Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Chapter 26 Sense of Superiority!
Upon entering the main room, one is greeted by a screen about half a person's height, with a faded "Farming and Weaving Picture" painted on the center, and the lacquer at the corners has become mottled into fine cloud patterns.

In the center of the main room stands a square beechwood table with four legs carved with lotus scroll patterns. Although worn smooth by time, it remains perfectly square and upright.

A row of bamboo woven book boxes stood against the east wall. The gilded inscription "Zhang Family Collection" on the lids had faded into dark patterns. Several bundles of dried mugwort were piled at the corners of the boxes, mingling with the faint scent of ink and herbs.

A jujube wood plaque hangs on the beam directly above. The four large characters "德茂乡闾" (De Mao Xiang Lü) in clerical script, though covered with a thin layer of dust, still exude a dignified strength.

Xiao Ran felt a moment of disorientation, as if he had entered the ruins of some museum.

The Muramasa family's heritage is truly exceptional.

"Young master, second mistress, third mistress, please sit down," Zhang Jinhe said warmly.

"Sister!" Zhang Erya handed the basket to Zhang Jinhe.

"Second Aunt is enough, why bring things? Don't do it again next time!" Zhang Jinhe took the basket and handed it to the boy next to her.

A young girl brought a cup and poured water for the group.

Then another girl came in carrying a tray, this time with two plates of pastries.

Xiao Ran didn't recognize him.

Third Sister swallowed subconsciously; it was obvious the little girl wanted to try it.

But she didn't dare take it, and Zhang Erya didn't seem to want to eat it either; she was probably just embarrassed.

Zhang Jinhe sat down with a smile, "Young master, second wife, third wife, please have a taste, don't be shy!"

Xiao Ran thought to himself, "The village chief's family is really something else; they can always bring out pastries to entertain people."

The Zhang siblings only have fruit available in this season, so the difference is quite significant.

Xiao Ran didn't stand on ceremony. He picked up a piece and handed it to Third Sister, then took another piece for himself to try.

Zhang Jinhe could tell that Zhang Erya was embarrassed, so he took the initiative to take a piece and hand it over.

Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya are about the same age, but their personalities are very different.

Zhang Erya felt a little inferior in front of her cousin Zhang Jinhe.

My family's circumstances are completely incomparable to Zhang Jinhe's.

Xiao Ran took a bite. It was made of millet, with dates and chestnuts inside. The taste was just so-so, but since he had never eaten it before, Xiao Ran thought it was quite unique.

"What's this called?" Xiao Ran couldn't help but ask.

“Young master, this is millet cake.” Zhang Jinhe smiled and pointed to two other different kinds, “This is wheat bran cake, and this is bean paste.”

Xiao Ran had indeed never heard of it.

Zhang Jinhe gave a brief introduction, which she herself might not have realized, but Xiao Ran and the others thought it sounded a bit boastful.

When facing someone who is inferior to you in every way, it's easy to feel a sense of superiority.

"I see!" Xiao Ran nodded. "It's better to make calcium milk biscuits."

“Young master, your grandfather is getting old and I don’t know when he will be able to get up again. If there’s anything you need to tell me, I can help you without bothering him.” Zhang Jinhe picked up his water glass.

Xiao Ran smiled and said, "My family was originally from Yongzhou in Guannei Road. At the end of the Sui Dynasty, we went to Gaochang to do business. Later, due to war, we were trapped in the Western Regions for ten years. In the fourth year of Zhenguan, the Tang Dynasty defeated the Turks and the trade route from Yizhou to Guazhou was reopened. We wanted to return to the Tang Dynasty, but we lost our household registration due to being away for a long time."

"I followed a caravan and finally returned to Guanzhong. I have no one else at home and nowhere to go. I want to seek refuge with my second aunt's family. I came here to ask the village head for help. I want to be registered as a dependent."

Zhang Jinhe nodded, understanding Xiao Ran's purpose.

Although Xiao Ran's clothes were strange, they didn't look like someone who had traveled a long way back.

Their mental state is also not like that; it's excessive!
"Young master, have you had any good days since your return from the Western Regions?"

