"The Farmer's Fat Wife" - Fat Men Are All Potential Stocks (Part 17)...

Having just experienced a major flood, the situation in the entire south was actually very fragile. Even the slightest incident could easily leave them scrambling to cope. Now that they have overcome the first major hurdle, one can clearly feel a sense of relief from top to bottom.

After a year, the grain ripened again. The climate in Huaizhou is very good, and two harvests can be made in a year.

After Ye Xiqing occupied the prefecture, he quickly redistributed the land to maintain order, ensuring that no land was left uncultivated and that every arable plot was put to use.

The destroyed fields were actively repaired, and the people were encouraged to reclaim the wasteland.

During the land reclamation period, one could register with the government to borrow tools. The government would provide land reclamation tools, oxen subsidies, and basic living allowances free of charge, and exempt the land from taxes for two more years than normal land. Once the land was reclaimed, it would belong to the individual.

It wasn't that the common people weren't hardworking; it was that they couldn't find land even if they wanted to. By the end of the dynasty, most of the land had been annexed.

Nowadays, hard work can be exchanged for land, and people are working incredibly hard. Huaizhou is bustling with construction workers, and the speed of reconstruction is beyond imagination.

In fact, the land that Ye Xiqing redistributed was not Ye Xiqing's, but after this transfer, it seemed as if the land was all given by Ye Xiqing. He successfully won over the hearts of the entire Huaizhou people with the open-air land.

Previously, Ye Xiqing and her group were rebels, and the imperial court was the government army. Now, the people of Huaizhou know in their hearts who the rebels are and who the imperial court is!

Once the new year's grain is harvested, the situation will stabilize. This is what people with innate good fortune do. Why should they build their own businesses? The bigger the goals, the better.

If you set your sights too low, your luck might overflow and end up in the hands of outsiders in other worlds who might think it could be of help to you.

But if you set a really, really big goal, and your own luck isn't enough, then when the world sees that its chosen one can't achieve the goal, it won't do. So it quickly tries to squeeze some of the resources that others don't need to make up for it.

Ye Xiqing doesn't like to use her luck to help others, but if someone else's luck can help her, that's great, that's excellent.

Because the government troops didn't come, Ye Xiqing instantly became even more convinced of her self-created theory of destiny, feeling a sense of relief that the male protagonist's destiny had been transferred to this place.

The world should do it this way from now on. She's in a bit of a hurry, so let's finish her job first.

The most basic necessity for people's lives is food. The great flood destroyed a lot of fertile land, but the redistribution of land also encouraged people's enthusiasm for cultivation, and the state was still self-sufficient in food.

After the government stopped taking half of the aid, the people realized that they had enough to eat even without the government's disaster relief.

I almost thought I could only wait for the government to provide disaster relief.

The new government exempted taxes for three years, and the people were overjoyed when they harvested all the produce and took it home.

In the past, even wealthy farming families like the Hua family would sometimes have to eat coarse grain cakes for a period of time to make do. Now, even ordinary farming families dare to eat white flour buns and refined rice.

In Huaizhou Prefecture, farming is no longer the only way to make money. The environment for all industries is more relaxed, and even the bandits have been wiped out.

The government dispatched troops to guard various checkpoints to protect the safety of merchants, but did not collect protection fees.

The county government opened its offices to handle disputes and patrolled to maintain public order, but it did not oppress the people.

The petty thugs who collected protection money were all arrested and beaten up by the government. The first time I walked on the street, I wasn't worried about someone suddenly popping up and eating and taking things from my stall for free, or stealing my things.

If someone reports their lost belongings to the authorities, a constable will actually track them down, find them, and wave them off, saying they don't need any bribes.

Having been a ghost for so long, everyone feels overwhelmed and surprised to be human for the first time, finding it hard to believe that it's real.

In ancient times, after natural disasters, there would inevitably be widespread famine and refugees everywhere. However, Huaizhou Prefecture began to develop towards a situation where doors were not locked at night and lost items were not picked up on the road.

The people below suddenly didn't know whether they should thank the great flood, because after it happened, the whole world seemed to have been washed clean.

As a result, the temple of the Goddess of Mount Tai became more and more popular. Look how effective this goddess is!

The stable environment and relaxed policies provided fertile ground for the rise of small handicrafts and small businesses. On market days, the market was packed with people.

Normally, the imperial court relies on the people to pay taxes to fill the granaries, but Ye Xiqing canceled taxes for three years. He canceled them when he said he would, and it was impossible for him to change his mind so easily.

