The villa had been lived in by Zhao Changyu. It was said her nominal father Zhao Zhi had also stayed here for two years to study quietly in his youth.

So the villa was arranged quite elegantly. Even though the master hadn’t come in many years, it was still well maintained—it just lacked human warmth from being uninhabited for so long.

Zhao Hanzhang dismounted and first had the coffin placed in the prepared mourning hall. After letting Wang Shi and Zhao Erlang go rest, she brought Fu Tinghan to the main hall to meet with the estate manager.

Like Chengbo, the estate manager was a hereditary servant who had been honored with the Zhao surname. He was called Zhao Tong.

As soon as he entered, he knelt on the ground, prostrating himself respectfully.

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Rise.”

Zhao Tong got up and stood to the side with his head lowered, beginning to apologize to Zhao Hanzhang. He explained that last year’s harvest had been poor with little in storage, so they lacked extra funds to purchase new bedding for the masters. All the quilts and bedding in use had been taken from storage chests and washed and aired.

“However, we air out everything in the villa every year and it’s all been kept in excellent condition. Those quilts are still seventy or eighty percent new.”

Zhao Hanzhang raised her hand to stop his anxious explanations and asked, “Can ice be purchased in Shangcai?”

Zhao Tong was momentarily stunned before replying, “The weather isn’t very hot yet, so ice isn’t in use. There’s no buying or selling in the market yet. But if the young mistress requires it, I’m sure the ice merchants in the city would be willing to give the Zhao family face.”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded slightly. “Then go to the county seat now and buy as much ice as possible for me.”

Though puzzled, Zhao Tong bowed in acknowledgment.

Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand dismissively. “You may withdraw. Where is your wife? Have her come see me. The household needs some serving women and attendants.”

Zhao Tong’s eyes brightened slightly as he bowed. “This humble one will have her come pay respects to the mistress right away.”

After Zhao Tong left, neither party discussed money. Zhao Tong assumed the mistress would settle payment with the merchants later. The Zhao family was wealthy enough to rival nations—would they lack the money to pay?

But Zhao Hanzhang truly didn’t have a single coin.

Along their journey, to preserve Zhao Changyu’s remains as well as possible, she had purchased ice whenever they passed through major county seats.

The jewelry she wore, items Wang Shi had on her person and in the luggage, even Fu Tinghan’s belongings—apart from that jade pendant—everything that could be pawned had been pawned.

Now, besides one cartload of grain, they had no assets whatsoever.

Oh, now they also had this enormous manor, though the manor looked quite impoverished too.

This inevitably brought to mind her miserly grandfather. Zhao Changyu was skilled at business management but also extremely stingy. He would keep every bit of his assets in his own hands as much as possible, leaving each manor with only enough for the coming year’s operational expenses.

So when Zhao Tong said last year’s harvest was poor, she wouldn’t ask about previous accumulations. Because previous accumulations had all been sent to Zhao Changyu.

Either they were used in another form to support the clan, or he had secretly hidden them away as private property.

Otherwise, how did those treasure troves of his come about?

Besides being good at earning, one naturally also had to be good at saving!

When it came to saving money, if Zhao Changyu claimed to be second in all of Dajin, certainly no one would dare claim first place.

Zhao Hanzhang looked toward Chengbo. “Did you find out whether Mister Ji came here?”

Chengbo: “No.”

He was somewhat worried. “Sanniang, could Mister Ji have gone to the old Xiping home?”

Zhao Hanzhang stroked her chin. “Mister Ji isn’t foolish. Even I know not to go to the old Xiping home—he naturally knows even better.”

Chengbo hesitated. “Then…”

Zhao Hanzhang smiled. “I trust Mister Ji. While Zhao Tong is buying ice, spread word that I’ve escorted the coffin home. Also send someone to the old Xiping home—grandfather should be laid to rest.”