Xiao Ran naturally didn't have one. "My wife, I have no household registration, let alone any family history."

"I was able to return here because I look like a Chinese person and speak the Chinese language. In addition, due to the policies of the imperial court, the officials along the way did not make things difficult for me."

Although the Tang Dynasty's system of passing through checkpoints was strict, the early years of the Zhenguan era saw limited grassroots administrative capacity due to the recent end of war. The "Tang Code Commentary on the Laws of Guarding and Prohibiting" stipulated that "anyone who crosses a checkpoint without authorization shall be sentenced to one year of penal servitude," but in practice, local officials often adopted a pragmatic approach of "accepting refugees first and then verifying their information" when dealing with displaced people.

Especially after the destruction of the Eastern Turks in the fourth year of the Zhenguan era, the court encouraged "pacification of the four barbarians," and local officials were more inclined to regard the returned people as "points of political achievement growth" rather than "criminals."

After all, the Tang Dynasty has a small population and needs a large labor force.

For the average thug, it's not too bad; if they can give a reason, they usually won't make things difficult for them.

Normally they wouldn't make things difficult for you, but if someone wanted to make things difficult for you, it would be reasonable and legal, which is why Xiao Ran was anxious to get his household registration sorted out.

“The matter of registering a household is of great importance, and I cannot make the decision myself. We can only wait until Grandpa gets up, which may be a bit troublesome.” Zhang Jinhe looked at Zhang Erya.

Zhang Erya was confused.

Xiao Ran picked up a piece of corn cake and gave it to Third Sister, saying, "I have nowhere else to go, so I'll have to trouble the village head and his wife."

“These household registration matters are things that Grandpa should be doing anyway, it’s his duty, no trouble at all. Young master and second mistress, please sit down first, I’ll go see if Grandpa has woken up yet.”

"okay!"

Zhang Jinhe left the main room and went to the bedroom on the east side.

This is the room where Village Chief Zhang Mingde is resting.

Zhang Jinhe entered the room and saw that her father-in-law had gotten up, and the family's servants were helping him change and wash.

As people get older, they need to be taken care of.

"Grandpa!" Zhang Jinhe called out.

"Jinniang is here!"

"Hmm." Zhang Jinhe took the comb and personally combed Zhang Mingde's hair, straightened his clothes, and made him look presentable. Although the old man was getting on in years, he cared a lot about these things.

Those who have read books become even more particular.

“Grandpa, Second Aunt and Third Aunt from the east of the village have arrived.”

"What are they doing here?" Zhang Mingde's voice was complicated; he was unwilling to interact with these sisters.

But as the village head, he couldn't avoid it.

"They said a cousin had returned from the Western Regions and wanted to seek refuge with my second aunt's family since he had no household registration," Zhang Jinhe explained briefly.

"Have you had any travel history?"

Upon hearing that they came from a very far place, my first reaction was to ask where they were from.

If there is a claim, then it is reasonable and legal; if not, then it's a different story.

“Grandpa, how can you have a residence permit without a household registration?” Zhang Jinhe continued, “Young Master Xiao Ran is quite extraordinary.”

Zhang Jinhe described Xiao Ran's appearance.

Zhang Mingde hesitated for a moment, "It sounds suspicious. I'm afraid he's not a good person and might bring disaster to the village in the future. Let him go."

Zhang Mingde didn't want to keep Xiao Ran. According to Zhang Jinhe's description, although Xiao Ran was not a blond-haired, blue-eyed barbarian, he was very different from the people of the Tang Dynasty.

The main problem is that Xiao Ran's account of a long journey was completely unconvincing.

It's hard to believe that someone who has been wandering and traveling a long way would have clean clothes and be in high spirits.

“Grandpa, we could actually keep him. Young Master Xiao Ran is strong and healthy; he should be a good worker.” Zhang Jinhe continued, “Zhang Dalang will have to go back to prison and be beheaded next year. How will Second and Third Madams survive?”

“If the sisters can’t make a living, their grandfather can’t just abandon them, can he?”

“You are the village head and an elder, so you can’t avoid it either out of courtesy or reason.”

(End of this chapter)