Ji Yuan received Zhao Hanzhang’s guilt confession, and was moved to tears. He decided against making any major revisions, opting only for minor embellishnts before having soone copy and post it. However, he couldn’t seem to let go of the manuscript.
The clerk tugged at the manuscript but couldn’t take it, leading him to look at Ji Yuan, "Sir?"
Ji Yuan released the manuscript but said, "No need to copy it. Deliver it to the lady and let her write it herself."
Could there be a better guilt confession than one written personally by Zhao Hanzhang?
When Zhao Hanzhang heard, she imdiately separated half of the towering pile of docunts on her desk, "Send them to Mr. Ji and say I’m busy writing a guilt confession, so I’ll trouble Mr. Ji with these docunts."
The official duties Zhao Hanzhang needed to handle extended beyond Luoyang to include the ten counties of Yu State.
Especially the four counties currently being recovered, where there are military duties. She had to arrange for an Assistant General and soldiers to garrison them.
even several counties around Luoyang joined the bustle. So counties had a County Magistrate who wrote requesting Zhao Hanzhang’s protection; others, lacking a County Magistrate, had local gentry write asking her to appoint one...
Naturally, Zhao Hanzhang gladly accepted, but whom should she send?
Thus, she was very busy.
She could handle military matters herself, but she delegated many civic duties. Zhao Yigui hesitated and said, "Lady, these are all specifically left by Mr. Ji and said they need your attention."
Zhao Hanzhang replied, "Then let him write down suggestions and submit them to ."
She still needed to see Beigong Chun and others; she simply had no ti.
Yi Gui acknowledged and carried the docunts out.
Zhao Hanzhang took out a large piece of paper and vigorously transcribed, then had Yi Gui post it outside.
She set down her pen, pulled over a docunt, and said to Yi Gui, "Go and invite General Beigong and General Mi."
"Yes."
Ting He entered, bowed, and said, "Lady, it’s ti to dine."
Half the day had vanished just like that.
Zhao Hanzhang sat motionless, unfolded a docunt, "Prepare two more portions, no, three. Invite General Beigong to bring Huang An as well, and ask the three generals to dine here."
Ting He acknowledged and was about to leave when Zhao Hanzhang called her back, asking, "Where is Ting Han, has he eaten?"
Ting He shook her head, "The young man left early this morning, saying he was going to inspect the Luoshui, as the spring floods are approaching and so channels need attention."
She paused and added, "I saw that the young man’s desk was piled with many docunts too."
"The military and food supplies for Luoyang and Guy City all require his calculation and distribution, naturally not few," Zhao Hanzhang paused then said, "Outside there probably isn’t anything to eat, have soone send him so food. We’ve returned to Luoyang, there’s no reason to chew on dry rations anymore."
Dry rations are truly unpalatable.
Zhao Hanzhang took a mont to inquire, "Any news from Fu Zhongshu?"
Ting He helped Zhao Hanzhang handle so communications among relatives, and upon hearing, she said, "There is a letter back, saying they have safely reached Chang’an."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded, waved her hand, and let her leave.
However, Ting He didn’t leave, she reported, "Lady, just now the gatekeeper sent in a card, it’s from Wang Si Niang."
Zhao Hanzhang was slightly startled and hurriedly said, "Invite her in, let her know I will see her after eting with General Beigong and the others."
She paused and then said, "Invite the two sisters for dinner, and let the Second Son return too."
Ting He bowed and replied, "Yes."
Beigong Chun and Mi Ce had been waiting to see Zhao Hanzhang, at this ti the guilt confession hadn’t been posted, they still didn’t know that Zhao Hanzhang had taken all the responsibility herself.
The two were prepared to be punished; when the top is guilty, the bottom bears the bla, which is standard procedure.
They had prepared when taking the orders, knowing later Zhao Hanzhang would compensate them in other ways, but the necessary drama still had to be done.
Once entered, the seemingly honest and straightforward Mi Ce imdiately put on a tearful face, took a few quick steps, knelt on one knee, and sobbed, "Governor, your humble servant is guilty."
Zhao Hanzhang looked up bewildered with pen in hand, seeing his tears flowing in two lines, she was startled and quickly asked, "What happened?"
Could sothing have happened to the Mi Family Army?
Mi Ce wiped his eyes and said, "Governor, starting from the Yu State border battle last year, our military officers have been fighting outside for more than a year now. But the army, not to ntion pay, has often faced shortages in food and supplies. Your humble servant feels deeply ashad towards the soldiers."
"Upon receiving the governor’s command to go to Xiang City and protect the refugees returning, those young n couldn’t control themselves thinking of their elderly parents at ho, and ended up taking so things," Mi Ce looked up, teary-eyed at Zhao Hanzhang and said, "Your humble servant failed to control those young n in ti and is truly guilty, please heavily punish your humble servant."
Already standing, Zhao Hanzhang "Oh" exclaid, sat back down, placed the pen carefully on the pen rest, glanced at the serious-looking Beigong Chun trying to display a "I’m also very guilty" face, waved her hand, and said, "Stand up, this matter doesn’t concern you. It was my order, I have written a guilt confession."
Now Mi Ce was bewildered, "Ah?"
Beigong Chun also looked at Zhao Hanzhang in surprise.
Mi Ce had two tears still hanging on his face, and after a while, he realized her words, and now refused to get up, he simply knelt on both knees, frowned and said, "Governor, how can this matter be on you? Once the guilt confession is issued, I’m afraid those people will be even more indignant, wouldn’t it ruin your reputation?"
Zhao Hanzhang said, "It was originally my command, how could I let you take the bla? Stand up and speak,"
She pointed at the seats on both sides, indicating them to sit down and talk.
Mi Ce refused to sit, still kneeling on the ground, and said, "Governor, we, as your subordinates, sharing the responsibility and risk is only our duty. This matter was done privately by and General Beigong, it has nothing to do with you, please punish."
Beigong Chun also knelt on one knee, bowed his head, and said, "Please punish, Governor."
Huang An behind him followed suit and knelt down.
Zhao Hanzhang got up, walked to the hall, and helped each of them up with one hand, smiled and said, "Do you think if I don’t admit it, they wouldn’t know? No need to make such a joke."
No one was foolish, especially those family gentry, they had interacted with politics from a young age, more perceptive than most people in the world.
Since Mi Ce ntioned it’s standard procedure, naturally they knew it was done under her orders, yet blad on subordinates afterward.
"But as long as you don’t admit, they have no reason..."
Zhao Hanzhang said, "What I need is for them to stay and do sothing for Luoyang, not stay and harbor resentnt towards , fighting against ."
She sighed and said, "Besides, what’s done wrong is wrong, why evade?"
Beigong Chun was straightforward; he didn’t refuse standard procedures, but he also thought what Zhao Hanzhang did now was more correct. He imdiately nodded and said, "We’ll follow the general’s lead."
He said, "Yet we indeed have guilt for letting soldiers plunder, please punish us."
Zhao Hanzhang thought for a mont and said, "Very well, then each of you will receive twenty military sticks, and be docked six months’ pay."
Mi Ce: ...
He silently turned his head to look at Beigong Chun.
Beigong Chun earnestly replied, "Yes!"
Mi Ce: ... He had many things to say, but in Zhao Hanzhang’s presence, it wasn’t good to speak them out.
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