The tablet inscription was written by Zhao Hanzhang herself, written quickly, as if ten thousand sorrows pressed on her chest until she couldn’t breathe.

From entering Chen County onward, she had seen too much displacement and separation of life and death.

Especially after driving out the Xiongnu and returning to Chen County, the miserable conditions seen along the way made her silent and sorrowful.

She knew that in the bones of Chinese people, “home” held a special place. Even if it was ruins, they still wanted it to exist.

Moreover, it indeed had great significance. When it stood there, wandering souls returning home would see it and remember the happy days once spent inside, remembering how it became today’s ruins. This could always inspire them to work hard, to protect more places and people they cared about.

Yesterday’s suffering could ultimately become today’s teacher.

Zhao Hanzhang began writing from her own feelings and the incident’s cause.

“In the second year of Yongjia, in the seventh month, the Xiongnu Han Kingdom invaded south. Yuzhou bore the brunt, and Song City in eastern Yuzhou—the Han Kingdom divided forces along three routes southward… fewer than one in ten common people survived. For survival, they had no choice but to flee their homeland. To this day, having driven the Xiongnu beyond Yuzhou’s borders, yet the people’s livelihood is desolate, Song City has become ruins.”

“Hanzhang decided to select another county site and rebuild Song County. Due to the enormous amount of timber and stone materials needed, and with winter cold and spring plowing imminent, we must accelerate the timeline. Hanzhang boldly had people dismantle the old county capital to supply the new county capital. The dead are gone, the living continue. May the people of Song County, high and low, emerge from sorrow, take yesterday’s lessons as today’s teacher. From this day forward, work diligently, live earnestly, strengthen bodies, defend hometown, and never again allow foreign enemies to invade…”

After Zhao Hanzhang finished writing the tablet inscription and checked it for errors, she handed it to Chen Yin. “Find some craftsmen, find a large stone to carve this. Zhao Ze, take people to the old county capital to dismantle things. Use what’s usable.”

Zhao Ze and Chen Yin bowed and responded, “Yes.”

After Zhao Kuan read the tablet inscription, his eyes moistened. He bowed to Zhao Hanzhang before also withdrawing.

Zhao Hanzhang calmed her emotions and reached for the pile of official documents on her left, spreading them open to read.

These were official documents from Ruyin Commandery’s counties requesting relief grain from her. All places occupied by the Xiongnu were struggling, not to mention people—at least property wouldn’t be left behind.

The Xiongnu Han Kingdom had rolled away enormous wealth from Yuzhou this time.

With so much taken, if she didn’t retrieve it, her heart couldn’t rest.

Zhao Hanzhang pondered briefly, then picked up her brush to write to Ji Yuan, saying, “The merchant caravan you’ve been preparing can make a trip to Bingzhou now.”

Receiving the letter, Ji Yuan called Wu Sheng while organizing numerous letters, official documents, and news to send to Zhao Hanzhang.

He also thought they should make a trip to Bingzhou—not only to do some business with the Xiongnu Han Kingdom but also to contact Liu Kun.

Liu Kun also deserved credit for Yuzhou’s ability to expel the Xiongnu this time.

When Zhao Hanzhang united with Gou Xi for a major counteroffensive, Liu Kun mobilized the Xianbei army to attack the Xiongnu Han Kingdom together, taking five of their cities in one move—a classic case of besieging Wei to rescue Zhao.

Precisely because Liu Yuan felt attacked from both sides did he withdraw so decisively.

As soon as Liu Yuan’s Xiongnu army withdrew, Liu Kun led the Xianbei army in retreat, rescuing all the Han people from those five cities back to Jinyang, essentially leaving Liu Yuan with five empty cities.

Zhao Hanzhang appreciated this favor from Liu Kun. After the war ended, she wrote to thank him, and Liu Kun replied as well. Both sides had been wanting to strengthen economic and political exchanges.

Liu Kun could be considered part of the Prince of Donghai’s faction, but many of his ideas ran counter to the Prince of Donghai’s. It could be said he was more willing to recognize the Emperor as legitimate and uphold Great Jin’s rule.

