Zhao Hanzhang smiled again and said, “Those were just passing thoughts. But thinking further, I’m so incapable—how much could I really help my father and brothers in the future?”

She said proudly, “If I have capability, when things happen I don’t need to trouble my father and brothers. Only when absolutely necessary would I seek help. Even if father and brothers momentarily can’t assist, if I have capability, naturally I’ll have ways to manage. Moreover, when father and brothers face difficulties, the degree to which I can help when I’m helpless versus when I have capability is completely different.”

Zhao Hanzhang lowered her voice, coaxing, “For example, compare me a year ago to me now.”

She said, “A year ago, if Erlang encountered trouble, I could only save him with my life, and might not even succeed. But now, who would dare casually bully him?”

No one!

Now in all of Xiping, who would dare bully Zhao Erlang and Wang Shi?

Though Zhao Changyu had been more honored before, as the saying goes, the county magistrate isn’t as good as the current manager. Moreover, Zhao Changyu was ultimately a father-in-law, while Zhao Hanzhang was a biological daughter.

Everyone swallowed hard, greatly shaken on a spiritual level, momentarily at a loss for words.

Zhao Hanzhang then pulled Zhao Yunying and Zhao Yunxin, saying, “I was hoping Sister Yunying and Sister Yunxin could help me at the county office and school. They could also gain some experience. When they marry in the future, even if Brother Kuan isn’t home, no one will dare bully them.”

The Eastern First Uncle’s wife’s heart stirred upon hearing this, and she couldn’t help looking at her two daughters, “Wouldn’t this be inappropriate? Would it cause you trouble?”

“Not at all, not at all,” Zhao Hanzhang smiled, “I’ll teach them well. Besides, Brother Kuan is also at the school. He’ll surely look after his sisters, won’t he?”

The Eastern First Uncle’s wife was even more tempted and looked at her two daughters again.

Zhao Yunying and Zhao Yunxin suppressed their excitement, looking at their mother eagerly, “Mother, we want to go too.”

The Eastern First Uncle’s wife said, “This matter is significant. I must ask your father.”

Zhao Dong refused without thinking, “Yunying will marry in June, and Yunxin also needs to have a match arranged. What’s all this nonsense about going out at this time?”

“How is it nonsense?” The Eastern First Uncle’s wife didn’t dare cite Wang Huifeng’s example, nor could she repeat Zhao Hanzhang’s words verbatim. She only said, “After Yunying marries, she’ll need to manage household affairs. If she goes to the school to gain experience, she can learn more skills and won’t be looked down upon when she goes to her husband’s family.”

“With you managing the household at home, can’t you just teach her yourself?” Zhao Dong said, “Going to school is to teach students reading and writing—what does that have to do with managing household affairs?”

The Eastern First Uncle’s wife choked for a moment, then said, “I want her to be more capable so she can help Kuan in the future.”

“If she properly serves her husband and teaches her children, maintaining the relationship between the Zhao and Qian families, when Kuan needs something in the future, the Qian family will naturally want to help. Where would she need to personally do anything?”

The Eastern First Uncle’s wife had ten thousand things to say in her heart, but facing Zhao Dong’s face, she couldn’t say any of them, and could only turn away in frustration.

It was Zhao Kuan who came home that evening and, hearing about it, rarely sat down with his father for a heart-to-heart talk, “Father, the county office currently has two female clerks. One is Fan Ying, daughter of the former County Magistrate Fan. Because of the Fan family’s righteous deed, she has considerable prestige in the county.”

Zhao Dong nodded, “I know. I was just about to discuss with you—I want to seek Fan Ying’s hand in marriage for you.”

Zhao Kuan hadn’t expected this, his eyes widening slightly. He choked for quite a while before finding his voice, “Father, this matter isn’t urgent…”

Not far away, the Eastern First Uncle’s wife, who was sitting doing needlework, became delighted upon hearing this. She immediately put down the clothes in her hands and came forward, “Why isn’t it urgent? I think Miss Fan is quite good. She’s from a loyal and righteous family, capable and virtuous, and you’re similar in age…”

They were hardly similar in age—he was several years older!

Zhao Kuan quickly asked, “Father, Fan Ying is a female clerk at the county office. Would you agree to her working at the county office?”

“Why wouldn’t I agree?” Zhao Dong said seriously, “She can help you at the county office. I’ve long told you to leave the school and enter the county office. Now Changning is in control on the Xiping side. From the news at Shangcai, it seems Third Sister’s prestige is growing daily. Looking at Zinian’s intentions, he actually seems willing to let Third Sister take Shangcai.”

“In these chaotic times, serving at court is not as good as managing affairs in one’s hometown. If you can be Third Sister’s deputy, our family can live peacefully.”

Zhao Kuan understood and asked puzzled, “Since Father believes my future wife working at the county office can help me, why won’t you allow my sisters to enter the county office to help me?”

Zhao Dong froze, taking a long time to convert helping Zhao Hanzhang into helping Zhao Kuan. “But… aren’t they supposed to enter the school?”

Zhao Kuan said, “Father, Uncle Ming told us to follow Third Sister well, starting by teaching at the school. We’re not entering the county office now because there aren’t suitable positions for us. Naturally, it’s the same for my sisters. They can start at the school first. When suitable positions become available at the county office in the future, they’ll naturally enter.”

The Eastern First Uncle’s wife beside them nodded repeatedly.

Zhao Dong pondered for a long while but still shook his head, “Your eldest sister is already engaged, with the wedding in June. If she goes out to work now, I’m afraid the Qian family will have objections.”

“This is the second matter your son wanted to discuss, Father. There’s another female clerk at the county office—Chen Siniang, the widowed daughter-in-law of the Song family,” Zhao Kuan said. “The Song family wanted Chen Siniang to die as a martyr, yet not a single person from the Chen family objected…”

Zhao Dong was somewhat angry, “What, do you think our Zhao family would do the same? Whoever dares do this to your sisters, I won’t forgive them, and our Zhao clan won’t forgive them either. Don’t compare our family to those cowardly, spineless Chen family people.”

“Your son naturally doesn’t mean that. Rather, I want to tell Father that the Song family wanted Chen Siniang to die as a martyr, and with the Chen family not intervening, truly no one could stop the Song family.”

“If she hadn’t coincidentally encountered Third Sister, and if the Song family hadn’t feared Third Sister at that time, Chen Siniang would already be a corpse by now.”

“But now, even if the Song family has such plans again, even without Third Sister intervening, they can’t force Chen Siniang anymore. She can completely save herself,” Zhao Kuan said. “What does she rely on?”

“Isn’t it still her capability, her current prestige and connections in the county town? The Song family wouldn’t dare make her die as a martyr anymore,” Zhao Kuan said. “Though our Zhao family daughters wouldn’t face such danger, after they marry, some must move with their husband’s families. When transportation is inconvenient and information doesn’t flow, the family can’t help them much. When troubles arise, they can rely on themselves most.”

Zhao Kuan lowered his voice, “To give another less pleasant example—if Third Sister were still the Third Sister of before, when she escorted the coffin home with Auntie and Erlang, even if the clan sympathized with and pitied them, when Seventh Great-Uncle made a fuss about having Chengbo die as a martyr, how many people stood on their side to help dissuade him?”

Chengbo was Zhao Hanzhang’s person. Though Seventh Great-Uncle might not have meant it that way, having Chengbo die as a martyr was indeed slapping Zhao Hanzhang’s face while cutting off her arm.

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