A slight, almost malicious smile curled at the corner of her lips as she asked, "At present, the Zhao Family isn’t under Uncle’s control, is it?"
Zhao Ji’s expression darkened. Wu Shi and her three children stared at Zhao Hanzhang in astonishment, never expecting her to dare speak such words to his face.
Even Madam Wang couldn’t help but look at Zhao Hanzhang in surprise, gently tugging at her sleeve.
Zhao Hanzhang pretended not to notice, still smiling as she watched Zhao Ji, waiting for his response.
Zhao Ji took a moment to compose himself, quickly suppressing the anger on his face before calmly replying, "Third Lady has just woken up and doesn’t remember the family affairs, so there’s a misunderstanding. My actions are for the sake of peace within the household. If we allow the servants to spread rumors freely, even the best masters would be turned against each other."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded slightly. "Cousin is right. We should indeed investigate thoroughly. Although I don’t remember much, I’ve gained some insight since waking up. It seems most of the gossip circulating outside originates from the main branch and spreads inward. If we’re going to investigate, we must get to the root of it. How about this: let Cousin’s wife and my mother handle the investigation together. My mother will look into the main branch, and Cousin’s wife will investigate the Second Branch. We’ll see which servants are stirring up trouble and dismiss them all at once. What do you think, Cousin?"
Zhao Hanzhang had grown up under his watchful eye. He knew she was clever, but she had always been gentle and obedient. This was the first time she had openly challenged him.
Yet, faced with Zhao Hanzhang’s unfamiliar gaze, Zhao Ji couldn’t even muster the anger to lash out. He could only swallow his frustration and agree.
In the end, the visit ended inconclusively. They left behind the medicinal herbs they had brought, exchanging only a few words before departing.
Hurrying out of Qingyi Pavilion, Zhao Ji suddenly stopped and turned to look back at the dimly lit building.
Wu Shi, who had been following closely behind, was startled. She and the three children also halted, standing with their heads bowed.
Zhao Ji said expressionlessly, "She isn’t pretending. She truly has lost her memory."
Wu Shi nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes. Before I saw her, I thought she was faking it, but today it seems real."
Although Third Lady had occasionally been rebellious in the past, she had always acted with restraint, and her relationship with the Second Branch had been good. Regardless of their inner thoughts, the two branches had always maintained a harmonious facade.
Never before had there been such a disrespectful confrontation as today’s.
Zhao Ji felt a headache coming on. He realized that whether Zhao Sanniang was pretending or truly had amnesia, neither was favorable for them.
If she had truly lost her memory, she would no longer remember, and with that, all affection and fear would vanish. Everything they had built up over the years would disappear in an instant.
And tonight…
Zhao Ji thought of her earlier confrontation, feeling a sharp pain in his chest and a suffocating tightness. "What happened just now must not be spoken of outside."
Wu Shi whispered, "Even if we don’t say anything, word will likely spread from here to the main courtyard, won’t it?"
Of course it would!
No sooner had they left than Zhao Hanzhang ordered the kneeling servants to rise and dismissed them, keeping only Aunt Qing behind. "The physician hasn’t arrived yet. Aunt Qing, please go to the main courtyard yourself and tell Grandfather that I’ve woken up. Though I’m dizzy and nauseous, I’m no longer in serious danger. However, Mother is so angry that her chest aches."
She asked, "If Grandfather asks why Mother is upset, do you know how to respond?"
"How else should I respond? Of course, it’s because of the Second Branch."
Aunt Qing cautiously glanced at Zhao Hanzhang and, recalling Third Lady's previous instructions, whispered, "Just say it was because of Third Lady's provocation—Third Lady was disrespectful to the Eldest Master…"
Zhao Hanzhang nodded slightly. "Say that Third Lady has forgotten all her former etiquette and morals, and Second Lady was so furious she fell ill."
Madam Wang: …Truthfully, she wasn’t all that angry. In the past, among their family of three, she was the only one who ever got angry at the Second Branch. Her son was too simple-minded to hold grudges, and although her daughter was sharp, she always urged her to endure, saying things like, "Save your temper for crucial moments. If you lose it all the time, no one will take you seriously when you really need to."
Now that her daughter had finally lashed out at the Second Branch, Madam Wang felt nothing but refreshed clarity.
She hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back. "Is it really appropriate to say that? What if your grandfather gets angry with you?"
"He’ll definitely be angry, but I believe Grandfather will be even more furious with someone else." A faint smile touched Zhao Hanzhang’s lips as she tapped her knee. "Over the years, the main branch has inflated the Second Branch’s ambitions. Eldest Uncle’s family has grown too arrogant, convinced the title is already theirs. With such pride, how could they not fail?"
She continued, "I’m certain that luring Erlang out of the city was something Eldest Sister and the others did privately, without Eldest Uncle’s knowledge. Otherwise, they would have stopped it—they don’t believe Grandfather would ever pass the title to Erlang. Precisely because they’re so sure of this, even though they know our injuries are connected to Eldest Sister and the others, they aren’t worried. They’ve even helped cover their tracks, denying everything, confident that Grandfather won’t give the title to Erlang anyway."
Madam Wang’s heart ached with sorrow. "Why shouldn’t it go to Erlang? He’s his own grandson."
Zhao Hanzhang sighed. "…Mother, Erlang can barely write his own name. How could he possibly manage as head of the family? For him, the title wouldn’t be a blessing—it would be a deadly curse."
"Then why did you speak to the Second Branch like that earlier? You always told me to endure before."
Zhao Hanzhang replied, "Times have changed. Back then, I thought that since we share the same bloodline and grew up together, there must still be some affection between us."
She explained, "Even teeth and tongue clash sometimes. In a family, quarrels and disputes are normal. It’s fine to yield on trivial matters. But now it’s clear their ambitions are too great, and their hearts too cold. Relying on them is no longer possible."
Madam Wang was stunned. "If we don’t want the title, and we can’t rely on them, then what do we…"
"Mother, the title is just an honor. There are many good things in this world. We may not want that dazzling title, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want anything else." Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes gleamed. "And those things are still in Grandfather’s hands."
Madam Wang’s eyes lit up. "Money?"
Her father-in-law was famously frugal, yet also renowned for his business acumen. He must have amassed considerable wealth.
Now only the three of them and Aunt Qing remained in the room. Zhao Hanzhang said meaningfully, "Money is only secondary."
What mattered most were the people under Zhao Changyu’s command!
In times of chaos, wealth and grain were important, but people were even more crucial.
Those who had both manpower and provisions could not only survive but thrive. Right now, the entire Great Jin was embroiled in conflict. Even Luoyang, which seemed relatively stable, had recently been through bloodshed. Just a few months ago, another upheaval had swept the city, washing it in blood yet again. Without a reliable force at her disposal, Zhao Hanzhang felt she wouldn’t dare step outside the gates.
So she coveted the people in Zhao Changyu's hands.
Aunt Qing instantly understood and knew what to say. She was shrewd, rubbing her eyes to make them a bit red, then curtsied to Zhao Hanzhang and said, "This servant will not fail Third Lady's trust."
She turned and left.