My lord, spare his life!

"Why is the Prefect here?"

Du Fang looked up and saw a thick tail swaying left and right.

His first thought was that a ferocious tiger had infiltrated the city, and his second thought was that the tiger might be Zhang Dami.

Upon closer inspection, a person was crouching next to the enormous tiger's body.

It was indeed Lord Zhang Yang, whom I hadn't seen for several days.

Hearing the noise, Zhang Yang turned around and asked, "Dongsu?"

Du Fang also saw what the man and tiger were doing hiding there—they were spying on the laborers receiving their wages. This was certainly a peculiar hobby. Zhang Yang bluntly stated, "To see if they've embezzled any."

"There is no embezzlement at the moment."

It's hard to say what will happen over time.

"What do you mean by that?"

Zhang Yang understood the implied meaning.

"In time, some people will inevitably lose their integrity and overstep their bounds. The current incorruptibility is only because the Prefect is right next to them and keeping a close eye on them." Du Fang had seen the new currency. The difficulty and cost of counterfeiting it were extremely high. Paying wages required each laborer to confirm and sign the document. Even if someone wanted to do something, it would be difficult to do so. But this did not mean that they could rest easy.

There are policies and measures to counter.

People are so clever that they can find loopholes even in the best policies.

Zhang Yang didn't quite understand the weight behind his words; she simply replied matter-of-factly, "Then I'll keep watching!"

If she doesn't keep an eye on things, they'll embezzle, so she'll keep a close eye on them!

Du Fang was stunned. He hadn't expected Zhang Yang to give such an answer: "Your Excellency's ambition encompasses the entire world. You are a swan soaring to the heavens. How can you be content with a mere branch of an elm or oak, confined by a single prefecture or county?"

Human energy is extremely limited.

It's not right to waste it like this.

Zhang Yang: "..."

On the surface, she appeared calm and composed, but inside she was already starting to get confused. Zhang Yang could barely understand that Du Fang was praising her, and she knew what "swan" meant, but what was "the branch of the elm and the oak"?

Can't NPCs use fewer allusions and metaphors when they speak?

Zhang Yang could only nod and say, "Dong Su makes sense."

She felt a communication barrier between herself and these NPCs, so she secretly tugged at Zhang Dami's neck fur to signal it to react, so she could find an excuse to leave. Zhang Dami cooperated readily, but for some reason, Du Fang kept following her.

Zhang Yang went to patrol the market, and Du Fang followed. Zhang Yang went to inspect several shops designated by the prefectural government to check for any irregularities, and Du Fang accompanied him as well. With his sword at his side, he stood like a silent stone statue.

Zhang Yang finally couldn't help but ask, "Is there something else going on at Dongsu?"

Du Fang's lips moved slightly, his expression showing some hesitation and difficulty: "This humble general does indeed have something to trouble you with, Lord Prefect."

Zhang Yang perked up immediately upon hearing this.

Oh, another mission!

"Don't worry, Dongsu, just say it. I'll solve any problems you have. If I can't solve them, I'll take care of the people who created them. You can trust me with my skills." She practically patted her chest loudly, her enthusiasm making Du Fang uncomfortable.

"It's nothing major, it's just—"

It's not a complicated matter.

Zhang Yang put Du Fang in charge of military settlements, but the land allocated to them for this purpose was all low-quality, inferior land, and they were required to cultivate wasteland themselves to supplement the quota. To compensate for the lack of soil nutrients, Zhang Yang gave Du Fang several bags of No. 001 nutrient soil.

The results from these nutrient soils were extremely remarkable.

According to extensive calculations, adding two handfuls of nutrient-rich soil to one acre of land can greatly improve soil fertility. Not only can inferior wasteland be cultivated within the first year of reclamation, but its soil fertility is also comparable to that of superior fertile land. As a result, Du Fang had no time to train his troops during this period, instead leading his soldiers to reclaim wasteland everywhere, all in order to convert more wasteland into military farmland.

The difference in work efficiency between those who can utilize star power and those who cannot is like night and day. Du Fang's troops accomplished in just over a month what would take the same number of tenants several years to finish. The amount of land cleared increased, and the bags of No. 001 nutrient soil were almost empty.

After much deliberation, Du Fang went to Zhang Yang to ask for it.

But he just couldn't bring himself to speak.

This No. 001 nutrient soil contains immense vitality; it must have been purified from stellar energy using a secret method before being infused with it, so its production cost is predictably exorbitant. The current situation in Weiyin County is entirely her own doing; Du Fang hasn't helped much. Zhang Yang's willingness to give him a few bags is already a great favor, so how could she possibly ask for more? She was caught in a dilemma.

