Zhao Cheng said, “He’s not someone who abides by contracts. If he stubbornly refuses, you…”
But Zhao Hanzhang shook her head. “Uncle Cheng, this is where you misunderstand Seventh Great-Uncle. He’s indeed not a good person, but in business matters, he will honor contracts. If he doesn’t, he’ll have to pay me the penalty.”
She said, “If he pays the penalty, I won’t lose out either.”
Zhao Cheng: …
He was very doubtful. “He’ll pay the penalty?”
Zhao Hanzhang smiled at him. “He will.”
But Zhao Cheng suddenly became stubborn. “What if he just doesn’t pay?”
Zhao Hanzhang said, “Seventh Great-Uncle may not be a good father or a good person, but he’s definitely a good merchant. Just relying on the Zhao clan’s reputation, he accumulated a family fortune second only to my grandfather’s. Without keeping his word, how could he have accumulated such wealth?”
“I trust him. If he breaks his promise, he will definitely pay the penalty.” Zhao Hanzhang paused, then looked at Zhao Cheng. “It’s Uncle Cheng who greatly misunderstands Seventh Great-Uncle. Why not take this opportunity to clear up the misunderstanding?”
Zhao Cheng said, “There’s no misunderstanding between us.”
Zhao Hanzhang shook her head slightly. “Confucianism puts filial piety first. Uncle Cheng is well-versed in classics and among all schools most respects Confucianism and Taoism. Even if Seventh Great-Uncle has done wrong, if he’s willing to change, why won’t Uncle Cheng give him a chance?”
Thinking of Zhao Hu’s character, Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help but pause before smiling bitterly. “I’m not persuading Uncle Cheng for Seventh Great-Uncle’s sake, but for yours. People only see you treating your father coldly. They won’t think about what Seventh Great-Uncle did before or what kind of person he was that led to this. Instead, they’ll think you’re unfilial in treating your birth father thus—that your character is flawed. They’ll then question Brother Zheng’s upbringing, and even your other students will be doubted.”
Zhao Cheng’s brow furrowed tightly as he pressed his lips together. Zhao Ming had also said these words to him. Although he took them to heart, he still couldn’t change his behavior.
But now Zhao Hanzhang was saying the same thing, and Zhao Kuan and the others were entering official service one after another. He couldn’t truly disregard these children.
Zhao Cheng’s heart boiled like rolling water, stuffy and hot, extremely uncomfortable.
Zhao Hanzhang seemed to understand, reaching out to pat his shoulder—not like a junior but like a brother. “I understand your feelings, but have you considered that by treating Seventh Great-Uncle so coldly, you actually haven’t let go? This torments not only Seventh Great-Uncle but also you and Brother Zheng.”
She smiled slightly. “If you’ve already thought it through, why care about external formalities? You speak to him coldly and harshly, so your heart remains unwavering. But since your heart is unwavering, why care about speaking to him warmly and gently?”
Zhao Cheng was silent for a while before saying, “I heard that when you first returned to the clan, you and he were at odds. I don’t know when you became so tolerant and warm toward him. So your heart has never changed?”
Zhao Hanzhang gave him a slight smile without answering.
Zhao Cheng immediately understood—her heart truly had never changed.
He fell into silence.
Zhao Hanzhang stood beside him for a while. Seeing he seemed to have worked through it, she smiled. “Let’s go. Mister Ji and the others are still waiting for us.”
Zhao Cheng finally asked one last question. “Won’t you urge me to keep Zheng’er behind?”
Zhao Hanzhang shook her head and winked at him with a smile. “Even wise officials find it hard to judge family matters. Uncle Cheng should make your own decisions about such family affairs. I won’t get involved.”
To speak more bluntly, Zhao Cheng was much more important to her than Zhao Hu. If she truly had to stand with one person, in a situation unrelated to justice, she would still favor Zhao Cheng.
Zhao Cheng suddenly felt much more at ease and went inside with Zhao Hanzhang.
Everyone didn’t ask what Zhao Hu had come for. His voice had been so loud—not hearing would have been difficult. So everyone could only pretend they hadn’t heard and continued discussing matters.
When they finished discussing various affairs and exited the study, it was already past the midday meal time. Zhao Hanzhang was quite poor now, but still invited them to stay for a meal before leaving.
It was actually just a bowl of noodles with only a handful of greens and one egg, and the noodles were even mixed with wheat bran.
As she ate, Zhao Hanzhang showed off: “Made by the water mill—very fine. Try it.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Zhao Hanzhang then said to Gucheng County Magistrate Tan Jize and Chen Wu, “Gucheng has a river running through it. You could also build a water mill along the bank. It would be much more convenient.”
Tan Jize warmly agreed. Chen Wu asked, “Should the county office build it or should we build it?”
Zhao Hanzhang smiled at him. “Discuss that with Magistrate Tan.”
Chen Wu’s gaze swept over Beigong Chun and others before hesitantly saying, “Administrator Zhao, for this water conservancy construction, can the people our Qihuo Army provides be paid like the recruited short-term laborers?”
Zhao Hanzhang raised an eyebrow.
Chen Wu felt somewhat guilty but tried to look sincere. “We’re not like the Zhao Family Army or Xiliang Army with elite troops and ordinary soldiers separated. We all go dig mud—all hard labor. We can’t eat our fill on those rations alone.”
Zhao Hanzhang thought for a moment before smiling. “For water conservancy that doesn’t cover your land reclamation areas, I’ll pay you according to short-term laborer rates.”
Chen Wu thought about it—if the water conservancy construction was on their reclamation land, the beneficiaries would be them anyway, so he nodded in agreement.
Both sides were happy.
After finishing the noodles, everyone bid farewell and prepared to leave.
Tan Jize stayed a bit longer and asked Zhao Hanzhang, “Why did the Administrator agree to Chen Wu? He’s employed by us and should obey our commands anyway.”
Zhao Hanzhang said, “Other stationed troops have gradually received military pay and rewards for military achievements, plus more from land distribution. Their lives are much better than the Qihuo Army’s. This water conservancy construction really is physical labor—there’s no need to be too harsh with them.”
Zhao Hanzhang instructed him, “Be gentler with them. This time when assigning work, have the clerks from the county office interact more with them and mention more about the treatment of ordinary soldiers in the Zhao Family Army. Tell them the Zhao Family Army welcomes them.”
Tan Jize: …
Zhao Hanzhang continued, “Also, after they finish building water conservancy for their own reclamation land, have people spread word that if one day I no longer employ them, they’ll have to return the reclamation land. Then they’ll have to leave Gucheng, and those lands will be distributed to new stationed troops.”
Tan Jize: …
He swallowed, suddenly thinking of himself and his brother.
His elder brother had originally wanted him to use his looks on Zhao Hanzhang, but when she saw him, she had no reaction and didn’t even look twice. He also really didn’t want to sell his appearance.
So even though coerced by his brother, he still properly took the recruitment examination and when seeking a position, tried to stay as far from Zhao Hanzhang as possible.
But he never expected to be transferred to Gucheng, causing his brother to revive improper ideas. To increase his value and make him more visible to Zhao Hanzhang, he traveled between Luoyang and Gucheng, laboring physically and mentally to help him manage Gucheng.
Seeing it today, he always felt there were similarities to her method of winning over the Qihuo Army.
Tan Jize couldn’t help but look at Fu Tinghan.
Fu Tinghan remained very calm, raising his eyes to glance at him before saying to Zhao Hanzhang, “I’m going back to pack.”
Zhao Hanzhang nodded, her smile gaining more warmth and becoming more brilliant. “Alright.”
They would return to Chen County tomorrow.
—