After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times

Chapter 1121 - 1103: This Is Not a Good Time

When Xun Zu and Xun Fan exited the Imperial Palace, the palace path was already deserted. The two brothers walked silently along the long corridor, Xun Zu remained silent until halfway through when he turned his head towards Xun Fan, "Did you already make a choice, brother? Why didn’t you warn me at the palace feast?"

Xun Fan was quiet for a while before speaking, "Your Majesty... lacks wisdom. I teach him ’University,’ and when the Great General governs, he listens in and occasionally offers his opinion."

"No matter how we doubt her, in terms of evidence, she is indeed trying to teach Your Majesty to be a good emperor. But clearly, Your Majesty is not pretending to be inept." Xun Fan sighed, "The Jin Dynasty’s spirit intelligence gathered in its ancestors, leaving none for the descendants."

Meaning, the Little Emperor is truly inept; he cannot make a competent emperor.

"But Your Majesty is the legitimate Jin Dynasty..." Xun Zu was somewhat agitated, "Zhao Hanzhang is still young; if you think poorly of Your Majesty, after marrying the Central Palace, you can give birth to some young princes and raise them carefully."

Xun Fan sneered, "Brother, Zhao Hanzhang is not easy to deal with, nor are her subordinates. Do you think the current harmony can last for ten, twenty years?"

"If not for Emperor Hui as a precedent, if not for the chaos of the Eight Princes before, perhaps I would agree with you. But... both you and I experienced this chaos," Xun Fan stopped and, facing Xun Zu and shedding tears, said: "War, war, do you really want the country to be chaotic again? From the misgovernance of Empress Jia to today, of our Xun Family’s dozens of lives, now only you and I remain."

Xun Zu listened, unable to speak for a long time.

The Xun Family was not prosperous, but they were descendants of a prestigious lineage, with several branches depending on them. Since Empress Jia’s misrule, deaths began in the Capital City, and the Xun Family was no exception.

Through several great battles, the family’s dozens of people, plus guards and servants, over three hundred, were reduced to only Xun Fan and Xun Zu.

Xun Zu had no wife or children, and his beard was graying. Xun Fan’s two sons were missing; he had always been inquiring but currently had not a bit of news, appearing to be more fateful than fortunate.

Common folk suffered the pains of war, and nobles did too.

No matter how high above, under war, famine, and natural disasters, they were the same.

Xun Fan and Xun Zu had experienced bringing the Little Emperor and Prince Yuzhang during escapes. At that time, they narrowly survived, not only being pursued but also starving, brushing with death several times.

That feeling, Xun Fan sincerely did not wish to endure again.

He wanted to uphold the Jin Dynasty’s legitimacy, but the premise is the Little Emperor has the talent and the will. Now, he neither has the talent for governance nor the will to be emperor. Is it truly right for us to fight and strive for him as we think best?

Xun Zu whispered, "Brother is sure Zhao Hanzhang is capable? She has recently gained power, looks decent now, but what about in a year or two?"

"Think about that Gou Xi, once so righteous and clean, what did he become in the end?" Xun Zu said, "And there’s King Langya in Jiangnan. If you do nothing now, once she changes, even if we want to protect the emperor, the court, and the world, we won’t be able to."

Xun Zu did not believe Zhao Hanzhang could remain unchanged.

He was already terrified by the pattern of Jin State power holders becoming corrupted after gaining power, from the Eight Princes to Gou Xi and other power holders, each and every one, arrogant and self-indulgent after gaining power, then thoroughly degenerated.

He didn’t believe Zhao Hanzhang would be the exception.

Xun Fan previously didn’t believe it either, but the interactions during this time made him more confident in Zhao Hanzhang, "After all, the emperor himself doesn’t want to do it anymore. You might as well teach him to read and wait a few years to see how Zhao Hanzhang turns out before taking action."

"By then it will be too late!"

"It won’t be," Xun Fan confidently said, "You don’t trust Zhao Hanzhang or Ji Yuan, but you should trust Ming Yu."

"Ming Yu followed Gou Xi for over a decade; he was his confidant. In such a situation, due to Gou Xi’s incompetence, he left. Now, how long has he been with Zhao Hanzhang? Do you think if Zhao Hanzhang betrays, he won’t react?" Xun Fan said, "When the time comes, you can do what you want to do now, and it’ll be twice as effective."

Xun Fan meaningfully said, "This world never lacks people who care for the world and cherish benevolence, nor does it lack ambitious people."

Xun Zu lowered his head in thought.

Indeed, their conversation with the Little Emperor tonight did not escape Zhao Hanzhang; Xun Zu and Xun Fan had just left when Zhao Hanzhang received a real-time broadcast.

After reading it, she threw the paper into the hearth to burn.

Fu Tinghan was very curious, "Don’t they know you’ll find out?"

"They know, I also know they know I know; these things are unspoken agreements."

Fu Tinghan: "Then how can you be sure what they said is true or false? What if it’s said deliberately to confuse you?"

"That’s why listening may not be believing," Zhao Hanzhang laughed, "Such matters depend on their actions afterward; I never rashly judge their intentions."

"However, intelligence is crucial, and the palace indeed needs to add some personnel, both for serving and for assisting in handling governance," Zhao Hanzhang said, "After the new year, let’s announce to the world recruitment of talents."

"Now the world is temporarily stable; more people should come to take the exams than in previous years," she touched her chin and said, "We need to hint externally, letting hostels and restaurants in the Capital City prepare."

But these matters can be done slowly because there’s still a lot of time.

With the palace feast over, Zhao Hanzhang decided to spend a happy and joyful year, with the first task being to sleep until naturally waking.

Turns out, her biological clock was too accurate, so that she could still wake on time every morning.

Fortunately, with the cold weather, lying in the bed hearing the howling northern wind outside, she felt quite reassured; although unable to sleep again, she didn’t want to get out of bed either, so she simply stayed in the quilt, counting which New Year’s greetings hadn’t been received and which hadn’t been replied to?

As she counted, counted, her fingers were grabbed by Fu Tinghan, "What are you counting?"

"Counting letters to complete before the seventh day," Zhao Hanzhang put both hands behind her head, sighed, "Now feeling leisure, I’m somewhat unaccustomed. How about after breakfast we go hunting?"

Fu Tinghan: "It’s New Year’s Day today."

"Indeed, New Year’s Day isn’t suitable for killing," Zhao Hanzhang gave up, "Forget it, let’s stay at home to play. Shops and workshops outside are closed today, otherwise we could observe people’s livelihoods, or try out lens at the Glass Workshop."

For three days straight, Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan visited relatives, had meals with family, met with guests coming to pay New Year’s greetings. Sometimes too lazy to see them in person, she had the gatekeeper accept gifts, note names, offer a cup of hot tea, and send them off.

Regarding the gifts received, regardless of value, she accepts them all; unwrapping gifts became the happiest moment of each day.

This leisurely and joyful life lasted only four days before Zhao Hanzhang, early on the fifth day, mounted her horse, taking Zhao Erlang, Zeng Yue, and others out of town to hunt.

Fu Tinghan didn’t want to ride in the wind, felt his archery wasn’t adequate for winter hunting. So even though he went out of town with them, he turned and took his guard to the Glass Workshop to make lenses.