Zhulan moved the candlesticks closer. Zhou Shuren brought back a detailed map of the area near Lizhou City. Zhulan looked at the rivers first. People's life cannot be separated from water. She was more concerned about the water source, especially when there was a drought. Water was even more important.
Zhulan looked carefully and found that the water source in Lizhou City was not abundant. There was only one tributary to support it. "You want to dig a pond?"
Forget about the reservoir, as the project is too huge, and there is no cement to build the dam. If the technology is not up to standard, disasters could easily occur. Pools and ponds are safer.
Zhou Shuren pointed at a few places with his fingertips. "Smart, I looked at the distribution of counties and towns in Lizhou. It's not difficult to dig some ponds. I'm just afraid of natural disasters after the war, so this is a precaution. If there are no natural disasters, these ponds can be contracted out to raise fish, which can also bring in some income. If there is a drought, it can also alleviate the situation."
Zhulan's heart was in her throat when she heard this. There had been no drought in recent years. She was really afraid of drought. This was not like modern times where we can artificially create rain or use technology to adjust water. In ancient times, everything depended on God. "Pooh, pooh, good things work but bad things don't."
Zhou Shuren smiled, "Okay, Ling."
Zhulan felt more at ease and continued to look at the map, "You still want to build a road, right?"
Zhou Shuren nodded, "You have experienced how difficult the road was along the way. It just so happens that we have enough manpower now. We can use manpower to exchange for food and build Lizhou at the same time, killing two birds with one stone."
Zhulan frowned, "The workload is heavy, so we have to eat a lot. The two batches of food left are not enough. We have to save this food to last for a few months."
Zhou Shuren took the map and said, "So half of the settlement is grain and the other half is silver. It won't work if the people don't have any silver. With silver, they can buy household items, and the markets everywhere can slowly recover. Only when the people have demand can they attract merchants, and the whole Lizhou can slowly recover its vitality."
Zhu Lan thought about the silver in Zhou Shuren's hand, "Do the Tongzhi and Tongpan agree? Lizhou will be managed by the three of you."
Zhou Shuren smiled and said, "Today I have brought money and the power given by the emperor. They really have no other choice. I hope they will entrust everything to me. They will not have any objection."
Zhulan said: "That's good."
As for the intrigues after overcoming the difficulties, she was not worried about Zhou Shuren at all. She would be lucky if he didn't scheme against others.
Zhulan lay down and thought for a while, then turned sideways and said, "In fact, the government can buy some chicks for farmers to take, and each household can take a few. After the chickens lay eggs, they can use the eggs to pay back the money for the chicks. There are also piglets that can be taken for raising first. If there is really nothing to feed, the government can withdraw coarse grains for pigs in advance from the government, and pay back the money for the piglets and grains after the pigs are slaughtered. Of course, the farmers who can take them must be of good character, and some lazy people can forget about it. When they take them, they must sign a guarantee. Except for force majeure, they will be responsible for other situations."
Zhou Shuren's eyes lit up. "This is a good idea. Farmers will have extra income and can pay back the government. The government will also have extra money to do other things."
Zhulan smiled and said, "I want to buy apple trees, right? You can also buy some good-tasting apple trees and collect them from door to door, one or two apples per family. When the apples are harvested, you can sell them to some fruit merchants, which can also be extra income."
Zhou Shuren raised his eyebrows, "I think you want to build Lizhou City into an apple town!"
Zhulan smiled and said, "Yes, there are many apples in Chuanzhou, but there is no famous name. Once Lizhou City becomes the hometown of apples, many fruit merchants will come here to enjoy its reputation, and it will also boost the local economy. How great is it to kill two birds with one stone?"
Zhou Shuren kissed Zhulan's forehead and said, "You have helped me a lot."
He knows how to govern and slowly solve the current problems. As for generating income for farmers, he still needs to rely on Zhulan to find more ways. To put it bluntly, Mr. Meng he brought with him can only help him with political affairs, and he still needs Zhulan's help in the economy.
