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Xiao Bao stood beside Su Yu, watching Wang Jinhe’s departing figure, and curiously asked, “Daddy, do you just let Mommy leave like that?”
“If I don’t let your mommy leave, how can she manage her own tasks? She has things to take care of too,” Su Yu replied. If he didn’t have a few more children by his side and tasks of his own, he wouldn’t have allowed Wang Jinhe to leave with others like that.
“Moreover, Ningshui County and Ning’an County are suitable for rice cultivation. Your mommy also needs to establish two granaries to supply all the people in the country,” Su Yu added.
Looking in the direction where Wang Jinhe had left, Xiao Bao held Su Yu’s hand and asked, “Daddy, will Mommy come back soon?”
“She’ll be back once she’s done. Let’s go too,” Su Yu reassured.
“Okay.”
Wang Jinhe and Nan Qiao’s group headed to Ningshui County ahead of the others.
Upon arriving in Ningshui County, Wang Jinhe immediately took Nan Qiao and the group to meet with the county magistrate.
The magistrate was surprised to learn of Wang Jinhe’s visit and quickly went to greet them.
“I pay my respects to Your Highness.”
“Please rise.”
“Arrange for the wealthy merchants with excess land and the large unclaimed areas to be organized. I want to see results by the day after tomorrow,” Wang Jinhe instructed the magistrate.
The magistrate hesitated, “Your Highness, are you sure about this?”
“Ningshui County, like Ning’an County, needs to cultivate crops. Relying solely on the existing lands won’t be enough. Make sure to utilize the mountainous and sloped areas as well,” Wang Jinhe elaborated.
“Yes,” the magistrate, surprised yet understanding, acknowledged Wang Jinhe’s instructions. It seemed that development in Fu’an County had reached a certain point, prompting Wang Jinhe’s visit to this region.
“I’ll go inform them,” the magistrate responded promptly.
Wang Jinhe acknowledged with a nod, not adding anything further.
Once Wang Jinhe and his group were settled, the magistrate instructed his staff to notify the wealthy merchants with excess land.
The steward beside the magistrate suggested, “Sir, why don’t we…”
The magistrate’s expression darkened instantly, and he glared at the steward with displeasure, “If I hear such words from you again, you’ll be dismissed.”
This steward was his wife’s brother, initially showing some competence but gradually becoming unreliable.
Uncertain about what should and shouldn’t be done anymore, the steward pleaded, “Sir, I’m just considering your best interests.”
“What kind of person is the Princess? How dare you scheme against her?” She is highly regarded by the Emperor and beloved by the Prince.
The steward had crossed a line, daring to involve the princess in his calculations.
“Sir, he doesn’t know any better. She’s just a woman, what could she possibly do?” the steward dismissed arrogantly.
Observing the steward’s brazen attitude, the magistrate’s expression grew darker. He was already contemplating replacing the steward.
Keeping this person around would likely lead to trouble in the future.
“Get to work,” the magistrate commanded.
Thinking the magistrate might be swayed by his words, the steward began considering the benefits he could gain from Wang Jinhe.
Once the magistrate had everything sorted out, he called his trusted aides, “I’m considering replacing the steward. Do you have any recommendations?”
The others looked at the magistrate in surprise, questioning, “Sir, why do you suddenly want to replace the steward?”
Isn’t he the brother of the magistrate’s wife? Wouldn’t replacing him cause trouble?
“He’s a fool who doesn’t know his place, trying to scheme against the princess and her possessions. Can he really outwit the princess?” the magistrate said coldly.
“With the expansion of Xuan Country’s territory and the increase in population and land, our need for crops has also grown. The princess’s purpose in coming here is for this reason. We can’t afford to hinder her progress. Keeping him around will only lead to trouble for us.”
The others now understood why the magistrate was determined to replace the steward.
“I have a recommendation, someone who passed the imperial exams this year.”
“He still has more studies to complete.”
“He won’t be able to continue. His family doesn’t want him to continue studying due to his younger brother and their reluctance for him to enter officialdom.”
“Such a situation exists? Did he just give up like that?”
The person beside nodded, “What else could he do? If he didn’t give up, his mother would be on the brink of death, saying they’d have no place to live. He had no choice but to compromise. Now that he has severed ties with his family, he’s managing well on his own.”
The magistrate was pleased upon hearing this, “Inform him today to report tomorrow.”
“Understood.”
Nothing happening in the county office escaped the monitoring of Nan Qiao and the others.
When Wang Jinhe learned about this incident from Nan Qiao and the group, he was somewhat surprised.
“That magistrate is quite clever.”
“He has to be. Keeping that person around would have caused trouble; anyone who dares to scheme against my sister-in-law must have some talent and lot of courage.” If someone dares to plot against the pricess, they must be brave indeed.
“Now that the magistrate has handled it, we don’t need to inquire further. Pretending ignorance will suffice.”
Wang Jinhe instructed, and Nan Qiao and the others obediently followed suit.
When the magistrate’s men found the person, he was busy tidying up his cluttered home.
“Your family causing trouble for you again? Even after cutting ties, they never seem to stop,” one of them remarked.
“Brother Zhong, why are you here?”
“If there’s good news, of course, I think of you.”
“The magistrate is looking to replace a steward, and I mentioned you to him. He wants you to report tomorrow. If it works out, you’ll live in the county office, and they won’t dare cause you trouble.”
The young man looked surprised at his Brother Zhong, “Replacing a steward? Why so sudden?”
“The current steward has ill intentions. The moment he laid eyes on the Princess, he was already plotting against her and her possessions. How could the magistrate tolerate that? Offending the princess, who works for the Emperor, is a grave offense, punishable by death.”
“I’ve given you this opportunity, now it’s up to you to seize it.”
“I’ll go tomorrow.” Dealing with the occasional disturbances from his family had become tiresome.
If he could work alongside the magistrate and live in the county office in the future, that would indeed be a favorable outcome.
“As long as you understand. If possible, cut ties with your family completely. They’ve already ruined your prospects,” Zhong Ge advised.
“I understand.”
“Alright, I’ll take my leave now.”
After seeing the person off, Wen Chao went home.
“You’ve taken everything you could grab, and you’ve ruined my future. We’re done, and from now on, whatever happens to you is none of my concern, and vice versa.”
Wen Chao’s father furrowed his brow, about to speak, but Wen Chao cut in, “If you don’t want me to retaliate, from now on, we’ll act like strangers when we meet. If you keep causing trouble for me, every time you do, I’ll deal with it. Let’s see if he can handle my retaliation.”
Once he had always thought they were a family, but now he realized that they were the family, and he was merely an outsider.
Wen Chao’s father was furious, feeling powerless as he had no leverage. Not only was he helpless, but he also felt a twinge of guilt.
He understood that it was their actions that had destroyed his son’s future.