Chapter 111 The Prince Who Failed to Revolt
After several days of travel, Zhang Xiaojia finally arrived in Northeast China. As soon as she stepped off the carriage, she was struck by the vastness and fertility of the land. The black soil shone glossily in the sun, as if promising a bountiful harvest.
The above descriptions are all in her dream~
In March in Northeast China, there was a day of light snow, the land was covered with white, and the soil was hard.
Zhang Xiaojia handed the blueprints to the craftsmen of the Ministry of Works and told them to build the house, "Build it according to my blueprints and complete every department."
Zhang Xiaojia gave the magical plowing drawings to the blacksmiths of the Ministry of Works and asked them to "make it for this county lady."
"Build a horse-drawn harvester. This large area of land is perfect for it."
Long Er, the Dragon Guard, looked at the blueprint in his hand.
He struggled once more and said, “Princess, I am considered a secret guard. If I have an official rank, I am considered a fourth-rank minister.”
Zhang Xiaojia waved her hand and said, "Call me the County Lady. I know you're the County Lady! You can do this work without losing your official rank. I don't have anyone, especially someone who can outmaneuver ten people. You secret guards are all capable, so those who are capable should do more work and build the water conservancy project for me."
Long Er was at a loss, as the Emperor had instructed that as long as she did not lead her own army, they would all follow her lead.
He was just about to allocate 50% of his manpower to build water conservancy projects.
Zhang Xiaojia said lightly, "Fifty percent of our manpower is not enough. We will use seventy percent of our manpower, and combine the thirty percent of our Wude Division with the Agricultural Division to select the best spring wheat seeds for this county lady.
Long Er, I think we don't have enough people to build the canal. Tomorrow you will go and recruit people yourself. You will use the 'work point system' to replace forced labor (1 work point = 1 bushel of grain). Go and talk to the county magistrate here."
Jiang Hao, the envoy of the Wude Division, came here with his branch envoys. When he heard what Zhang Xiaojia said, he turned around and wanted to leave.
Zhang Xiaojia saw the Military Virtue Envoy and immediately said, "Give me 30% of my men to work for me, and give me a list of the interpersonal relationships of all the officials here. I want to know their personalities, their experiences as officials, their strengths, weaknesses, and more."
Jiang Hao nodded and said, "Okay."
Zhang Xiaojia continued, "Also, please investigate the local folk culture. Remember to respect the local people's religious beliefs and folk culture, but I will destroy Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism."
Wang Lu, the envoy of the Wude Division, said: "Don't worry, County Lady. This is the north, and the women there are much more open-minded than those in the south."
Zhang Xiaojia nodded and said, "This county lady is very easy to talk to. I like you to speak freely and ask questions whenever you have something to say. You are the envoy of the Wude Division. When I ask you questions, answer them if you can, and don't answer them if you can't. There is no need to worry about my revenge. You are the emperor's people, and you are here to assist me."
Long Er really wanted to say that he was also the emperor's man and was assisting you.
Zhang Xiaojia looked at Long Er and said with a smile: "Long Er, you are not. You are seconded to me by the emperor for one year. Within one year, whatever I say is what I will do. After one year, you will return to Kyoto, and the emperor will send the Dragon Guards again."
Zhang Xiaojia looked around at the people and continued, "The manager here, please find Long Er. Everyone can start working."
The Wude Sishi said, "My Lady, the prefect here wishes to see you."
Zhang Xiaojia waved her hand and said, "I have no business dealing with the government affairs here. This is my fiefdom, no doubt about it. However, according to the law, I will manage this land. I will not interfere in other matters. This county lord does not interfere in government affairs."
The blacksmith from the Ministry of Works came forward and reported: "Princess Lin'an, the farm tools can't handle the plowing now. The ground is too hard."
Zhang Xiaojia: "Who said I should plow the land now? It's snowing now. How much money will I lose if I plow the land? Will the farm tools break if I plow the land next month? Now our task is to complete the water conservancy project first."
"It won't break, I understand."
Zhang Xiaojia: "Alright, go back to work. Jiang Hao, Long Er stay."
A group of people left.
Zhang Xiaojia: "Jiang Hao, when you return to the capital, please inform the emperor and ask him to send me some accountants."
"Long Er, you have to work harder and be the accountant for a few days. Arrange your people to sell grain. I will pay for the labor myself. After all, this land is tax-free for five years. It's not good to ask my brother to pay for it, but I don't mind if my brother pays for it for my sister." Zhang Xiaojia looked at Wu Desi and said this.
The corners of Jiang Hao's mouth twitched. Was he asking him to go back and report to the emperor?
She took out a wax-sealed letter from her sleeve.
"Just say..." Zhang Xiaojia handed him the letter and suddenly showed a playful smile like a little girl, "Sister is short of money, brother can take care of it."
The Wudesishi took the letter and left quickly.
