Master Ji was wealthy. Leveraging the Zhao family’s reputation in Runan, he directly purchased large quantities of grain from local gentry and grain merchants.

And as the summer harvest progressed, he kept pushing the price down. “Aside from Yingchuan, this year’s harvest in Yuzhou has been quite good. New grain will come down soon, and grain prices will inevitably fall. What use is it for you gentlemen to keep old grain?”

Although old grain could be stored for three to five years without problem, the taste would be greatly affected. The longer grain was stored, the less valuable it became.

Master Ji said: “Why don’t you gentlemen sell me the old grain you have? My young mistress mainly wants to use it for charitable works, so it doesn’t necessarily have to be new grain.”

Everyone readily agreed, and so cart after cart of grain was transported from outside into the estate.

Seeing these grain carts arrive, the people on the estate gradually felt their hearts settle, and they worked even harder.

The wheat in the fields decreased daily. The harvested wheat was hauled back to be dried, then women and children threshed it at home.

To allocate people for building houses, the estate assigned about three hundred people to construct houses and repair roads. Even Zhao Ju personally pitched in. Every day, aside from teaching Zhao Erlang martial arts, he led everyone in laying foundations.

By the time Master Ji returned from touring Runan, rows upon rows of houses had already been erected on the estate. Fu Tinghan could now control the kiln firing success rate at over ninety percent.

He no longer managed this matter, letting Lu Kun lead the estate’s long-term workers to fire bricks themselves. He instead hid in his room every day doing his own work, only occasionally coming out to study martial arts with Zhao Hanzhang. Otherwise, he basically didn’t go out.

Ji Yuan stood at the crossroads looking toward the smoking brick kilns in the distance, greatly surprised. “In just half a month, so many houses have been built?”

Zhao Ju was leading people out to inspect the other estates. Meeting him halfway, the two groups joined up and returned together. He glanced that way, unconcerned. “With ready-made bricks to build houses, how could it not be fast?”

He said: “The brick kilns now produce thirty thousand bricks a day.”

“There are bricks, but what about the glutinous rice soup? Building this many houses requires how much glutinous rice soup?”

Laying bricks required lime mortar, but lime mortar was very rough. Houses built with it couldn’t be very tall, leaked in rainy weather, and weren’t sturdy enough.

Only by adding glutinous rice soup to stir into the lime mortar would the walls be both sealed and solid.

Zhao Ju said: “Sanniang had Chengbo take grain to the county town and fortresses to exchange for glutinous rice. With this many people on the estate, it won’t go to waste. However, Sanniang also said that if we can find sticky yellow clay with good adhesive properties, it could substitute for glutinous rice soup. Chengbo is leading people to search, but they haven’t found any yet.”

Ji Yuan, seeing everything arranged so orderly, breathed a sigh of relief.

He spurred his horse back to see Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang had nothing to do, so she was practicing spear techniques in the courtyard with a long spear. Teaching her was Squad Leader Ji Ping.

He was cavalry, and what he excelled at most was spear technique. Previously, his spear had been damaged during the charge, which was why he’d switched to a large blade. Only after arriving at the estate did he think about forging a new spear.

Zhao Hanzhang, seeing him wielding it magnificently, was very envious and asked to learn along with him.

When Ji Yuan arrived, she was just turning to thrust out a spear, aiming straight at his head and face, startling him.

Zhao Hanzhang swiftly withdrew her spear and tossed it to Ji Ping. She took a cloth from Ting He’s hands to wipe her sweat, smiling as she approached. “Master Ji, you’ve returned.”

Ji Yuan breathed a sigh of relief and came forward to bow. “Why did the young mistress think of practicing martial arts?”

“I liked it so I practiced,” Zhao Hanzhang invited Master Ji to the main hall, asking: “Have there been any news from outside recently?”

“The court is still displaced. Luoyang hasn’t been retaken yet. Recently, more and more people have been escaping from Luoyang,” Ji Yuan said. “Since you said buying grain was for charitable works, why not take this opportunity to gather some refugees?”

This would also count as doing good deeds.

Zhao Hanzhang readily agreed. “That’s what I was thinking too. I have many fields under my name that haven’t been cultivated, or are cultivated carelessly, all because of manpower shortages.”

Zhao Hanzhang had plenty of land, especially the lands Zhao Zhongyu had exchanged with her. The remaining tenant farmers and long-term workers weren’t very dedicated, and with population loss being severe these past two years for various reasons, much land lay fallow.

So as long as she recruited people, she had land to give them to cultivate. She only needed to guarantee their food and lodging while they worked.

And refugees displaced from home only sought a place to settle at this time.

Zhao Hanzhang said: “Master Ji, I still must entrust this matter to you. Take grain to the city gates to recruit people.”

She said: “Those who’ve left home probably won’t want to settle down and establish themselves elsewhere. We can relax the conditions somewhat. All recruited long-term workers and tenant farmers will only sign for three years. After three years, if they want to leave, we absolutely won’t stop them.”

“What about compensation?”

“Long-term workers’ wages will be paid according to market rates. We’ll provide food and lodging. For tenant farmers, the first year we’ll provide them with grain for sustenance, so we’ll collect forty percent rent. From the second year onward, we’ll only collect twenty percent rent.”

Master Ji was surprised. “Sanniang, this tenant rent is too low. Runan’s current tenant rent is between forty and fifty percent.”

Zhao Hanzhang said: “It’s not low. Grain and money in the hands of estate residents versus in my hands makes little difference. This estate is formed by the estate residents after all. Since I said I would support them, naturally I must leave enough room.”

“But you’re still supporting troops. With only twenty percent tenant rent, can you afford to support them?”

“As long as we have enough fields and enough tenant farmers, naturally we can support them.”

Master Ji: “But what about weapons and horses, and armor—all these require money.”

Zhao Hanzhang: “Although grain prices have risen considerably, grain is a basic survival necessity. Relying on basic survival resources to obtain military supplies won’t work.”

She said: “Military supplies shouldn’t come from selling grain. From now on, we’ll try to keep our grain for our own use. If we can avoid selling it, we won’t. As for money to buy military supplies…”

Zhao Hanzhang pondered for a moment, then said: “I’ll think of a way.”

Ji Yuan looked at Zhao Hanzhang in surprise. “Sanniang is truly worthy of being the master’s granddaughter. The master also said that money spent on household troops shouldn’t come from grain.”

Hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang’s interest was piqued. She quickly asked: “Then where did Grandfather’s money come from?”

“From operating shops, restaurants, gardens and such,” Ji Yuan said. “However, the profitable shops, restaurants and gardens were mostly in Luoyang and Chang’an, so…”

Never mind that Luoyang and Chang’an had both fallen into chaos now—even in peacetime, Zhao Hanzhang had exchanged everything to Zhao Zhongyu in one go.

Hearing the location, Zhao Hanzhang immediately lost interest. “We’ll find another way.”

Ji Yuan became troubled. “But what other ways do we have? Although Shangcai isn’t poor, it’s not particularly wealthy either. You do have shops in the county town, but there are no wealthy people, so things are hard to sell. Besides, what good things do we have?”

Zhao Hanzhang thought and thought. “What do you think about us selling bricks?”

Ji Yuan was stunned. “Huh?”

Zhao Hanzhang seemed to have her energy channels opened, slapping her hand down. “Start with small things—every little bit adds up! First sell bricks, then once Fu the Young Master makes glass and other good things, we’ll sell more expensive items.”