Zhao Xin reported this great news to Zhao Hanzhang.

Luoyang received the news, and Ji Yuan along with other courtiers were stunned, even Chang Ning, who seldom spoke in court, congratulated Zhao Hanzhang in advance, "The Great General can await her fate in Shu."

However, Zhao Hanzhang remained calm, "Have you ever thought, perhaps Li Xiong could live for another thirty years?"

Ji Yuan: ... Do emperors generally live that long?

Moreover, Li Xiong is of military background, hasn’t he been on the battlefield a lot, doesn’t he have any illness or injuries?

Thinking of this, Ji Yuan suddenly looked at Zhao Hanzhang and asked nervously, "It’s getting colder, is the Great General’s old injury still well?"

Zhao Hanzhang: "...I’m fine, although I think Li Xiong might live long, I don’t think I will have a short life either. Mr. Ji, do not worry too much."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, as all their glory now rested on Zhao Hanzhang. She currently has no successors, and if something happens, the world will surely descend into chaos again.

The Zhao Family... has no one able to fully inherit her influence.

As for Fu Tinghan...

Even though spouses act as one, after fully understanding Fu Tinghan, those under Zhao Hanzhang’s command did not feel he could replace her. Not to mention, in terms of ruthlessness, he falls short compared to her.

If the heart is not ruthless enough, if actions are not decisive, one day they will fall into the same predicament as Shu.

Ming Yu hinted, "Great General, Shu fell because Li Xiong and Fan Changsheng were too upright."

Zhao Hanzhang nodded deeply in agreement, then responded, with a righteous face, "You cannot speak like that, uprightness is a beautiful virtue, the root of the disaster lies with Li Xiong’s son. If they had a heart of concession, the turmoil in Shu could have been avoided."

The courtiers: ... That statement is far from upright. Even a fool can see, Li Xiong’s sons are unlikely to possess such magnanimity.

With Zhao Hanzhang’s broad vision and benevolence, when Mr. Zhao bypassed Zhao Erlang to pass the family assets to the nephew, wasn’t she also resentful and dissatisfied?

Even a person with grand ambitions like Zhao Hanzhang cannot avoid human nature, let alone Li Xiong’s foolish sons?

Alright, now everyone may rest assured, in the future she is sure not to make the same mistake as Li Xiong.

History has skewed, yet seemingly not skewed, personalities still determined the actions to be taken.

Only some in history succeeded, while here they failed; some succeeded in history, while here they failed, thus the trajectory of history begins to skew, heading toward an unknown path.

At this time, Fan Changsheng stood atop West Mountain, gazing up at the vast starry sky. After a long time, he exhaled and murmured, "Put to death and then live, vitality like bean sprouts under the rock, even stronger than seen before. My choice is correct, it is correct."

Seemingly uneasy, Fan Changsheng took out tortoise shell, performing divination bit by bit. After casting three times and sorting out the results, he carefully calculated for a long time, his complexion gradually growing paler, yet his gaze becoming ever brighter, "Peace returns to the world, peace returns, the heavens show mercy, Huaxia finally brings forth a hero!"

Although Li Xiong issued the imperial decree, the event remains unresolved, and ministers continually submit petitions, hoping the emperor will retract the decree.

Li Xiong’s sons also ran to the palace three times a day, even curbing their temper a bit, especially filial recently, hoping he would notice their merits and retract the decree.

Li Ban also ran to the palace. He went to decline, yet his reason was not that he couldn’t fulfill the position, wanting to give it to several cousins, but because he felt his third uncle was still young and there was absolutely no need to establish a Crown Prince so early.

Li Xiang and other ministers saw this and were even more unwilling for Li Ban to be Crown Prince. If someone else did such a thing, perhaps it was insincere, they wouldn’t feel so heartbroken;

As for Li Ban, he’s genuinely stupid, that’s how he refuses and genuinely holds that belief.

So in Li Ban’s mind, his uncle and father are the same, he and his cousins are the same too. Naturally, his inheritance of his uncle’s foundation and his cousins’ inheritance of their father’s foundation are also the same.

He truly felt, he was just like his uncle’s son.

Li Xiang cried uncontrollably, suddenly rushed towards West Mountain, kneeling in front of the temple to plead for an audience with Fan Changsheng.

The Taoists blocked him saying, "Please return, Imperial Censor, the master is observing fasting and seclusion, he will not see guests these days."

Li Xiang cried aloud, "You are not only the master of Changsheng Temple but also the Prime Minister of the country. Now the nation is in difficulty, you cannot ignore it."

The Taoists were at a loss, no matter how they tried to persuade, Li Xiang just knelt and lay on the ground crying.

He cried from noon until afternoon, his throat becoming hoarse.

Fan Changsheng felt merciful, ultimately let him in, met him and said before Li Xiang could speak, "A summer storm broke out, the river dam collapsed, fertile fields washed away, the people faced great disaster, no crop harvested, yet after surviving this crisis, for years thereafter there were timely rains and good harvests;"

"In Spring and Autumn, dryness comes easily, one year spring lacks rain, people barely manage to farm, harvest decreases, another year spring rain is even less, yet another year even less, until three years later, no rain," Fan Changsheng gazed at Li Xiang with compassion and asked, "Between these two woes, which is heavier for the people?"

Li Xiang froze before understanding, realizing he was comparing the impact of Li Ban ascending to that of the princes ascending. He pondered briefly then hoarsely replied, "The former, family and country sudden ruin, city falls and people perish, whereas the latter still has time for maneuvering."

Fan Changsheng sighed, "You only mention the city and nation, not the people within..."

"It wasn’t the first time the Emperor dropped a hint in front of me, I always refused to be the master. Do you know why I suddenly changed my mind?"

In a flash of insight, Li Xiang thought of Zhao Xin in the post station, Zhao Hanzhang in Luoyang, his face became pale, asking: "Was the Prime Minister influenced by Zhao Hanzhang?"

Fan Changsheng did not answer, instead said, "General, we originally formed the refugee army to save the people from disaster, didn’t we?"

Before serving as Imperial Censor, Li Xiang was a military general in the refugee army. After Li Xiong established the nation and due to chaos in the system, Fan Changsheng suggested creating a complete court system and kept him in court as Imperial Censor.

But if there’s a war, he would still don his armor and fight.

This address of "General" by Fan Changsheng instantly dragged him back to those years of bloody trials and suffering hardships.

Those times hadn’t passed long, the feeling of knives and guns cutting into flesh, the fear of starvation still lingered in the heart, as soon as he thought of it, they resurfaced vividly.

Yes, didn’t they originally want to survive with the people?

No thought of power, just to save refugees from exile, famine, and war.

If Li Ban and Li Xiong’s sons can assert themselves, quell any chaos that might arise after his ascension, then Cheng Country will experience only brief chaos and only a few people will die.

Such as those princes, and people supporting them behind.

If Li Ban can’t assert himself, and Li Xiong’s sons wreak havoc in Cheng Country, then Zhao Hanzhang will have ample reason to deploy troops into Cheng Country.

By then, Shu might no longer be Cheng Country, it could turn back into a province of Huaxia.

If under Zhao Hanzhang’s rule, considering her current moderation and benevolence, Li Xiang thought for a moment and actually felt it wouldn’t be bad.

He opened his mouth looked at the Prime Minister, tried to speak several times but got no words out.