Though the old residence wasn’t divided, the courtyards inside were lived in separately. The servants left at the old residence had long ago cleaned out that side’s courtyard and, following Zhao Hanzhang’s instructions, had opened another door on the other side for their convenience.
Wang Shi was in Chen County. Though she very much wanted to return to Xiping to watch the junior branch’s humiliation, hearing that Zhao Ji and his wife hadn’t returned, her interest diminished by half.
She disliked the junior branch’s people and strongly disliked their several children, but she wouldn’t go so far as to openly bully several children. What she really wanted to bully were Zhao Ji and Wu Shi.
Unfortunately, they hadn’t returned.
For this, Wang Shi complained bitterly, “If they had come back, I could have gotten my revenge.”
Qinggu saw more clearly. While massaging her shoulders, she whispered, “It’s better they didn’t return. Does Madam think Yuncheng is easy to go to? I heard from people outside that Second Great Master took First Master and the others to Yuncheng as hostages. Once they go, I’m afraid they won’t come back.”
Wang Shi was startled. “Really?”
“The people in the front courtyard said so. I estimate it’s probably true.”
Wang Shi clutched her heart. After a moment, she said through gritted teeth, “How detestable—dying and still making our Sanniang owe them a debt.”
Qinggu looked outside, then whispered in Wang Shi’s ear.
Wang Shi’s eyes widened, growing excited. “Really? He really said that in the future, the clan head position would go to our Erlang?”
Qinggu corrected, “To Erlang’s child.”
She gently pressed Wang Shi’s shoulders, bringing her mouth near her ear. “Madam, this matter was leaked from Master Ming’s side—it’s still confidential. But the clan elders have all discussed it and all agree with this arrangement.”
Qinggu lightly pressed her shoulders, her mouth close to her ear. “Madam, Master Ming has always been tight-lipped. Why would he specifically leak this to us?”
Madam Wang asked, “Why?”
“Naturally to prevent us from causing complications. The junior branch has only sent back a few children. We don’t need to compete with them over trivial matters,” she said. “You’re an elder and they’re juniors. Whatever you do, they must endure. But this is in the settlement after all, surrounded by clan members with complicated mouths and thoughts. If they misunderstand that Madam is bullying them, that wouldn’t be good.”
Wang Shi agreed, though she still felt some resentment. “In the past, they bullied Sanniang and Erlang plenty.”
She said, “Erlang is simple-minded. When bullied, he only knew to cry loudly. Sanniang was used to enduring. Sometimes when bullied, we didn’t even know. Who knows how much she suffered in private. Hmph, they’re getting off easy.”
Qinggu massaged her arms with a smile. “Yes, they’re getting off easy. This also shows Madam and the Miss’s magnanimity. There aren’t many people in this world as kind and broad-minded as Madam.”
Wang Shi, coaxed into happiness by her words, soon forgot about Zhao Yi’s four siblings. She asked, “Has Sanniang said when she’s coming back, or can I go to Luoyang?”
Not seeing her two children for so long, she missed them.
Qinggu soothed her, “Luoyang is chaotic right now, with many bandits along the way. Once the Miss gets Luoyang properly governed, even if she doesn’t return, she’ll have you brought to Luoyang.”
Wang Shi sighed. “I was thinking that she’s about to complete her mourning period, and her marriage to Tinghan should be prepared. Also, since the clan has decided to return the clan head position, we should arrange a marriage for Erlang and have him father a child soon, right?”
Getting excited as she spoke, Wang Shi said, “Find someone who’s good at bearing children—preferably someone older. That way she can bear a son on the first try.”
She added, “If Zhao Ji really ends up like that, our Erlang can take over the Shangcai Earl title.”
Qinggu interjected, “…The clan favors Erlang’s child, not Erlang himself.”
“The clan head can be Erlang’s son, but giving the title to a child—what use is that? It should still go to Erlang. After all, that title doesn’t require doing anything. Erlang can manage it.”
Qinggu was exasperated. “Madam, the Miss is already Duke of Runan Jun. Does it really matter whether Erlang is Earl of Shangcai or not?”
But the title and clan head position had always been Wang Shi’s sore points. Previously there was no possibility, but now that there was, she had to fight for them for her son.
Most importantly, “If everything goes to Erlang’s son, what if the child has grand ambitions and bullies Erlang when he grows up, or won’t listen to Erlang?”
“That’s his father—how could Young Master Sun not listen to Young Master?”
Wang Shi whispered, “My husband often disagreed with his father when he was alive. Why would that be impossible?”
Qinggu had no choice but to say, “Madam, we don’t even know who Young Master’s wife will be yet, let alone Young Master Sun. You should at least get the first step done before discussing this.”
Wang Shi began pondering.
So when Zhao Hanzhang received the letter about Zhao Hewan’s smooth marriage, she also received a letter from Wang Shi urging marriage—though this time she was urging not her and Fu Tinghan’s marriage, but Zhao Erlang’s.
For this, Zhao Hanzhang read the letter back and forth twice before looking up at Zhao Erlang.
Zhao Erlang sat obediently waiting for food. Seeing his sister look over, he immediately asked, “Sister, should I go to the kitchen to hurry them along? I’ll go.”
With that, he jumped up and ran outside on his own, going to the kitchen to hurry the meal.
Zhao Hanzhang’s expression remained unchanged as she put away the letter. Like this, and they’re talking about a wife? What nonsense.
Fu Tinghan looked at her. “What’s wrong? What does the letter say?”
Zhao Hanzhang replied, “My mother is urging me to arrange a marriage for Erlang, or to ask about my requirements for a future sister-in-law. She’ll select someone in Yuzhou if that works.”
Fu Tinghan asked, “…Is Erlang ready to marry?”
“Looking at him just now, let’s not harm some young lady,” Zhao Hanzhang paused before saying, “Take our time selecting. We must find someone suitable for him.”
Otherwise, with Zhao Erlang’s condition, not only would the young lady be wronged, but he would suffer too.
Fu Tinghan nodded and said, “Since the people going to the North have arrived, I plan to have them depart in a couple days.”
Along with this letter came people the school had trained for Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan, plus loyal soldiers selected from Xiping.
They would go north with Gao Hui.
Zhao Hanzhang nodded. “Find time to meet with Gao Hui once more. Have them go to Shangdang first.”
Hearing this, Fu Tinghan asked, “Have Liu Cong and Shi Le decided the outcome?”
“The news just arrived. It’s not exactly a decided outcome,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “Neither side fully committed. After all, Shi Le is still Liu Yuan’s subject and doesn’t dare go too far with Liu Cong. Liu Cong also fears driving Shi Le to rebellion, so during this time they’ve just been wrangling and testing each other with minor skirmishes.”
“Liu Yuan must have grown tired of waiting. Plus, he can’t keep suppressing this matter, so in the end he had Liu Cong withdraw from Shangdang and cede that territory to Shi Le.”
Shi Le had been first to attack Shangdang, with Liu Cong arriving a step late. Then the situation in Luoyang repeated itself. But this time, with Wang Mi’s example before him, Liu Cong didn’t dare be too aggressive, fearing Shi Le would become another Wang Mi and rebel against Han.
“Shi Le certainly can’t leave Shangdang immediately. He has a large cache of treasures. Have Gao Hui try this—if he can establish contact with Shi Le while he’s at it, that would be best.”