It was rare to see a woman express her views so clearly and explicitly, as was the case with Prefect Xie.
Her criticisms of the law left even him, a high-ranking official, speechless.
"Mrs. Han is absolutely right."
He Youyou was just indulging in idle talk; what could she possibly change in this era?
Smart people don't think about changing the times; they only try to maximize their own interests within the rules and regulations.
He Youyou not only took Zhao Wenqi to see the court hearing, but also took him to the market, shops, and the suburbs.
Days when I don't have to study are always happy.
Before we knew it, it was the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival.
Suddenly, there was a knocking or banging sound coming from outside the door.
He Youyou wondered, whose family is getting married?
Why is it so lively?
When the drumming and music drew closer, it stopped right in front of his own house.
There was a knock on the door, and the doorman came to report: "Madam, someone has come to our house."
"Um?"
He Youyou asked, puzzled: What are you doing at our house?
He Youyou followed the gatekeeper to the main gate.
Outside, there was a commotion of gongs and drums, and a group of yamen runners were carrying things and waiting outside the gate.
Prefect Xie arrived in a sedan chair in person.
He got out of the sedan chair, walked to the entrance of the He residence, and explained to He Youyou.
"An imperial edict from the capital honors Lady Han's family and bestows rewards. Lady Han is requested to come and receive the decree immediately."
He Youyou had no choice but to invite everyone into the courtyard.
Xie Zhihong held the imperial edict of commendation in his hand and read it aloud in the courtyard.
He Youyou knelt down to receive the imperial decree.
The government allocated funds to build a memorial archway for He Youyou to commemorate her achievements.
Zhao Wenqi was awarded a gold medal of longevity and good fortune by the emperor as a commendation.
Zhao Wenqi touched the gold medal and couldn't help but laugh.
He whispered to Qin Ming, "Look, it's a gold medal bestowed by Father himself. Is he praising me? He's never praised me before..."
Qin Ming nodded vigorously: "Yes, His Majesty is praising you."
Zhao Wenqi wore the gold medal on his waist, looking at it from left to right, reluctant to let it go.
He Youyou looked at his gold medal with a hint of envy.
However, having a memorial archway at home will enhance Ahri's reputation in the future.
Fine, let it be an archway then.
Just as the commotion over here was finished, and He Youyou saw off the officials and Prefect Xie, another burst of firecrackers suddenly rang out next door.
To the right of the He residence is the courtyard where Cheng Tingrui lives, but it's unclear which one is to the left.
The servant who went out to inquire brought back news: "Madam, it turns out it's a housewarming celebration next door, and they're setting off firecrackers."
"oh."
He Youyou felt strange. She remembered that her next-door neighbor was a local who had lived in Jizhou City for generations. Why did they suddenly move?
It was Aunt Guo, who happened to be passing by, who cleared up her doubts.
"Madam, I heard that someone offered a high price to buy that house. Although it's an old house that we've lived in for a long time, it couldn't withstand the offer of several times the price."
He Youyou understood; the money had been paid properly.
During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, the whole country gets a day off, and Ali is back.
The family celebrated the holiday in high spirits.
The kitchen was prepared with zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) and realgar wine for the festival.
He Youyou was also concerned that Cheng Tingrui was all alone, so she asked someone to invite him over to celebrate the festival together.
Just as we were about to start eating, more guests arrived outside.
The two men and two horses were Zhao Changqing and the Left Guard.
"I'm back...to see my nephew."
He Youyou didn't think much of it.
"Come in quickly! You've come all this way, you must be tired."
Zhao Changqing silently curled the corners of his lips: "Mm."
Upon entering the main hall, Zhao Wenqi was very excited to see his uncle.
Show him the gold medal on your waist.
"Uncle, look, it was bestowed by Father... by the Emperor."
Zhao Changqing smiled and stroked his hair: "Hmm, not bad."
But his eyes were drawn to Cheng Tingrui at the dining table.
Cheng Tingrui rose gracefully, his figure standing tall and elegant like a bamboo stalk in June.
"Grand Commander."
Zhao Changqing nodded at him, his expression unreadable.
Just as the group was about to sit down, there was another commotion outside.
When He Youyou went out to look, she saw Ma Xiuyuan.
"Zicheng?"
"Hehe, it's a holiday, so I'm here to freeload a meal. I've ordered a full meal from the restaurant, so I won't trouble your chef."
Since the cattle-raising project was finalized, Ma Xiuyuan has frequently visited the He residence, ostensibly to "seek advice on business."
He Youyou then invited him into the main hall.
A table full of people, having a lively and cheerful time.
Cheng Tingrui, holding a wine cup, said to Zhao Changqing, "Governor Zhao, the Dragon Boat Festival holiday is only one day. You rushed back from Youzhou by fast horse, and you'll probably have to head back after noon, right?"
Zhao Changqing's face showed a hint of smugness: "It's alright. I'm here in Jizhou on official business. There's no need to rush back. I'll stay a few more days and return after I finish my business."
Upon hearing this, He Youyou suddenly realized and said, "So you're here on a business trip. What brings you here?"
"This time, I've come to Jizhou to oversee the supply of grain and provisions."
Zhao Changqing briefly explained the situation: due to the snowstorm in the north this year, crops in the fields near the border of Youzhou had generally suffered reduced yields, and the army's farmland was also not reaping the usual good harvests. Left with no other option, he had to come to Jizhou, which is closer to Youzhou, to see if he could obtain some grain and fodder to take back.
"How many days will the Governor intend to stay in Jizhou?" Cheng Tingrui asked.
"It can take anywhere from a few days to several dozen days."
With Matthew, He Youyou, and Cheng Tingrui at the dinner table, the conversation inevitably turned to business and collaboration.
At this moment, only Zhao Changqing seemed like an outsider.
He was pestered by Zhao Wenqi and forced to listen to his story about going shopping with his aunt and attending a court hearing together.
As I listened, I felt resentful.
He never did any of those things with her.
But his ears were perked up, listening intently to what He Youyou and the others were talking about.
The conversation turned to land reclamation.
Yes, he was familiar with this topic.
The army also frequently reclaimed wasteland while stationing troops for farming.
They then talked about the government renting out oxen for plowing.
etc!
Renting out draft cattle?!
Cattle management services?
Trade-in program?
His attention was completely drawn to the past.
"Youyou, our first batch of calves should arrive by the end of this month. Then we..."
Yoyo?!
Zhao Changqing was getting restless.
Why can other men call her name so naturally?
Cheng Tingrui chimed in, "Youyou, the second batch will arrive next month as well."
Zhao Changqing was furious.
You can now address these one or two by their first names?
Lost in thought, he suddenly heard He Youyou speak to him.
"Hanzhang, you've come at the perfect time. I have something to discuss with you."
The anger in my heart vanished in an instant.
"Hmm? What is it?"
He Youyou then told him about her collaboration with Ma Xiuyuan to run a cattle farm.
The cattle raised can be provided to the Jizhou government office, or they can be provided to others.
"Hanzhang, do you think your military camp might need our cattle?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Changqing's lips curled into a beautiful smile: "That's very possible. We need to have a good talk about it."
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