“Is there any way to attract trade caravans to Jinjiang County itself?”
Xiao Jingduo concentrated deeply on this question. The registrar, seeing that Xiao Jingduo had not responded for a long time, gently called out, “County Magistrate?”
Xiao Jingduo came back to his senses. He raised his slender fingers and pressed his brow helplessly. “What is it?”
“This is this month’s ledger. The shopkeeper asked me to bring it to you. Also, what should we do for next month?”
The post of county magistrate wasn’t a high-ranking one, but the responsibilities were many. In addition to overseeing finance and civil affairs, he also had to manage public order and the local prison. When someone filed a case, he had to hold court himself. Truly, there was nothing in the entire county that he didn’t have to worry about.
Xiao Jingduo had studied the art of governance at the Imperial College for a long time, but once he actually stepped into officialdom, he realized that the theories in books were of little practical use. Three years of study at the Guozijian didn’t compare to the experience he had gained in a single month as county magistrate.
Though the affairs of Jinjiang County were trivial, they greatly honed his practical skills.
Xiao Jingduo composed himself, took the ledger for this month, and examined it carefully. Then he began issuing government orders in an orderly manner.
“It’s nearly time to harvest the rice. For the next few days, reduce delivery trips—finish harvesting the rice first before dealing with anything else. Issue a decree that no one is allowed to neglect farming for commercial gain. Anyone who disobeys will be severely punished.”
“After the grain is collected, immediately send people to collect taxes. I think this year’s harvest is just average. Next month, buy some more rice from other regions. Since our county doesn’t produce much grain, we’ll just have to spend more money. No matter what, the granaries must always be full.”
“After the harvest, many people will be idle. Draft a recruitment notice to gather laborers to repair the embroidery workshop. Also, the marketplace needs to be expanded. Fortunately, winters in Southern Shu are neither snowy nor harsh, so construction won’t be delayed. Take advantage of the off-season to complete the market, and we can open for business next year.”
As Xiao Jingduo listed these instructions, the registrar quickly jotted them down with his brush. When Xiao Jingduo finished speaking, he told the registrar to draft the official documents and bring them back for his review. After the registrar left, Xiao Jingduo did not rest. Instead, he pulled out a scroll from the bamboo tube at the corner of his desk and slowly unrolled it.
This was the preliminary layout of Jinjiang County that Xiao Jingduo had drafted, marked with locations like the embroidery workshop, market, inns, and farmland. It was part of his plan for developing Jinjiang County, which he had been drawing bit by bit over the past few days.
Although Jinjiang County now had a profitable double-sided embroidery industry, relying solely on embroidery to support an entire city was still too difficult. Furthermore, the shops were located in Chengdu Prefecture and Rongzhou, so many of the profits were being siphoned off by those places. If trade caravans didn’t begin coming directly to Jinjiang County to buy and sell goods, then the county’s hopes of progressing further would be dashed.
Xiao Jingduo held his brush and made notes and sketches on the map, simultaneously considering the layout of the roads within the city. He decided to reference the layout of Chang’an, dividing the market into specialized zones. Businesses of similar nature and that could form a supply chain were placed close together, while conflicting trades were kept far apart—such as butchers and tailor shops, which definitely had to be separated.
There were many aspects that needed to be considered, and Xiao Jingduo continued making revisions until nightfall, but still hadn’t finished. And yet, people kept coming to ask for instructions:
“County Magistrate, where should we purchase the timber for repairing the county office?”
“County Magistrate, the embroidery workshop is nearly out of silk. How much silk should we buy from Chengdu Prefecture this time?”
“County Magistrate, the old master of the Sun family requests an audience.”
“County Magistrate, two people in town got into a fight.”
Such matters were endless, and Xiao Jingduo had been so busy for several consecutive months that he couldn’t be in two places at once. More than once, he was tempted to write to the Ministry of Personnel to urge them—when on earth was his assistant, the deputy magistrate, going to arrive?
Unfortunately, by the end of the year, Xiao Jingduo still hadn’t seen the arrival of his deputy.
This New Year, the county was clearly brimming with joy, much livelier than in previous years.
In just six short months, Jinjiang County’s economy had undergone a dramatic transformation. In the past, an average farming family could only depend on the whims of nature; aside from guarding their meager plot of land, they had no other options. But this year, many more avenues to earn money had opened up. In a typical household, the parents still farmed, daughters and daughters-in-law worked in the embroidery workshop, the smartest and strongest brother followed merchant caravans to deliver goods across the country, while other brothers either helped at the county office or assisted their parents with the land. After the autumn harvest, the father and brothers could leave the fields and register to help build houses and roads at the county office, earning extra income. At the end of the year, such a family made significantly more than in years past. And it wasn’t just the men—girls could now bring in income for the household too.
So, even though opinions about the new county magistrate Xiao Jingduo varied—especially because of issues like contracts—everyone had to admit that he was a capable and strong official. In just one year under his leadership, Jinjiang County had undergone a sweeping transformation. Many couldn’t help but wonder with anticipation: What will Magistrate Xiao do next year?
