Zhao Hanzhang didn’t answer why—this was to preserve her good image in Zhao Ming’s mind.

What else could it be for? Of course it was for money.

What she didn’t know was that in Zhao Ming’s mind, her image had never been good.

He glanced at her coolly and didn’t continue the topic.

It was rare for the whole family to gather for a meal together. They still sat at separate席.

In front of Zhao Song and Zhao Hu, Wang Shi appeared very low-key. When she saw her daughter, her eyes merely brightened slightly. Upon seeing Zhao Ming, she stood up and bowed slightly in salute.

Zhao Ming nodded to her, then sat in his own seat.

Zhao Hanzhang sat at Wang Shi’s lower hand.

This was a family banquet, and she was a junior, so she had to sit here. As for Fu Tinghan, because he was the Zhao family’s “son-in-law,” he was arranged in the upper seat.

He turned his head and smiled at her.

Zhao Hanzhang raised her chin, telling him to go sit. Only then did Fu Tinghan walk to sit across from Zhao Ming.

Zhao Song and Zhao Hu sat in the host positions.

Zhao Hu acted as if Zhao Hanzhang didn’t exist and ignored Zhao Cheng as well. He directly beckoned to Zhao Zheng. “Zheng’er, come to Grandfather’s side.”

Zhao Zheng glanced at his father and cupped his hands. “Grandfather, the upper seats are for elders. Your grandson dares not overstep. I’ll just serve Father at his side.”

Zhao Hu grew somewhat angry. “You’ll serve him but not serve me?”

Zhao Zheng looked conflicted as he glanced at Zhao Cheng.

Zhao Cheng’s gaze swept over Zhao Hanzhang. He pressed his lips together but still said to Zhao Zheng, “You may go.”

Zhao Zheng was surprised—he hadn’t expected his father to let him go.

Zhao Zheng knew that because his grandfather was unreliable, his father feared he would develop bad habits by being close to him, so he never liked him being intimate with his grandfather.

This was also one of the reasons Zhao Cheng had always been criticized.

Preventing a father from enjoying his grandchildren and family happiness—this was a great offense indeed.

In the eyes of contemporary people, this was an even greater offense than being without heirs.

Zhao Zheng paused for a long while. After confirming his father wasn’t joking, he walked forward and knelt beside his grandfather.

Zhao Hu was also greatly shocked. He habitually opposed his son and mentioned it casually, never expecting he’d actually let Zheng’er come up.

Zhao Hu carefully examined Zhao Cheng’s expression. Seeing his face showed little emotion, his heart couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

Zhao Song didn’t care about this and said directly, “You’ve all been busy all day and must be hungry. Have the kitchen serve the food.”

Today at noon, what Zhao Hanzhang said had already spread. Zhao Song was someone who greatly supported Zhao Hanzhang’s endeavors, so for tonight’s meal, the kitchen brought up steamed buns all mixed with wheat bran.

The others were fine with it, but Zhao Hu frowned tightly. He was also blunt, asking directly, “Fifth Brother, has your household run out of money? Why are we eating such steamed buns?”

Zhao Song said, “Sanniang advocates frugality.”

“She can be frugal all she wants—why should we have to suffer with her?” Zhao Hu said. “I’m not eating this. I want white flour steamed buns.”

Zhao Song frowned.

Zhao Hu said, “My teeth aren’t good—I can’t swallow these coarse steamed buns.”

Zhao Hanzhang helpfully reminded him, “Seventh Great-Uncle, it’s your throat that’s not good, not your teeth.”

Zhao Hu was still angry with her. He lifted his eyelids to glance at her, snorted, and turned his head away.

Only then did Zhao Song stare at him before nodding to a servant.

The servant hurried to the kitchen. “Are there white flour steamed buns? Seventh Great Master wants them.”

“Yes, yes.” The chef immediately lifted the steamer lid and selected a basket of white flour steamed buns from inside. “Only Seventh Great Master wants them? What about the others?”

