Everyone stood frozen. No one had expected the truth to be like this.
Fan Ying’s eyes reddened. She murmured, “I, I didn’t know it was you, didn’t know it was this difficult.”
Zhao Hanzhang heard this and turned to smile at her slightly, then looked up at everyone. “I once promised everyone that I would provide work for relief, enable Xiping County’s people to pass this winter neither hungry nor cold. I would give you grain, give you winter clothing, give you bedding. Today, I must break half of this promise. The winter clothing and bedding I give you—except for the elderly, weak, and young—the rest will all be filled with reed down and willow catkins.”
“What I can promise now is that in future, as long as we can buy enough cotton wadding, I will redistribute once more, replacing the reed down and willow catkins inside.” Zhao Hanzhang stood straight, extending her hand in a deep bow to everyone, her waist nearly bending to the ground. “This is where Hanzhang has failed everyone.”
Fan Ying was first to react, quickly curtsying. “No, it’s not Miss’s fault. It’s my fault for not asking clearly.”
“Tsk, what does this have to do with Miss? If you ask me, having a set of clothes and a quilt cover is already very good. When we arrived we were barely clothed—didn’t we still survive?”
“That’s right. Which county magistrate can offer treatment as good as Miss’s? All refugees who come can find work, have food every day, and now even houses are being built?”
“If you ask me, it’s these wealthy people making a fuss. These clothes are being distributed to us, not to you.”
Looking around, people realized that those first surrounding the two runners were all well-dressed, clearly from families with money.
Fan Ying thought of something, her face changing drastically and growing pale. She looked at Zhao Hanzhang, her mouth moving, unable to speak for a long moment.
Zhao Hanzhang saw her eyes filled with tears, about to cry, and quickly said loudly to everyone, “This matter isn’t their fault. Using reed down and willow catkins to fill clothing and bedding was indeed improper. They had doubts and came to ask—this is good. I hope they will continue to do so in future.”
After pausing, Zhao Hanzhang continued, “They are all kind-hearted, feeling sympathy for the soldiers fighting for Xiping County and the refugees currently repairing and building Xiping County. Everyone, Hanzhang doesn’t lack money, and Xiping County doesn’t lack money. What we lack are connections to buy cotton wadding. So if any family can contact sellers of cotton wadding, as long as the price is reasonable, I can purchase it all.”
“Without new cotton wadding, if families have old, unused cotton wadding, you can also bring it to the county office. We have runners who will appraise it and pay a fair price to buy it back. After scalding, washing, and sun-drying, it can be made into new bedding and winter clothing.” Zhao Hanzhang said, “The county seat’s existing cotton wadding will first be prioritized for wounded and disabled soldiers, children, the elderly, and then women. I dare not hope that everyone can receive a set of cotton wadding-filled winter clothing and bedding. I only want to prioritize these people first. But actually there’s still a large shortage.”
Fan Ying immediately said, “My family has some. I’m willing to donate it to the county office for free.” She only wanted to make amends, even if it meant dismantling her own quilts.
Zhao Hanzhang looked at her with a smile, almost imperceptibly shaking her head. “Donations aren’t necessary. We should still pay something—can’t let you suffer losses. Everyone can go back and look. If you have any, bring them all to the county office. I’ll have runners set up another table specifically to purchase them.”
Someone immediately asked, “You want old ones too?”
Zhao Hanzhang nodded affirmatively. “Yes!”
“I think I remember my family’s storeroom has some left from previous years.”
“My family has some too…”
Zhao Hanzhang’s eyebrow twitched. Ordinary common families—which family had storerooms, which family might have surplus cotton wadding?
These people really weren’t ordinary folk.
“Let’s go, let’s go back and look to see if there’s any. If so, no need to sell—like Miss Fan, just donate it. Consider it a good deed.”
“Who would have thought it was actually Miss Zhao who ordered the filling with reed down and willow catkins…”
“This can’t be helped—can’t buy cotton wadding…”
The anger that had been stirred up earlier dissipated completely. Most people expressed understanding toward Zhao Hanzhang and the county office. But some still felt dissatisfied and resentful—the bedding and winter clothing that had been promised turned out to be filled with reed down and willow catkins.
Zhao Hanzhang had sharp ears. She could accurately hear who was voicing dissenting opinions. She overlooked most of the complaints and disagreements, only focusing on a few people.
Because these few people’s rhetoric was very interesting. Though not intensely argumentative, they could always stir up more dissatisfaction with just a few words.
Zhao Hanzhang summoned Qiu Wu and gave him some quiet instructions. Qiu Wu then quietly left.
Seeing most people had expressed understanding and the misunderstanding with the county office was resolved, Zhao Hanzhang had everyone disperse. She looked at Fan Ying and invited, “Miss Fan, since you’re here, why not come in for tea? I’d also like to ask how you’ve been recently?”
Fan Ying had been looking for an excuse to stay and talk with her. Hearing this, she nodded repeatedly.
The two were about to enter the county office when they looked up and discovered Fu Tinghan and Changning standing at some point at the county office entrance. Beside them stood a young man looking at her with admiration and appreciation.
Zhao Hanzhang raised an eyebrow. Finding she didn’t recognize this person, she guessed he was the honored guest the runners had mentioned earlier.
She smiled slightly and brought Fan Ying forward.
Changning quickly bowed. “Miss, this is Second Master of the Zhu Family Trading Company.”
Zhu Family Trading Company?
Don’t know them!
But Zhao Hanzhang still showed a smile. After the other party bowed, she returned the courtesy. “Second Master Zhu.”
Second Master Zhu bowed. “I’ve long heard of Miss Zhao’s great name. Today I finally get to meet you.”
Zhao Hanzhang asked, “Where did you hear of me?”
Second Master Zhu froze—wasn’t this just a polite phrase?
However, he had indeed heard of Zhao Hanzhang’s exploits and specifically come to see her, so he replied calmly, “Outside Xiping County. Miss, don’t you know? You’re now famous across the land.”
Zhao Hanzhang: “Then I wonder what people outside are saying about me?”
A female warrior, eight feet tall, enormously strong, superb martial skills… Second Master Zhu glanced at Fu Tinghan. Rumors also said she not only suppressed all the men in the Zhao clan, she even lorded over the talented Fu Changzhang, directly imprisoning the weak and talented Fu Changzhang in Xiping and not letting him return to the capital.
He had come to Xiping to see the excitement after hearing these rumors.
But he hadn’t expected that the rumored Zhao Hanzhang had a tall, slender figure, stood gracefully like jade, with a face also fair as jade. Only her eyes and brows carried heroic spirit. Even with a smile at the corners of her mouth, she didn’t give people a sense of weakness. Instead, she had an aura of having everything under control.
Thinking of her candor toward the common people just now, Second Master Zhu couldn’t help but feel moved. Even he, meeting her for the first time as an outsider, felt this way—let alone the common people of Xiping County who received her beneficence.
Just now, let alone making them wear clothing filled with reed down and willow catkins, probably even making them go bare-chested through winter, the common people would accept it willingly.
Hadn’t he seen those raggedly dressed refugees at the very back of the crowd looking moved?