CHAPTER 245: CHAPTER 240: SLIGHT REGRET

The face-loving Mr. Zhu Chuan painfully bought nine iron pots. After he left, Zhao Hanzhang immediately dragged Fu Tinghan back to the county government and first sent someone to Wushan to relay a message, "Have them send over three more iron pots."

Only then did they take the paper they made and the transcribed "Three Character Classic" and "Thousand Character Text" to Zhao’s Fortress.

Fu Tinghan followed her around with a calm face, not at all bothered by the fact that she took up so much of his time.

The snow from the day before was heavy, and now it was still a good time to appreciate the snow.

Zhao Ming, although not fond of appreciating snow with guests in the garden, liked to enjoy it alone.

With his father out entertaining guests, he was alone at home, enjoying the peace and quiet, so he took out a good jar of wine, had it warmed, and sat in the drafty pavilion, drinking while appreciating the snow.

When Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan eagerly found him, he was half-lying on a mat, one leg slightly bent, holding a small wine bottle, enjoying himself.

Seeing Zhao Ming so carefree and at ease, Zhao Hanzhang suddenly stopped, even Fu Tinghan was a bit surprised.

After watching for a while, he turned to Zhao Hanzhang and said, "If the elegant figures of the Wei Jin era were all like this, then I can understand why history books define these people as elegant."

This was somewhat different from the so-called literati he saw at the Zhao family banquet before.

Zhao Ming seemed to have heard the voices, his drinking paused, and he slightly tilted his head to look over.

Uncle and nephew looked at each other across a courtyard and a bare plum tree.

Zhao Hanzhang grinned at him and cheerfully waved to greet him.

Zhao Ming expressionlessly lowered his leg, slowly moved from half-lying to sitting, put down the wine bottle, and adjusted his robe.

Zhao Hanzhang dragged Fu Tinghan forward. Fu Tinghan, being observant, held her back and said, "I think Uncle Ming might not want to see us right now."

"A rare opportunity. No, I mean, since we’re already here, it’s worse to leave like this. Come on, come on, you said he seemed like an elegant literati just now, he wouldn’t mind." With that, she eagerly pulled Fu Tinghan over.

Zhao Ming became even more expressionless as he watched the two enter the pavilion and sit cross-legged opposite him after a rough greeting.

"What are you doing here?"

Zhao Hanzhang exhaled, watching the mist rising in front of her, curious, "Uncle, isn’t it better to stay indoors in such cold weather? Why lie in this drafty pavilion?"

Zhao Ming glanced at her, picked up the wine bottle again and drank, "Enjoying the snow."

Zhao Hanzhang looked outside and smiled slightly. Snow-covered, indeed beautiful.

She didn’t say what she came for, and Zhao Ming didn’t rush her, nor did he entertain the two, just continued drinking by himself.

He slightly lifted his eyelids to look at the two sitting opposite. His cunning and thick-skinned niece was staring at the snow in a daze, while Fu Tinghan beside her was staring at her in a daze.

His gaze shifted between the two, finally letting out a light sigh.

Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan heard the sigh and came back to their senses, turning to look at him together.

Zhao Ming shook the wine bottle and said, "Elder Uncle is truly insightful, none can compare."

Zhao Hanzhang waited for his next sentence, but realized he just kept drinking, as if there was no next sentence, so she couldn’t help but say, "I know Grandpa is insightful, and then?"

Zhao Ming looked at her and said, "And then you got a great deal."

Zhao Hanzhang looked at him, puzzled.

Zhao Ming didn’t explain, drunk, and too lazy to maintain etiquette, he half-laid back, emptied the wine bottle, shook it, and tossed it to Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang deftly caught it.

Zhao Ming slightly lifted his chin and pointed to a corner, "Pour some more."

Zhao Hanzhang looked over and realized there was a brazier, with a stove next to it, and a large wine pot on the stove.

The stove was empty, no fire, but the wine pot was warm.

Zhao Hanzhang glanced at the brazier, picked up the wine pot, shook it to even out the wine, and poured it into the wine bottle.

Indeed, the wine came out steaming, it was hot.

The fragrance of the wine spread, and Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help but swallow. She handed the wine bottle filled to eight-tenths to Zhao Ming, and holding the wine pot, sat on the mat.

She looked around, found not even a cup in the pavilion, and was momentarily speechless.

The wine at her hand kept wafting into her nose, it really smelled good~~

Zhao Hanzhang glanced at Zhao Ming, who was drinking on his own, and simply raised the wine pot to take a sip.

The wine went down smoothly but lingered long, Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes lit up, and she couldn’t help but say, "Good wine."

Zhao Ming quietly watched her, unable to resist asking again, "Why are you here?"

Zhao Hanzhang took a big sip of wine and loosened up, grinning at him, "Uncle, there are three big things to tell you."

Zhao Ming hummed softly, not caring, and asked, "Are they all good things?"

Zhao Hanzhang affirmed, "They are all good things!"

Zhao Ming shook the wine bottle and said, "Start with things that don’t require my labor, or rather, the one that requires the least of my labor."

Zhao Hanzhang fell into thought, a face full of hesitation, wondering which thing to start with.

Zhao Ming saw her taking so long to think and immediately felt a headache coming on.

Ever since he accepted her as the head of Xiping County, she kept working him, he practically found himself an ancestor.

Fu Tinghan lightly coughed to remind her, "Start with the teaching."

"Oh," Zhao Hanzhang immediately sat up straight and said, "Uncle, I accidentally got two books, and I think they’re more straightforward and easier to understand than the books currently used for elementary education, so I decided to change the curriculum in the school."

Zhao Ming blinked, "The school is your school. You can make the decision, why tell me?"

Zhao Hanzhang grinned at him, "I need Uncle’s support, of course. As you know, I am extremely busy, so while teaching those kids, I want Uncle and my younger brothers to also listen. With their knowledge, it won’t take more than a few days to integrate it..."

Zhao Ming understood, "You want them to change the elementary education books too?"

Zhao Hanzhang eagerly nodded.

Zhao Ming directly shook his head, "Everyone has their teaching methods. The clan handed over the wandering disciples to Zitu, no one ever thought of interfering with his teaching methods, those who don’t agree can leave."

He said, "One can trouble oneself, but shouldn’t trouble others."

Zhao Hanzhang: "But my two elementary books are more efficient..."

Under Zhao Ming’s gaze, she stopped, "Fine, if after listening to the class you still don’t agree with changing the textbook and curriculum, I won’t force it."

Zhao Ming snorted, but didn’t object further, asking, "What about the second thing?"

Zhao Hanzhang took out the folded paper and, with a sly smile, lowered her voice, "Uncle, look at this."

Zhao Ming thought it was something secret, sat up and took it, unfolded to see a large blank sheet of paper, still uncut.

He examined it closely, couldn’t find anything secret, looked at the wine in his hand, couldn’t bear to spill any on it, so he simply tossed the paper back to Zhao Hanzhang, "Just say it, what’s up with the paper?"

Zhao Hanzhang: "...This paper was made by our paper-making workshop."

Fu Tinghan, watching their uncle-niece interaction, couldn’t help the gleam of laughter in his eyes.