Those old officials who insisted on staying in the county government office and scoffed at what Murong Xun said.
They sat upright, each holding a cup of tea that had gone cold.
No one spoke, and the atmosphere became somewhat tense.
Xu Rurong remained calm and composed, completely unconcerned about their stubbornness.
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps approached.
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a woman dressed in coarse cloth clothes, yet still with an upright posture, striding in.
Her face wasn't exactly stunningly beautiful, but it exuded a heroic air.
As he walks, he exudes a composure and strength that is difficult for ordinary people to match.
Sunlight streamed through the open government office, casting a soft golden glow upon her.
It gave her tanned skin a healthy glow.
"Madam An." Upon seeing the visitor, Xu Rurong quickly stood up, a sincere smile on her face, and her tone became even more respectful.
The person who came was Lin Anniang.
She looked travel-worn, with a bead of sweat on her forehead, clearly having just returned from a busy trip.
Today, there are factories of all sizes in this desolate county.
From recruiting staff to production scheduling, Lin Anniang handled almost everything herself.
Whether it was officials in the barren county, believers in the desolate mountains, or even the newly arrived disaster victims.
They all had genuine respect for Madam An.
However, the old ministers in the hall frowned upon seeing this scene.
One of them couldn't help but let out a barely audible snort.
"Hmph, a high-ranking official of the imperial court, the father of a county, is so respectful to a mere village woman. What kind of behavior is this!"
Another person whispered, "A hen crowing at dawn is no blessing for the country!"
Although their voices were low, they were clearly audible in the quiet hall.
Xu Rurong heard it, but pretended not to, and continued to look at Lin Anniang with a smile.
Lin Anniang paid no attention to the gossip.
She nodded to Xu Rurong.
“Magistrate Xu, I just came from the textile factory. The recruitment went smoothly.”
"There is still a shortage of qualified female textile workers, so we will have to trouble the county government to keep an eye out for them."
“I just took a look. There are too few women in the group that the General of the State sent. Let him send another group of women over.”
Her voice was clear and crisp, without the slightest hesitation.
As soon as he finished speaking, the old ministers around him could hardly believe their ears.
They actually complained that the General of the State had sent too few women and asked him to send more.
Four thousand people aren't enough? Do we need to send more?
Moreover, what does this woman think she is? Does she think that if she says something, the magistrate in front of her will immediately agree?
However.
"Of course, of course, don't worry, Madam An, I have already given the order and will do my best." Xu Rurong replied quickly.
Lin Anniang hummed in agreement, then turned her gaze to the few old ministers who were sitting upright.
A group of old bones: "..."
Lin Anniang looked them up and down, her eyes calm and unwavering, yet the old ministers inexplicably felt a sense of pressure.
"You are the ones who refused to go with Mr. Murong to visit the factory, right?" Lin Anniang asked, her tone neither humble nor arrogant.
The leading old minister raised his head and said with a hint of arrogance, "We are the pillars of the Liang Kingdom, how could we associate with those strange skills and tricks?"
Lin Anniang was not angry when she heard this, she just smiled faintly.
"It's alright. The Mountain Goddess is kind-hearted. Since you have come to this desolate mountain, you are guests of this desolate mountain."
"The Empress specifically instructed me to take a few people to walk around the barren mountains, so that they can see the local customs and culture of my barren mountains now."
She paused, then added, "You've all come from afar, surely you'd like to see it for yourselves."
"We need to know what this barren mountain looks like and how the people live, so as not to make any misunderstandings based on hearsay."
The old ministers wanted to refuse, but seeing Lin Anniang's calm eyes and Xu Rurong's silent smile, they swallowed their words.
They always felt that if they didn't go, something bad might happen.
"In that case, I'll trouble you." An old minister forced a smile, but his tone still carried a hint of distance.
“No problem.” Lin Anniang nodded and turned to walk out of the yamen. “Please, everyone.”
The old ministers exchanged glances, then reluctantly got up and followed behind Lin Anniang.
Xu Rurong watched their retreating figures, picked up her teacup, and took another leisurely sip.
Hmm, once Madam An makes a move, we can tell if she's capable or not!
This matter is settled!
Lin Anniang led the way, her steps steady and unhurried.
The old ministers followed behind, initially maintaining an air of composure and walking steadily.
But Lin Anniang seemed to deliberately choose those less-than-ideal paths, or lead them up some small slopes.
She walked with ease and comfort, as if taking a leisurely stroll.
The older ministers, however, found it increasingly difficult to walk and gradually became breathless.
They are used to a life of luxury and have never experienced such hardship.
As one of the older officials walked along, he couldn't help but complain, "Lady An, we are all getting on in years. Could we perhaps find a flatter path?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Anniang stopped and turned to look at him.
She didn't answer, but her gaze casually fell on a half-person-high blue stone block by the roadside.
The stone block looked incredibly sturdy, and it was impossible to tell how many years it had been there.
As if unconsciously, Lin Anniang raised her foot and gently kicked the stone block.
"Snap!"
A crisp cracking sound rang out.
The solid bluestone block was kicked into pieces by Lin Anniang as easily as tofu!
Not only that, the flying pebbles actually turned into a pile of dust!
The old ministers were dumbfounded, their mouths agape, wide enough to fit an egg.
They felt a chill run from the soles of their feet straight to the top of their heads!
If those stone pillars were replaced by their old bones...
Upon thinking of this, several veteran officials shuddered, and cold sweat instantly broke out on their foreheads.
The old minister, who had been complaining just moments before, was now completely silent, not daring to even breathe loudly.
The swirling dust, in their eyes, seemed to be the image of their own bones shattering and their ashes being scattered!
In an instant, these old bones became completely obedient.
Forget about the humility of a disciple of a sage, forget about the decorum of a high-ranking official.
Everything seems so pale and powerless in the face of absolute power.
There's nothing we can do, we just can't beat them!
Lin Anniang seemed to have done something insignificant.
He patted off non-existent dust from his trousers and turned to lead the way.
"Keep up close, we'll be there soon."
Her voice remained calm.
This time, however, no one dared to be negligent in the slightest.
They quickly composed themselves and followed closely behind, their legs seeming much more agile, and the whole group moved much faster.
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