"Long Er, set up a stall in front of the county government office starting tomorrow."
"What are you selling?"
"Selling hope." She dipped her finger in tea and drew circles on the table.
The next morning, three large porridge stalls were set up in front of the county government office. Thick millet porridge simmered in iron pots, its aroma particularly enticing in the chilly air. Zhang Xiaojia personally stood in the front stall, long-handled wooden spoon in hand, smiling warmly as he greeted the onlookers who dared not approach.
"Come on, come on, don't just stand there." She waved to the crowd, "One bushel of grain for a day's work, and if you work well you can even get a share of the land!"
A skinny old man stepped forward tremblingly: "Sir... No, Madam County Lord, are you really going to give us food?"
Without a word, Zhang Xiaojia scooped a large bowl of porridge into the old man's hands. "Eat your fill first, then we'll talk." She looked around and suddenly raised her voice. "But let me be frank—whoever dares to cheat..." Her eyes swept across the crowd, finally landing on Wang Lu, the envoy of the Wude Division standing nearby. "I'll invite him to have tea with Lord Wang."
The corners of Wang Lu's mouth twitched, but he had to cooperate by straightening his back, pressing his hand on the hilt of the knife, and making a ferocious look.
The crowd erupted in laughter, and the tense atmosphere instantly eased. Soon, a long line formed in front of the porridge stall.
"County Lady, will this..." Long Er came over, hesitant to speak.
"What could it be? Too kind?" Zhang Xiaojia said as she scooped porridge. "Long Er, do you know why the emperor agreed to let me come to this bitter cold place?"
Long Er shook his head.
Zhang Xiaojia lowered her voice, "Because this place doesn't have to pay taxes for five years." She straightened up and her voice returned to normal, "So, this county lady can afford the loss."
In the evening, Zhang Xiaojia was fiddling with an abacus under the oil lamp in her temporary residence. Long Er came in with an account book, his face looking unhappy.
"County Master, we have recruited eight hundred strong men today, and we need food..."
"That's not enough." Zhang Xiaojia interrupted him, "Starting tomorrow, even the elderly and children who work here will be paid half a bushel."
Long Er's eyes widened: "This... This is against the rules! How much work can an old man and a child do?"
“What a loss…”
"I have to pay for this myself, so I'll just take the loss! Lin'er will manage the Liao and Jin dynasties, and as his mother, I'll have to sacrifice some of my own money for him!"
Zhang Xiaojia stopped calculating and looked up at Long Er. "Commander Long, if the Emperor knew people had starved to death in my fiefdom, would you and I be in trouble?"
Ryuji was speechless.
Zhang Xiaojia suddenly smiled. "Don't worry, I have my own plans." She pulled out a wooden box from under the table and pushed it in front of Long Er. "Open it and take a look."
Long Er opened the wooden box with suspicion. Inside were a dozen small cloth bags neatly arranged. He untied one of them and poured out a few plump wheat seeds into his palm.
"This is..."
"I bought this high-quality spring wheat seed from a Western Region merchant at a high price ten years ago. It's been improved in Kyoto to increase yields," Zhang Xiaojia's eyes gleamed. "We can increase the yield by 30% per acre. Once the irrigation works are completed, we'll sow these seeds..." She gestured with a flower blossoming, "by then, any losses we've suffered now will be doubled."
Long Er looked at the young woman before him and suddenly felt a sense of strangeness. The county lady who had been so kind and affable at the porridge stall during the day now had a shrewd glint in her eyes, like a shrewd businessman.
"One more thing." Zhang Xiaojia suddenly said seriously, tapping the table with his fingers. "Go collect wool for me. The more the better."
Long Er's brush clattered onto the account book, spreading the ink everywhere. Without even bothering to wipe it off, he suddenly looked up and asked, "County Master, are you planning to open a branch of the Jiafei Textile Bureau here?"
Zhang Xiaojia's pupils suddenly constricted. She slowly stood up, not even noticing her fox fur coat slipping from her shoulders. "Commander Long, how did you know Jiafei Textile Bureau was my property?" There was a hint of dangerous sweetness in her voice. "It's registered under the Duke of Wei's name. Did the Emperor tell you?"
Long Er bowed deeply, then raised his head and looked directly at Zhang Xiaojia. "My Lady, Wei Jingxuan is my unmarried wife." The corners of his mouth curled up slightly. "Last Double Ninth Festival, when you were teaching her how to use the new spinning wheel at your courtyard in the south of the city, I was on duty at the old locust tree outside the wall."
The snow outside the window suddenly thickened, crackling against the window frame. Zhang Xiaojia stared at Long Er for three full breaths before suddenly bursting into laughter. She walked around the table and personally helped Long Er to his feet. "Good job, Long Er! I was wondering why Jing Xuan was suddenly so interested in improving the spinning machine. It turns out you, the Deputy Commander of the Dragon Guards, were the one who passed on the information behind the scenes."