The government's grain storage department purchases grain from outside sources. In the past, the imperial court would also purchase grain from the people. As for the price, it was up to the government, which cost a little more than outright robbery.

The government now purchases them at the average market price of twenty cash per dou.

After the people harvest their grain, they will keep enough for their own consumption and then sell it. At the same price, it doesn't matter who they sell to.

The government had more advantages than ordinary grain merchants. They went door-to-door to hawk their grain, so the people didn't have to transport it themselves. The government had grain transport teams. If they agreed to sell, they would just load the grain onto the carts and leave without the people having to do any work.

When it comes to selling things, it's all about comparing the best among the best. With money, you compare prices; with prices, you compare how much effort is required. In this respect, the government is still very competitive.

As soon as the grain purchased by the grain storage department was put into storage, people from all walks of life came to support it.

Grassroots civil servants, military personnel, and government officials are given rice.

The money for the river repair was borrowed initially, and much of the payment for the work has not yet been received. As a way of repaying the delayed payment, in addition to the wages, extra rice and grain were given as interest.

Public officials prevent others from being corrupt, but they themselves must provide sufficient benefits. Different industries have different KPIs. For example, the KPI for city guards is the flow of people, not the tax revenue. The more people pass through, the higher their performance.

Once the rules are set, promises must be kept for people to follow them, and that's when the funny things happen.

Officials and government-employed workers were certainly given new land; it's impossible that everyone received land except for officials and those repairing the river.

They have their own land and harvests, so they definitely have enough food to eat. The government also provides them with food. What do they do with the surplus? They resell it.

The money was taken out of the grain depot one day and then taken back the next. People with a straightforward mind, like Niu Xiaohuan, would directly report to their superiors, asking if the money could be given out directly. It's just a matter of transferring money from one hand to the other, why bother with all this trouble!

Hearing her say that, before Ye Xiqing could even speak, the people in charge of money, grain, household registration, taxes, and expenditures all stood up instantly, shouting, "No way! Don't cause us any trouble!"

Niu Xiaohuan: ...

Originally, they were comrades-in-arms who had fought side by side in the rebellion, but after going over the accounts several times, everyone became like fighting cocks, unable to concentrate on the New Year.

Ye Xiqing watched and decided not to get involved in their affairs. She said that from now on, these departments would not need to go through officials to approve leave. As long as it doesn't cause any problems, they can grant leave whenever they want.

Then I summoned Mei-jun and said, "Let's go somewhere else to play. What you said yesterday was quite interesting. Tell me more about it."

Bamboo Maiden: Hmm?

Before Mei Niangzi arrived, Ye Xiqing spent every day with Zhu Niangzi. After Mei Niangzi arrived, she summoned Mei Niangzi to keep her company every day.

Few of the villagers who rose to prominence alongside Ye Xiqing are political talents, as they have not received much education and it would be difficult to discover even those who are.

People like Wu Niang are quite outstanding. Ye Xiqing put her in charge of grain reserves. Lin Xiaofu is still young and inexperienced, so she learns everything from everyone else.

As a senior member and the most learned person, Zhu Niangzi naturally became the prime minister in charge of everything. She didn't have a fixed job, but every department would come to her with problems.

Originally, Lady Zhu had some refined interests, enjoying poetry contests, tea tastings, drinking games, and pitch-pot games. But since becoming the prime minister, she hasn't even bothered to touch her fan anymore.

She was overwhelmed with work when Ye Xiqing and Mei Niangzi strolled away, one playing the zither while the other clapped, chatting and laughing happily.

As soon as Zhu Niangzi went in to report on official business, she could hear the two men laughing from a distance. But as soon as she entered, they both stopped laughing instantly.

Bamboo Maiden stood there looking at the two people: Hmm?

Zhu Niangzi has never been a good-tempered person. Back when she was still at Chunfeng Tower, she was known for her eccentric personality.

It could be said that she created her own persona, or it could be said that this is her true nature, but she is clever enough to cultivate her personality into a persona.

She wasn't one to take things lying down by nature. Although she was able to quickly adjust to her subordinate position after following Ye Xiqing, it didn't mean she was willing to hold a grudge.

Go back and strike immediately. If anyone comes looking for her, call Ye Xiqing directly. What do they want from her? Go find the people with the surname Hua and the surname Lian!

Lady Bamboo was clearly angry and asked Ye Xiqing to guess. Whether Ye Xiqing could guess correctly was another matter, but Lady Mei was a sensible person and immediately went to apologize.

