Zhao Zheng thought for a moment and said, “Quite a few. There are even more outside the city.”

Zhao Hanzhang asked, “Is farming hard for them? Can they finish planting the land allocated by the court?”

“Intensive cultivation is certainly impossible. Most do rough planting. Some fields don’t get weeded in time—they just plow once hastily and scatter seeds. The grain that grows up is as abundant as the grass.”

The grain that grows up is as abundant as the grass…

Zhao Hanzhang fell silent for a moment, then asked, “Do they want to remarry?”

Zhao Zheng said, “Most of these widows have children and elderly from their husband’s family. If they want to remarry, most want to bring the elderly and children. Children are one thing—most men don’t mind. But bringing the elderly from the original husband’s family…”

Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about that. I’m just asking you—if there was such a person, would they be willing to marry?”

Zhao Zheng thought for a moment and said, “They should be willing. Someone to share the field work, and the household could earn more money too.”

“What about soldiers?”

Zhao Zheng fell silent.

Zhao Hanzhang hadn’t reacted yet, but Zhao Erlang was unhappy. “What’s wrong with soldiers? We soldiers are all strong and good at both farming and fighting.”

Zhao Zheng said, “But they’re soldiers. They could go to the battlefield at any time and die in battle at any time. Then they’d be left alone again, possibly with a whole group of children to support.”

The Zhao Family Army was formidable, but the casualty rate was still very high. Moreover, they needed daily training, which meant they spent very little time on their families.

The widows would still have to pull the plow and farm themselves, manage household affairs—at most they’d have an extra military salary to support the family.

But once the husband died in battle, they’d become widows again, and with the burden of another family on them. The pressure would be too great for them.

Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand. “If you only think about difficulties when living, even good things become bad. What I mean is let them try. If they really do die on the battlefield in the future, I, Zhao Hanzhang, won’t abandon the military families. I’ll help them as much as I can.”

As for feelings and such, set them aside for now. Right now she lacked people, lacked labor, but what she most lacked was a way to combine the existing labor force.

The common people were indeed more energetic and had more dreams than before, but it still wasn’t enough.

The burden of life still weighed on them until they gasped for breath. Life had hope, but wasn’t fulfilling.

If what was dangling in front of them now was a plump chicken leg, with everyone eyeing it hungrily and working toward it, then she hoped to hang an entire chicken in front of them, making them happier and work harder, ultimately harvesting more.

And marriage, reproducing offspring, was the most effective and direct method.

Zhao Hanzhang said to Zhao Zheng, “Make a census for me. Count all the unmarried women of appropriate age inside and outside Luoyang. Quickly.”

Zhao Zheng opened his mouth. At this moment, he missed Fu Tinghan immensely. With so much data, how long would it take him to compile it?

He looked toward Zhao Erlang.

Zhao Erlang was looking down at his toes.

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t bother with the two of them anymore. She told Zhao Erlang, “You manage the defense here properly, and also learn from Zhao Zheng about inspection matters. Count the taxes properly.”

Zhao Erlang acknowledged. After Zhao Hanzhang left, he said to Zhao Zheng, “I’ll go manage the soldiers. You manage these officials.”

Zhao Zheng silently watched him for a while. Thinking of the task Zhao Hanzhang had just assigned, he grabbed him and walked off. “I’ll have someone go back to the county office to move files. Later you’ll help me census unmarried young women of appropriate age.”

Zhao Erlang was horrified. “I, I can’t read…”

“Study!” Zhao Zheng said, “Stop making excuses. I’ve asked around. You know over eighty characters now. Not to mention other things, you recognize numbers, right? You also know commonly used characters and those with few strokes. You’re the county magistrate—this should be your job.”

Zhao Zheng dragged him up to the city tower and wouldn’t let go no matter what.

Zhao Hanzhang returned to the Zhao residence. As soon as she entered the gate, she was startled. Not only were there lanterns outside the main gate, but the courtyard was also lit.

She walked under a street lamp and looked up, exclaiming, “Our household actually has oil lamps lighting the road?”

Hearing the commotion, Steward Cheng came out to greet her, his steps faltering, his heart aching. “Young lady, Madam had these lit.”

Steward Cheng said tearfully, “Madam said we couldn’t let the young lady and young master grope their way home in the dark. After working hard all day and coming home to not even a single lamp, how lonely their hearts must feel.”

Zhao Hanzhang also became teary-eyed. She said to Steward Cheng, “I’m very moved, but it’s really not necessary. My eyes are excellent—I can see in the dark. Besides, the moonlight is good. I don’t feel lonely.”

“But lighting these lamps makes me feel a bit heartbroken,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “Steward Cheng, why don’t we extinguish the lamps?”

Lamp oil was expensive!

Steward Cheng hesitated. “But the young master hasn’t returned yet.”

“Don’t worry. Erlang won’t have time for loneliness. He hasn’t developed that nerve yet. Just go ahead and extinguish the lamps.” Seeing Steward Cheng still hesitating, Zhao Hanzhang said, “Besides, he won’t be back tonight either.”

“Ah, the young master won’t return tonight? But Madam just arrived. Shouldn’t the young master at least come back to pay respects?”

“He can return tomorrow. There are still many carts and goods outside the city gate. With so many bandits outside who are so bold, no one can guarantee the area outside the city is safe. As Luoyang County’s magistrate and a general, he should naturally lead troops to protect them, so he can’t return tonight.”

Steward Cheng muttered, “This is too exhausting…”

Though reluctant, he still instructed someone to extinguish the lanterns hanging in the trees.

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t go wash up but ran to see Madam Wang first. When mother and daughter met, Madam Wang couldn’t help but shed tears. She touched her hands back and forth, then touched her face, heartbroken. “We haven’t seen each other for so long, and you already have wrinkles on your hands and face. You’ve also gotten much darker.”

Zhao Hanzhang smiled and said, “This isn’t so bad. In the past, people used to mistake us mother and daughter for sisters. Now we’re even more like sisters, except I’ve become the older sister and Mother has become the younger sister.”

Madam Wang broke into a smile through her tears and patted her. “Smooth talker.”

She pulled Zhao Hanzhang to sit on the bed and asked, “Have you eaten?”

Seeing Zhao Hanzhang shake her head, she quickly had someone go to the kitchen to get food. “It’s already so late and you still haven’t eaten dinner. If you develop stomach problems in the future, whose heart are you trying to break?”

Zhao Hanzhang grinned foolishly at her.

Madam Wang only asked one question about Zhao Erlang, then asked in detail about Fu Tinghan. “Why isn’t he in Luoyang? I only found out after arriving that he’s not by your side. Where did he go?”

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t say where he went, only saying, “He’s on official business. He’ll be back in a while.”

“Can he return before the New Year?”

Zhao Hanzhang’s scalp tingled. “He should be able to. Why do you need him? Tell me if you need anything—why look for him?”

“What use is talking to you about your marriage? Your wedding is my most urgent matter in coming to Luoyang this time.” Madam Wang said, “I came all this way from Xiping. Do you really think your Fifth Great-Uncle is so free that he’d come to Luoyang just to look around?”

Madam Wang lowered her voice. “He’s also here to urge the wedding.”

Zhao Hanzhang: …

Madam Wang saw her unmoved expression and pointed at her forehead. “Do you really think your Fifth Great-Uncle is so free he’d travel all this way from Xiping just to look at Luoyang? He’s also here to urge marriage.”

Madam Wang lowered her voice. “You must get married. There are dissenting voices in the clan. They want you to cancel your engagement with the Fu family and make a new match.”

Zhao Hanzhang raised her eyebrows. “Who in this world could match me?”