Xiahou Yan and Zhang Xie couldn’t help but exchange glances. The two men tossed their sickles onto the field ridge and asked, “What troubles does Administrator Zhao have?”

Zhang Xie patted the dirt from his body, rolled down his pant legs, and first invited Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan to sit down.

In front of the thatched cottage, mats were spread out with a low table placed upon them. A brazier on the side kept water hot, ready for brewing tea or warming wine at any moment.

Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan set down their gifts and didn’t rush to sit. They waited for the two men to come forward before taking their seats according to proper precedence, kneeling in the formal sitting position.

She broke open the wine seal and casually picked up a bowl from the table to pour wine, while sighing, “I have far too many troubles. Governing one region is not easy, let alone having to govern two places, both of which are areas in dire need of reconstruction.”

She continued, “Someone told me that there have been strange celestial phenomena these past few years, likely indicating a great drought. So I want to build more water dams in Luoyang and Yuzhou, dig wells and construct irrigation channels to ensure the people’s livelihood.”

Zhang Xie and Xiahou Yan frowned. “Strange celestial phenomena?”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded. “The weather may turn colder, and there could be drought during spring and summer, which would be unfavorable for crop growth.”

The two men couldn’t help but exchange glances again. They had thought Zhao Hanzhang was going to say that the emperor lacked virtue and therefore heaven was producing strange omens. Cough, cough—they had been overthinking it.

“So Administrator Zhao came up the mountain for water conservancy matters?”

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t beat around the bush and nodded directly. “Precisely. I know that most officials skilled in water conservancy construction followed His Majesty to Yuncheng, and the rest are scattered in various places. Hanzhang truly cannot find suitable candidates, so I could only come up the mountain to request your assistance.”

Where had they gone with the emperor to Yuncheng? Most had run off with the Prince of Donghai, or fled Luoyang with their entire families.

Among the few who had followed the emperor, Cao Ping counted as someone with relevant expertise and had already been recruited to Luoyang by Zhao Zhongyu.

But Zhao Hanzhang wanted to build quite a few water conservancy facilities. Relying on him alone wasn’t enough—she’d take anyone she could get.

Zhao Hanzhang looked at the two men with starry eyes.

Seeing that Zhang Xie and Xiahou Yan remained unmoved, Zhao Hanzhang said, “This time, I’m asking you two gentlemen not to compete with General Gou or anyone else, but truly just for building water conservancy.”

“Although there’s currently no warfare in Luoyang, Zhao Han in Bingzhou still eyes us covetously. Who knows when they’ll send troops south again. If at that time there really is a great drought as predicted, they certainly won’t miss this opportunity,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “My soldiers need to eat their fill to fight, so provisions must come from the common people. Without water dams and irrigation channels, the people won’t be able to supply the Zhao Family Army and Yuzhou Army, let alone feed themselves.”

She sighed. “The tragedies caused by famine in Luoyang these past two years will repeat themselves. My heart cannot accept this.”

Zhang Xie pressed his lips together. He couldn’t accept it either!

His heart burned with agitation as if set on fire. He couldn’t help but turn to look at Xiahou Yan.

Xiahou Yan lowered his head to drink wine, pondering in silence. He was unwilling to become entangled in court politics again.

Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze also followed and settled on Xiahou Yan. She raised her hand to refill his wine and said, “I know that both gentlemen are unwilling to become involved in court politics again.”

Xiahou Yan and Zhang Xie raised their eyes to look at her.

“But if the realm falls into great chaos, what place can truly remain unaffected by court politics?” Zhao Hanzhang said. “So complete avoidance is impossible for Mister Zhang and Mister Xiahou. Since that’s the case, why not be more proactive in engaging with the world? You can save others and save yourselves.”

Xiahou Yan frowned. “If Luoyang cannot accommodate us, we’ll simply migrate south. Administrator Zhao, it’s not that we’re shirking responsibility, but we’re both old now and in poor health. We didn’t even respond when His Majesty summoned us, let alone…” What about you?

The last sentence went unspoken, but everyone understood.

Fu Tinghan, who had been quietly sitting, raised his head to glance at him, then turned to see Zhao Hanzhang frowning without speaking. He knew that while she disagreed, she was unwilling to sour relations with these two gentlemen.

He pressed his lips together, set down his tea bowl, and said, “So you two intend to keep running away for the rest of your lives?”

Xiahou Yan looked at Fu Tinghan with a half-smile. “Master Fu’s provocation method won’t work on us.”

Even Zhang Xie said, “If provocation worked, we would have come down the mountain long ago.”

But Fu Tinghan shook his head. “It’s not provocation—it’s the truth. You’ve been evading your responsibilities all along. You two gentlemen evade by withdrawing from the world, while the likes of Wang Yan evade by engaging with it.”

Xiahou Yan and Zhang Xie frowned. Although they didn’t particularly like Wang Yan either, he was after all a renowned scholar of high status, and he was now dead. How could Fu Tinghan, a junior, so disrespectfully address him by his full name?

Fu Tinghan was completely unaffected by their displeasure and spoke bluntly: “Every man bears responsibility for the rise and fall of the nation. You both come from prominent families with greater power, so logically your responsibility should be even greater. But when you encounter setbacks, you only know how to hide.”

“If Hanzhang were asking you to come down the mountain to compete with Gou Xi and others, your refusal would be understandable. But this time it’s clearly for the common people. Your work after coming down the mountain would directly benefit the people of Luoyang and Yuzhou. Why do you still rely on your talents and refuse to fulfill your responsibilities?”

Zhang Xie’s eyes widened. “Every man bears responsibility for the rise and fall of the nation?”

Xiahou Yan scoffed directly. “When has one person’s strength ever been able to influence the rise and fall of the realm? Let alone a common man. Master Fu, you exaggerate.”

Xiahou Yan didn’t like Fu Tinghan, especially after what he had just said about him and Zhang Xie. Therefore, he was equally impolite, looking Fu Tinghan up and down before speaking sarcastically: “Master Fu, I’ve heard you’re now Administrator Zhao’s Minister of Works, which includes management of water affairs. Then building water conservancy is your responsibility. I’ve long heard that Master Fu is Administrator Zhao’s right-hand man. Though you’ve studied classics since childhood, you’re not particularly proficient in them, but instead prefer various technical crafts. So many workshops under Administrator Zhao’s name came from Master Fu’s hands.”

Zhao Hanzhang frowned, displeased.

She had been considerate of their status as renowned scholars, and since she was the one asking for help, she had been polite and accommodating. Even when they disagreed on certain matters, she was willing to temporarily yield. But now it seemed this was completely useless.

So Zhao Hanzhang stopped restraining her temper and said, “Mister Xiahou, the realm doesn’t belong to any one person, nor to any one family. Not only do noble families influence its rise and fall—common men can also turn the tide.”

“You look down on the power of common men, but you should know that my Zhao Family Army is composed of one common man after another. It protected Luoyang and protected your life,” Zhao Hanzhang said gravely. “General Shi Le of Zhao Han came from the Jie barbarians and was once a slave. Can you say he has no influence on the realm now?”

Xiahou Yan’s expression changed slightly.

Zhao Hanzhang sighed and simply pulled Fu Tinghan to his feet, clasping her hands. “When paths differ, we cannot work together. So be it. Today, let’s pretend Hanzhang never came. I’ll leave this wine for you two gentlemen.”

She continued, “Since you gentlemen wish to go south, do so soon. Otherwise, once winter comes with cold weather and long journeys, the roads will be difficult to travel.”

She bowed slightly. “I take my leave.”

—