“The others don’t want them.”

The servant brought the steamed buns to the dining hall and replaced Zhao Hu’s coarse grain steamed buns. Only then did Zhao Song pick up his chopsticks and begin eating.

After the evening meal, Zhao Song kept Zhao Hanzhang and Zhao Cheng to talk. Zhao Hu also consciously stayed behind.

Zhao Song was mediating for them. He’d been doing mediation work since his youth and was already thoroughly experienced.

He first asked Zhao Hanzhang, “Sanniang, what happened between you and Old Seventh? He may not be good, but he’s still an elder. You should be more accommodating…”

Before Zhao Song could finish, Zhao Hu was already jumping up. “Fifth Brother, how am I not good? You haven’t even asked what happened.”

Zhao Song said impatiently, “Then you tell me what happened.”

“She tricked me into going to Luoyang, then turned around and sent Zitu back to Chen County. Isn’t this deliberately separating father and son?”

“You didn’t go to Luoyang for Zitu,” Zhao Song said. “You went to Luoyang for the new coins, didn’t you?”

“Speaking of new coins,” Zhao Song frowned, looking at Zhao Hanzhang with some disapproval. “Sanniang, you shouldn’t have minted new coins. If you lack money, you can petition the court for minting rights and mint according to the court’s coinage. Yet you actually minted coins privately, and even stamped the character ‘Zhao’ on those coins.”

Before Zhao Hanzhang could speak, Zhao Hu was already quick to say, “What’s wrong with the Zhao character? If that new coin didn’t have the Zhao character, I wouldn’t have exchanged for it.”

He said, “Her new coins are lighter than old coins. Although she says in Luoyang and the Yuzhou area new and old coins have equal value, this currency circulates in the market, and this market is so large—can she control heaven and earth and still control every single person? If it weren’t for that Zhao character, even at an exchange rate of one to one point two, I wouldn’t have exchanged. It would have to be at least one to one point five.”

Zhao Hanzhang: …

Zhao Song: …

Zhao Song was furious. “What do you mean?”

Zhao Hu said, “Isn’t it simple? When this money goes out, people outside will know it was minted by our Zhao clan. Who am I? I’m Zhao Hu! My surname is Zhao! Just based on this coin, people outside can see the power of our Zhao clan and will have some fear. I can move about freely.”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded repeatedly and couldn’t help clapping to give him face. “Seventh Great-Uncle speaks truly.”

“Stop flattering me,” Zhao Hu turned his head and said to Zhao Song, “Fifth Brother, you must properly talk to her. Between clan members, we should be more honest. But she specializes in deceiving and tricking clan members.”

Zhao Hu said this almost in tears. “I was originally angry and unwilling to exchange more coins with her, but then I discovered that in the contract we signed earlier, if I don’t exchange enough coins, I still have to pay her a penalty fee. How outrageous!”

Zhao Hanzhang protested, “Seventh Great-Uncle, I reminded you to pay attention to that penalty clause. Originally, the penalty I wanted was just a tiny bit. It was you who raised the penalty, saying if I couldn’t mint enough new coins to exchange with you within the specified time, I’d have to compensate you.”

“These rights are mutual. If I breach the contract, I have to pay you a penalty. If you breach it, naturally you must also compensate me, right?”

Zhao Hu said to Zhao Song, “So you don’t need to mediate for us. The contract is set. I’ll give her everything I owe, but if you want me to give her a good face—no way!”

Zhao Song was choked speechless and turned to look at Zhao Cheng. “What about you father and son? What happened?”

Zhao Hu looked confused. “Haven’t my son and I always been like this?”

It’s not the same at all. The people who came back this time were clearly all different.

Zhao Song looked at his son, wanting his support, but saw that Zhao Ming had sat down at some point and was leisurely holding wine and drinking alone. Seeing his father look over, he said leisurely, “Father, such trivial matters can be left to Sanniang. Why should you worry about them?”