It wasn't until Zhang Yang took the initiative to ask that the question came to light.

After Du Fang expressed his request, he felt much better.

"I thought it was something big, but it's just this?"

Du Fang said, "As Jiu Si mentioned before, the Prefect doesn't have much No. 001 nutrient soil left, so this humble general..."

"It's not much, but I think the 'not much' I'm talking about is not the same as the 'not much' Dongsu thinks it is." Don't underestimate any hoarder. "Since I have a lot of time today, and I don't want to go back to the prefectural government and walk into a trap, I'll go outside the city."

The wastelands outside the city were still covered in snow, and the inhabitants of the surrounding villages had all been moved into the city, leaving almost no sign of human habitation. The disordered seasons continued, and the frequency of snowfall had visibly decreased; it was estimated that it would completely end in another month or two.

Zhang Dami's paws crunched on the snow.

Before long, the garrison camp came into view.

This was Zhang Yang's first inspection tour, so Du Fang took it very seriously, bringing two deputies to accompany and introduce him. Their land reclamation wasn't haphazard; every acre of land was cultivated as neatly as possible, and even the abandoned, oddly shaped fields were marked with ropes and wooden grids.

"...This is done to make it easier to measure and calculate how much No. 001 nutrient soil to spread." There is really too little of this nutrient soil. Du Fang is reluctant to waste it. Spreading too much is unnecessary, and spreading too little will affect the harvest of the military farm next year.

Zhang Yang didn't understand these things, so she listened quietly. To be fair, the fields were cultivated neatly and orderly, each plot even numbered, making them a truly pleasing sight. These details also revealed Du Fang's meticulous and methodical approach to things.

In the fields, you can often see "field men" working shirtless, with steam rising from their bare upper bodies. Occasionally, you can also see one or two groups of women with thick shoulders and waists, dressed in military uniforms, carrying heavy bamboo baskets across the field ridges.

Zhang Yang observed carefully for a long time.

"Is there a shortage of farming tools in the army?"

How come she saw someone wielding a shield and shoveling the ground?

Although the shield was covered with a thin layer of star power, and the ground shovel couldn't damage it, the scene still looked a bit strange.

Du Fang said, "Some of it has been lent out."

Fearing Zhang Yang might misunderstand, Du Fang added, "The wasteland allocated to us by the county government has been almost completely reclaimed by the army, and it should be finished in about ten days. Once it's done, there'll be nothing left to do, so there's no rush. We've lent our farming tools to the common people in the nearby villages. The land is their livelihood in the future."

This was an era when a hoe could be passed down as a family heirloom.

Let alone a fine tool like the curved-shaft plow, even the labor-intensive straight-shaft plow was extremely rare, and oxen were often shared by several villages. Some villages shared the same surname, and each family would share farming tools, using whatever they had. Farmers who owned farming tools were not considered poor.

Tenants who live in abject poverty are pitiful.

Lacking farming tools and unable to afford to rent them, the tenants of Weiyin County could only use sharpened pieces of wood to dig the soil, often working themselves to the bone but barely managing to cultivate much land. Before Zhang Yang arrived, the tenants in Weiyin County were already in this situation, but now, they not only had their own land but also relatively new farming tools. If they needed more tools, they could rent them from the county government at extremely low prices.

The land reclamation is in full swing, but the county government is also short of farming tools.

Left with no other choice, Xu Jin swallowed his pride and went to his friend Du Fang.

After much pleading and cajoling—

They finally managed to wrest a lot of farming tools from Du Fang.

"Why didn't you say you were missing farming tools? I have some here."

Zhang Yang not only confiscated the homes of all the local bullies in Weiyin County, but also the belongings of the bandits from the Eastern Frontier. He packed all sorts of random things into his game inventory, not having had time to open and organize them. There were probably still quite a few farming tools that he hadn't found inside.

"This is enough for now, and I dare not trouble you, Lord."

Even the thickest skin isn't impenetrable. Zhang Yang isn't a philanthropist, so how could he keep asking for things again and again? He needs to achieve results and prove his abilities before talking about anything else.

Zhang Yang: "You said it yourself."

We can't blame her for not giving it to us.

Du Fang replied happily, "Of course, it was I who said it."

Part of the reclaimed wasteland was on a gentle slope, and to make it easier to go up and down, Du Fang had a simple mountain path built. The group climbed the steps and soon reached the top of the mountain. Du Fang pointed to a wooden implement low to the ground—a waterwheel.

