CHAPTER 334: CHAPTER 328: A LIFETIME WITHOUT REGRET

Zhao Hanzhang said indifferently, "If they know, they know. If a few scholars from the court can come, I would be very much welcome."

Mrs. Wang tapped her forehead, "Truly bold and shameless. I don’t know whom you got this courage from."

Zhao Hanzhang smiled at her and lowered her head to continue eating noodles.

Mrs. Wang saw her enjoying the food, but she had lost a lot of weight. Although she claimed it was lean muscle, Mrs. Wang still felt distressed.

"Hanzhang, you’re working so hard. Are you happy?"

Seeing the worry in Mrs. Wang’s eyes, Zhao Hanzhang comforted her, "Mother, I am very happy."

Mrs. Wang didn’t believe her, "A few days ago, you were so anxious about the autumn taxes from various counties that you couldn’t sleep at night and often lost your temper. I even saw you crying."

Zhao Hanzhang: ... That time I wasn’t actually crying. There were many flying insects at night because there was a candle lit in her room. She pulled up the bamboo curtain to cool down, and some tiny bugs flew in and landed in her eye. She couldn’t help shedding a tear and was just coincidentally seen by Mrs. Wang bringing her soup.

No matter how much she explained, Mrs. Wang didn’t believe her, looking as if she had suffered great grievances.

Zhao Hanzhang sighed, thinking that since she couldn’t explain it clearly, she wouldn’t explain at all.

After thinking seriously, she earnestly replied to Mrs. Wang, "Mother, although it’s very hard, and there may not be much happiness, this is what I want to do."

At this point, Zhao Hanzhang felt a little dazed. Over the past year of busy running around, she had almost forgotten her initial reason for doing this.

Merely trying to give Mrs. Wang and Zhao Erlang a chance to live securely, to create a chance for her and Fu Tinghan to return.

By now, she rarely thought about going back.

She pursed her lips and said, "Life is but a hundred years, and the years we may live might only be half of that, making the time even shorter. In such a short time, we can’t just pursue happiness all the time. If it’s something I want to do, no matter how much suffering I encounter, I find sweetness in it. Though the process might be painful, I only seek a clear conscience."

To have a clear conscience, one must strive to do their best. Whether successful or not, she would have tried her hardest.

Even in failure, she could accept it calmly.

Zhao Hanzhang seriously said to Mrs. Wang, "And all of this now is what I want to do."

Mrs. Wang looked at her daughter in a daze, reached out to touch her daughter’s hair, and murmured, "My daughter seems to be shining..."

Zhao Hanzhang gave her a radiant smile.

Mrs. Wang’s heart also calmed down and, after thinking, said, "If you want to do it, then do it."

Zhao Hanzhang happily said, "Thank you, Mother!"

Zhao Hanzhang assigned people from the selection to various places. She set the county seat in Xiping—though she didn’t have the authority, wherever she, the Governor, was, the seat naturally was there.

So quite a few officials were needed. She didn’t directly assign them ranks but let them start as clerks to learn handling various administrative matters.

In the past, officials had to fumble their way into office, working and scheming with colleagues and local influential families, or getting along amicably before figuring out the way of governance.

Here, Zhao Hanzhang directly minimized those influences, having them learn directly from Ji Yuan, Chang Ning, Fan Ying, and Song Zhi.

The experienced led the new. Although initially they just followed orders, doing things repeatedly led to a familiarity, and naturally, they would start considering the best way to do things. At that point, they would be ready.

Of course, she did this to familiarize them with the process of handling official duties, letting them know that their highest superior was her!

Even though sixteen people were added at once to Xiping County Government, everyone remained incredibly busy.

Zhao Hanzhang divided the government office in two, giving the main hall and western office to Chang Ning, the County Magistrate of Xiping County. As the Governor, she occupied the eastern side with Ji Yuan and others to handle Governor Mansion affairs.

Ji Yuan once suggested choosing a spot in Xiping County to build a Governor Mansion, permanently setting the county seat there.

However, Zhao Hanzhang refused, "The people are still suffering, and the world is unstable. Today the Governor Mansion is in Xiping; who knows where it will be tomorrow?"

"There’s no need to spend a fortune building houses for a mere title." Wouldn’t it be better to use the money to stockpile grain?

Ji Yuan then stopped suggesting it, so officials of the Governor Mansion squeezed into the eastern offices in Xiping County, sometimes making Chang Ning feel sorry for Zhao Hanzhang.

For the first time entering the county government building, and as a new official, Sun Linghui slightly raised her head. Upon seeing Zhao Hanzhang behind a desk, she immediately lowered her head, slightly bowed her eyes, stepped forward, and saluted, "Greetings, Governor."

Zhao Hanzhang, seeing her bow deeply, couldn’t help but smile, "No need for so much formality, please have a seat."

Due to limited space, Zhao Hanzhang replaced all the seating in Xiping County with tables and chairs—a chair and a small table per person, making each space their office.

Three desks could be placed front and back, standing face-to-face. Twelve desks could fit in a room.

Even Zhao Hanzhang had to share an office with Ji Yuan and Fu Tinghan.

So Ji Yuan no longer minded if the tables and chairs looked unbecoming, even Zhao Ming got used to them after coming here frequently.

Truth be told, sitting for a long time is indeed more comfortable than kneeling.

Zhao Hanzhang never imagined that the ultimate reason for promoting tables and chairs was the shortage of buildings and office space.

Zhao Hanzhang pointed to the documents on the table and said, "These are the documents submitted by various counties today; please sort them out by importance and urgency."

Sun Linghui hesitated momentarily but then agreed, stepping forward to open the documents and read them.

Zhao Hanzhang lowered her head and continued reviewing the documents in her hand, with many letters waiting for her as well.

Since she became Governor, not only did the Inspector Mansion issue documents and write letters to inquire about the situation in Ru Nan County periodically, but other counties also communicated with her.

While she was out inspecting, most documents and letters were handled by Ji Yuan on her behalf, with only some needing her personal response.

Now that she was back, all these matters instantly fell on her shoulders.

So she was very busy, urgently needing a secretary, or more secretaries to help.

Previously, Ji Yuan and Fu Tinghan helped her filter documents and letters, but now with newcomers, Ji Yuan was busy, and Fu Tinghan was also not idle, so the two let go, telling her to find new people, and they went off to their own work.

Zhao Hanzhang first thought of using Sun Linghui, followed by Zhao Yunxin.

Both of them had thoughtful understanding suited to her taste, and their documents were neatly written, so Zhao Hanzhang thought of them first.

This made Fan Ying couldn’t help but feel jealous, whispering to Chen Si Niang, "Had I known that passing the exam would directly put me by the lady’s side, I would have taken the exam too."

Chen Si Niang: ... You already have a rank, why compete with a bunch of newcomers?