Learning that the new emperor Liu He had been killed, Shi Lei could no longer sit still. He summoned all his generals to deliberate and, after weighing the options, decided to leave one army as a rear guard while he personally led the main force back to Jizhou to hold Liu Cong accountable.
Zhao Hanzhang, having obtained this confidential intelligence from Shi Lei’s camp, was extremely excited and immediately made adjustments accordingly.
She decided to seize this opportunity to eliminate Liu Cong, cripple Shi Lei’s forces, and recover lost territory.
This required mobilizing considerable forces.
One portion would remain here to deceive Shi’s army while opportunistically recovering Yanzhou. Another portion would ambush along the route to intercept Shi Lei and eliminate his effective forces. Yet another portion would rapidly advance north to support Beigong Chun and Zu Ti.
Zhao Hanzhang also issued orders to the various reinforcing armies, commanding them to spare no cost in advancing to Jizhou and Sizhou to recover lost territory.
Fu Zhi was the first to respond. Ever since learning that Emperor Jin had been captured, he had been grief-stricken, wanting to go support Yanzhou. However, Zhao Hanzhang had kept him assisting in recovering Sizhou, so he had no choice but to remain in Sizhou supporting Chen Wu.
Now receiving the order, he was the first to lead his army toward Jizhou, hoping to attack Liu Cong and rescue Emperor Jin.
Zhao Hanzhang did not pursue Shi Lei herself but had Zhao Erlang and Mi Ce lead the pursuit while she remained in the rear to maintain control and simultaneously recover Yanzhou.
The large army Shi Lei had left behind never expected that the Zhao Family army, which had been in a stalemate with them, would suddenly launch a fierce attack. Unable to defend for a time, they lost three cities in succession.
However, when Shi Lei received news of Liu He’s death, he had already anticipated that he couldn’t hold Yanzhou.
Above Yanzhou were Qingzhou and Jizhou. With the Han state in turmoil, this meant the court’s promised reinforcements were uncertain. Once Zhao Hanzhang cut off his connection with the rear, he would be trapped in Yanzhou like a dog being beaten.
He felt pained, unwilling, and reluctant to give up the Yanzhou he had fought so hard to conquer. But what hadn’t Shi Lei experienced in his life?
In his view, this was nothing.
So gritting his teeth, he accepted it.
Shi Lei decisively abandoned Yanzhou, leaving only a large force as a rear guard to simultaneously deceive Zhao Hanzhang, then hurried back with his men.
He blamed this failure entirely on Liu Cong.
To attack the Jin state, he had even lost his original territories in Shangdang and southern Ji. Yet the war was initiated by your court, and now you were abandoning him on the front lines to fend for himself?
Even a dog couldn’t swallow this grievance.
Shi Lei decided to retaliate against Liu Cong—no, using the Han people’s terminology, he wanted to restore order and eliminate these treacherous rebels.
As for who would be emperor after killing Liu Cong, he didn’t care about such matters. He owed his debt of gratitude to Liu Yuan. Now that Liu Yuan was dead, Shi Lei felt he had already repaid that debt—it didn’t extend to subsequent generations.
Shi Lei advanced toward northern Ji with great momentum. Along the way, few cities or armies dared to block him, and he gradually relaxed his vigilance, just pressing forward, when he encountered an ambush…
Looking at the successive victory reports being delivered, Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help but smile as she went to find Fu Tinghan. “The gunpowder you made has been extremely useful. Using it against Shi’s cavalry has been excellent. Make some more.”
Fu Tinghan said, “Your ambushes are mostly in mountain forests. Using gunpowder at this time, if it accidentally starts a forest fire…”
“Don’t worry,” Zhao Hanzhang smiled. “I’ve strictly ordered that they bury the gunpowder in the road for ambushes. It’s just to make noise and disrupt their cavalry formations before launching charges. The quantities used aren’t large. With current production levels, we can’t use much anyway…”
As she was speaking, hurried footsteps sounded. Ting He and Zeng Yue ran over together, both wearing sorrowful expressions. “My lady—”
Zhao Hanzhang stopped speaking and turned to look.
Zeng Yue dropped to his knees, saying tearfully, “My lady, Second Master, he… has died!”
Zhao Hanzhang was slightly stunned and quickly asked, “Who did you say?”
“Second Master!” Zeng Yue cried. “Liu Cong poisoned the emperor to death, and Second Master was at his side. He followed His Majesty in death.”
