Only ten qing—this was far too little. Having money but unable to buy land, Zhao Hu felt anxious and couldn’t help furrowing his brow.

Zhao Kuan asked, “Are you still transferring Zheng’s household registration?”

After hesitating, Zhao Hu still nodded. “Transfer it.”

Although the profit would be less, it was still a good start. Besides farmland, other residences and shops could also be put under his grandson’s name, so that in the future if Zhao Hanzhang had preferential policies, he could enjoy them too.

Zhao Kuan called over a clerk from the household office and slowly processed the paperwork for him while saying, “Seventh Grand-Uncle, Luoyang has another decree: for newly purchased farmland, if it goes uncultivated for three consecutive years, the government office has the right to buy back the land from the owner at original price. If the owner cannot be found, the government office can confiscate it as state property.”

He looked up at the shocked Zhao Hu. “So, Seventh Grand-Uncle, have you found people to cultivate the land?”

Zhao Hu slowly closed his mouth. Although Zhao Hanzhang had blocked many of his paths, this one really didn’t stump him.

Wasn’t it just people?

Simple enough.

Zhao Hu transferred his grandson’s household registration to Luoyang. Zhao Cheng and his son at the Imperial Academy still knew nothing about it. By the time they found out, the new registry book was already completed.

Zhao Cheng couldn’t understand at all. “Just for these ten qing of land, you’re registering Zheng in Luoyang?”

Zhao Hu said, “What’s the problem? If you don’t like Zheng’s registration being in Luoyang, when I return to Xiping, I’ll just transfer it back.”

After all, by then the land would be in hand—the government office couldn’t very well take the land back.

Zhao Cheng found himself speechless, but he very much disliked his father’s scheming. Angry, he turned and left with a wave of his sleeve.

Zhao Hu snorted and called out loudly behind him, “You’re blaming me here, why don’t you go blame Zhao Hanzhang? If she hadn’t made such regulations to earn extra tribute and taxes from one household, would I need to do this?”

Zhao Hanzhang, staying in the neighboring courtyard, heard Zhao Hu’s shout and was speechless for a long moment.

Ji Yuan, sitting in the lower seat, picked up his bowl and took a sip of tea, pretending not to have heard. “My lady, my lady?”

Zhao Hanzhang came back to herself. “What were you just saying? Oh right, Gou Chun withdrew his troops. What about Ming Yu—has he been sent to Luoyang?”

Ji Yuan smiled faintly. “He’s already on the road. He should arrive in the next day or two. How does my lady think we should settle him?”

“Hire him as an adviser.” Zhao Hanzhang paused before continuing. “Find him a residence near my home to live in.”

Ji Yuan shook his head. “Since he’s an adviser, naturally he should follow close by my lady’s side. How about I set aside a section of my courtyard for him to share residence with me?”

“That would be too uncomfortable.” Zhao Hanzhang smiled. “Isn’t there still an empty courtyard near your residence, sir? Since you want to live near Ming sir, let him stay in the guest quarters next door.”

Ji Yuan smiled and agreed.

Zhao Hanzhang lowered her eyes in thought. “Zhao Xin hasn’t returned yet. I wonder how things are in Yuncheng, and whether Gou Xi has truly calmed down.”

Gou Xi was currently hosting a banquet for Zhao Xin, plying him with wine, entertainment, dance, and… beauties.

Gou Xi had gifted him two beauties who sat close on either side. Zhao Xin sat calmly, neither refusing nor indulging in feminine charms.

Gou Xi drank while observing his expression, then laughed. “Envoy Zhao, are these two beauties not to your liking? I’ll have someone bring you two different ones.”

The two beauties’ faces paled slightly upon hearing this, their bodies trembling slightly as they pressed against Zhao Xin. Zhao Xin maintained his indifferent manner. “They’re fine—pretty and considerate enough. Changing them would be about the same.”

He continued, “Beauties are all much the same. They’re far less interesting than wine. General Gou, your family’s wine is truly excellent. Let me toast you.”

