Seeing the young men hang their heads like frost-bitten eggplants, Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “Within Xiping County there’s no harm, just be careful outside the county.”

Hearing this, Zhao Ming couldn’t help but turn and glare at her.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled at him. “Uncle, they’re all still young. Having concern for state affairs is better than being obsessed with pure conversation.”

Everyone looked at her in surprise. Though shocked that she dared contradict Zhao Ming, that didn’t mean they agreed with her words. Zhao Kuan said, “Third Younger Sister, why do you speak of pure conversation in such a dismissive tone?”

Zhao Cheng also frowned at her.

Zhao Hanzhang blinked and stated firmly, “That must be Elder Brother mishearing—I’m not dismissive of pure conversation at all.”

Zhao Kuan wouldn’t let it go, pressing closer to ask, “Didn’t Third Younger Sister’s words show contempt for pure conversation while promoting state affairs?”

Zhao Hanzhang looked surprised. “Aren’t state affairs worthy of promotion?”

“I didn’t say state affairs aren’t worthy of promotion, but among worldly truths, clarity comes only through debate. State affairs are mundane matters—compared to the essence of humanity, state affairs must yield ground.”

Zhao Hanzhang looked at Zhao Cheng. “Does Younger Uncle also think this way?”

Zhao Cheng replied, “I’ve traveled and studied for many years precisely to find a path that can save the people, to pursue the essence of humanity.”

“Has Younger Uncle found it?”

Zhao Cheng shook his head. “If even someone like your grandfather couldn’t find it, how could I?”

Zhao Hanzhang thought for a moment before saying, “I don’t know what essence of humanity you’re pursuing, nor do I know what method can save the world. I can only do my utmost to save those I can see. Since Younger Uncle hasn’t found the answer, why not pause temporarily and think while helping those around you?”

Zhao Cheng frowned. “Help those around me?”

“Yes,” Zhao Hanzhang said earnestly. “Younger Uncle, Xiping County suffered this great calamity. Not only was the county seat plundered, but villages outside the city were also ravaged by rebel forces. I won’t say nine out of ten homes are empty, but losses have been severe.”

“The people are displaced. Seeing this pains my heart deeply. Please, Younger Uncle, help me save them.”

Zhao Cheng asked directly, “How much grain do you need?”

Zhao Hanzhang said seriously, “Younger Uncle, this isn’t about grain. Though I’m not wealthy, I still have some dowry that can barely sustain things. What the people of Xiping need is you, Younger Uncle.”

Zhao Cheng looked completely baffled. “They need me?”

What could he do?

Zhao Ming sat calmly to the side drinking wine, lifting his eyelids to glance at his clan brother. “She wants you to be her advisor.”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded repeatedly, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Zhao Cheng.

Zhao Cheng frowned without answering. He had never considered entering official service, much less becoming anyone’s advisor.

Seeing this, Zhao Hanzhang immediately turned to invite Zhao Kuan and the others. “The county seat is short of people everywhere right now. Rather than traveling abroad to study, why not stay in Xiping? First, you can plead for the people’s welfare; second, by experiencing the mortal world, you might gain different insights and resolve your inner doubts.”

Zhao Kuan was rather stubborn and asked, “Third Younger Sister still hasn’t answered—between state affairs and pure conversation, which is more important?”

Zhao Hanzhang sighed with a troubled expression. “I’m a mundane person who has read little and doesn’t understand pure conversation.”

“I’ve heard that engaging in pure conversation with worthy scholars requires seeing what others haven’t seen and saying what others haven’t said. But I’m young and poorly read—how could I have such brilliant insights?” Zhao Hanzhang continued, “So for a mundane person like me, state affairs naturally carry more weight than pure conversation.”

Zhao Kuan immediately said, “If Third Younger Sister wants to learn, I can teach you.”

The young men behind him chimed in, “We can teach you too.”

Fu Tinghan, seeing the helplessness in her eyes, smiled and said, “I’ll teach her.”

