Zhao Hanzhang personally sent Liu Yi to the guest room to rest, then accompanied him for a while before going to the front hall.
Liu Kun had already received Tuoba Yilu, and the two sworn brothers were holding hands, tears in their eyes, with Liu Kun saying, "Brother, you’ve lost weight."
Tuoba Yilu replied, "Not as much as you, brother; your face is showing bones."
Liu Kun asked, "Did something happen in Dai County recently? I sought help from you, why didn’t you come?"
Tuoba Yilu sighed, "I fell ill, and it was serious. My unfilial sons don’t heed me, and Biyan is too young to lead troops."
Liu Kun: ... What about your nephew?
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Tuoba Yilu already said, "I have only two nephews left that I can rely on, but I truly don’t dare let them leave. My unfilial sons harbor much resentment; if they leave, I’m afraid I would lose my life instantly."
Liu Kun: ...
He glanced awkwardly at Tuoba Liuxiu standing expressionlessly behind, unable to speak.
Tuoba Liuxiu was long used to his father’s disparagement, standing with a vacant look, listening expressionlessly, seemingly unfazed.
Such verbal harm couldn’t stir even a ripple within him anymore.
Precisely because of this, he was the first to notice the arrival of someone, his gaze sharply turning to fix on the newcomer like an eagle.
Zhao Hanzhang looked steadily at him, causing Tuoba Liuxiu’s heart to jolt as he lowered his head.
Liu Kun and Tuoba Yilu now realized Zhao Hanzhang’s arrival and turned their heads to look.
Tuoba Yilu fixed his gaze on Zhao Hanzhang, as Liu Kun quickly helped introduce them, "Brother, this is the Great Jin General and Great Commander,"
He said to Zhao Hanzhang, "Hanzhang, this is the Tuoba Leader of Dai County."
Tuoba Yilu encountered Zhao Hanzhang’s seemingly all-knowing gaze, lowered his eyes slightly to avoid her sight, raised his right hand to his left chest, bowed his head, "Tuoba Yilu pays respects to the Great General."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded with a smile, "General Tuoba, you may dispense with formalities."
She led Ming Yu to the seat of honor, gesturing for Tuoba Yilu and Liu Kun to sit down.
Tuoba Yilu instantly felt that this one was much more assertive than Liu Kun.
Though Liu Kun came from a noble family, he was very adaptable and amiable to people.
Tuoba Yilu didn’t dare treat her as casually as he did Liu Kun, sitting upright solemnly, first expressing his apology for not sending troops to support Jinyang when it was under siege earlier, mentioning again his illness.
Zhao Hanzhang smiled and nodded, not blaming him, but rather showed concern for his health, "How is your health now?"
Tuoba Yilu replied, "As long as my unfilial sons don’t deliberately anger me, my health remains fine."
Zhao Hanzhang then looked at the several youths standing aside, smiled and asked, "Are these your sons?"
Tuoba Yilu smiled and first introduced his youngest son, "This is Biyan, though young, he has read many Han books, smart and filial, taking care of me when I was ill."
Tuoba Biyan raised his hand and saluted Zhao Hanzhang in Han etiquette,
Zhao Hanzhang smiled and nodded.
Seeing Zhao Hanzhang seemed to like Tuoba Biyan’s demeanor as well, Tuoba Yilu began to lavishly praise this youngest son, omitting eight hundred words.
After praising his youngest son, Tuoba Yilu took a sip of water, seeing Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze on Tuoba Liuxiu, he casually said, "This is my unfilial son, Tuoba Liuxiu."
And then there was no more.
Zhao Hanzhang continued to look at Tuoba Liuxiu.
Tuoba Liuxiu stepped forward, placed his right hand on his left chest, and bowed his head to Zhao Hanzhang, "Greetings, Great General."
Only then did Zhao Hanzhang nod and said to those around, "The Little Generals are tired from the journey, please retire and rest."
The youths of the Tuoba Tribe looked towards Tuoba Yilu.
Tuoba Yilu nodded slightly, and only then did they retreat.
Only then did Zhao Hanzhang talk about the main matter,
She said to Tuoba Yilu, "Your loyalty and integrity were reported by Governor Liu, and both I and His Majesty have witnessed them. Hereafter, His Majesty wishes to summon you. Dingxiang is too far; I wonder if General has considered leading your people southward to settle?"
Tuoba Yilu’s eyebrows jumped, asking in confusion, "Southward?"
Zhao Hanzhang smiled and nodded, "South of Dingxiang, Youzhou, and Bingzhou all have grasslands, where the Tuoba Tribe can adapt. This is also southward settlement."
Tuoba Yilu replied warily, "Thank you for your kindness, General. It’s quite good for Tuoba to reside in Dai County. There’s no plan to change land."
Zhao Hanzhang laughed and said, "Then good. I will write to His Majesty to convert Dai County into Dai Country, and confer General Tuoba as the King of Dai,"
Tuoba Yilu’s eyes brightened, leaning forward, gaze fixed intently on Zhao Hanzhang, "Can the Great General indeed persuade His Majesty to change Dai County to Dai Country?"
Everyone knew, now the Emperor’s intentions were Zhao Hanzhang’s intentions. Tuoba Yilu was asking for a definite answer, to see if he would indeed be conferred as King of Dai?
Zhao Hanzhang nodded with a smile, assuredly saying, "I, as the General, never speak in jest."
Tuoba Yilu began to ponder, more than two years ago Liu Kun verbally gifted him Dai County, with the pretense of letting him settle there, without the need for wearisome travels.
Liu Kun also petitioned the Great Jin Court to make Dai County his food property, but at the time, Prince East Sea was around. Since Dai County was part of Youzhou, Wang Jun did not agree, hence the edict never came down.
These past two years, he, Liu Kun, and Wang Jun have often clashed over the matter of Dai County. Without an official decree from the court, the matter remained unresolved.
If Zhao Hanzhang truly wished to convert Dai County into Dai Country, and officially acknowledged him as the King of Dai, he wouldn’t be unwilling to work for her.
After considering, Tuoba Yilu immediately lowered his stance, started to converse cheerfully with Zhao Hanzhang, soon, the two talkative individuals became good friends with no topic left untouched.
He knew Zhao Hanzhang also had a high level of musical achievement, long regarded by Liu Kun as a kindred spirit.
On that note, Tuoba Yilu also heard the piece "Heaven and Earth in Harmony," back then Liu Kun had written three letters prompting him to come to Jinyang to listen to music.
Thus, he looked at Liu Kun and immediately proposed, "If the Great General does not mind, how about the three of us swearing brotherhood?"
Zhao Hanzhang: ...
Liu Kun was apprehensive, thinking Zhao Hanzhang wouldn’t agree, but she raised a bright smile, her eyes full of joyous starlight, "Sure, as long as the brothers don’t mind me."
Tuoba Yilu said, "The Great General is heroic, to be siblings with the Great General fills us with pride, how could there be any disdain?"
Liu Kun nodded repeatedly.
Swearing brotherhood is no small matter; the subordinates from the Inspector Mansion and Zhao Hanzhang personally went down to organize it. Ming Yu stood aside, wanting to speak but refrained, seeing Zhao Hanzhang had already agreed, he could only suppress his doubts.
Zhao Hanzhang even specially brought Fu Tinghan to witness.
The subordinates prepared a table with liquor, as well as a knife, Zhao Hanzhang stood in the center, solemnly knelt down with Tuoba Yilu and Liu Kun.
Fu Tinghan: ... He never imagined seeing a scene of brotherhood again after kindergarten.
These three, one counted as one, were all full of calculations, none swore brotherhood solely due to the other’s character.

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