Dashan said, “But I heard that Elder Guan Taigong is going to become the village elder.”

“He’s already the neighborhood head, why would he still want to be the village elder?”

Dashan replied, “The two positions don’t conflict. I heard from people at the county office that they can be held concurrently.”

“That won’t do! My son went to the county seat and said the government office is going to distribute seeds and farming tools to each village. If we let Elder Guan Taigong serve as both neighborhood head and village elder, half of the seeds our village should receive this year will be taken again.”

“Exactly! Other newly established villages received more wheat seeds before autumn than we did. Sigh, we used to feel fortunate, thinking our village was hidden in these mountains and avoided great disasters, but looking at it now, it would have been better to suffer through a major catastrophe and rebuild the village anew.”

“Ptui, ptui, ptui! Swallow those words back! Do you really think warfare is easy to endure? Look at how many people died in other villages! Though things are difficult now, at least people aren’t dying.” One person said, “I heard someone say at the public notice wall that the Grand General most abhors those who embezzle and line their own pockets, so this time in implementing the policies, many censors were sent down. I spent two copper coins to get information from the officer guarding the notice wall. I heard the county magistrate will personally meet with each village’s elder.”

“So if we petition the county magistrate, we can definitely get Dashan made village elder.”

“That’s right! We can pool together travel expenses. As long as Dashan becomes village elder, we won’t have to worry about Elder Guan Taigong withholding our seed grain anymore.”

“And when measuring grain for taxes, we won’t have to fear him using the large measure either.”

Without a village elder, they would be completely suppressed by the neighborhood head. The Guan family owned the most land in this area, and the villagers had to go through him to contact the county office.

But now things were different. Although the village elder was still under the neighborhood head, the Grand General had said that village elders could also meet the county magistrate and had the right to see the county magistrate and the responsibility to report matters to him.

They now had another channel to communicate with those above.

Unlike them, other villages were openly and legitimately lively.

Lai’an Village was very lively. Their neighborhood head beat drums and gongs to proclaim these new policies, then had everyone select a village elder.

The neighborhood head banged the gong twice and said, “The Grand General has decreed that the village elder doesn’t necessarily have to be old, but must be capable and virtuous, must think of everyone, and must have ability—know how to lead everyone to farm more land, earn more money, and have more children.”

“Me, me! Neighborhood head, let me be the village elder. I’m a really good person, and I’m number one in the village at farming!”

“Nonsense! If you’re number one in the village at farming, then I’m number one in the township, number one in the county! During autumn planting I told you to dig two inches deeper, said there would be heavy snow this winter and we needed to plow deep, but you wouldn’t listen. Now how much of your wheat has frozen?”

“Ptui, ptui, ptui! Who says my wheat has frozen? The weather just hasn’t cleared yet. You wait until the snow melts and the spring wind blows—they’ll come right back to life! As for you, look at your wheat—so short and squat, who knows if you’ll even have a harvest this year.”

“Bullshit! My wheat seedlings are thick and sturdy. When the spring wind comes, they’ll shoot up like leeks, definitely better than yours! You can’t be village elder—I should be!”

There were quite a few people in the village competing to be village elder. Someone even directly asked the neighborhood head, “Neighborhood head, if the village elder does well, can they take over as neighborhood head?”

The neighborhood head replied, “That would only happen after I die.”

“Can’t there be a replacement? Not even if the county magistrate changes it?”

“You’re not even village elder yet and you’re already thinking about pushing me out?” The neighborhood head waved his hand impatiently, “You’re not qualified. Next! Who else wants to be village elder?”

Everyone laughed heartily and pushed several people forward. A capable woman also came out to apply, saying, “I’ll be the village elder. I can farm, weave cloth and sew clothes, and keep accounts—I’m more capable than all of you.”

“That won’t do—you’re a woman!”

“So what if I’m a woman? The Grand General is also a woman!” The woman said, “The Grand General is even recruiting female officials. Why can’t there be a female village elder? The Grand General’s announcement didn’t say the village elder must be male. Everything depends on ability, and my ability is greater than yours!”

“Well… the announcement also says it depends on public opinion. There must be enough people in the village who agree for it to work.”

As soon as he finished speaking, someone immediately shouted, “I agree! I think Zhenniang is good!”

“I also think Zhenniang is good!”

“That won’t do! You’re all women, so naturally you stand with her. Only one person per household can represent them—let your household heads come out and speak.”

“Why can only household heads speak? I also want to establish a separate household. After all, female households can be established now.”

“Do you think female households can be established just because you want to? After dividing the household, labor service and taxes both increase. Can you women bear that burden alone?”

The matter of competing for village elder gradually went off track, veering toward the question of whether only the household head could vote within a family, or whether the female head of household could also vote.

Many villages quickly selected their village elders after receiving the announcement, but many villages, like Lai’an Village, couldn’t determine their village elder for a long time due to various conflicting opinions.

In the past, such matters naturally wouldn’t reach Zhao Hanzhang’s ears, but now that the realm was newly stabilized, Song Xin and Yuan Li’s intelligence personnel were scattered everywhere gathering information for her. Additionally, many commanderies and counties had newly appointed officials she had sent to take charge. As long as this information reached the ears of county magistrates and commandery governors, she would also know about it before long.

Zhao Hanzhang first received Song Xin’s intelligence report, then received reports from several commanderies and counties.

After brief consideration, she realized her oversight and summoned Ji Yuan and others to discuss. Before long, a new decree was issued.

For matters like selecting village elders and neighborhood heads that required public voting, all people aged twelve and above, regardless of gender, had one vote and could choose independently.

Those under twelve years of age had no voting rights unless they were household heads.

Once the announcement was issued, Lai’an Village’s village elder was soon determined. Zhenniang successfully became the village elder and went to the county seat with the neighborhood head to pay respects to the county magistrate.

Liu Kun hadn’t expected that not only did a female village elder emerge in his jurisdiction, but there was even a female neighborhood head. He couldn’t accept it for a moment and looked at the county magistrate of Lu County, asking somewhat plaintively, “Magistrate Zhang, what’s going on here?”

Magistrate Zhang maintained a serious expression and said, “Commissioner, Neighborhood Head Lu is quite renowned in Lu County. When the court marched north, she not only provided relief to disaster victims in the county but also donated large amounts of grain and supplies. When bandits invaded Lu County, it was also Neighborhood Head Lu who led the elders in resistance, thereby preserving both the people’s strength and the people’s wealth. Her ability, virtue, and reputation all qualify her to serve as a neighborhood head.”

If she weren’t so old, he would even want to petition the Grand General to let him give up his position as county magistrate to her. He felt she would make a better county magistrate than him.

Old Lady Lu raised her head and quickly glanced at Liu Kun, then lowered her head humbly and asked, “Does the Commissioner dislike women serving as officials and administrators?”

“No, no, no,” Liu Kun hastily denied. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust women’s abilities, just that he felt… it was very inconvenient. “It’s just that this official is not quite accustomed to working with female officials.”

But she was just a neighborhood head—he would hardly ever see her anyway.

Liu Kun set his mind at ease and smiled, “Since she was elected by the people, then so be it. Everyone stay today—I’ve arranged a new song and dance performance. I invite you all to enjoy it together!”

Everyone assented. Old Lady Lu lowered her eyelids, concealing the mockery in her eyes, and also agreed.

—