Given Fu Zhi and Zhao Changyu’s prestige, inviting the Prince of Donghai to be matchmaker truly wasn’t difficult.

Zhao Changyu hesitated only briefly before nodding. “Excellent.”

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t particularly like the Prince of Donghai, but seeing that Zhao Changyu had agreed immediately, she didn’t speak up.

Zhao Zhongyu frowned and glanced at Zhao Changyu imperceptibly.

Fu Zhi happily exchanged the eight characters and seals with Zhao Changyu. He wanted to discuss the marriage matters between the two children more deeply, such as the upcoming formal proposal and betrothal gifts, but before he could speak, a servant rushed in and bowed. “Master, the imperial messenger has arrived with an edict.”

Fu Zhi held his words.

Zhao Changyu stood up and said to Zhao Hanzhang, “You’re injured, so there’s no need to receive the edict. Please take our honored guests to Xingzhi Courtyard and entertain them well.”

Zhao Hanzhang stood and acknowledged.

Zhao Changyu said to Fu Zhi, “I apologize for the poor hospitality today.”

Fu Zhi smiled. “Go ahead and attend to it. You and I need not stand on such ceremony.”

Only then did Zhao Changyu call to Zhao Zhongyu. “Come, let’s go receive the edict.”

Wang Shi felt bitter inside and reluctantly followed them out. Zhao Hanzhang patted her hand and gave Qinggu a look, signaling her to watch over Wang Shi.

Zhao Hanzhang watched them leave before turning back to smile at Fu Zhi and Fu Tinghan. “Assistant Minister Fu, please.”

Fu Zhi had been observing her expression all along. Seeing not the slightest change in her face—even her mother couldn’t remain unmoved, yet she showed no emotion whatsoever—he inwardly praised her character.

Fu Zhi was even more satisfied and followed her to Xingzhi Courtyard with a beaming smile.

However, being very considerate, seeing his grandson constantly turning to look at her, once they reached Xingzhi Courtyard, Fu Zhi casually found an excuse. “I remember your family grows Chinese roses. At this time of year, cutting a few branches to arrange in a vase would be quite interesting.”

Zhao Hanzhang led Fu Tinghan to cut flowers.

Fu Zhi stood by the window watching them walk away, stroking his beard with a smile. “Not bad, not bad.”

The steward stood behind him, craning his neck to look. “Zhao Sanniang’s leg has healed?”

Fu Tinghan also looked at her leg.

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Much better. If I walk slowly, you can’t tell. In a couple more days, it should be completely fine.”

“But you came on a sedan chair just now.”

Zhao Hanzhang looked at his head. “Where did the bandage you had yesterday go?”

Fu Tinghan coughed lightly and touched his head, turning his gaze away. After thinking about it, he turned back confidently. “I did this to achieve your goal. If I came injured, would your grandfather have agreed to this marriage?”

Zhao Hanzhang pointed to her own leg with a smile. “This is also for our benefit. With my leg injured, I can get more things. Who knows when we can go back? We need to accumulate resources.”

Fu Tinghan heard this and pondered. “It sounds like your dowry will be substantial, but I don’t seem to have any private property on my side.”

Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand. “This isn’t mine either. In the end, it still needs to be left for the original owner’s mother and brother. We need to earn what we need ourselves, though we can borrow their resources for now.”

Zhao Hanzhang casually pulled over a red Chinese rose branch and snipped it with a click, asking, “Do you want to go to the city gate to see where we landed? I don’t know if space-time travel has specific location requirements. We’ll have to leave Luoyang eventually, so we need to investigate early.”

“Why do we have to leave Luoyang?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “We have no choice. Luoyang will descend into chaos—it’s not suitable for survival.”

Fu Tinghan knew this was a chaotic era, but he wasn’t very familiar with the history of this period. He asked Zhao Hanzhang, “Warfare? Didn’t the emperor just ascend the throne?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “You don’t know. In this era, apart from the South which remains relatively stable, in the North, there’s no place that can remain peaceful for long. Luoyang is the capital of the Great Jin, so it’s even more chaotic.”

“That’s why I want to determine whether space-time travel is related to location.”

Fu Tinghan reached out to take the Chinese rose she had cut. “Do you really believe we can go back?”

Zhao Hanzhang looked up at him. The two silently locked eyes for a long while before she pressed her lips together. “We have to try.”

Here, she had no sense of belonging.

Fu Tinghan stared at her fixedly. After a long moment, he nodded. “Alright, I’ll go take a look. But I haven’t researched this much—I can only do my best.”

Zhao Hanzhang reached out her hand to him. “Then we’ve reached an agreement—cooperate to find a way back. Here’s to a pleasant cooperation.”

Fu Tinghan looked down at the hand extended before his eyes, then reached out to grasp it. “Pleasant cooperation.”

Zhao Hanzhang looked at Professor Fu with his downcast eyes and calm expression, puzzled. “Professor Fu, have we met before?”

Fu Tinghan lifted his eyes to look at her. “Of course. We’re from the same university and colleagues. Even if we’re not from the same department, we’d still run into each other. Besides, Teacher Zhao is always at the library.”

Zhao Hanzhang looked at his face. Something seemed to emerge from deep within her memory. She shook her head. “No, that’s not right. That way I should only recognize Professor Fu’s voice. But I feel like I should have seen you too, before I went blind.”

Fu Tinghan looked down at her hand that was still holding on, reminding her, “Teacher Zhao.”

Zhao Hanzhang looked down and saw, quickly withdrawing her hand. “I’m sorry.”

Fu Tinghan smiled at her, wanting to take advantage of this opportunity to skip past the topic.

But Zhao Hanzhang’s curiosity was piqued. She wanted to continue probing, but her ears caught an unusual sound.

Zhao Hanzhang tilted her head to listen, then lowered her head to search on the ground.

Fu Tinghan followed her gaze downward. “Looking for what?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “A rock.”

Fu Tinghan looked baffled as he dug out a rock about the size of a baby’s fist from under the Chinese rose bush. “It’s a bit small. Will it work?”

Zhao Hanzhang reached out to take it, smiling. “It’s enough.”

She weighed it in her hand. Without seeming to use much force, the stone flew out lightly, tracing a graceful arc through the air before landing with a thud behind a nearby artificial mountain.

Along with this sound came a cry of pain, followed by a series of exclamations.

Fu Tinghan: …

Zhao Hanzhang dusted off her hands and waved to Ting He, who had fallen behind. When she came up, Zhao Hanzhang leaned on her. “Tell them to bring the sedan chair. Say I was frightened and twisted my ankle—injury upon injury. In a moment, we’ll go to the treasury to get some precious medicinal herbs.”

Ting He cheerfully replied “Yes” and tiptoed to look toward the artificial mountain.

No one came out from behind the artificial mountain for a long time. Zhao Hanzhang frowned, about to send servants to check, when a small maid finally emerged from behind it, trembling and kneeling on the ground, not daring to move.

Zhao Hanzhang saw blood stains on her collar but no injury on her person, so she knew the main culprit wasn’t her. Moreover, based on her judgment, the person behind the artificial mountain should be from the second branch.

Zhao Hanzhang stared at her for a moment and asked, “Who else is behind the artificial mountain?”

The little maid stammered, “No, no one else. Only this servant.”

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t make things difficult for her and nodded. “You may go. It rained a few days ago and the rocks on the artificial mountain are loose. Be careful when walking past it—don’t get hit by falling stones again. Otherwise, next time you won’t be so lucky.”

The little maid hadn’t expected Zhao Hanzhang to let her off so easily. She froze for a moment before repeatedly kowtowing. “Yes.”