Fu Zhi found it difficult to reach an immediate conclusion. He had to navigate between ordinary citizens, aristocratic families, officials, and the forces left behind by the Prince of Nanyang, leaving him mentally and physically exhausted.

The situation in Chang’an was complex. As the western gateway of the Great Jin, it couldn’t be taken lightly. Now lacking money, grain, and manpower, all he could do was balance the various forces based on existing resources.

It wasn’t until Zhao Hanzhang quickly sent the second batch of relief grain that the situation began to change.

Even the officials of Chang’an hadn’t expected the second batch of relief grain to arrive so quickly. They immediately went to Fu Zhi to demand their salaries and provisions.

Fu Zhi seemed to know what they were thinking. Shortly after they arrived, the common people in Chang’an also became agitated, boldly surrounding the governor’s mansion and begging Fu Zhi to save their lives.

The people Fu Zhi had sent out would occasionally say among the crowd, “This is relief grain allocated by the Great General specifically to save us disaster victims suffering from famine. The governor mustn’t divert it for military use.”

“That’s right, everyone in my family has starved to death. Now I’m the only one left.”

The common people surrounded the mansion and wouldn’t leave. Fu Zhi also told the officials and generals who came to his door, “You can see for yourselves – public sentiment is agitated. If I don’t provide relief grain, I’m afraid they’ll riot.”

General Liu’s expression darkened. “If there are rioters, just suppress them.”

Fu Zhi then asked, “How many troops can the general deploy to quell the unrest? When that time comes, how many soldiers will be left to guard Hangu Pass?”

He sighed. “There aren’t many common people left in Chang’an.”

So would they really kill and drive away the remaining people over this bit of relief grain?

Everyone fell silent. Seeing their expressions soften, Fu Zhi continued, “I’ve already reported to the court, requesting provisions and salaries. Given the Great General’s capabilities today, they should arrive soon.”

Others weren’t so optimistic. Zhao Hanzhang was willing to provide relief grain to the common people, but that didn’t mean she’d be willing to supply grain to the Chang’an garrison or pay officials’ salaries – after all, they weren’t her people.

At this thought, someone’s heart stirred, and they looked up at Fu Zhi.

Come to think of it, although Fu Zhi had always been in the emperor’s faction, his actions had consistently favored Zhao Hanzhang. The Zhao and Fu families were connected by marriage, and it was said that Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan’s relationship had always been very good.

Those who thought of this felt their hearts grow warm, and their tone immediately changed. “The governor is right. With so few common people left in Chang’an, we should focus on pacification.”

By the time Fu Zhi saw them off, nearly half of Chang’an’s officials and officers had come over to his side. Combined with the officials and officers who already belonged to him, he could now use the majority to control the minority.

As soon as they left, Fu Zhi immediately issued the work-relief decree he had already drafted. Since most common people were illiterate, besides posting announcements, he mainly sent officials to the governor’s gate to proclaim and explain.

The work-relief program included many tasks, such as sweeping streets, repairing houses, leveling land, cutting and drying firewood…

There was much to be done. With cold weather approaching, if they didn’t take warming measures, the people who didn’t starve to death would likely freeze to death.

The people of Chang’an quickly accepted work-for-relief, and rapidly elevated Zhao Hanzhang to first place among those they worshipped and admired.

Many families began preparing longevity tablets for her. The particular ones selected good wood and enshrined her as they would their ancestors. The less particular chose whatever good wooden boards they could find and had her name carved on them.

The street children wandering Chang’an picked up boards from the ruins, painted a female figure according to their imagination, and enshrined them. Everyone competed to worship Zhao Hanzhang’s longevity tablets.

In the past two years, both the late emperor and Zhao Hanzhang had sent relief grain to Chang’an, but little actually reached the common people’s hands – most went first to supplement military provisions.

Only these two times had the relief grain been used entirely on them, and they’d heard there would be more relief grain later. How could this not make them love Zhao Hanzhang?

Seeing this situation, Fu Zhi sighed deeply with mixed feelings, but didn’t step forward to correct it.

Unlike Fu Zhi’s conflicted feelings and concealment, Qingzhou and Guangzhou loudly proclaimed Zhao Hanzhang’s benevolence and achievements.

Qingzhou had been badly ravaged by Wang Jun, and in Guangzhou, Wang Dun had run off with his army. When the Xiongnu soldiers and Shi forces attacked Guangzhou, they encountered no resistance. All the fortified compounds in the province were captured by Shi Le and Liu Cong, their wealth completely plundered.

If even the fortified compounds were like this, the cities were even worse. Any family with money had been robbed clean.

So when Zhao’s army arrived, from wandering beggars to aristocratic remnants, everyone welcomed them with both hands.

Seeing this, Zhao Kuan didn’t hold back either. He directly became Zhao Hanzhang’s spokesman, dedicated to making Qingzhou a second Yuzhou to become one of Zhao Hanzhang and Zhao’s army’s strong support bases.

Guangzhou naturally didn’t want to fall behind. Sun Linghui rebuilt Guangzhou while competing with Qingzhou in propaganda, even spreading the message back to Chen County.

The things they proclaimed and did made Zhao Hanzhang shudder. Zhao Ming also felt they were too flattering, showing great potential to become treacherous ministers, so he wrote a letter informing Zhao Cheng of this matter.

When Zhao Cheng read it, he was quite angry and immediately wrote a letter to harshly scold Zhao Kuan. Sun Linghui wasn’t spared by Zhao Cheng either.

The Zhao family children were basically taught by Zhao Cheng. Even Sun Linghui, as a child following her brothers to the Zhao compound, would attend some lessons, so Zhao Cheng was not only her uncle but also her teacher. Thus, upon receiving this letter, Sun Linghui, like Zhao Kuan, felt covered in spittle and became somewhat ashamed and embarrassed.

However, they still didn’t change their ways.

Of course, this was for later. At this time, they hadn’t yet received the letters and were still competing to flatter Zhao Hanzhang and win people’s hearts for her.

When Fu Tinghan entered Qingzhou, he felt it was very lively. The streets and alleys were filled with vitality. Although most people wore coarse cloth and tattered clothes, their mental state was very different.

After just a few days apart, Zhao Kuan had already lost weight and darkened. His eyes had dark circles, but his face still showed excitement.

Seeing Fu Tinghan, Zhao Kuan grabbed his sleeve and nearly cried out, “Third Brother-in-law, you’ve finally come! You don’t know – I’ve been hoping day and night for you to arrive. The officials below are incompetent, the data they report is all jumbled, and I have to review it with my eyes practically crossed, then verify each item one by one…”

Fu Tinghan apologized. “I’m afraid I can’t help you. I came for something else.”

Zhao Kuan was slightly stunned and asked, “What is it? Does the Great General not like me buying people’s hearts for her, so she’s not limiting herself to scolding me in letters but specially sent you to scold me?”

Fu Tinghan choked, deciding to abandon the various questions that instantly popped into his mind, and told him, “I came to produce salt and reform the salt administration.”

Zhao Kuan said, “But the method hasn’t been developed yet, has it? Didn’t you write down the method for the craftsmen to slowly figure out? Why did you come in person?”

Fu Tinghan didn’t say much, only stating, “The court urgently needs salt now. We must figure out how to crystallize salt from seawater before next year. Pick out a few craftsmen and have them follow me to the seaside.”