My lord, spare his life!

"Kundu, did your trip go smoothly?"

The Puyang clan has not been operating in their ancestral home for many years, and their roots are shallow. Puyang Kui will likely face numerous difficulties in recruiting villagers this time. Putting aside other issues, gaining the trust of the villagers alone will not be an easy task.

"It went smoothly, thanks to my lord."

"Thank me?"

Puyang Kui's words were not flattery or pandering.

The recruitment of these people was largely due to Zhang Yang's substantial wealth. The severity of the disaster varied across the counties within Tianyue, but even in the county that responded the fastest, the casualties were still heavy, and there was a severe shortage of winter supplies. Puyang Kui didn't return empty-handed; with Zhang Yang's permission, she transferred a considerable amount of grain collected from various households from the county granary.

It was this food that helped her open a door.

With grain in her hands and a calling card from Xu Jin, she easily gained the trust of the local county government simply by stating her identity and name.

When Puyang Kui proposed recruiting troops here, the local magistrate hesitated repeatedly before agreeing to recruit a maximum of one thousand men. This number was lower than Puyang Kui's expectations, but she knew it was the maximum she could negotiate. Any more than that, the local magistrate wouldn't agree to. In the face of natural disasters, the people of Guizhou would become a burden on the county, but those who survived would be a source of income.

The problem is that the disaster is so severe that these people cannot survive.

By recruiting these people, the Prime Minister of Puyang indirectly alleviated the livelihood burden on these individuals and their families within the county. The local magistrate, after much deliberation, settled on a middle ground: one that wouldn't harm the county's foundation, would ease the pressure, and would also satisfy the Prime Minister of Puyang.

This can be described as killing three birds with one stone.

Puyang Kui immediately looked troubled: "But these people... it will probably take a year and a half of training for them to become a force to be reckoned with."

Once Zhang Yang saw clearly what the hundreds of people Puyang Kui had brought back looked like, she understood the main reason for Puyang Kui's troubled expression—the people she had recruited were only wearing winter clothes that barely kept them from freezing, their hair was disheveled, and they looked haggard. There were men and women, the youngest appearing to be less than ten years old, and the oldest approaching forty.

Only slightly more than half are adults or young adults.

Even the young and middle-aged men all had thin cheeks and looked like sticks from a distance, so their overall quality was worrying.

Zhang Yang: "The rest of you who didn't come... are you doing the same thing?"

Puyang Kui breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that she was not angry.

"It's better than this batch; it should arrive in about three days."

Zhang Yang nodded and said, "Take them all."

"I would like to express my gratitude to my lord on behalf of these villagers for taking them in."

The hundreds of people who had been waiting anxiously also bowed in unison.

The money and provisions to feed these people would be expensive even in places like Tianyue, where natural disasters are raging. Zhang Yang's willingness to take them in, instead of picking and choosing and dismissing the old and weak who are not capable of fighting, is already a saintly act.

"But do such young children need to be trained?" Zhang Yang bent down and stared at the shortest one, scrutinizing her carefully for a while before forcing a slightly stiff smile, trying to make her look kinder. "Let them eat their fill first, grow taller, and then we'll talk about other things."

Puyang Kui was recruiting retainers for her, and retainers were private soldiers who would go to the battlefield to fight in times of war. Fighting was too early for such a young child; she should focus on growing up first.

Zhang Yang beckoned Xu Jin, who had rushed over after receiving the news, to come over.

"Jiusi, have the county officials register them and make a list, remembering to write down their names, genders, ages, places of origin, heights, and any special skills they may have. Compile it into a book so that it will be easier to manage in the future."

Zhang Yang was self-taught in this area. Her friend list contained tens of thousands of observation samples, and she arranged her friend list in a detailed and organized manner to facilitate the management and observation of them.

Xu Jin bowed and accepted.

Fan You listened quietly to Zhang Yang's series of instructions, quite surprised. He had spent a considerable amount of time with Zhang Yang and was well aware of the latter's capricious nature. He had thought this task would fall to him again, but it turned out that Zhang Yang already had his own ideas.

Yes, that's a good thing.

This at least proves that she just lacks some common sense that normal people know, rather than being so mentally ill that nothing can cure her.

Given that these people would all be Zhang Yang's troops in the future, Xu Jin dared not neglect them. He arranged a temporary camp in advance, had them wash up, change into clean and warm winter clothes, and eat a hearty meal to replenish their energy before sending county officials to register them.

Strictly follow the records Zhang Yang mentioned.

