Everyone competed to hoe the ground. Some people who couldn’t grab tools and couldn’t wait rolled up their sleeves and directly pulled weeds with their hands.

Zhao Hanzhang watched from the side with delight, nodding with an approving expression. “Not bad, not bad. Spread the word that this area is blessed land. Before the second day of the second month, anyone who comes to hoe this area can receive the gods’ blessing—this year will certainly have favorable weather and bountiful grain harvests.”

Fan Ying didn’t even think about the cause and effect, but directly responded loudly, “Yes.”

The officials on the side were completely baffled, not knowing why they needed to go to such trouble to spread such words.

Fu Tinghan turned his head to glance at Zhao Hanzhang. This marketing method was very similar to some modern temples and Taoist monasteries’ private propaganda.

Seeing him look over, Zhao Hanzhang winked at him. How wonderful—killing three birds with one stone! She saved money on hiring people to clear wasteland; the refugees at Charitable Hall didn’t need to labor so hard; and the common people who came here had something to pin their hopes on and would be happier too.

Fu Tinghan couldn’t help but shake his head with a smile.

The rumor Zhao Hanzhang released was very effective. Actually, she didn’t even need to promote it much. Fan Ying just sent people out to plant the seed, and the people who participated in the ceremony today spontaneously spread it.

The rumor seemed to ride the wind, scattering in all directions. Even people from neighboring counties specifically carried hoes over, just to hoe once near Charitable Hall.

Of course, coming such a long way, naturally they couldn’t really hoe just once. Since it was for praying for blessings, naturally the more you hoed, the more blessings you received. Best to hoe land others hadn’t hoed—that blessing would be the strongest.

So surrounding Charitable Hall, wasteland and wild land in all four directions were hoed once, and even some land with owners in the distance was also hoed, right up until the second day of the second month ended.

On the second day of the second month, when the dragon raises its head, the next day it began to drizzle. After one rain passed and the spring wind blew, the next day, fine green grass sprouted on the hoed land.

Zhao Hanzhang stood at the field’s edge, crouched down to grab a handful of soil, and carefully crumbled it, watching the scattered gray soil fall. She breathed a sigh of relief. “The soil quality is still good. After lying fallow for several years, it’s not too terrible.”

Fu Tinghan said, “After nurturing it for two years, it will be fine.”

Zhao Hanzhang sighed. “I’m afraid we won’t have time to nurture it. This year, up to now, the rain seems favorable, but who knows how it will be later.”

Farming relied on heaven’s favor. Not to mention now—even over a thousand years later, what humans could do when facing natural disasters was limited.

They could overcome small disasters through various means, but once they encountered large-scale disasters, they could only endure.

The minor official managing Charitable Hall learned that Zhao Hanzhang had come here and hurriedly lifted his robe to run over, gasping as he bowed. “Not knowing the Excellency had arrived, this subordinate failed to welcome you from afar…”

Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand and asked, “How is Charitable Hall? They’ve moved in for several days now. Are they adapting?”

“Following the Excellency’s instructions, recently we’ve been organizing several courtyards for teaching, and also readjusted each courtyard and room based on some issues that arose. Though there are some small problems, everyone gets along quite harmoniously.”

This minor official was named Ping Xun. Zhao Hanzhang had recruited him from a school—he was a teacher. He had participated in the Evaluation Banquets many times but unfortunately came from a humble aristocratic family and had only average talent, so he kept failing.

He failed so many times that Fu Tinghan, who was reviewing historical official evaluation records, repeatedly saw his name in the records. The person writing the records was quite mischievous and took pleasure in mocking people, so every Evaluation Banquet record included: Ping Xun failed again.

Seeing it so many times, Fu Tinghan couldn’t help but mention it to Zhao Hanzhang, saying, “In this era, there are people who continuously participate in Evaluation Banquets, but few who keep participating in the same place. They value reputation highly and feel that if this place doesn’t value them, they’ll find places that do. The reason for continuously participating in the same place is either poverty—no money to try elsewhere—or stubbornness—stubborn enough to withstand others’ mockery.”

“And regardless of which it is, this person has great ambition,” Fu Tinghan said. “People with ambition, as long as their talent and virtue are acceptable, can be used.”

Zhao Hanzhang thought so too.

Did people of this era lack ambition?

They had it, and their ambitions weren’t small, but they were reserved. Even with ambition, they had to pretend to be like idle clouds and wild cranes. While occupying positions, they still had to say they didn’t cling to power or love these mundane affairs.

People like Ping Xun who had ambition and were honest about it were rare. Zhao Hanzhang liked using such people because they would follow her orders for their own aspirations and actively complete tasks she assigned.

So Zhao Hanzhang became curious and went to find him.

Ping Xun was teaching in Luyang County while waiting for next year’s Evaluation Banquet, earning some household income. He was quite famous in the county and was easy to find with a little inquiry.

Zhao Hanzhang went to listen to two classes. His talent was indeed average, but his character was quite good, and his students all respected him.

She admired his perseverance—failing multiple times without becoming disheartened, actively and optimistically preparing for the next Evaluation Banquet. Wasn’t such a person exactly the kind of manager she wanted to find for Charitable Hall?

So she personally went to his door to recruit him into the commandery magistrate’s office.

Charitable Hall belonged to the commandery magistrate office’s household department, so he was a minor official in the household department. His official rank wasn’t very high—only eighth rank.

But as long as he did well, naturally he could be promoted.

Zhao Hanzhang had also talked with him about wanting Charitable Hall to be a comprehensive charitable organization.

The government office would provide partial support, but they also needed to labor to support themselves, so all this farmland around belonged to it.

Charitable Hall’s farmland temporarily didn’t need to pay taxes, and people inside didn’t need to bear corvée labor. They could divide work to cultivate the land, grow vegetables themselves, and raise some livestock.

Besides this, the government office would also provide them with some looms and spinning wheels for the women inside to weave cloth and spin thread.

Most importantly were the schools inside—they needed to teach children to read and count, and could also teach some women textile skills or other crafts.

“In the future, they will all be Yuzhou’s pillars, so Charitable Hall is extremely important. I’m entrusting it to you, which means I’m entrusting Yuzhou’s hope to you.”

Truthfully, Ping Xun felt very excited inside, extremely thrilled as he agreed. These past few days, he’d been like he was injected with adrenaline, eating and sleeping in Charitable Hall. He could be called Nanyang Kingdom’s third most diligent official.

Oh, first and second were Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan. Ping Xun was quite self-aware and didn’t dare compete with them for this title.

Zhao Hanzhang’s trip out today wasn’t for Charitable Hall, but passing by here, she naturally had to come look. “The weather is starting to warm. This land should be plowed, burying the spring grass—that’s good for reducing wild grass.”

Ping Xun agreed, then hesitated before saying, “It’s just that Charitable Hall is mostly old, weak, women, and children. If relying on hoes, I’m afraid the speed will be too slow. Please, Excellency, provide some oxen.”

Zhao Hanzhang thought for a moment, then said, “We do need oxen, but I can’t give you many. You’ll still need to overcome the difficulties yourselves.”

“Yes.”

—