Zhao Zhongyu hadn’t left work yet, but he had sent someone home early. Zhao Dian was already waiting at the gate. Seeing Zhao Hanzhang, he immediately came forward, “Sanniang, the Great Master is waiting in the front hall.”
Zhao Hanzhang dismounted, looked up at the characters on the residence, handed her horse to the guards behind her, and asked, “Where is Master Ming?”
Zhao Dian: “Master Ming has been arranged in the guest courtyard. The kitchen has prepared lunch and already sent it to him.”
Zhao Hanzhang nodded and walked inside, but didn’t go to the front hall, instead asking, “Which direction is the guest courtyard?”
Zhao Dian quickly said, “Sanniang, the Great Master is waiting for you to have lunch in the front hall. You… The guest courtyard is this way.”
Zhao Hanzhang then withdrew her gaze and lifted her foot to walk left.
Zhao Dian hurriedly followed, no longer trying to persuade Zhao Hanzhang, instead having servants go to the kitchen to prepare another portion. Seeing Fan Ying, Zeng Yue and others following behind, he simply said, “Prepare several more portions of food and send them all to the guest courtyard.”
“Yes.”
Zhao Ji had been waiting in the front hall the whole time. From the moment he heard Zhao Hanzhang enter the residence, he had been somewhat nervous, his mind on edge waiting for her to come, his heart already rehearsing what to say when he saw her, what attitude to use…
As a result, after being nervous for over two quarters of an hour and building up his mental preparation over and over, a servant came in with head lowered to report that Zhao Hanzhang had gone straight to the guest courtyard and wouldn’t be coming to the front hall.
Zhao Ji’s heart was at once both angry and greatly relieved. Only at this moment did he realize that facing Zhao Hanzhang, he was actually more nervous than when facing the Emperor or Gou Xi.
Zhao Ji’s face instantly turned livid with shame and anger.
He stood up with a start, pulling on his wooden clogs to walk out. His attendant quickly stopped him, advising, “Great Master, calm your anger. Sanniang is discussing important business with Master Ming.”
“Isn’t coming to greet her elders upon first entering the house important business?” Zhao Ji huffed as he walked outside, “Who taught her such manners? She doesn’t even know the most basic propriety and hierarchy.”
The attendant hurried after him, saying in a low voice, “Great Master, Sanniang brought over a hundred people into the city. When she entered the city, she came face to face with Young General Gou. She nearly killed Young General Gou with one spear thrust…”
Zhao Ji stopped in his tracks, his face turning red then livid, finally snorting coldly as he turned back, fuming, “When Father returns, I must have him take a good look—this is the niece-granddaughter he supports. She doesn’t put us in the second branch in her eyes at all. Where is this like one family? She treats strangers better than this.”
But when Zhao Zhongyu returned, he was intercepted by both Zhao Dian and Ting He. Ting He curtsied, “Second Great-grandfather, my lady asks if Great-grandfather would join Master Ming for dinner.”
Zhao Dian said in a low voice, “Sanniang says she needs to discuss business.”
Zhao Zhongyu nodded, not even thinking of his own son.
Ming Yu hadn’t entered the city with Zhao Hanzhang. Before reaching the ten-li pavilion, he had turned off to first visit an old friend. Through him, he arranged to meet a few other friends, settling on a meeting time before entering the city.
When he entered the city, he happened to see from a distance Gou Xi leaving with Gou Chun, the city gate official collapsed in a pool of blood, and common people on both sides of the road keeping their heads down, not daring to speak. He guessed it was either Gou Xi or Gou Chun who had acted.
So he gathered information before entering the city.
Seeing Zhao Zhongyu arrive, he immediately signaled to Zhao Hanzhang and quickly stood up.
Zhao Hanzhang turned around, stood up smiling, “Great-uncle has returned.”
“Mm,” Zhao Zhongyu exchanged greetings with Ming Yu, then knelt at the head seat, looking at Zhao Hanzhang, “What’s this business between you and Gou Xi?”
In the palace, he had only vaguely heard that Gou Xi rushed over to confront her, but didn’t know the specifics of what happened.
