When Zhao Hu rushed urgently to the county office, Zhao Zheng wasn’t there—he had gone out.

He could only sit in the office and wait.

By noon, office runners and clerks returned from outside one after another, but they didn’t enter the main hall—instead, they headed straight for the dining hall.

Zhao Zheng and Zhao Erlang returned together from outside. The two didn’t even glance at the main hall as they walked toward the dining hall in the side courtyard of the county office, talking as they went.

Zhao Hu, sitting in the main hall, was just about to call out to them when the two had already disappeared around a corner, their backs vanishing quickly.

Zhao Hu fell silent for a moment, then simply got up to go find them.

As he stepped into the side courtyard, he froze. The small courtyard was filled with people squatting everywhere.

His well-read, refined, and elegant young grandson was currently squatting on the ground with the crude and straightforward Erlang from the main branch, gnawing on steamed buns.

Not only was Zhao Erlang wolfing down his own food, he was urging Zhao Zheng on: “Eat faster! If you’re not even eager to collect money, what if brother-in-law misunderstands and thinks the money isn’t important to us, and doesn’t give us any next time?”

Zhao Zheng continued eating elegantly, though his pace quickened. “Will he have money to give next time?”

Zhao Erlang had great confidence in Fu Tinghan. “My brother-in-law is very capable. Elder Sister has many difficult problems that brother-in-law handles. Now that Elder Sister is short of money, I think brother-in-law will definitely find a way to solve it. Once he’s earned money, I’ll ask him for more, and the county office won’t lack funds.”

Though Zhao Zheng was somewhat skeptical, considering that Zhao Erlang had just managed to extract money from Fu Tinghan, he reasoned that it might not be impossible in the future.

So Zhao Zheng ate even faster, finishing just one bun before standing up. “Let’s go.”

Zhao Erlang’s mouth was stuffed full as he mumbled, “You’re not eating more?”

Zhao Zheng replied, “I can eat again after we return with the money.”

Then he looked up and saw his grandfather standing at the entrance, staring at them dumbfounded.

Zhao Zheng was mildly surprised and stepped forward. “Grandfather, what brings you here?”

Zhao Hu’s eyes reddened, his mouth opening and closing several times before he finally found a gentle voice to ask, “Why are you eating like this? It’s far too improper.”

Zhao Zheng started to say, “We’re too busy, there’s no time…”

“We don’t have tables, chairs, or mats,” Zhao Erlang, who had barely managed to swallow his bun, jumped in to explain. “Once our county office has money, we’ll get tables and chairs, and then we won’t be improper anymore.”

“Such a large county office, and it doesn’t even have a single set of table and mat?” Zhao Hu looked around and discovered there really weren’t any. He looked at Zhao Zheng with even more heartache.

Zhao Zheng’s anxiety rose, afraid his next words would be, “Grandson, stop this work and come home with Grandfather!” followed by ordering servants to knock him unconscious and carry him back.

Contrary to his expectations, Zhao Hu didn’t tell him to go home. Instead, he turned to his attendants and said, “Go back and bring all the tables, desks, and mats from home.”

He added, “Also bring some of the stored meat and eggs—bring plenty.”

Zhao Hu glanced disdainfully at the vegetables in their bowls. “Eating only pickled vegetables, without even meat—don’t you even have fresh vegetables?”

Zhao Zheng replied, “Grandfather, vegetables are more expensive than meat now.”

With the cold weather, aside from stored cabbage, all vegetables had become more expensive than meat.

Zhao Hu paused, muttering, “Don’t have this, don’t have that…”

But ultimately he didn’t say anything about Zhao Zheng quitting his job.

Though he truly despised the county office’s conditions… who could blame this being his grandson’s career?

If he wanted to advance, he had to serve as this county administrator. Zhao Hu could still distinguish what was more important.

Zhao Erlang lacked such perceptiveness to understand Zhao Hu’s anger. He sidled up curiously and asked, “Seventh Grand-Uncle, since you came to the county office, does that mean you gave my brother-in-law his money?”