He hoped Gou Xi and the Prince of Donghai could get along harmoniously and jointly assist the Emperor in governing Great Jin well. However, was such naive thinking possible? Even Zhao Erlang knew it was impossible, right?

So he wanted to unite more people to force the Prince of Donghai and Gou Xi to negotiate peacefully and cooperate. Put plainly, he wore the Prince of Donghai’s skin but was actually recruiting supporters for the Emperor.

Only this was all his wishful thinking. Neither the Prince of Donghai, Gou Xi, nor the Emperor wanted to coexist.

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t support his political stance but admired his methods. If Zhao Hanzhang had to comment, this Liu Kun was more of a famous scholar than the renowned Wang Yan.

Ji Yuan called Wu Sheng and handed the merchant caravan mission to him. “Except in front of Liu Kun, don’t mention Miss’s name outside. I’ll select a troop of soldiers to escort the caravan—just treat them as the caravan’s guards.”

Wu Sheng listened carefully and asked, “What goods should we primarily sell?”

“Glazed glass and porcelain,” Ji Yuan said. “The Xiongnu love extravagance, especially Liu Yuan’s several sons and generals. They all love Central Plains luxuries. The rarer something is, the more willing they are to spend everything on it.”

Ji Yuan said, “They just rolled away a wave of wealth from the Central Plains. This time going there, besides exchanging for gold, silver, and copper coins, exchange all these treasures back.”

Wu Sheng nodded but still didn’t understand. “Didn’t Miss say we most lack grain, not luxuries? Using glazed glass and porcelain to exchange for those treasures—isn’t that just luxuries for luxuries?”

“Southern aristocratic families also love Central Plains treasures. These items can be exchanged with them for grain. Moreover, you’re not just going to exchange for treasures—you also need to exchange for gold and silver. In this world, gold and silver can buy anything.”

Wu Sheng understood and immediately nodded. “I’ll go prepare now.”

“Go. I’ll have people prepare the goods you need for this trip.” Ji Yuan’s expression grew serious as he said gravely, “No matter the situation, you cannot reveal you’re Miss’s people.”

Wu Sheng also responded seriously.

Ji Yuan quickly assembled the goods Wu Sheng needed for the trip—various glass mirrors, glazed bottles, glazed pots, and glazed cups. If the Xiongnu couldn’t imagine it, they couldn’t make it.

Besides these were porcelain, soap, and other items the Xiongnu would like.

When Ji Yuan finished preparing these items, the package for Zhao Hanzhang also reached her hands.

She first opened the letter Ji Yuan wrote. The letter informed her he would have Wu Sheng lead a merchant caravan departing on an auspicious day, then came various news.

For instance, Gou Xi had his troops at Luoyang’s gates, forcing the Prince of Donghai to come out for battle. With the twenty thousand troops Fu Zhi brought back, the Emperor’s confidence had increased slightly. He didn’t mediate between Gou Xi and the Prince of Donghai but also told the Prince of Donghai to leave the city to talk with Gou Xi.

Now the Prince of Donghai was caught between a rock and a hard place, very uncomfortable.

Reading this, Zhao Hanzhang could only sigh. She couldn’t help writing to Fu Tinghan, “Emperor Jin acted impulsively after all. If I were him, I would step forward to mediate between Gou Xi and the Prince of Donghai, forbidding Gou Xi from raising troops against the Prince of Donghai, then persuade the Prince of Donghai to let Gou Xi enter the capital and appoint him Grand General.”

“Rather than letting them raise armies against each other outside, better to keep them under my nose. With Secretary Fu’s twenty thousand troops, plus Gou Xi’s assistance, the Prince of Donghai couldn’t move against him,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “Gou Xi loves fame. With the Prince of Donghai watching hungrily from the side, he would surely support many of the Emperor’s decisions. This way, his government decrees could leave the capital, reach localities, and slowly cultivate his own power base.”