If you were to ask the local magistrate of Hedong Prefecture about other county officials, he might not remember them clearly.

However, Magistrate Yang left a strong impression.

After all, the affair concerning Grand Tutor Yang was of such significance that it would be hard to forget.

At the beginning of the year, when Lord Yang came to visit him, the magistrate wasn’t particularly welcoming, but he wasn’t overly cold either.

They simply exchanged formalities, had tea, and that was it.

It was a distant, business-like interaction.

This time, meeting again, the situation was much the same.

Anyone associated with the Yang family, even if the Emperor had not pursued them, was someone the magistrate preferred not to associate with.

Besides, as a prefectural governor, what need would he have for the assistance of someone like Yang Shunlei?

Magistrate Yang bowed and said, “Magistrate Yang Shunlei of Yunxiang County pays his respects to Your Excellency.”

The Prefect of Hedong replied, “No need for formalities, Magistrate Yang. Please, have a seat. I’ve received a letter from Lord Du and came to Yunxiang County to discuss the Emperor’s Grain Partnership Plan. Do you know about it?”

Indeed, Magistrate Yang was aware of the plan.

It wasn’t exactly a secret; in fact, Lord Du wanted everyone to know all the details, saving him the trouble of having to explain.

So, Magistrate Yang had no need to hide anything and responded truthfully, “Yes, Your Excellency. Lord Du informed me of the plan the other day. Let me explain it to you.”

The Prefect nodded. “Then I’ll trouble you to do so.”

Magistrate Yang continued, “It’s no trouble. The Emperor’s Grain Partnership Plan has three main steps.

First, families of good character are selected from each prefecture.

Second, these families will bid to become partners in the Emperor’s grain business.

Once a family wins the bid, Lord Du will share the method for producing the grain.

Third, an agent family is chosen in each county to manage the grain business.”

The Prefect found this explanation clear and easy to understand.

He didn’t quite know what this grain made from potato and sweet potato flour was, but since it was something endorsed by the Emperor, it had to be good.

After all, the Emperor wouldn’t put his reputation on the line for something inferior.

This initiative was known across the entire nation, and more than 90% of people believed it would be a success.

Unfortunately, Lord Du was in charge, so even those who wanted to use connections to gain an advantage had no chance.

Who was Lord Du?

The Emperor’s most trusted confidant, not lacking in power.

And being from the prestigious Du family, he didn’t lack wealth either.

As for beauty? Lord Du might not be particularly handsome, but he was skilled and had a clean personal life.

Though he had concubines, no woman in his household could control him.

If someone dared to send him a woman today, he might report them to the Emperor tomorrow.

Thus, the Emperor’s choice of Lord Du was clear—no one could exploit their connections in this matter.

If someone else were overseeing this, perhaps someone like Wei Hong, things might be different.

Years ago, during the imperial succession, the Wei family and the Yang family were related by marriage.

Although the second son of the Wei family and the eldest daughter of the Yang family were not yet married, they were engaged, so the relationship was settled.

As a result, everyone assumed that the Wei and Yang families were aligned.

But then, unexpectedly, the Yang family, despite its immense power, suddenly fell.

No one knew why.

They only knew that after the Emperor took the throne, the Yang family was dealt with, while the Wei family was found innocent.

After a few days in prison, they were released with no charges.

However, everyone knew that couldn’t be the whole story.

It was clear the Wei family must have betrayed the Yang family to side with the Emperor.

Though there was no evidence, many people privately looked down on the Wei family.

Still, in public, everyone treated them politely—who would dare mention these matters in front of the Wei family, given their loyalty to the Emperor?

Yang Haiyan, coming from the Yang family, knew that if she accepted the Wei family as adoptive relatives, she would be harshly judged behind her back.

If Yang Haiyan could understand this, how could the Wei family not?

Yet, they still sought to recognize her as an adopted relative, showing their true nature.

As the Prefect of Hedong pondered Magistrate Yang’s words, he also thought about which families in Hedong could be considered of “good character.”

The room grew quiet.

Magistrate Yang, looking at him, thought to himself that he would likely spend his entire life growing old and dying in Yúnxiāng County.

So, he offered the Prefect a helpful hint: “Your Excellency, the Emperor has already pre-selected the grain partner for Hédòng Prefecture.”

“Oh?” The Prefect was surprised.

He hadn’t known there was such a prominent family in his jurisdiction. “Which family is it?”

“It’s the Qin family,” Magistrate Yang replied.

The Qin family?

The Prefect went through all the notable Qin families in Hedong in his mind but couldn’t think of which one it could be.

Could it be…?

Seeing the confused look on the magistrate of Hedong Prefecture, Magistrate Yang continued, “It’s General Qin Fang from Yunxiang County, the city defense general. He was promoted to the rank of Wude General,

Fifth Class, in March this year and transferred to Yunxiang County. In May, he made a significant contribution, and the emperor conferred the rank of Yiren of the Seventh Class upon General Qin’s grandmother and mother.

Additionally, Madam Qin herself was awarded the title of Xiangjun of the Third Class for her great deeds.”

Magistrate Yang knew that Qin Fang’s achievements were related to the Beast Mountain, though he wasn’t aware of the specifics.

However, he was well-informed about Madam Qin’s contributions, which involved agricultural lands in the military camp and the production of ice using saltpeter.

