Liu Yi came full of excitement and left with a belly full of questions and schemes.

As soon as he returned to the city, he went to the palace to find his father. This meant Liu Cong, who wanted to probe him about the Zhao family army camp, came up empty.

Liu Yuan also wanted to ask about the Zhao army camp situation, but before he could speak, Liu Yi poured out all of Zhao Hanzhang’s suggestions and his own questions.

Liu Yuan instantly forgot about the Zhao army camp.

Zhao Hanzhang’s words scratched at the very tip of his heart while revealing another signal.

“Zhao Hanzhang says the Jin state is in its twilight years—does she want to choose another worthy master, or does she want to start her own enterprise?” Liu Yuan’s heart burned with passion. He felt it was the former, but the latter was also possible.

But either way, this was his opportunity.

Liu Yuan’s eyes shone, but his heart also worried. “What she said is right. Though the Han state has only been established four years, it’s already seriously ill. Without treatment, continuing like this will make it chronically incurable, following Jin’s path.”

Liu Yuan clenched his fists, sitting on the dragon throne with myriad thoughts. “If only she were my subject. Then the Han state would have a few more chances.”

These past two years, Liu Yuan had felt increasingly powerless. The Five Xiongnu Divisions paid lip service while defying him, and he couldn’t severely punish them. In his frustration, he had indulged in sensual pleasures.

Zhao Hanzhang’s words reignited the ambition in his chest. His clouded eyes cleared somewhat. He looked at Liu Yi, his emotions surging again.

Liu Yi hadn’t noticed his father’s strange gaze, still struggling with his question. “Father, does the Han governance you speak of also divide by social class rather than ethnicity? Then how should we reform?”

Liu Yuan said, “Use Han officials to govern the state. As long as Han officials are numerous enough in court, we can straighten this crooked path.”

But currently, though there were Han officials in court, Xiongnu still predominated. Han officials couldn’t lead, let alone split power equally with the Xiongnu.

Liu Yuan used Han officials but also guarded against them. However, from the country’s current interests, using Han officials and Han governance would strengthen the nation faster, then destroy Jin and unify the realm.

Unfortunately, aside from a few individuals, no one else in court shared this view. Others deeply distrusted Han Chinese and opposed Han governance, acting without restraint and intensifying conflicts between Xiongnu and other peoples.

After long consideration, Liu Yuan decided to try anyway. What if he actually succeeded in winning over Zhao Hanzhang?

He immediately had people prepare generous gifts to send to the Zhao army camp in Liu Yi’s name.

Zhao Hanzhang was unpacking Liu Yi’s gifts. Because she had sent books, Liu Yi felt he couldn’t send vulgar items, so he also returned some writings and books.

Gold has a price, but knowledge is priceless. Zhao Hanzhang really did want to know the current governing strategies and thinking of Han court officials. She couldn’t exactly stand in their court to listen. Apart from voices from among the people, she could only read books compiled and writings authored by Han state officials.

Zhao Hanzhang read with great interest, even lighting an oil lamp for it.

She stayed up until midnight, drowsily hugging her blanket to sleep, then continued reading at first light the next day. She didn’t even go practice with her spear.

Then she received another delivery of gifts from Pingyang City.

Zeng Yue brought people to carry boxes into Zhao Hanzhang’s tent, had her step back, cautiously opened one to check for mechanisms, found none, then threw it fully open.

Inside were gold, silver, pearls, and jade, along with fine silks and satins.

Zeng Yue was stunned and couldn’t help but turn to look at Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang stepped forward, raising an eyebrow. “From Liu Yi?”

“Those who delivered it said so, but your subordinate saw they were unfamiliar—not guards from the Prince of Beihai’s retinue—so he was cautious.”

Zhao Hanzhang stepped forward and grabbed several strands of pearls. The pearls were round and uniform, each strand containing about eighty or ninety beads.

Pearls at this time came from wild oysters, with extremely low yields, making them more valuable than gold.

She held them up to the sunlight—very few flaws. All top-grade pearls.

Just this one box of gold, silver, pearls, and jade could feed her hundred thousand troops for half a month.

She suddenly gripped the pearls in her hand tightly. “This wasn’t from Liu Yi. Did the delivery people leave no message?”

“They said the Prince of Beihai admires you and knows you’re far from Luoyang here, living in hardship, so he sent gifts to comfort you. They also wanted to meet with you, but your subordinate didn’t dare let them linger in the camp, fearing they’d discover the abnormalities, so I took the liberty of refusing.”

Meeting Zhao Hanzhang would require coming to the main tent. Even with preparations made, they might very likely discover the camp was empty, so Zeng Yue refused.

Zhao Hanzhang nodded. “Was there no letter?”

“No. They only said that as long as you’re willing to befriend the Han state, these things will be abundant and inexhaustible.”

Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help but smile. “Those words clearly weren’t Liu Yi’s. These gifts were most likely from Liu Yuan, or else from other Han officials or princes.”

Zeng Yue frowned. “Should this subordinate throw them back at Pingyang City?”

Hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang glanced at him. “Why be so unwise? This is all money!”

Zeng Yue paused. “But they said you should befriend them…”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded. “We are friends. I wanted to befriend them long ago. Otherwise, why would I go to such lengths to interact with Liu Yi?”

This exceeded Zeng Yue’s understanding. He stared wide-eyed, somewhat incredulous. “But, but they’re Xiongnu! Aren’t we in a fight to the death with them?”

Zhao Hanzhang lifted her chin slightly. “When they invade our Sizhou and Yuzhou, naturally it’s a fight to the death. But during truces, we must selectively oppose some people and selectively unite with others. Best to divide them from within so we can unify them from without.”

Zeng Yue listened in bewilderment. Hearing movement, he quickly turned to see Fu Tinghan standing at the entrance and humbly sought instruction. “Grand Master, did you understand?”

Fu Tinghan gave him a slight glance. Was this really hard to understand?

“You needn’t speak. I understand.” He was slow-witted for not comprehending. He decided to write it down and ponder it carefully later. “Then these things…”

“Keep them.” Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand. Seeing Fu Tinghan, she thought of her empty private treasury and changed her words mid-sentence. “Since they’re gifts for me, put them in my private treasury. Ting He, Ting He—”

Ting He outside the tent heard the call and immediately responded, trotting in and bowing to await orders.

Zhao Hanzhang pointed at the two boxes on the ground. “Record them in the ledger and store them properly.”

Ting He happily complied.

Managing Zhao Hanzhang’s private treasury accounts, but with no money in the treasury, she always felt constrained, afraid they’d have to sell things just to maintain Zhao Hanzhang’s living expenses.

Ting He pulled out the account book, got paper and brush ready, and began recording on the spot.

Fu Tinghan waited until they finished talking before handing Zhao Hanzhang the letter in his hand. “Just arrived. News from Jizhou, plus letters from Yuncheng, Yuzhou, and Luoyang.”

Quite a stack.

Zhao Hanzhang took them, flipped through, found the Jizhou letter, and sat cross-legged on a mat to read.

Fu Tinghan sat across from her and casually picked up a letter to open.

The two silently read their letters. Zeng Yue looked at them both, then at the busy Ting He, and finally quietly withdrew.