In the afternoon, seeing that Governor Liu and the others had rested, Pei Zhu led the group to take a tour of the workshop.
This wasn’t originally planned, but since they were already here—and earlier at the banquet, Magistrate Zhang had deliberately shown off by mentioning the workshop to Governor Liu—the governor had taken a certain interest.
After inspecting the workshop, the group would have to set off to return. Although Yongning County had provided good hospitality, the place was still too run-down to compare to Youzhou City, and Governor Liu and the others were unwilling to spend the night there.
Once outside, Zhao Bingwen suddenly noticed that two people were missing.
“Where is Lord Zheng?”
Not just Zheng Xingcheng himself—his fat attendant was gone too. Zhao Bingwen scanned the area but saw no trace of either of them.
Pei Zhu was also puzzled that Zheng Xingcheng had completely checked out. Though the man had been heavily drunk, Pei Zhu had always felt that with Zheng’s reckless determination, he would have stayed until the end no matter how bad he felt. Perhaps he really was that uncomfortable—no matter how strong the will, the body still has limits. Pei Zhu explained on his behalf: “Lord Zheng, having worked tirelessly for the banquet, has collapsed from exhaustion.”
Governor Liu said kindly, “Then a doctor should be sent over to check on him.”
“He’s already been seen to,” Pei Zhu replied, thinking to himself how highly Governor Liu valued Zheng Xingcheng—not only praising him publicly but also caring so much about his health. It seemed that Lord Zheng’s long-cherished dream was about to come true.
Though regrettable, it was what Zheng had always hoped for, so it was a matter for celebration.
Zhao Bingwen, however, was extremely disdainful. “Exhausted and sick? Clearly he’s just drunk out of his mind.” He thought Pei Zhu foolish—trying to cover for someone he didn’t get along with. Such softness, he believed, would prevent Zheng from achieving anything significant.
Leaving the county office, the group boarded their vehicles and headed to the Xiangyi Workshop.
The site was not far—about eight or nine miles south of the city, near the border between the two counties. The workshop had been completed just yesterday, and last night the exterior was still dirty, but by early morning, volunteers had cleaned it up, removing the sawdust and stones, leaving the entrance neat and tidy.
When Du Liangchuan arrived, he initially thought it would be a small workshop. Upon seeing it, however, he realized he had underestimated the two counties, commenting, “The space is quite large, but I wonder how the interior is.”
Pei Zhu responded, “Why don’t you step inside and see for yourself?”
Du Liangchuan cast a glance at the other eager magistrates and said meaningfully, “Impressive that you leave it so unguarded.”
Pei Zhu replied earnestly, “Yongning County has been under the care of Youzhou City for many years, and the neighboring counties have helped us. We are like family—what is there to guard against?”
His words sounded reasonable, and the magistrates found Pei Zhu much more likable than the usual sly officials who always hid their intentions.
Yet once inside, they discovered just how clean it was—so clean, in fact, that it was completely empty. The workshop had no tables or chairs, and it was impossible to tell what it was even used for.
The group looked at Pei Zhu in silence. No wonder he had been so confident—he had literally prepared nothing. What exactly was he trying to show off?
Pei Zhu calmly led them further inside, explaining the layout as they walked. The exterior courtyard was vast; though nothing had yet been added, the interior was already planned.
“The three large rooms at the front are for production—one for preparing materials, one for grinding, and one for packaging. Plenty of open space has been left on either side, temporarily covered with turf, so that future expansions will be convenient.”
The Magistrate of Huaixian sneered. Already thinking of expansion before even starting? He had clearly never heard of Xiangyi, but from Pei Zhu’s description, it seemed similar to bath beans. If its function was the same, why would wealthy households switch to Xiangyi?
Those who haven’t experienced hardship often act fearless.
Even stranger, Magistrate Zhang seemed caught up in it as well, pointing to two rear rooms with confidence: “The rear corners will serve as dormitories for the workers, and the side chambers are for the kitchen, covering all their meals within the workshop.”
Governor Liu suddenly asked, “What kind of meals will be prepared?”
Pei Zhu bowed, “Since funds are limited, the first month will provide simple meals. By the second month, we will gradually include eggs and meat.”