The Zhao family ancestral graves were at the old Xiping home, but Xiping wasn’t far from Shangcai. With Zhao Changyu’s enfeoffment as Shangcai Earl, holding the funeral procession from Shangcai was perfectly reasonable.

Even if Ji Yuan wasn’t in Shangcai or Xiping, he would certainly have people watching both places. As soon as she arrived, he would receive word. The rest was just waiting.

However, she couldn’t rely entirely on what Ji Yuan held. Thinking of the treasure troves Zhao Changyu had buried, she felt a bit restless.

She used considerable willpower to suppress her impulse. Forget it—they weren’t at their wits’ end yet. She couldn’t touch those things. Besides, she hadn’t yet fully secured people’s loyalty. Using those assets now wouldn’t be safe.

Zhao Hanzhang thought for a moment, then beckoned to Chengbo. When he drew near, she leaned close and asked, “Chengbo, are there any valuable items in the villa that could be sold?”

Chengbo: “…Sanniang, this villa isn’t regularly occupied. Only your father stayed here for two years studying in his youth. Some furnishings from that time weren’t taken away, but even if they haven’t been lost by now, they’re not worth much money.”

“Moreover… they’re all old possessions left by the young master. Pawning them wouldn’t look proper.”

Seeing her predicament, Fu Tinghan couldn’t help saying, “Why don’t we find a way to earn some money ourselves?”

Zhao Hanzhang: “Do you have any good ideas, Fu the Great Young Master?”

Fu Tinghan said, “Following conventional patterns, we could make things urgently needed in this era or luxury goods. With proper management, we could convert them to cash quickly.”

“Such as?”

“Make soap, glass, or paper? Though I also wouldn’t mind making some black powder for you, that’s too anti-humanitarian—I’m not really in favor of it deep down.”

Zhao Hanzhang: “Glass aside, you can actually make soap and paper?”

Fu Tinghan: “In an age of information explosion, one picks up at least some knowledge. I don’t think it would be very difficult to experiment and produce results when I know the principles.”

“Your idea is good and I support you, but your timeline is probably slower than Mister Ji finding us,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “I have a better method.”

She turned to Chengbo. “Chengbo, rest well today. Tomorrow morning, take people back to the old Xiping home. I’ll write a letter to Fifth Grand-Uncle, informing the clan about the military chaos in Luoyang. If Fifth Grand-Uncle asks about our journey, just tell him the truth.”

Zhao Hanzhang winked at him, then continued, “Mother is overcome with grief, and after the frightening journey, her health gave out just as we reached Shangcai. Second brother’s injuries haven’t fully healed. I, a mere girl, am already exhausted from trying to support the first branch…”

Chengbo instantly understood, bowing. “This servant understands. This servant will go to the old Xiping home tomorrow.”

With everything arranged, Zhao Hanzhang stood up, stretching her aching lower back. “I’m truly exhausted. Come, let’s offer incense to grandfather, then go rest.”

Fu Tinghan: “You… just now you were asking to borrow money from Xiping?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “You could put it that way. Now we’ll see whether the clan chooses to lend it to me or give it to me.”

Xiping County was right next to Shangcai County. The manor and clan lands really weren’t far apart. Zhao Hanzhang and her group entered the manor in the morning. By evening when the sky was darkening, several clan elders at the Zhao family fortified compound in Xiping had learned that Zhao Hanzhang was escorting a coffin home.

Zhao Song was the same age as Zhao Changyu, just a few months younger, so he ranked fifth in the clan and was known as Zhao Wulang.

Of course, Zhao Hanzhang wouldn’t dare call him that—she had to address him as Fifth Grand-Uncle.

He had always managed the Zhao family fortified compound, serving as Zhao Changyu’s representative within the Xiping clan.

Upon hearing that Zhao Changyu’s coffin had returned home, his tears immediately began to fall. He quickly asked, “Since they’ve returned to Runan, why stop in Shangcai instead of returning to Xiping?”

—