After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times
Chapter 199 - 194: The Loom

Chapter 199: Chapter 194: The Loom

The county government’s affairs are handled by Chang Ning, who is assisted by Song Zhi and Geng Rong, Yushan Hall has Chen Si Niang, and now the weaving department, which employs labor as relief, has been augmented by Fan Ying; the military is handled by Zhao Ju, allowing Zhao Hanzhang to fully immerse herself in the research of weaving machines.

Truth be told, this is quite interesting, much more so than dealing with county affairs.

Zhao Hanzhang has regained the feeling she used to have when solving math problems. Since unexpectedly becoming blind, her focus has been forced to shift from sciences to the arts.

Her grandfather had a deep affection for prestigious schools, believing it a pity for such a clever mind not to attend a good school. It’s unknown which cheeky parent brought their stubborn child’s elementary school textbook to show her grandfather.

In it, there was a lesson called "The Child Who Overcame Fate." Knowing Zhao Hanzhang had damaged optic nerves, rendering her blind even with a retinal transplant, her grandfather began to cultivate her artistic temperament vigorously.

He wanted her to learn music like one of the children in the textbook and attend a prestigious school.

Thus, Zhao Hanzhang had to take up the piano she had neglected.

Initially, she learned piano because all the other children in kindergarten attended specialized classes, and her mother felt she couldn’t lag too far behind, so she enrolled her in a piano class.

Zhao Hanzhang went along with it.

Her parents never expected her to achieve much in this field, nor did she think about it herself.

Compared to playing the piano, she actually preferred following her father around, practicing boxing and shooting.

In high school, she even had future plans mapped out, considering joining a research institute to study weapons. Thus, she maintained an interest in mechanical things.

Unfortunately, her blindness forced her hands, skilled at drawing and calculating, to play the piano instead.

Initially, Zhao Hanzhang could only measure data for Fu Tinghan and report it, but within a few days, she was able to do the drawings herself.

Although she was far from matching Fu Tinghan’s skill, she could at least understand it, "Add a spindle here?"

Fu Tinghan glanced over and said, "Since you’re adding, why only add one?"

When Mrs. Wang came looking for them, they were huddled together discussing the modifications needed. She only saw their backs from the window, their heads so close they were almost touching, and she wasn’t sure what crossed her mind, her eyes widened slightly, and she quickly coughed and knocked on the door.

Zhao Hanzhang turned her head, and Fu Tinghan, who was tilting his head, lifted his head, causing their heads to bump together, both wincing in pain.

Someone from outside was already asking loudly, "Sister-in-law, have you found Third Lady?"

Mrs. Wang replied somewhat flustered, "I found her, I found her, the child is handling documents now, let’s not disturb her."

Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan exchanged silent glances, and finally, she rubbed her forehead, got up, and went to open the door.

Mrs. Wang, who was about to turn away, stiffened, glared back at her, and pushed her into the room, "I’ll go handle them; you two need to be more discreet, don’t forget you’re still in the mourning period."

Zhao Hanzhang grabbed her, looking helpless, "Mother, what are you thinking? Tinghan and I are doing, are drawing."

Zhao Hanzhang stopped just in time, feeling it odd to say they were doing proper business.

Mrs. Wang looked skeptical and was about to go inside and see for herself when guests already found their way over, "Third Lady is here."

Zhao Hanzhang pulled out a smile, drew her mother to greet them, and whispered, "Mother, no one must see what’s in that room."

That was her treasure, more precious than the recipe for glass.

Mrs. Wang instantly understood and smiled, stepping forward, "Why did Sister-in-law come all this way? You could’ve waited in the parlor. As soon as I found her, I’d have brought her over."

Zhao Hanzhang greeted with a smile, "Aunt Qing."

The visitor was the wife of Seventh Lady’s eldest son, Zhao Qing, and Zhao Hanzhang didn’t bother to figure out Zhao Qing’s exact ranking within the family, addressing her by name instead.

Aunt Qing looked at Zhao Hanzhang in surprise, "Third Lady, why are you wearing such clothes?"

Only then did Mrs. Wang notice she was wearing a set of narrow-sleeved garments with long pants, mimicking the commoners’ attire, most importantly, made from coarse linen.

Mrs. Wang’s expression changed, immediately standing up for her daughter, "She’s still in mourning, so wearing coarse linen is appropriate."

"The mourning period is long over..." she had already eaten meat and drunk wine, yet still cared for this? Aunt Qing pondered for a while and smiled, "Third Lady is filial indeed; we cannot compare."

She curiously glanced behind Zhao Hanzhang, wondering why she came to this secluded corner.

Zhao Hanzhang let her look; she couldn’t see through the walls to Fu Tinghan and the weaving machine inside, "Mother, Aunt Qing, let’s talk in the main hall."

Aunt Qing agreed and followed Zhao Hanzhang to the main hall.

Not only did Aunt Qing come, but several other aunts and younger mothers too.

They came both to relax in the county town and buy things, and to check on Zhao Hanzhang.

Alright, mainly it was Mrs. Wang who wanted to see her daughter, and they followed along, but after entering the town, they discovered something significant.

"...We took a look, and the Shu brocade is extremely beautiful, even the plain brocade is top-notch, with a glint under the sun, more valuable than the brightly colored ones."

After so much talk, they still hadn’t reached the point. Zhao Hanzhang was perplexed, asking, "So, Aunties, are you short on money and came to borrow from me?"

"What are you saying," Mrs. Wang tapped her and said, "Can your aunts and younger mothers borrow money from a child? The Shu Merchant said all the goods were sold to you, so your aunts and younger mothers had to look for you to buy."

Aunt Qing laughed, "That’s right, how could we take a child’s things from you? So you calculate the price and sell some to us."

She said, "Mainly, the winter solstice is near, and your sisters have been cooped up for a year, we thought of buying some fabric to make new clothes for them."

Zhao Hanzhang agreed quickly, "What’s so difficult about that? I’ll have a county official take aunts and younger mothers to select. Just buy what you like from them."

She said, "These things were bought by the county government to be sold at a high price to earn some difference for buying grain. I’ll tell them not to profit off aunts and younger mothers, they can buy it at cost price."

Although unsure of its truth, everyone was pleased to hear.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled and asked, "Only plain brocade? I vaguely remember some brightly colored brocades among them."

Aunt Qing sighed, "The recent Wu Castle battle saw many deaths, though fortunately no one from our family died, your Uncle Ming already decreed family-wide mourning, forbidding weddings and banquets for three months, even if the winter solstice is still far, we can’t be too bright."

After all, there are still so many mourning families in Wu Castle.

Zhao Hanzhang nodded. By the winter solstice, it would indeed be beyond the three-month mourning period, but it wouldn’t be appropriate to be too colorful either.

Aunt Qing asked with a smile, "Will Third Lady attend the winter solstice ceremony?"

Zhao Hanzhang smiled, "I won’t go, just returning to worship the ancestors."

A few people were surprised, straightening up slightly, smiling, and nodding.

The Zhao Family had rules that except for immediate relatives, women couldn’t enter the ancestral hall to worship ancestors, let alone events as significant as the winter solstice ancestor worship.