As for the situation at Beast Mountain, Magistrate Yang had no interest in investigating it.

His family never cared much about glory or recognition; all they sought was to live peacefully in Yunxiang County.

“Sir, Qin Fang is also the protege of Lord Du,” Magistrate Yang added.

The magistrate of Hedong Prefecture frowned. “So, the Qin family obtained the title of franchisee because of Lord Du’s connections? If that’s the case, wouldn’t Lord Du be criticized for such actions?”

Magistrate Yang responded, “Of course not. The Qin family was granted the franchise title in the imperial grain plan because they invented the technology behind the imperial grain itself. This was the emperor’s decision.”

Upon hearing this, the magistrate of Hedong Prefecture understood.

Since the Qin family had invented potato and sweet potato flour, it made sense for the emperor to designate them as franchisees in Hedong Prefecture.

He felt somewhat disappointed, as he had originally hoped to secure a position for a relative.

Now, that prospect was out of reach.

After some thought, Magistrate Yang suggested, “Sir, though the franchisee for Hedong Prefecture has been decided, the positions for county agents are still open.”

The magistrate of Hedong Prefecture immediately grasped the opportunity. “Thank you for informing me, Magistrate Yang. By the way, what kind of person is General Qin?”

Magistrate Yang thought for a moment and said, “The Qin family are straightforward people, not ones to be greedy for wealth.”

With this hint, the magistrate of Hedong Prefecture understood.

Qin Fang’s mentor was Lord Du, and no one else’s authority could compare to Du’s.

Now that the Qin family had become franchisees in Hedong Prefecture, money was indeed no issue for them.

If they were straightforward people, they would value straightforward matters.

At that moment, a servant announced from the doorway, “Sir, Lord Du has arrived.”

Both the magistrate of Hedong Prefecture and Magistrate Yang stood up immediately. “Let’s go welcome him.”

When Du Ke arrived, all six prefecture magistrates from Ren Province came out to greet him.

“We greet you, my lord,” they all said in unison.

Du Ke, wearing his usual serious expression, glanced at the six magistrates and Magistrate Yang. “No need for formalities, please rise. Since you’re all here, I won’t waste time. Let’s get straight to the point.”

Whether they were familiar with Du Ke or not, everyone knew that he disliked small talk and preferred to get to the heart of the matter.

Once they were seated, Du Ke began explaining the imperial grain franchise plan. “… So, aside from Dongting Prefecture, the other five prefectures will need to submit a list of franchisee candidates. This list must not contain any unqualified individuals. If I discover anyone attempting to deceive the emperor, it will be beyond my power to pardon them.”

The six magistrates responded in unison, “Understood, my lord.”

The magistrate of Jiujiang Prefecture asked, “Lord Du, although this is an imperial initiative, the bid itself depends on individual willingness. So, could we take some potato and sweet potato flour back with us to show people? That way, we might attract more interested parties.”

Du Ke smiled slightly. “Since when is business without risk? If people think this is some sort of free lunch, they are mistaken. Potato and sweet potato flour are imperial grains. Details about what they look like, how they are made, and how they are used will only be revealed after the bidding process. If any prospective franchisees are bold enough, let them place their bids. If not, the court and the emperor will not force anyone.”

The magistrate of Jiujiang Prefecture conceded, “Understood, my lord.”

Still, he couldn’t help but wonder what potato and sweet potato flour were really like and how they were supposed to be handled.

Without Du Ke’s explanations, there was little they could do but gamble on it.

If they invested the money and lost, what then?

Logically, since the emperor had initiated the imperial grain franchise plan, it shouldn’t lead to losses.

But, without having seen the actual products, no one could feel entirely secure.

The magistrate of Hedong Prefecture chimed in, “My lord, the franchisee for Hedong Prefecture is General Qin’s family, but I will still need to discuss the matter of the county agents with General Qin. What do you think?”

Du Ke replied, “You can handle that with Qin Fang directly. It’s not my concern. However, I just came from the general’s residence, and Qin Fang is not there at the moment.” With that, Du Ke stood up.

“Alright, I’ll be heading back now. If any of you have further questions, you can come find me at the general’s residence. If not, then return to your duties and submit the list of prospective franchisees as soon as possible.”

“Yes, my lord.”

After Du Ke left, Magistrate Yang turned to the magistrate of Hedong Prefecture and said, “Sir, this evening I will host a dinner. Would you like to join me and meet with General Qin?”

The magistrate of Hedong Prefecture nodded. “That would be most kind.”

He hoped to get some information from Qin Fang.

Since securing a franchisee position was now impossible, perhaps there was still hope for a county agent position.

The other five magistrates were also considering their options.

Du Ke had made it clear that franchisees had to come from families of excellent character.

This was the first major initiative since the emperor ascended the throne, so none of the magistrates dared to be careless.

It would be necessary to carefully select families of good standing.

Since General Qin’s family had become franchisees in Hedong Prefecture, it also indicated that government officials could hold franchisee positions.

With this in mind, the magistrates wondered if they or their own families might also be eligible to become franchisees.

After Qin Fang finished his duties and descended from Beast Mountain, he was met by a servant from Magistrate Yang’s residence.

“General Qin, Magistrate Yang invites you to a dinner this evening. The magistrate of Hedong Prefecture is also present, and they would like to discuss some matters with you,” said the servant.