Zhao Hanzhang came to give County Magistrate Chai money.
Of course, this wasn’t her idea. As an upright, kind, law-abiding good person, how could she possibly think of such a corrupt method?
This was Ji Yuan’s idea. His original words were, “My lady, you still have too few people under your command, yet you want to do so much. Xiping County alone isn’t enough.”
“As for Shangcai—not only do you have large amounts of land there, the Zhao family’s fief is also there. As long as County Magistrate Chai is willing, you can practically control Shangcai.”
This wasn’t difficult for them.
Oh, the fief was actually her eldest uncle Zhao Ji’s. He was now Earl of Shangcai.
As Earl of Shangcai, a considerable portion of his salary came from the fief—for example, the field taxes, poll taxes, and commercial taxes paid by the common people under the fief all belonged to him.
It was equivalent to those common people all being tenant farmers of the Earl of Shangcai.
When Zhao Changyu was Earl of Shangcai, the Shangcai fief was all managed by Zhao Song. Every year he went to coordinate with the Shangcai County Magistrate and collected the various taxes submitted by the fief.
Now Zhao Ji was Earl of Shangcai. After Zhao Zhongyu’s advisor came once last year, Luoyang tacitly agreed that everything in Shangcai would continue as before.
Zhao Hanzhang then asked Zhao Song for management rights over the Shangcai fief. “I have such a large estate there and frequently interact with County Magistrate Chai. Managing one is managing, managing two is also managing. Rest assured, the taxes submitted annually by the fief won’t be less than in previous years.”
Zhao Song knew Zhao Hanzhang wasn’t short of money now, so he turned a blind eye and handed the management rights to her.
Zhao Hanzhang returned to Shangcai, first checking the situation in the fields, then visiting the glass workshop and brick kiln, and finally going to Shangcai county town.
Shangcai county town was quiet. There were hardly any people on the streets.
Zhao Hanzhang sighed, “In such circumstances, forget about submitting taxes—it’ll be hard enough if people don’t starve to death this year.”
Ji Yuan nodded, “I think so too.”
The two exchanged glances, and Ji Yuan smiled, “That’s why we have an opportunity.”
County Magistrate Chai was in the midst of infinite worry. If it were before, he could still discuss with Changning what to do, but now he didn’t even have anyone to consult with.
At this moment, urgently needing an advisor, County Magistrate Chai realized he apparently couldn’t snatch Ji Yuan away. Should he hurry and recruit a secretary?
But where could he recruit a suitable advisor now?
Just as he was worrying, the Chief Clerk came running in, “County Magistrate, Zhao Hanzhang and Ji Yuan are here.”
As Zhao Hanzhang’s status became increasingly stable, outsiders rarely called her Zhao Sanniang anymore, instead using her courtesy name.
County Magistrate Chai blinked. “What is she here for?”
His spine felt a bit cold, yet his heart held a bit of longing. Such complex emotions rushing into his heart together made his eyes involuntarily redden, feeling inexplicably wronged.
It was she who took Changning away!
Zhao Hanzhang led Ji Yuan in with large strides. Upon seeing County Magistrate Chai, she smiled warmly, “County Magistrate, you’ve been well, I trust?”
County Magistrate Chai forced out a smile and welcomed Zhao Hanzhang into the front hall to sit down. “Well enough, well enough. Why would Sanniang have time to return to Shangcai? Isn’t Xiping busy now?”
Zhao Hanzhang smiled, “We’re still in the New Year period. There aren’t many busy matters. I heard people at the estate were unsettled, so I came back to look.”
County Magistrate Chai couldn’t help but say sourly, “Now among all the common people in the entire county, those at your estate live the best lives. What unsettled thoughts could they have?”
Zhao Hanzhang sighed, “I won’t hide it from you, County Magistrate. They’re troubled by rumors, though to say they’re entirely rumors isn’t quite true either.”
