Chapter 283 - 277: Cursing
The prefectural assistant saw that Xiping and Shangcai’s oil and salt were not entering, but he was not anxious. Instead, he directly distributed the taxes and grains of Xiping and Shangcai to the other counties.
Zhao Ming, well-informed, was the first to learn of this news. He was so angry that he smashed a cup, exclaiming, "How utterly foolish!"
Zhao Cheng, sitting across from him, frowned and said, "It is all due to the likes of Wang Yan corrupting the court. They blindly pursue purity while controlling the government, unworthy of their positions. This example from the top leads to emulation at the local level, causing such disasters."
Why does the prefectural assistant choose such a simple and crude solution without considering other methods?
Is it not because he despises these as mere trifles, too lazy to think or expend effort?
He cannot believe that someone who attains the position of prefectural assistant would have no solutions at all. Like Wang Yan, though he didn’t care about many matters before, when actually faced with Liu Yuan, did he not defeat Liu Yuan’s army?
This shows that it’s not that he can’t, but that he won’t.
Holding a national position yet not working for the country, he is truly unworthy as a minister!
The more Zhao Cheng thought about it, the angrier he became. He went back to his room and wrote a grand article cursing Wang Yan and his ilk, then called a student, "Go, have someone seal this and deliver it to Luoyang, drop it at Wang Yan’s door."
The letter wasn’t sealed; Zhao Rong caught a glimpse of the first page and hesitated, "Uncle, isn’t this inappropriate? It would unnecessarily create a grudge with the Wang Family..."
"When I tell you to go, you go. Why so much nonsense?"
Zhao Rong could only run out awkwardly, found an envelope to seal the letter as he muttered, almost bumping into someone at the turn.
Zhao Hanzhang, dressed in riding attire, holding a whip, showed white teeth when she saw Zhao Rong and asked with a smile, "Brother Rong, where are you rushing to? I was just looking for you."
Zhao Rong’s back went cold, and he asked warily, "What do you want with me?"
Before Zhao Hanzhang could speak, he hurriedly said, "I’m busy, I have no time."
Zhao Hanzhang choked for a moment, and Fu Tinghan couldn’t help but laugh. He said to Zhao Rong, "Brother Rong misunderstood. We heard you’re interested in waterways and have studied many texts, even learning from a folk hermit for a time, so we wanted to consult on matters of water management."
Zhao Rong relaxed slightly, "Oh, that, what do you want to ask?"
Fu Tinghan said warmly, "We discovered a waterway from Shangcai and Xiping to Sui Ning, but there are three intersecting boundaries and a small mountain blocking it, making the river impassable. We think if the waterway could be opened, not only Xiping and Sui Ning would benefit, but goods from the three areas could also travel via waterway, much more convenient."
"You’re talking about that river? That river is very hard to open. Its upper reaches are in Shangcai, and when it reaches us in Xiping, it’s blocked by a mountain, thus splitting in two and bypassing the mountain to Sui Ning. To open it, you’d have to consult with both Shangcai upstream and Sui Ning downstream, and it’s hard to get both counties to agree."
But thinking about how Shangcai is now under Zhao Hanzhang, Zhao Rong paused, then said, "If you really want to open it, the best way is to reroute, change the river’s course, because tunneling through the mountain in the middle is a huge project and very difficult."
Fu Tinghan nodded, as he also thought so, and turned to look at Zhao Hanzhang.
Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze had already fallen on the letter he was sealing, "Brother Rong, whose letter is this? I vaguely saw some unpleasant words on it."
Zhao Rong glanced at the letter in his hand, feeling a stir, immediately took out the half-sealed letter and handed it to her, "Uncle wrote it. Somehow, he suddenly got very angry and specifically wrote a letter to scold Grand Tutor Wang, and wanted me to send it to the Wang Family. Third sister, you persuade Uncle, our Clan Leader and Grand Tutor Wang serve in the same court, don’t let it get too tense."
Zhao Hanzhang opened the letter to read, her eyes growing brighter as she did, then happily snapped her fingers and said to Zhao Rong, "How could such a good article be secretly thrown at the Wang Family’s door? I’ll have someone copy it, no, the students’ copies lack Uncle’s heartfelt pain and sharpness. I’ll have a publishing house engrave it and print more copies."
Zhao Rong’s mouth fell open, watching Zhao Hanzhang run off with the letter; he hurried to catch up two steps, "Third sister, third sister, you mustn’t..."
Could he catch up to Zhao Hanzhang?
Of course not. Zhao Hanzhang dashed out of sight in a few steps, and Fu Tinghan stood quietly to the side and watched.
Unable to catch up, Zhao Rong could only return to find Fu Tinghan, pulling him, "Why didn’t you help persuade her? Go persuade her."
Fu Tinghan said, "This way is also fine. Currently, Wang Yan dominates the intellectual circle, but what he thinks is not necessarily correct. Hanzhang wants to elevate Uncle Cheng to compete with him, giving the people more perspectives and thoughts."
He continued, "If this country doesn’t think or change, it will indeed perish."
Zhao Rong: ...
He felt Fu Tinghan was exaggerating. Seeing he couldn’t make him budge, he reluctantly jogged off to find Zhao Cheng, only to realize halfway that going to him was useless; he was likely to praise Zhao Hanzhang’s actions.
After all, this teacher of his was indeed rebellious. He reconsidered and decided to find Zhao Ming instead.
"Uncle Ming, Uncle Ming, something major has happened."
Zhao Ming was drinking again, but his face wasn’t red, and he wasn’t out of breath. Leisurely, he took a sip and asked, "What’s the big matter?"
Zhao Rong immediately recounted how Zhao Cheng wrote an article criticizing Wang Yan, which Zhao Hanzhang took to have printed, hoping Zhao Ming would intervene.
But Zhao Ming twirled a small wine bottle in thought and then said, "Let them go."
Zhao Rong widened his eyes and stamped his foot, "How can you just let them go like that?"
"Why not?" Zhao Ming said, "You are impatient, that’s why you never succeed in your tasks. Since your teacher was so angry he wrote a scolding article, if you don’t let him vent, won’t that only worsen his anger?"
"Do you understand closeness and distance?"
"But won’t this sour relations with the Wang Family?"
Zhao Ming replied with little concern, "When your great uncle was alive, he often cursed the likes of Wang Yan. I also curse them often in my day-to-day, yet haven’t turned hostile, have we?"
"Everyone can have their own opinions; we don’t cover people’s mouths, and naturally, they can’t cover ours," Zhao Ming said. "You’re still young, why so calculating? Learn more from your third sister; a man should have more courage."
Zhao Rong wasn’t stupid; after calming down a bit, he realized, "Could it be like what Ting Han said, third sister is building momentum for Uncle Cheng to oppose Wang Yan? But how can this be compared?"
Zhao Ming sneered, "Why can’t it be compared? Sure, your uncle isn’t as clever as Wang Yan, nor as well-read, nor eloquent. But in terms of character and thoughts, I see Wang Yan can’t compare to Zitu. He measures up against Wang Yan considerably."
"Apparently, you not only have to learn your third sister’s courage, but also your third brother-in-law’s wisdom. Look at Ting Han, quiet and reserved, yet clear-minded. What have you been clamoring about every day?"
Zhao Rong, unable to rally support, left dejectedly after being scolded.