Zhao Hanzhang silently drank her tea, quietly listening.

“At that time, your First Uncle and your father were also young, and influenced by us, their relationship was poor. As for your generation, it goes without saying,” Zhao Zhongyu sighed deeply. “My elder brother and I made the wrong moves—we failed to properly educate the younger generation.”

Zhao Zhongyu said somewhat desolately, “Only at this moment can I understand your grandfather’s former helplessness—no suitable successor, no suitable successor.”

When he looked at Zhao Ji and Zhao Yi, he saw them as inferior in every way, felt exasperated with them, wanted to scold them harshly, even beat them.

So when Zhao Changyu had looked at him back then, had he felt the same way?

These past two years, especially after formally joining forces with Zhao Hanzhang, Zhao Zhongyu could increasingly understand the Zhao Changyu of those days. The resentment in his heart gradually dissolved. He had decided to forgive Zhao Changyu—to forgive that elder brother who had stood on the steps looking down at him, pointing and scolding him in front of everyone all those years ago.

Zhao Hanzhang looked at Zhao Zhongyu and poured him a cup of tea.

Seeing this cup of tea, Zhao Zhongyu smiled slightly and picked it up. “This parting may very well be our last meeting.”

Zhao Hanzhang pressed her lips together. “Great-Uncle worries too much. When you wish to retire, I’ll have Erlang escort you back to Xiping.”

Zhao Zhongyu shook his head slightly. “Unless the Zhao clan no longer holds military power and no longer governs a territory, I cannot return.”

He smiled bitterly. “As clan leader, I haven’t even entered the ancestral hall once.”

Zhao Hanzhang said nothing.

Zhao Zhongyu turned and instructed his attendant, “Fetch the box from the hidden compartment by my bedside.”

The attendant acknowledged and left, soon returning with a box.

Zhao Zhongyu handed the box to Zhao Hanzhang.

Opening it, Zhao Hanzhang saw two very familiar maps—weren’t these the treasure maps that Zhao Changyu had divided and given to Zhao Zhongyu?

She looked up at Zhao Zhongyu.

Zhao Zhongyu had been watching her expression. Seeing her completely unsurprised reaction, he knew his guess was correct. He chuckled. “I knew it—you could afford to maintain such a large army, so Grandfather must have left you money.”

Zhao Hanzhang closed the box. “That was after I fell from the horse, when I asked Grandfather for it.”

Zhao Zhongyu didn’t want to delve into the details. He said, “This is the Zhao clan’s money—it doesn’t belong to me alone, nor should it belong to any single household. Now the Zhao clan fully supports you and follows your lead. This should go to you.”

Zhao Hanzhang held the box and pressed her lips together. Her memory was good, and she had been quite disdainful of the second branch at the time, so when Zhao Changyu brought out the items, she had deliberately memorized the locations marked on the maps.

After returning, she had drawn a rough approximation from memory. Even if she couldn’t locate the treasure with complete accuracy, having people dig around a bit more would eventually uncover this portion of the hoard.

But taking it secretly versus receiving it openly felt completely different. She still appreciated this gesture.

“Great-Uncle is just giving this to me?”

Zhao Zhongyu said, “Yuzhou is in your hands. In the future, the Zhao clan will depend on your protection. The stronger you are, the safer the Zhao clan will be.”

Before she arrived, he hadn’t planned to give it to her. He had intended to take it to Yuncheng—it would be his leverage for future negotiations with her and with the Zhao clan.

But then she had said: endless cycles of revenge—when will they end?

From this morning onward, the gloom that had been weighing on his heart suddenly lifted. He had thought many things through. “Did Dalang come to plead with you earlier?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “I didn’t come here because of his plea.”

“I know. The servants reported that when he left, he looked utterly devastated,” Zhao Zhongyu looked up at her. “So who was it that advised you about endless cycles of revenge?”

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t hide it. “Fu Tinghan.”

Zhao Zhongyu sighed. “He truly is a refined gentleman.”

