“Yes,” Zhao Xin said. “General, you hold the official position of Inspector of Qingzhou. Your taking Qingzhou is legitimate and proper. Isn’t it better than wasting military strength here with Liu Kun?”

Wang Jun sneered. “Qingzhou is the territory of the Gou brothers. Gou Chun was also personally appointed Inspector of Qingzhou by the emperor. If I take Qingzhou, you want me to fight with Gou Xi so you can reap the benefits?”

“Of course not,” Zhao Xin said. “Gou Chun is cruel, and the people of Qingzhou suffer unbearably. He’s only been in office for half a year, and there are already folk songs in Qingzhou: Young Gou is crueler than Old Gou. In such circumstances, since the general also holds the position of Inspector of Qingzhou, you can naturally respond to the people’s demands and drive out Gou Chun. I think the renowned scholars of north and south would also be pleased to see this happen.”

Wang Jun said nothing.

Zhao Xin continued: “If the general takes Qingzhou, our provincial governor will help you with a batch of provisions and weapons. As for Inspector Liu’s side, he will also send troops to assist.”

Wang Jun’s eyes flickered. What was Zhao Hanzhang trying to do?

Did she want to unite them both to deal with the Gou brothers?

Wang Jun looked at Wei Jie and said meaningfully: “His Majesty is currently in Yuncheng. If we take Qingzhou, where does Provincial Governor Zhao intend to place His Majesty?”

Zhao Xin also looked at Wei Jie. Clearly, Wang Jun didn’t quite trust him.

Only then did Wei Jie speak up: “His Majesty wishes to return to Luoyang.”

Wang Jun’s mouth dropped open in surprise.

Zhao Xin was also shocked, but he quickly regained his composure. When Wang Jun looked over, he nodded with a calm expression. Yes, that’s right, the emperor wanted to return to Luoyang.

When did this happen?

Never mind, let’s get him on board first.

Wang Jun thought of many things in an instant. So this wasn’t just cooperation between Zhao Hanzhang and Liu Kun, but also between the emperor and her? Then was her sending troops to recover Sizhou also the emperor’s intention?

Was the emperor about to change his backing again?

He’d only been with Gou Xi for a year, right?

But that made sense. It was said that since Gou Xi arrived in Yuncheng, he’d become increasingly arrogant, frequently taking money from the national treasury. Even the emperor’s private funds had been appropriated and misused. The emperor must have been fed up with him for a long time.

If Gou Xi was really finished, then both Qingzhou and Yanzhou would need new people…

Wang Jun’s breathing quickened slightly. His hand on his knee clenched, and his eyes showed undisguised ambition.

Qingzhou would definitely be his, but who said that in the chaos, Yanzhou couldn’t also be his?

Hmph, Zhao Hanzhang might dominate the Central Plains and command a large army, but he wasn’t inferior. He not only had the Youzhou army but also the support of the Duan Xianbei. When the time came to wave his troops southward as the emperor returned to Luoyang, he could completely take Yanzhou.

With a pincer attack from north and south, not only Jizhou but even Bingzhou would be within his grasp.

Liu Kun was a person with empty ambitions who was easy to deal with. The only one he needed to be cautious of then would be Zhao Hanzhang.

Wang Jun thought of many things in an instant. Seeing him bow his head in silence for a long time, Zhao Xin couldn’t help but look at Wei Jie, signaling him to say a bit more.

Wei Jie shook his head slightly at him. For smart people, one sentence was enough.

Although Wang Jun had made up his mind, he didn’t agree immediately. He decided to make them wait and discuss with his trusted advisors to confirm his thoughts were correct.

“Young Master Wei and Emissary Zhao, please stay for now. This matter is significant. Let me think it over carefully.”

Zhao Xin stood up and bowed: “Then we’ll take our leave first.”

Wang Jun forced a smile. “Emissary Zhao and Young Master Wei, please go rest. Tonight I’ll hold a grand banquet to welcome you.”

After they left, Wang Jun told his advisors his analysis and said: “Since Empress Jia caused chaos in the government, several princes have successively assisted the emperor. The emperor, starting from the late emperor, has long been a figurehead. This realm belongs to those with ability. Gou Dao Jiang and Zhao Hanzhang are both external officials. Now Gou Xi can control the emperor to command the lords, and even Zhao Hanzhang has such thoughts. Why shouldn’t we go further?”

His trusted advisors were startled, their hearts pounding violently. Some agreed, their eyes brightening: “The general is right. In terms of military achievements, you’re not inferior to Gou Dao Jiang or Zhao Hanzhang. In terms of civil virtue, you’re not weak either. Why can’t you replace them?”

