Zhao Ming snorted coldly upon hearing this and spoke about the intelligence from Yuncheng. “Although Gou Xi and other court ministers seemed to believe your explanation about the Qingzhou matter, they still became suspicious. The spies in Yuncheng reported that Gou Xi has spent five consecutive days at the military camp, eating, living, and training alongside the soldiers, showing great signs of recovering his former vigor.”
Zhao Ming continued, “Although Gou Xi’s true nature has been exposed, if he truly resolves to turn over a new leaf and govern diligently, many people throughout the realm will still choose to pledge allegiance to him. So stop your fooling around. When you have time, spend more visiting places like Youran Residence, where you’ll find not only scholars and warriors but also other talented people.”
He leaned to the side and pointed at the rabbits in Ting He’s hands. “If you’re really craving meat, just take your money and buy some openly. Was all that fuss worth it for these three rabbits?”
Zhao Hanzhang replied, “Uncle Ming, this is about enjoying the experience.”
Zhao Ming snorted again.
Zhao Hanzhang felt it wasn’t good for him to always be angry like this, so she explained further. “It’s like how you enjoy wine, but you always sober up after getting drunk. You don’t drink to get drunk, nor to sober up, but because you enjoy the process of drinking. I’m the same way. I didn’t catch rabbits just to eat meat, but to enjoy the process.”
Zhao Ming responded, “Since you’ve already caught the rabbits, you’ve already enjoyed the process. Why don’t you release the rabbits?”
“…” Why does he keep bringing this up?
Zhao Hanzhang said, “Of course I need to enjoy the result, otherwise the process would be meaningless.”
Zhao Ming stopped walking. “So you’ve developed ambition and want to enjoy what you’ve conquered… the realm?”
The last two words, Zhao Ming’s voice dropped very low, so low that even Fu Tinghan standing beside Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t hear clearly.
But Zhao Hanzhang heard it very clearly. Her secret of having excellent hearing had been noticed by several people close to her.
She didn’t deny it. Meeting Zhao Ming’s gaze, she smiled faintly.
Zhao Ming fell silent.
This was no different from directly admitting it. Zhao Ming remained silent for a long while.
Zhao Hanzhang said, “I thought Uncle Ming and I had already reached a mutual understanding.”
The silent Zhao Ming couldn’t help but burst out, “Who has a mutual understanding with you? I am a loyal minister!”
Zhao Hanzhang paid no mind to this. She turned and waved at the people behind her. The officials and attendants immediately stopped walking and even retreated backward and to the sides.
Once they had moved away, Zhao Hanzhang said to Zhao Ming, “But you never served the Jin court before. Uncle Ming, it was only after I became the master of Xiping County that you were willing to come out of retirement to serve as Xiping County Magistrate. Your salary has always been paid by me, and all your hard work over these years has been for me.”
Zhao Ming said, “I wasn’t working for you.”
“Not only for me,” Zhao Hanzhang corrected him. “I know, it’s mainly for the Zhao clan. Since it’s for the Zhao clan, you should support me even more. Only if I advance further can the Zhao clan advance further.”
Zhao Ming snorted. “You certainly are confident. I’m just afraid you’ll lead the Zhao clan into the abyss.”
Zhao Hanzhang said, “Don’t worry. In today’s world, unless one truly reaches the highest position, there’s no precedent for one person causing an entire clan’s destruction. And if I truly reach that position, I’m confident I can govern the realm well and won’t let the Zhao clan fall to such a state.”
Zhao Ming fell silent. After a long while, he said, “People’s hearts change easily…”
Hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang became delighted. These words revealed the change in his heart. “Don’t worry, I definitely won’t change. If I do change, you can whip me with a horsewhip.”
Zhao Ming snorted coldly.
“Really, I’m not deceiving you.” Zhao Hanzhang had Ting He fetch her riding whip and pressed it into Zhao Ming’s hands. Zhao Ming frowned and didn’t want to take it, scolding her, “What are you making a scene about in public? Do you really want me to whip you in front of everyone? You’re a Governor of two provinces. Don’t you care about your dignity?”
