After he left, Guo Pu’s covertly tensed body finally relaxed. He exhaled and picked up the ladle to continue bathing. The Zhao clan people were still two degrees softer-hearted than the Wang clan people. This trial was passed.
But he didn’t know what kind of person Zhao Hanzhang was.
Heaven’s will was with her, and she had the aspect of a wise ruler. Presumably she could accommodate an outsider like him.
Guo Pu pinched his fingers to calculate—naturally not to divine his own fate, which he couldn’t do, but he could determine whether entering the city this time would bring fortune or misfortune.
Calculating an auspicious result, Guo Pu finally relaxed and continued bathing.
Meanwhile, having just finished the midday meal and eaten post-meal fruit, Zhao Hanzhang saw off the Wang family members who were escorting the Princess of Hongnong to rest. She then looked up at the sky and after a moment said, “I’m afraid it will snow tonight.”
She had Zhao Yunxin summoned and instructed, “Have the Luoyang County office monitor the condition of civilian houses and assign people to keep watch. Count the homeless beggars on the streets and arrange for them to stay in houses. Allocate some charcoal and firewood for them, and distribute the sand quilts stored in the warehouse. Give them out as much as possible.”
So-called sand quilts were made by creating a quilt cover from cloth, filling it with fine sand, then draping it over one’s body. They still had some cold-resisting effect.
Zhao Hanzhang had Zhao Yunxin relay to Zhao Erlang that she permitted him to use soldiers from the military camp to assist in managing Luoyang County.
Zhao Yunxin accepted the order and left.
Seeing Zhao Hanzhang’s furrowed brow, Fu Tinghan asked, “Still no cotton found in Xiliang?”
Zhao Hanzhang shook her head. “Though historical speculation suggests cotton entered China during the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, that entire era spans one and a half centuries. We haven’t even begun yet—who knows if there’s any at the border? But I’ve made clear to Zhang Gu the importance of cotton. Given his character, he’ll certainly search with all his strength.”
“We can’t pin all our hopes on cotton. To ward off the cold, we still need to plant more mulberry and hemp. The Ministry of Finance should prepare funds—next year we’ll specifically encourage the common people to plant mulberry, hemp, and paper mulberry trees. I want roads, field paths, and wilderness everywhere planted with mulberry and hemp.” Zhao Hanzhang was ambitious.
Fu Tinghan, who had been about to say there was no money, hesitated. Seeing her face full of vision and excitement, he still nodded. “All right.”
“It’s going to snow. I’ll have Zeng Yue take medicine to meet Fifth Great Uncle—we mustn’t delay the wedding.” This would be the first major joyous occasion since stability was achieved. She absolutely wouldn’t let any accident occur.
Zeng Yue brought a large bundle of medicinal herbs and arrived just as the villa’s cooking smoke rose in wisps. The courtyard full of disaster victims were gathered around makeshift fire stoves eating thin porridge. Hearing hoofbeats, they were startled and stood up with their bowls to flee, but turning around they collided with people beside them.
This was a courtyard—the refugees looked around in confusion, not knowing where to escape.
Zhao Shen, who had been dining with Guo Pu and the others inside, dropped his chopsticks and quickly came out, shouting, “What’s the panic? This is our Zhao family villa. Everyone please sit.”
Only then did everyone calm down somewhat, sitting quietly to watch Zhao Shen.
Zhao Shen strode toward the gate. Guards holding swords waited nearby. When he approached, they removed the door bar and forcefully opened the gate.
The Imperial Guard raising his hand to knock had his hand frozen in midair. Before his mind could react, his body retreated a step first, then one hand pressed on the sword at his waist. Looking up, he met the eyes of Zhao Shen and his guards inside the gate.
He glanced at the swords in their hands, confirmed that the brief flash of danger wasn’t his imagination, and his gaze deepened. Looking past them to see the refugees in the courtyard, his hand drew the sword halfway from its sheath.
Could the Left Vice Minister of War have been taken hostage by a group of vagrants?
Behind the Imperial Guard, Zeng Yue’s gaze also sharpened, his hand falling on his scabbard, eyes looking toward Zhao Shen.
