They arrived at Baihua Lin Prefecture.
The prefect was waiting at the mansion's entrance early. Judging by his vigorous demeanor, it was clear he had everything prepared.
"Your subordinate greets Her Majesty the Empress and Her Highness the Princess Consort!"
As for Baili Kai'en, the emperor, Li Yang did not recognize him and automatically tuned him out.
"Rise. Are things all settled?"
Li Yang respectfully ushered them into the prefectural mansion, saying as they walked, "Everything is completed. I've also had the local villagers turn over some of the land!"
Duan Yao did not understand this, but Zhao Jiaqi, who came from a farming family, naturally understood what "turning over the land" meant.
Turning over the land meant tilling the existing fields and also reclaiming some barren land. This was done to lease out more land.
However, the fact that the common people were willing to spend their time turning over the land was enough to show that the local populace genuinely worked for money.
As long as there was this initiative, she was willing to spend more money.
Soon, a roster appeared before the two of them. Zhao Jiaqi casually flipped through it, while Duan Yao, beside her, found it dizzying.
"Sister-in-law, I haven't finished yet!"
Zhao Jiaqi looked at her and asked with a smile, "What are you looking at? Don't tell me you're looking at the names on the roster!"
"Yes, what else would I look at!" Duan Yao asked directly, not thinking twice.
Zhao Jiaqi smiled even more heartily, teasing her second sister-in-law, "Even if you look at the names on the roster, do you know them?"
Duan Yao was speechless. So, she had just been looking for nothing.
"Then what are you looking at?"
Zhao Jiaqi turned to the last line of each town's roster and pointed it out to Duan Yao, "How much land and how many people I have in each town."
This was to facilitate a better calculation of how many long-term laborers were needed in each town.
After listening to her sister-in-law's explanation, Duan Yao blushed deeply. As an outsider, she was truly not suited to ask questions. She should honestly follow and learn.
After she finished looking, she began to calculate quickly in her mind. Seeing this, Duan Yao did not disturb her but pulled Li Yang out of the room.
"We arrived first, and the foreman is behind. He should arrive in about an hour. Listen to his arrangements when he gets here!"
Li Yang was taken aback. If he, an official, were to listen to a laborer, it would be laughable if word got out.
However, since the Empress had said so, he could not disobey.
"Your subordinate understands and will cooperate fully with the foreman!"
Duan Yao pondered for a moment and asked, "Have the matters of land leasing been explained to the common people? Have the seriousness of the situation been made clear?"
Li Yang bowed and replied, "It has been explained, and the local common people are very happy, saying that the incident in Nancha Prefecture will absolutely not happen. Moreover, I have clearly explained the harsh realities, so I will not allow an incident like Nancha Prefecture to occur again!"
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty the Empress."
She was reassured. If things were to take a major turn, her heart couldn't take it. "Strive to do a good job!"
"For the next few days, Her Highness the Princess Consort and I will be staying at the posthouse. Please make good arrangements!" Duan Yao said. Suddenly, she remembered that her elder brother had also come along and then instructed, "The man in white is the Emperor of Xuanyuan. Please take good care of him as well!"
Li Yang was greatly shocked. He quickly looked up at the Empress in surprise. That man was actually the Emperor of Xuanyuan?
He had thought that man was the Prince Regent!
Duan Yao frowned at his surprised expression. "Why the long face!"
"Oh, your subordinate thought that was the Prince Regent, but I didn't expect him to be the Emperor of Xuanyuan, so I was a bit surprised!"
Duan Yao saw that his expression did not seem to be as he claimed. She looked back to check what Baili Kai'en was doing but found no one there.
Not even in the courtyard could he be seen. Li Yang, seeing the Empress looking for someone, took the initiative to say, "The Emperor of Xuanyuan has not come out; he is inside the room!"
Li Yang subtly pointed towards the room. Inside the room, only a maidservant and the Emperor remained!
At that moment, Duan Yao's mind was a little muddled. Logically, her elder brother was not a country bumpkin and should not be so ignorant of etiquette!
Leaving Li Yang, she hurried into the room. She saw her sister-in-law hunched over the desk, drawing and writing, while Baili Kai'en sat on a chair drinking tea, as if nothing had happened.
Seeing this scene, Duan Yao felt a moment of awkwardness. It seemed she had misunderstood what Prefect Li had said and had thought too much about things she shouldn't have.
However, a man and a woman alone in a room, even if nothing happened, it would sound bad if it got out.
So, she sat down, had tea and chatted with Baili Kai'en, and waited for her sister-in-law.
Before the foreman arrived, Fan Zehao came on horseback. Seeing her younger brother arrive, Duan Yao's smile truly brightened.
"What, are you afraid I'll abduct your sister-in-law that you chased after me!"
Fan Zehao chuckled, his expression a little unnatural. "I was mainly afraid my wife would miss me if I left, so I came looking!"
This public display of affection caught them both off guard!
Zhao Jiaqi, who was concentrating on her work, looked up and saw her husband staring at her. She was slightly surprised.
She looked at the sun outside, which seemed unchanged. It seemed she also felt: "You came so quickly?"
"I thought you wouldn't arrive until the afternoon!"
Fan Zehao winked at her and said with a smile, "When I woke up and found you gone, the guards said you were here. I saw how far it was and that you didn't have anyone to protect you, so I got worried!"
Duan Yao shook her head. The words she had just spoken and the words she was saying now were completely different versions.
When it came to coaxing women, this younger brother, Fan Zehao, was the best among the three brothers.
As it was nearing noon, the foreman also arrived. Together, they went to the nearby fields and recruited some laborers from the local area. If there weren't enough people, the employer would pitch in.
Li Yang was in the middle of this work, busy and truly working hard.
The person who assigned the work had some cleverness. Zhao Jiaqi liked people with this kind of cleverness; they were easy to utilize.
Soon, under the foreman's guidance, they found people who knew how to farm. The tasks assigned were quickly implemented.
The long-term laborers worked for wages. They did as they were told, without any complaints.
While the work outside was going on with great enthusiasm, Baili Kai'en and Fan Zehao were discussing what vegetables were suitable for planting in this land.
Fan Zehao had no idea about this. He had only heard some things from his wife, but he hadn't told her about it.
Meanwhile, Zhao Jiaqi was busy brushing the waterproof sheeting with tung oil. Originally, it was sized according to the land in Nancha Prefecture, but now the land here was more than in Nancha Prefecture, so a new batch had to be custom-made.
After several days of hard work, seeing the results, Zhao Jiaqi was quite happy.
Most of the items were ready. A batch of tung oil cloth was still being processed, but by the time these large greenhouses were covered, the latest custom-ordered tung oil cloth would likely arrive.