CHAPTER 113: CHAPTER 107 SYMPATHY

Zhao Hanzhang clapped her hands, and immediately two large chests were carried over by the guards and opened directly, giving everyone present a shocking opening scene.

Oh, except for Professor Fu, this was the first time for Ting He to see so much glass, even the guards carrying the chests had their mouths agape, not expecting such treasures to be inside.

Zhao Ming was the first to come back to his senses, looking at Zhao Hanzhang in astonishment, "How is this made?"

Zhao Song also regained his composure, glaring at Zhao Ming, "Is this something you can ask?"

But he turned to Zhao Hanzhang too, "Did your grandfather leave you this recipe?"

"No," Zhao Hanzhang denied directly, pointing to Fu Tinghan, "This is Mr. Fu’s recipe."

Zhao Song sighed in relief, it made sense, how could his elder brother hide such a good thing?

Zhao Ming’s heart sank, unable to help but glance at Fu Tinghan.

Fu Tinghan was very quiet, sitting there quietly, watching quietly, as if the events around him were unrelated, and when he saw him looking over, he even smiled and nodded back.

Zhao Ming felt he hadn’t misjudged him; although he was younger than his father, he felt the paths he walked and the people he met were by no means fewer than his father’s.

In terms of the ability to judge people, he felt superior to his father.

So he could see that Zhao Hanzhang was restless, see her ambitiousness.

While Fu Tinghan was cold and aloof, with gentle brows and eyes, he was truly someone with no desires and thus strong.

Zhao Ming’s gaze shifted from Fu Tinghan to Zhao Hanzhang, and his perspective changed. He had always worried that after Zhao Hanzhang got married, her ambition would lead her to take things from the Zhao Family to the Fu Family, but now it seemed he was profoundly mistaken.

Clearly, she intended to extract things from both Zhao and Fu families to strengthen herself.

Zhao Ming glanced sympathetically at his father, then turned to look sympathetically at Fu Tinghan, unable to join in their happiness. In the end, he reserved his sympathy for himself.

The feeling of being the only sober person among the drunken is not good, the most pitiful is not the drunk masses, but the one sober person.

He was truly worried.

Though Zhao Ming very much wanted to privately talk with Zhao Hanzhang, recalling their previous interactions, he suppressed this thought.

Oh well, some things lose their charm if spoken too plainly; after all, they both understood each other well enough.

Zhao Ming poured himself a cup of tea in resignation and poured another for Zhao Hanzhang, saying, "Third Lady, you are truly skillful."

Zhao Hanzhang graciously accepted this compliment, raised her cup, and replied, "Uncle, you flatter me."

Zhao Ming took a sip of tea, lamenting again in his heart, if only Zhao Zhi were still alive, or if Zhao Hanzhang had been born a male.

If the Zhao Family had such a son, he would set off a million firecrackers to celebrate.

Thinking of Zhao Ji and Zhao Yi in Luoyang, Zhao Ming drank a cup of tea in a sullen mood, nearly choking.

The tea was truly bitter, unlike the better-tasting wine.

Zhao Song had already started circling the two chests, taking out the glass products inside; seeing their varying thickness and transparency, he couldn’t help but be curious, "Why is there such a difference between one piece of glass and another?"

Zhao Hanzhang looked at Fu Tinghan.

Fu Tinghan explained, "It’s due to different material compositions."

Zhao Song looked kindly at Fu Tinghan, asking, "Changrong, how did you come by such a recipe?"

As far as I know, the Fu Family isn’t particularly wealthy, at least compared to our Zhao Family, they’re far behind.

Compared to Zhao Changyu, who is good at managing and saving money, Fu Zhi is upright and devoted, focusing solely on government and water conservancy projects. Who would have thought his grandson would know the recipe for glass and not use it for the Fu Family, but rather make them in the Zhao Family?

Zhao Song almost doubted the affection between that grandfather and grandson.

Fu Tinghan said, "I read it in books. Some books record that after volcanic eruptions, glass crystals form, so the essential condition for glass is high temperature. As for materials, those near the volcano can all be possibilities. By researching more and reading more books, you can rule them out one by one."

Not only Zhao Song, but Zhao Ming was also astonished, "It’s that simple?"

Fu Tinghan couldn’t possibly tell them that such a process, which could be public knowledge in modern times, wasn’t difficult for him; what was difficult were the processes not yet made public.

But as long as Zhao Hanzhang didn’t demand glass with steel-like qualities, or other polymer glasses, he could derive and calculate it, a matter of time only.

Zhao Ming also got up and walked into the courtyard, standing next to Fu Tinghan, curiously asking, "What kind of books do you usually like to read, Changrong?"

"I enjoy reading books about numerology and calculations."

Few people enjoy this nowadays, Zhao Ming said, "You truly inherited Fu Zhongshu’s strengths."

Fu Zhi’s most renowned achievement was constructing the Shenlai Dam, preventing water disasters in Yan and Yu States. Oh, this is Yu State.

So Fu Zhi was very popular here, which is one of the reasons Fu Changrong is well-received here.

He can enter and exit Zhao’s Fortress freely with Zhao Hanzhang without being married, partly because of his filial piety; the other reason being Fu Zhi’s good reputation in Yu State.

Even the people in Zhao’s Fortress appreciate Fu Zhi’s grace in eliminating floods.

The more Zhao Ming looked, the more he perceived Fu Tinghan as gentle. Looking again at Zhao Hanzhang currying favor with his father, he couldn’t help but sigh deeply, patting his shoulder, saying, "Changrong, I truly don’t know whether in the end, it will be my Zhao Family letting you down, or you letting down my Zhao Family."

Fu Tinghan: "...Uncle, our two families are bound through marriage, forming an alliance between two families; can’t the Zhao Family and I both win?"

Zhao Ming’s gaze fell on Zhao Hanzhang, saying with difficulty, "It always feels a bit difficult."

Zhao Song, having finished checking, turned around seeing the two whispering, asked, "What are you two whispering about?"

Zhao Ming now had a new perspective, thus had more fondness for Fu Tinghan, so he said, "I was saying we should give Changrong a style name."

He turned and said to Fu Tinghan, "I recall that once the year turns, you’ll be seventeen, won’t you? You’re not young anymore, so you can consider taking a style name. If you don’t mind, shall I give you a style name?"

Zhao Hanzhang said, "Uncle, you’re too late; he already has a style name."

Zhao Ming: "What style name did he take?"

"Tinghan."

Zhao Ming was puzzled, "What’s the meaning of this? Since you are named Changrong, then it should be..."

"I think this style name sounds nice, easy to say. By the way, Uncle, Fifth Uncle, I also have a given name."

"I know," Zhao Song said with a smile, "Your grandfather mentioned in his last letter, saying he named you Hanzhang and asked me to find a way to record it in the genealogy, but..."

Zhao Song looked embarrassed.

Zhao Hanzhang expressed understanding and wasn’t insistent, "Whether it’s recorded doesn’t matter, as long as Fifth Uncle remembers me is enough."

It’s difficult for a woman even to be included in the genealogy, not to mention having their name recorded.

If she could be recorded in the genealogy as third, named Hezhen, it would already be quite good. Any additions would depend on her soaring high enough for the Zhao Family to look up to her, then they would enthusiastically record her style name and various achievements.