Gusu

So that afternoon, when they went to the yamen, the yamen guards saw Eunuch Deng and his entourage again, the same people who had come to deliver the imperial edict a while ago.

Once you've done it once, you'll get used to it. The two men didn't do the foolish thing of stopping the person at the door again. Instead, they bowed and scraped as they escorted the person into the courtyard, calling out loudly, "Lord Zhao, Eunuch Deng from the palace has come to deliver an imperial decree."

Upon hearing that an imperial edict had been delivered, the other yamen runners quickly and cleverly moved tables and incense burners.

Zhao Ruxi had originally planned to go and see the people repairing the water conservancy project, but before Gong Cheng left yesterday, he specifically reminded everyone in the yamen that there might be a reward today, so she stayed in the yamen and didn't go anywhere.

Not only Zhao Ruxi, but the other officials also stayed in the yamen.

They themselves had never received an imperial edict in their lives, but now that they could kneel before it a few times as bystanders, it would be a topic of conversation for a lifetime, something they certainly couldn't miss.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Zhao Ruxi, and seeing that everyone had arrived and the incense table was set up, Eunuch Deng opened the imperial edict and began to read it aloud.

Upon hearing that the Emperor had bestowed upon Zhao Ruxi a large estate of 800 mu of land, along with 100 taels of gold, 1,000 taels of silver, 1 bushel of South Sea pearls, and 20 bolts of silk, and that Zhao Ruxi was even permitted to grow glutinous rice on the estate, Liu Hongyu and the others were green with envy.

Those of them, with no background, mostly came from small landowning families. After passing the imperial examinations and becoming officials, Liu Hongyu was upright and honest, while Li Li was timid and dared not embezzle. Liu Hongyu served as an official his whole life and only bought a few hundred acres of land in his hometown, planning to return to his hometown to live as a farmer after retiring.

Because someone was protecting him, Cai Yaozong tried every means to make money, but he didn't dare to cross the line. He handed over all the money he got, and didn't keep much for himself. His savings were about the same as Liu Hongyu's.

The rewards Zhao Ruxi received were nothing in the eyes of Xiao Ge, Xiao Lingyan, and the high-ranking officials in the capital, but they were quite generous in the eyes of Liu Hongyu and other fifth- or sixth-rank local officials.

Needing to get back to Beijing in a hurry, Eunuch Deng decree and went straight back to the capital.

Zhao Ruxi was truly Gao Xing to receive this reward. It perfectly suited her tastes.

That afternoon, she sent Zhou Chun to take over the estate.

Zhou Chun had already taken over and reorganized several estates, so he was familiar with the process and the methods were all the same. He would discipline the servants, organize training, improve their treatment, establish a school, and win their hearts. As long as he did these things one by one, he could immediately bring the estates under his control, and Zhao Ruxi wouldn't have to worry about it at all.

So she then focused all her energy on improving the water conservancy system around Nanyang.

Two groups of people were recruited for corvée labor: two hundred to reclaim wasteland and two hundred to build water conservancy projects.

Zhao Ruxi divided the water conservancy repair team into four groups of fifty people each, and they dug in four places at the same time to gradually correct the original imperfect water conservancy system. In the high-lying areas, she also planned to install her improved elevated waterwheels.

Xiao Ge acted extremely quickly. As soon as Zhao Ruxi received the imperial edict, he had the agricultural tool designs with dimensions drawn up and sent them to various provinces.

Wu Zong received the design drawings around the same time Zhao Ruxi received her reward, while Gusu was only one day behind.

"This says Zhao Ruxi, isn't she Lord Zhao's daughter, the one who was just betrothed to the Consort of the Prince of Qi?" Looking at the description on the farm tool diagram, Zhang Shun couldn't believe his old eyes and handed the design to his clerk for him to see.

The advisor squinted and looked at it, then nodded and said, "That's right. Doesn't it say on it that it was invented by Zhao Ruxi Zhao Zhiwei, the Assistant Prefect of Nanyang Prefecture? That's why His Majesty named these two new farm tools Zhao Nail Hoe and Zhao Nail Spade."

Having confirmed that Zhao Ruxi was responsible, Zhang Shun gave a wry smile and shook his head, "I even wanted my nephew to marry Zhao Zhiwei back then, which was like a toad lusting after a swan. My nephew couldn't even reach her if you gave him a ladder to heaven. Luckily, I had the self-awareness to stop in time, otherwise, I don't know if I'd still be sitting in this position today."

Trying to steal a daughter-in-law from the royal family? They're asking for trouble.

The advisor remained silent, but inwardly he was thinking: Where is your self-awareness? They're worlds apart! They don't even glance at your nephew. You're afraid of offending them, that's why you don't dare let him move forward anymore, okay?

Zhang Shun didn't expect him to say anything. He picked up the letter, got up, went out the door, went to Zhao Yuanxun next door, showed him the letter, and showered him with compliments.

Zhao Yuanxun was naturally very Gao Xing. Seeing that it was almost time to leave the office, he said, "I'll go back and tell my mother the good news."

Go ahead, go ahead.

When Zhao Yuanxun returned home, he told the old lady about it, and she was very Gao Xing.

"I knew Miss Xi was capable; she never lied to me. She said she'd marry herself off before she turned seventeen, and look, she's been chosen by the royal family and is going to marry into the royal family as a princess. Oh my, I really never imagined our Earl of Suiping's Residence would have such a glorious day."

The old lady was particularly moved when she talked about these things.

No matter how hard she, Zhao Yuanxun, and Lady Zhu tried in those years, the Marquis's Mansion was declining day by day. When the Marquis's Mansion was demoted to the Earl's Mansion, she was completely disheartened and dared not even think that it could regain its former glory.

Unexpectedly, in just two or three years, Zhao Ruxi brought the Earl's Mansion to new heights. First, she became an apprentice, making people dare not underestimate the Earl's Mansion. Then, she displayed her talents, making people look at the Earl's Mansion with new eyes. She even got an official position for her father. Now, she has even passed the imperial examination with top honors and become a princess.

If I were in Beijing now, I'd be the object of everyone's flattery when I attended a banquet, a world of difference from how I was treated three years ago, right?

She used to place all her hopes on her children and grandchildren, but she never imagined that in the end, it would be her granddaughter who would restore the glory of the Earl's Mansion, and that the granddaughter would be someone who had been switched out and raised outside since childhood.

This left her with very mixed feelings, unsure of how to treat Zhao Ruxi well in order to repay her for everything she had brought to the Earl of Suiping's Residence.

"Write again and ask if the wedding date has been set. Our family is now in two different places, so we can't even spend the New Year together. I also don't know how Miss Xi's dowry is coming along."

Knowing that Zhao Ruxi had been betrothed to the Prince of Qi, she wanted to go to Nanyang to arrange the marriage, but Lady Zhu and Zhao Ruxi wrote letters to dissuade her.

Zhao Ruxi said that everything would be Ministry of Rites by the Ministry of Rites; Lady Zhu said that it was winter now, Gusu was a bit warmer than Nanyang, so it would be better for her health to stay in Gusu. As long as she took care of herself and stayed healthy, she would be doing everyone a great favor.

After Lady Zhu said that, the old lady stopped mentioning going to Nanyang and stayed obediently in Gusu.

Winter is the season when the elderly are most prone to illness. If she goes to Nanyang and falls ill on the way or in Nanyang, not only will Lady Zhu be unable to spare the energy to arrange Zhao Ruxi Ruxi's marriage, but Zhao Ruxi will also be unable to concentrate on her official duties. She will not be there to help, but rather to cause trouble.