Fu Tinghan frowned. “If you have something to say, get up and say it. If you keep kneeling like this, I’m leaving.”

Only then did Sima Hou rise, quickly glancing at Fu Tinghan before lowering his head. “Young Master, I know that Administrator Zhao has strictly ordered that all refugees returning to Luoyang cannot leave without permission. I also know this order is to protect Luoyang, but I still beg Young Master to show mercy and let me leave Luoyang.”

“Since you know, why do you still want to leave?” Fu Tinghan said. “Your surname is Sima—you should especially stay here.”

Sima Hou said tearfully, “I’m merely from a branch line. I’ve never received imperial clan benefits and truly cannot put state affairs first. In the past when Luoyang was prosperous, I was just a common person struggling to get by. Now I only wish to be a common person and prioritize my family.”

“I won’t hide it from you, Young Master—my wife and children were all lost in the war. I’m leaving the city to search for them.” Sima Hou knelt down again and bowed deeply to Fu Tinghan. “I beg Young Master to grant this.”

He slightly raised his head from the ground to look at Fu Tinghan. “Young Master is kind and values relationships. If Secretary Fu and Administrator Zhao were lost outside, would you not go search for them?”

Fu Tinghan fell silent. After a moment he said, “I heard they were captured by Shi Lei’s subordinates. How do you plan to rescue them?”

Sima Hou’s eyes reddened. “At least I must find them. Even if we die, our family should die together.”

Fu Tinghan said, “I have a method that would allow you to leave Luoyang openly and help you find your wife and children faster.”

Sima Hou’s eyes lit up as he looked eagerly at Fu Tinghan.

Fu Tinghan pointed to a seat cushion. “Sit down and let’s talk.”

Only then did Sima Hou rise and kneel on the seat cushion.

Fu Tinghan said, “I want to organize a merchant caravan to go north. It can earn some money while also gathering information. Would you be willing to go along?”

Sima Hou was stunned. “But the two nations just fought. If a merchant caravan goes north now, won’t it be plundered?”

“I’ll give you an escort team—all my private guards. Just bring valuables. Whether it’s Liu Yuan or Shi Lei, they actually want to trade with Jin. Their subordinates may act recklessly, but they only dare target small merchants. With your numbers and weapons, you needn’t be too afraid.”

Fu Tinghan continued, “Moreover, if you’re afraid of being plundered even traveling with a large merchant caravan, going north alone would be even more dangerous.”

Sima Hou said naively, “I have nothing of value—why would they plunder me?”

Fu Tinghan glanced at him coolly. “You yourself are a valuable item, and easily obtained at that. Ten years ago, Shi Lei was just a slave, but he wasn’t born into slavery—wasn’t he also captured on the road and sold into slavery?”

Sima Hou had a refined, scholarly bearing and clearly came from a decent background and could read. Alone, he’d be easy to capture and could be sold for several strings of cash on the spot.

Fu Tinghan calmly gave examples. “If someone captured you and sold you at the horse market, and I saw you, I’d buy you too. So do you still think you have nothing of value?”

Sima Hou’s face went pale and he stopped talking.

Fu Tinghan drank some tea and waited for his decision.

Sima Hou didn’t hesitate long. “I’m willing to go!”

Fu Tinghan nodded and instructed, “This matter must not be spoken of to outsiders. Only the three of us should know, and especially it cannot reach Administrator Zhao’s people.”

Sima Hou was dumbfounded, not expecting Fu Tinghan to already be competing with Zhao Hanzhang for power.

But he didn’t voice any objection. Right now he only cared about being able to leave the city to find his wife and children.

Seeing him agree, Fu Tinghan said, “You go back for now. In a few days I’ll have you meet the person in charge of this merchant caravan.”

Hearing there was someone above him in charge, Sima Hou quietly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly agreed, “Yes.”

Fu’an escorted him out of the estate as usual and returned to the study looking glum. “Young Master, why did you choose him as the deputy? What if he runs away midway?”

Fu Tinghan said unconcernedly, “If he runs, he runs. After all, Gao Hui is the one in charge. I’ll just find another deputy manager for him.”

Fu’an understood. “So you’re making it convenient for him to leave and run away.”

Fu Tinghan’s brush tip paused. “Staying in Luoyang is Hanzhang’s order. I can’t take the lead in violating it, but I can work around it. Law doesn’t extend beyond human sentiment. Being blindly rigid and ignoring human feelings isn’t necessarily good.”

Fu’an seemed to understand but not quite.

But Zhao Hanzhang understood.

As soon as she saw Fu Tinghan had chosen Sima Hou, she knew he planned to help the man and didn’t care whether he ran away after leaving the city or not.

Whether he ran or stayed, both could be within his expectations.

Zhao Hanzhang tossed aside the booklet. “Select the guards from Xiping. Conveniently, Mother sent word asking whether to send over the people they’ve trained for us these past two years. I’ll have them come together.”

Fu Tinghan agreed.

It would take time for people to come from Xiping, and the guards’ identities and backgrounds needed some arranging.

Zhao Hanzhang encouraged Fu Tinghan, “During this time, meet with more people and see if there are others suitable.”

Fu Tinghan glanced at her. “Quality over quantity.”

“You’ve only met a few people—how do you know there isn’t someone more suitable than them?” Zhao Hanzhang said. “Besides, for merchant caravans, we don’t mind having more.”

Fu Tinghan ignored her.

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Grandfather sent word that he can already obtain documents to leave the pass. I plan to have Huang An go back to bring the families of the Xiliang Army. To maintain long-term contact with Xiliang, I think he should take a merchant caravan along.”

Fu Tinghan: “…Do I have to select this person too?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “The capable should do more.”

In the end, Fu Tinghan didn’t agree. Selecting people was very painful for him—it wasn’t what he was good at.

Ultimately, Zhao Hanzhang didn’t force him too much and selected someone herself.

She not only wanted economic exchanges with Xiliang, but also political connections.

So after careful consideration, she selected one from her pile of clan brothers.

For this, she spent time every day going to the Imperial Academy to chat with people, talking for quite a while before finally finding this clan brother.

Huang An stood anxiously before the Zhao residence gates. Urged by the adjutant behind him, he still stood without moving.

He asked quietly, “What do you think the Administrator wants with us?”

The adjutant kept his eyes straight ahead. “I don’t know. Besides, the Administrator is looking for you, Vice General. It was you who insisted on bringing me along for moral support.”

“What moral support—the Administrator handles myriad affairs daily. She must be looking for me about our Xiliang Army matters. I brought you to strategize together.”

The adjutant glanced at Huang An, but because he was a vice general with higher rank, the adjutant didn’t dare voice his thoughts.

After standing at the Zhao residence gates for a moment, the adjutant sighed and said in a low voice, “Don’t worry. Those bad things you said about the General were only heard by our Xiliang Army people. They won’t spread outside—the Administrator definitely doesn’t know.”

Huang An turned to glare at him. After some mental preparation, he finally lifted his feet and entered the Zhao residence.

The Zhao residence was now divided in two. The front served as the Yuzhou Provincial Governor’s office combined with the Henan Commandery Administrator’s office. Even Zhao Kuan, the Luoyang County Magistrate, had to run here from time to time to consult with Zhao Hanzhang on matters.

The back was where the Zhao family lived.