Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 377: Request

"With the Commandery Princess’s intervention, Lu Daniu’s future days will be much better."

Two hours later, the group rested by the roadside. Chen Jinyu naturally approached the Commandery Princess and joked.

Jiang Shaohua took a sip of water, smiling as she responded, "After this incident, there should be more girls attending the academy."

Ultimately, people are pragmatic. Reluctance to let daughters study stems from two reasons: either thinking there’s no use for women to study, or wanting girls to stay home and work.

When the people see that the benefits of a daughter’s education outweigh staying home to weave and tend silkworms, their perspective will gradually change.

Perhaps in three to five years, every household in Ye County will send their girls to study at the academy.

Thinking of such a grand sight, Chen Jinyu felt a surge of excitement, "It’s a pity that only Ye County has established a girls’ school. The other counties still lack the capacity for now."

Jiang Shaohua laughed, "You have to eat your meal one bite at a time, and you have to do things slowly, right? Bo Wang County is mining, Biyang County is raising horses, and there’s a shortage of manpower everywhere. Other counties’ governments aren’t wealthy either. Right now, they’re busy taking in and settling refugees, and the top priority for the County Magistrates is to ensure the people are well-fed. Setting up schools will have to wait for the future."

"Ye County has set a good precedent, reaching today’s scale in just two years. Just wait and see! Soon there will be County Magistrates who will follow suit."

Competition is the greatest driving force for progress.

Chen Jinyu understood the underlying message and exchanged knowing smiles with the Commandery Princess.

...

Two days later, Jiang Shaohua and her party arrived at Wuyin County.

As the poorest county in Nanyang, Wuyin County had been planting new grain for two years, resulting in a bountiful harvest. County Magistrate Gao stood much straighter, and when meeting the Commandery Princess, he was full of energy, "Your Highness, Commandery Princess."

Jiang Shaohua smiled, "Rise, County Magistrate Gao, and everyone else rise as well."

After entering the city gates, the citizens they passed by still had reasonably rosy faces. Although some clothes were old, they were clean. The faces of the people were filled with eager hopes for life.

"Long live the Commandery Princess!"

No one knew who shouted first, but soon the entire street echoed with shouts of "Long live the Commandery Princess," like a tidal wave, reflecting the people’s love and respect for her.

Jiang Shaohua smiled and waved to the people.

After entering the county government, Jiang Shaohua first inquired about this year’s autumn harvest.

County Magistrate Gao responded spiritedly, "To report to the Commandery Princess, this year’s autumn harvest in Wuyin County was tremendous; the harvested grain is enough to feed the people for two years."

"The Taiping Grain Warehouse is full, and ten thousand stones of grain have been sent to the Prince Mansion." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

In the past, Wuyin County was poor due to water scarcity and drought, causing low grain yields. The people couldn’t get enough to eat and couldn’t even afford to raise children.

The emergence of drought-resistant new grain was a great boon for the people of Wuyin County. Now, the grain yield has increased several times. Though the new grain isn’t particularly tasty, it does fill the stomach. In the northern regions plagued by droughts, locust plagues, and wars, being able to survive in peace and eat one’s fill is the greatest happiness in the world.

Jiang Shaohua listened and felt both gratified and joyful, casually asking, "How many children were born in Wuyin County this year? Is the county government providing grain monthly?"

County Magistrate Gao replied with a smile, "This year, Wuyin County saw the birth of two hundred thirty-six infants, each registered, and the county government provides twenty pounds of grain monthly. With twenty pounds of grain, one can raise a child."

"Rest assured, Commandery Princess! In Wuyin County, the Child Towers have long been dismantled. Now that people can afford to raise children, they wouldn’t dream of abandoning them."

Jiang Shaohua nodded approvingly, "That’s the way it should be."

County Magistrate Gao added softly, "Every year, only so many infants are born. To quickly increase the population, we still need to accommodate more refugees. Wuyin County’s foundation is weak, incomparable to Bo Wang, Biyang, Ye County, or even Li County. However, I do hope for more refugees to fill our population."

With more people, the vast barren fields can be cultivated. With more people, Wuyin County can break free from poverty and develop swiftly.

Of course, supporting County Magistrate Gao’s initiative relies on the Prince Mansion supplying grain to the refugees until their farming yields a harvest.

Looking at County Magistrate Gao’s hopeful face, Jiang Shaohua couldn’t help but smile, "I, the Commandery Princess, have inspected six county towns. Almost every county magistrate mentions accommodating refugees to me. However, these decisions are made by Chief Historian Chen and Chief Historian Feng, not I."

County Magistrate Gao had to gather the courage to continue pleading, "I have already written to the two chief historians to request support. Could you, Commandery Princess, kindly influence the decision a little more?"

After all, seeking improvement is always a good thing.

Jiang Shaohua thought for a moment and agreed.

County Magistrate Gao was overjoyed and continuously bowed in gratitude.

...

Jiang Shaohua’s inspection habit was to personally go and see, go and ask. As well as County Magistrate Gao spoke, she had to see for herself. Early the next morning, Jiang Shaohua led her personal guards and household staff to set off.

Tang Youyin, having accompanied for several months, had gradually become accustomed to the Commandery Princess’s way of doing things. He brought several household registration books. Upon arriving in the villages, they could cross-check the population of refugees against the books.

No wonder County Magistrate Gao was anxious. Most other counties had received two to three groups of refugees, and Li County even had a fourth group. Wuyin County had only been sent one group, totaling just over five hundred people.

The arrangement by Chief Historian Chen and Chief Historian Feng took into account Wuyin County’s extreme poverty. The Prince Mansion could allocate grain, but reclaiming barren fields required oxen and farm tools, things Wuyin County consistently lacked, and with limited storage in the grain warehouses, fewer refugees were assigned.

The refugees didn’t mind Wuyin County’s poverty. To them, having a house to live in, food to eat, land to till, and being free from warfare, drought, locust plagues, and corrupt officials felt like paradise.

The men and young women went to work in the fields, leaving mostly the elderly and children in the villages.

Chen Jinyu called over two elderly people and a few children.

Jiang Shaohua, in a friendly manner, inquired, "Where did you originally come from? How many people are in your family? Are you settling in well here? Is the food supply provided daily sufficient?"

Jiang Shaohua purposely restrained her authority, smiling warmly, though her noble demeanor was impossible to completely hide.

The two elderly people, their legs trembling, wanted to kneel, but Chen Jinyu laughingly stopped them, "Don’t be afraid. The Commandery Princess is here to personally check how you’re living. Just speak the truth."

Chen Jinyu’s appearance was lovely, and her smile very sweet, naturally inducing a feeling of closeness.

The elderly finally seemed less nervous and apprehensive, responding to the Commandery Princess with trembling voices, "We are from Yan County."

"When the locust plague struck, we fled."

"Here is much better than Yan County; the government provides us grain every day."

"We can fill our stomachs and have land to farm. We all want to stay."

Jiang Shaohua gently said, "The court has dispatched an imperial envoy to Yan County for relief efforts. Yan County is now promoting new grain cultivation. Would you be willing to return?"