Next, Jiang Zhi discussed future development matters with Miss Huo.
Midges are insects that typically live outdoors in open fields, so the smoke from mosquito coils is not very effective. The best products are applied directly to the skin.
Thus, Jiang and Huo had a very pleasant conversation, ranging from medicinal herb cultivation to the development of mosquito repellent.
Although Miss Huo Er did not receive education or training in modern civilization, she was quick-witted and daring.
To be able to surpass other cousins and uncles in the family and obtain the power of management, besides the protection of elders, one must naturally have extraordinary abilities.
When Jiang Zhi mentioned mosquito repellent, Miss Huo immediately thought of aromatherapy, fragrances, and perfumes.
Jiang Zhi hardly needed to explain; she understood the convenience and speed of liquid mosquito repellent.
One is a capable and intelligent individual who relies on his family business, while the other is knowledgeable in both ancient and modern technology and possesses great wisdom. They feel as if they have known each other for a long time.
Miss Huo said that the Huo family would be willing to help sell any products Jiang Zhi makes in the future, and as for the commission, they would discuss it based on the results.
Jiang Zhi also agreed that she would let the Huo family try anything first in the future.
Before they knew it, more than an hour had passed. The two hadn't finished talking, but Jiang Zhi still had important business to attend to at the county government office.
Knowing that it was not easy to come to the county town from Xujia Village, Miss Huo Er didn't want to linger when she heard that they had to go to the county government office. She could only see them off to the entrance of the county government office before leaving.
In the back office of the county government, Magistrate Zhang, who couldn't stand the humid heat, was dressed in loose casual clothes and received Jiang Zhi in a pavilion by the bamboo.
The maid Lanzhi brought the two of them fruits and tea that had been cooled with well water.
Sitting in the gentle breeze under the bamboo shade, Zhang Zheng was still fanning himself vigorously with a large palm-leaf fan, listening with a frown as Jiang Zhi finished talking about buying calves.
"The government provides two taels of silver to support farmers. Before you leave, have Errui go to the household registration office to collect four taels of silver."
Xu Errui, who had been standing by, quickly nodded in agreement: "Yes, I'll take it in a bit. Four taels of silver plus a little more is enough to buy a calf."
Zhang Zheng frowned even more: "Four taels of silver to buy a calf? But the household registration office reported eight taels of silver."
Jiang Zhi now knows that the government offices are as deep as the sea, and there are many things inside that cannot be explained or understood.
But she wasn't an accounting major, so she didn't understand the twists and turns in the price of the cow and where the loopholes were.
All that was known was that government funds were being depleted, and while farmers had benefited, the benefits were minimal.
“Magistrate Zhang, since the government is going to provide subsidies, it would be better to put them into practice by directly exempting us farmers from part of our taxes, so that ordinary households can see the benefits and understand the government’s good intentions.”
"Using labor instead of funds, and recruiting workers with silver, ensures that the flow of money is transparent and easy to manage."
This kind of subsidy policy is extremely complicated, with no clear connection between the top and bottom levels, and the middlemen taking advantage of the system. Over time, it breeds a bunch of parasites. The final solution is to reduce the number of middlemen.
Jiang Zhi's words were quite beyond the scope of an ordinary peasant woman, but Zhang Zheng nodded: "Although you are just a country person, you know how to gather the wisdom of the people, and what you said makes sense."
Jiang Zhi has already said that the reason she, a village woman, was able to become the village chief is because she dares to speak her mind and is bold.
Although he didn't understand management, he gathered a few capable people as assistants and imitated the government offices by having a leadership team in Xujia Village.
Now whatever she says is the result of discussions among the villagers, and no one suspects her at all.
Zhang Zheng praised Jiang Zhi, but didn't mention the tax exemption. He continued, "With a hundred people, there are all sorts of people. The reason Xu Family Village is stable now is firstly because there are fewer people, making it easier to manage, and secondly because of your effective management. Your method of governing the people with the people is feasible!"
