Chapter 274 - 268: Pacifying the People
As the ice and snow melted, the wheat turned green again, and amid the blooming of spring flowers, Zhu Chuan took his remaining goods and left Xiping, heading back to Shu.
Zhao Hanzhang personally went to see him off and generously gifted him two boxes of glazed products, one filled with glass bottles and the other with small glazed mirrors.
"This farewell may take a long time before we meet again. I wish you a smooth journey, Mr. Zhu," Zhao Hanzhang smiled. "We lack grain and fabrics in Xiping, so next time you visit, please bring more of these goods."
Zhu Chuan glanced at the farmers working alongside the road and smiled, nodding his head, "As long as the county lord of Xiping County is still Miss Zhao, I will certainly return!"
In business, not every city is safe, nor does every city welcome merchants.
Some counties, to prevent foreign merchants from encroaching on local business space, devise various ways to drive away business travelers.
Zhu Chuan had a wonderful time in Xiping these past months. Not only was Zhao Hanzhang welcoming to him, but the local gentry and wealthy all greeted him warmly.
How could they not be friendly?
Shu’s silk and brocade were very popular.
To return to Shu, Zhu Chuan had to pass through Shangcai. He only stayed one night there, and the next day, while leaving, he saw the bustling locals digging canals and constructing water projects, which made him sigh deeply.
His follower noticed his sighs and silence, and couldn’t help but ask, "My lord, what a wonderful scene, what are you sighing for?"
"I’m sighing because finally, the people of Central Plains have a glimmer of hope," Zhu Chuan said. "Though Shu is not entirely peaceful, it’s so much better compared to the frequent fights in the Central Plains."
"In past travels, starvation was everywhere, and the people’s faces were filled with apathy, especially in spring," he said. "Though it should be the season of new beginnings, full of vitality, all I saw in their eyes was despair. But this time, I saw hope."
Zhu Chuan said, "She might be ambitious, but who can deny the benefits she brings to the people?"
Clearly, Zhu Chuan knew that Shangcai’s change was due to Zhao Hanzhang.
Not only Zhu Chuan was aware, but so were the people of Xiping County and Shangcai County.
Ji Yuan never hesitated to praise and promote his lord, especially since Shangcai employed so many Zhao Family members.
So the people of Shangcai knew that their previous relief grain and the money for work relief now were requested by County Magistrate Chai and Zhao Hanzhang.
It’s said that the two counties have now formed brotherly ties, with Shangcai to aid Xiping, and Xiping to aid Shangcai, progressing together.
Hence, Upper Corner Village and Lower Corner Village had improved relations. When working in the fields and meeting people from different counties, everyone greeted warmly, as previous resentments over work competition had faded, and they even became relatives.
"Our two villages have intermarried, and now the two counties are brother counties, so our relations have improved."
"Yes, yes."
Zhao Hanzhang had begun to gather refugees not only in Xiping but also in Shangcai. With her financial support, County Magistrate Chai, despite his instability, followed Ji Yuan’s suggestion to use the government and wasteland to settle vagrants.
Shangcai’s bricks began selling themselves, used to build homes for the refugees. Of course, the money came from Zhao Hanzhang, but the profits returned to her hands...
The local gentry and wealthy took the opportunity to gather some vagrants, but County Magistrate Chai suddenly became assertive and checked thoroughly, not allowing them to conceal tenants. Anyone employing long-term workers had to go through the county government, not only reporting names and origins but also clarifying their treatment of long-term workers.
They suspected it was Zhao Hanzhang’s idea, as County Magistrate Chai, known for being soft-hearted, wouldn’t have such resolve, but they had no evidence.
Looking at the bustling Zhao Manor and Shangcai County, even if they were dissatisfied, they had to hold it in, or they wouldn’t even have soup from washed pots to drink.
Because Zhao Hanzhang led by example, gradually registering all hidden tenants at the manor.
County Magistrate Chai:...
County Magistrate Chai was stunned, knowing Zhao Hanzhang’s manor had hidden tenants, but didn’t expect there were so many.
What shocked him even more was that, although she registered them, she kept two ledger books. One was placed in the county government’s office for higher officials to review, which Ji Yuan said was Shangcai County’s tax list to be submitted;
The other was stored in his county government and Zhao Manor, which Ji Yuan said was the tax Shangcai County should receive.
County Magistrate Chai couldn’t understand for a moment.
Ji Yuan pointed out directly, "If the court doesn’t show compassion for the counties, taxing at highest rates despite disasters, and can’t provide relief, does the county lord expect us to ask our lady for aid each time?"
County Magistrate Chai paused before asking, "Is it the same in Xiping?"
Ji Yuan silently affirmed.
Not only did Zhao Hanzhang do this, but even the previous County Magistrate Fan of Xiping had intercepted some finances. He could guarantee that other counties more or less practiced this.
There weren’t many honest people like County Magistrate Chai.
However... Ji Yuan smiled, "This only happens when the court is inactive. If the court operated normally, our actions would harm both the nation and the people, and couldn’t be endorsed."
"Now that the county lord is one of us, Zhao Manor entrusted all hidden tenants to you. Look, our lady has so much trust in you, so please don’t betray her trust."
County Magistrate Chai was indeed touched and, after considering, accepted Ji Yuan’s arrangement.
Since even Zhao Manor didn’t hide tenants, Ji Yuan naturally wouldn’t allow other families to meddle. Despite past events, right now, further actions weren’t advisable, and new refugees were not to be hidden.
Ji Yuan, engaging in conflicts with people and nature, was immensely pleased, bringing daily improvements to Shangcai County.
And Xiping, under Fu Tinghan’s efforts, didn’t need much mention. The paper mill finally established five different paper recipes, with three types suitable for writing, ranked by quality and price into upper, middle, and lower grades.
There’s also a kind of paper suitable for fine-line paintings, and Fu Tinghan even made slight alterations from this recipe to produce semi-raw and raw paper fit for ink painting.
Then, unintentionally, toilet paper was produced.
Zhao Hanzhang was very pleased.
While deploying paper recipes, the paper mill’s transformation was completed. Fu Tinghan, with the craftsmen, fabricated the screen bed, and prepared lime water and plant ash water, accelerating the breakdown of paper materials, allowing the mill to produce large quantities of paper daily.
Xiping County Government will never lack paper again, and Shangcai County also began purchasing significant amounts from Xiping for the construction of basic infrastructure.
Collecting refugees and recording various information requires a lot of paper after all.