Inside the room.
An incense burner sat on the table, emitting a faint sandalwood fragrance.
Zong Han, clad in a striking crimson brocade robe with his long hair tied by a red silk ribbon, sat on a chair, calmly sipping his tea. When she entered, he merely cast a sidelong glance at her.
Zhao Jiaqi poured herself a cup of tea, moistened her throat, and also gave him a glance. If the opponent doesn't move, I won't move. If the opponent moves, then I'll move.
For a moment, the room was silent, and the two of them drank tea separately, neither bothering with the other!
After a while, the sounds of a servant speaking outside broke the silence within the room.
The table was laden with dishes, both meat and vegetables.
Zong Han lightly brushed his sleeve and said, "Should I call you Madam Ren, or should I call you the Princess of the Zhen Kingdom!"
"You can also call me Madam Fan!" Zhao Jiaqi offered another title.
"You are truly cunning! You took advantage of my carelessness to let your husband win such a victory!"
Zhao Jiaqi heard this and quickly wagged her index finger: "No, no, no, my husband won because of his strength. As for me being cunning, compared to you, it's not even worth mentioning!"
Her husband won a victory on the battlefield, all earned with his life.
As for what happened later, it was purely a fluke. If it weren't for Xiao Junjun understanding their country's language, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Zong Han looked at her with deep eyes, then turned his head away, too lazy to argue further about this matter.
"Where is Xiao Junjun? Why didn't you bring her when you came!"
That little girl was quite likable, and Zong Han could never forget her kindness towards him.
It was just that the little girl was too clever, making him unable to realize she was a little fox, secretly informing him under his nose, and yet acting as if nothing had happened.
Speaking of children, Zhao Jiaqi's guard against him softened slightly, and her face became gentle. "Jun Jun is at home playing with the children. Next time, I'll bring her to see you!"
Zong Han glanced at her sideways: "It's not that she doesn't want to come, but she's afraid I might do something to her if she came with you!"
"You know and you still ask? You've gotten a lot more talkative since we last met," Zhao Jiaqi snorted lightly. "That girl misses you, she would have liked to come, but the moment she thought about her leaking the information, she felt she had let down her big brother, so she's embarrassed to see you."
"Ungrateful little thing, when I see her next, I'll teach her a lesson," Zong Han threatened, but his lips curved upwards, clearly in a good mood.
She saw through it but chose not to expose it, only worrying about how they would interact in the future.
Her husband was returning to his fiefdom to guard the border. The Emperor's intentions were clear to everyone, even without being stated.
And she was Zong Han's savior. Huangfu Jin Tao was using Fan Zehao, who could fight, along with her identity as a savior, to keep Zong Han in check, forming a temporary stable situation.
But what about the future?
The meal was tasteless. After the dishes were cleared, Zong Han, in a rare move, spoke.
"I know you know how to farm, especially on the barren land at the border. I have no demands, I only hope you can spare some of your kindness and teach the farmers at the border how to farm. As long as they don't starve and can get by, that's enough! I'm asking you as a friend."
Zhao Jiaqi pondered for a long time, then finally shook her head helplessly.
"As a friend, let alone teaching farming, I could even ensure those poor people are fed and clothed. But the reality is that we belong to different countries, and our missions are different. I can only promise you this: I will do my utmost to persuade His Majesty on this matter. Whether His Majesty agrees or not is not up to me."
Zong Han nodded and said, "After we parted at Xikou Village, I went back to see the people at the border. After years of war, the only people left in the border cities are the old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled. The young people have all fled!" He sighed, a sigh tinged with helplessness.
To survive, those who could run had run. Those who couldn't were waiting to die, which was the sorrow of the elderly.
"Even if you conquer the entire world, what then?" Zhao Jiaqi scoffed.
"The scheming and factionalism in the court, the constant vigilance against the resurgence of soldiers, the possibility of rebellion – you live every day in such fear, being cautious, suspicious, even fearing being poisoned when you eat. Do you think you are happy?"
Seeing Zong Han remain silent, she continued, "I am a woman, and I don't understand what it means to be ambitious or to have lofty aspirations. But I understand one thing: there's a word called responsibility!"
"Since you are the ruler of Zongsheng Kingdom, your first responsibility is to make the country prosperous, to achieve wealth and peace for the people. That is the responsibility on your shoulders. Conversely, if you plunder the land and resources of other countries, you cause financial loss and death. Even if you obtain them, do you have the ability to make a war-torn, struggling country prosperous again?"
Zhao Jiaqi was very laid-back.
Her thinking was simple: peaceful coexistence. Especially after rescuing the wounded and disabled soldiers on the battlefield, she truly couldn't bear to see such bloodshed again.
She also knew that her few words couldn't possibly subdue an ambitious person.
Zong Han lowered his head, lost in thought.
Ah Shi, seeing his master's dejected state, lacking his usual sharp eagle-like demeanor, stepped forward and shouted at Zhao Jiaqi, "Woman's benevolence."
Zhao Jiaqi glanced at him and said coldly, "If I hadn't been 'woman's benevolent' and saved you all, then at this very moment, with your Zongsheng Kingdom fighting amongst yourselves for the throne, you wouldn't even need us to send troops. After your internal strife, how many people and soldiers would be left!"
Ah Shi was speechless, his eyes wide with anger, but he couldn't say a word. His cheeks puffed out, and his face turned red.
She was just a woman; if not "woman's benevolence," could it be "man's benevolence"!
Zong Han found her words very insightful, as if a sudden enlightenment had struck him. He could avoid plunder, but strengthening his own country was also necessary.
To become strong, the prerequisite was a wealthy nation with a strong populace. Only with sufficient funds could soldiers be maintained. While not attacking other countries, one must also prevent one's own country from being bullied.
Having understood everything, Zong Han felt as if a burden had been lifted. He knew what his goal was and what he needed to focus on.
He raised his teacup and sincerely toasted her: "Thank you, Madam Fan, for your kind reminder. I can assure you here that as long as Emperor Yun does not launch a war against our Zongsheng Kingdom, we will coexist peacefully!"
Zhao Jiaqi also raised her teacup and smiled faintly: "I believe my Emperor desires peace more than anyone!"
Their meeting was as if they had known each other for a long time.
They both set aside their respective identities and chatted like old friends, discussing how to quickly revitalize the war-torn towns. From ordinary citizens to local officials, they talked at length.
Ah Shi stood by Zong Han's side, occasionally curling his lips and occasionally nodding, a walking contradiction.
As night fell, the two finally parted. Zong Han lamented, "If you were in my country, I would surely appoint you as Prime Minister!"
"It's fortunate I'm not, otherwise I would be exhausted to death!" Zhao Jiaqi laughed.
She had no grand aspirations. She only wished for a peaceful life, with enough to eat and wear.