Zhù Ying kept the imperial edict herself. Arriving along with the enfeoffment was official correspondence from the Ministry of Personnel and elsewhere, which she had the Prefectural Office file on record.

In addition, there was another piece of official correspondence piggy-backing on the first — this one from the Ministry of Revenue, asking her to pay attention to the winter wheat seed. Secretariat Director Dou was precise in his accounting and reminded Zhù Ying: do not forget that promoting winter wheat cultivation was your own suggestion to the court. The condition for exempting you from several years of wheat tax is that you provide a portion of the seed supply. The wheat harvest is coming up; have the seeds set aside. Do not get carried away with sugar production — keep things in their proper order.

Zhù Ying put this document in a box. The wheat harvest was still some way off; she would attend to more immediate business first.

She wrote a memorial, then turned her attention back to Wuzhou.

She had originally planned to set off for the mountains at the end of the first month. Before going into the mountains, she needed to make arrangements for affairs down here. With Assistant Prefect Zhang present, a simple word was sufficient; but now that Assistant Prefect Zhang had yet to return, she had to give careful instructions herself.

First she went to the Prefecture School.

The previous year a new group of students had been admitted. Among this cohort, students from Fulu County had performed well — of the forty students, apart from those admitted on recommendation, Fulu County had ultimately produced several successful candidates. This was fewer than South Peace County, but compared to Fulu County’s previous performance, it was a marked improvement. By comparison, South Peace County’s advantage over the other counties had shrunk somewhat.

Zhù Ying arrived at the Prefecture School and was received by the academicians and teaching assistants. Officials had always been expected to take an interest in education — how much interest they took varied considerably. Since Zhù Ying was willing to put in real resources, they were correspondingly more attentive in receiving Prefect Zhù.

They welcomed her in and then went to assemble the students.

Zhù Ying said: “Do not trouble yourself with that for now — I have only come to look and will leave shortly. Do not disturb their classes. How do you find the students?”

The academician said: “Every one of them is fine material!”

Zhù Ying raised an eyebrow: “That is not what you were saying last year when we were selecting tribute students to send to the capital.”

The academician smiled: “Circumstances then were different from now. It was not that this official was trying to mislead you, Prefect — the students have genuinely shown some improvement. Even those who were somewhat lacking last year have made some progress compared to before, and this year they will surely advance further still. And this year’s newly selected students are somewhat stronger than those of previous years.”

He glanced at the teaching assistant, who hesitated a moment, then stepped forward and quietly offered another assessment that the Prefect might not have heard from inside the profession: “In previous years there tended to be more students from wealthy families. It is not that they do not apply themselves — natural ability does not differ based on wealth or poverty. However, even when a poor child passed the examination, his family might not have the means to support his continued studies. Now that you have allocated funds, provisions, and books, the poor student can see it through to the end. This year will certainly be better than last, and next year better than this. So long as it continues, producing a figure like Jing Gang would not be surprising at all.”

Zhù Ying gave a nod — this matched her own assessment. Where effort was put, there would be results to show. Fulu County was at the point of beginning to reap what had been sown, and Wuzhou would be roughly at the same stage two years later. The school was angling for more funds and provisions — so funds and provisions would continue to be given, so long as results came through.

Zhù Ying said: “Any students who stand out are to be reported to me.”

“Understood.”

Zhù Ying also asked about the current curriculum: the academician and teaching assistant both said: “The classics and history remain the core. Even if we wished to teach other subjects, our own learning is limited — we would be afraid of leading the students astray.”

Zhù Ying said: “Understood. Those aged twenty-seven and above — review them carefully over the coming period. What strengths they have, what ambitions, what their character is like — report it to me by the first day of the third month.”

“Yes.”

The academician said quietly: “The local gazetteer is nearly finished. It is not that we have been careless, nor that the students have been slack — it is simply that your achievements and benevolence, Prefect, are too many to set down in writing.”

Compiling a gazetteer was time-consuming work. Fortunately, Wuzhou was newly established and there was not much to write about — mainly clarifying Wuzhou’s origins, its mountains, rivers, and geography. The sections on the subordinate treaty counties were incomplete and did not need to be comprehensive — Chou Wen and Su Deng of the Tribal School could write brief sections on those. The difficulty lay in the fact that they had a prefect who kept creating new things to document. They had written the section on the sugar workshops, then had to add the Tribal School; Chou Wen and the others had turned in the Tribal School section, only to find there was a “women’s school” inside the Tribal School.

