Governor He have only a mediocre relationship, with even some hints of discord.”
So keep a low profile. Just because Governor He acknowledged you doesn’t mean he likes you. You may simply be the lesser of two evils—you’re just the “lesser evil.”
Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze met Ji Yuan’s, and she read in his eyes what he hadn’t said aloud.
What else could Zhao Hanzhang say? Of course she could only suppress her thoughts. Still, it was such a shame.
She stood with her hands behind her back before the tent, gazing at the scattered points of firelight in the distant darkness—groups of people gathered there, possibly very experienced fighters.
“At present, people are the most precious resource. How can they bear not to feed them properly?”
Ji Yuan stood beside her. “Only my lady would think this way. Most people believe that right now, people are the least scarce resource. Human lives are worth less than grass. They’re precious—money and grain. How could they waste such treasures on people worth less than grass?”
Zhao Hanzhang pressed her lips together without speaking.
Ji Yuan continued, “My lady is admirable, but actually, their thinking isn’t wrong either. People truly are easily obtained now. You could set up grain anywhere along a major road, raise your arm and call out, and countless people would come to join you.”
“As long as my lady can afford to feed them, all the people under heaven can be recruited.”
Zhao Hanzhang pondered. “Would someone like Master also be willing to join for five pecks of rice?”
Ji Yuan smiled. “People like me also need to eat. And I didn’t join my lady for five pecks of rice…”
His gaze settled firmly on Zhao Hanzhang. “I came because of a lady who can give five pecks of rice to many people.”
Zhao Hanzhang met his eyes, seeing the sincerity within, and nodded slightly. She turned back to continue watching the fires flickering in the darkness at various points. “Someone once told me that a person’s ability determines the scope of their social responsibility. Heaven should be fair—if it gave you an intelligent mind, you should bear more suffering, and you’ll also reap greater happiness.”
Ji Yuan looked at Zhao Hanzhang in puzzlement, not quite understanding these words.
Zhao Hanzhang continued, “I once lived in luxury and comfort. Even if I accomplished nothing my entire life, even if I were disabled, I could still live out my days in ease and abundance. But that kind of happiness is actually brief and insignificant, without foundation, unable to withstand any scrutiny. He said this kind of happiness is illusory and low-grade. Being as intelligent as I am, I should obtain higher-grade happiness.”
Ji Yuan was completely confused. “So what is this higher-grade happiness?”
Zhao Hanzhang said softly, “Fulfilling the responsibilities I owe to society, contributing ability commensurate with my intelligence and talent—these were my requirements and goals for myself before, and they apply equally now.”
Ji Yuan understood these words. He couldn’t help himself—he tried to hold back but failed. “My lady should read more. That way, you could speak more concisely.”
Still, he praised her: “My lady’s aspirations are admirable. If you can shelter the common people of this region, it would indeed bring great joy.”
Actually, he felt her ambitions could be even greater—she could expand the scope of “this region” even further.
At this moment, Ji Yuan was also filled with grand ambitions, smiling as he asked, “Who told my lady these things?”
Her grandfather! Her actual grandfather.
Zhao Hanzhang didn’t answer him but instead exhaled a breath and raised her hand, sweeping across a large expanse of air. “One day, all of this will belong to us too.”
The iron mines and everything—all would belong to them, no longer subject to others’ constraints.
Ji Yuan’s eyes also lit up as he surveyed the expanse.
Zhao Ju, having finished arranging treatment for the wounded, came over to find them staring intently at other camps’ fires in the distance.
Zhao Ju looked over as well. They were all the same fires—no rounder or larger than theirs. What was there to see?
Zhao Ju stepped forward. “My lady, the casualty count is ready.”
Zhao Hanzhang collected herself and turned. “Come, let’s go into the tent to discuss.”
Magistrate Zhang hadn’t left the city. The other prefecture and county leaders, for whatever reasons they had weighed, had all followed him in a rush to stay at the relay station, also not leaving the city.
So now the main forces outside the city only had deputy officers in command, and they ate the meager provisions sent from Quyang City, supplemented with their own rations, barely making it through the night.
The lamp in Magistrate Zhang’s room remained lit continuously. After seeing off yet another group of visitors late into the night, he looked outside and couldn’t help asking, “Has Zhao Hanzhang not returned yet?”
“No.”
Magistrate Zhang frowned. “Could she be staying overnight at the county office?”
Lu Xiyuan went to inquire and quickly returned to report, “She left in the evening and went directly out of the city without coming to the relay station.”
Magistrate Zhang lowered his eyes in thought. After a long while, he asked, “Xiyuan, what do you make of this person?”
Lu Xiyuan replied, “Though she’s female, she’s no ordinary fish in a pond. Governor, we all underestimated her before.”
Magistrate Zhang pinched his fingers. “Is she trying to ally with Governor He? Will the Zhao clan be used by Governor He?”
Lu Xiyuan shook his head. “The Zhao clan still has Zhao Zhongyu in the court. At most, it’s cooperation and alliance. To use the Zhao clan—Governor He isn’t qualified for that.”
After all, they were a prominent aristocratic family. Zhao Zhongyu had even risen to Minister of State in the court, with rank far above Governor He’s. Why would the Zhao clan, instead of listening to their own clan leader, run over to obey Governor He’s commands?
By the same logic, the Zhao clan wouldn’t listen to Magistrate Zhang either.
Magistrate Zhang sighed and muttered quietly, “I thought there was internal discord in the Zhao clan, with the main branch and second branch at odds…”
After all this, Zhao Hanzhang was exceptionally capable, and the Zhao clan truly stood behind her.
Lu Xiyuan pretended not to hear, so neither would feel awkward.
Magistrate Zhang came back to himself and waved his hand. “Forget it, no need to concern ourselves with her anymore. It’s late—Master, go rest.”
But he simply couldn’t sleep. After extinguishing the lamp, Magistrate Zhang tossed and turned. His heart felt like it was burning. He had been the first to meet Zhao Hanzhang, and in terms of family relations, the Zhang family was closer to the Zhao clan than the He family, wasn’t it?
Why had Zhao Hanzhang chosen Governor He?
The Zhao clan, the Zhao clan…
In Yuzhou, he understood better than anyone what the Zhao clan represented. Gaining their support was equivalent to gaining an entire prefecture’s backing.
Magistrate Zhang tossed and turned, finally sitting up. Perhaps there were dissenting voices within the Zhao clan?
He finally slapped the bed. He decided to find an opportunity to probe the Zhao clan.
Zhao Hanzhang had no idea of Magistrate Zhang’s plans. She had just finished verifying casualty numbers and the list of names with Zhao Ju, determining the compensation arrangements.
Seeing how late it had gotten, she told them to go rest. As they were about to leave the tent, Zhao Hanzhang suddenly remembered something. “By the way, Governor He has an injury. I suspect it’s quite serious. His acknowledging me this time may also be related to his health. We can boldly hypothesize that his days may be numbered.”
Ji Yuan: “…Why is my lady only mentioning such important information now? Since you’ve already saved it until now, why not wait until tomorrow?”
Will he even get any sleep tonight?