After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 762 - 752 I Will

Outside, Zhao Ming still gave Zhao Hanzhang face and said, "Follow the Inspector’s instructions."

Zhao Hanzhang smiled at Yu Sima and said, "It’s just as well to let them exercise. After reading ten thousand volumes, they should know the suffering of the people."

Yu Sima bowed his head in agreement.

Near the riverbank, more people were working in the fields.

It rained a few days ago, and there was a bit of water accumulated in the low fields, but not enough. A section of the upper river was close to the fields, so they dug it open to let water in. As the water flowed into the fields, everyone started to hoe the ridges and let the water flow down from top to bottom, one plot after another.

So, there were people working all over this area.

Zhao Hanzhang stood on the edge of the field with her hands on her hips and watched for a while. Today was the day to let water in, and everyone was walking through the fields with hoes, breaking up large clumps of soil, or stepping on some weeds.

Some weeds grew too thick, so they pulled them and tossed them onto the ridge.

Zhao Hanzhang: "Start plowing here tomorrow?"

"Yes," Zhao Ming pointed to a field that had been watered early and even plowed once, saying, "You’ll plow that plot. Do you know how to plow fields?"

Seeing a plow in the field, along with oxen, Zhao Hanzhang immediately rolled up her sleeves and said, "Uncle Ming underestimates me, doesn’t he? I haven’t been in the fields with the soldiers these past two years without seeing pigs if I haven’t eaten pork."

Zhao Ming: "...So you’ve never touched a plow?"

Zhao Hanzhang gave him a cheeky grin and rolled up her trousers to go over.

She had handled a hoe and planted seeds, but had never actually used a plow.

Immediately, a farmer brought over the plow, which had been modified by Fu Tinghan. Elsewhere, it might not be common, but in Chen County and Xiping, most of the main places had been switched to it.

The officials, seeing Zhao Hanzhang about to use the plow, finally realized she was their Inspector and rushed forward to help.

Yu Sima was the fastest, immediately grabbing the ox, while Chen Changshi was a step behind and gave Yu Sima a discreet glare.

Yu Sima was unafraid and glared back fiercely.

Chen Changshi, helpless, had to turn to help with the rope, while others, of lower rank, hurried forward to assist.

But after a while, the group still hadn’t figured it out, so to be careful, the village chief had arranged a gentle-tempered ox for Zhao Hanzhang. It was becoming impatient, snorting and eager to shake off the people fussing around it.

The village chief continued talking to Zhao Hanzhang but kept an eye on his ox. Seeing them wrongly fastening the rope around the ox’s head, he couldn’t help but feel angry.

He directly bowed to Zhao Hanzhang and turned to stop Yu Sima and the others, "Gentlemen, stop! This ox is not to be messed with like that."

Yu Sima awkwardly paused his hands, bowed to the village chief under the gaze of Zhao Hanzhang and Zhao Ming, and humbly asked, "Excuse me, sir, how should we harness the plow?"

The village chief snorted, "You’re the Inspector, juggling many affairs daily, and not knowing how to plow is understandable. But you gentlemen govern the people in the state and county, and you don’t know either?"

The officials looked embarrassed and inwardly ashamed, repeatedly bowing to apologize.

Zhao Ming looked most displeased; half of these officials were nominated by him and Zhao Hanzhang, the other half appointed by Zhao Hanzhang after merit examinations.

If those he recommended couldn’t perform well, he as the recommender naturally lost face.

Zhao Hanzhang watched smilingly but eventually spoke to spare Zhao Ming’s face, "Xiao Lizheng, they don’t know yet, so we’ll teach them. It’s spring plowing, and I’ll arrange for them to learn how to plow, sow seeds, and transplant rice with you."

Xiao Lizheng immediately restrained his anger and replied, "Yes."

Fu Tinghan stepped forward to take the rope from Chen Changshi, smiling, "Let me do it."

He calmed the ox, untied the rope from its neck, rethreaded it, and then led the ox forward, pulling the rope from behind to slip it around its neck.

Xiao Lizheng watched and nodded slightly.

The curved plow was sketched out by Fu Tinghan and Zhao Hanzhang based on memory. They only knew the principles and improvements, leaving many details missing.

This plow needed him and the craftsmen to analyze and improve it, so the curved plow was brought into the fields first for practical testing.

He had tried it himself many times, so he knew how to harness the plow and how to plow fields.

Fu Tinghan, having harnessed the plow, taught Zhao Hanzhang how to guide it.

Guiding the plow wasn’t difficult, but there were some small techniques that could plow deeper and spread the soil to both sides more easily, making it less labor-intensive and loosening the soil better.

Fu Tinghan had learned from old farmers; regardless of his practical results, he remembered the essentials and various techniques thoroughly.

He taught all of this to Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang guided the plow on two paths and immediately surpassed Fu Tinghan, her plowing skills nearly matching those of veteran farmers.

Even Xiao Lizheng couldn’t help but slap his thigh and say, "The Inspector is truly a natural farmer!"

Watching her effortlessly lift the plow, his eyes brightened, saying repeatedly, "With such strength, even if you weren’t an Inspector, you’d be formidable in farming."

Most importantly, she was very talented. Initially, she didn’t know how much force to apply to push the plow, but after just a dozen steps, she found the right balance. As for the techniques and pointers Fu Tinghan mentioned, she grasped them instantly, mastering them after walking just a few steps with the plow. She seemed to be born for plowing.

Not only Xiao Lizheng but also nearby farmers watching were eyeing Zhao Hanzhang fervently. So skilled, what a pity she was an Inspector; otherwise, they would beg to marry her, having a plow-handler at home.

Zhao Hanzhang found it easy, so she set the plow aside and even tried the harrow, testing all the farming tools she had never used before in half a day’s time, then happily returned to the town, "Tomorrow, we’ll start plowing here."

Zhao Hanzhang missed the February 2nd plowing event and hadn’t planned to do it again, but Zhao Ming thought that with the Zhao Family Army’s achievements last year and the peaceful resolution of the Qingzhou matter, she should appear and let people admire her, also reassuring the people. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Advertisements were made to the elders of Chen County that she would host the plowing ceremony, praying for favorable weather and abundant harvests.

Many came early to see Zhao Hanzhang, lodging in Chen County days in advance, filling all the inns and restaurants. Even local homes accommodated guests from other counties, with a night’s stay costing at least ten cents, and including two meals, totaling no less than fifteen cents, greatly boosting Chen County’s economy.

Walking down Chen County’s main street, seeing more and more people on the street and many carrying luggage by the city gates, either walking or arriving by ox cart or donkey to see her, she mused, "I didn’t expect my value to be reflected in this way. If I toured each county, plowing once, would they follow me, boosting the economy in each county?"

Fu Tinghan: "A celebrity seldom hosts events, making rare appearances eagerly anticipated. If she frequently hosted events, meeting fans every few days, how many would continue chasing after her?"

Zhao Hanzhang: "That’s true, and going back and forth across counties takes time. Never mind, we’d better focus on our new currency."