Judging by its size, it is about five zhang in diameter.

The waterwheel can transport water from the river below to the upper reaches, channeling it into irrigation canals for irrigation. Du Fang said, "Once the natural disaster ends and the ice and snow melt, Your Majesty will be able to see how it works. This thing is truly amazing, but it is very expensive."

It requires a lot of materials and is expensive, making it unaffordable for ordinary farmers.

"It can indeed save a lot of manpower."

Zhang Yang had seen similar steel structures at the survivor base.

With waterwheels, ordinary people no longer need to carry buckets on shoulder poles, shuttling back and forth between rivers and farmland, improving farming efficiency while reducing labor costs: "They're quite expensive, how expensive? Where can we order them in bulk?"

Things that can be solved with money aren't really problems.

Zhang Yang is poor in the main game world, but in this side map of the homestead with a different economic system, she is incredibly wealthy!

Du Fang: "Is Your Excellency planning to commission a craftsman to make it?"

He brought Zhang Yang here not only for a work report, to show her how neatly he had reclaimed the wasteland, nor to lament how barren the wasteland was without the No. 001 nutrient soil, but to let the angel investor see the project's development prospects with her own eyes!

"That's natural, otherwise why would I ask about the cost?"

Du Fang: "Craftsmen are not hard to find, there are some readily available in Yin County, but a waterwheel requires a lot of wood..."

"Timber? Didn't they transport a lot of tall timber for the construction of the prefectural government? I think it's all quite suitable. Take a look at the statistics later and write a report for Uncle Yan, then have him calculate the budget and approve the funds." Zhang Yang wasn't very familiar with the villages in Weiyin County. "As for how many waterwheels to order, Uncle Yan, see how many villages have difficulty getting water. Ten waterwheels per village, do you think that's enough?"

"That's enough, that's more than enough."

One waterwheel can irrigate hundreds of acres of land.

Besides the type of waterwheel that Zhang Yang saw, waterwheels with keel frames can be built in places with slow-moving water, while waterwheels with rapid currents can be built in places with fast-moving water.

Zhang Yang took a couple of steps, then another question came to mind.

"No, not every village is near a river. Some are far from rivers. How do these villages solve their irrigation problems? Do they lack wells? If so, we should put this on the agenda and just ask Uncle Yan for money."

Du Fang hurriedly clasped his hands in thanks.

In the past, local gentry would do good deeds to gain fame, sometimes promising to build waterwheels for the villages. However, these waterwheels either never materialized or were repeatedly delayed, with only a fraction of the promised amount ever delivered. Du Fang had never seen anyone as eager to spend money as Zhang Yang. Not to mention these gentry and celebrities, even those who considered themselves local officials rarely showed such thorough consideration.

Zhang Yang patted the back of his hand and said in a serious tone, "As long as the children are fed and clothed, parents can disregard costs if they have enough money." The observation samples said that raising children is flexible; there are ways to raise children whether you are poor or rich.

Zhang Yang believes that although he has a little money, he can't afford to feed his "children" imported food, but he can certainly provide them with enough local food!

A simple, unadorned sentence almost brought Du Fang, a man nearing forty, to tears, his eyes welling up with moisture.

He turned away and wiped it off when no one was looking.

"There's some fun stuff going on in the camp today, Your Excellency. Would you like to join in?"

As Du Fang spoke, his eyes were fixed intently on Zhang Yang's face, a barely concealed longing surging within them, like flickering starlight. His back leaned slightly forward, and his hands unconsciously clenched together.

Zhang Yang didn't understand why he was so nervous, but he didn't want to spoil the mood.

"What's the fun?"

Life in the camp wasn't as monotonous as Zhang Yang had imagined. The soldiers weren't just training all the time; they also had basic recreational activities. Although Du Fang was only a county commandant in charge of the troops of a county, he had a longer-term vision than ordinary warlords and generals.

The entertainment in the camp was not about having the soldiers seek pleasure with camp prostitutes and entertainers, but rather about teaching them military strategy and organizing strange and unusual activities.

When Zhang Yang arrived, a large crowd had already gathered at the drill ground.

Ten spinning wheels were placed in the middle.

Each spinning wheel had a soldier sitting on it, working busily.

Zhang Yang asked curiously, "What are you doing?"

Du Fangdao said, "In the middle of a competition."

Zhang Yang hadn't expected this answer: "The competition?"

Du Fang said, "This inspiration came from the Prefect. Didn't the Prefect recruit soldiers and group the younger children together, hiring tutors to teach them to read? I also invited someone over to teach the soldiers how to plan. Not only do they need to understand military strategy and discipline, but they also need to know how ordinary people can make a living. They can't stay in the army forever."

