Zhao Song said, “Just say it’s about Wang Shi directly. Why be so roundabout?”

Zhao Ming said, “As long as Father understands. You and Seventh Uncle have always been cold toward Wang Shi…”

Zhao Song immediately grew angry and cut him off. “Although I’ve improved my attitude, it doesn’t mean Wang Shi’s unfortunate destiny no longer exists. I’m only doing this to avoid making things difficult for Sanniang.”

He said, “Sanniang is now the head of the first branch and in charge of Xiping County. Wang Shi is her mother. Having such a reputation is quite detrimental to her.”

Zhao Ming said, “…You knew this all along, so why didn’t you think that if Sanniang didn’t have her current achievements, Wang Shi’s reputation would have an even worse impact on her and Erlang?”

Zhao Song was choked speechless for a while before angrily saying, “Did I not know? But can’t I even have my own preferences and dislikes? Isn’t Wang Shi’s unfortunate destiny a fact?”

Zhao Ming said, “It is not!”

Zhao Song hadn’t expected such fundamental disagreement between them. Furious, he waved him off. “I won’t discuss this with you. If you don’t believe it, go ask your Seventh Uncle. That eminent monk’s predictions were flawless and extremely accurate. Several families in the neighboring counties received his guidance.”

Zhao Ming said, “Seventh Uncle also said we should bury living people with Uncle as sacrifices. How can you believe such absurd things so firmly, Father?”

Zhao Song was completely stumped and couldn’t speak for a long while. Finally, he said irritably, “I address the matter, not the person.”

Zhao Ming said, “Then let’s address the matter. That year…”

“Shut your mouth!” Zhao Song suddenly roared, cutting off his words. “I won’t listen to your twisted logic. Get out!”

Zhao Ming said, “Clearly you know you can’t win the argument, so you won’t let me speak…”

In the end, Zhao Ming was driven out by Zhao Song throwing a scroll of bamboo slips at him.

After throwing it, Zhao Song felt distressed and hurried to retrieve the bamboo slips, carefully arranging them properly.

Zhao Hanzhang hadn’t had time to see Zhao Song yesterday, so she decided to go see him this morning after breakfast to discuss matters.

Early in the morning, when the sky had just begun to lighten, Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan led Zhao Erlang out of the fortress and began running along the estate’s main road.

Zhao Erlang ran fast. Seeing his sister and brother-in-law running slowly, he dashed ahead, unwilling to run slowly with them.

Zhao Hanzhang had sandbags tied to her legs. To accommodate Fu Tinghan’s pace, she slowed down.

Fu Tinghan also knew she was carrying weight on her legs and asked, “Did you increase the weight?”

Zhao Hanzhang murmured acknowledgment. “Sandbags work better than stones. Once your training volume increases, you can try them too.”

Early in the morning, someone was shouldering a hoe to go work the fields. Seeing the three of them running back from a distance, he froze in surprise.

Zhao Hanzhang had a good memory. Having seen him before, she greeted him. “Uncle Gui, heading to the fields?”

Uncle Gui responded dumbly, “Sanniang, what are you doing?”

He looked behind them but didn’t see anything chasing them. Besides, this didn’t look like fleeing—why were they running?

Zhao Hanzhang had already run past, casually calling back, “We’re exercising!”

The people ran into the distance. Uncle Gui stared blankly at their backs. Thus another rumor began circulating in the fortress—the reason the first branch’s Sanniang had such excellent martial skills was because she ran to train them.

Zhao Hanzhang returned to the old residence, removed the sandbags, and practiced a set of military boxing and a sword form before stopping. By now her clothes were completely soaked through.

Fu Tinghan sat on the railing watching. He followed along learning a bit of the military boxing, then couldn’t endure it and stopped.

Zhao Hanzhang wiped her sweat with a cloth towel while telling him, “The intensity is different. Once you adapt to your current level, gradually increase it.”

