Fan Ying lifted her chin proudly and said, "The inspector said she can’t do without now!"
Since starting in Xin Song County, Fan Ying would first sort through the official docunts sent from the Inspector Mansion for Zhao Hanzhang to process, categorizing them neatly for her.
The orders Zhao Hanzhang issued to the Inspector Mansion and various counties were conveyed through Zhao Kuan. Now that Zhao Kuan stayed behind, this part of the work was handed over to her. Indeed, she was now Zhao Hanzhang’s newest confidant.
Thinking of this, Zhao Kuan felt even more disheartened.
Zhao Hanzhang mounted her horse, and Fan Ying imdiately left Zhao Kuan behind, eagerly chasing after to mount hers as well.
Zhao Hanzhang finally nodded to Mrs. Wang and then led the group away.
They traveled light and fast, returning to Ru Nan County on the third day and arriving in Xiping the next.
She did not stop there, directly leading her people to Shangcai.
Shangcai Marquis’s domain was in Shangcai. Besides the food-rights and his own estate, he also had a residence.
This residence served as an official residence, belonging to Shangcai Marquis, which now was Zhao Ji’s domain.
But what did it matter?
The servants left in the residence still belonged to the elder family, and Zhao Hanzhang entered with her people directly, with the gatekeeper’s family already bowing respectfully.
Accompanied by them, Zhao Hanzhang proceeded to the front yard, where the gatekeeper Uncle Yi knelt to report, "Girl, the rooms have been tidied up. Let know if anything is missing..."
Zhao Hanzhang extended her hand to help him up, saying, "Prepare ten or so hoes and shovels."
"What?"
Zhao Hanzhang, removing her cloak, turned to look at him, "Is there a problem?"
Uncle Yi ca to his senses and imdiately replied, "No, I’ll go at once."
This was in the city; finding tools could take so ti. Zhao Hanzhang was in no rush, tossing her cloak aside and asking Fu Tinghan, "Are you tired?"
Fu Tinghan nodded, "A little."
"Then I’ll have soone heat water for a bath, you rest for a while," Zhao Hanzhang turned to instruct Ting He, "Go have the kitchen prepare so food."
Zhao Hanzhang smiled at Ji Yuan and others, "You all go rest first."
The few exchanged glances, bowed, and left.
The residence was quite large; the guest yard had plenty of room. Though there weren’t many servants, fortunately, everyone had brought their attendants, so they didn’t need servants to look after them; they could care for themselves.
Selecting a guest yard, He Heng followed Yu Sheng inside.
Due to Inspector He, the two of them were considered to be aligned in Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes—not only were outsiders seeing them this way, they saw themselves this way too, at least for now.
He Heng asked Yu Sheng confusedly, "What’s Governor Zhao intending? Isn’t she here in Ru Nan for the iron mine?"
Yu Sheng said, "It’s probably not just for the iron mine; let’s wait for a while,"
Ji Yuan had been speculating since Zhao Hanzhang instructed for hoes and shovels, so he didn’t rest either, waiting to see the spectacle.
Sure enough, they had just begun eating a little when Uncle Yi brought the hoes and shovels over, and Zhao Hanzhang called in a dozen trusted aides to head to the back garden.
Zhao Hanzhang hadn’t called them, but Ji Yuan heard the commotion and imdiately went to watch the fun.
Zhao Hanzhang took out a map to carefully compare and finally halted twenty steps away from a rockery, instructing them to dig.
Fu Tinghan had already bathed but couldn’t sleep, so he followed to watch the fun.
Seeing the soldiers excavating fervently, Ji Yuan sighed deeply, "Did the old lord foresee this day?"
Zhao Hanzhang said, "Grandfather’s intention was to leave these things for the clan. Using them for the people of Yu State today could be considered taking from the people and using for the people, eventually feeding back to the clan."
Ji Yuan curiously asked, "How much is down there?"
Zhao Hanzhang directly shook her head, "I don’t know."
Ji Yuan: "...You dare instruct to contact as many resources as I can without knowing the gold and silver amount?"
Zhao Hanzhang glanced at him, "Yu State is in revival; how many people, how many resources are willing to co in? Rest assured, Grandfather’s money is certainly ample; if not, I have other things to offset, not to ntion the two iron mines I have now."
Ji Yuan was startled, "You an to exchange iron mines for grain?"
Zhao Hanzhang: ...
Fu Tinghan quickly interjected before Zhao Hanzhang could speak, "She ant using iron goods."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded.
Ji Yuan slightly sighed in relief but still said, "That’s quite important too; if we can avoid the exchange, we shouldn’t."
Zhao Hanzhang said, "Mr. Ji, there’s a kind of rchandise called purchasing rights certificate."
Ji Yuan: "What?"
Seeing his bewildernt, Fu Tinghan smiled and explained, "She wants to sell them the right to purchase iron goods. They can reserve products with this qualification and pay later."
"...Why would they agree?"
Zhao Hanzhang slightly raised her chin and said, "Because in the future all Yu State’s iron goods will have to go through the governnt office; without my signed certificate, no iron can be bought or sold."
"Of course," Zhao Hanzhang glanced at Ji Yuan and continued, "Private iron mining and illegal iron trades are exceptions; upon discovery, I will show no rcy—all will be confiscated."
Ji Yuan: ... Inspector! You must have forgotten you were the first to privately mine iron.
Though identities differ, with different positions, their stances change too.
Ji Yuan quickly adjusted, thought briefly, and nodded, "Indeed, that’s a thod."
His gaze fell on the pit being dug; now it was up to whether Zhao Changyu left enough wealth.
Uncle Yi, who brought the hoes, was bewildered, not grasping, "Girl, what’s being dug here?"
Zhao Changyu was very cautious; Uncle Yi, loyal as he was left to guard the residence, wasn’t aware sothing was buried beneath it.
Zhao Hanzhang smiled at him and said, "Digging the treasure Grandfather left for ."
Uncle Yi didn’t ask further; none at the scene ntioned that the Shangcai Marquis Mansion belonged to Zhao Ji at this ti.
As they dug deeper, Zhao Hanzhang stood at the edge of the pit and was about to suspect she might have mistaken the place when there was a ding sound—soone had struck sothing hard.
Zhao Hanzhang’s eyebrow slightly raised at the sound; the soldier had already started to dig with hands, quickly exposing a row of pots, roughly estimating five of them.
Upon discovering sothing, even the soldiers’ spirits lifted, imdiately digging further and quickly unearthing five large pots.
The soldiers worked together to lift the pots, with so digging on the side, they discovered another row of large pots.
The pots opened revealed golden cakes shining brightly; Zhao Hanzhang reached in and took one out, lightly tossing it before handing it to Ji Yuan, "Is it enough, Mr. Ji?"
Ji Yuan reached to take it, glanced at the five large pots, and said with a smile, "If all are gold cakes, it would certainly be enough."
But that’s impossible; Zhao Changyu was rich, but gold is even rarer than silver and not easy to store. He had swapped for so much gold and silver already considering his wealth.
Of the other four pots, three were filled with silver ingots, while one held various pearls and gems wrapped in oil paper, neatly stored in the pot, preserved particularly well.
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