Du Fang then thought of other things.

A land-cultivation competition was then held, which received a positive response.

Seeing this, Du Fang simply had them demonstrate how to sew and spin. Although there were female soldiers in the army, they weren't there to sew clothes and cook for the male soldiers. These daily sewing and mending tasks were either outsourced to women in the countryside, sent home for family members to help with mending, or done by themselves. Therefore, these soldiers all knew a little bit of sewing skills.

The winners also received a small reward. And it must be said, these little activities did produce unexpected results. Not only was the atmosphere among the soldiers harmonious, but the overall atmosphere became much more peaceful. To express his philosophy of sharing joy with the soldiers, he also participated personally.

For some reason, Du Fang wanted Zhang Yang to take a look.

Zhang Yang clapped his hands and said, "Dong Su's idea is excellent."

Du Fang made a gesture of invitation.

"Would you like to give it a try, Your Excellency?"

"I've never used a spinning wheel before, but I can learn on the spot."

Zhang Yang learns a wide variety of things, which also shows that she has an extremely strong learning ability and picks things up very quickly. Otherwise, how could she have learned those fancy game skills and survived among human players for so many years? As long as she studies hard, she can learn them.

Du Fang laughed and said, "This humble general is actually not very skilled either."

It's only slightly better than a beginner's level.

The soldiers on the drill ground had already noticed the star beast riding Zhang Yang. Although most of them had never seen Zhang Yang before, they had all heard that she kept a large tiger-like star beast. Whenever a woman riding a tiger appeared on the street, they would think of no one else but Zhang Yang.

Unexpectedly, the Prefect himself came to their camp.

Their current military pay all comes from this person.

When they heard that Zhang Yang wanted to compete with their general in spinning, they were all excited. Especially when they learned that the best spinners had been chosen to teach Zhang Yang, they were filled with regret. If they had known this would happen, they would have diligently honed their spinning skills.

If they can come out on top, wouldn't this opportunity be theirs?

Zhang Yang listened intently, having the system log highlight the important points he couldn't remember, determined to memorize every detail and technique. His competitive spirit was practically overflowing. Du Fang inexplicably felt the pressure: "This shouldn't be a loss, should it?"

I can't even beat someone who's never even touched a spinning wheel?

As it turns out, talent is something that is predetermined.

Zhang Yang kept replaying the soldier's movements she had been shown in his mind, not missing a single detail. When she sat down at the spinning wheel and began to operate it with a professional air, her movements went from clumsy at first to smooth and skillful later on, leaving Du Fang speechless.

"Hehe, Dongju is probably going to lose."

"Your Excellency has truly never touched a spinning wheel before?"

Before the match was even over, Du Fang knew he was going to lose.

"Do you think I could fool Higashijuku?"

Du Fang could only attribute it to his extraordinary talent.

"Dami, can we shave your fur to spin yarn and knit a sweater?" Zhang Yang spread her five fingers and grabbed a handful of Zhang Dami's tiger fur, which was thick, dense, and long. She roughly measured it; the shorter fur was eight or nine centimeters long, and the longer fur was close to fourteen or fifteen centimeters.

Zhang Dami's body hair almost stood on end.

It was filled with reluctance from head to toe.

Zhang Yang pulled out a pair of scissors: "I've looked into it. As a star beast, you don't rely on this coat of fur for warmth. You should have confidence in your pure yang body. Losing fur won't affect your majestic and powerful appearance. But I'll regret not being able to wear a tiger fur sweater."

Zhang Dami tucked its tail tightly between its rear ends and darted behind Du Fang, trying to use Du Fang's two-meter height to cover its own ten-foot-long tiger body. Its ears were lowered, as if it wanted to bury them in the ground.

Zhang Yang crossed his arms: "Come out now, and I'll just pluck a little bit of your extra hair. If you don't come out, I'll shave you all off."

Zhang Dami: "..."

A dragon stranded in shallow waters is mocked by shrimp; a tiger fallen to the plains is bullied by dogs.

Zhang Yang is the worst of the worst.

Zhang Dami had no choice but to whimper and give in.

Before long, Zhang Yang had collected two large baskets of Zhang Dami's tiger fur, and Zhang Dami still looked the same as before. Zhang Yang patted its big head reassuringly: "What did I tell you? The way I'm pulling out your fur is like a teenager thinning their hair. If your fur starts to thin like a middle-aged person's, it'll be too late to cry then."

The tiger hair that has been plucked cannot be used directly.

