Having grown accustomed to seeing people in traditional clothing, the servants were quite surprised to see Zhao Qingyan's attire.
Although the dress doesn't have many intricate embroideries, it is still very beautiful.
Zhao Qingyan dressed like this today for two reasons: firstly, to avoid the heat; and secondly, because no one was watching her. She could let herself go.
There was no tea ceremony served by the parents-in-law, but there were servants who needed to be reprimanded.
Zhao Qingyan asked each person to introduce themselves and gave each of them a reward.
"My demands are not high. As long as you can wholeheartedly do things for the family, I will not treat you unfairly."
However, what I hate most is betrayal and people who can't keep their mouths shut.
The mansion doesn't need clever people, it only needs obedient ones.
No need for a lot of talking, just need to keep your head down and get to work.
"Whatever you hear or see in this manor, you are not allowed to spread it outside, or I will make you regret ever being born."
As he spoke, he crushed the teacup in his hand into tiny pieces.
This one move immediately terrified and silenced those in the manor who had previously harbored some ideas.
They felt that the magistrate had married not a wife, but a devil.
Having given the man a fright, Zhao Qingyan felt quite pleased and then began packing her dowry and checking the accounts.
Xu Dongsheng was finally able to rightfully hand over the management of the household to Zhao Qingyan again, and he was overjoyed.
He does whatever his wife does; he's incredibly clingy.
As for Zhao Minggeng, he sat alone and cried for a long time yesterday after Zhao Qingyan was taken away. Nothing he did could console him.
Huang was so annoyed by it that she slammed her hand on the table.
"Why are you crying? So many people want to marry Xu but don't have the chance."
You're so smug, don't you know how much of a bargain you got?
A son-in-law is like half a son, but you, as a son-in-law, are practically a son.
When your daughter wasn't married, she would go out and wander around for months at a time, and I never saw you shed a single tear.
"Look at you, crying like a woman! Wipe your tears and go find the guests, don't let this old lady look down on you."
Well, she really deserved to be scolded. Huang lost her temper, and Zhao Minggeng lost all his emotions.
He wiped away his tears with his sleeve, stood up, and said, "Mother is right. I'll go and greet the guests now."
Mrs. Huang sighed. Thank goodness the old couple hadn't passed away with her today.
Otherwise, with this kid all alone in the county government office, who knows how many stupid things he might do.
Zhao Qianci had absolutely no reluctance to part with his granddaughter's marriage; wherever his granddaughter went, he would go too.
Now, the old man is the one who's greeting the guests in the lobby.
After sitting for a while, Huang got up and went to the front hall to greet the female guests.
"This house just can't function without a lady of the house."
I need to write to Qinglin and ask if there's any progress on the matter of my daughter-in-law. Wait, I don't know where that girl is now. Never mind.
"When these three boys will find wives, we'll see, it's all about luck."
As Huang walked, she pondered to herself.
Mrs. Huang had no idea how sought-after her third son was.
If anyone dared to ask for a wife, the matchmakers in Dawar would probably wear out the threshold of the government office.
Zhao Qinglin, who was being talked about, was on her way when she suddenly sneezed a few times, which startled Prince Rui.
"Is your wife alright? Let the doctor check your pulse."
Zhao Qinglin quickly tried to stop him, but Prince Rui insisted on halting the procession.
After having the doctor take Zhao Qinglin's pulse and confirming that she was alright, they set off again.
As Prince Rui traveled, he pondered what excuse he could use to get the entire Zhao family to go to the capital to take up official positions.
Just thinking about it gives me a headache.
This family didn't have just one person holding an official position; it had seven.
Not only that, but they also governed the area very well.
Even though Prince Rui had not visited so many remote counties before, he was still aware of the local people's living conditions.
In just one year, the area has undergone tremendous changes.
I just wonder if someone will come and steal the spoils when the three-year term is up.
Prince Rui was pondering how to help his father-in-law's family get promoted.
The Emperor was also pondering this; since both were officials,
Why is it that some places are well-governed and have good weather, while others are plagued by chaos and disorder?
He could be considered a wise and virtuous ruler, believing that he had given those officials enough benefits.
Not the kind of person who can't tolerate any flaws.
Some people are just too greedy; they'll take any money, especially disaster relief funds—it's utterly depraved.
Last winter, many parts of northern China suffered from snow disasters.
After being siphoned off at each level, only one or two tenths of the disaster relief supplies actually reached the people, resulting in the deaths of countless civilians.
As a result, the emperor has already executed a number of them.
But killing people like this isn't a solution. If too many people are killed, no one will dare to become an official, and who will work for the emperor?
Reviewing the reports submitted by his ministers daily was an essential task for the emperor.
Ultimately, their attention turned back to Zhao Changgeng and his son.
"Hehe, this is really interesting. They can earn more money without embezzling. By planting trees, they have expanded the forest area by thousands of acres in just one year."
That's good. The idea must be good.
"Fu Hai, the Minister of Agriculture of Xuanda is here."
Soon, the Grand Minister of Agriculture arrived.
The Grand Minister of Agriculture was dumbfounded when he heard that the Emperor had ordered him to plant trees in the Northwest.
"Your Majesty, this old minister only knows how to farm."
The Emperor nodded.
"I know your abilities; there is already mature experience in desertification control in the Northwest."
You used to learn from the Zhao family father and son, and then you passed on your experience to officials in the nearby counties and towns.
They were urged to independently combat desertification and expand the forest area.
Also, please pass on an imperial edict to the Zhao family, father and son, instructing them to continue their desertification control efforts, and to incorporate all the expanded forest land they have acquired into the territory of their county.
Therefore, the size of the county they govern in the future will depend on their own abilities.
The Grand Minister of Agriculture blinked.
"Your Majesty, since the Zhao family father and son are so outstanding, could you perhaps give them some kind of reward?"
This is like saying, "Even if a horse runs, you still have to feed it, right?"
The emperor was momentarily speechless, thinking to himself, "What a nuisance." He simply wanted to offer verbal encouragement without giving anything in return, hoping to get people to work for him at all costs.
Well, since the Grand Minister of Agriculture has brought it up, the Emperor has no choice but to reward Zhao Changgeng and his two sons, as well as Wang Huaijing, with a thousand taels of silver and a certain amount of cloth each.
Watching the Grand Minister of Agriculture carry out several scrolls as if he were issuing imperial edicts wholesale, the Emperor felt his heart bleed.
He used many tricks, including swindling his own nephew, to fill his secret stash.
Several thousand taels of silver were suddenly missing, and the Emperor declared that they must be recovered.
Whom should we look for? We want to summon my nephew to the palace.
I suddenly remembered that Han Xuri went to attend Xu Dongsheng's wedding and is temporarily not in the capital.
"You brat, you weren't here when I needed you. Humph, I'll forget about you right away, and you won't even have a place to cry."
The emperor's rambling was overheard by the crown prince, who entered from outside.
"Is Father Emperor planning to make it so that no one can even cry in public?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com