On the other side, Zhang Yang and Pu Yangkui and a few others sat down for a chat: "Those who are too old or have disabilities should not be assigned to training. Let them do some logistical work in the camp, such as washing clothes and cooking. Those who are too young should be sent to school first."

I can't let myself be tormented alone.

Puyang Kui: "Study? Then we'll need to hire a lecturer to come to the camp."

Zhang Yang, wealthy and powerful, said: "I can afford to support them all."

Now that she had agreed to raise these cyber children and become their cyber mom, she was determined to take it seriously. She would only feel a sense of accomplishment if the children were healthy and chubby. Zhang Yang assigned the first batch of recruits to Puyang Kui and Guan Zong, splitting the spoils equally between them.

"We may be small, but we've got everything we need."

Every step she takes brings her one step closer to reclaiming the side map of her rightfully her home! That's a cost of 888,888 billion; anyone who stands in her way will be crushed into mincemeat. "Any objections to this arrangement?"

Guan Zong grinned, surprised that he would get a share.

He thought it was Puyang Kui and Fan You who had separated.

"And what about Mr. Fan?"

Zhang Yang replied matter-of-factly, "He's the strategist."

Financial control was also handed over to Fan You.

As she spoke, she seemed to remember something, turned her head and grasped Fan You's hands, gently stroking the back of his hands. She spoke emotionally, but her face remained expressionless: "For me, having Shu Yan is like a fish having water."

Fan You got goosebumps from hearing this and couldn't help but say with disdain, "...Where did you learn that, my lord? Don't just copy things randomly."

Zhang Yang's lips drooped.

"Isn't this the standard procedure?"

Guan Zong didn't mince words, saying, "My lord, do not emulate Emperor Zhaolie, for you are not on the same path. If you abandon your own strengths and imitate his form without capturing his spirit, it is like trying to attach a dog's tail to a sable coat, or imitating a phoenix's cry with a frog's croak. Not only will you fail to achieve anything, but you will end up drawing a dog instead of a tiger."

Guan Zong noticed that Zhang Yang found Fan You's refined, literary style quite troubling, so this time he deliberately omitted the vernacular, indirectly telling Fan You that he was far more cultured than his lord, a boorish woman who only knew how to smash gold bricks. He added, "Next time you teach, don't torture him."

Zhang Yang listened for a while, then, finding it somewhat puzzling, simply stopped thinking about it and raised his hand to order, "Zhang Dami, bite him!"

Guan Zong: "..."

Just as he was about to test his strength against the giant insect, Xu Jin requested an audience.

He hurriedly kicked Zhang Dami away, pretending to be composed.

"My lord, good news!" Xu Jin didn't notice Zhang Dami's threatening expression as he bared his teeth at Guan Zong, and just smiled broadly.

"Good news? Have you found a coin minter?"

"To my shame, I have no such talent under my command. However, among the troops brought back by Lord Puyang, there is someone skilled in this area!"

This was discovered unexpectedly during the registration process. The county official in charge of the matter dared not delay and hurriedly reported the news.

Puyang Kui asked in surprise, "What coin-minting craftsman?"

What happened during the days she was away?

"Minting new coins."

Puyang Kui suddenly looked at Fan You.

They seemed shocked that the game was going so far right from the start.

The coin minters Xu Jin brought were a middle-aged couple, of ordinary appearance and reserved demeanor. According to the couple, they were originally craftsmen in a private coin minting workshop, bound by a contract that would last forever. When the rebel army attacked the city, their master fled before them, and the couple fled with the refugees in the chaos, moving from place to place, and unexpectedly ended up in Tianyue territory seeking a way to survive.

It's not easy for a penniless outsider to establish himself.

After much hardship and a slight improvement, I was hoping to save some money to inquire about my lost relatives when a sudden upheaval occurred.

They became refugees again, this time in even more dire straits, constantly facing the risk of freezing to death. They were unfortunate, yet also fortunate, as the local magistrate had given the position to the Puyang governor as a favor.

After hearing the couple's arduous journey, Zhang Yang immediately offered them a rosy picture: "I need pillars like you, and you've come to me. It's clearly destiny. Since you're here, make the best of it. Do your jobs well, and when I rise to prominence, you won't be without a chance to find your families."

The couple exchanged a glance, both shocked by Zhang Yang's bluntness, but they knew they had no other choice. They bowed deeply, saying, "This humble subject is willing to serve Your Majesty with utmost loyalty."

Fan You secretly pressed his temples and sighed.

