Wang Shi chattered on as she pulled Zhao Hanzhang to the dining hall, where a group of people were already waiting. Four children stood together with Zhao Erlang.

Zhao Erlang saw his sister and immediately rushed over. “Elder Sister, I wanted to come meet you, but they wouldn’t let me leave.”

Zhao Hanzhang looked him up and down. “Have you grown taller?”

Zhao Erlang also noticed he seemed to need to look down at his sister now, and his eyes immediately lit up. “It seems so, Elder Sister! I’m really amazing.”

“You are indeed quite amazing.” Zhao Hanzhang looked toward the other four children. They had followed Zhao Erlang over and were now standing to the side, looking at her expectantly.

Zhao Hanzhang smiled at them and took the little girl’s hand. “The fortified village is safe now. You can all rest assured. In a couple of days, I’ll take you back.”

The four children finally breathed a great sigh of relief and hastily bowed in thanks. “Thank you, Third Sister.”

Zhao Hanzhang had matters to discuss with Master Ji, but seeing the table full of dishes, she sat down to eat a meal with them first.

After eating, she sent them away, and only then did Zhao Hanzhang and Ji Yuan move to the study to discuss business.

The two exchanged the information each had gathered. In fact, they had been corresponding during this period, so Ji Yuan naturally knew Zhao Hanzhang had taken control of Xiping County. Now they were just discussing the matter in more detail.

Master Ji pondered. “So Zhao Zinian is willing to provide cover for you, Young Lady?”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded. “Uncle won’t interfere in Xiping County affairs for now. We can act entirely according to our own wishes.”

“What is your wish, Young Lady?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Building a fortified village in Shangcai would be too costly. Grandfather devoted the clan’s entire resources to build the Zhao family fortified village. For me to want to build one the same would require not just vast sums of money, but also considerable time. Rather than that, why not obtain one directly? Xiping County town can be managed entirely as a fortified village.”

“This matter mustn’t be known by the court.”

“The court probably has no mind to pay attention to us at the moment.” Zhao Hanzhang relayed the intelligence Zhao Ming had received. Luoyang was currently in chaos both inside and out. “Even if they do notice, there’s still Uncle Ming. He’ll cover for us.”

Ji Yuan thought it over briefly and agreed. With Zhao Ming there, they could completely extricate themselves, and even Zhao Ming wouldn’t suffer much loss.

Well, his reputation might take a bit of a hit.

Once the court discovered this, they could push everything onto Zhao Ming—for example, that Zhao Ming had no interest in politics, was lazy and shirked his duties, so he handed matters over to family members to handle…

Although this sort of thing would be criticized in the Great Jin, it wouldn’t be prosecuted. Some might even consider it the style of a famous scholar.

After all, this trend was quite changeable—even Ji Yuan sometimes couldn’t pin down the direction of worldly opinion.

Ji Yuan asked, “Should we invite the Second Madam and Second Young Master to reside in the county town?”

“No,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “Now is not the time. If they return to Xiping, they can only stay in the fortified village for now, which would restrict me. So they should remain in Shangcai for the time being.”

She would bring them over once she had completely established her foothold in Xiping County.

“As for Shangcai…”

“I must trouble you, Master,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “The autumn harvest, and also—don’t be stingy. Recruit all suitable refugees. If we can’t accommodate them here, send them to me in Xiping.”

The registration and census in Xiping had revealed many ownerless lands. She was short of people right now.

“What about slaves captured by soldiers?”

Zhao Hanzhang thought for a moment, then finally sighed and nodded. “If you think they’re suitable, Master, go ahead and purchase them.”

Soldiers capturing and selling people was a major feature of this era. Many armies relied on this for income. If Zhao Hanzhang didn’t buy them, the soldiers could turn around and sell them to Jizhou or even further to Bingzhou.

Those two places were even more chaotic.

