Fu Zhi’s heart suddenly sank. He looked sharply at Fu Tinghan and asked, “Who do you think can replace the Jin imperial house as the model for all under Heaven?”

He had thought Fu Tinghan would say Zhao Hanzhang, or perhaps himself, but instead he directly shook his head and said, “I don’t know who it will be, but it definitely won’t be the Jin imperial house.”

Fu Zhi narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean? Are you saying you don’t have confidence in Zhao Hanzhang?”

Fu Tinghan smiled at Fu Zhi and said, “It’s not that I lack confidence, but rather that the world is unpredictable. On the battlefield, swords and spears have no eyes—no one can guarantee they’ll survive to the end. Hanzhang and I believe that our governance would benefit the people more and bring greater stability to the realm, but the great trends of the world aren’t determined by what we say or wish.”

He continued, “We’re simply doing everything we can to make things develop in the direction we want. Whether we ultimately succeed depends partly on luck.”

“Hanzhang is always confident, but I’m not,” Fu Tinghan said. “The world is too vast, and there are too many capable people. Even ordinary commoners have different thoughts. I don’t know if we’ll succeed in the end, but we’ll have tried our best, and we won’t have regrets.”

“As for this realm, anyone could carry out Heaven’s mandate—anyone except the Jin imperial house,” he said. Seeing the shock in his grandfather’s eyes, Fu Tinghan didn’t hide his thoughts at all. “The Sima family took the wrong path from the very beginning. Jin has been crooked from its roots—how could it possibly last long?”

“If Grandfather is only loyal to the Jin imperial house, then there’s no need for us to continue this conversation—those whose ways differ cannot make plans together. But if you’re thinking of the common people of the realm, then consider the people of Chang’an more carefully. Focus on the present moment, value the people more heavily, regard the ruler more lightly, and follow the great trends. When Jin is meant to fall, it will fall.”

Fu Zhi clutched his chest and fell backward, his breathing becoming rapid.

Fu Tinghan hurriedly crawled forward on his knees to support him. “Grandfather…”

Fu Zhi grabbed his arm tightly and stared at him, demanding, “What you’re saying—does it mean Zhao Hanzhang plans to send troops to destroy the Jin imperial house?”

“Of course not,” Fu Tinghan quickly said. “Hanzhang would never be a treacherous subject.”

Fu Zhi said irritably, “If she won’t be a treacherous subject, how will you seize control of the realm?”

Fu Tinghan said, “Jin will inevitably fall.”

Fu Zhi was about to lose his temper when he thought of something. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Fu Tinghan. “Are you planning to kill with a borrowed blade? Whose blade? The Xiongnu’s Liu Yuan? Wang Jun? Gou Xi? Has Gou Xi also developed rebellious intentions?”

How could Fu Tinghan know? Who could predict the future with certainty?

“Grandfather, Jin has lost the hearts of the people and also lost the hearts of the aristocratic families. Why do you believe they can stabilize the realm and regain power?”

Fu Zhi fell silent.

The Sima family truly had lost the hearts of the people. Since Emperor Hui’s time, the realm had been at war constantly. The Han people of the Central Plains had been ravaged again and again by the Xiongnu, and afterward they still had to bear the court’s heavy taxes and labor service.

People lived worse lives than dogs—how could they possibly like the current court?

Not to mention the aristocratic families. Emperor Wu’s methods of gaining power weren’t honorable. During that period, quite a few people criticized Emperor Wu. It was only because the Sima family used high-pressure policies while also making concessions to the aristocratic families and vigorously promoting the Nine Ranks system that they quelled the disputes.

But many aristocratic families still looked down on the Jin imperial house in their hearts.

Such a court had basically lost the hearts of the common people below, lost half of the middle tier, and lost quite a few at the top. How long could a court that had lost popular support like this persist?

Only loyal and righteous men like Fu Zhi and Zhao Song still thought about loyalty to the ruler and love of country, remaining faithful to the end.

This didn’t mean they were wrong—the Way doesn’t distinguish between right and wrong.

Fu Tinghan didn’t agree with the Way they had chosen, but he respected them.

Fu Zhi was greatly shaken tonight.

Zhao Hanzhang’s security measures were very good. Except for a few people, no one knew of Fu Tinghan’s abilities.

