CHAPTER 253: CHAPTER 248: HELPING OTHERS IS A JOY

The Shangcai Manor has undergone a great transformation. Around the Zhao Family’s manor, houses for laborers and servants have been built, encompassing Zhao’s Villa and the tenant farmers’ village.

The whole of Shangcai is quietly passing the winter, except for this area.

It is lively here every day, with people coming and going for labor. Many villagers come from the other side of Shangcai County, even if not for wages, the two meals provided each day are worth their effort.

Ji Yuan is managing all of this orderly while also dealing with news from the Capital City.

Ji Yuan was engrossed when Zhao Tong hurriedly came in, reporting, "Mr. Ji, County Magistrate Chai has arrived."

Ji Yuan locked all the letters on the table in a box and asked, "What has he come for?"

Zhao Tong paused before saying, "Judging by his look, it doesn’t seem like anything pleasant. I asked someone accompanying County Magistrate Chai, and it is said to be because many people from Shangcai have gone to Xiping County."

Ji Yuan suddenly felt it was complicated and remained silent for a while before saying, "Invite him to the front hall; I’ll go immediately."

Zhao Tong acknowledged.

County Magistrate Chai was very unhappy. He had just received news that many people from villages near Xiping County had gone there this year, and it was uncertain whether they would return.

Zhao Hanzhang is too much; not only did she take his Chang Ning, but she also wants to take the people under his jurisdiction.

Ji Yuan represents Zhao Hanzhang in Shangcai, so naturally, he can’t let her relationship with County Magistrate Chai worsen. He said, "Maybe there is a misunderstanding. How does the County Lord know they went to Xiping and don’t plan to return?"

County Magistrate Chai snorted and said, "Their village chief said so."

Ji Yuan thought for a moment and said, "I wonder if I could meet these village chiefs. As far as I know, our lady has no intention of taking people. With refugees everywhere nowadays, if Xiping County lacks people, they can round up the refugees, why contend with neighboring counties for people and create unpleasantness?"

County Magistrate Chai was instantly convinced and found his words made sense, so he immediately took Ji Yuan to meet the complaining village chiefs.

The village chiefs: ...

The New Year is approaching, and winter is getting colder. The village chiefs are afraid that too many people will freeze or starve to death, which would be bad, so they inspect the small villages below.

As soon as they enter the village, they found many young and middle-aged people not at home, even boys aged twelve or thirteen and men in their thirties or forties (tears streaming down their faces) were gone, scaring them into thinking the villagers had gone out to become bandits.

Upon inquiry, they realized the people had gone to work in neighboring counties for quite some time.

The village chiefs waited a few days and, seeing once the payday came, they still hadn’t returned, grew increasingly anxious and afraid they would settle in Xiping County and not come back.

The most critical issue was when one village chief panicked and discussed the matter with the neighboring chief, discovering that many people under the neighboring chief had also gone to Xiping...

So one chief consulted another; when everyone got together, they discovered that many people went, with whole villages avoiding their own and heading over.

The most concerning thing is that even though they avoided their village, people heard the news and secretly went anyway, without informing them.

They were very worried; after the New Year comes spring, and with spring means spring plowing. If they don’t return, what will happen to the plowing?

With the large population loss in jurisdictions, the County Magistrate won’t get through well, and when the magistrate struggles, how can these village chiefs have it easy?

So, after a discussion, the village chiefs decided to go to the county city to make a complaint.

We have reported this, whether you can get the people back from Xiping County, that is the struggle between the county magistrates.

Ji Yuan felt they certainly lacked solid evidence, and indeed, upon questioning, they truly didn’t have any; everything was just suspicion.

Thus, Ji Yuan was relieved, and with a stern face, he started refuting them.

Our lady is noble and kind-hearted; would she be the type of person who steals people from neighboring counties?

She merely sympathizes with the difficult situation of Shangcai County’s people in winter, invites them to work so they can earn some money to support their families.

This is a showing of friendship between Xiping and Shangcai. How can you village chiefs interpret this from a petty view?

With a stern face, Ji Yuan enumerated Zhao Hanzhang’s reasons for doing this, "Shangcai and Xiping are both our lady’s hometown; don’t forget, her grandfather was the Shangcai Marquis, and his fief is in Shangcai!"

County Magistrate Chai’s eyes lit up slightly, yes, how could he forget this point?

Even the village chiefs were starting to doubt themselves, maybe it’s really not about taking people?

Of course not!

If so, Ji Yuan could refute it.

Having successfully appeased County Magistrate Chai and the village chiefs, Ji Yuan wanted to return to the manor and write to Zhao Hanzhang. When leaving the county government, he thought again and said: "County Lord, with taxes increased twice this year, people’s days are difficult, and the market for New Year’s goods has few buyers, indicating their hardship. If the County Lord could provide some relief at this time and show goodwill, they would surely be grateful."

County Magistrate Chai sighed and said: "I know well enough, but the county government is poor, what is there to give out?"

Ji Yuan opened his mouth, wanting to offer a solution; the county government may not have it, but he could liaise with the county’s large households.

He thought again that the biggest household now in Shangcai County is Zhao Hanzhang, so he held back his words, as it would be best to discuss this with Zhao Hanzhang.

So, returning to the manor, Ji Yuan, aside from writing to Zhao Hanzhang to take care, mentioning the discontent regarding her taking people in Shangcai, also brought up this issue.

When Zhao Hanzhang received the letter she’d already returned from the feast, she didn’t hesitate to agree with Ji Yuan, writing back: "Lead the way to donate some grain and cloth, the specific amount is at Mr. Ji’s discretion."

Zhao Hanzhang said, "Don’t mind the competitive relationship between counties; although I’m from Xiping, my ancestral lineage is Shangcai Marquis; whether Xiping or Shangcai, both are my hometown."

"In essence, you need not concern yourself with whether they belong to either county; we donate more to save people, allow those receiving aid to joyfully celebrate this festival, not because they are people from Shangcai or Xiping, so what’s in a name?"

Helping others is an immensely joyous act; otherwise, why have countless people throughout history delighted in lending a hand?

Zhao Hanzhang enjoys helping others as well, within her capabilities, she doesn’t hesitate to assist.

Finishing the letter, Zhao Hanzhang dried the ink, reread it, sealed it, and couldn’t help but giggle softly.

Fu Tinghan, sitting at a study desk not far away, heard the laugh and looked at her, "What’s amusing you?"

"Nothing, just thinking about the joy of helping others."

Fu Tinghan: "...Like helping Zhu Chuan at the feast today?"

"That’s negligible; I’m talking about the joy of donating grain to people," Zhao Hanzhang stroked her chin, "If Shangcai County has relief grains for the New Year, shouldn’t my Xiping County also distribute some things for the New Year? It doesn’t have to be grain..."

Zhao Hanzhang began to ponder; she ought to organize a program for her governed people to joyfully celebrate the grand New Year.