Master Ji remembered something. “We should hide the newly purchased people. I heard County Magistrate Chai say the Provincial Governor’s office is demanding increased autumn taxes. We…”

“Delay for now,” Zhao Hanzhang thought of Zhao Hu, who also owed taxes without paying, and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. As expected, interests determined one’s position. She decided to be a bit friendlier to County Magistrate Chai, so she said, “Prepare the autumn tax according to the already registered households, but don’t rush to give it to him. I still want to see if the Provincial Governor is willing to pay to support troops.”

This would influence the path she would take next.

“Shangcai County can pay its taxes with some difficulty, but how about your Xiping County, Young Lady…”

“I don’t plan to pay,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “I’ve already posted a notice exempting Xiping County from the autumn tax.”

Ji Yuan was surprised. “How does Young Lady plan to explain this to the Provincial Governor?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Write an official document to the Provincial Governor’s office requesting aid, asking for disaster relief money and grain.”

She continued, “Xiping County doesn’t even have a county magistrate. Who can he hold accountable?”

Zhao Ming?

But if he removed Zhao Ming, she didn’t believe he could find someone who could both protect and properly manage Xiping County.

Ji Yuan couldn’t help but sigh. “Young Lady, you were born at just the right time.”

If the world weren’t in chaos, Zhao Hanzhang’s maneuvers would be completely courting death. But with the world in chaos and communications disrupted, the troops in her hands had become the key to victory.

“I just wonder what choice County Magistrate Chai will make.”

Changning was also advising County Magistrate Chai. “County Magistrate, although Zhao Sanniang’s motives aren’t pure, what she said about this matter makes sense. The matter of raising taxes can be kept quiet for now.”

He said, “This autumn tax is supposedly to support troops, but in the end it will mostly go into the Provincial Governor’s hands.”

But County Magistrate Chai didn’t have the courage to defy the Provincial Governor. So he hesitated and hesitated, still unable to decide. “What if the Provincial Governor becomes angry…”

“County Magistrate, does the Provincial Governor still have energy to manage such things right now?”

“But what about settling scores after autumn?”

Changning said, “Shangcai has heavy taxes and severe population loss, or we suffered disaster, or poor harvests, or we were attacked by refugees—any excuse will do. We just need to get through this year. Next year’s matters can be dealt with next year.”

Seeing he still hesitated, Changning said, “County Magistrate, the situation in Xiping County is even worse. Zhao Sanniang definitely cannot pay the increased taxes. You’ll have an ally, and even if the Provincial Governor gets angry, there will be someone else bearing it with you.”

“Zhao Sanniang isn’t listed by name. If the Provincial Governor gets angry, he can only direct it at Zhao Ming,” County Magistrate Chai said. “But would Zhao Ming fear his anger?”

Zhao Ming need not fear, but could he not fear?

Changning was silent for a long while before saying, “If we increase the autumn tax, I’m afraid even more people will flee their registration this year, and next year’s situation will be even more difficult.”

County Magistrate Chai irritably drank a cup of wine, then finally threw caution to the wind. “Next year’s matters can wait until next year.”

Changning sighed quietly.

The next day, when he learned that Zhao Hanzhang and her party were returning to the estate, after much hesitation, he still went to see them off on behalf of County Magistrate Chai.

Changning stood beside Zhao Hanzhang, looking at the commoners outside who were harvesting in autumn, and sighed. “This autumn and winter, who knows how many more people will be forced to leave their homes and abandon the land they depend on for survival.”

Hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang raised her eyebrows, understanding County Magistrate Chai’s decision. It seemed he still didn’t dare form an alliance with her.

Zhao Hanzhang turned and bowed to Changning. “Master has already done his best. When the common people of Shangcai County learn of this, they will remember Master’s efforts.”

Changning pulled at the corners of his mouth in a self-mocking smile, thinking that only future generations would know whether his decision was right or wrong. After all, even he himself wasn’t certain if doing this was correct.

As an advisor to the county magistrate, he was actually hinting to the county’s major taxpayers to hide households and recruit people—this completely violated professional ethics.

Changning felt somewhat like returning to his hometown. He wondered if County Magistrate Chai would allow him to resign.