Listen to this conversation; the difference in their cultural levels is quite striking.

The woman in the couple asked in a low voice.

"I just don't know what use Your Excellency has for us two commoners?"

"Just do what you're used to."

The couple then understood; they were still trying to mint counterfeit coins.

Zhang Yang emphasized to them, "It's not counterfeiting, it's making the new currency I'm about to issue. This is my sketch."

She took a notebook from her game backpack, flipped to the latest page, opened it, and handed it to the two of them. It contained the design drawings for the new coin that Zhang Yang and Fan You had discussed: "The obverse should read 'Great is the Primordial Cycle,' and the reverse should read 'All things originate from this,' surrounded by a ring of wheat ears. The copper coin should have a ring of gears around its edge, preferably very fine. Regarding cost, my requirements are..."

In short, she wants it all!

Minting coins isn't difficult in itself; the challenge lies in maintaining a high yield rate. The couple, initially attentive and thoughtful, gradually paled and became troubled. Zhang Yang's demands meant that each additional coin added to the minting process increased the difficulty!

"...Well, those are about the conditions for now."

The couple broke out in a cold sweat.

Their previous counterfeit coins weren't this detailed, and their yield rate was relatively good. But this magistrate's demands were too high. The characters were fine, but the wheat ear pattern was far too intricate. Even with their abilities, it would be difficult to carve such a fine master die.

The master die is mostly made of bronze. After the master die is made, the mother coin is cast.

The more intricate the master die, the more difficult it is to produce.

Unless they have a capable person to assist them.

Even if the problem is solved, it is difficult to create very intricate patterns.

Zhang Yang: "This isn't a big problem, I can help."

The couple were shocked and trembling with fear as they bowed and apologized.

Zhang Yang didn't let them bow repeatedly: "I'm not a man-eating demon. Just tell me how to cooperate. How many people do we need for the workshop? What equipment do we need to prepare for you?"

These preparations are not difficult.

However, the woman still had a small request.

"You can say it."

"Could the edge teeth be reduced? Considering the size and weight of the new coin you mentioned, over two hundred teeth are too fine and dense."

"Is the craftsmanship inadequate?"

The woman said, "That's not entirely true..."

There are two core techniques for counterfeiting currency on the market.

Small workshops used the mold casting method, which had lower barriers to entry but was more complicated, while large-scale counterfeit coin workshops used the sand casting method. The women were well-versed in both techniques and had produced countless counterfeit coins for their employers over the years, making them extremely experienced.

Therefore, after a moment's thought, she realized that Zhang Yang's proposed number of teeth was unlikely to be achievable, and even if it were, it would affect the final yield rate and increase production costs. It would be better to reduce the number of teeth or increase the size of the coin; the latter was definitely out of the question, so adjusting the number of teeth was the only option. Too few teeth would also result in overly wide teeth, which would likely be more difficult.

The woman said cautiously, "...In my humble opinion, lost-wax casting is possible, but the cost would probably be..."

High costs and low output make it impossible to meet the needs of coin minting.

Zhang Yang understood.

She readily agreed, "Okay, then I'll reduce it."

As for how much to reduce?

Then we can only try it little by little.

A balance needs to be struck between yield rate and anti-counterfeiting measures.

That's what they said, but the couple, after accepting the assignment, were secretly filled with worry. The man sighed, "Sand casting is inherently less refined than mold casting. This magistrate wants so many teeth, such delicate wheat ear patterns, and we have to make as many as possible. It also has to be resistant to rust, have a bright color, and... sigh, why does she want everything?"

The woman quickly covered his mouth.

With a pale face, he looked around to make sure no one was watching him before he felt at ease.

"Are you crazy? How dare you say such a thing!"

They didn't know the magistrate's true temperament. If he were petty and intolerant, and their words got back to him, they wouldn't even know how they died. The woman's expression was so serious and frightening that the man had no choice but to swallow his resentment.

"Sigh, this is a tough job." Even if they were just a pair of counterfeiters, let alone master craftsmen who minted coins for royalty, they would still struggle with these demands combined. The woman nudged his foot, signaling him to be quiet.

"Let's take it one step at a time."

The man said regretfully, "If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have said it."

It seems unlikely that this new coin can be minted.

The clerk who registered them said that those with special skills could receive more subsidies, and if it was something the lord needed, they could be exempted from training and sent to places where they wouldn't be exposed to the wind or sun. Their skills weren't just for counterfeiting coins; if a nobleman took a liking to any exquisite and luxurious utensils, they could make those too.

