Chapter Six: Official Media Visit
Dongxue's eyes widened as she asked, "Buy an identity document?"
“That’s right.” Ruan Bi nodded emphatically.
"Young lady, who would sell these identity documents?"
Ruan Bi laughed and said, "We're not going to buy it from the main person, we'll just go to the village head. How much is his annual salary? He can issue a document and collect one or two taels of silver. Why not?"
"But isn't this a fake?"
"With the village head's seal, who would dare say it's fake? I'll instruct Zhou Zhuzi to buy from people whose parents or grandparents have passed away three generations ago, or people whose parents have died but whose household registrations haven't been cancelled. After we register, we can spend some money to smooth things over and change the name. Even if people from our hometown come, they won't recognize us," Ruan Bi said confidently. Back when the stock market was just emerging, you needed an ID card to buy stocks. Her boss bought about ten ID cards and made his first fortune. Even in an era of readily available information, things could be peaceful; how much more so in this era of information overload?
Dongxue was still worried and frowned, asking, "Will this really work?"
"Don't worry. As the saying goes, money makes the world go round. As long as you can afford it, you can create a real identity. The only problem is that you'll have to dress as a man to register the household." The identity document wasn't the issue; the problem was that neither she nor Dongxue were men, and the Great Zhou Dynasty stipulated that only men over twenty years old could become household heads. Fortunately, throughout the year, Dongxue had traveled south to Guangzhou, north to the capital, and then followed her through thousands of miles of wind, frost, snow, and rain at the end of the year. Her skin had become rougher, and she looked much older, so dressing as a twenty-year-old man would be convincing enough.
Seeing her confidence, Dongxue's last trace of hesitation disappeared, and she smiled and said, "If you say it's okay, then it's definitely okay. As long as you give the order, I will not hesitate to do anything, even if it means going through fire and water."
Ruan Bi chuckled and said, "Sister Dongxue, look at what you're saying. Unless we're doing something that could get us killed, why would we need to go through fire and water? As long as we don't cause trouble, the government won't send anyone to our hometown to investigate. Even if they do, the village head will cover for us. Otherwise, if things are exposed, we'll just become vagrants again, but he'll lose his job." In truth, as long as those powerful figures in the capital don't keep bothering her, who would bother checking her household registration? Throughout history, it has always been the case that officials don't investigate unless the people complain.
Dongxue laughed and said, "What you say is true, I was overthinking it."
The second watchman's clapper sounded outside. Seeing that it was getting late, the two washed up and went to bed to rest.
The next morning, after breakfast, Zhou Zhuzi packed his things and went to Yaojia Village.
Ruan Bi was watching Dongxue imitate a man's speech and walk in the east wing, thoroughly amused, when she heard a loud knocking on the door. Knowing that an outsider had arrived, she quickly hid inside. Dongxue, meanwhile, picked up an eyebrow pencil and began applying freckles to her face. Just as she finished, she heard Luo Ersao's chattering voice outside: "Aunt Liu, I just saw your Zhuzi carrying a bundle out. Is he going on a long trip?"
"It's not a long trip, just visiting relatives in Sizhou. I'll be back in a couple of days."
"Aunt Liu, I see your Zhuzi running around outside every day, what is he busy with?"
"What else can I be busy with? Running errands around to earn a little money to support my family."
Luo Ersao lowered her voice and said, "Aunt Liu, I'm not trying to criticize you. You have a grandson, why do you need to adopt a godson? Besides, if you're going to adopt one, you should at least adopt an honest one. I can tell from Zhuzi's shifty eyes and rebellious nature that he's an ungrateful wretch."
Granny Liu and Zhou Zhuzi had a good relationship, and upon hearing her speak of him like that, Granny Liu's face immediately darkened. "Second Sister-in-law Luo, what are you saying?"
"Aunt Liu, don't be angry. You know my personality; I can't keep things to myself. I say what I mean and what I think. If you don't like what I'm saying, just pretend I didn't say anything." Luo Ersao looked around and said, "Hey, where's your wife? I saw that the handkerchief she used last time was embroidered beautifully, and I wanted to ask her to draw a pattern for me."
"She was in the east wing. I called her out."
"No need, no need, you go ahead and do your thing, I'll go find her myself."
Granny Liu glanced at her warily, but still said loudly, "Daughter-in-law, come out here. Sister-in-law Luo has come to see you."
Dongxue opened the door, bowed to Luo Ersaozi, and said, "Ersaozi, you've come."
Born into an official family and having lived in the prestigious Ruan family, her manners and demeanor were even more refined and elegant than those of ordinary wealthy young ladies. Therefore, your simple curtsy naturally exuded a graceful and charming air.
Luo Ersao felt her eyes light up; the freckles on her face instantly disappeared. She quickly helped her up. "Oh my, we're all neighbors, why are you being so polite?" She looked her over carefully for a few more moments and clicked her tongue, saying, "You really are born with a beautiful face. No wonder the neighborhood head said that if it weren't for these freckles, you would be a beauty one in a thousand; even if you are, you would be one in a hundred."
Although she disliked Luo Ersao and that sleazy neighborhood official, Dongxue still smiled and said, "You flatter me, Ersao," when someone praised her like that.
"No flattery, no flattery." Second Sister Luo waved her hand. Seeing that Granny Liu was standing to the side, unwilling to leave, like a mother hen protecting her chicks, she knew that it was impossible to speak without her. So she cleared her throat and said, "Aunt Liu, Miss Xue, I won't hide it from you. This time, I've come on behalf of Lord Fangzheng..."
Dongxue and Granny Liu were taken aback and looked at each other in surprise.