Zhao Hanzhang felt a slight pain in her heart, her eyes moistening, but she held back her tears.
Fu Tinghan, seeing her expression, stepped forward and grasped her hand.
Zhao Hanzhang then withdrew from her emotions, tightly gripping his hand while instructing Zeng Yue, “Go summon Scholar Ji and Uncle Ming.”
She paused before adding, “Have the Crown Prince and the Grand Tutor come as well.”
Zeng Yue acknowledged and departed.
Since establishing the Crown Prince, wherever the Crown Prince’s administrative office was located, Zhao Hanzhang’s newly established officials would be there as well.
When Zhao Hanzhang arrived, Ji Yuan, Zhao Ming, and others were already waiting in the room. The Crown Prince and Xun Fan had not yet arrived.
Zhao Hanzhang didn’t wait for them but directly addressed everyone, “You’ve all received the news, I presume. His Majesty and Minister Zhao, along with other high officials, have all been killed by Liu Cong.”
Except for Ji Yuan and Zhao Ming, everyone else was shocked, clearly having not received the news beforehand.
Zhao Hanzhang said, “It appears everyone has just learned of this.”
She looked toward Ji Yuan.
Ji Yuan was in charge of intelligence work. Seeing her look his way, he explained, “This is information General Beigong sent back. The Xiongnu are in internal chaos. Liu Cong killed the new emperor Liu He, and afterward someone proposed establishing Liu Yi as the new emperor.”
“Liu Yi’s presence with you is not a secret. Someone suggested considering your opinion and exchanging hostages. Liu Cong’s poisoning of His Majesty at this time likely has Liu Yi as his target.”
An official, overcome with grief, shouted loudly, “Administrator Zhao, Liu Cong killed His Majesty. You should kill Liu Yi to avenge His Majesty!”
“That’s right, kill Liu Yi, an eye for an eye!”
“Kill Liu Yi!”
Zhao Hanzhang: …
She directly instructed Zeng Yue in front of everyone, “Record the fools shouting. After the meeting, have them take an examination. If they pass, I’ll consider their current state as temporary insanity due to grief. If they fail, have them start from the bottom and learn more skills before serving the country.”
The foolish shouting officials: …
At this moment, Zhao Hanzhang’s tongue was particularly venomous, completely unlike her usual magnanimous and benevolent self. She mocked, “If after passing the exam they still bring up this matter, then it’s neither grief-induced insanity nor inherent stupidity—they must be spies sent by Liu Cong.”
Both Ji Yuan and Zhao Ming lowered their heads and remained silent. Everyone knew Zhao Hanzhang was in a foul mood at this moment.
Finally, Chief Administrator Chen slowly interjected, “Liu Cong’s action is meant to force you to kill Liu Yi. If Administrator Zhao kills Liu Yi now, wouldn’t that be playing into his hands? Improper, improper.”
Only then did the few officials who had been shouting to kill Liu Yi fall silent, their faces flushed red.
At this moment, the Crown Prince and Xun Fan arrived. Everyone couldn’t help but look at Zhao Hanzhang.
Speaking of which, with Emperor Jin dead, shouldn’t the Crown Prince ascend the throne?
Zhao Hanzhang turned to face the Crown Prince, raising her hands in a bow. Only then did everyone hastily follow suit.
After asking the Crown Prince to sit in the seat of honor, Zhao Hanzhang continued the discussion. “Liu Yi’s matter will be set aside for now. Let’s first discuss establishing a new emperor.”
She said, “A state cannot be without a ruler for a single day. With His Majesty murdered, the Crown Prince should immediately ascend the throne. We must find a way to recover His Majesty’s coffin, as well as those of the Jin ministers who died with His Majesty. We absolutely cannot let their souls scatter in foreign lands.”
Speaking to this point, Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help but tear up.
The Crown Prince stood there stunned. Only now did he learn that his imperial uncle had died, and he was to ascend the throne and become emperor.
He heard that his uncle had been poisoned to death.
The Crown Prince felt pain in his abdomen. The previous emperor had also been poisoned to death. This one too. And as the next emperor, he…
The fatal thing was, among their many relatives, quite a few had actually died from poisoning.
The Crown Prince couldn’t feel happy at all. He only wanted to cry. He had said long ago he didn’t want to be emperor—why did he still have to become emperor?
—