Zhang Yang planned to take it back and process it before putting it on the spinning wheel.

Speaking of spinning wheels—

"How long does it take to spin a ball of hemp thread on a spinning wheel? It's time-consuming and tiring for your hands." Zhang Yang had just used a handle-type spinning wheel, which required cranking the handle to rotate the spindle, making it rather inefficient. "Are my legs just going to rest like that?"

Zhang Yang had seen a rusty, old-fashioned treadle sewing machine in the underground trading area of ​​the survivor base. It was said to be an old item discarded before the wasteland apocalypse. No one expected that such an old thing would become a rare and valuable item in the wasteland. It didn't waste precious electricity, nor did it break down easily; even though it was covered in dust and rust, it could still operate normally and stably.

If that's the case, why can't a spinning wheel be made with feet?

"If we add a foot pedal function, can't we use our hands for other things?"

Compared to hand cranking, foot pedaling should be more efficient.

Du Fang carefully considered Zhang Yang's suggestion: "Your Excellency's suggestion is not impossible, but I am not skilled in this area. Fortunately, the craftsmen who make waterwheels also make spinning wheels. I will ask them later to see if they can modify the spinning wheel."

"Since everything's already been changed, why not change something else?"

"Please speak, Your Excellency."

"Isn't one spindle too few? Wouldn't two, three, or even twenty or thirty spindles be more efficient? One spindle would be equivalent to twenty or thirty days of old-fashioned spinning wheel work?" Zhang Yang instantly put himself in the client's shoes. The client only needs to pay and state the conditions; how to fulfill those conditions is the contractor's responsibility. "Does it have to be hand-cranked or foot-operated? Why not use water like a waterwheel? Combine the waterwheel and the spinning wheel, taking the best and discarding the worst?"

Du Fang felt that these conditions were somewhat cumbersome.

He didn't think much of it, after all, he wasn't the one responsible for turning ideas into reality; he was just an intermediary who helped introduce jobs, so the headaches wouldn't affect him. He silently kept Zhang Yang's words in mind, intending to relay them later.

"The prefect's ingenuity surpasses that of many other households."

Zhang Yang gave a stiff, dry laugh.

He gently patted Du Fang's hand: "You flatter me, you flatter me."

As the client, she only needs to master three skills: having wild ideas, readily paying deposits, and making timely final payments.

Du Fang stared at Zhang Yang's hand, seemingly lost in thought.

Zhang Yang: "What's wrong?"

Du Fang shook his head and said, "Nothing much."

I just felt a rare moment of peace and quiet.

Yes, it was eerily quiet.

In the past, one could always hear the faint, mournful cries of a childbirth spirit. However, those who practice martial arts have keen hearing and eyesight, so they could not ignore the cries even if they wanted to. The sound was extremely faint and light, like wisps of icy, yin energy seeping from the depths of the underworld brushing against the earlobe and the back of the neck.

If you listen closely, you can hear the crying filling every nook and cranny, sometimes shrill and piercing, sometimes plaintive and pitiful, and occasionally you can hear the intermittent cries of a baby.

A carbuncle that clings to the bone will drill straight into the mind.

Those with weak wills would probably have been driven mad by the torment.

Can--

The weeping that Du Fang had long been accustomed to was now completely gone, no matter how hard he tried to detect it, as if that ghostly spirit had never appeared at all. This tranquility caused him a moment of disorientation. He was certain that he hadn't suppressed the demon; it had nothing to do with him. The weeping had started from when the Lord of the Underworld touched him. It seemed that the exceptionally smooth suppression during the last time the Stars Descended was also…

Lost in thought, Zhang Yang had already withdrawn his hand.

The lingering aura still kept the demon from showing itself.

Du Fang looked at Zhang Dami, a jumble of thoughts swirling in his mind—it was hard to say who the true pure yang body was.

With the commitment made, Du Fang wrote the application documents that very day.

The next day, before dawn, I went to the prefectural government office to wait.

Fan You: "What a rare guest! It's great to meet Dong Su here."

The county government and the prefectural government are not the same organization, and Du Fang has been training troops and cultivating land every day lately. If Du Fang hadn't been unwilling, Fan You would actually have wanted to promote Du Fang and give him a commandant position. To be honest, he thought Du Fang was more reliable than Guan Zong.

Guan Zong is a man of mixed truth and falsehood, and he likes to feign madness. In contrast, Du Fang is more upright and intelligent. Working with Du Fang is more comfortable than working with Guan Zong, but unfortunately, Du Fang is uninterested.

