Chapter 86: Parting with a Cup, Heading East (Part 2)

Once a formal war against the Tibetan tribes in the Hehuang region begins, Wang Zhao will have independent command, and he will inevitably be given the title of Pacification Commissioner. At that time, Wang Hou, as part of Wang Zhao's staff, will naturally receive the position of 'Writing Official for Confidential Matters'—not 'Manager' but 'Writer.' This is the right of the Pacification Commissioner, who can appoint family members or servants as Writing Officials for Confidential Matters, essentially private secretaries.

As long as Wang Zhao performs well, Wang Hou can be officially granted an official position. This is Wang Hou's only opportunity. Otherwise, he would have to wait until Wang Zhao has accomplished his mission and reclaimed Hehuang, and the merits he has earned would be enough to benefit his sons, allowing them to receive official appointments and titles.

Dou Jie, a slick and powdered young noble, had indulged in wine and women since arriving in Qin Prefecture. He obtained a ninth-rank official position without much effort, which naturally made Wang Hou, who was deeply concerned about the prospects of hereditary appointments, look at him unfavorably.

Liu Xishi and Dou Jie exchanged pleasantries, then introduced them to Han Gang and Wang Hou.

Dou Jie casually saluted Han Gang and Wang Hou with a wave of his hand, then sat down on his own, slapped the table, and said to the two courtesans, "Why have you stopped singing? I, Dou Qi, have come here specially to support you."

'Is he here to support or to disrupt?'

Han Gang glanced at Liu Xishi, whose face was not pleasant. As the host, he had not yet spoken, but Dou Jie was already taking over. Did he really think that with his grandfather's power, he could act as he pleased in the Qin Prefecture region?

Since his rebirth, Han Gang had encountered many people and events in this era. From high-ranking officials like Li Shizhong, Xiang Bao, and Wang Zhao, to lowly figures like Huang Daliu and Li Laizi, all had their share of cunning. The younger ones, like Wang Hou and Wang Shunmin, also had their own depths, or rather, they were all smart people. It was the first time Han Gang had met someone as shallow and frivolous as Dou Jie. 'Could he be putting on an act?' Han Gang always tended to think the best of people.

Wang Hou gave Han Gang a meaningful look, his eyes showing a hint of joy. This was a good thing; Dou Qi was pushing Liu Xishi towards Wang Zhao.

Liu Xishi's displeasure flashed across his face, but he quickly smiled again and invited Han Gang and Wang Hou to sit down again. The lute strings hummed, and the clappers tapped lightly as the two courtesans resumed their singing, still with Liu Zunian's lyrics.

Amidst the music, the few of them chatted casually, but Dou Jie only paid attention to Liu Xishi, completely ignoring Han Gang and Wang Hou. Han Gang and Wang Hou, not wanting to embarrass themselves, also only spoke to Liu Xishi.

When Dou Jie joined the table, the old dishes were removed, and Huifeng Tower brought out a new set. Liu Xishi and Wang Hou praised the fresh and tender stuffed tofu, which was delicate and smooth, white as jade, and free of any salty or bitter taste, far surpassing any tofu they had ever eaten before. It was served again. The manager personally introduced it, saying it was a specialty of Tianning Temple in the city, previously used only for the temple's vegetarian feasts, but recently, due to a decline in incense offerings, it had started to be provided to a few large taverns in Qin Prefecture.

"This is made with gypsum, not brine," Han Gang casually revealed the secret. Although it was still a secret that Tianning Temple wanted to keep, in the future, there would be many varieties of tofu, but essentially, they would still be either brine tofu or gypsum tofu, and he knew this basic fact.

"Gypsum?" Wang Hou and Liu Xishi asked in unison.

Han Gang explained, "Usually, brine is used to make tofu, which gives it a salty and bitter taste. If gypsum is used, it will be as fresh and tender as this dish."

Wang Hou shook his head in admiration, "I knew Yuku was well-versed, but I didn't expect you to be knowledgeable even about kitchen matters. Is there anything you don't know, Yuku?"

"Truly, Yuku is remarkable," Liu Xishi casually toasted Han Gang with another cup of wine.

"If you talk about fertilizing vegetables, Fugou should be equally familiar," Dou Jie's words were sharp, revealing his shallowness. Even Liu Xishi felt uncomfortable and gave him a cold glance, let alone Wang Hou, who almost slammed the table. At the neighboring table, Li Xin and Yang Ying were restraining Wang Shunmin and Zhao Long, who were glaring with anger.

Han Gang ignored Dou Jie and smiled, "It's not that I am well-versed, but I happened to know that Tianning Temple buys a batch of gypsum every month..."

"It seems that Mr. Han is not well-versed but is a busybody..." Dou Jie smirked, his words becoming more cutting.

Wang Hou and Liu Xishi frowned. How could Dou Shunqing's grandson speak like this? He couldn't even behave properly; it was clear that the Dou family's education was lacking. Dou Shunqing, who always favored literature over military affairs, had once been rumored to want to change his military rank to a civil one. If he couldn't even discipline his grandson, becoming a civil official would only bring shame.

Han Gang had seen many shallow and petty people who always tried to gain the upper hand by belittling others. Now, with his different status, arguing with Dou Qi in front of the inspector would only damage his carefully crafted image.

