Zhao Hanzhang’s face also showed some surprise, then she looked back at Zhao Ming with an innocent expression. If she said all of this was just coincidence, she wondered whether Uncle Ming would believe it?

Zhao Ming did not believe it. He felt he had once again been used as a blade by Zhao Hanzhang, so in anger he pushed away the exam papers in front of him, stood up and left.

Zhao Hanzhang watched him leave, sighing deeply, “Uncle Ming’s temper is getting worse and worse. Should we call a physician to examine him?”

Ji Yuan glanced at his master, then lowered his head to continue reviewing papers, not bothering to respond to her.

Fu Tinghan said, “Stop provoking him.”

Wu Erlang, kneeling behind the curtain, cried with emotion. Beside him, Ting He looked at him anxiously. After trying to console him a couple of times and finding it ineffective, she simply grabbed him physically, “Stop crying. The young lady is working inside. If you disturb the master, watch out for your dog life.”

Wu Erlang was even more moved. It had been very quiet inside the curtain – the young lady had neither scolded him nor ordered him dragged away.

He knew he was not yet a qualified servant, with many improper behaviors, but Zhao Hanzhang had always been tolerant toward him. As long as he didn’t commit obvious mistakes, she wouldn’t scold him.

At this moment, Wu Erlang secretly made up his mind – he must learn how to be a proper servant and then serve Zhao Hanzhang wholeheartedly!

Sniffling, he wiped away his tears, kowtowed once toward the people inside the curtain, then let Ting He pull him up and push him out.

Ting He dragged him to the courtyard and pointed to a corner by the wall, “Go cry over there. When you’re done crying, wash your face and clean yourself up before coming back. In the master’s presence, you don’t belong to yourself but to the master. Don’t keep crying all the time, understand?”

Wu Erlang wanted to argue back, but just as he was about to speak, he remembered the vow he had just made, so he obediently agreed and ran to the wall to face it and compose his emotions.

He was so quiet that Ting He looked at him several times.

Inside the room, hearing that Wu Erlang had left, Ji Yuan finally raised his head to look at Zhao Hanzhang and asked, “Where does the young lady intend to place him?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “I want to place him by the advisor’s side.”

Ji Yuan raised an eyebrow.

Zhao Hanzhang continued, “Matters of commerce are both significant and trivial. I still have many important matters that need the advisor’s attention. I don’t want them to occupy too much of your energy, so I want him to handle some trivial matters for you.”

Ji Yuan said, “Currently, the young lady maintains quite a few soldiers, with enormous daily consumption. Tax revenues from various counties are insufficient even for their own submissions, let alone keeping any for local finances. We rely on the income from the long-term workers and tenant farmers under our name being returned to the public coffers, but still nearly half of our consumption must be purchased externally.”

“Especially cloth, shoes, socks and other military supplies – basically everything is purchased externally. The people handling these matters are all our most trusted confidants,” Ji Yuan’s gaze was profound, “relying on loyalty alone is not enough. He must also be honest and know that there are some things he cannot touch.”

Ji Yuan continued, “Master Ming and I share the same view – this person’s mind is too active.”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “But I think what I need right now is precisely someone with an active mind.”

She continued, “He has a kind heart. Even though his elder brother treated him poorly, when his nephews and nieces fell on hard times, he still helped them despite his own difficulties. He also has principles and is clever, knowing to preserve himself first while also knowing how much to help them.”

Zhao Hanzhang directly gave an example, “At that time, he tricked me out of two and a half flatbreads. Afterward, he gave his nephews and nieces half a flatbread to share, keeping the remaining two hidden for later. Then he went to steal young shoots from the village chief’s field. I asked him about it, and he said at that time he and his nephews and nieces had been hungry for two days and couldn’t go hungry any longer. To survive until the autumn harvest, he had to eat the young shoots. He planned to steal some from the village chief’s house and eat some from his own field, leaving enough shoots that there should be some harvest in autumn.”

“He also planned to take the grain and leave right after the autumn harvest, directly evading taxes and fleeing,” Zhao Hanzhang said with a smile, “You see what a clever person – he even thought of where to go.”

Ji Yuan said, “…Don’t forget, he was evading your taxes.”

Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand dismissively, “If the people under my governance cannot survive, let them flee. For the sake of staying alive, I allow them to evade taxes.”

Ji Yuan remained silent.

Zhao Hanzhang sat up slightly straighter, leaning forward a bit, her eyes clear and bright as she looked at Ji Yuan, “Advisor, the people we currently employ, though honest, lack a spirit of initiative. They only follow orders and need our direction for every move – this won’t do.”