Governor Liu calculated that even with simple meals, hundreds of workers would still consume a lot daily; adding eggs and meat later would rival the county office itself.
Du Liangchuan exclaimed, “Your workshop’s provisions are quite generous! Even before earning profits, you’ve already considered the welfare of the people?”
Pei Zhu didn’t like such sarcastic comments, but a few words couldn’t discourage him—in fact, it spurred him on: “Profits will come in time, but as local officials, it is our duty to benefit the people. The workers will be from Anping and Yongning Counties—if there are losses, they must not be at their expense. Wouldn’t you agree, Lord Du?”
Du Liangchuan smiled but didn’t respond. No matter whether there were losses, the provincial office wouldn’t care; but if the workshop made money, it could repay debts faster.
After touring the workshop and returning to the front courtyard, the layout was orderly. Though the main hall had little scenery, two ancient trees had been transplanted for shade, and a small water channel was dug in front—a good omen derived from the principle of “all waters returning to the hall.”
After inspecting everything, the officials found the workshop well-organized with nothing to criticize. The only downside was that they hadn’t seen the actual Xiangyi product and couldn’t gauge its quality.
Magistrate Zhang, sensing some discontent among the other magistrates, boastfully said, “Once the workshop is in operation and the first batch of goods is ready, we will send each of you a sample to inspect.”
The magistrates exchanged glances, unimpressed by the pride of Zhang and Pei. Whether the venture would make money was still unknown; this overconfidence irritated them. Though all belonged to Youzhou, there were private comparisons between counties. If these two fledgling officials surpassed them, the others might be furious.
After the inspection, they prepared to leave. Before departing, Governor Liu reminded Pei Zhu to safeguard Yongning County, assuring him that in case of danger, the provincial office would promptly come to assist.
Pei Zhu smiled and agreed, treating the words as empty formalities.
The others also had their thoughts, while Magistrate Zhang took the opportunity to glare at Zhao Bingwen. Even though Pei Zhu had informed him that Zhao had been sent to Yongning by Governor Liu, Zhang still disliked him. Zhao was straightforward—when not offended, he could speak politely; but once crossed, he was impossible to get along with.
Zhao Bingwen, fuming from Zhang’s glare, decided to lodge a complaint in the coming days.
With their differing intentions, the group soon departed.
By the time they returned to the county office, it was late. Pei Zhu first went to check on Wang Shiye. He found Wang Chuo sitting by the window, transcribing rare manuscripts to sell for the office’s funding. Seeing Pei Zhu, he paused.
“How are you feeling now? I was busy outside all day and couldn’t check on you,” Pei Zhu said, noting that Wang seemed much better—at least compared to Zheng Xingcheng at noon.
Wang Chuo smiled, “After a short rest this afternoon, I’m fine. No need for concern. By the way, has Governor Liu left?”
“Yes, they left early—they’re too precious to stay overnight in the county office.”
Hearing this, Wang Chuo was reassured. When he had been the Grand Tutor, he had met provincial governors and preferred to remain low-profile to avoid trouble.
Since there were leftover dishes from the day’s banquet, the county staff enjoyed a good meal that evening. Pei Zhu had a few dishes placed on a round table and invited everyone to finish the leftovers together. With warmer weather, leftover food wouldn’t keep for long.
Seeing Zheng Xingcheng’s expression, Pei Zhu was startled.
After half a day of rest, Lord Zheng’s energy had not improved—in fact, he seemed even more listless. Could it be that Governor Liu’s departure had hit him so hard? Was he really that fragile?
Zheng Xingcheng sat gloomily, silent, as if the whole world owed him something, causing the entire table to grow tense.
Pei Zhu thought to alleviate the mood, “Even if Governor Liu favors someone, he wouldn’t immediately take them along; there must be a gradual process. Lord Zheng, don’t be too disappointed.”
“Hmph.” Zheng Xingcheng recalled what he had heard at noon and sneered. To believe that now would be foolish indeed.
Wei Ping shot him a sidelong glance, “What’s this? Now that Lord Zheng has Governor Liu’s favor, he doesn’t even regard Magistrate Pei?”
