Zhao Ming glanced at her dismissively. “He can already go to battle and achieve military merit, and has become a commandery administrator. What’s wrong with taking a wife?”

“The former is his own ability, the latter is because of my power, but taking a wife requires both physiological and psychological maturity before it can be done,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “Even setting aside the psychological aspect, do you think a thirteen-year-old Erlang can father healthy and long-lived children?”

Zhao Ming was silent for a moment before saying, “For the sake of the family…”

“For the family, I also won’t wrong Erlang like this,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “Not just my Erlang—other brothers and sisters are the same with me. Uncle Ming, there’s no need to mention this matter again. You should send more medicinal herbs to Luoyang instead.”

Having Zhao Zhongyu take care of his health and live a few more years was the real priority.

Zhao Ming looked deeply at Zhao Hanzhang for a while before slowly nodding.

Zhao Ming said, “For the Qingming ancestral worship, you should come back too. Your appointment as Yuzhou Inspector is a major event—you can properly report it to the ancestors.”

Thinking of Zhao Ji, Zhao Hanzhang readily agreed.

Seeing her smile so brilliantly, Zhao Ming’s heart couldn’t help but sink. He held back, couldn’t hold back, and finally warned her, “If Zhao Ji comes, you cannot act recklessly.”

Zhao Hanzhang’s smile faded somewhat. “Uncle Ming, am I that kind of person?”

Zhao Ming just snorted, then said, “If you anger the clan leader to death, you can arrange a wife for Erlang.”

Only then did Zhao Hanzhang restrain herself.

She didn’t linger long in Xiping, leading her people back to Chen County.

When everyone in Chen County learned Zhao Hanzhang had returned, there was jubilation all around. Although, to be honest, they felt Zhao Hanzhang was slightly easier to get along with than Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan was very satisfied with the results of Zhao Hanzhang’s inspection tour. “Much faster than I expected.”

Zhao Hanzhang: “Because I only inspected Runan Commandery and Nanyang Kingdom.”

Actually, it was really just Nanyang Kingdom.

“But with Nanyang Kingdom as a warning example, the other commanderies and kingdoms all sorted themselves out automatically.” Ji Yuan said mildly, “The lady chose an excellent chicken indeed.”

The effect of killing the chicken to warn the monkeys was very obvious.

Zhao Hanzhang’s smile paused. Could she tell Ji Yuan that she hadn’t specifically chosen anything?

She had just planned to start from Nanyang Kingdom, inspecting from south to north, going through one commandery after another, and finally circling back to Chen County.

Ji Yuan handed Zhao Hanzhang a pancake. “The candidates selected by each commandery and kingdom are all heading to Chen County. Lady, this is Yuzhou’s first recruitment examination. You must be very careful.”

Zhao Hanzhang corrected him, “The second time.”

Ji Yuan lifted his eyelids to look at her. “That time doesn’t count as Yuzhou’s—it counts as Runan Commandery’s. How many people came then?”

He continued, “There were quite a few people taking the exam, but only so many were useful, and not that competent. This time many more people are coming. Not only are there people from various aristocratic and gentry families within Yuzhou, but quite a few from rural gentry and poor families are also participating.”

Zhao Hanzhang’s reputation was different from before. With more territory under her control, people in Yuzhou had great confidence in her. So when the recruitment order went out without regard to birth, it immediately attracted many people.

Including scholars from outside Yuzhou.

Ji Yuan said, “The outer four commanderies also sent people with name lists, but there are some problems with their lists.”

Zhao Hanzhang tore off a piece of pancake and tossed it in her mouth, asking, “What problems? They didn’t hold examinations and just selected people to send over directly?”

Ji Yuan, having eaten and drunk his fill, set down his chopsticks and nodded with a smile. “The lady is truly prescient. That’s exactly it.”

He asked, “How should these people be handled?”

Zhao Hanzhang unconsciously tore at the pancake while eating, pondering for a moment before saying, “No need for different treatment. Have them take the examination too.”

Thinking about how aristocratic families and gentry would be mixed with poor family scholars this time, Zhao Hanzhang set down the pancake. “We’ll use blind grading for this examination.”

Ji Yuan was startled. “Blind grading?”

“Yes. For all submitted papers, we’ll paste paper strips over the section with names, native places, and family background. After grading the papers and ranking them, we’ll remove the strips. This way we can achieve some fairness.” Zhao Hanzhang said, “As for the outer four commanderies, since we haven’t been able to control them yet, there’s no need to create friction with them over this matter. Since they’ve sent people, we’ll use anyone competent.”

“What if there are spies among them?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “If you don’t trust them, send them to do minor official work in Nanyang Kingdom and the western and southern parts of Runan Commandery. Everywhere needs people now. If there are competent county magistrates and other officials among the various counties, they can be promoted.”

Because of war and power struggles in the court, some counties in Yuzhou hadn’t changed for over a decade. Many officials had been worn down by the years, never receiving promotions.

These people should also be moved around. Combined with the recent wave of resignations that left official vacancies, Yuzhou was short of people everywhere. Zhao Hanzhang wasn’t at all worried about having no positions to place them in.

“As for spies,” Zhao Hanzhang scoffed. “Using scholars as spies—by the time they finish, who knows whether they’re spies or my capable ministers?”

She said, “Some people still suspect Li Bing was a spy, yet his achievements for Qin and the Shu region will probably be praised by the world even a thousand years from now.”

Ji Yuan: “How many Li Bings are there in the world?”

However, he still agreed with Zhao Hanzhang’s view and decided to have them take the examination along with everyone else. If anyone truly passed, he would select some places far from the outer four commanderies and military strategic locations for them to work.

If they truly had talent and virtue and could govern their localities well, that would naturally be good. If they lacked talent and virtue, he would have even better excuses to deal with them then.

Thinking this way, Ji Yuan felt Zhao Hanzhang’s idea was excellent and smiled, “The lady is still more thoughtful.”

Zhao Hanzhang felt the same way and sent the people who had been delivered without asking for them. She even regretted that too few people had come.

“Pay attention—for those who come to take the examination but don’t pass in the end, there are some places without official ranks that still urgently need talented people.”

Ji Yuan considered briefly before saying, “Those aristocratic families and gentry naturally won’t be interested, but poor family scholars desperately need opportunities to advance. Some have empty pockets and may stay in Chen County to wait for the next recruitment examination. Some of them might be tempted.”

Zhao Hanzhang: “I’ll leave this matter to you, sir.”

After finishing her pancake, satiated, Zhao Hanzhang said contentedly, “It’s still better in Chen County. With you by my side, I’m much more relaxed.”

Ji Yuan also felt much more relaxed with Zhao Hanzhang back and happily curved his lips. “Being able to serve the lady is Yuan’s honor.”

“Come, you said you wanted to see the gunpowder. Let’s first look at the newly built workshop, then go test it.”

Ji Yuan followed Zhao Hanzhang outside, smiling. “I’ve heard people say that when the gunpowder explodes, it’s like thunder from heaven—quite terrifying.”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “That’s exaggerated. If it’s just one tube, the sound isn’t that loud.”

Ji Yuan said, “The lady should treat the young master well in the future. By the way, the lady will soon be out of mourning. So about your wedding date…”