“I’m not asking you to whip me now. It would only be if I did something wrong. If you beat me for your own selfish interests or for doing bad things, then of course I wouldn’t accept it.”
“This whip is the one I commonly use. Later I’ll have my personal seal engraved on it. If I truly change my heart in the future, you can use this whip to beat me, acting in a father’s capacity. What do you think?”
Zhao Ming was stunned. His face instantly flushed red, and his eyes glistened with moisture. “If I had a daughter like you, I would have died of anger long ago.”
Though he said this, he still grabbed the whip from her hand, snorted lightly again, and said with his head held high, “Let’s go. Didn’t you want to check on the condition of the irrigation ditches?”
Zhao Hanzhang walked forward happily.
Fu Tinghan thought to himself: So the matter of rebellion was decided just like that?
The condition of the irrigation ditches was indeed not very good. The silting was quite serious. This area of fields had been abandoned for a long time and only began cultivation last year. The farming was crude—just one plowing, scattering seeds, and whatever grew was what you got. It was only this year that, with more and more refugees being resettled, the fields were carefully divided and allocated to individuals.
The group followed along to observe and got a general understanding. “Right now is the spring plowing season. It should rain in a few days. If we want to clear the ditches, we need to hurry. But every household needs to focus on spring plowing. Where can we mobilize people to clear the channels?”
After pondering for a moment, Zhao Ming asked, “Can we mobilize people from the military?”
Zhao Hanzhang thought for a moment and shook her head. “The military also has heavy farming tasks. The elite soldiers train daily, and I won’t have them participate in civilian matters.”
Zhao Ming frowned slightly.
Zhao Hanzhang asked, “Are there many people in prison?”
Zhao Ming raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at an official behind him.
This was the Administrator of the Commandery Governor’s Office, surnamed Yu. The previous one had been transferred to Feng Yi Commandery in Sizhou. He had only been in office for less than ten days and wasn’t familiar with Zhao Hanzhang, but he was quite familiar with Zhao Ming.
Upon meeting Zhao Ming’s gaze, he immediately stepped forward and replied, “There are currently eighteen people imprisoned in Chen County, and forty-five temporarily detained. In the entire commandery, there are fifty-two imprisoned, though I don’t know how many are temporarily detained.”
Zhao Hanzhang asked, “Then how many are imprisoned in all of Yuzhou?”
Administrator Yu didn’t manage Yuzhou affairs. Ji Yuan served concurrently as Yuzhou Administrator, but he only paused briefly before saying, “There are three hundred twenty-nine people.”
Zhao Hanzhang was quite surprised. “Uncle Ming, there are so few imprisoned people in Yuzhou?”
Zhao Ming glanced at those subordinate officials, then said, “Governor, you jest. Isn’t Yuzhou being peaceful and stable under your governance a good thing?”
Zhao Hanzhang swore she heard the sound of teeth grinding. She immediately nodded. “Yes, yes, yes. This is all due to Commandery Governor Zhao’s excellent management. You’ve worked hard this past year, Commandery Governor Zhao.”
Zhao Ming forcibly suppressed his “hmph” and changed it to “mm.”
Zhao Hanzhang said, “Let’s bring out all the imprisoned people to work. Clearing channels, repairing water works—they can all do these things. Sitting in dark, damp cells all the time makes them prone to illness anyway.”
“And those temporarily detained,” Zhao Hanzhang continued, “those detained for fighting and other violent acts—as long as the evidence is clear, bring them all to clear the channels. Why do they fight? Because they have excess energy. More labor will do them good.”
“Especially those guilty of domestic violence or beating neighbors—bring them all to clear channels. One beating means seven days of labor. After several times, they’ll develop peaceful temperaments.”
Zhao Ming thought about it and felt her idea was indeed good, so he nodded.
Administrator Yu hesitated but still reminded them, “Commandery Governor, there are still some scholars in prison…”