Seeing that Xiping and Shangcai were impervious to persuasion, the Commandery Vice-Governor wasn’t anxious. He directly apportioned Xiping and Shangcai’s tax grain to the other counties.

Zhao Ming had well-informed sources and was the first to learn of this news. In his anger, he smashed a wine cup. “Simply incredibly foolish!”

Zhao Cheng sat opposite him, his brows tightly furrowed. “It’s all Wang Yan and his ilk who have corrupted the government. They single-mindedly pursue being considered pure scholars yet monopolize government affairs. Their virtue doesn’t match their position. Those above set the example, those below follow suit—many localities imitate this, which is why so many disasters have arisen.”

Why did the Commandery Vice-Governor resolve this matter so simply and crudely without thinking of other solutions?

Wasn’t it because he disdained these as mundane affairs and was too lazy to use his brain, too lazy to expend effort?

He didn’t believe someone who had reached the position of Commandery Vice-Governor could have no solutions at all. Take Wang Yan—previously he ignored all matters, but when he was actually sent out to deal with Liu Yuan, didn’t he still defeat Liu Yuan’s great army?

This showed he wasn’t incapable of doing it; he simply didn’t do it.

Occupying a national position yet not working for the nation—simply unworthy of being a minister!

The more Zhao Cheng thought about it, the angrier he became. He directly returned to his room and eloquently wrote an essay harshly criticizing Wang Yan and his kind. Then he called over a student. “Go, have someone seal this and send it to Luoyang, throw it in front of Wang Yan’s door.”

The letter wasn’t sealed. Zhao Rong could see at a glance what was written on the first page. He was stunned, then said with difficulty, “Uncle, this isn’t good. Making an enemy of the Wang family for no reason…”

“If I tell you to go, then go. Why so much nonsense?”

Zhao Rong could only flee in embarrassment. He found an envelope to seal the letter, muttering as he walked out. When turning a corner, he nearly collided with someone.

Zhao Hanzhang wore riding clothes, holding a horse whip in her hand. Seeing Zhao Rong, she revealed her white teeth, smiling as she asked, “Cousin Rong, where are you going? I was just looking for you.”

Zhao Rong’s spine went cold. He asked warily, “What do you want with me?”

Before Zhao Hanzhang could speak, he quickly said, “I have no time, I’m very busy.”

Zhao Hanzhang choked, while Fu Tinghan beside her couldn’t help laughing. When Zhao Hanzhang looked over, he proactively told Zhao Rong, “Cousin Rong has misunderstood. We heard you’re very interested in mountains, rivers, and water management, have read many classics, and even actively studied with a folk hermit for a period. So we want to consult you about water management matters.”

Zhao Rong relaxed slightly. “Oh, that. What do you want to ask?”

Fu Tinghan said gently, “We discovered a river channel in Shangcai and the area leading to Suining in Xiping, but there, three boundaries intersect and a small mountain blocks it, so the river isn’t very passable. We were thinking that if we could open up that river channel, not only would Xiping and Suining benefit, but goods from the three places could also travel by waterway, which would be much more convenient.”

“You mean that river. That river is very difficult to open. The upper reaches are in Shangcai, and when it flows to our Xiping, it’s blocked by a mountain, so it splits in two, circling around the mountain to flow into Suining. If you want to open it, you must not only get approval from upstream Shangcai but also from downstream Suining. It’s very difficult to get both counties to agree.”

But thinking that Shangcai was now under Zhao Hanzhang’s control, Zhao Rong paused, then said, “If you really want to open it, the best method is to redirect the river, make the river change course. Otherwise, excavating through the mountain from the middle—the engineering scale would be enormous and extremely difficult to accomplish.”

Fu Tinghan nodded. He thought the same way. So he turned to look at Zhao Hanzhang.

But Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze had already fallen on his half-packed letter. “Cousin Rong, whose letter is this? I vaguely see some rather unpleasant words on it.”

Zhao Rong looked down at the letter in his hand. His heart stirred, and he immediately pulled out the half-packed letter and handed it to her to see. “Uncle wrote it. I don’t know why, but Uncle suddenly became very angry and specifically wrote a letter scolding the Grand Tutor Wang. He’s having me send people to deliver the letter to the Wang family. Third Sister, you should go advise Uncle. The clan head and Grand Tutor Wang serve at court together—it’s not good to make things too tense.”

