The Prince of Qin still knew nothing when he was established as Crown Prince.

When Fu Tinghan finished with the materials at hand and emerged, the county office was bustling with noisy activity.

He looked around with a confused yet curious expression at the people carrying various fabrics, gold, and silver objects in and out. Seeing Zhao Hanzhang buried in writing something, he approached and asked: “Are we holding some celebration?”

Zhao Hanzhang replied casually: “I’ve established a new Crown Prince. Uncle Ming says this is a joyous occasion requiring some ceremony, so I had people find some things from the war spoils to decorate with.”

Thus, the Prince of Qin was established as Crown Prince in the half-burned county office. With a confused expression, he sat in the seat of honor in the county office main hall and accepted the kowtows of officials led by Zhao Hanzhang from the Zhao clan faction.

From decoration to establishment as Crown Prince took only one day.

After one night passed, the next day Zhao Hanzhang had people take down the hanging silks and such—they could still be used, couldn’t be wasted.

The displayed gold and silver objects were also put away. The Prince of Qin still lived in his original room. Aside from gaining the title of Crown Prince, there seemed to be no difference from before.

Two “dong dong” sounds brought the Crown Prince back to himself. He saw Xun Fan looking at him with displeasure: “Your Highness, you’re distracted.”

Oh, there was one difference—he now had a teacher, formally called Crown Prince Grand Tutor.

Zhao Hanzhang had appointed Xun Fan as Crown Prince Grand Tutor to specifically teach him lessons. No, to teach both him and the Prince of Yuzhang lessons. The Prince of Yuzhang had now become the Crown Prince’s study companion.

The Crown Prince sat upright but wore an expression of utter despair.

He didn’t want to be Crown Prince. He truly didn’t want to be.

With the added title of Crown Prince, beyond bearing an extra share of risk, what benefit was there for him?

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t ask his opinion or even consult with him much, directly issuing decrees in his name.

Zeng Yue, Mi Ce, Xie Shi, and others on campaign abroad all felt their spirits lift upon hearing news of the Crown Prince’s establishment, becoming even more fierce in driving back the Stone Army and recovering lost territory.

Various commanderies and counties throughout the realm, upon receiving the edict, also responded to the call one after another.

Even Yangzhou and Xuzhou had county magistrates or local gentry responding, gathering forces to march toward Yanzhou.

The Prince of Langya’s faction suffered a severe blow.

During this time, refugees in Poyang Commandery violated prohibitions. Wang Dun believed someone was using the excuse of supporting the court to recruit soldiers and cause rebellion in the countryside, so he dispatched troops to Poyang.

Wang Dun swept through Poyang Commandery with a strong-handed stance, threatening Poyang officials to submit to the Prince of Langya. Wang Siniang, Zhao Hanzhang’s representative in the south, was very displeased and began recruiting soldiers on a large scale to support Zhao Hanzhang.

At the same time, she went to request that Wang Cheng come forward to persuade officials from various commanderies in Yangzhou and Xuzhou to dispatch troops in support. She told Wang Cheng: “Uncle, setting aside the fact that the Prince of Langya is from a distant branch of the imperial clan, even if he should be established as Crown Prince, he’s currently cowering in Jiangdong, clearly intending to abandon the Central Plains and the northern territories.”

She continued: “If we lose the Central Plains, the state will be no state. Can Dajin still be said to exist? This will bring eternal infamy. Even though you are no longer a Jin official, as a renowned scholar of our time, won’t you also be discussed alongside them as a coward?”

Wang Cheng, though dissolute and not a good official, had always advocated that the Central Plains could not be abandoned.

Therefore, he didn’t hesitate much before agreeing to his niece.

Currently, only Zhao Hanzhang had the capacity to preserve the Central Plains and northern territories.

Moreover, the Prince of Qin was far more legitimate than the Prince of Langya. He was the grandson of Emperor Shizu himself, while the Prince of Langya was merely Emperor Shizu’s nephew, the son of a cousin at that—another degree removed.

Whether considering bloodline or the overall situation, Wang Cheng sided with Zhao Hanzhang.

So he personally visited several friends and, through their names, wrote letters to officials in Yangzhou and Xuzhou, jointly persuading them to follow the Crown Prince as their lord, heed Yuzhou’s command, and pacify the realm together.

