Zhao Hu waved dismissively. It was just that short distance—how much difference was there between the county seat and home?

At worst, he could buy a residence in the county seat to live in. That way they’d be living together again, wouldn’t they?

After thinking it over, Zhao Hu still looked at Zhao Hanzhang suspiciously. “He agreed?”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded and sighed. “I gave up quite a lot to get Uncle to agree. He really isn’t easy to invite.”

Zhao Hu felt somewhat proud yet also gritted his teeth. “That’s only natural. There aren’t many like him in this world.”

“It’s just that I don’t know how long I can keep Uncle there.”

Zhao Hu frowned. “Since you’ve invited him, why can’t you keep him there long-term?”

“Seventh Grand-Uncle knows that Xiping County is short of everything now, especially paper and books. I invited Uncle to be a teacher. Being a man of true feeling and nature, he naturally won’t be burdened by mundane matters. So if the school can’t even provide adequate paper and books, naturally it won’t be able to keep Uncle there.”

Zhao Hu said irritably, “How can you not even procure paper and books? Are you even a county magistrate?”

Zhao Hanzhang looked troubled. “I have the will but lack the means. When Xiping County fell, the only bookshop in the county seat was burned down, and the entire family was killed by the rebel forces. Now even the county office has to buy paper from Shangcai and other counties.”

Zhao Hu pondered this. “I do have some paper and idle books at home. I can lend you some later.”

Lend, is it?

Zhao Hanzhang looked moved. “Thank you, Seventh Grand-Uncle.”

Never mind—first get it in hand, then we’ll talk.

“Seventh Grand-Uncle, do you know who the book merchant was that the former bookshop owner worked with?”

Zhao Hu replied, “I know him, but I’m not familiar with the book merchant. I’m familiar with their family’s physician.”

Zhao Hanzhang looked confused. “Physician?”

“That’s right. The Five Stone Powder their physician made was excellent—counted among the best in Runan Commandery,” Zhao Hu said. “As for that book merchant, I only know his surname is Chen.”

Zhao Hanzhang’s expression turned cold, her ingratiating manner vanishing instantly. She sat up straight and looked at Zhao Hu, examining him up and down before asking, “Seventh Grand-Uncle consumes Five Stone Powder?”

Zhao Hu answered carelessly, “Yes, so what?”

Nothing much—just want to hit someone.

But thinking about it, Zhao Hu’s infractions against her principles weren’t just one or two. Her expression softened slightly, though inwardly she sneered. “I just recalled something Grandfather once mentioned—those who consume Five Stone Powder die young.”

Zhao Hu, about to slam the table and curse at Zhao Hanzhang, suddenly had his fingers grasped by her. She grinned at him. “But seeing Seventh Grand-Uncle’s condition today—rosy complexion, high spirits—you don’t seem headed for an early death. So perhaps what Grandfather said isn’t entirely correct. Look, wasn’t he wrong this time?”

Zhao Hu’s heart skipped a beat, and he felt somewhat panicked.

Speaking of the most learned person in the Zhao family—who would that be?

Definitely Zhao Changyu!

Who had the highest prestige?

Also definitely Zhao Changyu!

Zhao Hu initially didn’t believe it, but when Zhao Hanzhang negated Zhao Changyu’s words, he instead began to believe them. His heart filled with unease as he quickly asked, “Did your grandfather really say this?”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded.

Zhao Hu swallowed hard, looking helplessly at Zhao Song.

Zhao Song was also somewhat anxious. Seeing him look over, he scolded, “Serves you right! I told you not to consume things randomly, but you wouldn’t listen. You kept saying all the literati do so. Am I not a literatus? Why don’t I consume that wretched Five Stone Powder?”

Yet he still anxiously asked Zhao Hanzhang on his behalf, “Is there a cure?”

“There is, but it requires great willpower to achieve,” Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes flickered as she said to Zhao Hu, “If Seventh Grand-Uncle trusts me, I’ll find time to detoxify and treat you. As long as you stay with me for three months and follow my instructions during those three months, I can definitely detoxify you.”

“You’re saying Five Stone Powder is poison?”

“Yes,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “Seventh Grand-Uncle, with your extensive experience, you should understand one principle—in this world, the better something is, the more toxic it tends to be. Take mushrooms, for example—the prettier they look, the more poisonous they are.”

“This Five Stone Powder makes people feel as if they’re floating on air after consumption. Where does it get such powerful effects? Isn’t it precisely because it’s poisonous?”

Zhao Hu was very doubtful. “Then why has no physician ever warned against it? Moreover, consuming Five Stone Powder does indeed sharpen the mind, strengthen the body, invigorate dragon essence and tiger…”

Zhao Song began coughing violently, glaring fiercely at Zhao Hu.

Only then did Zhao Hu remember that Zhao Hanzhang was a young woman, and certain things indeed shouldn’t be said in her presence.

However, Zhao Hanzhang wore an expression of complete understanding and even said, “I understand. But Seventh Grand-Uncle, saying this shows you’ve misunderstood the physicians of this realm. Actually, they’ve said quite a bit—it’s just that patients refuse to listen.”

She sighed. “I’ve heard that Five Stone Powder was originally created to treat typhoid fever. It’s just that some people became addicted to the state after consumption, feeling their bodies heat up and their souls ascending as if becoming immortals. So they thought this formula was a divine elixir that could grant longevity. But my grandfather had the Ministry of Revenue compile statistics privately. No one who consumed this formula achieved longevity—instead, quite a few died mysteriously young. He sent people to investigate and found that all the deceased died of poisoning, and the poison all came from Five Stone Powder.”

Zhao Hu grew frightened but still tried to maintain his composure. “Real or fake? How come I never heard Elder Brother mention this?”

Zhao Hanzhang countered, “Did Grandfather know Seventh Grand-Uncle consumed Five Stone Powder?”

He definitely didn’t know. If Zhao Changyu knew he consumed Five Stone Powder, wouldn’t he write letters to scold him to death?

Zhao Song on the side remained silent, merely glancing at Zhao Hanzhang again and again.

Zhao Changyu actually did know!

Others might not know, but could Zhao Song not report such a major matter to Zhao Changyu?

Well, actually it wasn’t that major, but Zhao Song was accustomed to writing out every detail in letters to chat with Zhao Changyu, so he was certain he had told him.

Either Zhao Changyu hadn’t taken it to heart and didn’t remember this matter, or these words were all fabricated by Zhao Hanzhang.

Could Zhao Changyu fail to remember things? In Zhao Song’s mind, this was absolutely impossible. So there was only one possibility—all these words were lies invented by Zhao Hanzhang.

Not only did Zhao Hanzhang fabricate a story to frighten Zhao Hu until his face turned pale, but she also decided to complete her chain of evidence. She planned to return and summon all the physicians in the city for a discussion.

However, the most important matter at hand was still the paper and books. “I wonder how much paper and how many books Seventh Grand-Uncle can donate to me?”

Zhao Hu, immersed in thoughts of his own poisoning, replied impatiently, “It’s lending, not donating. I don’t know how much there is either. Go ask Sanjin. Take all the paper from the household, and as for books, there are only a few common ones.”

Zhao Hanzhang looked regretful. “Only a few books?”

Zhao Hu said irritably, “My family doesn’t run a bookshop. Having prepared a few basic primers is already quite good.”

After all, he only had one son and one grandson. Why would he buy so many copies of the same book?