When the mother-in-law heard this, she realized there was truth to it. Right then and there, she didn't dare scold Madam Su any further. The villagers thought the same—they understood that if they wanted to rely on their daughter-in-law and son-in-law to get by, they'd have to humble themselves, treat them like their own flesh and blood, and never act the way they used to.
When Madam Su learned of this, she immediately straightened her back. Before, when her mother-in-law beat and cursed her, she hadn't fought back—afraid of being thrown out, and afraid that rumors would spread and people would brand her as unfilial. Back then, she worked the Old Su family's fields and ate their food, so no matter how she was treated, she had no choice but to endure it.
But now things had changed—the tables had turned. People would only say: "You old woman, now you're depending on your daughter-in-law to get by, and you still hit and curse her? You just don't know what's good for you. If I were your daughter-in-law, I would have left years ago!"
Madam Su grew brighter day by day, and her eyes no longer held that dull, numbed look. She worked diligently at the chemical fertilizer factory—now she had something to look forward to!
---
Zhao Ger had been running around Anhe County for a few days. Once the village chiefs mobilized everyone, nobody was thinking about planting rice anymore.
They trusted the prefect.
Whatever the prefect said, that was what they'd do.
After they gave Zhao Ger their definite answer, Zhao Ger came back.
Since everyone agreed to keep planting sweet potatoes, the factory and the livestock farm would have to be built right away. They couldn't wait until after the New Year, because after that the common folk would be busy with their field work.
But now they were about to return to Hezhou. After some thought, Zhao Ger asked Zhou Ger: "I'm putting this in your hands—can you handle it or not?"
These past few days, Zhao Ger had been passing on his experience. It wasn't that hard. It was like building a house in the village. He had to decide who to hire, where to build, how deep to dig the foundations, and where to put the stove. He had to hand out wages, supervise the work, and make sure nobody slacked off. When tiles and other materials came in from town, he inspected them to make sure no one was passing off inferior goods. Zhou Ger already understood everything needed for making sweet potato noodles. Someone had to be hired to make those items, and the choice of who to hire was up to him.
How big the factory buildings should be had already been planned out by Fang Zichen. They just had to follow the plans.
But saying that was one thing. The trivial details were still a hassle. It was like starting a company and being the boss. People said all the boss had to do was manage the staff and set the company's direction. Was it really that easy?
If it were, everyone would be a boss. There'd be no workers left—they'd all have gone off to run their own businesses.
Zhou Ger was a little afraid—afraid of making mistakes, afraid of doing poorly. Even building a house at home was a major event, discussed and agreed upon, with the elders taking charge. He'd never managed anything like this before. But he admired Zhao Ger and wanted to be like him—able to stand on his own. If Zhao Ger could do it, surely he could too.
"Don't be too nervous," Zhao Ger said. "The first time I went to Anhe Village to recruit workers for digging the canal, I didn't know anything either. I missed a lot, overlooked many things, and didn't think everything through. But later I gained experience, and it gradually got better. I'll have Xiao Wen and a few imperial guards go with you—you can start practicing slowly."
Zhou Ger took a deep breath and made his decision: "Zhao Ger, I know you're doing this for my sake. I'll go."
When Aunt Liu learned of this, she was overjoyed. It showed that Zhao Ger valued them and was mindful of their bond—he was training them to take on responsibilities! Otherwise, why not send anyone else? Or just stuff them into some factory job? But that would lead nowhere. Managing people and doing manual labor were fundamentally different.
That night, she instructed Zhou Ger and Liu Xiaowen: "Work hard over there. Be bold—hesitation and timidity won't get things done. Don't let Zhao Ger down. He trusts you, so don't disappoint him."
"I understand, Mother."
At the end of the twelfth lunar month, Zhao Ger's family packed up and returned to Hezhou.
The New Year fell on the ninth day of the first month.
When Feng momo, Xie Xiaoyu, and Physician Li's wife saw the children, they were overjoyed. They hugged them tightly, exclaiming that when they'd left home, the little ones had been so small, and now they'd come back as big chunky things who could even walk—and Guaizai had even grown his front teeth.
As soon as the five children moved in, the residence instantly became lively and bustling, like the market outside. But nobody minded the noise—the prefect's mansion was large, and everyone used to be busy with their own affairs, leaving it dreadfully quiet. Now this brought some real vitality. Hearing the children's clear, carefree laughter, everyone felt an indescribable joy. This was what a home should be like—cold and empty was no way to live.
Li Yisheng hadn't returned yet. The various factories would all close on the sixth day, and the cement factory would stay open later than the rest because of urgent demand.
Shortly after returning to Hezhou, the county magistrates from below came to pay their respects.
Hezhou had thirteen counties in total, with the magistrate positions for Anhe County and Beiping County both vacant. Fang Zichen simply couldn't find anyone—Hezhou had far too few scholars. He'd have to transfer people from outside, and he'd previously asked the deputy prefect to handle it, but so far nobody had been transferred in.
Those with connections didn't want to come. Those without, upon hearing that being an official in Hezhou could get them beaten to death if they weren't careful, were even less willing.
The prefectural yamen was spacious enough—seating over a dozen people didn't feel crowded. The room was full of middle-aged men, with Fang Zichen the youngest by far. He was twenty-two, going on twenty-three, but with his fair complexion, good eating, rosy cheeks, a mind free of worries, and a carefree nature, he looked even younger than his actual age. Sitting at the head of the room, he seemed a bit out of place.
Young as he was, no one dared underestimate him.
This man was truly remarkable—it was as if he'd had a smooth ride all the way. Through the Qin family, through the Left Chancellor, and through his knack for talking big, he'd caught Xia Jinghong's eye. It was as if heaven itself had paved the way for him.
But outsiders saw only his smooth sailing. None of them saw the hardships he'd endured. No ability at all, all luck? His essays weren't well-written, lacking substance and full of empty rhetoric—could the Emperor really have taken a liking to him for that? Without real skill, he'd never have even caught Old Master Wu's attention in the first place. He'd have been kicked out of the academy by Bai Huanan's uncle long ago, and he'd have been ruined beyond recovery by the Sun family and the county magistrate's brother-in-law. Saying he'd never faced setbacks—ridiculous.
Nobody sails smoothly all the way. Only when you're genuinely capable, when you know the right people, when you have powerful backing—only then can things go smoothly, with major troubles reduced to minor ones and minor ones dissolved into nothing.
Now that he was connected to the Emperor and the Qin family, no one was foolish enough to cause him trouble.
Moreover, in just one year since his arrival, anyone could pick out any single thing he'd done and it was enough to prove he had the ability to be a prefect and to lead them all.
The cement road they'd come in on still had their hearts pounding with awe!
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