They could only hope the Prefect would not create anything new that needed to be added.

Zhù Ying said: “It cannot be put off any longer!”

“Yes, yes, yes.” The academician answered readily.

Zhù Ying repeated her instruction: “Students aged twenty-seven and above — do not forget.”

“Understood.” The academician saw Zhù Ying to the gate of the Prefecture School, his mind full of questions. He said to the teaching assistant: “I have just come across a good book.”

The teaching assistant understood: “Let us go and have a look.”

The two went to the academician’s room and sat down, both puzzled by what “students aged twenty-seven and above” was meant to signify.

The academician said: “Speaking of age, twenty-seven and up is on the older side. By twenty-seven, if a student has not produced results worth speaking of, he probably has little prospect of rising further. Once past thirty he cannot continue as a student. Could the Prefect be planning to dismiss those with poor scholastic prospects on some pretext, and redirect the funds and provisions toward younger students with more potential?”

The teaching assistant said: “That does not quite seem like something the Prefect would do. Asking for strengths — could this be about transferring their course of study? In the past there was vague talk of our Prefect asking people to change their field of study.”

The academician said: “Who has ever heard of such a thing? Changing course at twenty-seven — there would not be enough time to start over!”

Neither could make it out. The teaching assistant said: “Since the Prefect has asked us to do it, let us simply compile the list of names and see!”

The academician sighed: “These people — born too early. A few years later and all would have been well.”

The teaching assistant said: “They did at least get to see better days.”

“That is not how to look at it. If you had never seen the good times it would not sting so much. But to have seen them, to have had a taste of them — to have been almost in reach of them, but not quite fully — that feeling…”

The two muttered to each other as they worked, and then had to go back and revisit the gazetteer draft. The particularly laborious part of the gazetteer was that they would finish writing a section, and then Zhù Ying would do something new requiring it to be added. They wrote the section on the sugar workshops, then had to add the Tribal School; Chou Wen and the others turned in the Tribal School section, only to discover there was a women’s school nested inside it.

They could only hope the Prefect would not create anything new needing to be added.

——

Zhù Ying had no plans to create new things at the moment. She returned to the Prefectural Office and went about her routine, again summoning the Prefectural Office officials to arrange the next steps.

“You all know by now — the appointments of Chief Secretary and Military Commandant have come through. I am going to make an announcement in each of the subordinate regions, travel into the mountains to have a look, and bring the two men back. Have their residences been prepared?”

Xiao Wu immediately said: “All made ready in advance — just needs sweeping again and it will be habitable.”

Zhù Ying said: “Have it inspected carefully once more.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Assistant Prefect Zhang should be on his way back by now. If all goes smoothly on the road, he may return before I do. Even if there is a small delay, he should not be very late. Should he return, follow his arrangements.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“More outsiders have been coming to Wuzhou — pay attention to safety.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“For the case against Li: if the capital has no objections and sends down notice, execute accordingly. Should there be any change, report to me at once.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Since Assistant Prefect Zhang was away, Zhù Ying gave more detailed instructions than usual, and finally said: “I will be setting out in a few days. The household is in your hands.”

Everyone acknowledged the order.

Zhù Ying did not raise the sugar workshop matter again, nor did she bring up Eastern River County or similar subjects. Those cast only vague, blurred outlines — it was a murky, inconclusive situation that even if she raised it now, would be difficult to act on.

Then she summoned Magistrate Guo. South Peace County, being right under the seat of the Wuzhou Prefecture, made its county magistrate a very important position.

Magistrate Guo had excellent instincts and came the moment he was called.

Zhù Ying was very amiable with him. She did not receive him in the signing room but in the study, where the two sat with tea and chatted informally.

Magistrate Guo had assumed this was the routine pre-departure briefing before she went into the mountains. But to his surprise, Zhù Ying opened with: “How many years have you been in South Peace County?”

This single sentence left Magistrate Guo momentarily at a loss. In most contexts, a question like this meant: I know how many years you have been here, and I have plans for you.

Magistrate Guo grew tense and said carefully: “It has been five years since this official came to South Peace County.”

Zhù Ying said: “Five years — so next year will make six full years.”

Magistrate Guo was deeply apprehensive and did not dare add a single word, for fear of saying the wrong thing: “Yes.”

Zhù Ying asked: “What are your plans?”