Zhulan curved her eyes, "I haven't asked you yet. I remember you said that the Zhizhou and the Tongzhi of Zhili Prefecture have the same power, and the Tongzhi of Zhili Prefecture has the same rank as the prefect. Now the Tongzhi of Lizhou City lives behind the government office. Did you say anything else when you came?"
Zhou Shuren, "With the emperor's attention and Wu Chun's relationship, the Tongzhi naturally said so. When I was leaving, he told me that he could move out, but I refused. I said that I had already bought a house, and his rank was higher than mine. Although the power was not determined by rank, he came here before me, so he should not move out."
Zhu Lan curled her lips and said, "If you didn't have the right to use the money on the road, and if you didn't have your nephew Wu Chun, Chen Chen, the Tongzhi, wouldn't have mentioned this at all."
Zhou Shuren smiled, "Yes, they must have been upset when they knew the new governor was a new runner-up. Now they feel relieved to see me. In the end, the emperor is still powerful. To be frank, Chen Chen is the one who restrains me."
Zhu Lan stretched her waist and said, "Fortunately, there is no regulation in this dynasty that prohibits officials from buying houses and property in their new posts. Although I am only allowed to buy one house, no more than four shops, and no more than 200 acres of land, I am already very satisfied."
Although there are many shady operations that can put the credit of shop operations on followers, relatives, etc., and there are many such practices in Pingzhou City, Zhulan does not intend to do so. She would rather invest in other cities.
Zhulan and Zhou Shuren chatted for a while. This time they were both sleepy. Zhulan fell asleep first in a daze. Zhou Shuren went over what Zhulan said in his mind again to make sure he would not forget it before he hugged Zhulan to sleep.
The next morning, Zhulan slept on the warm kang. It had been a long time since she had slept so comfortably. When she opened her eyes, Zhou Shuren was dressed. "Why did you get up so early?"
Zhou Shuren was not used to the feeling of going to work. He was used to sleeping until he woke up naturally at home. He yawned and said, "There are many things waiting for me in the government office. There were many people waiting to receive food in front of the government office yesterday. I have to go to the government office now."
Zhulan put on her shoes and went downstairs, "You're not going to have breakfast?"
She didn't even need to guess to know that he would be too busy to eat today. Would he go hungry all day? Zhou Shuren was so old, his body couldn't bear such a torment.
Zhou Shuren actually got up a little late. If he had gotten up earlier, he would have been able to have breakfast, but he would not tell Zhulan that he did not get up. "I will skip breakfast. At lunch time, I will kill a chicken and cook a few dishes to send to the government office. It can be regarded as a meal for me to treat the Tongzhi and others."
Zhulan put on her clothes and went out. "Don't skip breakfast. There are still a few cornmeal buns left from yesterday. I'll cut some sausage for you to eat in the carriage."
As she spoke, Zhulan went out. Xinghua was lighting a fire in the kitchen. Zhulan took two cornmeal buns and a sausage, wrapped them up, and returned to the yard to give them to Zhou Shuren, "Be sure to eat breakfast."
Zhou Shuren felt warm in his heart. His wife loved him the most. "I will definitely eat them all."
After Zhulan sent Zhou Shuren away and washed up, breakfast was ready. They ate too much of yesterday's meal, so they had rice porridge and pancakes for breakfast. There was not a single egg in the house. Li cut some sausages and cabbage and cooked them into soup.
After breakfast, the Yang family rested for a night and felt more energetic. Zhulan took Xuehan to personally send her parents to Wuchun's house.
Wu Chun's house had three courtyards and was indeed as big as he wrote in the letter. Zhulan had a lot of things to do, so after seeing that her parents were settled, she took her daughter home.
Without the Yang family, the Zhou family's house was so empty that you couldn't even bump into anyone when you walked.
Zhulan was silent. She still needed to buy more servants. She said to Xuehan, "Go call your eldest brother and ask him to go to the pawnbroker to find a pawnbroker."
Xue Han, "Mom, aren't you going there yourself?"
Zhulan tapped her daughter's nose and said, "Silly girl, your mother is an official's wife now. Your status has changed. It's not good for you to go to the dental clinic yourself. Go and ask your elder brother to come."