"Lord Fangzheng's wife passed away a few years ago, and now he's all alone. We neighbors have introduced him to some girls, but he's too picky and doesn't like most of them. Until he met Miss Xue a couple of days ago..."
Upon hearing this, Dongxue and Granny Liu suddenly realized what was going on.
Dongxue glared at her angrily, then turned and went into the east wing.
Granny Liu glared at Luo Ersao and said unhappily, "Luo Ersao, although I have little contact with you in the past few years because I have been making a living in the capital, we have been neighbors for decades. How could you have such a plan to target my wife? Go back now, I will pretend I did not hear what you said."
"Oh, Aunt Liu, don't be impatient, let me finish." Sister Luo Er patted her hand reassuringly and said slowly, "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Lord Fangzheng's family owns about two hundred acres of paddy fields, and the annual rent alone is about two hundred taels of silver. They also have a large two-courtyard house with about ten servants. If Miss Xue marries into that family, she will be the lady of the house, adorned in gold and silver, with no worries about food or drink, and served by others. What a wonderful thing that would be! Wouldn't it be much better than following Zhou Zhuzi, who's always doing odd jobs? And Aunt, Lord Fangzheng said that if Miss Xue marries him, you will be his in-law, and Dongge'er will be his nephew. As for Zhou Zhuzi, Lord Fangzheng said he can help him find another marriage and give him another twenty taels of silver as compensation. See how thoughtful Lord Fangzheng is?"
Granny Liu was so angry that her face turned red. She pushed Luo Ersao and said, "Luo Ersao, you should go back now. I'll pretend I didn't hear what you just said."
Luo Ersao stumbled from the push, nearly falling flat on her face. Enraged, she put her hands on her hips and raised her voice, "Aunt Liu, how can you be so ungrateful? Back when your cousin was fighting you for the property, if it weren't for Magistrate Fang Zheng speaking up for you, he would have taken it long ago. Without Magistrate Fang Zheng's help all these years, the house would have collapsed long ago. Magistrate Fang Zheng has taken a liking to Miss Xue; you should be repaying his kindness, not turning your back on him! You need to think carefully. If you offend Magistrate Fang Zheng, who will dare to help you in the future? Do you still want to live in Sanduo Lane?"
The voice was loud, and even when it reached the inner room of the east wing, every word was still clear. Dongxue's almond-shaped eyes widened, and she stomped her feet angrily, saying, "It's infuriating! Why hasn't Mother Liu driven her away yet? Letting her spout nonsense like that." She then turned to look at Ruanbi and said, "Girl, cover your ears. Don't let her village talk pollute your ears."
Ruan Bi smiled slightly and said, "It's nothing. It's just flattering the powerful and bullying the weak. I've seen it all before in the mansion."
One sentence made Dongxue feel melancholy.
Luo Ersao was still cursing, but the cursing gradually faded into the distance, presumably as she walked away while cursing. "...She really doesn't know what's good for her. I'm going to tell the neighborhood magistrate right now, Aunt Liu, you just wait, you'll get what's coming to you... Ouch."
The cursing stopped abruptly, followed by a loud "smack".
Ruan Bi and Dong Xue, who were listening intently, turned their heads in surprise and looked towards the door.
A moment later, Luo Ersao shouted angrily, "Which bastard threw stones at me?"
Liu Mama said, "Second Sister Luo, don't be so suspicious. You clearly fell down by accident. Why are you blaming someone who didn't even exist?"
Luo Ersao said, "Someone actually threw stones at my knee! Ouch, damn it, it hurts so much..."
The sound gradually faded until it was no longer audible.
A little while later, the sound of the door closing could be heard.
Dongxue breathed a sigh of relief and said, "They're finally gone."
No sooner had she finished speaking than Granny Liu entered, looking at Ruan Bi with a worried expression. "Miss, did you hear what we just heard? What if the neighborhood chief comes looking for us?"
"It's alright. If he comes to us, just tell him that it's not that you don't want to be his in-laws. It's just that the marriage between Dongxue and Zhuzi was originally arranged by a noble person in the capital, and you can't make the decision. Once you write a letter to the noble person in the capital, if she agrees, she will definitely betroth Dongxue to him."
Hearing her say that, Granny Liu suddenly understood and said with shame, "I...I'm really getting worse as I get older. I can't even handle such a simple matter."
Ruan Bi smiled. Liu Mama was indeed not as outstanding as before. It was probably because she was afraid and felt guilty when faced with problems, so naturally she couldn't speak with conviction.
After waiting all day, the neighborhood official still hadn't come. The next day, she heard that he had gone back to his country estate to recuperate due to a recurrence of his old eye ailment. Granny Liu thought for a long time but couldn't recall ever having had an eye problem. But at least the matter was over.
The days that followed were uneventful. Until Zhou Zhuzi returned from Yaojia Village, Luo Ersao never visited again, and even when she encountered Granny Liu on the road, she only gave her a cold look. Dongxue, disguised as a man, used the identity documents Zhou Zhuzi had brought back to buy land, establish a household, and rent a secluded two-courtyard house in a quiet alley in the east of the city. This process, to be carried out flawlessly, naturally involved considerable effort, but it went relatively smoothly.
So one misty spring morning, the residents of Sanduo Lane in the west of the city awoke to find that Granny Liu and her family had vanished. Meanwhile, the residents of Xinghua Lane in the east of the city discovered that a new family had moved in sometime during the day. The head of the household was named Lu Quan, and it was said he was from Yaojia Village in Caizhou. This family lived a secluded life, with only a strong young servant coming and going.
The residents of both alleys found it strange and discussed it at one point, but they quickly got used to it.
As the spring breeze warms, it turns the south of the Yangtze River green, and it also turns the capital city green.
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