Only then did Magistrate Guo sense that the Prefect was considering promoting him. When he thought about it, that did make sense — he had been wholehearted in his service to the Prefect, never letting an assigned task lie past nightfall. The matters the Prefect cared about, he had rushed to attend to first. Could it be that because of this, she…

He said carefully: “This official would be glad to keep serving under you. But if the court’s regulations do not permit it, this official would like… to be placed somewhere a little further north, closer to home, where my parents are getting on in years. However, transfers are not at this official’s discretion, and even if I wanted to make some arrangements, there are no doors I know how to knock on.”

He was a southerner, and had no real connections inside the court. Even if he sent money, he was like someone trying to make an offering with no temple in sight. Without working through an intermediary, and the kind of intermediary who could actually make things happen tended to have large appetites — another substantial outlay. Without connections, wherever he was transferred next was anyone’s guess. Most likely a lateral transfer to another county, starting from scratch.

With a superior now showing interest, this was an unexpected stroke of good fortune.

South Peace County was still “somewhat” poor. Further north things would be better. And of course it would be even better to rise half a rank. He was already at county magistrate level; a direct jump to prefectural governor, unless one had an unusually capable superior as he did right now, was extremely difficult. Most likely would be a subordinate post in some prefecture or other. The position of regional head versus subordinate official at a higher level each had its merits and drawbacks. A subordinate official’s rank might not even be higher than that of a current county magistrate, but if one’s ambition was to keep rising, this step was necessary. Magistrate Guo pushed aside the thought of “more sugar workshops mean more wealth, more money for me” — if promotion was in the offing, money could wait.

Zhù Ying gave a nod and said: “A capable person will produce results wherever they are placed — north or south makes no difference. But aging parents are indeed a source of worry. Your affairs — I have noted them.”

“Many thanks, Prefect!”

Magistrate Guo was about to ask where he was being arranged to, when Zhù Ying added: “If I am to recommend you for a position, you need something concrete to show for yourself first. Over the next few months, you must put in real effort!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Zhù Ying said: “You may go and attend to your duties.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Magistrate Guo said quickly.

Seeing that Zhù Ying showed no sign of saying anything further, Magistrate Guo had no choice but to take his leave. He thought to himself: so long as this is not a transfer order taking effect tomorrow, once the Prefect returns I will have time to ask properly. He went on to think about what she was currently interested in, and how to prepare some gifts accordingly — not only for Zhù Ying, but also an extra set of gifts in consideration of the fact that one could not expect one’s superior to do favors without compensation.

——

Zhù Ying had arrangements for Magistrate Guo and for others as well — not only for him. The very finest dishes she could not order at will, but the smaller dishes she could select with reasonable confidence. Magistrate Guo had worked under her for several years, and what he did was on the mark. Whether the court was promoting winter wheat, or her own proposal to the Grand Council to stabilize sugar prices — these required people like him to carry the work out concretely.

With the Prefectural Office arrangements made, Zhù Ying made brief preparations and was soon ready to take people into the mountains. Zhang Xiangu and Zhù Da both worried about her, and Zhang Xiangu still wanted to go along.

Zhù Ying said: “This is Wuzhou — if anything comes up, I can deal with it. When we eventually go back to the capital, do you plan to do the same? You let me go out on my own when I was small — why are you so worried now? I will be fine. I will go to Fulu County first and bring Little Sister and the others along.”

She held firm on leaving her parents at the Prefectural Office and would not take Huajie along either. She was taking no family members and no women servants, and no outside voice raised any objection to this. She also brought Zhù Lian with her. She left Hou Wu, Xiao Wu, and others at home, and took Ding Gui and three others with her.

When the day came, a group of merchants also fell in behind them on the road. She still did not call upon Commandant Mei’s soldiers.

Commandant Mei and Zhù Ying had met only once during the first month — at the lantern festival. Commandant Mei brought his family to watch the lanterns. Wuzhou was somewhat more prosperous than the year before, and the lanterns that had been crafted were also more impressive.

While the women were watching the lanterns, Commandant Mei took advantage of the festive bustle to raise the subject of “trading” with Zhù Ying: he also wanted to participate in commerce. But the trade he had in mind was no longer trade with the mountain communities — rather, he wanted to participate in the sugar business. He was not going to open a sugar workshop himself, but he wanted to be a middleman. He had soldiers under his command, so he had absolutely no shortage of manpower. After several months of observation, he felt this was less trouble than the mountain trade. In the mountains, people kept their distance from him. Outside the mountains was an entirely different matter.