Would that bamboo maiden even listen to her? She lay down on the couch, pretending to be sick and unable to get up. If she had something to say, she would say it; if not, she would get lost.

Mei Niangzi was such a person; she didn't say anything, just sat down beside her bed and sighed inwardly.

Bamboo Lady didn't believe she would wait by the bed forever, so she turned her head inward and remained unmoved.

But she didn't expect that the man surnamed Lian could actually sit by her bedside for an entire morning. Zhu Niangzi couldn't stand it anymore, so she threw off the covers and got up, saying, "What do you want to do?!"

Seeing her get up, Madam Mei finally made a full statement.

Mei Niangzi's appearance cannot be described as merely beautiful; she is more like a banished immortal descended from heaven.

With hair as black as ink and a face as white as ice and snow, Zhu Niangzi was once in competition with several other courtesans, each employing their own methods.

However, when it comes to Lady Mei, everyone has to admit that she is not as beautiful as the other eight beauties. Each of the eight beauties has her own unique charm, but Lady Mei is the most outstanding.

Such a face is moving even with the slightest emotion, let alone when it shows a forlorn expression.

“In the past, I fell into prostitution and thought I had no hope for the future, but thanks to Lord Mengzhu’s recommendation, I was chosen to stand before the king.”

"If I had known that our relationship would end like this, why didn't we have a beginning and an end in the first place?"

Bamboo Maiden: Huh?

As expected of someone who had never competed with her before, Zhu Niangzi felt the pressure in just a few words.

She was a little uncomfortable. It was understandable that the friends she had introduced to her were now far ahead of her old friends in terms of their relationships.

The feelings during the introduction were genuine, and the discomfort was also genuine, but to sever ties like this is far too serious. Zhu Niangzi wants something, but it shouldn't be this.

Just when she was in a dilemma, Ye Xiqing sent someone to call her. Zhu Niangzi was the one who was most angry with her. She didn't want to go, but Mei Niangzi's actions made it impossible for her not to go.

When Zhu Niangzi came in, Ye Xiqing didn't say anything else, but directly showed her the results of his time with Mei Niangzi.

After the reconstruction of Huaizhou, not only should the construction and official system be restored, but also the talent selection system should be restored.

If their newly established Huaizhou still uses the original textbooks that emphasize male superiority and female inferiority, then it's all doomed. Of course, they need to compile new textbooks.

This job, where you take in excrement and get out grain, requires a dedicated person to be in charge.

“You’re busy with practical matters right now, how can you have time to deal with this kind of thing? Of course I’ll hand it over to someone else.”

As Zhu Niangzi flipped through their work, she realized it was no wonder they were laughing while working. When she opened the book, she couldn't help but smile at the first glance.

In this way, it seemed that she was completely in the wrong, but how could Zhu Niangzi easily admit defeat? She stubbornly retorted, "She came to you to complain?"

Ye Xiqing leaned back in her chair: "Who complained? After you caused trouble, he immediately took leave and is still sick at home. But I know how petty you are."

Bamboo Maiden: ...

After venting her anger, Zhu Niangzi realized she was truly in the wrong and felt incredibly embarrassed. Fortunately, she was flexible and knew how to adapt: ​​"So what do we do now..."

"What can we do? What else can we do? Go find the person who asked for leave and bring them back. When you go out, just pretend I apologized to you, but you know what really happened."

"You caused this mess, and now I have to save face for you? Next time, I'll tell you, there's no such thing as a free lunch."

Bamboo Maiden: ...

No, you really are different now. You never used to talk to me like this!

The minor incident ended there, but Zhu Niangzi also realized what it meant to forget the old for the new. She was no longer Ye Xiqing's only one. This guy was fickle and tired of the old!

Zhu Niangzi felt a pang of regret for having urged her husband to seek fame and fortune, but she would only say it; she would still have to seek it anyway.

Ye Xiqing deftly pushed the work back; she wasn't an empress for the sake of work.

The two reconciled and pretended nothing had happened, but when Zhu Niangzi glanced over, she noticed Lin Xiaofu scribbling something down and immediately realized, "What are you writing down?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiaofu shuddered in fright, immediately put away her notebook, and looked at the two of them: "Isn't it said that historians record events truthfully and without alteration?"

Bamboo Maiden: ...

Ye Xiqing: ...

I told you not to change a single word, not to omit a single word!

Lin Xiaofu: ...

No way, she's so dedicated, hehe.