Everyone came to their senses and noticed Fu Tinghan. Oh right—Fu Tinghan was fairly well-known. They’d heard he had his own insights into Daoist and Huang-Lao philosophy and enjoyed considerable reputation in the Beidi commandery area. Having the husband teach the wife was indeed more convenient and proper.

Zhao Kuan felt regretful. He thought Zhao Hanzhang was clever and cunning—if she learned pure conversation, they could bring her to debates and might actually win.

While Zhao Kuan regretted this, the young men behind him had already surrounded Fu Tinghan, enthusiastically inviting him. “Brother Fu, shall we have a debate?”

“That sounds good, but what topic should we use?”

“Since we mentioned state affairs and pure conversation, why not debate these two? Which is more important?” one person suggested. “Though Third Younger Sister didn’t answer explicitly, from her attitude we can clearly see she believes state affairs outweigh pure conversation.”

Fu Tinghan said, “I think the same way.”

They looked at Fu Tinghan in surprise. “How can you also think this? We’d heard you had achievements in pure conversation…”

Fu Tinghan replied, “So I’ve changed. From now on I won’t engage in pure conversation, but will focus solely on state affairs.”

Excellent—he’d just directly declined all future invitations.

Even Zhao Kuan couldn’t help but turn around. “You just said you’d teach Third Younger Sister.”

Fu Tinghan’s expression remained unchanged. “I will teach her, but I won’t debate metaphysics with anyone anymore. These two things don’t conflict.”

Everyone looked at him in surprise, very puzzled. “Why?”

They asked anxiously, “Did you lose to someone and make some kind of agreement?”

Their imaginations were quite vivid. Fu Tinghan stated bluntly, “I’ve lost interest in pure conversation.”

“Then what interests you now?”

“Mathematics.”

“You mean divination?” Thinking of what he’d heard from his parents last night, Zhao Kuan couldn’t help but frown. “Brother Fu, Mohism is merely a minor path. Since the fall of Qin, Mohism has ceased to exist, leaving only some craftsmen’s miscellaneous studies. How can you be interested in this?”

“Who said mathematics belongs to Mohism?” Fu Tinghan countered. “Mathematics can be used in many fields—the Military School, the Legalist School, even the Confucian School all use it.”

It is the language of the universe, the mother of all disciplines. Here it could be translated as: “It is the mother of all the Hundred Schools.”

Everyone’s eyes widened. Even Zhao Ming couldn’t help but choke. “Tinghan, how can you think this way?”

He looked at Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang waved dismissively. “There’s nothing wrong with thinking this way. Aren’t you debating? This argument is so fresh—perfect for you to use.”

A young man immediately went to pull Fu Tinghan, his interest piqued. “Let’s debate.”

Fu Tinghan refused. “I won’t debate. I’m giving you this argument—you all play with it.”

He had never participated in a debate conference and wasn’t familiar with pure conversation. Most importantly, he knew his own shortcomings. To argue that mathematics is the mother of all sciences, he could cite many proofs. But the Hundred Schools…

Being unfamiliar with the Hundred Schools, Fu Tinghan himself had doubts. The Military School and Legalist School would definitely use mathematics, and many things required mathematics as a foundation, especially the Military School.

But as for the other schools, he wasn’t entirely certain himself.

“This is your proposition—how can you not debate it?”

Still wanting to persuade Zhao Cheng, Zhao Hanzhang saw this and quickly stepped forward to rescue Fu Tinghan. “Brothers, our Fu gentleman has already spoken—having said he won’t engage in pure conversation, he won’t engage in it. Why must you all make him break his word?”

She continued, “If you want to know whether mathematics is the mother of all schools, there’s a very simple method. Come to my county office, use all the knowledge you’ve learned from the Military, Legalist, Confucian, Mohist and all other schools to do practical work, and see whether you can function independently without mathematics.”

“We explore fundamental truths—why should we do such mundane tasks?”

“Truth is born from practice. You’ve never practiced—how can you know if it’s true?”

“This is wrong. Many truths in the world don’t require testing one by one. Through reasoning alone, one can arrive at truth.”

Fu Tinghan, seeing them start arguing, honestly retreated to the side to watch them debate.

—