Unexpectedly, they were allowed to mint coins.

Tsk, I'll never get along with coin minting in my life.

The woman said, "Living is the most important thing."

If they were to actually go to war after training, given their age and abilities, they would probably be hacked to death before even reaching the enemy. The fact that they could pick up their old profession again was a stroke of good fortune amidst misfortune. She secretly observed that this magistrate wasn't as ruthless and vicious as other nobles. If the couple did their best, and given how difficult it was to mint the new currency, perhaps she would lower the standards for reduction?

With some deletions and modifications, it's barely possible to create something.

The man looked distressed: "Sigh."

The couple thought they had hidden their emotions well, unaware that Fan You had seen through them. Seeing Zhang Yang enthusiastically examining the details of the coin, he teased, "My lord, I think your new coin is going to have many twists and turns, with the master die being revised again and again."

Why?

The couple looked utterly dejected.

"Try it first, and if it really doesn't work, then change the design."

Fan You said quietly, "These words are not those of a human being."

Zhang Yang: "Speak like a human being!"

Fan You pushed the wheelchair away.

He already said "That's not human language," and you still ask!

Just three breaths later, he drove the wheelchair back.

Zhang Yang glanced at the table instinctively: "Did you leave something behind?"

Fan You said in a serious tone: "...No, Fan just remembered that there is something I forgot to discuss with my lord, and I need my lord to make a decision."

The county officials have been extremely busy these past few days.

When Zhang Yang arrived, he saw a long queue at the county government gate. The refugees did not show any signs of distress; on the contrary, they were all beaming with joy.

"What's your name?"

"This humble citizen..."

Where do you live?

"I live at..."

How many people are in your family now?

"There is a..."

"What's the next one called?"

When a county official saw Zhang Yang, he quickly stood up and bowed.

"I have met the magistrate."

"You all go about your business, I'm looking for your magistrate." Zhang Yang was about to step into the county government office when she suddenly remembered something. She then imitated the way she remembered her parents, showing concern for the county officials, "Are you tired from work?"

"It is my honor to serve the lord and share his burdens."

"really?"

"How dare this lowly official deceive the magistrate?"

Zhang Yang: "..."

As far as she knew, refugees could line up outside the county government building, but most local residents still needed to be registered in person by county officials. This was because they had to both compile a list of those killed in the natural disaster and re-register the living to facilitate the redistribution of land.

The workload has increased many times over.

Surprisingly, not a single county official complained.

Zhang Yang quickly accepted the county official's words, thinking to himself: [What a hardworking and resilient young man, Cyber ​​Mom's sweetheart.]

Little did they know that the county official's enthusiasm was not without reason.

The magistrate not only made up for their previously owed salaries but also gave them an extra bonus equivalent to six months' salary. The magistrate added that all of this was paid for out of the new prefect's own pocket. In addition to their salaries, they also received precious food and winter clothing.

It is precisely the most scarce resource during natural disasters.

All the county officials were moved by the prefect's thoughtful and caring actions towards the people.

They naturally work even harder to get things done.

The county officials weren't the only ones grateful to Zhang Yang; the refugees queuing up were too. Why were they able to stand here in line, waiting to be registered and receive farmland? It was all thanks to the great kindness and virtue of this lady! If it weren't for her, how could their entire families have survived?

Having witnessed this scene many times in recent times, Zhang Yang took off running.

She simply couldn't get used to the NPCs' affection for her.

However, it seems she arrived at the worst possible time.

"Why are you so distressed, Jiu Si? Is there something troubling you?" Refugees come seeking refuge every day, and Zhang Yang takes them all in. A rough estimate suggests that the county's population is now significantly larger than before the seasonal chaos. Xu Jin, as the county magistrate, should be happy, so why is he looking so worried?

"...Originally, the eight counties of Tianyue had populations ranging from eight or nine thousand to twenty or thirty thousand. Now, the county that suffered the most severe losses has reportedly lost more than half its population..." Xu Jin was overcome with grief. Several letters were laid out on his desk, all from the county governments of various counties in Tianyue.

Undoubtedly, he was the luckiest among them.

Thanks to Zhang Yang, the county not only minimized its losses, but also released many hidden households that had been concealed for many years by her violent extermination of local wealthy households, making it a veritable large county, probably even more bustling than the capital of Tianyue County.

Zhang Yang didn't really grasp the significance of the numbers: "That's terrible."

Upon hearing this, Xu Jin burst into tears.

Zhang Yang thought for a moment and handed him a handkerchief.