Zhao Hu replied irritably, “Yes, I gave it!”

Zhao Erlang’s eyes lit up as he asked, “How much did you give?”

Zhao Hu naturally wouldn’t share such business secrets with outsiders, but looking at Zhao Erlang’s bright, sparkling eyes, then glancing at the impoverished county office, his heart stirred. “Eight hundred ninety thousand coins.”

Zhao Erlang exclaimed admiringly, “My brother-in-law is so rich!”

Zhao Hu nodded. So why don’t you ask for more?

Zhao Erlang really did want to ask for more, so he seriously asked Zhao Hu, “Seventh Grand-Uncle, the things you’re sending—they don’t cost money, right? The county office has no funds.”

Zhao Hu felt all the boy’s shrewdness was concentrated right here. He replied irritably, “No charge—I’m giving them to you for free.”

Zhao Erlang was delighted and pulled Zhao Zheng along. “Come on, let’s go ask brother-in-law for money.”

Zhao Hu’s heart barely balanced out. Afraid Zhao Erlang might not grasp his meaning, he offered advice from behind: “Ask for more. You’re his brother-in-law—he won’t dare offend you.”

“If you don’t take it, in the end your sister will take that money anyway.”

Who takes it isn’t the point, is it?

If Zhao Erlang took it, he could build up the Luoyang county office, and his grandson’s life would improve.

Zhao Erlang thought Seventh Grand-Uncle made perfect sense, so he cheerfully hurried back to the residence. He ran right past Wang Shi, who had raised her hand to greet him, straight to Fu Tinghan’s side, declaring, “Brother-in-law, you have so much money—give me four hundred thousand.”

The sound of knocking on a table rang out. Zhao Hanzhang waited until he looked over before saying, “Only two hundred thousand.”

Worried he might not understand, Zhao Hanzhang explained further, “He lent the rest to the national treasury. I’ve already had people move all that money.”

Zhao Erlang’s mouth opened and closed, finding it hard to believe. “Elder Sister, why do you need so much money? You also took the money the county office collected recently.”

Zhao Hanzhang sighed. “To buy seeds, you fool. Do you know what it means to say ‘those without foresight must have near worries’?”

“Winter has arrived—can spring be far behind? After the New Year, seeds must be distributed. With less than two months until New Year, don’t I need to prepare grain seeds in advance?”

Zhao Hanzhang continued, “Buying seeds costs money, forging farm tools also costs money. Do you know what next year’s theme is?”

“Agricultural mass production. As the court and government offices, what we must do is provide farmers with grain seeds and tools, reduce some taxes, and encourage them to cultivate. Therefore, the seeds we prepare must be high quality and abundant!”

The war had only ended in the second half of this year. Large numbers of refugees and disaster victims had been gathered and settled. They would spend a hungry and cold New Year, with their New Year supplies all provided through court relief. How could they possibly have seeds and farm tools?

All of this required court support. Just think about how much money that would require.

One could say that currently, aside from relief supplies for disaster victims to get through winter and a portion for court officials’ stipends, all the money Zhao Hanzhang had scraped into the national treasury had gone to buying seeds. She was currently preparing to summon the heads of major grain merchants, persuading them to extend some credit for grain seeds to the court, and to allow common people to buy seeds on credit from their shops next year…

Her various iron mines were still being excavated. The weapons workshops had stopped making weapons entirely and were now fully dedicated to producing farm tools.

Forget Fu Tinghan’s six hundred ninety thousand coins—even if there were ten times that amount, she could spend it all in one day.

The state’s expenditures were just that enormous!

“General, Shen Ruhui and Cao Ping have arrived.” Zhao Hanzhang looked up at Zhao Ya who had entered to report, then nodded. “Have them wait in the study.”

Only then did she tell Zhao Erlang, “Also, I’m going to build docks. That will require even more money.”