With the cannon fodder script in hand, it is easy for the king to change his fate

In early spring, Azhen distributed the first batch of grain and vegetable seeds suitable for the local soil and climate, and the imperial court also specially arranged for people from the Ministry of Agriculture to go to various places to teach farmers how to plant them.

Countless people were busy last year working on this batch of seeds.

The number of seeds distributed this time wasn't actually that many; enough for every household to plant a little. If the harvest is good, farmers can save the seeds for themselves, or they can buy seeds the following year, or even exchange them for grain.

Currently, Zhao State doesn't have a particularly large population, nor is its area as large as one might imagine; it's more accurate to say that, apart from Zhao State, there isn't a larger one in the surrounding area. Therefore, given the current level of productivity, completing these tasks in less than a year isn't particularly difficult.

So far, the vegetable seeds have yielded good results, and some fast-growing grain crops have also produced promising results. Farmers are highly enthusiastic and have high expectations for the improved seeds distributed by the imperial court. Savvy farmers know to select the best seeds for next year's planting.

This was the result that A-Zhu was happy to see.

The seeds that farmers voluntarily save might have a slightly lower yield, but the seeds she arranges for cultivation are all products of the space itself, so they won't be too bad. If farmers are not satisfied with the yield of their saved seeds later, they can purchase more.

Now she wants to vigorously develop agriculture, and she has been very lenient in terms of seeds, so that farmers can find suitable seeds as long as they want to plant them.

A-Zhou is also working on land reform.

Normally, such a thing would be fraught with obstacles, as it would affect the interests of many. However, the appearance of the Ao Kingdom's underground palace served as a prelude, and the Zhou clan's faction simply "laid slates" and didn't stand up to oppose anything. This weakened other dissenting voices considerably, failing to hinder Azhen's land reforms.

Of course, getting them to hand over their possessions easily at this point would be incredibly difficult, but Azhen could use an iron fist, and no one would dare to disobey. However, after analyzing the land area and population of Zhao Kingdom, she felt that reclaiming wasteland was more worthwhile.

In mountainous and densely wooded areas, excessive land reclamation will certainly be detrimental to future development. Such places require gradual planning.

However, in those plains suitable for cultivation, land reclamation is appropriate.

The farmers were overjoyed to hear that land reclamation was calculated based on population. In the past, with a large population and limited land, yields were low. To have enough to eat, farmers had to rent land from large landowners. If they encountered an honest landowner, they could manage. But if they encountered a demanding one, it was better not to rent land at all.

Now that the imperial court allows land reclamation and there are good seeds available, as long as nothing unexpected happens next year, they can all have a good harvest. How could they not be enthusiastic?

Given the current population of Zhao Kingdom, there are still many uninhabited areas. Azhen has sent people to investigate, and they are quite suitable for human habitation. She has already planned to send refugees and homeless people to these places in the future.

She arranged for some people to go to these places to reclaim wasteland, of course, to grow grain in the name of the imperial court, so that these places could be developed gradually and then they could receive refugees in the future.

In addition, she has also made arrangements for seeds of local specialty vegetables and fruits, and even flowers. As time goes on, the results will surely be seen one day.

With a series of reforms underway, large landowners truly felt like the sky was falling, but they couldn't oppose them. One can easily imagine what next year will bring.

Some panicked large landowners are already planning to rent their land to farmers at low prices, while others are selling their land. This is exactly what A-Zhou wants; in fact, not all places are suitable for reclamation.

Besides these, she also arranged for people to explore neighboring countries and plan for the future of Zhao Kingdom. In reality, the concerns of large landowners about food surplus were simply unfounded. In this day and age, there are plenty of countries where people are starving.

She had already considered this. Don't underestimate the neighboring small kingdoms and vassal states; they may not be as powerful and prosperous as Zhao, but they possess valuable resources. Cattle and sheep, seafood, various local specialties, and even different kinds of minerals are all useful.

To become powerful, resources must flow.

Once we're well-fed and clothed, it'll be time to start developing other things; it seems quite busy.

But Azhen wasn't in a hurry. She made a series of arrangements and let things develop slowly. Even if there were any problems along the way, she could just solve them. Nothing really goes smoothly.

As everyone watched this unfold, even those whose interests were affected and who were unwilling to accept it knew that if things continued this way, Zhao Kingdom would only get better and better.

Azhen wasn't completely depriving these people of a way out. She arranged for people who had visited other countries to bring back information, which she would then share with these people, painting a rosy picture of what could be achieved and showing them the future benefits. With these benefits in mind, they naturally wouldn't panic, much less act rashly.

In short, instead of exploiting the people of Zhao, it would be better to go and do things in other countries, especially since it sounds like there are quite a few benefits to be had.

Time passed slowly, and A-Zhuang's policies were progressing relatively smoothly.

Zhou observed coldly without reacting. Those who had wanted Zhou to oppose the reforms fell silent, unsure of her true intentions. It was important to understand that some of these reforms weren't necessarily beneficial to Zhou.

Take, for example, the official academies promoted by the person above in various states recently. They are very different from the state schools of the past. Doesn't this mean that everyone has the opportunity to study in the academy? Putting aside whether or not they can take the imperial examinations, just the fact that everyone has the opportunity to study in the academy means that many talented students will emerge from the poor.

When the imperial examinations come around, the number of impoverished students will increase, which will be most disadvantageous for a great Confucian family like the Zhou family.

Now, various states are promoting government academies. In the future, will government academies be established even in small counties and towns?
Recently, someone came to see the Zhou family, and in their conversation, they mentioned the relevant matter.

Zhou Hanyi slowly sipped his tea, while the person in front of him was already so anxious that blisters appeared on the corner of his mouth. He then leisurely said, "His Majesty is wholeheartedly devoted to the country and the people, so we shouldn't cause trouble. What do family interests matter in the face of national interests? Not only should we not stop him, but we should also support and strongly recommend him."

The visitor was stunned by these words. For a moment, they thought that Zhou Hanyi had gone mad and was saying something so outrageous that he seemed like a completely different person.

If he hadn't been so rational, he would have stood up and shouted, "No matter what kind of ghost, demon, or monster you are, get off Zhou Hanyi right now!"

The visitor gave a dry laugh and said, "Old Zhou, are you joking?"

I hope what I just heard was just an illusion. If that old geezer Zhou Hanyi doesn't stand up to oppose it, who else can take the lead?

“I truly believe this. Your Majesty’s actions are a good thing, showing your concern for the world. As a member of the Zhao Kingdom, I should give it my full support.”

He's gone mad, that old bastard Zhou Hanyi has definitely gone mad. (End of Chapter)