Chapter 423: Chapter 423

Currently, the clan affairs are ostensibly managed by Zhao Song, but most of them are actually handled by Zhao Ming.

Any disputes within the clan are directly reported to him. A few days ago, a clan member came to Zhao Ming to complain, saying they didn’t know who had dug pits to make a fire in his wheat field, seemingly to catch field mice or rabbits.

Such worrying clan members give Zhao Ming quite a headache.

He couldn’t be bothered to investigate further, so he directly ruled: "Have your family send twenty pounds of wheat to Uncle You’s family." Chapters fırst released on 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹✦𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✦𝓷𝓮𝓽

Upon hearing this, Zhao Fan couldn’t help but mutter, "I’ve already avoided that wheat. I didn’t burn the roots of the wheat at all..."

Zhao Ming lifted his eyelids to look at him, "What is the clan brother saying?"

Zhao Fan immediately stopped muttering and said, "Nothing."

He changed the topic and asked, "Wasn’t it said that Third Lady is short on food? She needs to borrow money to buy food; has the money been raised?"

Zhao Ming asked nonchalantly, "Does the clan brother want to lend money to her?"

"Lending is certainly possible, but we need to be clear about accounts even among brothers. How much interest will she pay? Is she borrowing money or food?"

Zhao Ming said, "Either is possible."

Zhao Fan perked up, and Zhao Ying, who was sitting in front of him, also became lively, saying, "We can lend some too, and we can consider reducing the interest. After all, she’s family, and it’s not good to charge too much."

Now is a chaotic time, and it’s hard to earn money.

You can lose money doing business outside, so holding onto it is nice, but money doesn’t make more money. If Zhao Hanzhang and Zhao Ming want to borrow money, they are quite willing to lend it out for interest.

Just as they started talking, Zhao Wen, who was sitting not far away, immediately said, "If the two brothers have extra money, you can lend it to me. I’m planning to form a trade caravan to go outside and make money."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Fan and Zhao Ying’s enthusiasm waned, and they shrugged it off, "We actually don’t have much money; mainly we have grain. Isn’t Third Lady short on grain? We can save some and lend her some. If it were converted to money, it wouldn’t be worth much."

"Exactly," Zhao Ying said, "and now that Third Lady is in difficulty, we should prioritize her."

Even if it’s about earning interest, it depends on whom it’s lent to.

Lend it to Zhao Ming and Zhao Hanzhang, and it’s certain to be returned. Lend it to Zhao Wen, and while it’s not like throwing buns to dogs, you can’t expect the money back within ten years. Why on earth would they consider investing money in him?

Zhao Wen wanted to say more, but Zhao Ming, sitting above, looked at him with a cold gaze and asked, "Brother Wen, have you repaid the money you owe to Brother Qing and East Brother?"

Zhao Wen immediately shrank his neck, not daring to speak.

Zhao Fan and Zhao Ying quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Indeed, rejecting a clan member’s request for money should be left to Zhao Ming.

Zhao Ming played the bad guy, yet Zhao Wen didn’t dare resent him and left after having two drinks.

Zhao Ming continued pouring and drinking the wine, as Zhao Hu, hearing the news, hurried over. Seeing him drinking leisurely, he was dissatisfied and approached, saying, "Isn’t it said that Third Lady has returned? Why aren’t you going to greet her?"

Zhao Ming looked up at him, put down the wine cup, and slowly stood up to bow, "Seventh Uncle."

Seeing him being so leisurely, Zhao Hu was even more dissatisfied, "She’s the Inspector, and you’re the Prefectural Governor. How can you neglect her ? Go and receive her quickly."

Zhao Ming adjusted his sleeves, making his hands warmer. He said leisurely, "It won’t help; Zitu won’t return with Third Lady."

Zhao Hu jumped up, "You haven’t seen them, so how do you know Zitu won’t return?"

"Zitu wrote back, telling me he wants to stay in Song County. A new academy opened there; Third Lady handed everything over to Zhao Ze, but can he rest assured? So he plans to stay in Song County until the academy construction is finished."

Zhao Hu’s eyes welled up with tears, "Today is the winter solstice, and he isn’t coming home!"

Zhao Ming showed no change in expression and said, "He likely won’t return for the New Year’s or Qingming either."

Not returning for the New Year’s or Qingming, what does the winter solstice count for?

Zhao Hu, deeply hurt, turned and left.

Zhao Ming didn’t call him back, and leisurely started walking outside.

Today is the winter solstice, the Zhao family’s winter solstice banquet was not held due to the Xiongnu’s invasion south. Yet, many people still came to Xiping County and even stayed at Zhao’s Fortress.

This is because Zhao Hanzhang became an Inspector!

Due to the number of visitors, although the Zhao family didn’t hold the winter solstice banquet, starting today, Zhao’s banquet garden will be open, and all visitors can freely enter and partake in the food and drink provided within.

Of course, most of them are Zhao family members, who enjoy the excitement, so Zhao Fan and others stayed to drink in the garden instead of going out.

Knowing Zhao Hanzhang had returned, Zhao Fan and the others felt they were elders, not officials in the court, so there was no need to receive them. But they were truly eager to see their niece, who became an Inspector.

So after much hesitation, seeing Zhao Ming leave, they quickly followed.

They weren’t there to greet Zhao Hanzhang, but to see what Zhao Ming was up to.

Zhao Ming was leisurely walking towards outside the fortress, with his follower leading a cattle cart behind him, walking at the same slow pace.

Zhao Ming was pondering if the person Zhao Fan saw the day before yesterday was really Zhao Hanzhang? Where had she gone these past two days?

Returning to Ru Nan County and not seeing him, instead going elsewhere, does she have other plans for the Zhao family, or...

As he was thinking this, his follower Changqing called out, "Sir, look!"

Zhao Ming heard hoofbeats and raised his head at Changqing’s words to see Zhao Hanzhang leading a group at full gallop coming towards him. At about a hundred steps away, they slowed, but they quickly sped to his side.

A young girl on horseback looked at him with a bright smile, her eyes shining, and teeth glistening, "Uncle Ming!"

Seeing her sincere and dazzling smile, Zhao Ming’s freshly emerging doubts shattered and dissipated; he smiled slightly and nodded to her.

The lively young girl jumped off the horse, bounced over to him in two steps, grinning, "Uncle Ming, did you come specifically to meet me?"

Zhao Ming looked her over and asked, "Didn’t you go to the county town?"

"But I reached the county town and didn’t see Uncle Ming; only then did I realize today’s the winter solstice, so I hurried back to greet the elders." Zhao Hanzhang turned and said to the just dismounted Zhao Erlang and Fu Tinghan, "Hurry up and pay respects to Uncle Ming."

Fu Tinghan led the somewhat timid Zhao Erlang forward to salute.

Zhao Fan and the others were slowly coming while sitting on the cattle cart; seeing them, they happily hurried over, "Third Lady!"

Zhao Hanzhang turned back and squinted her eyes in a smile, "It’s Uncle Fan..."

Zhao Hanzhang moved forward to salute.

After meeting, everyone proceeded into the fortress together.

Zhao Ming couldn’t help but glance back, then straightforwardly asked Zhao Hanzhang, "Is that He Heng?"

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "It’s He Heng, does Uncle know him?"

"Met him twice, is he here to see the He family?"

"No," Zhao Hanzhang laughed, "He came to take me to see the iron mine."