The ministers of Cheng Country watched all this, and the last bit of pride and stubbornness in their hearts was shattered. Zhao Hanzhang, who was far away in Luoyang, could know things even they were unaware of. What could Cheng Country hide from her, and what could it use to oppose her?
Even without King Cheng’s proposal to cut down the vassals and retreat, sooner or later, Cheng Country would have been reduced and returned under the court’s governance.
This time, the ministers of Cheng Country finally bowed their heads in true submission to Zhao Hanzhang from their hearts.
The court session lasted until dawn. After Zhao Hanzhang finished dealing with everyone, she finally had people open the campsite tent to let everyone out.
Outside the large tent, it was already clean; not only was the bloodstain gone, but even the holes in the ground were filled. There were only scattered black scorched patches of earth on the ground which the new soil couldn’t cover, but upon a closer look, it was impossible to tell this place had briefly turned into a battlefield last night and that many had died.
Everyone restrained their minds and dared not look any further, retreating honestly.
Zhao Hanzhang stayed behind to have breakfast with King Cheng. In a short while, they would have to appear together before the people to calm the local Ba Shu subjects and people.
Last night’s chaos was only controlled within the inner perimeter; there were over ten thousand subjects and people in the outer perimeter. The commotion here wasn’t small; they must have been frightened last night, right?
To prevent baseless rumors, she and King Cheng had to appear hand in hand before the people.
Indeed, the subjects waiting on the outskirts saw King Cheng and the Emperor appearing together, and their hearts were at ease. They didn’t know what happened last night, but as long as King Cheng and the Emperor were fine, that was all that mattered.
They liked the Emperor and also liked King Cheng.
Upon entering Cheng Country, Zhao Hanzhang’s arrangements were not limited to this. When she left Cheng Country, she took away many of its original ministers and generals and left behind a large army with Ji Ping as the general to guard Yizhou.
King Cheng, Li Xiong, was made the Governor of Yizhou, and Li Xiang was appointed as the Chief Historian of Yizhou. She also rearranged the lower-level officials, mostly Li Xiong’s original team, only transferring a few officials from outside.
Previously, Cheng Country had the regulations of a vassal state, with a Prime Minister, an Imperial Censor, a Sima, and a Grand Commandant. Now that it had become a state, with several regions being assigned to Liang State, all positions changed, and naturally, the number of officials changed too.
Zhao Hanzhang streamlined the structure, selecting a few former ministers of Cheng Country to take along.
They were still usable, and she planned to bring them back to Luoyang for reformation, to be utilized elsewhere.
Nowadays, talent is needed everywhere. Those who could emerge from the chaos and govern a region could not possibly be incompetent.
As for their virtue, it can be observed for now. If found lacking, laws are available to serve as grounds for confiscation.
Zhao Hanzhang swiftly cut through the mess, organizing Cheng Country entirely in less than ten days. Li Xiong stood by her side, watching as she issued decree after decree. The once tangled mess of Cheng Country’s court was smoothly drawn out by her and became a sleek bundle of silk threads.
Held in the palm, they draped down in silkiness.
These seemingly inconsequential reallocations and arrangements enabled cooperation among them, leaving no room for petty infighting or dark struggles. Besides, there were overseers, making it impossible for them to conspire in wrongdoing.
Li Xiong was completely convinced, this time not because of anyone’s character, but entirely by Zhao Hanzhang’s capability.
At this moment, he finally understood Fan Changsheng.
He had twice urged him to submit to Zhao Hanzhang, not only due to her character but also because of her capability indeed.
With such capability, even without the virtue to conquer the world, no one could be her adversary. Moreover, she did possess the virtue to conquer the world.
How could the world not fall into her hands?
Zhao Hanzhang spent the first Lantern Festival with the people of Yizhou and Ba Shu, and only on the second day did she set off back to Luoyang.
Chengdu had been bustling these past few days, with decrees from the Imperial Palace, no, the Yizhou Governor’s Mansion being issued one by one. The top three that caught their attention were: First, Cheng Country was renamed Yizhou; the Governor Mansion will allocate land to residents within Yizhou with less than ten acres of perpetual land;
Second, as Yizhou is part of Hua Country, all laws will follow Hua Country’s. From now on, Yizhou’s students can participate in the recruitment exams in Yizhou, regardless of gender or ethnicity, without having to leave Yizhou to attend exams in other states.
Third, many officials had been transferred. It was heard that some entire families were taken away, and never again would they wake up to find two County Magistrates fighting over their position, insisting each is the one. No longer would officials and soldiers break into their homes claiming their land occupied a road that must be vacated...
They will receive a certain allocation of good land to cultivate; their children too can go to school for three years without charge like children outside the mountains; they can also learn other skills...
They could leave the mountains without passing through gates, just like other state residents, needing only to carry residential registration and travel permits to leave, and like other states’ people, they won’t miss out on recruitment exams because they belong to a vassal state...
Both ordinary people and intellectual gentry were thrilled.
Cheng Country was merely this part of Ba Shu. The highest one could reach by serving within Cheng Country was the Prime Minister, equivalent to a Chief Historian, how could it compare to the broader world outside the mountains?
But Cheng Country was a vassal state; the court did not have direct jurisdiction here. The laws here were independent, as were the official system and education.
For Shudong talents to enter the court, they must either be very famous and seek officialdom direct in Luoyang or find a way to participate in recruitment exams outside in other states.
Now, the pathways for their recruitment exams were opened.
On the sixteenth of the first month, the people of Chengdu excitedly lined the roads to see Zhao Hanzhang off. Even as she left Chengdu, hundreds still followed behind.
Zeng Yue sent people to inquire, and after a while, a guard returned to report, "Your Majesty, these are Yizhou students and some merchants wanting to follow your majesty to Luoyang to study and... trade."
The guard asked, "Should we drive them away?"
Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand and said, "Let them follow, and you take care of them."
The guards agreed.
Zeng Yue wasn’t worried about them following; he just feared internal disputes among them might disturb Zhao Hanzhang. So he simply sent people to organize and manage them for a safe journey back to Luoyang.
Zhao Hanzhang ordered Zuo Min to guard Han Zhong County, appointing him as the Great General of Liang State’s garrison troops. Thus, Han Zhong and the southwest region were thoroughly integrated into Hua Country, roughly determining the territory of Great Hua.
Beyond Ba Shu, Zhao Hanzhang rushed back swiftly.
In Luoyang, as Zhao Hanzhang appeared in Ba Shu, it was then known that their emperor had gone to Cheng Country. Although the officials internally complained, outwardly they showed no reaction, and the entire court proceeded methodically.
Led by Ji Yuan, Ming Yu, and Zhao Ming, they controlled the court, while Fu Tinghan appeared daily at the morning meeting with the Crown Princess in tow.
Zhao Mingming listened with her big eyes to the uncles and elders talking about things she didn’t quite understand. But it didn’t matter; Father said she was like a needle, the Sea-Calming Needle in her mother’s absence. As long as she sat here, the court could remain stable.
Even so, Zhao Mingming endeavored to comprehend what they were discussing. Father said, currently, Mother is handling these issues, and in the future, it would be her responsibility.
If she learned these things earlier, handling them would be more efficient in the future, saving a lot of time, wouldn’t it?
She was very busy. Typically, she should have been able to enjoy playing during the New Year. Yet, because her mother wasn’t around, she had to spare over an hour every day to meet the court ministers, directly compressing her leisure time.

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