“Such people can only be clerks, not managers. And now we don’t possess just one or two counties, but the entire Runan Commandery. Affairs are complex – if everything requires consultation with you and me, how exhausted would we be?” Zhao Hanzhang said, “Especially you, Advisor. You are greatly talented, and I cannot do without you by my side. If you were to fall ill from exhaustion, Hanzhang would feel ashamed and uneasy.”

Only then did Ji Yuan stop objecting. After the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, he said, “After the young lady has won him over, send him to my side and I will train him.”

Zhao Hanzhang happily agreed.

Fu Tinghan had listened to the entire exchange. Seeing they had both returned to normal, the goosebumps on his arms finally subsided. He turned and handed Zhao Hanzhang the exam papers he had reviewed, “These three are usable. I believe all the others should be rejected.”

Zhao Hanzhang was surprised, “Eliminating so many?”

She reached out to take them.

The examination candidates were of mixed quality – some who knew only a few characters ran to take the exam. Neither Zhao Hanzhang nor Fu Tinghan minded, because they were currently very short of clerks at the lower levels. As long as the candidates had the right attitude and good character, they didn’t mind taking them in first and gradually training them.

But some people came just to take advantage and speculate – you could tell from the scattered content they wrote.

Why did Zhao Hanzhang start with “In his position, he should plan for his office” as the essay topic?

Wasn’t it precisely to filter out the view commonly held among the current aristocracy that famous scholars should naturally be carefree and not concern themselves with mundane affairs?

To put it bluntly, she was selecting people who would actually work and knew how to work. If they looked down on mundane affairs, they shouldn’t come at all.

Zhao Hanzhang flipped through the papers in her hand, believing Fu Tinghan’s assessment was completely correct. She handed them to Ji Yuan, “I think Tinghan’s categorization is very appropriate. Please review them, Advisor.”

Ji Yuan casually handed her the papers he had screened, “Zhao Yunxin and Sun Linghui’s papers are both with me. I actually think these two can be used.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang immediately pulled out their papers to look.

Indeed, these two people’s answers surpassed most of the other candidates.

Especially Sun Linghui – she truly delighted Zhao Hanzhang. Although her paper was clearly unfinished, that was because she had written too much.

On “In his position, he should plan for his office,” she wrote: “Those in office must dare to act, dare to take responsibility. When each performs their duty, the realm will be at peace.”

She continued, “The current chaos in the realm is precisely because those in power do not plan for their offices, while those not in power meddle in affairs…”

Zhao Hanzhang read with growing pleasure, “This person I want to promote.”

Ji Yuan said, “…Won’t the young lady look at the official documents she wrote afterward?”

Zhao Hanzhang glanced at them and said unconcernedly, “She simply hasn’t been exposed to official documents. This is not important – just keep her by my side and teach her slowly.”

“Her thinking is very important. That she can have such insight shows she is intelligent, and moreover, she is a kindred spirit – very usable.” Zhao Hanzhang paused, then said, “Can be greatly used!”

“How many renowned scholars in this world lack her insight?” Zhao Hanzhang handed the paper to Fu Tinghan, “What do you think?”

Fu Tinghan skimmed through the paper and nodded, “Indeed.”

Zhao Yunxin’s example official document was written extremely well. Zhao Hanzhang saw familiar writing style and raised an eyebrow, “Yunxin’s official document shows quite her brother’s style.”

Ji Yuan smiled and said, “Zhao Kuan has been doing well as county magistrate. The situation in Quyang has now stabilized. After all, he’s a young person – his thinking is more flexible. He directly detained many merchants passing through Quyang. Now many merchants buy glass products and paper in Quyang, drawing customers away from Shangcai and Xiping.”

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t mind – whether it was Quyang, Shangcai, or Xiping, wasn’t it all her territory?

The third son was still a son. As long as he competed fairly and didn’t use underhanded methods, this old mother would turn a blind eye.

So Zhao Hanzhang said, “If Changning and County Magistrate Chai have the ability, they’re perfectly welcome to steal the customers back.”

Ji Yuan said, “County Magistrate Chang will be heartbroken to hear that.”

Zhao Hanzhang pretended not to hear and seriously reviewed the essays in her hands.

In the end, they only selected twelve people, but this was just the first hurdle. Perhaps later those discarded in the bamboo basket might perform well and emerge again?

The afternoon’s questions were all related to law – Ji Yuan and Zhao Hanzhang had selected them from cases in the counties under their jurisdiction over the past six months.

If the candidates were county magistrates, how would they render judgment?

The answers were truly… all sorts of variety.

One person’s large sheet of paper contained only a few characters: “Such villains should be killed!”

Three cases, three identical answers.

Zhao Hanzhang nearly laughed herself to tears, then under Ji Yuan’s worried gaze tossed his paper into the second bamboo basket, “Regardless of how he answers the remaining questions, this person is not to be used!”

Ji Yuan quietly breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.

