Madam Sun left and hurried back to the rear courtyard, calling her eldest son to her. “The situation in the county is wrong. I can’t even go to the front office now. Quickly find a way to leave and go to Chen County to find your father. If you can’t find him, seek help from Governor He.”

Sun Taihe didn’t understand. “Hasn’t the chaos been quelled? Everything outside is quiet.”

Madam Sun paced anxiously in the room, finally saying in a low voice, “I fear this County君Zhao intends to seize Quyang. The rioters’ chaos has been quelled, but our Sun family’s troubles haven’t.”

“Mother, you must be overthinking it. Father is an official appointed by the court, and Quyang isn’t a small place. How could it be seized just like that?”

“Even rioters could break into the governor’s mansion and kill people—what’s impossible in this world? We should be prepared. You take people and leave quietly,” Madam Sun said. “If she truly intends to help your father, why hasn’t she asked to see us after quelling the unrest, and why won’t she let me go to the front courtyard?”

This defied reason.

Sun Taihe couldn’t find words to refute and could only agree.

Zhao Hanzhang indeed hadn’t thought of County Magistrate Sun’s wife and children. By rights, she should give his family an explanation, but since she planned to push County Magistrate Sun out of Quyang, naturally she didn’t think of them.

Ji Yuan was also very busy and only had someone properly protect County Magistrate Sun’s family before forgetting about it afterward.

As for Fu Tinghan, he simply didn’t think of it at all. Finally, it was Zhao Erlang who caught Sun Taihe trying to sneak out and brought him back that Zhao Hanzhang remembered—oh right, County Magistrate Sun’s family was living in the rear courtyard.

Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan hadn’t slept for a day and night, and they’d been doing mental labor. Once they lay down, they found it rather difficult to get up. Finally, it was the commotion in the courtyard that woke them both.

Zhao Hanzhang sat up dazedly, listened to the noise outside for a while, roughly understood what was happening, then put on her shoes and went out. Passing the screen, she glanced inside, meeting Fu Tinghan’s dazed gaze, and said, “You keep sleeping—I’ll handle it.”

Fu Tinghan nodded woodenly and lay back down to continue sleeping.

Sun Taihe was a bit younger than Zhao Erlang, only about eleven or twelve years old. Most importantly, he wasn’t just eleven or twelve in age—he also looked eleven or twelve.

Unlike Zhao Erlang, who was only thirteen but already tall and sturdy, when Sun Taihe struggled in his grasp, it looked just like Zhao Erlang was bullying him.

Which was pretty much the case.

Seeing his sister, Zhao Erlang immediately deposited Sun Taihe in front of her and announced loudly, “Sister, this person was sneaking around trying to get out—he might be a bad person. I caught him right away.”

Sun Taihe shouted, “I told you I’m County Magistrate Sun’s son, not a bad person! Let me go!”

Zhao Hanzhang asked the clerks sneaking glances over, “Is this County Magistrate Sun’s son?”

A clerk immediately stepped forward. “Yes, this is the county magistrate’s young master.”

Only then did Zhao Hanzhang have Zhao Erlang release him. She pulled Sun Taihe in front of her, looked him up and down, then asked, “Why were you running?”

Sun Taihe’s face was flushed red, nearly dripping blood under Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze. He stiffened his neck and asked, “Is our Sun family under arrest? Can’t we leave?”

“Of course you can,” Zhao Hanzhang said gently. “It’s just that although the unrest outside has been quelled, it’s still not very safe. It would be quite dangerous for you to go out.”

Sun Taihe hadn’t expected her to be so reasonable. He paused before looking at her suspiciously. “So you’re not detaining us?”

Zhao Hanzhang looked puzzled. “Why would I detain you for no reason?”

Sun Taihe paused before saying, “My mother wanted to come to the county office but was stopped.”

Zhao Hanzhang smiled. “Having just experienced chaos, the county office is still somewhat disorderly, so we’re not allowing people to move about freely. If Madam Sun wants to come, just send a servant to say so—I’ll personally go receive her.”

Seeing she didn’t seem to be lying and her attitude was good, Sun Taihe’s worried heart settled down.

He quietly breathed a sigh of relief and immediately revealed everything: “With Father not home, we’re worried, so we wanted to go to Chen County to find Father.”

Zhao Hanzhang immediately said, “That’s no difficulty at all—I can send people to escort your family to Chen County right now.”

She sighed. “This is my oversight. You’re a family—it’s natural to worry about each other.”

Zhao Hanzhang immediately had Zhao Ju prepare horses and men, then personally led Sun Taihe to the rear courtyard to see Madam Sun.

Madam Sun, who had been secretly packing bags and planning to quietly flee with her children if things looked bad, saw her eldest son return with a young woman. The bag in her hands nearly flew out.

However, she quickly steadied herself and turned to face Zhao Hanzhang with a renewed smile, coming forward to bow. “My lady must be County君Zhao who came to our aid?”

Seeing Zhao Hanzhang nod, she bowed deeply. “Thank you, County Jun Zhao, for your righteous rescue.”

Zhao Hanzhang quickly supported her. “Madam Sun is too kind. Xiping and Quyang are neighbors—this is what we should do.”

“Speaking of which, it’s our negligence. Last night we hurriedly sent County Magistrate Sun off and should have come to see my sister-in-law, but the county office affairs were chaotic and I couldn’t spare the time, causing sister-in-law worry.”

She smiled at Sun Taihe and said to Madam Sun, “Your worthy nephew said sister-in-law wanted to go to Chen County to find County Magistrate Sun. I’ve already had people prepare horses and carriages below—sister-in-law can depart immediately.”

“Though County Magistrate Sun left before you and took the night road, you could catch up halfway if you hurry.”

Madam Sun’s mouth fell open. She couldn’t even spare time to think about Zhao Hanzhang, who was roughly the same age as her eldest son, addressing her as equals. Her mind raced, weighing whether leaving would be disadvantageous or beneficial.

She felt leaving would be safer, but she also feared leaving would cause trouble for County Magistrate Sun…

She always felt Zhao Hanzhang’s purpose wasn’t pure—at least not simply to help Quyang and them.

Madam Sun couldn’t help but look at her eldest son.

Sun Taihe also looked at his mother eagerly. Seeing her gaze, he immediately said, “Mother, let’s go find Father.”

Watching her son, who was about the same age as Zhao Hanzhang, look at her with such trust, Madam Sun felt no particular joy. Deep inside, she even felt a kind of weariness. She woodenly turned her head to look at Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang’s lips held a smile. Seeing her look over, she nodded friendly and let her choose. “If sister-in-law fears missing County Magistrate Sun, you might as well wait in Quyang. Though Quyang County is still somewhat chaotic, it’s generally safe, and I will protect sister-in-law.”

Madam Sun forced a smile, lowered her eyes to think for a moment, then said, “Then I’ll trouble County Kun Zhao. Our family will wait here for my husband to return.”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded and said, “Good,” then rose to take her leave. “The county office still has matters to attend to. If sister-in-law needs anything, you can have a servant go through the small gate to find a maid named Ting He—she’s my person and will prepare whatever sister-in-law needs.”

Madam Sun forced another smile and replied, “Alright.”

—