Zhao Hanzhang finally returned to Chen County. Ji Yuan received the news early in the morning and immediately rushed out to meet her.

She had traveled light with her people all the way back, dusty from the road. Sitting on her horse, her eyes swept around. Not seeing Fu Tinghan, she dismounted while asking Ji Yuan, “Master Ji, where’s Tinghan?”

Ji Yuan said, “Young Master Fu is at the pharmacy. Based on the data you sent back, the young master and the physicians have formulated a new prescription. I heard it can be taken orally.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang immediately turned around. “Where’s the pharmacy? Let’s go see.”

Ji Yuan opened his mouth. Seeing she had already turned toward the main street, he could only follow, dutifully giving her directions. “It’s over there. Young lady, won’t you and Second Young Master first go pay respects to Madam?”

Only then did Zhao Hanzhang remember Wang Shi. Her steps involuntarily halted. She glanced at the building Ji Yuan was pointing to and found it wasn’t very far. She simply continued walking, only turning her head to instruct Zhao Erlang following behind, “Erlang, you go back first.”

Understanding, Zhao Erlang immediately refused, “I don’t want to. I want to go with Elder Sister to see Brother-in-law.”

He didn’t want to face Mother alone.

“You’ve been away from home so long—don’t you miss Mother?” Zhao Hanzhang lectured him. “When returning from a journey, you should report your safety first thing. This shows no filial piety at all.”

Zhao Erlang retorted, “Elder Sister hasn’t gone back either.”

“I have important business!”

Zhao Erlang firmly followed behind Zhao Hanzhang. “I do too. I want to see Brother-in-law… make medicine.”

Zhao Hanzhang glanced at him. What medicine was being made—did he think this was cultivation?

The pharmacy was in an empty building not far from the Governor’s Office. Though it was morning, people inside had already started bustling about.

Ji Yuan led her expertly to a room, saying softly, “Usually the young master makes medicine here.”

The window was wide open, probably for the light—otherwise who would want to work with the window open in this cold weather?

Zhao Hanzhang looked up and saw Fu Tinghan standing not far inside the window.

He wore a mask and was holding a test tube, apparently testing something. He had just finished adding a drop when, as if sensing Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze, he turned his head to look over.

Their eyes met, and his brows and eyes curved into a smile. He nodded to her through the window and continued his work.

Zhao Hanzhang stood outside the window waiting for him, even shifting aside to not block the view.

Seeing the two only exchange a glance without speaking, Zhao Erlang couldn’t help but scratch his head. He moved closer from behind and said to Zhao Hanzhang, “Elder Sister, why don’t you go inside?”

Zhao Hanzhang turned her head slightly to glance at him. “Bored, are you? I told you to go pay respects to Mother, but you insisted on following…”

She said, “Don’t you see he’s busy? Let’s wait a bit longer.”

Fu Tinghan continued until he finished the work in his hands, placing the test tube on a rack before turning to come out.

He removed his mask and inconspicuously looked Zhao Hanzhang up and down before smiling slightly. “When did you arrive? Was the journey safe?”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded. Just as she was about to speak, Zhao Erlang behind her was already chattering first, “Brother-in-law, we came straight to find you as soon as we entered the city. We haven’t even gone to see Mother yet.”

He complained somewhat, “Actually, we shouldn’t have come back. The county town of Xin Song County has just gotten started. I’ve only finished building one house. Magistrate Chen said it’s a prison cell for criminals—it just needs to be sturdy, windows can be minimal. Sigh, I wonder if the people who live there in the future will remember me. I carved my name in the corner of the wall…”

Zhao Hanzhang: “…Who taught you to carve your name in a building under construction?”

Zhao Erlang declared righteously, “Many people did it! They said it’s so the people who live in the houses later will remember us.”

Lu Hu behind Zhao Erlang couldn’t help but tug his clothes, telling him to talk less.

Seeing Zhao Hanzhang glaring, Fu Tinghan smiled and inserted himself between them. “You should go pay respects to Madam.”

He said to them both, “Madam arrived in Chen County a month ago and has been waiting for you to return. Let’s go—I’ll go back with you.”

Zhao Erlang was quite clever now, knowing his mother liked Fu Tinghan. As long as Fu Tinghan was present, Mother’s attention would be on Fu Tinghan, and she would be more lenient with him, wouldn’t scold him. So hearing Fu Tinghan would accompany them, he immediately walked ahead happily, swinging his arms.

Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan fell behind him and simply started talking. “Has the pharmacy’s production scale improved?”

Fu Tinghan’s plan to build a pharmacy and produce penicillin on a larger scale had received her approval. During this time, all the penicillin produced through the pharmacy had been used for trials, and the results were quite good.

The only issue was that production efficiency wasn’t very high. He’d been trying to find solutions during this time.

Fu Tinghan nodded. “An elderly couple who always collected slop gave me suggestions. Efficiency is much higher now, but to supply both the military and local areas, one pharmacy isn’t enough.”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded. “Then let’s build one each in Xiping and Shangcai as well.”

She paused before saying, “And Xin Song County. These three places are all completely under my control.”

Ji Yuan, who had been silently following behind, couldn’t help but say, “Young lady, building three more pharmacies won’t be cheap. Most importantly, you asked us to contact suppliers for materials—it’s time to pay.”

Zhao Hanzhang knew Ji Yuan’s concerns. She raised her eyebrows slightly and said confidently, “Master Ji, rest assured. I have money.”

Ji Yuan: …

He knew all of Zhao Hanzhang’s assets, even more thoroughly than she herself did.

Starting from Luoyang, he had managed all her public and private dowry, and he had also led her secret dowry assets out of Luoyang. Up to now, her public and private dowry, including the money earned over the past year and more, had basically all been poured in.

The young lady spent money so lavishly that he had once worried she’d be too poor to afford new clothes.

Though that was impossible, because Wang Shi had already made everything for Zhao Hanzhang.

Wang Shi also had money!

Her personal dowry, the private savings her husband left her, plus Zhao Changyu’s occasional supplements over the years—she too had a considerable estate.

It’s just that compared to the Zhao family’s assets, this estate was nothing to speak of.

But with Zhao Hanzhang having spent all her savings, this estate looked quite substantial.

She had also heard her daughter and son had returned, so early on she had dressed up and waited in the main hall for the two children to come see her. After waiting less than a quarter hour, she couldn’t help but stand at the hall entrance looking toward the courtyard…

Then somehow she had moved to the gate entrance, starting to crane her neck looking into the distance.

After waiting for a long time, she finally saw her son walking toward her, swinging his arms. She breathed a great sigh of relief. Her face couldn’t help but break into a smile. Thinking of something, she straightened her face again and stood properly waiting for the children to approach.

Zhao Erlang saw his mother from afar and ran up to her. “Mother, we’re back!”

Wang Shi finally couldn’t maintain her expression, smiling as she caught Zhao Erlang, lifting her head to look him over. “Taller, taller. But why have you gotten so thin?”

Zhao Erlang looked at her with a foolish grin.

Zhao Hanzhang also hurried forward, smiling as she bowed. “Mother.”

Fu Tinghan clasped his hands and bowed, calling out “Madam.” Sigh, her age was too close to his previous age—he really couldn’t bring himself to call her “Auntie.”