"He returned to Qing Province?!" Ju Shou's voice pitched higher in sheer disbelief.
Wang Meng simply nodded, unbothered.
"But why?" Ju Shou pressed, his anxiety visibly mounting. "Ji Province is practically in ruins, and we have barely begun to win over the hearts of the common folk. How could the Lord lightly abandon Ye City at a volatile time like this? What if his absence triggers a civilian uprising? Who will mobilize the army to suppress it if he isn't here?"
"The Lord returned precisely to ensure that doesn't happen," Wang Meng replied smoothly, crossing his arms. "He has gone to personally oversee the transfer of two million piculs of grain from Qing Province to Ji Province."
Ju Shou's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "How... how much did you say?"
"Two million piculs," Wang Meng repeated, letting the weight of the number sink in.
"Two million..." Ju Shou muttered, his panic instantly evaporating into a daze.
Then it's perfectly fine.
Ju Shou had always known Qing Province was prosperous under Zhang Xin's rule, but he had never imagined it was this absurdly wealthy. To casually mobilize two million piculs of grain on a whim was unprecedented. With an economic relief effort of that scale, Zhang Xin absolutely needed to be there in person. Otherwise, the local Qing Province bureaucrats would have fought tooth and nail to protect their reserves.
"Well?" Wang Meng smiled, placing his hands on his hips. "With two million piculs of grain at your disposal, does the Chief Clerk have the confidence to stabilize Ji Province?"
"Absolutely!" Ju Shou declared, his posture instantly shifting. His back straightened, and a surge of absolute confidence filled his chest. In times of chaos, grain was God. With food in the granaries, any administrative nightmare could be solved.
"In that case, I will leave you to your duties," Wang Meng said with a slight bow. "The Lord left strict instructions: during his absence from Ye City, all political and administrative affairs are entirely in your hands."
"Understood!" Ju Shou puffed out his chest, eager to prove his worth.
A Joyous Return
Zhang Xin's fleet moved swiftly downstream, reaching the Pingyuan Ferry in just two days. The moment his boots touched land, he leapt onto a fresh mount and galloped furiously toward his estate.
In the peaceful inner courtyard, Zhang Ning, heavily pregnant, was sitting and laughing with Wang Rou, who was also expecting. The two women were enjoying the afternoon breeze when a loud, booming voice shattered the quiet.
"Sister! I'm back!"
Zhang Ning gasped, turning toward the entrance. "Brother?" Supporting her lower back, she began to carefully stand up. "Why are you back so soon?"
Zhang Xin blurred across the courtyard, catching her gently before she could strain herself. "Ji Province is fully pacified, so of course I came rushing back to see you."
"My Lord," Wang Rou said, attempting to rise and offer a formal bow.
Zhang Xin quickly extended his other hand to steady her as well, chuckling. "Alright, sit back down, both of you. We are family. Why must you always act so distant whenever I return?"
Wang Rou offered a soft, radiant smile, while Zhang Ning looked up at him with lingering concern. "But Brother, Ji Province was only just conquered. Surely the people's loyalty is still fickle. Is it truly safe for you to leave right now?"
They had received his letters detailing the campaign, but she still worried.
"Don't worry, Ji Province is locked down tight," Zhang Xin reassured her, patting his chest confidently. "Yuan Shao is dead, Han Fu has retired to his ancestral home, and I have tens of thousands of elite troops garrisoned there. Combined with the emergency provisions I'm moving, no one could start a rebellion even if they tried."
Hearing this, Zhang Ning finally let out a sigh of relief. With the rival lords gone and an army holding the line, the province was secure.
"But I can't stay for long," Zhang Xin added, gently placing a hand on her round belly. "Have Doctors Fan A and the others checked on you recently? When is the due date?"
Mentioning the child brought a brilliant smile to Zhang Ning's face. "They checked yesterday. Dr. Fan A said it should be any day now—likely within the next forty-eight hours."
"Then my timing is perfect!" Zhang Xin laughed heartily. When he had first marched out on campaign, he had genuinely feared he would miss the birth of his child.
"Brother is an unrivaled hero," Zhang Ning murmured softly, leaning into his touch, her heart warmed by his deep affection. "A mere Han Fu was never going to keep you away for long."
"Naturally!" Zhang Xin grinned, puffing out his chest.
"Ah—"
Suddenly, Zhang Ning's smile vanished. A sharp gasp escaped her lips, and her face went pale as she clutched her abdomen.