Even someone as reckless as Zhao Hu knew to keep his mouth shut to outsiders and absolutely never mention the origins of the secret formulas from Zhao Hanzhang’s workshops.

Liu Yuan had expended considerable effort to obtain some vague information and then deduced it was Fu Tinghan.

But Fu Zhi was a gentleman—he wouldn’t plant spies around Zhao Hanzhang, nor would he deliberately try to discover the Zhao family army’s secrets. So naturally he didn’t know those things were connected to his own grandson.

Moreover, he had some understanding of his own grandson. Fu Zhi didn’t think he was capable of refining steel or creating water-powered mills, so in Fu Zhi’s eyes, Fu Tinghan had always been mediocre.

Having followed Zhao Hanzhang for nearly four years, his abilities and reputation couldn’t even compare to the female officials at her side. Even that woman called Fan Ying was more famous than Fu Tinghan.

He had never imagined Fu Tinghan had such a “Way.”

Fu Zhi couldn’t say he was heartbroken, nor was he particularly angry anymore. He thought about it but still couldn’t agree with Fu Tinghan from his heart. But he also saw that he couldn’t persuade the other party, so he simply waved his hand and said, “Forget it. Those whose ways differ cannot make plans together. Go.”

Fu Tinghan didn’t move. He reached out to support him. “Grandfather, although our ways differ, we’re still grandfather and grandson. You can’t drive me away just because we have different understandings and principles, can you?”

Fu Zhi said, “I just don’t want to see you temporarily. Every time I see you, my heart feels blocked. Don’t worry, I’m not driving you away. I’m still counting on you to fulfill your filial duties.”

Only then did Fu Tinghan get up and leave.

Early the next morning, Fu Zhi sought out Fu Tinghan to have him fulfill his filial duties. “Let me calculate—you’ve come of age, haven’t you?”

Fu Tinghan thought carefully and said, “My birthday is in September. There are still eight months until I come of age.”

“That’s close enough. The year has turned, so you can be called twenty now,” Fu Zhi said. “You’re already an adult. Your father isn’t here, so you should fulfill filial duties on his behalf.”

Fu Tinghan was stunned and asked blankly, “How should I fulfill them?”

Fu Zhi glared at him and said irritably, “How else do you fulfill filial duties? You’ve been studying since childhood—do you need to ask me how to fulfill filial duties?”

“Naturally by attending me. When I have matters, you serve me! Of course, since our ways differ, I can’t force you to stay in Chang’an with me,” Fu Zhi said, softening his tone. “So just give me money.”

Fu Tinghan’s mouth fell open, but Fu Zhi was right—as a grandson, he did need to support the elderly.

He had taken over someone else’s body, so naturally he should fulfill the responsibilities that came with it. So he asked, “How much money do you want?”

Fu Zhi said, “Give me a year’s worth at once—one million cash.”

Fu Tinghan was speechless.

He honestly said, “Grandfather, I don’t have that much money.”

“Then how much do you have?”

Fu Tinghan thought about it and said uncertainly, “One hundred thousand cash?”

Fu Zhi took a deep breath and said, “When we were fleeing during the troubles, I later sent people to deliver some fabric, jade pendants, and silver ingots to you. Their value was no less than one hundred thousand cash, wasn’t it? You’ve followed Hanzhang for many years—haven’t you saved any money?”

Fu Tinghan honestly shook his head. “Grandfather, we’re very poor too. Not only do I have no money, Hanzhang has no money either.”

“Fine if she has no money, but you’re a man who’ll need to support a family eventually. How can you also have no money?” As he spoke, Fu Zhi reacted. They were in opposing camps now—he couldn’t give him money. He absolutely couldn’t.

Fu Zhi suppressed the urge to hand over money and said with a cold face, “If you have no money, then pay with goods. I need money to buy things anyway.”

One million cash sounded like a lot, but if converted to silver, it was one thousand taels. Converted to long spears, it was two hundred. Converted to glass, depending on quality—the most common and popular glass mirrors were worth five thousand pieces.

Five thousand glass mirrors really wasn’t difficult for Fu Tinghan.

So Fu Tinghan didn’t refuse outright, but ran back to find Zhao Hanzhang.

Seeing him go ask Zhao Hanzhang about paying support fees, Fu Zhi glared after him furiously, his nose nearly spouting smoke.

—