Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help laughing aloud, her gaze tender. “All right, I’ll leave him a little something.”

Wang Shi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and turned to see Zhao Erlang still eating. She couldn’t help slapping him. “All you think about is eating. Do you remember the characters I taught you yesterday?”

Zhao Erlang immediately felt the snack in his hand lose its appeal. He glanced guiltily at his sister and stood up. “Mother, I’ll go brew medicine for Grandfather.”

“Your grandfather doesn’t need you brewing medicine. Come here quickly. We’re learning new characters today. If you can remember even one, tomorrow I’ll give you two extra snacks.”

Zhao Erlang didn’t want to. He retreated step by step until he reached the door, then turned and ran. “I don’t want to learn characters anymore. Grandfather already said not to force me.”

“You!” Wang Shi was furious. “Stop right there! Who taught you to run away when speaking with your elders?”

Zhao Erlang had already disappeared in a flash.

Zhao Hanzhang pulled her back. “Mother, since Erlang can’t learn it, don’t force him. Let him practice martial arts. Learning should be based on one’s strengths.”

“Martial arts makes one just a warrior. To protect oneself, one still needs to study.” Which person in power was an advisor rather than a mere warrior?

In Wang Shi’s eyes, warriors were just people who sold their lives for others.

“Martial and literary arts are the same—taken to their extremes, both can be sold to the imperial house. Not to mention in such chaotic times—being able to protect oneself is already a great skill,” she said. “I think Erlang is doing quite well like this.”

Wang Shi sighed and waved her hand. “Fine. I’m forcing him anyway, and he still can’t learn.”

She pushed Zhao Hanzhang. “Go quickly and brew medicine for your grandfather. Spend more time attending his sickbed during this period. Don’t let the second branch claim all the credit.”

Unfortunately, she was a daughter-in-law and a widow, or she would go hover around her father-in-law too. How much family property one could get at this time depended entirely on ability.

“Your grandfather’s foundation is deep. He has many good things.”

Zhao Hanzhang soon saw Zhao Changyu’s assets. He found an excuse to take Zhao Hanzhang out, going directly to an estate on the edge of the city.

Zhao Hanzhang was quite surprised. Who would have thought such a place existed within Luoyang city—fields laid out in neat plots, roosters crowing and dogs barking, with farmers carrying hoes passing before their carriage, looking ready to work the fields.

Seeing her constantly looking outside, Zhao Changyu said, “This is the planting season. Those with land go to their fields; those without can find work in the fields. The whole year’s plan lies in spring. If we can sow all the seeds this spring, by autumn and winter there will be a harvest.”

Zhao Hanzhang replied, “I just didn’t expect there to be estates and fields like this within Luoyang city. I thought the city was all shops and residences.”

Zhao Changyu said, “How many shops and residences could children your age know about? In truth, Luoyang city doesn’t have that many commercial establishments and homes. Agriculture and fields are actually the main components.”

He also turned to look at the farmers coming and going with their tools. “In stable times, they are free people, tenant farmers, and slaves who till the land. In unstable times, they become dogs of chaos. I have some men stationed here.”

He continued, “These people were originally being raised for your father. They’re not recorded in the household registers—only Qianli knows about this place.”

Zhao Hanzhang raised an eyebrow. “Ji Yuan doesn’t know either?”

Zhao Changyu replied, “He didn’t know before. After confirming Erlang’s mental impairment, he was told.”

Zhao Hanzhang was speechless.

Zhao Changyu didn’t avoid the topic, saying frankly, “Originally I planned to entrust Erlang to him. These men would all be given to Erlang. With me watching over things, after Erlang married and had children, they would be passed to the next generation. But…”

Zhao Changyu lowered his eyes. “Man proposes, Heaven disposes. Since my last illness, this body has never been well… I’m bringing you here today to let you meet them. When you marry, take them with you.”

Zhao Hanzhang asked, “Will they be recorded on the list?”

“No,” Zhao Changyu’s gaze sharpened slightly. “Their personal contracts and the estate’s land deeds will all be given to you privately. Aside from you, no one else in the household will know of their existence.”

He continued, “If anything comes up, you can command them through Qianli.”

Zhao Hanzhang understood. This was the foundation Zhao Changyu was leaving her.

“Uncle won’t know either?”

Zhao Changyu said calmly, “He won’t know.”

Zhao Hanzhang wondered why he was so certain when Zhao Changyu suddenly said, “You might consider letting Fu Changrong know about this.”

“Grandfather isn’t worried about Fu Changrong scheming?”

Zhao Changyu replied, “Since I dared choose the Fu family, I’m not afraid of their scheming. Moreover…”

His gaze fell on Zhao Hanzhang. “Between you two, who will scheme against whom is still uncertain.”

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. “Sanniang, it’s not necessarily true that men must be above women. You’re excellent. Since you have the ambition to lead the first branch of the Zhao family, then do it well. You and Fu Changrong will be husband and wife in the future—as close as spouses can be, yet as distant. You manage it yourself.”

Zhao Hanzhang felt he was quite the old fox. If this were the original host, that young girl hearing these words would have such great ambition stirred in her heart that she would spend her entire life striving to protect the Zhao mother and son and preserve the Zhao family’s first branch.

Though she planned to do exactly that anyway.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled at him slightly. “I understand. I’ll get along well with Young Master Fu and work together to protect our Zhao family’s first branch.”

Zhao Changyu glanced at her and couldn’t help raising his hand to tap her head. “Such a clever little thing.”

Arriving at their destination, the carriage stopped. Zhao Hanzhang got down first, then helped Zhao Changyu descend.

Zhao Changyu took her hand as he stepped down. Zhao Ju was already waiting in the courtyard with people at the gate. As soon as they arrived, he led them forward to kneel in salute.

Those behind him knelt down in a rustling wave.

There were just two rows in total, seven or eight people in each, their ages not differing much—all between roughly sixteen or seventeen and thirty-five years old. All were able-bodied men.

The courtyard was an ordinary farm household’s, except the walls were somewhat high. Inside they kept chickens, and under the eaves hung wheat stalks and rice grain, as well as bundles of tied cauliflower seeds.

Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze swept around the courtyard before she stood with Zhao Changyu on the steps.

Zhao Changyu pointed to her and told everyone, “This is my granddaughter. In the future, my legacy will be inherited by her.”

At these words, everyone raised their heads to glance at Zhao Hanzhang before kneeling in salute. “We greet the young lady.”

Zhao Hanzhang looked toward Zhao Changyu.

Zhao Changyu nodded to her, and Zhao Hanzhang smiled at everyone. “Please rise. From now on, I’ll be relying on all of you for your care.”

Everyone said in unison, “We dare not.”

Zhao Changyu then said to Zhao Hanzhang, “Have Qianli lead you to meet them properly.”

He lowered his voice. “These people are retainers, yet more than just retainers. Their families are all here as well.”

Zhao Hanzhang understood. “I’ll communicate well with them.”

Zhao Ju was very obedient to Zhao Changyu. Since he said to let Zhao Hanzhang understand these people, he explained everything in minute detail, even telling Zhao Hanzhang about which couple had fought the previous night.

Zhao Hanzhang was speechless. She understood somewhat why Zhao Changyu trusted Zhao Ju so much.