One thousand stones of grain was neither a large nor small amount, but even for the Guan family, it took an entire night to gather.

So Old Master Guan returned home a night later than the others.

Because Zhao Hanzhang’s attitude was firm and she held Old Master Guan in her grasp, the Guan family dared not haggle with her.

When Old Master Guan returned to the Guan family estate, he had visibly withered, appearing almost emaciated. It had only been three days, yet he felt as if he had lived through a lifetime.

He resented Zhao Hanzhang, but he resented the county magistrate even more. If the magistrate hadn’t singled him out, how would Zhao Hanzhang have made an example of him?

He wiped his face and flung the cloth violently into the water basin, asking, “How is County Magistrate Su doing now?”

Guan Dalang said quietly, “Quite well. With County Magistrate Sun absent and the registrar dead, he’s basically running errands for Zhao Hanzhang at the county office now.”

He continued, “At present, aside from that Fu Tinghan and Ji Yuan, he’s become her third most trusted person.”

Old Master Guan clenched his teeth, forcibly suppressing his resentment, and asked, “Is there any news from County Magistrate Sun?”

“None yet, but your son has already sent someone to Chen County. By now… they should have arrived, shouldn’t they?”

Right after the registrar was killed and Old Master Guan was detained in the granary unable to leave, Guan Dalang had sent someone to Chen County to pursue County Magistrate Sun.

At that time, the Guan family’s predicament could only be resolved by County Magistrate Sun’s return, so he dispatched someone to find him. However, Chen County was quite far, and there had been no news since.

The County Magistrate Sun they were thinking about had just entered Chen County at this very moment. He had traveled as quickly as possible along the way, anxious and fretful, wishing he could arrive at Chen County in an instant.

Unfortunately, his body couldn’t keep up. Due to fear and anxiety, combined with traveling through the night, he fell ill the next day. However, he persisted in continuing his journey, though his speed slowed somewhat.

This delay cost him most of an additional day before reaching Chen County.

Upon arriving at Chen County, he headed straight for the Inspector’s office. With a pale, haggard face, County Magistrate Sun prostrated himself before Inspector He, crying out, “Your Excellency, I beg you to send troops to Quyang and save Quyang…”

Inspector He held in his hand a letter that had just arrived from Zhao Hanzhang. He looked down at County Magistrate Sun and sneered coldly, “County Magistrate Sun, no need for such formality. The rebellion in Quyang has already been quelled.”

County Magistrate Sun was stunned: “What?”

Inspector He, taking out all the anger he had just received from Zhao Ming on County Magistrate Sun, hurled the letter in his hand at him forcefully. “Take a look at this!”

County Magistrate Sun fumbled to catch the letter that hit his face, lowering his head to scan through it rapidly. His eyes grew wider and wider, his heart filling with panic. “This, this…”

“Is any of it false?”

County Magistrate Sun was drenched in cold sweat. Already ill, the shock of the information in this letter left his mind muddled like paste. With Inspector He’s questioning, his vision blurred and he fainted on the spot.

Seeing him collapse so easily, Inspector He grew even angrier, practically breathing fire.

Zhao Ming, who had been sitting to one side quietly drinking tea, suddenly let out a long sigh. Hearing this sigh, Inspector He immediately calmed down.

He restrained his anger and ordered expressionlessly, “Help County Magistrate Sun to rest.”

Servants immediately came forward and dragged County Magistrate Sun away.

Inspector He seemed not to notice the roughness of the servants’ actions. He turned to face Zhao Ming with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile. “I’ve made a fool of myself before Zinian.”

Zhao Ming remained unmoved and asked directly, “How does Your Excellency plan to handle County Magistrate Sun?”

The smile on Inspector He’s face faded somewhat. He sat down across from Zhao Ming, staring at the teacup before him and pondering. “According to what Hanzhang wrote in her letter, she plans to distribute all of this year’s taxes from Quyang as relief grain.”

Zhao Ming replied, “This action was unavoidable for her. To stabilize Quyang, she must calm the people’s hearts. Your Excellency, chaos in Quyang at this time benefits no one.”

“Quyang cannot descend into chaos, but Chen County even less so,” Inspector He said. “Right now, the Prince of Donghai and Gou Xi are battling just outside Chen County, and it could spill over at any moment. As the Inspector of Yu Province, I must prepare early.”

Zhao Ming thought for a moment, then sighed and said, “I am willing to persuade Hanzhang to submit a portion of the taxes.”

Inspector He insisted, “All of it!”

He paused before continuing, “If she can gather the military provisions Yu Province needs, I can recommend her for the position of Commandant of Runan Commandery.”

Zhao Ming: …Though he very much wanted to refuse firmly, considering Zhao Hanzhang’s goals, he swallowed the words that had reached his lips.

He lowered his eyes in thought for a long while, then accepted on Zhao Hanzhang’s behalf, “Agreed.”

Zhao Kuan, standing behind him, wanted to speak but held back. Seeing Zhao Ming’s resolute expression, he could only suppress what he wanted to say.

Only after they left the Inspector’s office did he become somewhat anxious. “Uncle, the military provisions he requires are no small amount. Quyang County nearly rebelled over these taxes. How could you agree on Sanniang’s behalf?”

Zhao Ming said, “Runan Commandery currently has no commandery governor, so the commandant is essentially the governor. To purchase control of the entire Runan Commandery with money—if Sanniang were here, she would have agreed as well.”

Zhao Kuan: “…But Runan Commandery belongs to the court, not to Inspector He alone. With just his empty words, will the court recognize it?”

Zhao Ming glanced at him and asked, “Can the court reach Yu Province at present?”

Zhao Kuan fell silent.

If the court could reach Yu Province, and if Inspector He were obedient, would he be wavering between the Prince of Donghai and Gou Xi?

Hmph, clearly Inspector He could make this decision. As long as he recognized Zhao Hanzhang as the Commandant of Runan Commandery, she could take charge of Runan Commandery.

Of course, whether the counties under Runan Commandery would obey her would depend on her methods and abilities.

However, he felt this wasn’t a problem. She had money and troops—why would she fear those counties not complying?

Zhao Ming said, “We’ll visit the Inspector’s office again tomorrow. Prepare yourself, and then we can return.”

Zhao Kuan asked blankly, “Why return again?”

“To collect the official seal of Quyang County, to collect your appointment documents for serving in Quyang County,” Zhao Ming said irritably. “Have you forgotten why we came here?”

Zhao Kuan fell silent, but he was still somewhat dazed, as if in a dream. “Uncle, I haven’t even received my rank evaluation, and I’m already entering office?”

Zhao Ming nodded. “You should follow Sanniang’s instructions carefully. Though I didn’t see the letter she sent Inspector He, the fact that she could anger him like that while still boldly declaring she would use all the taxes as relief grain shows she has already secured control of Quyang County.”

Zhao Ming sighed at this point. “In terms of methods and boldness, she far surpasses you brothers.”

Zhao Kuan agreed. Not just in methods and boldness—her courage and ambition far exceeded theirs as well. After all, who would think to seize Quyang, and then actually send troops to do so?

When Zhao Ming went to see Inspector He again the next day, Inspector He didn’t make things difficult. He readily gave Zhao Kuan the official seal of Quyang County and provided the appointment documents, then sent them off with a smile.

Once the uncle and nephew pair had left, the smile dropped from his face.

His advisor was also troubled and asked, “Your Excellency, are you really giving away Runan Commandery like this? Quyang’s taxes aren’t irreplaceable—they could easily be distributed among other counties.”