Zhù Ying said with some surprise: “You are not going into the mountains?”

Commandant Mei smiled: “That is your path, Prefect — it is not one I can walk. The mountain people are quite guarded against me! I am nothing like you — I cannot set up property in the mountains.”

Zhù Ying raised an eyebrow.

Commandant Mei said quickly: “All I need is your goods. I will pay the going price! Wuzhou sugar is a commodity much in demand!”

Zhù Ying said: “The original workshops had low output — ordinary people could not readily get hold of it. And even when they could, running it through taxes at each leg of the journey was a headache. But you, old friend, would not have to pay those taxes — are you planning to use your soldiers for transport? Are you not afraid of causing problems? The court does not permit this!”

Commandant Mei grinned: “A few dozen soldiers would be enough and would not weaken the force at all. Besides — with you here as prefect, what fighting would there be? “

Commandant Mei had concluded that any official must be pursuing something — either advancement or wealth. In the past his read on Zhù Ying was that she was after advancement, while also incidentally benefiting the people along the way. But since learning that she had established an “estate” in the mountains, he knew she was also incidentally building wealth on the side. From the sugar workshops alone one could see that this prefect was excellent at making money, and establishing property in the mountains — yes, of course, for the court it was governance of the subordinate territories, certainly, and she was capable at that too. But to claim she was not also incidentally making money on the side, that Commandant Mei did not believe.

He could not say why, but Commandant Mei had simply formed the impression that Zhù Ying was someone who could turn a profit without even trying.

A local official was not permitted to acquire property within her jurisdiction — that was correct, and there were plenty of ways to get around it. Commandant Mei was not going to concern himself with Zhù Ying’s affairs on that score. He had weighed it and knew he could not manage her either, so he simply decided “you earn yours, I earn mine” — whatever Zhù Ying did with the mountain estate when she was eventually transferred out was her own problem, nothing to do with him.

Zhù Ying said: “Then you also keep yourself at a distance. I do not get involved, and neither should you — use a middleman.”

Commandant Mei said: “Rest assured!”

The two reached an agreement: once the sugar workshops expanded and output increased, a portion of the extra sugar production would go to Commandant Mei. Where Commandant Mei distributed it was not her concern. For the first payment, instead of cash, Commandant Mei could pay in sugarcane from his fields set against the cost of the goods. Once Commandant Mei’s finances were running smoothly, subsequent transactions would use cash. The autumn sugarcane harvest was nearly upon them.

On Commandant Mei’s side, a brother of one of his concubines would act as the manager and trade directly with Xiang An. The entire transaction, on the surface, would bear no connection whatsoever to Commandant Mei or Zhù Ying. All that was needed was for both sides to square the accounts.

The two finalized their arrangement, and Commandant Mei again slapped his chest and promised: “Prefect, whatever you need, just say the word.”

Zhù Ying said: “We both hope there is nothing to say the word about.”

“Quite so, quite so! Ha ha ha ha.”

——

Zhù Ying’s first stop on this journey was Fulu County.

She had not been back to Fulu County for some time. Fulu County was still being managed in an acting capacity by Deputy County Magistrate Mo. From County Deputy Mo on down to the ordinary people, when word spread that she was coming through again, they turned out to welcome her, old and young alike.

Fulu County was indeed the place where Zhù Ying had invested the most care. The moment she entered the county’s territory she felt a sense of warmth. Arriving at the county seat, Elder Gu had dressed in neat attire and come to receive her alongside Deputy County Magistrate Mo. Beside Elder Gu was Gu Tong’s father, who had, on account of his son, become something of a person of status — and Gu Tong’s mother was now an outer-rank titled lady. The whole family radiated an excited glow.

Just as she had done before, Zhù Ying walked about chatting with the townspeople as she moved through the county seat. After a while she paused and said to one man: “Are you newly settled here? I do not recognize your face.”

The man’s face went red — he had not expected the Prefect to speak to him, and even less expected her to notice he was newly arrived. He said: “I came to sell horses — and found I liked it here so I stayed.” Someone beside him teased that he had actually stayed because he had fallen for a local girl, and that was why he had settled down.

A ripple of laughter.

Zhù Ying had Ding Gui produce a pair of silver cups for him: “Consider it my wedding gift.”

Someone who had often loitered on the streets summoned the nerve to call out: “Prefect, I got married too — where is my gift?”