Seeing his body relaxed and expression normal, Zeng Yue relaxed slightly, though his hand still rested on the scabbard. “We’ve come on the General’s orders to deliver medicine to Fifth Grand Master.”
His gaze passed over Zhao Shen’s shoulder toward the interior, frowning. “What’s going on here?”
Seventh Grand Master didn’t seem like someone who would use his own villa to provide disaster relief.
Zhao Shen said, “We have a guest.”
Zhao Shen invited him through the gate and led him to meet Kuai Yi and Guo Pu.
Zeng Yue knew of Guo Pu. This was a renowned gentleman whose fame differed from ordinary aristocratic scholars. He was famous not only among aristocratic clans but also among common people.
He was said to be extraordinarily skilled at divination.
Zeng Yue’s first thought was to inform Zhao Hanzhang—the master might need such talent.
Zeng Yue immediately sent an Imperial Guard back to inform her.
By the time the guard returned to the city to report, the sky had already darkened faster than usual.
Zhao Hanzhang looked at the sky growing dark earlier than normal and smiled faintly. “It seems even heaven is keeping our guest here.”
She didn’t send more guards out. It was dark now, and not knowing whether the snow would be heavy or light, going out now was too dangerous.
So the next day she summoned Ji Yuan, asking him to lead a contingent of Imperial Guards out of the city to invite the guest in. “Last night’s snow was substantial. I don’t know if the roads outside the city are passable. Though tomorrow’s wedding is at dusk, it would be best to bring Fifth Great Uncle back early today.”
Today the Fu family would send betrothal gifts. Though it didn’t require Zhao Hanzhang’s involvement, the Wang family had firmly ordered that she not leave the house today.
She couldn’t even stage a “three visits to the thatched cottage,” so she could only ask Ji Yuan for help.
Ji Yuan had always scoffed at divination and such matters. Hearing that Guo Pu was at the villa, he immediately wasn’t very willing, but since Zhao Song the presiding marriage official was also there, he had no choice but to agree.
Zhao Hanzhang saw him to the main gate, instructing, “Please treat Guo Jingchun courteously and be sure to invite him back.”
Ji Yuan stopped and frowned, asking, “Does the lady have future matters to ask him about?”
Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes immediately lit up like stars. “I’ve long wanted to send someone to find him. If we could gain his assistance, how could we not avoid disasters and follow propitious timing in agricultural matters? Sigh, Tinghan also has insights and abilities in astronomy, but he’s too busy to calculate constantly. Plus, reforming the calendar takes extremely long, and now different regions use different calendars, sometimes missing optimal farming times.”
“If we could get him to join the court, not just for calendars but also weather—last time it snowed in Luoyang, the officials on duty at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices couldn’t predict it. The city residents weren’t prepared, and heavy snow collapsed five houses, killing three people.” Zhao Hanzhang was very interested in this renowned practitioner of mystic arts. In one night, she had already decided how to use him.
First, give him an official position—Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices would be good, specifically managing astronomy, calendars, and numerology. As soon as he entered the city, she’d assign him housing right next to the Imperial Academy, where he could also serve concurrently as an Imperial Academy professor.
The Academy currently lacked teachers of all kinds, especially excellent teachers of numerology. Fu Tinghan and Zhao Hanzhang had to take turns going there to lecture students to cultivate talent.
There was no help for it—they desperately needed teachers.
The Academy was no longer just about literacy. The curriculum difficulty was very high, and she’d already pressed all court officials into service, but there still weren’t many who could be sent to the Academy as professors.
Then she’d give him maximum support, urging him to produce a simplified calendar as quickly as possible. Spring was approaching—farmers needed to consult farming almanacs for planting!
Zhao Hanzhang suppressed her treasure-finding joy and asked Ji Yuan, “Sir, do you think he’ll agree to my recruitment? If he doesn’t agree, what should I give him to make him stay?”
Ji Yuan pondered seriously for a moment before saying, “If he’s unwilling, the lady could have the young master persuade him.”
Zhao Hanzhang nodded thoughtfully. “True, they’re both skilled in numerology—kindred spirits are hard to find. Perhaps he’ll listen to Tinghan’s advice.”
—