Zhao Hanzhang raised an eyebrow. As expected, Zhao Song became furious, pointing at Zhao Ming. “I asked you to manage clan affairs—is this how you manage them? Your Seventh Uncle’s family is disharmonious, and you have the responsibility to mediate…”

Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze was somewhat dazed as she listened to Zhao Song rattling on scolding Zhao Ming. Zhao Hu on the side watched with relish. Compared to his son and Fifth Brother, he disliked his nephew Zhao Ming even more. As long as he was unhappy, Zhao Hu was happy.

As for Zhao Ming, he wasn’t affected at all. He drank his wine and even picked up the nearby teapot to pour his father a bowl of water, which he handed to him to moisten his mouth.

Zhao Song drank a mouthful and continued scolding him, wanting him to mediate between Zhao Hu and Zhao Cheng.

Aside from the deceased Zhao Zhi, Zhao Cheng and Zhao Ming had the best relationship. If he urged earnestly, Zhao Cheng should be able to listen somewhat.

Zhao Song said much, but in the end, no one listened. Instead, he drank two bowls of tea that Zhao Ming poured for him.

Finally, when he’d nagged enough and his mood had improved considerably, everyone dispersed.

But Zhao Song grabbed Zhao Ming and didn’t let him leave. “Don’t you feel there’s been a change between the father and son? I see Zitu treating your Fifth Uncle much more warmly. Is it because Old Fifth went to Luoyang for him, or did Sanniang convince Zitu?”

Zhao Ming was much more perceptive than his father and didn’t think Zhao Cheng’s feelings toward Zhao Hu had changed at all—his manner had just softened on the surface.

Thinking of how schools were now being built everywhere and clan children were all scattered among the schools, teaching while studying, waiting for the recruitment examination.

Compared to others, Zhao clan children now had several more paths to officialdom. Besides directly taking the recruitment examination and having someone recommend them to Zhao Hanzhang, they could first enter various schools to teach while participating in county infrastructure construction. As long as they achieved something, they could enter office.

They might even be directly summoned and employed by Zhao Hanzhang without needing elders’ recommendations if they performed well.

Zhao Kuan was the most outstanding representative among them. Everyone knew he first entered the school, then was employed by Zhao Hanzhang, and had now become one of her trusted confidants.

Clan children all wanted to become the second Zhao Kuan.

But if they wanted to go far, they couldn’t just focus on immediate opportunities for office—they also needed good reputations.

Zhao Cheng was their teacher. Even if some children weren’t like Zhao Kuan and others who traveled and studied with him, formally becoming his disciples, among the clan children over twelve years of age, who hadn’t attended Zhao Cheng’s classes after their elementary education?

If not for his own sake, just for these children, he couldn’t continue to have the suspicion of being unfilial.

Previously, only some people within the clan questioned him, but once more and more Zhao clan children entered office and his reputation as a teacher grew, outsiders would also investigate his usual conduct and character.

If he continued to speak coldly to Zhao Hu, not only would he be affected—the students he’d taught would also be criticized.

This was just Zhao Cheng’s helpless compromise.

Zhao Ming sneered. Zhao Cheng had been free for half his life, following his own heart for so many years, never expecting that in the end, he’d still be constrained by worldly concerns.

He didn’t know whether the times were more pressing or Zhao Hanzhang’s words too persuasive.

Zhao Ming placated his father: “Some things, once he thinks them through, will naturally change. You’ve been advising him for over ten years without any effect—clearly your advice was useless.”

“So it’s better to let go and let him think it through himself, or let someone capable advise him. You shouldn’t interfere anymore.”

Zhao Song wasn’t someone who wouldn’t listen to advice. He thought it over and felt that although his son’s words weren’t pleasant to hear, they were correct, so he nodded in reluctant agreement.

After sending his father off, Zhao Ming called the steward and instructed, “From now on, mix wheat bran into all the household’s steamed buns except Father’s. Practice economy throughout the household.”

