Stepmother in charge: Making a fortune through farming and raising her children to fight back

After listening to the whole process of what had happened in the village recently, Lu Yunfeng looked at the village chief who was kneeling on the ground and kindly helped him up.

"Village Chief Qin, please stand up and speak first. This matter has its reasons. You used the salt lake for the sake of the lives of the entire village. I will report the truth to the higher-ups, and I believe they will understand."

"If you hadn't acted decisively and taken swift action, Qinjia Village would have suffered casualties. Using a little salt lake wouldn't have mattered. Furthermore, discovering such a large salt lake in Qinjia Village is a blessing for our court. Once this matter is reported, I believe your village will be commended."

The village chief looked up at him in surprise and said, "Sir, then...will our village's unauthorized use of the salt lake be investigated by higher authorities?"

"We understand the principle of making the best use of resources. The newly discovered salt lake can be used to save lives. It's a good thing, so why would we pursue it?" Lu Yunfeng patted his shoulder solemnly. "Officials aren't all heartless. No matter the circumstances, human nature always trumps the law. Village Chief Qin, you didn't do anything wrong; you actually performed a meritorious service."

He would not linger here when faced with serious matters. He immediately stood up and walked out: "I will go back to the county office to report to the county magistrate first, and ask him to go to Yuzhou to report the matter in person. You just wait for the reward."

After saying that, he opened the door and walked out.

Yun Zhenzhen actually wanted to tell him about the matter of purifying salt, but after thinking about it, she felt that it would be difficult to explain it clearly at the moment, so it would be better to wait for the professionals to come and then talk about it in detail.

He and the village chief accompanied the county magistrate to the door.

The night is dark and the wind is freezing.

Lu Yunfeng and his lawyer took a carriage and returned to the county government office overnight. Without time to rest, they ran directly to the door of the county magistrate's room in the backyard and knocked.

After hearing what he said, the county magistrate quickly stood up and went into the study to think with him about how to write the memorial.

The first is the recent handling of refugees and the results of their resettlement, followed by the damage and casualties in many places caused by this snow disaster, and the next steps of Yunding County's prevention and control of public security measures are explained.

On the last night of the memorial, he focused on the Ruyi'an people of Qinjia Village, especially their newly discovered salt lake, which not only saved the entire village in the face of disaster, but also made contributions to the court.

By the time everything was described, the sky was already turning pale.

The legal advisor was also there grinding ink, and he whispered, "Sir, you two have been writing here all night. Go back and rest for a while. I'll send someone to deliver this memorial to Yuzhou later."

County Magistrate Wang stood up and shook his head. "No need. The things written here are of great importance. It would be more reassuring for me to go there myself. You can just ask someone to prepare the car."

"Okay, I'll send someone to find a car. You've been busy all night, so it won't hurt to wait a little longer." The lawyer was still trying to dissuade him, "It's getting late now. I'll ask the kitchen to prepare some food so you can fill your stomach before you hit the road."

After a busy night, County Magistrate Wang was indeed very hungry. After hurriedly drinking a bowl of porridge with Lu Yunfeng, he immediately got on the carriage and headed for Yuzhou.

Yuzhou is not far from Yunding County. If you set out early in the morning, you can arrive around noon.

A month ago, when he came here, Yuzhou was surrounded by refugees. All along the way, he saw refugees in tattered clothes and with disheveled hair. Now, just over a month has passed, and Yuzhou City has returned to its former tranquility and prosperity.

Today is the eleventh day of the first lunar month. Every household in the city still has red couplets posted on their doors, and many streets are hung with big red lanterns. The festive atmosphere is lingering.

County Magistrate Wang's carriage wobbled as it arrived in front of the governor's residence.

The servant at the door naturally recognized them. When he saw them, he immediately invited them in.

"Brother Wang, it's been a while since we last met. You're still as charming as ever." The Governor was in a good mood today and welcomed the guest in with a cheerful face. "Come in, bring some of the tea I've treasured in my mansion to Lord Wang. This is a distinguished guest who has come from afar, and we must not neglect him."

Magistrate Wang didn't bother to exchange pleasantries. After politely greeting the man, he handed over the memorial in his hand.

Seeing his expression, the governor stopped joking and opened the memorial, nodding continuously. "During this refugee disaster, Yunding County and Changshan County provided the largest number of refugees. I have recorded the contributions you two have made and reported them to my superiors. The new method developed by the people of Ruyi'an in your jurisdiction has greatly reduced the cost of medical treatment and has enabled more people to receive treatment. I have reported all of this truthfully. If nothing unexpected happens, you will receive another commendation. You will definitely have a bright future..."

The governor paused, then continued, "Your Yunding County is truly blessed to have produced a Ruyi'an. When her status rises, your county and your status will also rise with it. In this way, your position may rise even higher this year."

County Magistrate Wang was a bit flattered. "Most of my current achievements are contributed by the people of Ruyi'an. If we look at the root of it, I haven't done anything particularly good for the people. If I get promoted, it sounds a bit unworthy of my position. It would be better to distribute these rewards to the people below. Right now, there is something more important. A new salt lake has been discovered in Qinjia Village, Yunding County..."

The governor listened to his narration and turned his gaze to the last page of the memorial, his face full of disbelief: "Tsk tsk... Your Qin Village is truly a place of great feng shui..."

County Magistrate Wang took out the jar of salt that Yun Zhenzhen had brought back and handed it over respectfully.

The governor has been an official for so many years and has handled a lot of salt taxes. The low output and high efficiency brought by this thing are naturally obvious to all.

"Is this really the salt you produce? Each grain looks fine, and it doesn't taste strange at all. It's simply the best salt." The governor said meaningfully, "My brother, Yunding County's fortune has truly arrived!"

Seeing the Governor's good spirits, County Magistrate Wang continued, "This salt lake was discovered by Qinjia Village when the mountains were blocked by heavy snow. Because the village was cut off from the outside world, every household was short of salt. They used some of it during this critical moment. Please, Governor, consider Qinjia Village's contributions and forgive their ignorance."

"No problem. In times of crisis, we can resort to extraordinary measures. However, this thing cannot be used directly without being processed." The Governor spoke slowly. "The local villagers are ignorant and may eat it directly. I am afraid it may cause some casualties. Is this situation critical?"