Winter had arrived. Everything had at last found some measure of resolution before this year drew to a close. Only after confirming that the Western Tribes’ cavalry had not assembled again did Zhù Ying convene the administration hall staff once more to discuss the Annan affairs that had been interrupted earlier.

This gathering was more complete than most — both civil and military present. On the civil side, Zhao Su was first; on the military side, Zhù Qingjun was first. Although Su Zhe and the others were officials of the administration hall, nominally issuing directives over all of Annan, in terms of both ability and seniority it was still Zhao Su first, Zhù Yan second, and only after that Su Zhe and the others.

Zhù Qingjun’s position, however, was beyond question. On the “military” side, the person with the longest standing was actually Hou Wu, but Hou Wu was old and had never presided over a large military engagement; he had hardly been managing training affairs recently either. So he was content simply to sit at the end of the table. When younger men like Zhù Biao of Zhù County deferred to him, he refused. When those who had come later, like Mu Wanshan of the former Western Ka slaves, gave up their seat to him, he also declined.

Hou Wu had come only with a pair of ears. His host’s remarkable life had gone beyond anything he could evaluate. But Zhang Xiangu was truly a good mistress. The old woman herself refused to come to the front to hear things out, yet she kept her mind on her daughter — so Hou Wu, as an “old retainer,” had come to listen and report back.

Hou Wu guessed that the Military Governor had tacitly permitted this. It had originally been agreed that peaceful days could be had — and the two of them, mother and daughter, had indeed enjoyed several genuinely calm months together. Then the frontier peoples came, and Zhù Ying had somewhat concealed the situation from Zhang Xiangu, ending up on the receiving end of several prolonged cold stares. She had to put on an appearance of being “well behaved.”

Aside from Hou Wu, everyone else had brought a full and functioning head.

Zhù Ying opened with a summary: “Let’s continue. For the affairs that were put off because of the frontier peoples — pick out the urgent ones and get them done. Choose what’s suitable and leave the rest for next year. We can’t wring the people’s strength completely dry all at once. The first urgent matter: the border.”

Before the frontier peoples had attacked the pass, there had already been one round of simple repairs and expansion. Looking at it now, that still wasn’t enough. Zhù Ying decided to shift some labor conscription toward this work, and to build a series of beacon towers and checkpoints, along with maintaining the postal road.

Zhù Qingjun was the first to express her agreement: “Even with the court at the height of its power, border raiders and petty brigands could never be entirely eliminated. The Western Tribes, too, are no docile neighbors — concluding a peace and signing a covenant means no great war, but small border tribes, when they’re short of food, or they see something they want, or they’re simply in a foul mood, they may come and stir up trouble. We must guard against it — the moment they show themselves, drive them back. That is the only way to maintain lasting peace.”

Zhù Yan said, “Let’s pare back the water control projects for now and redirect those resources here. The road repairs cannot stop — wherever roads reach, that is where policy can reach.”

Everyone agreed.

In that case, the largest pass would need to be expanded further, and Zhù Xinle’s rank was no longer adequate for it. The feats of arms in this engagement with the Western Tribes had not been spectacular enough to justify a promotion to so high a level — Lin Feng would take Zhù Xinle’s place.

Lin Feng agreed without hesitation.

Next came roads; planning for expanded winter wheat cultivation; the distribution of resources within Annan; the care and raising of orphans and survivors’ families. Among these, Jin Shou and others managing the mineral assets reported their earnings — since Wuzhou’s cinnabar, copper ore, and the like had still not been “turned over to shared management” even now, the only copper mine in Zhù Ying’s hands was a small one taken from the Western Ka, and coin-minting had not yet been able to expand. So local large-scale transactions used gold and silver; small transactions used grain, cloth, or copper coins flowing in from beyond the mountains.

Coinage was something both Zhù Ying and Zhao Su knew was no simple undertaking, and they were in silent agreement to leave it aside for now. Better to maintain the current situation than to bungle it.

Roads and wheat cultivation had been planned before — it was only a matter of following through. Resource distribution would still be concentrated at Xizhou’s administration hall for further allocation. As long as each locality could be self-sufficient in grain, the largest single problem would be solved.

Then came the matter of “selecting talent.” Annan was short of people — not only those to open wasteland, farm, repair roads, and mine, but also those who “could write, calculate, and fight.”

