Zhao Hanzhang chased after Zhao Hu to his home. Indeed, Zhao Song did not have a residence in the Capital City, but Zhao Hanzhang had gifted Zhao Ming a house.

Ji Yuan and others received rewards, and Zhao Ming’s contributions were not insignificant. Although he was not in the Capital City, one cannot favor one over the other.

Moreover, his father and son were there. Zhao Hanzhang didn’t mind them living at Zhao Mansion, but Zhao Mansion was under renovation and housed many trusted aides, so there was no space available.

However, Zhao Song was a father who avoided suspicion. Although his son had a house in Luoyang, he felt that since his son was not there, it would be inappropriate to accept the court’s favor on his behalf, so he resolutely refused to live in it.

He took his entourage and moved into Zhao Hu’s house, even dragging Zhao Shen along to crash at Zhao Hu’s place.

He liked staying at Seventh Ancestor’s home, feeling more at ease and comfortable than in his own.

His father’s house in the Capital City, besides being large, had no other merits, not even enough beds. He really didn’t want to stay there, so he shamelessly followed his grandfather to crash at Zhao Hu’s place.

Zhao Hanzhang hurriedly arrived with the Imperial Physician when Zhao Song had just woken up. Zhao Shen was advising, "You’re getting older; it’s better to gracefully enjoy your later years. Such petty matters should be left for your descendants to worry about. You just command from behind, and if you tell us to go east, we’ll go east; if you say west, we’ll go west. Why trouble yourself with anger?"

Zhao Song weakly replied, "You father and son are adept at deceiving me. If it weren’t for your father drafting those wedding garment sketches, Ji Yuan and the others wouldn’t have the audacity to try and turn them into such grand auspicious attire. It’s... it’s treasonous!"

Zhao Shen replied, "Father’s drawings were not wrong; Third Lady has merits akin to a prince and can wear black robes and vermilion skirts."

"Knowing that people will push boundaries, why couldn’t he draw things at a slightly lower grade? Let them push slightly further, and it would’ve turned out like this," Zhao Song said. "Why draw them so well from the start, giving them wild ideas, pushing it further, and causing all these disputes?"

Zhao Shen thought to himself: How do you know Father didn’t do it on purpose?

In the clan, apart from Grandfather, who doesn’t wish for Zhao Hanzhang to go further?

Even when the Han Dynasty ruled as emperor, power could sway people to usurp, let alone the Jin Dynasty?

How many in the world are truly loyal to the Jin Dynasty? If not for the world’s peace...

Zhao Shen sneered internally.

Similarly, he too wasn’t one of those loyal to the Jin Dynasty. In the past, he didn’t seek office, wandering leisurely, a knight-errant. Why now choose to enter court as a politician?

Surely not just for that Little Emperor in the Imperial Palace whom he hasn’t even seen?

Zhao Shen was one of those hoping for Zhao Hanzhang to go further; he felt his father would soon completely be aboard too.

He must’ve sensed it, right?

The world could only return to peace, perhaps even prosper, in Zhao Hanzhang’s hands.

Zhao Hu, warming himself with a cup of hot wine, said, "If you ask me, Fifth Brother, you’re worrying too much. You’re not even an official. What does court affairs have to do with you?"

"Shut up, state affairs concern every man. If unrelated, why did we labor so previously?"

Zhao Hu quickly shouted, "I wasn’t doing it for the Jin Dynasty; I don’t draw salary from the Sima family. Why would I do it for them? It was for the Zhao Family, for my own family’s livelihood. If not for Third Lady, I wouldn’t give away so much for nothing."

Standing at the doorway, Zhao Hanzhang was about to step in when she heard him say, "Fifth Brother, maybe you should stop meddling. I think Ji Yuan and the others are quite good; they just want Third Lady to replace Emperor Jin. I find it commendable. Otherwise, if she just becomes regent, in ten or twenty years, won’t she have to return power when the Little Emperor comes of age?"

"When she returns power, will the Zhao Family, Ji Yuan, and those who served her still have a way out?" Zhao Hu continued, "They say each dynasty’s emperor comes with his own ministers. For the Zhao Family to maintain long-term stability, it must ascend to that position, and successors must be of Zhao lineage."

Zhao Hanzhang’s upraised foot quietly settled down; she felt it would be awkward to enter now, so she waited for Zhao Song to reprimand Zhao Hu, deciding to enter after Zhao Song was done.

However, after a long while, she didn’t hear Zhao Song reproaching anyone. Peering inside, she saw Zhao Song in tears.

Zhao Hu frowned, remaining seated; Zhao Shen was busy wiping his tears yet remained silent.

Zhao Hanzhang instantly felt heartache, remembering the kindness Zhao Song had shown her all these years.

When she had no money, he gave her money; when she had no people, he provided her people.

In truth, Zhao Song was the first person who asked nothing of her yet continuously gave her things.

Zhao Hanzhang finally couldn’t stand still and rushed in, pushing Zhao Shen aside from the bedside, taking over the task of wiping Zhao Song’s tears, sighing, "Uncle, don’t be sad. I will use the wedding garment Uncle Ming drew for me. No matter how others want me to change it, I will not."

Yet Zhao Song wept even more fiercely, holding her hand, saying, "I know he’s already shifted his aspirations; otherwise, he wouldn’t have drawn this sketch. How many hearts has this design tested?"

"He isn’t testing you but me, the Heads of Zhao lineages, and court ministers," Zhao Song wept, "The result is, except for you and Ting Han, everyone fell into his trap."

Zhao Hanzhang opened her mouth, finally saying, "Fifth Uncle, this is Ting Han and my wedding. I genuinely only wish to hold a simple ceremony."

"I know, I know," Zhao Song cried harder, "That’s why I resent those people, though you’re so evidently loyal, filial. Why must they push you?"

"I used to blame you in my heart, believing if you stood firm on loyalty, no one could sway your intentions. But today I deeply realize that even if my heart is steadfast as a rock, they can still wound it."

Zhao Hu couldn’t listen anymore, setting down his cup and rising to peer incredulously at Zhao Song, "Fifth Brother, do you really believe she’s loyal?"

"She, she, she is a... powerful minister! Which powerful minister is truly loyal?"

"Shut up!" Zhao Song sternly reprimanded him, angrily exclaiming, "Lord Cao never wronged the Han Dynasty!"

Unlike the later generations’ general view of Cao Cao as a warlord, Cao Cao’s reputation in the Wei Jin period was excellent.

Hence, Zhao Song always regarded Zhao Hanzhang as a figure like Lord Cao, one to support the Jin Dynasty and secure the world’s peace!

Zhao Hu laughed in exasperation, struggling to retort, "Fifth Brother, wake up, Cao Cao’s son became emperor!"

Zhao Song, with an air of righteousness, said, "That is a matter for future generations; by then, we would all be in our graves, unrelated to us."

Zhao Hu couldn’t comprehend, jumping and saying, "Since someone has to be emperor eventually, why not now rather than later? And moreover, she’s about to get married; when her son takes the throne, it would bear the Fu name!"

"But if she ascends now, the Imperial Family would bear the Zhao name! The Fu Family would merely be relatives by marriage; do you understand?"

Zhao Hu had long figured it out; because of his past actions, Zhao Hanzhang messed up the title that should have been his so that when she became emperor, she would surely ennoble him, given his contributions to founding the state as an uncle, wouldn’t she?

He wanted to show his son and grandson that despite differing views, he wasn’t any less significant than they were!