Zhao Hanzhang smiled as she drank her tea.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Zhongyu said, “Don’t marry too early. Wait a few more years.”

Zhao Hanzhang said nothing—neither objecting nor agreeing.

Zhao Zhongyu didn’t need an answer from her at this moment. He said, “Have you considered who should succeed as the next clan leader?”

“What does Great-Uncle think?”

“Originally I thought Dalang could do it.” This was one reason Zhao Zhongyu wanted to send Zhao Yi back to Xiping. But now, he couldn’t help sighing again. The gap between Zhao Yi and Zhao Hanzhang was vast, yet their ages were similar. If he became clan leader, not only would the Zhao clan be perpetually controlled by Zhao Hanzhang, but conflict would be inevitable.

The Zhao clan being utilized by Zhao Hanzhang was already unavoidable. In such chaotic times, this wasn’t the moment for internal power balancing through conflict. Better to take a step back and hand the Zhao clan over to her, help her cultivate her power—mutual benefit for both sides.

Then what the Zhao clan needed was a young, obedient successor.

Zhao Zhongyu clenched his fists. Though it was difficult, he still said, “But now it seems he’s unsuitable as well. Arrange a marriage for Erlang and have him father a child. If I… then you can assist in managing clan affairs as deputy leader.”

Zhao Hanzhang raised an eyebrow. “The clan elders probably won’t agree.”

“I’ll speak with them.”

Zhao Hanzhang rubbed her teacup, but still couldn’t resist saying, “Actually, Hanzhang has a candidate in mind. Uncle Ming is benevolent and virtuous…”

“He won’t do.” Zhao Zhongyu’s expression immediately turned cold. “He’s from a branch line. The clan leadership must pass through the direct line.”

This was his principle, and also why he would rather give the clan leader’s power to Zhao Hanzhang—with whom he had conflicts—than select someone else from the clan.

Zhao Hanzhang saw that they were both so insistent and didn’t want to argue over this matter. She could only sigh and say, “Very well.”

Zhao Zhongyu gave her earnest advice. “Zhao Ming is deeply cunning. Be careful with him. Don’t always entrust clan matters to him. I’ll write back to the clan and incline the proxy authority toward you.”

“Don’t,” Zhao Hanzhang quickly explained. “I previously asked Uncle Ming about this privately. Uncle Ming also refused outright. This was my personal thought—I felt he had devoted himself wholeheartedly to the clan and would make an excellent choice for clan leader.”

“I’m unfamiliar with clan affairs and fear I cannot handle them well. Moreover, I’m a woman—in a few years I’ll marry out, and the clan elders will have objections too.” To avoid this trouble, whenever Zhao Hanzhang needed the clan’s assistance, she went through Zhao Song or Zhao Ming as intermediaries. With them acting as bridges, her relationship with the Zhao clan remained harmonious and comfortable. If she had to deal with matters directly, the disputes would be more than just a trifle.

Sometimes intermediaries are very important.

Zhao Zhongyu stared intently at Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled at him slightly.

At this moment, Zhao Zhongyu realized that the Zhao clan could not contain Zhao Hanzhang—her ambitions likely extended beyond just Yuzhou.

With such great ambition, if she failed, the Zhao clan would be dragged into an abyss. Zhao Zhongyu slowly lowered his eyes, feeling somewhat regretful again.

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t know her great-uncle had become indecisive again. She asked, “Great-Uncle, when His Majesty leaves, will he take all the palace’s valuables with him?”

Zhao Zhongyu came back to his senses. Hearing that she wanted to target the palace, he couldn’t help but be speechless. “Everything that could be taken has been taken. What use would what’s left be to you?”

Zhao Hanzhang looked disappointed.

Zhao Zhongyu said, “Most of the wealth was taken by Prince Donghai.”

Thinking of the money Shi Le had made off with, Zhao Hanzhang felt pained. She silently vowed to earn all that money back from him somehow.

—