Everyone’s gaze turned to Huajie. Lu Danqing said, “Why not hold another examination? Three years have passed.”

Huajie said, “We’re still teaching. Right now there’s not a single person to spare. The students in school now have barely learned a thousand characters — they’re still grimly struggling through more literacy and arithmetic studies. What is there to examine? And beyond the students — I actually think those who have already received official appointments should also come back and spend a few more days in class.”

Lu Danqing fell silent.

Previously in Wuzhou there had been a system of “examination-based selection,” held every three years on a graduated scale. But after one great war, with things expanding so rapidly, even the half-trained students still in school had been dragooned into work. Where were there any idle people left for examinations? And yet the ongoing work of compiling household registers, all the various construction projects, all the administrative tasks — all of it required people with at least some education.

Zhao Su said, “The school can barely keep up teaching the current students. Training clerks and officials for further study would only add to the shortage of teachers.” He was genuinely concerned about Huajie’s health. Huajie had always been gentle and accommodating, bearing the responsibility of school affairs and appearing to have no part in matters of power — while year after year she had done the same repetitive, meticulous work, raising children. Huajie’s age was no small matter, yet every time one of the prefectures needed people, one saw just how important the school truly was. It controlled whether all of Annan was in “one’s own people’s” hands.

Zhù Qingye, picking her words carefully, asked, “Then… what about issuing a call for talent from beyond the mountains? Besides pedantic scholars, there are surely some capable and useful people to be found. Look — Jiang Wan and her husband are quite capable.”

Everyone hesitated, then concluded it was workable. Where else were people to be found? If those who came turned out to be useless, just send them back with travel money. A seemingly impartial written examination was the most efficient tool imaginable for filtering out the unwanted — any old hand of the official world knew that. Besides, Annan had now been formally accepted back by the court. Exchanging a few people here and there — at worst it meant another round of friction with the court.

Zhù Ying said, “Send word to the court. Zhù Yan, draft the communication — report to the Secretariat that the border has occasional small mounted bandits. Also draft a call for talent. I’ve made a promise to Jing Gang to meet the Jiyuan elders — I’ll set off in a few days, and once I’m there I’ll send the call out.”

Zhù Yan began drafting in his head.

The orphans and survivors’ families were to be funded by Annan. Zhù Ying’s approach was to bring them all in — they couldn’t be maintained for nothing. Schooling: those who could learn letters should do so; those who couldn’t should learn martial arts; those who couldn’t manage either should learn a trade. On reaching adulthood, each would be allocated farmland or given a chance to compete for official positions. Until they came of age, the administration hall would provide grain and provisions — no need to worry about there being no one to care for them, because the surviving family members were still there: elderly women who had lost sons, widows who had lost husbands. Zhù Ying had already intended to support them — she would preferentially employ them to care for these children, which was not charity but a hired job.

These children, raised well, would become the most solid backbone of Annan’s future. It only required time.

Zhù Ying asked, “Does anyone have anything else to add?”

Many people shook their heads.

“The city is really fine,” Zhù Chonghua said with feeling, “but the mountain villages are so much worse off. Schools, medical halls, markets — all in the big cities. Even the roads are better toward the big cities; the roads down to the little villages are terrible. When roads were being built, everyone put in equal labor. People from the small villages who come out to serve go farther distances. Repair for repair, it all goes toward the big city, and the small villages are always left out.”

Zhù Yan flushed. “It hasn’t been arranged yet — within the next few years it will get there. It has to start with the major cities. A region this large has to first forge a hard fist from the core — only then will outsiders not dare to come and bully us.”

Zhù Chonghua understood the reasoning but couldn’t resist pushing for the small villages: “What about schools, then? Taking one person from the big-city school — it’s only a ‘reduction’ for us, but for the small village, it’s a ‘having something.’ Grandmother — you always have the most compassion for the poor. Compassion for them a little more. Senior Administrator — the small villages have good children too.”

Huajie turned hopeful eyes toward Zhù Ying.

Zhù Ying thought for a moment and said, “Then let’s rotate. Everyone who finishes their schooling must go down and teach in the small villages for three to five years. Start with making a name register — beginning next year, they’ll take turns going to the countryside.”

Zhù Chonghua’s smile broke open wide. She raised another matter: “There are also some small villages still held under the grip of bad chiefs. Our local area can only fight them ourselves, and killing them off doesn’t take care of the problem — very troublesome.”

