Zhang Hulan also understood that helping the villagers find food was a solution to their immediate needs and might save some people from starving to death. But these few people were nothing to the court. The composting method she offered was of great use to the court and would bring long-term benefits to the court.

If you look at it this way, the emperor was a bit stingy. Despite such a great contribution, he didn't even give her an imperial edict or something.

Zhang Hulan also understood that the emperor could reward her with these things and issued an imperial edict to praise her, probably because Wu Deyong helped her.

This also shows that Wu Deyong and his wife are really good people, otherwise he could have taken all the credit for himself.

Zhang Hulan bowed to Wu Deyong and said, "Your Excellency should have said something good for me, right?"

Wu Deyong smiled and waved his hand, "I just reported what you did to the court truthfully. You have made contributions to the court, and the emperor and the court will naturally reward you."

Zhang Hulan understood clearly that Wu Deyong was speaking for him.

Zhang Hulan bowed again, "Thank you very much, sir!"

Zhang Hulan then took out two pieces of silk and brocade that the emperor had awarded her and gave them to Ye Hongyun. "Madam, please keep these materials. They are my token of appreciation."

Ye Hongyun smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Keep them for yourself. My family doesn't need these things. I'll take the two horses you gave me, and you can take these back with you."

There is no shortage of these things at home? Good fellow, if it was just cloth, Zhang Hulan would not be surprised, but if there was no shortage of cloth awarded by the emperor, Zhang Hulan felt that Wu Deyong's family must be extraordinary.

Wu Deyong also spoke up, "Keep the things for yourself. You don't have to send us anything in the future. We don't need anything."

Wu Deyong then said, "Okay, if you have nothing else, go back."

Zhang Hulan quickly said, "Sir, I want to ask, can I use the cloth and silver that the emperor gave me?"

Wu Deyong smiled and nodded, "Of course you can use it."

Zhang Hulan asked again: "Sir, the emperor said that I will be exempted from taxes for three years. The wasteland I bought will also be exempted from taxes for three years. Does that mean I don't have to pay taxes for six years?"

Wu Deyong nodded again, "Yes."

Zhang Hulan asked again: "The three-year tax exemption from the emperor, is it only for the land I bought before or is it also for the land I bought later?"

Wu Deyong smiled and said, "All of them can be exempted. As long as it is your land, you will be exempted from taxes for three years."

Zhang Hulan then said, "Then I will buy another 1,000 acres of wasteland."

"You want to buy another thousand acres of land? And it's wasteland?" Wu De looked at Zhang Hulan in surprise.

Zhang Hulan nodded, "Yes. Didn't the emperor give me a hundred taels of gold? I used it all to buy land."

Wu Deyong said: "I understand that you want to buy land, but why do you buy so much wasteland?"

Zhang Hulan did not hide it from Wu Deyong. She wanted to start a business and needed his support. She said, "Sir, I plan to build a farm. I plan to dig fish ponds and raise ducks on the dozens of acres of land I bought last time. Later, I will also build a pig farm to raise pigs. I can sell fish, duck eggs and pork, and I will use the pig and duck manure to grow crops."

Ye Hongyun smiled and said, "You are ambitious. If you were an ordinary woman, you would probably live out your retirement with the gold bestowed by the emperor."

Zhang Hulan said, "I'm still young and can't lie flat yet."

"Lie down?" Ye Hongyun didn't understand the meaning of this sentence.

Zhang Hulan explained: "It means doing nothing, just hanging around all day, eating and sleeping, just like a pig."

Ye Hongyun covered her mouth and laughed: "How can you compare yourself to a pig?"

Wu Deyong admired this aspect of Zhang Hulan very much, her drive and positive attitude.

Wu Deyong stood up and said, "Let's go. I will take you to handle the formalities."

Wu Deyong personally took Zhang Hulan to handle the land purchase procedures. Since the purchase was large this time, the government would send someone to measure the land for Zhang Hulan. After the land was measured and the money was paid, the land deed would be processed.

Zhang Hulan was thinking about the tax exemption period and planned to reclaim the wasteland as soon as possible, so she asked Wu Deyong, "Master Wu, I heard that several villages in the county were severely affected by the disaster. They had almost no millet harvest and no ratoon rice. Their winter wheat should have been planted now. Can I find some people from those villages to help me reclaim the wasteland? I'll pay them for their work, and they can also use the money to buy some food."

Wu Deyong said: "Then I guess you won't be able to call anyone."

"What's wrong?"

Wu Deyong said, "I have been visiting those villages to survey the terrain recently. The court has allocated funds to build a reservoir in each village.

One is to prevent future droughts, and the other is that the court can use work-for-relief to provide relief to the people.

All the strong laborers in those villages were requisitioned to build the reservoir, leaving only women, children and the elderly. "

Zhang Hulan asked: "How much does the court pay the villagers per day?"

"Twenty cents a day, lower than normal labor, but there's nothing we can do about it. It's a special time."

Zhang Hulan said, "Then I will call the women in the village to open up the wasteland and pay them 20 cents a day. Although women are less strong than men, they can work just as well as men."

"You have a good heart!" Wu Deyong glanced at Zhang Hulan, then nodded and said, "Then when I go to those villages tomorrow, I will tell them that those who are willing to work for you can go to Daping Village to find you."

Zhang Hulan nodded, "Okay, thank you, sir!"

Zhang Hulan then said, "Sir, I have something to say first. I don't want people who don't work honestly. After they go there, if I see someone working dishonestly, I will ask them to go back."

"Also, the people in Daping Village who dug the fish pond for me, I paid them thirty cents a day. If they feel that it is unfair, they don't have to go."

"I grew up in Daping Village, so I definitely have a sense of kinship with the villagers. But after the people from those villages came over, I provided them with a meal every day at noon, but I couldn't arrange accommodation for them.

Also, they have to bring their own hoes and shovels. If they are willing to go, I welcome them, but if they are not willing, forget it.”

Wu Deyong nodded, "Okay, I will explain it to them."

Everything was agreed upon, and Zhang Hulan said goodbye and left.

Zhang Hujun had been waiting outside for a long time.

Seeing Zhang Hulan coming out with several pieces of cloth, he hurriedly got off the donkey cart to help.

"Brother, there's more inside."

Zhang Hujun looked at the donkey cart and said, "Sister, there is no place to put it."

There were more than twenty pig heads and offal loaded on the donkey cart, leaving no room for cloth.

Ye Hongyun said: "I'll have someone take you back."

Ye Hongyun asked the maid to call the coachman to drive the carriage over and load all twenty pieces of cloth onto the carriage.

Since the county magistrate's wife was present, Zhang Hujun didn't dare ask Zhang Hulan why she moved so much cloth back from the county government office.

It was not until they were out of the city that Zhang Hujun asked, "Sister, what's the matter with these cloths?"

Zhang Hulan replied: "The emperor gave it to me."

Zhang Hujun's expression froze, and he stared at Zhang Hulan blankly, "What did you say? You said these fabrics were given to you by the emperor?"