"Please forgive my rudeness, my lord." After calming down, Xu Jin asked about Zhang Yang's purpose in coming, "Do you have important matters to instruct me on?"

"Oh, it's just that Uncle Yan wants to set up the prefecture capital here. He's asking if you have any objections." She wasn't going to be considerate and postpone the discussion to another day just because Xu Jin was in a low mood; she stated her request directly.

Of course, it's useless to have opinions.

Xu Jin was taken aback, seemingly not having fully processed the news.

Zhang Yang tilted her head and looked at him: "No way?"

Xu Jin hurriedly explained, "It's not that it's impossible, but our county is remote and sparsely populated. Compared to other counties in Tianyue, it's not particularly outstanding. We haven't built a prefectural government, nor do we have any complete government offices, prison, or armory. If Your Majesty were to establish the prefectural seat here, I'm afraid you would suffer some injustice."

Tianyue Commandery has an existing commandery government, which, while not luxurious, is far superior to the county town where Xu Jin is located. Its geographical location is also ideal, making it convenient for the commandery governor to oversee the entire commandery. Zhang Yang only needs to go there, do some minor tidying up, and he can move in without any additional investment.

"Shuyan said as long as it works, it doesn't matter what else you ask for."

Xu Jin hesitated slightly. Normally, the location of the prefectural government wasn't something they could decide on their own, but the Dou Kingdom's royal family was gone. As the prefect of Tianyue Prefecture, Zhang Yang wanted to establish the prefectural government there, so Xu Jin naturally had no reason to object.

What are you against?

Where the prefectural capital is located, that county holds a far higher status than any of its subordinate counties. As the magistrate of that county, his position also rises by assisting the prefect in handling prefectural affairs. Ostensibly, he is on par with other magistrates in the subordinate counties, but in practice, he is significantly higher. Xu Jin was promoted without doing anything; what reason did he have to oppose Zhang Yang?

only--

Based on his understanding of Fan You over this period of time, such an important matter could not possibly be handled with just a single instruction. Xu Jin was worried that he might misunderstand or miss something, which was why he didn't agree immediately.

Zhang Yang understood the subtle emotions on his face.

She glanced at the system log dialogue and nodded confidently, "Yes, no doubt about it, these are Uncle Yan's exact words!"

At most, she did some summarizing and refinement.

Xu Jin was then relieved: "This humble official has no objection."

Zhang Yang joked, "What, my words don't carry any weight?"

Xu Jin was apprehensive, fearing that Zhang Yang might misunderstand him as knowing Fan You but not Zhang Yang herself. It would be a terrible loss to offend both Zhang Yang and Fan You for no reason: "How dare I disobey my lord's orders? I asked about Lord Fan because I need to discuss the establishment of the prefecture seat with him. Our county has never served as the seat of Tianyue Prefecture before, and the county government offices need to be rebuilt, as well as the city's defenses need to be upgraded accordingly… How could I trouble my lord with such trivial matters?"

Zhang Yang: "Oh, I see."

Fan You, who eventually learned of this matter, was speechless.

Zhang Yang almost made him laugh out loud.

What were his exact words?

Wasn't that exactly what he said—

"...My lord, with Xu Jiusi's surrender, over ten thousand refugees have come to our county to join us, enriching the households and eliminating the wicked gentry. Furthermore, you have won over the hearts of the people, and your foundation in Tianyue is now firmly established. If you were to go to the original prefectural seat to take up your post, you would have to find a way to subdue and gain their trust again, which might lead to unforeseen complications... The other seven counties of Tianyue must have heard of your methods... In that case, why don't we start afresh here?" Going to the prefectural or county seat again would surely be met with fierce resistance from the local bullies.

Establishing a separate prefecture would also avoid a lot of trouble.

Fan You wasted so much breath saying all that, but in her mouth it became "Shu Yan said as long as it works, it doesn't matter what else he said"?

The size of the county seat was also regulated.

Expanding the city was imperative, and with the addition of other supporting construction, the county was in dire need of manpower. Naturally, it was necessary to conscript laborers and summon laborers from the county and its subordinate counties to come and do the work. These orders all required the seal of the Tianyue Prefect, which was located in the original prefectural seat.

Zhang Yang was unaware of all the twists and turns involved.

"Is an official seal necessary? Can't an appointment letter suffice?"

After careful consideration, Xu Jin tactfully told Zhang Yang that this appointment letter only proved she was the next prefect, while Zhang Yang had remained in the county and had not gone to the original prefectural seat to take up her post, so procedurally she was not yet a true prefect. At the very least, she needed to obtain the prefectural seal.