The steward bowed in acknowledgment.

When word reached the kitchen, the kitchen staff felt both joy and worry.

The head chef put away the white flour steamed buns steamed this afternoon and distributed what was left from noon.

The kitchen servants immediately grabbed two each. They usually ate steamed buns mixed with wheat bran or bean cakes made with bean flour. Going back further, because grinding wheat required considerable labor, servants often ate wheat rice and couldn’t possibly have the wheat ground into flour.

Even coarse steamed buns mixed with wheat bran weren’t something everyone could afford, let alone white flour steamed buns.

Since the masters wanted to practice economy, the white flour steamed buns left over from this noon meal were a windfall for them.

Unfortunately, this windfall could only be enjoyed once. In the future, less white flour would be made. Even when making noodles, they’d have to add wheat bran or bean flour, mixing three ingredients together and kneading them into dough.

“From now on, except for the two Great Masters, all other masters will be served mixed grain staples.”

The kitchen called this mixture of two or more grains “mixed grain.”

Everyone acknowledged the order, and the steward had no objections to the kitchen’s reported expenses.

But Zhao Hu did!

Zhao Hanzhang was happily walking along waving an official document in her hand. Seeing Zhao Hu giving servants trouble, she turned to take another route to find Zhao Ming, but then heard him say, “Fifth Brother is magnanimous, so you can fool him, but I’m not so easily dealt with. If you serve such mixed stuff to Zheng’er again, I’ll have you all sold to the mines to dig!”

Zhao Hanzhang had already turned halfway when she paused, thought for a moment, and simply followed behind Zhao Hu.

Zhao Hu paid no attention to Zhao Hanzhang at all. After scolding the servant, he turned and walked away with large strides and an imposing manner, looking as if no one could stop him.

Zhao Hanzhang glanced at his back and turned to ask the servant bowing and standing aside, “Why was Seventh Great Master scolding you?”

The servant said quietly, “Today the kitchen gave Young Master Zheng mixed grain meals.”

Zhao Hanzhang asked, “Who in the household eats mixed grain?”

“Except for the Great Master and Seventh Great Master, all other masters eat mixed grain. Even our master eats mixed grain steamed buns.”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded and waved her hand. “Since this is Uncle Ming’s residence, follow Uncle Ming’s instructions. You may go. I’ll discuss this matter with Uncle Ming.”

The servant breathed a great sigh of relief and looked at Zhao Hanzhang gratefully, bowing deeply before responding, “Yes.”

Having responded, he withdrew with a bow.

Zhao Hanzhang put her hands behind her back and headed in the direction Zhao Hu had left. Before long, she caught up with him.

Zhao Hu lived in the guest quarters of the Commandery Governor’s Office. He actually wanted to live in the villa he’d bought, but when he went to Luoyang, the house had just been purchased and hadn’t yet been renovated. It lacked this and that inside, and living there would lower his quality of life.

Plus, Zhao Cheng and Zhao Zheng both lived in the Commandery Governor’s Office, so he stayed along with them.

At this moment, he wasn’t returning to his own courtyard but standing in Zhao Cheng’s courtyard, directing servants to move various items inside.

“Put this in Zheng’er’s bedroom. My grandson can’t use an ordinary chamber pot—he should use the best.” What Zhao Hu pointed to was a celadon tiger-shaped vessel. Zhao Hanzhang looked over and saw the celadon glaze was clear and bright, the body wall uniformly thick, clearly fine porcelain—and celadon at that.

But this wasn’t all. Servants also carried over a celadon vase with flying birds and beasts depicted on it, lifelike and vivid. It clearly cost a fortune.

Zhao Hu said, “Place it beside Zheng’er’s desk. Have someone change the flowers daily. Since we’re displaying fine things, we must use them!”

Zhao Hanzhang blankly stepped forward and couldn’t help reaching out to touch the large celadon vase, exclaiming, “Seventh Great-Uncle, this is very valuable, isn’t it?”

—