She said, “Now some of the long-term workers and tenant farmers at the estate are refugees collected from outside—not people from my Shangcai, and some aren’t even from Runan Prefecture. They fear I won’t want them, so they’re anxious.”
County Magistrate Chai sneered inwardly. Last year Zhao Hanzhang collected so many refugees—the reported numbers were only one or two-tenths of the actual amount. She collected hidden households to this extent—would she let the people at her estate go?
However, County Magistrate Chai remained impassive on the surface. Finally, after being separated from Changning, he finally perceived Zhao Hanzhang’s sinister intentions.
He looked at Ji Yuan with pity. Unfortunately, such a good person had ended up with such a crafty master as Zhao Hanzhang.
He lowered his head to drink some water, then asked offhandedly with apparent indifference, “What can I do for you then?”
Zhao Hanzhang: “Does the County Magistrate know where these rumors came from?”
County Magistrate Chai shook his head very honestly, “I don’t know.”
Zhao Hanzhang wasn’t affected in the slightest and continued, “Because of the fief.”
She said, “My Zhao family has such a large fief in Shangcai. This year they’re also having very difficult times. Outside there are rumors that I’ll drive away the refugees who came to the estate for the sake of the common people in the fief, taking in people from the fief to work. Alas~”
County Magistrate Chai froze, his hand holding the teacup trembling. He quickly said, “Though that’s your Zhao family’s fief, it’s different from an actual feudal territory. You can only collect the taxes submitted that year—you have no management authority.”
“Yes, but from my great-grandfather onward, they’ve been my Zhao family’s fief. For generations they’ve been paying grain and taxes for my Zhao family. Now seeing their difficulties, how can we do nothing?”
County Magistrate Chai was afraid she wanted to turn the fief into an actual feudal territory. At that point, combined with that large estate of hers, plus her other lands in various places in Shangcai, Shangcai would have nearly one-third of its land in her hands. How could he, as county magistrate, operate then?
Therefore, he wanted to indicate that she shouldn’t do anything—just peacefully wait to collect taxes after summer and autumn.
Before he could speak, Ji Yuan, sitting below Zhao Hanzhang, glanced imperceptibly at the Chief Clerk standing behind County Magistrate Chai.
The Chief Clerk quietly stopped County Magistrate Chai, saying softly, “County Magistrate, why refuse Zhao Hanzhang’s kind intentions? Though she may have ulterior motives, she can solve our county office’s urgent problems.”
County Magistrate Chai then swallowed the words that had reached his lips.
He quietly looked at the Chief Clerk and made an excuse to leave first.
Zhao Hanzhang watched him pull the Chief Clerk away and couldn’t help looking around, then leaned close to Ji Yuan to whisper, “Teacher, how many people in this county office have you bought off?”
Ji Yuan smiled at her, “Aside from County Magistrate Chai, everyone else is already in the jar. Before long, I think County Magistrate Chai will enter too. Congratulations, my lady.”
Zhao Hanzhang savored these words and couldn’t help making appreciative sounds in her heart.
The Chief Clerk was speaking ill of Zhao Hanzhang, “Zhao Hanzhang’s intentions aren’t good. Most likely she has designs on our Shangcai’s people.”
County Magistrate Chai nodded repeatedly—he thought so too.
“But currently, only she can help the County Magistrate and Shangcai,” the Chief Clerk said. “Though it’s making a deal with a tiger, you’re still the County Magistrate of Shangcai. If spring plowing is ruined this year and the autumn harvest insufficient, the court will likely question it. At that time, County Magistrate…”
Shangcai was located in the Central Plains, but these past two years hadn’t been easy. Not only did Xiongnu armies come down to harass from time to time, there were also rebel forces from various places rushing through. Especially the Puyang and Yanzhou areas above them—they frequently had internal strife, and when fighting broke out, it would spill into their Yuzhou.
They all timed it for summer and autumn harvests too. Scattered refugees would steal grain everywhere, and the common people suffered heavy losses. Taxes had been insufficient year after year.