Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 358: Grain

After the incident with Chief Clerk Zhao, the efficiency at West E County Government suddenly increased severalfold. County Magistrate Zou also changed out of his official robes, and wandered around the fields and farms every day. The famine-stricken villages became clean and tidy, with adequate daily rations, and many more oxen appeared for plowing.

Facts proved that killing the chicken to scare the monkeys, though simple, was the most effective strategy.

This matter quickly spread to other counties, and the county magistrates, county clerks, county captains, and chief clerks all became instantly tense, either reflecting on themselves or hastily inspecting and remedying the situation, but let’s not detail each one.

Jiang Shaohua stayed in Xi’e County for a little more than half a month and never set off until receiving a letter from the Capital City and court documents.

"For a court document, just send anyone with it. Why did Chief Historian Chen go out of his way to deliver it?" Jiang Shaohua didn’t expect Chen Zhuo to personally deliver the documents, so she quickly supported the exhausted, panting Chief Historian Chen while gently chiding.

Chen Jinyu, feeling sorry for his grandfather, quickly supported the other side of Chief Historian Chen’s arm: "Isn’t that right? Grandfather is over fifty years old, no longer as robust as before, yet he still thinks he’s a young man."

Chen Zhuo adjusted his breath and laughed self-deprecatingly: "I indeed am not the same as before. Years ago, when accompanying the Prince on his tours, I rode a horse every day with great vitality. Now sitting in a carriage for two days makes me tired."

After pausing, he spoke softly: "Old Feng specifically urged me to come and meet with the Commandery Princess, to personally ask how she plans to handle the court’s requisition of grain."

Jiang Shaohua frowned slightly: "Let me look at the letters and documents before making a decision."

There were five letters from the Capital City.

Jiang Shaohua first read the letter from Emperor Taihe.

In the letter, Emperor Taihe expressed great satisfaction and joy for Shao Hua’s generosity in offering grain, promising that when times are better, the Ministry of Revenue will return it in full.

The next letter, the second one, was handwritten by Grand Empress Dowager Zheng.

Grand Empress Dowager Zheng highly praised Jiang Shaohua’s loyalty and courage. Due to Nanyang County’s proactive offering of grain, the Empress Dowager Faction gained significant momentum in the court, and Grand Empress Dowager Zheng acquired a reputation for adeptly guiding the younger generation.

The third and fourth letters were from contacts of the Nanyang Prince Mansion within the court, advising moderation in offering grain, cautioning against draining all resources for the court. With wars and locusts plaguing the North, it’s like a bottomless pit, unable to satisfy all grain needs. Even a wealthy Nanyang County is just one county; how could it alone supply grain for the over twenty northern prefectures?

The most unexpected was the fifth letter.

Jiang Shaohua glanced at the signature on the envelope, smirking sarcastically: "Prime Minister Wang can indeed bow and bend, actually writing a letter personally to me."

It’s a case of the fox offering season’s greetings to the chickens, certainly with bad intentions—just feigning goodwill to trap Nanyang County Princess in a pit, aiming to elevate and destroy her.

Sure enough, after tearing open the letter, it was full of praises about the Nanyang County Princess’s unwavering loyalty to the country and people. Claims like "Nanyang County Princess is Da Liang’s fortune" and "Nanyang County’s new grain harvest could supply the court’s grain requisition," not forgetting to emphasize that once the National Treasury is full, the court will repay Nanyang County the grain debt.

"Luckily, I proactively wrote the memorial offering grain," Jiang Shaohua sneered coldly, "at least earning a good name. Otherwise, it’d be merely coerced requisition."

Offering grain or requisition, the rhetoric differs only; the reality boils down to Nanyang County having to produce grain.

With no outsiders present, Chen Zhuo directly asked: "The figures in the court documents are overwhelmingly large, Chief Historian Feng has already preliminarily calculated. If we follow the document’s numbers, this year’s new grain from Nanyang County will be requisitioned by over fifty percent."

"That’s absolutely impossible!" Jiang Shaohua’s eyes sparkled, voice strong and firm: "The new grain from Nanyang County must first ensure the people are well-fed, supply the Personal Guard Camp and Nanyang Army Camp, and allocate some for the famine-stricken drafts. Offering grain to the court, at most one-third."

"Even with one-third of the grain, it cannot all be given at once. It must be divided into three batches, with a fortnight gap between each batch."

"Moreover, I’ll write a reply now. Offering so much grain requires some tangible benefits, mere fame isn’t enough."

Upon hearing one-third, Chen Zhuo breathed a sigh of relief, chuckling softly: "Chief Historian Feng spent two days calculating, with the abacus nearly falling apart, and his figures were close to what the Commandery Princess stated. The surplus grain Nanyang County can move is about one-third, no more. Otherwise, it will perturb the people’s sentiment and undermine Nanyang County’s foundation."

The people toil daily, growing grain should ensure filling their own stomachs first. There’s no reason to permit random extraction.

As for demanding benefits, that is indeed proper. Seizing the moment when the court is weak and unstable, nothing should be glossed over.

Jiang Shaohua pondered and said: "The number of Nanyang Personal Guard Camp is growing daily, hiding it for long is impossible. Might as well use this opportunity to gain official approval."

"I’ll write a letter to the Emperor and Grand Empress Dowager, stating that due to the chaos in the North, Nanyang County must protect itself, safeguard Jingzhou’s peace, and insufficient military strength. The Personal Guard Camp needs some expansion."

Chen Zhuo nodded, adding: "Additionally, clarify the issue of Nanyang Army’s command; Nanyang County is a court-commissioned army but the Nanyang Prince Mansion has the authority to issue orders."

Jiang Shaohua affirmed: "This time, for escorting the grain, I plan to have the Nanyang Army go. It’s an excellent chance to train them, perhaps even expand the troop size."

The Commandery Princess mentioned expanding the troops twice.

Nanyang County actually has ample military strength, enough for self-defense. Yet the Commandery Princess insists on further expansion...

Chen Zhuo’s heart quietly moved, deeply looking at the Commandery Princess: "Let’s proceed. Not many demands, having these two points suffice."

...

Jiang Shaohua spent half a day in the study, personally writing memorials and several replies.

With Chief Historian Feng overseeing the grain allocation, no one else needed to worry. After resting, Chief Historian Chen did not rush back to the Nanyang Prince Mansion, accompanied the Commandery Princess to inspect other counties.

Yang Zheng followed along silently with the Commandery Princess.

The most excited and thrilled were none other than the Nanyang Army.

Upon receiving the Commandery Princess’s handwritten letter, Yu Chong sighed deeply, his dark face lighting up: "The Commandery Princess offered grain to the court, the court documents already arrived. The Prince Mansion is urgently organizing the grain, about ten days required. We’ll set off in ten days."

A group of military generals, all brimming with excitement, eagerly came forward offering themselves.

Being a military general, cooped up in the camp daily without movement, such days are comfortable but also dull to the extreme. Rarely do they have such a brilliant opportunity to shine and earn accolades, how could they miss it?

Yu Chong grinned: "Stop fighting. For the first grain delivery, I’ll personally lead a thousand men. Li Tie, you’ll temporarily manage the camp, conducting daily drills."

Li Tie’s spirit was invigorated and he took orders with cupped hands.