In Jincheng, the Bazhou Military Commissioner's Office was newly established upon the former site of the Bazhou Regional Inspector's Office.
Xia Huai'an stood at the center of the main hall, his slender fingers tapping lightly against the full map of Bazhou spread across the desk. Morning light streamed through the carved lattice windows, casting mottled shadows and highlights across the map and tracing Bazhou's mountains and rivers with striking clarity. Behind him, Main Bookkeeper Zhou was busy taking notes, his brush scratching rhythmically across the paper as the rich scent of ink drifted through the morning air.
Wang Qingzhi, Zha Zhongping, and the others sat on either side of the hall, their faces showing unmistakable excitement. Wang Qingzhi's fingers unconsciously stroked the medal hidden in her sleeve, proof of her service as a member of the Huaxia Army; Zha Zhongping's armor had been polished to a brilliant shine, catching the cold sunlight.
Chapter 171