Zhù Qingjun, Lu Danqing, Su Sheng, Jin Yu, and several others all sat up straighter. “Holdovers?”

Zhù Qingjun first turned to Zhù Ying in apology: “In the western push, speed was the priority — there may have been those who slipped through the net. Failing to clear out the remnants was my oversight.”

Lu Danqing and the others drew themselves up to make their request: “Grandmother! I’m willing to lead troops and clear them out!”

They even put forward their reasoning: “The border isn’t settled — this is also training for soldiers!”

Su Sheng said, “What’s more, the soldiers recalled to guard against the Western Tribes haven’t been disbanded yet — we already have sufficient forces.”

Jin Yu looked at Zhù Qingjun plaintively, hoping she might give everyone a chance. Zhù Ying asked Zhù Qingjun, “What do you say?”

Zhù Qingjun said, “They have a point, and having the trouble inside one’s own borders is indeed not ideal. Annan needs peace, but it also can’t sheathe its swords and set its horses to graze. Zhù Xinle and the others have returned as well — a fine chance to get some practice.” She also glanced at Mu Wanshan and the others — they were also eager, just worried they’d lose out to Lu Danqing and the rest.

Zhù Ying said, “All right. Su Zhe, Wu Ren — provisions and supplies coordination is yours.”

She also decided to give the younger generation some opportunities. Zhù Chonghua was delighted: “I can find guides!”

Zhao Su felt a touch of envy — Wuzhou had no such convenient opportunity; the outer five counties were also not to be lightly disturbed right now. Zhù Yan, on the other hand, was relaxed — Bozhou was under his jurisdiction, and it had been comparatively peaceful. Still, he decided to carry out another thorough sweep when he returned.

Zhù Qingtian said, “With all this, more civilian clerks will be needed again.”

Several people coughed or rubbed their heads. Zhù Chonghua said, “No matter how squeezed it is — I’ll squeeze some out! The bandits must be cleared — they must!” She had not the faintest embarrassment about calling the former chiefs “bandits.”

Zhù Ying found her entertaining and agreed: “Good — let it be as you say.”

“Grandmother?! You’re really not going to give me any?”

Zhù Ying just smiled at her. Zhù Chonghua said helplessly, “Then next year you must at least send us a few schoolteachers.”

Zhù Ying said, “Agreed.” Zhù Chonghua had achieved her bargaining goal and fell silent.

After that came various miscellaneous matters, which were also quickly arranged. The final item was Zhù Ying’s own journey — to go and meet with the Jiyuan gentry. The Jiyuan gentry had played a part in welcoming her return south, and the Fulu gentry had later sold grain in exchange for salt, lending assistance; this trip could not be avoided.

Zhù Ying said to Zhao Su, “Get in touch with Jiang Zheng and Shao Shuxin. Shao Shuxin is probably about to be recalled — I need to see him before he leaves.”

And to Xiang An: “You run a trip as well — arrange a meeting for me with the Jiyuan gentry on my behalf. The New Year is almost here — go see your own brothers and family too.”

Both agreed.

Huajie asked, “And your New Year — how do you plan to celebrate it?”

Zhù Ying smiled, “I’ll be back to celebrate. It won’t take two months for the round trip — I’ll be back by the end of the twelfth month for certain.”

With everything arranged, they moved into action at once. Zhù Ying’s first order of business was to promote Zhù Chonghua from county magistrate to Deputy Administrator of Daizhou, stamping it first with Annan’s own seal: “These matters were proposed by you — and you’re responsible for providing the guides. Provisions and supplies — Su Zhe and the others will handle the coordination, and you’ll assist them. All of Daizhou must be under your watch.”

What Zhù Chonghua had been hoping was to do well by her own county first, and then to give the young people in her county a chance to push forward and make their way. She hadn’t expected that the children hadn’t gotten very far in their studies before she herself had pushed forward first!

She hesitated. “Me? I haven’t even finished learning all my characters.”

“Right — learn while you work — and don’t give me any less of my own share of effort!” Zhù Ying said.

Zhù Chonghua, holding the round seal, was pulled back to her seat by Jiang Wan, who sat beside her.

Zhang Xiangu grew suspicious again about whether Zhù Ying’s journey had some other purpose. Zhù Ying had no choice but to call Zhao Su, Zhù Yan, and Xiang An over to explain: “They’re coming with me.”

