Though not his own student, she was still his grandniece, so Zhao Qin relied on his elder status to thoroughly scold Zhao Hanzhang, then drove her out of the courtyard.

Zhao Hanzhang stumbled out of the courtyard looking utterly disheveled, patted her chest, and let out a long breath. Fortunately Eleventh Great-Uncle hadn’t brought up copying books again.

Zhao Hanzhang automatically skipped over this matter. Men of this age were truly irritable.

Zhao Hanzhang wobbled toward the exit. Reaching the gate, she remembered everyone was now in the garden attending the ceremonial banquet—she seemed unable to find anyone.

After thinking, she simply had someone fetch her a package of malt candy and headed toward the villages below the fortress.

The Zhao clan fortress had enclosed the villages where Zhao clan members lived in concentration, then slowly built wide streets, which was how it came to have tall city walls like a city.

But inside, villages were still distributed throughout.

After all, not everyone surnamed Zhao had money to buy mansions or shops on the main streets. The vast majority of clan members still lived in villages, working from sunrise to sunset.

Of course, it being winter now, everyone was holed up at home for the season.

Because it was the Winter Solstice ceremonial banquet, a major Zhao clan occasion, there were quite a few people on the streets—curious scholars who’d come upon hearing the news, merchants passing through on business, and even more common folk from nearby who’d come to join the excitement.

Zhao Hanzhang blended into the crowd completely unremarkably, but the children running about the streets still recognized her. Unlike the adults whose affection for her was mixed with fear, the children were much more straightforward, chasing after her calling “Third Sister” and “Third Aunt.”

They all knew Zhao Hanzhang was the great hero who had saved the fortress. Many children aspired to become like Zhao Hanzhang when they grew up.

Zhao Hanzhang distributed the malt candy she carried to them, asking, “Have you come out to play with your families’ knowledge?”

The children answered in unison, “Yes!”

“There are many people in the fortress these days—don’t run around carelessly, or you might get kidnapped by child snatchers.”

A seven or eight-year-old child said seriously and solemnly, “As long as we don’t leave the fortress we’re fine. My older brother and his friends patrol the streets—nobody dares snatch us within the city.”

Zhao Hanzhang reached out to pat his head, smiling. “Very clever. Since you’re all so smart, do you know the fortress has an honored guest named Xiahou Ren?”

“We know, we know,” the children competed to answer. “He’s a renowned scholar. My brother says his painting is amazing.”

“He also knows military strategy.”

“He’s our family’s relative.”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “You know so much. Then do you know where he is now?”

“In the garden?”

“No,” a four or five-year-old child squeezed out from among his playmates, tilting his head up to look at Zhao Hanzhang. “I know—over there.”

Zhao Hanzhang followed where he pointed—it was a wine house. Oh, this wine house was Seventh Great-Uncle’s family business.

Zhao Hanzhang gave that child two extra candies, patted his head in praise. “Thank you. Go play now.”

With that, she headed toward the wine house.

The wine house was filled with boisterous voices. They couldn’t enter the garden, but that didn’t prevent them from commenting on renowned scholars from various places who’d come to attend the ceremonial banquet.

“Xiahou Ren came personally—most likely preparing for next year’s ranking evaluation. I wonder how many Zhao clan members will receive rankings this time.”

“Zhao clan children receiving rankings isn’t difficult. The difficulty is receiving high rankings. Someone as capable as Zhao Ming only received middle-upper rank. Now it will be hard for any Zhao clan children to surpass him.”

“It’s a pity Zhao Hanzhang isn’t male. Otherwise with her current reputation and achievements, she’d receive at minimum middle-upper rank.”

“Ah, I recall her betrothed husband is also with the Zhao clan. Fu Changlong had a talented reputation in Chang’an, and he escorted the coffin home with Zhao Hanzhang—most pure and filial. With such character, can he be ranked as upper grade?”

“Indeed, there aren’t many in the world as devoted and filial as him. Unfortunately, this ranking evaluation is the Inspector and their affair—we can only discuss it privately and cannot determine rankings ourselves.”

“Have you all seen that Master Fu?”

“I haven’t, though I’ve been fortunate enough to see Zhao Hanzhang.”

Zhao Hanzhang passed right by him and gave him a look—unfortunately he didn’t look up, so didn’t see.

Zhao Hanzhang went straight upstairs. The shopkeeper who’d been calculating on his abacus saw her and immediately came out from behind the counter to greet her, asking quietly, “Sanniang, why have you come? Right now the wine house is crowded, and there are many who recognize you…”

“I’m here to find Xiahou Ren.”

The shopkeeper immediately gave her directions. “Second floor private room. This humble one will escort you up.”

“No need. Just tell me which room—I’ll go up myself.”

Zhao Hu’s second floor was specially arranged to provide privacy for scholars who needed it. The layout was even better than the largest wine house in Xiping County.

Independent rooms with low tables and floor seating, two side-by-side windows—not only spacious with good lighting, but also cold.

So when Zhao Hanzhang knocked and entered, she saw Xiahou Ren and He Cheng sitting around a brazier. Hearing the knock, they’d stopped talking, but they never expected the visitor would be Zhao Hanzhang.

Xiahou Ren was only momentarily startled before reacting. “Miss Zhao came specifically to find me?”

“Precisely,” Zhao Hanzhang smiled. “I’d like to ask Uncle to stay some days longer in Xiping.”

After performing her courtesies, she sat on the other side of the mat, sighing. “I hope Uncle will look around Xiping County more. After being plundered by chaotic forces, Xiping’s people face many hardships…”

Xiahou Ren said, “This is the Inspector’s responsibility. I’m merely a commoner—what use is it telling me?”

He Cheng thought: …He’s Inspector He’s nephew.

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Outside they’re all saying Uncle came this time on behalf of General Xiahou to prepare for next year’s ranking evaluation.”

Xiahou Ren narrowed his eyes. “What does this have to do with Xiping’s people’s livelihood?”

“Of course it does,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “If Uncle is evaluating rankings next year and would speak well of Xiping, allowing more talented and renowned scholars to remain in Xiping and build up Xiping, the common people’s lives would improve considerably.”

She needed talented people. However, currently the most important thing was to keep Xiahou Ren confined to the fortress so he wouldn’t wander about. She had quite a few settlement sites within Xiping County, filled with able-bodied men—one look would show something was wrong.

Although she could have people hide, but in such cold weather, it would greatly harm her soldiers. Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t bear to have her people suffer such hardship, so…

Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze fell on Xiahou Ren, her expression increasingly sincere. “Uncle, the manuscript copying still requires considerable time anyway. Why not come with me to look at Xiping County? After you see it, you’ll feel compassion for them too.”

Xiahou Ren thought: …Are they that familiar?

He Cheng couldn’t help saying, “Miss Zhao, the best governing method for the people is to do little, or do nothing, allowing them to rest and recover. So dispatching talented people to Xiping County is completely unnecessary.”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “I’d like to let them rest and recover, doing nothing. But the court’s taxes grow heavier each year. If I do nothing, can the court also do nothing?”

He Cheng was left speechless, unable to respond momentarily.