Zheng slowly turned, his dark eyes fixed on Wei Ping, leaving only a cold laugh.
Wei Ping clenched his chopsticks, thinking to himself that it would be best to deal with this corrupt, overbearing man quickly.
Pei Zhu was baffled, but Wang Chuo remained unaffected, eating at a calm pace. Judging by this, Zheng Xingcheng’s scheme had likely failed. It wasn’t surprising—Zheng had no literary talent, no family background, and no personal connections in the provincial office. Someone with no backing had little hope of rising in the Liang Kingdom bureaucracy.
Zhao Bingwen noticed the strange atmosphere but didn’t care, muttering “ridiculous” and then instructing Zhang Rusheng to serve him a dish of steamed duck.
Zhang Rusheng, displeased, obeyed. After all, Lord Zheng had to curry favor with the provincial officials.
Halfway across the table, a hand suddenly intercepted the dish.
Pei Zhu widened his eyes, bumping Wei Ping.
Wei Ping, surprised, looked at Zheng Xingcheng and Zhao Bingwen—when had these two fallen out?
In front of everyone, Zheng Xingcheng placed the steamed duck before himself, splitting it in half: one for himself, one for Zhang Rusheng, eating with a series of cold, mocking smiles.
Zhao Bingwen, already humiliated by Magistrate Zhang’s earlier glare, was now bullied by Zheng Xingcheng. Furious, he threw down his chopsticks: “Zheng Xingcheng, don’t think that a few kind words from Governor Liu allow you to act arrogantly!”
“Don’t like it? Then leave!” Zheng hunched slightly, giving him a sideways glare, his eyes dark and terrifying.
Zhao Bingwen jumped in shock.
Zhang Rusheng’s eyes lit up, and he shouted, “Exactly—get lost! You’ve been annoying me for a while.”
A low-ranking adviser had no right to shout in his presence.
Zhao Bingwen swallowed nervously. His only hope was Governor Liu; if the governor’s influence didn’t work for Zheng Xingcheng, Zhao would be as deflated as a punctured ball. He realized that the vegetables on the table were perfectly fine—there was no need to insist on the steamed duck.
The table fell silent, save for Zheng Xingcheng’s abrupt, enigmatic laughter.
He would get Zhao Bingwen eventually.
The meal gave Pei Zhu a stomachache. How could there be no peace for even a day? His small Yongning County office somehow attracted so many unpredictable people.
Perhaps influenced by them, Pei Zhu even had a nightmare that night. Though he forgot it by morning, the lingering fear left him uneasy.
“These people are to blame—too much good food leads to all this trouble. Tomorrow, I’ll make them all eat like pigs,” Pei muttered, patting his chest to soothe himself back to sleep.
Fortunately, these troublesome events were few, and by the next day, Pei Zhu had forgotten them, heading off in high spirits to oversee recruiting at the Xiangyi Workshop.
Over the next two days, over 500 workers would be recruited initially, with more added once business picked up.
When Pei arrived, a long line had already formed. Women from Yongning and Anping Counties had heard the news early and came to try their luck.
The recruitment staff, drawn from the two county offices, adhered strictly to the pre-set requirements, giving no special treatment.
Some who failed were dissatisfied, but the selected recruits said nothing. Those hired were mostly known for diligence and skill, making it hard to blame them for losing out.
Recruitment of workers proceeded smoothly. However, finding literate women for bookkeeping proved nearly impossible. Pei Zhu had to seek help from Magistrate Zhang’s side.
After observing for a while, Pei realized another matter: “We should recruit a few strong individuals who can take on ten each for the patrol team, watching day and night to prevent mischief.”
Wei Ping said, “The county probably doesn’t have people that strong.”
“Ten against one?” Wang Chuo muttered suddenly.
Pei thought he recognized someone: “Does Master Wang want to recommend a friend?”
Wang Chuo hesitated, then bitterly shook his head. “There is one candidate—he could handle ten, even a hundred—but unfortunately, he is now my enemy. If he learned of me, even from a thousand miles away, he would come after me.”
Pei Zhu was puzzled: “So he’s still an enemy?”
“Life is unpredictable; he has long been an enemy,” Wang Chuo sighed silently.