Zhang Xin's heart skipped a beat. "What's wrong?!"
"It's... it's time," Zhang Ning said, her voice strained but experienced. "Quickly... call the midwives!"
The Birth of Zhang Ji
The estate instantly erupted into a flurry of controlled chaos. Because Zhang Xin had ordered everything to be prepared weeks in advance, the midwives were already residing in the adjacent quarters. Within minutes, Zhang Ning was escorted into the heavily sanitized birthing room.
Zhang Xin stood outside the doors, his hands clenched into tight fists. Though this wasn't his first time experiencing fatherhood, the grim realities of ancient medicine always weighed heavily on him. In this era, childbirth was a perilous journey to the gates of hell for any woman.
Fortunately, fortune favored the household. Barely an hour had passed before a sharp, healthy cry pierced through the walls.
The heavy doors swung open, and a beaming midwife emerged, carefully holding a swaddled infant. "Congratulations, my Lord! It is a healthy young master!"
"How is my wife?" Zhang Xin asked immediately, barely looking at the child yet.
"Both mother and son are perfectly safe and healthy," the midwife replied.
"Excellent!" Zhang Xin finally let out the breath he was holding. He eagerly took his newborn son into his arms, a wave of profound joy washing over him. "Everyone involved in today's delivery is to receive a massive bounty. Go collect your rewards!"
"Thank you, Lord!" The maids and midwives bowed deeply in gratitude.
Once the room was thoroughly cleaned, Zhang Xin stepped inside. Zhang Ning lay exhausted on the bed, her forehead slick with sweat, but her complexion was remarkably vibrant.
"Brother," she breathed softly, reaching out. "Let me see him."
Zhang Xin carefully placed the boy by her side, watching her expression melt into pure tenderness.
"He needs a name," Zhang Ning said, casting a sharp, playful glare at her husband. "And don't you dare delay it this time. You took years to properly style Emperor Zhang Huan's name. I won't let you do that again. You must choose one right now."
"Alright, alright, I yield," Zhang Xin said raised hands, racking his brain. After a moment of deliberation, a spark of inspiration hit him. "How about... Ji?"
He was admittedly a bit lazy, but the meaning was profound. The child had been born the exact moment Ji Province was pacified.
"Zhang Ji?" Zhang Ning repeated the name, tasting it on her tongue.
Ji meant hope. Furthermore, Ji Province was historically considered the foremost of the ancient Nine Provinces, and it happened to be the ancestral homeland of their family.
"It's a wonderful name," Zhang Ning beamed.
"Rest well, my love," Zhang Xin murmured, kissing her forehead. "I have a mountain of logistics to move, but I will be back soon."
Setting the Board
Having witnessed his son's birth, Zhang Xin didn't dare waste another moment of luxury. He returned immediately to the State Prefecture, summoning Hua Xin and the financial ministers to execute the grain transfer.
While Hua Xin and the native Qing Province officials were understandably reluctant to bleed their own granaries dry for a newly conquered territory, Zhang Xin's word was absolute law. Under his direct pressure, the bureaucrats complied, opening the massive granaries to release the first colossal wave of supplies.
While the grain was being loaded onto the transport fleets, Zhang Xin paid a visit to the prison sector holding the remnants of the Yuan clan.
Now that Yuan Shao was dead, leaving his sons alive would only invite future rebellions and historical revanchism. Zhang Xin gave Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang a dignified, painless end, burying them with the honors befitting the sons of a grand marshal.
As for Yuan Shao's extensive harem, Zhang Xin showed a pragmatic mercy. He provided his wives and concubines with ample travel funds and safe passage back to their ancestral homes. Those who had no families left to return to were permitted to stay in designated estates, to be later bestowed as rewards to meritorious generals who performed exceptionally in the coming conflicts.
With all loose ends tied, Zhang Xin spent two final days embedded with his family before marching back north, personally escorting the massive vanguard of the grain fleet back to Ye City.
By the time the convoy rolled back through the gates of Ye City, the calendar had turned to June. The summer heat was oppressive, heavy and suffocating over the northern plains.
Zhang Xin arrived at the Jizhou State Prefecture completely drenched in sweat. He had just unbuckled his heavy armor, eager to change into thin, breathable silk robes to cool down, when the door to his study burst open.
Xun You stepped inside. His face was entirely devoid of its usual calm, replaced by a grim, heavy solemnity.
"My Lord," Xun You whispered, his voice cutting through the humid air like ice.
"Sun Wentai is dead."