After traveling through time, I led the whole village to become rich!

Zhang Hulan understood that helping the villagers find food was a solution to their immediate needs and might prevent some people from starving to death. However, this small number of people was insignificant to the imperial court. Her proposed composting method was of great use to the court, bringing long-term benefits.

If you look at it this way, the emperor was a bit stingy. He didn't even give her an imperial edict or something despite her great contribution.

Zhang Hulan also understood that the emperor could reward her with these things and even issued an imperial edict to praise her, probably because Wu Deyong helped her.

This also shows that Wu Deyong and his wife are really good people, otherwise he could have taken all the credit for himself.

Zhang Hulan bowed to Wu Deyong and said, "Sir, I think you should have said something good for me, right?"

Wu Deyong smiled and waved his hand, "I have only reported your actions to the court truthfully. You have made contributions to the court, and the emperor and the court will naturally reward you."

Zhang Hulan understood clearly that Wu Deyong was speaking for him.

Zhang Hulan saluted again, "Thank you very much, sir!"

Zhang Hulan then took out two pieces of silk and brocade that the emperor had awarded her and gave them to Ye Hongyun. "Madam, please keep these materials. They are my little token of appreciation."

Ye Hongyun smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Keep them for yourself. I don't need these things at home. I've accepted the two horses you gave me, and you can take these back with you."

Is there no shortage of these things at home? Good fellow, if it was just cloth, Zhang Hulan would not be surprised, but the fact that there was no shortage of cloth awarded by the emperor made Zhang Hulan feel that Wu Deyong's family must be extraordinary.

Wu Deyong also spoke up, "Keep the things for yourself. You don't need to send us anything in the future. We don't need anything."

Wu Deyong then said, "Okay, if you have nothing else, go back."

Zhang Hulan quickly said, "Sir, I'd like to ask if I can use the cloth and silver the emperor gave me as a reward?"

Wu Deyong smiled and nodded, "Of course you can use it."

Zhang Hulan asked again, "Sir, the Emperor said he would exempt me from taxes for three years. The wasteland I bought will also be exempt from taxes for three years. Does that mean I won't have to pay taxes for six years?"

Wu Deyong nodded again, "Yes."

Zhang Hulan asked again, "The three-year tax exemption from the Emperor only applies to the land I bought before, or does it also apply to the land I bought later?"

Wu Deyong smiled and said, "Everything is exempt. As long as it's your land, you will be exempt from taxes for three years."

Zhang Hulan then said, "Then I'll buy another 1,000 acres of wasteland."

"You want to buy another thousand acres of land? And it's wasteland?" Wu De looked at Zhang Hulan in surprise.

Zhang Hulan nodded. "Yes. Didn't the emperor give me a hundred taels of gold? I used it all to buy land."

Wu Deyong said, "I understand you want to buy land, but why did you buy so much wasteland?"

Zhang Hulan didn't hide her secrets from Wu Deyong. She needed his support to pursue her career. She said, "Sir, I'm planning to build a farm. I'm going to use the several dozen acres of land I bought last time to dig ponds and raise fish and ducks. Later, I'll also build a pig farm. I can sell the fish, duck eggs, and pork, and use the pig and duck manure to grow crops."

Ye Hongyun smiled and said, "You are quite ambitious. If you were an ordinary woman, you would probably live out your retirement with the gold bestowed by the Emperor."

Zhang Hulan said, "I'm still young and can't lie down yet."

"Lie down?" Ye Hongyun didn't understand the meaning of this sentence.

Zhang Hulan explained: "It means doing nothing, just lounging around all day, eating and sleeping, just like a pig."

Ye Hongyun covered her mouth and laughed, "How can you compare yourself to a pig?"

Wu Deyong admired this aspect of Zhang Hulan very much, her drive and positive attitude.

Wu Deyong stood up and said, "Let's go. I'll take you to handle the formalities."

Wu Deyong personally took Zhang Hulan to complete the land purchase procedures. Since the purchase was large, the government would send someone to measure the land for Zhang Hulan. Once the land was measured and the money was paid, the land deed would be issued.

Zhang Hulan was thinking about the tax exemption period and planned to reclaim the wasteland as soon as possible, so she asked Wu Deyong, "Master Wu, I heard that several villages in the county were severely affected by the disaster. They have almost no millet harvest and no ratoon rice. Their winter wheat should be finished by now. Can I find some people from those villages to help me reclaim the wasteland? I'll pay them for their work, and they can use the money to buy some food."

Wu Deyong said, "Then I guess you won't be able to call anyone."

"What's wrong?"

Wu Deyong said, "I have been visiting those villages recently to survey the terrain. The court has allocated funds to build a reservoir in each village.

One is to prevent future droughts, and the other is that the court can use work-for-relief to help the people.

All the able-bodied laborers in those villages were conscripted to build the reservoir, leaving only women, children, and the elderly."

Zhang Hulan asked, "How much does the court pay the villagers for a day's work?"

"Twenty cents a day, lower than normal labor, but there's nothing we can do about it. It's a special time."

Zhang Hulan said, "Then I'll call the women from the village to come and reclaim the wasteland, and pay them twenty wen a day. Although women are less strong than men, they can work just as well as men."

"You have a good heart!" Wu Deyong glanced at Zhang Hulan, then nodded and said, "Then when I go to those villages tomorrow, I'll tell them that those who are willing to work for you can go to Daping Village to find you."

Zhang Hulan nodded, "Okay, thank you, sir!"

Zhang Hulan then said, "Sir, I have something to say first. I don't want anyone who doesn't work honestly. If I see anyone working dishonestly after they go there, I will ask them to go back."

"Also, the people in Daping Village who dug my fish ponds, I pay them thirty cents a day. If they feel that's unfair, they don't have to go."

"I grew up in Daping Village, so I definitely have a strong connection with the villagers. But after the people from those villages moved in, I provided them with a meal every day at noon, but I couldn't arrange accommodation for them.

Also, they have to bring their own hoes and shovels. If they want to go, I welcome them, but if they don't want to, forget it."

Wu Deyong nodded, "Okay, I'll explain it to them."

Everything was agreed upon, and Zhang Hulan said goodbye and left.

Zhang Hujun had been waiting outside for a long time.

Seeing Zhang Hulan coming out with several pieces of cloth, he hurriedly got off the donkey cart to help.

"Brother, there's more inside."

Zhang Hujun looked at the donkey cart and said, "Sister, there's no place to put it."

The donkey cart was loaded with more than twenty pig heads and offal, leaving no room for the cloth.

Ye Hongyun said, "I'll have someone take you back."

Ye Hongyun asked the maid to call the coachman to drive the carriage over and load all twenty pieces of cloth onto the carriage.

Since the county magistrate's wife was there, Zhang Hujun didn't dare ask Zhang Hulan why she moved so much cloth back from the county government office.

It was not until they left the city that Zhang Hujun asked, "Sister, what's with all this cloth?"

Zhang Hulan replied, "The emperor gave it to me."

Zhang Hujun's expression froze, his eyes fixed on Zhang Hulan. "What did you say? You said these fabrics were a gift from the emperor?"