When Zhao Ming learned of this matter, he was neither startled nor angry. Compared to before, he had cultivated considerable restraint.

After all, tomorrow he would be taking Zhao Hanzhang to meet the iron ore seller. What did Zhao Hu selling her four thousand bushels of grain matter?

Zhao Ming snorted inwardly, still unable to completely suppress his anger. Come next year during the lean season when refugees multiplied and grain prices soared, Seventh Uncle would regret it.

Those who don’t heed the wise suffer loss just ahead.

With introductions from Zhao Song and Zhao Ming, Zhao Hanzhang met the iron ore seller—well, just a steward, surnamed He.

The current Governor of Runan Jun was also surnamed He.

Zhao Hanzhang placed an order and immediately bought two baskets of iron ore before withdrawing with Zhao Song and Zhao Ming. “Fifth Great-Uncle, this He family and Governor He…”

“Same family,” Zhao Ming said. “Governor He has been in Runan Jun for ten years. Otherwise, who would dare privately sell iron ore?”

Zhao Hanzhang asked, “He’s undermining the court like this—did Grandfather know?”

“He knew,” Zhao Ming said. “Your grandfather impeached him, then ordered him to submit forty percent of annual proceeds to the court. That’s when our family established connections with them.”

“Because of your grandfather’s relationship, our family gets iron ore thirty percent cheaper than others,” Zhao Ming said. “Though your grandfather is gone, the clan leader has now risen to Minister. Fortunately, they haven’t adjusted prices.”

Zhao Hanzhang muttered, “No wonder I thought the price was so low…”

Turned out they’d used connections.

“Is the iron mine in Xiping?”

“No,” Zhao Ming glanced at her. “If it were in Xiping, would Governor He dare reach for it?”

Before Governor He, those undermining the court were local strongmen. They wouldn’t submit their gains to the court.

Since Emperor Hui ascended the throne and Empress Jia took power, chaos gradually arose throughout the realm. Things like local strongmen occupying iron mines and salt fields had become commonplace.

If their family didn’t have Zhao Changyu keeping them in check, people led by Zhao Hu would have rushed out of Xiping long ago to seize profitable locations.

After all, the Zhao clan was among the most prominent in all of Runan.

This was also why Zhao Changyu could make Governor He manage the iron mines and submit forty percent of annual proceeds to the national treasury—he had to comply.

Not only because Zhao Changyu was Minister at the time, but because he was the Zhao clan leader.

On Runan’s territory, he had to consider the Zhao clan.

Zhao Ming looked meaningfully at Zhao Hanzhang. “So in Runan, Zhao clan descendants enjoy many advantages. These all come from ancestral blessings. Having enjoyed ancestral merit, we must repay our ancestors—at minimum, we cannot do things that shame them. Only this way can we maintain the Zhao clan’s prestige.”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded repeatedly. “Father speaks truly. We should pay more attention to clan members like Seventh Great-Uncle. Sanniang will also examine herself, absolutely not dishonoring our ancestors.”

Zhao Ming said, “…I’ll convey your meaning to Seventh Uncle.”

Zhao Song had already mounted the carriage. Seeing the two still standing together whispering endlessly, he quickly called out, “Hurry up and get in. If we don’t head back now, it’ll be dark.”

Zhao Hanzhang cheerfully responded and climbed aboard.

Having bought iron ore, opened commercial routes, and secured a regular iron ore supplier, Zhao Hanzhang could truly say she returned with a full load.

It was genuinely a full load. When she returned to Shangcai, she brought a convoy of carts—all delivering grain to her.

Zhao Hu didn’t much regret the grain he’d traded away. In his view, the four sets of glass cups he’d obtained were more profitable.

He planned to keep two sets for himself—one for collection, one for use. The other two he would sell.

Zhao Hanzhang, that fool, sold them to him for just ten gold pieces. He planned to sell them for a hundred gold pieces each.

Though glass cups were beautiful and rare, few were willing to pay a hundred gold pieces. Even when they exclaimed in admiration during viewing, showing great desire to buy, when it came to actually making offers, few followed through.

Zhao Hu expended tremendous effort to sell just one set. If not for being praised each time he displayed the glass cups, he wouldn’t want to work so hard for this money.

Zhao Hu collapsed on his couch, exhaling deeply. “This money is too damn hard to earn.”

A maidservant beside him slowly fanned him while silently complaining inwardly: You turn around and earn ninety gold pieces. What’s difficult about that?

They couldn’t earn this much in ten lifetimes. Look at how many long-term workers and tenant farmers Zhao Hu had. After laboring a whole year, the grain they submitted would only buy him four sets of glass cups.

And selling just one set abroad earned what they made in two years of labor.

The more the maidservant thought, the more bitter her heart felt. Her fanning gradually slowed.

“Master,” the steward ran in drenched in sweat. “Something terrible has happened.”

The maidservant immediately quickened her fanning, pricking up her ears to listen.

Zhao Hu still reclined on the couch, unconcerned. “What’s worth such panic?”

“Third Master Yu’s family sent back the glass cup—smashed—saying he wants to sever relations with you.”

Zhao Hu sat up. “What does he mean? Could my glass cup be fake?”

“Not that. It’s just that outside, suddenly many glass cups appeared, and glass bowls too. Prices dropped instantly. They say someone in our Runan Jun has figured out how to produce glass.”

Zhao Hu stared wide-eyed. “What does that have to do with me?”

“Glass cup prices have dropped! Similar quality glass cups outside sell for just twelve to fifteen gold pieces. Yours… directly eight or nine times more expensive…”

Zhao Hu said, “When I sold it, there weren’t any on the market. At that time it was worth that price. Now there are more—how is that my fault? There’s no such logic!”

“Master, that’s exactly why Third Master Yu smashed the cup. The person who figured out how to produce glass is precisely Sanniang.”

Zhao Hu: …

He stared at the steward. The steward also silently watched Zhao Hu. “Master, what should we do about this? Third Master Yu is now convinced you deliberately cheated him.”

Zhao Hu jumped up. “Zhao Sanniang! She deliberately cheated me!”

Zhao Hu dragged his wooden clogs, rushing out with great momentum, as if to settle accounts with Zhao Hanzhang.

The steward hurried to stop him. “Master, Master, this matter mustn’t get out! At the time, Sanniang sold the glass cups to you for only ten gold pieces…”

Zhao Hu stopped in the courtyard. The blazing sun beat down, making his face burn—whether from the sun or anger, who could tell?

“All the glass cups came from Shangcai?”

“No, only a small part flowed from Shangcai county magistrate. Most came from our wubao.” The steward said quietly, “I heard it was Fifth Master’s household that released them. Word about glass production also came from Fifth Master’s branch.”

Hearing this, Zhao Hu understood everything. Stamping his foot on the spot, he said, “Zhao Sanniang and Zhao Zinian conspired to cheat me!”

Otherwise, over such a long time, even if Zhao Hanzhang intended to conceal it, Zhao Ming should have let wind leak out.

But they waited until after he sold the glass cups at high prices before releasing the remaining cups and bowls, spreading such rumors…

The steward was anxious. “Master, what do we do? Third Master Yu is not easy to deal with.”