She turned and pulled out a roll of blueprints tied with red silk from a sandalwood box, winking slyly. "Since we're all family, take these blueprints for the wool carding machine. Tell Jingxuan that if she can replicate it before spring, I'll give her 30% of the profits from the wool business in Northern Xinjiang."
When Long Er took the blueprint, he noticed a faint scent of agarwood lingering on the silk. He suddenly remembered something and hesitated, "County Lady, Jingxuan... doesn't know my true identity."
Zhang Xiaojia paused as she poured tea, causing it to spill over the edge. She glanced at Long Er with a half-smile, "Sir Long, you're not using a fake identity to deceive my Jingxuan, are you?" Suddenly, she slammed the teacup down. "This county lady hates unfaithful men the most!"
"No, no, no!" Long Er was so anxious that sweat broke out on his forehead. "I asked for marriage as the second son of the Ningguo Mansion, but... I didn't mention serving in the Dragon Guards." His voice gradually faded. "She said she hated the court's lackeys the most..."
"Hahaha!" Zhang Xiaojia laughed so hard that he fell backwards, his golden hairpin shaking. "What a court lackey!"
Zhang Xiaojia nodded with satisfaction, then suddenly seemed to remember something. "Oh, by the way, Jingxuan mentioned in her last letter that she was researching a double-shuttle loom." A shrewd glint flashed in her eyes. "Tell her that if she can successfully manufacture a prototype before the end of the year, I'll not only give her the right to supply wool to Saibei, but also a hot spring resort."
Watching Long Er's departing figure, Zhang Xiaojia stroked his teacup and chuckled, "Interesting, the second-in-command of the Longwei Army actually became a married woman with the head of my Textile Bureau."
Zhang Xiaojia wrote a letter to the emperor, reporting everything that had happened in the past ten days in the form of a family letter to his brother. He wrote down everything and explained everything honestly, and also complained and asked for money.
In the imperial study, the emperor clutched the third letter from home, a vein throbbing in his forehead. Spread out on the table were the first two letters—each thick enough to be used as a brick.
"This girl..." The emperor shook the letter paper, and dense cursive writing suddenly poured down like a waterfall.
Eunuch Mai came in with tea and almost laughed out loud when he saw the emperor holding his forehead with his hands over the letter. Ever since the Princess of Lin'an left for the Northeast, the emperor's expression had become more and more exciting.
"Jia Jia's letter..." The emperor pointed to a section, "'Today's breakfast was millet porridge with pickles, and lunch was stewed mutton. The chef's cooking was terrible, and the mutton was so stinky that I almost vomited. Brother, give me some imperial chefs.'"—Do I need to know what she ate?"
Eunuch Mai suppressed a laugh: "The county lady treats you as her own brother."
The emperor continued reading and suddenly slammed the table and stood up: "What?! She wants to open a textile bureau in the Northeast?"
The emperor's expression grew more and more intense as the paper rustled. "...and he's related to Long Er? Wei Jingxuan? That doesn't mean..." He suddenly paused, narrowing his eyes. "Mai Fu, go get the Dragon Guards' files."
In the evening in the Imperial Garden, the Emperor paced with his hands behind his back, followed by Long Yi who looked nervous.
"I remember that when you proposed marriage for Long Er, you said he was the second son of the Ningguo Mansion?"
Long Yi bowed deeply: "Your Majesty, he is indeed the second son of Duke Ningguo, but his mother divorced Long Er and took Long Er away from Duke Ningguo..."
The emperor suddenly laughed. "If that stubborn old Duke of Wei knew his son-in-law was the commander of the Dragon Guard..." He twirled his beard. "Did Jiajia agree to give her 30% of the profits?"
Long Yi's scalp tingled: "Yes..."
"Tell Wei Jingxuan," the emperor's eyes flashed, "I'll give her an imperial plaque on the condition that she send a copy of the double-shuttle loom's drawings to the Ministry of Industry."
The double-shuttle loom that Jia Jia likes can give her 30% profit, but this bad girl wants to have it all to herself.
————
Zhang Xiaojia was drinking porridge when he suddenly sneezed three times.
"County Lady, have you caught a cold?" The maid quickly handed over a handkerchief.
"No." She rubbed her nose. "It must be my brother scolding me." Then she took out a letter from her sleeve and said, "Go, send it to the capital as soon as possible."
The maid took the letter and was almost shocked by its thickness: "This..."
"Tell the emperor," Zhang Xiaojia said with a sly smile, "This is my sister's 'Northeast Development Strategy'. If it's approved, I guarantee that tax revenue will double in three years."
When the messenger left, Zhang Xiaojia was standing on the city wall, humming a little tune. Of course, she wouldn't tell anyone that the envelope also contained a deed to the hot spring villa—the same one she was going to give to Wei Jingxuan.
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