Some disagreed, showing worry and hesitation in their eyes, quietly advising: “General, we are Jin officials. We receive the sovereign’s salary. If we rebel, I’m afraid the world will despise us.”

“Hmph, the Sima family’s position came even less righteously. Who says I’m a Jin official? Following my ancestors, I’m a Wei official! I’m avenging the great Wei!”

The trusted advisors: …

“However, talking about this is still too early,” Wang Jun coughed lightly and said. “We should focus on the present. Right now the world only knows Gou Dao Jiang and Zhao Hanzhang, but not me, Wang Pengzu. So we still need to wear down one side first. If Gou Xi is defeated and retreats, I can replace him and contend with Zhao Hanzhang.”

When Gou Xi fought with Prince Donghai, Gou Xi became famous throughout the realm; when Gou Xi fought with Zhao Hanzhang, Zhao Hanzhang became famous throughout the realm; when he fought with Zhao Hanzhang, the world would all know him, Wang Jun. Then, when he defeated Zhao Hanzhang, wouldn’t this realm be his to command?

So temporarily cooperating with Zhao Hanzhang wasn’t a problem. Wang Jun thought it over and still felt the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.

His trusted advisors also thought so. “Three parties joining forces against Gou Xi alone—we indeed have great odds of winning. But Zhao Hanzhang can’t just provide provisions and weapons; she must also send troops.”

“That’s right. If we’re going to fight, we should all send troops together. What does it mean to have us charging at the forefront alone?”

“Liu Kun must also send more forces. We’re giving him Jizhou—he should at least send eighty or a hundred thousand troops, right?”

Liu Kun, who barely had eighty thousand troops even counting the men hauling grain: …

There was no need to send someone back to Jinyang to ask for instructions. Liu Xi refused on his own: “We can send at most twenty thousand troops.”

Zhao Xin also refused Wang Jun: “Zhao’s army will not send troops.”

He said: “First, Qingzhou is far away. Between Yuzhou and Qingzhou lies Jizhou and Yanzhou—there’s no road for soldiers to pass through. Second, our provincial governor has no standing to participate in Qingzhou affairs. The provisions and weapons we provide to assist General Wang cannot be made public and must be done secretly.”

Wang Jun sneered: “Your provincial governor wants us to attack Qingzhou—isn’t that wanting to attack Gou Xi? I’m not asking you to send troops to Qingzhou. I’m asking you to send troops to Yanzhou to divide Gou Xi’s forces.”

Zhao Xin said righteously: “Our provincial governor and General Gou serve at court together. They only have the friendship of colleagues, not enmity. How could she want to attack General Gou? Please watch your words, General Wang.”

He said: “Our provincial governor’s suggestion that you send troops to Qingzhou is entirely to save the people of Qingzhou from suffering.”

Wang Jun was speechless for a long while. He felt he was already shameless enough. After all, he coveted this realm and wanted to replace the emperor. But he hadn’t expected Zhao Hanzhang could be even more shameless than him, clearly having set her sights on Gou Xi’s power but refusing to admit it.

In fact, Zhao Hanzhang really hadn’t set her sights on Gou Xi. Wang Jun was completely wronging her. She had never thought of competing with Gou Xi for Yanzhou while Emperor Jin was still alive.

Wherever Emperor Jin was, the Xiongnu people’s eyes followed. So she had never thought of having the emperor return to Luoyang. She felt the emperor was fine in Yuncheng. With him and Gou Xi there, they could share half the pressure from the Xiongnu for her.

However, Qingzhou could no longer be entrusted to the Gou brothers. First, to resolve Liu Kun’s urgent crisis; second, the people of Qingzhou were indeed living under great oppression. Since Gou Chun entered Qingzhou, he had widely conscripted labor and undertaken large construction projects, killing people at the slightest displeasure.

She was in Luoyang but could still receive letters from Qingzhou pleading for help.

Now she and Gou Xi were equally famous. Everyone knew that currently in matters of the realm, Gou Xi’s words counted for five parts, one part went to the realm’s division, and the remaining four parts were Zhao Hanzhang’s to decide.

So the gentry and common people of Qingzhou, not daring to complain to Gou Xi, could only cry out to Zhao Hanzhang. Both Yuzhou and Luoyang had received many letters from Qingzhou.

Not long ago, Zhao Ming had bundled up a stack of received letters and sent them to Zhao Hanzhang. After reading them, her heart felt very uncomfortable.

Although Wang Jun wasn’t great either, he was at least better than Gou Chun. What she could currently do was instigate them to change their provincial inspector.

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