Only those holding the seal of the prefect can govern all the counties.

Zhang Yang thought for a moment and asked, "Isn't Jiu Si a county magistrate? You should also be able to levy corvée labor. Isn't your official seal sufficient?"

"It's acceptable, but for this level of corvée labor, I must report it to the prefectural government for verification. If it's conscripted without permission..." Xu Jin was also quite troubled. The original prefectural seat didn't have a prefect, but the government offices were still there, and the officials maintained the normal operation of Tianyue Prefecture. Zhang Yang wanted to start anew; what would become of these officials?

They will not approve Xu Jin's application for corvée labor.

Zhang Yang: "That sounds really rigid."

When I did quests before, those NPCs never talked about official procedures, and they assigned all sorts of outrageous tasks.

Xu Jin smiled awkwardly.

The crux of the problem is that Zhang Yang doesn't have the official seal of a prefect, and the appointment certificate was given by the rebels, making his position fundamentally illegitimate. If things weren't handled more rigidly, Tianyue would have been in chaos long ago. However, he couldn't openly admit that he knew Zhang Yang's appointment certificate was fake; that would be an admission of guilt. Besides offering a forced smile, there was nothing else he could do.

"By the way, what is corvée labor?"

Xu Jin: "...???"

He wished he were deaf.

Has the lord become this blatant?

Fan You remained calm: "Corvée labor is simply the government issuing orders to conscript laborers from the people and making them do work."

Xu Jin: "..."

This explanation may be rough, but it makes sense.

Zhang Yang has something even rougher.

"Work? How much pay?"

"What are you thinking? You want money for corvée labor?"

"Not paying? Isn't this blatant robbery in broad daylight?"

So, conscripting laborers is just about bringing in a bunch of people to build government offices and cities, enjoying their physical labor for free, and then wiping their hands of the job without paying them a single penny? How can anyone be so shameless? It's outrageous!

Xu Jin blushed and hurriedly said, "It's my duty, my duty."

"No, you should be paid for the work you do!"

Zhang Yang ignored him and shoved the person aside. While NPCs often take advantage of players, they never give out quests without rewarding players – that kind of behavior severely violates the game rules!

As an NPC who is also pretending to be a human player, Zhang Yang can understand the difficulties of both sides' positions, but she cannot tolerate this kind of behavior!

"You must pay me! You absolutely must pay me!"

She spoke with absolute certainty, as if not letting her pay the laborers was tantamount to fighting to the death, a stance that stunned Xu Jin.

Zhang Yang's eyes turned cold: "Jiusi, do you have a problem with that?"

Xu Jin said, "This humble official... dares not have any objections."

Fan You clapped his hands and launched into a tirade of praise: "Your Majesty has followed the example of Yanzi in building roads and restoring palaces to provide relief to disaster victims, relieving them from their suffering, enabling the starving and freezing to obtain grain, and the weak and exhausted to earn a living. This act of strengthening the city walls and ensuring the safety of the people is truly a benevolent act and a far-sighted strategy."

Zhang Yang didn't quite understand, but she knew it was a compliment.

"You flatter me, you flatter me. It's only right to get paid for work."

Cyber ​​NPCs also have NPC rights and cannot be treated as slaves. Zhang Yang, as an NPC, cannot oppress her fellow NPCs, especially since she is now the cyber mother of the people under her rule.

That's how biological mothers are.

Xu Jin chuckled and sincerely bowed in admiration.

In principle, conscripting laborers should not only be free of charge, but also require them to bring their own food rations. However, Zhang Yang is now the one who follows the principles of Tianyue County. Since she insists on paying, Xu Jin naturally will not refuse.

"My lord has bestowed benevolence upon Tianyue, and I humbly thank you on behalf of the laborers. I will send someone to contact the original prefectural seat and the counties of Tianyue to inform them of the change of prefectural seat and the paid conscription of laborers."

When Du Fang learned of this, he couldn't help but sigh.

"His wealth is truly enviable."

Some tricky problems can be easily solved.

Why would the other county magistrates and officials in the prefecture recognize Zhang Yang, the "Prefect of Tianyue" sent by the rebels? But she was incredibly wealthy and generous. She would give away the life-saving food that the county magistrates had begged for, and she would take in the troublesome refugees without any restrictions, regardless of age or gender.

Now they are going to collect paid corvée labor from various counties.

What does this mean?

This means that Zhang Yang supported these laborers for the various counties.

