Madam Pei froze for a moment before flying into a rage. “What gives her the right to treat you this way? Even if she is the governor, you are still the administrator of a principality. Even if she doesn’t want you managing Nanyang Principality, she should at least…”

Madam Pei paused mid-sentence and looked at Pei He with suspicion. “You—what did you do? Why would she force you to leave in such a manner?”

After a long pause, Pei He said, “Just don’t ask. Hurry and pack our things. We leave at first light tomorrow. I will resign my seal and leave Nanyang Principality to her.”

Pei He paused before continuing, “From the treasury, select only the rare and essential items to bring. Leave the copper coins behind.”

Now Madam Pei was certain—he must have done something that made Zhao Hanzhang unable to tolerate him.

Most likely a capital offense. Zhao Hanzhang was being lenient by sparing his life. Otherwise, why would he leave so decisively and even leave things behind?

The more Madam Pei thought about it, the angrier she became. She couldn’t help but pounce on Pei He and beat him several times.

Pei He raised his wide sleeves to cover his head, hugging it while letting her pound on his shoulders and back. Only when her movements slowed did he urge, “Go quickly, go quickly. We leave at dawn.”

Right now, Zhao Hanzhang was probably hiding somewhere watching them. Who knew how many people she had brought? That cavalry unit of hers could fight the Xiongnu. He didn’t think the few men under his command could stand against her.

Madam Pei wiped her tears and went to pack.

Zhao Hanzhang stood on a rooftop gazing toward the administrator’s mansion, confirming they were sufficiently agitated before leaping down. “From what I can see, Pei He has lived quite comfortably in Nanyang Principality. Even his servants live very well.”

Aside from some guards patrolling the perimeter, people could move about freely inside. This was why the two guards had been able to kill the two advisors so easily.

Ting He asked, “My lady, will he really leave?”

Zhao Hanzhang replied, “He will.”

His courage had been completely shattered. She didn’t believe he had the guts to stay. If he did, she could actually put him to use, have him work in another location—that would at least make full use of his talents.

The group quietly remained in the abandoned residence, lighting several fires to get through the night.

At first light, before they could go to the administrator’s mansion to inquire, they heard commotion outside.

Zhao Hanzhang dressed as she had the day before, covering her face with a veil to watch the spectacle.

She saw officials from the administrator’s mansion jogging after the Pei family’s carriages, desperately trying to persuade them to stay. “Administrator, Administrator, just tell us what we did wrong! How can you resign just like that?”

This was too sudden! Yesterday they had been meeting to discuss sealing the office for the New Year, talking about what gifts to give officials at all levels for the festival. Then after one night, he wanted to resign?

Was this some new trend among famous scholars?

How should they persuade him to satisfy the administrator?

Everyone still suspected Pei He was putting on an act, playing at being a famous scholar. But as they kept chasing… they chased him right out of the city.

Pei He firmly refused them, saying, “I have already sent a memorial to the governor. Soon the governor will send someone to take over Nanyang. Keep the treasury ledgers safe—the governor will want to see them.”

With that, he pushed them aside and insisted on boarding his carriage to leave.

The Pei family had packed three carriages of belongings in one night. Adding the wives and children, there were seven carriages in total, departing in a grand procession under the protection of household servants and guards.

The officials from the administrator’s mansion who had been pleading all along were dumbstruck. He… he’s really leaving?

It’s not an act?

No, he’s really leaving!

The officials’ eyes widened as they gave chase. “Administrator, wait! Wait! Why are you resigning? The administrative affairs haven’t been transferred yet!”

Where are the treasury keys? The ledgers haven’t been checked! Also, where did you put the official seal? At least explain clearly!

Zhao Hanzhang’s group joined the crowd to watch the excitement, also taking the opportunity to leave the city.

Because of this spectacle, no one paid attention to their scattered hundred cavalry exiting the city.

Zhao Hanzhang chuckled lightly, mounted her horse, and said, “Let’s go. We’re returning to Xi’e County.”

The group left behind the bewildered officials of Nanyang Principality’s administrator’s mansion and quickly returned to Xi’e County. After picking up the main force, she said, “We’re going to Luyang!”

In Xi’e County, Gao Cheng’s face had turned ashen. He had barely slept these past two days.

He’d heard that Zhao Hanzhang was ill and not seeing anyone, but the sword hanging at his neck had remained precisely aimed. Despite all his efforts, Fu Tinghan would inevitably find fault every time he looked things over.

In just four days, Gao Cheng had nearly depleted his family fortune to finally settle the refugees outside the city.

Xi’e County, which had been short on people, suddenly gained nearly four thousand residents. Each person received allocated farmland.

As for the land, he couldn’t afford to care about that anymore. There was plenty of abandoned land in the wilderness, all ownerless. It had originally been promised to certain people.

But they had no one to cultivate it and would have had to buy slaves or capture people to work the fields. Now, with a sharp blade hanging overhead, giving it to the common people was fine—it cost nothing anyway.

But that Fu Dagongzi beside Zhao Hanzhang said that since they were giving people land, they needed to make them stay. Otherwise, what was the point of dividing the land?

So he could only have the refugees build houses. They didn’t have enough manpower, so he had to hire people to help them.

Fu Dagongzi taught people to build a brick kiln, but he really didn’t want to build brick houses. He thought mixing mud with straw to make thatched huts was perfectly inhabitable.

Building houses required not only timber, stone, and various materials, but also grain!

He had used everything in the county office treasury. There wasn’t much grain left in the granaries either. Fu Tinghan’s gaze grew increasingly cold as he watched. Each time he reviewed the county office ledgers, Gao Cheng felt as if the sword tip had dropped a bit lower.

So Gao Cheng could only grit his teeth and use his own family assets, and then… use more and more of them.

Now, Gao Cheng could truly be said to have liquidated his entire family fortune.

The refugees who came with Zhao Hanzhang’s group had been settled in several locations. Fu Tinghan had taught people to make mud bricks in multiple places, but everyone was not enthusiastic about brick houses at the moment. They preferred thatched cottages.

So the houses were completed at a visible speed. In just four days, thatched huts had been built throughout the countryside.

Of course, more refugees had filled the already sparsely populated villages, directly occupying the empty houses left by previous residents. With a bit of cleaning, they could move right in.

Gao Cheng distributed relief grain according to headcount, enough to get them through the winter if they were frugal.

After spring began, the county office also promised to give them seeds for cultivation.

With food and housing, they no longer wanted to wander outside. Even the children who had previously insisted they were orphans ran back to the adults, no longer demanding to join Zhao Hanzhang’s army.

What remained were the elderly, weak, women, and children who felt they couldn’t survive even if they stayed. Zhao Hanzhang didn’t mind, leading them straight to Luyang as soon as she returned.

When Gao Cheng saw Zhao Hanzhang, who claimed to be recuperating from illness, return from outside the city, he could no longer muster any expression. When he learned she was leaving, the relief in his heart hadn’t had time to fully form before he heard her say, “Keep an eye on the policies issued from the Nanyang Administrator’s Mansion. I will meet with the county magistrates there.”

Gao Cheng obediently bowed his head in acknowledgment. Although a sword still hung over him, at least it had moved away from the base of his neck.