Only then did Gou Xi smile, his expression improving. “Good! Since Envoy Zhao loves wine, when you return to Luoyang, I’ll send you two jars, and bring one for General Zhao as well, to thank her for this gift.”

Gou Xi pulled at the corner of his mouth. “I’ll accept this generous gift of hers. When we meet next year, I must drink heartily with her.”

Zhao Xin raised his cup with a smile and agreed.

After drinking for half the evening, Zhao Xin was finally sent back to the Zhao residence in a drunken state.

Zhao Zhongyu had been waiting for him, even dozing off in his study. Hearing the commotion outside, he immediately woke with a start.

Zhao Xin poured himself a bowl of sobering soup and became slightly more clearheaded before going to pay respects to Zhao Zhongyu. “Clan Leader.”

Zhao Zhongyu waved away his courtesy and asked, “How did Gou Xi behave? Has he calmed down?”

Zhao Xin said, “Whether he’s truly calm or not is uncertain, but the Commander gave him a way out, and with His Majesty mediating from the middle, he went along with it.”

Zhao Zhongyu breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. “This outcome isn’t bad either. Yuzhou has only been stable for one year, and Luoyang even more recently. We absolutely cannot have warfare break out again.”

Zhao Xin agreed with this assessment. “However, after this incident, the clan leader and the elder’s days in Yuncheng will be difficult.”

Zhao Zhongyu waved his hand. “His Majesty is still here. I’m at least the Minister of Personnel—he can’t do much to me.”

Zhao Xin said nothing.

Zhao Zhongyu continued, “It’s getting late. Go rest. Tomorrow after paying respects to His Majesty, you should depart. Word from the border is that Gou Chun has already withdrawn his troops.”

Zhao Xin acknowledged this, turned to leave, then remembering the border situation, stopped and asked, “Clan Leader, how will the court handle Gou Chun?”

This incident had caused quite a stir. Zhao Hanzhang’s letters numbered two—one sent directly to Gou Xi, one directly to the Emperor.

Whether to Gou Xi or the Emperor, Zhao Hanzhang directly pointed out Gou Chun’s robbery of civilian grain and directly concluded that Zhao Ju’s border crossing was caused by Gou Chun’s plundering of Yuzhou civilians.

Both border regions had suffered deeply from this.

Originally, everyone had been impeaching and suspecting, but because Gou Xi suppressed it and the Emperor was unwilling to offend him, no one had been sent to investigate.

The matter had remained in the realm of rumor without solid evidence.

Even when Zhao Hanzhang had previously submitted memorials accusing Gou Chun of crossing borders to plunder Yuzhou civilians, Gou Xi had covered it up as border misunderstandings and conflicts, and the Emperor couldn’t interfere much.

But now, Zhao Hanzhang had torn away that covering fig leaf. Gou Xi and the Emperor could no longer pretend to be deaf and mute even if they wanted to. Moreover, the Emperor himself didn’t want to keep pretending.

Zhao Zhongyu said, “Gou Chun has been summoned back to Yuncheng. If I’m not mistaken, he should arrive tomorrow if not today, so I hope you’ll take your leave immediately after seeing the Emperor tomorrow.”

He continued, “Gou Chun is narrow-minded and hot-tempered. If he learns you’re Hanzhang’s envoy, he’ll likely target you.”

Actually, Zhao Zhongyu wasn’t afraid of Gou Chun scheming—he feared Gou Chun not scheming at all. If he simply charged in directly with men, Zhao Zhongyu would have absolutely no recourse.

So when facing stupid and impulsive opponents, the best method was to avoid them, not meet them head-on.

Zhao Xin also valued his life. Before coming, he had thoroughly researched Gou Chun. The man had no brains and acted impulsively. Just because he suspected Zhao Hanzhang would grow powerful in the future, he dared send assassins, completely disregarding the alliance between their armies at the time and the problems Gou Xi would face after breaking the pact.

Facing such impulsive people, Zhao Xin would avoid them as far as possible.

So when Gou Chun came charging back to Yuncheng in a fury, Zhao Xin had already left half a day earlier, perfectly missing him.

—