Zhao Song said, “Just say it plainly—it’s about Madam Wang, isn’t it? Why beat around the bush?”

Zhao Ming said, “As long as you understand, Father. You and Seventh Uncle have never shown Madam Wang any warmth…”

Zhao Song cut him off with a cold snort. “Just because I’ve softened my attitude doesn’t mean the matter of her ill-fated nature has simply ceased to exist. I’ve only done this because I don’t want to make things difficult for Sanniang.”

He said, “Right now Sanniang is the one in charge of the main branch and of Xiping County. Madam Wang is her mother, and a reputation like that reflects rather badly on her.”

Zhao Ming said, “…So you did understand, after all. Then why didn’t you consider that if Sanniang hadn’t achieved what she has now, that reputation of Madam Wang’s would have hurt her and Erlang even more?”

Zhao Song grew angry. “Do you think I don’t know that? But am I not even allowed my own likes and dislikes? Is it not a fact that her fate is inauspicious?”

Zhao Ming said, “It is not!”

Zhao Song hadn’t expected them to disagree even on this basic point, and furiously waved him off. “I won’t argue this with you. If you don’t believe me, go ask your Seventh Uncle yourself—that eminent monk’s judgment was sound, and remarkably accurate too. Several families in the nearby counties have benefited from his guidance.”

Zhao Ming said, “Seventh Uncle also once suggested burying living people alive with Eldest Uncle as funerary sacrifices. Why would you put such faith in a man capable of believing something so absurd?”

Zhao Song was left speechless for a good while, and finally said irritably, “I judge each matter on its own merits, not the man.”

“Then let’s judge this matter on its own merits. Back then…”

“Enough out of you,” Zhao Song suddenly bellowed, cutting him off. “I won’t listen to your twisted reasoning. Get out of my sight.”

Zhao Ming said, “Clearly you know you can’t out-argue me, so you won’t even let me speak…”

In the end, Zhao Song drove him out by swatting him with a bamboo scroll.

Once he’d done it, Zhao Song immediately ran, remorseful, to pick the scroll back up, handling it carefully to smooth it back into shape.

Zhao Hanzhang hadn’t had time to see Zhao Song the day before, so she decided to go see him today after breakfast.

Early in the morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan led Zhao Erlang out of the manor and began running along the main road through the estate.

Zhao Erlang ran fast, and seeing his sister and brother-in-law jogging along at an easy pace, he shot off ahead in a flash, unwilling to keep pace with their slower jog.

Zhao Hanzhang had sandbags tied to her legs, and was deliberately slowing her pace to match Fu Tinghan’s speed.

Fu Tinghan, aware of the weight on her legs, asked, “Did you add more weight?”

Zhao Hanzhang made a sound of agreement. “Sandbags work better than stones. Once your training load increases, you can try them too.”

Early as it was, someone heading out to the fields with a hoe over his shoulder spotted the three of them running back from a distance and froze in surprise.

Zhao Hanzhang had a good memory, and recognizing him, called out a greeting. “Uncle Gui, isn’t it? Heading to the fields?”

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

He looked behind them but saw nothing chasing them, and it certainly didn’t look like they were fleeing for their lives either—so why the running?

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

As they disappeared into the distance, Uncle Gui stood there staring blankly after them, and so a new rumor took root in the manor: the reason the main branch’s Sanniang had become so skilled in combat was that she’d simply run her way into it.

Back at the old residence, Zhao Hanzhang removed her sandbags, then went through a full set of military exercises and a sword form before finally stopping. By then her clothes were completely soaked through with sweat.

Fu Tinghan sat on the railing watching. He’d managed to follow along with a bit of the military exercises at most before giving up, unable to keep going.

Wiping her sweat with a cloth, Zhao Hanzhang told him, “The intensity is different. Once you’ve adjusted to your current level, you can gradually build up from there.”

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

Zhao Hanzhang paused mid-wipe, startled. “There are, but those are for easing muscle soreness. During intensive training, the worst part is the muscle damage—soaking in a medicinal bath helps the body absorb the strength gained from training more fully. How do you know about that?”

Fu Tinghan lowered his eyes, looking a bit uncomfortable. “For a while you always smelled of medicine. I heard there was always the scent of herbal medicine drifting from your courtyard, and I thought you might be seriously ill.”

Because the smell of medicine had lingered for so long.

Zhao Hanzhang laughed. “That was from when I was training too eagerly and pushing too hard, so my grandfather found an old physician to prescribe something for bathing.”

She thought for a moment. “I still remember the recipe. I’ll write it down later and see if we can gather all the ingredients—we could try it out.”

Fu Tinghan nodded. He wanted to increase his own training intensity too. The gap between his physical condition and Zhao Hanzhang’s was simply too great, which left him a little ashamed—he couldn’t very well expect Teacher Zhao to protect him every time violence broke out in the future, could he?

Zhao Hanzhang rested for a while, pressing on her legs to loosen the muscles, and only went to bathe and change once her body had cooled down.

Madam Wang had watched the whole thing, her heart aching for her daughter. All through breakfast she kept piling more buns and meat cakes onto their plates. “I knew you two worked hard, but I never imagined it was this hard.”

Getting up before dawn, running all that distance, then still practicing forms and swordplay afterward without stopping even once soaked through with sweat.

Madam Wang wiped away silent tears, her resolve to stay only growing firmer. She set down her chopsticks and announced solemnly, “I’ve decided. I’m going to stay at the manor and help Sanniang.”

Zhao Hanzhang choked, nearly spraying out a mouthful of goat’s milk.

Fu Tinghan quickly handed her a handkerchief.

Zhao Hanzhang covered her mouth, and once she’d recovered, asked, “Mother, what exactly would you be helping me with here?”

Madam Wang glanced around, then leaned in close and said quietly, “I’ll help keep an eye on the clan for you. If any of them don’t respect you properly, I’ll be able to tell you right away. And if I get on well enough with them, maybe I could even help mediate on your behalf.”

Zhao Hanzhang looked at her mother, so pleased with herself, and swallowed back the refusal that had risen to her tongue, giving a thumbs-up instead. “Mother really does think of everything.”

“Of course I do,” Madam Wang said proudly, then swatted Zhao Hanzhang’s thumb down. “Don’t make such unrefined gestures. Even though you’re the one in charge now, you’re still a young lady—you need to mind your everyday manners.”

Zhao Hanzhang held up her thumb again to examine it. “What’s unrefined about this?”

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

Madam Wang looked puzzled. “Why would the thumb be fine but not the middle finger?”

She swatted Zhao Hanzhang’s finger down again. “To me they look just the same. Stop making these strange gestures.”

Zhao Hanzhang could only put her hand away and pick her bowl back up to drink her goat’s milk. “Fine, whatever you say.”

After her burst of enthusiasm, Madam Wang grew a little timid again. “But about your Fifth Granduncle…”

“I’ll talk to him,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “I actually need to go see Fifth Granduncle in a bit to discuss something anyway—I’ll settle this at the same time.”

She added, “Since you want to move back to Xiping, will you be staying at the county office day to day, or here at the old residence?”

“The old residence, of course—otherwise how would I keep an eye on them for you?” Madam Wang said. “Though I could stay at the county office now and then too.”

She grew excited. “I’ve never actually stayed at a county office before.”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Later on I’ll have you stay at the governor’s residence and the inspector’s residence too.”

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

Zhao Hanzhang fell quiet, and instead put a bun on her mother’s plate. “Mother, eat your breakfast too. In a bit, write a letter to Shangcai and have Chengbo send your things and your servants over to Xiping.”

Madam Wang agreed.