Even with ample manpower, constructing government offices and a prefecture-level city that meet the standards of a prefecture seat would take one to two months. If the county's defenses are expanded, this time would be extended considerably. This time would be sufficient to weather this natural disaster caused by the disruption of the four seasons.

If we need to transport construction materials from them...

You can make a lot of money in the process.

Du Fang slapped his thigh and laughed, "...If this news gets out, all the counties will probably be eager to send all their laborers over here."

Xu Jin said, "Now I'm worried about the prefect's seal."

How did we manage to get this prefectural governor's seal back?

Du Fang sneered: "It's just an inanimate object. Do you think you can command the heavens just by holding the prefect's seal? If Prefect Zhang accumulates more prestige and wins over the people, even if the original prefectural government doesn't send the seal over voluntarily, they will make a new one and send it over, rendering the original seal invalid."

Xu Jin: "..."

Hey, this is something only a seasoned veteran of officialdom would do.

Zhang Yang's impromptu decision sent shockwaves through the other counties. The first to respond were two neighboring counties.

Upon receiving the news, they immediately dispatched laborers.

The two neighboring counties were the first allies to receive food aid, so even though the magistrates of those two counties knew that Zhang Yang, the governor of Tianyue County, had problems, they chose to turn a blind eye. The second was Puyang, the ancestral home county. The food she brought when she recruited villagers solved the immediate problem, and that magistrate also believed that Zhang Yang had more food and could fulfill her promise of paid corvée labor.

Of the eight counties in Tianyue, four responded.

The reactions in the other four counties varied.

Some were skeptical, some scoffed, and some speculated that this was a ruse by the rebels, a despicable tactic of using petty gains to sway the people. The original prefectural seat reacted most strongly; the county magistrate of the seat of government exclaimed, "What the hell? I opened my eyes to find myself demoted?"

"A tiny place like this dares to covet the county seat?"

"Who does Xu Jiusi think he is?"

The magistrate was furious: "A spineless old coward who's been a complete coward his whole life, bullied to the point of not uttering a sound by those local rich folks, practically begging them to take off his shoes and lick his feet—a disgrace to our generation! And he has the nerve to write something like this? I'm so angry, so incredibly angry!"

The magistrate's angry shouts echoed throughout the county court.

"And what about that prefect of unknown origin?"

"She doesn't even deserve it!"

"Pooh!"

"Traitorous officials and villains, harboring evil intentions!"

"Pooh!"

"He seizes high positions through treacherous schemes and deceives people with petty gains."

"Pooh!"

"Hypocritical benevolence and righteousness deceive the ignorant masses, and their conspiracies and usurpations disrupt the established order. Heaven and earth bear witness, so why not strike them down with thunder! That Xu Jiusi, who eats the royal food and drink the emperor's bounty, commits the evil deeds of a rebel army, colluding with traitors. He was a traitor in life, and he will be a traitorous ghost in death—"

"Pooh!"

Even dogs that pass by are spat on by this county magistrate.

Unlike the county magistrate who was inexplicably demoted and cursed the heavens and the earth, the officials of the prefecture remained silent. Some of them were staff members brought by the former prefect when he took office, and some were locals... Now they all looked at the documents sent by Xu Jin in silence.

The atmosphere was very heavy.

"Gentlemen, what should we do?"

"That Zhang Boyuan is nothing but a former rebel. If he truly has a clear conscience, why has he been so slow to take up his post in the prefectural capital, instead lingering in Xujiusi County? He claims to be helping with disaster relief and caring for the people, but he can't get away for the time being. So why did he establish another prefecture after the disaster was under control?"

"This is extremely disrespectful; where does this place me?"

The group exchanged bewildered glances, their anger masking their inner turmoil.

"I've heard that four out of the eight counties are fawning over her, and no matter how much the other four resist, at this critical juncture, they probably won't turn down money and supplies. Even if they have to flatter her, they'll still try to get some benefits from her. What spineless bastards—"

The rest of the group: "..."

When faced with life and death, backbone doesn't amount to much.

Zhang Boyuan not only had ample funds and supplies, but he also had the support of rebel forces behind him, so Tianyue couldn't turn the tables on him.

"A disaster that came out of nowhere! A disaster that came out of nowhere!"

An elderly clerk sighed and slapped his thigh.

How did the rebels manage to target such a small place as Tianyue?

"Alas, do any of you gentlemen have a good plan?"

Everyone remained silent.