As the end of the year approached, the embroidery workshop went on holiday, government-run shops closed early, and couriers returned home to sit and chat with their families. But no matter how the conversation started, the topic always circled back to Magistrate Xiao and the county’s changes. The men speculated on what project Magistrate Xiao would tackle next year, but no one could convince anyone else, and debates often turned into red-faced arguments. The women’s conversations, however, were much more harmonious—they spent half their time circling around a single topic:
“Magistrate Xiao still isn’t engaged? Didn’t someone say he was, and that he sent double-sided embroidery as a gift?”
“No such thing. I heard from someone at the embroidery workshop that they tried to sound out Qiuju, but there’s nothing like that.”
“Really?” The young girls’ eyes lit up instantly, chattering excitedly. “Is that true?”
Inside the county office, the frequently mentioned Qiuju was completely unaware of all the gossip as she spoke with Xiao Jingduo: “My lord, a letter came from the Marquis’s estate. The old madam had someone pass along a message, urging you to come home for the New Year.”
“Just look at the state of the county office—do you think I can leave?”
Qiuju understood and quietly dropped the subject. “Then, my lord, I’ll draft a reply to the old madam myself.”
Xiao Jingduo nodded, which served as his agreement.
“My lord, when spring comes next year, will we be able to move to the west wing?”
“Yes. After some time, the entire county office will need to be renovated.”
When she heard that the county office was going to be renovated, Qiuju was overjoyed. “That’s wonderful! At the rate we’re selling embroidery now, won’t we save up enough money soon?”
Xiao Jingduo smiled but said nothing. Xiao Lin, who was beside him copying documents, commented, “It’s not that easy.”
Qiuju glared angrily at Xiao Lin, puffing up her cheeks in frustration and saying nothing. Xiao Jingduo had been reviewing some materials and didn’t pay attention at first, but gradually he sensed that something was off.
He cast a subtle glance at Xiao Lin, who remained silent and unreadable.
Only Qiuju remained blissfully unaware as she continued speaking: “My lord, what should we do next year? Should we come up with some new patterns?”
“By now, there are probably many double-sided embroideries in Chang’an. In recent months, while the government-run shops are still making money, the growth has slowed compared to before. If we want to keep making money next year, we’ll definitely need to innovate. Most importantly, we need to develop our own style.”
“What do you mean by that?” Qiuju asked.
“Chengdu Prefecture, after all, is the major hub for Shu brocade tribute. Their double-sided embroidery is richer and more vibrant—styles favored by nobles and the palace. If we want to gain a foothold, we must take a different path and create a distinct Jinjiang County style, something people can recognize at a glance: which pieces are from Chengdu, and which are from Jinjiang. Since Miss Chen excels at landscapes and conveying artistic mood, and since Jinjiang is nestled in the countryside, we may as well embrace a rustic, natural charm. Scholars love elegance, and the young ladies in Chang’an like fresh novelties—they should be our target audience.”
Both Qiuju and Xiao Lin nodded. “That makes sense.”
As they were speaking, there was a sudden knock at the door, followed by Chen Ci’s voice: “Lord Xiao, may I come in?”
“It’s Miss Chen,” Qiuju said as she jumped up and ran to open the door. “You’re here!”
Chen Ci stepped in slowly. She looked surprised to see so many people in the room but then gracefully gave a polite bow. “Lord Xiao.”
“No need for such formality, Miss Chen,” Xiao Jingduo said, sitting up straight. “Did you come here today for something?”
“With the year drawing to a close, I don’t have many talents to offer, but I can embroider. So I made a table screen as a gift to congratulate you, Lord Xiao.” As she spoke, she stepped aside to reveal the maid behind her holding a screen. She smiled and looked at Xiao Jingduo. “Please have a look.”
The needlework was familiar, but when the maid rotated the screen, everyone in the room gasped in astonishment.
The embroidery on both sides was actually different! Qiuju leaned in, staring closely in disbelief. “Heavens, the double-sided embroidery actually has different designs on each side? Doesn’t that mean you had to plan both patterns at once, and not make a single mistake with the needle?”
Miss Chen smiled modestly, lips pressed together. Qiuju brought the screen to Xiao Jingduo. After looking it over, he was also amazed. “Miss Chen, your embroidery skills are truly remarkable.”
He examined it once more and asked, “What is this embroidery technique called?”
“Double-sided dissimilar embroidery,” she replied. “I developed it during my free time.”
“We had just been worrying about what new embroidery patterns to make next year, and didn’t expect Miss Chen to bring such good news so quickly,” Xiao Jingduo said with a smile. “Miss Chen, you’ve truly surpassed your teacher. I doubt even Granny Zhou could do this kind of embroidery. It looks like we won’t have to worry about what to sell in the official shop next year.”
“Exactly!” Qiuju chimed in. “With regular double-sided embroidery, at least you can learn the techniques and stitching. But with double-sided dual-image embroidery, it’s all about talent. If you don’t have the talent, even teaching it hand by hand won’t help. And there’s no fear of anyone stealing the technique either—each stitch creates two different patterns with their own color schemes, and that takes real thought. This isn’t something you can just pick up by watching. If Miss Chen can make one, she can make another. No one else could figure it out even if they racked their brains.”
