Ming Yu’s eyes brightened. If the new currency circulated throughout the realm, the influence would be considerable. Having military authority and occupying territory was only political influence, but new currency circulation meant they could also constrain other powers economically in the future.

He stood up excitedly and walked around twice, asking, “Will other places recognize it?”

Zhao Hanzhang’s lips curved slightly. “West Liang has also minted new currency. We exchange what we need with each other. The Two Lakes and Shu regions have close trade relations with us, and both places also have tight currency supplies. Uncle Ming has communicated with them, and they’ll recognize it. As for the Jiangnan area, it’s not yet certain.”

She continued, “So I plan to have someone take half old currency and half new currency on a trip to Jiangnan and act according to circumstances.”

Ming Yu’s excited heart calmed slightly. He asked, “How long does the young lady want to take to subdue Sizhou?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “I only plan to have Henan Jun belong to Yuzhou this year. As for the other counties of Sizhou, we’ll only cooperate. I won’t send troops.”

Ji Yuan added, “Without a legitimate excuse, we are all Jin subjects and should look out for each other.”

Ming Yu understood. Zhao Hanzhang wanted righteousness. So unless she had reasons why she absolutely must send troops, or other counties voluntarily submitted, she wouldn’t seize territory.

Ming Yu’s eyes flashed. This being the case, strategists skilled in eloquence became very important, because when there were no excuses to send troops, they could use words to persuade the other side to submit.

Ming Yu looked toward Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan looked up at him and smiled slightly. The two men’s gazes met and parted, both understanding each other’s thoughts.

Ji Yuan felt relieved, feeling there was finally someone who could share the workload. Ming Yu also felt relieved—his dormant heart had reignited with passion. He felt he could do it again.

Zhao Hanzhang also felt relieved. A capable general had arrived, and his intelligence and talent were no less than hers. He immediately took much work off her hands.

She felt she could finally have her own time.

The three of them happily gathered together and drank, finishing both jugs of wine. Zhao Hanzhang could still walk out with a tiger’s stride. She told Ting He, “Arrange some servants for Mister Ming. Call Zeng Yue and have him select some personal guards from the military for Mister Ming. We must protect and serve Mister well.”

Ting He agreed, then reached out wanting to support her as she returned. Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand. “I’m not drunk. You go make arrangements quickly.”

Ting He looked up at the bright stars in the sky. And this was ‘not drunk’?

She did want to make arrangements, but in the dead of night, where was she supposed to find people to arrange things?

Zhao Hanzhang had already strode away. When she returned to her courtyard, she saw lights on next door. Her steps turned and she went to the neighboring courtyard.

Ting He was helpless and hurried after her, quietly advising, “Young lady, it’s late at night. Let’s return to wash and sleep first. Whatever you need to say can wait until tomorrow.”

Zhao Hanzhang had already walked to the door, knocking very politely.

Fu An from the side room opened the door and came out. Seeing her, he quickly said, “Young lady, my master has already washed and is about to sleep…”

Before he finished speaking, the door opened. Fu Tinghan stood behind the door wearing only his inner garments. He smelled the wine and saw her eyes were brighter than usual, with a somewhat silly smile on her face, and couldn’t help but freeze. “You drank?”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded obediently, looking at him with a smile.

Fu Tinghan reached out to touch her forehead. “Drunk?”

Zhao Hanzhang shook her head and walked past him into the room.

Ting He wanted to hold her back, but Fu Tinghan raised his hand to stop her. “Go get a bowl of sobering soup.”

Ting He bit her lip and agreed, then turned to leave.

Fu An stood to the side scratching his head. Finally, he reached out to close the door and ran to catch up with Ting He. “I’ll help you. Should we also send a basin of hot water for the young lady?”

Ting He also felt Zhao Hanzhang needed water to clear her head and immediately nodded.

Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan were both more accustomed to having tables and chairs in their rooms, so their chambers were somewhat different from others’.

At this moment, Zhao Hanzhang sat upright in a chair, picked up the teapot herself, poured herself a cup of water, and drank it all in one gulp.

Fu Tinghan walked over and sat down beside her. He tilted his head slightly to look at her. “What’s wrong?”

After drinking a cup of cool water, Zhao Hanzhang felt refreshed and clear-headed. She exhaled and said, “My heart is surging. I have so many things I want to tell you.”

Fu Tinghan sat up straight and smiled. “Then speak. I’m listening.”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Previously, I only vaguely perceived my ambitions. I wanted to hold Sizhou and Yuzhou entirely in my hands, and even wanted to take Yongzhou too. That way, the Central Plains would be entirely in my hands. I’d have the advantage of strategic passes and the benefits of plains. I could not only keep enemies outside but also develop agriculture, sericulture, and commerce, ensuring the livelihood of the people under my governance.”

Fu Tinghan nodded. “I could see that. What then?”

Zhao Hanzhang shook her head. “Then today I finally determined that what I want isn’t Sizhou and Yongzhou. What I want is the entire realm.”

Fu Tinghan looked up at her. He saw her eyes bright, with lamplight reflecting in them like starlight, enchantingly captivating.

He didn’t want to disturb the stars in her eyes, so he unconsciously softened his voice, gently asking, “Do you have confidence that you can manage the entire realm well?”

Zhao Hanzhang fell silent. She looked at him quietly, her gaze somewhat sorrowful. “That’s just it—I don’t…”

She sighed deeply. “But I feel others have even less capability. So I want to try. I want many people to help me. Fu Tinghan, I want to end this chaotic age.”

She said softly, “I originally didn’t think so much. I only wanted to control Yuzhou, preserve the Zhao clan, give them mother and son a place to survive. But now, I want to give everyone in this chaotic age a place to survive.”

Her brows furrowed lightly. “Will you think I’m too presumptuous?”

Fu Tinghan looked at her and shook his head. Perhaps because she was drunk, she was especially talkative tonight and particularly candid. The smile that always hung on her face was gone, and that hazy, dreamlike quality had disappeared.

Right now, she was like a child in front of him, sniffling with tears in her eyes. “I thought we were just passing through. We would eventually return. I pitied Sister Wang and Erlang and wanted to arrange things for them. But I don’t know when I truly started to respect her like a mother, not just a sister I got along well with…”

“Erlang has also truly become my younger brother. Mister Ji, Uncle Ming, Ting He—they’ve all become people I don’t want to lose.” Zhao Hanzhang sniffled. “Even ordinary people here I’ve never met—they’re no longer just numbers in history but real people. Every time I hear of chaos in a region with countless deaths and injuries, I feel somewhat sad.”

“This time with the border incident, the ordinary people who died because of Gou Chun, the families exterminated for lodging complaints—they’re all strangers, but when I heard about it, I still couldn’t help feeling angry, sad, and regretful. I hadn’t noticed something was wrong before, but this time Ming Yu awakened me. He asked if I wanted to claim kingship.”

Zhao Hanzhang smiled at Fu Tinghan. “In that moment, my heart suddenly broadened. That’s right—why shouldn’t I claim kingship? If I became the king of the realm, when another general like Gou Chun appears, why should I be constrained by another emperor and grand general? I could just execute him directly and uphold justice for the suffering people.”

She looked at Fu Tinghan with determination. “So I’ve changed my mind. I don’t just want Sizhou and Yongzhou. I want the entire realm!”

—