Zhang Xiangu said, “Big-Brother Zhao is clever as a fox — you’re all in league together. Chui Zi and Third Niangzi are both on your side. I need to ask someone else.”

The widow Jiang talked her around: “Who here isn’t on our Administrator’s side?”

Zhao Su simply offered up Zhù Qingjun as a diversion: “Qingjun is dealing with the bandits — small matters like this don’t need the Administrator at all. The Administrator has larger affairs to attend to — seeing the Prefectural Governor Jiang and the others.”

Zhang Xiangu said, “Oh my, then she must be careful! Get her good armor and good blades.”

“Not a chance I’d forget that,” Zhù Ying said.

Zhù Ying’s journey followed the main road throughout. For the first half, Zhù Xinle and others escorted her. When they reached Daizhou, Zhù Ying said to Zhù Chonghua, “You all get to work here — the road ahead is clear. Until we meet again.”

She left the whole group behind, and had come to an understanding: there were certain people who simply had to be kept busy with more tasks!

She would not be shy about that.

From Daizhou to Bozhou, Zhù Yan stayed behind. Zhù Ying said to him, “Zhù Chonghua thinks deeply — you should…”

“I’ll learn from her example. I’ve already thought through how to organize another sweep. Any information I get, I’ll dispatch a fast rider to inform you, and also inform Qingjun — troop deployment and movement, she’ll handle. I’ll just arrange guides and civilian assistants to cooperate. Bozhou was among the earlier to submit — there shouldn’t be too many holdovers. It’s a careful, precise task.”

Zhù Ying clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Good. Don’t wear yourself out.”

“Got it.”

On to Wuzhou — and it felt like coming home. From Gan County eastward, people continuously recognized Zhù Ying, and she waved greetings back one after another. Wuzhou had not been a battlefield; the damage it had sustained was minimal. Roads, irrigation works, and fields had all been tended over nearly two decades and needed little renovation, and the labor burden had returned to the relatively easy state of before. The people had a more leisurely look about them. Some quick hands were also at work composting fertilizer in preparation for winter wheat.

In Zhù County’s mountain stronghold, Qi Niangzi had already tidied up the residence and prepared the main room for Zhù Ying to rest in for two days before descending the mountain. Zhù Ying didn’t stand on ceremony: “I’m just resting my feet — once I’ve gone, you’ll have to turn everything back again. Just clear a guest room for me.”

Qi Niangzi would not hear of it: “That’s different! This is your home — what sense is there in coming home and staying in the guest room?” She also brought her young children to greet the visitor.

Meanwhile, Xiang Le, Xiang Yu, and Xiang An came to report: “We’ve each sent word to the various gentry families separately; Elder Brother went personally to Jing the Official’s home — all said they would certainly come.”

As they spoke, official documents arrived from both Jiang Zheng and Shao Shuxin agreeing to the meeting. The venue was set at the border of the two prefectures — specifically at Fulu County.

Shao Shuxin arrived first, as ever. Under the cover of the Fulu gentry, he met with Zhù Ying privately first. He had grown somewhat fuller than the last time, with a little more silver in his beard, but looking at Zhù Ying — still slight and agile as always — Shao Shuxin couldn’t help a flash of envy: “Only one so nimble and vigorous could have built such a great enterprise without anyone noticing.”

After the sigh, he didn’t wait in the tent for Zhù Ying but walked out to meet her quickly, raising his hands in greeting from a distance: “Military Governor! You were never a creature of a small pond — being Chancellor again is not out of the question.”

Zhù Ying said, “An exaggeration — just scratching out a burrow to lie in.”

“Please.”

The two of them entered the tent and sat down. Shao Shuxin dismissed those around them and lowered his voice: “Chancellor Zheng has sent word — I am soon to be recalled.”

Not unexpected. Zhù Ying gave a nod. “Who takes over?” A plum post like this — with Shao Shuxin having run it so well, the position certainly wasn’t going to be abolished. How many people must be waiting to compete for it?

“Yu Qing Quan.”

“Him? Ha!”

“Exactly. Any other person — even just for the sake of performance results — would have to be well-behaved for a spell. Him? He’s convinced of his own superiority, and on top of that he’s nursing a grievance. Say black, and he will say white. If he comes here and doesn’t make things deliberately difficult for me, that would already be a miracle. The people are going to suffer.”