The second day’s exam was mathematics, which Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan insisted on making a major portion of the examination.

Fu Tinghan personally set the questions, having them calculate land area, calculate taxes, calculate work section lengths and labor service numbers for corvée duty, and so on.

The exam lasted two periods, or four hours.

These were the simplest problems. Fu Tinghan felt that if they had an elementary school diploma, they could solve all these questions.

However, the vast majority of people left the examination hall dizzy and disoriented, with even blanker faces than yesterday.

Even Zhao Yunxin, who had been quite confident, fell silent for a moment and said to Sun Linghui, “Cousin, I’m still young – I should be able to come again next year, but you…”

She was somewhat worried, “You’ll be betrothed next year, won’t you?”

Sun Linghui didn’t mind, “It’s fine. If I don’t pass this year, I’ll fall ill during the New Year, I just don’t know if Governor Zhao will issue another recruitment notice next year.”

Zhao Yunxin rolled her eyes and said, “Wait, I’ll ask my brother.”

How would Zhao Kuan know? Besides, he was in Quyang. Asking him was not as good as asking Fan Ying and Chen Siniang. He replied to his sister, “Aren’t you always close with those two? They’re more favored in Third Sister’s eyes – instead of asking me, why not ask them?”

But they were friends – how could she ask them such things?

It was better to ask her brother – family members needn’t be too formal.

Zhao Yunxin hadn’t expected her eldest brother to be so useless. While muttering complaints as she folded the letter, she worried about how to bring this up with Sister Fan Ying.

As she pondered, Zhao Yunying and Sun Linghui rushed in, calling out loudly to Zhao Yunxin sitting by the window, “Yunxin, we’ve all been accepted!”

Zhao Yunxin’s eyes brightened instantly. She tossed the letter backward and jumped up, asking, “Really?”

Sun Linghui nodded vigorously, “More real than real – I saw it with my own eyes. Both your and my names are on the list.”

Zhao Yunxin also excitedly spun in circles, finally unable to help but embrace them both and shout with joy, “We actually passed! How did the list come out so quickly? I thought it would take several more days.”

Sun Linghui said, “I thought so too, but today Cousin and I went to the county town tavern for a meal, and we heard the yamen runners below beating gongs and drums announcing the recruitment list was out. Cousin and I ran to look, and I saw your name on the public notice wall at a glance – right in the center was your name.”

Zhao Yunxin smiled so much her eyes narrowed, “And you? Cousin, where was your name?”

Sun Linghui’s eyes curved into crescents, “I’m to your upper left.”

Zhao Yunying beside them said, “She was first place, you were eighth. This time they accepted a total of sixteen people.”

Zhao Yunxin: …

But she only paused briefly before embracing Sun Linghui again, happily saying, “Wonderful! From now on we’ll be colleagues.”

Sun Linghui then performed a formal bow to her: “Greetings, colleague.”

Zhao Yunxin quickly stepped back and also bowed, “Greetings, colleague.”

The two bent at the waist, raised their eyes to look at each other, and immediately burst into laughter.

Zhao Yunying beside them was full of envy, feeling sour inside, “You two are so fortunate.”

Zhao Yunxin hesitated for a moment, then said, “Elder Sister, why don’t you go speak with Mother about also taking the official examination? With your learning, you would surely pass.”

Zhao Yunying shook her head, “I’m already married. If I wanted to take an examination, I should ask my husband’s family, not Mother.”

She felt rather downcast, “And the Qian family would never agree.”

She sighed, “Because I previously went to the academy to teach, the Qian family already had many complaints. It’s just that they were intimidated by our family’s power and status that they silently endured. That I can now stay in Xiping and remain at the academy is already quite good – I cannot be greedy for more.”

Zhao Yunxin huffed, “The Qian family doesn’t lack you to manage household affairs. What’s wrong with you going out to teach or serve as an official?”

Sun Linghui said, “Human life is but a short hundred years – one must live contentedly. Although serving in office may not necessarily bring happiness, at least it’s something you want to do.”

Zhao Yunying smiled bitterly. She didn’t have Sun Linghui’s carefree spirit – to say she wanted to take the examination and immediately transcribe the recruitment notice and run directly to Xiping to take the test.

She said wistfully, “You’re so bold!”

Her tone contained envy she couldn’t express.

At this moment, Wang Shi was also looking at Zhao Hanzhang, who was eating noodles with her head down, and sighed, “You’re so bold…”

Zhao Hanzhang raised her head and smiled faintly at her.

Wang Shi looked at her daughter in silence. She had great confidence in her daughter, but never imagined she could accomplish so many great deeds – not only becoming a commandery governor, but actually issuing a widespread recruitment notice. “I’ve heard that even the court now knows about your recruitment notice.”