CHAPTER 268: CHAPTER 262: GET INTO THE BOWL QUICKLY

Zhao Hanzhang suggested that the girls from the Zhao Family enter the school to teach because during the New Year celebration at Wu Castle, when the girls from the family visited, they mentioned Fan Ying, who was able to work in the county government, with eyes full of envy.

After being rescued, Fan Ying stayed at Wu Castle for a period. Given that she was the daughter of County Magistrate Fan and was already friends with some of the young girls at the castle, the experience only strengthened their bond.

Clearly the same age, or around the same, Fan Ying was already independent at the county government, able to seek welfare for the citizens, while they could only stay at Wu Castle waiting to marry or get engaged.

The girls were indignant.

They didn’t dare to compare themselves with Zhao Hanzhang because this sister had stood on a level they could hardly reach from the beginning, with skills they didn’t possess.

But they dared to compare themselves with Fan Ying.

Therefore, because of the period of mourning, the people in the old house couldn’t visit relatives, so the young cousins invited each other to visit.

When Zhao Hanzhang saw the envy and longing in their eyes, she couldn’t suppress her burgeoning emotions.

Was she lacking positions now?

What she clearly lacked were suitable talents.

As long as they could be used, it didn’t matter their age or gender.

Currently, Xiping County was under Zhao Hanzhang’s charge, and there were also two female clerks in the county government. Zhao Kuan could ordinarily work with women, but thinking that woman was his sister, he couldn’t accept it, hence his long-standing disapproval.

Zhao Hanzhang sighed, "Before they marry, if they could manage affairs at the county government and school, they would surely have more appreciation for household management, and they wouldn’t fear being bullied in their husband’s family in the future. Why won’t Brother Kuan agree?"

Zhao Kuan began to ponder.

Seeing that he was finally moved, Zhao Hanzhang quickly said, "There’s no need for them to do anything too tiring or complicated, just start by teaching students, knowing some characters and doing some arithmetic will suffice."

Zhao Kuan: "When the school was first established, Third Sister also told our uncle and us this, but now we not only have to manage the school, but also have to prepare books and drawings for you."

Xiahou Ren’s manuscripts and sketches were still being organized. The Eleventh Ancestor was completely immersed in it, but his manpower was limited, so quite a few young family members were conscripted by him.

Zhao Kuan was the best at painting and was the one most often recruited, which was exhausting.

Despite this, his parents still wanted him to follow Zhao Hanzhang, replacing Ji Yuan and Chang Ning. Heaven knows how afraid he was of seeing Zhao Hanzhang now.

He was already so busy he rarely saw his friends, and if someone in the family could divert his parents’ attention... Moreover, Zhao Hanzhang was right, if his sisters could experience some practice, they wouldn’t be easily bullied after marriage.

After persuading himself, Zhao Kuan said, "I can put in a good word for you."

Zhao Hanzhang understood; she had to propose it herself, and he would assist from the side.

Zhao Hanzhang gave him an appreciative look, "Brother Kuan is truly an enlightened and loving brother to his sisters."

Zhao Kuan accepted her praise entirely.

Zhao Hanzhang delegated the teaching of Arabic numerals to Fu Tinghan, while she made a dash for it.

She ran back to the old house and said to Mrs. Wang, "Please help invite Aunt Dong and their two sisters over as guests."

Mrs. Wang was curious, "What are you inviting them for?"

Zhao Hanzhang: "Just to have a meal and chat, it’s still within the year. We’re not supposed to visit others, but it’s okay to invite people over, and there’s no need for a big fuss, just sit and chat."

Thinking for a moment, Zhao Hanzhang said, "The Glazed Workshop in Shangcai sent two particularly exquisite glazed bottles, would you invite them to admire the bottles?"

Mrs. Wang then sent someone to extend the invitation.

Of course, it was impossible to invite only the female members of Zhao Kuan’s family, so if inviting, why not invite several families.

Zhao Hanzhang waited at home for them to arrive, and when they did, she went to the front hall to meet them.

Seeing Zhao Hanzhang at home was a surprise to them, "Didn’t Third Lady go to the county government?"

Zhao Hanzhang smiled, "It’s still within the year, so the government office is not busy. I came back to accompany my mother."

She sat obediently listening to their conversations, while her aunts were somewhat restrained. After the Minor New Year, the men in the family became more respectful to the old house, encouraging better relations with Mrs. Wang.

In front of Mrs. Wang, they were close as friends, but faced with Zhao Hanzhang, they were somewhat apprehensive.

Zhao Hanzhang seemed unaware of their discomfort, listening intently to their talk from clothes and jewelry to neighborhood gossip.

Because Zhao Yunying was to be married in half a year, Aunt Dong inevitably brought it up, "Kuan’er is still her brother, yet he still refuses to marry! Who knows what kind of person he will fancy in the future. Alas, if he neither marries nor establishes his career, who can Yunying and Yunxin rely on in the future?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang immediately said, "Aunt Dong, should my sisters suffer at the hands of their husbands in the future, I will stand up for them."

Aunt Dong’s eyes lit up, "Really?"

Zhao Hanzhang nodded with a smile, "Of course, we’re all sisters, how could such a matter be false?"

Aunt Dong was delighted, immediately pulling Zhao Yunying and Zhao Yunxin forward to express gratitude to Zhao Hanzhang.

The sisters were not shy and immediately stepped forward to show their thanks.

Zhao Hanzhang held their hands to stop them, pulling them by her side, she laughed to Aunt Dong, "Aunt Dong, you make me blush."

Zhao Hanzhang held their hands saying, "If we talk about reliance, I say, a father or brother is less reliable than oneself. One must be strong; why wait for a father or brother when one could solve matters oneself without troubling them?"

Aunt Dong laughed, "What kind of talk is this? What are fathers and brothers for, if not to rely on?"

Others nodded repeatedly, laughing, "Siblings should support each other. If the Second Son establishes a family and career, would you as the sister not help?"

"Indeed, it’s the same reasoning. If you were bullied by the Fu Family, wouldn’t the Second Son help his sister?"

Zhao Hanzhang immediately nodded in agreement, "Aunts are quite right, which reminds me of Sister Hui Feng from the Wang Family."

Why bring her up?

The women were uneasy yet curiously attentive, but Zhao Hanzhang sighed deeply and ceased to speak.

Everyone became as unsettled as cats facing a ball of yarn, unable to resist and asked in whispers, "What about Wang Hufeng?"

Zhao Hanzhang then said, "Everyone knows Sister Wang was the deposed Crown Princess Consort. Back when the deposed Crown Prince was falsely accused and under house arrest, she wrote home to the Wang Family for help. However, Grand Commandant Wang refused to aid her, and not considering her wishes, ordered her to separate from the deposed Crown Prince. Sister Wang ended up crying all the way back to the Wang Family."

Zhao Hanzhang sighed deeply, "Back then, Sister Wang cried all the way from the deposed Crown Prince’s mansion to the Wang Family. The sight moved passersby deeply. I thought then, women could rely on their families, but what if one day, their fathers and brothers are unwilling to be that support, aren’t they powerless, at the mercy of others?"

Not only Aunt Dong and the others, even Mrs. Wang was left with her mouth agape.