After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 696 - 688 Attending Class?

Due to her being a young lady, although she was allowed to read and recite the family genealogy, there wasn’t a detailed explanation of the clans outside.

She was aware when she recited her own family genealogy, and sometimes, when noble families came to seek refuge, she needed Zhao Ming to point out who was who to recognize them.

This was not good, showing a lack of wisdom on her part.

Therefore, Zhao Ming resolutely wrote to Ji Yuan, asking him to find someone in Luoyang who could teach Zhao Hanzhang.

Since she had such intentions, even if he hadn’t agreed yet, she needed to learn skills and acquire relevant knowledge.

Otherwise, being as reckless as she is now, who knows how many people she might offend unintentionally?

Zhao Hanzhang actually didn’t think she needed to act according to the whims of the aristocratic families, but having background knowledge wouldn’t hurt, as they say, know yourself and the enemy, a hundred battles won.

The relationships among clans are not as simple as who is whose uncle or second uncle; there’s much more to it, like who did what under what circumstances leading to enmity or favor, or other connections.

It’s a complete combination of certain forums and social platforms, a paradise for gossipers, and can be listened to as stories.

The prerequisite is that the other party doesn’t ask her to summarize and recite it all later.

Ji Yuan looked around Luoyang and finally focused his attention on Wang Hufeng and Wang Si Niang.

There’s no need to mention Wang Hufeng, she is Wang Family’s Daughter, well informed and has a good memory. As the Late Crown Princess, in terms of understanding of the current world clans, she might surpass even the emperor.

Even those close to the emperor now don’t compare to the Late Crown Princess, who received special education and handled palace affairs, even dealing with Empress Jia.

Therefore, Ji Yuan immediately chose her. As for Wang Si Niang...

She is a companion for study.

Ji Yuan had long anticipated this would be a tedious task, and without someone accompanying Zhao Hanzhang, she might not persist for long.

Moreover, considering her temperament and status, if she were truly determined not to learn, Ji Yuan would have no other way but to cry. To avoid this, Ji Yuan found her a companion early.

He also told Wang Si Niang, "Your task is to ensure the Lord learns more, and learns for a long time, unless one day she thoroughly learns everything Miss Wang has about the clans, then she can stop."

Today’s discussion on Wang Xing occurred because Wang Hufeng talked about the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, but also because the dispatched people this time were all good-looking, while in the Inspector Mansion, among the young officials, suddenly only Wang Xing was left handling things.

Really pitiful.

Zhao Hanzhang ground ink and picked up the brush to continue the lesson seriously, noting down the names mentioned by Wang Hufeng, while also writing down their main deeds behind.

When Wang Hufeng finished today’s lesson, Zhao Hanzhang asked someone to send her off to rest and have a meal before leaving, and then suddenly pulled Wang Si Niang, who was also about to leave, to a corner to whisper, "Is your uncle very stingy?"

Wang Si Niang first looked out, saw her sister already disappearing at the corridor’s end, nodded immediately, and spoke freely, "Indeed, when I was young, during New Year’s visits with Brother and Sister, he never gave us any New Year’s money. My parents gave our cousins New Year’s money, and he would turn around to take it back, under the guise of safeguarding it for them."

"His family used to have a plum tree with quite good fruit, but my brother and I had to pay him to eat it. My brother got so angry he took us to steal a few times, but unfortunately, we got caught once, and my brother had to pay a lot to settle it."

Zhao Hanzhang: "...How stingy, frugal families don’t all have a plum tree?"

Wang Si Niang then laughed heartily, "I remember that your family also has a plum tree. There was even a rumor saying that the plum tree at his house was grown from a pit from your family, but unfortunately, the taste doesn’t match yours. By the way, what happened to your plum tree later?"

Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand, "Don’t mention it, my granduncle chopped it down."

Wang Si Niang said, "That’s indeed a pity."

"Who says it’s not?" Zhao Hanzhang pulled her, "Can you tell me more about your uncle? Tell me all the connections that can be told about his marriage and old acquaintances."

Wang Si Niang glanced to the side, puzzled, "Why are you suddenly interested in my uncle?"

"Isn’t it just the topic now?" Zhao Hanzhang said, "You know how complex and hard-to-remember the relationships among clans can be. Just trying to remember the relatives of Shantao’s household today left me brain-frozen. Someday it will come to your uncle, and having actual instances will help me remember and learn."

Wang Si Niang hesitated, "After all, he is a senior of mine, to occasionally say something bad might be fine, but specially talking about this ancestor’s shortcomings isn’t appropriate, is it?"

"Then just say his good side."

Wang Si Niang stared wide-eyed at her, as Zhao Hanzhang blinked, incredulous, "He is one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, there must be some strengths, right?"

Wang Si Niang awkwardly said, "I am not familiar with this uncle; when I interacted, the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove had long split."

Wang Si Niang paused, gritted her teeth, and spoke, "But if you truly have the intention, why not save someone? She might tell you more."

Zhao Hanzhang asked, "Who?"

"Pei Dun’s daughter, Pei Yuanjun," Wang Si Niang said, pursing her lips, "She is about the same age as my second sister, once arranged to marry my older cousin Wang Sui. Now she is living with the Pei Family’s people, luckily returning with us this time, saved by you."

Maybe speaking poorly of seniors is indeed inappropriate, one can casually mention small stinginess, but for more serious matters, Wang Si Niang avoided speaking, so she left it at that.

Zhao Hanzhang had to consult Ji Yuan.

Compared to Wang Si Niang, Ji Yuan was far more straightforward, saying directly, "Pei Dun’s daughter, I truly know."

He glanced down at Zhao Hanzhang before speaking, "Back then your grandfather intended to propose to Pei Family for your father."

In other words, if the proposal had succeeded, there wouldn’t be Zhao Hanzhang and Zhao Erlang.

Zhao Hanzhang: ...

She curiously asked, "Then this Miss Pei must be very virtuous."

Ji Yuan had followed Zhao Changyu early on, and nodding in agreement, said, "Indeed, she was well-known for being virtuous, often reading and very gentle in nature. But the Wang Family had great power, Wang Rong was the Minister, thus the Pei Family chose the Wang Family."

"Unfortunately, Wang Sui died young, and at the time, Miss Pei was not yet married. Saddened by the loss of his eldest son, Wang Rong declared that she must remain loyal and forbid anyone from proposing." Ji Yuan stated, "The Wang Family had great influence, no one dared to defy, so Miss Pei has remained unmarried until now, and she is no longer young."

Zhao Hanzhang pursed her lips, "I didn’t know the Wang Family had such stories. Isn’t Wang Yan famed as a nobleman? He just ignored it?"

Ji Yuan unreservedly sneered and then said, "You used to disdain Wang Yan for his indifference towards governance, yet you don’t know this began with Wang Rong."

He sighed, "Tracing the roots, the blame lies with the Sima family."