CHAPTER 106: CHAPTER 100: INCOMING LETTER (1,500 MONTHLY TICKETS ADDED)

Her gaze fell upon the glass bottle.

Ji Yuan also followed with his gaze, contemplating, "It’s not impossible..."

Zhao Hanzhang: "Let the craftsmen study more these days to see if they can produce good glass."

Fu Tinghan: "Actually, the glass cups and bowls made using porcelain molds today were quite good, but..."

Ji Yuan: "I smashed them."

Zhao Hanzhang widened her eyes, "Why?"

Fu Tinghan also asked, "Why?"

He had wanted to ask Ji Yuan when he smashed them, but at the time, he was a bit dizzy from the heat and didn’t manage to.

Ji Yuan: "Those cups and bowls aren’t exquisite enough; they have no use, and defective products naturally should be smashed."

Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan’s gaze instinctively fell on the twisted glass bottle.

Ji Yuan quickly said, "But this bottle is different; it’s the first bottle made by the workshop, and it was blown personally by the eldest master, so it has a different significance."

Zhao Hanzhang accepted his explanation, nodded, and said, "Alright, then let the craftsmen continue their research."

She glanced at the adorably ugly bottle, waved her hand, "Let this bottle stay with me."

Ji Yuan: ...he still wanted to take it.

Fu Tinghan had already stood up and directly picked up the bottle, "I’ll take it to your room."

Indeed, after looking at the bottle for a long time, it possessed a certain aesthetic appeal.

Fu Tinghan happily carried the bottle to Zhao Hanzhang’s room.

Zhao Hanzhang circled the room once, finally placing it on the low cabinet by the bedside, "Looks better this way."

Fu Tinghan: "It can be used as a vase; tomorrow I’ll cut some flowers for it?"

Zhao Hanzhang tilted her head and thought, "What flowers are there now?"

In her memory, there didn’t seem to be any flowers right now.

Fu Tinghan also thought for a long time; finally, the two silently exchanged glances, "Your villa is quite dull; not even a single rose bush."

Zhao Hanzhang: "You’ve lived here for two months; isn’t it a bit late to find out now?"

Fu Tinghan couldn’t help but laugh, "I’ll pick you a bunch of wildflowers tomorrow."

Fu Tinghan did as he said; the next day, after trying a few glass formulas, he followed the field path back to the villa, choosing areas with more grass and picking many wildflowers along the way.

Fu An excitedly ran to the workshop to find someone, failed to find anyone, and continued along the road. It took a while before he found someone, "Master, why did you come here? I went to the workshop to find you; they all said you returned, scared me into a sweat, didn’t see you on the way."

"This is Third Lady’s estate; the people nearby are ours. What’s there to worry about?"

"You’ve been in the estate without knowing, it’s chaotic outside now. Recently, more refugees are appearing, the roads are full of people," Fu An said, "With more refugees, some unruly ones might break into the estate. Theft is bearable, but being caught might lead to murder."

He said, "I heard a nearby village had someone killed for catching a thief; the whole village got robbed."

Fu Tinghan frowned, "Is it that serious?"

"Yes, today Third Lady even took people outside to patrol around the estate, saying they wanted to deter outsiders, preventing anyone from sneaking in."

After all, this place is not like Zhao’s Fortress, which has walls surrounding it; here is open, anyone can slip in.

Seeing Fu Tinghan still picking wildflowers, Fu An couldn’t help but ask, "Master, why are you picking these wildflowers?"

"To put in a vase; you should tell me why you were looking for me."

Fu Tinghan disliked being followed, so although Fu An was his valet, he wouldn’t have him follow unless going far.

It just so happened everywhere Zhao Hanzhang was short of people; Fu An was sensible and could recognize a few words, so Zhao Hanzhang borrowed him for work.

Fu An reacted, quickly took out a letter from his bosom, and said with some excitement, "Master, the master’s letter has arrived."

Fu Tinghan reacted very calmly, taking the letter and opening it.

Fu Zhi’s letter told Fu Tinghan to be careful and advised him not to return to Luoyang.

The army had already taken Luoyang, and the court began to return. Many people started writing to their family members scattered outside, inviting them back to reunite in the capital.

But Fu Zhi felt the crisis in Luoyang hadn’t been resolved; instead, it was more dangerous, so he specially wrote instructing Fu Tinghan not to return to the capital but stay in Ru Nan to keep Zhao Hanzhang company in mourning.

He mentioned in the letter: "You missed the mourning period wedding, then stay in Ru Nan for three years, afterward get married. If Luoyang is stable by then, I’ll send wedding gifts; if it’s still unstable, invite the Zhao clan elder to officiate the marriage immediately."

Fu Tinghan folded the letter and put it back in his bosom, continuing to pick flowers leisurely. After gathering a huge bunch, he returned to the villa.

Zhao Erlang sneaked out of the study room, saw Fu Tinghan holding wildflowers, and whispered, "Brother-in-law, Sister is inside, these flowers are beautiful, she’ll surely like them."

Fu Tinghan, "Did you sneak out?"

"No." Zhao Erlang said and immediately dashed away.

Fu Tinghan couldn’t stop him; shaking his head, he stepped into the room and saw Zhao Hanzhang writing at her desk, no wonder she ignored the escaped Zhao Erlang.

"What are you writing?"

"A letter," Zhao Hanzhang said, "A message came from the fortress, saying Luoyang was reclaimed, the emperor and officials are returning to the capital, Zhao Zhongyu sent a letter saying he’ll send me the profits from his private assets this year."

Fu Tinghan was taken aback, "You accepted it?"

"Of course," Zhao Hanzhang laughed coldly, "The elder uncle personally backed down; if I don’t accept, wouldn’t I be ungrateful?"

She well understood the thoughts of the elders in the clan; harmony is always better.

"But I won’t take it for free; the branch lost its luggage before, even if returning to the capital, the shops and estates are still there, but the goods and grain are certainly gone, those things are hard to liquidate; I’ll gift him some things."

Like newly crafted glass cups, glass bowls, and such.

Zhao Hanzhang asked, "Did Mr. Ji smash more glass today?"

"Many were smashed, but a few were left."

Zhao Hanzhang then said, "Pick two and send them in a top-grade golden silk nanmu box."

I’m sure Fifth Uncle and others will be pleased to see my gift.

Fu Tinghan handed his grandfather’s letter to Zhao Hanzhang, "Although you already know about Luoyang’s return, you should take a look."

Zhao Hanzhang put her pen down, took the letter, "What did Grandfather Fu say in the letter?"

"He said Luoyang is now more dangerous than before."

Zhao Hanzhang: "History has deviated; although generally unchanged, I can’t rely on my historical memory to compare with reality, but although events differ, people’s nature doesn’t change."

She said, "According to this analysis, after Luoyang’s chaotic armies retreat, the struggle between Prince East Sea and the emperor will intensify."

Fu Tinghan: "Will it affect us much?"

"More refugees mean it’s easier to recruit?" Zhao Hanzhang frowned, "It seems the north is really about to descend into chaos."