Zhù Ying said: “Have a handful of sweets.”

“Deal!” He actually ran forward, and Zhù Ying really did give him a handful of candy.

Amid laughter all around, Zhù Ying was welcomed into the county office. All the officials and clerks gathered to bow before her together. Deputy County Magistrate Mo further mentioned that there would be a banquet in her honor at the Qingfeng Restaurant, and so on. Zhù Ying asked: “Why is Zhao Niangzi not here?”

Deputy County Magistrate Mo quickly said: “She has gone home — she no longer lives in the county seat.”

Zhù Ying said: “Send someone with a message, then. In a couple of days when I head into the mountains I will pass by her home — let her know.”

“Understood.”

Zhù Ying looked over the county office once more. Every pair of eyes that looked at her carried a slight eagerness. They all accompanied her as she walked to the Qingfeng Restaurant. At the banquet the local gentry were a little excited to see Zhù Ying. Deputy County Magistrate Mo was no bad official — he was quite good, and the gentry could handle him on certain matters. But there was also a downside: he could not, as Zhù Ying had done when she was here, pursue greater gains for everyone.

That kind of thought was not something one could put into words. So everyone was especially warm toward Zhù Ying.

Elder Gu was the most pleased of all. If Zhù Ying stayed a little longer in Fulu County, others might still have a chance — but right now, his grandson was still the only one of his kind!

Zhù Ying spoke with the village elders about household affairs, asking about harvests, about the weather and climate. Elder Gu and the others all said: “These past few years have all been good harvests — not great years but always at least modest ones. All owing to your blessings, Prefect!”

Zhù Ying said to Deputy County Magistrate Mo: “I did not come last year to look — are the water-management works and the roads still in good order?”

Deputy County Magistrate Mo quickly said: “Not a thing has been neglected! It is all owing to the solid foundation Your Honor laid.”

Zhù Ying then brought up the school and asked the academician: “I saw quite a few students at the Prefecture School — are there still students from the old days in the county school? Has the new intake been filled? What are they like?”

The academician smiled: “All filled up! It is all owing to the solid foundation Your Honor laid.”

Whatever she asked, they always seemed to add: “It is all owing to the solid foundation Your Honor laid.” When the fourth person said it, everyone laughed. Zhù Ying did not know whether to laugh or be exasperated: “Can you not talk about me? If you must, at least use a different phrase.”

Elder Gu said: “How can we not — is there a single thing here that was not built on the foundation Your Honor laid?”

That was admittedly true. Zhù Ying said: “Tomorrow I will go and look at the school. Oh yes — the older students from before, I recall some of them were over thirty. What have they been doing?”

The academician said: “All returned home. Each has his own livelihood, and some continue their studies. If only Your Honor had come two years earlier — they could have advanced two years sooner. Perhaps they might then…” He sighed.

“Poor regions are always like this — there is always a cohort that missed their moment.” Elder Gu said.

Zhù Ying said: “I recall that a few of them showed a solid grasp of things when we were handling the Sicheng County case. I will be staying in the county a few more days — have them come to see me.”

Deputy County Magistrate Mo immediately replied: “Yes, ma’am.”

The next day, Zhù Ying first went to look at the county school. Most of the students recognized her, and she recognized about half of them in return. These students, unlike the Prefecture School students, showed less reserve when they saw her and more warmth.

Zhù Ying singled out several among them and asked: “Last year you went to the prefecture to sit the examination — the corrected papers were sent back to you. Did you all look at them?”

“Yes.”

Zhù Ying then pointed to a few she knew by name and brought them with her to the Qingfeng Restaurant. The students were both excited and bewildered — they had no idea what was happening. But when they arrived at the Qingfeng Restaurant, they found that Deputy County Magistrate Mo had already come ahead of them, standing outside at the entrance with a few other people waiting.

When they saw each other’s faces, something stirred in every heart — they all seemed to have worked together at some point. These people were also former county school students, who had left the school and gone home due to being over-age and other such reasons. But since many of them had family connections among themselves, they had not entirely lost touch. Two of them still lived in the county seat.

The “work” they had shared was not about being county school classmates — it was about what they had all done together for Zhù Ying: the investigation of the Huang Twelve case. They had worked several months at it, dealing not only with land and household records but also helping to receive complaints and sort them into categories…

Those had been busy and yet fulfilling days!

What could all this be for now?