But being bullied was not in his nature. Han Gang glanced at Wang Hou and smiled at Liu Xishi, "Xishan, you should understand. In treating bone injuries, gypsum is always needed. I will soon be responsible for the medical affairs in the region, so it's only natural to inquire about the prices of various medicinal herbs in Qin Prefecture..."

Han Gang didn't finish, but Wang Hou and Liu Xishi understood. By inquiring about the prices of medicinal herbs, Han Gang had learned that Tianning Temple was competing to buy gypsum, and from this, he deduced the secret of making tofu. This layered reasoning demonstrated Han Gang's sharp mind and ability to infer much from little.

"Over the years, Tianning Temple has bought 40 to 50 pounds of gypsum every three months. If someone had a severe heat condition that required such a large amount of gypsum, it wouldn't last for over a decade, as if they were eating it for meals."

Han Gang's explanation was reasonable, and Liu Xishi nodded in agreement, secretly praising his meticulousness.

Since being recommended for an official position, Han Gang had used the excuse of not yet being appointed to avoid any involvement with the medical camps in the region, even staying away from the Gangu Therapeutic Institute he had named. Liu Xishi had initially thought Han Gang was the type who would lose interest in his duties once he obtained an official position, but from his efforts to inquire about the prices of medicinal herbs, it was clear that Han Gang was very dedicated to his responsibilities, which explained why Wang Zhao valued him so much.

"Perceiving the significant from the trivial, Wang, Zhang, and Wu indeed have good judgment. Yuku is truly a great talent." Liu Xishi raised his cup and toasted Han Gang again.

"Where, where, the inspector is too kind." Han Gang returned the toast, and Wang Hou also raised his cup to join in, leaving Dou Jie completely ignored.

For someone like Dou Jie, being ignored was the greatest insult. His impulsive nature couldn't tolerate being looked down upon. A gardener's child, a eunuch, and the son of a sycophant were all treating him as if he didn't exist, talking among themselves. Dou Jie felt a deep sense of humiliation, and his anger burned fiercely.

Han Gang, however, continued to chat and laugh with Liu Xishi, completely at ease, as if they had known each other for a long time. Wang Hou was not surprised; anyone who interacted with Han Gang, as long as there was no enmity, would easily become close to him. Wasn't he the same?

Liu Xishi and Han Gang talked and laughed, drinking freely, not as a formal official courtesy or a deliberate attempt to form a connection, but genuinely enjoying the conversation. Unconsciously, the topic shifted to the expansion in Hehuang, and Liu Xishi forgot to be cautious.

Interacting with a gentleman, one can't help but be drawn in.

Han Gang, with his sixteen years of formal education in his previous life, had a solid foundation in learning methods that could be applied to Confucian studies, making him invincible. Even if the knowledge he had learned conflicted with the current world, his logical thinking skills, honed over sixteen years, gave him a significant advantage.

Even without the memories in his body, with sufficient time to study and interact, he could face the learned scholars of this era without any fear. This was Han Gang's confidence.

Moreover, in terms of mental age, Han Gang was much older than his physical appearance. He had a stable worldview and personality, and his calm and pragmatic nature made him almost immune to external influences. He also had ample social experience, making him adept at interacting with others.

Although the society, customs, and human relations of the Northern Song Dynasty were vastly different from those a thousand years later, human nature remained the same, allowing Han Gang to navigate the society of the Northern Song Dynasty with ease.

This was Han Gang's advantage. Relying on his experience, he was carefully preparing to probe Dou Shunqing's background through Dou Jie.

"...In another year or so, once Wang Jiayi has established a solid foundation in Guwei and Weiyuan, it will be time to achieve great deeds." Han Gang looked at Liu Xishi, but his eyes were on Dou Jie.

As expected, Dou Jie sneered, "None of the senior statesmen like Prime Minister Fu and Prime Minister Wen enjoy starting wars."

"Don't forget Prime Minister Han," Han Gang interjected for the first time, contradicting Dou Jie, "He has served three emperors and supported two, can Fu and Wen compare? He supports the expansion in Hehuang!"

"Who said that?" Dou Jie laughed as if he had heard something amusing, "How could Prime Minister Han support Wang Zhao? He has scolded him countless times."

'Fool!' Han Gang's eyes held a hint of ridicule.

Han Gang had seen through Dou Jie's character at a glance. Arrogant, petty, lacking in depth, and ignorant. Such people always think they are the center of attention and cannot tolerate being looked down upon. Understanding Dou Jie's character, setting a trap for him to fall into was not difficult. Dou Jie fell for it so easily that Han Gang felt no sense of achievement.

Dou Jie's face changed, realizing he had said something he shouldn't, and he immediately regretted it.

Liu Xishi's face turned cold, his eyes piercing with a chill that could freeze a person. He knew that Emperor Zhezong had not sent Dou Shunqing to Qin Prefecture to undermine Wang Zhao. However, from Dou Jie's words, Dou Shunqing's bias was clear, and the person behind the scenes was also evident. Liu Xishi, the inspector of Qin Prefecture, was in a dilemma, unsure whether to report this or not.

Dou Jie's face alternated between red and white, which made Wang Hou feel vindicated. Han Gang, however, stood up, bowed to Liu Xishi, and said, "Thank you for your hospitality today. It's getting late, and I will be leaving tomorrow, so I must take my leave."

Liu Xishi was taken aback, then nodded with a bitter smile, "Very well... let's end it here."

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