He felt that being a county constable was quite good.

It will not be too late when the Prefect achieves greater success in the future.

"Chief Clerk Fan, please read the document."

Du Fang held Fan You in high esteem.

Firstly, as the Chief Clerk, Fan You had many responsibilities. He not only oversaw the affairs of various departments and was in charge of confidential documents, but also held a portion of military power. Fan You was in charge of all the troops recruited by Zhang Yang and also had jurisdiction over Du Fang. Secondly, Fan You was in charge of Zhang Yang's finances.

If Fan You doesn't affix his seal, Du Fang won't get the money.

He certainly wouldn't be so tactless as to offend them.

Fan You scanned the entire text in one glance.

He thought to himself, "They've asked for quite a lot."

The lord must have spent money again yesterday when he went out.

He mentally weighed the options.

Du Fang's requested budget was all within a reasonable range. The few bags of No. 001 nutrient soil, the timber and labor costs needed to build various waterwheels, and the material and labor budget for designing and modifying new spinning wheels were all things that would benefit the people's livelihood. It would be unreasonable to refuse. Fan You was not a harsh person. Their successful entry into Tianyue County was largely due to the help of Du Fang and Xu Jin, so naturally he wouldn't let Du Fang take the documents to Xu Jin to go through the procedures, but rather let Xu Jin submit them to the county government.

Even if it complies with the procedure.

Fan You carefully reviewed the letter again, and only after confirming that there were no problems did he sign his letter, affix his seal, and return it to Du Fang.

Du Fang said gratefully, "Thank you very much, Chief Secretary Fan."

His gratitude was heartfelt.

Anyone who has dealt with the prefectural government knows how annoying its people are. They don't have much power, but they're very arrogant, and no matter how you try to reason with them, they'll shut you down with a single sentence. Unexpectedly, just by changing the head of the prefectural government, the entire workplace atmosphere has been completely transformed.

"Have you decided which crops to rotate through when clearing the land?"

Du Fang became interested when this was mentioned.

This is about the soldiers' food rations.

Fan You's eyelids drooped slightly, the light and shadow casting shadows on his profile, making his aura appear even more serene. No one who saw him would guess that the seemingly ruthless and cunning Fan You was actually a lustful fiend. The two talked for a quarter of an hour before other people, including Du Guan, began to arrive for their shifts.

"Uncle Yan, you're here so early?"

Du Guan still had a steaming salted vegetable pancake in her mouth. It was a sad story; she got up earlier every day than the day before, but she always arrived later than Fan You. Occasionally, she couldn't help but doubt whether Fan You's "divine intervention" was real. Didn't they say that lustful ghosts were greedy for sex?

How did Fan You overcome the temptation of a warm bed?

"Oh, County Magistrate Du is here too."

Du Fang: "Greetings, Your Excellency."

Fan You: "It's because you overslept, senior. Also, since we're at the government office now, please be sure to address me by my official title, regardless of our personal relationship."

Du Guan simply listened to those words and forgot them immediately.

Du Fang bowed and took his leave.

Upon reaching the straight corridor outside the door, one could vaguely hear two people chatting inside.

Du Guandao said, "Apart from Weiyin County and two neighboring counties, there is a lot of opposition in other places. The Prefect wants to measure the land and thoroughly investigate hidden households, but those people refuse to agree. Alas, why not let them freeze to death in the snow and ice, or be poisoned by charcoal fires?"

Fan You: "Two ways to die, treating people like fools?"

While the entire county froze to death, these wealthy families wouldn't. Their granaries were overflowing with charcoal, and their fortified granaries were overflowing with grain. They even took advantage of the disaster to sell off their cloth, charcoal, and grain at double the price.

How could they easily freeze to death or be poisoned by charcoal fire?

They all worried in a half-truthful, half-joking manner.

"How can we kill them?"

His tone was relaxed, as if he were talking about how to kill chickens and ducks.

"We still need to use someone else to do the dirty work. This time, we can't let our lord act directly. Weiyin County is an exception; it caught everyone off guard. Other places are already on guard, so the same trick won't work." Having finally stabilized the situation, Fan You didn't want to start another fight, but these people were relentlessly causing them trouble, which was really annoying. "Or should we bribe the Eastern Barbarians?"

Let the bandits from the Eastern Frontier come down the mountain and wipe out these people's mountain strongholds.

Du Guan: "We are officials."

Officials and bandits are irreconcilable enemies.

Before Du Guan brought his men over, he made a point of screening out some of his subordinates from certain backgrounds, fearing that if Zhang Yang were to take action against their families, these people would obstruct him or tip him off.