Even the usually good-tempered Wang Dao couldn’t help but grow angry. He personally wrote a letter to Wang Cheng, believing he was severing Jin’s foundations.

Was Zhao Hanzhang any kind of good person?

Her ambitions exceeded Gou Xi’s by quite a margin.

Setting aside whether she could defeat Shi Lei and the Xiongnu Han State, even if she could, by then she would be overwhelmingly powerful with no one able to restrain her.

As a woman, she had already reached this point—what more when the time came?

That would truly be the nation’s destruction.

Better to take advantage of her current preoccupation to consolidate southern forces and support the Prince of Langya. Once hostilities ended, the Prince of Langya could check her power, forcing her to establish the Crown Prince as emperor and maintain Jin’s honor.

Wang Dao told him: “You think you’re helping His Majesty unify the realm? No, you’re undermining the nation’s foundations and harming our aristocratic families’ very roots.”

“From Zhao Hanzhang’s actions over these four years, she cannot tolerate clans besides the Zhao clan. When she takes power, the Wang clan will perish along with Jin.”

After reading this, Wang Cheng sneered and tossed the letter aside. Speaking so righteously—how many clans had been directly exterminated under the Xiongnu and Jie barbarians’ iron hooves? The Wang clan scattered, even his own brother died at Shi Lei’s hands. Were they waiting for Zhao Hanzhang to harm them?

Before she could harm them, Shi Lei would probably chop them all down first.

Thinking of Shi Lei, Wang Cheng ground his teeth in hatred. He and Wang Yan had been very close. Even now, he couldn’t quite accept that his brilliant, world-renowned brother had died at Shi Lei’s hands.

Northern expedition—they must launch a northern expedition!

Wang Cheng ignored him and ran about everywhere helping Wang Siniang recruit soldiers. Don’t underestimate him—his reputation as a famous scholar was quite useful.

Among the Wang clan, besides Wang Yan, he had the greatest fame—greater even than Wang Dun and Wang Dao. Therefore, under his call, quite a few Wang clan descendants broke away from Wang Dao and Wang Dun, agreeing with Wang Cheng’s views and joining in recruiting soldiers to pledge allegiance to Zhao Hanzhang.

As for Wang Dao’s concerns, the Wang clan descendants all thought he was worrying needlessly. Zhao Hanzhang disagreed politically with Wang Yan, but she had employed Wang Xuan and the Wang Siniang siblings.

Look at Wang Siniang—she was now Inspector of Jingzhou. Given time, she might well reach her father’s heights.

The Prince of Langya suffered severe setbacks. After thinking it over, he immediately wrote to Wang Cheng, summoning him to Jianye to discuss important matters and debate the court situation once more.

Wang Cheng considered it and agreed, immediately taking people to Jianye.

Wang Cheng was the type to leave as soon as he decided. By the time Wang Siniang heard the news and chased after him, he had already run far away.

Wang Siniang couldn’t help grinding her teeth. She simply gave chase, and in half a day, finally caught up with him. She told Wang Cheng to return with her: “Though we haven’t torn apart the façade yet, our political positions conflict. Our interests are opposed. If you go to Jianye now, aren’t you walking into a trap?”

Wang Cheng said very confidently: “You worry too much. How would he dare kill me?”

“The Sima family—what wouldn’t they dare do?” Wang Siniang most hated her uncle’s arrogance. Hearing this, she said: “To seize power, they can even slaughter fathers, sons, and brothers. What about others?”

“Uncle, come back with me quickly.”

Wang Cheng was displeased upon hearing this and darkened his face: “Do I need you to teach me how to do things? I said it won’t happen, so it won’t.”

With that, he had his attendants move quickly—if they were late, they wouldn’t reach the courier station before dark, and he didn’t want to sleep outdoors.

Wang Siniang spurred her horse forward and grabbed the horse’s reins, refusing to let him go.

Wang Cheng flew into a rage at the sight. He directly snatched the whip from the driver and pointed it at her: “You move aside. Wang Yifeng, don’t think that because you’re my niece I won’t hit you. I’m not your brother who indulges you in everything.”

“Little slip of a girl, you really think you became Inspector based on real ability? If you weren’t childhood friends with Zhao Hanzhang and my niece, how could the Jingzhou Inspector position fall to you…”

Wang Siniang’s expression changed as he berated her. Her second uncle was as detestable as always. That mouth really should be sewn shut.

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