CHAPTER 452: CHAPTER 446: STRATEGY TO WIN OVER THE HEART

The fear of Zhao Hanzhang spread throughout Yu State along with the Recruitment Order, reaching even beyond, known across the land.

There were quite a number of people, like Pei He, who were slack in their governance, intending to fool Zhao Hanzhang. After all, Yu State is vast, with Liang State in the north which suffered great calamities, Ruyin County in the east which had lost its Governor, and Zhao Hanzhang’s stronghold in Ru Nan County. How much attention could she pay to the other counties and states?

So when she issued her orders, they followed suit, but the situations within the counties remained unchanged. To make up for the losses due to the Xiongnu disaster, they even imposed additional taxes and donations under various pretexts.

They did not believe Zhao Hanzhang could manage to control them from afar.

Until Pei He inexplicably yet decisively resigned from his post.

Some who were familiar with Pei He directly wrote to ask the reason.

However, would Pei He tell them?

The details of that night, he didn’t even tell his wife because it was too embarrassing. Would he tell those colleagues with whom he was only somewhat familiar?

That, of course, was impossible.

So when he received letters, he ignored them, and when pressed, he wrote back saying he was getting older, feeling increasingly powerless, and thus retired to live in seclusion.

This reason quickly spread among the Governors of various counties in Yu State, even reaching Zhao Ming’s ears.

This made Zhao Ming, who was eager for gossip, snort in disbelief. The reason was so mundane and unconvincing. Who would believe it?

No one believed it, and finally, everyone got serious and began to take Zhao Hanzhang’s orders seriously.

Some were scared, mainly because Zhao Hanzhang spared neither the Governors nor the County Magistrates; no one was left well off.

The Governors had been officials for many years to rise to the position of a State Governor, so they were unwilling to give it up. However, for the County Magistrates, the situation was different.

Upon hearing of County Magistrate Gao’s miserable state in Xie County, many County Magistrates felt worried and guilty, leading to numerous resignations.

While the County Magistrates wanted to resign, the Governors were reluctant, so they began to review Zhao Hanzhang’s decrees, comforting the resigning County Magistrates while also consulting with Zhao Ming of Ru Nan County about Zhao Hanzhang’s intentions.

Zhao Ming, magnanimous as ever, responded to their letters, directly telling them to follow Zhao Hanzhang’s orders.

During the grand New Year, although it was a time for closure and leisure, none of the state government offices in the five inner regions had ceased operations; even the county governments below them were open for business.

Zhao Hanzhang, being in Nanyang Country, did the same. After issuing the Recruitment Order, she again transmitted orders as the Inspector to all counties and states, decreeing that in Yu State, all transit merchants should have all taxable items exempted except for merchandise tax, encouraging nationwide merchants to engage in trade within Yu.

Among them, the merchandise taxes on grain, coarse hemp cloth, and fine hemp cloth were fully exempted, while other merchandise taxes were halved based on the original collection standards, with the time limit set for one year, according to the last decree of the Yu State Governor Mansion.

Zhao Hanzhang signed each decree one by one, while Zhao Erlang sat beside her with her official seal. As soon as she finished signing, he dragged the document over, stamped it firmly, then blew it dry before tossing it aside.

Immediately, an official took it, scanned it quickly, and, seeing the seal correctly placed, bowed out, calling in a messenger waiting in line outside, "This one is to be sent to Peng City."

Immediately, two messengers stepped forward, tucked the document into their satchels, and left.

These messengers were selected by Qiu Wu from his personal soldiers, specially dedicated to delivering Zhao Hanzhang’s letters to various counties and states, ensuring quick and thorough transmission of her orders.

Zhao Hanzhang understood the current transportation difficulties, but her orders needed to be staggered, necessitating her to endure this cost.

Once Zhao Hanzhang finished signing all documents, she instructed Fan Ying to draft another public decree, "Instruct all counties to gather the displaced, comfort the people, establish Yushan Halls, and provide for the widows and the orphans."

She said, "When the decree is ready, place it on my desk, and I will sign it; it will be sent out in two days."

Fan Ying accepted and said, "Executive, Yin Sheng has been waiting outside for an hour."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang slightly upturned the corners of her mouth, bringing out her best demeanor, "Let him in."

Yin Sheng was led inside, and the office now was vastly different from before, leaving him somewhat dazed.

This was Pei He’s former office; as the Governor’s office, size was a primary requirement.

The rest depended on each Governor’s taste and capability.

The Vice Governor’s office wasn’t far away, and before, while working with Pei He, he often drank, played chess, and discussed classics in this room.

Pei He was a very cultured man, so naturally, his office was elegantly arranged, but now, except for the paintings and calligraphy hanging on the walls, everything within had been rearranged.

So much so that Yin Sheng hardly recognized the room.

A once spacious room now housed about a dozen seats, with Zhao Hanzhang’s seat in the center. Oh, that seat had not changed; Pei He used to work sitting there as well. It was slightly higher; not only was the seat wide but so was the low table in front.

The low table was made of fine huanghuali wood, and the seat was a low stool with a low back covered in fox fur, very soft and warm.

These things Pei He left behind, and Zhao Hanzhang just used them directly.

But what was once an empty low table was now piled high with documents, and Zhao Erlang sat sullenly to the side of the seat, with a towering stack of official papers in front of him. He opened the papers, diligently recognizing his sister’s name, then firmly stamped the official seal, and placed it aside after blowing it dry.

He lifted his eyelid to glance at Yin Sheng, who was standing dumbly, thinking this Vice Governor looked even more foolish than he did, yet his sister said she needed him.

In addition to Zhao Hanzhang and her younger brother, there were about ten officials in the room, led by Fan Ying, all seated on the left, four in a row, sitting in three rows.

Each had numerous sheets of official papers laid before them, all writing industriously.

While Yin Sheng was lost in thought, an official stood up, handing a stack of documents to Fan Ying.

Fan Ying flipped through quickly, then turned and came over again, seeing Yin Sheng still in a daze, she cut in line directly, bowing, "Executive, here are the things that the Eldest Young Master requested."

Zhao Hanzhang first smiled and nodded at Yin Sheng, "Vice Governor, please take a seat."

Yin Sheng finally regained his senses, responding with a bow before sitting down cross-legged to the side.

Zhao Hanzhang opened the documents to read. She read quickly, soon picking out a particular document to hand to Fan Ying, "Show this to the Vice Governor."

Fan Ying accepted, presenting it respectfully to Yin Sheng.

With a puzzled expression, Yin Sheng took it and opened it, discovering it pertained to the construction of Yushan Hall.

Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan had done preliminary studies in Lu Yang County, eventually realizing that Yushan Hall’s labor market there had little competitive edge and that relying entirely on government support was a substantial fiscal burden for the local county government.

Thus, she sought to change the placement model.

Fu Tinghan indeed suggested correctly that Nanyang Country could very well become a model for other counties to learn from, while Ru Nan County, especially Xiping and Shangcai, due to their numerous workshops, had a distinct advantage in employing Yushan Hall workers, making it challenging to serve as a template for other counties.