Zhao Hanzhang opened the letter and read it. The more she read, the brighter her eyes became. She happily snapped her fingers and told Zhao Rong, “How can such excellent writing be secretly thrown at the Wang family’s door? I’ll have people make several more copies. No, students’ copying can’t capture the heartache and sharpness between Uncle’s words. I’ll have the printing house carve it and print more.”

Zhao Rong gaped. Seeing Zhao Hanzhang take the letter, turn around, and run, he was so frightened he chased after her a couple of steps. “Third Sister, Third Sister, you can’t, you can’t…”

Could he catch up with Zhao Hanzhang?

Of course that was impossible. Zhao Hanzhang disappeared in just a few steps. Fu Tinghan stood quietly to the side watching.

Unable to catch up with her, Zhao Rong could only turn back and run to find Fu Tinghan, pulling at him. “Why aren’t you helping to advise her? Quickly advise her.”

Fu Tinghan said, “This is actually quite good. Right now, the intellectual sphere is dominated solely by Wang Yan, but what he considers correct isn’t necessarily correct. Hanzhang wants to support Uncle Cheng to rise up and compete with him in the arena, which can give ambitious people with ideals throughout the realm one more path to consider.”

He said, “If this country doesn’t reflect, doesn’t think about change, then it will truly perish.”

Zhao Rong was speechless.

He felt Fu Tinghan was being overly alarmist. Seeing he couldn’t persuade him, he could only jog to find Zhao Cheng. Halfway there, he felt finding him would be useless—his teacher would probably even praise Zhao Hanzhang for doing well.

After all, this teacher of his was truly rebellious. So after thinking it over, he turned around and ran to find Zhao Ming.

“Uncle Ming, Uncle Ming, something terrible has happened.”

Zhao Ming was drinking wine again, but his face wasn’t flushed and his breathing wasn’t labored. He leisurely drank a sip before asking, “What terrible thing has happened?”

Zhao Rong immediately told him how Zhao Cheng had written an essay scolding Wang Yan, how the essay had been taken by Zhao Hanzhang to be carved and printed, looking at Zhao Ming hopefully, hoping he could step forward and stop it.

But Zhao Ming merely turned the small wine bottle in his hand, contemplating. After a long while, he finally lifted his eyelids and said, “Let them do as they wish.”

Zhao Rong stared wide-eyed and couldn’t help stamping his foot. “How can we let them do as they wish?”

“Why not?” Zhao Ming said. “You’re too impatient by nature, which is why you can never do well at tasks at hand. Since your teacher is already angry enough to write an essay scolding people, if we don’t let him vent, won’t it make him sick with anger?”

“Do you understand the difference between close and distant relationships?”

“But won’t this create enmity with the Wang family?”

Zhao Ming said rather unconcernedly, “Your grand-uncle scolded Wang Yan and his kind plenty when he was alive. I’ve scolded them plenty in daily life too. Haven’t we still not become enemies?”

“Everyone can have their own thoughts. We don’t cover other people’s mouths, and naturally others can’t cover our mouths.” Zhao Ming said, “You’re still young—why are you already so timid and hesitant? Learn more from your Third Sister. A true man should have more courage.”

Zhao Rong wasn’t stupid. After calming down slightly and thinking back, he asked, “Could it be like Tinghan said—Third Sister wants to build momentum for Uncle, to have him compete with Wang Yan? But how can they compare?”

Zhao Ming sneered. “Why can’t they compare? True, your uncle isn’t as clever as Wang Yan, doesn’t read as widely as him, and doesn’t have as good eloquence as him. But in terms of character and thought, I’d say Wang Yan isn’t fit to be mentioned in the same breath as Zitu. When he faces Wang Yan, he has more than enough.”

“It seems you not only need to learn your Third Sister’s courage but also your Third Brother-in-law’s wisdom. Look at Tinghan—he’s usually quiet and speaks little, but he’s clear in his heart. What have you all accomplished with your daily commotion?”

Zhao Rong failed to rally support and was scolded instead, leaving dejectedly.

—