Fan You said regretfully, "Then we'll have to think of something else."

Du Fang didn't even glance to the side, and strode away.

Goodness, did he hear something he shouldn't have?

Fan You saw Du Fang's figure passing through the covered walkway through the window and said calmly, "We still need to find Guan Zong about this matter."

Guan Zong was also a bandit from the Eastern Frontier.

If all else fails, they will disguise themselves as bandits from the Eastern Frontier.

Du Guan: "...Okay."

The sun was almost directly overhead, but Zhang Yang was nowhere to be seen at the prefectural government office.

Fan You's face darkened: "Didn't our lord come to the prefectural government for roll call?"

Du Guandao said, "No rush, I'll go ask."

Actually, she was tired of sitting and wanted to get up and walk around.

Zhang Yang's whereabouts were easy to find; as long as he was still in the city, anyone could be asked. Du Guan walked unhurriedly, inquiring along the way, and finally found him near the place where refugees had previously been settled. With the refugees having a better place to go, the area was cleared out, to be rebuilt into houses when manpower became available later.

"The Lord is indeed here."

Du Guan saw Zhang Dami from a great distance.

"Why is Yuan Yi here?"

"Your Excellency, what is this...?"

Du Guan looked on in bewilderment as Zhang Yang was surrounded by chicks and ducklings.

Zhang Yang forced a stiff smile, trying to convey her smug joy. She wanted to share her thoughts with Du Guan.

She pointed to the densely packed chicks and ducklings crowding around her feet on the ground: "I hatched these with Dami last night."

Although the game inventory cannot contain living creatures, the chicken, duck, and goose eggs that are about to hatch are not included. These eggs were specially purchased by Zhang Yang for his home; according to the game's description, they are all robust breeds that have been optimized through generations, with extremely stable genetics.

Even if they are free-range, they won't die.

It's perfect for beginners like Zhang Yang.

Zhang Dami, who was lying to the side, twitched her nose in dissatisfaction.

"The chicks are of excellent breed; according to the wholesaler, they'll be ready for market in 30-40 days and rarely get sick, so we can give our kids some extra meat. The ducklings are also healthy; although they don't gain much weight, they grow feathers very quickly, with down several times more than their counterparts. Their down can be used to fill our kids' clothes, but since their clothes are mostly made of linen or ramie, the gaps are too big and the down will leak out. I think if we could put coarse paper inside the lining... wouldn't that perfectly solve the problem of down leakage?"

They all seriously considered Zhang Yang's meaning.

She pondered for a moment and said, "Coarse paper, how coarse is considered coarse? If it's fragile and not tough enough, it would be very uncomfortable to wear next to the skin as an inner lining. At least one inner garment would be needed. When working in winter and sweating, the sweat would wet the coarse paper, causing it to soften and mold. In just a few days, the paper fibers would become soft and mushy, sticking together with the down."

Zhang Yang felt increasingly frustrated as he listened.

"So that's not going to work?"

Are these only good for eating?

The chicks are alright; they have a lot of meat.

Ducklings won't work; without down, raising them will be a losing proposition.

"It's not impossible. Since one layer of fabric will cause down to leak out..." He had just learned the term "down leakage" from Zhang Yang, which vividly described the problem of duck down leaking out of the gaps. "Then why not add two or three more layers? Wash the soft cloth once, and the gaps will be tightened without affecting the softness. You can also add a layer of thin and fine silk... Make the stitches finer, and that should be enough."

Zhang Yang pondered for a moment: "The cost is a bit high."

Du Guandao: "This... how about making it a close-fitting size?"

Zhang Yang: "Make it into a collarless and sleeveless top?"

Du Guan nodded and said, "If it were made into an outer garment that would consume a lot of fabric, it would be too expensive. The purpose of wearing this is to keep warm, not to look beautiful or presentable. It would be sufficient to make a garment that can cover the body."

"The top is made into a heart-shaped garment, but what about the bottom?"

Zhang Yang considered cost savings and ease of wearing as much as possible. Du Guan did not interrupt her thinking, but just waited by her side. After a while, Zhang Yang raised her hand and brushed aside the chicks and ducklings at her feet, revealing an open space. She used the stones she picked up to draw neat four-cornered shorts on the ground. They were called four-cornered shorts, but they were actually only one side, with several ropes sewn on at the waist and legs.

"Yuanyi, how about this design? These two pieces can be tied together, one in front and one behind, to cover the waist and thighs. This style is suitable for all body types and genders."

Similarly, you can make strips of cloth to tie around your legs.

