Chapter 1492: Chapter 1492: Hitting Multiple Targets with a Single Shot
Zhou Shuren hadn’t checked for an auspicious day in quite some time; he’s been too busy lately.
Minister Yu, however, was well aware, and he, alongside his wife, had noted down all the upcoming auspicious days. "The next auspicious day is seven days from now. After that, there are no more for this month."
Zhou Shuren could clearly see through Minister Yu’s intentions. This man didn’t mention other auspicious days, only the closest one. Clearly, he wanted to finalize the engagement quickly. "Minister Yu, you must have noticed already—the other officials hold significant prejudice against my wife for establishing the orphanage with her charity work. With their male-dominated ideology, they’ve continuously caused trouble for me and are eagerly waiting for me to make a fool of myself. Are you certain you want to proceed with the engagement?"
Minister Yu was likewise aware of the situation, but he trusted Marquis Zhou. Despite the repeated challenges posed by the other officials, Marquis Zhou had prevailed every time. "I’m certain, my lord."
Zhou Shuren stopped walking, locking eyes with Minister Yu. "I detest people who stab me in the back. If someone betrays me, I will make them regret it thoroughly. Do you understand?"
Minister Yu froze for a moment, taken aback by Zhou Shuren’s unusually serious and threatening tone. Marquis Zhou was usually all smiles. This uncharacteristic sternness sent a shiver down his spine. He had seen firsthand how vengeful Marquis Zhou could be. Steeling himself, he replied, "I understand, my lord. I’ve thought it through thoroughly."
Zhou Shuren’s stern expression slowly softened into a smile. "Then seven days from now. I think that day will do quite nicely."
Minister Yu exhaled deeply and straightened his posture. "I shall inform my wife as soon as I leave the palace. We’ll ensure everything is meticulously prepared."
Zhou Shuren nodded and turned to continue walking. Casually, he remarked, "Your Ministry of Commerce is short of staff, isn’t it?"
Minister Yu sighed and said, "It is indeed short of people."
Zhou Shuren narrowed his eyes. "The Ministry of Revenue is short on manpower too."
The Ministry of Commerce had originally been split off from the Ministry of Revenue, so many of its backbone officials were former Revenue officers.
Minister Yu didn’t quite grasp the meaning yet. "What does my lord imply?"
Zhou Shuren lowered his head and said, "In fact, you might consider cultivating some talent—screening from the pool of Graduates would be a good start. What do you think?"
This time, Minister Yu understood. Marquis Zhou was hoping the Ministry of Commerce would take the initiative. The Ministry of Commerce was indeed the department most in need of people; even the provincial government offices lacked a complete staffing roster at this point. "I’ll keep that in mind, my lord."
Zhou Shuren didn’t say more. After a conversation that lasted quite a while, the cold wind he’d endured began to leave his stomach feeling slightly chilled.
While Zhou Shuren sought to find tasks to engage the Wen family faction, he also aimed to select some good talent. Not passing the degree exam didn’t necessarily mean someone lacked ability; there was a larger base of Graduates compared to degree-holders, and many capable individuals were among them.
Now that various departments had distinct roles, all of them were facing manpower shortages, with the Ministry of Revenue being the most critically understaffed.
Furthermore, the Grassland province desperately needed a large number of officials. Zhou Shuren’s efforts would achieve multiple benefits simultaneously.
In the Zhou household, Zhulan was preparing to leave the city to personally inspect the estate. Lady Li would undoubtedly accompany her. Unexpectedly, Yu Wen also wished to come along.
The entire family stared at Yu Wen in surprise. Her face flushed from their gazes.
Zhulan remarked, "It’s rare to see you so proactive."
Yu Wen felt she’d finally found her purpose. Born into what her grandmother called ’the finish line,’ with both family status and Silver in abundance, she had never been particularly interested in anything. But seeing her grandmother working, a spark was lit in her otherwise indifferent heart. "Grandmother, your granddaughter wishes to help you."
Zhulan was delighted to see Yu Wen take an interest in the orphanage. "Good. Then come along and have a look."
Both Yu Die and Yu Yi piped up as well, expressing their desire to go. Zhulan had no intention of taking all her granddaughters with her. One was sufficient; her granddaughter’s help would still be behind the scenes. Until the organization she was building received proper recognition and its system was fully established, she wouldn’t allow her granddaughters to publicly assist her.