Fu Tinghan said, “I heard there are medicinal baths that can increase strength?”

Zhao Hanzhang paused mid-wipe, her motion stopping. “There are, but those are for relieving muscle soreness. During intensive training, muscle pain is the most difficult part. Soaking in medicinal baths allows the body to maximize absorption of the training effects. How did you know about this?”

Fu Tinghan looked down uncomfortably. “For a while, you always had a medicinal smell on you. I heard that medicinal herb scents were always wafting from your courtyard, and I thought you had fallen seriously ill.”

Because the medicinal smell persisted for such a long time.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled. “That was when I was too eager for quick results during training, so my grandfather found an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor to prescribe a bath formula for me.”

She pondered briefly. “I still remember the prescription. When we get back, I’ll write it down and see if we can gather all the medicinal ingredients. We can try it and see how effective it is.”

Fu Tinghan nodded. He also wanted to increase his training intensity. In terms of physical conditioning, he was far behind Zhao Hanzhang, which made him somewhat ashamed. He couldn’t always rely on Teacher Zhao to protect him when they encountered violent situations in the future, could he?

Zhao Hanzhang rested briefly, massaged her legs to relax the muscles, and only went to bathe and change clothes after her body’s heat had dissipated.

Wang Shi had witnessed everything and felt deeply distressed. During breakfast, she kept putting buns and meat pies on their plates. “I knew you worked hard, but I didn’t realize it was this hard.”

Rising before dawn, running so far back, then boxing and practicing sword without stopping even when clothes were soaked through.

Wang Shi silently wept, becoming even more determined to stay and help. So she set down her chopsticks and announced very solemnly, “I’ve decided—I’m staying at the fortress to help Sanniang.”

Zhao Hanzhang choked and nearly sprayed out her goat’s milk.

Fu Tinghan quickly handed her a handkerchief.

After Zhao Hanzhang covered her mouth and calmed down, she hurriedly asked, “Mother, what will you stay here to help me with?”

Wang Shi glanced outside, then leaned close to whisper, “Help you keep watch over the clan members. If they refuse to submit to you, I can tell you. And if I do well, I might even be able to mediate for you.”

Zhao Hanzhang looked at the excited Wang Shi. The refusal on her tongue circled around before she swallowed it, instead raising her thumb. “Mother is most thoughtful.”

“Naturally,” Wang Shi said proudly, pushing down Zhao Hanzhang’s thumb. “Don’t make such unseemly gestures. Although you’re the one in charge now, you’re still a young lady. You should pay attention to daily etiquette.”

Zhao Hanzhang examined her raised thumb. “What’s unseemly about this?”

She added, “This is the thumb, not the middle finger.”

Wang Shi was puzzled. “Why is the thumb acceptable but the middle finger not?”

She pushed down Zhao Hanzhang’s finger. “To me they’re all the same. Make fewer strange gestures.”

Zhao Hanzhang could only comply, picking up her bowl again to drink goat’s milk. “All right, I’ll listen to everything you say.”

After her grand ambition passed, Wang Shi became somewhat timid again. “What about your Fifth Great-Uncle…”

“I’ll speak to him,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “I was planning to see Fifth Great-Uncle to discuss matters anyway. I’ll take care of this at the same time.”

She asked, “Since you want to move back to Xiping, will you usually stay at the county yamen or at the old residence?”

“At the old residence, of course. Otherwise how can I help you watch them?” Wang Shi said. Then she grew excited. “Though I can occasionally stay at the county yamen too.”

She added enthusiastically, “I’ve never stayed at a county yamen before.”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Later I’ll also have you stay at the provincial governor’s mansion and the inspector’s mansion.”

“I’ve stayed at both of those before.”

Zhao Hanzhang fell silent, then picked up a bun for her mother. “Mother, please eat your breakfast. In a bit, send a letter to Shangcai and have Chengbo send all your belongings and servants to Xiping.”

Wang Shi agreed.