Zhù Ying said: “Everyone come in and speak.”

As before, she sat at the head, with Deputy County Magistrate Mo in attendance, and the students below her all performed the disciple’s bow and saluted.

Zhù Ying said: “Sit down.”

She spoke to them directly, asking those who had left school what they were currently doing, and whether there was any reason they could not leave. The students all said: “If there is any place where you need us, Prefect, just give the word.”

This was said with considerably more sincerity than Commandant Mei had managed.

She also asked: “Where is Lin Ba?”

The students looked at one another, and someone said quietly: “He… went home.”

“Did no one think to call him? I have been back twice now and have not seen him either time.”

A student said quietly: “It is still because of his brother-in-law’s case — the Huang family case. He… his sister died.”

“Hmm?”

Another student said softly: “She went back to her family for a few days, and then couldn’t go on, and hanged herself.”

“Go and fetch him.”

One of the students stood up immediately, ran to the Lin household, and called out Lin the Eighth. Lin the Eighth looked more worn than before, his beard grown out, his manner making him appear somewhat older than his actual years. He bowed to Zhù Ying with head bowed low.

Zhù Ying had him sit down and asked: “What are you doing these days?”

Lin the Eighth said quietly: “My family has farmed for generations — I am at home helping out.” His “helping out” was not in the fields: it was collecting rents, keeping accounts, and doing a little tutoring for the family’s young nephews.

Zhù Ying asked: “Have you any other plans? What would you say to coming to the prefecture with me?”

Lin the Eighth hesitated, then shook his head: “This student has grown accustomed to staying at home.”

Zhù Ying asked further: “Would you be willing to take up an official post?”

Lin the Eighth had a small jolt of feeling, his heart struggling with itself. He hesitated much longer, and in the end shook his head once more: “This student knows his own limited abilities — I am dull and slow. I would prefer a life of farming and reading, passing that on to the family’s sons and nephews. Teaching them to be law-abiding citizens.” His sister had, after all, died. He had participated in handling that case. His brother-in-law had been in the wrong, and even the fate of his nephews had been partly owing to his sister causing a commotion that alarmed the imperial envoy. But they were still his family. If his sister were still alive, he would be willing to take up an official post. But now that she was gone, he could not.

Zhù Ying did not press him, and had someone see him home.

In the Qingfeng Restaurant, the assembled company let out a collective sigh.

Zhù Ying said: “Every person has their own path to walk! Let us speak of you. Has the learning you have done over the years and the skills you have practiced stayed with you?”

The students had already had a faint premonition. They all said: “We review it regularly.”

Zhù Ying said: “When you were handling the Huang Twelve case back then, you all contributed. Your names were reported at the time, but the court had its own considerations and did not approve everyone. You have all these good years ahead of you, and you have read and studied for so long. It would be wrong to let it all go to waste like this.”

Everyone’s heart rose — the embers that had been nearly extinguished began to flicker again with small flames.

Zhù Ying said: “They were not approved at the time, but your names are on record in my memorial — that counts for something. Now I have one question for you — this will require leaving your home. Are you willing?”

The most spirited of those who had already left school said: “Just say the word, Prefect.”

Zhù Ying said: “The court’s promotion of winter wheat cultivation was my suggestion to the court. There is now a need for people. The official post will not be high-ranking, and future advancement will be slower and harder than for those who went through the examination. Are you still willing?”

The former students could not quite contain their excitement; their voices shifted slightly in pitch: “Yes!”

Zhù Ying said: “Do not answer too quickly. Right now you have no official post, and hearing there might be one, you want to agree immediately. But once you have an official status, you will think differently from when you were a private citizen, and you will also think about how this kind of entry makes advancement harder than for others — and you will regret it. That kind of person, even if an opportunity came along later, I would not use.”

The former students all protested earnestly: “How could we be so? Your Honor brings benefit by example and deed — we could never think only of our own official emoluments and forget the people!”

Zhù Ying said: “I have submitted the memorial. However many the court approves, be grateful for it. Those who receive a post must attend to their duties with care. Those who are not so lucky must not complain and blame the heavens!”

The former students all said: “Yes, ma’am!”

Zhù Ying then looked at the students still enrolled in school. These students were not particularly young — you had to be around twenty to pass into the county school, and several more years had now passed, making them all young men in their mid-to-late twenties. They had still not passed into the Prefecture School. In another two years they would have to go home and fend for themselves. But they genuinely were capable people.