Jiang Zhizhang understood that Magistrate Zhang's statement meant that the tax exemption would not be granted for the time being.
He cared about the people, but ultimately he couldn't overlook everything.
The county magistrate was essentially a local emperor. To govern a county, he relied on the Three Offices and Six Departments, with a large number of clerks and a hierarchical system of local gentry and village heads.
The clerks did not receive monthly stipends from the imperial court; their needs were met by the local government's treasury. If they were bypassed, the entire system would inevitably collapse.
Cutting off someone's livelihood is tantamount to killing their parents, and Jiang Zhi will also face retribution.
It is said that government offices are permanent while officials come and go. Emperor Jiaqing even said, "I govern the country together with the clerks and officials." It is very difficult to get rid of the personnel system that has been used to by the middlemen.
Setting aside the topic of this deep-seated problem within the feudal system, Jiang Zhi asked her last request: "Magistrate Zhang, is there any news regarding the letter from King Zhou that the woman asked for?"
More than half a year has passed, and it's only a few words. Surely King Zhou still can't write them down?
Magistrate Zhang paused in his fanning, and said with some helplessness, "Jiang family, the war is not over yet, and the King of Zhou is not in his fiefdom. You can't get the letter you want now, but you will eventually get it later."
Every time Inspector Zhang returned to the county government office, he would mention the changes in Xujia Village.
He knew perfectly well that this was to help the Jiang family obtain the King of Zhou's handwritten letter.
Because Zhang Xing's merit in killing bandits was suppressed by him, although he has now become the county inspector, he has lost an award for nothing. If the Jiang family had received the reward, Zhang Xing would have been honored as well.
However, King Zhou has been leading troops outside since last year and has not returned to Ba County.
Jiang Zhi was somewhat disappointed and didn't press him any further.
Her original thought was that regardless of whether Nie Fantian would return to Xujia Village in the original book, or what attitude he would have towards her, she needed to develop herself first.
If I could obtain the King of Zhou's letter early on, with this powerful document, I could act freely without having to hide anything or overthink things.
But now that King Zhou is not here, it's unknown when he will return to Ba County...
Sigh! It just goes to show that good things come to those who wait.
After Xu Errui registered the number of cattle he had bought at the household registration office and received a subsidy of four taels of silver, Jiang Zhi and her son finally left the county government office.
It was already dusk when he remembered that Xiaoman and Wuyang were still waiting for him at the city gate.
Jiang Zhi quickly sent Er Rui to the Huo family pharmacy to retrieve her old mule.
She then rushed to the embroidery shop to sell the scholar's wife's handkerchiefs.
Xiaoman and Wuyang are both young and not good at this kind of delicate work.
When they arrived at the embroidery shop, there were still two female customers inside choosing patterns.
Jiang Zhi's hurried entrance into the store startled everyone.
A young woman dressed in a traditional Chinese dress, adorned with gold hairpins and jade bracelets, and adorned with a string of magnolia blossoms, stood by the window, bending over to examine several handkerchiefs on a shelf.
Upon seeing Jiang Zhi enter, she immediately covered her mouth and nose with disgust, muttering, "A stinking country bumpkin like her in the embroidery shop! What bad luck!"
Beside her, a young maidservant suddenly rushed over, blocking her mistress's way, and glared at Jiang Zhi, saying rudely, "Stand back, don't stink up my mistress!"
Jiang Zhi knew that she had traveled dozens of miles without moving the carriage, and in this hot weather, she was covered in dust and sweat.
At the Huo family pharmacy, Miss Huo the Second had water delivered so she could quickly wash up.
Aside from the fact that his cotton and linen clothes were wrinkled, even the county magistrate Zhang hadn't said a word about it being "an eyesore," yet now he was being driven away by this little girl.
She wasn't the type to be bullied, but she had things to do and Xiaoman and the others were waiting, so she didn't want to cause any more trouble.
So he simply said, "Then please move aside, so your young lady doesn't get disturbed by the smell!"
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