Zhao Hanzhang received the crop seeds and couldn’t help but smile. She folded the letter and put it away, then said to Wang Si Niang, "Invite them up, I want to et them personally. I have another letter to entrust them to deliver to the King of Beihai."
Wang Si Niang looked at her silently for a while, then turned to bring up the guards of Liu Yi.
Zhao Hanzhang was very concerned about Liu Yi, and inquired in detail about his situation after returning, such as whether he was punished, if he was criticized, and if he needed her help.
The guards felt that this was not confidential, so they happily told her that their prince would never be punished. The Emperor and Empress care for him very much.
Hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang felt relieved. She wrote a letter to Liu Yi and entrusted the guards to take it back.
After the guards left, Ji Yuan, who had been sitting beside like a wooden stake, finally spoke, "The lady has good insight. Liu Yuan indeed dotes on Liu Yi."
His eyes were extrely bright, and he already had an idea, "Being so favored, how can he not go a step further? How does the lady feel about pushing him to beco the Crown Prince of the Han Kingdom?"
Although the courtiers of Great Jin were unwilling to acknowledge Liu Yuan’s Han Kingdom, he indeed claid a territory and proclaid himself emperor. In terms of power, he was on par with Great Jin, so they could look down on him verbally, but in their hearts, they had to deal with him as the ruler of a country.
Jin wanted to destroy the newly established Han Kingdom and recover lost lands, but there was still a long way to go.
If the next emperor of the Han Kingdom were Liu Yi, who had ties with Zhao Hanzhang, it would be advantageous internally and externally.
Zhao Hanzhang remained calm and directly refused, "There’s no need."
Ji Yuan furrowed his brows, "Why?"
Zhao Hanzhang said, "Let’s talk about it after July this year. If... then we will use this thod."
If Liu Yuan were still alive by then, she would consider using this thod. Otherwise, she would push and strive for more chaos in the Han Kingdom. If they could destroy the Han Kingdom, the threat they faced from the north would be greatly reduced.
Ji Yuan stared at her for a while and, seeing that she didn’t continue with the "if," suppressed his desire to inquire and changed the subject, "Wang Jun has already agreed to cooperate. It won’t be long before Liu Yuan and Gou Xi receive the news. The lady’s goal has been achieved. Should we still stay here?"
Zhao Hanzhang lowered her eyes and thought, then asked, "What does Mr. Ji think?"
Ji Yuan said, "I’m just afraid that once our army retreats, Liu Yuan will seize the opportunity to move south and take back the counties we just recovered. But staying here long, we consu a lot of food and fodder every day, and spring plowing is imminent..."
Their soldiers, apart from the elite who trained daily, were all involved in farming and garrisoning lands.
Zhao Hanzhang lowered her eyes and thought for a mont, then said, "I understand."
After two days, upon receiving Liu Yi’s reply, Zhao Hanzhang began secretly mobilizing troops, letting the vanguard quietly leave, followed by the rear army, with only the central army she led staying until the end.
Wang Si Niang didn’t know what she was up to but still obeyed orders, leaving behind enough provisions for a thousand people for two months before departing.
Ji Yuan left with the rear army. They would return to Luoyang to prepare for spring plowing. He turned his head to look at Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan, who were standing on the hillside watching them leave, and couldn’t help riding forward.
Zhao Hanzhang had just wanted to wave goodbye to them when she saw Ji Yuan coming up. She imdiately lowered her hand and asked with concern, "Mr. Ji, what’s the matter?"
Ji Yuan directly looked at Fu Tinghan, "Ting Han, do you want to return to Luoyang with us?"
Zhao Hanzhang staying here without knowing her plans didn’t worry him too much. If she couldn’t win, she could still escape quickly, but Fu Tinghan was different. He was a treasure, and what if he couldn’t escape?
Fu Tinghan was stunned for a mont and said, "I’d better stay here."
Standing nearby, Zhao Hanzhang chuckled, "Mr. Ji, he can’t go back to Luoyang, I’ve to take him to et Fu Zhongshu in a few days."
Ji Yuan said, "Then the lady must protect him well."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded repeatedly, "Rest assured, the Luoyang side is entrusted to you and Mr. Ming, the central army will also return in a few days."
On the second day after the rear army’s departure, the central army also began leaving in separate groups. Upon receiving the news, Beigong Chun silently withdrew his troops back to Luoyang.
Liu Yuan and Shi Le first received the news that Wang Jun and Liu Kun had beco allies and jointly dispatched forces to Qingzhou. Then they received news of Beigong Chun’s withdrawal.
Liu Yuan imdiately asked, "What about the Zhao Family Army outside Pingyang City?"
"Still in place."
Liu Yuan frowned, "Why would Wang Jun go to attack Qingzhou? Liu Kun actually agreed..."
"Your Majesty, this is good news for us. Wang Jun, Liu Kun, and Gou Xi are consuming each other internally. We could benefit from their conflict."
Liu Yuan felt uneasy, "What about Zhao Hanzhang? She’s an ally of Liu Kun. With such a big move, she couldn’t possibly not know. Is she withdrawing Beigong Chun’s army to attack Gou Xi, or does she have other plans?"
Liu Huanle, seeing Liu Yuan worried, couldn’t help but also beco concerned, "Your Majesty fears they might openly extend the plank roads while secretly crossing the Chencang, appearing to attack Qingzhou while actually conspiring together to deal with us?"
"That’s impossible," Huyan Yi said from the side, "Jin has no one who could convince all parties, not to ntion that Wang Jun would not cooperate with them."
Wang Jun has ambitions of his own, how could he watch Great Jin recover lost territories?
Liu Yuan felt slightly reassured, "But we must be cautious. Send people to monitor Zhao Hanzhang and Gou Xi’s actions. If they truly exhaust each other, we will seize the opportunity to launch an attack."
"Yes."
In the Zhao Family Army Camp, the tents were still standing, but the camp was empty. At a glance, there were tents but no people.
Only near the main tent was there so activity. Ting He and Fan Ying were organizing things on the desk, while Zhao Hanzhang stood in the doorway absent-mindedly with her hands on her hips. Fu An ran over and said, "Lady, Master’s things are packed."
Zhao Hanzhang returned to her senses and nodded, "Load it onto the cart."
She turned to Fan Ying, "Go and call Zeng Yue."
Fan Ying agreed and handed over the final tasks to Ting He.
Zeng Yue ca quickly, and Zhao Hanzhang’s luggage was also loaded onto the cart. "When we leave, there will only be a thousand of you left in the camp. Do you know what you’re here for?"
"We know, to light fires regularly to create the illusion of cooking smoke, to patrol the camp, and send scouts to monitor the direction of Pingyang City, maintaining the façade of the army still stationed here."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded in approval, "Don’t slack off. Laziness may be noticed by the enemy. If they find anything amiss, retreat imdiately."
"What about Yonghe County?"
Zhao Hanzhang said, "You are to retreat to Yonghe County. You must hold Yonghe County."
Zeng Yue’s face turned solemn, and he seriously replied, "Yes!"
Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan were heading through Yonghe County to et Fu Zhi, with a thousand people accompanying.
This expedition was supported by Chang’an and Xiliang. The three places decided to enhance communication and trade relations. The envoy from Xiliang had already passed through Chang’an, and she needed to et at Fu Zhi’s camp for a three-party eting.
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