Zhù Ying asked: “And you? What are your plans?”

The students exchanged glances. One of them spoke on behalf of the others: “We are entirely in your hands, Prefect!”

Zhù Ying said: “Speak from your heart. Do not accept because it is I who am making the arrangements. If you have your own plans, speak them freely — I will not make things difficult for you. Do not let resentment linger on either side.”

The students were somewhat more relaxed with her than Prefecture School students: “Could we possibly be wiser than you, Prefect? If one has no plan of one’s own, it is better to follow someone who has a plan. We trust you.”

Zhù Ying laughed and cursed them as flatterers, then said: “Very well then — you are the same as the others.”

The students also replied happily, adding: “Reading books and serving as an official are both for bringing benefit to one community. Having this opportunity ahead of schedule — we will apply ourselves fully.”

Zhù Ying said: “You should keep reading. If someone’s name is somehow missed, and your studies are also behind, what will become of you? You must hold steady. If by chance nothing comes through for you — or if you lose heart entirely and abandon all effort — then a person like that, even if an opportunity came later, I would not use.”

The students all stood with hands at their sides: “Yes, ma’am.”

“A king who is not careful loses his ministers; a minister who is not careful loses his life. Until the appointment comes through, tell no one — not even your own father and mother or your wife and children. If any person here lets word slip, that person has no ‘future’ with me.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Go.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

They exchanged whispers, coordinating on how to explain things when they returned. In the end everyone agreed: “The Prefect recalled the old days working on the case and called us together to reminisce.”

Deputy County Magistrate Mo remained behind at the Qingfeng Restaurant and said quietly: “I only hope the court agrees.”

Zhù Ying said: “That is my concern. You think about yourself.”

“Th — this official?”

Zhù Ying asked: “Have you been reading the official gazettes?”

Deputy County Magistrate Mo swallowed his exasperation: “Yes.”

“The new county magistrate is on his way.”

“Yes.” Deputy County Magistrate Mo’s voice when he answered was almost ready to break. Of course he knew that his rise from head clerk to deputy county magistrate had been on Zhù Ying’s coattails — and yet having managed Fulu County as his own for so long, having a new superior dropped in over his head was still painful.

Zhù Ying said: “You are sad?”

Deputy County Magistrate Mo raised his face — a look of such bitterness it could have been wrung out: “This official would not dare.”

Zhù Ying said: “What are you sad about? He manages his Fulu County magistracy; you will have your own arrangements.”

Deputy County Magistrate Mo wanted to launch into a complaint, but suddenly a thought struck him: the students had all been arranged for — could I also be… The Prefect truly is something.

He had guessed correctly.

Zhù Ying was not a person who accepted losses gracefully. The Ministry of Revenue wanted her to distribute winter wheat seed, so she proposed to the court the appointment of certain officials. Nothing was of particular importance — some county sheriff and head-clerk level posts, rank nine and rank eight from above, the sort that could do actual work when placed in a county. Zhù Ying was confident in saying: the county school students who had passed through her hands and had experience were more reliable than some unknown quantity coming from who-knows-where.

Wuzhou would keep producing seed; Wuzhou’s people needed to be made officials in exchange. Very equitable! She knew Wuzhou; it was entirely reasonable for the recommendations to come from her. Was it not?

The people of Wuzhou she was recommending would, once posted at a location, immediately be able to function — especially in the matter of “planting wheat.” They would find ways on their own to recruit experienced hands from Fulu County to do it, far less trouble than having the court make yet more complicated arrangements for distributing people skilled in growing wheat. And the work they put in would be wholehearted.

Fulu County was the earliest place to plant winter wheat, and Deputy County Magistrate Mo was a veteran. Working under her for years, he had also labored conscientiously. His acting tenure as Fulu County’s chief had been diligent and without incident. Promoting him to county magistrate was not unreasonable. If it could be South Peace County’s magistracy, that would be ideal.

Furthermore, Magistrate Guo had been in South Peace County for a number of years. The officials of the prefecture office had no merit-award to show, but they had paid their dues — all had received promotions. The city county magistrate had also contributed and was reasonably reliable — a recommendation was entirely normal.

Of those listed above, apart from Deputy County Magistrate Mo’s promotion to South Peace County Magistrate being something she specifically requested, the others she simply recommended, and their specific placements she left to the court to decide.