Zhù Ying said, “I’ve already arranged to meet Jiang Zheng.”

“That can only protect the salt price in one locality,” Shao Shuxin said, and then laughed again: “I wonder whether that rigid old traditionalist will run salt with you in secret, or watch the people suffer.”

Zhù Ying said, “Don’t make jokes.”

“Isn’t it true?”

Zhù Ying said, “Go back and let Chancellor Zheng know — if Yu Qing Quan makes too much trouble, let him prepare a replacement.”

“I was going to bring this up as well. Three thousand li is too far for letters to reach — I’ll hand you an account ledger, and you can act as the situation demands.”

“I won’t need that,” Zhù Ying said lightly.

Shao Shuxin opened his mouth, then suddenly realized: the person in front of him appeared harmless, but only appeared so. He became considerably more serious. “Are there any other words I should carry back to the capital?”

“May we both take good care of ourselves.”

“Very well.”

After Shao Shuxin, Zhù Ying met with the Jiyuan gentry in a private session — one quite unlike anything before it. The gentry of Gu Weng and the others, grateful that Zhù Ying had once more recovered official posts for their children and nephews, were even more effusively deferential than before; from beginning to end, not one of them managed to hold their neck quite straight.

Jing Gang maintained an outward composure, though the creases between his brows were deep — evidently he had heard about Yu Qing Quan.

Zhù Ying invited everyone to be seated. She began by thanking the gentry, then brought up the matter of Shao Shuxin’s imminent departure: “With Prefectural Governor Jiang present, I need not concern myself with most things. The one area where I can repay your kindness is salt. If all goes smoothly, so be it — but if any change occurs, as long as I remain here, Wuzhou’s salt will not be cut off, and the price will not rise above what it is now. Annan will not take orders from them.”

A smile spread across the gentry’s faces. Jing Gang hesitated, then raised another question: “In the future — I mean, if Jiyuan Prefecture should be short of grain…”

Zhù Ying said, “We’ll trade what each side needs.”

One of the gentry immediately said he was thinking too far ahead — Jiyuan was good land, the seasons were kind, nothing like that was going to happen. Yet they also said, “Prefectural Governor Jiang’s governance is also not bad — it’s only uncertain how much longer he can remain in Jiyuan.”

Zhù Ying said, “That’s fair. I’ve arranged a meeting with him. In future, whenever the prefectural governor changes, I’ll make a point of meeting the new one alongside everyone here.”

The gentry were even more pleased.

The following day, the gentry first went to welcome Jiang Zheng, then ushered him over to face Zhù Ying. Shao Shuxin had by then departed. Jiang Zheng clearly already knew of Shao Shuxin’s transfer and was somewhat uncertain in his step — he wasn’t entirely confident in Yu Qing Quan either.

Zhù Ying naturally would not say the words “deal with him without needing account books.” She greeted Jiang Zheng politely and courteously. Then she praised the Jiyuan gentry to Jiang Zheng for being “honest and upright.” Jiang Zheng replied, “It was your management that cultivated that in them.”

“You haven’t managed them so badly yourself either — everyone keeps count.”

The gentry all chimed in together. Jiang Zheng smiled faintly. “Everyone keeps count — of salt, of grain. And now Shao the official is leaving.”

“He’s been overseeing salt policy in the south for a while now — Chancellor Zheng could hardly leave salt policy in his hands indefinitely. Even if the Chancellor were willing, others would create difficulties. As for Jiyuan Prefecture — I always have it on my mind. Whoever comes next, I will keep watch.”

Jiang Zheng hesitated, then slowly raised his hands in a bow. “My thanks.”

Zhù Ying gave a nod.

Jing Gang stepped in to smooth things over: “We are all fellow officials of the same court — all for the sake of the nation and the people.”

Jiang Zheng still had a look of something weighing heavily on his mind. Zhù Ying and the others affected not to notice, and they drank together. Jiang Zheng grew tipsy very quickly.

Early the following morning, still nursing his headache as he rose — a dispatch arrived by fast postal rider: the Secretariat was inquiring about conditions in Annan and asking whether, if a new postal road were to be opened, Jiang Zheng thought it would affect Annan.

She wanted to open a new postal road?!

Jiang Zheng’s hangover cleared in an instant.