Zhao Hanzhang said, “Great-uncle misunderstands. It’s not with the Grand General, but some misunderstanding with Gou Chun.”
She recounted what happened when entering the city.
Zhao Zhongyu’s expression darkened upon hearing this, “Gou Chun’s behavior grows more reckless. To dare kill someone in the street, and a city gate official at that.”
Zhao Hanzhang asked eagerly, “Will the censors impeach him tomorrow?”
If they impeach him, she could lend them a hand during court, as today’s scolding wasn’t quite satisfying enough. She felt she could scold Gou Chun some more.
Zhao Zhongyu said, “Gou Chun is like Gou Dao—he never voluntarily attends court.”
So even if she scolded him, he wouldn’t hear it.
Zhao Hanzhang collected her thoughts. What was the point of scolding someone who wasn’t there to hear it? It made her seem like she was badmouthing people behind their backs.
Zhao Hanzhang set this matter aside and discussed serious business with Zhao Zhongyu.
Zhao Zhongyu also had many things to tell her, “His Majesty wants to return to Luoyang and has hinted for you to raise this matter.”
Zhao Hanzhang asked, “Would Gou Xi agree?”
Zhao Zhongyu lowered his voice, “His Majesty has won over three of Gou Xi’s generals, totaling eighty thousand men. Including the Imperial Guards, His Majesty now has one hundred thousand men under his command.”
“As long as you propose it and send troops as escort, together with His Majesty, Gou Xi will be helpless.”
Zhao Hanzhang paused, asking, “What does Great-uncle think?”
“Find an excuse to delay,” Zhao Zhongyu said. “Although you could replace Gou Xi as Protector-General, I always feel His Majesty’s fortunes aren’t particularly auspicious, as if whoever he follows will meet misfortune. Moreover, you now occupy the Central Plains. Once His Majesty returns to Luoyang, he’ll likely replace the officials in the counties and prefectures of Sizhou with his own people.”
“A fire blazing bright in oil eventually burns out—what flourishes most will decline,” Zhao Zhongyu said. “The Zhao clan is still young and cannot withstand such conflict between you and the Emperor.”
Zhao Hanzhang deeply agreed, nodding repeatedly, “I also think His Majesty is better off staying in Yuncheng. I just don’t know what excuse to use.”
Ming Yu said, “Youzhou and Jizhou are experiencing drought. Moving the capital at this time would be enormously expensive—we can delay past this year. Moreover, the sacrificial ceremony is imminent. His Majesty won’t want to cause complications before then. After the ceremony, we can find an excuse to leave quickly. Discuss the capital relocation through correspondence—each exchange takes time. When they moved from Luoyang, it took four years of discussion. This time returning, discussing it for two or three years before deciding is normal.”
Zhao Hanzhang and Zhao Zhongyu thought about it and realized it was true, so they nodded repeatedly.
Zhao Hanzhang thought that if this year’s locust plague could be weathered smoothly, they really could delay another two or three years.
Thinking of how Gou Xi was becoming increasingly unwise, Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help asking, “How is Great-uncle’s health now?”
Zhao Zhongyu frowned, “Still well.”
Zhao Hanzhang’s fingers lightly tapped the low table, “After the sacrifice, Great-uncle should occasionally take leave, then after a year or two, retire on grounds of poor health.”
Hearing this, Zhao Zhongyu’s eyebrows moved slightly as he quickly glanced at Ming Yu but said nothing.
Only when the grandfather and granddaughter walked together toward the rear courtyard did he ask in a low voice, “You want to move against Gou Xi and His Majesty?”
Zhao Hanzhang said, “I won’t move against His Majesty.”
She said softly, “If Gou Xi weren’t there, His Majesty wouldn’t need Great-uncle as a hostage at his side.”
She wouldn’t move against the Emperor, but could act more freely. As long as Zhao Zhongyu remained at the Emperor’s side for one day, she would be somewhat constrained.
Zhao Zhongyu nodded thoughtfully. But in his heart he knew that getting the Emperor to agree to his retirement would be as difficult as ascending to heaven, unless Zhao Hanzhang agreed to the Emperor moving the capital back to Luoyang, staying at the Emperor’s side herself, so the Emperor no longer needed him as a hostage.