The tone of the memorial was objective and measured, and from start to finish expressed concern for the larger interests of the court — especially the reasoning behind employing these students, which would absolutely save the court trouble. Moreover, this move could also serve to demonstrate the court’s impartiality.

This memorial, she judged, had a fairly high probability of being approved. Deputy County Magistrate Mo’s “specified” placement might earn her a few words of complaint; the rest should be no problem at all.

Yes — she was recommending quite a large number of people at once. But please let the Grand Council take note: how many southerners were there among the court’s officials? Not many. Whatever the matter, if you are not involved, you will never have a deep attachment to it. If more southern people did not participate, southerners would not feel a strong bond with the court. If studying consumed years without any return, the official schools would become empty shells.

The scholarly standards in this pestilential southern land were indeed somewhat lacking, and were some distance from becoming the pillars of the state — but for handling practical affairs at the grassroots level, they were entirely capable. So a modest measure of encouragement was in order. At the same time, transferring northerners in involved considerable losses along the journey.

The memorial had already been written. Having questioned each of the people concerned, with no one expressing objection, she sent the memorial off.

——

Her estimation was not far wrong.

The men currently in charge of the Grand Council were thinking along reasonably sound lines, and her reasons were well-grounded. Some of her ideas were fairly compatible with those of Wang, Shi, and Zhong.

Wang Yunhe laughed and cursed: “Look at this — unwilling to accept any loss! Always her with the most business!”

The Grand Council had no objections. All three of them could see that this action would benefit the promotion of winter wheat cultivation, and that these people, having been recommended into their posts by Zhù Ying, would thereafter owe Zhù Ying a debt of gratitude.

Who among them had not come up the same way?

Even they themselves, though they had passed the examinations, had had affiliations when they took up their posts. Even through inheritance of rank one had to have a senior patron. They themselves, having become patrons, also sought to discover talent among their own people.

Everyone did the same.

The three looked over the ranks Zhù Ying had associated with each person. The highest was Magistrate Guo. They adjusted him slightly upward and transferred him to a middle-ranked prefecture as military commandant — rank six first rank. The students below received the rank of county sheriff and head clerk — rank eight and rank nine.

Wang Yunhe said: “These names look familiar!” Seeing they were Fulu County people, he located the timeframe in the memorials Zhù Ying had submitted during her time as county magistrate and quickly recalled — the Huang Twelve case.

The memorial on that case had included attached documentation on each person’s contributions, and from the figures listed one could even discern slight differences in each person’s capabilities. Zhong Yi pointed to one name and said: “Why is this name not among them?”

Wang Yunhe said: “Oh, him — his name is Lin? He is a relative of the criminal.” He looked further and recalled: the wife of Huang Twelve had been surnamed Lin, and had been awarded a separation.

Sure enough, there it was.

Shi Kun said: “First a separation of property and separate residence, now a string of small fry. Zhù Ying is certainly a busy one.”

Wang Yunhe said: “One has no business if one does nothing — the moment one acts, there is business. The more one does, the more business there is.”

Zhong Yi suddenly reflected: “There are also those who do nothing and still have plenty of business…”

The other two did not pick up that thread. People of that type they could not be bothered with — but among the emperor’s sons there was one such. Best say nothing more about that.

Wang Yunhe said: “Let the Ministry of Personnel handle it. As for the separation of property and separate residence, there needs to be a precedent case decided quickly.” The case Zhù Ying had submitted earlier was primarily a murder case, and had nothing directly to do with divorce or family property.

Zhong Yi said suddenly: “Actually — there is one.”

Zhong Yi’s circle of acquaintances was wide, and encompassed all manner of people among relatives and old friends. Some in-law families had not yet reached the point of parting ways, while the young couple had already been drawing blood between them — he knew plenty of such examples. Parents could determine their children’s marriages but could not determine their children’s feelings. Appearances had to be kept up, and yet one also could not simply let them beat each other to death.

This provision aligned very much with Zhong Yi’s own inclinations.

Shi Kun and Wang Yunhe understood at once without words needing to be said. Shi Kun said: “Then let the Capital Prefecture’s administration adjudicate one first.”

Zhong Yi said: “Good — I will have them go to the Capital Prefecture.” As a family matter, the parties involved had to appear of their own accord to request it.

Wang Yunhe said: “Who knows what that young one is busy with now! Please do not bring me any more trouble!”

That sentence sounded completely insincere, and both Shi Kun and Zhong Yi declined to respond to it.