“Really,” Zhao Hanzhang nodded solemnly. “More genuine than pure gold.”

The four men’s hearts gradually settled down. After exchanging glances, they sat silently on the ox cart without moving.

On another ox cart, the three envoys became increasingly disheartened. They were still in sacks, and although they couldn’t see their surroundings, they could hear.

Hearing Zhao Hanzhang pacify the men with just a few words, they felt that any hope of returning home in this lifetime was lost.

She was clearly waiting for them to try to escape so she could kill them without any psychological burden. But if they didn’t escape, what good outcome could they have?

They reached the Zhao family fortified estate near evening. The parents of the four children had been waiting for a long time. As soon as they saw the convoy, they immediately rushed forward.

The four children, seeing their parents, were also very happy. They jumped off the cart and ran over, and the whole family embraced, crying together.

Zhao Hanzhang dismounted and led Zhao Erlang forward.

After they finished crying, she said, “Uncles and aunties, now you can rest easy, right? They’ve been fine all this time, just missing you, which made them lose their appetite and get a bit thinner.”

They carefully examined their children. Unable to lie with a clear conscience, they said, “Thank you, Sanniang. Come, quickly thank your Third Sister. If not for your Third Sister sending troops, the fortified estate wouldn’t have been so easily defended.”

The four children quickly turned and bowed to Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang returned the courtesy and smiled while touching the youngest girl’s head.

Only then did they notice Zhao Erlang had also returned. They quickly said warmly, “Erlang has returned too. Come into the fortified estate quickly. Come to my house for dinner tonight.”

Zhao Erlang didn’t want to go. He wanted to follow his sister. He looked around and asked, “Sister, where’s brother-in-law?”

Zhao Hanzhang apologized to the relatives with a smile, then answered Zhao Erlang, “He’s in the county town. I’ll take you to see him shortly.”

Zhao Ming, who had come out upon hearing the news, asked, “Is Sanniang planning to emulate the Great Yu who passed by his home three times without entering?”

“How would I dare, how would I dare? I was just about to go in and pay my respects to Uncle.”

Zhao Ming’s gaze fell on the ox carts behind her. He raised his chin and asked, “Who are all these people? Why are there children too?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “I found several horse handlers. I plan to build a horse ranch in Xiping.”

Hearing this, Zhao Ming pondered. “That’s actually a good idea. What our fortified estate lacks most is horses.”

“Yes. In this battle, if we had enough warhorses, why would we have let Shi Lei attack into the city four times? We could have opened the city gates and fought him outside.” Zhao Hanzhang said, “So I’ve decided to build a fairly large horse ranch.”

Zhao Ming asked, “Do they know how to evaluate and raise horses?”

Evaluating and raising horses were also skilled trades, also within the craftsman registry, with status comparable to blacksmiths.

Zhao Hanzhang affirmed, “Yes, and it looks like their skills should be quite good.”

Zhao Ming then asked, “So do you have foals?”

Zhao Hanzhang shook her head. “I was just about to discuss this with Uncle.”

Zhao Ming said, “…You don’t even have foals yet, but you’ve already found horse trainers?”

“Preparing in advance—it’s called taking precautions. Besides, horse trainers are hard to find. Now that I’ve finally encountered four, how could I wait? What if someone else snatched them away the moment I turned around?” Zhao Hanzhang said, “As for foals, though they’re also hard to come by, I think with our Zhao family’s prestige and connections, we should be able to buy some.”

Zhao Ming looked at her for a while, then asked directly, “Who do you want to handle this business?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Shuzu has an old connection with Liu Yueshi of Bingzhou. I heard Liu Yueshi has an excellent relationship with the chieftain of the Xianbei Tuoba tribe. Perhaps we could start with him to buy some Xianbei horses and foals.”

Zhao Ming asked, “How do you know Liu Yueshi has good relations with the Xianbei? He’s only been in Bingzhou for less than a year, hasn’t he?”

Zhao Hanzhang grinned at him.

Zhao Ming rubbed his forehead, thinking. “It’s not impossible, but from Bingzhou to here is a long journey. Many places along the way are controlled by the Xiongnu. I’m afraid our Han merchant caravans will have difficulty getting through.”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Let’s try with a sum of money first. I think Liu Yuan doesn’t want his trade routes cut off either. Besides, merchants have their own ways. As long as we offer enough money.”

“How much money would make them risk their lives like this?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “What if we have goods in our hands that they can’t get elsewhere?”

She continued, “Don’t worry about how they’ll get through. We set the price, and as long as they accept it, the merchants will find ways to deliver the goods to us.”

Merchants have their own ways. Routes that these aristocratic families can’t find don’t mean others can’t.

Zhao Ming asked, “What do we have here that would attract them enough to make the journey inevitable?”

Zhao Hanzhang replied, “Glass, perhaps.”

Zhao Ming said, “That item is rare, but judging from the quantity you’ve had people send over twice, it will soon cease to be rare.”

“By then I’ll have other items,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “Items that improve people’s quality of life—we can slowly research them. We have plenty of time anyway.” She continued, “First attract people here. Perhaps they’ll be won over by the personal charisma of us uncle and nephew, and even without rare goods, they’ll still sell us horses?”

Zhao Ming said, “It’s getting late. Since you don’t plan to enter the fortified estate, then go. I won’t see you off.”

Zhao Hanzhang mounted her horse and smiled at Zhao Ming. “Uncle, Sanniang will be hurt by this.”

Zhao Ming waved at her dismissively.

Zhao Hanzhang cupped her fists from horseback. “Then I’ll entrust this matter to you, Uncle. Please help negotiate with Shuzu as well.”

With that, she called to Zhao Erlang and led everyone toward the county town.

By the time they reached Xiping County, it was already dark. They could only dimly make out people, and the city gates had long been closed.

The one guarding the city gate was Ji Ping. Seeing it was Zhao Hanzhang, he quickly had people open the gate to let them in.

Zhao Hanzhang pointed to the people on the ox carts and said to Ji Ping, “These are the future horse master and horse officials for our ranch. Make proper arrangements for them.”

“Yes.”

Zhao Hanzhang led the remaining people back to the county office.

Three large sacks were carried into the courtyard and dumped on the ground. Fu Tinghan, hearing the commotion, rushed out with a pen in hand, looking bewildered, still wearing wooden clogs. He stared blankly at the continuously rolling sacks on the ground. “What’s this?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “People!”

She had people open the sacks, revealing three men.

Fu Tinghan asked, “What people? Why are they in sacks?”

Fortunately, the sacks had large enough gaps, otherwise they would have suffocated inside.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled at the three men. “Gentlemen, introduce yourselves?”

The three envoys: …

Under the eaves, one must bow one’s head. The three men reluctantly gave their names. “I am Du Zhang.”

“I am Yu Ji.”

“I am Gao An.”

Fu Tinghan asked, “So who are they?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “They’re envoys from the provincial governor’s office, here to requisition horses from the Shangcai horse ranch.”

Only then did Fu Tinghan remember—they had taken all the mature horses from the ranch earlier.

He examined the three disheveled men, feeling somewhat guilty. “So what are we going to do?”