Taking along one granddaughter could be interpreted as her wanting company and concern for her safety. Taking too many, however, might invite suspicion.
The manors bestowed by the Empress were thoughtfully situated. The estate wasn’t far from the capital; it took only an hour and a half to reach after leaving the city. Steward Wang was responsible for overseeing the estate’s construction.
Upon stepping out of the carriage, Zhulan saw busy villagers. "You’ve hired quite a few people?"
Steward Wang responded, "Strong laborers from two nearby villages have come; most are drawn by the promise of food."
Nowadays, temporary work rarely offered payment in food, but Zhulan was compensating in grain, so of course, they came.
Zhulan pointed to some people squatting in the distance. "What’s going on over there?"
Steward Wang explained, "The estate pays in grain. Every household is suffering from food shortage now, and those people couldn’t find work but are waiting in hopes of a chance."
Lady Li interjected, "I thought the villagers near the capital had some stockpiles of grain."
Steward Wang clarified, "Indeed, they had some. But with grain merchants raising prices repeatedly, many sold part of their stores. It wasn’t enough to last through this period."
Lady Li exhaled, her breath visible in the chill air. "The weather is truly cold."
Steward Wang, however, couldn’t truly empathize with the struggles of the common people. He had been granted to the Hou Residence by the Emperor. Even when the Zhou family had held lower official ranks earlier in the years, he sometimes felt his life was like a dream. Now, as part of the Hou Residence, his circumstances had only improved further. Though he wasn’t the chief steward, he held significant influence in the capital.
If not for the old madam having him manage affairs temporarily until the Princely Heir returned, he wouldn’t need to endure any hardships.
Fifteen orphans had already arrived yesterday. Zhulan reviewed the construction progress first, then went to see the children.
On the way, Steward Wang remarked, "A few children heard the news and came on their own. Some older ones wanted to help with building houses, but we didn’t allow the younger ones. These children are all emaciated—skin and bones, truly."
These children had thin arms and legs, and Steward Wang feared they might get hurt.
Zhulan saw a few of them. They were helping a farm woman wash sweet potatoes, preparing lunch. As the steward prepared to speak, Zhulan held him back. "I’m just observing."
When the children saw her, they quickly stood up, clearly nervous. Though Zhulan had dressed modestly for the outing, the fine fabric of her clothes still marked her as someone of much higher status. The children were visibly fearful.
All of them looked extremely thin and malnourished. The tallest appeared around ten years old; the smallest, about seven. There were fewer girls among them, with boys in the majority.
Zhulan felt a deep heaviness in her heart. Children in ancient times were prone to dying young; orphaned kids usually had no hope for survival, and girls were especially vulnerable. However, those who managed to survive had a remarkable resilience, a trait that slightly eased Zhulan’s mood.
When donating supplies, Zhulan had provided a significant amount of fish. Her family owned a fish farm, and the fish had been stored in ice cellars. Since the weather wasn’t overly cold, she had donated some extra fish. "Let’s add fish soup to today’s lunch."
The children needed nourishment. The fish soup would be the only protein they’d have, as meat was scarce in the markets, and the donated supplies didn’t include any meat.
Because of the additional fish soup, everyone was noticeably happier.
Zhulan carefully inspected the estate and was satisfied with Steward Wang’s performance. Without lingering further, she returned home.
Back at the Zhou residence, Steward Ding waited at the door, his face beaming. "Second Young Master Liu just delivered a deer and a sheep."
Zhulan grinned. "A rare treat, indeed."
Steward Ding continued, "Second Young Master Liu went hunting today and caught two deer. He specifically gifted one of them to you. The sheep is raised on Liu family’s estate, and he mentioned that Third Miss has a fondness for lamb. He carefully picked the plumpest one to send over."
Zhulan’s footsteps paused momentarily. "That was thoughtful of him."
Steward Ding chuckled happily. Whenever Second Young Master Liu visited, the Second Master always mentioned how Prince Qin showed filial respect to Marquis Zhou. Clearly, Second Young Master Liu was particularly attentive—even if his expression showed he begrudged parting with the gifts. While stingy in general, he was genuinely considerate toward Third Miss.