Map of the Kingdom's Warfare.

Summary

Zhang Xutuo visits Zhang Xuan, discussing his new responsibilities and the challenges of evaluating officials. They talk about Zhang Xuan's recent blind date and the Pei family's marriage proposal, which Zhang Xuan rejects due to a lack of sincerity and his desire for independence. Zhang Xutuo expresses understanding but emphasizes the need for local generals to align with powerful families for protection. Zhang Xuan contemplates the Pei family's influence and considers potential alliances, preferring families from Shandong. The next day, Zhang Xuan visits the Yan Wang, Yang Tan, who welcomes him warmly. They discuss the Hero Conference and the Bohai Association, hinting at Zhang Xuan's intentions to leverage Yang Tan's support against Yuan Min.

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