Zhao Song was very angry. “You’re just sophistry! Am I now opposing you minting coins? I’m asking why you minted new currency instead of the same old coins as the court!”

Zhao Ming shifted responsibility to Zhao Hanzhang. “When I learned of it, the new coins were already minted. I heard this was the result of deliberations among everyone in Luoyang.”

He continued, “It’s too late to change now. The new coins are already minted and should be circulating in Luoyang by now.”

Zhao Song angrily ordered his son out, deciding not to go to Luoyang.

Zhao Ming left satisfied, turning to take that copper coin to see Zhao Hu.

Completely opposite to Zhao Song, although Zhao Hu had come to Chen County, he had no intention of going to Luoyang.

Actually, he hadn’t even wanted to come to Chen County. If Zhao Song hadn’t forced him, he wouldn’t have traveled this far.

Zhao Hu was an old man who loved comfort, which didn’t include travel.

Unlike his son who was never home and loved traveling everywhere to study, Zhao Hu just liked staying in one place and having the world’s finest things accommodate him.

At most he’d wander around the counties of Runan Commandery, mainly to collect rent and occasionally show off to like-minded friends, comparing wealth.

He didn’t even enjoy organizing merchant caravans. He only liked holding goods in hand, waiting for merchants to come purchase from him. How nice to just sit there and take money.

So he had cloth shops and porcelain workshops under his name, but no merchant caravans.

Oh, delivery wagons for fulfilling orders didn’t count.

So he was just visiting Chen County, establishing a few shops, arranging managers, then returning to Xiping. Hmph, if Zhao Song hadn’t begged him, he wouldn’t even come to Chen County.

Thinking this, Zhao Hu didn’t delay. Upon arriving, he immediately summoned his steward. “Tell the Chen County shop managers to come see me tomorrow with their account books.”

When Zhao Hanzhang first took office as Regional Inspector, he’d immediately had his steward come to Chen County to find shops and open businesses. Now they’d recouped costs and even made small profits.

The shop prices in Chen County had risen considerably, but Zhao Hu still felt it wasn’t enough, so he decided to buy several more shops.

Zhao Hanzhang had already expanded her territory all the way to Luoyang. With her standing at the front, Yuzhou would be even safer. As long as Yuzhou was safe, property prices could rise and commercial activity would increase.

As for Luoyang, Zhao Hu didn’t think much of it for now.

Although it had once been the capital, the most prosperous place in Dajin, the Emperor had already relocated. He’d heard that the aristocratic families of the capital had all fled, some following the Prince of Donghai and others following the Emperor.

If Zhao Hanzhang hadn’t led troops to force some people back, Luoyang’s remaining population wouldn’t even reach twenty thousand.

What could twenty thousand people accomplish? Not even as much as their Xiping County.

Zhao Hu looked down on it.

Moreover, Luoyang was too dangerous. The Xiongnu constantly invaded southward. If he established shops and residences there, if fighting broke out, all those assets would be completely lost.

Not just residences and shops, but also the goods and people inside. Just thinking about losing so much wealth made his heart ache.

So he didn’t want to go.

Zhao Hu instructed his steward, “Go inquire about the brokers in the city. Tomorrow have the brokers’ clerks—no, managers—bring their plans. I want to select shops and residences.”

The steward acknowledged each instruction. Just as master and servant were about to discuss matters further, a servant reported that Zhao Ming had arrived.

The steward fell silent. Seeing Zhao Ming enter, he saluted him and withdrew.

Zhao Hu picked up his tea bowl and took a sip, his expression serious. “Zinian, I’m not criticizing you, but how long have you been in Chen County? Besides this Regional Commander’s residence, you haven’t even purchased a single villa. Do you plan to have all your relatives and friends who come seeking refuge stay in your Regional Commander’s residence?”

Zhao Hu didn’t want to live with Zhao Song and his son at all. It wasn’t free at all—he’d be subject to many restrictions.

What’s more, Zhao Ming arranged lodgings according to closeness of relationship. Those close to him were arranged to stay in the Regional Commander’s residence, while those more distantly related were housed in rented properties outside.

Zhao Hu naturally didn’t want to stay in a rented house either. Newly rented courtyards lacked everything—he absolutely refused to stay there.

He wanted to stay in Zhao Ming’s villa, or his own villa, but unfortunately he hadn’t bought one.

To make himself comfortable, Zhao Hu planned to buy a villa in Chen County himself. However, this didn’t prevent him from lecturing Zhao Ming.

Zhao Ming directly skipped over his complaints. “Seventh Uncle, Sanniang has invited you to Luoyang…”

Before Zhao Ming could finish, Zhao Hu said directly, “Not going.”

He continued, “If your father hadn’t desperately urged me, I wouldn’t even want to come to Chen County. Now the weather is so hot—how is this a good time to travel?”

Zhao Ming paused before saying, “Zizheng and Zhenger are both in Luoyang…”

Zhao Hu sighed. “Let them be. I can’t control him anyway. He only listens somewhat to your father and you. Better I don’t go to Luoyang—if I go, we’ll just quarrel every day.”

Zhao Ming thought he was quite right.

But he still had to go.

Zhao Ming handed him that copper coin.

Zhao Hu only glanced at it dismissively. “If you’re going to give me money, you should give more. What’s the point of giving just one copper coin?”

Zhao Ming said quietly, “Seventh Uncle is overthinking. This isn’t for you. I don’t have much either. If anyone’s giving, it would be Sanniang, not me.”

Zhao Hu frowned and accepted the coin for a look. “Then why are you showing me this…” His eyes suddenly widened and his spine straightened. “What, what, what is this?”

“This is new currency,” Zhao Ming asked. “What does Uncle think of it?”

What did he mean, what did he think?

Zhao Hu suddenly gripped the coin tightly, nervously swallowing. “Who minted this?”

“Sanniang.”

“I knew it—” Zhao Hu’s voice rose sharply, then immediately dropped. He guiltily glanced toward the door, lowering his voice to barely a whisper. “What is she trying to do?”

He looked at Zhao Ming with suspicion. “You’ve always been upright. When did you develop such thoughts?”

Zhao Ming’s feelings were complicated. After a long while he said, “Uncle is overthinking. This is just new currency. Because Yuzhou and Luoyang lack money, we minted new coins.”

He continued, “You should know how much money Yuzhou has now. Many common people have no money. When buying and selling, they can only barter. During the several times we gathered refugees and provided relief, because the offices had no money, they could only count directly and have people exchange for cloth and grain. Now that new currency is issued, never mind distant places—within Yuzhou’s borders, everything will definitely be exchanged for new coins.”

“What about old coins?” Zhao Hu asked anxiously. “Won’t they be used anymore?”

“They’ll be used as normal. However, considering that other provinces and commanderies may not accept new currency, the offices will try to recover more old coins to exchange for merchants leaving Yu.” Zhao Ming said with an ambiguous expression, “I heard Sanniang say that to obtain more old coins, Luoyang might exchange old for new at a one-to-one ratio.”

Zhao Hu complained, “Why one-to-one? Since old coins work the same, I won’t exchange.”

Zhao Ming said, “You know my father treats Sanniang well. He’ll certainly bring this up within the clan. New currency is such a major matter—if even our Zhao clan doesn’t support it, she’ll face even greater difficulties.”