“That’s not a worldly genius but a deity from dreams.” Zhao Ming scoffed. “Fools won’t listen to wise counsel, nor will they listen to other fools. Unless they’re deities, no one can make the Prince of Donghai withdraw.”

While speaking, someone entered to report, “General, General Gou has sent someone specifically requesting to see you.”

Zhao Ming’s expression grew even colder as he said icily, “See? He’s cleverer than you can imagine. You just returned, yet he already knows. Moreover, you came from the Prince of Donghai’s direction and even crossed a river, yet he somehow knows everything.”

Zhao Hanzhang coughed lightly. “Uncle, couldn’t this be because I’m too clever and successfully hoodwinked the Prince of Donghai through deception?”

“Then how do you explain Gou Xi’s side?”

“Oh, I had someone notify him.”

Zhao Ming lightly lifted his eyelids to look at her. “Really?”

Of course not. Naturally, she wanted to first meet Zhao Ming and Ji Yuan—her own people—then meet the generals and officials of Yuzhou, and only at the end meet with her ally.

Unfortunately, Gou Xi was truly too formidable. She had only just sneaked into camp and hadn’t even warmed her seat when he summoned her.

It seemed the opposing scouts were still superior. They needed more practice on their end.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled ingratiatingly at Zhao Ming and turned to say, “Please escort the envoy inside.”

She added, “Go invite all the generals, and also Yu Sheng and the others from Governor He’s entourage.”

Those were Governor He’s advisors and core team. Though Zhao Hanzhang intended to replace people, she didn’t want to do so rashly, so she needed to meet them first to assess what kind of people they were.

The soldier acknowledged and left.

Zhao Ming rose and yielded the seat of honor to her, casually finding a seat to one side himself. He asked, “How far did you pursue them? Where is General Beigong? Have all the Xiongnu withdrawn?”

Zhao Hanzhang answered in reverse order. “They’ve all withdrawn. General Beigong returned to Xiliang. We pursued to the edge of Shangdang. Going further wouldn’t be advisable, so we sent word to Liu Kun and returned.”

Zhao Ming frowned. “Why did you let General Beigong return to Xiliang? His command abilities rival Gou Xi’s. If you could have retained him…”

Zhao Hanzhang sighed. “How could I not know? But he was eager to return home. Putting myself in his place, I couldn’t bear to force him.”

Her home was still a thousand years in the future. She thought about returning and would do anything for even a sliver of hope to leap back. How much more so for Beigong Chun, whose homeland was merely in Xiliang?

She couldn’t be like those political enemies of Zhang Gui who prevented people from going home.

After hearing this, Zhao Ming fell silent and didn’t mention it again.

He looked at Fu Tinghan seated across from him, his face showing a gentle smile as he asked warmly, “Was the journey manageable for you, Tinghan? Were you injured at all?”

Fu Tinghan shook his head. “It was fine. I wasn’t injured.”

Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help feeling a bit jealous. “Uncle Ming, look at me too—I’m your actual blood niece.”

Zhao Ming glanced at her without warmth, his face full of disdain.

Fu Tinghan couldn’t suppress a soft laugh. Just as he was about to speak, soldiers had already escorted Gou Xi’s envoy inside.

Ming Yu entered and, seeing such a harmonious scene, couldn’t help pausing slightly. After recovering, he hurried forward to bow to Zhao Hanzhang seated in the place of honor, addressing her as “Governor Zhao.”

Zhao Hanzhang was quite satisfied with this form of address. She nodded to excuse him and immediately had someone bring a seat. “Please sit, Advisor Ming. Did the General send you personally because he has instructions?”

Ming Yu smiled. “The General learned Governor Zhao had traveled west and worried you might clash with the Prince of Donghai’s forces. Therefore he specifically sent me to check on you, and also to ask Governor Zhao again whether your promise to the General still holds.”

Zhao Hanzhang immediately grew serious. “Of course it holds. Am I, Zhao Hanzhang, someone who breaks faith?”

She explained, “General Beigong and I pursued the Xiongnu all the way to Shangdang. There we learned from Liu Yuan that the Prince of Donghai had sent troops to surround Fu Zhongshu, who was coming to support Yuzhou.”

She sighed. “If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t dare offend the Prince of Donghai over relief forces. But the commander is my husband’s grandfather—how could I just stand by? So we had no choice but to head west first to find and rescue him. I didn’t expect that in just these few days, the General would be in a standoff with the Prince of Donghai. Alas, this is Hanzhang’s fault.”

Only then did Ming Yu show an expression of sudden realization. He glanced at Fu Tinghan and said, “So the commander was actually Young Master Fu’s grandfather, Fu Zhongshu?”

Fu Tinghan found their mutual pretense quite tiresome. Lacking such acting ability himself, he simply nodded expressionlessly.

Ming Yu hurried to ask, “Then where is Fu Zhongshu currently stationed? Our General wishes to pay him a visit and also send regards to His Majesty through him.”

Everyone knew Gou Xi had channels to communicate with the Emperor. Why would he need to go through Fu Zhongshu to send regards?

Zhao Hanzhang thought that although Fu Zhi had departed some time ago, he wasn’t skilled at commanding troops and had mostly new recruits. Even at forced march, his speed wouldn’t be very fast.

If the Prince of Donghai learned of this, he might well split his forces to give chase.

Gou Xi might not necessarily like the Emperor having his own power either. To prevent Gou Xi from stabbing them in the back, Zhao Hanzhang smiled meaningfully at Ming Yu. “Fu Zhongshu wanted to counsel the General and the Prince to exercise restraint. But in my view, it will be difficult for either the General or the Prince to restrain themselves now. To spare him disappointment, I persuaded him to conceal his troops for now. Later, if he can persuade the General and the Prince through words, that’s good. If not, with troops in hand, he can follow his own wishes.”

Ming Yu narrowed his eyes and asked, “But where do Fu Zhongshu’s sympathies lie?”

“Though I don’t know where Grandfather Fu’s sympathies lie, I imagine that with the Prince of Donghai controlling the court, acting arrogantly and tyrannically, repeatedly humiliating the Emperor—given Fu Zhongshu’s consistent loyalty and righteousness, his sympathies certainly won’t lie with the Prince of Donghai.”

Ming Yu’s lips curved upward slightly as he continued to probe. “Then where do Governor Zhao’s sympathies lie?”

Zhao Hanzhang laughed heartily. “Is Advisor Ming asking about public or private matters?”

She smiled. “If private, my heart naturally lies with Young Master Fu. If public—” Zhao Hanzhang’s smile fell away and she even looked somewhat cold. “I’ve already promised the General. The Prince of Donghai abandoned my Yuzhou to death, allowing the Xiongnu to ravage it freely. Should I still bow and scrape before that司马越?”

Ming Yu sensed Zhao Hanzhang’s displeasure and anger. Wisely, he didn’t press further but instead revealed a warm smile. “Our General naturally trusts Governor Zhao.”

He continued, “Learning of Governor Zhao’s safe return, the General was so pleased he laughed several times. He specifically sent me to invite Governor Zhao, wishing to meet with you before the armies.”

With three armies now in opposition, all having brought substantial forces, Gou Xi naturally couldn’t risk going alone to another camp. Even though Zhao Hanzhang was an ally, who knew if she might suddenly betray him?