The knees need to bend and move. Everyone's body shape is very different. If it is made into a one-piece shape, it may not be very comfortable to move.

This kind of split design is more flexible.

Zhang Yang drew another diagram: "This type of crotchless design combines the front and back pieces together. The advantage is that it doesn't matter how thick the thighs are, both men and women can wear the same size. The disadvantage is that it makes going to the toilet inconvenient."

Sigh, nothing is as convenient as briefs.

Zhang Yang sighed inwardly.

Du Guan suggested, "Why don't we have the tailors make them all, and then have our subordinates take them back and try them out to see which one is more convenient and comfortable?"

Zhang Yang: "That's a good idea."

As the two chatted, heads close together, the chicks and ducklings swarmed towards Zhang Dami. Zhang Dami looked down at the little creatures, then lay down, exposing her belly to warm them. Zhang Yang turned her head and saw Dami covered in chicks and ducklings.

"I was careless and almost froze them to death."

There was a set of chicks and a set of ducklings, all intended to be raised to adulthood for breeding; it would be a pity if even one froze to death. Zhang Yang didn't hesitate and kept them all at the temporary prefectural residence, where they were carefully cared for. He also assigned Zhang Dami the important task of hatching the next batch: "Dami, from now on you will be their tiger mother, and also my chicken/duck feeder. You must take this seriously and not steal from them. If I find out you've eaten even one, I'll disembowel you!"

Zhang, the Chicken Feeder and Duck Feeder, Da Mi: "..."

I didn't want to agree, but the gold bricks were already on my head.

The dignified mountain king had no choice but to endure the humiliation and accept the task.

Seeing Zhang Dami submit, Zhang Yang patted the tiger's head with satisfaction and said indifferently, "Good boy, when the first batch of chicks are ready, I'll give you roasted chicken. Youth has no price, your son melts in your mouth!"

Du Guan: "..."

These words sound terrifying no matter how you look at them.

From that day on, the temporary prefectural government building was filled with the clucking and squawking of chickens and ducks, a torturous experience for anyone with keen hearing. Fan You was at his wit's end: "Does the lord really intend to keep them here?"

Zhang Yang said, "I have nowhere else to stay."

One sentence left Fan You speechless.

It even made him feel guilty, as if he had a guilty conscience.

Fan You softened his voice: "These little animals can't be kept in such a small place. It would be better to hand them over to County Commandant Du. He has plenty of land for farming, and he can send a few experienced farmers over there to help. It's better than keeping them here."

If all else fails, hand it over to Puyang Kui or Guan Zong.

These two have no other job besides training troops all day long.

Zhang Yang gladly accepted the suggestion.

However, she did not seek out Du Fang.

Du Fang had been focusing all her attention on supervising the waterwheel's construction. Guan Zong was careless and had a bad temper, so after much deliberation, she decided that Jun Du was the most suitable candidate, without considering whether Puyang Kui, with his background, had any experience in raising chickens and ducks. When Puyang Kui was approached, she thought she had misheard. After learning the future purpose of these chicks and ducklings, she said solemnly, "My lord, please rest assured."

She was also a prefect.

It is clear how many benefits Zhang Yang mentioned after these promotions.

One provides clean and healthy meat, the other provides warm and comfortable winter clothing. If this could be widely promoted and every household started raising them, the combined effect could save countless lives. It would also prevent the devastating losses that often occur during seasonal disruptions.

This world is utterly malicious towards ordinary people.

Even people like them risk being dragged into the mire and losing their lives at any moment. For a ruler to suddenly appear willing to practice the principle of "treating the people as one's own children" and treat ordinary people kindly... Puyang Kui couldn't help but sigh, could it be that Heaven has finally opened its eyes?

However, all of this has a prerequisite.

They must have absolute control over Tianyue County, where they are based.

"Has the lord decided how to deal with those people?"

"Those people?"

Puyang Kui handed over a letter: "Just now, someone shot an unsigned secret letter onto the flagpole. The letter stated that those people not only refused to hand over the hidden households and obstructed the prefectural government, but were also secretly gathering troops, preparing to catch us off guard."

The secret letter was written rather hastily.

Zhang Yang felt that his own handwriting was better than that.

However, that's not the point.

The key point is the contents of the secret letter, which also includes a simple map with several locations roughly marked on it.

Zhang Yang: "Huh?"

Are we about to make a fortune again?

??(?w?)

Happy New Year 2026!

PS: My butt is killing me!

PPS: Double monthly tickets are available from the 1st to the 7th, please give me your monthly tickets! (′???`) Sending love