The more Qiuju spoke, the more excited she became. Chen Ci was a bit embarrassed from the praise and smiled at Xiao Jingduo, saying, “Magistrate Xiao, this is what I’m worried about too. Regular double-sided embroidery is teachable, but I’m afraid fewer than ten percent of the embroidery house workers could master dual-image embroidery.”
“No matter,” Xiao Jingduo smiled calmly. “What is rare is precious. It’s about time we launched a high-end and refined embroidery product.”
Qiuju was still riding her wave of excitement and eagerly chatted with Chen Ci about all sorts of things. From behind, Xiao Lin quietly said, “Qiuju, you’re disturbing the young master.”
Xiao Jingduo looked up from his scroll and smiled. “It’s fine.” Qiuju turned and glared at Xiao Lin before turning back to Xiao Jingduo. “Young master, now that we finally have the New Year holiday, why are you still cooped up indoors reading? You’ve been so busy this year—why not take these few days to go out and walk around a bit?”
Xiao Jingduo pointed to the books on the table and said, “Let me finish this volume first.”
“Young master…” Qiuju wouldn’t give up and dragged Chen Ci in to back her up. “Miss Chen, don’t you think the young master always says he’ll go out but never actually does?”
Chen Ci also tried to persuade him. “Magistrate Xiao, you’ve been working so hard these past months. Now that you finally have a break, you really don’t need to stress yourself over official matters.”
Xiao Jingduo shook his head. “The shop has only just gained a foothold. Next year we have to open up new trade routes. If I don’t study the maps and do some prep now, I’m afraid we’ll waste time when spring comes. It’s the holiday—you all go out and enjoy yourselves. Don’t stay here on my account.”
No one had ever been able to change Xiao Jingduo’s mind. Seeing him say this, Chen Ci could only bow in regret and leave with Qiuju.
Xiao Lin was about to leave as well, but just as he reached the door, Xiao Jingduo stopped him. “Xiao Lin, stay behind. I have something to discuss with you.”
Sensing something, Qiuju glanced at Xiao Lin, then quickly sneaked a peek at Xiao Jingduo before hastily pulling Chen Ci out the door.
Once the door closed, Xiao Lin softly responded, “Young master.”
“What’s going on between you and Qiuju?”
Xiao Lin paused for a moment, then admitted straightforwardly, “I’m fond of Qiuju. I ask for Young Master’s blessing.”
Xiao Jingduo put down his book and stared steadily at Xiao Lin. After a while, he let out a long sigh. “You two have often worked right under my nose, yet I never imagined… it would be you two.”
Xiao Lin kept his head down and said nothing. Xiao Jingduo sighed with some emotion before speaking again. “Since the two of you care for each other, I naturally have no objections. If she’s willing, pick a date and hold the wedding. It just so happens that we’ll be moving to a new compound in the spring—when the time comes, you two can move out together.”
Xiao Lin bowed and touched his forehead to the ground. “Thank you, Young Master.”
“I’ve never arranged a wedding before, so I don’t really know what gifts to prepare for a newlywed couple. How about this—I’ll give you the wedding money, and you can buy whatever you like yourselves.”
Xiao Jingduo’s gift-giving style was indeed simple and direct, but it was also extremely practical. Xiao Lin bowed again in thanks. “Thank you, Young Master.”
After sending Xiao Lin off, Xiao Jingduo couldn’t calm his thoughts for a long time.
Without realizing it, Qiuju, Xiao Lin, and even himself had all reached the age for marriage discussions. Xiao Lin had been able to say so frankly, “I’m fond of her.” And for some reason, Xiao Jingduo actually felt a bit envious.
But in the end, this was just a small matter. Xiao Jingduo had far too much to do, and before long, that fleeting feeling was pushed down as he threw himself wholeheartedly into preparations for the new year.
That year, the new embroidery workshop was completed. All the embroiderers moved into the spacious and bright new building. With the opportunity of the relocation, the workshop was reorganized once more. Embroiderers of different skill levels and contract types were placed in different areas. Each person had their own role. The workshop gradually evolved from a spur-of-the-moment startup into a mature operation with clear divisions of labor and a defined hierarchy.
Meanwhile, the people of Jinjiang County noticed that the market had expanded significantly. Inside, it was neatly divided into functional zones. While no one could say this change was bad, they all whispered to each other: “Why did Magistrate Xiao expand the market so much? Do we really need such a big space?”
The shrewd ones sensed that Xiao Jingduo was likely planning something new. Sure enough, not long after spring began, Butcher Feng led his team—not to Chengdu Prefecture, nor to Rongzhou—but instead turned south, heading toward the direction of Nanzhao.
The people were in an uproar. Everyone knew that Butcher Feng only listened to Xiao Jingduo, and that his every move reflected Xiao Jingduo’s intentions. So now that Butcher Feng was heading to Nanzhao, what exactly was Xiao Jingduo planning behind the scenes?
T/N: Xiao Lin and Qiuju are officially a couple!
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