The most terrifying aspect of natural disasters caused by the disordered seasons lies not in the harshness brought by the sudden onset of winter, but in the complete loss of the year's harvest. The famine will continue from now until next year, and most people will not survive. In the past, they could manage with the grain reserves, and if all else failed, they could petition the royal court for disaster relief or borrow some grain from neighboring counties to tide them over…

And now?

The royal family of Dou Kingdom fled, taking with them the granary before they left.

The neighboring counties were also ravaged by the rebels and were in dire straits.

The only way to break the deadlock in the counties of Tianyue is to slaughter the local wealthy households and force them to hand over all the grain hidden in the fortified villages.

However, they have private armed forces.

We can't beat them!

If they dared to make such a move, their colleagues from local powerful families would have been able to kill them; it wouldn't have been the case for the private retainers of these powerful families to massacre the government officials. Tsk tsk, how incredibly lucky Xu Jin was!

Just when we were at our wits' end, a turning point came.

"Who are you saying is outside the door?"

Everyone turned to look at the clerk who had come in to report.

The minor official said, "A scholar holding an appointment letter in one hand."

Everyone looked at each other.

"Zhang Boyuan is here?"

They had been cursing fiercely just moments before, but their actions were quite the opposite; they rose to greet him. When they saw a young man in his early twenties wearing a headscarf sitting in a plain, low-slung carriage parked outside the government office, everyone was taken aback.

They exchanged glances discreetly.

If I remember correctly, Xu Jiusi seemed to have said that Zhang Boyuan was a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, not a young man in his twenties. The registrar stepped forward and bowed, "May I ask the purpose of your visit?"

The young man with the turban took out a letter of appointment from his sleeve.

There were about twenty guards standing beside his carriage.

The registrar opened the appointment letter and immediately dismissed the idea that the young man was Zhang Yang's envoy. The letter wasn't written by the royal family; it lacked the royal seal and was likely the work of some rebel group. Within moments, the registrar had a clear understanding.

The registrar hesitated, "This letter of appointment..."

The young man in the headscarf had a sinister expression: "Any doubts?"

The registrar bowed and tentatively inquired, "May I ask where you, sir, are employed?"

"My lord is the Duke of Qin."

The registrar pondered for a moment.

The rebel leaders with the surname Qin are from Qin Huang's faction.

They were also not to be trifled with, both soldiers and bandits.

He glanced at the guards who had accompanied the young man in the turban; each one was sharp and fierce, their eyes gleaming with a menacing light, clearly seasoned soldiers. The registrar smiled and, along with the others, welcomed the young man into the government office. Before they could even sit down, more people arrived.

"Why is it so lively today?"

Another exquisite baggage car was parked outside the government office.

Unfortunately, this person not only held a letter of appointment, but also wanted to investigate the previous killing of the envoy, leaving everyone stunned.

"How can a prefecture have three prefects?"

The officials dared not recall the tense first encounter between the two "prefects," their guards nearly coming to blows. Fortunately, a fight did not break out, but the prefectural officials caught in the middle were in an even more awkward position. They could not be divided into three groups.

"What should we do?"

"All three were sent by the rebels, this—"

They'd be more than happy if the three groups fought to the death. Their only fear is that if the city gates catch fire, they, the innocent bystanders, will be caught in the crossfire.

Choosing no one will offend three groups.

Choosing one of the three options would offend two groups.

This multiple-choice question is not difficult at all.

The question is, which one should we choose?

"The two groups that just arrived only brought twenty or thirty guards. They were traveling light and were of little benefit to the natural disaster. But Zhang Boyuan's side..." From a profit perspective, it was advantageous to them.

"But Zhang Boyuan abandoned us."

"It's not like I've abandoned you, we haven't even met yet."

Zhang Yang stayed with Xu Jin and didn't move much.

Colleague: "..."

"It's better to make a choice than not to choose. Zhang Boyuan has sent his general Puyang Kui to recruit a thousand villagers, and Du Dongsu also has elite troops under his command, who are also at her disposal. Her troops are like nearby water, while the two who have come today are like distant water. Which one can better solve our immediate crisis? If we capture the two and send them to her, firstly, we can seek her protection, and she will certainly have no face to abandon the prefectural officials who have made contributions. Secondly, even if we offend Qin Huang and the other rebels, the anger will be directed at Zhang Boyuan and the rebels behind her, not at us. On the contrary, if we choose one of the two, Zhang Boyuan will probably not let it go easily."

They were the first ones to be burned.

"Brilliant!"

That makes sense.

??|??w?`)

The 10,000-word update for monthly passersby is finally here!